Stormin Norman Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 No question that Jerry tends to pile on and is really cynical, but as many have posted in this thread, this pitiful franchise deserves most of what he dishes out. There is typically threads of truth in all of his articles, but it depends on your stance as a Bills fan regarding how to take his articles. Me, I'm just mad that I'm a fan of such a fantastically inept sports team... and that I can't completely quit them. I'll admit that, after all of these years, I take some sick pleasure in writers going over the top in their bashing of the team. For me, it's almost as if I want to see if, somehow, they can manage to find another way to do something unprecedentedly bad, stupid, knee-jerk, etc. It's my coping mechanism. Good therapy anyway. Sort of like mentally flogging yourself for the sin of being a Buffalo Sports Fan. It's the crushing conflict between eternal hope and the horrific reality that causes it. It's Marv Levy ("Fight on my men," said Sir Andrew...) and Tim Russert ("Please God. Please. Let us win this one. THIS one!"). There is only one escape from this, I'm afraid: a championship. Period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Sullivan's basic problem on display here is narcissism: he's basically irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, but he essentially makes this story about himself -- that is, about Rex's (alleged) dissing of him in the press conference. That negligible point drives the entire piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 The thing I hate the most about Sully and Bucky (and Bob Deseare - whatever happened to him?) - they can be writing an article or just a snippet in "column as I see em" about something like the US Ski team, and still have the last thing said be a dig at either the Sabres or Bills. They can't write about anything without throwing in the digs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Blitz Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Ahhh, the Monday morning Jerry Sullivan thread. You know, it doesn't matter where you live. You don't have to read that stuff....ever, if you choose not to.Fair enough... I simply found this one to be over the top... OP I completely agree with you. Thanks for the thread. You folks in WNY don't get as mad as we Ex-Pats over the Buffalo News or WGR. You dont understand that for us those 2 mediums are a way (thanks Internet and streaming on phone) to stay close to our teams. We lose walking into every mall or Tops or Wegmans and seeing Bills stuff everywhere. Or Sabres for that matter. Little things like wanting to tune into WGR or read the local write up following a Bills win might matter a tad bit more for us bc we are out of the area. Somehow, living here in Northern Virginia I've managed to get my 10 year old to be a huge Bills fan. I know he sees me listening to the WGR app....that's a tiny part of it. Despite all the suckage, he's a Bills fan. It's one of my proudest accomplishments as a Dad. Lol. And I know I'm rambling here, but I just had to tune in to that douche bags show at 3 today and what's the premise of his opening monologue-----he's disappointed that we are picking 19th; that he's not sure there's any way this team gets better; and because of that, "what am I (its always about him) going to talk about for the next 5 months----drafting a Right Tackle? Awesome." Yes Schopp. That's what we actual fans of the game (he's not) and team actually want to talk about. Not your candy drafts. You know what they spent all last off season talking about here in DC? And by the way---how excited should Skins fans have been in August? On the radio here where they actually like their team, they talked about....wait for it....drafting an olineman! We ex Pats (and Buffalonians) deserve better than the crap in the Buffalo News and on WGR from 3--7. It's embarrassing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 It was good not having Schopp on the postgame yesterday and feeling myself cringe with how is going to belittle this caller.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacchus44 Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 If anyone has read Sully's non-Bills columns where he discusses his golf game, you know that he doesn't hesitate to beat himself up over his high handicap. Actually, I have to laugh because his golf game is about the same as mine...and I also beat myself up when I have stupid shots and blow a round, because I KNOW that I can perform better. Similarly when the Bills organization does something stupid, they SHOULD be called out for it...whether it's the players, coaches, GM or owner. There is always an opportunity for improvement, no matter how good you are (or think you are) and it's the local media (and the fans) that need to let them know about it it. I agree with some of the others that mentioned that when this city loses year after freaking year in the worst manners possible, how you can not help but be a bit of a Negative Nelly? If I had to write sports articles after every agonizing Bills or Sabres loss, I would have been fired somewhere between the Bills 4th Super Bowl loss and the Music City Miracle (if not before). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 EVERYBODY is self deprecating about their golf game, even guys who are good. He's been here since about 1987. I remember talking to my dad about this new guy who is just so negative all the time. Don't blame it on the last 16 years. It's got nothing to do with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyDogLuvsPB Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 the last words from his article today. the two changes are we cut Mario and have perhaps a tougher schedule next year. and he says things could get worse next year. I know this negativity thing is his tagline and his everlasting M.O. sure, the world could end next year too. but we found an effective QB, and owner spending on offensive talent across the board, a front office who can source talent and an offensive scheme that works, and this guy has to throw cold water on everything. glad I live in DC and don't have to read this stuff all year.... I believe it! If Ryan doesn't adjust and play to the strength of the defense then we will miss the playoffs and not even best 8 wins next season!! Somehow I have this feeling that if we don't make the postseason next year, Rex will be fired. Yup, you heard it hear first folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireChan Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 So tell me which of the nine games we lose: Dolphins Dolphins Pats Pats Jets Jets Steelers Ravens Bengals Browns Seahawks Niners Cardinals Rams Raiders Jags I'm also unsure how asking you to defend your position makes me (or others) the defensive one(s). Can I play? I could see us losing: Pats Pats (Rex can beat BB, he has the blueprint!) Jets Steelers Ravens Bengals Cardinals Seahawks Raiders (probably week 15 or 16 to end it all) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todd Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Who is this Jerry Sullivan you speak of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niagara Bill Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 I don't know where Jerry gets this from that the team is going to regress next year. Who knows at this stage what will happen next year. Sully sadly has made a living off of being the negative guy. I know where...look at the Jets team he coached. We went into the season with a great Special Teams group and came out of it with nothing except penalties and a kicker who lost his confidence. We went into the season with a D that had a great pass rush and young LB like Brown with a huge future. We end up with almost no pass rush and Brown is lost and likely to be replaced.. On August 1st none of this would have been seen by you... or most people on this board. I began to comment on this happening when he decided to change the leadership on the team when Fredex was cut and Rex played dumb like he had nothing to do with it. that was gutless This was bad coaching to kill the D and STeams. Sullivan (whom I dislike) may have a good point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlayoffsPlease Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 The Bills fans criticizing Sullivan mostly suffer from a sports version of Stockholm syndrome. They block out the dismal failures of the Bills as somehow irrelevant and glom onto minor positives (Extending Colton Schmidt another great move by Whaley!!!!) to make themselves feel good about the situation they are in. They even convince themselves of moral superiority for supporting failure. Its sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Then you'll have to excuse my confusion as to how you can support a prediction for total wins but then be unwilling to go through AAAAAAAAAALL 16 games to substantiate it. Jeebus, drop it already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDD Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Until the Bills actually win and become successful Jerry will be correct to proclaim that they are losers. Let's face it, "he's" been right for 16 years in a row. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 I think everybody should avoid any thoughts or opinions that might not agree with your own opinions. By keeping a closed mind to new thoughts and ideas, life is much simpler and less stressful. Why would you ever consider reading or listening to a dissenting opinion... EVER! I can see no point in considering any other opinion than my own. This what makes America great. Form an opinion based on fact or fiction (it doesn't seem to matter) and stick to that opinion regardless of any factual evidence or reason! Just keep drinking the Kool-Aid and live in blissful ignorance. Yeah, because that exactly what You don't have to read that stuff....ever, if you choose not to. means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8-8 Forever? Posted January 5, 2016 Author Share Posted January 5, 2016 (edited) The Bills fans criticizing Sullivan mostly suffer from a sports version of Stockholm syndrome. They block out the dismal failures of the Bills as somehow irrelevant and glom onto minor positives (Extending Colton Schmidt another great move by Whaley!!!!) to make themselves feel good about the situation they are in. They even convince themselves of moral superiority for supporting failure. Its sad. I think there is measurable upside to this group this time, though, especially on offense. offense is what wins championships now, and we have a real one brewing here for the first time in 15 years. If Rex had just gone with TT from June onward we'd be in the playoffs now... this retooling offense/team just ran out of games this year, IMO The latest Darth Sully tag (i mean trash) line: "I’m not convinced he’s the long-term answer, either, not by a long shot" "... not by a long shot..." ?! not by a long shot ?? how do you get to that last bit , Sully... I'm not convinced either, but he's a lot closer than a "long shot" . Look at the numbers, look at how the locker room responds. it's the "long shot" sniping that needs to go away. Yes, draft a QB, no question, maybe #2 or #3, if that makes everyone happy, I'd rather see Taylor go to baseball camp and learn how to slide into second base for about a week and a half..... Edited January 5, 2016 by 8and8-->NoMore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlayoffsPlease Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 I think there is measurable upside to this group this time, though, especially on offense. offense is what wins championships now, and we have a real one brewing here for the first time in 15 years. If Rex had just gone with TT from June onward we'd be in the playoffs now... this retooling offense/team just ran out of games this year, IMO The latest Darth Sully tag (i mean trash) line: "I’m not convinced he’s the long-term answer, either, not by a long shot" "... not by a long shot..." ?! not by a long shot ?? how do you get to that last bit , Sully... I'm not convinced either, but he's a lot closer than a "long shot" . Look at the numbers, look at how the locker room responds. it's the "long shot" sniping that needs to go away. Taylor established himself as the the starter going into next season. No question about it. But QB descriptions are sort of in the eye of the beholder "elite" "franchise" "long term answer" mean different things to different people. To me the QB position is pretty binary. Your QB either is good enough that you expect the team to compete for the championship with a very good supporting cast around him. Joe Flacco and Eli Manning and Russell Wilson and Cam Newton fit this category. Brady, Manning Rodgers, Brees, Rothlisberger transcend this category. Flacco, Eli and Wilson have all demonstrated an ability to raise their game against playoff opponents. This year the Bills were 1-5 against teams that actually made the playoffs. The talent of the roster around Taylor this season was pretty solid. It could be better, could be worse next year. But with this level of talent their is no evidence at all to support they idea that Taylor can lead this type of team to wins in the playoffs and compete for the championship. It is also quite unlikely that the "Dilfer Dream" of having a "good enough" QB with a perfect team around them is a formula to win a championship. I mentioned 9 QBs above. That is more than 25% of the league. Lets face it, even with parity, no more than 25% of the league is really in play to win the championship in any given year. It doesn't include names like Matt Ryan, Matt Stafford, Derek Carr, Philip Rivers, Alex Smith and Andy Dalton. As talented as that last group of names appears to be, it is not clear to me that their teams shouldn't always be looking to improve the QB position, if they are interested in winning championships. I am not saying it is easy to find QB talent better than those guys (or Tyrod Taylor). But just because it is hard to find better doesn't necessarily mean you have your "long term answer" So if Sully's "not by a long shot" means that he isn't convinced Taylor can lead the team to a championship, I think the 1-5 record vs playoff teams supports Sully's theory. If the definition of "long term answer" is "better than the Bills have had during the last 15 years and maybe good enough to squeek into the playoffs as a wild card", then there is evidence Taylor is the long term answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homey D. Clown Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 the last words from his article today. the two changes are we cut Mario and have perhaps a tougher schedule next year. and he says things could get worse next year. I know this negativity thing is his tagline and his everlasting M.O. sure, the world could end next year too. but we found an effective QB, and owner spending on offensive talent across the board, a front office who can source talent and an offensive scheme that works, and this guy has to throw cold water on everything. glad I live in DC and don't have to read this stuff all year.... You can tell by the story headline which ones are his articles now... he is easy to sniff out and ignore. I haven't read his stuff in years once I learned the technique of ignoring low grade tabloid trash like him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 I think there is measurable upside to this group this time, though, especially on offense. offense is what wins championships now, and we have a real one brewing here for the first time in 15 years. If Rex had just gone with TT from June onward we'd be in the playoffs now... this retooling offense/team just ran out of games this year, IMO The latest Darth Sully tag (i mean trash) line: "Im not convinced hes the long-term answer, either, not by a long shot" "... not by a long shot..." ?! not by a long shot ?? how do you get to that last bit , Sully... I'm not convinced either, but he's a lot closer than a "long shot" . Look at the numbers, look at how the locker room responds. it's the "long shot" sniping that needs to go away. Yes, draft a QB, no question, maybe #2 or #3, if that makes everyone happy, I'd rather see Taylor go to baseball camp and learn how to slide into second base for about a week and a half..... He bets on readers with short memories. Today he's not convinced about Taylor. Tomorrow's he's calling the Bills cheap for not giving their franchise QB a proper contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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