DazedandConfused Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Not what I would call a good writer because as you can tell in how the biased set of readers pm TSW depict him he too often comes off a legend in his own mind. Sullivan has the ability to take any given subject and to write in a manner that it comes off as being all about him. An example was a few years back he did a series of columns around him taking up golf in his 50s. A good writer would have certainly used this as a opportunity to explore the life lessons of getting older (the bottomline is simply one of humility that if one is lucky you get older). Instead, from the initial columns in the series before I stopped reading as it simply became a boring repition of complaints about not feeling like he did when he was younger. The good writers take any story and through describing the details actually touches upon something quite subtly (if one is a very good writer) that most readers share in common even if the story (golfing for crying out loud) is something that most readers could care less about. Sully seems to find a way to make any story all about him and for the most part if you have read one of his columns you have read them all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffalo1983 Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 No offense, but they're paid to NOT be fans. Ya... They get payed to write for the BUFFALO NEWS,not to go on WGR and talk sports. People can be a fan outside of there job too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Theoretically? Yes. Pragmatically? No. In a small market with just two teams that nearly EVERYBODY in the city cares deeply about, I believe the journalists are intrinsically allowed to take certain emotional liberties that larger market journalists would not. Case in point, Rick Jeanneret. He's the furthest thing away from unbiased, but folks who aren't Sabres fans don't listen to his broadcasts on a consistent basis, so it's not big deal. In New York City, Rangers fans, Islanders fans, and Devils fans all read the same paper. A columnist with an obvious pro-Islanders slant wouldn't be tolerated. At the Buffalo News, such a problem doesn't exist. Bills and Sabres fans take a ride on the emotional roller coaster every time a game is on tv, and when you flip open the News the next morning it's almost comforting to know that the guy talking about the team was on the same ride. Sullivan's usage of vapid pessimism is often distasteful to me, but he cares and I like that. Just my humble opinion. Big difference between broadcasting and writing, as you know. Has Sully become enough of a Buffalonian to hope the local teams do well, for the sake of the city and its residents as much as anything else? Yeah, he probably has ... but that's still a hop, skip, and jump away from being a "fan." Remember JP's infamous rollout in the Meadowswamp, and all the screaming here that accompanied it? According to someone else in the pressbox that day, Sullivan laughed at that play. They all did, following a chorus of, "what the F* is he doing?" That's the difference between a hometown writer and a fan. We're emotionally invested in the outcome. They're not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Ya... They get payed to write for the BUFFALO NEWS,not to go on WGR and talk sports. People can be a fan outside of there job too. You think he does the GR gig for free? That might be the funniest thing I've read here in a long time. And when the job is to cover a sports team, no, you can't. As part of my job at the local paper, I get to cover my alma mater. Deep down, do I hope they beat our hated rival? Sure I do ... but I'd damn well better not write it that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Theoretically? Yes. Pragmatically? No. In a small market with just two teams that nearly EVERYBODY in the city cares deeply about, I believe the journalists are intrinsically allowed to take certain emotional liberties that larger market journalists would not. Case in point, Rick Jeanneret. He's the furthest thing away from unbiased, but folks who aren't Sabres fans don't listen to his broadcasts on a consistent basis, so it's not big deal. In New York City, Rangers fans, Islanders fans, and Devils fans all read the same paper. A columnist with an obvious pro-Islanders slant wouldn't be tolerated. At the Buffalo News, such a problem doesn't exist. Bills and Sabres fans take a ride on the emotional roller coaster every time a game is on tv, and when you flip open the News the next morning it's almost comforting to know that the guy talking about the team was on the same ride. Sullivan's usage of vapid pessimism is often distasteful to me, but he cares and I like that. Just my humble opinion. If you have the Center ICE package, and watch other broadcasts, Jeannerets' "homerism" is tame compared to many. Also, keep in mind, Jeanneret is an employee of the Buffalo Sabres, and is being paid by the Sabres. It is like that in any sport, in any league. A newspaper columnist is not paid by the Bills or the Sabres. As for Sully, I have grown to appreciate him more over the years. I think he generally tends to say what people don't want to hear, when they least want to hear it. However, it is funny that the things he writes, most of them negative (and lets be honest there hasn't been a ton of positvie things to say about the Bills in recent years), seem to become accepted as truth, amongst the Bills faithful (even those who say they hate Sullivan) later on. Say and think what you will about Sullivan, but I think most of his negativity in reference to the Sabres, and especially the Bills, stems from the fact that he feels that Buffalo sports fans deserve a better product than what they are being supplied by the franchises. Writers, particularly columnists, don't live in a vacuum. People here (see G.Hosts' post) tend to think that being negative about the Bills somehow calls into question how much of a fan you are of the Bills. That is nonsense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justice Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Big difference between broadcasting and writing, as you know. Has Sully become enough of a Buffalonian to hope the local teams do well, for the sake of the city and its residents as much as anything else? Yeah, he probably has ... but that's still a hop, skip, and jump away from being a "fan." Remember JP's infamous rollout in the Meadowswamp, and all the screaming here that accompanied it? According to someone else in the pressbox that day, Sullivan laughed at that play. They all did, following a chorus of, "what the F* is he doing?" That's the difference between a hometown writer and a fan. We're emotionally invested in the outcome. They're not. I'd like to think I am one of the biggest Bills fans in the world and I had that same exact response to that tragic play. The thing is, it wasn't one of those laughing at the team kind of laughs. It was more like the, I can't believe what just happened, not again, OMFG, hysterical kind of laughs that the Bills and only the Bills can supply. It was both sad and funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruceisloose78 Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 hey guys, i usually don't post on here, although i do read what everyone has to say every day. but this debate is one that interests me. I was never crazy about Sullivan on wgr in the morning and he and jeremy constantly arguing over bs would drive me crazy but if you look at his columns for the news IMO he is easily our best columnist. Sometimes he is way to negative but nothing too positive has happened in the buffalo sports world recently besides the sabres 2 late playoff runs. Sully usually tells it how it is and it makes it more nice when he is positive like his one lindy ruff article i loved and his article he wrote before monday night football was also great. Sometimes i disagree with the guy but that's life but overall i would consider myself a fan of his work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat7s Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 He's great for what he is: an opinionated columnist. People keep calling him a reporter... he's not a reporter. He's the Buffalo News' Mike Schopp. I love him because he makes the sports section interesting. I love when people say he's not credible when 90% of what he does is opinion. His job isn't based in fact, it's based in subjective thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I'd like to think I am one of the biggest Bills fans in the world and I had that same exact response to that tragic play. The thing is, it wasn't one of those laughing at the team kind of laughs. It was more like the, I can't believe what just happened, not again, OMFG, hysterical kind of laughs that the Bills and only the Bills can supply. It was both sad and funny. I had the exact same reaction... it was one of those "it's funny because it is true" kind of moments... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynchneedsfood Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Translation: douchebag I'm with this guy!!! Since we just need a whole new regime - from the players all the way up to the FO - why not get new reporters too. We should host a draft lmao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Preston Ridlehuber Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 He's great for what he is: an opinionated columnist. People keep calling him a reporter... he's not a reporter. He's the Buffalo News' Mike Schopp. I love him because he makes the sports section interesting. I love when people say he's not credible when 90% of what he does is opinion. His job isn't based in fact, it's based in subjective thought. Finally. It is amazing to me how some have no idea of the difference between beat reporter and columnist. Jerry Sullivan is a great writer and one of the most respected columnist in the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordio Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Big difference between broadcasting and writing, as you know. Has Sully become enough of a Buffalonian to hope the local teams do well, for the sake of the city and its residents as much as anything else? Yeah, he probably has ... but that's still a hop, skip, and jump away from being a "fan." Remember JP's infamous rollout in the Meadowswamp, and all the screaming here that accompanied it? According to someone else in the pressbox that day, Sullivan laughed at that play. They all did, following a chorus of, "what the F* is he doing?" That's the difference between a hometown writer and a fan. We're emotionally invested in the outcome. They're not. Lori, I have been a bills fan since I was 10yrs old. I laughed at that play also. Before the play was even hiked I said to my wife "the only way they could lose this game now is if they let Losman throw another pass". Sure enough the ball was hiked & all hell broke lose. I had to laugh at that point because it seemed so obvious to me that the best way to lose the game at that point was to put the ball in Losman's hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Lori, I have been a bills fan since I was 10yrs old. I laughed at that play also. Before the play was even hiked I said to my wife "the only way they could lose this game now is if they let Losman throw another pass". Sure enough the ball was hiked & all hell broke lose. I had to laugh at that point because it seemed so obvious to me that the best way to lose the game at that point was to put the ball in Losman's hands. All right, between you and b.harami, I sit corrected on that particular play ... but I still hold fast to my original point. If you're sitting in that press box with credentials, you're not SUPPOSED to be a fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomcat Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I don't agree with everything he says but he's right more often than not. People have a hard time dealing with reality, which I believe, is what he brings. Sometime the truth hurts but it doesn't mean its not the truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsWatch Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Theoretically? Yes. Pragmatically? No. In a small market with just two teams that nearly EVERYBODY in the city cares deeply about, I believe the journalists are intrinsically allowed to take certain emotional liberties that larger market journalists would not. Sullivan is not a journalist but a columnist who tries the old method of increasing sales by inciting readers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Sullivan is not a journalist but a columnist who tries the old method of increasing sales by inciting readers. Nope. Sullivan tells you what he thinks. And if you don't like it, he really doesn't care. And I guarantee that the News circulation department takes next to no calls either subscribing or canceling because of one J. Sullivan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Translation: douchebag This is how he comes across. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Sully's attitude is the problem, as stated above. Its not so much what he says as it is how he says it. Someone said it best above. Sully is the first one to lead the coronation, but he's also the first to drop the crown and grab the pitchfork. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SevenandNine Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 If he was a writer of a rival AFCE team newspaper he does a good job attempting to jab and stir up trouble. As a writer of a column in Buffalo he is a douche bag and perfect poster boy for the former Buffalo Bills fans who like to pretend to still be a Bills fan. Oh yes, let's continue to pretend the Bills front-office has been doing a terrific job this year. We've really improved ourselves. Let's face it...we've fallen back...If the the division added an expansion team, we would come in fifth place. This organization has done nothing right for the past three years. Jerry Sullivan is right on in every criticism he makes of this pathetic organization. Fitzgerald and Hangarten...what a joke! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Oh yes, let's continue to pretend the Bills front-office has been doing a terrific job this year. We've really improved ourselves. Let's face it...we've fallen back...If the the division added an expansion team, we would come in fifth place. This organization has done nothing right for the past three years. Jerry Sullivan is right on in every criticism he makes of this pathetic organization. Fitzgerald and Hangarten...what a joke! Well, seeing as you don't know EITHER of the guys' names, you're not fit to criticize their signings are you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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