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WGR v. The Buffalo Bills

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Ya gotta love watching the dynamic, the drama: the Bills, coming off one of their worst seasons in franchise history. The media feeding frenzy. No, it's not 2 and 14, it's not Hank Bullough or Kay Stephenson, but it sure as hell ain't 1990-95.

To this end, I've been watching and listening to the war of words between WGR, its talk show hosts and guests like Jerry "The Assassin" Sullivan and Bills GM Tom Donahoe, who had a show on the Bills' flagship station. Sir Donahoe, according to the pundits, is expected to be a free agent in a matter of days.

The whole Bills-WGR scenario reminds me of the 1968 Democrat National Convention, Chicago. The hippies v. the Chicago cops. The Washington media (WGR) going up against the Nixon White House circa 1973-74 (the Bills.) Tom Donahoe as H.R. Haldeman; Scott Birchtold as Herb Klein; Donald Segretti, Magruder, Erlichman, Mitchell, Dean. (You'll pardon the historical references, I'm simply trying to bait Bob Smith. PhD, History, to comment.)

WGR, for all its bluster and occasionally "getting it right," is often tiresome and tedious. Take Paul Hamilton. Please. The master of "I mean." If you got a dime for every time he says "I mean," you can buy a good dinner at Salvatore's Gaudy Gardens. "The jerks" who call the station (subtle reference to Donahoe's gaffe) are sometimes more entertaining than the hosts, who often take themselves far too seriously. Howard Simon and Brad Reiter getting a pass.
Was it not that long ago that Chuck Dickerson, the baron of blowhards, was hammering and skewering Marv Levy? A few weeks ago, "the coach" became a proponent of Levy rejoining the team as a GM or coach. Change of heart? Mellowing with time? Opportunity calling?

You wonder how 97 Rock and WGR will handle the situation when the Bills GM gets shown the door? If and when Mularkey gets thrown under the bus? When the new GM and/or coach is appointed?

Everybody gets a honeymoon before the second guessing begins.
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New year, new screen name. This is only a test.</P>
 
> To this end, I've been watching and listening to the war of
> words between WGR, its talk show hosts and guests like Jerry
> "The Assassin" Sullivan and Bills GM Tom Donahoe, who had a
> show on the Bills' flagship station.
> The whole Bills-WGR scenario reminds me of the 1968 Democrat
> National Convention, Chicago.

Reminds me a lot more of the frequent media wars that start between teams and either newspaper sports sections, or sports radio outlets like WFAN, down in New York City. These things are frequent ratings-building/circulation-building tools. It's all part of the game. If I were running a sports radio station I'd be looking to generate controversy myself---especially if I'm not counting on having the team's play by play broadcasts on my schedule any time soon, or if I'm carrying the games of a team in a different sport that's fighting for the sports dollar within the market.


> Was it not that long ago that Chuck Dickerson, the baron of
> blowhards, was hammering and skewering Marv Levy? A few
> weeks ago, "the coach" became a proponent of Levy rejoining
> the team as a GM or coach. Change of heart? Mellowing with
> time? Opportunity calling?

Then and now, Dickerson has had considerable entertainment value. WGR would do well to find a more prominent place for him once again, for that reason.

> You wonder how 97 Rock and WGR will handle the situation
> when the Bills GM gets shown the door? If and when Mularkey
> gets thrown under the bus? When the new GM and/or coach is
> appointed?

97 Rock will say nothing until the new GM and any new coach chosen agree to do shows with them.
WGR will give the new arrivals a certain grace period. It will last as long as the Bills look like they're improving. If things turn sour...ohh, boy...
 
If you listen to other sports stations, (that are more than just 24-hr ESPN or Fox Sports Radio) you realize how unbelievably bad WGR is. The key to good talk, is some wit, even when you are skewering your target. WGR is totally devoid of any humour and creativity. I always find it funny to listen to the Bulldog finding new heights of indignation, when every day he declares whatever the Bills did the day before the worst whatever in history. Yawwwnnnn.

PTR
 
At least the Bills can't get "Jacked" and have all their players and coaches replaced by robots!
 
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