"Unknown" high ranking official from Bills or Bengals trashes NFL and Troy Vincent for response

[dollars 2 donuts]

8 minutes ago, BuffaloRebound said:

This is 100% a Bengals source.  They got screwed over the most in this situation and Brown has always been a bit of an outcast amongst the other owners. But good for them, NFL’s hypocrisy needed to be called out.  A man dying on the field in front of a prime time audience is the League’s worst fear.  Not because a man died, but because it would devastating for business.  It’s the scene from Trading Places in the commodities pit where they’re wheeling the old billionaire off in a stretcher and he’s yelling to get the traders back in here.  More worried about they’re money than anything else.  

 

 

Many great points made in this thread, but how in the world do I not highlight a Trading Places reference?!

 

BR going 40 years back in his brain bank and finds a chain link between that and the modern day NFL from 8 days ago and says, "hold my beer."

 

I love it brother!

 

 

Edited January 10, 2023 by dollars 2 donuts

[Boatdrinks]

28 minutes ago, zow2 said:

I think we all knew what happened from the NFL "command center" but it's interesting to see it in writing.

 

As for the Bengals, they were infuriated with the coin toss scenario, but it goes deeper.  The Bills were basically stripped of control of the #1 seed and bye.. Ok, that's a league decision they have to live with, but if they match up with KC it's at least at a neutral field.

Correct me if I'm wrong but if all results from week 18 remained the same, and if Cinci had beaten Buffalo on MNF, a potential divisional matchup would be in Cincinnati.  So if I'm the Bengals I'd still be fairly pissed off that playing the Bills would not at least be on a neutral field as well.

While the Bengals may have had a legitimate beef about the coin toss scenario, I’m surprised there’s an undercurrent of belief from fans that they should get a neutral field vs the Bills ; they should not. The BUF/ CIN game was cancelled: officially did not happen. The Bengals and Bills played the same amount of games and the Bills had a better record. There was no situation to resolve with a neutral field if those teams were to meet. The neutral field proviso was to address a few scenarios in which the Chiefs could face either the Bills or Bengals in the AFC Championship with the latter having played 16 games vs KC’s 17. The Chiefs won their final game so there is no longer a neutral site scenario for an AFC title game  involving the Bengals. 

[Best Williams Available]

9 hours ago, BillnutinHouston said:

 

I disagree.  The Bengals reps were in the hallway also, and it's the Bengals who are most upset at the league's  seeding proposal, thus (in my opinion) are the ones most likely to be sniping at the league at this point.

The Bengals are mad they’re 3 so would have wanted to play the game to become 2. By that logic it has to be the Bills that were pissed. 

[Beck Water]

1 hour ago, H2o said:

Don't think that Troy had no contact with Goodell over the matter as well. His greasy little paws are in on this also. Good for Aponte. She showed true character, sensitivity, and class. I also appreciate Zach Taylor and the Bengals for how they handled the situation. No one has ever basically died on the field before and that is exactly what happened 8 days ago. To think that the Bills players/coaches/staff could have just shaken that off and continued is ridiculous. 

 

Actually, a player has died on the field before:

Chuck Hughes, Detroit Lions, 1971

However, only 1 minute was left in the game.  The Bears were leading 28 to 23.  So they just let the clock run out.

 

I think legally and medically, a patient who is undergoing attempts to revive them is not considered dead until those efforts are discontinued.    But I understand the point.

 

By the "player died because breathing/heart stopped" definition, Belicheck spoke of an incident in 1997 with Reggie Brown.  In his case, the cause was neurological, a brainstem/spinal cord injury.  Brown received CPR on the field because he wasn't breathing, but woke up 45 minutes later in the hospital and was able to breathe.  

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2017/12/22/breathing-reggie-brown-relives-injury/108850952/

Again, it was the 4th Q, ~ halfway through, with the Lions leading 13-10.   But they did continue the game, which ended in a Lions win 13-10

 

That in fact, may have been one reason why the NFL delayed making a decision to suspend the game....they may have hoped Hamlin would regain consciousness in the hospital and send a message to the team and the teams, and the Bills would change their minds and feel they could "play for 3". 

 

But 1997 was a different era of the NFL and McDermott/Taylor are different coaches than Bobby Ross, and Bill Parcells - who was said to refer to guys who went to the training room more than he thought they should as "the player" rather than by name or by number.

 

What was different about the Bengals game, was that for the first time two coaches with the philosophy of caring about their players and building a bond of love came face to face with a life-or-death tragedy.  If they were sincere about walking the walk they talk and "some things are bigger than football", then the right thing to do was say "our focus should be on our injured brother, we can't continue without risk of emotional and physical injury to the players, we got to call the game".

 

I believe McDermott said that outcomes (he didn't say, but I assume being held to forfeit, losing a game check, and dropping to #3 in playoff seeding) were discussed in the locker room and the consensus viewpoint was "we don't care, we're not finishing the game".    Then Taylor and his captains came over and made it clear they were on the same page. 

 

So in the end, with both head coaches and the players on both teams in agreement, the NFL had the choice between "act like a jerk, or show class".  It was pretty clear at that point which side of the PR coin was which.

 

I can't fault the NFL for delaying a decision and talking things through.  But I think Troy Vincent made a poor choice to throw ESPN and their crew under the bus and act as though it was never in doubt that the NFL would suspend the game, because I think there is evidence that there was, in fact, doubt and discussion (from the NFL side):

1) Burrow warming up

2) Diggs giving the team a pep talk and the defense putting their helmets on

3) Buck saying both teams had been given 5 minutes to warm up and they were going to continue the game

4) no one from the NFL reaching out and correcting ESPN

 

 

Edited January 10, 2023 by Beck Water

[eball]

Hopefully Troy Vincent burns for this...he's a douchebag.

 

[BuffaloRebound]

21 minutes ago, dollars 2 donuts said:

 

 

Many great points made in this thread, but how in the world do I not highlight a Trading Places reference?!

 

BR going 40 years back in his brain bank and finds a chain link between that and the modern day NFL from 8 days ago and says, "hold my beer."

 

I love it brother!

 

 

Haha.  An all-time favorite movie of mine that holds up over time.  Randolph and Mortimer are perfect depictions of NFL owners.  

[BillsShredder83]

7 hours ago, Brianmoorman4jesus said:

Judging by the post season solution plan I’d guess it was someone with the Bengals 

add in the "God himself came down" comment, and id think any bills staff would be smart enough to phrase it diff out of respect for mcd. just a guess

[Beck Water]

10 hours ago, BigDingus said:

Didn't realize Troy Vincent was so disliked. 

 

So much for the idea that the NFLPA is looking out for the best interest of the players 🤨

 

Like most people, Troy Vincent is complicated. 

 

As NFLPA President for 4 years, he did some good things, such as starting a program to prepare players for Life After Football, which became the "NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program".  He's also been a vocal advocate against domestic violence, speaking about his personal experience as a child.

 

Then, as NFLPA president, he was accused of disclosing confidential personal and financial information about player agents to his business partner, to build his financial services company.

 

In any event, Vincent hasn't been involved in the NFLPA for 14 years, so whether or not they're looking out for the players no longer involves him.

 

In the NFL:  Vincent was said to be the source of the false "deflategate" info that the footballs were all under-inflated by 2 lbs and the original 4 game Brady suspension ( a conflict of interest).  Florio broke this.   He is not a Vincent fan, it's quite clear.

 

I think it's reasonable to suppose that any Buffalo Bills front office personnel still left from 2004-2006 would not be Vincent fans either, because of the Losman incident.  But I don't know who those people would be.   I thought McDermott and Beane and the Pegulas did a pretty thorough housecleaning.

 

It's pretty clear that the "EASY" button for the NFL here, was going to be if the Bills and Bengals went back on the field and finished the game.  So I don't find it far-fetched at all that someone from the NFL, and Vincent is in line to be that someone but would Goodell be far behind?  tried to push to make that happen.  I don't believe that Buck and Aikman just "made ***** up" about that 5 minutes to warm up, nor that Aponte and McDermott and Taylor were on the phone for a long time outside the locker room because the NFL was in agreement that it would be insensitive and inhumane to continue.

 

 

4 minutes ago, BillsShredder83 said:

add in the "God himself came down" comment, and id think any bills staff would be smart enough to phrase it diff out of respect for mcd. just a guess

 

Yeah, No Way McDermott said that (sacriligious - and if he in fact believed that he Lord came down and said 'play the game', then McDermott would consider himself bound to Follow the Lord), No Way Beane said that he's far too "smooth" verbally and politically (a good thing).  They've also been very "loose lips sink ships" and buttoned up about their organization.

Edited January 10, 2023 by Beck Water

[Logic]

I will go to my grave believing that the Bills and Bengals coaches and players are the only reason that game didn't continue.

When has an NFL game ever been stopped midway through and not resumed? That tells you all you need to know.

Games are the NFL's main product. It's how they make their money which, let's face it, is the ONLY thing they care about. When you take a game -- especially a much hyped, high ratings, nationally televised Monday night game like this -- away from them, you're taking money out of their pockets. If there's one thing the owners don't like, it's having money taken out of their pockets. They 1000% wanted to resume that game, and were it not for Sean McDermott and Zac Taylor and the players, they would have.

Never forget that. And never forget that the NFL is a greedy, morally bankrupt enterprise that cares nothing about its players and cares only about money.

And yes, as a fan and person who continues to support this league, I am complicit. I wish I could kick my lifelong NFL addiction, but here we are.

[Wayne Arnold]

11 hours ago, ToGoGo said:

Amazing article. 

 

Stuns me how some people can lie like that and live with themselves. 

 

Stuns me how so many people are still surprised how evil the rich and powerful are.

[Mr. WEO]

I don't understand why this is still an issue

 

The teams decided they weren't going to continue at some point

 

teams/coaches aren't allowed to cancel games

 

the league after a delay, canceled the game.

 

yeah they should have just said they were following protocol before they canceled the game---and no one would have made much of this.  so why make much of it now?  because one guy from the League who is not Goodell may have wanted the game to continue?  I'm going to assume with 100% ease that the person on the other end of Aponte's cell phone she was passing around to the HC's ultimately was Goodell, who made the call, agreeing with the coaches.

 

who cares at this point?

[BillsShredder83]

3 hours ago, strive_for_five_guy said:

Yes, Beane runs a tight ship.  But I think he wanted certain people to be called out publicly.  And while one could guess it was him or not, folks he’s calling out won’t know for sure, since he stayed anonymous.
 

A reminder of who Brandon Beane is at heart (competitive and hot-headed):

https://www.newyorkupstate.com/buffalo-bills/2017/06/betting_on_himself_the_untold_story_of_brandon_beanes_unlikely_rise_to_buffalo_b.html

goosebumps. never saw this when it ame out. might have rolled my eyes at it anyways after two decades of puff pieces for buff. wouldve lost that $1 lol

[BillsFanSD]

2 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

who cares at this point?

In the face of a literally unprecedented situation, the league landed in the right place about half an hour after things were going just fine.  By any standard, that should be the mark of a well-functioning organization.  But this social media and we need somebody to be made at, so today it's Troy Vincent's turn.

[MJS]

10 hours ago, GETTOTHE50 said:

the league is so SO lucky McD has dignity, and that Zac Taylor understands human decency. They both could not have handled this situation any better.

 

the league office just can't get out of its own damn way.

The league is lucky that it was these two coaches. Their response to the situation was perfect. I don't have a lot of confidence that many of the other coaches would have responded similarly.

[billybob71]

hopefully it was the Bengals, team that said it (if true and the league is really this slimy) better get ready for some even poorer officiating than usual directed their way

[BRH]

All the league had to do was own it and say "we originally followed the usual protocol, which was to restart the game, but after further discussion with the coaches and officials, which provided us with a fuller understanding of the seriousness of the situation, we decided to suspend the game."

 

But this league never does that.  They deny and double down constantly in an effort to protect The Brand.

[strive_for_five_guy]

1 hour ago, Don Otreply said:

Isn’t Troy Vincent the guy who broke his teams starting QBs leg with a cheap shot during a practice, Hell of a guy…, 

 

That and the NFLPA is basically the lap dog to the league/Owners, a spineless organization on its best day. 

To make sure I have it clear, Troy works for the NFL at this point though, not the NFLPA, correct?

[strive_for_five_guy]

33 minutes ago, BillsShredder83 said:

goosebumps. never saw this when it ame out. might have rolled my eyes at it anyways after two decades of puff pieces for buff. wouldve lost that $1 lol

 

The Bills got a good one in Beane.  Between him, Josh, Diggs, Dorsey, etc…extremely competitive guys in key leadership positions.

[WEATHER DOT COM]

Knew the NFL was full of it when Suzy Kolber reported Stefan Diggs was in a towel. At that time the game had not been called.

 

Moments later ESPN talking heads were like, well, if Stef is in a towel the game is probably over...

 

A few moments later the NFL officially postponed it per ESPN.

 

At the stadium, though, fans were still in the dark on whether or not the game was moving forward. There was no announcement at the stadium until a bit of time after the postponement was reported on ESPN. 

 

If the NFL had actually postponed the game in the interim 40 minutes between the players leaving the field and Stef being reported in a towel, logic says the NFL would have let the 50,000+ fans in the stadium know the game was postponed before it was reported on ESPN or at the latest moments afterward.

[DabillsDaBillsDaBills]

1 hour ago, BillsFanSD said:

In the face of a literally unprecedented situation, the league landed in the right place about half an hour after things were going just fine.  By any standard, that should be the mark of a well-functioning organization.  But this social media and we need somebody to be made at, so today it's Troy Vincent's turn.

 

As with many scandals it's not about the actual transgression, it's about the coverup. 

 

If Vincent had explained his actions and thought process (and perhaps apologized) this would be a non-story. His initial reaction was to follow the rule book and say the game should continue. Then, after the situation progressed and he had more discussions with Bills/Bengals/other NFL officials he ultimately agreed that the game should be postponed.  

 

Instead he's lying about it and saying he never once said the game had to resume. 

 

That's why this is a story and why he looks like a major asshat.