Every once in a while I visit The Aud Club and look things over. It's a trip not to reminisce as much as it is to try and absorb a little bit more of that history we all love so much.
You see, I don't remember much of the Aud, and for someone who is fascinated by arena design and history, well, that just won't do. So while people get ready to buy up pieces of the old building before it gets torn down, I just hope they turn on the lights one more time and take a few last pictures.
The older I get, the more I want to understand the place I grew up. There is so much to learn about such a cool place, and I'm tired of hearing about how crappy things are; I want to understand why. Sadly, I'm one of those guys who doesn't mind sitting at a table full of old people and hear stories about what it was like back in the day. As long as they don't tell me the American League was better off without the DH I'm good.
When I was looking through the bookstore for something to read on vacation, I came across this book in the local section. As soon as I saw it, I knew I would be buying it no matter what the price.
First of all, that's a pretty snazzy cover. I can't say I'm partial to the yellow/black color scheme (This is Buffalo, not Pittsburgh), but there was something so striking about the Buffalo skyline on the edge of a sheer cliff that I figured this guy had something interesting to say.
(Quick story: The cover reminded me of a poster I've seen in a few places, with the Buffalo city skyline on the edge of the Canadian Falls. The last time I saw this picture I was with the other three members of the Roost, and made a stupid joke about the city in a barrel or some crap like that. We all ended up staring at this picture for far too long, letting our Fudruckers burgers get cold while an elderly couple and family was leaving right next to us.
Needless to say, someone made another joke, we all laughed, and the couple thought we were making fun of their slow departure. The man who was with this couple gave us an awful look, and we were banished to hell right then and there. Moving on...)
Our little Reading with the Roost series is drawing to a close with the end of the summer, and our results were a bit of a mixed bag. I wish I had gotten to more reading than I did, but I'm glad we could have a few interesting discussions to kill some time over the long, Sabre-less summer days. Maybe I got a few more people to read The Game or The Code, and for that I'd say it was time well spent.
However, City on the Edge is one of those books I won't be putting off until next summer. I think it's about time I start
If anyone has read City on the Edge, let me know what you thought. And while we're at it, let me ask you something else a bit more sports related.
When the Aud gets torn down sometime within the next few months, are you going to venture downtown to be a public nuisance? I have to admit I'm more than curious and would like to, but I wonder if it means anything to anyone else. I may not remember much, but I' like to make sure I remember this.
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Am I going to be one of many making public nuisances of themselves? Yep.
ReplyDeleteI'm not quite sure what you mean by being a "public nuisance". Do you mean will I be down there protesting the demolition or something like that? My answer to that is no, I won't be protesting it. It has to come down, period. This city isn't big/strong enough to warrant the amount of time and money needed to get it back into a usable state. And even if they did rehab it, what would its purpose be?
ReplyDeleteI will say that I too hope that they "turn the lights on" one more time. I've long thought that they should let people walk around inside one last time. Even if you have to buy admission for it and put on a hazmat suit, I'd do it in a second, and then again. I'd kill to be able to walk up the ramps to the oranges again, and hopefully find that one ramp that went nowhere.
Dave,
ReplyDeleteI didn't mean to protest, just kind of stand around and take some pictures as they tear it down. It will be interesting to see the Aud floor finally see some daylight.
I don't think anyone should protest them tearing it down, I agree it's for the best.
Letting people inside would be awesome, but I think there were too many health concerns. Again I agree with you, though, it would be worth the hazmat suit...
I've had "City on the Edge" bumping around the house all summer but haven't read it yet. Interested to see what you think of it!
ReplyDeleteI'd have a hard time not seeing it come down, as it's right out my window...may even bring my kid in to work to check it out. :D I have no special attachment to the Aud, though, I only remember it from childhood from hearing Gary Thorne and Bill Clement talking about it on ESPN's hockey coverage.
ReplyDeleteI'm a total lurker here, so forgive me for suddenly leaping in, but:
ReplyDeleteThe book is fantastic, but it's nice to hear about it from someone who's not a total Goldman-ass-licker. (hint: Buffalo Rising).
The cover is by a guy I know named Julian Montague. All his art is badass, imo.
Snarky,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link, very cool stuff. Feel free to lurk anytime...
I will, thanks-
ReplyDeleteI actually independently read--or started--The Game this summer; I didn't comment b/c I didn't finish it yet. Compelling as it was, I was simultaneously reading about 5 other books, so it sort of fell by the wayside. But I'll close the deal on it sometime soon, I think. I was liking it.