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When we clinch a playoff spot...


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If it is a home game, and I pray it is, do fans storm the field?

 

I was too young at the time to appreciate the stories I've heard of fans carrying the field goal post up to Ralph's box.

 

I would love to hear stories from people who were at that game.

Edited by Hot Buffalo Wings
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Storming the field for a lousy playoff berth? -Be kind of embarassing, but I wouldn't put it past pumped-up fans.... Winning the AFC, and going to a superbowl after 22 years, now THAT would be a stormable event.

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We stormed the field in 1988 just for winning the division, and that was only 8 years since last winning the division, and 7 years since being in the playoffs.

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Hell, fans stormed the field after the 1980 opener against the Fins, ending a full decade of losses against them.

 

We might burn some cars in the parking lot if we clinch a berth at home.

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Pre-meditated storming the field or court is just wrong. Let it happen organically. In the right mixture of emotion and alcohol (emphasis on the alcohol) sometimes things just happen and its f@$#ing special. But you god-damned millenials have turned once recklessly proud traditions into Hallmark, plastic wrapped, single serving bastardizations of our finest moments. Organized campaigns to storm the field are just perverse. I know your generation grew up with mandated play dates where you were bubble wrapped and braided each others hair for exactly 45 minutes under constant supervision but REAL life isn't scripted. No one plans to dizzybat face-plant into a bus, or get caught fornicating between two Chevelles, or get recorded blasting lines off a chunky girls lap in the 300 section but when you're open minded, in the moment and fantastically drunk, sometimes the magic finds you.

http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/183632-cart-way-ahead-of-the-horse-but/page-2?do=findComment&comment=3802472

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If it is a home game, and I pray it is, do fans storm the field?

 

I was too young at the time to appreciate the stories I've heard of fans carrying the field goal post up to Ralph's box.

 

I would love to hear stories from people who were at that game.

Being the fact we are Bills fans, and we havent sniffed the playoffs in 15 years, yeah I wouldnt be surprised, hell yeah storm that shitttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt!!!!

Edited by Marty McFly
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I'm with you. I'd be embarrassed if we stormed the field over a playoff berth. I am perfectly okay with chaos for a Super Bowl victory.

I don't see it as being embarrassing. I see it as proof of how strong the fan base is. Its been a long time and we all know it. We also know that nobody wants it more.
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Bills fans tore down the goal posts three times that I can recall.

 

First, after the 1980 home opening win against the Miami Dolphins. Let's not forget that the Buffalo Bills didn't win a game against Don Shula's Dolphins the entire decade of the 70's!! That game snapped a 20 game losing streak!

I'd say that was a pretty big reason for doing that.

 

The second time came against the NY Jets in 1988 and we won that game in week 12, in a torrential downpour 9-6, in Overtime with Fred Smerlas blocking a Jets FG! The Bills only had 120 yards of total offense and the other hero of the day was RB Rob Riddick who rushed 18 times for 103 yards. That week 12 win set an NFL record for earliest winning the division win at 11-1 and clinched a playoff spot to boot.

 

I still have the posters for that win, with both in a frame. One with a picture of the Buffalo news front page of the fans tearing down the goal posts and the next was a poster called FAN-DEMONIUM with a picture of the fans also tearing down the goal posts.

 

Let's also not forget that the Buffalo Bills were coming off back to back 2-14 seasons in 84-85 and had 4-12 in 86, then 7-8 in 87. So there was a reason for the fans madness. That year the Bills went all the way to the AFC championship game against the Bengals in Cincy.

 

 

The last time was in 1990 for the week 16 win over the Miami Dolphins 24-14 to win the division over the Dolphins. The Bills were 13-2 and the Dolphins were 11-4 at that time.

 

 

 

Some great times back then.

Edited by Nihilarian
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HBW- your original question was about that day when "By a Nose" Fred Smerlas (that was the title of his book about his time with the Bills) blocked that field goal from the Jets, and Norwood kicked the game winning field goal.

 

It was a great weekend. I was in college at SUNY Oswego. I brought 8 of my college friends, mostly Jets fans to the game. Add that to 6 of my high school St. Francis friends and needless to say it was a serious party for the weekend. We met the night before about 30 Gamma guys ( our rival fraternity from Oswego ) at PJ Bottoms and ended up in a brawl with the UB Rugby team. It was fine as no one was really hurt, just a war story. Chili dogs at 4 am, am and three hours later we were partying at one of the lots, probably Hammers by 8:30 am.

 

The game was so much fun and the beginning of the end of us being bad. We were good during Chuck Knox years in 80-81, but sucked until 88. I can honestly say, I was the third guy on the goal post for all of a minute before someone tried to climb up me and I flew off the goal post into the crowd. We hit the field fast as we were in end zone seats. At first, it was fun as we were on the side of the tunnel and padding on the shoulder pads guys like Wolfird, and Ritcher. After I flew off the goal post the crowd was so nuts people fell on each other, and was crazy.

 

I remember after getting away from the mob just watching people taking parts of the post and tossing it over the top of the third level.

 

Thinking back now as a dad, it was dangerous and stupid, but was truly the end of us being bad, and we went on a 13 year run of making it to the playoffs most years from the Kelly years to a short run with Flutie and that amazing defense.

 

I know it would look silly of we stormed the stadium if we clinched the playoffs, but I also remember feeling like we were starting something back then, and it was true. It felt so good to be a winner again. Anyway, HBW, that was my memory of fandemonium. Thank god I survived college and will never tell that story to my sons.

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