GunnerBill

Yes but in the playoffs he barely played defense. He was paid for his gunner skills. He wasn't as good at it last year though, no doubt. If last year proved anything it eas how good Taiwan Jones was.

Spector was fine and Neal hardly played.

Which further explains why it is justified.

Under. Just under.

I'm afraid there is a barrier for many. It is a pyschological one caused by and reinforced by years and years of behaviour. Sports still appear to lots of gay people, particularly gay men, a place that is not for them. A separate league that makes clear it is for them is part of breaking down those psychological barriers. Of course in an ideal world it wouldn't be needed, but despite all the progress in the last 40 years we remain a long way off an ideal world. And hetrosexual people presuming that we do because he discrimination is far less overt than in the past and therefore homosexual people can just assimilate in all areas of life without a problem is somewhat ignorant. You got nudes? I'll give you an honest opinion...

Yes it is more an issue in mens sports than women's sports. That has always been the case.

Again, see my earlier post. LGBT sports leagues or teams are crested because even though gay people can just walk up and join any existing team or league in practice they often do not feel comfortable doing so. So yes, those are the "real reasons" that such leagues are created.

I mean it is literally one news article on the Bills website announcing a link up trying to drum up awareness for potential players and sponsors. They are not saying "oh and boyst must come and watch while wearing a pride flag and a feather boa" or "you won't be allowed into a Bills game next year without proof you participated in a gay flag football game." It is one post on a website. If that is too "in your face" that's a you problem.

I've already explained the flaw in this argument.

This example is not.

I'm right between 2 and 3. I think 7-10 is the range.

It is not in the USA but I am only 40. My 20 years finished like 18 months ago and I have gay friends who are younger who still don't feel comfortable to do so. And there is no "in your face" about this. To argue so is just silly.

That, with respect, is your experience as part of the majority. As I say, I played and then coached in standard soccer leagues (semi-pro and then amateur) for 20 years, but it isn't accessible to a lot of gay people and just because there are gay people to whom it is doesn't change that.

Yep completely agree. They'd still have been a very competitive team. Might have one division title fewer and a couple fewer playoff wins. But Kirk is a good QB and the Bills have been a very fundamentally sound, well coached, well built football team. The ceiling would just be a lot lower than with Josh. EDIT: I'll add this as well, 3 or 4 of the drought teams make the playoffs with Cousins as their QB too.

The point is it is a flag football league that is specifically appealing to gay men who might not feel comfortable otherwise signing up for some other flag football league. Playing in standard soccer leagues never bothered me but I would be slightly guarded when deciding which of my teammates should know that my partner is a man. But for some gay people actually sport can feel quite a hetronormative, inaccessible field and so badging it as an LGBT league or whatever breaks down those barriers allows people to feel they can get involved. Even if there are non-LGBT partipants as well, it is that feeling that this is something that should hold no fears for you.

I take the point but he is a bit John Schneider like in that he has found some elite talent in later rounds. Kittle in the 5th Warner in the 3rd Samuel in the 2nd Hufanga in the 5th That is 9 all pro selections from guys picked outside the first round. And while I agree his first round record isn't much to write home about he does have Aiyuk and Nick Bosa. That is six elite players drafted and it is elite talent that wins. He has more misses than Beane, I agree, nobody finds contributors and guys that can play in this league at Beane's rate. But when valuing side by side I will always stack the guys who find elite talent ahead because it is elite talent that ultimately wins. Taron was Beane. He was 2018. 2017 was White, Dawkins and Milano. But agree that 2017 draft was a cornerstone draft and then they got Allen and Taron the next year. If every draft class was finding talent like those two did we'd have a Superbowl by now. But to an extent it is @BADOLBILZ's point. It is easier to draft well when everything is a need because you can genuinely let the board come to you.

Indeed in that three year run: 2012-2014 he was third behind only JJ Watt and Justin Houston in total sacks.

I don't even think Kelsay is comparable with AJE. AJ's sack production the last two years is fine for a guy who doesn't start and is a situational player. I am sceptical that he will be able to translate that rate as (or if?) his snaps increase, but let's see. Kelsay was a starting defensive end who barely missed a game for eight seasons in an era when teams rotated their defensive line less and averaged fewer than 4 sacks a year through those eight years. And he got two contract extensions. Baffling.

I am extremely confident in saying it will be the same. They will try and hold off running Josh until the rubber hits the road.

James Cook was not an all pro last year and guys "soon to be added to the list" are by definition not yet elite difference makers. I like the group of young talent he has from the last couple of drafts. Maybe one of them gets to that status. But they haven't yet. If you read my previous posts in the thread you will see I say Allen is his one proven elite difference maker drafted. Oliver and Taron Johnson are close but not quite elite. Who is the next closest of his 44 draft picks? The trade for Diggs was a home run, no question. He was an elite difference maker for us for three and a half years. Again read my full range of posts in the thread.

They were very clear about when Beane was hired. Both Terry and Brandon were explicit. The only year Terry was intentionally vague about who was in charge wae 2017. When the name above the door was Doug Whaley but nobody actually believes he was in control. Sean McDermott was. As for your question: The draftboard is the right answer. And that is set by Brandon after assimilating all the information from the personnel staff and coaching staff. But if Ed is higher than Christian on the board it doesn't matter if on draft night McDermott says "yea but I like Christian better" Ed Oliver would be the pick. I know you only used that as a rhetorical example but FWIW Brandon Beane LOVED Ed Oliver. He was willing to go into the top 5 for him if they needed to. They made calls. But if you remember 2019 was a good draft at the top and nobody was willing to move out. But say the Bills had the 4th overall pick that year? They'd have still picked Ed Oliver.

My tier 1 is: Howie Roseman Eric DeCosta Brett Veach John Lynch Brad Holmes Will McClay (not technically the GM in title but he runs personnel in Dallas and has turned down actual GM jobs because they pay him like a GM and he is never getting fired). Tier 2 is: John Schneider (reason tier 2 - too many round 1 whiffs but excellent in the rest of the draft) Les Snead (reason tier 2 - he is a big sugar high for my liking in his pro personnel moves but excellent drafter) Jason Licht (reason tier 2 - beyond Tom Brady he has struggled to get QB right but has had a solid overall roster) Brandon Beane (reason tier 2 - doesn't whiff a lot in the draft but lacks difference makers) Nick Caserio (reason tier 2 - still in the honeymoon phase but smashed the rebuild, found his QB and his coach)

It has been definitively stated both by Terry Pegula and by Brandon Beane himself. Brandon has control of the 53 and personnel. Sean has control of the gameday actives / inactives and the coaches. The Bills are extremely collaborative. They let McDermott handpick his GM because they wanted the two to co-exist harmoniously after years of Whaley - Marrone and Whaley - Ryan strife. So Sean isn't mandating players. That isn't how it works, but would Brandon Beane ever do a Whaley and make a big move in the draft that his coach is so unhappy with he storms outta the room? No. The people who think it isn't clear are the people who want to believe that everything they don't like is Sean McDermott's fault. It is very clear, the Bills have stated it publicly and those of us who know people who are or have been in the building confirm they operate it true to their word. Brandon Beane runs personnel. He identifies the free agents and he makes the draft picks. But the coaches input into that process and he listens to input. The final decision is always his.

2nd winningest. Behind KC. Obviously. And 3 of our last 4 seasons have ended at the hands of the Chiefs. Obviously.

Before this last draft they'd still be bottom 6. I'd have to crunch the numbers again now when you include the Coleman pick.