A Jacksonville article

[don_of_manhattan]

If Jax loses the Jags, so what? We'll still have the great weather, the beaches, and the low taxes.

 

First, a little background.....born in 1960, and grew up in WNY in the southtowns. Of course was brought up to love the Bills and saw a few games at the Rockpile, and many games at Rich. Moved away in '78 to go to college and never came back (well, I've come back for yearly visits).

 

Been here in Jax since 1995, coincidentally the Jags first year. Of course the town was/is full of Dolfish fans, and even more Gator & Seminole fans. You may recall that the Jags had some phenomenal early success under Coughlin, but blew a 14-2 season with a loss to the Titans in the AFC Champ game (in Jax too). A large segment of the crowd has always been known as the "wine & cheese" crowd who really don't give a rat's a$$ about the game, then there's the "blue-collar" grunts......nbot sure who's causing the low turn-outs, prolly a combo of both.

 

Personally, of course I remained true to the Bills, and in the 90s and the early 2000s I was the biggest fan out there (had NFL ticket at home for many years). Then in about 2004 I had an epiphany and realized how much of my life I was wasting sitting in front of a TV watching football....and not just Bills games, but LOTS of other games too. Surely the Bills' dismal play had me frustrated and disappointed so often, that it made my decision easier to go "cold turkey" and spend my Sundays out actually doing things and enjoying my life.

 

OK, so what does all of the above have to do with anything? lol I think that a lot of people are coming to the same conclusion I did back in 2004. And with the woeful economy and ever-rising costs to go to a game, it makes it much easier. Certainly here in FL (even in the winter) there are PLENTY of "fun" things to do on Sunday instead of spending 3-9 hours watching football!

 

Oh btw, I'm glad I grew up in WNY and am proud of that, but IMHO, the quality of life available here in FL is far beyond what can be had up there.

 

I'm not saying I'm not a "fan" anymore, not at all. Just saying that I'm nowhere near the level I used to be, and there are many factors that caused it. For many people, the cost and hassle of going to a game just isn't worth it.

 

I am 4 years older than you - born and raised in Buffalo and lived in Jax for about 6 years. I still go there every year because several members of my immediate family live there (including my mother - father passed away 6 years ago). Quite frankly, the weather was a good thing, but Jacksonville has a lot of gaps in its appeal and is NOT an exciting city. Besides the beaches, which are not fun places to be all year (it is NOT South Florida), it is a cultural wasteland and I found the bar and party scene in Buffalo to be far superior. People that visited for the Super Bowl complained the entire time - there really is not that much to do down there. I live in NJ now and in no way, form or fashion, would I sacrifice my lifestyle here for one in Jacksonville - there is simply NO comparison (even with our stifling high taxes).