Do you read Jerry Sullivan or Bucky Gleason?

[Eleven]

Inspired by the discussion in the latest Evander Kane thread.  I'm wondering if anyone reads these guys anymore.  I almost go out of my way to avoid them.

[That Aud Smell]

Neither, never.

 

As you may recall, I'd add Harrington to that pairing. 

 

But I also understand that Sucky and Bully are the branded columnist pairing of TBN, and that Harrington is ostensibly a reporter.

[GoPre]

Gotta go w/ this board. More reliable, daily updates. Also more entertaining. 

[WildCard]

Nope, even the fan articles on other sites are better

[inkman]

I don't read the The Buffalo News

Edited July 25, 2016 by inkman

[Weave]

I stopped reading TBN almost 5 years before I left Erie County. That puts my avoidance of TBN at about 20 yrs.

[Norcal]

NFW

[North Buffalo]

Read Harrington occasionally but the other two write like they are political reporters.

[Taro T]

Can't recall the last time I've gone out of my way to read either. Have probably read a couple of Bucky's columns over the past 2-3 years. If I've read a single column from the venom spewing downstate pipsqueak in the last 3 years, it was accidental. Won't even use his name in public forums on the off chance the Snooze gives him any form of compensation for public mentions.

[That Aud Smell]

If I've read a single column from the venom spewing downstate pipsqueak in the last 3 years, it was accidental. Won't even use his name in public forums on the off chance the Snooze gives him any form of compensation for public mentions.

 

Haha - nice.

 

I know it's not fair of me, but his fetishism of baseball and golf (neither of which I particularly enjoy or follow) only contribute to my hate* antipathy for him.

 

* I'm trying to be mindful of those here who are averse to message board expressions of hatred.  :P

[7+6=13]

Tyler Dunne is a big loss for the reader.  What's crazy is he's still going to be based in Buffalo - but it's unclear on whether he'll be covering Buffalo sports or at least to what extent. 

 

TBN can't keep a guy who's staying in WNY. 

 

They must have the analytics to prove guys like Sullivan are what they want.  They're a profitable organization but it sure seems like they operate without understanding what their sports reader wants.

Edited July 25, 2016 by 7+6=13

[That Aud Smell]

^

 

I'm not sure it's quite that straightforward as TBN just choosing not to keep Ty Dunne.

 

Here's my sense of the thing (without any inside information or insight): For a guy of Dunne's vintage, the path forward to making good money at a traditional newspaper may be quite uncertain.

 

My sense is that, in the pre-internet days, the more senior writers - like the older of the two mentioned in this thread title (h/t Taro) - saw their pay packages rise to a point where they were pretty comfortable. And now, in this post-internet world, JS continues to occupy the post and receive that compensation even as TBN and other newspapers slowly fade into Bolivia.

 

For a guy like Dunne, I'd bet that that road and destination are no longer available at TBN. My bet is that he chose to make the move because he saw more opportunity (and financial upside) with the online platform to which he's moving.

[Doohicksie]

Nope I just see the gossip about them here.

 

I may read them occasionally on the BN Facebook page without paying attention to who wrote a piece, but as soon as it gets into opinion I generally tune it out.  If I want opinion, I come here where there's give and take.

[Samson's Flow]

I get all my Sabres (and Bills) news from Sabrespace. Quicker news, higher quality, and much better personalities.

 

Tyler Dunne is a big loss for the reader.  What's crazy is he's still going to be based in Buffalo - but it's unclear on whether he'll be covering Buffalo sports or at least to what extent. 

 

TBN can't keep a guy who's staying in WNY. 

 

They must have the analytics to prove guys like Sullivan are what they want.  They're a profitable organization but it sure seems like they operate without understanding what their sports reader wants.

 

I too really liked Tyler Dunne. Tis a shame that his seemingly quality reporting was dorwned out by the Sully/Buckys of the world.

[sabills]

Not only do I not read their articles, I've actually actively blocked both of them on twitter, along with Harrington. Vogl and Dunne were the only ones worth reading from TBN, and now Dunne is gone.

[Samson's Flow]

Edit: wow I didn't realize the poll would be so... drastic.

[7+6=13]

^

 

I'm not sure it's quite that straightforward as TBN just choosing not to keep Ty Dunne.

 

Here's my sense of the thing (without any inside information or insight): For a guy of Dunne's vintage, the path forward to making good money at a traditional newspaper may be quite uncertain.

 

My sense is that, in the pre-internet days, the more senior writers - like the older of the two mentioned in this thread title (h/t Taro) - saw their pay packages rise to a point where they were pretty comfortable. And now, in this post-internet world, JS continues to occupy the post and receive that compensation even as TBN and other newspapers slowly fade into Bolivia.

 

For a guy like Dunne, I'd bet that that road and destination are no longer available at TBN. My bet is that he chose to make the move because he saw more opportunity (and financial upside) with the online platform to which he's moving.

 

He wrote for the news briefly in 2010 then spent 4 years in Milwaukee to then come back to TBN.  After only one year it doesn't make sense that he wrote for newspapers his whole career and doesn't know what the earning landscape is.  It could be as simple as it was a better opportunity.  IMO, TBN losing Dunne is a problem for them when their readers or potential readers don't want the mainstay's like Sullivan.  They shouldn't lose Dunne after one year unless theirs problems there.

[That Aud Smell]

He wrote for the news briefly in 2010 then spent 4 years in Milwaukee to then come back to TBN.  After only one year it doesn't make sense that he wrote for newspapers his whole career and doesn't know what the earning landscape is.  It could be as simple as it was a better opportunity.  IMO, TBN losing Dunne is a problem for them when their readers or potential readers don't want the mainstay's like Sullivan.  They shouldn't lose Dunne after one year unless theirs problems there.

 

I think we may be talking past each other. I think the online platform does, as you seem to indicate, provide better opportunities -- professional advancement, financial, and otherwise. And I think TBN does, as you say, have problems -- I think those problems have a lot to do with hiring and retaining good new talent. I think TBN may have its hands tied a bit by a labour agreement and employment laws that inhibit them from shedding older expensive writers in favour of younger cheaper writers.

[Stoner]

Edit: wow I didn't realize the poll would be so... drastic.

A few are being honest, I call BS on the most. Most every fan reads everyone who writes anything about the Sabres. It's not going to be ignored. To take people at face value, they would have no honest, objective basis for criticizing everything these guys write if they never read them. Does that make sense? I think so.

 

For those who are being honest, what are you afraid of? Seeing something in print that you disagree with? Something negative about your beloved team? It's a little weird. Bucky is a very good writer. You're missing out. It's sports. It's supposed to be fun. But, oh heavens, something bad about the Saviour? Clutch those pearls!!! (Credit to Jo. I still chuckle at that line she used.)

Edited July 25, 2016 by PASabreFan

[7+6=13]

I think we may be talking past each other. I think the online platform does, as you seem to indicate, provide better opportunities -- professional advancement, financial, and otherwise. And I think TBN does, as you say, have problems -- I think those problems have a lot to do with hiring and retaining good new talent. I think TBN may have its hands tied a bit by a labour agreement and employment laws that inhibit them from shedding older expensive writers in favour of younger cheaper writers.

 

You're right we might be passing each other in the same direction.  You have a better pulse on TBN limitations with labor - but it appears Dunne is a newspaper guy and after one year takes a non newspaper gig?  I could totally be wrong but my guess is it wasn't an opportunity in terms of money that made him leave. 

[Eleven]

Well, I've tweeted the link to the poll to the News and the sports desk now.

A few are being honest, I call BS on the most. Most every fan reads everyone who writes anything about the Sabres. It's not going to be ignored. To take people at face value, they would have no honest, objective basis for criticizing everything these guys write if they never read them. Does that make sense? I think so.

 

For those who are being honest, what are you afraid of? Seeing something in print that you disagree with? Something negative about your beloved team? It's a little weird. Bucky is a very good writer. You're missing out. It's sports. It's supposed to be fun. But, oh heavens, something bad about the Saviour? Clutch those pearls!!! (Credit to Jo. I still chuckle at that line she used.)

 

It's been so long since I've stopped reading them that I'm not going to be able to come up with specific examples, but your two sentences sum it up:  "It's sports.  It's supposed to be fun."

 

I don't remember these writers being fun.  I remember them being depressing and whiny. There are other sections of the paper that I can turn to if I want depressing, although, I must admit, I don't read the TBN news-oriented columnists (Esmonde and Watson) anymore, either.

 

I read TBN's City and Region section almost daily, and if there's a local or state story on the front page, I'll read that.  I read the sports section (sans the two columnists) and the business section.

Edited July 25, 2016 by Eleven

[Stoner]

Damn. I hit View Results and now I can't vote. Who designed this poll, the NC Republican State Committee?

 

I imagine the News will view the results the way I did. People read these guys.

[Eleven]

Damn. I hit View Results and now I can't vote. Who designed this poll, the NC Republican State Committee?

 

 

 

Don't blow my cover.

 

Seriously, though, the "Delete My Vote" button should return the poll to a vote-able state for you.

[7+6=13]

A few are being honest, I call BS on the most. Most every fan reads everyone who writes anything about the Sabres. It's not going to be ignored. To take people at face value, they would have no honest, objective basis for criticizing everything these guys write if they never read them. Does that make sense? I think so.

 

For those who are being honest, what are you afraid of? Seeing something in print that you disagree with? Something negative about your beloved team? It's a little weird. Bucky is a very good writer. You're missing out. It's sports. It's supposed to be fun. But, oh heavens, something bad about the Saviour? Clutch those pearls!!! (Credit to Jo. I still chuckle at that line she used.)

 

I think you might be right in terms of most fans read them but that's mostly likely because it gets linked everywhere fans frequent.  I think the spirit of the poll is do buy or electronically go to TBN to read these 2.  So in terms of actually reading - I'll admit I said no but I sometimes do - however only in the context I gave.  I do not go to them direct for consumption and it's due to the content not their lack of ability to write.

[Stoner]

Don't blow my cover.

 

Seriously, though, the "Delete My Vote" button should return the poll to a vote-able state for you.

Thanks, President Carter.