Bills torn a new one, here comes the expectations of a 5-6 win season

[stuckincincy]

You know he's bad when he's cut from the only team that's having an actual fullback battle in camp

There you go again, dabbling with irony on this site. It seldom flies here.

[elroy16]

The only reason it's in the policy is because it's illegal. It's not performance enhancing for an athlete, that's for sure. And it's being legalized or at least decriminalized, rightly so IMHO, just about everywhere. The reason why the NFL doesn't follow suit is because they want to provide a squeaky clean illusion. That's their prerogative but how is the image tarnished if a player is sparking up in the privacy of his home? It's an overreaction and the policy should be changed. Unfortunately, any change may be perceived as tacit approval, so it's not likely going to happen any time soon.



I hope your employer doesn't have a similar testing policy, my man. :-)

I'm not disagreeing with the NFL's policy on weed or defending Marcell. I was just saying that while weed is not physically addicting, it doesn't mean someone can't be addicted to doing it. I agree, I don't think they should test for it, but we'll have to probably wait a while for that to happen.



Like I said, 11 wins IF everyone stays healthy, the offense improves, the defense takes a BIG step, and they get lucky.


Thankfully they do not...

[gebobs]

I'm not disagreeing with the NFL's policy on weed or defending Marcell. I was just saying that while weed is not physically addicting, it doesn't mean someone can't be addicted to doing it.

I totally agree with you there. That's why I didn't quote that part. I don't think my post was intended to contradict you at all. I was just going off on how ridiculous the policy is.

[Mr. Pink]

But the policy isn't ridiculous.

It's like many work places that have drug tests, and if you get caught with marijuana in your system, you fail. The difference is in other work places, one failed test leads to you not being hired in the first place or termination.

If guys like Dareus, Rickey Williams, Josh Gordon, etc don't like the rules then they shouldn't have suited up to begin with. If they couldn't keep themselves clean for 5-10 years, then that's on them...not the leagues substance abuse policy.

Johnny Manziel's fault is his and his alone, not the rules.

[gebobs]

If guys like Dareus, Rickey Williams, Josh Gordon, etc don't like the rules then they shouldn't have suited up to begin with.

What if the NFL had a no alcohol policy? Would you think it was reasonable for them to impose that on the players?

[IlluminatusUIUC]

But the policy isn't ridiculous.

It's like many work places that have drug tests, and if you get caught with marijuana in your system, you fail. The difference is in other work places, one failed test leads to you not being hired in the first place or termination.

If guys like Dareus, Rickey Williams, Josh Gordon, etc don't like the rules then they shouldn't have suited up to begin with. If they couldn't keep themselves clean for 5-10 years, then that's on them...not the leagues substance abuse policy.

Johnny Manziel's fault is his and his alone, not the rules.

The law is ridiculous, but I can't fault the NFL for following it. Like I said during Marcel's last summer of stupid, I was amazed how many people rushed to his defense for a street racing accident that could have killed someone, but hammered him over some weed.

[Mace]

Again, if they demand he accept the void clause, he likely plays out his contract and walks at the end of last season. Since we can't see the future to know if he'll miss more than the 4 games (or maybe that's enough for you), we can't say right now that it was a mistake to re-sign him/not include the void clause.

If you think he's going to pass the next 360 or so drug tests until 2019 and makes the FO look clever, by all means say so.

I find it unlikely and wouldn't mind if it was some other team shouldering the guaranteed money and possible dead cap. I like Dareus, but don't see this ending well. They made a mistake not including a void clause whether or not he liked it, and not liking it would have been a sure indicator of what was ahead, as, well, it was because he was just suspended 4 games and off to rehab.

If you think that means the FO has their act together, good for you.

[Mace]

The law is ridiculous, but I can't fault the NFL for following it. Like I said during Marcel's last summer of stupid, I was amazed how many people rushed to his defense for a street racing accident that could have killed someone, but hammered him over some weed.

It's not even that. He's not your plumber taking a toke, he's big money athlete demonstrating continued apathy about it, and he's a core player on a team you hope will succeed and now will do less well because a guy making more than 10 million bucks couldn't stick to the plan for a while. He could have gotten himself off the program after a clean year, but he couldn't make it.

But it isn't the odd toke, though you don't want your surgeon taking a few hits before popping your skull open. It's just some simple rules for a period in his life.

[Goobylal]

If you think he's going to pass the next 360 or so drug tests until 2019 and makes the FO look clever, by all means say so.

I find it unlikely and wouldn't mind if it was some other team shouldering the guaranteed money and possible dead cap. I like Dareus, but don't see this ending well. They made a mistake not including a void clause whether or not he liked it, and not liking it would have been a sure indicator of what was ahead, as, well, it was because he was just suspended 4 games and off to rehab.

If you think that means the FO has their act together, good for you.

We shall see.

[Skooby]

We shall see.

He skipped the game to enter rehab but partied that night, same shirt before and after the game. I don't know where you're from or what you think may happen but this is a train is off the track.

He's suspended and overweight, still partying even on gameday. It's pretty sad.

[elroy16]

He skipped the game to enter rehab but partied that night, same shirt before and after the game. I don't know where you're from or what you think may happen but this is a train is off the track.

He's suspended and overweight, still partying even on gameday. It's pretty sad.

Why do people keep saying he's overweight? Dareus said he added muscle, lost fat, and is on the low side for his weight at the beginning of camp.



http://www.buffalobills.com/video/vi...7-d7600acab3eb

[Skooby]

Why do people keep saying he's overweight? Dareus said he added muscle, lost fat, and is on the low side for his weight at the beginning of camp.



http://www.buffalobills.com/video/vi...7-d7600acab3eb

The muscle must be buried below the fat, he looks fat to me. LOL.

[Mr. Pink]

What if the NFL had a no alcohol policy? Would you think it was reasonable for them to impose that on the players?

There isn't one to start because alcohol isn't illegal in this country anywhere, whereas marijuana is still illegal in the majority of the country. However once you end up in the leagues substance abuse protocol it does also include alcohol. Josh Gordon found out all about it.

Is the law of the land in the wrong for criminalizing pot is a whole different discussion entirely but as long as marijuana is illegal in most NFL cities, it'll be illegal in the league. What is the league going to do, allow players on the Broncos to smoke up while punishing players on the Dolphins for doing it?

[sahlensguy]

There isn't one to start because alcohol isn't illegal in this country anywhere, whereas marijuana is still illegal in the majority of the country. However once you end up in the leagues substance abuse protocol it does also include alcohol. Josh Gordon found out all about it.

Is the law of the land in the wrong for criminalizing pot is a whole different discussion entirely but as long as marijuana is illegal in most NFL cities, it'll be illegal in the league. What is the league going to do, allow players on the Broncos to smoke up while punishing players on the Dolphins for doing it?

Why test for it in the first place?

Makes sense if you're an equipment operator, doctor or in any other profession where the safety of others is on the line. But why test football athletes?

[Goobylal]

He skipped the game to enter rehab but partied that night, same shirt before and after the game. I don't know where you're from or what you think may happen but this is a train is off the track.

He's suspended and overweight, still partying even on gameday. It's pretty sad.

It's apparent that when many of you heard he was skipping the game to go to rehab, you took it to mean he informed the team he would be skipping the game to immediately check-in to rehab. I doubt a) it was his decision, b) that he was expected to go there immediately, and c) that the team didn't already plan on giving Bryant playing time with the starters since he'd be starting the first 4 games of the season in his place. As for partying that night, there were no reports of him even drinking, much less toking it up. What do your sources say MMD?

[Skooby]

It's apparent that when many of you heard he was skipping the game to go to rehab, you took it to mean he informed the team he would be skipping the game to immediately check-in to rehab. I doubt a) it was his decision, b) that he was expected to go there immediately, and c) that the team didn't already plan on giving Bryant playing time with the starters since he'd be starting the first 4 games of the season in his place. As for partying that night, there were no reports of him even drinking, much less toking it up. What do your sources say MMD?

Don't worry he partied, no tests during rehab because you go under a doctors care and their medical advice / medicines temporarily override anything else based on best course of treatment. In the opinion of the management, the intent of him doing all of this is to F-off. He's not taking his previous actions seriously and the team is going to try to make it all straight but his games are known. We don't want to devalue his worth, when the time is right the team would consider moving on from him.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

It's not even that. He's not your plumber taking a toke, he's big money athlete demonstrating continued apathy about it, and he's a core player on a team you hope will succeed and now will do less well because a guy making more than 10 million bucks couldn't stick to the plan for a while. He could have gotten himself off the program after a clean year, but he couldn't make it.

But it isn't the odd toke, though you don't want your surgeon taking a few hits before popping your skull open. It's just some simple rules for a period in his life.

I wouldn't want Dareus toking before a game either, but I don't believe weed should be illegal so I don't believe it should be something the NFL goes out of its way to punish. But as long as we have regressive drug laws, I can't fault the NFL for enforcing them on players.

[Mr. Pink]

Why test for it in the first place?

Makes sense if you're an equipment operator, doctor or in any other profession where the safety of others is on the line. But why test football athletes?

So player safety in professional sports isn't important?

[Mace]

I wouldn't want Dareus toking before a game either, but I don't believe weed should be illegal so I don't believe it should be something the NFL goes out of its way to punish. But as long as we have regressive drug laws, I can't fault the NFL for enforcing them on players.

Probably won't be as prominent down the road, I read the NFL increased the THC threshhold they test for. Negligible diff really, but it's a start.

I've smoked my share and have no issues with weed being recreational. But I've also been impacted by a co worker who couldn't stay away from it while we did a complex and significant co dependent job.

The thing about Dareus is that it's part of a greater pattern of questionable adult responsibility. Alabama felony level possession while speeding, the drag racing charge, and now a missed test.

He's guaranteed an awful lot of money and is looking now at the rigid responsibility of close to 360 unannounced tests to make himself worth it, in addition to his performance on the field.

There's nothing much wrong with chugging southern comfort either if all you do is throw up on your own rug, wet yourself and pass out on your own soft bed without affecting anyone else.

Dareus knows the policies and terms of his lucrative employment. He's not your average recreational user.

[Mr. Pink]

It's funny to me, years ago we all mocked the Dolphins and Rickey Williams for the same thing. Rickey was aloof, weird, crazy or whatever...

Now that it's Dareus on the wrong side of the substance abuse policy, it shouldn't be illegal and the rules are ridiculous.