How well was Kelly received here his first few years?

[corta765]

6 minutes ago, RobH063 said:

Someone mentioned how he's aged and looks like a regular Joe now. I'm sure the beating he took as a player, the worry and depression that was endured through the battle Hunter had and then the Cancer are the reasons. I look back on when he came to Buffalo fondly now but back then, I had mixed emotions. He was awesome as a Quarterback for most of his years and a Linebacker mentality for sure but as row_33 stated, he was a jerk. I mean, a really big jerk. Cocky, Arrogant, shouldering people out of the way to get to the bar kind of jerk. I remember being at a bar on the waterfront somewhere (The name escapes me) and he came in with former Bill and Co. Exec. Ed Rutkowski. I didn't see him coming and he gave me a shoulder spilling my drink all over my shirt. I was majorly P'd Off and started going after him. A bouncer grabbed me and told me to calm down or I was outta there. The best thing that could have happened because he likely would have pummeled me but Beer muscles were clouding my judgement. I left a short while later and hated him for a long time until by chance, I was snowmobiling and ran into him on the trails. By then, Hunter had been diagnosed and we both had matured, and he had become a much nicer person. I feel sorry for him in some ways now. I mean, yeah he has a lot of advantages that we will never have but I wouldn't wish the loss of a child or cancer on my worst enemy.

 

Well said. It's funny because I think outside of Buffalo most people just see Jim as a savior for team and city and as a great guy which he is now. But man if social media was around and the coverage is what it is now with how he use to be it would've been mayhem. Heck even the parties he had at his house with the team probably would've been criticized by people saying they didn't take the game seriously enough despite the fact it was acknowledged as a major comradely piece for the team.

Edited November 8, 2017 by corta765

[row_33]

14 minutes ago, RobH063 said:

Someone mentioned how he's aged and looks like a regular Joe now. I'm sure the beating he took as a player, the worry and depression that was endured through the battle Hunter had and then the Cancer are the reasons. I look back on when he came to Buffalo fondly now but back then, I had mixed emotions. He was awesome as a Quarterback for most of his years and a Linebacker mentality for sure but as row_33 stated, he was a jerk. I mean, a really big jerk. Cocky, Arrogant, shouldering people out of the way to get to the bar kind of jerk. I remember being at a bar on the waterfront somewhere (The name escapes me) and he came in with former Bill and Co. Exec. Ed Rutkowski. I didn't see him coming and he gave me a shoulder spilling my drink all over my shirt. I was majorly P'd Off and started going after him. A bouncer grabbed me and told me to calm down or I was outta there. The best thing that could have happened because he likely would have pummeled me but Beer muscles were clouding my judgement. I left a short while later and hated him for a long time until by chance, I was snowmobiling and ran into him on the trails. By then, Hunter had been diagnosed and we both had matured, and he had become a much nicer person. I feel sorry for him in some ways now. I mean, yeah he has a lot of advantages that we will never have but I wouldn't wish the loss of a child or cancer on my worst enemy.

 

His O-line provided little resistance and he ROUTINELY took a BRUTAL BEATING out there.

 

He was tough but it caught up to him and he declined very quickly but still was very good his last seasons.

 

[RobH063]

His last year was hard to watch though. Remember how he looked like a shell of his former self as a player? I mean he went from having a gunslinger really strong arm to a guy that struggled getting the ball to his receivers. It wasn't pretty.

[hondo in seattle]

Jim came to Buffalo with more fanfare and excitement than any other football player before or since - with the possible exception of OJ.  

 

It defied logic.  JK was just one player.  But many, many fans believed his arrival signaled the end of the Bills Dark Ages.  And they were right.  

[row_33]

10 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

Jim came to Buffalo with more fanfare and excitement than any other football player before or since - with the possible exception of OJ.  

 

It defied logic.  JK was just one player.  But many, many fans believed his arrival signaled the end of the Bills Dark Ages.  And they were right.  

 

We had to wait a few years for Jim to show up and then a few years for things to get rolling.

 

Would we accept waiting 5 years to build a peak Jim Kelly Era again?  If we started right now?

 

[hondo in seattle]

6 minutes ago, RobH063 said:

His last year was hard to watch though. Remember how he looked like a shell of his former self as a player? I mean he went from having a gunslinger really strong arm to a guy that struggled getting the ball to his receivers. It wasn't pretty.

I don't remember it that way at all.  When I heard the over-the-hill narrative back then I started counting how many bad balls Jim threw each game.  It wasn't many.   He was in decline, for sure, but still a talented QB. 

 

Unfortunately, the whole team was in decline and that compounded the production issues with the passing game.

[Gordio]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

He was treated like a god, but even gods get booed sometimes. More than a few callers on WGR suggested he be benched for backup QB Frank Reich. It's also probably a good thing the internet and social media weren't invented yet. 

 

Remember when Bill Polian said to Art Wander "Jim Kelly is our QB, Marv Levy is our coach & if you don't like it you could get out of town." 

 

Sport quotes were so much more interesting back then, when guys for the most part said what they felt like & didn't care how politically correct they were.

[cd1]

1 hour ago, row_33 said:

The first few seasons were a disaster as they stockpiled draft picks and got experience.

 

I don't recall anything great or bad about it.  He was basically a jerk though for his years here, which happens, he has become a much nicer person.

 

 

It is also important to keep in mind that Kelly WAS NO ROOKIE when he got here.

 

So, for all intents and purposes - It took years for Jim Kelly to become JIM KELLY!

[Gordio]

46 minutes ago, RobH063 said:

Someone mentioned how he's aged and looks like a regular Joe now. I'm sure the beating he took as a player, the worry and depression that was endured through the battle Hunter had and then the Cancer are the reasons. I look back on when he came to Buffalo fondly now but back then, I had mixed emotions. He was awesome as a Quarterback for most of his years and a Linebacker mentality for sure but as row_33 stated, he was a jerk. I mean, a really big jerk. Cocky, Arrogant, shouldering people out of the way to get to the bar kind of jerk. I remember being at a bar on the waterfront somewhere (The name escapes me) and he came in with former Bill and Co. Exec. Ed Rutkowski. I didn't see him coming and he gave me a shoulder spilling my drink all over my shirt. I was majorly P'd Off and started going after him. A bouncer grabbed me and told me to calm down or I was outta there. The best thing that could have happened because he likely would have pummeled me but Beer muscles were clouding my judgement. I left a short while later and hated him for a long time until by chance, I was snowmobiling and ran into him on the trails. By then, Hunter had been diagnosed and we both had matured, and he had become a much nicer person. I feel sorry for him in some ways now. I mean, yeah he has a lot of advantages that we will never have but I wouldn't wish the loss of a child or cancer on my worst enemy.

 

 

I met him twice & he was always really nice.  I met him the Monday after a game where he did not play well & he loss, it was his second year here.  It was at the galleria mall.  I ditched school that day & he was walking with 2 pretty hot girls, I was only 13 at the time.  The mall was pretty much empty, & they were walking right at me.  I said "good game Mr. Kelly, you played well."  He seemed surprised because he actually did stink that game.  He said come with me, took me into a sporting good store bought me a Kelly Jersey & signed.  Still have that jersey today.  I realize he had his off field troubles but he was favorite athlete of alltime.  Darryl Strawberry was a close second who actually I got to meet this past spring.   My friend who manages a card shop had him in for a signing & got me about 10 minutes with him before the signing.  Me & my son.  44 years old & I was like a kid in a candy store.  Could of talked to him all night.  I know how to pick my idols don't I?  Haha.

Edited November 8, 2017 by Gordio

[row_33]

15 minutes ago, cd1 said:

 

It is also important to keep in mind that Kelly WAS NO ROOKIE when he got here.

 

So, for all intents and purposes - It took years for Jim Kelly to become JIM KELLY!

 

Yup, so the Bills should start grooming a college great right now.... 

 

 

[ohboychoboy]

It wasn't always sunshine and rainbows.  Yes, JK was treated like royalty when he strolled into town after his stint with the Houston Gamblers.  But after coming off an appearance in the AFC Championship game in '88 when they lost to the Bengals, big things were predicted for the Bills in '89.  And when things didn't go exactly as planned, the local fanbase started getting surly, and there were indeed calls for Frank Reich.  Although during the preseason Reich was persona non grata as well, as everyone demanded that 3rd stringer Stan Gelbaugh should be promoted to #2.  Things got so bad at one point that it led to the infamous Bill Polian press conference where he angrily shouted "Jim Kelly is still our quarterback, Marv Levy is the coach, and everyone else can get out of town!!!!"

[RobH063]

Gordio, as a big Mets fan, I'm jealous LOL

[Gordio]

20 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

I don't remember it that way at all.  When I heard the over-the-hill narrative back then I started counting how many bad balls Jim threw each game.  It wasn't many.   He was in decline, for sure, but still a talented QB. 

 

Unfortunately, the whole team was in decline and that compounded the production issues with the passing game.

 

 

I remember a game sunday night at San Fran, Theisman started talking about he watched Kelly warm up & said he couldn't make that 15 yard out throw anymore & wondered if something was wrong with his arm.  Kelly took a beating much more than Marino/Elway etc...& his arm was shot by the end, he could barely move around. 

[row_33]

8 minutes ago, ohboychoboy said:

It wasn't always sunshine and rainbows.  Yes, JK was treated like royalty when he strolled into town after his stint with the Houston Gamblers.  But after coming off an appearance in the AFC Championship game in '88 when they lost to the Bengals, big things were predicted for the Bills in '89.  And when things didn't go exactly as planned, the local fanbase started getting surly, and there were indeed calls for Frank Reich.  Although during the preseason Reich was persona non grata as well, as everyone demanded that 3rd stringer Stan Gelbaugh should be promoted to #2.  Things got so bad at one point that it led to the infamous Bill Polian press conference where he angrily shouted "Jim Kelly is still our quarterback, Marv Levy is the coach, and everyone else can get out of town!!!!"

 

Jim put the ball right in that (he whom I refuse to name)'s hands in Cleveland and that bozo dropped it.  That was 100% of the failure of 1989...

 

Here...

 

 

 

[Gordio]

6 minutes ago, RobH063 said:

Gordio, as a big Mets fan, I'm jealous LOL

 

 

Yeah, we got in the car(my son is 13 & is a huge Mets fan too) & he said "man that dude had some big nostrils"  I said "yeah that is what happens when you do blow for a couple decades." & we both started cracking up.  He was really cool guy though, talked about the 86 season a ton, he said that was his favorite time ever for playing baseball, said it was so much fun that year.  That is still my favorite team of all time.

Edited November 8, 2017 by Gordio

[row_33]

2 hours ago, DaBillsFanSince1973 said:

 

 

known as the linebacker of QBs, one tough s.o.b.

 

Leonard Smith played that hard all the time as well.  That's the only two of that era I would name.

 

[RobH063]

23 minutes ago, row_33 said:

 

We had to wait a few years for Jim to show up and then a few years for things to get rolling.

 

Would we accept waiting 5 years to build a peak Jim Kelly Era again?  If we started right now?

 

No way! Fans today won't accept waiting 5 games, let alone waiting 5 years! We live in a society where Patience is non existent, Couth is a word most people have never heard of (including my spell check program) and Pride has been replaced with entitlement.

1 minute ago, Gordio said:

 

 

Yeah, we got in the car(my son is 13 & is a huge Mets fan too) & he said "man that dude had some big nostrils"  I said "yeah that is what happens when you do blow for a couple decades." & we both started cracking up.  He was really cool guy though, talked about the 86 season a ton, he said that was his favorite time ever for playing baseball, said it was so much fun that year.

HAHAHAHAHAHA this is off topic but I remember watching a game one time back then and they showed the dugout. Keith Hernandez (another coke head) was smoking a cigarette. It was a different time back then.

[plenzmd1]

55 minutes ago, RobH063 said:

I mean, a really big jerk. Cocky, Arrogant, shouldering people out of the way to get to the bar kind of jerk. I remember being at a bar on the waterfront somewhere (The name escapes me)

1

Had to be Crawdaddies right? And I was just out of school and living in Buffalo back then, Williamsville to be exact. Jim and crew would often come into he Piece Arrow and party like rock stars. And act like the Ahole rock stars. Always figured it was just us getting cranky cause they walked in, any chance we had of getting attention from any of the hot chicks went right out the window!

5 minutes ago, row_33 said:

 

Jim put the ball right in that (he whom I refuse to name)'s hands in Cleveland and that bozo dropped it.  That was 100% of the failure of 1989...

 

Here...

 

 

 

Pretty sure Ronnie was going to get a bullet in his head if he caught that ball

[row_33]

2 hours ago, DaBillsFanSince1973 said:

 

 

known as the linebacker of QBs, one tough s.o.b.

 

Leonard Smith played that hard all the time as well.  That's the only two of that era I would name.

 

[Charles Romes]

His first few years he would call out in the press certain players especially in the offensive line.  Did not go over that well in the media, but teammates as a whole began to play better as soon as he told them they had to.