Josh Allen OTAs press conference 5/25

[Hapless Bills Fan]

7 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Why arent those players who are publicly questioning it seen as bad team mates as Josh would be for saying he is vaccinated? Arent they throwing the vaccinated players under the bus? The same players who are doing the minimal needed to ensure team activities and player safety?

 

Josh, and/or anyone else, should be countering that with the example and influence to get vaccinated. Even more so publicly, on the off chance they influence some fans and help us get back to normal attendance quicker.

 

 

What could the dynamics inside the team be that would prevent him from confirming he's vaccinated just like McD did? He's going to hurt an anti-vaxxers feelings? Is that really where we are with this crap?

 

So he is placating bad team mates. How is that being a good leader?

First of all, if something is a choice, you can’t frame it as “good for yes, bad for no”.  No teammate threw those who opted out under the bus last year, that I heard.  That would make the bus throwers bad teammates

 

Second, it’s not a matter of hurting feelings, but Beasley got taken apart on Twitter.  If everyone who gets vaxxed says so, while those who don’t take the 5th, it’s gonna put a target on the latter publicly.

 

We all know where I stand on vaccination but I can still see this point

[FireChans]

3 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

They are by definition bad team mates if they are putting their pErSoNaL cHoIcE above ensuring the team can resume normal activities AND putting other players at health risk. They are putting themselves ahead of what is best for the team. Therefore, bad team mates.

That’s your opinion. Not necessarily theirs. They don’t care what you think. 
 

Josh isn’t giving this presser wondering how you are going to react. He doesn’t care. You don’t have any idea about the locker room dynamic. For all we know, they are mostly in agreement it’s a personal choice and Josh isn’t coming strongly about it so:

 

A. People like you don’t make it a distraction

B: No one on the team feels alienated

Edited May 25, 2021 by FireChans

[HappyDays]

For all the talk about Allen's answer about the vaccine, we all know it isn't his answer, right? This is the answer pre-fed to him by the media relations team. They knew the question was coming and he probably rehearsed his answer several times.

Edited May 25, 2021 by HappyDays

[LeGOATski]

Just now, HappyDays said:

For all the talk about Allen's answer, we all know it isn't his answer right? This is the answer pre-fed to him by the media relations team. They knee the question was coming and he probably rehearsed his answer several times.

I'm fine with his answer. It's more well-put than his answer a few months ago.

 

But I don't believe it's pre-fed, or else McDermott would've given a similar answer.

[716er]

2 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

For all the talk about Allen's answer about the vaccine, we all know it isn't his answer, right? This is the answer pre-fed to him by the media relations team. They knew the question was coming and he probably rehearsed his answer several times.

 

Not sure about that.. the coach gave a totally different answer. 

[FireChans]

Oh no! Doesn’t Tremaine know that Poyer is a bad teammate and he should be eviscerating people who don’t get vaccinated? Poor leadership strikes again.

 

 

[DrDawkinstein]

2 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

First of all, if something is a choice, you can’t frame it as “good for yes, bad for no”.

 

Yes you can. We all make choices every day where there is a good or bad option.

 

Quote

Second, it’s not a matter of hurting feelings, but Beasley got taken apart on Twitter.  If everyone who gets vaxxed says so, while those who don’t take the 5th, it’s gonna put a target on the latter publicly.

 

Choices have consequences. Choose to get the vaccine and maybe deal with some perceived consequence of 5G chips or something. Choose not to get the vaccine and get ostracized for not caring about public health.

 

3 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

For all the talk about Allen's answer about the vaccine, we all know it isn't his answer right? This is the answer pre-fed to him by the media relations team. They knee the question was coming and he probably rehearsed his answer several times.

 

Nah, it's pretty much his answer. Maybe PR helped him craft what he should say, but if he were vaccinated, he would say it like the rest of team leadership.

1 minute ago, FireChans said:

Oh no! Doesn’t Tremaine know that Poyer is a bad teammate and he should be eviscerating people who don’t get vaccinated? Poor leadership strikes again.

 

 

 

Looks like we're seeing why McD went so far as to say he is concerned with our team vax rate and what it will mean for activities.

[FireChans]

2 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Yes you can. We all make choices every day where there is a good or bad option.

 

 

Choices have consequences. Choose to get the vaccine and maybe deal with some perceived consequence of 5G chips or something. Choose not to get the vaccine and get ostracized for not caring about public health.

 

 

Nah, it's pretty much his answer. Maybe PR helped him craft what he should say, but if he were vaccinated, he would say it like the rest of team leadership.

 

Looks like we're seeing why McD went so far as to say he is concerned with our team vax rate and what it will mean for activities.

Choices have consequences but they wouldn’t be choices if you didn’t let people make bad ones.

 

Consider me unconcerned.

[Rockinon]

I want to talk about OTAs, not vaccines.☹️

[wppete]

I think we will find many players in the NFL will “keep their choice private”. 

 

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

16 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

Why arent those players who are publicly questioning it seen as bad team mates as Josh would be for saying he is vaccinated? Arent they throwing the vaccinated players under the bus? The same players who are doing the minimal needed to ensure team activities and player safety?

This is a guess, but my take would be we won’t see any Bills players publically questioning vaccination either.

 

I think they’ve made a decision as a team not to speak publically about vaccination, just like they made a decision as a team to stay in the locker room for the National Anthem.

[Ralonzo]

Was that Wawrow or did his doppelgänger Greggggg Williams blackjack him to butcher the same stupid question that had already been asked, twice more? The urge to beat him with a stick felt similar to Gregggggggggg.

 

Edit: I also learned a new journalism word, “comfortability.”  I’ll have to see if I can use it in a sentence with “wessonality.”

Edited May 25, 2021 by Ralonzo

[Hapless Bills Fan]

11 minutes ago, LeGOATski said:

I'm fine with his answer. It's more well-put than his answer a few months ago.

 

But I don't believe it's pre-fed, or else McDermott would've given a similar answer.

No, different situation.  NFL put the screws on coaches and FO people - they MUST be vaxxed for player contact.  
 

So if Beane & McDermott are having player contact, they’re vaxxed.

[HOUSE]

2 hours ago, Rockinon said:

I want to talk about OTAs, not vaccines.☹️

 

This thread is like a big hole, there goes Steve and Betty

 

Edited May 25, 2021 by HOUSE

[HappyDays]

15 minutes ago, 716er said:

 

Not sure about that.. the coach gave a totally different answer. 

 

Edmunds just gave the same answer. The Bills media operation is too good to let players answer these questions on their own. McDermott gave the coach answer and I'm sure he cleared it with the team too.

[Rockinon]

1 minute ago, HOUSE said:

 

This thread is like a big hole, there goes Steve and Betty

 

Nice. Haha.

[716er]

Just now, HappyDays said:

 

Edmunds just gave the same answer. The Bills media operation is too good to let players answer these questions on their own. McDermott gave the coach answer and I'm sure he cleared it with the team too.

 

Could be.

 

Or the leader on offense and defense (Josh & Tremaine) got together and decided on the same answer.

 

Not sure how their vax statuses will stay "private" though as the league will continue to relax protocols for vaxxed players and IMO it could eventually become obvious who is and is not vaxxed. 

 

 

[LeGOATski]

4 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

No, different situation.  NFL put the screws on coaches and FO people - they MUST be vaxxed for player contact.  
 

So if Beane & McDermott are having player contact, they’re vaxxed.

Coach-player contact vs player-player contact?

[DrDawkinstein]

Just now, LeGOATski said:

Coach-player contact vs player-player contact?

 

Science and logic arent at play here. Only NFLPA negotiating.

[Process]

24 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

For all the talk about Allen's answer about the vaccine, we all know it isn't his answer, right? This is the answer pre-fed to him by the media relations team. They knew the question was coming and he probably rehearsed his answer several times.

Well good, because his answer the first time with Brandt was a **** show. 

 

His response today was fine, stick with it and it will eventually be a non story. 

[HappyDays]

1 minute ago, Process said:

Well good, because his answer the first time with Brandt was a **** show. 

 

Yeah, and so what? Josh Allen is a professional athlete. He isn't a social activist. Just because some athletes choose to be vocal about certain issues, doesn't mean every one of them needs to have an opinion on everything. So now Allen is in the impossible position where even if he says "I don't have an opinion" that in itself is treated as an opinion. It's a no win situation.

[Rochesterfan]

4 minutes ago, LeGOATski said:

Coach-player contact vs player-player contact?

NFLPA versus Coach/trainer.  
 

The NFL basically mandated vaccinations for coaches and front office staff by limiting what contact they could have if unvaccinated.

 

The NFLPA basically decided they would fight the vaccination decision - so it is a personal choice and if vaccinated and unvaccinated players mix they are fine.

 

The next step is the eventual NFL protocol that will involve masking and in person meetings - that they can control.  They will role out guidelines that will involve vaccination rates and what can be don and that will either force teams to get the vaccination rate up among players or there will be disadvantages to those teams that don’t.

 

That is the team discussion that is on-going and we will eventually know the rate as we see future activities.

[fergie's ire]

1 hour ago, DJB said:

 

I say we straight cut him and send him to Russia. 

 

Or better yet if we REALLY wanted to punish him...we trade him to the Jets. 

Last I checked, cruel and unusual punishment is still prohibited by the constitution.

 

[FireChans]

3 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

Yeah, and so what? Josh Allen is a professional athlete. He isn't a social activist. Just because some athletes choose to be vocal about certain issues, doesn't mean every one of them needs to have an opinion on everything. So now Allen is in the impossible position where even if he says "I don't have an opinion" that in itself is treated as an opinion. It's a no win situation.

This.

 

Why do we spend so much time holding athletes to account for the things they do or don’t say and not the idiots who treat it like gospel?

 

Here’s a fun little tip. If an athlete says something about public health, or geopolitics or the ***** weather, don’t worry too much about it.

[JaCrispy]

This thread is getting very close to the  edge...😎

[Ethan in Cleveland]

1 hour ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Except we all know that "not answering" IS in fact answering that you havent been vaccinated yet. Otherwise, he, like McD and the Pegulas and everyone else, would just come out and say he has been vaccinated because it isnt a big deal to those of us who get vaccinated.

 

It's like "pleading the 5th". Sure, you havent technically answered, but we all know what that means.

 

 

Not necessarily.  Remember he is speaking for the whole team as the QB and leader of the team. He may in fact be vaccinated but he may just be saying we as players are not disclosing that information. 

The real issue will come in the season when an unvaccinated player test positive and misses three or four games.  A team may call it a non-football injury and decide not to pay his salary for the games missed.  This is a union HR issue that every employer in the country will now have to deal with. 

1 hour ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Except we all know that "not answering" IS in fact answering that you havent been vaccinated yet. Otherwise, he, like McD and the Pegulas and everyone else, would just come out and say he has been vaccinated because it isnt a big deal to those of us who get vaccinated.

 

It's like "pleading the 5th". Sure, you havent technically answered, but we all know what that means.

 

 

Not necessarily.  Remember he is speaking for the whole team as the QB and leader of the team. He may in fact be vaccinated but he may just be saying we as players are not disclosing that information. 

The real issue will come in the season when an unvaccinated player test positive and misses three or four games.  A team may call it a non-football injury and decide not to pay his salary for the games missed.  This is a union HR issue that every employer in the country will now have to deal with. 

[Bangarang]

Here’s my official response to Allen’s vaccination statement: I don’t care.

 

Thanks for listening 

[Dr. K]

2 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

 

The same is true if he would only get the dang vaccination. Nobody would ever ask about it again. 

[The Wiz]

49 minutes ago, fergie's ire said:

Last I checked, cruel and unusual punishment is still prohibited by the constitution.

 

They just define it as "marriage" now. 

[Patrick Duffy]

I'm one of those that hopes he does decide to get it, but understand it is a choice. Imo I just think it would be safer all around for everyone. But anyways,

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, LeGOATski said:

Coach-player contact vs player-player contact?

 

Correct. 

 

Coaches/FO people and NFL players operate under a different set of employment rules.  Players under CBA with NFLPA and other agreements added in; Coaches and FO people under whatever individual agreements they have with the clubs - I don't think there's a collectively-bargained "NFL FO and coaches agreement"

 

Players who aren't vaccinated have a different set of restrictions on them.  But the collectively-bargained agreement is that vaccination is not mandatory for players.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, LeGOATski said:

I'm fine with his answer. It's more well-put than his answer a few months ago.

But I don't believe it's pre-fed, or else McDermott would've given a similar answer.

 

2 hours ago, 716er said:

Not sure about that.. the coach gave a totally different answer. 

 

That's because the coach and GM are operating under these rules:

 

 

("employee" here does not include players as far as I know)

 

I think now that Tremaine Edmunds has basically said the same thing as Josh Allen, it's pretty clear it's a "canned response"

1 hour ago, Rochesterfan said:

NFLPA versus Coach/trainer.  
The NFL basically mandated vaccinations for coaches and front office staff by limiting what contact they could have if unvaccinated.

The NFLPA basically decided they would fight the vaccination decision - so it is a personal choice and if vaccinated and unvaccinated players mix they are fine.

 

I think there's a bit more to it than just 'they are fine' - I think that unvaccinated players still need to mask within the facility still and get tested daily, and aren't supposed to meet up outside the facility or maybe not more than 3 at a time or something.

From the memo (I think employees here may include players, but have not been able to find anything explicitly saying players don't need to wear Kinexion, get tested less often, can meetup outside the facility etc):

 

Quote

The next step is the eventual NFL protocol that will involve masking and in person meetings - that they can control.  They will role out guidelines that will involve vaccination rates and what can be don and that will either force teams to get the vaccination rate up among players or there will be disadvantages to those teams that don’t.

 

That is the team discussion that is on-going and we will eventually know the rate as we see future activities.

 

[wppete]

32 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

 

That's because the coach and GM are operating under these rules:

 

 

 

I think now that Tremaine Edmunds has basically said the same thing as Josh Allen, it's pretty clear it's a "canned response"

Very interesting memo. Does anyone know what the mean when the say “religious ground”? Seems very open ended and would apply to every and all religions. Would love to get clarity on that. 

 

[Mod edit: I tried a response and decided can't be done without expanding the scope way beyond football - get clarity elsewhere, please]

[RochesterLifer]

1 hour ago, Dr. K said:

The same is true if he would only get the dang vaccination. Nobody would ever ask about it again. 

Incorrect. The question would then turn to, "Do you resent your teammates who have not gotten vaccinated?" 

[mushypeaches]

3 hours ago, wppete said:

Got to love Josh!!! I love this guys even more after this interview!

 

 

T.O. would have friggin loved to play with Josh Allen

[machine gun kelly]

To me, it’s his call.  If he’s vaccinated and proof he’s tested once a week, and no mask.  Not proof of vaccinated, tested daily and mandated to wear a mask.  His call.  It does effect others as he can infect others, if positive, but then gain he’s tested daily while working.

 

Notice I’m not making an opinion.  I have a strong one, but everyone has a right to their body, and I’m not going to dictate what a person should do.  They also own the responsibilities with their choices.  What I don’t believe is he has some responsibility to tell the public what he will or will not do.

 

I just hope regardless of a person’s choice is this darn health problem goes away, and it has hurt so many millions of people from a health and economic standpoint on top of the social and psychological issues.

 

 

[78thealltimegreat]

3 hours ago, TheBrownBear said:

He's going to keep getting these questions until he gets vaccinated.  It's just what it is.

He can ask for a trade 

[GETTOTHE50]

just get ***** vaccinated already so we can move on 

[wppete]

34 minutes ago, wppete said:

Very interesting memo. Does anyone know what the mean when the say “religious ground”? Seems very open ended and would apply to every and all religions. Would love to get clarity on that. 

 

[Mod edit: I tried a response and decided can't be done without expanding the scope way beyond football - get clarity elsewhere, please]

 
All good, no stress. I’m sure the NFL will clarify for all. 

[Putin]

4 hours ago, DJB said:

 

I say we straight cut him and send him to Russia. 

 

Or better yet if we REALLY wanted to punish him...we trade him to the Jets. 

No God No Jets ?? 
Send hiem to me my comrades will change hies mind !!!