buffalonian Posted September 29, 2009 Posted September 29, 2009 You're missing the point. If you read the original post, it's not the column that's being criticized, it's Sullivan's behavior during the podium interview. With all due respect jester, no one has a gun to your head forcing you to participate in this thread. If you don't like a thread...you know the rest. I heard the interview on the radio. It was broadcast on KNBR here in the bay area. I couldn't tell who was asking the questions but it was very clear that those asking the most questions were in fact trying to goad Owens into making a controversial statement. Tom Tolbert the former NBA player and host of the afternoon drive time show called the interview session a "baiting session." And that's exactly what it sounded like. And I've been in that room and witnessed my share of post game interviews. I'm also not a big fan of Maiorana. Like Sully, he seems to be a guy who doesn't like what he does for a living. Tough crap. Be a professional. Letting your own unhappiness, bitterness, disillusionment, and cynicism affect how you do your job is unacceptable. Especially when the FCC mandates that you serve the public interest, service, and necessity. Especially in a state with 10% unemployment. Especially in a world where any number of qualified, competent, principled, and capable people would be happy to have a sports writing job. I used to play in the same City of Buffalo softball league as Jerry Sullivan. One game he was playing third base and as the base runner approached, Sullivan decoyed an incoming throw from the outfield in order to keep the runner from rounding third and heading for home. Thing is, you don't do crap like that in a slow pitch softball game. The base runner was a middle aged, slightly overweight guy. If he thinks the throw is coming and decides to slide he could hurt himself. I was coaching third base and told him that he breached protocol by decoying a throw when none was coming. Sullivan said he was just trying to help the team win. The biggest problem I have with Sullivan is that I don't like when people with very little wisdom have a platform for espousing their opinions. That's why I've stopped reading his column. The only Buffalo News sports writer that I truly respect is Mark Gaughan. I also like former News writer Vic Carrucci. Both of them have great demeanor and temperament...that particular calmness and wisdom that Jerry Sullivan lacks. Jerry is just a shrill voice IMO. We'll said. Sullivan has been bitterly fixated on Owens since Owens failed to talk to the media following the Pats loss. He has lost any sense of objectivity concerning Owens. I can't understand why he is so personally offended by Owens not talking to the press. The only useful bits of information that ever come out of post game press conferences are injury reports. Who cares what Owens, Evans, Edwards, etc. have to say about a football game that has ended? I can guarantee that players will never have anything truly enlightening to say following a game. Sullivan, et al. have to stop taking themselves so seriously.
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