The Buffalo Sports Curse is a widely believed phenomenon that refers to the long-standing misfortune of professional sports teams from Buffalo, New York. Historically, teams such as the Buffalo Bills in the NFL and the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL have had a lack of success and often fall short of winning championships. The curse began in the early 1990s when the Buffalo Bills reached the Super Bowl four years in a row, only to lose each time. This unprecedented feat of making it to the grandest stage in football, yet failing to win it all, set the stage for the Buffalo Sports Curse. Since then, both the Bills and Sabres have faced numerous challenges and disappointments. The Buffalo Bills have had a few playoff appearances since their Super Bowl runs but have never reached the same level of success as those early 90s teams.
All of that leads into a drama unfolding only a couple of Thruway hours away from here, a drama that really involves the greatest (or most destructive) sports curse of all, because it is more deeply tied to the civic psyche (and reality) than some convenient media invention:
Boston and its Curse of the Bambino became a national cause, mainly because the Red Sox were elevated by their long bridesmaid status to the hated Yankees, who like it or not are a national franchise. Drafted in the sixth round in 2004, Kaleta played for the Sabres for nine years, beginning in 2007, before finishing his professional career in Rochester in 2016.
The Buffalo Bills have had a few playoff appearances since their Super Bowl runs but have never reached the same level of success as those early 90s teams. The team has struggled with consistency and has yet to recapture the glory of their past. This has led many fans to attribute these struggles to the curse.
Curses: In title-starved Buffalo, blame it on Ban Johnson
Jim Kelly of the Buffalo Bills: Four tough Super Bowl losses in the 1990s? It all starts with Ban Johnson.
(Frank Ordonez | The Post-Standard)
The whole romantic notion of a sports curse has an awful lot to do with the media visibility of the particular city. Boston and its "Curse of the Bambino" became a national cause, mainly because the Red Sox were elevated by their long bridesmaid status to the hated Yankees, who like it or not are a national franchise.
So it also goes in Chicago, where the White Sox of last season were certainly as good a story as the Red Sox or the more huggable crosstown Cubs - and actually had gone even longer without a world championship than Boston - but somehow never merited that same teary national sympathy.
All of that leads into a drama unfolding only a couple of Thruway hours away from here, a drama that really involves the greatest (or most destructive) sports curse of all, because it is more deeply tied to the civic psyche (and reality) than some convenient media invention:
In Buffalo, they're dealing with the curse of Ban Johnson.
My parents were Buffalonians, I still have family there and I was raised in nearby Dunkirk (whose industrial freefall makes it Buffalo's kid brother). This particular tale has more than a little bit to do with the way I see myself, which I think is true for many of my fellow Western New Yorkers.
Consider this: Buffalo had a team in baseball's early National League in 1881, a franchise that survived for several seasons. Since then, at various junctures, Buffalo has had major league teams in football, hockey and basketball (and again in baseball, if you want to count the Federal League).
Yet the city has NEVER, in those 125 years, won a universally-recognized championship in the major leagues of our dominant sports.
That is what is at stake right now in the National Hockey League playoffs, where the Buffalo Sabres just won a critical series over Ottawa en route to the ultimate dream of winning the Stanley Cup. The Bills, who managed to win a couple of championships before a merger gave the old American Football League full "big league" status, broke the region's heart with "wide right" and their four Super Bowl losses. The Sabres have lost twice in the Stanley Cup finals. Thirty years ago this spring, the talented Braves of the National Basketball Association lost in a terrific series to the Boston Celtics, who went on to win the league crown.
A century and a quarter is an almost unbearably long span for any city to go without winning the big one, although you don't read any national journalists weeping softly for Buffalo. That's because Buffalo - for some unspoken reason - doesn't quite cut the mustard as a big league town on the national radar, and that comes down to one man:
“The cursed event for the Braves is the move,” Tranter said. “But even before the move, it was the 1974 playoff loss to the Celtics in Game 6 on a phantom foul by (Boston’s) Jo Jo White. Buffalo’s Bob McAdoo scored the tying basket, and the Celtics had the ball in the last second, but missed the shot. There was a rebound, and McAdoo and White went after it. The refs called a foul on McAdoo and said there was no time left. White went to the foul line and scored two. Who calls a foul in a tie game? The Celtics won the game, and went on to win the NBA championship that year.”
Similarly, the Buffalo Sabres have had their fair share of hardships. Despite making it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1999, they ultimately lost to the Dallas Stars. Since then, the Sabres have been plagued by both on-ice troubles and off-ice management issues. They have had a limited amount of playoff success and have struggled to build a consistent winning team. The Buffalo Sports Curse has gained prominence in popular culture and is often cited by fans and sports analysts to explain the lack of success for Buffalo's professional sports teams. The curse has become a part of the city's sports identity, with fans often bracing themselves for disappointment and setbacks. However, it is important to note that the Buffalo Sports Curse is purely a belief and not a proven or scientific phenomenon. Sports success is influenced by numerous factors, including talent, coaching, management, and luck. While Buffalo may have experienced a prolonged period of disappointment, it is not solely due to a curse. In recent years, there have been signs of hope for Buffalo sports teams. The Buffalo Bills have made it to the playoffs multiple times and have become a competitive team in the NFL. The Buffalo Sabres have also shown moments of promise and are working towards building a more successful franchise. Ultimately, the Buffalo Sports Curse is a narrative that reflects the frustrations and hopes of passionate sports fans in Buffalo. While it may provide some solace in explaining past disappointments, it's important for fans to remain hopeful and supportive of their teams as they strive for success..
Reviews for "Breaking the Buffalo Sports Curse: How the Teams are Changing their Fortunes"
1. John Smith - 2 stars - As a lifelong Buffalo sports fan, I was really disappointed with "Buffalo sports curse". I felt that the documentary didn't offer any new insights or perspectives on the topic. It mostly repeated the same old narratives and clichés that I've heard a million times before. Additionally, the pacing of the documentary was quite slow, making it difficult to stay engaged. Overall, I was hoping for a more in-depth exploration of the curse and its impact on the city of Buffalo, but unfortunately, this documentary fell short.
2. Sarah Thompson - 1 star - "Buffalo sports curse" was a complete waste of time. The filmmakers seemed more interested in showcasing their love for Buffalo and its sports teams rather than delivering a compelling documentary. The interviews with fans, while passionate, didn't provide any new information or perspectives. I was also disappointed with the lack of analysis or commentary from sports experts or historians. It felt more like an amateur fan film rather than a professional documentary. Save yourself the disappointment and skip this one.
3. Mike Johnson - 2 stars - I was really excited to watch "Buffalo sports curse" as a fan of sports documentaries. However, I was let down by the lack of depth and analysis in this film. The documentary seemed to rely heavily on nostalgia and emotion rather than providing a well-researched and insightful look into the curse. I would have liked to see more interviews with former players, coaches, or sports analysts to provide a different perspective on the curse. Overall, it felt like a missed opportunity to provide a comprehensive and thought-provoking exploration of the subject.