News Article: Gary Lawless is at it again.

[ajmidd12]

Gary Lawless ‏@garylawless

Enough of Buff: Get rid of him - via @winnipegnews http://shar.es/laJCX via @sharethis

What a clown.

Maybe it's time we get rid of him instead of Buff, after all, his post game comments/questions and lack of oxygen is quite sad for a reporter. Remember him saying the same thing about Kane at the same time last year? Kane just had a highlight season of his career.

Maybe this is his attempt at reverse psychology?

Anyways "Vader" strikes again.

Click to read more...

 

[CorgisPer60]

Gary is an opinion writer, first and foremost. That is his opinion.

 

[tacogeoff]

Tell me how you really feel gary.

What a tool

 

[ajmidd12]

Gary is an opinion writer, first and foremost. That is his opinion.

I know he is, but he needs to keep his opinions to himself. He is out of hand.

It's fine to state the Jets need to be better next year, they absolutely do. But singling out individual players because he doesn't like them. Really?

What a fool.

 

[Whileee]

Lawless needs to be run out of town. He is already a cancer for the franchise, and he will only get worse.

He does no real work to prepare for his articles, because he is lazy. Instead, he just tries to agitate in some sort of macho "tough journalist" charade.

The WFP has much better journalists in Tait and Campbell, and neither of them are mindless acolytes for the franchise. They write reasoned, researched articles that don't shy away from Chevy's options (including trading Buff).

Lawless just sows seeds of controversy and discontent. Maybe the sports journalism swamp of TO would accept him and his prima donna act.

I am persuaded that Chevy and the Jets management are fully committed to winning, and will make the tough decisions that they think need to be made to achieve success. They don't need "blunderbuss" Lawless and his rants to try to sway their opinions.

His exit is definitely one of the changes that I would like to see surrounding the Jets experience next year.

 

[White Out 403*]

Aside from people's dislike for lawless, what did he write that's wrong? Buff lacks discipline and commitment to being a healthy, fit, and committed pro. I agree with Lawless. And for the record dismissing him as being fat or an idiot just looks bad on us. Grow up some of you.

 

[Back in the Bigs]

not a big Lawless fan but I think a lot of people would rag on him less if he weighed 60 pounds less
but while he has overstated his case significantly here, have we not seen Buff get trashed mercilessly here many times when he does some of the very stuff Lawless mentions

 

[Saunderosa]

He needs to stop being "shock" journalist that he is trying so hard to be. He acts like a bully and is tries way to hard be the main man. I am so sick of the name dropping, the "i rub shoulders with a source very close to......" shtick.

Enough man. Just deal the facts, less opinions. The story will break, you don't need to force it.

 

[Whileee]

Aside from people's dislike for lawless, what did he write that's wrong? Buff lacks discipline and commitment to being a healthy, fit, and committed pro. I agree with Lawless. And for the record dismissing him as being fat or an idiot just looks bad on us. Grow up some of you.

Dismissing him for being fat is not cool. Dismissing him for being an idiot is totally fair game. He is an idiot.

The problem with Lawless is that he continually tries to stir the pot, whether it's with rumour and innuendo about Kane, or about discord between Noel and Burmi, or now publicly calling out Buff just as he's cleaning out his locker. He takes personal shots at players. There are ways of raising these sorts of issues without the dramatic and sleazy edge that Lawless puts into his articles. He's lazy and thinks that his path to success is through "controversial opinions". I hate that sort of "journalism". It doesn't fit with a classy organization like the Jets, or a city like Winnipeg. Square peg, round hole - Lawless has to go.

 

[Whileee]

not a big Lawless fan but I think a lot of people would rag on him less if he weighed 60 pounds less
but while he has overstated his case significantly here, have we not seen Buff get trashed mercilessly here many times when he does some of the very stuff Lawless mentions

Posting on an internet board is different from using a column to trash a player.

I don't rag on Lawless because of the way he looks, but because of the way he writes.

 

[allan5oh]

He listed all the wrong reasons. Buff is turning around, and has improved both his condition and his mental game. If there was a reason to trade him, it's because we could get a huge return and we would still be left with 4 RHD.

 

[DarthMonty]

Lawless wrote the subject piece as an Op/Ed - it's his opinion, not investigative journalism. Whether or not readers agree with him is the entire premise, in fact, it's written to stir up discussion and provide page clicks, successfully, I would surmise, due to a majority of people disagreeing with his opinion in the comments section.

What the heck is wrong with that?

I fail to see anything in his opinion piece that could be deemed as "wrong", because it's his opinion.

I tend to agree with his take on Byfuglien; I'm wearying of Buff's inconsistency, and at 28 years old, he's got what, maybe 5 to 8 years of effectiveness remaining. The Jets need to get a more consistent game out of him, especially with Hainsey's possible departure.

I also don't see what's Lawless' weight has to do with this story, and even though I see him as an insufferable windbag, I will not criticise his story based on his waist size.

You guys need to lighten up, and probably some of you need to look in the mirror a little more critically before dismissing Lawless' writing on the basis of his weight.

 

[Gump Hasek]

EDIT; apparently I agree fully with the guy directly above.

I'll qualify by stating I'm not a big Lawless fan by any means.... but at least I can understand his role. He is in the opinion chair there at the Freep, not reporting; he is employed in more of an editorial/opinion position versus simply reporting on the action. As such, he is paid to offer his opinion and is just doing his job with this specific article. Cheer-leading is mainly reserved for winning teams only; losing teams must conversely face critical opinions and articles, it comes with the territory.

Whether or not any of us agree with him is near moot. He is being paid to offer his own viewpoint and is doing so.

 

[truck]

Lazy columnists derides an elite athlete for his lack of commitment and work.

 

[Gump Hasek]

Lazy columnists derides an elite athlete for his lack of commitment and work.

If Lawless was being paid to be physically fit... then you'd have a point. He is conversely paid to offer his opinion.

 

[White Out 403*]

I think that maybe some people here think that lawless will hurt buffs feelings and scare away others from an already unattatractive free agent market. Relax. This happens in every city.

 

[truck]

If Lawless was being paid to be physically fit... then you'd have a point. He is conversely paid to offer his opinion.

My lazy comment has zero to do with fitness and everything to do with research.

 

[ajmidd12]

Funny how some of you think he is employed as a freepress opinion writer. Then why does he state that he is the one and only columnist for the Winnipeg Jets.

The guy is a fool and a black eye on our city and the Jets franchise. The players don't need some ********* columnist tearing them apart all the time. Besides this really paints a great picture of our city in attracting top prospects. He is calling out Buff simply because Buff refuses to give him the time of day.

We all know Buff is a unique player, good or bad he is a backbone in our franchise, the fans feed off him, he feeds off the fans. We need him here and his presence, when he pushes his weight around other players think twice about cutting in near him, there are very few others in the league with a shot like his. Why would anyone want to give that up? Yes, he makes questionable plays sometimes, but every player does (even Crosby).

Tait at least reports on what Noel or Chevy actually say, he doesn't try to stir up controversy.

And yes, there is a HUGE difference between posting here on an online forum and having a column printed in a local newspaper daily.

Lawless needs to go, no one here respects him.

 

[Whileee]

Lawless wrote the subject piece as an Op/Ed - it's his opinion, not investigative journalism. Whether or not readers agree with him is the entire premise, in fact, it's written to stir up discussion and provide page clicks, successfully, I would surmise, due to a majority of people disagreeing with his opinion in the comments section.

What the heck is wrong with that?

I fail to see anything in his opinion piece that could be deemed as "wrong", because it's his opinion.

I tend to agree with his take on Byfuglien; I'm wearying of Buff's inconsistency, and at 28 years old, he's got what, maybe 5 to 8 years of effectiveness remaining. The Jets need to get a more consistent game out of him, especially with Hainsey's possible departure.

I also don't see what's Lawless' weight has to do with this story, and even though I see him as an insufferable windbag, I will not criticise his story based on his waist size.

You guys need to lighten up, and probably some of you need to look in the mirror a little more critically before dismissing Lawless' writing on the basis of his weight.

I agree with you. He's an insufferable windbag. Sharing an opinion is different from repeatedly and deliberately trying to stir up the pot with a toxic blend of rumour, innuendo and inflammatory articles. Every professional player and every professional franchise has their share of internal issues, demons and interpersonal challenges. Lawless likes to sniff around and exploit them for his own purposes. He's a mix between blowhards like Pat Buchanan and muckrakers like TMZ. Sometimes I agree with his opinions, but that is irrelevant. I always hate how they are expressed - smug and self-serving, and ultimately counterproductive to the overall discourse about the Jets.

If readers here and of the WFP really think that he is a high quality op/ed journalist, then I have to vehemently disagree. He's a hack.

 

[Whileee]

I think that maybe some people here think that lawless will hurt buffs feelings and scare away others from an already unattatractive free agent market. Relax. This happens in every city.

He lowers the level of discourse, rather than elevating it. Good journalists and op/ed writers generate thoughtful discussions. Lawless likes to launch scud missiles just because he likes to hear the the big bang.

I suppose we can't really blame him. He obviously doesn't have the talent or work ethic to do anything else. I think that the WFP could do better, and wish that they would.

 

[truck]

Not sure where this "Gary is just an opinion writer" stuff is coming from. He is also a top sports story breaker for the Freep.

He is well connected and walks a strange line between opinion writer and insider. It s a weird grey area in which most don't tread.

 

[sipowicz]

Half the posters in the Winnipeg Jets threads say they want Buff gone and Lawless mirrors the sentiments of over 50% of you (us) and somehow he's way off base? Give your collective heads a shake!


PS Do any of you for a second think the Jets coaching staff, managment and ownership are pleased with Buff's (lack of) progress and piss poor conditioning or lack of? Lawless has sources and he is usually led to what he should write.

 

[Gump Hasek]

My lazy comment has zero to do with fitness and everything to do with research.

Sure it did. He is an employed journalist, took journalism in school and as such is paid to do his research; he is held to a specific professional standard and everything he reports must meet certain in-house protocols. His employers apparently don't share your concerns, given that he is still being paid to write and offer his views.

 

[Whileee]

Funny how some of you think he is employed as a freepress opinion writer. Then why does he state that he is the one and only columnist for the Winnipeg Jets.

The guy is a fool and a black eye on our city and the Jets franchise. The players don't need some ********* columnist tearing them apart all the time. Besides this really paints a great picture of our city in attracting top prospects. He is calling out Buff simply because Buff refuses to give him the time of day.

We all know Buff is a unique player, good or bad he is a backbone in our franchise, the fans feed off him, he feeds off the fans. We need him here and his presence, when he pushes his weight around other players think twice about cutting in near him, there are very few others in the league with a shot like his. Why would anyone want to give that up? Yes, he makes questionable plays sometimes, but every player does (even Crosby).

Tait at least reports on what Noel or Chevy actually say, he doesn't try to stir up controversy.

And yes, there is a HUGE difference between posting here on an online forum and having a column printed in a local newspaper daily.

Lawless needs to go, no one here respects him.

I have personally indicated that I think that Buff needs to improve his conditioning. So, I suppose you could say that I agree with Lawless' "opinion". It's a bit telling that anonymous posters on an internet discussion board are able to engage in discourse that is more thoughtful and reasoned than Lawless. Remember people, he got paid to write that rambling diatribe about Buff. There was nothing thoughtful about it. There was nothing droll. There was nothing but verbal diarrhea that any random fan who doesn't like Buff could have written.

 

[Analyst365]

Half the posters in the Winnipeg Jets threads say they want Buff gone and Lawless mirrors the sentiments of over 50% of you (us) and somehow he's way off base? Give your collective heads a shake!


PS Do any of you for a second think the Jets coaching staff, managment and ownership are please with Buff's (lack of) progress and piss poor conditioning or lack of? Lawless has sources and he is usually led to what he should write.

Agreed. Any excuse to rip Lawless though because he is fat, knowledgeable hockey fans n' all. I lose faith in these boards when I see threads like this.