JohnC

My understanding of the law is that it doesn't matter who hit who in a specific sense. Being party to a brawl in a group sense results in all the participants being held accountable. Let me offer you an example. A team of criminals enter an establishment to rob it. If one member of the team shoots the person behind the counter then all the participants are held accountable for the killing. The legal logic is that as a group they created the situation that lead to the death.

Ben Gregory was acquired in a trade with Denver for Cookie Gilchrist. Al Bemiller the center was asked at a charity event how good was Gregory compared to Gilchrist? His response was Gregrory wasn't good enough to wear Cookie's jock strap. Gregory was a superb receiver for a back and was a very effective on swing passes.

My opinion. McCoy is going to be charged with felony aggravated assault. That is not to say that there won't be a plea deal for misdemeanor simple assault. But I'm confident from the accounts that I have read that an aggravated charge against McCoy and his crew is soon to follow. There are two posts on this topic that are very illuminating. Go Kiko go #1397 and USABuffalofan #1504 The key issue for McCoy is how hurt are the off duty officers? The fight issue is indisputable; the injury issue and the effects need to be determined. You can bet that McCoy is praying for a rapid recovery for the pummeled cops.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/charlie-the-butchers-buffalo

Under rated:Jim Dunaway. Some legal problems of his own. Killed his wife. George Saimes Not actual part of the discussions but Tom Sestak is one of the best of the best. Young people use google.

I don't see the Bills using one of their top two picks, the location in the draft to get a starter, to address the receiver issue.We're looking for a #2 receiver to take some of the pressure off of Watkins. Robert Woods was a major disappointment last year. He was plagued with a torn abdominal muscle that plagued him all season. Maybe he can get back to form but in general he hasn't played to the level that I expected from him.

Brandon's new promotional slogan is : No more excuses because we ran out of them! After much thought the slogan will be changed. It will be: This year is McCoy's fault!

I don't see the Bills drafting an offensive lineman with either of our top two picks. This is a Rex salvation year so the emphasis is going to be on bolstering the defense. You also have to consider that it is almost a forgone conclusion that Mario's departure will also have to be accounted for. Rex obtusely scrambled the defense. Now due to his foolishness it has to be restructured more to his liking. Is there a need for the safety position? If Aaron Williams isn't cleared to return then both safety positions need to be addressed. It's my guess that medium range free agents will be used to fill the void. I also think that if another offensive lineman is brought in for the right side it will be a pedestrian free agent who will still be a major upgrade. Especially on the defensive side of the ball Rex set the team back. Now there is more to do on that side of the ball than there would have been if a wiser HC was at the helm. Most people are intrigued by the draft. But for me how Whaley gets involved in the free agent market (medium range pool) is going to be fascinating to watch. I see us adding a receiver from the market than from one the top few picks.

When he's on you can understand why the GM made the deal for him. When he's not you sway to the other side that the GM gave up too much for him, a player that the Senators were going to peddle anyway. The most important acquisition this year was O'Reilly. He's one of the best two way players in the league. Although he has good stats they understate his contribution to the team. When you watch Gregorinko play there is nothing about him that stands out. He's simply an inconsequential player that has tools that don't translate into production. My guess that by the time the season finishes the team will improve by 20 points from last year. Definitely moving up the ranks (regardless of their league standing) and building a near future serious team.

I'm harsh on my view of Rex. I am also harsh on my view of Mario. I believe he quit on this team. A reasonable debate can be made as to the extent. But for me his conduct was inexcusable and unacceptable. Rex should have taken him off the field but he didn't. That is another indictment on the tough talking HC's coaching ability. It demonstrated a lack of control on his part.

When you go back and review the hiring of Levy/Brandon/Nix as GMs and people involved with the football operation you realize that this franchise had no chance to compete with franchises that were well run such as New England, Pitts. Giants and Green Bay. The issue of managing this franchise went beyond stability and finances but to the question of competency level. For me I thought the elevation of Whaley to the GM position was a turning point for our organization entering the modern world of the NFL. I would be intrigued to know how much he was involved in the hiring of Rex? He had to be mortified and angered when he saw what was happening with the defense, especially after he dedicated the offseason to bolstering the offense. What I find to be very frustrating is that I deeply feel that this organization has little chance to be successful under Rex. There might be some success but but it is unlikely that there will be sustaining success under this loud HC. Now we have to wait for this cycle of incompetence to run its course until the next cycle takes its turn. That makes me sad.

My view regarding Rex from the beginning is that he is a huckster whose self-promoting skills hide his limited talents. Rex is the type of person who can shine in a job interview setting. He can adeptly frame his responses to appeal to what the interviewers want to hear. He's a a good salesman who isn't a good HC. The owner/s and the organization did not do their due diligence in this case. Rex had a losing record in NY. Rex was fired from a team that won 4 games. The Jets won 10 games post Rex with their more subdued and mature new HC and the Bills took a precipitous fall on defense with their new defensive-minded HC. The before and after effects with Rex's teams are stark. Rex is Rex. The Rex we hired is the Rex who performed for us. The failure in this case isn't a Rex failure because we got exactly what he had to offer. The failure was due to the organization' and the owner/s' bad decision to hire him. It went beyond being a bad decision, it was a peculiar decision. In this case those who allowed themselves to be bamboozled are to be blamed. The hustler does what he naturally does. The organization and owners bought what he had to sell. They got what they deserved.The cycle of futility continues on. And that is why it is so infuriating!.

The link from the first poster describes what the Schwartz hire will do for the Eagles. defense. The below link from the Buffalo News describes what the Schwartz departure and the Rex arrival did for our defense last year. Pegula made a horrible mistake when he hired Rex. Rex took a defense that was structured for the talent on hand and Rex changed it to a defense that didn't suit the players on hand. The results were disasterous. With the hiring of his brother Rex is even more invested in his defensive philosophy. There is an incompatibility between the talent and scheme that can't be turned around in one year. I see trouble. It didn't need to turn out this way. Hiring a defensive minded HC when your defense is already well established was not a smart approach to take. Hue Jackson would have been a smarter coaching selection last year. http://bills.buffalonews.com/2016/02/13/bills-pairing-of-rex-ryan-jim-schwartz-never-stood-a-chance/

Thanks for the info. Hockey has a tradition of not being specific about describing injuries. I don't know of any other pro or amateur sports that takes the same approach towards not being forthcoming on describing the nature of injuries. I agree with you that Ennis is a good scorer although he was struggling to find his niche and the right linemates to work with. It would have been productive for him and the team to figure out who he should play with.

Do you know the nature of Ennis's injury? Is it concussion related?

Did you track down the mother and then punch her in the face and stomp on her when she was down? Even if she had the intent to steal your daughter's cute and beloved backpack (which she didn't) the forceful response would be the criminal act that would be addressed by the authorities. The central issue has little to do with robbing or believing someone robbed from anyone. The central issue is who assaulted who? Who initiated the fight? Who threw the punches and who stomped on who? The impending charge relates to the assault. The issue of robbing or misunderstanding is of little legal consequence although it does explain the reason for the brutal response. It doesn't matter whether the victim was talking smack or not. The response by the McCoy crew was not only an unjustified response but it was also a criminal act. There is no legal transgression in talking smack (which hasn't been established). There is certainly a legal transgression in punching someone in the face and stomping on a person when he is down.

Check out the last few sentences in the article. I want to make it clear that just because someone makes an anonymous statement that it doesn't mean that it is true. But this addresses the receipt issue admittedly coming from a source that is unknown to be credible or not. After googling I got the same results on this issue of the receipt for the champagne. http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/sports/nfl/2016/02/08/mccoy-investigated-brawl/80037486/ http://www.usnews.com/news/sports/articles/2016-02-08/lesean-mccoy-investigated-over-fight-with-off-duty-cops

A lawyerly analysis. A concise and clear analysis. A convincing analysis. An accurate description of what happened and how it relates to the elements in the law. You added clarity to an issue that many are trying to cloud.

I guess I did not know you well enough. No slight intended.

When you use the word provocateur don't use it alongside the word irregardless regardless of the circumstances.

I am without any equivocation criticizing the Mayor on his comments and conduct. As far as the issue of how badly injured the police are the evidence will determine to what scale they actually are. I don't know for a fact how injured they are, none of us commenting on this board do. You seem to presume that they are being exaggerated. My response is I don't know for sure. However, at this point (opinion) I do believe they meet the standard of aggravated assault. What is going to determine their level of injuries are the medical reports. The police can make claims but it has to be supported by what the doctors say. On this issue the doctors will be the authoritative voice.If the presumptive defendants' lawyers challenge the medical reports they will do so with their own medical experts. I screwed the quote function so bad that I am confusing myself. I apologize for my the confusion brought on by my confusion.

For the sake of argument let's put aside the off duty police involvement in this case that indisputably brought heightened and frenzied attention to this incident. If Manziel or Newton or Brady or Peyton would have been involved in such an incident this case would also be receiving extraordinary coverage. The Ray Rice certainly received coverage that rose to the level of being sensational. McCoy is a high profile individual whether he likes it or not. He can't even tip servers without being publicly judged. His high public profile is related to the profession he chose. He can't accept the benefits of wealth and fame and then decry the aspects of his professions that he does not find appealing. It goes with the territory whether he likes it or not. Yes, the police being involved in the club elevated the coverage and the ramifications. But what magnified this saga is that one of the primary protagonists is a high profile former hometown player. McCoy was too cavalier and lacked self-awareness of who he was with respect to his public behavior.

Lawyers are officers of the court regardless if they are involved in criminal cases or not. Doctors also take an oath to serve so it is also related to public trust. There are generalizing negative comments regarding the police that are being associated to the off duty police involved in the McCoy case. Yet I haven't heard anything specific detailing what they did wrong other than be victims. The police are involved in a lot of activities that serve the public that go beyond upholding the law. Their primary responsibility is upholding the law but it is far from being their sole duty.

You can say the same thing about doctors. You can say the same thing about lawyers. You can say the same thing about plumbers. You can say the same thing about businessmen. You can say the same thing about Wall Street workers. You can say the same thing about politicians. etc. etc.

McCoy without this offseason escapade is an important player for this team. Without a doubt he is an impact player.In my mind he is one of the top backs in the league. So without him we are definitely a lesser team. But you deal with the reality you are in and not want you wish it to be. If the Bills decide to cut bait just to free themselves from the swirl of controversy I would have no complaints. There is another aspect to having McCoy on the team before his situation is resolved. What this team doesn't need is more distractions. One of my criticisms of a Rex Ryan coached team is that there are always issues arising due to his antics and comments. This undisciplined team certainly doesn't need new distracting controversies. Don't misinterpret what I am saying. I'm not in any way saying that Rex contributed to this offseason situation. But for a team noted for losing its focus we don't need the McCoy distraction.