Bills G.M. thinks humans shouldn't play football

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Prime Time

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But he is willing to cash his pay check until robots, zombies, or mutants take over for humans. Click link below to watch video.
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http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/1...nt-game-personally-think-humans-supposed-play

Bills GM Doug Whaley says football not a game humans should play
Mike Rodak/ESPN Staff Writer


Buffalo Bills general manager Doug Whaley might be in charge of a roster of 90 men who play football, but he doesn't feel the game is something his players' bodies are designed to play.

"This is the game of football," he told WGR 550 radio. "Injuries are part of it. It's a violent game that I personally don't think humans are supposed to play."

Whaley's thoughts came as part of a larger response to a question about whether top receiver Sammy Watkins is injury-prone.

"I wouldn't say [he's injury-prone]. If you look at his game log, he's only missed three games. So is he injury-prone? I wouldn't say that. Are things going to come up with a guy like this? We hope that gets limited in the future," Whaley said, before stating his broader thoughts on football.

Watkins, who underwent surgery this offseason to repair a broken foot, was on crutches and had his left foot in a walking boot during the Bills' OTA practice Tuesday.

"These are going to come up," Whaley said in reference to Watkins after stating his thoughts on the game. "We trust in our medical staff and we trust in each individual athlete to do what they have to do to get back on the field."

Watkins is expected to miss training camp and the preseason, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported, but Whaley said Tuesday that the team currently does not expect Watkins to miss regular-season action.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...nts-on-violence-in-football-injuries-and-more

Whaley's more general comments come as the NFL is under fire for its handling of head injury research.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...ley-doesnt-think-humans-should-play-football/

In many respects, the NFL has become its own worst enemy in the so-called War on Football. Typically, that happens when the league and people connected to it unreasonably downplay the risks associated with the sport. One team executive has potentially harmed the league’s interests by going to the other extreme.

That’s the kind of statement that could prompt plenty of humans to prevent their offspring from playing football. Making the words even more jarring is that Whaley drove directly into a ditch under the guise of trying to justify his faith in Watkins, for whom Whaley gave up the ninth overall pick in 2014, a first-round pick in 2015, and a fourth-round pick in 2015 to acquire.

Coach Rex Ryan was later asked about Whaley’s remarks, which apparently haven’t gathered much traction thanks to the brouhaha arising from the franchise’s goofy new media policy.

“I can say this, I love the game, I think it’s the greatest of sports,” Ryan told reporters. “I know it’s the greatest sport, it’s the greatest game and we all know how I feel about it.”

Previously, it was believed that Whaley’s job may be riding on whether the team makes it to the playoffs this year. Tuesday’s gaffe may have sealed his fate, barring the team’s ability to perform what would be the superhuman task of winning a Super Bowl.
 

DaveFan'51

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Oh for F--k's sake.gif


These questions should be asked of this man!! ...
out of your mind.gif

the Sargent.gif
 

LesBaker

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Pretty much he's right, but MMA, boxing and other sports are just as bad.
 

Mikey Ram

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I think his comments were pretty much on the money...Weird thing to me is that I really wouldn't expect to hear that from a guy in his position...Kind of like biting the hand that feeds you...
 

rickrawk

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This is what humans do. Why would you jump out of an airplane?
Sheesh.

GO RAMS!!!!
 

Antonius

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Pretty much he's right, but MMA, boxing and other sports are just as bad.

I think you can say humans weren't meant to play most sports. Think of the impact in the knees due to running up and down and jumping on hardwood floors for years.

Throwing a baseball over and over until your tendons are shot for life.

Fighting, like you mentioned. Even golf. Swinging so hard and pivoting the hip so fast you throw out your hip or your back....

... These are all things the human body isn't designed for. But that, I think is one of the reasons we watch sports. To watch these individuals do things physically that they shouldn't be able to.
 

Selassie I

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That's like hiring a vegetarian to be the head chef of your High-End steakhouse.
 

Prime Time

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Can't a man say what he wants?

Absolutely, but there are consequences for our words. In this case the man is raking in huge dollars working in the NFL, an industry which is in the midst of controversy over whether the game is too dangerous and causes long-term brain damage. It was a dumb thing to say as an employee of the NFL.

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  • #13
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...dnt-play-football-was-a-poor-choice-of-words/

Doug Whaley: “Poor choice of words” to say humans shouldn’t play football
Posted by Josh Alper on May 25, 2016

496295070-e1464196054356.jpg
Getty Images

Bills General Manager Doug Whaley made some headlines on Tuesday when he said during a radio interview that football is “a violent game that I personally don’t think humans are supposed to play.”

It was an odd position for a man charged with fielding a team of humans to play football to make while answering a question about wide receiver Sammy Watkins being injury prone. Hearing that from a team executive was particularly jarring at a time when the NFL is working hard to make the case that they are making the game a safer one.

On Wednesday, Whaley hewed more closely to that party line while walking back what he said the previous day.

“Clearly I used a poor choice of words in my comment yesterday morning,” Whaley said in the statement. “As a former player who has the utmost respect and love for the game, the point that I was trying to make is that football is a physical game and injuries are a part of it. Playing football no doubt is very physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging, and that is all part of what make the game so compelling to play and watch.

The game has more protection for players now than ever, thanks largely to the safety advancements and numerous rule changes made by our league and promoted to all levels of football. I believe our game continues to have a bright future and I hope that this statement provides clarity as to the intent of my earlier comment.”

The brightness of Whaley’s future with the Bills will have plenty to do with how the team fares this season, making the health of the human beings he brought to Buffalo of paramount importance.