There are few cities as heavily invested emotionally in a local sports franchise as Buffalo, New York and its Bills of the NFL. Between having married into a family from Western New York and still having good friends there, I've been feeling the pain of the team's 2-3 start, punctuated by a pair of historically bad performances on defense.
It is what makes the story there additionally unfortunate. And with the NHL owners locking out their players once again, like other hockey markets, the Western New York city can't turn its attentions to the Sabres this fall, not yet anyway.
So what's happening with the Bills?
After spending a record amount on Mario Williams, the Bills are setting records on defense. and sadly, they aren't good ones. Here are some passages from the AP's story on Sunday's blow-out at the hands of the 49er's.
"The Bills became the first team to give up at least 550 yards in consecutive games in the same season since the 1950 New York Yanks."
"Alex Smith threw for a season-high 303 yards and three touchdowns, Frank Gore ran for 106 yards and a score, and the 49ers amassed a franchise-record 621 yards in blowing by the Buffalo Bills 45-3 on Sunday.
As bad as this is, it isn't the worst nightmare that Bills' fans can envision. A nagging worry is that the team will move to a more economically robust market. The current Bills' lease at Ralph Wilson stadium expires in July of next year. Governor Andrew Cuomo and Senator Charles Schumer have jumped into the fray in the effort to try to keep the team in Western New York.
As an aside, the Buffalo area has been through hard times, in retrenchment for decades in tandem with the migration to the Sunbelt and decline in heavy industry. But that seems like history now. There is a more positive feeling in the air there these days. Work is proceeding on new development on the Buffalo waterfront as my friend Scott Brown recently reported for Ch. 2 there.
The better vibe is long overdue for the hard-working and good-hearted people there, who I've only seen as very welcoming and friendly. It is something I had the good fortune to first experience when I was just out of college, moving from Kansas to take a job in a city where I knew no one before.
Whenever any professional sports franchise goes through low a low such as this, there are no easy answers. The Bills aren't the Cowboys, or the Yankees or the Dodgers. Even with the heavy (and so far lost) investment in defensive end Williams, further big spending likely wouldn't provide a quick fix, even if an option.
In Washington, fans of the Redskins have come to know the frustration associated with a perennially underperforming team owned by someone willing to ineffectively spend a lot of money. The Mario Williams disaster is reminiscent of the Albert Haynesworth defensive debacle in D.C.
Unfortunately for the fans of the Bills, "wait until next year" must ring a bit hollow at this point. The people there deserve better. They deserve a break.
It is what makes the story there additionally unfortunate. And with the NHL owners locking out their players once again, like other hockey markets, the Western New York city can't turn its attentions to the Sabres this fall, not yet anyway.
So what's happening with the Bills?
After spending a record amount on Mario Williams, the Bills are setting records on defense. and sadly, they aren't good ones. Here are some passages from the AP's story on Sunday's blow-out at the hands of the 49er's.
"The Bills became the first team to give up at least 550 yards in consecutive games in the same season since the 1950 New York Yanks."
"Alex Smith threw for a season-high 303 yards and three touchdowns, Frank Gore ran for 106 yards and a score, and the 49ers amassed a franchise-record 621 yards in blowing by the Buffalo Bills 45-3 on Sunday.
San Francisco also became the first team in NFL history with 300 yards passing and 300 yards rushing.
Since taking a 21-7 lead against the Patriots, Buffalo has been outscored 90-10. The Patriots and 49ers combined to gain 1,201 yards. "
Since taking a 21-7 lead against the Patriots, Buffalo has been outscored 90-10. The Patriots and 49ers combined to gain 1,201 yards. "
As bad as this is, it isn't the worst nightmare that Bills' fans can envision. A nagging worry is that the team will move to a more economically robust market. The current Bills' lease at Ralph Wilson stadium expires in July of next year. Governor Andrew Cuomo and Senator Charles Schumer have jumped into the fray in the effort to try to keep the team in Western New York.
As an aside, the Buffalo area has been through hard times, in retrenchment for decades in tandem with the migration to the Sunbelt and decline in heavy industry. But that seems like history now. There is a more positive feeling in the air there these days. Work is proceeding on new development on the Buffalo waterfront as my friend Scott Brown recently reported for Ch. 2 there.
The better vibe is long overdue for the hard-working and good-hearted people there, who I've only seen as very welcoming and friendly. It is something I had the good fortune to first experience when I was just out of college, moving from Kansas to take a job in a city where I knew no one before.
Whenever any professional sports franchise goes through low a low such as this, there are no easy answers. The Bills aren't the Cowboys, or the Yankees or the Dodgers. Even with the heavy (and so far lost) investment in defensive end Williams, further big spending likely wouldn't provide a quick fix, even if an option.
In Washington, fans of the Redskins have come to know the frustration associated with a perennially underperforming team owned by someone willing to ineffectively spend a lot of money. The Mario Williams disaster is reminiscent of the Albert Haynesworth defensive debacle in D.C.
Unfortunately for the fans of the Bills, "wait until next year" must ring a bit hollow at this point. The people there deserve better. They deserve a break.
