McDermott/Beane press conference 8/27: Matt Araiza released

[Scott7975]

2 hours ago, SCBills said:

This lawyer is a vile, pathetic human being and the last part of the statement makes absolutely no sense. 
 

 

 

This guy is an attorney?  He writes like a child.

[ExiledInIllinois]

3 minutes ago, Richard Noggin said:

I don't think it's been shared here, but this is a long thread already: how many of us think this organizational blind-spot in drafting a player who clearly had such a serious off-field time bomb is the unfortunate result of Araiza being projected to go much higher in the draft than the Bills were willing to consider taking a punter?

 

What I mean is that the Bills probably didn't do a DEEP dive on a nicknamed, award-winning punter projected to be drafted possibly on day two or at worst EARLY day three. Araiza clearly fell, and by the 6th round the Bills likely couldn't ignore the value prop of such a high-ceiling prospect. But that means they probably hadn't invested pre-draft resources in vetting him off the field because they reasonably expected him to be gone before they were willing to consider a punter. 

 

Like most organizational failures, it's often a combination of oversights and unfortunate circumstances. I'll bet Araiza was not a serious pre-draft target for the Bills, and the decision to draft him was less informed than their usual selections.

 

At least, this is a plausible rationalization.  

Yeah.  Two punters went before him.  But, that should have been a red-flag... But who would have thought this!  Maybe they thought it was a mechanics thing.   Take him as a bargain they can fix!

[Scott7975]

Could you imagine if Doug Whaley was still GM and had to give that press conference?

[Boatdrinks]

13 minutes ago, BuffaloBob said:

Also, was she not too young at the time to legally consent, not even considering her ability to consent based on her level of intoxication. The age of consent in Cali is 18. She was 17 at the time. This alone is an admission of statutory rape.  That’s reason enough for me to send him on his way. 

I’ll disagree on that one. It appears she lied and said she was a college student at a nearby university. I guess that can be used as a defense in CA, but I’ll admit my legal knowledge is limited. However, that’s not the primary basis for my disagreement. It’s much more of a real world one. A 17 year old girl can easily look 19 or 20. College students are often looking to party and hook up. It’s not like they ask to see ID. Doesn’t matter anymore as he’s gone but I can see how young people can look very similar at a party and this girl probably didn’t stand out as younger. 

[AuntieEm]

3 hours ago, Motorin' said:

 

It's in dispute whether it was his residence or not.

 

His lawyer says it wasn't. But I'm not sure how much I trust "you better believe it" Kerry Armstrong. 

 

  Yea both lawyers are trying to win the Twitter wars. And social media doesn't appear to need info to be accurate just out there first with enough of a twist to make a good soundbite to get the most followers and who cares about how true or factual it is.  

[Doc Brown]

Not to make light of the situation but reflecting on things..... If you told me to guess a month ago what Matt on the roster would be exclusively punting in our final preseason game.  Barkley wouldn't have been my guess.

[Warcodered]

2 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

Not to make light of the situation but reflecting on things..... If you told me to guess a month ago what Matt on the roster would be exclusively punting in our final preseason game.  Barkley wouldn't have been my guess.

We had 3 different punters in preseason and they were all named Matt.

 

....and as predicted Matt won 😭

Edited August 28, 2022 by Warcodered

[Airseven]

5 hours ago, rpmfla said:

Beane stated several times that they were letting Matt go because they "thought it was best for Matt"...not once stating that they were doing what was best for the Bills organization. While I have always liked and respected Beane from what little I've seen and heard, that seems at the very least an obviously disingenuous statement.

Get over it. Did you really expect genuine statements? It’s all posturing. Having caved to public pressure, Bills are toting a company line in order to balance cutting a guy based on unfounded (and non-criminal) allegations vs. empowering players and maintaining the locker room. It’s calculated. It’s business.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Well that sucks as he was a massive weapon but cant have a guy like that on your team until after he serves his punishment.

 

 

[White Linen]

5 hours ago, rpmfla said:

Beane stated several times that they were letting Matt go because they "thought it was best for Matt"...not once stating that they were doing what was best for the Bills organization. While I have always liked and respected Beane from what little I've seen and heard, that seems at the very least an obviously disingenuous statement.

 

He said it was best for everyone too.

[JerseyBills]

8 hours ago, Beast said:

They did the right thing for the Buffalo Bills.

For the Brand , yes they did.

For the team , heck no. We have no punter with 12 13 days to go on a national stage. We just drafted him. 

 

If social media didn't exist he'd 100% be playing. 

Everybody wants to act like they were never 20 years old at a college party and haven't made mistakes 

Edited August 28, 2022 by JerseyBills

[GETTOTHE50]

dude this whole thing sucks

 

[ganesh]

5 hours ago, Beck Water said:

 

I'll put this here, too, since people may be dead-threading the immense "lawsuit" thread.

 

LA times article on July 29.  Lawyer called Kathryn D'Angelo July 30 and sent follow up email (?with pics?) Aug 1

 

That sounds like a lot of detail mapping out the boulder field, including the detail that Gilleon is prepping a filing.

 

I love me some Beane, but his explanation does not entirely add up to me.

I also noticed a slightly different demeanour with Beane this time.  He did not keeps his eyes straight up; instead he was staring at the desk (I know he had some notes) more often while talking instead of looking up at the folks.  It was definitely discomforting to him and he knew they (Bills) had made a mistake in not pursuing it further after the July 31st meeting.   

[Shortchaz]

Even if Araiza is completely innocent of the crime, he put himself in a position that forced the bills to act. 
 

it’s all fine and good if you want to be a party boy and hook up with a bunch of random women for “meaningless” sex but can’t cry about it if it goes sideways. 
 

sucks all around. The bills lost a punter that has yet to kick in a regular season game. 

[Gunvald's Husse]

1 hour ago, JerseyBills said:

If social media didn't exist he'd be 100% playing

I think tou mean "If he hadn't been accused of rape of a minor he'd be 100% playing". Let's not blame social media here, let's blame what it is alleged that he has done

1 hour ago, JerseyBills said:

 

Everybody wants to act like they were never 20 years old at a college party and haven't made mistakes 

Mistakes? Yes. Been accused of rape? No.

[machine gun kelly]

It’s a PR statement constructed by the Bills attorneys.  I’m sure a lot of you work in corporate America and what statements have you heard from you’re employers at national meetings, etc.

 

Im not surprised on the statement, not surprised he was cut, nor do I think they knew these allegations true or false during the draft.

 

Moving on.  If the guys is innocent, then I hope she pays.  Of her claims are even remotely true, I hope all three spend the rest of their miserable lives in jail.  
 

Rape and ***** are the worst crimes that a person can do outside of murder of course.  There is no justifying, no she looked 18, no we were a little drunk.  A man is responsible for himself and if he see others harming a woman it’s his responsibility to stop it.

 

I have no idea what is the truth nor does anyone on this board.  I’ll do what we all will do, let it play out and hope the justice system works.

 

If she was harmed in anyway, I’ll pray for her as that act can ruin a life.  The flip side is if she is lieing about the entire matter, then she needs to pay for that crime.

 

 

[Beast]

1 hour ago, JerseyBills said:

For the Brand , yes they did.

For the team , heck no. We have no punter with 12 13 days to go on a national stage. We just drafted him. 

 

If social media didn't exist he'd 100% be playing. 

Everybody wants to act like they were never 20 years old at a college party and haven't made mistakes 

 

Yeah, I haven’t ***** an underage girl at a college party or even been at one where there has been a gang rape.

 

Guess I haven’t lived a full life by your standards, huh?

[1ManRaid]

10 hours ago, Airseven said:

Is all this silly hype and anticipation simply about Araiza getting released? When he does, then what? Hugs? What exactly are people craving to hear?
 

Hopefully they address the initial 53, some of the injury decisions, and fringe roster competition.

 

Minimizing much?  Tell us how you really feel.

 

10 hours ago, Airseven said:

Bills go weak and cave. Disappointing but inevitable.

 

Well damn, that didn't take long.

[Matt_In_NH]

4 hours ago, Richard Noggin said:

I don't think it's been shared here, but this is a long thread already: how many of us think this organizational blind-spot in drafting a player who clearly had such a serious off-field time bomb is the unfortunate result of Araiza being projected to go much higher in the draft than the Bills were willing to consider taking a punter?

 

What I mean is that the Bills probably didn't do a DEEP dive on a nicknamed, award-winning punter projected to be drafted possibly on day two or at worst EARLY day three. Araiza clearly fell, and by the 6th round the Bills likely couldn't ignore the value prop of such a high-ceiling prospect. But that means they probably hadn't invested pre-draft resources in vetting him off the field because they reasonably expected him to be gone before they were willing to consider a punter. 

 

Like most organizational failures, it's often a combination of oversights and unfortunate circumstances. I'll bet Araiza was not a serious pre-draft target for the Bills, and the decision to draft him was less informed than their usual selections.

 

At least, this is a plausible rationalization.  

Not every team does a full deep dive on every player.  In this case beane says he has talked to double digit teams and no one said they knew.  I do think it is possible this was out locally at SDS and could have been known.   But even then you only would have had rumors.  He was worth a 6th round pick.  I am diss appointed we don’t get to see what he could have become but they did the right thing.  

[cd1]