BuffaloBill Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 I’ve been enjoying this site for a few years without posting, but you guys have really inspired me today. There’s been some disputation about Buffalo weather in this thread. Well, here’s my take: A “Four Seasons Tribute” to my beloved hometown. Winter: Getting up with my brother at 5:30 to deliver our newspapers -- pitch darkness and hellish weather be damned -- and never missing a day in 3 years (even that first morning in ’77, when our main goal was to prevent our eyeballs from getting lashed from our faces). Simple and unsaid rule: our dad went out to work in the worst winter weather, and so the hell did we. Spring: That ONE day, when you would stumble out of school into the brightness, throw off your jacket, roll up your sleeves for the first time since September, and then just stand there – silent, slack-jawed, blinking with disbelief; feeling that indescribably sweet warmth on your skin. No one could ever experience that feeling without first living through a Buffalo winter. Summer: Dull roar of kids playing outside mixed with the dawn-to-dusk blare of lawnmowers and 97 Rock. 10-cent afternoon swims at the public pool, Lions-PAL baseball at Delaware Park, Chevy Tonawanda UAW softball games, evening basketball and touch football after the church parking-lot asphalt cooled down a bit. Jostling with my brothers to grab the sports page when the BEN arrived, eager to check out the Bills’ training-camp news (some rookie named Lucious Sanford hitting everything that moves …). Fall: In the backyard on an exquisitely beautiful late-September Sunday afternoon. Tossing around a football with my brothers while Van Miller calls out the play-by-play from our parents’ 1950s-vintage radio, perched in the open dining-room window. Rookie Jerry Butler scores FOUR touchdowns, Bills beat the hated Jets – and the very first leaves are starting to tinge red and gold on the maple trees. I adore my non-Buffalonian wife, but if I told her that September afternoon with my brothers was probably one of the 5 happiest days of my life, she would look at me with disbelief -- and I honestly couldn’t blame her. The damn thing is, I don’t know any of you guys here on TBD, but you all understand exactly what I mean. THAT is why I love Buffalo … Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Because I have to. I'm not from Buffalo but from WNY. I was born and raised outside of Batavia. I have not lived there pretty much since I graduated high school in 1979 but I feel a very strong attachment to the area. My whole family is still there seeing I was the only one that left. I think anyone does if they grew up in a particular area. I've been enjoying this site for a few years without posting, but you guys have really inspired me today. There's been some disputation about Buffalo weather in this thread. Well, here's my take: A "Four Seasons Tribute" to my beloved hometown. Winter: Getting up with my brother at 5:30 to deliver our newspapers -- pitch darkness and hellish weather be damned -- and never missing a day in 3 years (even that first morning in '77, when our main goal was to prevent our eyeballs from getting lashed from our faces). Simple and unsaid rule: our dad went out to work in the worst winter weather, and so the hell did we. Spring: That ONE day, when you would stumble out of school into the brightness, throw off your jacket, roll up your sleeves for the first time since September, and then just stand there – silent, slack-jawed, blinking with disbelief; feeling that indescribably sweet warmth on your skin. No one could ever experience that feeling without first living through a Buffalo winter. Summer: Dull roar of kids playing outside mixed with the dawn-to-dusk blare of lawnmowers and 97 Rock. 10-cent afternoon swims at the public pool, Lions-PAL baseball at Delaware Park, Chevy Tonawanda UAW softball games, evening basketball and touch football after the church parking-lot asphalt cooled down a bit. Jostling with my brothers to grab the sports page when the BEN arrived, eager to check out the Bills' training-camp news (some rookie named Lucious Sanford hitting everything that moves …). Fall: In the backyard on an exquisitely beautiful late-September Sunday afternoon. Tossing around a football with my brothers while Van Miller calls out the play-by-play from our parents' 1950s-vintage radio, perched in the open dining-room window. Rookie Jerry Butler scores FOUR touchdowns, Bills beat the hated Jets – and the very first leaves are starting to tinge red and gold on the maple trees. I adore my non-Buffalonian wife, but if I told her that September afternoon with my brothers was probably one of the 5 happiest days of my life, she would look at me with disbelief -- and I honestly couldn't blame her. The damn thing is, I don't know any of you guys here on TBD, but you all understand exactly what I mean. THAT is why I love Buffalo … Love it!! Let me add one thing to your spring. The smell of freshly spread manure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LARD BUM Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 (edited) I’ve been enjoying this site for a few years without posting, but you guys have really inspired me today. There’s been some disputation about Buffalo weather in this thread. Well, here’s my take: A “Four Seasons Tribute” to my beloved hometown. Winter: Getting up with my brother at 5:30 to deliver our newspapers -- pitch darkness and hellish weather be damned -- and never missing a day in 3 years (even that first morning in ’77, when our main goal was to prevent our eyeballs from getting lashed from our faces). Simple and unsaid rule: our dad went out to work in the worst winter weather, and so the hell did we. Don't forget about going out to shovel driveways around the block, coming home 5 hours later, fingers and toes numb to the core, sitting in front of the register trying to thaw the aforementioned extremities, and shuffling through a stack of 30 or so singles to split with your brothers, thinking you really made a killing today... and snow football in the backyard with goal line plunges into the deep pile next to the pavement (watch out for the fake punt!)... and hockey on the narrow slice of ice that passed for a "rink" in the back of the yard that somehow, in our imaginations anyways, was large enough to allow for Gil Perreault end-to-end rushes, Rico Martin slapshots, and Sabres-Flyers brawls with Rick Dudley pounding the snot out of an uproariously laughing Bobby Clarke... Fall: In the backyard on an exquisitely beautiful late-September Sunday afternoon. Tossing around a football with my brothers while Van Miller calls out the play-by-play from our parents’ 1950s-vintage radio, perched in the open dining-room window. Rookie Jerry Butler scores FOUR touchdowns, Bills beat the hated Jets – and the very first leaves are starting to tinge red and gold on the maple trees. I adore my non-Buffalonian wife, but if I told her that September afternoon with my brothers was probably one of the 5 happiest days of my life, she would look at me with disbelief -- and I honestly couldn’t blame her. The damn thing is, I don’t know any of you guys here on TBD, but you all understand exactly what I mean. THAT is why I love Buffalo … Ahhhhhh that was, indeed, a great day. If only Jerry Butler hadn't had his career so abruptly ended by injury... sigh... See you in late August, big brother Edited June 30, 2012 by LARD BUM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Don't forget about going out to shovel driveways around the block, coming home 5 hours later, fingers and toes numb to the core, sitting in front of the register trying to thaw the aforementioned extremities, and shuffling through a stack of 30 or so singles to split with your brothers, thinking you really made a killing today... and snow football in the backyard with goal line plunges into the deep pile next to the pavement (watch out for the fake punt!)... and hockey on the narrow slice of ice that passed for a "rink" in the back of the yard that somehow, in our imaginations anyways, was large enough to allow for Gil Perreault end-to-end rushes, Rico Martin slapshots, and Sabres-Flyers brawls with Rick Dudley pounding the snot out of an uproariously laughing Bobby Clarke... Ahhhhhh that was, indeed, a great day. If only Jerry Butler hadn't had his career so abruptly ended by injury... sigh... See you in late August, big brother Welcome to you too! Sounds like we've had a lot of the same experiences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billybuc Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Because There is no other place I'd rather be than right here, Right now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsfaninMyrtleBeach Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 I was born at Millard Fillmore Hospital. Lived in Lancaster growing up. There are no better people than Buffalo people. They are the salt of the earth. I have seen people come out in raging snowstorms to help somebody who was stuck in the snow. The people of WNY have pride and are the friendliest people I know. Have lived all over the U.S. and met thousands of people but none like the folks from Buffalo. They band together in adversity, rejoice in the victories, and have an optimistic outlook no matter how bleak things look, and the food........none better than in Buffalo. Anchor bar, Casillos pizza and subs, Teds. I'm in the middle of Steeler fans now living in PA, but I still am a Bills fan forever. Also WNY is where my heart is. I miss it and vist every chance I get. Unless you're from WNY you won't get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 I love buffalo because it is the home of the Bills and Sabres? I was out several times as a kid to the falls. Did not start trips as an adult till 91 to see the Bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsPride12 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 I’ve been enjoying this site for a few years without posting, but you guys have really inspired me today. There’s been some disputation about Buffalo weather in this thread. Well, here’s my take: A “Four Seasons Tribute” to my beloved hometown. Winter: Getting up with my brother at 5:30 to deliver our newspapers -- pitch darkness and hellish weather be damned -- and never missing a day in 3 years (even that first morning in ’77, when our main goal was to prevent our eyeballs from getting lashed from our faces). Simple and unsaid rule: our dad went out to work in the worst winter weather, and so the hell did we. Spring: That ONE day, when you would stumble out of school into the brightness, throw off your jacket, roll up your sleeves for the first time since September, and then just stand there – silent, slack-jawed, blinking with disbelief; feeling that indescribably sweet warmth on your skin. No one could ever experience that feeling without first living through a Buffalo winter. Summer: Dull roar of kids playing outside mixed with the dawn-to-dusk blare of lawnmowers and 97 Rock. 10-cent afternoon swims at the public pool, Lions-PAL baseball at Delaware Park, Chevy Tonawanda UAW softball games, evening basketball and touch football after the church parking-lot asphalt cooled down a bit. Jostling with my brothers to grab the sports page when the BEN arrived, eager to check out the Bills’ training-camp news (some rookie named Lucious Sanford hitting everything that moves …). Fall: In the backyard on an exquisitely beautiful late-September Sunday afternoon. Tossing around a football with my brothers while Van Miller calls out the play-by-play from our parents’ 1950s-vintage radio, perched in the open dining-room window. Rookie Jerry Butler scores FOUR touchdowns, Bills beat the hated Jets – and the very first leaves are starting to tinge red and gold on the maple trees. I adore my non-Buffalonian wife, but if I told her that September afternoon with my brothers was probably one of the 5 happiest days of my life, she would look at me with disbelief -- and I honestly couldn’t blame her. The damn thing is, I don’t know any of you guys here on TBD, but you all understand exactly what I mean. THAT is why I love Buffalo … Thank you for sharing this. Its hard to sum up Buffalo in words but I think you certainly suceeded with this post. If we were sitting next to each other at a bar right now having this discussion I would buy you a beer Sir. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Barbarian Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 I'm surprised you don't like the summers? This is CNN.com right now: Millions without power as storms pound U.S. Thunderstorms moved east from Indiana through Ohio and into West Virginia, knocking out power in more than 3 million homes after record-setting temperatures. FULL STORY Triple digit highs scorch the U.S. Triple digit highs scorch the U.S. yea still too hot for me, but I don't live near the lake so its a lot warmer inland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSRABILLSFAN Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 Because Buffalo sucks and I am a manic depressant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stranded in Boston Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 (edited) Don't forget about going out to shovel driveways around the block, coming home 5 hours later, fingers and toes numb to the core, sitting in front of the register trying to thaw the aforementioned extremities, and shuffling through a stack of 30 or so singles to split with your brothers, thinking you really made a killing today... and snow football in the backyard with goal line plunges into the deep pile next to the pavement (watch out for the fake punt!)... and hockey on the narrow slice of ice that passed for a "rink" in the back of the yard that somehow, in our imaginations anyways, was large enough to allow for Gil Perreault end-to-end rushes, Rico Martin slapshots, and Sabres-Flyers brawls with Rick Dudley pounding the snot out of an uproariously laughing Bobby Clarke... See you in late August, big brother "But you all understand exactly what I mean." Haha ... QED little brother, QED. See you soon. The kids can't wait to see Uncle A. P.S. Wasn't that Battleship Kelly getting his snot pounded out by Rick Dudley? Bobby Clarke was watching the brawl off to the side, toothless grin on his face, probably after instigating the whole thing ... Edited July 1, 2012 by Stranded in Boston Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy10 Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 I love WNY for the summertime. The Canal, the Finger Lakes, the Great Lakes, the Genesee River. Letchworth State Park (where my wife and I got married). I love the fall. I love ice skating outdoors. I love not having to search for good pizza, good wings or good Italian food. I love the proximity to Canada. I love that the crappy weather makes you truly appreciate good weather. Oh, and the Bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 P.S. Wasn't that Battleship Kelly getting his snot pounded out by Rick Dudley? Bobby Clarke was watching the brawl off to the side, toothless grin on his face, probably after instigating the whole thing ... Nope, it was Bob "Houndog" Kelly who wore #9 for the Flyers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Kelly_(ice_hockey_b._1950) He was probably their #3 tough guy after Dave Schultz and Don Saleski. Andre "Moose" Dupont was also a tough guy and those Broad Street Bullies had several more guys who could throw em. That was a great light-heavyweight fight between Dudley and Kelly with them going toe-to-toe and pretty evenly until Duds won the fight with a late flurry of crisp head shots. Bob "Battleship" Kelly played around the same time as Bob "Houndog" Kelly but Battleship played for the St. Louis Blues. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Kelly_(ice_hockey_b._1946) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwm Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 because Buffalo has a soul, and a good one at that. I moved to Long Island 30 years ago and there's just no soul. I try to get back to Buffalo as much as I can. Maybe it's just nostolgia, but I don't think so. There's something about being there taht makes me happier to be alive. And oh yea, go Bills! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowgirlsFan Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 (edited) the team has heart,never quits and rarely has off the field issues. Edited July 1, 2012 by CowgirlsFan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LARD BUM Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 P.S. Wasn't that Battleship Kelly getting his snot pounded out by Rick Dudley? Bobby Clarke was watching the brawl off to the side, toothless grin on his face, probably after instigating the whole thing ... Point taken: it likely was Kelly or Dave Schultz or one of the other dozen or so assorted goons and thugs (thanks San Jose Bills Fan for dredging up some of those names) on that Flyers team getting his comeuppance in our backyard I do seem to have a vague recall of a real fight between Schoney and Clarke one time, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stranded in Boston Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 Point taken: it likely was Kelly or Dave Schultz or one of the other dozen or so assorted goons and thugs (thanks San Jose Bills Fan for dredging up some of those names) on that Flyers team getting his comeuppance in our backyard I do seem to have a vague recall of a real fight between Schoney and Clarke one time, however. Yup, San Jose is right; it was "Hound Dog" Kelly squaring off with Dudley. I just YouTubed that fight for the first time since we saw it live 37(!) years ago. Almost as good as the first time -- although this time I didn't have you guys screaming, "Kill 'em Duds!! KILL 'em!!!" in my ears. (Or maybe back then it was mom doing the screaming ... ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 I just YouTubed that fight for the first time since we saw it live 37(!) years ago. Almost as good as the first time -- although this time I didn't have you guys screaming, "Kill 'em Duds!! KILL 'em!!!" in my ears. (Or maybe back then it was mom doing the screaming ... ) Glad you mentioned that the fight was on YouTube. Here it is: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natas Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 i love buffalo because of the bills and everyone here acts like we are one family bill13ve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowgirlsFan Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 i love buffalo because of the bills and everyone here acts like we are one family bill13ve Everyone here does act like we are family. That is why I am here and not one my teams site! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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