Buffalo sports curse of failure The city of Buffalo, New York has long been known for its passionate sports fans and their unwavering support of their beloved teams. However, the city has also developed a reputation for enduring a curse of failure when it comes to their sports franchises. **Dating back to the 1990s**, Buffalo has experienced a series of disappointments and heartbreaks in various sports leagues, including the NFL, NHL, and NBA. Despite their loyal fans and a strong community spirit, the city has been unable to capture a championship in any of these major professional sports. **One of the most glaring examples of this curse of failure** is the Buffalo Bills, the city's NFL team. The Bills experienced great success in the early 1990s, making it to four consecutive Super Bowls from 1991 to 1994.
First of all, let’s clear away the Disney version of “The Little Mermaid,” which takes Andersen’s dark tale and turns it into a standard princess story about winning the prince and living happily ever after. Contrast this with Andersen’s mermaid, who suffers excruciating pain and disfigurement, never has a chance with the man she loves, and loses him to another woman.
While preparing to review a ballet inspired by The Little Mermaid, I came across a subtle but profound message about grace that Hans Christian Andersen weaves through his famous fairytale. In his most notorious work, The Hound of Heaven, Thompson describes the relentless chase of God after his soul, which he likens to a hound after a hare.
The Bills experienced great success in the early 1990s, making it to four consecutive Super Bowls from 1991 to 1994. However, they lost all four of those championship games, solidifying their reputation as the team that couldn't win the big one. **Similarly, the Buffalo Sabres**, the city's NHL team, have also suffered their fair share of disappointments.
Grace and “The Little Mermaid”
While preparing to review a ballet inspired by “The Little Mermaid,” I came across a subtle but profound message about grace that Hans Christian Andersen weaves through his famous fairytale.
First of all, let’s clear away the Disney version of “The Little Mermaid,” which takes Andersen’s dark tale and turns it into a standard princess story about winning the prince and living happily ever after. Contrast this with Andersen’s mermaid, who suffers excruciating pain and disfigurement, never has a chance with the man she loves, and loses him to another woman.
Great children’s story, right? Well, there is a happy ending, but it’s not what you’d expect. The mermaid ends up realizing she doesn’t need a man to be happy. This is in 1836! Yes, this young woman of character has everything she needs within herself–because of her graceful nature–and she joins a community of like-hearted females, neither mortal nor mermaid, but floaty, unseen creatures of pure spirit.
Remember how Andersen always sides with the outsider (“The Ugly Duckling,” “The Little Match Girl,” and more)? True to form, his little mermaid, youngest of seven sisters, is a misfit in her watery world. No one understands her restless spirit, lack of vanity and yearning for love. I believe he’s drawing a distinction between this virtuous creature and the historical depiction of mermaids as deceitful sexual predators, singing sailors to their deaths.
One night, the little mermaid falls in love with a mortal man whom she rescues from drowning. She vows to somehow become human and join him on land; to do this she visits the sea witch, who cuts out her tongue to use in a potion that will turn her tail into legs. “But if you take away my voice, what is left for me?” the mermaid asks, before the tongue is taken.
“Your beautiful form, your graceful walk, and your expressive eyes; surely with these you can enchain a man’s heart,” replies the witch. She is ruthless, but she is right: Grace remains, even after the mermaid has lost her ability to speak and sing.
Forever silenced, and in constant pain from her new limbs, the girl remains devoted to her prince. Despite what she’s lost, she retains her true heart, her loving nature, and–Andersen is very clear about this–her grace. Grace is what buoys her in the dry, unfamiliar land in which she now moves.
“All who saw her wondered at her graceful-swaying movements,” Andersen tells us. Yet the mermaid is new to walking on land, and her steps are painful, so how could this be? I believe he means for us to understand that grace is in her spirit, her hopeful attitude, her perspective. Unlike her beautiful singing voice, it is something no one can take away. Her pain was terrible, “but she bore it willingly, and stepped as lightly by the prince’s side as a soap-bubble.” This grace of movement is a reflection of her love. It is a spiritual force infusing her movements from the inside out.
Still, she doesn’t win over the prince, who’s stuck on another woman and plans to marry her. This, according to the sea witch’s spell, will mean death for the little mermaid. Andersen compares her terrible failed sacrifice with that of her sisters, who come to her with a plan. They’ve given up their hair for an enchanted knife; once their little sister kills the prince with it, she’ll revert back to mermaidhood. But their act of love is tainted; their sister’s homecoming rests on blood.
Of course, the little mermaid refuses them. She nobly leaves her prince to his new wife and throws herself into the sea, expecting to die. And yet! “Hundreds of transparent beautiful beings” surround her, lift her up; she has become like them, lighter than air, floating out of the foam towards the clouds. She is now “among the daughters of the air.”
Now Andersen shows us how the little mermaid can acquire the true treasure–an immortal soul. But he also has a broader and quite practical point about the actions that we take, and how our behaviors can take on a spiritual, even angelic quality. This is something his young readers (and older ones) can carry out in their lives. It echoes what threads through “The Art of Grace,” in the wisdom I gleaned from my interviews and research into ideas going back to the ancients: Grace is about giving, loving, and thinking of others. And so it turns out that our little mermaid is in an even better place than if she’d won the prince’s heart. These “daughters of the air” have adopted her because she is like them–generous, kind and helpful. And there’s more:
“A mermaid has not an immortal soul, nor can she obtain one unless she wins the love of a human being,” one of these creatures tells her. “On the power of another hangs her eternal destiny.” But no matter: The daughters of the air can get themselves their own immortal soul ”by their good deeds.” They are independent women!
What kinds of good deeds, you may ask? “We fly to warm countries, and cool the sultry air that destroys mankind with pestilence. We carry the perfume of the flowers to spread health and restoration.” After 300 years of doing such environmental works (Andersen was quite the progressive), and “giving all the good in our power,” they are able to receive an immortal soul. And they tell her: “You, poor little mermaid, have tried with your whole heart to do as we are doing, you have suffered and endured and raised yourself to the spirit-world by your good deeds.”
In other words, she became one of these exquisite celestial beings because of her grace–her loving, generous, compassionate nature and actions. This, I find, is a beautiful message.
It’s a message that must have comforted the author himself, a lifelong outsider who never married and had unrequited affections for men and women. Some researchers have noted that “The Little Mermaid” may have been inspired by an ill-fated romance with a male friend who decided to get married. This could explain the mermaid’s loss of voice and the dramatic descriptions of her pain–allusions, perhaps, to being silenced and heartbroken at a time when Andersen could not be open about his feelings. This only makes the story more poignant, and Andersen’s notion of grace all the more exceptional, and powerful.
Although reaching the Stanley Cup Finals twice in the 1970s, they were unable to secure a championship both times. Since then, the team has struggled to consistently make the playoffs, let alone contend for a championship. **The Buffalo Braves**, the city's NBA team from 1970 to 1978, also experienced a lack of success. They made the playoffs three times but were unable to advance past the first round and never reached the Finals. **The ongoing curse of failure in Buffalo sports** has led to frustration and disappointment for its residents. Despite their passionate support and dedication to their teams, the city continues to be haunted by the inability to capture a championship. **While many theories exist** as to why this curse of failure plagues Buffalo sports, including lackluster ownership and mismanagement, the true cause remains unknown. Regardless, the city's fans remain hopeful that one day their teams will break free from this curse and bring home a long-awaited championship. **In conclusion**, the Buffalo sports curse of failure has become a defining characteristic of the city's sports culture. Despite their loyal and passionate fans, Buffalo's teams have been unable to overcome the challenges and win a championship in the major professional sports leagues. The ongoing struggles of the Bills, Sabres, and former Braves have left the city yearning for a taste of victory. Only time will tell if Buffalo will be able to break free from this curse and finally claim a championship in the future..
Reviews for "The Buffalo Sports Curse: A Black Cloud Over the Queen City"
1. John - 2/5 - As a lifelong Buffalo sports fan, I have witnessed the so-called "curse of failure" first-hand. Year after year, our teams seem to fall short of expectations and bring disappointment to the city. It's frustrating to see our athletes struggle and our teams consistently miss out on playoff opportunities. While there have been moments of excitement and promise, they are often overshadowed by the overall lack of success. The "curse" seems to haunt us, and it's disheartening to witness as a dedicated supporter.
2. Lisa - 1/5 - The Buffalo sports curse of failure is not just a myth; it's a painful reality for fans like me. Our teams have seen their fair share of misfortune and heartbreak, and it's tough to hold onto hope. The consistent lack of success makes it hard to stay invested and makes me question why I continue to support these teams. It's time for a change, whether it's a change in management, coaching, or mindset, something needs to be done to break this curse and give the loyal fans something to cheer about.
3. Mike - 2/5 - The Buffalo sports curse of failure is deeply ingrained in the city's sports history, and it's hard to ignore. From questionable draft picks to failed seasons, it seems like Buffalo teams always find a way to come up short. It's frustrating to see other cities thrive while we continue to suffer. As a fan, I can't help but wonder if there is some truth to this curse, or if it's just bad luck. Either way, it's a tough pill to swallow for sports enthusiasts like myself. I hope one day we can break free from this cycle and experience the taste of victory.
4. Sarah - 1/5 - The Buffalo sports curse of failure is a constant source of disappointment and frustration. Year after year, we enter the season with high hopes, only to be let down once again. It's demoralizing to watch our teams struggle and consistently fall short of success. The lack of championships in any major sport is a clear indication that something needs to change. We deserve better as fans, and it's time for the curse to be broken. Unfortunately, until that happens, there's not much to celebrate in Buffalo sports.