Requiem for a sports columnist

[Fadingpain]

Jerry Sullivan is a heck of a good writer.  

 

The type of forum member here who views this place as "The Buffalo Bills Booster Club" never understood Jerry, and never will.

 

I think some of the criticism thrown at him is warranted, however.  There were some columns that did seem to be really dark for the sake of being really dark.

 

But that was kind of his thing.

 

 

 

 

[BADOLBILZ]

10 minutes ago, SDS said:

 

I think people are ok with that. Jerry’s voice was never revered by the fan base. There’s nothing wrong with freshening the scene. 

 

 

Agreed and Sullivan isn't alone...........there isn't anyone at TBN or in the Bills organization that would be missed by the average fan.   

[Foxx]

2 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

This is well put.  

 

What bothers me most about Sully is his sense of entitlement.   He thinks he's entitled to write whatever he wants and someone will publish it.  

 

I write whatever I want.   But I know that the moderators here can delete it in a heartbeat.   I can live with that reality.   Sully apparently never understood it.  

it is somewhat comical, though not entirely unexpected that you equate yourself with a former Buffalo News columnist.

[Chandler#81]

I won’t miss whatshizname.

[oldmanfan]

1 hour ago, Foxx said:

it is somewhat comical, though not entirely unexpected that you equate yourself with a former Buffalo News columnist.

True.  Shaw is a better writer 

[vorpma]

1 hour ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

Agreed and Sullivan isn't alone...........there isn't anyone at TBN or in the Bills organization that would be missed by the average fan.   

But those of us that accept "other" opinions and enjoy debate may, as now we get "let's keep the masses happy" garbage!

[Boca BIlls]

I dont like writers i agree with all the time. I want someone that has opposing views so i can understand a different way of thinking about the situation.

[oldmanfan]

6 minutes ago, Boca BIlls said:

I dont like writers i agree with all the time. I want someone that has opposing views so i can understand a different way of thinking about the situation.

Agree.  Just keep it professional and not personal towards your subjects.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

10 hours ago, WIDE LEFT said:

Jerry Sullivan was shown the door and in typical fashion he portrayed his departure as being motivated by his “independence” as a critic of the Bills. We expect a columnist to be critical, nobody ever had a problem with that. But Sullivan’s entire claim to fame, in his mind, was that he was an independent critic and not a fan. But he took that to a level wherein he was critical of everything, without any balance. So he was equally as critical of the Bills during their Super Bowl years as well the drought years. The Pegulas were “over their heads” as owners, as if every new owner comes into the league with experience & expertise. Virtually every new owner is owning a franchise for the first time. And they took over the franchise from an owner who, despite is 50+ years of experience, ran the franchise into the ground. He also had a heads I win, tails you lose mentality. When Dareus had his troubles early in his career, Sullivan wanted the Bills to cut him. After Dareus had his big pro bowl year, Sullivan completely flipped to Dareus side. When Dareus had his most recent problems/issues, Sullivan wrote “see I told you so, should have cut him like I said” Heads he is right, tails he is right

 

But none of the above was Sullivan’s biggest weakness. The biggest problem with Sullivan was that in all his years there, he never developed any sources of information, either inside the Bills organization or within the NFL, to provide insight or analysis based on experience, film study etc etc. So all you ever got from him was just the opinion of a guy who never played or coached the game, who never watched game film and who never developed a source or asset who had the experience/expertise to provide insight. Sullivan’s opinions were no more valid than any fan sitting on a bar stool watching the game on TV. And that was obvious from his columns. Tyler Dunne was with the News for one year, and consistently produced columns that were based on his interactions with NFL insiders or those with experience & expertise in evaluating the game. It was no wonder that Dunne was hired away after one year here, while Sullivan took the easy path of voicing uninformed opinions mixed in with potshots at everybody. And felt that was good enough, because after all, he was “no fan”.  Criticism is fine and welcome; but readers/subscribers are entitled to informed opinions, or at least occasional insight from sources well placed, well versed or experienced with game of professional football. Sullivan could not be bothered to provide any of that. Good riddance 

 

Didn't I read here that Sully and others were offered buyouts?  That's much different than being shown the door.  He's 73 years old, getting a buyout at that point, I'm sure he's laughing all the way to he bank.

 

He's a columnist, not a true beat reporter, so he really doesn't need sources, he is paid to write what he wants.

 

 

5 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

This is well put.  

 

What bothers me most about Sully is his sense of entitlement.   He thinks he's entitled to write whatever he wants and someone will publish it.  

 

I write whatever I want.   But I know that the moderators here can delete it in a heartbeat.   I can live with that reality.   Sully apparently never understood it.  

 

Someone who can write what he wants and have it published, I think that's called a job!.  His editors apparently didn't delete the stuff because they thought it was good. 

 

Sorry you don't understand that!

[Lurker]

6 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

Someone who can write what he wants and have it published, I think that's called a job!.  His editors apparently didn't delete the stuff because they thought it was good. 

 

Sorry you don't understand that!

 

smh.   

 

Sully was a BN employee.   He did not have carte blanche or a guaranteed column for life  (although he comes off as just another entitled, Guild-protected old timer in that Buffalo Rumblings piece).   It was never his column.  It was the BN's column.   Ultimately, they wanted to go in another direction and he left the building...

[Drunken Pygmy Goat]

9 hours ago, LeGOATski said:

Yeah. He sucked.

 

That Buffalo Rumblings article was amusing.

 

Link?

[Green Lightning]

The OP has it about right, but so do those who say if he plays he stays. I stopped reading him many years ago because he was a cynic, not a skeptic. That and he basically wrote the same column over and over again. I found him boring and lazy. So I didn't read him. Problem solved. Likely a lot of others stopped reading him as well  because if his numbers were up he'd still be there.

2 hours ago, Boca BIlls said:

I dont like writers i agree with all the time. I want someone that has opposing views so i can understand a different way of thinking about the situation.

P*ssing in Cheerios daily doesn't constitute an opposing view. I used to refer to him as the "little cloud that cried."  I don't think he ever had a nice day in his life and wanted everyone else to feel like crap along with him.

[Kwai San]

Wow - 2 takeaways - Sully is gone and the dude was 73.......ya his time was up.  Certainly his replacement will get ridden into the ground as well.

 

Him and Leo Rot(h) of the Roc D&C should team up.....NO ONE would be on their lawn!!!  NO.  ONE.

[george c]

I was done with Sullivan when like a child, poked fun at his critics with lesser twitter followers. I mean, really? Are we that petty and egotistical?

He was just braggadocios guy who looked in the mirror and saw something a whole lot bigger than what he was. And now, he is on the street.

Things seem to work out in the end....

[Boca BIlls]

17 minutes ago, Green Lightning said:

The OP has it about right, but so do those who say if he plays he stays. I stopped reading him many years ago because he was a cynic, not a skeptic. That and he basically wrote the same column over and over again. I found him boring and lazy. So I didn't read him. Problem solved. Likely a lot of others stopped reading him as well  because if his numbers were up he'd still be there.

P*ssing in Cheerios daily doesn't constitute an opposing view. I used to refer to him as the "little cloud that cried."  I don't think he ever had a nice day in his life and wanted everyone else to feel like crap along with him.

Why did someone you never met make you feel like crap over opinionated words.

[Wily Dog]

Sully was a contrarian who sold papers in the era when printed  papers were the norm. We have moved on to " instant " news and the younger generation does not want to read a column  and have to think. They want just the facts. it isn't just Sully , the world is changing. I honestly believe that Sully  was the  "anti " for all of the other writers  that were going along with whatever the team professed . Lets be honest, how many times are you pissed about something Sully wrote. ? That was  what he wanted and thats what his bosses wanted , It sold  papers.

 

[LeGOATski]

28 minutes ago, Drunken Pygmy Goat said:

 

Link?

There's a thread about it

[Shaw66]

1 hour ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

Didn't I read here that Sully and others were offered buyouts?  That's much different than being shown the door.  He's 73 years old, getting a buyout at that point, I'm sure he's laughing all the way to he bank.

 

He's a columnist, not a true beat reporter, so he really doesn't need sources, he is paid to write what he wants.

 

 

 

Someone who can write what he wants and have it published, I think that's called a job!.  His editors apparently didn't delete the stuff because they thought it was good. 

 

Sorry you don't understand that!

No, you don't understand.  His editors had three columns a week to fill and Sullivan was the guy they had to fill those columns. When the publisher called the editor and said you have to cut costs, the editor said cut Sullivan because he is expensive.  It wasn't about whether the editor liked what Sullivan wrote. 

 

And the publisher gave the editor a push by saying that Sullivan was pissing off important people.  

[BuffaninATL]

11 hours ago, WIDE LEFT said:

11 hours ago, WIDE LEFT said:

Jerry Sullivan was shown the door and in typical fashion he portrayed his departure as being motivated by his “independence” as a critic of the Bills. We expect a columnist to be critical, nobody ever had a problem with that. But Sullivan’s entire claim to fame, in his mind, was that he was an independent critic and not a fan. But he took that to a level wherein he was critical of everything, without any balance. So he was equally as critical of the Bills during their Super Bowl years as well the drought years. The Pegulas were “over their heads” as owners, as if every new owner comes into the league with experience & expertise. Virtually every new owner is owning a franchise for the first time. And they took over the franchise from an owner who, despite is 50+ years of experience, ran the franchise into the ground. He also had a heads I win, tails you lose mentality. When Dareus had his troubles early in his career, Sullivan wanted the Bills to cut him. After Dareus had his big pro bowl year, Sullivan completely flipped to Dareus side. When Dareus had his most recent problems/issues, Sullivan wrote “see I told you so, should have cut him like I said” Heads he is right, tails he is right

 

But none of the above was Sullivan’s biggest weakness. The biggest problem with Sullivan was that in all his years there, he never developed any sources of information, either inside the Bills organization or within the NFL, to provide insight or analysis based on experience, film study etc etc. So all you ever got from him was just the opinion of a guy who never played or coached the game, who never watched game film and who never developed a source or asset who had the experience/expertise to provide insight. Sullivan’s opinions were no more valid than any fan sitting on a bar stool watching the game on TV. And that was obvious from his columns. Tyler Dunne was with the News for one year, and consistently produced columns that were based on his interactions with NFL insiders or those with experience & expertise in evaluating the game. It was no wonder that Dunne was hired away after one year here, while Sullivan took the easy path of voicing uninformed opinions mixed in with potshots at everybody. And felt that was good enough, because after all, he was “no fan”.  Criticism is fine and welcome; but readers/subscribers are entitled to informed opinions, or at least occasional insight from sources well placed, well versed or experienced with game of professional football. Sullivan could not be bothered to provide any of that. Good riddance 

Jerry Sullivan was shown the door and in typical fashion he portrayed his departure as being motivated by his “independence” as a critic of the Bills. We expect a columnist to be critical, nobody ever had a problem with that. But Sullivan’s entire claim to fame, in his mind, was that he was an independent critic and not a fan. But he took that to a level wherein he was critical of everything, without any balance. So he was equally as critical of the Bills during their Super Bowl years as well the drought years. The Pegulas were “over their heads” as owners, as if every new owner comes into the league with experience & expertise. Virtually every new owner is owning a franchise for the first time. And they took over the franchise from an owner who, despite is 50+ years of experience, ran the franchise into the ground. He also had a heads I win, tails you lose mentality. When Dareus had his troubles early in his career, Sullivan wanted the Bills to cut him. After Dareus had his big pro bowl year, Sullivan completely flipped to Dareus side. When Dareus had his most recent problems/issues, Sullivan wrote “see I told you so, should have cut him like I said” Heads he is right, tails he is right

 

But none of the above was Sullivan’s biggest weakness. The biggest problem with Sullivan was that in all his years there, he never developed any sources of information, either inside the Bills organization or within the NFL, to provide insight or analysis based on experience, film study etc etc. So all you ever got from him was just the opinion of a guy who never played or coached the game, who never watched game film and who never developed a source or asset who had the experience/expertise to provide insight. Sullivan’s opinions were no more valid than any fan sitting on a bar stool watching the game on TV. And that was obvious from his columns. Tyler Dunne was with the News for one year, and consistently produced columns that were based on his interactions with NFL insiders or those with experience & expertise in evaluating the game. It was no wonder that Dunne was hired away after one year here, while Sullivan took the easy path of voicing uninformed opinions mixed in with potshots at everybody. And felt that was good enough, because after all, he was “no fan”.  Criticism is fine and welcome; but readers/subscribers are entitled to informed opinions, or at least occasional insight from sources well placed, well versed or experienced with game of professional football. Sullivan could not be bothered to provide any of that. Good riddance 

Excellent take...!

 

[JOE IN HAMPTON ROADS]

6 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

Sully was pushed out because the Bills and Sabres organizations have been so utterly irrelevant and been doing SO MANY THINGS WRONG for so long while tarnishing their once middling brands that the market for a critical voice to sweat the details of winning totally dried up.

 

While the small base of hardcore fans seem to get hyped by the twentieth-century-Chicago-Cubs-esque "Jesus told Da' Bills not to do nuthin till' he gets back" identity with futility..........the average fan is like "mmmkay I got other things to do but call me when they do something".   

 

Hopefully they will start doing something.

 

And if and when they actually get competitive again a new voice will emerge to sweat the details.       

 

 

 

If you say so Jerry Sullivan