Is anyone else less invested in this season than normal?

[GunnerBill]

8 hours ago, TwistofFate said:

Oh, you are British?  You control policy in the UK?  You enforce policy in the UK?  Oh, silly me.

 

You asked for it, I gave it to you, and you deny it.  Google it...there are hundreds upon hundreds of reportings of it.  You need a reality check...

 

British police have promised not to tolerate any speech that could cause offence on social media regarding Syrian migrants, after arresting a man for Facebook comments made about recent arrivals on his small Scottish Island.

The tiny Isle of Bute in the Firth of Clyde, which had a total population of just 6,498 in 2011, is expected to take in it’s share of 1,000 Syrian migrants, with 12 families already arriving on Isle of Bute since December. Syrian Migrants were also rehomed before Christmas in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and North Ayrshire.

However, commenting on the comparatively huge and sudden influx of Muslim immigrants online just became a very risky business for local residents.

Police have confirmed they have arrested a 41-year-old local man under the Communications Act, after receiving a report of a supposedly “offensive” comment made on Facebook regarding the migrants.

A police spokesman was unequivocal, that any harsh criticism of the Muslim influx would not be “tolerated”. Inspector Ewan Wilson from Dunoon police office told the Guardian following the arrest:

“I hope that the arrest of this individual sends a clear message that Police Scotland will not tolerate any form of activity which could incite hatred and provoke offensive comments on social media”.

 

 

 

Extraordinary moment pregnant mum is arrested and handcuffed in front of her two children over a Facebook post about lockdown - moments before she was due to have an ULTRASOUND

• Zoe Buhler, 28, was handcuffed in her lounge room in front of her children
• She had created a Facebook event organising a protest in Ballarat, Victoria
• Police arrested her and she was charged with incitement on Wednesday
• 'Freedom Day' event called for people to protest against the lockdown

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8688793/Pregnant-mum-arrested-Facebook-post-inciting-coronavirus-protest.html

 

I can go on all night with this.

 

I do control and advise Government on areas of policy - yes. And for a while the Communications Act (or at least elements thereof) was in my portfolio. 

 

I don't need a reality check. You need to understand what you are on about. The Syrian refugee comment happened on my watch if you like. It wasn't just criticism. It contained an incitement to violence. 

 

You are wrong and you don't have a clue what you are on about. But you stay in your conspiracy theory bubble if you like.  

 

 

EDIT: oh and your second example..... Ballarat, Victoria is in Australia.

Edited September 3, 2020 by GunnerBill

[GunnerBill]

4 hours ago, buffalonian said:

Its a very strange time for so many reasons.  But if the season goes as planned, it will probably exceed your expectations.  I have been a fan of an English Premiere League team for many years.  When that season restarted over the summer, I thought it was going to be lame without the fans in the stadium. While it's not the same, the games were still exciting and fun to watch; and I watched them just as intensely as I ever have before.  I think you might find that as you grow somewhat accustomed to this new unfortunate reality, you will find joy in things that you used to get excited about; like watching the Bills.  No doubt it will be different, but I am so excited to have that enjoyment back admist so much chaos.  There are so many divisions, even on this board, and while I feel very strongly about my own political perspective and the state of our democracy, I am looking forward to having a few hours of solace (or frustration) and distraction each week with all of my fellow Bills fans.  Go Bills!  

 

I think it took a while for the Premier League restart to get going. The couple of rounds the games were definitely slower and less intense... but it picked up. Was almost as though the players needed to get use to no fans. The NFL might be the same. You can't underestimate the adrenaline rush that walking down that tunnel into a packed arena gives a player. Would not be a surprise to see a slightly different looking product while people adjust to not having that.  

[Mark Long Beach]

As a fan who moved away while still a child, my experiences of watching the Bills have been on TV.  That's not going to change.  I suspect that it'll be harder for the players to get into the same groove as when they have have fans in the stands, but I think they'll get used to it.    

 

I'm SUPER excited for the season though.   But since I'm a long time Bills fan, I still have this fear that it'll all come crumbling down and that success is still not in reach.   I would REALLY like to shake that feeling and go back to expecting to crush my foes everytime  and claiming any loss is a fluke.

[Dragoon]

14 hours ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

Equality = political sideshow 

 

thank god some of you weren’t alive for Jackie Robinson!!! 

Whoa, you just compared my remarks on today’s political climate to the Jim Crow era...Jackie Robinson was merely the conduit. 

[Augie]

11 hours ago, BullBuchanan said:

It sounds to me like you recognize your SIL's ability to have a family without it being a "nuclear" family then. Do I have that right?

That's all that's being stated in the mission statement, despite what some folks are trying to claim. Live and let live.

 

It’s certainly possible, but not ideal or optimal. She will tell you that. It was unfortunate but necessary in her case. 

[LabattBlue]

My interest in the Bills and the NFL slips a little every year.  I can remember 25-30 years ago agonizing over every loss for a couple of days.  Now it is just a form of entertainment.  Win or lose, the game ends, and I move on to something else. I no longer watch or listen to any pre or post game nonsense.  In fact if it wasn't for fantasy football, I'd probably never watch any NFL games other than the Bills. 

Edited September 3, 2020 by LabattBlue

[Call_Of_Ktulu]

16 hours ago, Coach Tuesday said:

Um, don’t hold your breath brah, the world has had “issues” since, like, the Snake and the Apple...

I’ve heard of the Banana and the Donut but the Snake and the Apple seems like it would hurt.

[Success]

I'm not following it as closely.  But I'd add a "yet" to that.  

 

I didn't think I'd be that into the NBA, MLB or NHL games - but as they go on, I'm more tuned in.  Some of the NBA playoff games have had just as much excitement - I haven't missed the crowds nearly as much as I thought I would.

 

I think once we start watching the Bills and a few Allen to Diggs TD's, we'll be pumped.  If this is the season that we truly flip the script, beat the Pats and take over the division, I don't want to look back and think I wasn't all in. I want to enjoy every second.  We've waited decades for this, and I'm not going to let something microscopic change the way I feel about it.

 

[Saint Doug]

I’m not as invested, because I don’t think the season is going to be played to completion. The players are effectively in bubbles right now. They probably drive to work, then right back home. Once teams have to start traveling, things are going to change. 

[BillsFanNC]

10 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

My interest in the Bills and the NFL slips a little every year.  I can remember 25-30 years ago agonizing over every loss for a couple of days.  Now it is just a form of entertainment.  Win or lose, the game ends, and I move on to something else. I no longer watch or listen to any pre or post game nonsense.  In fact if it wasn't for fantasy football, I'd probably never watch any NFL games other than the Bills. 

 

This is me except I don't do fantasy football. I'm into the game on Sunday for three hours. Beyond that? Meh.

[YoloinOhio]

Opposite for me, I’m even more invested than usual. I’m usually pre-occupied with college football but my team isn’t playing anytime soon and I typically only watch big ten so no pressure Bills/NFL but it’s all on you. 

[Mango]

On 9/3/2020 at 6:46 AM, Dragoon said:

Whoa, you just compared my remarks on today’s political climate to the Jim Crow era...Jackie Robinson was merely the conduit. 

 

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander is a decent read. Written in 2010 about mass incarceration replacing Jim Crow laws. I recommend it. 

Worth noting that the Fair Housing Act is only about 50 years old. And in my new town of Saratoga Springs, Sundown Laws (POC weren't legally allowed out after dark) weren't taken off the books until sometime in the 70s (77 I believe). In that same town the Commissioner of Public Safety (who is head of the local PD) told my neighbor in a public forum, who very politely reported an incident of racial profiling by the police, that she could have the police removed from the neighborhood and would tell dispatch to no longer respond to calls. Evans Bank in Buffalo didn't "settle" their redlining charges from the state until 2015. So before we go ahead and say it "was different then", her writing deserves much credence on the topic. 

Edited September 4, 2020 by Mango
definitely left out the title of the book

[T master]

On 9/2/2020 at 7:37 AM, Gene1973 said:

 

This is what so many fail to understand, they don't want to hear it and wind up just spewing canned talking points.

 

Teach me then so i do understand ...

[716er]

 

Edited September 4, 2020 by 716er

[C.Biscuit97]

On 9/2/2020 at 7:46 PM, TwistofFate said:

 

NFL's decal ruling disappoints Cowboys, but it won't stop team's support for Dallas police, Jerry Jones says

 

Players and coaches opened this camp by walking onto the field, arms linked, with city officials and family members of the officers that were slain in downtown Dallas in July. The Arm in Arm decal is worn by the players in this camp.

But NFL officials informed the Cowboys Wednesday afternoon that the club would have to remove those decals for this weekend's game against the Los Angeles Rams and every other preseason matchup.

 

https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2016/08/12/nfl-s-decal-ruling-disappoints-cowboys-but-it-won-t-stop-team-s-support-for-dallas-police-jerry-jones-says/

 

 

Black Lives Matter: NFL plans for social justice decal stickers on helmets

League has not previously allowed such messaging, except for annual salutes to military and campaign to raise awareness around breast cancer

 

The NFL is planning to allow players to have decal stickers on the back of their helmets bearing names or initials of victims of systemic racism and police violence.

 

https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2016/08/12/nfl-s-decal-ruling-disappoints-cowboys-but-it-won-t-stop-team-s-support-for-dallas-police-jerry-jones-says/

 

 

Its the disgusting display of hypocrisy that bothers me.  Stay the hell out of it, or allow it for EVERYONE...that is EQUALITY.

You mean the Dallas police who just has one of their officers execute a black man for the crime of being in his own apartment???

[Royale with Cheese]

24 minutes ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

You mean the Dallas police who just has one of their officers execute a black man for the crime of being in his own apartment???

 

Or how about the 5 police officers killed, 7 others injured a few years ago?

[C.Biscuit97]

8 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Or how about the 5 police officers killed, 7 others injured a few years ago?

Completely terrible as well and I’m glad that idiot got taken out.  
 

but it’s unfortunately two different things.  When you sign up to be an officer, you know the risk.  That’s why they are held to a higher standard than a lot of the garbage they deal with.  You can’t just make mistakes as a police officer.  That’s the main message people are saying.  And if they do make those mistakes, they need to be held accountable, which the overwhelmingly amount of the time they are not.  
 

I think every rational person knows how important police are so it’s a weird thing to try to politicize.  

[Royale with Cheese]

8 minutes ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

Completely terrible as well and I’m glad that idiot got taken out.  
 

but it’s unfortunately two different things.  When you sign up to be an officer, you know the risk.  That’s why they are held to a higher standard than a lot of the garbage they deal with.  You can’t just make mistakes as a police officer.  That’s the main message people are saying.  And if they do make those mistakes, they need to be held accountable, which the overwhelmingly amount of the time they are not.  
 

I think every rational person knows how important police are so it’s a weird thing to try to politicize.  

 

I hear your point.  I just think that people are forgetting that Police Lives Matter as well.  48 were killed last year.   

I just don't know what you expect a Cop to do if a guy isn't responding to a taser and you can't take him down to the ground and get on top of him.  I've got many friends who are Cops and it nearly makes the job impossible.  

[Mark80]

Get off social media, stop watching the news.  Trust me.  If this stuff is affecting you this much then you should distance yourself from it.  I stopped doing social media for the most part a couple years ago because of all the negativity.  It has changed my attitude completely just by not seeing it all the time.  And “news” media purposefully generates conflict to get higher ratings.  Its proven to lead to higher rating and they take advantage of it.

 

Anyway, im pumped for the season.  Cant believe its only a week away.  Once it is all of the sudden here, its gonna be just like any to me except this year i have higher hopes.

[C.Biscuit97]

36 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

I hear your point.  I just think that people are forgetting that Police Lives Matter as well.  48 were killed last year.   

I just don't know what you expect a Cop to do if a guy isn't responding to a taser and you can't take him down to the ground and get on top of him.  I've got many friends who are Cops and it nearly makes the job impossible.  

The problem with our country again is it’s the loudest idiots making the most noise.  No cop should get killed for doing their job.  All their lives matter. 
 

but when a black man gets killed for selling cigarettes while a loser incel with a bowl cut who massacred a black church group gets picked up by the cops and taken to Burger King, that kinda seems a bit uneven. 

17 minutes ago, Mark80 said:

Get off social media, stop watching the news.  Trust me.  If this stuff is affecting you this much then you should distance yourself from it.  I stopped doing social media for the most part a couple years ago because of all the negativity.  It has changed my attitude completely just by not seeing it all the time.  And “news” media purposefully generates conflict to get higher ratings.  Its proven to lead to higher rating and they take advantage of it.

 

Anyway, im pumped for the season.  Cant believe its only a week away.  Once it is all of the sudden here, its gonna be just like any to me except this year i have higher hopes.

I definitely agree with that.  News and social media are awful.  Twitter, while it has some great things, gives a voice to people who shouldn’t have a voice.  

[Royale with Cheese]

1 hour ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

The problem with our country again is it’s the loudest idiots making the most noise.  No cop should get killed for doing their job.  All their lives matter. 
 

but when a black man gets killed for selling cigarettes while a loser incel with a bowl cut who massacred a black church group gets picked up by the cops and taken to Burger King, that kinda seems a bit uneven. 

Yes but that’s not the case all the time.  The DC Sniper massacred several people and was calmly arrested....he was black. 

[billsfan89]

If you aren't invested because of the "politics" that will be messaged then honestly why watch a sport comprised of 68% young African American men and be surprised that they want to speak out about the issues they feel are impacting their communities? If you are invested less because of Covid, then I understand. No fans in the stands doesn't bother me personally (been watching the NBA bubble and it isn't any less interesting to me) but I can get people not enjoying it as much. Also while there haven't been a ton of opt outs there is enough to make you think things are a bit off more than usual. 

 

The only thing that is making me less invested this season is the possibility of a Covid outbreak on a team messing up the season. I think the NFL should have bubbled up like the NHL and NBA (Make 4 regional bubbles) and this way the chance of an outbreak is far more limited. If I knew that there wasn't a good chance of a Covid outbreak I would be just as invested as ever, right now I am "just" 90% as invested as I would be for a "normal" season. 

9 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

Yes but that’s not the case all the time.  The DC Sniper massacred several people and was calmly arrested....he was black. 

 

To quote the late great Patrice O'Neal, "they for sure thought the DC Sniper was a white guy... Sniper? That's a white guy crime"

[Royale with Cheese]

7 minutes ago, billsfan89 said:

If you aren't invested because of the "politics" that will be messaged then honestly why watch a sport comprised of 68% young African American men and be surprised that they want to speak out about the issues they feel are impacting their communities? If you are invested less because of Covid, then I understand. No fans in the stands doesn't bother me personally (been watching the NBA bubble and it isn't any less interesting to me) but I can get people not enjoying it as much. Also while there haven't been a ton of opt outs there is enough to make you think things are a bit off more than usual. 

 

The only thing that is making me less invested this season is the possibility of a Covid outbreak on a team messing up the season. I think the NFL should have bubbled up like the NHL and NBA (Make 4 regional bubbles) and this way the chance of an outbreak is far more limited. If I knew that there wasn't a good chance of a Covid outbreak I would be just as invested as ever, right now I am "just" 90% as invested as I would be for a "normal" season. 

 

To quote the late great Patrice O'Neal, "they for sure thought the DC Sniper was a white guy... Sniper? That's a white guy crime"

RIP Patrice....I hate many great comedians are gone so soon.

[billsfan89]

1 minute ago, Royale with Cheese said:

RIP Patrice....I hate many great comedians are gone so soon.

 

There isn't a month that goes by since he passed in late 2011 where I don't think "what would Patrice have thought about this issue" agree or disagree with his take he always had an interesting perspective. 

[Georgia Bill]

5 hours ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

I hear your point.  I just think that people are forgetting that Police Lives Matter as well.  48 were killed last year.   

I just don't know what you expect a Cop to do if a guy isn't responding to a taser and you can't take him down to the ground and get on top of him.  I've got many friends who are Cops and it nearly makes the job impossible.  

Somehow they deal with that situation in England for instance, where cops don't carry guns. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/why-london-won-t-arm-all-police-despite-severe-terror-n737551    So it can't really be all that impossible now can it?  

[Royale with Cheese]

50 minutes ago, Georgia Bill said:

Somehow they deal with that situation in England for instance, where cops don't carry guns. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/why-london-won-t-arm-all-police-despite-severe-terror-n737551    So it can't really be all that impossible now can it?  

Its two different countries.  The US murder rate is 18 times higher than the United Kingdom.

 

Cops are also killed at an 8 times higher rate in the US than the United Kingdom.

 

 

[TwistofFate]

On 9/4/2020 at 10:45 AM, C.Biscuit97 said:

Completely terrible as well and I’m glad that idiot got taken out.  
 

but it’s unfortunately two different things.  When you sign up to be an officer, you know the risk.  That’s why they are held to a higher standard than a lot of the garbage they deal with.  You can’t just make mistakes as a police officer.  That’s the main message people are saying.  And if they do make those mistakes, they need to be held accountable, which the overwhelmingly amount of the time they are not.  
 

I think every rational person knows how important police are so it’s a weird thing to try to politicize.  

The margin of error must be much higher then what the public thinks. 

 

The public makes knee jerk reactions and decisions when they see police use lethal force on video.  They make judgements on emotions and visual interpretation, usually on a few short seconds or the tail end of an encounter gone wrong, not on the actual full scope of the situation.  They aren't having that experience in real time, they can't get an idea of how erratic a suspect was or what he was saying or what kind of vibe you were getting from being around that person.  All of those things must be taken into consideration when deciding if an officer acted as appropriate as you would expect in that same situation. 

 

It's easy to judge someone sitting in the safety of your chair but if you were wrestling around with some stranger on the ground, who was reaching for the weapon you had in your pocket, I can guarantee you, you don't know what his intentions are and you would use whatever force you needed to, to come out of that alive. 

 

At the end of the day police are human beings, they are going to make mistakes as no one is infallible. The question that needs to be asked is, were these mistakes made reasonable considering the situation? Police need to be given a larger margin of error given the type of situations they are put in on a regular basis. They are risking everything being out there because they want to be somewhere where they're protecting people. Unless it is clear  the police officer was using truly unnecessary force, then leeway must be given. If you continue to beat the drum and call all cops bad or expect them to be arrested and prosecuted for taking risks in their job you're going to have no one who wants to be a police officer. No way would it be worth it to risk your life protecting your community and then have to be worried about making a mistake while protecting the community that lands you in prison for the rest of your life.

[GreggTX]

I am no less invested in the Bills than I ever have been. Why should I be? If the players want to act out for justice, I will support them in that as well. Go Bills!

[ComradeKayAdams]

I am MORE invested in this season than ever before! I have never experienced the Bills winning a division title, hosting a playoff game, winning a playoff game, or playing in an AFC Championship game. They finally constructed a team that has a realistic shot at achieving all of this.

 

It’s definitely a little sad to know that the Bills won’t be playing this year in front of their typical home game crowds. But I also can’t think of a more poetically beautiful season for the Buffalo red, white, and blue to win its first Super Bowl than during the year of Covid-19...and 100 years after the Staley Swindle, no less! America loves its Cinderella stories with likeable characters (players). Maybe America NEEDS the Bills to lift its spirits from the mess that has been 2020?

 

I won’t get into any of the political stuff here. I respect everyone’s right to boycott the NFL as much as I respect everyone’s right to support BLM in the manner that they feel is warranted. Just remember that life is short and often mostly painful. If following professional football brings you joy and a bit of relief in your life, then that alone could be a worthy reason to keep watching. Just my stupid opinion.

[Worstcaseontario]

Ive been counting down all summer, im still laid off and i check the NFL news every 30 mins..

[TheyCallMeAndy]

**** no

[BigDingus]

On 9/1/2020 at 7:07 PM, Cal said:

I don't know. I'm not as excited for football as normal. Maybe it's the political bs that we are going to have to see, listen too before and after each game or the other stuff we have to deal with nowadays. Also the no preseason and games with no fans.

 

We've had season tickets for 50 years in my family, will be the one of the first ones in when they allow any amount of fans. I really don't care as much. We've seen the NBA ratings are not great with limited sports on. People may be fed up and sports is no longer a outlet. Is it just me? 

 

Nevertheless. Go Bills!

 

I've been so disinterested I forgot to draft in 2 of my fantasy leagues... 

Didn't even remember football was starting up soon until I saw a link in another unrelated sports article (Novak Djokovic hitting some woman in the throat with a tennis ball?) that showed a Bills helmet, then popped on over to the boards.

[LeGOATski]

8 hours ago, GreggTX said:

I am no less invested in the Bills than I ever have been. Why should I be? If the players want to act out for justice, I will support them in that as well. Go Bills!

Adding on to that:

 

I mainly just want to watch them play the most high level of football in the world. Its something to enjoy with friends and family.

 

Anyone who can't compartmentalize this ***** is in a real emotional predicament of their own making. What a waste of time. We only have a limited amount of time here...

[machine gun kelly]

Three days to football.  Should be fun to see the Chiefs opener.

[Bill from NYC]

On 9/1/2020 at 8:50 PM, Coach Tuesday said:

Honestly go watch NASCAR and UFC and conspiracy videos on Facebook.  No one cares.  If you feel triggered by the politics of the people who entertain you then just don’t pay for the product.  Why is it that the same folks who want athletes to “shut up and play” can’t “shut up and leave”?  

I went back and read the OP again. The poster comes off as a person who was thinking about the situation and wanted to talk about it with other Bills Fans. I don't necessarily agree with everything he writes, but he makes points and is expressing his feelings in a non-combative way. Would you care to explain what triggered you to the point of hostility?

Thanks, because I am missing the part of his post which moved you to the degree of getting angry at and offensive to him.

Edited September 7, 2020 by Bill from NYC

[Coach Tuesday]

1 hour ago, Bill from NYC said:

I went back and read the OP again. The poster comes off as a person who was thinking about the situation and wanted to talk about it with other Bills Fans. I don't necessarily agree with everything he writes, but he makes points and is expressing his feelings in a non-combative way. Would you care to explain what triggered you to the point of hostility?

Thanks, because I am missing the part of his post which moved you to the degree of getting angry at and offensive to him.

What “triggered” me Bill was that we’ve had about 100 threads in the past year about how athletes speaking up for social causes is inappropriate, ruining the game, and causing folks to tune out.  We did not need another one.  This has been discussed ad nauseum.  We are now one week away from what should be a very exciting season of Bills football and we did not and do not need yet another thread saying the exact same thing, which by the way are always started by posters who just happen to disagree with the political message at issue.  We get it - some of you cannot stand the message and will tune out.  Just do it already and let the rest of us enjoy the season.

Edited September 7, 2020 by Coach Tuesday

[Matt_In_NH]

After week one investment will be there.  Except for boycotters who don’t like the anthem protests

[Coach Tuesday]

4 minutes ago, mattynh said:

After week one investment will be there.  Except for boycotters who don’t like the anthem protests

I’m still waiting to hear a single person say, “I totally support and agree with the message, I just hate mixing sports and politics so I’m going to boycott it.”  What an amazing coincidence that the “separate sports and politics” crowd uniformly disagrees with the politics.  Crazy how life works!

[Bill from NYC]

36 minutes ago, Coach Tuesday said:

What “triggered” me Bill was that we’ve had about 100 threads in the past year about how athletes speaking up for social causes is inappropriate, ruining the game, and causing folks to tune out.  We did not need another one.  This has been discussed ad nauseum.  We are now one week away from what should be a very exciting season of Bills football and we did not and do not need yet another thread saying the exact same thing, which by the way are always started by posters who just happen to disagree with the political message at issue.  We get it - some of you cannot stand the message and will tune out.  Just do it already and let the rest of us enjoy the season.

OK then. I still missed the part where he was trying to deprive you of doing and/or saying anything. 

Edited September 7, 2020 by Bill from NYC

[Coach Tuesday]

3 minutes ago, Bill from NYC said:

OK then. I still missed the part where he was trying to deprive you of doing and/or saying anything. 

But you know that isn’t the issue.  We have had about 100 threads about “keeping politics out of sports.”  Here.  On a sports message board.  We have had about 100 threads about “I’m tuning out sports.”  Here.  On a sports message board.  Do you really fail to see the irony?

Edited September 7, 2020 by Coach Tuesday