Bills cut minicamp short after two days

[Woodman]

The Bills’ drama-filled minicamp has come to an early close.

Buffalo ended its minicamp after two days today, rather than continuing it as planned to include tomorrow’s scheduled third day. And with that, the Bills are off for more than a month, when training camp opens.

[Woodman]

It’s still not clear what was going on with Diggs yesterday, or how it got resolved today, but no one on the Bills will be obligated to answer reporters’ questions until the Bills open training camp. And the biggest question will be whether Diggs is on the field for the first day of practice.

[YardRat]

These guys just aren't into it. Shortcuts don't win championships.

[sukie]

These guys just aren't into it. Shortcuts don't win championships.

One day?

[OpIv37]

One day?

Maybe. The CBA has strict limits for how long and when teams can practice. Every time our opponents take advantage of that practice time when we don’t, they get a slight leg up.

The difference between winning and losing is razor the pin the NFL. Seems unlikely that one practice could make that big a difference but it’s not worth it. The window is closing, if it hasn’t closed already. They have to do everything they can to get a SB now.

[sukie]

No pads and we are talking 8 hours… it’s just a minuet minicamp.

I could see it now… “so why do you think you were cut?” Answer “I had a great second day of minicamp but it got cut short a day.”

[POTLAND PSILBYLO]

These guys just aren't into it. Shortcuts don't win championships.

That’s a bit hasty, no? I heard we signed Floyd. SUPERBOWL !

[swiper]

There is a separate minicamp thread champ.

[YardRat]

One day?

Bruce Smith used to put a 3Muskateers candy bar in his freezer before training camp every season. He was 100% dedicated to his diet and physical fitness for the entire season. He literally broke stair climbers, wearing them out. That kind of dedication to his craft is why he is one of the greatest of all time. If other players on those teams shared the same level of commitment we probably would have 4 Lombardi trophies. This team likes to preach hungry and humble, but their actions say otherwise. They are committed enough to winning it all, and this is just an example.

[Novacane]

Wonder if this was to cut the drama short a day?

[YardRat]

Wonder if this was to cut the drama short a day?

Others have said it's a common practice for McD, as well as other coaches around the league. I honestly don't remember.

[sukie]

Bruce Smith used to put a 3Muskateers candy bar in his freezer before training camp every season. He was 100% dedicated to his diet and physical fitness for the entire season. He literally broke stair climbers, wearing them out. That kind of dedication to his craft is why he is one of the greatest of all time. If other players on those teams shared the same level of commitment we probably would have 4 Lombardi trophies. This team likes to preach hungry and humble, but their actions say otherwise. They are committed enough to winning it all, and this is just an example.

and this translates to 1 day less of minicamp? Bruce broke stair climbers in his home. He worked out year round. Mini camp was a break from his grueling routine.

[OpIv37]

Bruce Smith used to put a 3Muskateers candy bar in his freezer before training camp every season. He was 100% dedicated to his diet and physical fitness for the entire season. He literally broke stair climbers, wearing them out. That kind of dedication to his craft is why he is one of the greatest of all time. If other players on those teams shared the same level of commitment we probably would have 4 Lombardi trophies. This team likes to preach hungry and humble, but their actions say otherwise. They are committed enough to winning it all, and this is just an example.
I was so young and don’t remember first hand… but from what I know, Bruce came into the league at over 3 bills, and his rookie season was good, but not dominant. In his first off-season, he really committed to his training and diet at a level that is common now, but was unheard of in the mid-90’s. As a result, he dominated for a decade and a half after that.

I still watch clips of those 90’s teams sometimes. As much as I love all those guys, the game has changed so much and a lot of them look like they’d be too big and slow for today. If they played today, they’d probably have a better diet and training regimen and would still be good, but they’d need to make changes.

If there was a way to put 1991 Bruce Smith into today’s game, he’d be just as dominant as he was back then.

I’ll admit: Bruce is my all time favorite player. I have an authentic Bruce jersey that I wear every game day to this day. I’m biased. But he’s just a different breed from anyone else who existed back then.

[Turf]

Bruce Smith used to put a 3Muskateers candy bar in his freezer before training camp every season. He was 100% dedicated to his diet and physical fitness for the entire season. He literally broke stair climbers, wearing them out. That kind of dedication to his craft is why he is one of the greatest of all time. If other players on those teams shared the same level of commitment we probably would have 4 Lombardi trophies. This team likes to preach hungry and humble, but their actions say otherwise. They are committed enough to winning it all, and this is just an example.

You can use a Stairmaster anywhere.

[sukie]

You can use a Stairmaster anywhere.

this guy was breaking the chains on this equipment… that is freakishly hard to do.

[Night Train]

Diggs decreed it. His holdout was about having US Open tickets. :-)

Yes, it's tradition to cut a day by most teams. This 1st mini-camp is ALL about the medicals and handing them the initial playbook for summer camp, from what I've been told. (Tasker).

[Historian]

Bruce Smith used to put a 3Muskateers candy bar in his freezer before training camp every season. He was 100% dedicated to his diet and physical fitness for the entire season. He literally broke stair climbers, wearing them out. That kind of dedication to his craft is why he is one of the greatest of all time. If other players on those teams shared the same level of commitment we probably would have 4 Lombardi trophies. This team likes to preach hungry and humble, but their actions say otherwise. They are committed enough to winning it all, and this is just an example.

And then he would hold out of camp until the last week.

[YardRat]

And then he would hold out of camp until the last week.

He didn't hold out, the staff held him out of a lot of the activity, not risking a dumbass injury in practices. He more than made up for it with his own regimen.

And as far as the Johnson/Belichek anecdote, it's kind of a line of ****. Jimmy Johnson made it very well known that he treated different players differently, the stars were going to get far different treatment than the roster-fillers.

[notacon]

I was so young and don’t remember first hand… but from what I know, Bruce came into the league at over 3 bills, and his rookie season was good, but not dominant. In his first off-season, he really committed to his training and diet at a level that is common now, but was unheard of in the mid-90’s. As a result, he dominated for a decade and a half after that.

I still watch clips of those 90’s teams sometimes. As much as I love all those guys, the game has changed so much and a lot of them look like they’d be too big and slow for today. If they played today, they’d probably have a better diet and training regimen and would still be good, but they’d need to make changes.

If there was a way to put 1991 Bruce Smith into today’s game, he’d be just as dominant as he was back then.

I’ll admit: Bruce is my all time favorite player. I have an authentic Bruce jersey that I wear every game day to this day. I’m biased. But he’s just a different breed from anyone else who existed back then.

I count myself lucky to be old enough to fully appreciate the reality of just how great Bruce Smith was. His career started with the Bills when I was 30 years old.

Those were the years (before the kiddies started to take center stage in 1991) that I attended several games. Getting to watch Bruce Smith live is an experience I will never forget.

What you mention is 100% spot on...."he’s just a different breed from anyone else who existed back then” and if "put 1991 Bruce Smith into today’s game, he’d be just as dominant as he was back then”.

I’d hard to explain his quickness and explosiveness off the ball. They would double and triple team him and he still wrecked havoc.

I can honestly say that there are few DE like him...ever. He would be the #1 pass rusher in today’s NFL and the most fearsome defensive player like few players are.

I feel bad that the (relatively) younger posters here (if you were born after the late 80’s or 1990 you’d be hard pressed to come close to appreciating him in his prime) were not able to experience Bruce Smith in all his glory!!!

[Woodman]

It’s customary for McDermott, along with many other NFL head coaches, to cancel the third day of minicamp.’


BuffaloNews!!

[Woodman]

‘The Bills announced that Wednesday’s workout in the ADPRO Sports Training Center was the end of the mandatory two-day minicamp. Coach Sean McDermott opted to cancel Thursday’s scheduled third day of minicamp to allow players to get an early jump on their summer break before convening at training camp in late July.

BuffaloNews!

[John Doe]

These guys just aren't into it. Shortcuts don't win championships.
You want to fire McD? Unbelievable.

[Woodman]

It’s customary for McDermott, along with many other NFL head coaches, to cancel the third day of minicamp.’


BuffaloNews!!

Shoulda said this from jumpstreet.

[Typ0]

This is what good hungry and humble managers do in todays world...they schedule you to be somewhere so you have to put that in your schedule...

Then they give you the day off at the last minute to make you feel like they did you a solid.

Then they want big credit for that solid when it comes to anything.

More gaslighting. Never going to work trying to peddle a growth mindset that requires people to be more vulnerable.

[sahlensguy]

It’s customary for McDermott, along with many other NFL head coaches, to cancel the third day of minicamp.’


BuffaloNews!!

I mean, who can argue the success?

[sukie]

This is what good hungry and humble managers do in todays world...they schedule you to be somewhere so you have to put that in your schedule...

Then they give you the day off at the last minute to make you feel like they did you a solid.

Then they want big credit for that solid when it comes to anything.

More gaslighting. Never going to work trying to peddle a growth mindset that requires people to be more vulnerable.
Didn’t think it was possible but I believe you gaslighted yourself in that scenario. Well done.

[OpIv37]

I count myself lucky to be old enough to fully appreciate the reality of just how great Bruce Smith was. His career started with the Bills when I was 30 years old.

Those were the years (before the kiddies started to take center stage in 1991) that I attended several games. Getting to watch Bruce Smith live is an experience I will never forget.

What you mention is 100% spot on...."he’s just a different breed from anyone else who existed back then” and if "put 1991 Bruce Smith into today’s game, he’d be just as dominant as he was back then”.

I’d hard to explain his quickness and explosiveness off the ball. They would double and triple team him and he still wrecked havoc.

I can honestly say that there are few DE like him...ever. He would be the #1 pass rusher in today’s NFL and the most fearsome defensive player like few players are.

I feel bad that the (relatively) younger posters here (if you were born after the late 80’s or 1990 you’d be hard pressed to come close to appreciating him in his prime) were not able to experience Bruce Smith in all his glory!!!

FWIW I do remember Bruce’s prime. I started following closely around 89 or 90, when I was 10 or 11. But when he was first drafted, I was too young to really understand and I didn’t care about sports at that age.

[YardRat]

You want to fire McD? Unbelievable.

LOL. That's a nice twist on reality.

[Historian]

FWIW I do remember Bruce’s prime. I started following closely around 89 or 90, when I was 10 or 11. But when he was first drafted, I was too young to really understand and I didn’t care about sports at that age.

My first recollections of Bruce, was the 1985 mini-camp.

Back in those days, the Bills would hold a three day mini-camp, Friday Saturday and Sunday. The third day, they would open the stadium up to the fans.

They had just come off the first of back to back 2-14 seasons, so there wasn't much interest, maybe 2000 people there...tops.

Mostly hard-cores, like us. Not like it is today, where the organization says the words "Buffalo Bills" and "free" in the same sentence, and 50,000 people show up!

I usually went to the open camp days, and I remember this one vividly, because the roster booklets they gave out, had the new HOF class on the cover, which included OJ Simpson, and Joe Namath.

Anyhow, as I was watching the drills, Smith was definitely the focus, as he was a big dude, but wicked fast, even at 305 pounds.

I also remember he and Talley having a good rapport, despite the fact that they probably only knew each other for a couple months.

And at the time I remember thinking, how glad I was Polian hadn't listened to the people who wanted him to draft Doug Flutie, as Smith seemed like a guy you could build a defense around.

Not to mention we were still hopeful of landing Jim Kelly, even though that would not happen for another 15 months.

[Typ0]

Didn’t think it was possible but I believe you gaslighted yourself in that scenario. Well done.

Oh it is possible people are walking around gaslighting themselves all the time ... it is a function of living in a gaslight society. That is exactly what happens to the emotionally abused their heads get spinning so fast and they can't get their groundings and they start gaslighting themselves. It is something I refer to as the 'traumatic response' more commonly known as the fight or flight hypervigilant mechanism of self protection when your amygdala and neuro pathways take an unpleasant turn.

Not seeing it though--and I am looking carefully because if I am gaslighting myself would like to get it sorted out.

What I know is this: if you want to develop a growth culture you are going to have to very carefully check your narcissism at the door. I have seen many people talk the talk of a growth culture then turn around and do the things that destroy the mindset then rationalize it with their narcissistic bull****. I want to see McDermott figure out how important it is. No leader can charge their teams with a growth culture then create optics based on gaslighting. It just isn't going to work. Sorry. McDermott stops this behavior or changes his idea of the culture he's trying to put forth because they don't go together.

And I probably would prefer he just come out and say we are going to be the biggest narcissistic *******s on the face of the earth and kick the **** out of everything in our way. It is the NFL.

[notacon]

FWIW I do remember Bruce’s prime. I started following closely around 89 or 90, when I was 10 or 11. But when he was first drafted, I was too young to really understand and I didn’t care about sports at that age.

Sounds like you were right on the cusp of being old enough.

10 or 11 is still really young. I was 10 years old the last time the Bills won the AFL Championship on Dec. 26th, 1965.

I remember winning it, but I can’t remember even one play from that season. Just murky impressions of the team, players and games.

When Bruce Smith was drafted, I was 30 years old. His prime paying days were when I was in adulthood where the memory is much stronger, but still only relatively murky impressions.

That’s why it’s fun to watch replays of really old games, like the Houston comeback that was on NFLN recently.

[notacon]

BTW....Teams regularly cancel last day of minicamp.

The Pats also canceled (https://nesn.com/2023/06/patriots-cancel-final-day-mandatory-minicamp-practices/) the last day of theirs. The Colts too (https://horseshoeheroes.com/posts/colts-cancel-final-day-of-mandatory-minicamp-01h2xvk8ymse).

The Jets canceled the whole thing (https://www.nfl.com/news/jets-decide-not-to-hold-mandatory-minicamps-next-week-earlier-training-camp).

[Typ0]

BTW....Teams regularly cancel last day of minicamp.

The Pats also canceled (https://nesn.com/2023/06/patriots-cancel-final-day-mandatory-minicamp-practices/) the last day of theirs. The Colts too (https://horseshoeheroes.com/posts/colts-cancel-final-day-of-mandatory-minicamp-01h2xvk8ymse).

The Jets canceled the whole thing (https://www.nfl.com/news/jets-decide-not-to-hold-mandatory-minicamps-next-week-earlier-training-camp).

Teams don't cancel coaches do and it's a manipulative power play!

[notacon]

Teams don't cancel coaches do and it's a manipulative power play!

Huh??? That’s a distinction without a difference.


Calling it a "manipulative power play” is a little over the top. Mimi camps are little more than an extended photo-op, and more useful for the opportunity to get the team together, especially with rookies.

Would it make you fell better if I wrote....”BTW....last day of minicamps are regularly canceled”. :rolleyes:

[Typ0]

Huh??? That’s a distinction without a difference.


Calling it a "manipulative power play” is a little over the top. Mimi camps are little more than an extended photo-op, and more useful for the opportunity to get the team together, especially with rookies.

Would it make you fell better if I wrote....”BTW....last day of minicamps are regularly canceled”. :rolleyes:

No, I would rather you say the coach woke up and "realized he was scheduling people to be somewhere while he had no intention of them actually being there." Totally a manipulative power play used to minimize employees and put them in their place while you turn around with a smile and say how much you love them and care about them. It is a form of insidious toxicity a lot of gaslighting abusers employ. Lie to their faces then do things that make them feel marginal. **** that.

[notacon]

No, I would rather you say the coach non-bigoted up and "realized he was scheduling people to be somewhere while he had no intention of them actually being there." Totally a manipulative power play used to minimize employees and put them in their place while you turn around with a smile and say how much you love them and care about them. It is a form of insidious toxicity a lot of gaslighting abusers employ. Lie to their faces then do things that make them feel marginal. **** that.

Huh?!?!? Seriously?!?!? :rofl: Oh dear.