How do you measure your devotion to this franchise?

[Bing Bong]

11 minutes ago, formerlyofCtown said:

We spend an awful lot of time arguing and verbally abusing one another on a Bills fan site to not be diehard fans.  The answer is how much time you are willing to put into it.  Are you willing to tell other fans you are a bills fan.  I know people who stopped liking the Bills because they have struggled for a long time to put it lightly.  Truth is they where never fans even if they did go to 30, 40, 50 games.  How big of a fan someone maybe is not measurable it is how important that team is to them.  How a loss makes them feel more so than how a win makes them feel.  Anyone who thinks money is a measurement of how big of a fan someone is also probably thinks that they can buy their way into heaven.  The one who the team has the larger effect on is the bigger fan.

Great post. I'll add in moderation as I've read some overzealous stories on this board alone and know too many an NFL fan to be emotionally consumed to the point of being a detriment to themselves.

 

I've never seen the Bills at their finest in my lifetime so I think a lot of likewise fans in my position are fans for life.. and if you're like me, growing up rooting for an 8-8 wildcard as an amazing feat, I think we're obviously emotionally invested as can reasonably be called for, but also have the naive perspective that anything disappointing in the season isn't to be emotionally destructive, but simply yet another set of 16 games that didn't pan out for optimism that the next is better. Basically the lows are not noteworthy but the highs are exceptionally exciting and I don't think that will go away.

 

I'd urge anyone to take positive results with the upmost appreciation and to not let the negative consume you. Make your fandom a one way street.. disappointment at worst  to apathy to exuberance at anything positive. I don't understand those who let bad years make them give up on the team (we see at least one goodbye post every year) or even worse let them affect to the point it's emotionally destructive. It's fandom, that's for damn sure, but it's not the kind of fandom I'd want anybody to have 

[macaroni]

2 hours ago, row_33 said:

There wasn’t an internet back then

 

it was black and white when you went to the game back then, colour wasn’t invented for outside 

 

 

Funny you should mention that … my memories of the early days going to games at the rockpile are in black and white … no kidding. I know they weren't, but for some crazy cockeyed reason THAT'S how I remember it.

[thurst44]

2 hours ago, DaBillsFanSince1973 said:

should of just said by years.

 

bandwagon fans jump off when things are not good. I'd say those bills fans that have hung on through the good, bad and the ugly, are certainly devoted.

 

it's why bills fans are right there at the top as far as devoted fans to their team go.

 

in my opinion of course.

This, however, I judge a bit. One of the things I love about Bills fans is as negative as we can be, and as many times as we say "I'm done with them," we stick by our team -- to a level most fanbases don't.

[formerlyofCtown]

2 minutes ago, BarkleyForGOATBackupPT5P said:

Great post. I'll add in moderation as I've read some overzealous stories on this board alone and know too many an NFL fan to be emotionally consumed to the point of being a detriment to themselves.

 

I've never seen the Bills at their finest in my lifetime so I think a lot of likewise fans in my position are fans for life.. and if you're like me, growing up rooting for an 8-8 wildcard as an amazing feat, I think we're obviously emotionally invested as can reasonably be called for, but also have the naive perspective that anything disappointing in the season isn't to be emotionally destructive, but simply yet another set of 16 games that didn't pan out for optimism that the next is better. Basically the lows are not noteworthy but the highs are exceptionally exciting and I don't think that will go away.

 

I'd urge anyone to take positive results with the upmost appreciation and to not let the negative consume you. Make your fandom a one way street.. disappointment at worst  to apathy to exuberance at anything positive. I don't understand those who let bad years make them give up on the team (we see at least one goodbye post every year) or even worse let them affect to the point it's emotionally destructive. It's fandom, that's for damn sure, but it's not the kind of fandom I'd want anybody to have 

I look a lot at individual player performance now days but they are beginning to play better as a team.  Hopefully that growth that has occurred over the last two years continues.

 

I was spoiled though I grew up watching a team full of HOF worthy players.  But this team is actually a big part of my life.  I live in SC so I cant go to all those games but I do go watch them every time they play the Panthers down here.  That doesn't necessarily mean I'm a bigger fan than the guy that doesn't go, going to a large sporting event may just not be their thing some people actually can.t handle that environment.

[Big Gun]

Been a fan since 1st grade when I seen OJ rip of a long run vs Raiders on a Monday night. I was hooked.

[Straight Hucklebuck]

There are degrees of fandom. I’m not as big of a fan as Pinto Ron. 

 

I’ve been a season ticket holder (x2), have watched plenty of games over the years, but over the past ten years my level of monetary involvement in the team has declined. 

 

The losing saps my interest in the team because I find the Bills media and fans perpetually finding ways to spin mediocre/poor results as progress and that bothers me. Chris Brown, John Murphy, the old 1991 legends being dragged out at normal intervals annoys me. 

 

 

 

 

[BillnutinHouston]

Had season tix living in Houston, to help keep the franchise here.  Now, live in Pittsburgh and kept my seasons.

 

I think spending (time + money) is a rough measure of fandom.

Edited December 30, 2018 by BillnutinHouston

[MJS]

There are certainly more rabid fans and fans who spend more money.

 

But at least I always root for the team to win. Plenty root for them to lose for better draft position.

[Mr. WEO]

From the pube bone...or it doesn't count.

Edited December 30, 2018 by Mr. WEO

[BringBackFergy]

How do I measure my fandom? TV sets

[EmotionallyUnstable]

Is the devotion of time more meaningul than money?

 

I would say 100% yes. 

[KD in CA]

The day I worry about measuring my devotion to the franchise is the day I quit cold turkey.

 

If someone wants to declare themselves a higher level of fan, they are welcome to it.

[The Bills Blog]

I think knowing the fine details of the roster is an important part.

[Dr.Sack]

Two surgeries & lots of blacked out late afternoons.

[CowgirlsFan]

8 hours ago, BarkleyForGOATBackupPT5P said:

I live in Texas so screw your friend haha. I can't afford it.

 

I have a box a Flutie flakes I promise to eat next time we make a Superbowl and that Stanley cup championship Bills banner I bought from China. Terry Pegs doesn't need my money. Those poor Chinese kids that messed up and made that hilariously incorrect poster need it more. They deserve more for that genius faux pas

The Bills play the Cowboys next year.

You should at least come to the Saturday night tailgate.

[billsfanmiami(oh)]

I live in Columbus, OH. I have 10 season tix in section 109. This week, a great friend’s dad passed away and services were deep in Mississippi. Since Thursday, I’ve drove 2000 miles, had to spend last night in Bowling Green, KY due to a flat tire, spent a couple hrs this afternoon at home with wife & 2 year old, and now I sit at my friends place in Buffalo ready to watch Kyle’s last game. I’ve done crazy ***** like this since way before I could actually afford it & make it even somewhat normal. I consider myself to be just your average Bills fan. 

[billsfanmiami(oh)]

9 hours ago, Gugny said:

 

Nope.  As long as you root for them to win, you're as big a fan as Pinto Ron.

 

 

I agree with you, but i kinda don’t in a way. (And I fully admit it’s all subjective / just semantics). 

 

I think you’re right in there’s no distinction in “how big” of a fan you are as long as you are active and rooting for wins each week. But I think there is also a difference between someone who just watches the game each week from the couch and someone who might invest 5X that amount of time and or money each week for years or decades.

 

I guess I just think of it as we’re all 4.0 students, and some just get the extra credit to go above 4.0. 

[PrimeTime101]

11 hours ago, DBilz2500 said:

I’ve missed 4 baptisms, 3 weddings, 2 funerals and a partridge in a pear tree all so I wouldn’t miss a Bills game. One or two were even just preseason games 

how about the 5 times you fell asleep?

Edited December 30, 2018 by PrimeTime101

[FearLess Price]

15 hours ago, DBilz2500 said:

I’ve missed 4 baptisms, 3 weddings, 2 funerals and a partridge in a pear tree all so I wouldn’t miss a Bills game. One or two were even just preseason games 

 

Lmao. I think im at the age where im just using the Bills as an excuse to not go do lame ***** i don't wanna do.

[longtimebillsfan]

It's an emotional tie to the team.  My family had season tickets since Rich stadium opened in 1973.  My wife and I moved to Las Vegas in 2001.  I kept the season tickets until 2011 when I could no longer sell them.  I believe I am as much of a fan now as I was when we were season ticket holders.

 

Fandom is not measured by $$$.  It is what is in your heart.  If you die a little every time the bills loose and your week is a little better whenever they win, you are a true fan.