After a lifetime of living in Buffalo, it's obvious that I'm a little more cynical about certain things than most people. While that attitude may have to do with living in an economically depressed area, the failures of the local sports teams don't help matters.
Monday night's Buffalo Bills loss to the Cleveland Browns really shouldn't have come as a shock to anyone who follows the team. Even when the Bills were ahead late in the game, the feeling of impending doom lingered.
As I exchanged text messages during the fourth quarter with a few friends who were at Ralph Wilson Stadium, we all had that sinking feeling that things weren't going to work out for the Bills.
Of course, Cleveland kicked a 56-yard field goal to take the lead and then Bills kicker Rian Lindell missed a 47-yard attempt to give the Browns the victory. And of course, the ESPN commentators all had to remind us about Wide Right before the kick-as if we needed a reminder.
As Buffalo sports fans, we're so scarred from all of the harsh defeats over the years that we're almost immune to them. We always wait for that other shoe to drop because when things seem too good to be true, they usually are. We've learned to expect the worst but we still always hope for the best.
This year is no exception to that rule.
Staying with the Bills, they started the season off 4-0 and energized a fan base that hasn't had much to cheer about the last few years. Sure they beat up on easy teams, but they were winning games they were supposed to win because that's what good teams do. They looked confident and a few fourth quarter rallies showed the poise and experience of an elite team.
However, inconsistent efforts have now put the Bills' postseason efforts in jeopardy. Starting 5-1 doesn't do much good when you drop the next three games to division opponents. Now with the loss to Cleveland, the pessimists are kissing the season goodbye. It's tough to blame them.
The Buffalo Sabres started off this season as one of the league's hottest teams. They overcame several injuries to key players but were still able to collect points and remain near the top of the standings.
So with everyone coming back healthy, wouldn't it make sense that they would only get better?
It would. But this is Buffalo.
As soon as everyone was back in the lineup, they lost four of their next five games and have lost that nice cushion they built up in October. Thankfully the hockey season is a long one and the Sabres have the opportunity to turn things around and regain whatever magic they had early on.
Then again, even Buffalo's best stories have ended in pain.
From a Buffalo sports fan's perspective, it's only a matter of time before the Buffalo Bulls football team stumbles. Of all the major local sports teams, they've been the biggest surprise. The Bulls gotten better with each game and it seems that they've finally learned how to win.
But history here as shown us that things are probably going to end badly. In Buffalo, we're used to losing and we have trouble accepting success. It's just our nature. As soon as a team achieves something positive we look for any way to sink the ship.
So even if the major teams inevitably crash and burn, we still have some hope to hang our hat on-the world lacrosse champion Bandits start their season in January.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
