rockpile

DId you read my post? I never complained about people standing. Most of the time I WAS standing, and the team was "sucking balls" often. When I needed to sit for a minute, I dealt with it, primarily during "down time" like end of quarters or commercial breaks. I found your suggestions that fans could go watch bocce, should plan to stand at a football game, or could stay home and sit in a recliner both insulting and demeaning.

I am 63 and I have multiple sclerosis. Opening day we tailgated from noon until almost 2 AM. Yes, there were times that I could not stand, but I dealt with it OK. It baffles me that you are so rude and ignorant To anyone who says I should stay home, I really feel sorry for you..

Some of them are going for a refill, too. Bottom line, if the ball is in play and you can hold it, do not interrupt the game for a couple dozen people. I keep forgetting - even if they were taught good manners - the drunk !@#$wits with squirrel bladders do not give a crap. I stand when there is a reason and sit when there is not. I have been going to games since 1964, and nothing has changed in my opinion about the rude and clueless fans, except maybe the WAY they are rude and clueless. MANY good people at these games too!

So watch out for slants and running plays from the Patriots! I could not feel happy until it was over. For today, the Bills make me want to !

Do not clean house until you have a plan for the New Era. Since the Glory Days of the 90's, it seems they rebuild every two to four years, without a vision of what new structure will be!

A lot of good content here. To expand on a couple points on and off the field:: TIME: Today's extracurricular activities have expanded as much or more than the NFL expansion teams and multiple day and night broadcasts. Every day after school, and often on weekends, there is a practice or games for school sports, or activities like dance, cheer leading, marching bands, part time jobs, etc. so parents are scrambling to juggle their work demands as well as multiple family activities. My FOUR YEAR OLD GRANDSON has soccer practice! It is for fun, and only 45 minutes long, but that means Mom or Dad (or Gramps ) has to get him there, make sure he is hydrated and fed, on top of everything else that is part of family life. As I said it is a fun soccer league, no games just basic physical and social skill instruction, but is takes time I have actually sent a specific game schedule to my family for sports viewing times (football and World Series) when I will not be available, except for 911 calls! I do not even WANT to watch the NFL all day Sunday, then Monday night and Thursday night. WORK: I notice an awful lot of people HAVE to carry phones for their job, 24/7. They are not just all zombie smart phone addicts. OFFICIALS: Oh, just for the hell of it be consistent! The judgment calls are so unfair it is sickening. SUBSTANCE ABUSE: Take marijuana off the list and suspensions would probably decrease. COMMENTATORS: One game last Sunday, someone actually said that a quarterback had learn to be a faster decision maker when making decisions. What? STATS: Without statistics for everything that could possibly be measured, fantasy football and Vegas would suffer. GENERAL: The NFL is like the television networks. A show is popular, create a spinoff, from Happy Days to CIS, it is inevitable. Sadly, the more it gets watered down, the poorer the product.

This is NOT a shot at you, Poojer, but doesn't it seem like we are saying this every year now?

Big Tree is a two minute walk from Hammers on the other side of the street. Walk on down - you will see the TBD group and Kenny (Pinto Ron) there. Best newbie advice you got was do not drink too much (I often do not drink inside the Ralph at all) unless your plans are to spend your time in a line buying expensive cheap beer or waiting in line for the rest rooms. Use the rest room on the way to your seat. *-) You can miss a lot if you are too buzzed. As someone said why pay big bucks to miss the event?

This is a great list. Unfortunately, if you change the date and the names, it describes the last 10 - 15 years. Most teams in the NFL would LOVE to have fans as fiercely loyal, knowledgeable, and optimistic as Buffalo. Some of us at TBD have been talking football and tailgating together before there was a TBD. That said, I will at the game Thursday to see my friends. I am hoping for clear skies with a nearly full moon! It is the world's best tailgate, like a family reunion, with a three hour interruption for a football game. I hope we are all smiling because the Bills have their first WIN!

We "shake and baked" some squirrel once. Not bad but lots of small bones. Truth. A friend was high and hungry back in the 70's. He shot a squirrel with his bow, but only wounded it. In a panic, the squirrel ran for the tallest escape - which happened to be my friend. He shook it off and beat it with his bow. God, the 70's were a lot of fun. Don't forget the 'shine!

I survive by having low expectations. I expect them to play 16 games this year!

Some of the most obnoxious drunken fans I have seen were at Yankee Stadium. You expect some rumbling will occur when the Red Sox are in town, but one time when the Yankees were playing the Twins, a totally drunk guy sitting in front of us provoked a fight with fans wearing Red Sox shirts. He was shouting profanity, and flipping the bird, and actually went up several rows to start a fight before he was finally escorted to the gate. I agree that most baseball games are not like that though. This Thursday will be interesting as far as drunks. The drinking can start earlier for a night game. It is kind of like rookie night! Apparently the Bills are planning stricter security at private lots now, not just Bills Parking lots. It is pretty hard to get in 8 hours of power drinking before most 1 PM games!

+1

I do not really care for either team, but IMO Cam Newton was the driving force of the Panthers. In the first half he was grinning and pretty "cocky". I almost think the Broncos defense second half game plan was to rattle Newton. I do not condone headshots on any player, The Broncos escaped the penalties, and Newton was obviously NOT the same player after a couple of head bangers. As far as celebrating a missed FG, mentioned in another post, does anyone remember SB XXV? Teams and fans celebrate (or are crushed) by fumbles or dropped passes or a myriad of mistakes made on the last play of a game that decide the winner. What makes a missed FG any different? Just askin....

I had a good time at the Pour House in East Aurora in July. Good craft beer, great burgers and fresh cut fries. I did not have the wings or beef on weck. I was really in a burger mood. A decent choice if Bar Bills is too crowded.

The entire week or three that preceded Kelly signing, I was cutting out newspaper articles related to the demise of the USFL and probability of Jim Kelly coming to WNY. At the time Kelly and Flutie were both QBs for the NJ Generals. I had them all taped into a scrapbook. There was a real sense of something historic (related to Buffalo anyway) was about to happen.I should go look and see if I still have them! I wish I still had that optimism. This franchise has worn me out. I am a fan for life, with a chip on my shoulder.

If no one has signed up to bring napkins, plates, plastic utensils, plastic cups, large garbage bags, and other non-perishable tailgate items, that would be a good choice for the out of townees who have no coolers for food or beer. Just a suggestion.

I am going to be grazing anyway, so this would be perfect. I love watching other people cook for a change.

ETA: Thursday early to mid afternoon is the closest I can come to a time.

One prime for the Rockpile, thank you. Face it, Eric, you are a derelict magnet!

In photo #1, that is me with my arm around Jay's shoulder. In front of me is my daughter (formerly aka Pebbles) and many from her husband's family.

Maybe I will see you at camp. I will wear a TBD hat and shirt. I met Jay because I had a "Rockpile" jersey on, the first year of camp at SJF.

Well, I have my tickets now, thanks to a good friend. I have not quite figured out my schedule for the tailgate, since it usually starts Saturday night, followed by a nap, followed by sunrise and moonshine at Hammer's. I usually visit the Pinto and visit with Ken before "Pinto Ron" gets baptized with ketchup and mustard. Then (depending on the weather) we have a post game chill out watching people sit in the Abbott Road parking lot while we have water or one last beer and maybe some food. I am not one who suffers from paradigm paralysis, so all will be good.

I will be at the Hammer's on Thursday (not sure the time). I will probably stay over at Motel 6 and go home Friday. I have not decided if i want to risk being on the road after midnight on what is usually a rookie night. Current plans will change as people post their party pans here. We could have a WNYTBDGPS meeting before noon and be in Buffalo early.