BILLS02138

So, I'm looking for some help with fantasy football - Never done it before. Anyone out there know of good sites to check out ratings, etc.? So far - here's who's been selected - 1)LaDainian Tomlinson 2)Shawn Alexander 3)Edgerrin James 4)Peyton Manning 5) <--this is where I pick! Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

USA Today

Which Buffalo Bills and Buffalo-Niagara related websites do you visit? Here are some I've been to... twobillsdrive.com buffalobills.com buffalonews.com buffalo.bizjournals.com/buffalo niagarafallsreporter.com wgrz.com / wivb.com / wkbw.com / wben.com / wgr55.com politicswny.com buffaloreport.com wnyprogress.org nmgonline.org buffalo.craigslist.org Always curious to know what else is out there... (yes, I know Google would help but folks here seem to have favorites and opinions, etc.)

Crane Beach is the best, in my opinion... Check out Crane

If you're going to be in Boston during the 4th - you have to hit up the esplanade. If you want a great view - but distance from the crowds - sit on the Cambridge side of the river near the Mass Ave Bridge. Regardless, it's great atmosphere... very patriotic. Boston favorites: a) Definitely hit up a Red Sox game - Even if you don't get tickets to the game - go hang out on Yawkey Way - atmosphere is unique. Grab a beer at Cask N' Flagon. b) Beacon Hill - beautiful area - check out Cheers - just around the corner on Beacon. c) Boston Commons - great park d) Newbury Street - great shopping - very expensive - fun to people watch tho. e) Top of the Hub - get a great view of the City and ocean from the top of the Prudendial Building. f) Fanuel Hall / Quincy Market - cool but touristy. g) North End - amazing Italian Food - definitely hit up Mike's Pastry or Modern Pastry. For dinner - you really can't go wrong with any restaurant in the North End but Lo Conte's Italian Cuisine on Salem Street is awesome. h) Take a Sunset Harbor Boat Cruise - just went on one last Friday night - 2 hours - $20/person - it was fun... go to Rowes Warf to purchase tikets. i) Restaurants in Boston - Abe and Louies - steak house... good - but I prefer Grill 23 or Capital Grill. How can you come to Boston and not get seafood?? SkipJacks is ok - Legal Seafoods is not bad - but becoming too chain like. Check out this site for the top ten places to go: 10 Best Don't forget the Chowder. I like Legal Seafood's chowder - but Joe's American Bar and Grill isn't bad. j) Check out Harvard Square - walk through Harvard Yard - Hungry for a burger? Go to Bartley's - right on Mass Ave - heading towards Central Sq from Hvd Sq. Want Mexican? Check out the Border Cafe - very cool atmosphere - inexpensive as well... lot of fun. k) Duck Boat Tour - it's great - it will show u just about everything around the city. I'd get tickets for this early - this tends to sell out - and with it being a holiday weekend - plan ahead. Boston Duck Tours l) Beaches - the ocean will be frigid but Crane Beach up in Ipswich is very nice. It's been over 100 degrees here the past two days - and it is expected to be hot and steamy all week as well. The Cape has amazing beaches as well... but the drive out there is too time consuming... m) If time is not an issue - Providence RI has really transformed itself into a nice City. Buffalo could learn a few things or two. But Newport, RI is awesome but a good 2 hour drive, if not more with traffic... If you have time - that's a beatuiful area. Black Pearl Restaurant is awesome - right on ocean/pier - great chowder, atmosphere. Enjoy Boston - New England is a beautiful area. We already know the natives are not the friendlist - they admit it themselves. You would think after winning a few super bowls and finally another world series - they'd loosen up. Nah, won't happen. It is what it is. Not every city can have people like Buffalo... Just have a great time and be safe. PS: I wear my Bills hat all the time. I've been to Gilette Stadium as well... I've never had a problem with New England Fans. Pat fan's seem to have some respect for the Bills... Flutie and Bledsoe are still favorites here. However, wear your Yankee's hat and you're asking for trouble.

Our secret is out: We're happy here The 20 Happiest Cities The gem of information surfaced onto my computer screen like a silent stealth bomber. While surfing a Web site focused on men's health, I came across an article written by Sara Vigneri titled, "Is Your Town Down?" Not completely comprehending her question, I circled my mouse to the ready position, prepared to move on. Then I saw another question that made me pause. Vigneri asked, "Where can you find happiness?" Based on statistics of the number of days residents report being depressed, anti-depressant sales and suicide rates, Vigneri created a list of "the 20 happiest cities" in the United States. There, at No. 11, in bold black print for the entire Internet world to see, the name of my beloved hometown of Buffalo surfaced before my unbelieving eyes. Naturally, I rechecked the Web site address to assure myself that this was not some out-of-towner's attempt at yet another nasty Buffalo joke. However, in multiple Googles of both location and publication, it became clear that the site was legit and the article was real. Busted, I thought to myself. With one fell swoop of her computer keyboard, Vigneri gave international light to the secret that we Buffalo natives have long coddled and preserved. By employing statistical information, she revealed the reason that we Buffalonians willingly endure ridicule and scorn for living in an area trademarked by subzero wind chills and mountainous snowfalls. Lumping us in with such sexy hot-spots as Honolulu, Hawaii and Baton Rouge, La., Vigneri completely revealed the most significant reason that Buffalo is a one-of-a-kind place to live - people are happy here. It's the truth. As a group, the people who live in Buffalo are friendly, outgoing and happy. Oh sure, we have our fair share of grouches and grumps, but overall, the reason that so many of us keep pounding our heads against brick walls of higher taxes, disastrous politics, bone-chilling winters and a never-ending litany of failed economic development is that the people we live with here in the Queen City make it all worthwhile. Personally, I've known this ever since I moved away to some of the so-called "highly desirable" urban locales of New York, Toronto and Vancouver. Sure, the infrastructure of those municipalities offered everything and more, but never did I ever find people as warm and welcoming as those living right here. Happy and friendly is our style. It's who we are. It's what makes Buffalo a great town in which to live, work and play. And now, thanks to blabbermouth Vigneri, every Tom, Dick and Harry knows it too. So maybe we should make a deal with one of the municipalities that Vigneri listed in her article as "the top 20 most depressed cities." Maybe in exchange for a Bocce pizza and a double order of extra hot Anchor Bar wings, we could get Philadelphia (No. 1) or Tampa (No. 5) or the Big Apple (No. 11) to quietly trade places with us, just so we can shield our happy secret before it becomes too well known. If not, then perhaps we can get Vigneri to issue a retraction stating that the listing of Buffalo was a typographical error. Hey, why not? Anyone who's anyone would believe it. As for the rest of us, we don't need an Internet site or a national publication to tell us what we already know. We're happy here.

What They're Saying About Buffalo "Walk the tree-lined streets of New York State's second-largest city and everywhere you look you'll see revival. A crowded coffee house full of modern art and bright red walls, a sleek new bar done up in black-and-white where the cool come to play, and the largest collection of theaters in the state outside of New York City. Peruse the local newspapers and you'll see advertisements for gallery openings, for concerts, for film, art and food festivals." -- Lonely Planet Guide to New York State “The time to visit is summer, when Buffalo gets a glorious payback for its snowy winters with some of the best weather in the nation -- three months of mostly sunny, dry days with temperatures in the high 70’s and low 80’s.” – The New York Times “For the third time in two years, I was back in Buffalo...We’ve developed quite a comfortable routine: Book into the reasonably-priced Hampton Inn and Suites on Delaware Avenue, which always sets out an afternoon tray of tasty cookies for its customers; have at least one good meal along bar and restaurant-lined Elmwood Avenue; and drop by the world-class Albright-Knox Art Gallery.” – The Ottawa Sun “People go to Buffalo for the high culture of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery or the low culture of NFL football. I go for all the stuff in between.” – NOW, Toronto “In Buffalo, we got more than our (money’s) worth. In fact, part of the joy of the visit was discovering world-class attractions in a city not known as an international tourist mecca. Such as the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, an impressive neoclassical structure on the edge of a park designed by the legendary Frederick Law Olmsted, also the architect of New York's Central Park. Although the setting alone is worth the visit, inside is a collection of late 19th- and 20th-century art that holds it own against almost any museum in the nation outside of New York or Chicago.” – USA Today “Buffalo is an indigenously, intrinsically hip place.” – Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class “In an age of cultural tourism, an age in which people are eager to find ways to explore places that are different from other places, places that do not look like the banal Anywhere is Nowhere is Everywhere of the American Interstate, Buffalo has a kind of power, the power of the authentic place.” – Paul Goldberger, architecture critic for the New Yorker “Like the Maid of the Mist boat ride at nearby Niagara Falls, which immerses visitors in the Horseshoe Falls’ spray, the Darwin Martin House immerses us in elements of nature. The horizontal thrust, low ceilings...andoverpowering hearths are major elements of the ‘Prairie Style.’ ” - The Wall Street Journal “I remember every meal I have ever had, and some of the best of them have been at a little chain of hot dog joints called Ted’s, in the Buffalo area.” – David M. Shribman in Bon Appetit “Buffalo -- yes, Buffalo -- is now walking proud as a hip center of arts and performances.” – The Washington Post “Our visit to western New York's biggest city was blessed with gorgeous weather and mild temperatures, perfect for a stimulating long weekend visiting some of the nation's finest architectural landmarks and a major museum stuffed with terrific modern art.” – The Record (Bergen County, New Jersey) “Buffalo is a vast outdoor museum, displaying the work of many of the greatest architects of the mid-19th to the mid-20th century. The homes and public buildings they erected are often breathtaking and always interesting...The architectural treasures of Buffalo are riveting. They must be seen.” – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution “Looking for a place to visit over a long weekend or a busy sight-seeing tour? Want a sleeper of a location chock full of name-brand architecture, vibrant neighborhoods, and parks to die for? Try Buffalo – that’s right, Buffalo, N.Y. Believe it or not, this upstate port on the shores of Lake Erie offers much more than wings, waterfalls, snowstorms and Bills. Architecturally speaking, Buffalo is one of the most diverse and sophisticated cities in the country. If you haven’t been there, you don’t know what you are missing.” – Old House Journal “USA Today launched a nationwide search for a “City with Heart” – one with the energy, excitement and community fellowship that make a one-stoplight town or a swarming metropolis a treasured hometown…The people of Buffalo…managed to be simultaneously proud and humble about their world-class art, architecture and grand urban parks; a great history including two U.S. presidents; and generations of immigrants and their descendants who turn every weekend from May to October into a street festival.” – USA Today (Upon naming Buffalo “The City With Heart”) “Buffalo has an even longer history of architectural distinction than Chicago; you could do worse than to take it as a textbook for a course in modern American buildings.” – The New York Times “The Albright-Knox Art Gallery should be on everyone’s list to see, for it’s an overwhelming art experience. Small, intimate, and seductive, the museum has one of the most thumping modern and contemporary collections in the world.” – Thomas Hoving, former director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York “Go for the festivals, but stay for the impressive array of visual arts.” – AmericanStyle Magazine (In an article ranking Buffalo the No. 8 U.S. Arts Destination) “When was the last time you were inspired to explore Buffalo Niagara? If you ever needed a good reason – or reasons – consider this: it’s blessed with outstanding theater, a world class symphony, authentic American heritage sites, extraordinary architecture, nonstop nightlife, a historic zoo and one of the world’s top collections of modern art.” – Going Places Magazine “We were initially interested in coming to Buffalo because of its reputation as a repository of important buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan. But the more we learned about the incredible array of late 19th and early 20th century homes here, the more we were convinced that Buffalo was an excellent location for our show.” – Randall Shuptrine, Producer HGTV’s Restore America “Our last day in Buffalo, we went to the Albright-Knox Gallery on Elmwood Avenue. This was the best thing Buffalo had to offer, even considering the wings. We wandered around the museum for hours, delighted at the whimsical, wacky artwork. We found pieces by Pablo Picasso, Roy Lichenstein, Vincent van Gogh, Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock.” – The Baltimore Sun “Buffalo has a remarkably vibrant and robust theatre community for a city of its size. Ranging from the 3,000 seat Shea’s Performing Arts Center (a 1926 movie palace of real grandeur) where touring productions of Broadway shows routinely perform before record-breaking crowds to the Irish Classical Theatre Company, founded by members of Dublin’s legendary Abbey Theatre, Buffalo theatre is both innovative and an integral part of the life of the community. Visiting artists invariably remark on the quality of the work being done here, the variety of performance spaces and the enthusiasm of the audiences.” – Zoom Magazine “Visitors to this industrial town dotted with factories and grain elevators are quickly educated that Buffalo nurtures a rich heritage and world-class architectural treasures.” – American Eagle Latitudes “A tradition for 20 years, Curtain Up draws theatre lovers to the city’s theatre district around Main Street to toast the contribution of the arts to our lives, to dine, attend the play of their choice and then to sample street parties and music before a fireworks show lights up the sky at midnight.” – The Tribune (Welland, Ontario) “If you care about art and architecture of the past century, a weekend in Buffalo may not be long enough for any dull moments. With cheap flights available, affordable rooms, good food, sassy weekly newspapers, uncomplicated driving, and laughably convenient parking, Modigliani admirers, at the very least, should make a plan.” – The Boston Globe, Dec. 18, 2002 “Buffalo is, simply put, a really neat city. During our flying visit of less than 24 hours, we strolled those broad avenues, explored the old Statler hotel, played in the empty fountain basins of the McKinley Monument, studied the mesmerizing façade of the art deco City Hall, watched the Metro Rail streetcars zip along Main Street, looked in the window of the fabulous Shea’s Theatre, and climbed the gangplank of the 610-foot guided missile cruiser U.S.S. Little Rock…That six of us were able to accomplish so much in such a short time – and to enjoy it all despite our diverse range of interests and ages – is amazing.” – Hamilton (Ont.) Spectator “I left Buffalo feeling that its reputation suffers from the state in which it finds itself. Second largest city in New York – that’s a tough gig. Really, Buffalo should be grouped with the other Great Lakes cities rather than the gotham of the East. It compares favorably to Chicago, for example. I’ll take its wings over Chi-town’s hot dogs, Bills fans over Bears fans, the Darwin D. Martin House Complex over the Wright houses in Oak Park, kazoos over the South Side blues…Well, that might be overstating it. But I can stomach a pretty long kazoo solo if it’s played on the way to Niagara Falls.” – Car & Travel Monthly “This year’s Centennial Celebration is essentially an excuse to show off all that Buffalo has to offer, which is a lot: glorious architecture, eclectic restaurants, and excellent museums and cultural offerings.” – City Paper (Rochester, N.Y.) http://www.buffalocvb.org/media_kit_6.html

Let's apply the same methodology to the BILLS and WNY - The County gives Ralph Wilson $90 Million to renovate Ralph Wilson Stadium and then $3Million a year for building maintenance - Say, we shut down the Bills - it saves us money, right?

This post hits the nail right on the head. Totally agree. With a new stadium in NYC, our chances of securing funds (that would be substantially less) would have been a little bit easier.

honest typo - i'll add that in. good catch.

This reinforces the fact that only three people (Assembly Speaker Democrat Sheldon Silver, Republican Gov. George Pataki and State Senate Republican Majority Leader Joseph Bruno) run NY STATE. Why bother having all these layors of government - from the Town, City, County, to the State when only three guys in a room can make a decision. No wonder taxes are high - the state is business-UN-friendly - union intensive and residents leave. Wake up people - things have got to change in NYS - from the union to the politicos - this state is continuing to go downhill, FAST. I think www.freebuffalo.org is on to something. (Free Buffalo. . . from big government, political machines and special interests. Because 45 straight years of economic and cultural decline are enough! (And no, I have nothing to do with the orgnization - just admire the mission.)

You win. You win. Happy?

If my pocketbook had something to gain - do you think I would be here - encouraging fellow Bills fans and former WNY's to take two seconds to forward an email to the commission? I'm sorry I have great feeling for Western New York. And I'm sorry you're stuck in cinncy... that's not my fault. WNY is a great place and something worth fighting for. Sorry you don't feel that way. Ignorance is bliss, eh? ps: "I liked the bunch of talking points, though - good job with the propaganda transmission" <-- answers everyone one of your questions. sorry you don't like it - and clearly you can't argue with them because you criticized me instead of arguing the merits of keeping the base open.

I grew up in the Town of Niagara. Went to Niagara Wheatfield. I have no connection other than the fact that the air force base is literally in my parents backyard. I'm tired of seeing the Niagara Region decline. So, we loose 3000 jobs here in Niagara - a ton of families - what's the big deal? What's next? The Ford Stamping Plant? American Axle? GM-Tonawanda Plant? Oh, so now we see other companies and jobs leaving - what's the big deal? Then the inevitable -- WNY can't support the Bills and Sabres, ah, big deal - let em go. Right? Other than that - if I don't do my part and volunteer here and there to help save the region - who will? I'm honestly amazed at the response by BILLS fans and fellow WNY'ers to this thread. If you don't know what good the base seves - don't be ignorant - do research, google, and find out. Where do you live? What have you done to help save the WNY economy? Thought so.

Reality Check: When have you last seen your taxes go down? How long were tolls supposed to be on the NY Thruway? Grand Island Bridges? Once gov't get's its tax money - they never relinguish.

How many Super Bowls did we win in the old jersey's? You guys are going over board with the uni debate - just be glad we have a team.

Shut bases could get nuclear waste - How do you like this in your back yard? www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/05/28/shut_bases_could_get_nuclear_waste/ Reasons to keep the base open: As Niagara County's second largest employer with nearly 3,000 full and part-time workers, this would deliver another devastating blow to our region's economy. The base site lies within close proximity to four major border crossing between the U.S. and Canada, along with the New York State Power Authority's Hydropower complex which harnesses the waters of the Niagara and supplies substantial power to the Northeast United States Grid. While the base serves as a logistical backbone for the War on Terror, it is also strategically placed and fully expandable to allow the addition of a fighter squadron to further secure America's northern border and power grid infrastructure. It should be expanded rather than closed. According to the Niagara Military Affairs Council: Closure of Niagara would reduce the Air Force presence in NY by 40%, and eliminate the last Federal Air Force flying mission in the State. Since 1995, Niagara has been modernized with $35M in new facilities and lengthened runways which have improved the operational effectiveness of the wings. We have also reduced our Base Operations Support costs by not less than 33% (to include a 25% reduction in utilities) to make the base one of the most cost-efficient facilities in the Air Force Reserve Command. Closure of the base would also eliminate the ability to recruit and retain New Yorkers in a region in which the units have both maintained in excess of 100% manning rates. Niagara Falls existing infrastructure can accommodate 8 additional C-130H model aircraft without any military construction. Niagara Falls faces no physical encroachment nor air traffic control constraints and has acreage on the base and adjacent to the installation for expansion.

The effort to save Niagara Falls Air Force Base is well underway. The organizers set up a convenient way to submit a letter electronically to the Chairman of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission. Simply go to this site http://www.nimac.org/letter.html and send a note via email. This literally takes two seconds - use the pre-written letter - hit Send letter via E-Mail - and you're finished! It's that simple. For security and economic reasons, Niagara Falls cannot afford to lose this base. Please help. Thanks.

NY1 Hey fellow Bills fans and NY State Tax Payers - curious to know how you feel about this stadium proposal? Do you think this helps or hurts the Bills future chances of obtaining future funding to keep the BILLS in Buffalo and a new stadium?

It's not that I think stupidity should be punishable by death. I just think we should take the warning labels off of everything and let the problem take care of itself.

According to our beloved JETS web site - http://www.jetsinsider.net/forums/showthread.php?t=93441 NFL radio, schein and riggins neither have Jets making playoffs -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I just heard on NFL radio that either, adam schein or john riggins, have the JETS making the playoffs Riggo doesnt have the patriots making the playoffs either, he has the bills winning the division.

http://www.jetsinsider.net/forums/showthread.php?t=93455

New England drivers suck - but the roads don't help. Signage and road quality - all poor.

Not surprised - it's an incredibly dense, highly populated region....

Who the F@#$ cares what people think of BUF. They are clearly ignorant. Having lived outside of BUF now four years - the grass is not greener. People in WNY don't realize how good they have it. And regards to Ralph Wilson - good for him. Glad he has the balls to stand up and support small market teams. The NFL is special because of the variety of markets. If the NFL was all Washington and Dallas - what a boring league it would be. The NFL would lack character and pinache it currently has - due to unique teams like Buffalo, J-ville, Indy, and so forth. It's the small market team that actually drives the enthusiasm and spirit of the NFL. Go BILLS.