Buffalo: Greatest City in North America!

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I was born 23 miles south of Buffalo in a small town. I still love going back to North Collins to move around in the same neighborhoods where I grew up. I pass homes and think of old friends and fun nights as I grew to maturity - which is a debatable subject, of course.

I went to college in another state. Pennsylvania. I liked it, but I returned to Buffalo. I went to California for a long stretch in '83. I liked it, but returned to Buffalo. I went back to California in '87. I liked it, but returned to Buffalo. I lived in Connecticut in '88. I liked it, but returned to Buffalo. I moved to Maryland the day after the Bills lost the first of four straight Super Bowls. I liked Baltimore, but I moved back to Buffalo.

Are you getting the drift?

I rather enjoy busting on people around here for their love of the Bills and Sabres because those teams are caught like a hamster in a wheel. A lot of motion, but not really getting anywhere.

And what I hate most of all is blind faith in something that just doesn't work.

I bash my hometown city a lot. From the economy to the broken down streets on the west side, east side, north side and south side.

I wonder why Buffalo people accept mediocrity and live with a sort of inferiority complex. Everyone is so damn defensive.

But I would never want to leave here forever.

Perhaps when I'm old and greyer I will move to a warm climate in the winter. Don't know how that will happen unless I hit the powerball, but that's as much as I want to roam away.

Believe it or not, Buffalo has the best weather in the country.

Yeah, I said that!

Tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, stifling heat...that's everyone else's problem. Sure there's snow from September to May, but every once in awhile it's 65 degrees here and our summers are nice.

The people are great. Hardworking, warm, friendly, help each other out sort of people. Believe me, it beats the hell out of the land of fruits and nuts that gathered in Cali.

The sports teams have a certain charm.

Think Chicago Cubs.

Think never gonna' win.

Think fans that don't believe that.

"No Goal! Wide Right! The Refs hate small market teams! Lost helmet, OJ played here. Tim McVeigh grew up here!"

We have it all.

The Blizzard of '77. Chicken Wings. 4 straight Super losses. A shell of a casino downtown. No peace bridge deal yet. A hole where the Aud used to be. A skyway bridge over a road that would be perfectly drive able into the city. An almost empty marina. Boarded up buildings, high taxes, closed libraries, desolate downtown streets by 6 pm, an almost empty transit train that doesn't really head anywhere.

A wonderful Children's Hospital. A great cancer research facility. Terrific people. The Buffalo News. Did I mention chicken wings? The French Connection, 4 straight Super Bowls! Dammit!

As Marv Levy once said...where would you rather be then right here, right now.

Buffalo!

The greatest city in North America.

Come visit.

It's a wonderful place to erect a snowman.

Comments

Carrie Lynn Fazzolari said…
B-U-F-F-A-L-O! Damn straight... miss my home.
02 May, 2011
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