Buffalo Media

[imbondz]

What is the Buffalo media's responsibility to continually put pressure on the organization to field a better team? I don't think the New York City media would handle 15 years of the Jets and Giants being as bad as we've been. The Jets made it to two consecutive AFC title games a few years ago, the Giants have been mostly great for a long time. They rarely go a couple of years without winning seasons.

The Buffalo media needs to start upping the pressure, asking tougher questions, make the entire team and ownership uncomfortable in every press conference.


Would it make any difference? Thoughts?

[Ginger Vitis]

I always thought Jerry Sullivan did what you wanted maybe Jerry needs to ratchet up the pressure even more

[Historian]

It's an interesting question, Bondzai, one that I have wrestled with for some time.

We know for a fact that the official Bills spokespeople are essentially like political spin masters, parlaying the company line...and it has been going on since the Bills hired Scott Berchtold from the Packers back in the eighties.

That's a given.

The problem has a couple answers. For one, it's a one paper town now, so the competition for the written word simply isn't there.

Not to mention most of us get most Bills news online anyways. (or via text whatever)

Then there's the access issue.

If a journalist wants access to a player, or the like, I think they tend to ease off on them, and the team.

Certainly the Bills (Ralph Wilson's Bills...not sure about the Pegulas yet) cannot tell the News who to employ, but they can sure choose who they warm up to, and who they choose to give the cold shoulder to.

Much like a politician.

It's a real interesting question, and one that needs looked at from many angles, like small market vs big, etc.

[Bill Cody]

The Buffalo media needs to start upping the pressure, asking tougher questions, make the entire team and ownership uncomfortable in every press conference.


Would it make any difference? Thoughts?

The NFL is a QB league and the Bills don't have one. Do questions/pressure get us one? If so how?

[imbondz]

The NFL is a QB league and the Bills don't have one. Do questions/pressure get us one? If so how?

There has to be accountability. We had none in Ralph Wilsons last years. Large market teams media put pressure on their organizations.

Just seems that the media has some responsibility to be the voice for the fans. If they're just sucking up to get an interview, or be seen/heard, what good are they? They need to ask players, coaches, managers, owners, when is this crap going to end. It needs to be constant. There should be constant pressure put on this organization until a winning team is fielded. 15 years is not the norm for pro teams to not have a winning season.

[BertSquirtgum]

I wish after Thursday nights game the front page of the Buffalo news had a title in capital letters like this..... LOSERS. With a random picture from during the game.

[Mr. Pink]

Sully is the only guy in the media with the balls to actually speak the truth. He gets panned by other media members and often ridiculed, just listen when he's on air with Schopp and the Bulldog. Meanwhile fans hate him because they want to believe the Bills are a great team but the NFL is rigged and out to get them.

[sudzy]

I think the portion of the Bills don't control (Chris Brown, WGR) for the most part is hard on the Bills. I think there is a large portion of Bills fans that are alright with letting the Bills skate as long as they stay in Buffalo. If you dare question this team your labeled as "doom and gloom". Like the last 15 years has been all roses. I was beat up last off seasons for saying the Bills need to be looking QB. Half the people on this board seem to be more then willing to drink what ever Kool-aid the Bills are serving right now. Hell, I believe Whaley could still sell EJ as the "QB of the future" to a lot of Bills fans.

[BuffaloRedleg]

I don't know what Buffalo Media you are talking about but every single person on WGR has been losing their lunch over this game and it has been great.

[Fletch]

What is the Buffalo media's responsibility to continually put pressure on the organization to field a better team? I don't think the New York City media would handle 15 years of the Jets and Giants being as bad as we've been. The Jets made it to two consecutive AFC title games a few years ago, the Giants have been mostly great for a long time. They rarely go a couple of years without winning seasons.

The Buffalo media needs to start upping the pressure, asking tougher questions, make the entire team and ownership uncomfortable in every press conference.


Would it make any difference? Thoughts?

The forums are part of that media in a big sense.

Yet so many here support the obviously flawed parts of the organization and team. When we as a group constantly support mediocrity and accept flawed decision making then don't you think we kind of get what we, as a whole that is, deserve? I do.

Go back and revisit the posts here from preseason and early in the season in September and see the support for things now no longer being supported, even amongst the most ardent "optimists" who I won't mention by name in the interests of attempting to keep whatever peace there is here in place.

[Fletch]

If you dare question this team your labeled as "doom and gloom". Like the last 15 years has been all roses. I was beat up last off seasons for saying the Bills need to be looking QB. Half the people on this board seem to be more then willing to drink what ever Kool-aid the Bills are serving right now. Hell, I believe Whaley could still sell EJ as the "QB of the future" to a lot of Bills fans.

Right on the money.

[better days]

I think the portion of the Bills don't control (Chris Brown, WGR) for the most part is hard on the Bills. I think there is a large portion of Bills fans that are alright with letting the Bills skate as long as they stay in Buffalo. If you dare question this team your labeled as "doom and gloom". Like the last 15 years has been all roses. I was beat up last off seasons for saying the Bills need to be looking QB. Half the people on this board seem to be more then willing to drink what ever Kool-aid the Bills are serving right now. Hell, I believe Whaley could still sell EJ as the "QB of the future" to a lot of Bills fans.

The Bills staying in Buffalo was the number one issue for all Bills fans that are from Buffalo.

It would not matter if the Bills are good or bad if they are not in Buffalo.

Now that we know the Bills are Staying in Buffalo, we can talk about what is needed to make them better, just as we can talk about what it will take to make the Sabres better.

There was a time it looked like the Sabres would leave Buffalo as well.

Now Buffalo is a hockey mecca.

[Mace]

I don't know, the media has been rough on the Bills for years for what I see, putting aside Sully's opinion pieces, he has stated before he thinks himself a sports critic not a journalist.

There's probably a more knowledgable honest media base here than I remember my whole life. They are never kind to the team. I don't know what more pressure they can apply razoring them weekly, or what pressure they should. They are media, and supposed to report stuff not tell people what to think. You can't ever let media tell you what to think or drive change or you're eating populist whatever, imho.

[YardRat]

I couldn't care less about the local media's opinions, just stfu and report the news.

[sudzy]

The Bills staying in Buffalo was the number one issue for all Bills fans that are from Buffalo.

It would not matter if the Bills are good or bad if they are not in Buffalo.

Now that we know the Bills are Staying in Buffalo, we can talk about what is needed to make them better, just as we can talk about what it will take to make the Sabres better.

There was a time it looked like the Sabres would leave Buffalo as well.

Now Buffalo is a hockey mecca.

I feel much better now. By the way, how is the "hockey mecca" doing? 4-13-2. Three points into last place. Yep, feeling much better now.

[Night Train]

The local media has hammered the Bills but let's see what the new owner does in his first off-season.

Sitting on his hands like he did with the Sabres blew up in his face. Lesson learned ? We'll see.

Pegula is obviously a rich fan who needs the right people to advise him. That person is NOT Brandon. The outside consulting idea would be wise.

[DraftBoy]

The media in Buffalo is never going to be like the media in places like New York, Boston, or Chicago. If you are expecting that, you're going to be disappointed. The media has to balance praise and criticism based on what its readers/listeners want and what the teams will accept (I think accept is a poor term for what I mean, but for lack of a better one...). You don't have to bash the team at every turn to be critical of them.

I think WGR has a few guys who do this well, but they also have their homers. Buffalo News is similar in my opinion.

Personally I think the the critique/praise is often the worst part of coverage. I much prefer analytic breakdowns where tape/game situations are broken down. But that rarely plays well in print or on radio.

[better days]

I feel much better now. By the way, how is the "hockey mecca" doing? 4-13-2. Three points into last place. Yep, feeling much better now.

If you were a Sabres fan, you would feel GREAT about their record.

But it is not just the Sabers record, it is the new Harbor Center which is turning Buffalo into a hockey mecca.

YOUNG TALENTED Hockey players are coming to Buffalo to play games & getting a chance to see Buffalo & its fans, that can only help the Sabres in the future.

And I heard the radio voice of the Leafs on WGR not long ago (I forgot his name) & he said he did not recognize Buffalo with all the changes Pegula has made.

[chris66]

If you were a Sabres fan, you would feel GREAT about their record.

But it is not just the Sabers record, it is the new Harbor Center which is turning Buffalo into a hockey mecca.

YOUNG TALENTED Hockey players are coming to Buffalo to play games & getting a chance to see Buffalo & its fans, that can only help the Sabres in the future.

And I heard the radio voice of the Leafs on WGR not long ago (I forgot his name) & he said he did not recognize Buffalo with all the changes Pegula has made.I dont know how you could feel great as a sabres fan. The way they are going about it very rarely works. just look at Edmonton they have been drafting top 5 for years now and they still suck.

[better days]

I dont know how you could feel great as a sabres fan. The way they are going about it very rarely works. just look at Edmonton they have been drafting top 5 for years now and they still suck.

I would rather look at the Redwings & Penguins myself.

A formula for building a GOOD team.

[DynaPaul]

I think we have too many gullible, rose-colored glasses wearing fans to have a riot at the Ralph.

[Mace]

I think we have too many gullible, rose-colored glasses wearing fans to have a riot at the Ralph.

Honestly, I wish I was one of them. Would save me aggravation and the money I spend on antacids. I sure don't see any of them in local media besides Chris Brown though, and they're the ones that pay him anyway.

[SpikedLemonade]

I think there is a large portion of Bills fans that are alright with letting the Bills skate as long as they stay in Buffalo.

B-I-N-G-O!!!!

As witnessed by the recent fear over the sale of the Bills, the self-esteem of Buffalo area sports fans is so low that they are just happy to have teams in Buffalo still.

They don't think they deserve better.

[ckg927]

I dont know how you could feel great as a sabres fan. The way they are going about it very rarely works. just look at Edmonton they have been drafting top 5 for years now and they still suck.

The reason for that is they're not getting in FAs who can teach the young guys how to play and win. It's debatable whether the Sabres are doing that, but having Gionta and Gorges here does help.

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I would rather look at the Redwings & Penguins myself.

A formula for building a GOOD team.

You forgot the Kings. They, too, know how to build a winning team. 2 Cups in the last 5 seasons speak for itself.

[Mace]

B-I-N-G-O!!!!

As witnessed by the recent fear over the sale of the Bills, the self-esteem of Buffalo area sports fans is so low that they are just happy to have teams in Buffalo still.

They don't think they deserve better.

Well the thing is here, Spiked, and you have to be brutally honest with yourself about it, is that if you have a team there is a chance it will get better, and there's absolutely no way if Buffalo loses one it has a ice cubes chance in h-e-double-toothpicks of getting another one.

It doesn't really have anything to do with self esteem.

Anyone else here who toys with the idea of shooting off their own foot in wrathful indignation thinking it gains a level of satisfaction should really consider whether it's better to have a bad team or none whatever. That's just how it is really.

Personally, I'm happier being aggravated over having a bad team then being aggravated over a team I don't have, yeah ?

[Bill Cody]

There has to be accountability. We had none in Ralph Wilsons last years. Large market teams media put pressure on their organizations.

Just seems that the media has some responsibility to be the voice for the fans. If they're just sucking up to get an interview, or be seen/heard, what good are they? They need to ask players, coaches, managers, owners, when is this crap going to end. It needs to be constant. There should be constant pressure put on this organization until a winning team is fielded. 15 years is not the norm for pro teams to not have a winning season.

You sound like a politician. How does this "pressure" get us a QB?

[better days]

B-I-N-G-O!!!!

As witnessed by the recent fear over the sale of the Bills, the self-esteem of Buffalo area sports fans is so low that they are just happy to have teams in Buffalo still.

They don't think they deserve better.

As I said before, the Bills staying in Buffalo was the #1 issue before Pegula bought them.

And you were among those that were certain the Bills would move after the team was sold.

Well, not only are the Bills staying in Buffalo, but the owner is the 4th richest in the NFL & he will spend the money to make the Bills a winner.

Our self esteem is just fine.