What this summer meant to Buffalo

If Danny whites goal this year was to get folks in Buffalo talking about UB well then...

via(Creative Commons) farm4.staticflickr.com

The re-branding, the facilities roadmap, the basketball changes, the radio network moves, and the quality of football that fans are expecting has put Buffalo Football on the local map for the first time since the 2008 international Bowl. As Conrad has said, even when the News is panning White it just means we are getting the same treatment as the Bills and Sabres.

But what will all of this mean if the "Mission Accomplished" looks like this by November

It's rare for UB to get this much good press, and even the press critical of the re-branding or "New York" patch on the uniforms is good press. Usually for this kind of energy to build the team succeeds on the field.

Look at the facilities improvements and attendance improvements in Athens based on exactly zero MAC titles. Ohio has not won it all but they have been winning enough games to make structural improvements to their department, the kind of improvements white envisions for UB.

Having a decided starter from the end of last season to the kickoff at Ohio State helps. Joe Licata is not the next Drew Willy, not yet anyway. What Licata is right now is the guy who may make defenses not want to stack the box, cause he can make you pay.

Having a healthy Backfield is also huge. Oliver, Potts, and Taylor are all back and in the case of Potts it seems he still runs a sub 4-4. Aside from Jordan Johnson, a potential H back, UB has stayed healthier this off season than in any other under Quinn.

There is the attention that Khalil Mack is getting. He can break and NCAA record and may be a first round draft pick if he can build on what he did last season.

All in all this summer has been one that may redefine UB as "New York's team", though if they don't win the marriage of UB and NY could be a short lived one. They don't have to go out there and upend the #2 Buckeyes, but how much could that hurt amiright? What UB has to do is go out there and win seven or eight games, maybe sweep at home, and then make a good showing in a Bowl.

That combined with a solid season out the the Bobby Hurley led Buffalo Bulls Basketball team might start to turn this years unexpected media focus into something a bit more permanent in the UB Markets.