Jerry Sullivan Strikes Back With A VENGEANCE, Slams The BN, The Pegulas, and some of the Buffalo fanbase

[BuffaloRush]

 

 

 

Folks, the first part of this podcast is probably the most compelling interview I've heard for quite a while.  It's from Pat Moran's Moranalytics podcasts and his guest is former Buffalo News columnist Jerry Sullivan.  Say what you will about Sully, but he doesn't crawl up in a ball and pretend to be Mr. Nice Guy.  He also doesn't fabricate a fake phony picture of why he left either or share disingenuous positive words for the BN,   

 

Instead he gives his honest take about a number of subject - in particular his falling out with the Buffalo News.   I'll share some highlights but trust me, this is a surprisingly unfiltered interview from one of the most outspoken members of the Buffalo media.  IMO he comes off a passionate writer who loves sports and feels that fans deserve unbiased, honest sports coverage, even if it means reading views that they might not personally share.  

 

Of course, this is just Sully's opinion I am sure there are two sides to this story.  I would be interested to hear from @JoshBarnett as Jerry mentions him by name a few times.    I can paraphrase what he said.  It's from my memory earlier today so you will want to listen for yourself.  

 

On being "negative"

He said he has a reputation for being negative but reminded listeners the the covered the longest drought in sports history.  The Bills put consistently put out an  inferior product and he was holding them accountable for the fans.  He also said the role of a columnist, is to sometimes be an extremist in their views and amplify their thoughts to to generate conversation.  He'd later go on to saying that Jeremy White and Mike Schopp do this brilliant on radio.  While he says he always held the Bills accountable, there were many very positive articles during the 90's Super Bowl run.

 

Why Jerry left the Buffalo News:

Jerry says he accepted a buyout from the BN.  He was not fired and he did not retire.  He then shares exactly what happened, from his perspective anyway.   He said that he was told by management that they were taking away his column and to be a feature writer.  He said years ago the ideal job for any writer was a columnist position.  He held this job for years at the BN and taking it was an insult.  The same happened to Bucky Gleason who was asked to cover the Sabres beat.  Jerry considered staying, but once Bucky decided to leave he knew he had to leave to.  He felt too disrespected to work for a company that did that to him.   To him, taking away his column was essentially a giant slap in the face.  

 

The downfall of the BN and The Buffalo Blitz

Basically he says the BN has gone downhill fast and its disappointing.  They now feature front page articles from journalists right out of college, as opposed to featuring exceptional and experienced writers.   He also says that the role of a "columnist" is diminished in the modern print landscape. 

 

- He claims that editor Mike Connolly hired Josh Barnett to be the Executive Sports Editor over former Sports Editor Keith McShea who Sully feels was the better choice.   According to Sully, people were not on board with the Barnett hire and the Sports room became a less than desirable place.  He said that many people in sports were unhappy for a variety of reasons.

 

- Rather than trying to promote hard-hitting, in-depth, analysis of the Bills and Sabres, he feels that management wanted a watered-down, safe, sanitized product which he feels insults the intelligence sports fans.

 

- He cites The Buffalo Blitz  - which he refers to as a "fan site, "as one of the biggest flops that crippled the sports department and the paper.  Sully claims that Connolly promised advertisers that it would reach 100,000 readers.  The actual number was closer to around 3,000.  Sully believes that management did not want him or Bucky writing columns that were critical or controversial.  He claimed that they sent out a survey to a fans asking why didn't subscribe.  A small number said they didn't subscribe because of Sully and Bucky, so now they had the data to support their personal beliefs and essentially he was a scapegoat.  Sully feels that these moves  cater to the "lowest common denominator of fans."

 

He also talks about:

- The influence of The Pegulas may have made on his column getting taken away

- Tim Graham vs. Mike Harrington

- The Athletic vs. Buffalo News

- His new site Football Maven

- Buffalo news vs. WGR

 

 

- Why he has low expectations for the Bills

 

Listen and let me hear your thoughts!

Edited September 7, 2018 by BuffaloRush

[Rico]

He is right about his positive articles during the SB years. Not too long ago, I was looking at the News the day after 27 with the Felser “Let us count the ways the Bills disgraced the city of Buffalo” lead. Sully’s on pg 3 with not a single bad thing to say.

[That's No Moon]

Not contributing clicks to anything Jerry Sullivan is connected to ever again.  I don't care what he says.  He was bitter when he worked for the BN, he's bitter now and lashing out at anyone and everyone other than himself and his hackery for losing his role at the paper.  I'm shocked.

[BuffaloRush]

Just now, Rico said:

He is right about his positive articles during the SB years. Not too long ago, I was looking at the News the day after 27 with the Felser “Let us count the ways the Bills disgraced the city of Buffalo” lead. Sully’s on pg 3 with not a single bad thing to say.

 

 

I think Sully gets a bad rap from Bills fans.  I think some fans fail to understand the job a columnist.  Also, IMO he was right to criticize the Bills during the drought years.  The moves that Ralph Wilson made running the team were embarrassing.  

[GunnerBill]

Thougts on Jerry are always the same. He is not a good writer. That always bothered me more than his opinions. 

Edited September 7, 2018 by GunnerBill

[baskingridgebillsfan]

he is a bitter old queen.  A hack ect ect ect 

[Watkins90]

35 minutes ago, That's No Moon said:

Not contributing clicks to anything Jerry Sullivan is connected to ever again.  I don't care what he says.  He was bitter when he worked for the BN, he's bitter now and lashing out at anyone and everyone other than himself and his hackery for losing his role at the paper.  I'm shocked.

Lol at taking losing his column as a slap in the face. Bro, you work for someone. When you boss tells you to do something different, you do it. You don't whine like a little school girl, you just do it. 

 

As a journalist at a very small newspaper in northeast Iowa, what I wouldn't give to be the Bills or Sabres beat writer. People just don't understand how good they have it. 

Edited September 7, 2018 by Hapless Bills Fan
Inappropriate language

[aceman_16]

1 minute ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

 

I think Sully gets a bad rap from Bills fans.  I think some fans fail to understand the job a columnist.  Also, IMO he was right to criticize the Bills during the drought years.  The moves that Ralph Wilson made running the team were embarrassing.  

Reading your posts.... it seems to me that you are a relative to Sully(en).

[26CornerBlitz]

Shut up and move on. You have your Sucky and Bully Show. 

[BuffaloRush]

6 minutes ago, That's No Moon said:

Not contributing clicks to anything Jerry Sullivan is connected to ever again.  I don't care what he says.  He was bitter when he worked for the BN, he's bitter now and lashing out at anyone and everyone other than himself and his hackery for losing his role at the paper.  I'm shocked.

 

Seems like somewhat of an immature response and this is why I feel Sully is misunderstood.  To me it's like your saying "he wrote something negative about my favorite team so I don't want to read his work"

3 minutes ago, aceman_16 said:

Reading your posts.... it seems to me that you are a relative to Sully(en).

 

No relative but I am a fan and I am going to write a longer column for a new Bills blog about Sully.  I will post it here too.  Bills fans owe Sully and apology

Edited September 7, 2018 by BuffaloRush

[aceman_16]

2 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

Seems like somewhat of an immature response and this is why I feel Sully is misunderstood.  To me it's like your saying "he wrote something negative about my favorite team so I don't want to read his work"

No.  It is because he is bitter and his schtick was old and dated.

 

PS I resubbed once he left. I out my money where my mouth was.

Edited September 7, 2018 by aceman_16

[That's No Moon]

3 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

 

I think Sully gets a bad rap from Bills fans.  I think some fans fail to understand the job a columnist.  Also, IMO he was right to criticize the Bills during the drought years.  The moves that Ralph Wilson made running the team were embarrassing.  

Put it this way, if I want to hear incessant criticism of the Bills all I need to do is listen to the voices in my own head.  If that's not enough I can come here.  My issue with him wasn't his criticism, it was what he chose to criticize and when he chose to criticize it.  He found it to be his job to piss on everyone's parade during the briefest glimmers of joy and hope during a dark time.  You are allowed to let people briefly enjoy something and not lose your journalistic integrity.  I get what a columnist does, when you write the same basic column for 20 years it gets tired to read.

[BuffaloRush]

2 minutes ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

Shut up and move on. You have your Sucky and Bully Show. 

 

Obviously you didn't hear the interview.  Jerry is passionate about being a writer and his dream job was being a columnist.  He did it well for almost 3 decades and sold a lot of newspapers.  It's understandable how getting this taken away from him was upsetting

2 minutes ago, aceman_16 said:

No.  It is because he is bitter and his schtick was old and dated.

 

PS I resubbed once he left. I out my money where my mouth was.

 

I'm sure the news was very happy to get your $2.99 a month

[26CornerBlitz]

Just now, BuffaloRush said:

 

Obviously you didn't hear the interview.  Jerry is passionate about being a writer and his dream job was being a columnist.  He did it well for almost 3 decades and sold a lot of newspapers.  It's understandable how getting this taken away from him was upsetting

 

Ahhh. 

[aceman_16]

5 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

Obviously you didn't hear the interview.  Jerry is passionate about being a writer and his dream job was being a columnist.  He did it well for almost 3 decades and sold a lot of newspapers.  It's understandable how getting this taken away from him was upsetting

 

I'm sure the news was very happy to get your $2.99 a month

1 who the heck wants to listen to Sully on purpose? 

2 they are happier with it than without it

3 you have proven your familial relationship with him (or some bizarre man crush or just a troll).

Edited September 7, 2018 by aceman_16

[Green Lightning]

oh crap, I don't believe in revisionist history. The guy liked to p*ss in everyones Cheerios daily and that's how he made his living. He wrote the same column over, over, and over again. He was lazy. I don't miss him at all. Good riddance.

[That's No Moon]

8 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

Seems like somewhat of an immature response and this is why I feel Sully is misunderstood.  To me it's like your saying "he wrote something negative about my favorite team so I don't want to read his work"

It's more like I've read enough of work to know what his work is going to say so when I see his name on a column I roll my eyes and turn the page knowing exactly what his take was without even HAVING to read it.

[BuffaloRush]

3 minutes ago, That's No Moon said:

Put it this way, if I want to hear incessant criticism of the Bills all I need to do is listen to the voices in my own head.  If that's not enough I can come here.  My issue with him wasn't his criticism, it was what he chose to criticize and when he chose to criticize it.  He found it to be his job to piss on everyone's parade during the briefest glimmers of joy and hope during a dark time.  You are allowed to let people briefly enjoy something and not lose your journalistic integrity.  I get what a columnist does, when you write the same basic column for 20 years it gets tired to read.

 

How much joy was there really during the drought?  The Bills losing was tiring.  IMO they deserved a lot of bad criticism.   How much praise did the Bills really deserve?  
 

1 minute ago, Green Lightning said:

oh crap, I don't believe in revisionist history. The guy liked to p*ss in everyones Cheerios daily and that's how he made his living. He wrote the same column over, over, and over again. He was lazy. I don't miss him at all. Good riddance.

 

I guess calling out the Bills for the clown show they ran before McDermott came here = "pissing in cherrios"  Talk about sensitive

[Mr. WEO]

13 minutes ago, baskingridgebillsfan said:

he is a bitter old queen.  A hack ect ect ect 

 

lol

[BuffaloRush]

Since when did Bills fans get so sensitive to criticism?  It boggles my mind.  I think must be Stockholm syndrome associated with 17 years of epic failure.  If someone criticizes the team, they are an idiot.  

[That's No Moon]

21 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

How much joy was there really during the drought?  The Bills losing was tiring.  IMO they deserved a lot of bad criticism.   How much praise did the Bills really deserve?  
 

You know, for as long as that was - they were only truly terrible once or twice.  The Bills of the 70's were much worse.  The 1984-85 Bills were MUCH worse than any single team during that era.  They came very close to making the playoffs a couple times, they had very strong starts to seasons a couple times.  

 

I don't need a cheerleader.  I also don't need someone to B word just for the sake of bitching either.

Edited September 7, 2018 by That's No Moon

[Sanners]

I’m shocked the “great “ Jerry Sullivan didn’t get scooped up by a major market paper. The fact he is still in Buffalo speaks volumes to his employability. Douchebag.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

19 minutes ago, Rico said:

He is right about his positive articles during the SB years. Not too long ago, I was looking at the News the day after 27 with the Felser “Let us count the ways the Bills disgraced the city of Buffalo” lead. Sully’s on pg 3 with not a single bad thing to say.

 

I’ve said before that once upon a time, some 28-30 years ago, Sully was a good and creative writer

[aceman_16]

1 minute ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

How much joy was there really during the drought?  The Bills losing was tiring.  IMO they deserved a lot of bad criticism.   How much praise did the Bills really deserve?  
 

Please don't twist realism with cynicism.  Jerry was an old tired misanthropic fool.  The Bills' fan deserves a realistic appraisal of the team just not a curmudgeon who writes for self-approval.

[Green Lightning]

4 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

I guess calling out the Bills for the clown show they ran before McDermott came here = "pissing in cherrios"  Talk about sensitive

Hey I'm happy he's your hero and that you still get to listen to him. The great preponderance of the rest of us say good riddance. He was like your blowhard uncle coming over the dinner and just bloviating everyday. He was unreadable for the most part. Writing a good column every now and then doesn't warrant doing it everyday. I stopped reading him many years ago. I want back and read a few columns earlier this year and sure enough, same old crap. Same old formula. He was lazy. Time to move on, park it on the porch with a glass of lemonade let the kids have the sandbox.

[Bobby Hooks]

I don’t get why he can’t just go away. It’s like the wife/husband that won’t just jog on after the divorce. 

 

Jer, we had our time. We’re just not into anymore. Move on, bud. 

Edited September 7, 2018 by Bobby Hooks

[BuffaloRush]

Just now, Sanners said:

I’m shocked the “great “ Jerry Sullivan didn’t get scooped up by a major market paper. The fact he is still in Buffalo speaks volumes to his employability. Douchebag.

 

LOL well you need to listen to the interview.  He does talk how media outlets are demising the role of a columnist.  Instead of having personalities, sports writers are bland.  Keep in mind, locally there really wasn't anywhere to go.  There's 1 newspaper in town.  The Athletic doesn't want columnists and neither do many other outlets.   At his age, I can understand not wanting to relocate or a take a job where a lot of travel was involved.   

 

He is going to get his own morning show at 1270 AM.  So that is something locally.  

 

In the interview he talks up the Buffalo Maven.  I am a Jerry fan, but it sounded kind of like a bootleg operation

Just now, Bobby Hooks said:

I don’t get why he can’t just go away. It’s like the wife/husband that won’t go away after the divorce. 

 

Jer, we had our time. We’re just not into anymore. Move on, bud. 

Listen to the interview and you'll see.  He is passionate about the Bills and journalism.  He wants to hold teams accountable and demands better

[Bobby Hooks]

1 minute ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

LOL well you need to listen to the interview.  He does talk how media outlets are demising the role of a columnist.  Instead of having personalities, sports writers are bland.  Keep in mind, locally there really wasn't anywhere to go.  There's 1 newspaper in town.  The Athletic doesn't want columnists and neither do many other outlets.   At his age, I can understand not wanting to relocate or a take a job where a lot of travel was involved.   

 

He is going to get his own morning show at 1270 AM.  So that is something locally.  

 

In the interview he talks up the Buffalo Maven.  I am a Jerry fan, but it sounded kind of like a bootleg operation

Listen to the interview and you'll see.  He is passionate about the Bills and journalism.  He wants to hold teams accountable and demands better

Can’t he take his talents to South Beach? 

[brianthomas]

Seems like he takes zero responsibility for why readers turned on him & for why he had his column taken away. Its everyones fault but his.

But when i read sports pages, or any news in particular, I want to read facts & what the story is. And if its someones opinion I want it to be one that not only challenges me & educates me, but one that doesn't come across as a douche.

For the last 5-10 years of Sully's writing, more often than not I asked myself why do I read this guys work.

I wish him the best as I dont wish no ill will on anyone, but I wont miss his column, thats for sure.

[BuffaloRush]

1 hour ago, aceman_16 said:

Please don't twist realism with cynicism.  Jerry was an old tired misanthropic fool.  The Bills' fan deserves a realistic appraisal of the team just not a curmudgeon who writes for self-approval.

 

Exactly, that's why a fan-site like the BN Blitz is a terrible idea - at least according to Jerry.  From his opinion, you have writers that are writing safe, sanitized material for fan-approval.  

Edited September 7, 2018 by BuffaloRush

[Coach Tuesday]

16 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

Obviously you didn't hear the interview.  Jerry is passionate about being a writer and his dream job was being a columnist.  He did it well for almost 3 decades and sold a lot of newspapers.  It's understandable how getting this taken away from him was upsetting

 

I'm sure the news was very happy to get your $2.99 a month

 

Uh if it’s his “dream job” he’d do well not to trash his former employer in a hit piece like this...

[Hapless Bills Fan]

20 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

Seems like somewhat of an immature response and this is why I feel Sully is misunderstood.  To me it's like your saying "he wrote something negative about my favorite team so I don't want to read his work"

 

No relative but I am a fan and I am going to write a longer column for a new Bills blog about Sully.  I will post it here too.  Bills fans owe Sully and apology

 

You know, people are entitled to have an opinion and to dislike the trite and repetitive negative schtick Sully devolved to.  And I say that freely admitting that once upon a time I was an out-of-town print subscriber and enjoyed his work - some 26 years ago.

 

That was then this is now.

 

Nope, Bills fans owe Sully nothin’

3 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

LOL well you need to listen to the interview.  

 

No, really, I don’t.  I’m just in this thread because I have a mandate to try to keep things kinda south of civil where I can.

[BuffaloRush]

Just now, brianthomas said:

Seems like he takes zero responsibility for why readers turned on him & for why he had his column taken away. Its everyones fault but his.

But when i read sports pages, or any news in particular, I want to read facts & what the story is. And if its someones opinion I want it to be one that not only challenges me & educates me, but one that doesn't come across as a douche.

For the last 5-10 years of Sully's writing, more often than not I asked myself why do I read this guys work.

I wish him the best as I dont wish no ill will on anyone, but I wont miss his column, thats for sure.

 

Your comment is exactly what I was saying.  You misunderstand the job of the columnist.  It is to share his opinion and analysis of what happened.  A reporter shares facts and "what the story is."

 

Bills fans have become so sensitive to criticism over the years.  It's beyond baffling

[GunnerBill]

2 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

Listen to the interview and you'll see.  He is passionate about the Bills and journalism.  He wants to hold teams accountable and demands better

 

If he is that passionate at journalism maybe he should be... you know... better at it? 

 

What he is really passionate about is columnists having total editorial control over their columns and the freedom to express their opinions. That is not journalism, it is the equivalent of the radio shock jock. There is a place for it, I don't deny, but it isn't journalism. 

[aceman_16]

1 minute ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

Exactly, that's why a fan-site like the BN Blitz is a terrible idea.  You have writers that are writing bland, sanitized material for fan-approval.  

Well.. I agree.  I don't need a pollyannish approach either.  Both constant pessimism AND optimism gets old.

[BuffaloRush]

Again, I would encourage you actually listen to this interview. Sully address many of the comments left here in the thread.

1 minute ago, aceman_16 said:

Well.. I agree.  I don't need a pollyannish approach either.  Both constant pessimism AND optimism gets old.

 

Fair enough man

[brianthomas]

Just now, BuffaloRush said:

 

Your comment is exactly what I was saying.  You misunderstand the job of the columnist.  It is to share his opinion and analysis of what happened.  A reporter shares facts and "what the story is."

 

Bills fans have become so sensitive to criticism over the years.  It's beyond baffling

I dont misunderstand what a columnist is, i even said "if its someones opinion, I want it to be one that not only challenges me & educates me, but one that doesn't come across as a douche." He came across as one at the end of his work here & he probably hasn't changed. Thats my opinion,  also one that seems to be shared by a lot of people.

[BuffaloRush]

Just now, brianthomas said:

I dont misunderstand what a columnist is, i even said "if its someones opinion, I want it to be one that not only challenges me & educates me, but one that doesn't come across as a douche." He came across as one at the end of his work here & he probably hasn't changed. Thats my opinion,  also one that seems to be shared by a lot of people.

 

To me, it sounds like you are salty toward Jerry because he has been critical of the Bills.  As I said before, it seems like many Bills fans are very sensitive to any criticism.  I believe it had to do with the embarrassing Drought.  It's not just Jerry, any media personality that is critical of the team gets trashed here.  

[Bobby Hooks]

It’s kind of funny that someone known so well for undervaluing the team he was covering is trying oh so hard to overvalue himself. 

 

Im sorry, but the guys act was old and tired. He wasn’t a reporter that looks at a story objectively and says how can I get this to the people. He looked at a story and said how many people can I piss off with this story. It became as boring as losing for 17 years. 

 

Its not creative. It’s a tired Schtick. So much so, I don’t have to listen to it to know exactly what he’ll say. 

 

Jog on, Jer. 

[That's No Moon]

2 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

Since when did Bills fans get so sensitive to criticism?  It boggles my mind.  I think must be Stockholm syndrome associated with 17 years of epic failure.  If someone criticizes the team, they are an idiot.  

You know what it is actually.  It's that he's not good enough at criticizing the team.  Posters on this board consistently do a good job of tearing the team a new sphincter. 

 

I personally think the team this year is crap.  I think they'll win 5 games at most.  I find Sean McDermott to be an overrated happy clapping ass; the NFL equivalent of a Six Sigma consultant who focuses on process, process, process and not enough on the talent of the individuals doing the work.  I find the Pegulas in general to have been incompetent boobs in franchise ownership, but I would rather an incompetent boob than not have teams to watch and they still have SEVERAL years worth of grace period to burn through before that changes.  I find Ralph Wilson to have been one of the worst sports owners of all time.  The team was largely terrible during his ownership and success they had was ultimately ruined by Wilson's tight fist, his own ego, or both.  

 

I don't need someone to blow sunshine up my ass but I don't need someone to piss in my face either.