We Inherited This
Being a Buffalo sports fan doesn’t belong to any one of us – it belongs to all of us. It’s inherited. It’s earned the hard way – through years of hope and heartbreak. It’s family, friends and the stories we’ve been telling for generations. It’s how so many in Western New York have grown up. And I’m no different. I’m Matt Keating – and this is Nickel City Media.
The Family Team
Growing up in Western New York, like so many of you, I learned to be a Bills fan early. My parents were Bills fans. My grandparents were Bills fans. My cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends were Bills fans. It was hard to ignore — and I never tried to.
Like countless WNY families, ours spent fall Sundays huddled around the TV, holding our breath together. For half my life, those games ended in heartbreak. The Music City Miracle set a tone that carried through my teens and into my twenties. That shared heartbreak became part of the fabric that held us together. The Buffalo Bills were the one thing we all agreed on.
We’ve been through it all — Music City, breaking the drought, the Taron Johnson pick-six, 13 seconds. Every one of those moments felt like a chapter we all lived through together.
After the COVID season, we finally pulled the trigger on season tickets. Since then, we’ve built new memories — not just with our immediate family, but with seventy thousand others who feel like extended family every Sunday. And it’s why we keep showing up every Sunday, ready to shout and calling it hope – because that’s what we were raised to do.
The Lost Spark
The Sabres were once right there with the Bills. I remember those Pizza Hut family-four-pack deals — dinner first, then downtown to watch Hasek steal another game. A few years later it was Miller doing the same. Even on spring break, no matter where we were, our family still gathered around the TV for playoff hockey. The vibe was the same, even if the setting changed.
I miss those days. I’ve fallen out of love with my favorite team, and admitting that hurts. I still check the scores, still track every trade, but sitting through games has become tedious. I used to be the bigger hockey fan in the house, but the drought — and especially these last five years — has worn me down, just like it has so many of you.
I want that spark back. I want the city to buzz again in playoff week. I remember the parties in the plaza — The Strictly Hip on stage, strangers hugging after goals, people crowd-surfing under the lights. It was Buffalo at its peak. We’ve felt that electricity before, and I believe we’ll feel it again when this team finally earns it.
The Local Legends
I’ve always kept an eye on the Western New York kids who make it big — the ones who go D-1 or find their way to the pros. There’s never enough coverage of them, and that’s a shame.
One of the coolest moments I’ve seen in person was when the Blue Jays hosted the Rangers at Sahlen Field. Buffalo’s own Jonah Heim was behind the plate, and every time he stepped into the box, the crowd lost its mind.
And now Medina’s Melanie Green has earned her LPGA Tour card after dominating the Epson Tour — Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year in the same season. That’s the kind of story that deserves headlines.
These are the people who remind us what Western New York produces: grit, patience, and a quiet belief that hard work here can still lead anywhere. We should be telling their stories just as loudly as we tell anyone else’s.
Nickel City Media
That is our plan, here at Nickel City. To tell the stories of our teams, our athletes, our families. We’re not going to be the blog that gets hot take-y. Nor will we be extremely buttoned up and analytical. What we will do is give honest thoughts on where our teams are heading.
You will be seeing thoughts and reviews on every Bills game. For the Sabres, you may not see one for every game because nobody needs that kind of negativity in their lives (even after a couple straight impressive wins) -- but we may do a weekly roundup. And you will definitely be seeing us follow and celebrate our local athletes. And, as an avid golfer, you may also see a review of some local courses here and there.
Down the road, we would also like to expand into other areas of WNY living. The culture. The Food. The music. You may see some coverage of local businesses as well. Food is probably going to happen sooner rather than later. Keep an eye out for some tailgate recipes.
This is where Western New York tells its own story. Welcome to Nickel City Media.