Chuck Dickerson dead at 86

[RiotAct]

3 hours ago, BillsfaninChicago said:

Loved his show. He was hilarious, a little edgy, opinionated, had an inside understanding of the Marv Levy regime seeing as he got fired by him, and he actually talked about Bills football during the afternoon rush hour drive. A novel concept on WGR most of the time these days.

so… no Halloween Candy fantasy drafts in the thick of the regular season?

[May Day 10]

He really wasn't my thing on the radio.  Seemed like he was full of hot air and hot takes.  Always negative for the sake of it, even when things were going OK.  Had an army of people who felt the same.  Didn't seem to really back his opinions up with anything substantiative, especially with hockey where he was clearly far out of his depth.

 

 

But regardless, he was a personality forever engrained in our sports and sports media history here, and I commend him for that.  RIP

[Big Turk]

He definitely did the Bills no favors in their 2nd Super Bowl in his pre-game interviews by calling out the Hogs, making pig sounds and saying they should be wearing ballerina outfits.

[BillsfaninChicago]

1 hour ago, RiotAct said:

so… no Halloween Candy fantasy drafts in the thick of the regular season?

Yeah I don’t remember any maple syrup debates or discussions about his wife’s tennis lessons when Coach had a show. 

[corta765]

14 hours ago, pennstate10 said:

Im not sure if Redskins Hogs weren’t smart enough to figure that out, or if they were just being fed the “he’s dissin you” line by their coaches. I sorta think the former. I’ve lived in DC area the last 20 yrs, Jacoby ain’t exactly the sharpest bulb. 

Athletes will use anything and I mean anything for motivation. Going into a game as big as the SB you don't say a word even if you mean it in the context he did. The damn Chiefs apparently for two years now keep saying no one believed in them... and they won the SB both times. Takes one sentence to start a fire with these guys.

1 hour ago, RiotAct said:

so… no Halloween Candy fantasy drafts in the thick of the regular season?

In fairness the drafts actually were a pretty hilarious listen

[Bad Things]

After the Tyler Dunne character hit-piece on McDermott came out, I listened to an episode of One Bills Live, where Steve Tasker compared the situation to what Chuck Dickerson did to Marv Levy.  He said it was the first time he publicly spoke about it.

 

I've just gone back and found the episode.  (December 8th.)

 

Here's a link to it.  (The part I'm referring to begins at 42:20)

https://omny.fm/shows/one-bills-live-1/obl-12-8-final-updates-ahead-of-bills-at-chiefs-gr

 

I've also found a transcript of the show, which I've copied below.

 

He brought Chuck Dickerson in and Chuck was a pretty good coach, and he liked it. And then and Marv was full of He was as honest as the day is long. He told the truth to my knowledge, as long as I know him. He still does when he's now that he's ninety eight. And I learned that that was really important because at a certain point something happened in our team where the coach I mentioned left the team was fired, and it came out that he had been going sub sabotaging Marv's head coach, head coaching from within by talking to the owner behind Marv's back and trying to position himself as the head coach of the Buffalo bills. Marv did nothing at the time, but when the when the guy, he gave the guy enough rope to hang himself, which he did, Marv released him and fired him. And then the guy completed the betrayal by going on this radio station years and years ago, you know, twenty five years ago and assassinating the character of Marv and the coaching staff and the player. He completely betrayed all of us in this building with his everyday radio show. And he affected your job too, because you were working for the station back then too, and it was possible for you, right so, and Marv, I think he responded when when the media it was so outrageous that things the guy was saying and Marv wasn't would not comment on. And finally Marv gave a short reply to you know, ques the media question. The media was relentless and wanting Marv to fire back, and Marv refused and refused and refuse to refuse, and finally he did and gave a speech about, you know, defending himself. And so that to me was the biggest lesson in character, perseverance, and integrity I've ever witnessed, in the face of absolute personal attack for no other reason than it was a personal vendetta, and for another reason that it was a hugely public and an attempt to humiliate a really good man, publicly humiliate him and really sabotage his career and his life and the whole thing, His wife, his daughter, the whole thing. They were after all of it, and he refused to buckle and fight back and with anything but integrity, grace, and forgiveness. I'll never forget it. It was something that really, for the longest time, and even to this day, I've never really spoken like this publicly about what happened to Marv and Chuck Dickerson's attacks and the totally unfounded nature of all of it. I've never really spoken publicly about it. But I've never witnessed a greater example of character and fortitude and courage and grace and mercy than I did with Marv Levy.

 

 

This is how I'll remember Chuck Dickerson.

[Livinginthepast]

On 2/27/2024 at 9:14 PM, DrDawkinstein said:

My fondest memory is having a buddy in high school that would prank call into his show all the time. It was always a cat and mouse game to get past his screeners, get on air, get a few sentences into a "real" take and then go into the prank. Would send Coach off on a furious tirade. Was funny every time.

I was just reminding a buddy of mine of one these pranks where an effeminate voice kept calling the coach a "beautiful butterball" or something to that effect which elicited a furious reaction!

[Livinginthepast]

On 2/28/2024 at 1:56 PM, Billsfan1972 said:

I think Ralph Wilson was listening to Chuck and 100% am convinced he made the call to start Rob Johnson in the playoffs (one of the worst ever QB performances I ever saw) over Doug Flutie as he had spent the year denegrading and calling Flutie a midget and having the fanbase in an uproar.

 

Listened to way too much of him.  RIP

This is probably accurate. Dickerson was the number Flutie hater in Buffalo during those years and was responsible for the non stop campaign against him. He fully contributed along with some other of the "B" team radio people at WGR to divide the fan base sow discord in the team. 

[DrDawkinstein]

2 hours ago, Livinginthepast said:

I was just reminding a buddy of mine of one these pranks where an effeminate voice kept calling the coach a "beautiful butterball" or something to that effect which elicited a furious reaction!

 

Haha, that wasnt my dude. He had this crazy reverend character he would launch into and invite everyone to a church bbq.

[davefan66]

At first I listened to him because he was someone who didn’t tow the company line. After a bit realized he was on more of a vendetta.

 

Had Empire and WNSA as an alternative back in those days, and his type of act made those options much easier to listen to.

 

Guy could have gone a few directions. Either use his NFL background to provide educated and informative info to his listeners, or go after the head coach and Glenn Parker on a daily basis.  He chose the later proving he was nothing more than a bitter, old man.

 

If it was an act, meh. Something tells me it wasn’t and he truly wore his emotions on his sleeve.

[boyst]

Jerry sullivan tried to do what the coach did on the newspaper. Dickerson was lovable somehow. 

[ExWNYer]

On 2/27/2024 at 11:20 PM, RiotAct said:

Oh no!!!  Horrible news. I loved his postgame show in the 90s and early 2000s

 

“Who loves you, baby?!?”

 

"Horrible"? He was 86 not 36...but condolences to his family nonetheless.

 

19 hours ago, May Day 10 said:

He really wasn't my thing on the radio.  Seemed like he was full of hot air and hot takes.  Always negative for the sake of it, even when things were going OK.  Had an army of people who felt the same.  Didn't seem to really back his opinions up with anything substantiative, especially with hockey where he was clearly far out of his depth.

 

But regardless, he was a personality forever engrained in our sports and sports media history here, and I commend him for that.  RIP

 

This is pretty much where I land with him, as well. I listened but he wasn't particularly my cup of tea and I realized he was just perpetuating a schtick which worked for him and the station. He was an early version of these modern day 'hot takers' like Skip Clueless and Screamin' A. Smith.

[Draconator]

The Coach almost got me fired from the Sabres. He continually went after Jennifer Smith and Doug Moss from the Sabres. It got so bad that Moss put out a memo about the coach and the untruths he was saying on air. Me and my stupidity took the memo to WGR and showed it to the coach, saying he was wrong about Jennifer. He called the PR manager with the Sabres and he talked to my boss (VP of Marketing and Ticket Sales), and he told me they were going to have to let me go. Moss stepped in and thanked me for taking on The Coach, and I kept my job. Of course, my boss left to go become the President of the Stallions, and his replacement when talking to a season ticket holder, asked the ticket holder if he wanted tickets to the Detroit Blackhawks game. I told her she was stupid, and a week later she fired me. She then was fired two weeks after me for her ineptitude. 

[strive_for_five_guy]

3 hours ago, boyst said:

Jerry sullivan tried to do what the coach did on the newspaper. Dickerson was lovable somehow. 

To me the difference is Dickerson had the advantage of having actually coached the game, AND the chance to be verbally heard.  Hence, a lot more credibility than Sullivan and a chance to connect more directly with his audience.    Plus, it always felt like the Coach at least wanted to see the team win, whereas with Sullivan, felt like he enjoyed when the team was losing.

[clayboy54]

I’m pretty sure it’s really hot where that prick went!

[harv shitz]

On 2/28/2024 at 1:56 PM, Billsfan1972 said:

I think Ralph Wilson was listening to Chuck and 100% am convinced he made the call to start Rob Johnson in the playoffs (one of the worst ever QB performances I ever saw) over Doug Flutie as he had spent the year denegrading and calling Flutie a midget and having the fanbase in an uproar.

 

Listened to way too much of him.  RIP

You can blast the decision to bench Flutie for Johnson all you want, but when Johnson played the week before against the Colts, it was the best the offense looked all season. The team won that year because of a great defense, and won in spite of Flutie, NOT because of him. Johnson led a great drive down the field to win the game, and converted a huge play with one shoe off! Lack of discipline on the kickoff, nobody stayed in their lanes, and getting boned on a no call on a clear forward lateral, cost the game. Benching Flutie had nothing to do with it.

[RiotAct]

2 hours ago, harv shitz said:

Lack of discipline on the kickoff, nobody stayed in their lanes, and getting boned on a no call on a clear forward lateral, cost the game. Benching Flutie had nothing to do with it.

you never know how that game would have went if we had started Flutie.

[Matt_In_NH]

I used to listen to him on GR a long time ago, I remember one particular call when a Sabres fan took him to task because he knew nothing about hockey, he truly did not but he had to cover it with his job.  In some ways he was very unqualified but he was fun to listen to.  Anyway, the caller was asking him to name the sabres or talk about hockey strategy and all he could muster was they need to focus on defense cause that is what wins championships.  LOL, its not like he had data at his fingertips like the guys do today.  RIP

[BADOLBILZ]

On 2/29/2024 at 7:16 PM, Bad Things said:

After the Tyler Dunne character hit-piece on McDermott came out, I listened to an episode of One Bills Live, where Steve Tasker compared the situation to what Chuck Dickerson did to Marv Levy.  He said it was the first time he publicly spoke about it.

 

I've just gone back and found the episode.  (December 8th.)

 

Here's a link to it.  (The part I'm referring to begins at 42:20)

https://omny.fm/shows/one-bills-live-1/obl-12-8-final-updates-ahead-of-bills-at-chiefs-gr

 

I've also found a transcript of the show, which I've copied below.

 

He brought Chuck Dickerson in and Chuck was a pretty good coach, and he liked it. And then and Marv was full of He was as honest as the day is long. He told the truth to my knowledge, as long as I know him. He still does when he's now that he's ninety eight. And I learned that that was really important because at a certain point something happened in our team where the coach I mentioned left the team was fired, and it came out that he had been going sub sabotaging Marv's head coach, head coaching from within by talking to the owner behind Marv's back and trying to position himself as the head coach of the Buffalo bills. Marv did nothing at the time, but when the when the guy, he gave the guy enough rope to hang himself, which he did, Marv released him and fired him. And then the guy completed the betrayal by going on this radio station years and years ago, you know, twenty five years ago and assassinating the character of Marv and the coaching staff and the player. He completely betrayed all of us in this building with his everyday radio show. And he affected your job too, because you were working for the station back then too, and it was possible for you, right so, and Marv, I think he responded when when the media it was so outrageous that things the guy was saying and Marv wasn't would not comment on. And finally Marv gave a short reply to you know, ques the media question. The media was relentless and wanting Marv to fire back, and Marv refused and refused and refuse to refuse, and finally he did and gave a speech about, you know, defending himself. And so that to me was the biggest lesson in character, perseverance, and integrity I've ever witnessed, in the face of absolute personal attack for no other reason than it was a personal vendetta, and for another reason that it was a hugely public and an attempt to humiliate a really good man, publicly humiliate him and really sabotage his career and his life and the whole thing, His wife, his daughter, the whole thing. They were after all of it, and he refused to buckle and fight back and with anything but integrity, grace, and forgiveness. I'll never forget it. It was something that really, for the longest time, and even to this day, I've never really spoken like this publicly about what happened to Marv and Chuck Dickerson's attacks and the totally unfounded nature of all of it. I've never really spoken publicly about it. But I've never witnessed a greater example of character and fortitude and courage and grace and mercy than I did with Marv Levy.

 

 

This is how I'll remember Chuck Dickerson.

 

 

Dickerson was indeed hard on Marv but the idea that he betrayed the locker room is just made up nonsense from Tasker..........who specializes in spewing nonsense.   Dickerson had his fans in the locker room and he had his players that he loved and loved him.   He kept a normal amount of heat on the local NFL team.    Also.....Tasker is SO BAD at radio.........he somehow manages to make it clear that he's an ah*le away from work while also being a rambling, boring, uninsightful analyst with terrible recollection.

[BADOLBILZ]

On 2/29/2024 at 8:38 PM, Livinginthepast said:

This is probably accurate. Dickerson was the number Flutie hater in Buffalo during those years and was responsible for the non stop campaign against him. He fully contributed along with some other of the "B" team radio people at WGR to divide the fan base sow discord in the team. 

 

 

That's a vague take of it..........but the reality that Flutopians didn't want to hear was that Bill Belichick created the Flutie/Johnson controversy when he drew up the defense that stifled Flutie in the 2 games against the Jets in 1998 and extinguished Flutie magic.

 

Before that there was no controversy.

 

The following season was an offensive struggle under Flutie.  3 teams that missed the playoffs stifled at beat Flutie at home.........ruining their playoff seeding and wasting what is still the best defense the Bills have had during the SB era.

 

It was just plain OBVIOUS that you could totally neutralize a Flutie offense simply by keeping him in the pocket.   Johnson simply gave them more offensive potential at that point.  

 

So Flutie being a selfish ah0le in the locker room and the media battling about which QB should start were really just the byproduct of Flutie's performance being compromised by Belichick.