MattM

I saw that, too, and was also impressed. Seems like a good kid.

My bad on the title of the thread--can one of the mods fix that, as I don't seem to be able to edit the topic title?

Wasn't Robey an UDFA? Or am I misremembering (always possible)?

Discuss

We basically only lost Hogan (inconsistent 3rd receiver) off last year's 13th ranked O. I think they're counting on (a) the natural improvement that comes from familiarity with a new system, especially for TT, who will get all the starter snaps in TC to boot, (b) the maturation of young guys like Sammy, Karlos and Miller and © everyone getting and staying healthy (we had huge injuries on that side of the ball last year), plus (d) one of the "once showed promise" FA receivers to step up and produce as our 2/3 receiver. If we get most of that, I'd say that's enough to push us into the Top 10 on O. Add these pieces to the D and I actually kind of like our chances next season if we stay healthy....

We both also know that even if the Bills were to go 0-16 back to back years, we'd still sell 30k season tickets, all in a city with about 20% of Boston's population. Personally, I predict we'll find out how fair weather Boston fans are once again as soon as Brady retires.....

I lived there from '88-91. Around that time the Pats* had 19k season ticket holders, in a city 5x the size of Buffalo....,

Par for the course for Florio. He looks for any pro-Pats* point in anything related to Deflategate, which is kind of odd since he was fairly evenhanded and rational on it until mid-May, when a switch seemed to be flipped and he went all-in on the Cheats*. It's almost like someone "talked to him" around that time....

Wasn't he also from Utica or Binghamton originally, too? I seem to recall that when he was a Buckeye. And yet another example of what I like to call "big man with a gun" syndrome. SMDH....

Totally agree. The Times also posted a rebuttal to the League's response this morning in which they basically say either "not true" or "the League put words in our mouth we never said". Pretty cut and dried stuff. To those paying attention, the League is not looking good here.

The tobacco arguments from the Times seem weak to me, but the other stuff seems a bit more convincing to me, even after reading the League's denial....

In the investment world, we call this strategy "spray and pray"....

To answer your first question, no, he's not serious--in fact, Mr. G (or whoever plays him here) should win an Internet Oscar for his brilliant performance art portrayal of the League's "Corp speak"....

The NYT has a very lengthy front page story alleging that (a) the League-mandated studies of head injuries were faulty (and probably intentionally so--for ex., some teams (including Jerrah's 'Boys during the Aikman years no less) didn't report in their concussions) and (b) the League took a tobacco industry approach to the issue by hiring several lawyers and lobbyists who had tobacco experience. Jerrah was not speaking in a vacuum yesterday--he knew this was coming..... http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/25/sports/football/nfl-concussion-research-tobacco.html?_r=0

Correct, but much like Berman tipped his hand by his questioning (including his views on the underlying investigation) two of the three appellate judges may have as well, including statements from Denny Chin indicating that he believed the Commissioner had more than enough evidence and power to suspend Brady over the phone issue alone if I recall his comment correctly (which I may not--too lazy to Google it).

High--kind of like a bunch of us knew they'd open with the Steelers as soon as we heard that Bell had been suspended for two games (helped further when Bryant later was tagged for the first four).

John--Judge Berman's ruling was on a very narrow issue--whether the NFL under the CBA had the power to sanction Brady by suspending him--and did not rule on the merits as to whether Brady actually did anything here. He simply found that the League had no authority because the CBA did not go into enough detail to say you could be suspended for deflating balls (which the League said was in fact covered unde other more general provisions). As I pointed out at the time (and it looks like at least 2 of the 3 appellate judges may agree with me) that's really a ridiculous line of reasoning, since the alternative is a 5000 page CBA going into what the punishment could be for every picayune eventuality. We'll see in the next few weeks, but my strong suspicion is that Tommy Boy* better get ready to ride some pine to start the season. The Pats*, in redoing Brafy's-* deal the way they did, seem to be preparing for that, too.

Very sad story to read for all of us who loved watching him play. In terms of your question, I personally liken this issue to where smoking was in the mid-60's when there were suspicions without too much scientific proof. That proof is now starting to come in on the impact of playing football as a career. I don't think it's that fair to judge folks like Daryl who didn't have all the information at hand to make an informed decision back then and, even if they did, I'm not sure that they (or any of us, frankly, were we in their shoes) at the indestructible and not fully formed adult age of 22 or so would make a long-term safer choice. One never knows, however, as folks like Chris Borland and his early retirement point out. God bless the Talley family.

He's kind of their Kujo. He's a better player than Kujo, but like Kujo's nowhere near a 41st player selected player, he's nowhere near a top 10 draft pick player.

What was the comp? Swapping picks sounds like NE* may have even gotten picks back. Salary dump?

Might have something to do with Rodney's "special training regimen" upon joining the Pats*--anyone else remember how that got him 4 games off?

I think they may also be able to appeal to the 2d Circuit "en banc" (i.e., all 2d Corcuit judges sitting together to decide) before the SC step. Sounds like it's up to the 2d Circuit to take it en banc--there's no automatic right to that. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/En_banc

We'll see, John. I expect Berman to be overturned, as I have from the beginning (I'm a lawyer, but not a labor lawyer or litigator.). Otherwise, the CBA will need to be 1,000 pages long to cover every possible eventuality. At some point, rationality and reason (versus hyper technicality--as one of the judges apparently called Kessler's argument) needs to take over. That would be too bad about your not posting in solidarity, as you do add some good and interesting thoughts here.

As they should be--based on the 2d Circuit's comments, justice is about to be served. Better late than never, I guess....

That's the nature of the modern (read "salary capped") NFL--teams will almost always have weaknesses. Drafting well helps and hopefully allows your strengths to mask your weaknesses....