Tre White decides not to opt out, everyone is beside themselves with excitement because we're all in need of any small nugget of good news these days. Who wants a drink?

[Nelius]

I'm seeing a single tweet. That's being immature and mishandling the situation? I guarantee his DMs and mentions are making him feel real good about staying in Buffalo right now...Twitter sucks.

[MAJBobby]

56 minutes ago, Niagara Bill said:

You do know that Beane isn't that stupid! 

So there is not any leverage with the Opt out game.  Thanks

[Mango]

2 minutes ago, whatdrought said:

This is a stupid post.

These men have worked hard for their career, as have most all of us. The fact that they get paid millions for their career versus xamount that the general population gets paid to do their job well doesn’t make them any harder workers. 
 

I would wager a significant amount of money that Tre can’t formulate a medicine that can save lives, or restore power to a hurricane scarred landscape. He has his talents and gifting, others have theirs. 
 

Don’t presume that their effort is worth more than anyone else’s because ignorant fans like yourself see them on TV.
 

Celebrity does not = Societal value. 

 

I don't think @Billl nor Tre were ever implying that NFL players are any more important than anybody else. He is better than 99.9% of people at what he does in relation to what almost all of us do in our own professions. I don't think that is debatable. Doctors are important, electricians are important, 7-11 workers are important, but even among those, those that are very good at their job, there are only a handful of each who are as good at it as Tre is at playing CB. 

 

If I had to guess, the real issue for a lot of posters (maybe not you) complaining about this is that they do not have the choice, and are upset that Tre does and is exercising it. Sort of similar to Sweden regarding the virus. A lot of people (maybe not you) want to be given the choice to go out, wear a mask, stay home, etc. like Sweden. But one thing people leave out is that Sweden also has safety nets in place that allow their citizens to make that choice without losing their home or worrying so much about the well being of their family.
 

Wouldn't it be nice if we had a structure where nearly everybody in the country had the decision to keep working or not during a pandemic without having to worry about a roof over their families head or food on the table? I don't get the connection some are making on this thread to vilify somebody who does have that choice, provided to him by his employer. 

If people want to be mad at anybody for Tre making this decision in one way or another, be mad at the NFL and NFLPA. Be mad at your local and national politicians for not providing an economic system that strips you of that choice. 

[YoloinOhio]

12 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Perhaps it was addressed somewhere, but what are the protocols in place for families? 

 

It would be very hard on his wife (I call her his wife because it's obviously a committed stable relationship, calling her a GF or Babymama doesn't necessarily convey that) to have to be home by herself with the kids all day, but I would think the players' families could visit among themselves in "pods"...a bunch of the guys, Poyer and Hyde and Dawkins come to mind, have young kids.... you don't want to have a different set of 5-9 visit every day but setting up visiting groups should be OK.  Tre could probably also find a relative or two to join them, maybe a cousin in college or something who could take classes online and live there in exchange for some hours of childcare and companionship.

I do understand the difficulty...we faced the same type of decision last spring when our kid wanted to stay in her college apartment after school went online, we weren't sure how bad it was going to get, the small town doesn't have much in the way of hospital, she was very isolated.  We "get it", few better, that the objective risk to her is very small given her age and overall health, but the "Mama Bear" gene is real and present, activate it and duck.

 

I am not sure if it is in writing (it may be) but Beane said they had conversations with the families about what his expected of them during the season if they are living with the player to try to create as little risk as possible. I know some players families are choosing to live elsewhere during the season. But they won’t be able to visit either.  So I think it’s either his family comes there and doesn’t do anything for 5 months and can’t have family members come visit or his family stays in Louisiana and he can’t see them. 

Edited August 6, 2020 by YoloinOhio

[Big Blitz]

8 minutes ago, Estro said:

Agree 100%.

 

He's free to do whatever he wants.

 

That said there seems to be a little diva, immaturity to White.  

 

Stringing out his decision via Twitter, and social media is a little juvenile.  I don't think he will opt out, 

 

 

I agree.

 

I think he just in his own way wants us to know he isn't happy about the protocols.  But he absolutely has a good bit of diva to him.

 

I think he likes and wants to hear how important he is.  That's not a knock I think he is a good human.  And he's one of my favorite players and personalities in the league.

 

Just a subtle way of reminding the FO of this come contract time.  

 

 

[Nelius]

1 hour ago, whatdrought said:

Ah yes, nothing says “I’m being a mature adult thinking through the difficult implications of an unprecedented career situation” quite as well as a twitter outburst.

 

He and Diggs must be hanging out already. 

 

I mean if thousands of "fans" are getting it wrong and harassing me and I was only 25 years old, I may consider just tweeting once to clear the air a bit. Which he did. I seriously expected an AB like meltdown with the way some of you are responding. He made one tweet, and now the self-righteous old man fan collective is ready to label him a primadonna...

[SCBills]

7 minutes ago, MAJBobby said:

Well it isnt, But it VERY well could be a Career ender.  

 

Have you read what the survivors deal with, Heart and Lung issues, blood issues.

 

Though they likely would live through a COVID exposure and bout of it, their Career Might not. 

 

I guess some of us just don't see how opting out keeps them any safer..   Everyone wants to point to the worst case scenario of the Marlins, but MLB seems to be recovering and we know the Buffalo Bills organization is on top of this as evidenced by any/everyone who's seen the measures in place.  

 

Unless Tre is ordering groceries to be delivered to his door step and never leaving the house, any public place brings risk and grocery stores/restaurants aren't regulated with testing/protocols like the NFL will be.   

 

Some people just assume every team will be the Marlins...   

 

I get it for those at risk/with family at risk, but that's also because I expect them to be ultra-cautious during this, and maybe those people do, in fact, stay locked down.

 

 

Edited August 6, 2020 by SCBills

[Mango]

7 minutes ago, MAJBobby said:

1st round talent vs UDFA talent

 

Quote

how does opting out help any leverage next year. It doesn’t if anything what it does is show how much of a talent he is in a very DB friendly McD Secondary system

I may have misunderstood your point. I went back to read it again and I still don't get it. 

At first read I thought you were making the point that he would lose value because somebody else will step up admirably. Hence the, "well our CB2 got worked last year at times". 

 

Now that I am rereading it. I don't actually know what you are saying. 

[MAJBobby]

Just now, SCBills said:

 

I guess some of us just don't see how opting out keeps them any safer..   Everyone wants to point to the worst case scenario of the Marlins, but MLB seems to be recovering and we know the Buffalo Bills organization is crazy on top of this as evidenced by any/everyone who's seen the measures in place.  

 

Unless Tre is ordering groceries to be delivered to his door step and never leaving the house, any public place brings risk and grocery stores/restaurants aren't regulated with testing/protocols like the NFL will be.   

 

Everyone just assumes every team will be the Marlins...  

But does it matter how you or ANYONE else feels outside of the Player and the Players families choice.

 It has to be agonizing for these players to make this decision.

 

I know I stressed for 45 days deciding on sending my Kids back to F2F school or opting into the Fully Virtual option the district decided to also offer.  I could imagine how much that gets intensified with money and a career.

 

That is why ANY player that opts out gets my support, just like the players that dont.

 

And ANYONE that looks at this players differently because they opted out this year really needs to re-evaluate how they look at people.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, Billl said:

Nobody said anything about taking it personally.  He said he didn’t care about what people he doesn’t know say, yet here he is responding to comments by people he doesn’t know about a media session held by a person he doesn’t know.  Clearly he does care.  

 

Oh, OK, point granted that one must care to some extent to trouble to reply, but can we agree that doesn't mean one takes it to heart and lashes back over it, as Tre' seems to be doing a bit?  The "taking it personally" does seem to be happening....

 

1 hour ago, Billl said:

This thread is filled with people who feel so entitled to be entertained by a 25 year old man whom they’ve never met that they criticize him for doing what he thinks is best for his health and the well being of his family.  It’s disgusting.  

 

You appear to be taking it personally or to heart or something yourself.  You also appear to be easily disgusted. 

 

My point is that there's a bit of cause-and-effect at play here.  BECAUSE people are so passionate about football, find it entertaining, and so badly want to be entertained, it has become a multi-billion dollar business in which good players get paid >10x the average $51,000 starting salary of a college graduate and great players get paid multi-millions.  Tre White is rightly very proud of his football achievements and at being able to create "generational wealth" (his words) for himself and his family.  He's a very intelligent guy and would clearly be successful in any endeavor, but not able to so readily create "generational wealth" so quickly.  He can do so at football BECAUSE of all the passionate fans who feel "entitled" to be entertained by well-paid star football players.

If the Average Joe weren't passionate (and thus both laudatory and critical) about football, football would still be like American rugby - an amateur endeavor played for love- or soccer, or volleyball ....something that passionate players can earn a bit of money pursuing, but not even as much as a typical college grad.  Tre' wants the effect (the generational wealth) without necessarily embracing the cause (the very passionate fans, some of whom feel "entitled" to comment on his choices).

 

1 hour ago, Billl said:

These men have busted their asses for their entire lives until they’ve become better at what they do than you will ever be at anything in your life, and you’re calling THEM entitled because you feel the right to be entertained.  Wow

 

Now now, don't ASS u me

[MAJBobby]

Just now, Mango said:

 

I may have misunderstood your point. I went back to read it again and I still don't get it. 

At first read I thought you were making the point that he would lose value because somebody else will step up admirably. Hence the, "well our CB2 got worked last year at times". 

 

Now that I am rereading it. I don't actually know what you are saying. 

I am saying probably not very effectively it seems.

 

There is no leverage gained in contract negotiations over this opt out ability

[DrDawkinstein]

Just now, MAJBobby said:

I am saying probably not very effectively it seems.

 

There is no leverage gained in contract negotiations over this opt out ability

 

I'd think he LOSES leverage since it pushes his contract years back. No?

[Sig1Hunter]

14 minutes ago, Billl said:

You did a fine job of attacking points that I never made.  Never once did I say anyone here doesn’t work hard.  Never once did I say that what people here do for a living is unimportant.  Never once did I say the effort of athletes is worth more than anyone else’s.

 

I said that White has busted his ass his entire life to get where he is.  As such, he gets to make a decision as to what’s best for him and his family. That doesn’t make him entitled.  
 

I also said that White is better at what he does than the poster criticizing him is at anything he’s ever done in his life, and that’s 100% true.  Tens of millions of people play football, and White is one of the 50 best in the world according to his peers.  There is nobody on this board who is one of the world’s elite in a field in which millions of people compete.  If I’m wrong, and there’s a Nobel prize winning scientist posting here, I’m sure I won’t call him entitled or second guess his life choices.  I know when to stay in my lane.

You doubled down on your other post? Geez dude. 
 

White is a very good football player. Cool. He gets to make choices that are the best for him and his family. How about just leaving it right there?

[MAJBobby]

1 minute ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

I'd think he LOSES leverage since it pushes his contract years back. No?

Thats what I am thinking, because he pushes his extension into a year that the NFL and NFLPA are thinking the Cap is going to reduce by 20+M

[Mango]

Just now, MAJBobby said:

I am saying probably not very effectively it seems.

 

There is no leverage gained in contract negotiations over this opt out ability

 

Gotcha, sorry, definitely misread that one. I agree, wouldn't make any sense to do it to demand a new contract like 36 hours before the deadline. 

IF there is one thing advantageous about this for Tre and his next contract, it is that by all accounts, the NFL will have a lesser cap next year. Tre has bought another year before an extension to allow the cap to start to trend back up, and he can take some extra cash. 

[Negan]

Time is ticking, getting closer to 4pm and no opt out yet.

 

Reminds me of Rod Tidwell

[The Firebaugh Kid]

The Bills need to give him whatever his family needs to feel safe and supported. Losing Tre would be catastrophic to the team. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 minute ago, DrDawkinstein said:

I'd think he LOSES leverage since it pushes his contract years back. No?

 

That would be my take, loses a bit of leverage.  And in the NFL, there's always the chance that someone currently unknown steps up and plays well.  There's always the chance that if he opts out, there's an injuryin his cards next season (AVERT!), and then he's going into a contract year with a bunch of unknowns and loses leverage big time.

[SCBills]

1 minute ago, MAJBobby said:

But does it matter how you or ANYONE else feels outside of the Player and the Players families choice.

 It has to be agonizing for these players to make this decision.

 

I know I stressed for 45 days deciding on sending my Kids back to F2F school or opting into the Fully Virtual option the district decided to also offer.  I could imagine how much that gets intensified with money and a career.

 

That is why ANY player that opts out gets my support, just like the players that dont.

 

And ANYONE that looks at this players differently because they opted out this year really needs to re-evaluate how they look at people.

 

Does that include other players?... I guarantee you there will be players who will need Tre to earn their trust back as the leader of this defense if he opts out while not being high risk.   

They should support him, absolutely.. and i'm sure all will - but as someone who's been in locker rooms, there will be some players, on every team, who side-eye low risk opt-outs.  It's a brotherhood, and Tre isn't just some guy.. he's a leader on this team.  

 

Again, it's his choice and he has every right to opt out - ill root like crazy for him next year.   

[MAJBobby]

Just now, SCBills said:

 

Does that include other players?... I guarantee you there will be players who will need Tre to earn their trust back as the leader of this defense if he opts out while not being high risk.   

They should support him, absolutely.. and i'm sure all will - but as someone who's been in locker rooms, there will be some players, on every team, who side-eye low risk opt-outs.  It's a brotherhood, and Tre isn't just some guy.. he's a leader on this team.  

 

Again, it's his choice and he has every right to opt out - ill root like crazy for him next year.   

Yep Point remains.  If players side eye him for a decision that opts him out they also need to re-valuate the way they look at people.  And that entire family Mantra they all speak about is lip service

[Augie]

23 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

He needs to do what’s best for him. Team wise it would be a huge loss. But his health and family comes first. 

 

This is worth repeating. People and families come before football. If he plays, great! If he has reservations for any reason, do what’s best for you and yours. 

[Beast]

Sounds like Tre has a case of rabbit ears.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

18 minutes ago, whatdrought said:

I mean, if it’s strictly about child care, he could buy 100 nannies. 
 

I get not wanting to be away from your kids (though he wouldn’t even have to be) but to come out and play, earn them 20+ mil a year deal that’s waiting for him, and be able to ensure the financial freedom or his family forever, that’s hard to pass up even if it meant 5 months away from them. 
 

Not saying that’s what it is, but even at the most drastic measures that’s what we’re talking about.

 

And I get that he could theoretically get that money next year, but what happens if he opts out and then tears his ACL at the beginning of the 2021 season. Now he’s 27/28 with 2 years of tape missing. He’s not getting top 5 corner money at that point.

 

I heard an interview with Tre' where he indicated their families were against them hiring nannies.  They may see it as "having someone else raise your kids" - I know we got that viewpoint from one side of the family Big Time when our kid was born. 

It's also hard to commit to spending a lot of time with someone you just hire - what if they seem nice, but in practice they wear your last nerve?  That's why I suggested "keeping it in the family" either with other players or with someone in Tre's large extended family.  But sure, hiring someone for childcare and companionship for his wife is also something he could easily do.
 

I also agree with your point about the risk to his career value and earnings.

[Mr. WEO]

2 hours ago, MAJBobby said:

They are taking a LOAN. So that falls on deaf ears. But they can’t work from home right seeing we are comparing. 

It’s not a loan, it’s an advance.

 

The point you’re pretending to miss is that almost no one who works would ever be offered the option of simply not showing up for a year and not only still have a job, but get fronted some of next year’s money to be comfy while they hang out not working. 
 

 

[Back2Buff]

22 minutes ago, MAJBobby said:

Well it isnt, But it VERY well could be a Career ender.  

 

Have you read what the survivors deal with, Heart and Lung issues, blood issues.

 

Though they likely would live through a COVID exposure and bout of it, their Career Might not. 

 

You're gonna have to show me proof of these issues with professional athlete's because I haven't heard about athletes losing careers over complications from COVID.

 

These guys play football, every snap they take could be career ender.

 

Using COVID as a possible career ender is really stretching it.

[YoloinOhio]

 

[SWATeam]

1 minute ago, Mr. WEO said:

It’s not a loan, it’s an advance.

 

The point you’re pretending to miss is that almost no one who works would ever be offered the option of simply not showing up for a year and not only still have a job, but get fronted some of next year’s money to be comfy while they hang out not working. 
 

 

What's your point with this repeated nonsense?

 

Breaking news, those that generate millions are afforded extra privilege.  Shocking stuff.

[Billl]

10 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

If the Average Joe weren't passionate (and thus both laudatory and critical) about football, football would still be like American rugby - an amateur endeavor played for love- or soccer, or volleyball ....something that passionate players can earn a bit of money pursuing, but not even as much as a typical college grad.  Tre' wants the effect (the generational wealth) without necessarily embracing the cause (the very passionate fans, some of whom feel "entitled" to comment on his choices).

It’s great to be passionate about football.  It would be wildly hypocritical of me to suggest otherwise.  What’s not great is pretending that Tre White, a grown man who is a father and millionaire needs life advice Joe from Depew, a used car salesman who spends his spare time doing belly flops through folding tables and posting on football message boards.

 

Tre needs Joe Sixpack’s career advice about as much as Josh Allen needs me to coach him on how to score with the ladies.

[Mango]

6 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

It’s not a loan, it’s an advance.

 

The point you’re pretending to miss is that almost no one who works would ever be offered the option of simply not showing up for a year and not only still have a job, but get fronted some of next year’s money to be comfy while they hang out not working. 
 

 

 

You are right, and those people should take that up with their employer and/or elected officials. Not Tre or other players who do have the option. 

[SCBills]

7 minutes ago, MAJBobby said:

Yep Point remains.  If players side eye him for a decision that opts him out they also need to re-valuate the way they look at people.  And that entire family Mantra they all speak about is lip service

I mostly agree.  Where this gets tough is with how wildly different people view this virus.  
 

I own a business and for damn sure am in the office during all this if my employees are here.  Lead by example is the strongest form of leadership, IMO.   
 

I understand the parallel between being a business owner and a player within an organization isn’t the most apt comparison, but as a leader (which Tre is) I do see some cross over.   
 

Again, if he’s high risk, has family that’s high risk... totally get it and would never question.   For his reasons, I also get it, but I can’t lie and say my view of him in that locker room doesn’t fade just a tiny bit.  I’d support him, Id welcome him back with open arms and I would never criticize, but deep down, if I’m on the team and he comes back in a leadership role.... it’s going to take me a minute to accept that. 

[MAJBobby]

6 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

It’s not a loan, it’s an advance.

 

The point you’re pretending to miss is that almost no one who works would ever be offered the option of simply not showing up for a year and not only still have a job, but get fronted some of next year’s money to be comfy while they hang out not working. 
 

 

Loan or advance call it what you want.  It gets PAID BACK.

 

The point is I DONT CARE.  If you want the ability to opt our of your job for a year, train your ass off become a Professional Athlete.  but comparing this industry to your 9 to 5 is comparing apples to freaking MARS.

5 minutes ago, Back2Buff said:

 

You're gonna have to show me proof of these issues with professional athlete's because I haven't heard about athletes losing careers over complications from COVID.

 

These guys play football, every snap they take could be career ender.

 

Using COVID as a possible career ender is really stretching it.

Sure take a Little Google Search about the lasting affects of this disease.  

[CodeMonkey]

12 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

This is worth repeating. People and families come before football. If he plays, great! If he has reservations for any reason, do what’s best for you and yours. 

It's crazy that this even needs to be said, but it does for some.

[MAJBobby]

3 minutes ago, SCBills said:

I mostly agree.  Where this gets tough is with how wildly different people view this virus.  
 

I own a business and for damn sure am in the office during all this if my employees are here.  Lead by example is the strongest form of leadership, IMO.   
 

I understand the parallel between being a business owner and a player within an organization isn’t the most apt comparison, but as a leader (which Tre is) I do see some cross over.   
 

Again, if he’s high risk, has family that’s high risk... totally get it and would never question.   For his reasons, I also get it, but I can’t lie and say my view of him in that locker room doesn’t fade just a tiny bit.  I’d support him, Id welcome him back with open arms and I would never criticize, but deep down, if I’m on the team and he comes back in a leadership role.... it’s going to take me a minute to accept that. 

So if your Family loses someone to COVID that isnt going to affect your choice.  Because Tre did.  Hell even Singletary knows, she stated I am not in a position to opt out.  Meaning I dont have enough money in the bank to support the family a year before getting a paycheck again.

 

 

Edited August 6, 2020 by MAJBobby

[Jamie Nails]

Only 4 hours and 22 minutes to go. 

 

I feel like the longer this stretches out the better chance he stays. I was fully expecting to wake up on the West Coast this morning and see the news that he opted out. 

[Mr. WEO]

Just now, SWATeam said:

What's your point with this repeated nonsense?

 

Breaking news, those that generate millions are afforded extra privilege.  Shocking stuff.

point is we shouldn’t care either way.  All this public posturing by players on social media (“I’ll let y’all know my decision soon”, etc) is just that.  It’s tone deaf.   If you opt out, fine—do what’s best for you, the game will go on without you.  If you play—that’s great too.  
 

Just choose and be done with it as most every other player has done so far.  Hand in the paper.  
 

Fans have real problems/struggles/issues during the pandemic.  They are dying for football to distract them.  This player drama is just that.  It’s privilege that almost none of them can relate to so why keep putting it out there?
 

who cares?  Get on with it.  

7 minutes ago, Mango said:

 

You are right, and those people should take that up with their employer and/or elected officials. Not Tre or other players who do have the option. 

lol I can’t think of an employer who is just waiting for someone to bring that up!

 

 

[Billl]

4 minutes ago, Mango said:

 

You are right, and those people should take that up with their employer and/or elected officials. Not Tre or other players who do have the option. 

Exactly.  Any criticism of Tre boils down to jealousy.  Those criticizing him don’t have the ability to take a year off and still be a multimillionaire.  Why should someone who has created that kind of leverage listen to someone who hasn’t?  If he needs career advice,  he’s got an agent.

[SCBills]

1 minute ago, MAJBobby said:

So if your Family loses someone to COVID that isnt going to affect your choice.  Because Tre did

 

 

Half of my family is in medicine and, not coincidentally, half of my family has gotten COVID. Currently my niece, one year old, has a fever and just got tested yesterday because my sister has it.
 

I get it, it’s tough when it hits close to home.  But I also find comfort in knowing that my family (all either young or in good shape) should be ok.  
 

I don’t go near my grandparents right now because I’m at work and have clients who come in and know that whether it’s COVID or any respiratory virus, that my grandparents would be put in danger should I pass it to them, with them being in their 80’s.   
 

I feel awful that Tre went through that and is going through this process of having to make a decision with a deadline, but I also know the statistics and facts surrounding all respiratory viruses, including COVID.  That’s why I feel ok being in my 30’s and out and about while being cautious.  That’s also why I haven’t seen my grandparents since this all started. 

[MAJBobby]

1 minute ago, SCBills said:

Half of my family is in medicine and, not coincidentally, half of my family has gotten COVID. Currently my niece, one year old, has a fever and just got tested yesterday because my sister has it.
 

I get it, it’s tough when it hits close to home.  But I also find comfort in knowing that my family (all either young or in good shape) should be ok.  
 

I don’t go near my grandparents right now because I’m at work and have clients who come in and know that whether it’s COVID or any respiratory virus, that my grandparents would be put in danger should I pass it to them, with them being in their 80’s.   
 

I feel awful that Tre went through that and is going through this process of having to make a decision with a deadline, but I also know the statistics and facts surrounding all respiratory viruses, including COVID.  That’s why I feel ok being in my 30’s and out and about while being cautious.  That’s also why I haven’t seen my grandparents since this all started. 

Ok so how can you be cautious when you have Physical Contact breathing all over players from other teams, it isnt like they are going to be wearing masks under their helmet or staying 6Ft away from eachother

[CodeMonkey]

One thing that puzzles me is why the "deadline" to decide is now. 

I would expect if someone next week comes to the conclusion they need to opt out, they'll do it and ***** the NFLs deadline.

Edited August 6, 2020 by CodeMonkey

[SCBills]

7 minutes ago, MAJBobby said:

Ok so how can you be cautious when you have Physical Contact breathing all over players from other teams, it isnt like they are going to be wearing masks under their helmet or staying 6Ft away from eachother

 

You have to trust that all 32 teams are taking this seriously and that the guy you're lining up across from has been in a facility that is safeguarded, led by an organization that is on top of this and has tested negative prior to the game.   

 

 

Edited August 6, 2020 by SCBills