Stop listening to the hacks

[X-Era]

Joe Buscaglia is yet another hack trying to make a name for himself by spewing crap:

http://blogs.buffalobills.com/2015/05/19/roman-dismisses-speculation-on-ej/

The original article:

http://www.wkbw.com/sports/bills/joe-b-sans-progress-ej-may-be-done-in-buffalo

I guess if you use terms like "may" you can get out of your alleged digging that leads you to conclusions. All while still making baseless comments that can lead a reader to assume you information from sources. Which would of course make the author more popular and bring in more readers.

[OpIv37]

Here's the thing: if EJ doesn't get cut, everyone will forget he said it. At most, people mock him on Twitter for a day, then they'll be over it as soon as the next NFL player gets caught using the name "Joe Canada" to get treatment for herpes.

If he's right and EJ does get cut this off-season, he'll look like a genius and readers will flock to him for insider info. It's very low risk/high reward for him. No accountability if he's wrong, more positive press than money can buy if he's right.

[Meathead]

one billion pcent ej starts the season

[X-Era]

Here's the thing: if EJ doesn't get cut, everyone will forget he said it. At most, people mock him on Twitter for a day, then they'll be over it as soon as the next NFL player gets caught using the name "Joe Canada" to get treatment for herpes.

If he's right and EJ does get cut this off-season, he'll look like a genius and readers will flock to him for insider info. It's very low risk/high reward for him. No accountability if he's wrong, more positive press than money can buy if he's right.Absolutely true and that's why he and others do it. But knowing this it also should erode any perceived integrity in the story... He has nothing to lose so how do we know he'll care about telling the straight truth?

[DraftBoy]

To be fair to Joe, he has nailed the Bills last few draft picks based on his sources. He has EJ Manual a full day before the draft and had Darby before the pick was announced this year as well.

Not sure hack is a fair term, based on his reporting he's been pretty dead on with his stuff.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Not sure Joe got the Darby right before the draft. Not in his mock, and I remember he listed a number of possible names after day 1 and Darby was not on the list. Maybe he got it minutes before it was announced ...

[MillsapsBillsFan]

It makes zero sense to cut Manuel. He hasnt shown anything that makes me think hes a starting caliber QB so far, but its such a small sample size. Plus theres no cap benefit, I just cant see it

But I do agree that theres no risk for him spreading a story like this, especially so easy in training camp. If he doesnt start and does make the roster, all Joe has to say is that opinions changed during camp and they decided to keep another QB. He has an easy out for this story. If he does get cut than hes a great reporter who called this all the way back at the begining of the summer.

No news about who's getting cut matters until it actually gets near a cut day

[DesertFox24]

I think Joe is good in grading the bills players and giving unbiased opinion on the players and how they are playing. That being said I skimmed that article and it was just pure speculation for the sake of speculating. I personally do not agree with this method by journalist but maybe he has to put out content and gets paid by hits to his article so he makes up an article stating really nothing no one does not already know. Of course if any player is worse than they were last year they are in jeopardy of being cut that goes from our best to worst player. For example if Mario becomes a none athlete all of a sudden and cannot do anything they will cut him too, and rightfully they should if that happened.

[Flan]

To be fair to Joe, he has nailed the Bills last few draft picks based on his sources. He has EJ Manual a full day before the draft and had Darby before the pick was announced this year as well.

Not sure hack is a fair term, based on his reporting he's been pretty dead on with his stuff.

To be fair Chris Brown had the EJ Pick the day before on the Bob Mathews show (1180 WHAM).

[trapezeus]

you know the inside sources don't always know. and you run with what you got. you think you hvae an angle and the guy gets it right some of the time, you roll with it.

i'm not a journalist, but i don't think these guys are hacks. i think the sources themselves try to protect themselves by putting out some bad stories just so it doesn't become obvious that its them.

on the topic of Ej, i just dont get how you cut him. he seems to be a guy who will be a good soldier. for $2.5MM to have a little insurance, i'd keep him. especially with our unproven line play yet.

and ground and pound is good and all, but you got to make the throws to open it up

[Mace]

Here's the thing: if EJ doesn't get cut, everyone will forget he said it. At most, people mock him on Twitter for a day, then they'll be over it as soon as the next NFL player gets caught using the name "Joe Canada" to get treatment for herpes.

If he's right and EJ does get cut this off-season, he'll look like a genius and readers will flock to him for insider info. It's very low risk/high reward for him. No accountability if he's wrong, more positive press than money can buy if he's right.

I like Buscaglia really. He's not always right but he's thoughtful about it, presumably analyzing his sources and presenting it. Sources can be wrong too. He sort of just moved up a level also, and needs to develop better sources which he will.

For some reason he reminds me of a more opinionated Carucci (who isn't always right either), which is a good thing. At least when they are wrong you can see their thoughts well enough in context to understand why they thought it. And if they do the Sullivan flip flop they don't hide from it or try and pretend it didn't happen, which reminds you they can't ever be 100% right but are giving you their best take on it from available info.

I like Buscaglia's thoughts though as a rule. He puts time and energy into his work and he's trying.

I liked Sullivan a lot more a long time ago. He's always good at venting for you when you're as aggravated as he is about something, but his thoughts have become predictable whether pro or con and don't have a lot of depth, he's just saying something to be pro or con and not really reporting anything.

Too early to call Buscaglia a hack though. Huge diff between a hack who says whatever whyever, a shill who tries to spin everything positive (Chris Brown), the sports "critic" who tries to spin everything negative if at all possible (Sullivan), the Mr. Big-Source guy with awesome contacts who reports in general if he can help it (Graham), etc, imho....

I think in general Buffalo sports reporters are tired, beaten down, annoyed and cranky and Buscaglia is at least bringing some rookie enthusiasm so far. I won't blame him for being wrong while he's earning his bones.

[BillsImpossible]

you know the inside sources don't always know. and you run with what you got. you think you hvae an angle and the guy gets it right some of the time, you roll with it.

i'm not a journalist, but i don't think these guys are hacks. i think the sources themselves try to protect themselves by putting out some bad stories just so it doesn't become obvious that its them.

on the topic of Ej, i just dont get how you cut him. he seems to be a guy who will be a good soldier. for $2.5MM to have a little insurance, i'd keep him. especially with our unproven line play yet.

and ground and pound is good and all, but you got to make the throws to open it up

That's the problem. EJ can't make the throws. We've known this for a while now, but keep hoping he's going to change.

He hasn't. Buscaglia was at all of the voluntary workouts. He watched every throw. He saw the same thing out of EJ Manuel. Nothing has changed.

So why not keep EJ as an, 'insurance policy?' Makes no sense to cut him, right?

Because he can't throw. The Bills need a 3rd string QB that can make accurate passes. I think Tuel beats EJ for the 3rd spot.

A lot of people forget that Joe Buscaglia graduated from Florida State. He's been watching EJ Manuel for a long time now.

He predicted the pick back in 2013, but he didn't like it. He was not a fan of EJ Manuel coming out of college because he watched him play every game.

Nothing has changed. He is what he is. It's time to move on.

[BillsImpossible]

Buscaglia is not a hack. I miss listening to what he had to say about the Bills on WGR every morning. Wish they could bring him back for a once a week segment.

Vic Carucci has been around the block a few times and more. He's never been overtly negative, and he's never been the type of sports reporter that likes to write Op-Eds like Jerry. "Jerry!" That's Sully's schtick, and it works so I can't blame Jerry Sullivan for being the villain.

At least Carucci and Buscaglia are somewhat sticking their necks out with their latest articles about Cassel being a backup and Manuel getting cut.

I don't think they have anything to gain by saying something they don't think is true.

[Mace]

"Jerry!" That's Sully's schtick, and it works so I can't blame Jerry Sullivan for being the villain.

A while back, couple years now maybe, Sullivan wrote an article saying he wasn't a sports reporter, he considered himself instead a "sports critic". Good work I guess if you can get it, but aren't we all ? That's when I realized Sullivan is lucky enough to be able to spend his time amusing himself while cruising to retirement.

No one better to vent for me when I'm aggravated, but I'm not even an optimist and it gets old with the pattern. Pessimist pessimist pessimist pessimist, grudging optimist, optimist, pessimist pessimist pessimist. Sports critic, not reporter.

Good work if you can get it I guess. Would be good if he could admit it. All he admits is that it all annoys him though.

[BillsImpossible]

one billion pcent ej starts the season

If EJ showed any signs of improvement during the voluntary workouts, don't you think a reporter or two would have said so?

Imagine how many hits a story like that would generate compared to what was said.

"Manuel Shows Signs of Improvement" - if such an article was ever written, the inevitable thread would have thousands of views and we'd all be going ape **** happy dance with beers in our hands.

[better days]

Buscaglia is not a hack. I miss listening to what he had to say about the Bills on WGR every morning. Wish they could bring him back for a once a week segment.

Vic Carucci has been around the block a few times and more. He's never been overtly negative, and he's never been the type of sports reporter that likes to write Op-Eds like Jerry. "Jerry!" That's Sully's schtick, and it works so I can't blame Jerry Sullivan for being the villain.

At least Carucci and Buscaglia are somewhat sticking their necks out with their latest articles about Cassel being a backup and Manuel getting cut.

I don't think they have anything to gain by saying something they don't think is true.

Joe Buscaglia works for WKBW TV now.

They have a pretty good app, Joe writes for them and has a podcast that you can get from the app.

And what they are saying is their OPINION, nothing true or false about it.

[BillsImpossible]

A while back, couple years now maybe, Sullivan wrote an article saying he wasn't a sports reporter, he considered himself instead a "sports critic". Good work I guess if you can get it, but aren't we all ? That's when I realized Sullivan is lucky enough to be able to spend his time amusing himself while cruising to retirement.

No one better to vent for me when I'm aggravated, but I'm not even an optimist and it gets old with the pattern. Pessimist pessimist pessimist pessimist, grudging optimist, optimist, pessimist pessimist pessimist. Sports critic, not reporter.

Good work if you can get it I guess. Would be good if he could admit it. All he admits is that it all annoys him though.

Jerry Sullivan is a professional hack of a, 'sports critic.' He's got a bigger mouth than Rex Ryan, so where's his Op-Ed on the quarterback situation?

That's not his gig, and I respect that.

[Mace]

Jerry Sullivan is a professional hack of a, 'sports critic.' He's got a bigger mouth than Rex Ryan, so where's his Op-Ed on the quarterback situation?

Oh, they are coming.

[BillsImpossible]

Joe Buscaglia works for WKBW TV now.

They have a pretty good app, Joe writes for them and has a podcast that you can get from the app.

And what they are saying is their OPINION, nothing true or false about it.

Apps make George Orwell blush.

An app to me is about as good as what it rhymes with. Trying to read anything on my, "smart," phone makes me want to smash the damn thing like a spike in the end zone.

Texting? I call it beepers gone wild. Stop freaking beeping me! Dial my number and TALK to me if you really want to, Paranoid Android.

[better days]

Apps make George Orwell blush.

An app to me is about as good as what it rhymes with. Trying to read anything on my, "smart," phone makes me want to smash the damn thing like a spike in the end zone.

Texting? I call it beepers gone wild. Stop freaking beeping me! Dial my number and TALK to me if you really want to, Paranoid Android.

Well, despite my advanced age, I can still read the smallest FINE print without any glasses.

And I would bet my font size on my computer is much smaller than the font size most people on this board use.

I love the Bills apps but I do much more listening than reading.

And because of my limited means since the Cancer, I have been using Tracfone for about 10 years now.

The good thing about Tracfone is everything rolls over, if you buy a new phone all the service days & minutes carry over to the new phone.

And I never buy a tracfone unless it comes with a year of service & I only buy phones on ebay.

One year of service is $99. And I have only spent more than that $99 on one phone. And I have bought a few phones for $30 - $40 with a year of service included, so I am in effect getting the phone for free.

Tracfone has finally come out with some decent smart phones. I am using a motorola moto e now, & I love it. It has great resolution on the 4.3" gorilla glass screen.

Oh yeah, and my service is good until 8/25/ 2021.

That is correct, I have no phone bill until Aug of 2021...if I am still alive then.