As a young boy growing up in Tempe, Arizona, I always dreamed of playing in the NFL.  Dreamed of playing in San Diego, Oakland, Dallas, Miami, or even San Francisco, as bad as they were back in the early 70’s.  Always the warm weather teams, even though I was a huge Steelers fan.  But where do I end up being drafted in the 5th round of the 1979 draft, the Buffalo Bills.  Now mind you, I would have played in Alaska, or even Russia, if they had a team.

But all everyone wanted to talk to me about, was the snow and extremely cold weather of Buffalo, New Yourk.

I mean in Buffalo, winter starts about mid-October and ends about mid-June.  I’m not kidding folks.  Our mini-camps in early May had temperatures of the mid 40’s for the highs.

You tend to adjust and get acclimated to it, but you never get used to it.

If you’re playing in the game, you are excited and the adrenaline is keepin you somewhat warm.  But if you’re carrying the clipboard, holding for field goals, you are figuring out every which way to use the heaters and foot warmers!

written by Manuch