Why I am a Bills fan...

[metzelaars_lives]

It was September of 1985, and I was two months shy of my 5th birthday.

 

My mother (God rest her soul) took my sister and I to my grandmother's house to watch the Bills opener against the NYJ.

 

My father attended the game, and before he left out house that morning, I asked him if he thought we (I had no idea who "we" even meant at that point) would win.

 

He picked me up and said, with all the promise a new era could bring:

 

"Of course we're going to win, we've got Jim Kelly now...we're going to be winners for a long time!"

 

I went to my grandmother's house, and I remember being glued to the TV to see this Jim Kelly that was going to make everything all right.

 

And make it all right he did...

 

It was his 2nd TD pass of the day--the one on which he fell during his drop back, recovered to his feet, an lofted a perfect touch pass to Pete Metzelaars in the back of the end zone--that made me explode from my seat and yell:

 

"Wow...was that THE Jim Kelly that dad told me about?!?!"

 

From that point on, I was unapologetically hooked on Bills football. I got my season ticket at the age of 7, and have never looked back.

FWIW, that was 1986. We're about the same age though. My first game was the opener against San Diego in 1985. The Chargers beat the Vince Ferragamo-led Bills in a snoozer in the drizzling rain. Once my Dad saw how interested I was, we started going to more games in '86 and then got seasons in '87. The rest is history. I was at that game in '86 too. That's the game where Kelly stumbled and fell backing up, got up and then threw a beautiful TD strike to my namesake in the back of the endzone.

Edited April 26, 2014 by metzelaars_lives

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

That is pretty compelling, I must say.

 

Thanks, bro-- but nothing like yours!! Great story.

[Bronc24]

My dad would buy me an NFL preview magazine every year. I have always walked to the beat of my own drum so, in 1979, I read about the Bills and the rest became history. There were no other Bills' fans around, so I picked them.

 

Being from Saskatchewan, I am obviously a Rider fan, but if the Bills and Riders are on at the same time, it's 100% Bills.

[chris heff]

I'm older than the team -by a few years, but my 1st real memories were in '63 when my Dad and other men in the neighborhood were at the house and they were excited about how the Bills had just stolen Jackie Kemp from San Diego. I recall they were convinced he was the missing piece, now that Saban was coach and the defense and run offense with Carlton and Cookie was very good. We made the playoffs that year -sort of, as we tied with Boston in the East. Boston rolled us, though I dont recall much about that as the nation and this 8 year old grew up quick with the events from Dallas on November 22nd.. But by the start of the '64 Season, I was full out GO for the Bills and recall many of the games and QB shuffle with Daryl and Jack. That was an incredible year, starting in February with the Beatles on Sullivan, Clay beating the Big Bear for the Heavyweight title, then topped off with our Championship Season! I can still name every player on that team and most from '65. Was a Season ticket holder from '87 (yes, Todd Scholpy) through '94 before leaving WNY. Still haven't missed watching a game. #lifelong

I'm getting choked up reading these recollections, I feel like we should have a group hug or something.

 

So Chandler your story of Bills fandom and mine are pretty close. The 1963 season is really the first I recall, don't think I went to a game until 64. Went to more games at the Old Rock Pile than The Ralph (geographic reasons). Went to a few good ones at The Ralph, Monday night 1974 vs Raiders and 1980 defeat of the Dolphins.

 

Remember that Sunday 1963 after Kennedy assassination saw Ruby shoot Oswald live, it was surreal. My wife was in the Ed Sullivan theater the night the Beatles played. She neglected to tell me that for the first 35 years of our marriage. I could have gotten a lot of mileage out of that story. There was a Deli around the corner from my parents house. Owners names were Frank and Vera. Went in there with my Dad the night of Liston vs Clay. My father asked Frank who he thought would win the fight, Frank replied "Vera, she usually does".

 

I've driven, on more than one occasion, hundreds of miles to watch a Bills game.

[bbb]

I'm getting choked up reading these recollections, I feel like we should have a group hug or something.

 

So Chandler your story of Bills fandom and mine are pretty close. The 1963 season is really the first I recall, don't think I went to a game until 64. Went to more games at the Old Rock Pile than The Ralph (geographic reasons). Went to a few good ones at The Ralph, Monday night 1974 vs Raiders and 1980 defeat of the Dolphins.

 

Remember that Sunday 1963 after Kennedy assassination saw Ruby shoot Oswald live, it was surreal. My wife was in the Ed Sullivan theater the night the Beatles played. She neglected to tell me that for the first 35 years of our marriage. I could have gotten a lot of mileage out of that story. There was a Deli around the corner from my parents house. Owners names were Frank and Vera. Went in there with my Dad the night of Liston vs Clay. My father asked Frank who he thought would win the fight, Frank replied "Vera, she usually does".

 

I've driven, on more than one occasion, hundreds of miles to watch a Bills game.

 

Wait, your wife was at the Ed Sullivan show for The Beatles and you didn't know that until 35 years into your marriage? How is that even possible?!?

[bbb]

While you didn't say what year that was, I'm thinking it was Roland Hooks who came down with the ball as the gun sounded! He made a full-out, horizontal, fingertip catch of about 35 yrds the play before the HM to set it up. Dancin' in the streets after that one!

 

My father was so funny about the Bills - a lot of yardwork used to get done when he'd get disgusted when we were down by a touchdown or something! "They're a disgrace!"

 

So, this game, we're listening on the radio. The Bills must have been down near the red zone around the middle of the 4th quarter or so - probably their 2nd last possession. He kept saying "They should have scored. They should have scored when they were down there, etc."

 

So, the two miracle passes happen, we win the game, my sister and I are dancing around the living room - and my father says in all seriousness "They should have scored before."

[Chandler#81]

 

 

My father was so funny about the Bills - a lot of yardwork used to get done when he'd get disgusted when we were down by a touchdown or something! "They're a disgrace!"

 

So, this game, we're listening on the radio. The Bills must have been down near the red zone around the middle of the 4th quarter or so - probably their 2nd last possession. He kept saying "They should have scored. They should have scored when they were down there, etc."

 

So, the two miracle passes happen, we win the game, my sister and I are dancing around the living room - and my father says in all seriousness "They should have scored before."

 

Are we brothers? This sounds exactly like my father! He hasn't missed one play throughout the entire history of the franchise. Neither has he missed bitching at the Bills for their screw ups - On Every Single Play Throughout The History Of The Franchise!

 

 

I'm getting choked up reading these recollections, I feel like we should have a group hug or something.

 

So Chandler your story of Bills fandom and mine are pretty close. The 1963 season is really the first I recall, don't think I went to a game until 64. Went to more games at the Old Rock Pile than The Ralph (geographic reasons). Went to a few good ones at The Ralph, Monday night 1974 vs Raiders and 1980 defeat of the Dolphins.

 

Remember that Sunday 1963 after Kennedy assassination saw Ruby shoot Oswald live, it was surreal. My wife was in the Ed Sullivan theater the night the Beatles played. She neglected to tell me that for the first 35 years of our marriage. I could have gotten a lot of mileage out of that story. There was a Deli around the corner from my parents house. Owners names were Frank and Vera. Went in there with my Dad the night of Liston vs Clay. My father asked Frank who he thought would win the fight, Frank replied "Vera, she usually does".

 

I've driven, on more than one occasion, hundreds of miles to watch a Bills game.

 

Wonderful stuff Chris!

 

That Beatle thing... HTF???

[BigdaddyinOrlando]

 

 

While you didn't say what year that was, I'm thinking it was Roland Hooks who came down with the ball as the gun sounded! He made a full-out, horizontal, fingertip catch of about 35 yrds the play before the HM to set it up. Dancin' in the streets after that one!

 

You are probably correct! But either way it was pandamonium! Till this day it was and is the best sporting event I've ever been to!!

Edited April 27, 2014 by BigdaddyinOrlando

[Chandler#81]

 

 

You are probably correct! But either way it was pandamonium! Till this day it was and is the best sporting event I've ever been to!!

 

Also fairly certain that play will live forever as one of the great Van Miller calls: "...and it is.....CAUGHT FOR A TOUCHDOWN! CAUGHT FOR A TOUCHDOWN!"

 

Back to the thread, most of us old-timers carry with us the sadness of loved ones lost who were life-long fans of the team as well. Should I/we be so fortunate as to witness the Lombardi Trophy being handed to the Bills, our ecstasy will be tempered to meloncholy by their memory. All across WNY, grave markers are adorned with Bills memorabilia, pennants and signs that read.. Go Bills!

[filthymcnasty08]

I had OJ Simpson Pajamas as a baby

 

"Who do you want to be when you grow up?".....OJ Simpson was the answer

 

First game in the snow with my Mom/Dad watching OJ gash the Pats

 

(Here come the cheap/easy murderer jokes....but the guy was a phenomenon in his day)

 

Moved to NJ at the age of 4 - and put up with every last Buffalo jab, joke and insult you could ever imagine throughout my entire childhood/teen years.....by people that had no clue....just watched the news and cought the headlines around the Blizzard.....all of it only strengthened my resolve.

 

We would, as a family, go to Shea once a year and wave Bills/Talkin' Proud banners....those fans at Shea were merciless....pure trash. The fan base was pre-NJ Queens blue collar then. We were asking for it....but women and children? I have no love or sympathy for the Jets organization or their long suffering fans...never will..keep suffering to infinity I say.

 

Growing up in NJ, I figured it was safe to like the GMen too (different conference)...and still do til this day. We NEVER got to see the Bills before the Kelly years (close to zero national attention). Only the Jet game. We were forced to watch the NY teams....so it was the GMen. Then.....they played each other in the SB....

 

GMen already had their miracle season in 86. This was time for the Bills. All in one shot (wide right), I felt the weight of the entire city, the people, my family in North Buff....the organization and anyone that ever understood all of the wonderful things that make Buffalo/Bills culture amazingly unique......collectively having their hearts broken.

 

Since then....and right to this moment....I have been hoping/praying (and spending too much time on this site) for the miracle season.

Edited April 27, 2014 by filthymcnasty08

[bbb]

Are we brothers? This sounds exactly like my father! He hasn't missed one play throughout the entire history of the franchise. Neither has he missed bitching at the Bills for their screw ups - On Every Single Play Throughout The History Of The Franchise!

 

Haha - sure sounds like it! Of course, he's the reason I first got into the Bills!

 

My grandmother's family came here from Mexico - they were Spanish. Around 1918 or so........We had Sunday dinner at her house every Sunday. She was a widow by then and her brother (my great uncle) was divorced, so he rented a room from her. He was kind of like a grandfather to me.

 

So, after noon dinner, my father and great uncle, and sometimes my grandmother, when not doing the dishes would watch this thing on TV that seemed like non sense to me at 4 and 5 years old. (I later learned the 3 of them traveled to Rochester in 64 or 65, rented a motel room, and watched the AFL championship game that was soldout at the Rockpile - and was blacked out in Buffalo. 2 people from Mexico who loved football and my father). My mother never watched this thing.

 

So, I finally sat down to figure out what this was all about when I was either 5 or 6. I then "got it" - and watched with them every Sunday after that!

 

Went to my first game at age 6 at the Rockpile - in 1968, and have gone to games every year since. On our 29th straight season with season tickets.

[machine gun kelly]

I am a Bills fan because of my father as well. I'm 46 and have a vivid memory of attending a game at War Memorial Stadium with my dad, which would make me 5 at the time (since the Ralph opened in 1973). Some of my best memories with my father were of attending games and watching games with him. I'll also never forget the night game when we finally broke the Miami jinx. My dad allowed me to storm the field with the rest of the fans and tear the goal posts down. My brother and I still have a piece of the turf and FG netting from that game.

 

There are so many times in my life that I wished I could get this team out of my system and begin to root for another team, but I just can't do it. As an ex-pat living in San Diego I just can not pull for any other team than the Bills.

 

I also have a great memory of just before I joined the Marine Corps in 1985 when Bruce Smith was a rookie. I was working at McDonalds on Mckinley Pkwy and Bruce would regularly come through the drive in window in his new corvette. That was a miserable year, but I told him that breakfast would be on me if they won a game. Sadly I left for bootcamp before they won, LOL and never had to pay for his food.

 

Days like these last few really sadden me. I'll always love this team though they have probably taken a few years off of my life.

 

We must have known each other as I grew up on South Park Ave. right by 179 and graduated in 1985 from Frannies. I used to deliver pizzas to those guys when they were held up at the McKinley Park inn for camp as Blasdell Pizza was their favorite. I brought sheet pizzas to House, and such and still have fond memories of those days. I've lived in Tampa for 23 years after graduating from college, and have instilled this Bills fandem in my two sons. One of my best recent memories was taking my boys to the home opener last year against the Patsies, and meeting Kelly tough at Wegmans the day before. He was so gracious, and b/c my sister is an exec there we were moved to the front of the line. My boys have his autographed pic on their walls, and pray for him every night with nightly prayers.

 

I love Buffalo, the Bills, and these fans! I really like the Bucs, but my heart will always bleed red, white, and royal blue. Lastly, some of our older guys on the board put some nice posts of the Rockpile, and wish I could remember it. What i love is Tim Russert's last chapter in Big Russ and Me, on the Bills. He had to be the greatest Bills fan ever. What he wrote on his love affair with the Bills was heart warming. My wife asked me why I was shedding a couple of tears when reading that chapter. I'll miss him as well, and I am a conservative by nature.

 

He loved this town. Thanks everyone for sharing. When i read these posts as happy as I am in Tampa, I miss Buffalo. That's why I hope to meet some of you guys when i take my boys up for another game this year. The first round of Labatt's are on me.