Message for Former Buffalonians

[EndZoneCrew]

I would like for every Buffalo "transplant" to take a good look at how they portray their former city, either in person or in a medium (message board) like this. Tim Russert left the area to take a position to better himself professionally, just like many people on this board have. However, in a disturbing trend, many of those same former Buffalonians have nothing but negativity and sarcasm at the city that they grew up in. Tim Russert epitomized Buffalo and never, ever spewed negativity about the city that he loved. I for one would hope that many of you who mourn his loss would look in the mirror and maybe, just maybe, think about why so many people loved him. Not only for what he accomplished, but for what he did to the morale of the people who live here. He constantly told people about what a great place Buffalo, NY is and he was damn proud of his roots. I would hope we would all do the same. You will never be forgotten Tim! Go Bills!

[ax4782]

I would start by saying that I personally have lived away from the city for sixteen years, and have known many transplants both in NC where I lived for fifteen years and here in Detroit where I have lived for three years. In that time I haven't personally heard any one of those persons talk badly about Buffalo. They may say that the economy is bad or that the region is suffering, but most of them, if given the choice, would move back to the city rather than stay where they are. If I had the opportunity, I would move back in a heartbeat, provided that a job opened up. That being said, regardless of what people think of the city, I agree. If you happen to think the Buffalo is a terrible place to live, believe me, it could be a lot worse. The crime rate is low and people in the suburbs in Buffalo actually care about the city and want to see it come back. That has resulted in a lot of investment that has begun to move Buffalo forward. The same cannot be said of Detroit where I live now. Trust me, people from Buffalo have nothing to be ashamed of and there should be no one who disparages the city.

 

On a final note, today was not the same without Tim Russert on Meet the Press. He was a great man from a great city, who was proud of where he came from. All Buffalonians should have been proud to have such a representative from their city. I know I was.

[Tim Anderson's Lunch Pail]

Fortunately, I am in a position where I can stay right here in Buffalo. I knew I wanted to stay, so I started working for M&T Bank while I was in college. My fiancee is a school teacher that was fortunate to get a job in the area. I just can't imagine living anywhere else.

[Pete]

I love Buffalo and it is forever in my heart. It is a very underrated city with great citizens and culture. I feel lucky to have grown up in Buffalo and having blue collar work ethic and values instilled in me

[buckeyebrian]

I left Buffalo (Lancaster) 30 years ago to attend law school and never returned except for brief visits which declined over time as the rest of my family moved away. However, Buffalo has never left my heart and no matter how many Super Bowl and Stanley Cup finals losses I suffered through, I let anyone who cared to know that I was proud to be a Buffalonian. I admired Tim Russert as much as anything for his unabashed love for his hometown and I always choked up when at the end of Meet The Press he would look into the camera and said "Go Bills" One Superbowl, either 27 or 28 he went on a bit about how Buffalo needed the Super Bowl victory more than Dallas because Dallas had everything that Buffalo didn't from the standpoint of size, wealth and population, but that the good people of Buffalo deserved it more.

 

From watching MSNBC this weekend I could not help but be impressed by all the expressions of love and admiration for this man, not only for his intelligence and political savy, but even more so for his love of his family, his God and his hometown. Tim Russert touched a lot of people in his 58 years. He was comfortable in the company of the most powerful people in the world, yet when it came to Buffalo, he was just like the rest of us. God bless Tim Russert and his family. WE have all lost a friend.

[Adam]

I will say that Buffalo had some great food- pizza and hot dogs just aren't the same anyplace else. It stinks that the economy has sunk so low that a ton of great places have closed or are in bad shape. I definitely like where I am now a lot better, but more power to those who like it up there and can stay.

 

What I would do for a slice of Bocce Pizza with a Teds hot dog on it with lots of Anderson's hot fudge

[alg]

Born in the city and later lived in Amherst. I've been gone since 1977 when I left for school. 5 cities and many years later I can say I have always been 1) a huge Bills fan, and 2) a booster of the city. I tell people of its cultural richness, the strength, friendliness and decency of the people, and the fact that it has the very best 'fun' food on the entire planet.

 

I have almost always found that ex-pats like myself are the most vocal in their love of the city. It represents our roots, the roots we can no longer take for granted. The Bills are to me a byproduct of this phenomena; they are the embodiment of the ex-pat love of the city and the fond memories of our heritage. That is why the Bills moving to Toronto or anywhere else would end my fandom. Ultimately it is not about the Bills. It is about Buffalo.

 

Only rarely, and much to my horror and shame, do I hear an ex-Buffalonian speak ill of the city. It pains me deeply that someone like that just doesn't "get it" - that is, buys into the big city, upturned nose toward Buffalo thing. I've lived in big cities and hung with fancy people. More than a few actually. And let me tell you, the world would be a whole lot better a place if everyone came from Buffalo.

[oregonbbfan]

First I'd like to say that there is no such thing as a former Buffalonian. We are all still Buffaloians that live elsewhere for whatever reason. As can be seen in my moniker, I now live (retired) in Oregon now ( same 4 seasons, less harsh winters) after working 42 years in California. I was born and grew up IN Bufffalo ( east side) , went to school on the west side at ( not far from the hit and run) Hutch Tech and graduated from ECTI before leaving for California on a vacation at the age of 21. I finished my BS at Long Beach State in California and worked in Aerospace and Medical Product Manufacturing where I retired.

 

While it was fate that I landed in California, I never stopped being a Buffaloian. I grew up in Buffalo when you could go to any part of town at any hour of the day and not fear for your life. I loved Buffalo and was always proud of my roots just as Tim Russert was. I too went to War Memorial Stadium, even the stock car races before football at the Rockpile. I didn't know till recently that Tim's son Luke was named after Luke Easter. I still remember going to Offerman stadium and screaming LUUUUUUKE as loud as I could to root on the Bisons.

 

I kept up with very football magazine, Shout, Direct TV and every Bills blog I could find. I still have Shaelens Hot dogs sent here with Webers mustard and pickle relish ( like Teds). I always wear my Bills garb when working around the house. So, even though I left many years ago, you can take a person out of Buffalo, but you'll never take Buffalo out of the person.

 

Buffalo, as Tim so aptly put it is a good, down to earth blue collar town with good people who are fun loving, family loving and where we have our God given roots. I still miss the town even though it's not the same town, but the people ( family and still to this day my best friend) the food and yes, the Bills and Sabres are all good.

 

In signing off, a word of advice. Just because a person hasn't been on the board a long time, or doesn't post alot, or is from another state, don't jump all over him or call them stupid or ridicule them, for they may know a little more than you but don't wish confrontation or are just more courteous.

 

And , thanks for the topic, I have been wanting to say this for a long time.

[ExiledInIllinois]

How much was Tim Russert making?... Give me that much and I will talk even more highly.

[atlbillsfan1975]

BUffalo is a great city. It is where i am from. I moved away when i was kid to Atlanta but never lost my love for the Bills and the city. My grandfather worked for the Bills in the 70's and 80's. We have stayed friends with Hojo the head trainer even still today. 8 years ago my father and i opened a Pizzeria in Atlanta because we got so tired of not being ablo to get good Buffalo Pizza. Our menu is totally based on all Buffalo foods we even have beef on weck. So in a way you can say Buffalo is how i make a living.

I lost my own father 4 years ago much the same way Luke lost Tim. My father suffered a massive heart attck while i was on vacation and died at the restuarant. Today is a hard day for all of us sons who have lost our fathers. My heart goes out to Luke who must be so scarred, hurting, and confused today.

My life as gone on and late in 2007 i opened another restuarant and business has been great. There are so many people from Buffalo that live here and i get to talk about the Bills everyday. These southerners love good Buffalo food. I still go back every year for one home game and to see my family that live in Kenmore and Tonawande. Buffalo has probably the greatest people in the country that live there.But unfortunatly they also have some of the worse Politicians. if every one could ever get on the same page and develope the water front Buffalo could restore its national pressence once again. Till then we have the Bills,our great food, and our pride in our city.

[Kiwi Bills fan]

I'm not from Buffalo, but from Rochester. (I thought that would count too.)

 

Anyway... It's hard to believe but, I've been away from WNY for almost 20 years now. I've lived in Colorado, Washington State and now New Zealand. My heart is, and always will be in NYS.

Although both of my parents are now passed, I still have family and very close friends back there that I love to visit.

 

I can't say that Ive ever said anything bad about the area except maybe when I get in a conversation that involves, "Weather stories". Some of these Kiwis down here simply can't believe my stories, or the photos that I show 'em from some of the major snowstorms that we got in the '70's. (Most of these people have NEVER had to shovel snow before.)

 

As in the immortal words from Jimmy Buffett...

 

"She said I cant go back to America soon

So goddamn cold its gonna snow until June

Yeah, they're freezing up in Buffalo stuck in their cars

And I"m lying here neath the sun and the stars"

 

I wear my Bills shirt, jersey and car decal with pride.

 

Although I've been blessed by seeing many beautiful places in my travels... I truly believe that Autumn in The Finger Lakes, or certain regions of the Adirondacks can stack up with the best of 'em!

 

Go Bills!

[Catholic Guilt]

I left WNY in 1988, but it still feels like home to me. I am a Buffalo sports nut and everyone knows that. My neighbor is a former NFL running back and he constantly gives me a hard time about being a Bills fan. He doesn't understand the loyalty. My wife tells her friends anyone from WNY makes a great husband because no matter what happens, they are faithful.

 

End Zone Crew do me a favor. Start changing the city, make it affordable for the many of us who would like to move back and have a decent job. Stop electing the same morons to office that tax the residents to death. I have many friends from back home and the only reason they left was a lack of opportunity.

[Big Turk]

I would start by saying that I personally have lived away from the city for sixteen years, and have known many transplants both in NC where I lived for fifteen years and here in Detroit where I have lived for three years. In that time I haven't personally heard any one of those persons talk badly about Buffalo. They may say that the economy is bad or that the region is suffering, but most of them, if given the choice, would move back to the city rather than stay where they are. If I had the opportunity, I would move back in a heartbeat, provided that a job opened up. That being said, regardless of what people think of the city, I agree. If you happen to think the Buffalo is a terrible place to live, believe me, it could be a lot worse. The crime rate is low and people in the suburbs in Buffalo actually care about the city and want to see it come back. That has resulted in a lot of investment that has begun to move Buffalo forward. The same cannot be said of Detroit where I live now. Trust me, people from Buffalo have nothing to be ashamed of and there should be no one who disparages the city.

 

On a final note, today was not the same without Tim Russert on Meet the Press. He was a great man from a great city, who was proud of where he came from. All Buffalonians should have been proud to have such a representative from their city. I know I was.

 

I totally agree...when I was in college in St. Louis, all my friends couldn't believe or understand the pride I talked about Buffalo with. I then moved and lived in various parts of Ohio for 8 years after getting out of college, and finally moved back home for good hopefully 3 years ago. I have been to and lived in a lot of places and this is a really special place in ways that almost defy explanation, but can definitely be felt by others that move here from other places as well, which explains why so many who come here stay after their careers are over in sports. I never considered any of the other paces I lived to be my "home", just a place I was in temporarily until I could come back home. My aunt hasn't lived in Buffalo for almost 40 years now, but every time she comes to visit us, she says "It's great to be home."

 

Its too bad more people don't realize just how good they have it here. We have one of the lowest cost of living in the nation, and our house prices are rock bottom. If more people realized that just because you can find a job that pays you more in another city, that doesn't equal having more available income, I feel fewer people would have left. If your expenses rise by the same rate your income does, you are at the same place, no matter how much money you are making. In some ways, I feel there have been a lot of people "duped" into moving to other cities, only to realize that their available income is the same or less because of ridiculous housing costs and high cost of living. Some probably don't even realize that or think about it, and for many it may be too late to try and find a new job if they have put significant time in with the company they are with...

 

Are things perfect here? No...but truly where are they? The fact is if a lot of people sized up and found out about problems in some of these other places and then compared them to the problems here, they would find out, they just might want to keep our problems. I mean, noone here is talking about how hundreds of thousands of people are going to die and how your state will be floating up the coast towards Alaska when, not if, the big earthquake strikes in California. We aren't having to fight with 3 or 4 other states about tapping into the only river that can be used for fresh water anywhere near us and talking about how they have to ration water(or buy it from us). We don't have to worry about walking out the front door or diving into our swimming pools and being attacked by an alligator. We don't have 3 months+ of unbearably hot summer temperatures like many places down south do. We don't get extremely hot in summer and extremely cold in the winter like many midwestern places do. All we have is some snow, which we deal with as good or better than any place in the country, and some less than sunny winters, that really aren't that cold thanks to our warming effect the lakes have. I would not trade our summers for any place in the country. I would trade our festivals we have in the summer with any place in the country.

 

So before those in other places want to bash on Buffalo, maybe they need to realize that having rolling blackouts because your power companies can't meet electrical demands in the summer aren't a part of daily life in some places of the country...nor are watering bans...

[Catholic Guilt]

I feel there have been a lot of people "duped" into moving to other cities, only to realize that their available income is the same or less because of ridiculous housing costs and high cost of living. Some probably don't even realize that or think about it, and for many it may be too late to try and find a new job if they have put significant time in with the company they are with...

 

We need decent jobs to afford even those rock-bottom house prices. And please don't forget the high taxes you pay on those cheap houses.

[PromoTheRobot]

Tim Russert was a huge Buffalo booster but he'd be the first to tell you the city has problems, some of them self-inflicted. There's a difference between being a booster and being a blind homer. There's also a huge difference between talking trash and speaking the truth.

 

PTR

[freester]

BUffalo is a great city. It is where i am from. I moved away when i was kid to Atlanta but never lost my love for the Bills and the city. My grandfather worked for the Bills in the 70's and 80's. We have stayed friends with Hojo the head trainer even still today. 8 years ago my father and i opened a Pizzeria in Atlanta because we got so tired of not being ablo to get good Buffalo Pizza. Our menu is totally based on all Buffalo foods we even have beef on weck. So in a way you can say Buffalo is how i make a living.

I lost my own father 4 years ago much the same way Luke lost Tim. My father suffered a massive heart attck while i was on vacation and died at the restuarant. Today is a hard day for all of us sons who have lost our fathers. My heart goes out to Luke who must be so scarred, hurting, and confused today.

My life as gone on and late in 2007 i opened another restuarant and business has been great. There are so many people from Buffalo that live here and i get to talk about the Bills everyday. These southerners love good Buffalo food. I still go back every year for one home game and to see my family that live in Kenmore and Tonawande. Buffalo has probably the greatest people in the country that live there.But unfortunatly they also have some of the worse Politicians. if every one could ever get on the same page and develope the water front Buffalo could restore its national pressence once again. Till then we have the Bills,our great food, and our pride in our city.

Thanks for Galla's. It reminds me alot of the Buffalo food I grew up on. There are alot of us bills fans in ATL and I do miss Tim Russert. He exemplified everything that is special about buffalonians.

[Big Turk]

We need decent jobs to afford even those rock-bottom house prices. And please don't forget the high taxes you pay on those cheap houses.

 

Personally I think a lot of people believe the whole "There are no decent jobs here" thing way more than it actually is true. Anyone with a high school diploma can take a 6 month to 1 year course to become a nurse and start making $20+/hour. Hospitals are so desperate up here to hire people its not even funny. Is that for everyone? No. But it does show that jobs are there. I am pretty sure if people's first thing to say wasn't "There are no jobs here, I'm out", and actually look a little closer, they probably could find a job. Then again, from what I have heard from numerous other people, other parts of the country see workers from the Northeast in general as being "trophy" employees because of the work ethic that many of them have. Even when they would be considered mediocre in that department here, they are among the best in the company in other places. I know even in Ohio I used to almost laugh at thinking at how I could probably bring down 4 or 5 people from this area and they would do the job of like 10 people there...perhaps that is why there are less jobs here...people do too much work and don't slack off enough to force companies to hire extra people...

 

Anyways, I digress...

 

On the topic of housing prices, lets not be silly. I can tell you in Ohio, the same 4 bedroom 2 bath nearly 2000 square foot home in a great neighborhood with quiet streets and enough safety that I wouldn't bat an eye if I realized I forgot to lock the door on my way to work that we paid $108,000 for would cost in the $200-250,000 range at the LEAST there. I mean when I am looking at 900 square foot SHACKS in crappy neighborhoods for $150,000 I knew right then and there I would never buy a house until I came back home. So lets compare here, I pay about $1075 with my high taxes per month here, versus paying about oh...$2,100 or so with their great "low taxes"...

 

No thanks, they can keep the low taxes, and I'll pocket the extra grand every month...Is it any real surprise that Buffalo, along with Rochester and Syracuse were ranked 3 of the best 10 real estate markets in the entire country recently?? Our foreclosure rates are probably among the lowest in country...

 

Guess those other places must be REALLY great when people have to sleep in their cars with their family every night because they couldn't pay their house payments and they got foreclosed on, or even better when those people are told to commit mortgage fraud by their real estate agents by buying new houses before their others are foreclosed on, then walking away from their first house...Guess that is no big deal that people are basically having to be forced to make a decision between committing a felony and being homeless. Funny how those places aren't being dragged thru the mud like Buffalo, even tho they are having crises much worse than what has ever happened here...

[Whites Bay]

I'm not from Buffalo, but from Rochester. (I thought that would count too.)

 

Anyway... It's hard to believe but, I've been away from WNY for almost 20 years now. I've lived in Colorado, Washington State and now New Zealand. My heart is, and always will be in NYS.

Although both of my parents are now passed, I still have family and very close friends back there that I love to visit.

 

I can't say that Ive ever said anything bad about the area except maybe when I get in a conversation that involves, "Weather stories". Some of these Kiwis down here simply can't believe my stories, or the photos that I show 'em from some of the major snowstorms that we got in the '70's. (Most of these people have NEVER had to shovel snow before.)

 

As in the immortal words from Jimmy Buffett...

 

"She said I cant go back to America soon

So goddamn cold its gonna snow until June

Yeah, they're freezing up in Buffalo stuck in their cars

And I"m lying here neath the sun and the stars"

 

I wear my Bills shirt, jersey and car decal with pride.

 

Although I've been blessed by seeing many beautiful places in my travels... I truly believe that Autumn in The Finger Lakes, or certain regions of the Adirondacks can stack up with the best of 'em!

 

Go Bills!

 

For what it's worth, being from Rochester DOES count for something! My family was one of the original settlers in the area, going back to 1804. That's right - 1804. We once owned the land that is now Inspiration Point, and Bay Road (in a prior iteration) was named for a branch of my family. And I'm damn proud of it. I've traveled the entire world, and have filled three passports. I've moved from New York to SoCal, to New Jersey, to Michigan, to Massachusetts, to Rhode Island, to Salt Lake City and have finally been blessed to move back to upstate New York. For less money.

 

By choice.

 

By choice.

 

Because it was time to give my kids what I had - a great upbringing, a great school district, a cottage on the lake, and the roll-your-sleeves-up mindset that is lacking in the nanoscopic crania found in folks in OC, SF, Tri-State Metro and friggin' every other place I've lived.

 

Thomas Wolfe was an idiot. An inbred. A cretin. The crudescence that I scrape from my shoes. Perhaps the lowest form of life.

 

Because you CAN go home again. F. U. Let me say that again. F.U. Thomas Wolfe. I can, and have, come home again. And I have no patience for the whiners on this board that say they can't. And as has been stated by another poster, thanks for starting this topic. This is something I've been meaning to say for a long time.

[Big Turk]

Tim Russert was a huge Buffalo booster but he'd be the first to tell you the city has problems, some of them self-inflicted. There's a difference between being a booster and being a blind homer. There's also a huge difference between talking trash and speaking the truth.

 

PTR

 

There is also realizing that every place has its own problems, and that in many cases if you asked people from many different areas to list all the problems their cities had, throw them all in a hat and randomly draw them, you find a couple of things out.

 

First, you'd find out that everywhere has problems.

Second, you'd probably wish you had your list of problems back instead of the one in front of you.

 

I know firsthand the grass isn't always greener on the other side...

[mcjeff215]

Thanks for Galla's. It reminds me alot of the Buffalo food I grew up on. There are alot of us bills fans in ATL and I do miss Tim Russert. He exemplified everything that is special about buffalonians.

 

Yeah, I was wondering if that was the place he was referring to. Great food! I'm about 5 miles outside of delivery range, but that's where we get our pizza from whenever we're slightly too lazy to cool. My wife loves that stuff (and she's from here).

 

As an aside, you folks need to start making those Italian Sausage subs you get up north... with the Provolone and mayo an whatnot. I miss those!

 

As for being an ex-Buffalonian.. you'd damn well better believe I'm proud of it. Everyone I work with knows that's where my work ethic and value system comes from. Family has always been blue collar steel folk. Well, we've a few police officers and career military within the pedigree. I take southern friends to sporting events and most of them are simply amazed at how every one of us pulls together behind our teams. They're starting to understand that it's not just sports -- it's a symbol of who we are!

 

At some point, we'll move home. It's going to be a while, but that's okay. I still see myself as a Buffalonian every day. I'm just living in Georgia. Everything else is just the same.