Tolstoy Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Sullivan has done nothing in his lifetime but write commentary on what others do, and more often than not, provide commentary that is criticism. My question is: what the hell does he know about anything? He is not a good writer, and he has no expertise about anything, much less football. Maybe he is a good parent, husband and friend. I hope so, otherwise he is a complete loser as a human being, and should be ashamed of himself. Sullivan criticizing Wilson? Levy? He doesn't hold a candle to these men. Sullivan is a whiny schoolyard nerd criticizing men who aren't afraid to try to accomplish some good in the world. What has Sullivan done that gives him license to criticize? Has Sullivan fought in a war? Set up charitable foundations? Taught our children? Practiced Medicine? Law? Set up a business? Fixed water pipes? Built a house? Tilled a field? What good has he accomplished other than filling our ears with negativity? I think we should flood the Buffalo News with demands to fire Sullivan. Than, maybe, he would be forced to get a real job and serve others in some positive capacity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingant Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 ..... What good has he accomplished other than filling our ears with negativity? I think we should flood the Buffalo News with demands to fire Sullivan. Than, maybe, he would be forced to get a real job and serve others in some positive capacity. 554962[/snapback] I totaly agree with you. A fresh start would be to get rid of Sullivan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisiskeith12 Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 While it's common sense Marv doesn't have GM experience, but are you telling me he's not going to try to bring better to this club? I think he will improve our drafts, whether it's just his input or his hiring of better scouts. And I think he will act like a professional and bring organization and stability back to this ball club. He's not going to be some control freak who wants to give his friends a lending hand with jobs before they lose the ones they have now. He will get the people who work for him motivated to do a better job and he will get the players motivated to do a better job. Like it or not, he doesn't step or speak as slow as TD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey D Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Given how Sullivan gushed all over the hiring of Donahoe five years ago, we can only hope his views now are as astute as they were then...CD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluv Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 But I hate to say it he is dead on as this is not a major shakeup like promise; it actually is a step back. Do you really think Levy is an upgrade to Donahoe as a GM, a position he has never handled? As a coach he wasn't even the best X and O type of coach. I'm not trying to bash Levy or say he can't get the job done. But Donahoe biggest mistake was with not assembling a good O-line and poor coach choices. Think about it; no matter how much blame you want to throw at TD, was the talent our biggest problem the past few years or the coaching and playcalling? That has been the biggest frustrations with this team has been underachieving. So since TD hired these incompetent coaches mainly because he doesn't like to hire coaches with power then in order to clean ship he must go. But keeping MM and reselling him to me is pure BS for as usual RW didn't want to cut his ties and pay a coach who he fired who was under contract. If TD must go, MM has to go as well. And don't think hiring a name like Levy is fooling me into thinking that drastic changes are being made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hirly5 Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 All Sullivan is doing is his job. He is a sportswriter. Sportswriters tend to write about sports and most of the time they take the bad guy role to sell papers. Some of the points he raises in the article are valid points. What really changed? The same head coach is in place. Modrak is still in place. Levy will be coming in but how much say will he have? How much of the roster did Modrak have a role in this year? Modrak is still the personel guy. Who is going to be the OC? If Mularkey calls the plays again, it is another year of sketchy play calling. It all comes down to how much say does Marv have. If he is a figure head, then nothing has changed. If he has final say, I hope he brings in the talent to help this team succeed. There are alot of question marks still out there. How will the draft room function with four heads (Marv, Mularkey, Ralph, and Modrak) trying to make decisions? Who will have final say? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonabb Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 I've been a pretty big critic of this hack for some time on this board. And it all boils down to this... if you're going to criticize someone for not being the most accomplished person in their field with the vile and whiny disgust that you do it with, then you should be considered among the best in yours! When you work in the 49th largest media market at a sole source paper, you have little to hold your head high about with an attitude like that. It's spoiled grapes. He'd get eaten alive anywhere else where competition among papers actually takes place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonabb Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 If these idiot went to work one day and his direct boss was no longer in charge and a new boss was in his place, that's be a great deal of chnage. Same goes for myself and anyone else who's employed. When a new MANAGER comes in, it is a change. So all Sullivan and other people are crying about is that the change wasn't to his liking. Welcome to the real world. All Sullivan is doing is his job. He is a sportswriter. Sportswriters tend to write about sports and most of the time they take the bad guy role to sell papers. Some of the points he raises in the article are valid points. What really changed? The same head coach is in place. Modrak is still in place. Levy will be coming in but how much say will he have? How much of the roster did Modrak have a role in this year? Modrak is still the personel guy. Who is going to be the OC? If Mularkey calls the plays again, it is another year of sketchy play calling. It all comes down to how much say does Marv have. If he is a figure head, then nothing has changed. If he has final say, I hope he brings in the talent to help this team succeed. There are alot of question marks still out there. How will the draft room function with four heads (Marv, Mularkey, Ralph, and Modrak) trying to make decisions? Who will have final say? 555003[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Sullivan's job is to create controversy and stir the pot. He's not a "reporter" -- he's a guy paid to present extreme opinions. When will people realize this and stop taking him so seriously? As for Marv joining the organization -- it's nothing but good news in my book. Marv is a guy Ralph trusts, which is huge. He also brings instant credibility to the front office. As I noted yesterday, he is a master motivator, organizer, administrator, and judge of talent. Marv is also a listener, not a preacher. He will encourage Mularkey and the other coaches to be better, and he will work to provide the tools needed for them to accomplish the goals of the franchise. He isn't going to be relied upon to evaluate all of the player talent -- Modrak will be doing that heavy lifting. If Marv were not joining the franchise, I'd be very concerned about Ralph's "increased involvement" in the day-to-day running of things...but the fact that Marv is Ralph's contemporary and confidante eases those concerns. Sullivan's just doing what he does best -- which I admit, makes him a pretty miserable human being. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FanfromAlbany Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Far be it from me to ride to the defense of Sullivan, as I do believe the guy is a hack. But if your tirade is due to this morning's column, I have to tell you I agree with him more than I disagree. Marv is a real hero for this franchise and an idol to me personally but I have to question the wisdom of hiring an 80 year old who has been out of football nearly 10 year with no front office experience as a the GM of a team that has some real problems. Mr. Wilson said yesterday that this team needed a "fresh start", then undermined that point by leaving the usually suspects in place. Retaining MM and expanding Modrak is not a "fresh start", its just more of the same. MM was calling the play since week 5 last season, so the firing of Tom Clements does little to help with this "fresh start". MM will most likely still be calling that swing pass to Shelton in the red zone next year or will find an OC who will call it. One who "agrees with our offensive philosophy". Right. This really does seem to have "cheap price tag" written all over it. Wilson has shown in the past that he gags on having to swallow remaining contract years. Its been reported by others for several years that Marv is desperate to get back into football and I sure will come cheaper that any of the established GM prospects. You don't have to pay Modrak any more and you get at least another year out of MM. There have been quite a few articles that Sullivan has written over the years that are idiotic from beginning to end, but as hard as it is to hear (or worst, say), this one isn't one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluv Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 If these idiot went to work one day and his direct boss was no longer in charge and a new boss was in his place, that's be a great deal of chnage. Same goes for myself and anyone else who's employed. When a new MANAGER comes in, it is a change. So all Sullivan and other people are crying about is that the change wasn't to his liking. Welcome to the real world. 555010[/snapback] While there was change, it wasn't a drastic makeover like RW promised. Everyone knew TD was going to be canned along with Clemens (even though MM called the shots most of the season); so what? I guess to him bringing back Levy in as GM or similar position is big news and a drastic change. But other than that nothing really changed excpet we will have a new GM and a new offensive coordinator - things we already expected. Drastic is admitting that MM is a poor coach, firing him and swallow his mediocre salary in efforts to but a better person in his position; now that's drastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 While Jerry Sullivan is a complete tool, i partly agree with him. there was NO major shakeup. It was a "put donahoes head on a pike and bring back a legend to placate some fans." Nothing has fundamentally changed with this team. We still have meathead as HC, modrak is still asst GM. Firing a couple of assistants wasnt a "big shakeup" I'm a bit scared for next season actually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hirly5 Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Far be it from me to ride to the defense of Sullivan, as I do believe the guy is a hack. But if your tirade is due to this morning's column, I have to tell you I agree with him more than I disagree. Marv is a real hero for this franchise and an idol to me personally but I have to question the wisdom of hiring an 80 year old who has been out of football nearly 10 year with no front office experience as a the GM of a team that has some real problems. Mr. Wilson said yesterday that this team needed a "fresh start", then undermined that point by leaving the usually suspects in place. Retaining MM and expanding Modrak is not a "fresh start", its just more of the same. MM was calling the play since week 5 last season, so the firing of Tom Clements does little to help with this "fresh start". MM will most likely still be calling that swing pass to Shelton in the red zone next year or will find an OC who will call it. One who "agrees with our offensive philosophy". Right. This really does seem to have "cheap price tag" written all over it. Wilson has shown in the past that he gags on having to swallow remaining contract years. Its been reported by others for several years that Marv is desperate to get back into football and I sure will come cheaper that any of the established GM prospects. You don't have to play Modrak any more and you get at least another year out of MM. There have been quite a few articles that Sullivan has written over the years that are idiotic from beginning to end, but as hard as it is to hear (or worst, say), this one isn't one of them. 555019[/snapback] Great Post Also, I kind of see this as the off season move that will bring excitement to fans. Bring in Marv Levy and it gets people talking and their hopes up. It seems after every dissappointing year they do something in the off season (New GM and HC, Bledsoe, New HC, releasing Bledsoe and playing JP, and now this). Maybe I am just very skeptical about this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RVJ Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 That article is right on. There were no changes just people shuffled around. Ralph has made the Bills a joke. I hope he proves me wrong. I'll come back and post my apology then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 I don't know him or his work from nothing, but that is his job, to illicit a response or make you think. Just because he hasn't "...fought in a war? Set up charitable foundations? Taught our children?..." doesn't mean he cannot do what his employers pay him to do. Obviously he is good at what he does because he gets a rise out of so many. Sullivan has done nothing in his lifetime but write commentary on what others do, and more often than not, provide commentary that is criticism. My question is: what the hell does he know about anything? He is not a good writer, and he has no expertise about anything, much less football. Maybe he is a good parent, husband and friend. I hope so, otherwise he is a complete loser as a human being, and should be ashamed of himself. Sullivan criticizing Wilson? Levy? He doesn't hold a candle to these men. Sullivan is a whiny schoolyard nerd criticizing men who aren't afraid to try to accomplish some good in the world. What has Sullivan done that gives him license to criticize? Has Sullivan fought in a war? Set up charitable foundations? Taught our children? Practiced Medicine? Law? Set up a business? Fixed water pipes? Built a house? Tilled a field? What good has he accomplished other than filling our ears with negativity? I think we should flood the Buffalo News with demands to fire Sullivan. Than, maybe, he would be forced to get a real job and serve others in some positive capacity. 554962[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 All Sullivan is doing is his job. He is a sportswriter. Sportswriters tend to write about sports and most of the time they take the bad guy role to sell papers. Some of the points he raises in the article are valid points. What really changed? The same head coach is in place. Modrak is still in place. Levy will be coming in but how much say will he have? How much of the roster did Modrak have a role in this year? Modrak is still the personel guy. Who is going to be the OC? If Mularkey calls the plays again, it is another year of sketchy play calling. It all comes down to how much say does Marv have. If he is a figure head, then nothing has changed. If he has final say, I hope he brings in the talent to help this team succeed. There are alot of question marks still out there. How will the draft room function with four heads (Marv, Mularkey, Ralph, and Modrak) trying to make decisions? Who will have final say? 555003[/snapback] Is Mularkey in a different environment really the same coach? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tolstoy Posted January 5, 2006 Author Share Posted January 5, 2006 I happen to think that installing Marv as GM is significant on a number of levels. Sometimes, small changes are big. First, the man will infuse the entire organization with his dedication, intelligence, enthusiasm, humor, and decency. How can you possibly underestimate this? Second, so far as "football smarts" are concerned, Wilson hired the "brilliant" GM five years ago, and look where it got us. Maybe hiring a guy who has years of coaching experience, and a good measure of success, is not a bad idea. I would trust Marv's judgment on what this football team needs, because he has coached pro teams for years. Third, what a wonderful statement to all the elderly people out there. Hiring an 81-year old tells society that old age need not mean that a person is worthless, but could in fact mean that the person has experience and wisdom that we value. If Butler and Donahoe failed, what new wonder-GM are you going to bring in now? Why not give a guy like Marv a chance for a few years? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Somebody, anybody, please help me reconcile the following paragraphs in the same story. Wilson needed a fresh set of outside eyes, a current personnel man who could tell him where his franchise had failed. He did it with Donahoe and got burned, but that doesn't justify handing the job to someone who has been out of the league for eight years. I don't buy the notion that Levy is significantly wired-in to today's league. But as Bills GM, he'll be doing just that - looking over the shoulders of Mularkey and Modrak. Modrak remains the key personnel guy, in charge of scouting and the draft. He's respected around the league. But then, so was Donahoe. Levy isn't coming here to serve as some organizational hood ornament. Modrak's fingerprints are all over this roster. Levy will be his boss, and he'll want a say in personnel. Levy has said for years that he wants to coach again. He's a coach. It's who he is. But Wilson denied that his new GM would be a threat to the head coach. Fine. But if we're supposed to take Levy seriously as a GM, we have to take him seriously as Mularkey's boss. Levy might not take Mularkey's job, but he can take it away. Levy will have power. I'm sorry, that doesn't strike me as progress. So, is Jerry saying that Levy won't have the temerity to judge Modrak & Mularkey, or is he saying that Levy will have the power to rule over Modrak & Mularkey? Tell me again, why Sully isn't a hack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obie_wan Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 While Jerry Sullivan is a complete tool, i partly agree with him. there was NO major shakeup. It was a "put donahoes head on a pike and bring back a legend to placate some fans." Nothing has fundamentally changed with this team. We still have meathead as HC, modrak is still asst GM. Firing a couple of assistants wasnt a "big shakeup" I'm a bit scared for next season actually. 555027[/snapback] just wait until Mullarkey is fired mid-season and Marv takes over as HC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisiskeith12 Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 just wait until Mullarkey is fired mid-season and Marv takes over as HC 555068[/snapback] Ralph won't let a coach go mid-season... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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