nick in* england Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 The emotional connection is as strong for me as it is for you RTB.
Optometric Insight Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 (edited) Yeah, everyone I talk to says "why are you a fan of the bills?" I think at 8 yrs old, it was the bills being good and those sweet uniforms haha. But ever since, I have been a die hard fan since and I love the buffalo area (from the times I've had the opportunity to visit) I'm so freaking pumped about being a season ticket holder and going to the games this fall. In school I get asked the same question and my reply is always the same, I don't know; I guess that's the wrong answer to most teens. I was just born and raised watching Bills v. Dolphins/Bucs (sometimes Jaguars) games on TV and other games on video tape from a family friend up in Buffalo. First game I ever saw was the first game with the Bills' new uniforms in 2003. I've only gone hardcore Bills since the 2008 season and I've never turned back even after the 2008 collapse, firing of Jauron, hiring of Gailey and Nix, 8 or 9 straight loses their first year, and the recent collapse, losing 7 in a row. It's just weird for me to watch a football game without seeing the Bills out there since it's pretty much all Ithe NFL Football I've watched in my life. Edited April 28, 2012 by Teen Insight
Roc Bronson Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 I've been a fan since 88 and i'm from Southside VA. I have no connection to western New York other than the Bills. I would not watch another game of football if the Bills leave Buffalo. This team is my heart and soul, and I feel as tho everyone of you guys and gals are like family respect, LaRoC from New Jersey via VA..
BRAWNDO Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 I have spent my entire life in Buffalo rooting for the Bills. They are not a bandwagon team such as the Cowboys, Giants or Broncos. Anyone that wants to cheer for the Bills is a real fan no matter what state, country or continent they are from!!
MTLBills Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 I'm a true Bills fan from Montreal, one of the few Buffalo fans amid an array of bandwagonners (Giants, Cowboys, Pats, Jets) fans. I got my job by telling my boss that I`m a Bills fan and proud of it. He was a Steelers fan, and told me that he respected me for being loyal thru tough times.
EndZoneCrew Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_rTZieXwxA&feature=plcp
jtf1444 Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 Im from Australia been a fan since I 1st saw Thurman Thomas, Jim Kelly and Steve Tasker on tv. I love the history of the team and the blue collar attitude. I love the NFL and the Bills more then any other team in the world and I have never been to Buffalo. I love it, were multiplying! Australia's team maybe? haha
CowgirlsFan Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 I have spent my entire life in Buffalo rooting for the Bills. They are not a bandwagon team such as the Cowboys, Giants or Broncos. Anyone that wants to cheer for the Bills is a real fan no matter what state, country or continent they are from!! I'm a Cowboys Fan BUT my best friend is fellow TBD member Aussiew. All it took was half a year of watching the Bills with Aussiew for them to now have a place in my heart too!!
dayman Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 (edited) I can tell you this I'm a bigger Bills fan than my extended family that lives in Buffalo. I eat sleep and breath Buffalo Bills football and have since I was born (not born and never been anywhere close to NY or the NE in general). The short answer is HELL YES. I've been to many home games and MANY away games. Follow the team obsessively. The truth is though, I can never be a "Buffalo" guy...but when it comes to the Bills...I'm a true fan in every sense of the word. So it's the difference between true fan of the football team....and "one of the locals." If it takes both in your mind to be a Bills fan then ... the answer is no. Also I'll just add (something I'm sure other people who don't live in Buffalo would agree with) there's a tight link when you find other Bills fans out there. We're a tight group and IMO tighter than most other displaced fans. And while you don't run into them every day...they're out there in decent numbers. License plates. Hats. Etc...and we always say something. ALWAYS say something. Edited April 28, 2012 by TheNewBills
Kevin Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 My dad says I've been a Bills fan since I was two. He thinks it was because my mom would read me stories about Buffalo Bill (Cody). Dad said that when I was two he was watching a Raider Bills game and I started rooting for the Bills. I had my moments when I cheered for the 85 Bears, and the Raiders for a very short bit. I didn't get to watch the Bills until the Cleveland playoff game. Now with DirecTV I don't miss a game. Can't imagine life without my Bills on Sundays. Good or bad, I still love em. And, I too was at the Bills Niners game in 94 or 95. Darrick Holmes fumbling on the 1 yard line, Woodall recovering the fumble and returning it for a touchdown. Sad. So sad.
Talley56 Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 I'm from MD, only ever been to one game at the Ralph and that was in 2010 (might have gone again last year if I hadn't lost my job last summer). But I also stayed loyal as a kid through all 4 SB losses, the playoff loss to Tennessee, the 12 years of missing the playoffs, and even the good: the big comeback against the Oilers. I didn't even waiver when the Ravens moved here from Cleveland. Lastly, I'm a strong advocate for keeping the team in Buffalo. Hope that's good enough to keep my fan card despite not being a WNY native. As a little bonus, while I'm not a passionate hockey fan, I tend to pull for the Sabres.
dayman Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 Now with DirecTV I don't miss a game. Can't imagine life without my Bills on Sundays. Good or bad, I still love em. That's the other thing. For younger fan raised up as Bills like myself by Bills-crazy fathers who always had the ticket...I mean...it's not like the old days. I've watched every game my entire football-life (which started real early)...and in the WAY early days I would be taken to bars to watch which I would love it was like a special event as a kid to go to sports bars every Sunday.
bbb Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 On the radio the other day in Ohio, they were "dissing" fans of other teams who were from Ohio (ex. Cowboys fans who grew up in Cleveland). I have been a fan of buffalo since I was 8 yrs old ad I grew up in wv and super bowl xxv was the first game I ever watched. Ever since, been a huge fan since and have no association with western NY. I am a first time season ticket holder for the 2012 season by the way. So, because I have no association with western NY, can't I be a real fan? I love the buffalo area. I took offense to the remarks on the radio You didn't have an NFL team in WV, so of course it's fine. Just like any WVU fans from the Buffalo area, because we don't have a big time college team. I agree with the Ohio people in that I hate when people from Buffalo are fans of other teams. I have one good college friend like that, and frankly he's become a social idiot as he's gotten older and I think the two things are related. You don't root for your home team, there is something wrong with you. Especially if you're from a small place like Buffalo. I can see being from NYC or LA or something and rooting for a different team. It's why I never liked Moose Johnson even though he was from here. He grew up a Dolphins fan. A Dolphins fan in Buffalo growing up in the 70s and 80s would be like a Pats fan now in Buffalo.
hondo in seattle Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 If you cheered for the Bills during this decade-plus of misery, than you are a real fan even if you were born in New England or South Florida or New York City! The unreal fans will be the ones who jump on the bandwagon when the Bills start making the playoffs again.
poo Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 On the radio the other day in Ohio, they were "dissing" fans of other teams who were from Ohio (ex. Cowboys fans who grew up in Cleveland). I have been a fan of buffalo since I was 8 yrs old ad I grew up in wv and super bowl xxv was the first game I ever watched. Ever since, been a huge fan since and have no association with western NY. I am a first time season ticket holder for the 2012 season by the way. So, because I have no association with western NY, can't I be a real fan? I love the buffalo area. I took offense to the remarks on the radio If you attach to a team as a kid it is fine wherever you live. I started watching the Minnesota Twins after the 1991 World Series. my close friend chose to support the Saints back when he was a kid during the stretch of terrible Saints teams. Now he gets to rag on bandwagon fans. You can live in NYC and support the Patriots or the Red Sox, live in San Francisco and support the Dodgers; these are fine choices. If you switch teams as an adult then it gets more tricky.
Calgary_JG Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 I'm from PEI originally and I moved to Calgary about 10 years ago. Me and some buds drove from Calgary to PEI a couple of years ago and we decided to drive through the US. We stopped in Buffalo to get some wings at Anchor Bar and as we drove by the exits for the Ralph I couldn't contain myself! Dude Bills Nation isn't just about Buffalo, the Bills are a way of life for a lot of people wayyyy outside Buffalo. The people who get to go to games on the weekends are the lucky ones
bbb Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 I'm from PEI originally and I moved to Calgary about 10 years ago. Me and some buds drove from Calgary to PEI a couple of years ago and we decided to drive through the US. We stopped in Buffalo to get some wings at Anchor Bar and as we drove by the exits for the Ralph I couldn't contain myself! Dude Bills Nation isn't just about Buffalo, the Bills are a way of life for a lot of people wayyyy outside Buffalo. The people who get to go to games on the weekends are the lucky ones That is so cool. I always just figured Bills fans were only people who live or lived in WNY.....It's so great hearing all your stories.
Bills Fan since '64 Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 There are plenty of Bills fans here in Israel. The first football game ever shown on home TV here was XXV, so people who got hooked on football then thought the Bills were some kind of dynasty.
billsfan72 Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 On the radio the other day in Ohio, they were "dissing" fans of other teams who were from Ohio (ex. Cowboys fans who grew up in Cleveland). I have been a fan of buffalo since I was 8 yrs old ad I grew up in wv and super bowl xxv was the first game I ever watched. Ever since, been a huge fan since and have no association with western NY. I am a first time season ticket holder for the 2012 season by the way. So, because I have no association with western NY, can't I be a real fan? I love the buffalo area. I took offense to the remarks on the radio I've been a Bills fan since '72 and I was born and raised in North Central Illinois.
8-8 Forever? Posted April 28, 2012 Posted April 28, 2012 You can certainly be a fan of the Bills wherever you live. I think those of us who grew up or live in Buffalo have an emotional connection to the city/team that is difficult to explain. This doesn't make anyone more or less of a fan, but it brings the whole experience to another level. RTB When you are cutting out B&W newspaper pictures of Dan Darragh and Max Anderson and pasting them in one of those marble scrapbooks at 12 years old, doesn't matter where you live or where the team is or what it's called, you will always be a fan of this franchise. Freezing your ass off at Rich Stadium at 22 watching Walter Payton put the dagger in . Wow, its all coming back... Just is what it is. Go Bills
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