The Buffalo Guy Who Wasn’t
I’ve been a Buffalo expat since June 1, 2002. I’ve spent half my life with that title, and whenever I bump into a fellow expat in the Big Apple — especially if they’re wearing Bills or Sabres gear — we make eye contact and say, “Go Bills.” Nine times out of ten, that’s the exchange. And if you’re working somewhere and discover another Buffalo transplant, you can’t wait to talk Bills, Sabres, and favorite watering holes back in the motherland. That happened in 2006 when I met my good friend Scott at work, and we’ve been friends ever since. Honestly, probably half my friends in NYC have Buffalo roots and are loyal to the crest.
However, sometimes you run into a bad Buffalo apple or wing.
My first job in New York City was intimidating because it was my first job after college in a completely new field. Going from the confines of living in my parents’ basement to, a month later, commuting into Times Square without knowing a soul isn’t something you can be taught. You learn it on the fly.
I worked in an office cube with 4 computers and my neighbor was from Buffalo — North Tonawanda, to be exact. I was thrilled to have someone nearby with similar roots. The guy was about five years older than me, more advanced in his career, and had gone to the same college. What I thought would be a cool connection turned out to be as bad of chemistry as Josh Allen and Kelvin Benjamin.
You ever start a new job or join a class where you can instantly tell there’s an office clown or self-appointed “guy” who needs to be the center of attention and gets threatened if any shine comes off him? That was this dude. I don’t know what his deal was, but he wasn’t friendly. He didn’t want to talk Bills or Sabres. Instead, he’d make weird little jabs at me that I was some wannabe of his because I was from Buffalo too. Maybe I was sensitive, but it felt bizarre as every Buffalo expat I’ve met in my 24 years in NYC has been cool as fuck…but not this guy.
It also didn’t help that he’d bust my balls -and not in a teasing way- because my desk had too many video tapes piled up on it while I searched for B-roll of fucking Tom Green talking about trucker hats on one of his 120 terrible shows. And Tom Green was — and still is — one of the unfunniest people ever.
What annoyed me most was that everyone in the office knew him as “the Buffalo guy,” and he wore it like a badge of honor. It felt completely performative. In NYC offices, there’s always a mix of native New Yorkers and people from all over the country, and your hometown becomes part of your identity. Basically it is like when Forest Gump went over his platoon’s names.
I honestly think part of the reason he disliked me was because he didn’t want another “Buffalo guy” around. It was weird as hell. He also never wanted to engage in any Buffalo talk even when I tried. He just reeked of the guy who was happy as fuck to get out of town -which is fine- but would then try and pretend upstate was great to get the office points of being the Buffalo guy for identity which is a phony ass act.
The funniest part? He didn’t even really like the Bills. He rooted for the Seahawks because his family had roots in Seattle — and because Seattle was actually good at the time. Years later, I heard he basically went full Seattle guy after his family moved there.
Anyway, that’s a long way of going around my wrist to set my watch just to say:
Fuck Rob Gronkowski.
Gronk reminds me of that same type of expat.
A Buffalonian when it’s convenient. Suddenly he gets to drink from a Beer Sabre that none of us can get and throw on a Rob Ray jersey like he’s one of the boys? Fuck that. This is the same guy who gave Tre’Davious White a cheap-shot elbow that left him concussed. Give the Beer Sabre to Tim Kennedy or Pat Kaleta instead. Leave the Beer Sabres at Buffalo natives graves like Livia Soprano, Tim Russert, or Rick James.
And yeah, maybe this is gatekeeping, but whatever. If you go play for another team that regularly faces the Bills or Sabres, and you spend years being the face of the enemy, you don’t get to parachute back in later and act like Buffalo’s favorite son because you bought Buffalo pizza at a place that your brothers’ jerseys are hanging at. Buffalo fans can smell authenticity from a mile away because the city’s entire identity is built on people who stayed loyal when there was absolutely no reward for it. You don’t get to spend your career wrapped in Patriots colors, yucking it up with Bruins fans, stomping on Buffalo teams for a decade, and then suddenly cosplay as “one of us” because it plays well on social media.
Hell, even Patrick Kane — who’s an asshole in his own right — at least actually lived Buffalo hockey culture and came back until he was banished for…actually, stay away too!
Gronk, meanwhile, somehow became this “lifelong diehard Sabres fan” overnight on Friday. He’s also the same dude who played the rest of his high school career in Ohio. And when you Google “Gronk Bruins,” there are about a million photos of him grinning like the world’s biggest Boston sports bro with their gear on. That’s the version people knew for years.
Buffalo only seems to come back into the picture for guys like that when there’s a camera around or some nostalgia to cash in on. That’s why Gronk reminds me so much of that dude from my first office job. Being “the Buffalo guy” wasn’t something either of them lived — it was something they performed when it benefited them. The second someone else shared that identity or the second Buffalo stopped being useful, they moved on to the next thing.
And maybe that’s why it rubbed me the wrong way all these years later. Real Buffalo people don’t treat the city like branding. It’s not some quirky personality trait you pull out when the spotlight hits. It’s just who you are.
From Queens to the Box- What would be bigger, a Stanley Cup or a Lombardi Trophy for Buffalo?
Joe: Welcome everyone back to From Queens to the Box. Yes, that’s the AI nickname I came up with after Chris Ostrander refused to give me any ideas. I’m still taking suggestions…
With that said, I’m ready for us to dive into a topic that’s been on my mind lately: what would mean more to Buffalo sports fans—a Stanley Cup or a Super Bowl trophy?
Right now, this is probably the closest both teams have been at the same time to winning a championship, or at least being in that conversation. You’d probably have to go back to 1992, with the Bills going to the Super Bowl against Dallas (ugh), and the Sabres sweeping the Bruins, culminating in the May Day goal.
Where do you stand on the importance of Lombardi vs. Lord Stanley?
Chris: Had I known I’d be contributing to my electric and water bill increasing further, I would have put in some effort to provide you with a nickname. I must now live with the consequences of my actions.
I think this is an easy answer if you consider the big picture—the popularity of each respective sport and the civic pride associated with each team. The Super Bowl is simply the more popular and important title within the world of sports and pop culture. If you polled Buffalo sports fans, I think the overwhelming majority would pick a Super Bowl over a Cup.
That said, I think the Stanley Cup means more within the context of the sport, specifically to the players, and that trickles down to the fans. So in that sense, more people should be pulling for a Stanley Cup championship.
Joe: Do you think there’s a civic pride element where Buffalo fans believe hockey is their sport in the U.S.? Football is obviously more popular—almost every NFL city loves and supports its team. But with hockey, you could argue Buffalo has always been a hotter market, especially with TV ratings. Like there’s a mindset of “this is our sport because most of the U.S. doesn’t care as much.”
Chris: I don’t think there’s as much civic pride tied specifically to the Sabres—I just think this is a hockey town (not a bit this time). Western New York has two of the largest youth hockey organizations in the state, and there’s a really rich hockey culture throughout the region, from youth leagues all the way up to adults.
There are multiple adult leagues with dozens of teams playing year-round in Buffalo. I doubt many other NHL markets have that level of amateur participation, regardless of metro size. So there’s a deep-seated love of hockey here, which translates to interest in the league. That’s why TV ratings stayed strong despite the Sabres’ long drought.
As for the Bills, they might as well be written into the Erie County charter as a civic institution. Even during the drought years, people still spent Sundays at the stadium. The tailgate culture—table smashing and all that nonsense—grew to the point where the team got national attention despite poor results.
That grassroots “Bills Mafia” growth brought more people in, some chasing viral moments, but it also strengthened the tradition of showing up on game day regardless of performance. Then Josh Allen arrived and everything changed.
You had older fans, millennials who grew up with the ’90s teams, and a new wave of younger fans all converging. It created a unique critical mass around a team that finally became good again. It was a perfect storm: a struggling team emerging from the darkness and a fanbase that stuck around out of both passion and a sense of responsibility to keep the team in Buffalo.
So yeah, I think people in Western New York feel a deeper connection to the Bills. Combine that with the NFL being a cultural giant, and a Super Bowl victory would be far more appealing to the fanbase as a whole.
Also, the Bills having a 10-year head start on the Sabres doesn’t hurt.
Joe: Would you say the history of both franchises plays into this? Maybe I’m wrong, but the Bills’ history feels sadder—with the four Super Bowl losses, plus arguably the best player in franchise history being a murderer.
The Sabres have their own painful history, and both teams have had droughts that feel like they’ve lasted as long as the Las Vegas desert. But maybe there’s more of a rooting interest for the Bills because, from the outside, people immediately think of those Super Bowl losses.
Chris: I agree with that. The Super Bowls define the Bills—it’s inescapable.
You might find this interesting: my freshman year of college, in one of those intro classes meant to help students adjust, we did an icebreaker where you had to list three dreams. I forget the exact wording, but two of mine were: a Bills Super Bowl and winning the Stanley Cup.
The key difference was that, at 18, I still thought I could personally be part of a Stanley Cup team—whereas I just wanted the Bills to win a Super Bowl.
As it turns out, the NHL doesn’t do much scouting of the ACHA.
Joe:You would’ve been the most annoying teammate ever—maybe more Barnaby than Benson. Do you think whichever team wins first, there would be a slight disappointment if it’s not the one you care about more? I’m trying to word that carefully.
I think of Cleveland—they had a brutal sports history but finally won an NBA title with LeBron. Still, Cleveland feels more like a football and baseball town than a basketball one. It erased the “loser” narrative, but maybe it felt like your stepkid graduating while your own kid is still struggling in school.
Chris: I was actually in Cleveland during that run and saw their AHL team, the Monsters, win the Calder Cup just days before the Cavs came back against the Warriors.
But honestly, people didn’t care which team did it—they just wanted that 5,000-pound gorilla off their back so they could finally celebrate a championship. Having one of the biggest athletes in the world deliver it didn’t hurt either.
I think the same applies to Buffalo. When a city is that desperate, any title will do. No one’s going to work the day of a championship parade, whether it’s the Sabres or the Bills.
Joe:Overall, I think it would mean more for the Bills to win it all. The NFL being king is what tips the scale. Buffalo would be on every sports show for months. It would resonate more because the NFL is the gateway to the biggest stage in sports.
And like you said, maybe the loyalty factor plays a role—Bills fans stuck around when the team was awful, while Sabres fans checked out more.
Alright, personal question: for yourself, you can only pick one—no playing for the Sabres. What are you choosing?
Chris:I’d take the Stanley Cup. Like I said earlier, within the context of the sport, the Cup means more to the players. And when you consider the marathon of a playoff run, there’s something special about that two-month journey.
I agree the Super Bowl carries more weight, but I think a Cup win would be more fun to experience.
Plus, it’s warm when they award the Cup. I’d much rather celebrate in 70-degree weather than 17.
Stathead of the week
Since 2020, the Bills have had a WR/TE go over 1,000 yards receiving 4 times (All Stefon Diggs). That is tied for 14th most in the league during that time frame. Here’s the rest of the rankings
In case you are wondering where the Bills rank post Diggs…here you go
Dad Shots
—Ugh. In the words of Ron Burgundy… that escalated quickly with the Sabres. Being down 2-1 normally isn’t the end of the world, but the way they’ve lost the last two games is alarming. It honestly feels like the Bruins/Sabres series in reverse. Montreal looks faster, more aggressive, and completely in control right now, while the Sabres look overwhelmed and are resorting to trying to goon it up and run the goalie instead of matching the pace of play. They look slow, completely disorganized in their own zone, and a step behind on almost every puck battle. I can’t believe they’ve been outscored 11-3 in their last 2 games.
The Canadiens are dictating the pace, winning races to loose pucks, and forcing Buffalo into constant mistakes and bad decisions. Right now, the Sabres don’t look like a team playing with confidence… they look frustrated, rattled, and like they’re searching for answers on the fly.
—Logan Stanley looks like when Joe Finley was on the blue line during one of the tank years and his play on the fourth goal last night was brutal. He let the puck go right by him and ended up stranded on an island by himself. Thank God he’s mean, though…TBH, outside of Carrick -who I hardly notice last night- the deadline deals by Jarmo have been a snooze fest.
—There’s also been some brutal luck mixed in. Jordan Greenway’s stick breaking for what felt like an hour on the power play led directly to a Habs goal. Then Lyon makes a fabulous save on a 2-on-1, only for the puck to ricochet off the boards, through about four bodies, and end up right out front for the fifth goal.
—The Doan-Norris-Benson line has been great, but the rest of the lines have been pretty meh. They may have to break that line up and start spreading the wealth around a little more.
—I would stick with Lyon in Game 4. I don’t think you throw UPL into that Montreal environment on the road right now. Lyon has been good in the playoffs, and the players in front of him simply need to help him out more. If they lose, then put UPL in back at home.
— They can still win in Montreal.
—When WWE let go of a bunch of wrestlers last week, I thought the reaction was a little over the top because this happens all the time. Even with Vince McMahon, after every WrestleMania they would let guys go that shocked fans. However, once the dirt sheets started running reports about TKO asking wrestlers to take a 50% pay cut, that’s when things started getting serious. I know the IWC is a loud minority, but if wrestlers start getting these types of deals, they’ll go elsewhere. Furthermore, I think a union should be the talk in the locker room right now. Lastly, I think WWE’s issue with creative is that we’re back to shades of gray when it comes to who the good guy or bad guy is. Does anyone know who the bad guy is in Roman vs. Fatu? Sami vs. Trick? They need to streamline it better.
—I cannot believe Skip Bayless was on First Take. He is by far the worst sports personality on the planet, and he helped create the whole “zero nuance” style of trolling star players that you now see on almost every ESPN/Fox Sports platform. It also shows how much power Stephen A. Smith has there, considering he’s basically booking everyone for that two-hour block.
—I really like Owen Parker as a hockey analyst on WGR. I learn a ton from him when he breaks down hockey, and I’m sure Pat Moran will be stealing his takes before you know it. I’m pretty blown away by how good he is considering he just started his broadcasting career. I think hockey being as hot as it is right now in Buffalo is creating a demand for new voices. Sabres coverage over the last six years has been kind of dormant because no one cared, and stations/websites have tried allocating their resources toward the Bills. This is where younger and newer voices will get a chance to shine.
—I dont want anymore football players at hockey games.
—At this rate, there’s gonna be a porn release of Vrabel/Russini or maybe Brazzers will do a porno with a plot based on this story with Johnny Sins and Angela White. (I Definitely just googled famous porno names to add those here as I’ve never heard of them. [shifty Eyes] ) Every week there’s a new video or photos from their 6+ year affair.
—I loved the Danhausen match at backlash. He’s awesome and he’s the best dad joke wrestler of all-time. He’s Conan O’Brien for wrestling.
—Death. Taxes. Tim Graham trolling Harrington. I’ll say this: Tage Thompson sounded like a complete dick after the game when he told Hamilton, “That’s none of your business,” after being asked if he was hurt. It’s a standard question. With that said, if I were a news editor, I’d have my reporters working the phones to find out whether he’s hurt or not. Ask his teammates, PR, doctors, equipment guy, family, and so on. Sure, you may be wasting time chasing something that turns out to be nothing, but that’s the job. It definitely seemed like most of Sabres Twitter (raises hand) thought he was hurt based on his answer, but that’s where reporting comes in so we can find out for sure.
—Andy has developed a lot of opinions, and the worst one is his love for this rat-ass pair of sneakers whose laces never stay tied. I’m of the mindset that all sneakers should be Velcro until a child turns 8. It should be the law. I also missed the second period of Friday’s playoff game because he was losing his mind while trying to sleep, and I had to sit there in the dark next to his crib until he passed out. So I missed the Benson goal. Of course, he passed out just in time for me to see that wretched third period.
—There were waaay too many fans on Sabres Twitter policing how many Habs fans were at the arena and getting a tad upset about it. This is what I was afraid of: whenever the fanfare gets brought up about Canadians invading KeyBank Center, it takes up too much oxygen, and the people getting upset have been doing this since the 90s. Who cares? Stop exaggerating. Furthermore, Montreal is the 8th biggest city in North America. It’s not New Foundland which means people are gonna be moving around the continent.
This isn’t a Buffalo problem, it’s a Canadian hockey fans are insane and will trump any American hockey market. Just deal with it.
—When do parents start being selfish on Father’s or Mother’s Day when they start saying “you know what…screw family gathers…I’m going to the bar or spa and you take the kids!” Should that have happened by now to us?
—My Knicks vs. Spurs Finals prediction is still alive! The Knicks have been scoring at in bunches and if Mikal Bridges can keep up his 15-20 points a game, they’ll be at another level with Brunson/KAT/OG.
—I finally bought my first Sabres hat in God knows how long. I said in the past that I would never buy any gear from them unless they got good.
—I feel the first line of Thompson-Krebs-Tuch may have peaked and might have to be broken up.
—On WGR 550 specifically, which opening is more annoying for a radio caller to start with?
“I’ve been a season ticket holder for X number of years.”
“I used to play the game.”
“I don’t know if you remember, but I called last week.”
-Everyone on the Boys is crazy. I’m only 3 episodes into the final season. No one has a conscious and it’s just pushing the envelope until everyone is dead. There doesn’t seem to be a happy ending in sight. Also, Homelander creepy drinking habits are a little much, but Solider Boy cracks me up with his dated one-liners. The world is cooked, Homelander thinks he’s a god, and everyone’s racing toward one giant ugly finale.
—I’m halfway through the Hulk Hogan documentary, and it is well produced in terms of the presentation and archival footage. But how the fuck do you not cover his relationship with Randy Savage? That’s ridiculous and could be a documentary in itself. I was never a Hulkamaniac, but I respected his accomplishments. What I didn’t like was his racist commentary, which I’ve heard they danced around in the documentary, trying to capitalize on PR after his son’s friend was crippled in a car accident (which also wasn’t included), his obvious lies, and him fucking over countless wrestlers. In the words of Bret Hart…
—Go buy a Homage shirt plug. If you purchase some shirts following this link, your boy gets a kick back. This Tops baseball card shirt is calling my 90s inner soul. I still have like 2 binders full of Tops baseball cards during that era and they are worth probably 2 bucks. With the old stadium being torn down and parts being auctioned off like C-3PO after he got blown up, for us 80s kids, this is the real name of that stadium. Speaking of Star Wars…I would rock this.
Homage is always running a 3 for $89 graphic shirts and you get 15% off if you sign up for their mailing list.
—If you made it this far, thank you so much! Please share this post with anyone who would like to hate or love me. I’m on Pat Moran’s podcast today so if you want a good hate listen, please listen to Talking Buffalo and fast forward Pat’s parts.