[LAMP!] Personal perspective on the Bills

[Chandler#81]

Most know me as an older than dirt Bills fan since their inception. I’m so old -‘How Old ARE You, Chandler?’- my granddaughter just got her Learners Permit?! I can recite most players throughout the teams’ history. Ditto for the Braves & that other team. My purchased jerseys are all throwbacks; Perrault, Hasek, Kemp, OJ, Jimbo, Bruuuuce, Thurman & Chandler#81. 

(Santa knows I want a custom Clippers MacAdoo throwback) 

 

Mostly, my unwavering fandom has reaped such ridiculously few rewards, it can be argued I’ve truly wasted a large portion of my life. This can not be effectively challenged, anyway. Yet, through the dearth of decades long futility, my foolish heart remains true. The highlights have been so rare, they can be rattled off in a few short sentences. Stealing Kemp from Sid Gilman’s waiver wire and the 1st AFL Playoff game vs Boston. A powerhouse was born. Back to Back to Back AFL Title Games with 2 wins! OJ/NFL Merger/A Playoff loss to Pittsburgh. Chuck Knox/Division Champs ‘80/WC ‘81. Strike!/Polian/USFL castoffs/Levy.

In Spring of ‘88, I made the single largest sports bet of my life; $500 the Bills would make the Playoffs that season. (Wife STILL doesn’t know..?) 11 games in brought the payday. This second powerhouse team reached 5 AFC Title games with Back to Back to Back to Back AFC Championships! -along with four other games.. ? A few more playoff years ensued with early outs, culminating with the Music City Debacle. 

 

Then, a generation of nothing. Just TWO powerhouses in 60 years?!

 

A steady montage of players & coaches which read like -well, toilet paper. RCW lived too long, frankly. Finally, new -if startlingly naive- ownership came aboard. A 1st year winning coach quit as a result and ushered in a 2 year circus. Abruptly, the clown show was dismissed (for cruelty to the mafia animals) and 2 unknowns hired to gut and rebuild the franchise -mostly to the horror of its fans. An other-worldly playoff in their 1st season didn’t deter the mission they sold the neophyte owners on. Through shrewd Drafting from the bevy of ‘name’ players traded coupled with the largest FA haul in team history, their new team has now won 13 of 16 games since this preseason began and sits on the precipice of another playoff season with true promise for their third powerhouse. Only those few who share my foolish addiction knew this though, as the team was rightfully placed in television purgatory from its insidious generation of ineptitude. This ALL changed quite recently with the quickly becoming legendary ‘Thanksgiving Day Beatdown in DTown’ League officials quickly huddled and Suddenly 4 straight games are being broadcast nationally, showcasing my lifelong albatross. 

 

Which brings us to today. Regardless of what actually transpires, lying directly ahead is the legitimate OPPORTUNITY and possibility for the Bills to win out and be the #1 Seed in the AFC, garnering a 1st Round Bye and Home Field through the Playoffs for the first time since my daughter (mother of driving grandgirl) was 9 years old!

 

Far more importantly, whether it’s this season or a near one, this HAS to be the time! Now well into my third, I don’t have another generation to wait. I’ve stood graveside by too many Bills fans who never realized our collective dream of an NFL Title. As such, I dutifully carry their hopes in the now famous phrase uttered by Tim Russert: “Please, God, before I die. Just one time!” 

Go Bills!

[CuseBill]

Amen to that brother!

[BringBackFergy]

Font size 24 used for emphasis (and because the old coot wants to see what he’s writing)

[Uncle Joe]

How much was your bet this Spring?
Does your wife know?

[CommonCents]

Wow. Nice job. You and KTD are raising expectations for the rest of us with your talents. 

 

Let’s GOOOO.

[Chandler#81]

8 minutes ago, BringBackFergy said:

Font size 24 used for emphasis (and because the old coot wants to see what he’s writing)

Prick! 

I typed this in Notes with a much smaller font than what copied over here. It doesn’t give me the option to reduce the font size. If one of you nerds know how on an OP, please share.

[H2o]

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Incomplete Topic title,  must reflect the content of the topic (and it must contain more than just a name). This helps to reduce the number of duplicate topics and makes the community much more user friendly.

 

Please edit the title so that it properly reflects the discussion that you started.

 

Thank you.

 

 

 

Just messing with you, great post and here's to the third powerhouse 

 

Edited December 5, 2019 by Buffalo Barbarian

[Dr. K]

Very similar to  my own story.

 

Which of us is older? I graduated from West Seneca High School in 1968.

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

2 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

Prick! 

I typed this in Notes with a much smaller font than what copied over here. It doesn’t give me the option to reduce the font size. If one of you nerds know how on an OP, please share.

 

When you Paste text -  a message prompt pops up

 

  Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

 

Click 

Paste as plain text instead

2 hours ago, BringBackFergy said:

Font size 24 used for emphasis (and because the old coot wants to see what he’s writing)

 

I'm sorry   what did you say? 

Edited December 5, 2019 by SlimShady'sGhost

[whatdrought]

Great post. I'm a much younger fan, having never seen those two powerhouses you mentioned, and I too feel the winds changing. 

 

I do have a question.... How is 9 regular season wins + 4 Pre-season wins =15 wins? What am i missing with that math?

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

I'm trying to not have a coronary thinking about it 

[Alphadawg7]

My friends still think I am crazy when I say we could win out.  I actually expect to win the NE, Pitt, and Jets games.  Baltimore is the big one obviously, and by far the most difficult.  

 

But I do think the #1 seed is obtainable.  I think KC beats NE for us, and I am confident we will also beat NE.  For me, it comes down to Baltimore (as I am sure it does for most).  But its in Buffalo and our defense has to try and defend Josh Allen in practice every week, and while he may not be as fast as Lamar, he is still very dangerous and more difficult to take down.  So I think our D is going to be more prepared than most teams are and I think our defensive staff is also smarter than most teams too.  Wont surprise me to see Baltimore score early on the first drive, like they did against SF and like Dallas did to us on Thanksgiving.  But I do have confidence in our ability to adjust and settle in like we also did against Dallas and other games this year after giving up a somewhat easy drive for a score to start the game.

 

Not saying we are a lock to beat Baltimore, it will be no easy feat...but I do think we can win this game and kind of think we will.  And if we do, then I think wining out becomes not only possible, but probable from that point on.  

Edited December 5, 2019 by Alphadawg7

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

^ That  X 10 

[HOUSE]

I hear you brother

[DrDawkinstein]

 

But seriously, great post. Very hyped for not only this Sunday, but the future of the team. Especially our boy, Josh.

 

GO BILLS!!

[Formerly Allan in MD]

52 minutes ago, BringBackFergy said:

Font size 24 used for emphasis (and because the old coot wants to see what he’s writing)

Someone needs help.  And it's not the old guy.

[billsfan1959]

47 minutes ago, Dr. K said:

Very similar to  my own story.

 

Which of us is older? I graduated from West Seneca High School in 1968.

 

Another WNY transplant to the Carolinas. Not quite as old as you, but not far behind either!

[BillnutinHouston]

Just clicked on my invoice for our playoff tickets!  Go Bills!

[billsfan1959]

1 hour ago, Chandler#81 said:

Which brings us to today. Regardless of what actually transpires, lying directly ahead is the legitimate OPPORTUNITY and possibility for the Bills to win out and be the #1 Seed in the AFC, garnering a 1st Round Bye and Home Field through the Playoffs for the first time since my daughter (mother of driving grandgirl) was 9 years old!

 

One of the best things about right now is sharing it with my son, who was too young to enjoy the success of the early nineties. Loving it - and I think there are some good years on the horizon.