Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Bills Fans

[teef]

13 hours ago, PeterDude said:

 

How do you know that?

My plan is to beat them until they turn out how I want. I read a book on it. It was a short book. 

[oldmanfan]

To the OP:

 

I am 62 years old, and sat at the Rockpile opening day 1960.  So I have seen the ups and downs just as you have.  The difference between you and I is to seem to actually want to wallow in misery, and I don't.  You continually and mistakenly lump together the current regime and the past regimes.  Your take on the Pegulas not caring about winning and just about money is over the top and just stale by now.

 

If you're miserable about the team, then don't root for them.   But rather than do that, you seem to have made it your mission to try and bring other fans down to your level.  I do not now nor will I ever understand that mentality.  As for your parents doing you a disservice, I am glad my dad took me to that first game.  It has given me the opportunity to root for my hometown team for 58 years now. And I have a 23 year old daughter, not born in WNY, who I have raised as a Bills fan and she is as loyal a Bills backer as anyone I know.  And I'm proud of that.

[DKBills25]

Hey man I feel you 

I’m not gonna lie  I’m a die hard like you

and when the bills lose

 it affects my day 

but I have a good feeling that sooner then later we will be a great team that will make all the suffering worth it 

trust ?

[JoeF]

SoTier, I empathize with you my Bills brother.  It's tough to be so vested in an entity that through its history has not returned the love you have shown. 

 

Other folks have alluded to this, but to me, the Bills and Sabres are my representation of Buffalo.  No matter where I go in life (we moved when I was 10 and I am now 58), Buffalo will always be my hometown.  Buffalo's image of a hardscrabble, work-hard, play-hard town will always be my foundation.  The City of Good Neighbors will represent who I am.  There are just a few places in the NFL where the team represents the soul of the community -- Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Buffalo, Cleveland -- we should be proud to be on that list. 

 

This is such a gift, I couldn't help but pass it on to my kids.  When we go back to Buffalo for our yearly trip (as we will this weekend) it's about showing the kids (ranging in age from 5-24--yes 58 with a 5-year-old) what a community with heart, personality, and soul looks like and is about.  Even in these last 5 decades of economic pain and slight re-birth, Buffalo has not lost this image.  Hundreds of people showed up on early New Year's Morning in zero-degree weather to celebrate a team that made the playoffs--you need no greater evidence than this.

 

I guess I have mentally disconnected my fandom from being a consistent winner.  My fandom is about my hometown and cheering for the team that represents that hometown like no other entity.

 

 

Last thing...I know a lot of folks are down this year and frankly, the Bills suck...but we have so many reasons to be optimistic about the future..huge cap space, a young QB on a rookie deal..a leadership team in which I personally have faith... Remember Polian's first years with the team were 2-14 and 4-12.....in today's world we would have been calling Bill Polian an idiot and calling for Marv's scalp on the Internets...

[MikeSpeed]

I was watching the game and my wife was reading a book. When the game was over she said "Are you going to be all depressed now?" I said "Nope. I just got 3 hours of doing what I like on Sundays. The Bills can certainly put me in a better mood when they win, but the only way they would make me depressed is to not be able to watch them at all."

[teef]

17 minutes ago, JoeF said:

SoTier, I empathize with you my Bills brother.  It's tough to be so vested in an entity that through its history has not returned the love you have shown. 

 

Other folks have alluded to this, but to me, the Bills and Sabres are my representation of Buffalo.  No matter where I go in life (we moved when I was 10 and I am now 58), Buffalo will always be my hometown.  Buffalo's image of a hardscrabble, work-hard, play-hard town will always be my foundation.  The City of Good Neighbors will represent who I am.  There are just a few places in the NFL where the team represents the soul of the community -- Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Buffalo, Cleveland -- we should be proud to be on that list. 

 

This is such a gift, I couldn't help but pass it on to my kids.  When we go back to Buffalo for our yearly trip (as we will this weekend) it's about showing the kids (ranging in age from 5-24--yes 58 with a 5-year-old) what a community with heart, personality, and soul looks like and is about.  Even in these last 5 decades of economic pain and slight re-birth, Buffalo has not lost this image.  Hundreds of people showed up on early New Year's Morning in zero-degree weather to celebrate a team that made the playoffs--you need no greater evidence than this.

 

I guess I have mentally disconnected my fandom from being a consistent winner.  My fandom is about my hometown and cheering for the team that represents that hometown like no other entity.

 

 

Last thing...I know a lot of folks are down this year and frankly, the Bills suck...but we have so many reasons to be optimistic about the future..huge cap space, a young QB on a rookie deal..a leadership team in which I personally have faith... Remember Polian's first years with the team were 2-14 and 4-12.....in today's world we would have been calling Bill Polian an idiot and calling for Marv's scalp on the Internets...

this really is a great post joe, and god bless you for the bolded.

[PeterDude]

54 minutes ago, teef said:

My plan is to beat them until they turn out how I want. I read a book on it. It was a short book. 

 

That makes sense.

[timekills17]

1 hour ago, teef said:

My plan is to beat them until they turn out how I want. I read a book on it. It was a short book. 

 

That’s why I had four; two of each. Two are Bills fans, two picked their own teams. It’s my own social psychology experiment on nature vs nuture. 

 

So far the two “pick your own” are graduating early from college magna cum laude and the other is #2 in high school class. The Bills fans...well they’re more fun on Sundays because they’re not exactly worried about school. They just trust the process. 

Edited October 3, 2018 by timekills17

[teef]

22 minutes ago, timekills17 said:

 

That’s why I had four; two of each. Two are Bills fans, two picked their own teams. It’s my own social psychology experiment on nature vs nuture. 

 

So far the two “pick your own” are graduating early from college magna cum laude and the other is #2 in high school class. The Bills fans...well they’re more fun on Sundays because they’re not exactly worried about school. They just trust the process. 

this is awesome.  

[Dan]

2 hours ago, JoeF said:

SoTier, I empathize with you my Bills brother.  It's tough to be so vested in an entity that through its history has not returned the love you have shown. 

 

Other folks have alluded to this, but to me, the Bills and Sabres are my representation of Buffalo.  No matter where I go in life (we moved when I was 10 and I am now 58), Buffalo will always be my hometown.  Buffalo's image of a hardscrabble, work-hard, play-hard town will always be my foundation.  The City of Good Neighbors will represent who I am.  There are just a few places in the NFL where the team represents the soul of the community -- Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Buffalo, Cleveland -- we should be proud to be on that list. 

 

This is such a gift, I couldn't help but pass it on to my kids.  When we go back to Buffalo for our yearly trip (as we will this weekend) it's about showing the kids (ranging in age from 5-24--yes 58 with a 5-year-old) what a community with heart, personality, and soul looks like and is about.  Even in these last 5 decades of economic pain and slight re-birth, Buffalo has not lost this image.  Hundreds of people showed up on early New Year's Morning in zero-degree weather to celebrate a team that made the playoffs--you need no greater evidence than this.

 

I guess I have mentally disconnected my fandom from being a consistent winner.  My fandom is about my hometown and cheering for the team that represents that hometown like no other entity.

 

 

Last thing...I know a lot of folks are down this year and frankly, the Bills suck...but we have so many reasons to be optimistic about the future..huge cap space, a young QB on a rookie deal..a leadership team in which I personally have faith... Remember Polian's first years with the team were 2-14 and 4-12.....in today's world we would have been calling Bill Polian an idiot and calling for Marv's scalp on the Internets...

Excellent post.  And sums up the key emotion to how I see the Bills.  They are so much more than a football team.  They represent the town my parents grew up in (i was born elsewhere).  They represent my family, my roots. Most of my extended family still live in Buffalo, and when I cheer for the Bills, I'm cheering for them.   My family, the City, and this team are entertwined.  

 

However, I disagree with your closing statement.  I see no reason to be optimistic.  McBeane have shown to be no better at building a team or developing a young QB than any past regime.  In fact, I could argue they're sooooo much worse than many of them.  But, perhaps they'll get lucky.  Either way, it doesn't change the fact that the Bills are still here and still my team.   I hope they win.  I hope they get it right this time.  But, I have no expectations that they will.  And all indications are that they're gonna be preaching some new catch phrase in 2 years when the current process has failed to guarantee a baby.  

 

And yet we'll still be here...   Go Bills!

[blacklabel]

20 hours ago, teef said:

 

jesus.  people need to reflect on what really is important in life.  i'm 41 now.  if i'm 68 and let the bills bother me this much, i'm killing myself.

 

Yep. And if I'm too old and crippled, at least just get my wheelchair riding ass up on a ledge and lemme take care of the rest.

[Fan in San Diego]

22 hours ago, thenorthremembers said:

 

So wait, you dont watch the team's games because of your very active personal life, however you find time to visit a Bills specific message-board to discuss a team you dont watch?  

 

 

Yes, at work I can sneak a few minutes to keep up with things. I used to be very active on this site, used to watch all the games like a fanatic fan. I have mellowed way out with time.

[thenorthremembers]

Just now, Fan in San Diego said:

Yes, at work I can sneak a few minutes to keep up with things. I used to be very active on this site, used to watch all the games like a fanatic fan. I have mellowed way out with time.

Makes sense.  I too am starting my mellow.   Love the Bills, enjoy this site, but becoming less emotional about the games with time. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 minutes ago, thenorthremembers said:

Makes sense.  I too am starting my mellow.   Love the Bills, enjoy this site, but becoming less emotional about the games with time. 

 

I can literally remember having an adrenaline rush and shaking with nerves during the 4 Superbowls. 

 

I'm still a Bills fan, but No more.

[Like A Mofo]

There were years and games where it would get to me so much I would be enraged for awhile: There are some quick moments of frustration and whatnot when it comes to the Buffalo Bills, and after awhile I say don't get this get you THAT upset, it's not good for your health.

 

Here is how a typical Sunday goes for me when it comes to the Bills here in California:

 

1. Drive to the Bills Backers club, get there by 930am: Greeted at the door by other Bills fans, hey how are you, how is the family, how are things. So what do you think today, you think about our chances today?. Sit down, usually in same seat. Order breakfast and a coffee. Get ready for the games at 10am. Talk with now who I call friends that I have made as a result of watching our Bills together on Sundays for years.

 

2. We all cheer, get frustrated at a fumble, or bad call. Sometimes we laugh when they are so bad, sometimes we cheer so loud when it goes well it feels great. I look around the place and there are Bills fans everywhere, enjoying a nice Sunday mid to late morning, watching a football game, plenty of food, maybe some beer.

 

Folks, these are what I call blessings, even if you are not religious. We are able to enjoy a Sunday watching a sport with food and drink and hopefully for all of us, good health. These are things that we should enjoy. Even enjoy getting upset over a loss, but get back up, dust yourself off, and get a little hopeful for the next game. 

 

Our resiliency is what makes the Buffalo sports fan so special.

 

We are all in this together. We all want to see the Bills succeed. The Buffalo Bills are more then a football team for me, and I am sure for almost all of you as well.  Enjoy it.

 

 

Edited October 3, 2018 by Like A Mofo

[thenorthremembers]

8 minutes ago, Like A Mofo said:

There were years and games where it would get to me so much I would be enraged for awhile: There are some quick moments of frustration and whatnot when it comes to the Buffalo Bills, and after awhile I say don't get this get you THAT upset, it's not good for your health.

 

Here is how a typical Sunday goes for me when it comes to the Bills here in California:

 

1. Drive to the Bills Backers club, get there by 930am: Greeted at the door by other Bills fans, hey how are you, how is the family, how are things. So what do you think today, you think about our chances today?. Sit down, usually in same seat. Order breakfast and a coffee. Get ready for the games at 10am. Talk with now who I call friends that I have made as a result of watching our Bills together on Sundays for years.

 

2. We all cheer, get frustrated at a fumble, or bad call. Sometimes we laugh when they are so bad, sometimes we cheer so loud when it goes well it feels great. I look around the place and there are Bills fans everywhere, enjoying a nice Sunday mid to late morning, watching a football game, plenty of food, maybe some beer.

 

Folks, these are what I call blessings, even if you are not religious. We are able to enjoy a Sunday watching a sport with food and drink and hopefully for all of us, good health. These are things that we should enjoy. Even enjoy getting upset over a loss, but get back up, dust yourself off, and get a little hopeful for the next game. 

 

Our resiliency is what makes the Buffalo sports fan so special.

 

We are all in this together. We all want to see the Bills succeed. The Buffalo Bills are more then a football team for me, and I am sure for almost all of you as well.  Enjoy it.

 

 

Great great post.  Life is way too short not to find enjoyment in the little things.

[sleeby]

Three years ago, rex year 1 I think, my son was 8 years old and was watching the game next to me.  He had really gotten into football that fall and was watching way more games than I cared to.  I turned and saw he was crying.  He saw me and bawled "do I have to be a Bills fan?"  Ha.  I let him root for an NFC team (seahawks to date) but told him simply "yes, son.  It's what we do."  Lol.  True stuff.

 

OP said he was age 13.  That makes perfect sense to me.  Those who make it to middle school, when grades have real letters and not just stock qoute sweet nothings from a teacher, without caring about the Bills will soon be indoctrinated via brainwashing.

 

I was into baseball and not much for football in elementary.  Then the grades were real. "Please, please let the bills win this weekend!  Report cards are being mailed in a few days."  It's a fact.  I doubt I'm alone here.  

 

Meh, builds character - something cowboys fans know nothing about!  So, we got that at least.

[JoeF]

5 hours ago, teef said:

this really is a great post joe, and god bless you for the bolded.

He and his mom are the light of my life teef...I am truly the one who is blessed.  Sunday will be his third game at New Era.  He loves it.  He has asked if he has to cheer for the Bills forever...His mom, a die-hard 49ers fan, has said "no" but he continues to persevere.