Ralph Fires Back

[bowery4]

Short and to the point, I like it. I am not saying I have liked this past season but it shows he is still in it, even at 90.

[DanInUticaTampa]

too bad our owner is more worried about answering critics than winning football games...

 

becasue he only answered the critics after he won a game?

[dave mcbride]

The problem with this whole exchange is that Wilson's critics can't really help themselves and stick to the real topic at hand -- the quality of Sullivan as a columnist. He really does suck. If he was any better, he'd have moved on to a bigger beat that allowed him to cover his first love, college basketball. I stupidly listened to his show over the internet last week and he literally said that if the Bills start 8-0 next season, he'll still be calling for Jauron's head every week. That may or may not be a justifiable argument, but as sure as the sun rises you know that if the Bills start 8-0 next season, he's not going to be writing columns calling for Jauron's head. He is so disingenuous that it's a joke. Check out this choice passage from December 2:

 

"That's it. I'm done. Sunday put me over the edge. Dick Jauron must go. I've seen and heard enough. The man is simply not cut out to be an NFL head coach. He should be fired at the end of the season, if not sooner.

 

This is not a task I relish. Asking for people's jobs is difficult, even if they're paid millions to coach a silly game. I called Jauron an uninspired choice at the start, but was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He has his virtues. His players like him. But he is the worst game-day coach I've ever seen."

 

Now disagree or agree with his assessment, but please don't tell that this isn't a task he relishes. Of course he relishes it! He's been doing exactly this for as long as I can remember.

[Sisyphean Bills]

Well he wasn't laughing too much after the Jets loss, was he? My question is, why would the man signing all the checks be happy and jovial after any loss?

Because, ... ahem ..., he's doddering?

[jester43]

The problem with this whole exchange is that Wilson's critics can't really help themselves and stick to the real topic at hand -- the quality of Sullivan as a columnist. He really does suck. If he was any better, he'd have moved on to a bigger beat that allowed him to cover his first love, college basketball. I stupidly listened to his show over the internet last week and he literally said that if the Bills start 8-0 next season, he'll still be calling for Jauron's head every week. That may or may not be a justifiable argument, but as sure as the sun rises you know that if the Bills start 8-0 next season, he's not going to be writing columns calling for Jauron's head. He is so disingenuous that it's a joke. Check out this choice passage from December 2:

 

"That's it. I'm done. Sunday put me over the edge. Dick Jauron must go. I've seen and heard enough. The man is simply not cut out to be an NFL head coach. He should be fired at the end of the season, if not sooner.

 

This is not a task I relish. Asking for people's jobs is difficult, even if they're paid millions to coach a silly game. I called Jauron an uninspired choice at the start, but was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He has his virtues. His players like him. But he is the worst game-day coach I've ever seen."

 

Now disagree or agree with his assessment, but please don't tell that this isn't a task he relishes. Of course he relishes it! He's been doing exactly this for as long as I can remember.

sullivan is an a-hole but he's a good read. and he's better at his job than ralph wilson is at fielding a reasonable product.

[The Dean]

Repeat after me. Sully is not a reporter...he's a columnist. Not a good one, for sure. But his job is NOT to report, like the beat guys.

 

 

Correct. But, Sully is not a football guy, either. Ralph will know more about football 10 years after he is dead, than Sully will ever hope to know.

 

Sullivan is occasionally right in his criticism of the Bills, but it is akin to some s#it sticking to the wall if you throw enough against it. Most of the time, even when he is right, it is for the wrong reasons.

 

It is fine to criticize Wilson, and question his decisions. It is way off base to call him a doddering fool. Even at 90, I bet Ralph has more active brain matter than Sully ever had.

[jad1]

The problem with this whole exchange is that Wilson's critics can't really help themselves and stick to the real topic at hand -- the quality of Sullivan as a columnist. He really does suck. If he was any better, he'd have moved on to a bigger beat that allowed him to cover his first love, college basketball. I stupidly listened to his show over the internet last week and he literally said that if the Bills start 8-0 next season, he'll still be calling for Jauron's head every week. That may or may not be a justifiable argument, but as sure as the sun rises you know that if the Bills start 8-0 next season, he's not going to be writing columns calling for Jauron's head. He is so disingenuous that it's a joke. Check out this choice passage from December 2:

 

"That's it. I'm done. Sunday put me over the edge. Dick Jauron must go. I've seen and heard enough. The man is simply not cut out to be an NFL head coach. He should be fired at the end of the season, if not sooner.

 

This is not a task I relish. Asking for people's jobs is difficult, even if they're paid millions to coach a silly game. I called Jauron an uninspired choice at the start, but was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He has his virtues. His players like him. But he is the worst game-day coach I've ever seen."

 

Now disagree or agree with his assessment, but please don't tell that this isn't a task he relishes. Of course he relishes it! He's been doing exactly this for as long as I can remember.

 

Being asked to compare who is worse, Sullivan or Wilson, is a difficult thing to do. They're both at the bottom of their professions.

 

But when you consider that Sullivan being mediocre really doesn't affect you nearly as much as Wilson being mediocre, then it becomes more about Wilson.

 

I mean, the drivel Sullivan writes in his column has very little chance of ruining your week. You can easily find analysis about the Bills that is more on the mark.

 

Watching the Bills blow another game under Wilson's direction, however can ruin your week, or month, or year. Because you're a Bills fan, and that means you're not ditching this team for another, you're stuck with Wilson's ineptitude, hoping against hope that he has a Grinch or Scrooge moment and decides to sell all or part of the team to a local owner before the inevitable happens.

 

So if Sullivan writes another lousy column, who cares. But watching Wilson hire another cheap, mediocre coach, at this point, is almost too much to take.

[Sisyphean Bills]

The problem with this whole exchange is that Wilson's critics can't really help themselves and stick to the real topic at hand -- the quality of Sullivan as a columnist.

I don't get it. The only commonality between these two disparate points is that Sullivan happens to be one of Wilson's critics. Sullivan isn't the living embodiment of criticism of Wilson, so "sticking to the real topic" as you put it, "the quality of Sullivan as a columnist," is a red herring for anyone that is leveling criticism at Wilson and about his management of the Bills. It is entirely consistent to be both highly critical of Sullivan's columns and Wilson's unsuccessful direction of the Buffalo Bills. (To be clear, by unsuccessful, I mean that Wilson has never brought an NFL championship to Buffalo. It's difficult to say if just having an NFL team outweighs that the team is commonly seen as a doormat, non-contender to the average Joe Plumber on the street.)

 

As far as Wilson's response to Sullivan's personal comments, the old gentleman still has some spunk and wit.

[Lurker]

Even at 90, I bet Ralph has more active brain matter than Sully ever had.

Obviously, given Jerry's choice of occupation...

[The Senator]

becasue he only answered the critics after he won a game?

huh?

[The Senator]

Correct. But, Sully is not a football guy, either. Ralph will know more about football 10 years after he is dead, than Sully will ever hope to know.

 

Sullivan is occasionally right in his criticism of the Bills, but it is akin to some s#it sticking to the wall if you throw enough against it. Most of the time, even when he is right, it is for the wrong reasons.

 

It is fine to criticize Wilson, and question his decisions. It is way off base to call him a doddering fool. Even at 90, I bet Ralph has more active brain matter than Sully ever had.

Probably, at 90, Wilson's also a better golfer than Sully will ever be, too.

 

Come to think, Sully's not a football guy, he's a terrible baseball guy, and just about the schittiest hockey guy too - I guess he must be a basketball guy. Not.

[Adam]

Now disagree or agree with his assessment, but please don't tell that this isn't a task he relishes. Of course he relishes it! He's been doing exactly this for as long as I can remember.

He very well may not relish it- his job is to write things that piss people off....that's all his job is

[The Dean]

He very well may not relish it- his job is to write things that piss people off....that's all his job is

 

 

That's the way he clearly interprets it...but, not all columnists are like that. He seems to like the "radio sports talk" approach to being a columnist. He is better ignored, than argued over.

[Adam]

That's the way he clearly interprets it...but, not all columnists are like that. He seems to like the "radio sports talk" approach to being a columnist. He is better ignored, than argued over.

Almost every newspaper hires a guy for this role- when I worked at Delta State and we hosted North Dakota State in the national semifinals for Division 2 football, I recall a horribly offensive article in the Fargo Forum- the guy explained that it was his job to write that........

[TheChimp]

Even at 90, I bet Ralph has more active brain matter than Sully ever had.

Ralph might as well have said, "OK, I may be an idiot, but I can still chew my food."

 

I mean, has anyone bothered to ask Ralph why he thinks the Bills won today, since they are, according to his most recent tirade, so miserably wanting in the TALENT department? Face it, trogs, the old bat's bluff has finally been called. He's a meddling old fool with more age spots than good football decisions to his credit. Sully pegged him. Eat it.

[The Senator]

Ralph might as well have said, "OK, I may be an idiot, but I can still chew my food."

 

I mean, has anyone bothered to ask Ralph why he thinks the Bills won today, since they are, according to his most recent tirade, so miserably wanting in the TALENT department? Face it, trogs, the old bat's bluff has finally been called. He's a meddling old fool with more age spots than good football decisions to his credit. Sully pegged him. Eat it.

You're a schitty golfer, Sully. You'll always be a schitty golfer.

[MRM33064]

After moving away from WNY and seeing the fans in another NFL market, I appreciate even more the dedication of the WNY fans. They've supported the team with unbelievable loyalty through tough economic times and several consecutive years of fluttering between mediocre and inept, to say nothing of a massive playoff drought.

 

Ralph's team goes through one of the worst collapses in recent NFL history. Throughout that time, he refuses to clarify whether his head coach has been granted an extension.

 

Q: "General Custer, it's not looking good, the troops are being overrun, we need a new plan ... quickly ..."

 

A: "Hey wait ... I didn't just hear someone call me doddering, did I?!"

[tomc702]

if you're worth hundreds of millions of dollars; own several successful companies AND an NFL franchise and you're spending your time reading jerry sullivan, you are doddering......

 

the next real news we'll hear from mr. wilson is that he's sold the team.......he's way to smart to lose money, and if he dies owning the team his estate loses money.......he's selling this team and we'll be the last to know......

[BillsNYC]

Why do I feel like Russ Brandon came up with and wrote that?

[BLZFAN4LIFE]

After moving away from WNY and seeing the fans in another NFL market, I appreciate even more the dedication of the WNY fans. They've supported the team with unbelievable loyalty through tough economic times and several consecutive years of fluttering between mediocre and inept, to say nothing of a massive playoff drought.

 

Ralph's team goes through one of the worst collapses in recent NFL history. Throughout that time, he refuses to clarify whether his head coach has been granted an extension.

Q: "General Custer, it's not looking good, the troops are being overrun, we need a new plan ... quickly ..."

 

A: "Hey wait ... I didn't just hear someone call me doddering, did I?!"

 

Great point. If Ralph were only this sensitive about losing, we'd be a perennial playoff team!