Search the Community

Should the (actually when in my view) will the NFLPA move to represent college athletes who play football and more important how should they do this? In other major league sports, the CBAs include strict rules about how and when teams are allowed to sign athletes to their teams (generally 16) and the team owners sign individuals to rich speculative contracts and spend millions on their training to go to the show eventually in agreements with generally separately owned minor league teams. While basketball shares some of the business elements with the NFL, the remains singular among the major league sports in that they have basically dished all the costs of training onto the colleges and only had to devote cash to a combine they control which allows players to compete to picked in a draft and individual rights are simply pushed aside by thei assignment to one team (again their are variations inherent in all leagues and interesting overlays with the viability of players entering the process from Europe or elsewhere). My sense is that there is an interesting dance going on here where the football story is to a great degree defined by the fact that the NFL somehow has developed into a structure where the rights of adults from 18 to their birth year graduates that adults physically capable of playing this game are simply barred from signing with teams. Attempts to uphold individual rights in courts and let the free market simply sort out who plays and who does not have pretty roundly been repudiated by the courts. It really amazes me how socialism really rules the day in the economic operations of professional football and reality has developed where part of being one of the teams is that they totally share gross revenues and that they repudiate individual rights to play and live where an individual wants based on a draft where the poor performing teams are rewarded with the best draft picks. How non-free market, I am surprised that Fidel Castro is such a baseball fan and not a football fan as the NFL system is more like Cuba than America in regard to the fact that it simply tells you where to live your life. I think it is going to pretty quickly become impossible to deny adult college players a slice of the billions of new dollars to be generated by the college playoffs. It seems quite natural to me that the NFLPA will move to organize and protect the fiscal voice and rights of adults in college who as of today receive no salary in exchange for putting their well-being on the line in college ball and entertaining all who are interested. The founding of college football playoffs are going to have some amazing impliacations for the NFLPA as collegiams likely demand and achieve their American adult rights to let the free market (to some extent as the NFL itself is a lot more a socialist than free market We see that all the time in the NFL since the advent of the modern CBA where not only has a partnership been created between the players and owners but when Gene Upshaw publicly declared that the new CBA would be based on total receipts rather than a designated gross and dictated that the split needed to start with a 6, the players are actually the majority owners. I am most interested in seeing folks views about the fiscal implications for the NFL of the college football playoffs rather than the simple raw sports enjoyment of watching man-boys slap each other upside the head.

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Wash-lawmaker-calls-Arizona-racist-wasteland-after-Seahawks-loss-237044051.html

Why are the Bills not at camp already? Are they not allowed to report earlier due to the new CBA? If not the Bills should have started earlier. With new O and D every day counts.

It's rare when I post in this forum and even more that I post a topic, but I wanted reaction to this. I know a lot of people do not care for O'Reilly and believe in the mantra "Fox News Lies", but I think O'Reilly's commentary on this subject is brilliant and spot on. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj4JaCSbhFY Thoughts?

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/msnbc-apologizes-tweet-taunting-conservatives-article-1.1596432

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/08/north-carolinas-governor-signed-extensive-new-voter-id-law/68242/ The intent seems pretty clear here. If you show up to vote you need ID, if you just mail it in, you don't.

Imagine the outrage if the roles were reversed? http://dailycaller.com/2013/08/21/black-teen-who-murdered-australian-jogger-posted-racist-tweets/

Unlike some of the other comments I've seen on this board, I think it's important to not get too high during big wins or too low after dissappointing losses with this Bills team. This isn't a Bills team like last year who were supposed to "take the next step". This is a team with a new coach, new QB, and new Offensive and Defensive systems. It's going to take time to build. Whether they are successful or not only time will tell. But certainly three games into the first season with a rookie HC and QB isn't nearly time enough to make that final judgement. The Bills were a game winning drive away from beating the Pats, and I like the fact they went for the kill instead of trying to run out the clock with a bunch of predictable runs up the middle like past regimes have done. Then EJ Manuel drives the team down the field with less than 2 minutes left and no timeouts to pull off a final second touchdown vs Carolina. This after coming back from a fumble and interception that would have crushed the confidence of most rookie...or veteran QBs. I think these are positive things that a young team like the Bills can grow with, and yes...they are young. Against the Jets, EJ Manuel looked like a rookie. He held the ball too long, didn't make good throws and made some bad decisions. But that's what rookies do sometimes. It's a learning process. Our secondary is decimated by injuries and they let up too many big plays that the offense couldn't overcome. Yet they only lost by a touchdown. Not the end of the world by any stretch. Would you rather have been blown out by 38 by a mediocre team like the Giants were. We can all sit here and complain about 13 years of no playoffs, blah...blah...blah. But that's not Doug Whaley, Doug Marrone, or Ej Manual's fault. When you build a team from the Coach and QB up it takes time. Mistakes are going to be made. This isn't Dick Jauron or Chan Gailey after year 3. It's a rookie coach after 3 games. Patience is required. Yes, required. Everyone is dissing Manuel, yet his QBR is better than RGIII, Roethlisberger, Kaepernick, Flacco, and Tom Brady. He has thrown for more yards than Russell Wilson, Andrew Luck, and Alex Smith. He also has only 1 INT, compared to Eli Manning (8) and RGIII, Drew Brees, Roethlisberger, Matt Schaub and Kaepernick (all with 4). Mind you, he is a rookie. Then I'm reading craziness about trading CJ Spiller, arguably our best player on the team (and in the league coming into the season), because Cleveland dumped TR in a rebuilding move. Buffalo isn't looking to start from scratch through the draft. They have their offensive foundation. They need to grow as a unit, not tear it down. Granted Spiller has struggled a bit as of late, but fresh off a 103 yard performance where he averaged 6.4 yards per carry and hearing calls of CJ "returning to form" and all of a sudden we need to dump him? Keep in mind he still has more rushing yards than Frank Gore, BenJarvis Ellis, and Lamar Miller...to name a few. And his yards per carry still ranks higher than Gore, Marshawn Lynch, Ray Rice and Ellis. This is after sharing carries with Fred Jackson. Jackson is not the future of this team. Spiller is. That's plain ridiculous. Stats aren't everything, but they are a good indication of production. For everyone who is down and out because of Buffalo's 1-2 record, good thing you weren't running the Bills in 1986-87, when Jim Kelly only won 10 of his first 28 starts for the Bills, or Marv Levy who lost 13 of his first 22 games for Buffalo. Those that think 3 games is enough to crown EJ Manuel a bust, remember that RGIII started 3-6 for Washington (with a veteran head coach in Mike Shanahan that we all would have "killed" for a few years back.) Eli Manning lost 6 of his first 7 starts as a rookie...Joe Montana 5 of his first 7. Steve McNair didn't have a winning record until his 3rd season as a full time starter. I don't think they are looking to label RGIII a bust in Washington just yet, and those other guys turned our pretty good...I think. For those down on Marrone, besides Levy you can point to Bill Walsh's 8-24 record his first two seasons in San Francisco, or Mike Holmgren who didn't post double digit wins until his 3rd season in Green Bay. Both of those teams hadn't seen playoff success in decades, yet stuck with their coaches. Bill Belichick was 5-11 his first year, and that was with a veteran QB Drew Bledsoe at the helm. All extreme cases, and I'm praying I don't have to endure those losing streaks....but I think a little perspective is in order here 3 games into our young season. I'm not jumping ship, and I'm staying level headed until this team grows more. Can't blame the past on them, only the future. I have to give them atleast this year and half of next to see where they are heading before I can begin to doubt Manual or Marrone as leaders. Being a fan for 35 years, I've lived and died in enough December and January wins and losses to know that week to week, anything can happen. With the existance of 0-3 teams who are grossly underperforming such as the Steelers, Redskins, Giants, and Vikings.....I'm excited about the direction the team is going in. I'm excited about the talent they have. I can't wait until we get healthy and experienced. I have faith that Brandon, Whaley, Marrone and staff has this team headed in the right direction. I won't let one game, or one play, sway that! If you don't have the patience, then don't watch. GO BILLS!

Link

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/12/tech/innovation/voyager-solar-system/ Good Luck & Godspeed V-Ger

My observation of our QB situation since last year had stagnated or in some cases regressed (Thad for instance). Is N. Hackett's system too complicated, maybe QB coach not connecting with the young players? Would you agree with the Orton signing maybe he is a better fit for the 'up-tempo' offense?

Don't know much about Schwartz in Detroit, other than his teams were quite chippy. I'm guessing he will be our next coach, and I don't mind that at all. By all accounts, the team will be happy with that as well. However, I don't really know the details of his time in Detroit. What are your thoughts on why he didn't pan out long term? Was it unique to that team/time, or is it a systemic problem with Schwartz? Your best guess...

yikes!!!!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2015/09/25/bill-parcells-says-rgiii-is-the-poster-boy-for-young-qbs-too-worried-about-their-brand/ While I can understand his premise, the fact that he included EJ Manuel can be further from the truth. You can say what you want about EJ quarterback skills, the one thing I dont think you can question is his work ethic. I have never seen him in a commerical in my life To my knowledge I dont think he has ever even gotten a speeding ticket Universally known as the 1st one in and the last one out type of player Is a hunble as you can expect a pro player to be. Now what I do find interesting is,he named all Black QB as the bad ones, and leaving all the bad white ones off his list. No mentioned of Johnny Football and his alcohol issues and partying up( Hope is doing well by the way) and other white QB's that may of brought into the own press clipping( Ryan Leaf) Its 2015 and I see some racial sterotypes die hard

that white players are better Quarterbacks in the NFL? According to Wiki Answers there are 3,867 white athletes vs 11,978 black athletes in the NFL. It's obvious that it's a difficult thing for a white player to compete with black players in the NFL. And it's not just at skill positions. It appears that they only excel at QB play, Kicking, and Punting. No one knows why that is and you could debate that topic all day long. Could it be that white athletes gravitate towards the QB position based on they might enjoy the studying part of the position more than the black athlete? And the white athlete recognizes that as an edge or a way to compete with their more athletic black counterparts. Is that a racist thing to say? I don't think so. Why can't we just talk about the "elephant in the room"? If anyone saw Cam Newton in his under armour at the combine, and you don't think he's the most physically gifted QB in the draft you're crazy. But the questions about him are centered around does he have the mind of an NFL QB. Can he lead a group of Men. Is he as fierce in the film room as he is in the weight room. Does he ENJOY that part of the position? I honestly am not posting this to incite hateful debate, but honest debate.

Peter King - no, not THAT Peter King, opens up House hearings on the radicalization of Muslims in this nation. To combat this threat, moderate leadership must emerge from the Muslim community. As the majority and minority staff of the Senate Homeland Security Committee concluded in its report on "Violent Islamist Extremism and the Homegrown Terrorist Threat," "Muslim community leaders (and) religious leaders must play a more visible role in discrediting and providing alternatives to violent Islamist ideology." Thank gosh he doesn't have the only word. "I'm reminded of someone, a proverb, now quoted by Sheila Jackson Lee, cleaning a dirty kitchen, you can't clean it with dirty water," Jackson Lee, who has a reputation for being one of the most difficult bosses on the Hill, said at the beginning of her five-minute rant. "There are [sic] no redeeming factual information that we will receive today that can add to the abhorrence that all of us have on terrorism in the United States of America. We don't disrespect the witnesses, at least I do not, but you see, it has already been tainted, this hearing. There are no loud signs of reasonings [sic] that are coming through this hearing. The reason is because it has already been classified as an effort to demonize and to castigate a whole broad base of human beings. I cannot stand for that." Jackson Lee then reached for a copy of the U.S. Constitution. "I brought with me the Constitution, the living, breathing document. The First Amendment allows us the freedom of religion. The freedom of association and expression," she said. "But I will tell you today, that this breathing document is in pain." Idiot's delight.

Broncos just released Selvin Young, a back who has averaged 5.1 YPC for them over 2 years with 201 carries for 1032 yards, along with 38 receptions for 247 yards... Obviously, the Broncos don't put much value on production from their backs and must think it is their system that causes these backs to become successful rather than the backs themselves... can't say I disagree, but I still question why you would cut a guy with that type of production when they have other backs that are clearly not as productive still there...

Linkage June 6th, 2008 Indiana man sentenced to 10 years for residential cross burning Posted: 06:22 PM ET (CNN) — A 22-year-old Indiana man was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison for burning an 8-foot cross in front of a house where a woman lived with her three biracial children. The sentencing of Kyle Milbourn of Muncie came three months after he was convicted by a jury of violating federal civil rights laws by erecting the large wooden cross, dousing it with gasoline and setting it on fire specifically to intimidate the residents because of their race. “It is deeply disturbing that in this day and age, circumstances still require us to prosecute cases that involve burning an 8-foot wooden cross in front of the home of a biracial family,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Grace Chung Becker, who heads the Justice Department Civil Rights Division. – From Justice Producer Terry Frieden in Washington It's sad to see this anymore but IMO racism is just underground now and a lot of people still have unspoken racist feelings.

http://www.fcps.edu/index.htmFairfax County Public Schools, my daughter's school system and wife's employer, is taking two leftover unused "snow" days in June off to reduce amount of fuel used by school buses. While I understand saving money since school had not planned on budgeting for so much school but I am wondering if school is sending wrong message to students who at end of year would be punished if they went on vacation early even if "nothing" was going to be taught. http://www.fcps.edu/index.htm

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics...say-report.html l o l

Here is a little background. I'm getting married in august and the wedding is going to be on an outside terrace. For the ceremony we r going to have pre-recorded music. Our DJ was going to charge us 500$ extra to provide the music for the ceremony. I said F' that and I have decided to provide the music myself. I have always wanted to get a premium Ipod docking speaker system and I figure now is the time to get one as Iam thinking I could use this to provide the music. Can anyone recommend one thatwould perform well for this purpose? I went and tested out the bose sounddock and it seem to get very loud with little distortion. I am also looking at the Klipsch: http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Klipsch-Roo...roductDetail.do Thoughts? BTW the outside terrace is not a huge space.

What if we went with something like this- if the student pays the loan back within two years of graduation- no interest If the student will take more than two years, they pay a base of $1,000 extra with $100 added each extra year beyond the two years. I am not an economist nor a politician- This is something that popped into my head, and I am sure many of you could tell me more about the impact something like this would have. I may be naive, but I figure this would bring more than enough money to the loan companies

I can't wait until these kids enter the workforce... ..."Dallas public school students who flunk tests, blow off homework and miss assignment deadlines can make up the work without penalty, under new rules that have angered many teachers. The new rules will be distributed when teachers return to their campuses next week. But many who have already seen the regulations say they are too lenient on slackers, and will come at the expense of kids who work hard. For example, the new rules require teachers to accept late work and prevent them from penalizing students for missed deadlines. Homework grades that would drag down a student's overall average will be thrown out."... http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...s.48e6cc22.html

White supremacists believe Obama winning Presidency will help them. Huh? This isn't 1958 anymore. In 50 years, we've gone from the civil rights movement to a viable black candidate for President. It really does give me hope for this country, even though I'm supporting McCain. I don't think Obama would make a bad Commander-in-Chief, but I disagree with some of his policies. But, there's a reason why racists (white, especially, even though there are plenty of black racists out there too) are irrelevant today: It's because they're stupid. Just because you're a certain skin color does NOT mean that you are entitled to anything, in this country or in life itself. The world doesn't owe anybody a damn thing. But, some moronic white people want to hold on to their hatred, because they believe that the success of others of different races has contributed to their misfortune. No, Bubba, it hasn't. You didn't get an education, didn't get up off your fat butt and do something with YOUR life. Instead, you want to blame others who are different than you. And they say God forbid that the races should intermarry. You should hear some of the white supremacists talk about that issue...some of the stuff I've seen online is downright abominable. Some racist ministers have even tried to back up that crap with Scripture. Despite the fact that such luminaries as Derek Jeter, Dwayne Johnson, Halle Berry, and yes, Senator Obama himself are the progeny of mixed marriages and relationships. A "white revolution" is nothing more than David Duke's wet dream. People of different races are in the continuing process of learning how to get along. God knows we need it. And BTW, I subscribe to the P.J. O'Rourke theory on race: Why would you hate anyone based on the color of their skin, when you can get to know them and find so many other things to hate about them?

No, not only the 34, but in general all of george edwards system. No Blitz, safeties playing too deep... How come with fewell we were at least a respectable defense, with essentailly the same group? Lets get a REAL dc, and you'll see the difference. Cmon Ralph! At least try!