“We think, and many people think, that the town needs to win a major sports championship, to correct the inferiority complex in the psyche of the community.”
-Byron Brown, Mayor of Buffalo, NY
This quote from Byron Brown was part of the Sports illustrated article about Chris Drury a few years ago. When I first read it, I was taking my very first baby steps towards Buffalo sports fandom. Of everything I read in that article, this is the thing that stood out most to me, and it’s a quote that I have returned to many times since I first read it in 2007. At the time, I thought it was preposterous, even scandalous, that our mayor would say such a thing. The idea that we MUST have a championship to correct the inferiority complex in the psyche of the community seemed downright unsightly, and certainly inappropriate for a mayor to admit out loud.
In the two years since then, I’ve come to read this quote quite differently. It no longer seems embarrassing, or preposterous, or scandalous.
Now, it just seems honest.
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I’m pretty shocked at the degree of passion I feel over the FIRE LINDY RUFF issue. It’s not that I passionately want Lindy to be fired, it’s more that I feel as if a lightbulb has flickered on above my head, and suddenly I’m all, “Duh. Lindy Ruff should be fired.” The trouble is, very few other people have had this revelation, and for the most part, I find myself ranting alone.
I assure you, it has not gone unnoticed that very few of you are rushing to agree with me in the comment threads. I know you hate this topic, I know the majority of you don’t agree with me, and I know I am risking alienating a lot of my readers by continuing to harp on this issue….but I can’t stop myself. I feel strongly about this, and the more I think about it, the more strongly I feel. Just bear with me for one more post.
I don’t want to argue that Lindy is a bad coach. I don’t think he’s a bad coach. All I’m arguing is that he’s getting bad results, and that I think the Sabres should consider firing Lindy. I’m not even sure I think they HAVE to fire him, but I am sure that it should be on the table as a perfectly reasonable option. Firing the coach should be on the menu of things we hear about when people discuss the Sabres on the radio and in the newspaper. That’s all.
But that’s NOT all, because Buffalo has an incredibly strong love for Lindy Ruff. This fanbase loves Lindy more than we love any one player. We love Lindy. He’s important to us, and he’s important to this community. I’m not discounting that love in the slightest. I love Lindy too.
On one hand, this attachment to Lindy is incredibly moving. It’s loyalty, it’s gratitude, it’s respect, and in an interesting way, I think it’s a tribute to how we as a community want to be viewed. We love Lindy, and we want him to represent us. I think that’s beautiful. I can think of very few people I’d rather have representing Buffalo than Lindy Ruff.
But on the other hand, I also think our attachment to Lindy Ruff is a symptom of a deeply rooted problem. It’s a city-wide inability to let go of some romantic notion of how we want Buffalo to be, and meanwhile, we’re neglecting a whole host of other serious problems. It’s as if the entire city is enchanted by some mirage, and because of that glimmering illusion, we won’t settle for anything less. It’s a symptom of whatever it is in our makeup that makes it so difficult to build a much needed new bridge, or a fishing mega-store, or to downsize the government to match the actual size of the population.
I think there is something going on here that runs much deeper than sports.
Whether or not you agree with me that it’s time for a new coach, I think it’s very hard to dispute that this is a conversation that could have started a year and a half ago. If we had been thinking critically, we would have started this conversation a year and a half ago. The fact that the entirety of the sports media has been virtually silent about this speaks volumes. In my opinion, we’re not just reluctant to have this conversation, we’re downright scared of it.
I think Buffalo needs to take a hard look in the mirror and we need to prioritize winning. And not just in hockey.
I’m not talking about prioritizing winning in some make-believe, warm and fuzzy, Lindy-holding-the-Cup-over-his-head-in-HSBC way. It’s time to prioritize winning in the forget-the-romantic-ideals, make-the-hard-choices, and get-the-job-done….WINNING way.
I know that this is just hockey. I know that we fans have no control over any of it, and I know that some of you will think I’m seriously stretching the parameters of a sports blog by writing this post, but I guess I just had to say it. From the beginning of my romance with the Sabres, above all else, I’ve been drawn to how this town is shaped and effected by its relationship to sports. I think there are direct sociological lines that can be drawn between how we approach sports, and how we approach the future of our city.
In no way am I suggesting that we should “demand more” from the Sabres- that’s foolishness- but until this week, it was nearly taboo to criticize Lindy Ruff in this town. Until this week, I had never heard Lindy criticized in the paper or on the radio, ever. That means something. We should notice that, and we should think about what that says about our willingness to change and evolve in Buffalo.
Whether or not you agree that Lindy Ruff should have a job for life, this conversation is worth having. It’s good for us. It’s good to discuss change and seriously examine our options, and it’s good to question the status quo. It’s healthy.
And in that way, this conversation is about much, much more than hockey.
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Let’s Go Buff-a-lo!
The Willful Caboose 
Kate, what a really interesting post!
On one hand, this attachment to Lindy is incredibly moving. It’s loyalty, it’s gratitude, it’s respect, and in an interesting way, I think it’s a tribute to how we as a community want to be viewed. We love Lindy, and we want him to represent us. I think that’s beautiful. I can think of very few people I’d rather have representing Buffalo than Lindy Ruff.
I totally agree that Buffalo has a very interesting and complex relationship with its sports figures and teams. This is the only pro sports city I’ve ever lived in so maybe they’re all this intense but Buffalo does get very wrapped up in how athletes feel about us and how the success or failures of the team somehow represent us as a city sometimes probably overly so. Buffalo is a lovely place to live regardless of whether there’s ever a championship team here or not.
And while I still mostly disagree that someone has to be fired right now this very second, I think you’re absolutely right that Lindy should be fair game for criticism just like Regier, Quinn, Golisano, Wilson and Jauron are.
Thank you, Heather! I feel a little nervous about this post, since it’s so different than the stuff I usually write, but whatevs. A gal can’t be totally frivolous ALL the time. I do think I might have finally gotten it out of my system though….until tomorrow. Heh.
I’m really sorry that I haven’t convinced you that Lindy should be fired rightnowthispreciseinstant. :P
I think you’re absolutely right that Lindy should be fair game for criticism just like Regier, Quinn, Golisano, Wilson and Jauron are.
Thank you.
This whole thing is turning into a very interesting discussion. I love this post, because I strongly think you can’t talk about a sport team without taking into account where they play. I’m extremely interested in those sports/city identity relationships.
I’ve never been to Buffalo, so I don’t really know anything about this city. But this post oddly reminds me of my hometown in France. Our beloved soccer club is in the midst of a big identity crisis, since it let go most of its historic figures in order to turn into a supposedly modern club, and WIN. In the process, it lost many fans, and it turned into a mediocre team, at best. It’s funny that this is kind of the opposite of what you’re going through here. In the sabres’ case, stucking with the same people could be the problem. In our case, it would have been the best thing to do.
In any case, I think you’re absolutely right that firing Lindy should at least be discussed or considered an option. And the fact that it’s not IS telling about the relationship of Buffalonians with their team.
I’m extremely interested in those sports/city identity relationships.
Me too, Grrreg! It’s what drew me to the Sabres in the first place. I loved watching this town light up during the playoffs (single tear slides down face). Thank you for your comment, and
I’m sorry your hometown’s soccer club lost its way!
Very, very interesting post. I have a lot of things I want to say but I’ll try and limit them.
First, I don’t think you’re alone at all in your sentiments regarding needing a new coach.
Although I think a large group of people agree with you LOGICALLY, I think it is really hard for people to admit and I thik you hit the nail on the head by calling loyalty, respect, and romanticisim the culprits.
I tend to think that you’re right. Lindy has lost the team and they aren’t listening to him any longer. I think this is sad and maybe a symptom of a team with some pretty short sighted players on it. But you’re right, this is it. For the most part, this is the team for the forseeable future and if they aren’t listening we have to get a new coach.
I hate saying we need a new coach. For me personally, and I’m sure for others, we do want to see Lindy hoist the cup. We want to be there with him when he does it. We want it for him and we want it for us. We want to give him a chance to be THAT GUY.
Part of this is because Lindy isn’t just a coach, he was a player and a captain. He is in so many ways the entire history of the Sabres. You your self picked him as the ‘Ultimate Sabre’!(I think I’m right on that, slap me if I’m not)
It’s complicated and emotional. You’re being logical and forward thinking which is healthy but I think the fact that there hasn’t been a current of ‘Fire LIndy Now’ running through the fan base at large says lovely things about fans of this team.
I said I would keep it short but I didn’t. I have things that I want to say about ‘winning over all’ but I think I’ll leave it at this for now.
Excellent post. Trust your instincts and always be honest in your writing, it always creates the best possible product.
This is all very interesting, because in Minnesota, we want ALL of our coaches fired, usually within minutes of their hiring (or, if they’re true legends like Jacques Lemaire or Tubby Smith, within minutes of their first loss. We’re not monsters.) And you’re dead on that the way we treat our coaches and athletes ties directly to the way we think about our city.
If Buffalo suffers from an inferiority complex that causes its citizens to latch onto sports heroes as a last hedge against civic destruction, Minnesotans are the opposite – so taken with how great their own surroundings are that no coach or athlete can ever possibly be good enough for us. This is the state that whined and complained about Kevin Garnett for the better part of a decade, then looked at him winning a championship with Boston and thought, “Huh. Weird.” We hate Marian Gaborik – not because he isn’t, hands-down, the best hockey player our franchise has ever had, but because he has the impudence to get hurt a lot, and has refused to categorically say that there isn’t a single team other than Minnesota that he would ever consider playing for, ever ever ever.
Frankly, Buffalo fandom seems a lot more likable to me. Maybe if we sent Garrison Keillor over your way, he’d bring all the smug with him…?
Kate, I don’t comment all that much, but I check your blog just about every day. At first, it was in hopes of finding more of your patented Sabrez Slapstick.
But with nary a “Honk,” this post has to qualify as one of the most interesting I’ve read.
I had to move from Buffalo for a job a decade ago. But when I come back to visit the relatives, it seems like the city is stuck on the same debates that it was when I left – Bass, bridge and (well I can’t come up with another B). Anyhow, thanks for giving a voice to that frustration.
Thank you for tackling such a tough topic so well,for your time and efforts I am most appreciative.
Kate, I apologize up front because I can already feel this is going to be a long and winding comment.
I’ve been thinking about this post a lot and while I agree that the whole Lindy situation probably is indicative somewhat of Buffalo’s fear of change (because I agree it’s there), I think it’s maybe more indicative of a community that’s hyper of aware of what people say about it and is almost desperate for other’s love and appreciation.
Once the dust settled on the whole Chris Drury thing and everyone got their complaints out about management screwing up, I think a lot of fans were genuinely hurt. We wanted Drury to be That Guy, the one who stands at center ice with the C on his chest and the Cup over his head, and it turned out he didn’t want to be That Guy as much as we wanted him to be That Guy. On top of that, he made some some comments after he left about how suffocating he found living in Buffalo to be. While those comments were perfectly fair – I’m sure it was very difficult for someone as private as him to live in a city where just about every single man, woman and child recognized him – they’re still comments that a very sensitive community doesn’t want to hear.
Ralph Wilson has been around forfreakinever and is at least somewhat responsible for the Bills being here. But fans are really starting to turn on him and I don’t think it’s because he’s not putting a winning field on the team. It’s because he’s not doing anything to ensure that the Bills stay in Buffalo after him and is in fact doing the opposite by saying and doing things that imply Buffalo can’t support an NFL team in today’s league. He’s completely dismissing the value of the Bills to the community and insulting the community that has cheered on some really crappy football and the community is really down on him for that. They take that very personally.
On the flip side you have a guy like Jay McKee. The reasons Jay McKee left aren’t that different from the reasons Drury left: He didn’t think management was showing him much appreciation and he got more money from other places. But most people here still love Jay because he’s never ever quit saying great things about Buffalo. Not just how great it was to play here but how great it was to live here and raise a family here. Heck, he still lives her in the off-season last I heard. Buffalo is a total sucker for people coming in and saying, “You have value. I love it here.”
Which bring us to Lindy. Because there’s never been any serious discussion about him getting fired, the decision to go or stay has always been in Lindy’s hands and he’s always chosen to stay even when he probably could have gotten more money elsewhere. Buffalo loves that. His kids have grown up here, he’s involved in the community, he’s put down roots far deeper than most coaches even get the opportunity to put down. He’s One of Us. I think Buffalo will always be very reluctant to throw over one of its own for an outsider. When people say about Lindy, “Well, who’s going to replace him?” I think some people are saying, “Who’s going to do what he does behind the bench?” but I think a lot of people are saying, “Who’s going to replace him in the community and in our hearts?” because that’s just as important to them as the hockey is.
I’m a Buffalo outsider just like you and there are times when I’ve found Buffalo’s self-defense mechanism, the level on which it cares about what outsiders say or think about it, to be bizarre. I sometimes want to pat Buffalo on the back and say, “There, there. You’re perfectly lovely. Who cares what that d-bag who’s probably never set foot in the area thinks about you?” But I will admit that I also find it a little charming too. It certainly leads to its fair share of puzzling heartbreak – seriously, who has the energy to get pissed off every time someone says they don’t like Buffalo? – but I think the relationship between Lindy and Buffalo is really lovely. Sports are so cynical now and players and coaches bounce around everywhere. It’s rare to see that connection. I agree that people should be free to talk about firing Lindy or at least question the job he’s doing without being social pariahs and I agree that the media shouldn’t give him a pass while coming down so hard on everyone else in the Sabres and Bills organizations. But I also think if a fan base is a little overly invested in a guy like Lindy, so what? Fans are supposed to think with their hearts sometimes.
And I know you’re not saying it’s WRONG for people to love Lindy, Kate, so much as it’s wrong for him to get a free pass. I just lost the thread of what I was saying about 20 minutes ago, that’s all :P
Thank you to everyone who has so thoughtfully commented on this post!
You’re being logical and forward thinking which is healthy but I think the fact that there hasn’t been a current of ‘Fire LIndy Now’ running through the fan base at large says lovely things about fans of this team.
I totally agree, Erin. To a point. I think two full seasons of mediocrity is well past the time for criticism. I also think that in some way, by deifying Lindy like this, we are prioritizing that sentimentality over winning. Which is fine, if we as a community get value and happiness from this sentimentality, then great. But this is also the town that likes to wail about being cursed, “God Hates Buffalo” is a catch phrase, and we allow ourselves to be defined more by how we lose, than how we win.
I’m not sure we can have it both ways. All this talk about curses and God hating us really bugs me when at the same time we refuse to seriously consider all of our options.
Sam, I’ve always been a little perplexed by your aversion to my anti-Lindy sentiment especially siince you’re not a Sabres fan. Your comment about Minnesota is really interesting and sheds a lot of light on your stance! I am not surprised to hear that Minnesotans think they are above it all. :P How interesting that I have lived in two such extremes. As for who is more likeable? I think I’d prefer something in the middle. On the surface, I agree, Buffalo’s style has a bit more charm, but dude, we really do need to win something around here. This “woe is us” stuff gets old.
PeteK, “with nary a honk” is my new favorite expression. I’m going to use it as much as possible from now on. Thanks for reading and for chiming in!
Juan Torres- Thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate these comments, because like I said to Heather earlier, I was pretty nervous about this post.
Heather said what I wanted to say. Heather, you should have a blog or something. :)
But I also think if a fan base is a little overly invested in a guy like Lindy, so what? Fans are supposed to think with their hearts sometimes.
First of all, I want to be very, very clear that I totally understand why we love Lindy, and I do not judge ANYONE for loving him. Lindy is infinity lovable. He is a true gem, and he has done this community proud for decades. I really meant it when I said I love him too.
The MAIN reason I wrote this post is because I have grown increasingly outraged at the lack of criticism of Lindy from the main stream Buffalo sports media. I’m less disturbed by fans, and bloggers (although I’ve found the uniformity of thought odd at time). We’re fans. You’re right, we sometimes think with our hearts, and thinking with our hearts is what makes being a sports fan awesome.
But I believe strongly, that in case like this, when for two years everybody in town, right up to the people whose job it is to be unbiased are all turning a blind eye to critical thought, it’s not just “thinking with our hearts.” It’s thinking with our hearts at the expense of thinking with our brains. That has consequences. I really truly believe that in this case, those consequences have lead directly to our current situation.
I am in no way saying the fan’s love affair with Lindy has led to the Sabres current predicament. I want to make that very, very clear. I think the Buffalo News has failed us bigtime. I really do not want to sound like I am scolding people who just love the hell out of Lindy Ruff. And if you don’t want him to be fired, that fine too! I also don’t want this post to sound like I think everyone who supports Lindy Ruff is ONLY doing it because they’re “thinking with their hearts”. There are logical, hockey based reasons to love him too.
I just want to say one more thing-
This whole topic is one that I spent several days circling around, and it was very difficult for me to hone in on what I was really trying to say. I worked very hard on this post- every sentence was written with a lot of thought. That’s, um, less true of the comments I’ve left. I just want to be clear that my thoughts about all of this are still really evolving, and in some ways, my comments in this thread are just thinking out load. :)
Kate – I do appreciate your viewpoint, but if the Sabres were going to make the playoffs, would you want to fire Lindy? The season started to go downhill the last week of February. Up until that point, we were in the playoffs and still had the Flyers in our sights (in spite of losing our leading scorer). Then, the Miller injury hits and we spiral down the rankings.
Has Lalime been good? yes he has been very good. But I think it’s affected our players a lot mentally. Can you pin some of that on Ruff? perhaps. My problem is that it looks like Ruff is under fire because Ryan Miller got hurt, and I think that’d be a bad way to lose a good coach.
I think that’s a good point, Brendan and I’m sure not sure how I would be feeling if the Sabres looked like they were headed for the playoffs. But this isn’t a business of “what ifs”. This is a business of winning hockey games. Key players get hurt all the time. New Jersey didn’t fall apart when Broduer got hurt.
The fact of the matter is, Lindy Ruff’s teams have been disorganized, mentally fragile, soft, and lazy for almost two full seasons now. Truthfully, there were MANY times last season when I was thinking a fresh voice might be good for the team.
So, yeah, getting to the playoff this season would have helped, but I don’t think Miller’s injury is when the trouble began. A good, well prepared team wouldn’t fold up like this when one player goes down, particularly when they’re getting reasonably good play from that player’s replacement.
I have to tell you all something.
As you can tell in my “name” I live in Virginia. I grew up in Southern Erie County though (North Collins!)
Anyway, I run into people all the time who have been up to Buffalo for work or visiting family who still live there. They all have good things to say about the area. Mostly, how nice the people are! So good on ya!
You speak the truth and I completely agree. All I hear from people around me is..”well he’s been here sooo long, he’s the longest tenured coach…” but that’s exactly the point…he has been her for-ev-er and what do we have to show for it…a stanley cup? no.
I also blame management…when Lindy had great leaders (drury, dumont, briere..heck, even mckee) the whole team played great…then we got into this whole “whatevs, we got cool young rochester kids, we dont need no stinkin experienced leaders” thing and stopped signing people we should have, etc etc.
We have little leadership and toughness…we have talent and speed and 3 years ago that was all the rage in the “new faster” NHL and we destroyed slower bigger teams and finessed our way to the playoffs. but those days are gone, and our team, once the envy of the league, has fallen behind…everyone copied us but then got better… bottom line, we need to wake up and do something. the “system” hasn’t worked for two years now….maybe we need a new system, some new players, and maybe, just maybe, a new coach.
This team is an analogy for the whole city…we have cool little players like Roy who dazzle us with skill and good (though sometimes over the top) dressing habits but in the end they fall short…there’s always a bigger better city out there with more stylish jeans who knows how to get the job done..
Kate, I appreciate the thoughtful and nuanced tone of the debate, the carefully worded responses, and the empathy and compassion that you bring to the questions of regional psyche-sports championship interplay.
As a New Englander, I just wanted to say that, as I walk the streets paved with gold and only-recently fallen confetti, as I look into the beaming faces of the intelligent and kind children who respect their elders, as I traverse the aged halls of knowledge both spiritual and pure, reclining on my chaise of velvet and marble, opening my mouth gently, to receive the sweet grapes from the hills of elysium, freshly-picked by vestal virgins, then washing it down with the finest mead of the glittering halls of valhalla, engaging in discourse stimulating and wise with the gentle common folk that abound in the beautiful cities and town of this area, I can safely say that, yes, there is a correlation between the two, because we’re ALL STILL MISERABLE, thanks to DAVID TYREE’S EFFING HELMET CATCH. AND THE BRUINS’ SLUMP.
Sam, I’ve always been a little perplexed by your aversion to my anti-Lindy sentiment especially since you’re not a Sabres fan.
Actually, I don’t wholly disagree with you, especially the part about legendary coaches needing to not be given a lifetime pass from criticism. (I’ve questioned whether Lemaire is the right coach for the Wild several times over the years.) I just think Buffalo’s larger problem is the decisions that have been made by the front office, so I’d be inclined to dump Darcy Regier and give Lindy a chance to try to work his magic with a new regime in place.
“I assure you, it has not gone unnoticed that very few of you are rushing to agree with me in the comment threads.”
This isn’t going to be a very insightful comment… I just didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to come off as bitchy when that’s not my intention. :/ My thoughts are, we are a mediocre team in a poor town and that is really all we will ever be… but its fun. Glutton for punishment complex maybe? That or the hockey gods totally hate us.
AAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA I love you, piece_of_etc, and you’re totally right. Even winning the Stanley Cup wouldn’t get that damn Peace Bridge built.
danielleia, thanks for your comment! I totally agree that talking like this takes some of the fun out of sports, which is partly why I hesitate to do it very often! This is so serious, and, sports should be fun.
Okay, I’m off to the game now! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Let’s go Buff-a-lo!
Totally off subject and not that I want anyone yelling at me for bringing this up, but does anyone remember at the beginning of the season when Tom Golisano said he was certain the Sabres would make the playoffs, and if they didn’t he would eat the microphone in front of him? If the Sabres don’t make the playoffs, Katebits you might want to look into enforcing this, if anyone can, you can.
Ha! Lauren, if I were Golisano I would actually eat that microphone. Okay, not the whole thing, but maybe just that weird detachable foam piece. I bet old Tom could get that down if it was cut up into little pieces. He should have to do that for us. Seeing Tom Golisano eat a big piece of foam would TOTALLY make me feel a little better about the Sabres. :D
Sometimes change is needed. I keep comparing Lindy Ruff (who’s won nothing) and Joe Torre, who won 4 championships in 5 years. However, after 12 years the Yankees started to get too soft, and started to repeat mistakes. That was the problem. No one said Torre was suddenly a bad manager, but for the team’s sake and Torre’s sake it was time for a change after 11 years. Torre is with the Dodgers now, and he may win a championship out there this year. Good for Torre. However, 11 and 12 seasons is an eon in pro sports, and that’s not good. Coaches and players need to be replenished or the team starts to stale. That is what has happened to the Sabres. A change would do both sides a world of good right now. Never let your strength become your weakness. Right now, stability which was their strength, has now become their achilles heel.