Bucky Gleason Leaving TBN After Requesting a Buyout - Jerry Sullivan and Now Tim Graham Out

[May Day 10]

1 minute ago, CardinalScotts said:

for sure but was doesnt need to be said is Lumping in the new regime with the old ones...but they do. Completely unprofessional and unfair

 

That is the Pegulas' fault.  They elected to move on with the same people (and had a frustrated head coach walk the plank voluntarily because of it).

 

With both teams they did this.

[Delete This Account]

11 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I could be mistaken, but I don't think TBN will be hiring right now.  I think the option of accepting "buy outs" is being offered to cut "headcount" permanently.

 

But they are.

Yet another baseless guess.

 

Do some of you folks get anything right?

 

jw

 

[plenzmd1]

25 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

I think it's more about the indifference created by unending failure of the organization to field ANYTHING CLOSE to a championship contender IMO.    Fox News deals with contenders.   That's why that model works.   Expectations are so low in Bills Country that sweating the details has no appeal to anyone.  The amount of Sully haters is the same.    They won by attrition.   If the team gets competitive again it should re-ignite the competitive spark in fans that makes critical "we can do better" pieces appealing.   It will just be a different person writing the column.   It sells in competitive markets and always will.    So if you don't like it.........root for continued losing and mediocrity like 7-9 win seasons and more of the same from the Sabres.    Hopefully our new QB and defensemen excel and help keep you guys miserable.

you accuse others of not reading and misquoting..and that is exactly what you are doing here. What in Gods name do people not buying or subscribing to the BN, and many saying they will not do so while Bucky and Sully were there, have anything to do with rooting for mediocrity.  It's just a non sequitur. 

 

 

Do you fail to realize the BN is a FOR PROFIT business? I am sure the BN made a BUSINESS decision...and that is all I am arguing. I despise all things Trump and Fox, but god bless they have found a way to get top rated shows ar night. And its not like Hannity and Carlson are winning a Pulitzer anytime soon for their nuanced reporting of any given issue. They sell what people will buy..Bucky and Sully were selling what no wanted...be that right or wrong.

 

You may say  Bills fans are sheep and only want cheerleaders..damn the facts! The facts are the BN is losing money for the first time in 40 years, many have said they will subscribe when these guys are gone, and they made the decision to see if that plays out. Be interesting to see if all the people on here who bitched about the $3 and not paying as a matter of principle cause these guys were there will now pay...

Edited May 31, 2018 by plenzmd1

[IDBillzFan]

6 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

I don't bash this forum.  Individual posters, absolutely.   We can be better but it's a great forum and I am not passive about expressing that.

 

You've just consistently been on the wrong side of right here.........you were one of the original DOOOOOOOMED posters back in the early 2000's when you shouted down anyone who was concerned about the direction of the organization.........which then eroded into a team that missed the playoffs for 17 years.    I called you out for your irrational takes then.   I do it now.   You've earned it.

 

 

You can collect all the names of people here who care what you think about other posters, write those names down, crumble up the paper and comfortably shove it in the ass of gnat.

 

No one cares. No one. Only you. And the more you post stuff like you post about me, the more you become the poster you love to hate.

 

Stick to football. You're much less incoherent on that topic, but at least it contributes to the board.

 

 

 

[PromoTheRobot]

15 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

 

We were getting the run-around for almost 20 years, with the Bills' poor moves and .  When the Pegulas purchased the team, Sullivan and Gleason were on point to ask about hiring a team president.  Instead they stuck with the people in place, and predictably, the franchise hit a series of embarrassing icebergs. 

 

Same thing with the Sabres.  Pegula came in and resisted change and bringing in experience.  Retained management and only started to make changes when fan and media pressure became too much (and even then they made a botch of it).  There has been a series of awful moves there.

 

As a result, we have a few inexperienced management teams for each franchise, with Terry and Kim firmly involved, to the point that Terry is helping assess quarterbacks and Kim is President of both teams.  If this structure works out.... great.  If not, I don't want another move bypassing experience in upper management.  I would like critical voices in the media calling them out on it.  

 

 

Because they obviously want to be deeply involved and hands on with these teams, I just hope that the Pegulas' influence and power isnt becoming too strong and will be above criticism (or at least will have the ability to avoid a lot of it locally).  They neutered WGR when they brought the Bills broadcasting rights over.  1270 the Fan hasnt been able to get the listener base to maintain a radio show.  I wonder how much they have to do with these moves at TBN.  It would probably be pretty easy to tilt their business decisions with financial investment or patronage.  

 

My guess about Sullivan not being on WGR anymore was more economic than anything. Broadcast companies are pinching pennies just as much as papers. Entercom, WGR's parent company, wants to spend as little as possible.

[BADOLBILZ]

13 minutes ago, john wawrow said:

 

But they are.

Yet another baseless guess.

 

Do some of you folks get anything right?

 

jw

 

 

 

Bless his heart but Hapless is all up in my *stuff* today.   Didn't like me telling him he doesn't know what he doesn't know.   Bad days are had.   He's typically one of our best, as you probably know.

17 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

 

That is the Pegulas' fault.  They elected to move on with the same people (and had a frustrated head coach walk the plank voluntarily because of it).

 

With both teams they did this.

 

 

The whole "hey they are new they need to prove how bad they are before we wonder aloud if they are good" thing seems uniquely small market.    Perhaps in competitive markets those people are afraid to be as vocal.   Here they have a voice amidst the apathy.

6 minutes ago, LABillzFan said:

 

 

You can collect all the names of people here who care what you think about other posters, write those names down, crumble up the paper and comfortably shove it in the ass of gnat.

 

No one cares. No one. Only you. And the more you post stuff like you post about me, the more you become the poster you love to hate.

 

Stick to football. You're much less incoherent on that topic, but at least it contributes to the board.

 

 

Don't ever change dude........I know you won't.

[Peter]

20 minutes ago, john wawrow said:

 

But they are.

Yet another baseless guess.

 

Do some of you folks get anything right?

 

jw

 

 

The fact that TBN indeed is hiring and that Sully was told that he was bad for business provides further clarity as to why Sully (and Bucky) are no longer with TBN.

 

I know you did not intend it this way, but this bit of information does not reflect well on Sully or Bucky.

 

I am glad TBN is hiring.  They need more guys like Vic and Tim (and Kelley and Felser) and dare I say you . . . rather than guys like Sully and Bucky.

 

I really hope TBN is successful.  It was my hometown newspaper, and we subscribed since I can remember. The sports department has a rich tradition that has been tarnished by the Sully, Bucky, and Harrington antics.

 

I also wish Bucky and Sully success in the future.  I hate to see anyone lose their jobs. It is somewhat ironic that this would happen to them after they have written so many articles demanding that guys be fired, cut, or drawn and quartered.

 

I hope that this experience will give them perspective and empathy in their future endeavors.  As I have said on numerous occasions, Sully actually is a gifted writer when he wants to be.  I always reference the articles he wrote about the Buffalo girl who died in the balloon accident or his work regarding the Olympics.

 

More often than not, however, Sully and Bucky (and Harrington) have provided us the written equivalent of that embarrassing year end Sabres press conference a few years ago.  I suspect that TBN finally got embarrassed and wondered why it was paying Sully and Bucky to seemingly phone in variations of the same negative and snarky articles/columns that they have been doing for years.

 

 

[Gugny]

Would anyone happen to have the recipe for the "fatties," Mr. Ags makes?  For some reason, he's not getting my texts.

[BringBackFergy]

This thread should be merged with the "high maintenance poster" thread. Unbelievable.

[GG]

So when does this move to PPP?

[GunnerBill]

2 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

You mean like people should take each individual Sully or Bucky piece rather than lump them in?    Because there actually were plenty of positively spun pieces written.   3 seasons above .500 in 18 years just doesn't provide much to work with, unfortunately.   And of course all the things that the supposed "bad guys" knew over the years that were never said.   The narrative that people anyone in the local media are "out to get" the Bills or Sabres is wrong and that's the fuel for the grave dancing, IMO. 

 

 

Indeed. I don't and never have read enough Buffalo News articles to give a fair or balanced view on whether Sully is too negative.  Bucky I have read even less of.  I probably agreed with Jerry about 50% of the time of what I did read.  That is fine, he is a columnist I don't have to agree with him.  I have more issue with his writing style and argument structure than his content. 

[Rico]

2 hours ago, Commonsense said:

It’s all personal preference.

 

I thought the “what is it you do exactly” was perfect. I had heard enough of Whaley stumbling his way through his time as GM, I didn’t need to hear anymore. That question put the exclamation point on Clown Show! 

Exactly. The snark was absolutely PERFECT and very well deserved.

[dezertbill]

Sully and Gleason are old dinosaurs in a new age.

 

Even when the Bills made the playoffs, Bucky was in the background of news conferences asking negative questions.  Sullivan himself admits he is one of the most negative people he knows.  Maybe he got off on that.  Maybe it's worn thin on his bosses and readers.

 

Regardless, digital media is taking over hard copy newspapers.  Newspapers deliveries are down drastically.  This means advertising dollars are shifting as well.  Those guys probably just got too expensive, or their roles were diminished, or could be a host of other things, including their negative view of the sports teams.

 

But as a Bills and Sabres fan I can see a negative product on the field.  When a positive happens, I don't need someone writing about how that positive is dressed with a bunch of different "what ifs" and "this could be bad" scenarios.  

 

Glass half empty writing all the time gets old. 

[Lurker]

56 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Indeed. I don't and never have read enough Buffalo News articles to give a fair or balanced view on whether Sully is too negative.  Bucky I have read even less of.  I probably agreed with Jerry about 50% of the time of what I did read.  That is fine, he is a columnist I don't have to agree with him.  I have more issue with his writing style and argument structure than his content. 

 

Same here.  I don't mind columnists being critical.   Lord knows, both franchises deserve it.   

 

But don't be boring.   Don't just go after the easy, low hanging fruit.   Don't continually "set 'em up to knock 'em down."   Don't avoid being accountable for past positions.  Don't (in the case of Buckster) take personal, abusive shots at management.    Don't just be a drunk on the bar stool.    Don't write for the lowest common denominator.

 

Rather, mix it up by educating and illuminating.   Provide context and knowledgeable analysis.   Tap into a network of experts (GMs, coaches, players, etc.) from outside WNY.   Be entertaining.  Act like a professional, not a message board flame thrower.   Make me want to open the sports page each day, rather than skip it and wish for better content.

 

That's not a particularly high bar to surmount...

 

Edited May 31, 2018 by Lurker

[GunnerBill]

9 minutes ago, Lurker said:

 

Same here.  I don't mind columnists being critical.   Lord knows, both franchises deserve it.   

 

But don't be boring.   Don't just go after the easy, low hanging fruit.   Don't continually "set 'em up to knock 'em down."   Don't avoid being accountable for past positions.  Don't (in the case of Buckster) take personal, abusive shots at management.    Don't just be a drunk on the bar stool.    Don't write for the lowest common denominator.

 

Rather, mix it up by educating and illuminating.   Provide context and knowledgeable analysis.   Tap into a network of experts (GMs, coaches, players, etc.) from outside WNY.   Be entertaining.  Act like a professional, not a message board flame thrower.   Make me want to open the sports page each day, rather than skip it and wish for better content.

 

That's not a particularly high bar to surmount...

 

 

I think you are still talking mainly about content... 

[Lurker]

24 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I think you are still talking mainly about content... 

 

Indeed.   Snark away, but be entertaining and motivated.    Not much to ask...

 

Edited May 31, 2018 by Lurker

[I'm Spartacus]

Thank God this is finally over!

[BADOLBILZ]

6 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

It sounds as though we agree.  You say "reactionary question", I say "zinger" or snark.

 

The point is, we both appear to agree it wasn't an example of a "hard journalistic question" per se as some have brought up may be missed or left as a gap with Sullivan and Gleason's departure.

 

Snark is not really what I mean at all.   What Whaley was saying could not have been on anyone's script.......and the way access had been so limited even as just an observer I could feel the urgency to ask questions before the door was shut.   No time to mince words.  The Bills basically had a week to prep for that PC and it went so badly I know it left a few people stunned and probably holding a lot of questions that suddenly seemed far too advanced for the conversation.    

 

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

5 hours ago, Bill from NYC said:

Nobody is ever 100% accurate but my experience on TSW (also 2 decades) tells me that if you disagree with Badol about football matters, chances are you are going to be wrong. Nick Saban however might be able to teach him a thing or 2.  

 

Disagreement on various poster's knowledge of football matters or Buffalo Bills knowledge/insight has not been at issue here.

 

5 hours ago, Gugny said:

Would anyone happen to have the recipe for the "fatties," Mr. Ags makes?  For some reason, he's not getting my texts.

 

Suggest you PM him.

 

5 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

Bless his heart but Hapless is all up in my *stuff* today.   Didn't like me telling him he doesn't know what he doesn't know.  

 

  That is simply not a credible interpretation.  Since I won't bring PMs into the forum, of course, can't prove.

[GunnerBill]

55 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

Snark is not really what I mean at all.   What Whaley was saying could not have been on anyone's script.......and the way access had been so limited even as just an observer I could feel the urgency to ask questions before the door was shut.   No time to mince words.  The Bills basically had a week to prep for that PC and it went so badly I know it left a few people stunned and probably holding a lot of questions that suddenly seemed far too advanced for the conversation.    

 

 

 

The Bills mishandled the end of 2016 spectacularly. Leaving poor Anthony Lynn as the first person to face the press after firing Rex was a PR disaster. Then putting Whaley out on his lonesome for the end of season presser compounded it. 

 

I know I bang on about this a lot but when an owner takes the decision to hire someone (and the Pegulas hired Rex) then they should face the music when they fire someone. Jeff Lurie personally hired Chip Kelly. When it backfired and Lurie fired him 2 games before the end of 2015 it was Lurie who went out and faced the music infront of the press. He led his organisation, owned up to his mistake and fronted up. That is the kind of leadership that ultimately leads to success. I am not claiming it won them a Superbowl or anything like that... but that is what leadership looks like. The Pegulas standing on the side until it was such a disaster they had to rush in and speak to JW themselves was a lesson in how not to do it.