Siberian’ stigma: How the Bills recruit free agents to Buffalo and why deep pockets don’t always help

[zonabb]

Sure a lot of the hand wringing but locals is because any slight of this city is taken personally because this is a place they presumably CHOOSE to live. And when someone knocks the city, they are knocking them. And when many players, who have never been here, slam it, it stinks of arrogance and ignorance. But when you boil it down, they get that from others, from the stereotype of this city that is perpetuated by non-Buffalonians and the national media. 

 

However, the whining by locals is pretty pathetic and lacks context. People here act like what we have is absent everywhere else. It's not. Architecture? Yeah, Chicago, NYC, Boston, SF, Philly.... Food? Culture? Good people?  It's great in most American cities. If all you do in Buffalo is frequent the good places and think that there's  nothing better that overpriced bad craft beer and chicken wings in the Elmwood Village is something special, you've been nowhere. 

 

The basis for stereotypes are true, even when they are overstated. High taxes. Yep. High poverty. Yep. Low wages. Yep. Bad and too many governments. Yep. High segregation. Yep. Massive vacancy and abandonment of housing in the city and growing in some suburbs. Yep. Brain drain. Yep. Population loss. Yep. 

 

But yeah, some good food, some decent people, and some nice buildings and neighborhoods. All available anywhere. Stop being so sensitive. This isn't a place people willing move to. Deal with it. 

 

And does the article by that miserable hack mention taxes (no I don't read sports stories)? That's huge issue. No state taxes in Florida (3 teams), Texas (2 teams), Nevada (team on the way), Washington (one team). That's 7 teams that can offer the same contract as the Bills and players actually make more. 

[YoloinOhio]

2 minutes ago, zonabb said:

Sure a lot of the hand wringing but locals is because any slight of this city is taken personally because this is a place they presumably CHOOSE to live. And when someone knocks the city, they are knocking them. And when many players, who have never been here, slam it, it stinks of arrogance and ignorance. But when you boil it down, they get that from others, from the stereotype of this city that is perpetuated by non-Buffalonians and the national media. 

 

However, the whining by locals is pretty pathetic and lacks context. People here act like what we have is absent everywhere else. It's not. Architecture? Yeah, Chicago, NYC, Boston, SF, Philly.... Food? Culture? Good people?  It's great in most American cities. If all you do in Buffalo is frequent the good places and think that there's  nothing better that overpriced bad craft beer and chicken wings in the Elmwood Village is something special, you've been nowhere. 

 

The basis for stereotypes are true, even when they are overstated. High taxes. Yep. High poverty. Yep. Low wages. Yep. Bad and too many governments. Yep. High segregation. Yep. Massive vacancy and abandonment of housing in the city and growing in some suburbs. Yep. Brain drain. Yep. Population loss. Yep. 

 

But yeah, some good food, some decent people, and some nice buildings and neighborhoods. All available anywhere. Stop being so sensitive. This isn't a place people willing move to. Deal with it. 

 

And does the article by that miserable hack mention taxes (no I don't read sports stories)? That's huge issue. No state taxes in Florida (3 teams), Texas (2 teams), Nevada (team on the way), Washington (one team). That's 7 teams that can offer the same contract as the Bills and players actually make more. 

It does mention taxes. Goes pretty in depth.

 

what “whining by locals” are you referring to? 

[One Buffalo]

Here is an article from 2010 (also written by Tim Graham) that quotes Shanahan saying that his wife and kids wouldn't come to Buffalo-

 

http://www.espn.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/10831/buffalo-wasnt-family-spot-for-shanahans

 

"But at the end of the day, it was not something that ... I want to put it in the right words: If I went to Buffalo to live there, from my family perspective, I think I'd be the only one that'd go. My wife and kids wouldn't go."

[Beast]

1 hour ago, JoshAllenHasBigHands said:

 

Wait, you would force your wife to move to a city that she doesn't want to live in, when you can just as easily find the same job in a different city? 

 

Yeah, I would.

 

 

[IgotBILLStopay]

If it is just the cold, why dont these reporters ask the same questions regarding Green Bay?

[YoloinOhio]

Just now, IgotBILLStopay said:

If it is just the cold, why dont these reporters ask the same questions regarding Green Bay?

It’s not just the cold, far from it, as the article lays out. 

[Yav]

So he could have been fired from the Bills instead of from Washington. Cool. 

I think all Bills fans would do themselves some good with living in the now instead of the past. 

 

Who cares who could have been the coach here when Ralph was the owner.

There's new owners in place and a new front office with a head coach. Let's just go from there. 

[LSHMEAB]

9 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

I can remember Bill Parcells talking about how Buffalo was a perfect place to cultivate a winning football organization.

 

He believed that the area's passion for football plus the lack of distractions made it a great working environment for a coach to get the most out of his players.

 

And if you look at what his lieutenant Belichick has done building a dynasty in NE...........NONE of that was in the least bit aided by being in a big market.

 

Football is a sport where max effort on the field and preparation matter a lot...........not all pro sports are actually like that......you can try too hard in baseball or press as a shooter in hoops.......those games are different and play better in big towns with lot's of distractions.

 

So if you have a great HC and QB it's probably best to be in a place where the rest of the players are going to be focused on their job.

 

The Bills big issue is not getting the great HC and QB.

 

That ultimately goes back to ownership not being able to identify the right people to run their football operations.

 

Ralph was a decade late and about $5M short when it came to trying to hire a great HC candidate.............Shanny was basically the only high profile hire he'd attempted to make at the position in 30+ years(Chuck Knox)...........and all the scrubs he hired were mostly just trying to survive and didn't want to take chances on QB's.

 

But I digress........

This is a terrific post, but I'll quibble with one thing; a quarterback can press much like a pitcher or a shooter. A receiver can overthink the catch. For the most part, you really can't "press" in football like other sports, but those two spots would be the exception.

[ndirish1978]

I'm sorry, but people rationalizing that Buffalo is a great place to play are deluding themselves. Between the weather, high income tax and lack of things to do unless you're an outdoorsy type, it's simply not. Players who like big-city life are WAY more likely to look to NYC and LA; those who want a party atmosphere around them are likely to look at LA, Vegas or Miami. Are people really saying that Buffalo is mere HOURS away by car to a large city in another country and that makes up for something?

[teef]

4 minutes ago, Binghamton Beast said:

 

Yeah, I would.

 

 

i would too.  if the situation was right for me, along with the money, and i was the provider for the family, we're moving.  she doesn't have to move full time.  she can stay near her family and visit, but i'm going to work and earn.

[mead107]

1 minute ago, ndirish1978 said:

I'm sorry, but people rationalizing that Buffalo is a great place to play are deluding themselves. Between the weather, high income tax and lack of things to do unless you're an outdoorsy type, it's simply not. Players who like big-city life are WAY more likely to look to NYC and LA; those who want a party atmosphere around them are likely to look at LA, Vegas or Miami. Are people really saying that Buffalo is mere HOURS away by car to a large city in another country and that makes up for something?

Taxes way higher in California and Nyc 

[mjt328]

Football is similar to any other job.  There are a multitude of factors that can influence a player's decision.

Ask the average person what it would take to change jobs.  Most will probably say that money is a huge factor.  It's not just a sports thing.

Others may consider:

- Comfort with the coaching staff

- Scheme Fit

- Being part of a winner

 

For every person that wants to live in warm weather, another person may prefer a cooler climate. 

For every person that wants to live in an exciting place with lots to do, another may prefer somewhere quiet and laid back.

 

Buffalo's weather is usually blown out of proportion.  The snow and cold doesn't keep players from signing with New England, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Philadelphia, New York, etc.  Even though people say it every year with Free Agency coming up, I doubt it's truly a major factor.  If anything hurts Buffalo when signing Free Agents, it's our perception as being a losing/unstable franchise.  If we get back to being a powerhouse, players will be taking pay cuts to play here.

 

 

 

 

[MJS]

1 hour ago, DaBillsFanSince1973 said:

no, I wear the pants and support the household. what does his wife do, spend his money and tells him where to work? basically giving him an ultimatum?

 

not my kind of girl.

 

I've had a successful marriage, 31 years. my wife would never give me an ultimatum. there has been plenty of compromise through the years and we have moved (job related) 3 times in 30 years. 

 

I have no intention of disrespecting you or your marriage. In my opinion, however, there is no room for "wearing the pants" in a relationship. To me, the husband and wife should be equals. Nobody should "wear the pants". That's obviously not your opinion, and if you have been married for 30 years you are doing something right.

 

But I think traditional male dominated families are on the decline and I think that is for the best. I do believe husband's need to be providers, protectors, etc., but I think there needs to be far more cooperation and equality in marriage and less domination and exercising of authority by males.

[Big Turk]

1 hour ago, JoshAllenHasBigHands said:

 

You're right, she does not make the money.  She is therefore a slave and obliged to consent to her husband's every desire. 

 

Sounds like you have a slave, man. 

 

When a man refuses to lead he becomes a woman.

 

Sound familiar Miss?

[ndirish1978]

29 minutes ago, mead107 said:

Taxes way higher in California and Nyc 

 

So these places have 1 partial drawback as opposed to the plethora of drawbacks in Buffalo? Sure, that makes sense. 

[1st&ten]

2 hours ago, BrooklynBills said:

If I recall correctly, there was a big-time rumor that Ralph had offered Shanahan a very large contract after he fired Jauron. It would have been the same deal that he ended up getting with the Redskins.

 

Yes, I think he did. I remember at the time Shanahan was one of the coaches who would beat the Hoodie.

[707BillsFan]

1 hour ago, LSHMEAB said:

I'm not in the Buffalo bashing business, but why do none of our current players make WNY their permanent residence? It is what it is.

 

I love Buffalo, but it's not for everyone. I remember finding it odd that Nate Odomes rented some dump apartment behind my cousin's house in Armor.

 

I think it's rare for a player to live and play in the same area. I don't live in Buffalo, but I'll use my other favorite team...the Oakland A's as an example. I don't believe anyone on the team lives here full time (except for maybe Piscotty who was born and raised in the area). That could be for many reasons...taxes, high cost of living or something as simple as wanting to live where they feel comfortable...their hometown, their home country. I don't hold it against anyone for wanting to spend your offseason elsewhere. I know a handful of retired Giants players that live here in Sonoma County after their career have ended. It's a matter of choice. If you have the means to be able to live elsewhere, why not? 

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

5 minutes ago, MJS said:

 

I have no intention of disrespecting you or your marriage. In my opinion, however, there is no room for "wearing the pants" in a relationship. To me, the husband and wife should be equals. Nobody should "wear the pants". That's obviously not your opinion, and if you have been married for 30 years you are doing something right.

 

But I think traditional male dominated families are on the decline and I think that is for the best. I do believe husband's need to be providers, protectors, etc., but I think there needs to be far more cooperation and equality in marriage and less domination and exercising of authority by males.

this is a post I can respect. saying my wife must be a slave, not cool. we have had a very successful marriage, something that rarely exists these days.

 

I'm this side of 60 and I have no problem with how anyone else, young or old, manage to make their relationship a success. that includes a man being the head of household (wearing the pants). 

 

I'm not a wife beater (pajama man) nor does or has my wife ever felt like a slave. quite the contrary, she respects me for the man I am, a man that has provided and been there through thick and thin.

 

 

 

 

[MJS]

5 minutes ago, DaBillsFanSince1973 said:

this is a post I can respect. saying my wife must be a slave, not cool. we have had a very successful marriage, something that rarely exists these days.

 

I'm this side of 60 and I have no problem with how anyone else, young or old, manage to make their relationship a success. that includes a man being the head of household (wearing the pants). 

 

I'm not a wife beater (pajama man) nor does or has my wife ever felt like a slave. quite the contrary, she respects me for the man I am, a man that has provided and been there through thick and thin.

 

That's great you've had success.

[Big Turk]

22 minutes ago, MJS said:

 

I have no intention of disrespecting you or your marriage. In my opinion, however, there is no room for "wearing the pants" in a relationship. To me, the husband and wife should be equals. Nobody should "wear the pants". That's obviously not your opinion, and if you have been married for 30 years you are doing something right.

 

But I think traditional male dominated families are on the decline and I think that is for the best. I do believe husband's need to be providers, protectors, etc., but I think there needs to be far more cooperation and equality in marriage and less domination and exercising of authority by males.

 

Nature disagrees with you. Men are dominant, woman are submissive. Its been that way for thousands of years and regardless of how ever much people want to logically make it not this way, it just is. Men who refuse to lead, have no ambition and cannot play the male role in relstionahips these days ARE the problem not the solution.

 

Thats why feminists both love AND hate the men that support them...they love the fact they are able to control them and get their way and keep pushing and pushing and pushing but they secretly HATE them for giving up their power, for being submissive and for not leading.

 

Men are expected to lead and women want to follow. When women are forced to play the male role in relationships due to the drastic decline in male testosterone  since the 50s and the widespread use of plastics and pesticides they end up resenting it deep down because it goes against instincts. Thats a big reason for the high divorce rates..stop many people wanting to reverse gender roles...maybe it sounds like a great idea but nature, instincts and evolution dont care about your logic.

Edited January 29, 2019 by matter2003