Why I’m Happy the Bills Lost

Disclaimer: I’m not actually happy the Bills lost on January 21, 2024. In fact, I’m devastated. There is, however, a silver lining.

 

American media is concentrated in an ever-shrinking number of markets, meaning the narratives of unrepresented regions are at the mercy of the uninformed. Of course, those painting the portraits are not uninformed about everything. They are well-versed in overpriced coffee, crack-accentuating jeans, and any other trend that coastal urbanites are expected to embrace.

On that backdrop comes the narrative of Buffalo, New York. It is not wholly unique to the metro area of 1.2 million on the eastern tip of Lake Erie. It is, after all, a portrayal pushed on the entire Great Lakes region—the Rust Belt, if you will.

It’s the one of an earnest people—perhaps undereducated and culturally remedial—consumed by the sport of football. According to the story, that uniquely American game compensates for years of job loss and bitter winter weather, bringing meaning to the downtrodden folk. When on-field performance mirrors historical demographic and economic trends, the working man is worthy of coastal pity, as related by the tale of how those clinging to the past cannot even be redeemed by enough touchdowns to mask their pedestrian existence. And when there is an on-field breakthrough, the tale of prior heartache must be emphasized, always punctuated by the backhanded compliments of perseverant and loyal.

Enough.

Can someone who actually lives in Western New York tell the tale?

The truth is that we simply enjoy our football team. It is our Taylor Swift, a cultural phenomenon that in the age of fragmentation binds us, giving us something to collectively embrace. Age is irrelevant, as are personal choices like religion and the unchosen trait of skin color. All that is required is a television, perhaps complemented by a grill and cooler. A working knowledge of the rules adds to the experience, though a mandate it is not. In a part of the country that values family and community, we’ve all adopted the Bills.

When our team delivers a positive result, we go to work and school the next day. When the result is less desirable, believe it or not, we still go to work and school.

And thankfully, those opportunities continue to grow.

The population of Erie County, home to Buffalo, increased by 3.8% from 2010 to 2020.

A sizable percentage of those Buffalonians spend their days at one of the region’s 15 colleges and universities, prepping themselves for what The New York Times would refer to as the workforce.

In its downtime, the humble populace has many diversions at its disposal, including but not limited to:

• A downtown theater district, highlighted by the iconic Shea’s Performing Arts Center.
• Kleinhans Music Hall, an acoustic gem and National Historic Landmark.
• The Buffalo AKG Art Museum, home to works by Monet, van Gogh, Picasso, Kahlo, Warhol, and the like.
• Architecture that rivals that seen in Chicago.
• An urban park system designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, of Central Park fame.
• Two of the largest freshwater lakes in the world.
• A food and beverage scene that has captured the attention of the late Anthony Bourdain, Katie Couric, and National Geographic. Closing time is 4 a.m.
• An NHL team, whose arena has also hosted the NHL Draft, countless concerts, NCAA tournament games (both basketball and hockey), a professional lacrosse team, and the UFC. The venue is accessible by light rail.

 

Across the Niagara River lies another country, providing a worldliness that Americans are often accused of lacking. Along that river is a small waterfall (Niagara Falls), and once on the other side, North America’s fourth largest and the world’s most multicultural city (Toronto) is a stone’s throw away.

And sure, during four—or five—months of the year, for four hours a week, Buffalonians tune in to watch American football.

So while I take no joy in the Bills’ defeat, I am wholeheartedly celebrating a few less weeks of flawed narratives, false equivalence, and misplaced condescension.

Because that is a huge victory—Rust Belt style.