starrymessenger

Size, speed and physicality (blocking). Brings something this WR corps doesnt otherwise have. Hands dont seem so bad to me so far. I'd like to see him stick.

If he was not another concussion waiting to happen and was dedicated to his profession I'd be really upset. Of course, if that were the case he would have been a second round pick instead of a fifth. As it is I won't be losing any sleep. JWill is gonna be a better all round back.

Forget trying to fathom this. Unless your brain is wired like that perv's (or Cosby's) you will never understand it.

Yeah well...ahhh...forgot what I was gonna say... Seriously, the NFL is probably behind the times on this issue as far as national sentiment is concerned, but in fairness you maybe cant expect the league to be socially progressive either. Having said that their practice and policy for player discipline with respect to weed is way too punitive. Guys like Marcell and Josh Gordon are dumbasses to be sure, but taking them off the field is not the answer IMO. Thats ultimately a bad result for all concerned, including the NFL.

Well when things cant get any worse they can only get better. Silver lining? Lol.

There are conflicting accounts regarding just what assurances were given to Gorbachev at the time of German reunification and later to Yeltsin concerning Nato expansion. According to Secretary Baker there were neither assurances nor guarantees, but there is also substantial evidence that the Russians were given comfort on the issue and they may be right in thinking that their reasonable expectations were disappointed at a time when they were unable to do anything about it. Maybe a promise was broken, but of course the Russians too break promises all the time, for example the guarantee of Ukraine's territorial sovereignty as provided in the memorandum of December, 1994. I wonder if Putin would have invaded the Ukraine if it was still loaded with nuclear weapons or indeed if Russia's Ukranian cronies had not systematically deteriorated its conventional military capabilities following the disintegration of the Soviet Union. Regardless of what has been said and done, it bears mentioning that Nato is a defensive alliance. It does not pose a military threat to Russia in the absence of Russian military aggression against a member state. And why is it that former Soviet republics would seek membership in Nato? Were they really planning to invade Russia or were they worried that their newly acquired freedoms might again be trampled under the Russian jackboot as soon as the Kremlin rediscovered its mojo. And why shouldnt sovereign nations be allowed to enter into whatever alliances or agreements they regard as aligned with their national interest? Because their aspirations are somehow incongruous with an outdated map of an empire that no longer exists? Having said that the Russian reaction to recent developments in the Ukraine is understandable (if not justified) and the case is an interesting example of how history and geography condition a People's perceptions. There are no natural barriers insulating Russia from Europe. The Ukraine in particular is a verdant plain and highway leading directly to the heart of Russia, Moscow. A highway that has been travelled by invading armies looking to enslave the Russian People. As it happens, Russia is the place where those invading armies have gone to die, due to the legendary endurance of the Russian footsoldier and the Russian People who together have written some of the most heroic pages in the book of human history. If Hitler proved anything it might just be that the Slavs are the master race. Just look at a map of Europe. Ukraine is huge. Add that piece to the former Soviet republics that have melted through the Kremlin's grasp and you might understand how, in comparison to what was previously its reach, the loss of Ukraine would be a pill too hard for a proud people to swallow. The fact that the Ukrainians themselves are a Slavic nation with a large ethnic Russian population only makes matters worse. As for Putin, I don't think he is that hard to figure out. He doubtless sees himself as the successor to Peter, Catherine and Alexander the First. Why shouldnt he. He is the President of Russia after all. I'm sure that animates his sense of duty. He was also a witness to the destruction of the most recent Russian empire of which, professionally speaking, he was an agent. He may be forgiven his bitterness. Thing is though that Putin is not merely the promoter of Russian interests, he is also a product of Russian political culture. If he was going to achieve anything he was going to have to buy into the Russian way of doing things and the Russian way of doing things reflects systemic instability (and the need to struggle against it) and paranoia. Putin is at once the master and the slave of Russia. The Russians are a great People who have for a long time been poorly governed and that is largely the fortuitous result of geography and history. Democratic institutions have never taken root in that country as they did in the UK, in France and in America. What you then wind up with is the rule of a gang the members of which need to be bought. It is inefficient and corrupt. Who can blame the youth of the Ukraine for wanting something better.

You're right. I don't think the history of the GOP is something I know much about. But my (uninformed) opinion is that its no longer the party of Lincoln and hasnt been for quite some time, probably even before President Johnson lost the South (his words). Today what I see is thoughtful and responsible conservative republicans distancing themselves from or outright abandoning the party. And when I look around I dont see any Lincolns, Theodore Roosevelts, Ikes, Reagans. What I think I'm seeing in characters (or the lack thereof) like Ryan and Sessions are midgets standing on the shoulders of giants. And when it comes to race relations and today's GOP it looks to me pretty much like the Party of Jefferson Davis Lite. JMO.

Romney was right. And thats another reason why Trump is wrong.

True, unless he's just another in a long line of Russian mob bosses trying to protect his cash cow franchise (and maybe his own skin - they play a rough and tumble brand of politics in Russia. Always have. Maybe always will.)

Agree. And not putting the moves on her is the biggest single sacrifice The Donald has had to make.

Except to the extent that they are the Democratic machine. But I guess we're all sort of slaves to ourselves. And they are free to vote for the Party of Jefferson Da...I mean the GOP if they are so inclined.

He has very good vision, is patient and can follow his blocking - like Bell. But Bell is a bigger back with perhaps greater emphasis on power. I see a little Freddie in JWill but a lot of Arian Foster. Kid has a chance to be really good - and with Roman and the Bills he has landed in a very good spot.

As a technical matter that is correct, but its not going to happen. What possibly could happen is a UK general election in the fall, even though the Tories have years to go with their current mandate. The liberal leader has said that the principal platform of his party in the next campaign will be a reversal of Brexit or an application for membership in the EU, depending upon when the election takes place. A general election might give the UK a face saving opportunity for sober second thought.

Great read. Thanks for posting. Always liked Ritchie (even in St. Louis, when he was really nuts). Glad he made it back to being a great guard. We needed that. Trump's gonna get us all killed tho.

He's so fast I forgot what I was gonna say.

I haven't spent a lot of time listening to other GMs and coaches so I don't know if DW is a true outlier as far as touting his draft picks. My guess is that there is probably some truth in what Bedard is saying. Though he mentions EJ, he could have said more about Whaley's hard sell of EJ to the fanbase after the draft and before he even saw a practice field. That to me is a far better example than his possibly over optimistic expectations for the top three picks, probably because all three have a much better chance of excelling at their positions/responsibilities than EJ ever did. They are just all much better selections all things considered.

Just goes to show that Bernie's true constituents are aging hippies and youngsters lining up at the public trough with their hands out and who, in the latter case, will likely have an entirely different agenda and voting preferences in five or ten years. The pied piper of Vermont will lead them all over a pier, and the sooner the better. Plus he's a hypocrite: family income puts him in the 1 to 2 pc that he rails against. He pays tax at roughly 1/2 the effective rate the "millionaires and billionaires" do. He's filed two summary pages from his 2014 tax returns - thats it. He rails against Wall Street. He doesn't understand Wall Street. He doesn't even know what agencies regulate financial institutions, nor what the powers of the Treasury Secretary are to break up big banks. This level of ignorance from a guy whose made a career of flogging "motherhood" issues like Wall Street bashing for decades. He against the political establishment. Oops he is the political establishment. Probably has never had a real job, which is what explains his hostility to people who have actually earned what they have and why he fails to understand what really has made America great- individual initiative and enterprise - the golden goose that he is out to serve up to his rabid supporters with the expectation that they can live off forever without actually contributing anything themselves except places around the table. Truth is Bernie Sanders is a joke, and a bad one at that. He will be relagated to the dust bin of history, and hopefully with the legacy that he actually deserves.

Wasn't suggesting that he was in any way there as the complete package now obviously. In a general vein there are two aspects to playing the all important position. There are required physical and mental attributes/aptitudes. Probably the latter are rarer and harder to find than the former, but both are necessary. Cardale's physical skill set is elite. Thats the reason so many feel that he has the highest ceiling of any QB in the 2016 draft. What they are in effect saying is that if he can negotiate the mental part of playing the position, he can be a superior and possibly dominant player. The odds are against that happening, but even if it is a low probability outcome its a flyer worth taking in the mid to later rounds given the potential payoff. Its also a practical approach (though not the only one you might take) considering that you may never get to pick first or second in your lifetime.

Last night on NFL Network they featured Whaley and showed a pic of the Bills draft class. No doubt the camera angle had something to do with it but they commented on how Cardale looked so much bigger than anyone else. He looked bigger than Shaq. A man amongst boys. Thing is his physical skillset, basically his arm, also has him in a different dimension than "normal" players. He can make throws today that most NFL QBs would not even attempt. Great players in any sport look like they are operating on a higher level than the competition. Cardale definitely has the physical attributes to make him that kind of player. I don't know about leadership but his play may wind up speaking for itself and while young and a little immature he looks to be a good kid that people tend to like on a personal level - Just to say that I don't see the Jamarcus/Leaf/Mallett comparisons. I also don't see the EJ comparisons. Jones looks like he was born to throw a football. The only questions have to do with whats above, not whats below, the shoulders. Will he be able to develop the abilities that contribute to the poise that Goff shows in the pocket? Idk but if he can, look out. As the QB with the highest ceiling in the draft I have no problems rolling the dice with him. Great pick IMO.

Well ok but even so if Buddy wanted EJ in the first Doug should have said "no, please God no, Noooooo....". Instead he cravenly sold the pick to the world. Bills were hoping that EJ would improve and actually he did improve somewhat. He is certainly better today than he was when he was drafted. Maybe he can develop into a serviceable backup somewhere eventually. Thing is there was in fact a relatively low ceiling for EJ because of two things: technical/mechanical issues and inability to adjust to the speed of the pro game, the significantly greater abilities of pro defenders and the complexity of their various schemes all of which translated into an inability to process info quickly enuf to execute at the required level. I've got a feeling Jones has the natural ability as a passer to overcome his mechanical/technical problems (which EJ was never able to erase). The question that remains unanswered is his ability, or lack thereof, to adjust to the speed and complexity of the NFL. Time will tell.

I criticized Whaley's selection of EJ as soon as I saw him play. It was as though Bud Elliot's negative pre-draft evaluation materialized as a nightmare before my very eyes. EJs problems have been micro-analysed in great detail but from thirty thousand feet I think they can be summarized adequately by saying that EJ is simply not a natural thrower of the football. Of course this is a generalization but I think it captures the essence of all the technical descriptions. From what (admittedly) little I've seen of Jones, my impression is that he is very much a natural passer which, contrary to EJs case, bodes well for his ability to improve his mechanics (and therefore his short/medium depth accuracy) to the point where he can do more things well, or well enuf. So to me EJ and Jones are not at all the same guy. Sure they are both big, strong and athletic (tho I suspect Jones is the better athlete), but thats all you can really say about EJ and thats just not enuf if what we are talking about is a starting calibre NFL QB. Even as a late round pick Jones is a better prospect IMO than EJ ever was, and I think he was an excellent pick taken where he was. Odds are against his making it of course but he has a chance and as many have said if it ever comes together the Bills will have themselves a mega talent.

I expect the O to improve. 2nd year in the system for the players, esp the playmakers. I'm also optimistic that Taylor will be better, tho thats hardly a guarantee. I need to see it, and I hope both he and Roman are up to the task. I have a feeling that McCoy will have a very good year. 10-6 is where I expect them to be, andmaybe that will be good enuf. I think you're a pessimist, but you've probably been right more often than wrong.

The D will be better in 2016. Probably significantly so. The O wasnt bad at all last year and it will also improve, tho not as much as the D. The suggestion that after waiting 5 years to audition as a starting NFL QB, an unhappy Taylor is going to pout and let it affect his play is about the dumbest reason I've heard for saying the O will underperform. Taylor is a mature dude and he knows he needs to continue to show well, indeed needs to improve, to land the long term contract he wants regardless of where he winds up playing.

What a great lady. No wonder Eli turned out good.

I too think McCoy will have a big year 2016. Looking forward to it.