For the less fortunate, slightly younger Bills fans

[The Senator]

...and also for some of us older fans who have become a bit jaded and cynical during a 10-year playoff drought, I give you

 

The AFC Championship Game-Jan, 20, 1991

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I57EZLhJn7g

 

 

I remember being in the upper deck that late January day, typical OP wind a-blowin', and yet not feeling the least bit cold.

 

Art Shell, OTOH, had to be freezing down there on the sidelines - I believe the Bills no-huddle so confounded the Raiders that he was forced to call a time out on Buffalo's first drive!

 

What a glorious time it was. There were four future NFL HOFers on the field for Buffalo that day (Kelly, Thomas, Lofton, Smith) and another on the sidelines (the silver-haired guy with the headphones). That team made a run at 6 consecutive AFC titles, winning 4 (were it not for Ronnie Harmon, who knows how many consecutive Superbowls we might have played) and was arguably the very best team in football for at least 3 of those seasons.

 

(It should be noted that 'Desert Storm' - the first Gulf War - started only 4 days earlier, which the announcers referred to when they mentioned the bad news from the Middle East. The following week Superbowl XXV was broadcast to our troops in Iraq, who saw the first of 4 consecutive Buffalo Bills Superbowl appearances.)

 

Just thought I'd put it up here for the younger fans - some of whom know Steve Tasker only as a West Herr pitchman - to quell some of the negativity as the new season begins. The beginning of a new season SHOULD be full of hope, anticipation, and excitement. As Marv Levy once said to me, standing at the adjacent urinal in the RWS press box men's room, "Here we go again!"

 

Things can only get better from here - it's going to be a GREAT season...

 

19 and 0 baby!!!

 

GO BILLSSS!!!!

 

PosLUSZny!!!!!

Edited September 11, 2010 by The Senator

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

I'm not sure whether to thank you for posting this, as I am too young to remember it, or to wince knowing that I can't remember the last time I saw the Bills dominate a game instead of grasping defeat from the jaws of victory.

[Jim in Anchorage]

I knew what this was before I opened it. I used to work with a Raiders fan and would simply mention that game to shut him up. As far as the Gulf war, they shorted the lay off from 2 to 1 week that year and there was some talk of canceling the SB. It was beyond belief to to me, the Bills FINALLY make it and they cancel it?

[Dr. Fong]

How the !@#$ did that team lose the Super Bowl? AAARRGHH! The pain of being a Bills fan.

[Huuuge Bills]

The first game I have a vivid memory of watching is the music city miracle. I can still hear my brother yelling "that's a forward pass, that's a forward f*cking pass!!!!".

 

Maybe I'm the bad luck? We haven't won a damn thing since I've starting following the Bills.

 

I have absolutely no idea what it's like to watch a good Bills team. But, there is hope with Gailey and staff.

Edited September 11, 2010 by Huuuge Bills

[tonyd19]

I had just turned 12 years old a few weeks before this game. 1990 was the first year I started really becomming interested in the Bills. I grew up in Southern California, but my family is all from Lakawanna (hence the Bills backing). After this game my dad and I went out to celebrate and we stopped to get gas. The gas station atendant refused to serve us becasue we were wearing Bills hats and he was a Raiders fan! To this day, I still remember that and laugh. Thank you for posting this,it brings back some good memories. Hopefully, this year will get some other young kids out there excited about Bills football and they can learn what it is to be a true fan and be a part of a community.....Even if that community is 3,000 miles away.

[ganesh]

The last dominating game that was memorable was the 31-0 pasting of the Patsies. That game resembled a playoff atmosphere at the Ralph...First game for Lawyer Milloy and Takeo Spikes. Both had an outstanding game. It was so much fun to see Tom Brady on his back on the carpet of RWS that day.

[stevestojan]

I'm 30, but I have been a Bills fan since literally before birth. The bills were such a huge part of growing up for me that it's sad to me that there are many posters who are actually much younger than me (18-22) who honestly can't remember what it was like to know a great bills team. Sure, I was only 10-13 during the super bowl years, but i remember every minute.

[stevestojan]

Just watched the whole thing. Thanks for posting.

[b stein 22]

I wasnt born yet when this happened

[John Cocktosten]

Great post Senator!!

 

I was a freshman in high school!!! My older brother picked up 2 tickets about 2 hours before the game and took me. We bought some t-shirts on the way in that said "F*CK L.A." with a big X through a Raiderette. We wore those the entire game and cheered our asses off!!! The Bills were relentless that game, never letting up.

The next day my brother and I went to the Galleria Mall displaying our F L.A. t-shirts proudly and saw James Lofton walking around the mall by himself. My Brother pointed him out and yelled, "HEY JAMES!!!F*CK L.A.!!" He looked at us and cracked up and said, "YEAH!!" with his fist in the air!

 

That game is my favorite Bills memory by far and now that my Brother's kid is 16, a fun story to tell at the Thanksgiving table!!!

 

What a team, what a time in my life! Hopefullly one day....ahhh eff it, I'm not going to ruin this thread!!!

[Red]

God!

 

That was magic!

 

I was at that game, and can remember not sitting down the whole time because we were celebrating so much from scoring.

 

I loved those uni's the best.

 

How efficient and big time was Kelly. Watching the steely-calm expressions of Marv on the sideline, it reminded me of the more recent Tony Dungy when he was in Indy and had the machine-like precision of Peyton Manning running the show. Nothing to worry about.

 

Man.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Chalkie Gerzowski]

I was there. It was awesome.

 

 

I remember when Talley picked off Schroeder and got the TD, that was when I figured this team was going to the Super Bowl. 41-3 at halftime, near-insanity ensued going down to the one end zone and seeing a ton of people from high school. Turned into an impromptu bash.

 

[Red]

The last dominating game that was memorable was the 31-0 pasting of the Patsies. That game resembled a playoff atmosphere at the Ralph...First game for Lawyer Milloy and Takeo Spikes. Both had an outstanding game. It was so much fun to see Tom Brady on his back on the carpet of RWS that day.

 

I don't want to take this thread the wrong way either...that was an amazing game!

 

Home opener. I certainly did not expect them to own the Pats that day.

 

Sam Adams, Milloy, Fletcher, Spikes...that was a strong 'D'.

[papazoid]

most fun game i ever attended.....no stress......was in the bag from the get go.

[Mike in Syracuse]

I was there! I'm still thawing out!

[Captain Hindsight]

Im not sure what is more surprising...how good the Bills were or how inept the raiders looked....that team was up for an AFC Championship? wow

[Jim in Anchorage]

The last dominating game that was memorable was the 31-0 pasting of the Patsies. That game resembled a playoff atmosphere at the Ralph...First game for Lawyer Milloy and Takeo Spikes. Both had an outstanding game. It was so much fun to see Tom Brady on his back on the carpet of RWS that day.

Then the Bills followed up with a identical 31-0 lose in game 16 to the Pats. Took a lot of fun out of game one.

[billsfan1959]

Great game and remember it well I was unable to go to that game, but have it on tape (I also have almost 100 other games on tape from 1987 through 1999 - then stopped taping them. Can't imagine why )

 

And just for the younger fans. The first game I remember going to was the Bills and the Jets in 1969: Our hopes riding high on an exciting young running back we got with the first draft pick after winning only one game the year before (You think things are bad now?). Anyway, we lost and OJ only had about 40 -50 yards rushing - but he did catch some passes, returned some kicks, and scored a touchdown. Made us think he was going to be something special, and he was - until he started killing people.

 

Been through bad times before and it got better. Things will change for the better with this team too.

[Another Point of View]

I believe we were favored by 4 points