I never felt that any sports franchise wants "yes men". In all my years in sports broadcasting I never saw that. I can tell you that at every level from local to network, the best talent always knew to keep things positive or to keep their mouths shut. Knowing who is buttering your bread means everything to your future.
If a reporter keeps throwing people under the bus, nobody is going to talk to them, at least not with regard to inside information. If instead you always put a positive spin on a player, coach or manager, then they'll be happy to share hints of what is going on behind the curtain. This is a fact in all of pro sports.
You are never going to see a "Jerry Sullivan type" get ahead in sports reporting. NEVER. They'll eventually end up with all the doors closed and reporting exclusively opinion pieces not based on real fact. There's just nobody left to get info from.