Main Street

by Ryan

I used to think that living in Buffalo wasn't all that bad. Then I heard everyone else's opinion. Unfortunately Buffalo is one of those cities that gets crap out of habit from just about anyone that pleases to opine. It also happens to have a bad track record with its sports teams. You can see where this is going.

So when I read the Bills season preview on Deadspin I was prepared for the worst. In all honesty, I was actually let down a bit.

The article itself was very solid, but the comments were the same things I've read or heard about Buffalo for years.

"Scott Norwood still kicking for them?"

"I'd imagine post-riot Buffalo would look pretty much like pre-riots Buffalo, no matter how destructive said riots were."

And so on.

The thing is, what was said wasn't offensive at all. In fact, I'm just appalled by the lack of originality. I mean, Scott Norwood jokes don't even register with us anymore. Sure, watching a replay of it still makes me want to rip my my esophagus out and jump some rope with it, but making a Norwood crack doesn't even phase me at this point. The same goes with a Brett Hull joke. At this point, whatever. I've heard it so many times, it's a moot point at best.

In all honesty, those horrific moments from our sporting past are nowhere near as painful as the current troubles we have. Why not tell me that no free agent would be caught dead in Buffalo? That reality would hurt more than a joke about a 47 year old placekicker.

All I'm asking for is a little more creativity when you make fun of us. The least you can do is ask when John Rigas is going to give us the tools to "finish the job." Ask me how that waterfront stadium is treating us, or if the Rockies like playing downtown.

I really don't have a problem with making fun of Buffalo. In fact, some of the best advice I've ever gotten was that you have to make fun of yourself before you learn to make fun of others. All I'm asking is for something new. Anything other than Norwood, Hull, and calling it a cesspool would be an exciting change of pace.

Heck, even Cleveland has Brady Quinn now, and their stadium was built on an ocean.