Federal Charges against the men who recorded Buddy Nix

[Dorkington]

Glad to hear this ridiculous thing is being taken care of.

 

Part of me is a bit mad at the guys for it. Part of me is a bit amused by the whole thing. Either way, it was definitely illegal and should be prosecuted.

[PromoTheRobot]

Just my $.02 on the radio prank call deal. My buddy is a DJ in Austin and he said if you actually listen to the DJ when the other party answers they will always say "you're on the radio right now" which is what makes the recording legal.

You would think so, but it doesn't because you are on the air before asking the question. Asking while on the air is not a defense. Let me look up the precedent case.

 

EDIT: it just occurred to me that we may be arguing two different sets of laws here. I am referring to FCC rules for broadcasters, not state or federal law. Breaking these rules result in fines, not jail time.

 

PTR

Edited May 31, 2013 by PromoTheRobot

[CodeMonkey]

The take home message is: don't mess with the NFL.

That's for sure. King Roger has friends in high places.

[NoSaint]

 

If something like that even applies here would be very hard to prove. Bud man on the call stated that something had to change or Fitz was gone. Nothing changed fits is gone. Nothing new here.

 

whether or not fans like the end result - it caused damage to nixs reputation, and effected negotiations with a major contract. we can yell "hooray, we are free of fitz and nix now" but.... they interfered with ongoing multimillion dollar negotiations with the call. they will likely see real repurcussions because of it.

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

 

 

There is no way Marrone was going to keep Fitz anyway. That phone call spurred Russ to tell Buddy to cut Fitz loose. The dead cap money is on Buddy.

 

The call was serendipity.

 

Where are you getting the bolded from? It was widely reported the Bills were trying to restructure. Then when they couldn't get it done, they gave Kolb about the same pay that Fitz got in Tennessee. Seems like they would've been willing to give Fitz the pay he ultimately received, in order to avoid a sizable cap penalty.

Edited May 31, 2013 by J-Gun Boone

[Never NEVER Give-up]

Hmmm . . . theses guys are from New England somewhere, huh? Hmm, agents for Belicheat? Up to their old games again!

[Lurker]

Tommy Craggs is the guy I'd like to see prosecuted. He facilitated the distribution of the recording without concern for its legality, so I'd go after him as well:

 

http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2013/05/fed_charges_hit_sports_pranksters

 

Craggs slammed the Department of Justice over the charges — suggesting an overreach along the lines of the unfolding scandal in Washington, D.C., over monitoring of journalists’ phone calls, emails and movements.

 

“The one thing that seems to rouse this DOJ to defend the telephonic privacy rights of the citizenry is a couple of NFL executives getting punked,” Craggs said. “What’s next — are we going to send the Jerky Boys to Otisville? This is the

dumbest (expletive) thing.”

 

 

Classy guy...

[Mr. WEO]

Where are you getting the bolded from? It was widely reported the Bills were trying to restructure. Then when they couldn't get it done, they gave Kolb about the same pay that Fitz got in Tennessee. Seems like they would've been willing to give Fitz the pay he ultimately received, in order to avoid a sizable cap penalty.

 

Fitz doesn't strike me as a dumb guy, or very vain. My guess is that Marrone's real interest (or lack of) in Fitz manifested itself in a real lowball offer. Also, Fitz wants to start and he knew Marrone was drafting his replacement.

 

So, drafting his replacement (in the person of EJ Manuel, no less) plus an offer that Fitz wouldn't bite on (he did take less in Tenn) and the fact that Buddy dumped Fitz on the day of the phone call and a day before it would have costed them 3 million makes it clear to me that Marrone was not interested in keeping Fitz around. He was able to claim "we did all we could to keep him"....etc. But, come on. He wanted Fitz out and out he went.

Edited May 31, 2013 by Mr. WEO

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

 

 

Fitz doesn't strike me as a dumb guy, or very vain. My guess is that Marrone's real interest (or lack of) in Fitz manifested itself in a real lowball offer. Also, Fitz wants to start and he knew Marrone was drafting his replacement.

 

So, drafting his replacement (in the person of EJ Manuel, no less) plus an offer that Fitz wouldn't bite on (he did take less in Tenn) and the fact that Buddy dumped Fitz on the day of the phone call and a day before it would have costed them 3 million makes it clear to me that Marrone was not interested in keeping Fitz around. He was able to claim "we did all we could to keep him"....etc. But, come on. He wanted Fitz out and out he went.

 

If he took less in Tennessee than we were offering him, that is not a lowball offer. It means we offered a better deal than anyone else in the league. I don't believe we were thrilled with the idea of having him, rather that we were willing to live with him in the Kolb role to avoid dead cap.

 

He doesn't have to be stupid or vain to catch wind of the phone call and then in short order inform the Bills he won't be accepting their offer. Fitz' boss disrespected him for the world to see. His ability to lead (to do his job effectively) was undermined.

[Mr. WEO]

If he took less in Tennessee than we were offering him, that is not a lowball offer. It means we offered a better deal than anyone else in the league. I don't believe we were thrilled with the idea of having him, rather that we were willing to live with him in the Kolb role to avoid dead cap.

 

He doesn't have to be stupid or vain to catch wind of the phone call and then in short order inform the Bills he won't be accepting their offer. Fitz' boss disrespected him for the world to see. His ability to lead (to do his job effectively) was undermined.

 

My point was the he took less in Tenn than he had been under contract for in Buffalo, but that what the Bills were offering as a renegotiated deal was lower than he agreed to in Tennessee. In other words Fitz was clearly willing to come down on his price, but not to what Buddy was offering.

 

Fitz had been refusing the Bills offered deal before the taped phone call.

[Nanker]

My point was the he took less in Tenn than he had been under contract for in Buffalo, but that what the Bills were offering as a renegotiated deal was lower than he agreed to in Tennessee. In other words Fitz was clearly willing to come down on his price, but not to what Buddy was offering.

 

Fitz had been refusing the Bills offered deal before the taped phone call.

 

 

And we're all the better for it too. Good luck Fitz. You'll look great in full beard with that flaming thumbtack on your new helmet. Oh, by the way - you still have a noodle arm and all four QBs we now have on the team could throw YOU farther down field than you could a football.

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

 

 

My point was the he took less in Tenn than he had been under contract for in Buffalo, but that what the Bills were offering as a renegotiated deal was lower than he agreed to in Tennessee. In other words Fitz was clearly willing to come down on his price, but not to what Buddy was offering.

 

Fitz had been refusing the Bills offered deal before the taped phone call.

 

Fair enough, I've said my piece. In the end it worked out for the best regardless.

[BillsWatch]

Here is an interesting update. One of those involved with prank is a 'Bills' fan. We have a lot of those on the board who bash Bills every opportunity they can and are quiet during short periods when Bills are doing well.

Mass. suspects in NFL call prank free without bail

 

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/22351365/mass-suspects-in-nfl-call-prank-free-without-bail

 

The two 20-year-olds from Plymouth, Mass., had been angling for an NFL tryout for Barber, a part-time deli worker, when they posed as Tampa Bay Buccaneers GM Mark Dominik in March and dialed Buffalo Bills then-GM Buddy Nix, according to the criminal complaint.

Barber, a Bills fan, got nervous when Nix answered, so Barber hung up, investigators said. Barber then called Dominik's office and while he was being connected, Nix called Barber's number back, thinking he had been disconnected from Dominik, authorities said.

[BillnutinHouston]

 

I've heard plenty of live pranks aired.

Prank calls air daily in Houston.

[benderbender]

Here is an interesting update. One of those involved with prank is a 'Bills' fan. We have a lot of those on the board who bash Bills every opportunity they can

He sure helped bash his "favorite" team. Sounds like a real "die hard" who wants the team to be "respected."

[brucethomas34]

@JeffRussoWKBW

RT @JohnBorsa: Breaking: Men accused of recording phone call between #Buffalo #Bills GM Buddy Nix - TB GM Mark Dominik face federal charges.

 

Anybody who messes with the bills or buddy nix deserves to spend the rest of their lives in jail...

[truth on hold]

 

 

whether or not fans like the end result - it caused damage to nixs reputation, and effected negotiations with a major contract. we can yell "hooray, we are free of fitz and nix now" but.... they interfered with ongoing multimillion dollar negotiations with the call. they will likely see real repurcussions because of it.

You speaking from a position of knowledge or just opining ? Im doing the latter and from my albeit limited experience with lawyers id say claiming damages here is extremely far fetched. Information is leaked all the time about negotiations in doubt with no damage claims. Negotiations are between parties that are already engaged; what happens is based on their interaction. That buddy only publicly confirmed what was being relayed privately and already in the works would IMO entirely collapse down to zero the prospect for any damage claim judgment.

 

The buddy reputation thing is simply farcical, again IMO. I doubt someone's own words can be used as someone else having damaged their reputation. if you were paying attention to the media for a while there'd been articles saying he's incompetent, desperate and a lame duck on his way out. So even if one can cause harm to another from the alledgedly damaged party's own words, his reputation was already plenty bad.

Edited June 5, 2013 by Joe_the_6_pack

[papazoid]

Joshua Barber, who was making $9 an hour working part time in a deli, aspired to play professional football, and his first pick was the Buffalo Bills.

 

With his mother leading the way, the 5-foot, 8-inch, 225-pound Barber, walked into the courtroom just moments before the session started.

 

http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130604/CITYANDREGION/130609666/two-bills-drive-1002

 

 

was he hoping for the position of retrieving the tee after kickoffs ?

[stevestojan]

In related news, the Jerky Boys are serving 47 consecutive life sentences.

[prissythecat]

Joshua Barber, who was making $9 an hour working part time in a deli, aspired to play professional football, and his first pick was the Buffalo Bills.

 

With his mother leading the way, the 5-foot, 8-inch, 225-pound Barber, walked into the courtroom just moments before the session started.

 

http://www.buffalone...ills-drive-1002

 

 

was he hoping for the position of retrieving the tee after kickoffs ?

 

 

 

A brief excerpt from the article:

 

...Barber, No. 42, played four games as an offensive and defensive lineman in the 2008-09 football season but was not a standout player, according to an official at the school. “I don’t recall him,” varsity football coach Scott Fry told The Buffalo News. “He may have played.”

 

Lol . Yup. Sounds like a tee boy.