Jauronimo Posted April 3, 2015 Posted April 3, 2015 When the Bills left Fredonia, they said how great the facilities were there, just like people are saying the facilities are great at SJF. There's another aspect to this that's being overlooked. Fredonia and the other towns in the southern tier are full of nice small bars. The players and coaches used to get together at the bars. There's only so much that can be done on the practice field, but real team bonding takes place when guys are hanging together with a cold beer in their hand. I haven't been to SJF but I don't believe the bar situation is nearly as good as around Fredonia. I'm guessing you've never left Fredonia. Players don't leave training camp, certainly not to drink. They make regular appearances at the Pittsford Pub and a handful of other local bars.
boyst Posted April 3, 2015 Posted April 3, 2015 I think it'd be awesome if they did some sort of promo where they do a night practice as a scrimmage at a local high school. Do it as a fundraiser for the school athletic league or start a booster program to support local high schools en masse. So more specifically. This year they have a scrimmage at Lockport HS on a Friday night and all proceeds go to a charity which supports safety and coaching training to support safety. They award the school the session by looking at graduation rates and academics. The highest GPA for student athletes? I think thatd be amazing. Fun. Let the players treat it like an old school high school game.
chris heff Posted April 3, 2015 Posted April 3, 2015 There are a lot of legendary stories out there about Jimbo and Company hitting the bars on a regular basis during the Fredonia days. Of course it was a different era and a different time, I'm not sure to what level players nowadays can get away with compared to back then but your naïve if you think players don't enjoy going out for a cold one or two on their own personal time just as much as the rest of us I remember seeing players at Mulligan's Beach Club back in the 1970s. I think it'd be awesome if they did some sort of promo where they do a night practice as a scrimmage at a local high school. Do it as a fundraiser for the school athletic league or start a booster program to support local high schools en masse. So more specifically. This year they have a scrimmage at Lockport HS on a Friday night and all proceeds go to a charity which supports safety and coaching training to support safety. They award the school the session by looking at graduation rates and academics. The highest GPA for student athletes? I think thatd be amazing. Fun. Let the players treat it like an old school high school game. Like the JV field at Canisuis High School, only 80 yards long.
3rdand12 Posted April 3, 2015 Posted April 3, 2015 (edited) Breweries are like Starbucks in VT - there's one on every corner! If you're at the opener, stop by Hammer's we'll have Toppers and much more... I have put my request in with Jay. And of course i will find my way to Hammered a Lot : ) I might need to take down a tree and some bushes, but they're welcome to use my back yard. It'll be a little cramped, but hey, I won't charge much. Of course now that the kids have moved out I have a few spare bedrooms. Maybe Rex and a couple coaches could crash here - and skip the travel time to and from a hotel. Yes. I can see how that would work out. Just need to talk to the wifey about it, but she'll probably think it's a swell idea. Good Woman right there !! I'm guessing you've never left Fredonia. They make regular appearances at the Pittsford Pub and a handful of other local bars. This is quite true . I think it'd be awesome if they did some sort of promo where they do a night practice as a scrimmage at a local high school. Do it as a fundraiser for the school athletic league or start a booster program to support local high schools en masse. So more specifically. This year they have a scrimmage at Lockport HS on a Friday night and all proceeds go to a charity which supports safety and coaching training to support safety. They award the school the session by looking at graduation rates and academics. The highest GPA for student athletes? I think thatd be amazing. Fun. Let the players treat it like an old school high school game. East Rochester has a very nice field ! limited capacity but right down the street from SJF. Night lights and all. Be a logistics nightmare , but how awesome for a small town such as ER. Very awesome idea. Use it as inspiration for the kids and staff Edited April 3, 2015 by 3rdand12
boyst Posted April 3, 2015 Posted April 3, 2015 My letter to the Bills It came up on the TwoBillsDrive.com forum. Ideas about whether SJF should be kept as the regular training facility. Well, it got my brain juices flowing... Pegula is all about Buffalo and WNY, like all of us native WNY'ers. For training camp, keep it at SJF - that part doesn't matter... But, every year pick a local high school and play the scrimmage there as a charity fundraiser for football safety programs or something like that for the community at large. This year Lockport, next year Niagara, next year Elmyra... so on. Let the players feel like they're back in high school, let the community come out and support the Bills. But, the best catch? The Bills will be wearing that schools jersey. So, this year they'd scrimmage at Lockport HS on a Friday night like a real game, wearing Lockport jerseys. Auction the jersey's off after the game, even. I know the Russ' are smart and Brandon is a marketing genius but I think he'd like this. I love this idea. I live in NC and think it'd be a hit here if the Panthers did it. There has to be programs that the Bills are involved with for WNY sports and safety that the proceeds could go to. I'd even try to make it up for something like that or get something from the game. If my tax returns are as good as they are supposed to be I will be buying my first season tickets this offseason, too. Can't wait, love coming to the opener! I mean, seriously, great idea. Say you played at Lancaster and wore number 94. How !@#$ing awesome would it be to buy Mario Williams scrimmage jersey - which is the Lancaster jersey just like you wore? How awesome would it be to the schools to then give any left over equipment to the school which hosted the event? Some helmets, some pads or cleats, etc? This is a great idea.
Bubba Gump Posted April 3, 2015 Posted April 3, 2015 East Rochester has a very nice field ! limited capacity but right down the street from SJF. Night lights and all. Be a logistics nightmare , but how awesome for a small town such as ER. Very awesome idea. Use it as inspiration for the kids and staff Before Fisher switched to turf (that the Bills paid for) they did practice at the ER field a few times due to field conditions at SJF. It was during the Bledsoe/Losman year. And I think it's hilarious people think the bar scene is better in Fredonia. What is the number of bars in the Rochester area up to now, five, six maybe?
Jauronimo Posted April 3, 2015 Posted April 3, 2015 Before Fisher switched to turf (that the Bills paid for) they did practice at the ER field a few times due to field conditions at SJF. It was during the Bledsoe/Losman year. And I think it's hilarious people think the bar scene is better in Fredonia. What is the number of bars in the Rochester area up to now, five, six maybe? Que?
3rdand12 Posted April 3, 2015 Posted April 3, 2015 (edited) Before Fisher switched to turf (that the Bills paid for) they did practice at the ER field a few times due to field conditions at SJF. It was during the Bledsoe/Losman year. And I think it's hilarious people think the bar scene is better in Fredonia. What is the number of bars in the Rochester area up to now, five, six maybe? ER has at least that many. and its population is very small. Pittsford has enough. Rochester is just ridiculous. Just pick your poison. billions of them BTW ER upgraded the field since then. it quite nice to look at when driving past. But i did not know that about Bills being there !! Edited April 3, 2015 by 3rdand12
The Real Buffalo Joe Posted April 3, 2015 Posted April 3, 2015 I'm guessing you've never left Fredonia. When I was 14 or so we took a trip down to Fredonia for the weekend. Met some of my mom's friends who lived halfway. We got a hotel because it was half way there. Just spent the weekend swimming and stuff in the middle of winter. Anyway, me and the other two kids got bored and asked if we could go se a movie. They dropped us off and we walked in. Everybody stopped, including the fat couple making out in the corner, to stare at the new people walking into their theater.
CountryCletus Posted April 4, 2015 Posted April 4, 2015 I like St. John Fisher- it's good for fans (except parking) and it works well for practices, but Fredonia would be WAY closer for me- so I'm being selfish...
Marv's Neighbor Posted April 4, 2015 Posted April 4, 2015 Since I graduated from Niagara U in '69, while the BILLS were still there, and OJ was a rookie, I'm partial to Niagara. However, if the location, in some twisted way makes a difference, I'm OK with whatever they decide.
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