The Dean

THAT was a thing of beauty.

You got that right. Once again EJ didn't throw any passes downfield. That's why the Bills lost.

See? We should have signed him.

It's funny that you think you know that.

Looks pretty funny. I haven't watched more than a minute or two yet. But I hope his understanding of the Internet is a bit better than his apparent understanding of Marshall McLuhan. Long live the new flesh!

Pretty much spot on, Rico. Not the best scenario, but not a career ender, or as long as it doesn't happen to soon, a season ender.

Comedy gold right there. Jim's always bringing the funny. Wow, They kept saying it over and over? Well if some guy on ESPN said it (multiple times, it seems) it MUST be true.

Ah, of course. I think it's time for The Dean to have another cup o coffee. Not quite awake yet.

Now stop it, Sage. Fear the Karma. I'm pretty sure Sage was kidding there---at least I hope so. I had the same inappropriate reaction when I initially read your post. But Sage read it first, and thought the same thing, apparently. You think starting a backup who has had about 1 week to practice, after sitting since last season, is what is best for the team? Wait...I get it. You don't think EJ is any good, right? Now I got it. You should post that more often, and in as many threads as possible, so there is no misunderstanding.

Good stuff. But the point WASN'T that Tuel didn't put the work in. I was just thinking of possibilities why Marrone might treat one player differently than another. There are many, I just threw that out there as a "for instance". When someone admits they can't understand why a HC would use different motivations for different players, I'm guessing it's because they are too mentally lazy to think about it. Or they have made up their mind, because of some prior belief or agenda---make the facts fit the theory.

My bad.

Pardon me, but I have seen no reasonable discussion from you on this issue. Where is the "If this, then that" in your argument? You simply assume the worst. Maybe you think that's reasonable, I don't. Nor do I think "everything is fine here, nothing to worry about" is fine. When I find you weighing the alternatives, discussing all the possibilities, I will cut you slack. But when I see you pissing in the pool, on every issue, I will call you out.

The only impact on next years draft is for the 1st round pick (and that implies the Bills don't acquire a 1st round pick through some other means). Not having a 1st round pick doesn't negate the possibility of a good draft. In fact, many here hate the Bills first round pick every year. Several teams haven't had first round picks, or have had very late 1st round picks, for several years. Are there teams doomed because of it? If we had the 1st round pick next year, what are the chances you wouldn't criticize it? The very idea we may be hurt for years, because of one draft pick, is crazy. With that said, yes, I hope Watkins makes us forget that trade. But until we know for sure, why even mention it in a thread that asks about the Bills WORST draft ever? If Seantrel turns out to be a starting tackle, that is better than a few of our past drafts.

But even if ONE of these guys pans out, it won't be the worst draft ever for the team. So basically you are taking this opportunity to press a point even you don't really believe. Horrible.

I don't quite get this back and forth. We have no idea what the trust says. There is no reason to think the wording of the trust would be leaked, as there are probably a very few, highly invested, people who know the wording of the trust. But whether the trust requires the sale go to a person committed to keeping the team in WNY, or that was simply a verbal instructions to them, or that is something the trust, on their own decided Ralph would want---the end result is still the same, No? Trying to guess about things you don't know seems unproductive.

It's not your place to make that gamble, that's my point. I'm not the fun poiice. I doubt this is an issue. But for you not to consider what it might mean to the guy who runs the place tells me all I need to know about you.

What about watching tape. meeting with the OL, the WRs? Are you positive he was putting in the mental work? What about Thad? How about their personalities and dispositions. Do you know those as well? You have an idea---and believe it completely, That's the problem, because you know nothing. And neither do I for that matter. The difference between us is, since I understand that, I try to consider all the possibilities. Your arrogance leads you to believe you have all the answers. I just wonder why those answers are always negative.

Perhaps they weren't putting in the time/work that EJ was. Perhaps he saw no improvement with them, but did with EJ, Clearly the stakes with challenging your young, marginally talented, backups isn't the same as challenging your talented, #1 pick, starting QB. The truth is, I don't KNOW, Neither do you,. But I can think of some reasons why he may treat them differently. I challenge you to use your brain to think of some reasons of your own. If you can't imagine ANY reason why a coach uses different motivation for different players, I'd say you have a terrible imagination. Try to think through all the possibilities. And I believe I can imagine your response/

Agreed,. It's also impossible for those who are willing to try to make the Bills look incompetent at every turn. We have enough apologists and haters on the board. Do you think it is better to be one than the other? The truth is, it is impossible to connect the dots with any certainly,

I'm not sure the stakes matter that much, if someone decides to make a big deal out of it. I've seen poker games busted for chump change, while major stakes games were left untouched. Again, I doubt it's a big deal, just think it should be considered as this isn't "your house".

I lived in an area with bad pizza and pedestrian subs. The best solution was, pizza subs. Not terrible (not great, either). Well said. And spot on. Perhaps he can see EJ doesn't need the extra motivation. Maybe he knows EJ is putting enough pressure on himself and doesn't need more. The stakes are less important if you are wrong with a backup. Now, I don't know that this is the case, but I would think you might actually think of this possibility on your own, if you actually tried.

Not exactly a narc,. But the question should be asked to protect SDS, if this is seen as allowing/promoting gambling. If it turns out to be no big deal (with something like FanDuel so "legitimate" you'd expect this would be no problem) then fine. But consider your host before moving forward.

I agree Labatt is nothing to write home about. But Genny? Cream Ale? Yeech. An embarrassment to WNY. But if you are going to drink generic macro beer, might as well make it local. Bud, Coors and Miller are no better to the local swill, IMO. Rolling Rock was OK for weak beer when it was made in Latrobe. Doesn't seem the same now. Stroh's was good when it was fire-brewed in Detroit. Ballantine XXX Ale was always a decent drink. OV splits were heard to beat. Doesn't taste the same in regular size containers. Lord Chesterfield Ale (by Yuengling) used to be really cheap, and pretty good. Can't get it down here, though.

Not at all. But cool story, dude. Seriously, I understand lots of little things influence our fandom, especially when we are young. My uncle took me to a Pittsburgh Pirates (Forbes Field) game when I was 6 or 7 years old. Saw Stargell hit one out of the stadium. Been a Pirate fan ever since. But in this case, had their been no rule, I imagine she would have been fielding a number of congratulatory calls from coaches (just like she probably was getting with other non NCAA involved people). I don't suppose that call would have stood out so much had anyone been free to call her. And they there is this. I didn't know this. I'd say if Geno knew that he was breaking the rule, he used it to his advantage and the NCAA had little choice than to fine him. But they shouldn't have a rule that dumb to begin with.