BillsObserver Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 I just hope that when the Bills win the Super Bowl this year Sullivan recants all the negativity he's written about the team over the years. Maybe if he didn't incite such gloom the Bills would have already won one. Do you expect the same from 98% of the posters here? How about the other columnist who've spouted negativity regarding the Bills? While we're at it, maybe you can ask the radio guys to retract everything they've said negatively about this team. And yes, if some dude who writes for the news didn't 'incite such gloom,' maybe just maybe that would have helped the Bills win a freakin' Super Bowl. I didn't know it was that easy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 My biggest problem with Sullivan is that he always comes off as a miserable person. In the paper? Check, miserable. On the radio? Check, miserable. In the press box before a Bills' game (I can say it, since I've sat there with him during my time with the AP)? You guessed it, miserable. Think about it...the Bills bring in a lesser-known FA, and Jerry whines because he's a no-name. The Bills bring in a guy like Marcus Stroud, and Jerry lables him a steroid user (even though he tested positive for an over-the-counter ephedra-based substance, which is nowhere near a steroid) and whines about that. In regard to his writing, it has the tone that an opinion columnist seeks, but every article is the same. Cut-and-paste from the same fill-in-the-blank template as every other article he wrote in the last 10 years, and quite frankly it's exhausting to read his work! Oh, I won't deny that he's got the 'curmudgeon' persona down to a T ... when he's on the clock, anyway. When he's not, he still has a sarcastic sense of humor, but he's not an out-and-out jerk. I'll be honest, I wish he'd write more features, like the one he did on Sean Galliher a couple of years ago. If I'd known back then that anyone was allowed to submit stories to the Best American Sports Writing series (instead of just the writers and papers/magazines themselves), I would've made sure Glenn Stout had a copy of that piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1billsfan Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 I just hope that when the Bills win the Super Bowl this year Sullivan recants all the negativity he's written about the team over the years. Maybe if he didn't incite such gloom the Bills would have already won one. You do realize that Jerry Sullivan's column has nothing to do with the Bills play on the field, right? It's so weird that there are fans on this message board that are more pissed at the local Buffalo writer than they are with this 10 year and counting playoff-less team that they root for. Truly amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 So, in other words, he's not allowed to change his mind. EVER. Should the rip job on Williams have come with a caveat that he thought it was a good choice at the time? Yeah, maybe so, and I thought you were correct to call him on it ... but in my opinion, he didn't permanently forfeit the right to comment on the subject once he wrote the first column. Of course he's allowed to change his mind....as long as he admits to his readers that at the time even the mighty Sully (knows all, sees all) thought that drafting Mike Williams was a great move. No question drafting Mike Williams was a bad move in hindsight. But anyone who praised Donahoe for his astute moves should not turn around two years later and act like he thought Donohoe was dead wrong all along. If you are going to express an opinion, own it permamnently, not just until the next column. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 NO IT ISN'T! there's this thing you have to have when you're young and rich and in the public eye...it's called "responsibility!" it's not like it isn't preached to them 1000 times over from the day they're drafted. there really is no excuse for this crap, and i don't care how much whitner cries about being a victim. Sorry, I think you are dead wrong, on this one. It was a party for a friend at the House of Blues...not a shady nightclub with a bad reputation, in the hood, that is known for gang activity or gun trouble. It wasn't a sleazy strip club known for drug use...it was the very mainstream House of Blues. It's the offseason, he's an adult. Criticize him for his actions for sure, but going to a friend's party and staying out late, one night, shouldn't be considered a bad decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester43 Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 i agree, being out late is not a bad decision by DEFINITION. but shee- it the guy's an athlete...how about let's act like one and get in at a reasonable hour. everybody knows nothing good goes on at that time of night. i'm so tired of reading about this sort of schitt, as far as i'm concerned where there's smoke there's fire. there is no way he wasn't likkered up and stupid to get wrapped up in something like that. and stupid is as stupid does. is it fair of me to connect the dots like that? maybe not. but i am so tired of this "I'M A VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCE!!" crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Endzone Animal Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Everyone is tired of the "victim card" until they themselves are the victims. When I was young I stayed out past 3 am, got drunk, and was involved in bar fights plenty of times. We've all done stupid things and made mistakes. Besides, he is 100% innocent of all charges until PROVEN otherwise, and that means I'm giving him the entire benefit of the doubt. Before this is over, I would expect the police to have some explaining to do. Anyway, all that matters is what he does on the field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 I'm sure he'll be carping about the lack of character on the team - despite the fact Levy said ad nauseum that character referred to the football character... I would be surprised- when people are on nationally, they tend to act different. Pandering to the angry, stupid Buffalo mob wouldn't make sense when you have a national audience. He does what he does to sell papers, case closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 a lot of people don't like sully but i think he is blunt and honest an asswipe personified. fixed.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Of course he's allowed to change his mind....as long as he admits to his readers that at the time even the mighty Sully (knows all, sees all) thought that drafting Mike Williams was a great move. Sully was also beating the drum loudly for Donohoe, going as far to say the franchise's future was at stake if Ralph didn't sign him... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsNYC Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 The Bills have sucked for 10 straight years, and Sully has written that they've sucked for 10 years. He points out positives when he sees them. I'd rather read a guy that tells it like he is than read a bunch of fluff pieces. Anybody that thinks Sully is an ahole because he criticizes a losing team just loves mediocrity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magox Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Let's face it, Sullys a cynic's wetdream. Every columnist has their audience, just like a radio or television host. His audience mainly consists of people that like to hear what is wrong or how miserable the Bills are, not what is going right, and as of lately he has a lot of material to work with and as a result he has an even larger audience. Birds of a feather, flock together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 The Bills have sucked for 10 straight years, and Sully has written that they've sucked for 10 years. He points out positives when he sees them. I'd rather read a guy that tells it like he is than read a bunch of fluff pieces. Anybody that thinks Sully is an ahole because he criticizes a losing team just loves mediocrity. As Lori will tell you, it's his job to criticise. But that doesn't preclude him from still being an as$hole who'd rather take the easy, 'drunk on a barstool' invective approach to criticism, rather than the harder 'do my homework and add value' approach, like his predessors at the 'Snooze and CE used to do. He's a Wanker... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsNYC Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 As Lori will tell you, it's his job to criticise. But that doesn't preclude him from still being an as$hole who'd rather take the easy, 'drunk on a barstool' invective approach to criticism, rather than the harder 'do my homework and add value' approach, like his predessors at the 'Snooze and CE used to do. He's a Wanker... Yes, it is his job to take the negative side, that's what he's paid for. I don't think its a very difficult job either because the Bills have sucked for 10 years and he's called them out on that. I don't get why he's an ahole for that? If the Bills were in the playoffs and he wrote that they sucked, then you'd have a point. They suck, and he says they suck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 I don't get why he's an ahole for that? Because, IMO, he'd rather name call and character assinate than do the hard work to put the [insert team's name here] perfomance in a context, or explain why something did or didn't happen. He's the equivalent of a kid sticking his tounge out and saying 'nah, nah da nah nah,' rather than a professional commentator who you look forward to spending time with. Sort of the 'WGR' vs. 'WBEN One-on-One Sports' approach to talk radio. Blow with whatever current 'popular' wind is swirling, rather than respect the reader/listener and don't just say what they want to hear. Lazy is as lazy does... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 The difference is, a guy like Tim Graham can cover the whole AFC East better than Sullivan does the Bills. At this point in his career, he waits to take a smarmy shot and retreat. Hate on Chris Brown as much as you want, but the guy is doing his job. Sullivan's job is to cover the Bills, not declare himself the voice of the fan. He's not my voice, I can tell you that! WRONG! Tim Graham is paid to cover the AFC East by ESPN. Chris Brown is paid to cover the Bills, and is paid to do so by the Buffalo Bills. Sullivan is paid, by the Buffalo News, to voice his opinions about topics that are important in the world of sports, and to the WNY sports scene. He is not a beat reporter! He is a columnist, who is paid to give his opinion! Why is this distinction so hard for people to understand? I think people who spew on about how much they hate Jerry Sullivan either A) don't really read him, or B) just hate him becuase he says the things that Buffalo area sports fans don't want to hear, when they least want to hear it. It is amazing all the hate for the guy, who, basically says the same things that many of his detractors say, right here on TSW. Even if I disagree with him from time to time, I think Sullivan, and Buckey Gleason are the only reasons to read the Buffalo News sports page. Those who complain about Sullivans' negativity and the Bills, obviously don't read his columns, only the threads here that rip him for having a negative opinion. Sullivan has written plenty of puff pieces on the Bills, and has given them lots of credit from time to time, when it was warrented. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 I just hope that when the Bills win the Super Bowl this year Sullivan recants all the negativity he's written about the team over the years. Maybe if he didn't incite such gloom the Bills would have already won one. Jeezuz H Murphy...this has to be a joke...I hope...right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 The Bills have sucked for 10 straight years, and Sully has written that they've sucked for 10 years. He points out positives when he sees them. I'd rather read a guy that tells it like he is than read a bunch of fluff pieces. Anybody that thinks Sully is an ahole because he criticizes a losing team just loves mediocrity. Exactly...I let my subscription to Shout, or Bills Digest, lapse a few years ago, as much as I love reading about the Bills, because there was absolutely zero editorial content (although they pretended Chris Brown was a columnist) and it made for mind numbing reading. You can only re-cap a game so many times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 or B) just hate him becuase he says the things that Buffalo area sports fans don't want to hear, when they least want to hear it. Are you kidding me? Sully's the voice of the end zone drunk, who's attention span is shorter than the line to the RWS shitter (versus the sink). Lowest common denominator, coming up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Jeezuz H Murphy...this has to be a joke...I hope...right? Sully will complain about how long it too for the Bills to win the big one. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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