Cleveland? We have a Problem...

[Sanners]

Buffalo used to be a dying city. Now it is just dead. Maybe it can make a comeback but that is unlikely. The owner is going to pass away soon and there is no succession plan as there was in Pittsburgh from father to sons. The entire NFL is waiting for Ralph to die so the team can be moved to LA. It doesn't matter how many games they sell out or what the politicians say. It matters even less what we the fans say. The Bills days are numbered. With the Jets and Giants moving back to NYC there won't even be any arguement from the legislature. If the Browns can be relocated to Baltimore do you really think the Bills won't be moved to LA or San Antonio, or Oklahoma City, or any other city where the population is growing?

 

It's time to relish their history, enjoy the games they have left in Rich Stadium(it will always be Rich to me), and root for the Sabres.

 

Jet's and Giants aren't moving to NYC. They are moving across their parking lot in Jersey.

[sharper802]

Jet's and Giants aren't moving to NYC. They are moving across their parking lot in Jersey.

My bad! I thought the Jets were moving back.

[ChasBB]

He is performing his Job. You may not like his job, but much like the cashier is obligated to keep selling Hamburgers to fat people, he has job requirements as well.

As treasurer, it wold seem to me that it is Littmann's job to know at any given moment, exactly how much funding is available for any given situation. Yes, he must fully understand the budget of the team and so forth. However, I get the sense that he actually has decision-making privileges that really should go to someone else. What I'm saying is that if Buddy Nix wants to give one of his players a raise to keep him happy and in-the-fold, then it is really only Littmann's job to say, "yes, we have the funding for that", or "no, we don't have the funding for that" and that's all. It's not Littmann's role to make the decision, but only to provide the numbers. Who knows. None of us are really privy to the inner workings of the Buffalo organization, but I've read enough about Littmann over the years that implies he plays a significant role in Ralph's supposed cheapness profile.

[Buffalo Wing]

I think I can speak to this topic based on a few simple points: I was born and raised in Western New York - graduated from the University of Buffalo - had my first job in Amherst. I then moved to the Syracuse area and worked there for about 15 years. I have since moved to Northeast Ohio and live & work in one of the Cleveland suburbs. My parents, my wife's parents, and many of our extended family and friends still live in Western New York. Up until 2007, I attended at least 1-2 Bills' home games per year.

 

Suffice to say, for purposes of this discussion, I have been a Bills fan since the late 70s.

 

Without further ado, here's my take on Cleveland vs. Buffalo: Both cities have their bright spots and not-so-bright spots. I would have to say that Cleveland has more of an upswing as the area is driven significantly by the Cleveland Clinic (and all the offshoots that it produces). As the Baby Boomer generation closes in on retirement and the aged population continues to increase, the health care industry will boom. This fact alone will help Cleveland significantly. Yes, there is Roswell Park and the efforts of UB in the Buffalo area, but they dwarf in comparison to Cleveland Clinic. In addition, there still seems to be a sizeable manufacturing component in Northeast Ohio that Buffalo no longer has. That aside, Ohio, as a whole, has been hit heavily by losses in the automotive industry, but it does not appear to suffer from the political hurdles seen in New York State or Buffalo in particular (cf. Buffalo Common Council!). There are some hauntingly similar debates in both cities - for example, waterfront development has been a point of discussion for both cities as long as I can remember. There is also recent discussion here in Cleveland about developing a wind farm on Lake Erie to provide additional power to the regional community.

 

In terms of the various sports teams - in both cities, the respective football team is the focus of most of sports talk radio (and I can say that with certainty as I can receive the feed from WGR55 down here). Despite the strong play of the Cavs and Sabres, the Browns and Bills are still the focal point of callers. That alone amazes me. In terms of the Browns, it is believed that Randy Lerner (team owner) has finally come to the point where he is admitting (not openly, but by his actions) that he has made poor personnel hires over the recent past. It appears that he is finally willing to step away from day-to-day operations of the Browns and let more qualified individuals (e.g., Mike Holmgren) drive the team. I cannot say that appears to be the case with the owner of the Bills. In terms of players themselves, there are star players (only a few on each team!) on both teams that are frustrated with overall team play (cf. Josh Cribbs and Aaron Schoebel), and players who have been frustrated with coaching decisions. Both teams also have been holding onto past glory days - particularly the days when Kosar & Kelly led their respective teams (Yes, Cleveland is as much in love with Bernie as Buffalo is in love with Jimbo). In fact, Bernie is probably as much involved with the current Browns as Jim is involved with the current Bills.

 

Overall, Cleveland & Buffalo are a lot more similar than you might be willing to admit.

 

BTW, if I could return to the Western New York region, I would do so in a heartbeat. My family and I enjoy living in Northeast Ohio...but there is something intangible about Buffalo that constantly pulls on your heart.

[ExiledInIllinois]

amherst the one decent part of the city, which is a hike to 1bd. go to another nfl city sometime and be honest. BUFF IS A DUMP! has been for years. blame the morons you elect every year! they have a ton of waterfront property just sitting there wasting away. IDIOTS

 

 

No BFLO does not.

 

Ya... Most of the waterfront is dissected by the Niagara Section or used up by the Beth Steel plant (which happens to be Lackawanna)... Want to go to a city beach... You have to drive to the south miles outside of the city limits.

 

Ya... Just wasting away... Sure if you can get the owners to clean up the Beth site or some how reroute the 190 (which I think should be a start).

[Gugny]

As bad as Edwards is, he is still head and shoulders above Anderson...

You mean Loni Anderson, right?

[KD in CA]

I used to have a fear as a child that I was a retarded person but too dumb to figure it out myself and those around me were too nice to let me know. (yes a very screwed up notion)

 

When you were a kid you thought you were Steely Dan???

[Buftex]

The one guy in the FO I wish was gone is Jeff Littmann -- the treasurer. I think that guy is a problem. This guy seems to have too much say in matters. He's just a bean counter. He shouldn't have any decision-making capacity.

 

But, again, that is the owners fault...

[Bob in STL]

amherst the one decent part of the city, which is a hike to 1bd. go to another nfl city sometime and be honest. BUFF IS A DUMP! has been for years. blame the morons you elect every year! they have a ton of waterfront property just sitting there wasting away. IDIOTS

 

I have been to many cities in the US and in the world. I have lived in LA, Baltimore and St. Louis and all for long periods. Buffalo still has many beautiful neighborhood and it is safer than most of the big cities in the US. There are many architectural treasures in Buffalo. Its downtown is severely underdevloped and the politics there is horrendous but to call the entire city a dump is ridiculous.

 

Get a clue.

[Bob in STL]

I think I can speak to this topic based on a few simple points: I was born and raised in Western New York - graduated from the University of Buffalo - had my first job in Amherst. I then moved to the Syracuse area and worked there for about 15 years. I have since moved to Northeast Ohio and live & work in one of the Cleveland suburbs. My parents, my wife's parents, and many of our extended family and friends still live in Western New York. Up until 2007, I attended at least 1-2 Bills' home games per year.

 

Suffice to say, for purposes of this discussion, I have been a Bills fan since the late 70s.

 

Without further ado, here's my take on Cleveland vs. Buffalo: Both cities have their bright spots and not-so-bright spots. I would have to say that Cleveland has more of an upswing as the area is driven significantly by the Cleveland Clinic (and all the offshoots that it produces). As the Baby Boomer generation closes in on retirement and the aged population continues to increase, the health care industry will boom. This fact alone will help Cleveland significantly. Yes, there is Roswell Park and the efforts of UB in the Buffalo area, but they dwarf in comparison to Cleveland Clinic. In addition, there still seems to be a sizeable manufacturing component in Northeast Ohio that Buffalo no longer has. That aside, Ohio, as a whole, has been hit heavily by losses in the automotive industry, but it does not appear to suffer from the political hurdles seen in New York State or Buffalo in particular (cf. Buffalo Common Council!). There are some hauntingly similar debates in both cities - for example, waterfront development has been a point of discussion for both cities as long as I can remember. There is also recent discussion here in Cleveland about developing a wind farm on Lake Erie to provide additional power to the regional community.

 

In terms of the various sports teams - in both cities, the respective football team is the focus of most of sports talk radio (and I can say that with certainty as I can receive the feed from WGR55 down here). Despite the strong play of the Cavs and Sabres, the Browns and Bills are still the focal point of callers. That alone amazes me. In terms of the Browns, it is believed that Randy Lerner (team owner) has finally come to the point where he is admitting (not openly, but by his actions) that he has made poor personnel hires over the recent past. It appears that he is finally willing to step away from day-to-day operations of the Browns and let more qualified individuals (e.g., Mike Holmgren) drive the team. I cannot say that appears to be the case with the owner of the Bills. In terms of players themselves, there are star players (only a few on each team!) on both teams that are frustrated with overall team play (cf. Josh Cribbs and Aaron Schoebel), and players who have been frustrated with coaching decisions. Both teams also have been holding onto past glory days - particularly the days when Kosar & Kelly led their respective teams (Yes, Cleveland is as much in love with Bernie as Buffalo is in love with Jimbo). In fact, Bernie is probably as much involved with the current Browns as Jim is involved with the current Bills.

 

Overall, Cleveland & Buffalo are a lot more similar than you might be willing to admit.

 

BTW, if I could return to the Western New York region, I would do so in a heartbeat. My family and I enjoy living in Northeast Ohio...but there is something intangible about Buffalo that constantly pulls on your heart.

 

 

Very nice post.

 

Thanks.