What is your favorite Bills memory

[ExiledInIllinois]

I was 13 years old. November 22, 1981: Bills 20-17 over New England... Listening to the final play on the radio (1970's Yamaha stereo receiver rig... LoL... With speakers it was a big as a kitchen table!) in our basement. Joe Ferguson heaved the Hail Mary to Roland Hooks as time expired. That play would end up critical to giving the Bills the final playoff AFC playoff spot and going on to beat the Jets @ Shea! Without that win, BFLO finishes 9-7 and Denver gets the last playoff spot w/a 10-6 record (BFLO held tiebreaker over the Broncos).

Edited September 21, 2013 by ExiledInIllinois

[Stranded in Boston]

So many from which to choose, but one that really stands out is 1981, Roland Hooks catches a Big Ben TD on the last play of the game against the Pats. Listening on the radio at home (blackouts were the rule, not the exception back then, kids) with my Dad... Van Miller says... "Ferguson, back to pass... sets up... throws for the end zone.... and it's [eternal pause]... CAUGHT FOR THE TOUCHDOWN!

 

Four words that make a chilly Sunday afternoon in November magical.

 

 

 

Yeah … Roland Hooks ; thanks for that reminiscence, RJ. Indeed, Van was agonizingly slow in making winning calls. You’d hear the home crowd go nuts for a second or two before he would confirm. My brothers and I would always crack up over that (after we recovered).

 

So many other favorites …

 

Last game of the year in ‘73 vs. Jets; watching the game with my brothers in the basement on an ancient B&W TV that I think my dad had garbage-picked. The vertical refresh would go haywire every few minutes and we’d have to turn our heads sideways to see what was going on. Our favorite moment was not in fact OJ topping the rushing record, but rather Bill Cahill busting back a punt for a TD, effectively putting the game out of reach. Truth is, we cared more about winning the game than about that damn rushing record.

 

Home game against the powerful Raiders in ‘80. Fergie deftly feints left, then swings it out right to wide open rookie Joe Cribbs, who waltzes untouched into the end zone, both arms extended horizontally. To our astonishment, the Bills are 4-0, and after a decade of youthful futility as Bills fans, we sense we could actually win it all.

 

Crushing the Fish 27-0 in ’87, with Jimbo revealing after the game that the Bills were especially fired up after Fish Linebacker Jackie Shipp commented before the game that he had been “embarrassed” to lose to the Bills earlier in the season. You could just feel the power in that Bills squad about to burst forth …

 

… and burst it does: Bills at Browns as Municipal Stadium in 1990 (42-0 payback only 10 months after the Ronnie Harmon playoff drop). Jamie Mueller leads Thurmon left on a toss sweep. Some hapless Browns safety flashes into the backfield, and Mueller … lays … him … out. I mean thundering, limbs-splayed, flat-on-his-back OUT; hitting the ground so ferociously you could barely follow it live. The slow-mo in my mind still shows Mueller’s lips curling into a vicious snarl an instant before he lays the wood .…

 

Watching the game alone in my crappy apartment in Houston in ’93. Trying in a frenzy to call home after Steve Christie kicked the comeback winner – and all the lines to Buffalo were jammed. The freaking lines were JAMMED. God, how I loved my tough little hometown at that moment. I went out on my balcony with my Bills sweatshirt and hat on and screamed every abuse I could think of at Houston for about 15 minutes (until I thought the better of it; lots of guns in Houston).

 

Last Sunday night. Sitting on the edge of our living room couch here in Italy, clinging to hope, headphones connected to my laptop, following John Murphy’s call on GR online; trying desperately not to wake up my wife and kids. Punching the wall when EJ throws the pick-that-came-back (goddamn hand is still sore as I type this a week later). Doing the silent scream when Stevie hauls in the winner. My teenage daughter staggers blinkingly into the living room: “Papi, what was that weird squealing sound?” I swear I don’t know. The kid of course informs on me in the AM, and my wife calls me a “deficiente” (exactly as it sounds).

 

Honestly, I don’t blame her. But you guys all understand.

Edited September 21, 2013 by Stranded in Boston

[San Jose Bills Fan]

^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Great anecdotes and awesome writing!!!

 

You should post more often.

[Kemp2Warlick]

wow you guys have great memories...thank you for reviving some of mine.

[Stealth]

My favorite Bills memory easily October 24th, 1993. Bills @ NYJ week 8. Although largely an irrelevant game. It holds significance to me being my first Bills game I went to with my dad a month before he suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed on the right side of his body. More of one of those emotionally important things that'll always stick with me.

Edited September 21, 2013 by Stealth

[Captain Caveman]

My favorite Bills memory easily October 24th, 1993. Bills @ NYJ week 8. Although largely an irrelevant game. It holds significance to me being my first Bills game I went to with my dad a month before he suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed on the right side of his body. More of one of those emotionally important things that'll always stick with me.

 

Yeah, I love that we have football as part of our family's bonding. My fondest memories with my father are from going to games, driving up together, tailgating, and driving home too. I am very much looking forward to being able to do the same with my son. Glad you got to have that memory with your dad.

[RJ (not THAT RJ)]

One more memory.... October 24, 1998.. Bills at Carolina. Flutie throws and 80-yard TD pass to Moulds on the way to an easy win. I was living in SC then, so could follow the game closely. I called home after every big play to talk to my Dad in Niagara Falls. Called him after the game was over, we were so pumped.

 

I did not know it would be the last time we ever spoke. He died two days later suddenly. It is fitting that our last conversation was about the Bills, since that was our bond for so long. I miss him every football Sunday. And ever day in between.

[Big Turk]

1) Kelly diving into the endzone last play against Miami signalling the dawn of a new era

2) Raiders 51-3 game that was over at the half, knowing for the next hour and a half you could relax, celebrate and not be nervous about going to first super bowl ever

3) Oilers comeback game---nuff said

4) Niners no punt game where both teams put on a dazzling display of great offensive execution

5) Bills-Dolphins snow playoff game

6) Bills-Dolphins road playoff game, where we screened them to death

 

 

Agonizing games I remember vividly:

 

1) Browns playoff loss--the Ronnie Harmon drop of a perfectly thrown TD pass to win it

2) Music City Miracle

3) Jags stun Bills in playoffs in Kellys last game---I was in attendance at Rich Stadium and it was stunned silence for much of the second half...Natrone Means Business had a 78 yard TD run in that game, a game noone thought we could possibly lose to a 2 year old expansion team at home...

Edited September 21, 2013 by matter2003

[Mr_Blizzard]

There are so many.. Here's one that sticks out even though it was almost 25 years ago. Monday night game. Kelly is out with an injury. The Rams are in town and Frank Reich is QB. Looked like the Rams are gonna own the Bills, but Frank brings the team back from behind in the closing minutes of the 4th quarter.

 

What made the game extra special is the we had lucked into tickets (courtesy of WHAM) right behind the visitors bench, maybe 3 or 4 rows up. That the closest I've ever sat to the field at a Bills game..

[UticaBill]

OJ rushing for 2003yds against the Jets.... before that I was a Miami Dolphins fan like my dad.... watching OJ on tv that year (1973) changed my allegiance to the Bills! ( I was 9 at the time)

[LewPort71]

Dec 26, 1964. AFC Championship at the Rockpile.

THE hit by Mike Stratton on Keith Lincoln.

 

The second memory involves listening to Van Miller on the radio.

When we lived in Ashtabula OH, the Browns games were on the radio on AM 970

while the Bills games were on WBEN 930. On a warm Sept. afternoon, we were on the deck

and while trying to listen to the Browns game, I heard the very familiar voice of Van Miller.

Holy Cow I can listen to the Bills games now. Since the radio signal would just travel across

Lake Erie it was easy to listen to the Bills now. Needless to say, this drove Mrs. Lew nuts

as I would listen to the Bills games on the radio and watch the other games on a muted TV.

 

Alas, when we moved to WV, that radio thing does not work so well. LOL

 

Third best memory was 51--3. Watched the game in the sports lounge at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

The large contingent of LA Raiders fans left early and us Bills fans had the place to ourselves.

Mrs. Lew hit a very large jackpot at the slot machine that day too.

[machine gun kelly]

• Fandemonium! I was the second or third guy on top of the goal post for about 20 seconds until I was ripped off by someone climbing up me to get on the post.
  
• Going with my buddies to the coldest game in Bills History - 48 degrees below zero with windchill. I know it was a Jets game, just can't remember which year in early 90's. I remember the beers having ice in it by the time we made it back fromt he consession stand to our seats.
  
• Watching the greatest comeback in the history of the NFL. Remembering how low we were in the first half and the comeback in the second half.
  

[Big Turk]

• Fandemonium! I was the second or third guy on top of the goal post for about 20 seconds until I was ripped off by someone climbing up me to get on the post.
  
• Going with my buddies to the coldest game in Bills History - 48 degrees below zero with windchill. I know it was a Jets game, just can't remember which year in early 90's. I remember the beers having ice in it by the time we made it back fromt he consession stand to our seats.
  
• Watching the greatest comeback in the history of the NFL. Remembering how low we were in the first half and the comeback in the second half.
  

 

A family friend had an extra ticket for me for that Jets game but ended up not going due to freezing temps, lol

[bbb]

That game was 12/26/93.

 

I think my favorite memory was after we beat the 49ers to win the AFC Championship. The first time we had won anything since I was old enough to know football. I was 18..............So, we were drinking watching the game at a bar, keep celebrating, and then decide to go to Prior Aviation to meet the team.

 

I think I have my numbers right - it was 8 degrees and there were 8000 of us out there. We are the Champions and songs like that are blaring from the speakers. Finally, the team gets there. Reggie McKenzie spoke with passion and he was so beloved, having now been there for two eras.

 

Just surreal and such a great memory.

[BillAndPhilFan]

As a UK Bills fan, the only time I'd seen the Bills, live, was in 1991 when they played (and beat) the Philadelphia Eagles in a pre-season game at Wembley Stadium in London. When I retired I saved up my pounds and came across to see a game at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The year was 2011, the month was September and the opponents were New England. Loved the game (and the result!), the city and the people (and the Philharmonic Orchestra - I went to a great concert on the Saturday evening). Great memory! I've saved up some more pounds and am coming over in November to see the Jets game (and another concert) but it'll have to be VERY special to beat my trip two years ago.

[bbb]

There are so many.. Here's one that sticks out even though it was almost 25 years ago. Monday night game. Kelly is out with an injury. The Rams are in town and Frank Reich is QB. Looked like the Rams are gonna own the Bills, but Frank brings the team back from behind in the closing minutes of the 4th quarter.

 

What made the game extra special is the we had lucked into tickets (courtesy of WHAM) right behind the visitors bench, maybe 3 or 4 rows up. That the closest I've ever sat to the field at a Bills game..

 

What you're forgetting is that Reich looked horrible the whole game. I can still picture the little screen pass that he threw right into the ground. I think it was his first regular season start - and it was a total fail.

 

Then, somehow they muster that long drive to win the game, and he looked pretty good.

 

But, wait - the game isn't over - there's Flipper Anderson going 80 yards the other way on a catch and run.

 

Holy crap - there is no friggin way this clown can muster up another drive. He's horrible and got lucky once - that should have been enough...............But, the clown marched us all the way down the field again, much like EJ did on Sunday.

 

One of the top 5 games ever! The range of emotions in two minutes was insane!

[Tu-Toned]

Flew in for Dolphins/Bills playoff game, it was snowing to beat hell and Kelly and Co.

Went off, the fish kept trying to come back, but we kept squishing them!

 

Jack Hamm, who prob called the game was on the flight with us out of Pittsburgh,

When we played the Oilers in a playoff game and beat them like 10-9 or something.

We stopped and had a great steak dinner after before our flight.

My brother almost fought with Bills fans in our end zone section because they would not

stop pelting Warren Moon with snowballs and the zebras were threatening penalties.

Barely hung on for that one.

Edited September 21, 2013 by Tu-Toned

[bbb]

As a UK Bills fan, the only time I'd seen the Bills, live, was in 1991 when they played (and beat) the Philadelphia Eagles in a pre-season game at Wembley Stadium in London. When I retired I saved up my pounds and came across to see a game at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The year was 2011, the month was September and the opponents were New England. Loved the game (and the result!), the city and the people (and the Philharmonic Orchestra - I went to a great concert on the Saturday evening). Great memory! I've saved up some more pounds and am coming over in November to see the Jets game (and another concert) but it'll have to be VERY special to beat my trip two years ago.

 

This is great! Have a great time in November!

[Helpmenow]

I was 13 years old. November 22, 1981: Bills 20-17 over New England... Listening to the final play on the radio (1970's Yamaha stereo receiver rig... LoL... With speakers it was a big as a kitchen table!) in our basement. Joe Ferguson heaved the Hail Mary to Roland Hooks as time expired. That play would end up critical to giving the Bills the final playoff AFC playoff spot and going on to beat the Jets @ Shea! Without that win, BFLO finishes 9-7 and Denver gets the last playoff spot w/a 10-6 record (BFLO held tiebreaker over the Broncos).

i was there had seasons right in the area, lower bowl visitor side

 

Van, stan and chuck at the rockpile

[Buffalo Barbarian]

I would have to say mine would be when the Bills beat Montana and the Chiefs in the AFC Championship.

 

One of the coldest games I remember but it was worth it!

 

CBF

 

Smashing the Raider by a million points in the 91 AFC championship game.

 

Although it was sad watching the great Howie Long jump offsides a hundred times in I think it was his last game.