McD's Presser

[Success]

I have a hard time believing that other teams don't have similar issues as the Bills. The Bills have become the poster team for "vaccine issues," but that's largely because of a few players being very vocal about it publicly.

 

I'd love to see the percentages around the league for the threshold each team has hit.

 

Personally, I wouldn't mind if the Bills based some of their cuts on it.  I know that's controversial, but we'll be seeing problems regularly if we're not at a certain level.  What's the point of having a guy unless he can play most of the season (and of course, that doesn't extend to guys like Allen).

 

[Rocky Landing]

1 hour ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

We've done this Over.  and Over.  and Over.  again.  Where there is a union, there is collective bargaining. 

 

NFLPA.

 

The NFL can not impose a mandate upon the players.

I'm not entirely sure that's true. The NFL can't impose a mandate that violates their contract, and I'm not sure the agreement reached regarding Covid is contractual. I belong to a union in the motion picture industry (IATSE). I'm currently working on a TV show at Warner Bros in Burbank, and they just last week mandated that all department heads be vaccinated. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

31 minutes ago, pennstate10 said:

I’m not sure that this is true. 
airlines and hospitals have mandated vaccines without having support of all their unions. 

 

It depends upon the details of the CBA and the contract.

 

I think you could safely Bet the Rent here.

[RalphWilson'sNewWar]

2 minutes ago, SCBills said:

What’s the other option?

 

Beasley - Top pure slot in the NFL

 

McKenzie - Rapidly improving talent who oozes team mentality in every other aspect

 

Davis - VERY promising young WR talent who has 3 more years on a rookie contract 

 

You cutting all of them?  It kind of is what it is at this point.  

What did Aikman tell to Barry Switzer when Michael Irvin showed up to camp hung over ?

 

“You don’t cut Michael Irvin, Barry.  But you cut that guy and that guy.”

 

so you want to send a message.  Pick 2 out of those 3 and say goodbye Norman Jean.

[SCBills]

6 minutes ago, Success said:

I have a hard time believing that other teams don't have similar issues as the Bills. The Bills have become the poster team for "vaccine issues," but that's largely because of a few players being very vocal about it publicly.

 

I'd love to see the percentages around the league for the threshold each team has hit.

 

Personally, I wouldn't mind if the Bills based some of their cuts on it.  I know that's controversial, but we'll be seeing problems regularly if we're not at a certain level.  What's the point of having a guy unless he can play most of the season (and of course, that doesn't extend to guys like Allen).

 

Sounds like we are on the lower end of vaccinations, but who knows how that shakes out when teams cut down to 53.  
 

We don’t know about Allen, but we do know Diggs is vaxxed, I think?

 

Do Arizona fans know if Kyler is vaxxed?.. We know Hop isn’t.  
 

Lots of big names have been noncommittal, at best, about the vax.   Dallas, with Dak immediately comes to mind. 

 

 

Edited August 26, 2021 by SCBills

[RoyBatty is alive]

3 minutes ago, Success said:

I have a hard time believing that other teams don't have similar issues as the Bills. The Bills have become the poster team for "vaccine issues," but that's largely because of a few players being very vocal about it publicly.

 

I'd love to see the percentages around the league for the threshold each team has hit.

 

Personally, I wouldn't mind if the Bills based some of their cuts on it.  I know that's controversial, but we'll be seeing problems regularly if we're not at a certain level.  What's the point of having a guy unless he can play most of the season (and of course, that doesn't extend to guys like Allen).

 

Oher teams do, we seem to be the team getting all the publicity about it.

 

I just heard on CBS sports radio a total of 25 players have been fined for new covid violations.

[SCBills]

1 minute ago, RalphWilson'sNewWar said:

What did Aikman tell to Barry Switzer when Michael Irvin showed up to camp hung over ?

 

“You don’t cut Michael Irvin, Barry.  But you cut that guy and that guy.”

 

so you want to send a message.  Pick 2 out of those 3 and say goodbye Norman Jean.

Imagine comparing this to that…

 

Some of you can’t seem to detach from your personal views when discussing this issue. 

[RiotAct]

6 minutes ago, JGMcD2 said:

So to avoid POTENTIALLY losing them… you cut 2/3 and replace them with…? 

Duuuuuuuuuuuke

[Success]

3 minutes ago, SCBills said:

Sounds like we are on the lower end of vaccinations, but who knows how that shakes out when teams cut down to 53.  
 

We don’t know about Allen, but we do know Diggs is vaxxed, I think?

 

Do Arizona fans know if Kyler is vaxxed?.. We know Hop isn’t.  
 

Lots of big names have been noncommittal, at best, about the vax.   Dallas, with Dak immediately comes to mind. 

 

I was trying to do the math (not my forte). I think Beane said we're floating around 80% at one point.  So, if we're 10% short, that's really just 4-5 guys out of the final roster.

 

I'm really hoping w/ FDA approval that a few more will take the leap.

 

It is a real mystery though, w/ us and other teams.  Mac Jones had a presser that some interpreted as  him having had it, and some interpreted as not.  It's like that all around the league.  A lot of secrecy & coy responses (and it IS a private decision - but it's hard as a fan now knowing...)

 

[Boatdrinks]

38 minutes ago, pennstate10 said:

I’m not sure that this is true. 
airlines and hospitals have mandated vaccines without having support of all their unions. 

NFL doesn’t want labor strife ( ie a strike, work stoppage etc) and mandating vaccination for players wasn’t a hill they were going to die on. 

[RalphWilson'sNewWar]

3 minutes ago, SCBills said:

Imagine comparing this to that…

 

Some of you can’t seem to detach from your personal views when discussing this issue. 

But they have $270 M Josh Allen.

that’s why you pay.  Because over time he is the only constant.

 

everyone else comes and goes.  And they go due to age, production, Injury or “other”.

[Success]

I know it's been said quite a few times - but I can't believe we wait a generation to finally become a contender again, and have to deal w/ this kind of uncertainty now.  THIS is the season - everyone is predicting us to be a SB contender, and we all know it too.  

 

Who knows how long that window lasts. Very frustrating, and I really hope it doesn't play out like my worst fears.

 

[SCBills]

1 minute ago, Success said:

 

I was trying to do the math (not my forte). I think Beane said we're floating around 80% at one point.  So, if we're 10% short, that's really just 4-5 guys out of the final roster.

 

I'm really hoping w/ FDA approval that a few more will take the leap.

 

It is a real mystery though, w/ us and other teams.  Mac Jones had a presser that some interpreted as  him having had it, and some interpreted as not.  It's like that all around the league.  A lot of secrecy & coy responses (and it IS a private decision - but it's hard as a fan now knowing...)

 

Yup.. I’ll admit, it’s tricky having 3 guys who play big roles on this team, all at the same position, being open to these ridiculous NFL protocols that could decimate our WR room at any time.  
 

That said, we’re not alone… outside of Diggs, Mahomes etc., most star players are zipped lips about their vax status. 

[TEC]

2 minutes ago, Success said:

 THIS is the season - everyone is predicting us to be a SB contender, and we all know it too.  

Who knows how long that window lasts. 

 

As long as we have Josh, Diggs, White and Mcdermott, we are in the conversation. That's all you can ask for. 

[Gugny]

Just now, SCBills said:

Yup.. I’ll admit, it’s tricky having 3 guys who play big roles on this team, all at the same position, being open to these ridiculous NFL protocols that could decimate our WR room at any time.  
 

That said, we’re not alone… outside of Diggs, Mahomes etc., most star players are zipped lips about their vax status. 

 

By all reports, it would seem that the Bills are one of the least-vaxxed teams in the league.  

 

Is it the protocols that could decimate our WR room (or team) at any time?  Or is it the players refusing to get jabbed?  I guess it's all in how one looks at it.  I find it hard to blame the protocols, myself.

[Buffalo Boy]

50 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Yeah.  McD believes in culture, and he is seeing the limits of what culture can do for him.  That's why, as others have said, he hates being in this position.  Culture and Allen's  arm are making the team, but this is a problem culture hasn't solved for him. 

    The problem with “ Culture” is there are always Malcontents. They go along until they don’t. Then they make it about themselves.

    It can be a personal decision and you can stay off social media and not be a loudmouth about. Or you can be a douche about it. Some have chosen the Douche path. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. It also doesn’t mean there won’t be consequences.
 

    

[Patrick Duffy]

12 minutes ago, Success said:

I have a hard time believing that other teams don't have similar issues as the Bills. The Bills have become the poster team for "vaccine issues," but that's largely because of a few players being very vocal about it publicly.

 

I'd love to see the percentages around the league for the threshold each team has hit.

 

Personally, I wouldn't mind if the Bills based some of their cuts on it.  I know that's controversial, but we'll be seeing problems regularly if we're not at a certain level.  What's the point of having a guy unless he can play most of the season (and of course, that doesn't extend to guys like Allen).

 

Agree. Some maybe a little more than others but overall situation every team is dealing with. I would very much like to see more Bills WRs etc vaccinated, however have to remember they went through same type things last season and everything turned out pretty smoothly for the most part.

 

I have confidence this staff, coaches etc will once again do everything possible to keep everyone safe and available as they can. Hope it goes about as good as last season

[RunTheBall]

Some of you guys are hilarious. No one we are talking about is getting cut. McBeane isn’t going to blow up the locker room by cutting Bease to send this message. Never going to happen. 

[SCBills]

1 minute ago, Gugny said:

 

By all reports, it would seem that the Bills are one of the least-vaxxed teams in the league.  

 

Is it the protocols that could decimate our WR room (or team) at any time?  Or is it the players refusing to get jabbed?  I guess it's all in how one looks at it.  I find it hard to blame the protocols, myself.

The protocols don’t make sense with the new variants.. they just do not.  It’s setting up the league for a dumpster fire of a season if they don’t revise them.  
 

Bills are one of the least vaxxed, but it will be interesting to see how rosters shake out with vax percentages once everyone hits 53.  

[Hapless Bills Fan]

13 minutes ago, Success said:

 

I was trying to do the math (not my forte). I think Beane said we're floating around 80% at one point.  So, if we're 10% short, that's really just 4-5 guys out of the final roster.

 

I'm really hoping w/ FDA approval that a few more will take the leap.

 

It is a real mystery though, w/ us and other teams.  Mac Jones had a presser that some interpreted as  him having had it, and some interpreted as not.  It's like that all around the league.  A lot of secrecy & coy responses (and it IS a private decision - but it's hard as a fan now knowing...)

 

 

The math was done yesterday in the "Bills may be one of the lowest teams" thread.

 

The flea in the above ointment is that the unvaccinated players may be unevenly distributed between likely starters, and fringe guys.

So currently 16 unvaccinated players out of 80 if we're ~80% vaccinated per Beane's press conference yesterday. (1-0.8) * 80 = 16

 

Question is, are those all guys who make the 53?  If we are, then we're (53-16)/53*100 = 69.8% after the cut.

 

[YoloinOhio]

13 minutes ago, Success said:

I have a hard time believing that other teams don't have similar issues as the Bills. The Bills have become the poster team for "vaccine issues," but that's largely because of a few players being very vocal about it publicly.

 

I'd love to see the percentages around the league for the threshold each team has hit.

 

Personally, I wouldn't mind if the Bills based some of their cuts on it.  I know that's controversial, but we'll be seeing problems regularly if we're not at a certain level.  What's the point of having a guy unless he can play most of the season (and of course, that doesn't extend to guys like Allen).

 

Well, the Titans are at 95% and their starting QB, HC and 3 other players/coaches are on currently on the covid list. 

[PromoTheRobot]

2 minutes ago, SCBills said:

The protocols don’t make sense with the new variants.. they just do not.  It’s setting up the league for a dumpster fire of a season if they don’t revise them.  
 

Bills are one of the least vaxxed, but it will be interesting to see how rosters shake out with vax percentages once everyone hits 53.  

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2021 Super Bowl champs, the Jacksonville Jaguars. (by default)

[GottaRun]

7 minutes ago, RunTheBall said:

Some of you guys are hilarious. No one we are talking about is getting cut. McBeane isn’t going to blow up the locker room by cutting Bease to send this message. Never going to happen. 

Agreed, but if Beasley starts slow and has some uncharacteristic drops the spotlight and pressure are going to be dialed up to 100.  

Edited August 26, 2021 by driddles

[Hapless Bills Fan]

12 minutes ago, SCBills said:

The protocols don’t make sense with the new variants.. they just do not.  It’s setting up the league for a dumpster fire of a season if they don’t revise them.  
 

Bills are one of the least vaxxed, but it will be interesting to see how rosters shake out with vax percentages once everyone hits 53.  

 

I agree (this was discussed a lot yesterday in a thread that eventually went off the rails), but they Are what they Are.

 

I've said before that I think the protocols will change, but perhaps not before a dumpster or two lights up.

[Gugny]

3 minutes ago, SCBills said:

You are too emotional to discuss this rationally as evidenced by your first paragraph.  

 

My point is that even if Beasley and McKittrick find the protocol to be ridiculous, choosing that as their hill to die on is pretty stupid and selfish, IMO.  

[Success]

Purely hypothetical, and a goofy exercise, but just curious what other posters think on this one:  would Belichick cut Beasley?

 

[wjag]

4 minutes ago, driddles said:

Agreed, but if Beasley starts slow and has some uncharacteristic drops the spotlight and pressure are going to be dialed up to 100.  

By all the accounts from the onsite reporters, he is catching everything thrown his way.  I don't expect it.

[TEC]

In Imaginationland, I think BB would have cut Beasley before camp. 

 

[SCBills]

3 minutes ago, Success said:

Purely hypothetical, and a goofy exercise, but just curious what other posters think on this one:  would Belichick cut Beasley?

 

No.  He’d sign him if our GM was one of these overdramatic board members trying to cut him though. 

Just now, eball said:

 

It's actually a matter of public policy also; the desire to keep citizens healthy and not unduly burden the health system.  There are a LOT of motor vehicle accidents daily; keeping fewer people out of the hospital with serious injuries is a legitimate public concern.

If we’re going to play this game - by being elite athletes - at least our unvaxxed WR’s are likely doing every other thing possible to keep them from being a hospitalization case if they get it.  

[Hapless Bills Fan]

 

11 minutes ago, SCBills said:

You are too emotional to discuss this rationally as evidenced by your first paragraph.  

 

It kind of made sense to me.  Perhaps you perceive people who disagree with you as "too emotional"?

 

The point is, if the employer's rule says "wear a mask" and you don't x2 and are now at risk of a 4 game suspension for a next violation, you're hurting the team if you continue down this path.  "The best availability is availability"

[Hapless Bills Fan]

32 minutes ago, Success said:

I know it's been said quite a few times - but I can't believe we wait a generation to finally become a contender again, and have to deal w/ this kind of uncertainty now.  THIS is the season - everyone is predicting us to be a SB contender, and we all know it too.  

 

Who knows how long that window lasts. Very frustrating, and I really hope it doesn't play out like my worst fears.

 

 

I hear you.  I am Deeply Mired in the Quagmire of a "Hapless Bills Fan" right now, saying "Why can't we have Nice Things?"

 

14 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

My point is that even if Beasley and McKittrick find the protocol to be ridiculous, choosing that as their hill to die on is pretty stupid and selfish, IMO.  

 

I see no Lies. 

 

Vaccination: their choice by contractual agreement. 

Covid Protocols: NFL rules they also agreed to follow as part of their contractual agreement.

[Greg S]

22 minutes ago, Success said:

Purely hypothetical, and a goofy exercise, but just curious what other posters think on this one:  would Belichick cut Beasley?

 

 

Belichick would cut his own mother if he thought it would help him win games.

[Super Mighty]

1 hour ago, YoloinOhio said:

Mckenzie said he is vaccinated … may still be in two week window, or nfl doesn’t have updated data. I assume the first. 

Didn't see where he said that he was vaccinated?  Seems like that would have been front and center in the reporting on this, but most say that both he and Beasley are unvaccinated.  

[Mango]

25 minutes ago, RunTheBall said:

Some of you guys are hilarious. No one we are talking about is getting cut. McBeane isn’t going to blow up the locker room by cutting Bease to send this message. Never going to happen. 

I was thinking about this earlier. A lot of chatter today about McD, process, locker room vaccines, etc. and how McD leads this team and locker room while being frustrated with personal beliefs. 
 

But on the flip side, how do you manage this locker room when Beasley and McKenzie keep talking about not getting vaccinated and fines. When they sit next to a guy like Dawkins, their brother, who said he wasn’t sure he’d pull through. Or Sweeney who missed an entire year with myocarditis? Or Tre, who I believe lost family and considered holding out. 
 

How does McD help keep a locker room together based on respecting ones decisions, when they aren’t respecting the lives of their teammates. I think this might be what is wearing Coach down the most. One can manage politics, opinions, religions, lizard kings, etc. But you can’t manage the blatant disregard for some of your teammates experiences regarding their health. 
 

I would assume (could be wrong) Tre, Sweeney, and Dawkins have all lost a considerable amount of respect for those being vocal about vaccines, mandates, or any sort of covid is a hoax talk. I think that’s what is probably eating away at McD big time. How does coach look at Sweeney in the eye and say “I have your back as a man?” And do the same the Beasley. He can’t.

 

(Mods- tried to word this as football related as possible. Complicated subject to explain in text. Feel free to delete)

[WhoTom]

35 minutes ago, SCBills said:

The protocols don’t make sense with the new variants.. they just do not.  It’s setting up the league for a dumpster fire of a season if they don’t revise them.  

 

Agreed. All the more reason for Cole to mask up. He's being fined for not wearing a mask.

 

 

[716er]

Availability - few things more important to coach and GM

 

Next time Beasley and/or McK step out of line Covid protocol wise they get slapped with a 4 game suspension.

 

What happens the 3rd time?

Edited August 26, 2021 by 716er

[Hapless Bills Fan]

29 minutes ago, Mango said:

I was thinking about this earlier. A lot of chatter today about McD, process, locker room vaccines, etc. and how McD leads this team and locker room while being frustrated with personal beliefs. 
 

But on the flip side, how do you manage this locker room when Beasley and McKenzie keep talking about not getting vaccinated and fines. When they sit next to a guy like Dawkins, their brother, who said he wasn’t sure he’d pull through. Or Sweeney who missed an entire year with myocarditis? Or Tre, who I believe lost family and considered holding out. 
 

How does McD help keep a locker room together based on respecting ones decisions, when they aren’t respecting the lives of their teammates. I think this might be what is wearing Coach down the most. One can manage politics, opinions, religions, lizard kings, etc. But you can’t manage the blatant disregard for some of your teammates experiences regarding their health. 
 

I would assume (could be wrong) Tre, Sweeney, and Dawkins have all lost a considerable amount of respect for those being vocal about vaccines, mandates, or any sort of covid is a hoax talk. I think that’s what is probably eating away at McD big time. How does coach look at Sweeney in the eye and say “I have your back as a man?” And do the same the Beasley. He can’t.

 

(Mods- tried to word this as football related as possible. Complicated subject to explain in text. Feel free to delete)

 

I have never been in a football lockerroom. 

 

But talking to those who have, there's this background of tolerance.  You have guys who are total playahs next to guys who have sisters they wouldn't want them to date or who are loyal married men.  You have Thin Blue Line guys (or even guys who retweet white Supremicists) next to Black Lives Matter supporters who have friends and relatives killed by police.  And somehow they all talk to each other and come together and get along on the field.

 

I don't imagine this is too different.  I would imagine they respect the person and the player and just not their views.

 

To put it in an analogy that might be closer to home for many of us, there are times in raising a teenager when I think most of us parents have said something like

     "I love you Dearly, and that will Never Change, but I don't love the way you're behaving right now"

[teef]

2 minutes ago, SCBills said:

Seat belt tickets make sense in the idea that it’s an annoyance to receive a ticket, but it prevents serious injury/death in accidents.  
 

That seems like a flimsy comparison to unvaxxed elite athletes, around vaxxed elite athletes, as the unvaxxed are tested constantly for covid - and if positive are sent home.  
 

It may make sense to some of you, but to others this comes across as incredibly punitive when other players who are vaxxed don’t have to follow the “seat belt laws”, even though they can get it and spread it… ie, with new variants are now subject to the same highway risks as everyone else now, but don’t have to follow the same laws. 
 

 

i think it's more a matter of you just don't like the rules that are in place.  they certainly may change, but for now these are the guidelines, so if someone chooses to not get vaccinated, (which is completely their choice) they're going to have to follow the rules.  you may not agree, but even though you can certainly get covid while vaxxed, you are less of a risk to others and yourself.  just as you feel strongly about not getting the vaccination, others feel very strongly about getting it, not only to keep themselves safe, but to keep others around them safe.  two very different opinions that are clashing.

 

for now, just follow the rules.  things will continue to evolve, but for guys like cole not to wear the mask...it's wildly selfish of him.  i'm a huge fan of him as a bill, but otherwise he's completely unimpressive as a person.

7 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

OK, point

 

Can we return to talk about football here?

my bad.  i'm done.  

[Hapless Bills Fan]

14 minutes ago, Super Mighty said:

Didn't see where he said that he was vaccinated?  Seems like that would have been front and center in the reporting on this, but most say that both he and Beasley are unvaccinated.  

 

 

Not 100% if serious or in jest, but from McKenzie's verified account "I'm vaccinated sir"

[SCBills]

6 minutes ago, teef said:

i think it's more a matter of you just don't like the rules that are in place.  they certainly may change, but for now these are the guidelines, so if someone chooses to not get vaccinated, (which is completely their choice) they're going to have to follow the rules.  you may not agree, but even though you can certainly get covid while vaxxed, you are less of a risk to others and yourself.  just as you feel strongly about not getting the vaccination, others feel very strongly about getting it, not only to keep themselves safe, but to keep others around them safe.  two very different opinions that are clashing.

 

for now, just follow the rules.  things will continue to evolve, but for guys like cole not to wear the mask...it's wildly selfish of him.  i'm a huge fan of him as a bill, but otherwise he's completely unimpressive as a person.

It sounds like it was more laziness/lackadaisical attitude than opposing the measures.   
 

I get it… 
 

If I was Cole, I’d follow the rules completely.  It is what it is and he gets paid well to follow dumb rules.  
 

That said, he is 100% correct about the rules not making sense, and they will cause issues during the season.   The league doesn’t want to acknowledge the changing covid landscape because players got vaxxed with certain assurances of how they could live life, but it’s a very different world now than just a few months ago. 
 

Edited August 26, 2021 by SCBills