The Plunge Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 By now we've all read the article by Rod Watson. I tried to let it go, but I couldn't. This is the letter I sent to the editors of the paper, and also those in charge of sales and marketing. They should all know that choosing to publish stuff like this will hurt their ability to land readers, particularly now that it is subscription bases. I'm not recommending a mutiny, or anything like that. But I did want to send a message to the powers that be at The Buffalo News that their choices can have an impact. Here is what I sent them... Good Afternoon, After reading the article you published yesterday by Rod Watson, I thought I would take a minute to provide you with some feedback. I’m a business owner, and if I have a client who is upset, I like to know so I can do something about it. I am extending that courtesy to you. First off, I understand that the business you are in is tricky. It’s hard to please everyone. And with the changes to the way news is delivered today, I’m completely supportive of the change to a subscription-based system. You currently employ two of my favourite writers in Vic Carucci and Tim Graham. I was all set to sign up for a monthly subscription, mostly because I wanted to continue reading their outstanding work. After reading the article by Rod Watson yesterday, I’ve decided not to subscribe to your publication. I just can’t. Either that article was written with the intention of causing a stir and generating a number of hits on the website, or it was actually written with sincerity. Either way, I can’t support any paper who chooses to print something like that. If you are doing it for web hits, I view that as bush league journalism. TMZ has more discretion. But I actually don’t think that’s why it was done. I think it was done because that’s genuinely the way Mr. Watson feels. And that’s actually worse, in my opinion. Everyone working at your newspaper understands what the Bills mean to Buffalo. While I don’t live in Buffalo, I understand what it means to the city. All you have to do is watch the video of Bills fans crying tears of joy when the Bengals scored that TD to understand what this means to people. To ridicule that raw emotion, or to try to take that away from people, is just sad. There is no other word for it. I don’t care if Mr. Watson is a football fan or not. It’s not the point. He doesn’t need to understand WHY people are that excited. But he should be prepared to accept the fact that they are without feeling the need to try to ruin it for people. One of the mom’s on my son’s hockey team loves to play Pokemon on her iPhone. I don’t understand it. I don’t get it. But she loves it. And I see the joy on her face when she finds something she’s been looking for. I would never, ever think of ridiculing her for this. It doesn’t matter that I don’t “get it". It’s not my place to try to ruin it for her. This cynical, negative tactic serves no purpose. And in a time when our world is such a terrifying, negative place, why would we worry what makes people happy? Does it matter if the happiness comes from things that don’t really matter in the real world? Like football? Or Pokemon? Or anything else like that? It breaks my heart to write this. It really does. The work Tim Graham did on the Darryl and Janine Talley story is one of the most impactful articles I’ve ever read about any sport. It forever changed the way I view the game of football and the athletes who play it. It actually convinced me that my kids will never, ever play tackle football. It also showed how powerful Bills fans can be when they unite for a cause. As you know, they raised an incredible amount of money for the Talley’s in a very short period of time. We also saw that power this week with the money raised for the charities of Andy Dalton and Tyler Boyd - over $275k the last time I looked. And most of that money was raised in $17 increments. If that doesn’t show you the incredible power of the Bills fan base, I’m not sure what will. But this speaks again to the incredible lack of awareness by Mr. Watson and also, the editor who allowed it to go to print. If you published that article when your subscription was still free, there’s little to no consequence. Your readers can still get the great material from people like Tim and Vic. But now, you’ve switched to a subscription bases system. Bills fans have already proven, twice now, how much money they can raise in small increments. And you want to put an article like that out NOW? That same fan base that can raise hundreds of thousands of dollars, $17 at a time, will have no problem NOT spending $3 a month on a paper who publishes things like that. I’m not asking for a solution for this. I’m not asking for anyone to be fired. I just wanted you to know that you won’t be getting my subscription, and from the reactions on Twitter and the message boards, I suspect I’m not alone. Please keep this in mind the next time Mr. Watson feels the need to take cheap shots at the great people of Buffalo, and the happiness the Bills are finally bringing to them. Thank you and have a good day. Go Bills. 9 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Linen Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Very nicely written and I like how you refrained from emotional outburst. It's, IMO, the best way to be heard. As a portion of your write up suggest - I honestly do not think they care. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Your response, perfect. Watson’s “thoughts,” pathetic. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaCrispy Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Very nice...please let us know if they respond 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kwai San Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 As a long time Bills fan you ALMOST lost me when you said your fav writer was Timmah.......I kept reading.....I was impressed. The Tally article was indeed one of their best articles I have ever seen written in the BN. I however have NEVER paid to see the articles written - i would be most interested in seeing what Watson did write. Good response - sadly it was proally read by some junior staffer and ended up in the trash bin - literally and figuratively as I do not thing the BN can handle criticism or the truth. I would be most interested to see if BN follows up with you with anything more than a form letter. Good job and of course - GO BILLS!!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinceThe70s Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Well done, the overall tone was perfect IMO, thanks for sharing. Great point regarding whether it was click-bait or the writers real opinion. As you noted, it doesn't really matter, the editor chose to run the story. P.S. - I play Pokemon...but I don't get too excited....usually 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ol Dirty B Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Even Jerry and Bucky don't really bother me. They just talk and talk and try to gain clicks, but this went a bit too far. For a publication that will come here and beg for us to pay for their Bills coverage to publish this blatant attention seeking article should be the final straw. Links to that junk or mentions of it should be scrubbed from the site. I know I won't ever click on a link or buy another publication of theirs. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stony Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 1 hour ago, The Plunge said: By now we've all read the article by Rod Watson. I tried to let it go, but I couldn't. This is the letter I sent to the editors of the paper, and also those in charge of sales and marketing. They should all know that choosing to publish stuff like this will hurt their ability to land readers, particularly now that it is subscription bases. I'm not recommending a mutiny, or anything like that. But I did want to send a message to the powers that be at The Buffalo News that their choices can have an impact. Here is what I sent them... Good Afternoon, After reading the article you published yesterday by Rod Watson, I thought I would take a minute to provide you with some feedback. I’m a business owner, and if I have a client who is upset, I like to know so I can do something about it. I am extending that courtesy to you. First off, I understand that the business you are in is tricky. It’s hard to please everyone. And with the changes to the way news is delivered today, I’m completely supportive of the change to a subscription-based system. You currently employ two of my favourite writers in Vic Carucci and Tim Graham. I was all set to sign up for a monthly subscription, mostly because I wanted to continue reading their outstanding work. After reading the article by Rod Watson yesterday, I’ve decided not to subscribe to your publication. I just can’t. Either that article was written with the intention of causing a stir and generating a number of hits on the website, or it was actually written with sincerity. Either way, I can’t support any paper who chooses to print something like that. If you are doing it for web hits, I view that as bush league journalism. TMZ has more discretion. But I actually don’t think that’s why it was done. I think it was done because that’s genuinely the way Mr. Watson feels. And that’s actually worse, in my opinion. Everyone working at your newspaper understands what the Bills mean to Buffalo. While I don’t live in Buffalo, I understand what it means to the city. All you have to do is watch the video of Bills fans crying tears of joy when the Bengals scored that TD to understand what this means to people. To ridicule that raw emotion, or to try to take that away from people, is just sad. There is no other word for it. I don’t care if Mr. Watson is a football fan or not. It’s not the point. He doesn’t need to understand WHY people are that excited. But he should be prepared to accept the fact that they are without feeling the need to try to ruin it for people. One of the mom’s on my son’s hockey team loves to play Pokemon on her iPhone. I don’t understand it. I don’t get it. But she loves it. And I see the joy on her face when she finds something she’s been looking for. I would never, ever think of ridiculing her for this. It doesn’t matter that I don’t “get it". It’s not my place to try to ruin it for her. This cynical, negative tactic serves no purpose. And in a time when our world is such a terrifying, negative place, why would we worry what makes people happy? Does it matter if the happiness comes from things that don’t really matter in the real world? Like football? Or Pokemon? Or anything else like that? It breaks my heart to write this. It really does. The work Tim Graham did on the Darryl and Janine Talley story is one of the most impactful articles I’ve ever read about any sport. It forever changed the way I view the game of football and the athletes who play it. It actually convinced me that my kids will never, ever play tackle football. It also showed how powerful Bills fans can be when they unite for a cause. As you know, they raised an incredible amount of money for the Talley’s in a very short period of time. We also saw that power this week with the money raised for the charities of Andy Dalton and Tyler Boyd - over $275k the last time I looked. And most of that money was raised in $17 increments. If that doesn’t show you the incredible power of the Bills fan base, I’m not sure what will. But this speaks again to the incredible lack of awareness by Mr. Watson and also, the editor who allowed it to go to print. If you published that article when your subscription was still free, there’s little to no consequence. Your readers can still get the great material from people like Tim and Vic. But now, you’ve switched to a subscription bases system. Bills fans have already proven, twice now, how much money they can raise in small increments. And you want to put an article like that out NOW? That same fan base that can raise hundreds of thousands of dollars, $17 at a time, will have no problem NOT spending $3 a month on a paper who publishes things like that. I’m not asking for a solution for this. I’m not asking for anyone to be fired. I just wanted you to know that you won’t be getting my subscription, and from the reactions on Twitter and the message boards, I suspect I’m not alone. Please keep this in mind the next time Mr. Watson feels the need to take cheap shots at the great people of Buffalo, and the happiness the Bills are finally bringing to them. Thank you and have a good day. Go Bills. So you point out that you enjoy Vic and TG. Both of whom write numerous articles/columns weekly that you presumably enjoy. But you're not going to pay $2.99/mo because you didn't like one article. You're a moron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsxfirefighter Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Very well written. I agree with a lot of your points. I understand freedom of the press, but somethings just should be censored.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloSol Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Amazing, I'm glad you did this, it's what a strong man would do not a weak punk. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Their inevitable reaction: "Hey, look! We can show advertisers that people really do read our paper! Rod, write a response to this..." It's not about sending a message, it's about the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndirish1978 Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Is it just me or does Rod Watson sound like a made up person 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Sounds like an extra in Days of Thunder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldmanfan Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Ralph did an amazing amount for the community. I imagine the Pegulas do as well. Players have charitable causes. For this writer to suggest that the football team and its successes is somehow divorced from other community concerns boggles the mind. Such an article hurts rather than helps his cause. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roundybout Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 35 minutes ago, stony said: So you point out that you enjoy Vic and TG. Both of whom write numerous articles/columns weekly that you presumably enjoy. But you're not going to pay $2.99/mo because you didn't like one article. You're a moron. I didnt know Watson posts here. If you cant see what's wrong with that article, you arent a Bills fan. Its that simple. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lightning Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 39 minutes ago, stony said: So you point out that you enjoy Vic and TG. Both of whom write numerous articles/columns weekly that you presumably enjoy. But you're not going to pay $2.99/mo because you didn't like one article. You're a moron. Really? You just can't disagree without being crass and rude. Especially in the week we're in, our first playoff game in 18 years. You're a better poster than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cripple Creek Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 1 hour ago, The Plunge said: By now we've all read the article by Rod Watson. I tried to let it go, but I couldn't. This is the letter I sent to the editors of the paper, and also those in charge of sales and marketing. They should all know that choosing to publish stuff like this will hurt their ability to land readers, particularly now that it is subscription bases. I'm not recommending a mutiny, or anything like that. But I did want to send a message to the powers that be at The Buffalo News that their choices can have an impact. Here is what I sent them... I too sent an email, but I'm too embarrassed to post it next to your Pulitizer worthy letter. Well done. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stony Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 2 minutes ago, Green Lightning said: Really? You just can't disagree without being crass and rude. Especially in the week we're in, our first playoff game in 18 years. You're a better poster than that. No, I can't understand not supporting an entire news publication that he admits to enjoying because of one crap article. 12 minutes ago, BillsEnthusiast said: I didnt know Watson posts here. If you cant see what's wrong with that article, you arent a Bills fan. Its that simple. It's a crap article. Agreed. Not a reason to condemn what is largely a solid paper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fadingpain Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 whole lotta stupid in this thread! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lightning Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 9 minutes ago, stony said: No, I can't understand not supporting an entire news publication that he admits to enjoying because of one crap article. I don't disagree, I just don't think it's right to call him a moron because you don't understand his motivation. After all, aren't we all in this together? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stony Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 2 minutes ago, Green Lightning said: I don't disagree, I just don't think it's right to call him a moron because you don't understand his motivation. After all, aren't we all in this together? We are indeed. Perhaps harsh on my part. Just not a fan of penalizing others for the misdeed of one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Plunge Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 11 minutes ago, stony said: No, I can't understand not supporting an entire news publication that he admits to enjoying because of one crap article. It's a crap article. Agreed. Not a reason to condemn what is largely a solid paper. I actually think the majority of the writers there take great pleasure in the misery of Bills fans. Sully right at the top of the list. But I couldn’t “pile on” in my letter to them if I wanted it to be received the right way. The entire point of my letter was to show them that choosing to publish things like that will ultimately hurt their newspaper. I put a lot of thought into the approach and tried to deliver my message in a way would make the people in charge there pause before they choose to publish something like that. The reason I mentioned Tim and Vic is simple. I needed the letter to be balanced. They are both excellent, in my opinion, but they are the only two writers there who I feel are worthy of praise. Thankfully, Vic and Tim are active in other ways, like social media, NFL radio, etc, so if I want their opinions on things I can still get them. Stony, I appreciate the feedback but I’m not sure the name calling is necessary. Pretty sure I didn’t deserve that, but it’s all good. I made a point in my letter to ensure that there were no personal insults anywhere in the letter. It’s sort of a shame that you couldn’t do the same, even though none of it was directed at you, but so be it. As a business owner myself, sometimes I need to hear critical feedback from clients in order to improve. I made that quite clear in the first paragraph that this was my intention with the letter. Go Bills! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandemonium Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 You could've had the courage to admit that the Pokémon playing "Mom on your son's hockey team" is your wife, but otherwise spot on. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobH063 Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Very well written letter. Most times, things that are said with a rational tone are the things most understood. Something society should practice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 tcolville@buffnews.com, sbuffum@buffnews.com, ccolello@buffnews.com, mmorris@buffnews.com, abooker@buffnews.com, jfrench@buffnews.com, editor@buffnews.com, rwatson@buffnews.com, bconnolly@buffnews.com, sevans@buffnews.com, mkenny@buffnews.com, jneville@buffnews.com, vchiarmonte@buffnews.com, citydesk@buffnews.com, plakamp@buffnews.com, mmcandrew@buffnews.com, cvogel@buffnews.com, pehret@buffnews.com, dsherman@buffnews.com, cschlau@buffnews.com, mbecker@buffnews.com, danderson@buffnews.com, abesecker@buffnews.com, hdavis@buffnews.com, pfairbanks@buffnews.com, nfischer@buffnews.com, lheinle@buffnews.com, dherbeck@buffnews.com, dkirchberger@buffnews.com, jkwiatkoskiw@buffnews.com, tlankes@buffnews.com, rmccarthy@buffnews.com, lmichel@buffnews.com, mmiller@buffnews.com, bobrien@buffnews.com, mpasciak@buffnews.com, tpigantaro@buffnews.com, jpopiolowski@buffnews.com, tprophaska@buffnews.com, jrey@buffnews.com, krobinson@buffnews.com, sschulman@buffnews.com, msommer@buffnews.com, mspina@buffnews.com, stan@buffnews.com, jtokasz@buffnews.com, swatson@buffnews.com, dswilliams@buffnews.com, jzremski@buffnews.com, djgee@buffnews.com, drobinson@buffnews.com, jepstein@buffnews.com, mglynn@buffnews.com, schristmann@buffnews.com, bandriatch@buffnews.com, jsimon@buffnews.com, truberto@buffnews.com, sscanlon@buffnews.com, bsullivan@buffnews.com, btsujimoto@buffnews.com, cdakowski@buffnews.com, agalarneau@buffnews.com, mkunz@buffnews.com, smartin@buffnews.com, jmiers@buffnews.com, aneville@buffnews.com, toshei@buffnews.com, apergament@buffnews.com, jarbarnett@buffnews.com, sports@buffnews.com, bdisceare@buffnews.com, kmschea@buffnews.com, vcarucci@buffnews.com, gconnors@buffnews.com, mgaughan@buffnews.com, bgleason@buffnews.com, tgraham@buffnews.com, mharrington@buffnews.com, amoritz@buffnews.com, mnorthrop@buffnews.com, mrodriguez@buffnews.com, jskurksi@buffnews.com, jsullivan@buffnews.com, jvogl@buffnews.com, gnason@buffnews.com, smeehan@buffnews.com, qlui@buffnews.com, dzakroczemski@buffnews.com, azyglis@buffnews.com, ccurtis@buffnews.com, dgee@buffnews.com, scantillion@buffnews.com, jhickey@buffnews.com, rkirkham@buffnews.com, jmccoy@buffnews.com, mmulville@buffnews.com, hscull@buffnews.com I wasn't sure which one to email my complaint to, so i sent it to all of them. @JoshBarnett, maybe he can help or chime in and let us know who to send it to... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonabb Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 1 hour ago, stony said: We are indeed. Perhaps harsh on my part. Just not a fan of penalizing others for the misdeed of one. Well the issue is when the paper prints something that personally offends, condescends, and borders on calling fans mentally ill, you walk away. Why pay money to something that offended you? Those who are psychologically abused shouldn't embrace their abusers. And no, it's not a good paper, it's garbage. If you think it's good, you haven't read real journalism as practice in actual real media markets. Were devoid of good reporters in this city. I haven't for it in a long time and won't pay a nickel to ever read it. Read the Watson article because of its incendiary motive. But I stopped reading that rag long ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BADOLBILZ Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 2 hours ago, ndirish1978 said: Is it just me or does Rod Watson sound like a made up person Sounds like a punt catcher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 3 hours ago, stony said: So you point out that you enjoy Vic and TG. Both of whom write numerous articles/columns weekly that you presumably enjoy. But you're not going to pay $2.99/mo because you didn't like one article. You're a moron. And you’re brilliant for quoting the entire post before presenting your insult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 4 hours ago, The Plunge said: By now we've all read the article by Rod Watson. I tried to let it go, but I couldn't. This is the letter I sent to the editors of the paper, and also those in charge of sales and marketing. They should all know that choosing to publish stuff like this will hurt their ability to land readers, particularly now that it is subscription bases. I'm not recommending a mutiny, or anything like that. But I did want to send a message to the powers that be at The Buffalo News that their choices can have an impact. Here is what I sent them... Good Afternoon, After reading the article you published yesterday by Rod Watson, I thought I would take a minute to provide you with some feedback. I’m a business owner, and if I have a client who is upset, I like to know so I can do something about it. I am extending that courtesy to you. First off, I understand that the business you are in is tricky. It’s hard to please everyone. And with the changes to the way news is delivered today, I’m completely supportive of the change to a subscription-based system. You currently employ two of my favourite writers in Vic Carucci and Tim Graham. I was all set to sign up for a monthly subscription, mostly because I wanted to continue reading their outstanding work. After reading the article by Rod Watson yesterday, I’ve decided not to subscribe to your publication. I just can’t. Either that article was written with the intention of causing a stir and generating a number of hits on the website, or it was actually written with sincerity. Either way, I can’t support any paper who chooses to print something like that. If you are doing it for web hits, I view that as bush league journalism. TMZ has more discretion. But I actually don’t think that’s why it was done. I think it was done because that’s genuinely the way Mr. Watson feels. And that’s actually worse, in my opinion. Everyone working at your newspaper understands what the Bills mean to Buffalo. While I don’t live in Buffalo, I understand what it means to the city. All you have to do is watch the video of Bills fans crying tears of joy when the Bengals scored that TD to understand what this means to people. To ridicule that raw emotion, or to try to take that away from people, is just sad. There is no other word for it. I don’t care if Mr. Watson is a football fan or not. It’s not the point. He doesn’t need to understand WHY people are that excited. But he should be prepared to accept the fact that they are without feeling the need to try to ruin it for people. One of the mom’s on my son’s hockey team loves to play Pokemon on her iPhone. I don’t understand it. I don’t get it. But she loves it. And I see the joy on her face when she finds something she’s been looking for. I would never, ever think of ridiculing her for this. It doesn’t matter that I don’t “get it". It’s not my place to try to ruin it for her. This cynical, negative tactic serves no purpose. And in a time when our world is such a terrifying, negative place, why would we worry what makes people happy? Does it matter if the happiness comes from things that don’t really matter in the real world? Like football? Or Pokemon? Or anything else like that? It breaks my heart to write this. It really does. The work Tim Graham did on the Darryl and Janine Talley story is one of the most impactful articles I’ve ever read about any sport. It forever changed the way I view the game of football and the athletes who play it. It actually convinced me that my kids will never, ever play tackle football. It also showed how powerful Bills fans can be when they unite for a cause. As you know, they raised an incredible amount of money for the Talley’s in a very short period of time. We also saw that power this week with the money raised for the charities of Andy Dalton and Tyler Boyd - over $275k the last time I looked. And most of that money was raised in $17 increments. If that doesn’t show you the incredible power of the Bills fan base, I’m not sure what will. But this speaks again to the incredible lack of awareness by Mr. Watson and also, the editor who allowed it to go to print. If you published that article when your subscription was still free, there’s little to no consequence. Your readers can still get the great material from people like Tim and Vic. But now, you’ve switched to a subscription bases system. Bills fans have already proven, twice now, how much money they can raise in small increments. And you want to put an article like that out NOW? That same fan base that can raise hundreds of thousands of dollars, $17 at a time, will have no problem NOT spending $3 a month on a paper who publishes things like that. I’m not asking for a solution for this. I’m not asking for anyone to be fired. I just wanted you to know that you won’t be getting my subscription, and from the reactions on Twitter and the message boards, I suspect I’m not alone. Please keep this in mind the next time Mr. Watson feels the need to take cheap shots at the great people of Buffalo, and the happiness the Bills are finally bringing to them. Thank you and have a good day. Go Bills. Post more.....your well thought out responses are needed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Plunge Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 Just now, John from Hemet said: Post more.....your well thought out responses are needed I really appreciate that John. I will! Go Bills Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshBarnett Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Sorry I did not see myself tagged earlier in this thread. ... Someone referenced earlier in the thread that the email would be read by a junior level assistant and discarded. Let me assure you that is not the case. I've read, our managing editor has read it, our editor has read it, among others in the newsroom. We all appreciate the tone and your points and the way you made them. Just for clarity, let me say that I am not speaking on behalf of the management of the Buffalo News or Rod or anyone else. I'm just a guy who has been doing this a while in other places and someone who has great respect for my colleagues in this newsroom over the last few months. While some of you think I am just a shill for the News based on some of my other posts, I have tried to be as available to the readership and the fan base as I possibly can. We might disagree but I always listen. So here I am on this issue. (I will await being pilloried.) Rod is the metro columnist in the same manner as Sean Kirst, who has been effusive in his praise for Bills fans and has another column coming later today sharing many great stories of excited Bills fans. I am sure Rod had conversations with his editor about this column and what he wanted to say and the way he wanted to say it in the same way that I have conversations with Bucky and Sully. It's part of the editor-writer dynamic. Perhaps we should have made the distinction clear that Rod is not a sports columnist -- don't know that would have mattered. Perhaps we should have not put it on the sports or Blitz pages online. It ran in the metro section in print. But one thing we have to believe in is the diversity of voices. One person is less enthused than everybody else seems to be, and that's OK. I don't agree with him, but what type of organization would be if we refused to publish a meager 18 inches -- representing less than one-half of one percent of what we have done on the Bills -- because it is contrarian. Regardless of your opinion on the subscription service around Bills content, you can't deny that massive amount of coverage we have done since Sunday's win, including today's eight-page special section, special packages coming Saturday and Sunday and nearly 3,000 column inches between Sunday and Thursday. That does not include a ton of additional pieces that were online only. Today's special section is more celebratory in nature. Among the contents are two full pages of quotes from Bills fans, celebrities on what the end of the drought means to them. Sully spoke with a ton of former players on what it means to them. Here is the cover. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jauronimo Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 14 hours ago, Green Lightning said: Really? You just can't disagree without being crass and rude. Especially in the week we're in, our first playoff game in 18 years. You're a better poster than that. You don't know that! Stop pretending you do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 i hadn't read that article until just now, and i am kind of ashamed to admit, i am level 27 on pokemon go(an i am 54 years old) GO BILLS!!!!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyDays Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 I didn't click on this thread yesterday, I assumed it would just be a rant. Glad I clicked on it today. This is very well written and you make great points. I hope the Buffalo News editors take the message to heart but I wouldn't hold my breath. In the meantime Cover1 offers a subscription for $1 a month, and they produce interesting original content. If you're looking for something to spend your Bills money on that's a good choice. 10 minutes ago, The Poojer said: i hadn't read that article until just now, and i am kind of ashamed to admit, i am level 27 on pokemon go(an i am 54 years old) GO BILLS!!!!!! Pokemon Go fever swept through my office last summer. It was pretty funny, a bunch of grown men and women holding meetings outside just so we could catch a rare Pokemon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddaryl Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 (edited) 16 hours ago, stony said: So you point out that you enjoy Vic and TG. Both of whom write numerous articles/columns weekly that you presumably enjoy. But you're not going to pay $2.99/mo because you didn't like one article. You're a moron. well the moron thing was pretty uncalled for here... I have a feeling Gleason and Sullivan also may have an overall impact but this article was probably the straw that broke the camels back for the OP. it was well written and did you notice no name calling or any kind of action was demanded. Just a solid well writen letter heck I won't support the BN's after years of spiteful articles.. there are ways to tell the story of the Bills struggles I always felt the BN sports pages failed miserably at that with their ovelry negative spin on things. They are obvioulsy making bank on their subscrition services because so many won't bother with articles like the one the OP mentions and the previous decade ++ of just being rediculously negative at any possible junction. yes I understand we had a rough run, but I choose not to drown in it, and didn't want it beat into me constantly. Its a passtime and one where not kicking some in the nuts over and over again would of bene aprreciated some. to each their own, but I got my reasons for not supporting them as does the OP. Edited January 5, 2018 by ddaryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeGOATski Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 15 hours ago, rsxfirefighter said: Very well written. I agree with a lot of your points. I understand freedom of the press, but somethings just should be censored.. Jesus !@#$ing Christ. An opinion piece from someone who doesn't like football needs to be censored? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddaryl Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 18 minutes ago, HappyDays said: Pokemon Go fever swept through my office last summer. It was pretty funny, a bunch of grown men and women holding meetings outside just so we could catch a rare Pokemon. My wife and I had some fun with it for a few months. We'd pack lunches and walk around different towns and areas. heck I put in 281km in about 4 months before I gave up.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlimShady'sSpaceForce Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 If you don't like what they post don't read it!!!!!! it's not that difficult. bitching here won't change anything jmo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeGOATski Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Kudos to Josh for responding here. I'm sure you won't cave to readers like this. Diversify and intensify your paper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddaryl Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 9 minutes ago, LeGOATski said: Jesus !@#$ing Christ. An opinion piece from someone who doesn't like football needs to be censored? yeah that is a bit over the top.. The article makes valid points but it came across as demeaning, and the timing was just bad. nobody is solving the worlds probelms.. and what it would take to do so would probably create much more suffering and negativity than Buffaloninas celebrating playoffs in the face of world/political realities IMO 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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