Beane’s Aggressive… for a Quote
If you’ve followed me on social media or listened to me on Joe-A-Mania with Talking Buffalo, you already know I’m not exactly carrying water for Brandon Beane. I’m not writing a manifesto about it. But when I heard his comments at the Combine about how “aggressive” he is and how he needs people around him to calm him down, my eyes rolled into the back of my head like I’m the Undertaker.
It’s a great quote. Tailor-made for engagement. Bills Twitter will throw it on a graphic and let it cook.
But serious question: when was the last time Brandon Beane was actually aggressive?
Aggressive, in GM terms, is pushing real capital into the middle of the table. Risking premium draft picks. Nuking the cap because you believe the window is right now.
Trading a third-round pick for Amari Cooper? Agressive? Not really.
Trading a third for Rasul Douglas? Necessary. Still not aggressive.
Moving up in the first round for Dalton Kincaid by giving up a fourth? That’s not the kind of move where someone in the room grabs your arm and says, “Brandon, relax.”
Now trading a first for Stefon Diggs? That was aggressive. That shifted the franchise.
The series of moves to go get Josh Allen in 2018? That’s 30-for-30 stuff. Conviction. Pressure. “Go for it!” Rocky V Style
But since 2020?
Where’s the big swing?
What we’ve seen instead is measured team-building. Plug-the-hole trades. Retain-your-own philosophy. I’m already falling asleep at this ruthless aggression
If Beane wants to frame himself as a GM who needs to be talked down from wild ideas, the transaction history doesn’t back it up. Since the Diggs deal, the Bills have operated more like a team trying to maintain its window, but not expand it.
You can argue that’s smart.
You can argue it’s prudent.
But calling it aggressive? That feels like branding, not reality.
Sports Brought Us Together for 15 Minutes
Pretty sure everyone watched USA vs. Canada on Sunday. USA wins in dramatic fashion. Tears. Weird stuffed mascots. Tribute to Johnny Gaudreau. Mike Tirico nails the call about how sports bring everyone together when he’s signing off after the game.
It should’ve been And… scene.
Instead it turned into a political side show.
From public officials turning a locker room celebration into a photo op, to awkward White House tie-ins, to culture war nonsense spilling onto timelines, to Trump trying to be a shitty stand-up comedian, to players laughing at sexist joke. What should’ve just been a great hockey moment became another exhausting internet argument and another reminder everything sucks.
It was a great hockey game. That’s it. It’s not Miracle on Ice 2.0. It’s not Muhammad Ali taking a stand. It’s not. American sprinters raise black-gloved fists during the U.S. national anthem at the Mexico City Olympics to protest racial injustice. It is just a bunch of millionaires playing a great hockey game.
We all know Trump wanted to rush these guys to the White House and SOTU to prop them up as he’s a celebrity fucker who wants anyone famous to justify his existence.
And then there’s Tage Thompson wearing a MAGA hat which doesn’t shock anyone since he did post an instagram photo celebrating Trump’s 2024 election win. Maybe some would think executing people on the streets who were protesting Ice or the other 200 deplorable things he’s done would make Tage change his mind.
Here’s the truth: fans are in a weird spot.
Do you cheer for the logo on the front and ignore the name on the back?
Do you separate players from politics?
Do you decide none of it matters because it’s just sports?
Will I make fun of Tage if he goes pointless for seven games? Absolutely.
Do I want him to score 60 goals? Also absolutely.
Will I judge you for buying his jersey? No. I’ll assume you like him as a player and don’t care about his politics.
Alas, Im the same guy who bought a Mick Foley t-shirt after he told WWE to fuck off with their connections to Trump. So maybe purchasing his jersey because he shares your values is in the pipeline.
Athletes live in bubbles. They’re rich. They’re insulated. “Its just Social media” becomes both a megaphone and an excuse for them when it comes to receiving any sort of feedback. And they won’t be the last ones whose views make fans uncomfortable or make them even bigger heroes.
For those sick of this conversation, I have good news..In 24 hours, most people won’t care. We’ll move on. That’s the cycle.
Have You Heard About the Shrimp Cocktail?
Can someone explain the purpose of the media attending the Combine?
It feels like Midwest Woodstock for football reporters. Steakhouse dinners. Lobby selfies. “Great catching up with my guy” podcasts.
If you’re cultivating sources, that’s worth it. Agents, GMs, scouts all in one hotel? There’s value there.
But I can’t remember the last time someone came back from the Combine with real sourced info like, “The Bills love this guy and here’s why.”
Instead, it’s recycled podium quotes. The same Brandon Beane answers the same Keon Coleman questions he answered three weeks ago and will answer again after free agency.
The Combine isn’t about information. It’s about content. The NFL turned it into another made-for-TV event so the league never leaves the spotlight.
Mission accomplished.
Sabres Are Back
I’ve been a terrible Sabres fan this year. We limit screen time to 30 minutes of Sesame Street on Friday nights. The rest of the time I’m reading science books I hate or doom-scrolling while some influencer on YouTube tries to convince my wife to buy something we don’t need or we watch Seth Myers.
But Bills season is over.
I’m watching Sabres games again. Starting tonight.
Of course I don’t get MSG. So I will simply complain about that and absolutely not ask for illegal streams because that would be irresponsible and wrong.
Not the Same Sesame Street
Our son is 2.5. For years, there were zero screens except FaceTime with grandparents. It was read 20000 books and let him play with the sink. Finally we -Or I begged my wife to lets watch something!!- caved and made Sesame Street our Friday night tradition.
All I have to say is… when did this become the Elmo Show?
Where are the deep cuts? Where’s Oscar the Grouch? Where’s Count von Count?
Apparently this shift happened in the late ’90s. Tragic.
We need to give the streets back to Sesame Street and tell Elmo to stop playing hero ball like Josh Allen.
Dad Shots
– Finally caught up on House of the Dragon. I was a massive Game of Thrones fan until the Bran disaster. HOD is fine. Entertaining with some villains who you can’t wait until they die or some anti-heroes you aren’t so sure about . But where are the real heroes? Who am I supposed to root for? I need a Jon Snow-level guy before I fully buy back in. Rhaenyra Targaryen, who is the main hero, banged and married her uncle and then decided to kill a bunch of people who couldn’t figure out how to ride her dragon. Not exactly a role model here.
– We are six weeks into potty training and it’s basically me yelling “sit on the potty” while my son loses his mind after we take off his diaper. This process lasts for 30 seconds until we give up. We are fucked.
– Dry February update: sparkling water rules. Wegmans green apple is elite.
– I miss Buffalo fish fry. NYC doesn’t understand the assignment. It’s supposed to be slightly greasy and served by someone who has a Bills shirt from 2004.
– NBA or sports Tanking isn’t new. The difference now is we litigate it 24/7 on TV and social media. Just another reason for why we should all be like my son and read science books that suck.
– I refuse to pay more than $9 for a streaming app. That’s my line in the sand and why WWE is in trouble.
– TV Show idea: Deadliest Catch but it’s snowplow drivers during a Buffalo blizzard. Tell me that wouldn’t work.
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Beane's philosophy of not getting in cap trouble so they can be competitive every year would seem to be the opposite of mega aggressive. But now that Allen is getting on in years Beane needs to rethink some of that. Yes Allen has a lot of years left in his prime. Will all of them be healthy? Can Allen adapt his style when he cant run? We don't really know yet. So Beane should sell out for the next few years because there is no guarantee they will be competitive every year after that.