Any other Long Suffering Bills fans just feel great about sticking with the team?

[billsfan89]

I starting being a Bills fan in 2001 as I was just starting to really get into the NFL and the Bills were a bad team I felt was an underdog and I could get into without being a "bandwagon" fan. 

 

Little did I know I was in for a lot of suffering. The TD era from 2002-2005 was a lot of up and down. Some quality free agent adds but poor drafting led to some up and down seasons where they were far too capped out to add the 2-3 pieces of talent they needed to get into the playoffs. But I felt like they could rebuild and compete in the near future after the wheels came off in 2005.

 

Then came the Jauron era which was poor free agency and poor drafting combined with cheap ownership (sorry Ralph the team wouldn't exist without you but he did not invest in the team.) Boneheaded decisions mixed with self imposed handicaps. That was another 4 years down the drain with a mediocre coach and a mediocre team. 

 

Then came the Chan era and I was honestly bottomed out at that point. The Bills had spent 4 years with a tired retread in Jauron and they hired another third tier retreat in Chan. And although I liked what Chan did with the offense it was just an era where you knew they weren't building to anything more than mediocrity with a cheap owner and a uninspiring coaching staff. 

 

But I stuck with my beloved Bills and then came the ups and downs of the Marrone and Rex eras where the ups and downs continued. They had talent but were never well coached and always had to cap themselves out to get into a position to be competitive but couldn't draft consistently to build up their talent base in a somewhat sustainable manner. 

 

But Pegula kept investing in the team and finally found someone that was going to rebuild the team the right way while also having the off the field investments. McD surprised and surpassed my expectations in 2017 making the playoffs and ending the drought. Finally lifting that dark cloud from the franchise. But they continued their rebuild in 2018 taking a step back to build a long term winner. 

 

Finally in 2019 they do what we all wanted them to do and rebuilt the O-line, they added a lot of skill position players around a young QB (giving a QB a chance) they added and retained their defensive talent which was already good. And now you have a 10 win team that has 2 games left to play and a chance at their division. I know nothing is guaranteed but it just feels good to be a Bills fan for once. 

 

I never got to enjoy the success of the 1990's (either the Super Bowl runs of the beginning of the decade or the solid competitive teams of the late 90's.) I know a lot of fans that came into watching the team post 2000 probably feel the same way as me. 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

When Josh threw the TD pass to Kroft, I jumped off the couch and yelled "MY FAITH HAS BEEN REWARDED!"

 

So yeah, I'm glad I stuck with it. There was a point in Tuhrod's second season where I briefly considered jumping ship. But I'm glad I held out.

 

[thenorthremembers]

I am beyond happy about the season but not being a Bills fan was never an option. 

[0017]

I’m happiest for my 10 year old son who lives and dies with every win or loss, he’s been a bills fan since he was born but really got into the games at about 6 years old and he cried a lot back then. I even had friends saying they were going to report me to CPS for making him a bills fan? But now it’s all paying off and he can’t contain his happiness, we live in Northern California and there is a lot of niner fans around, but he wears all his bills gear to school everyday (has a bills lunchbox!) now he wears it with pride! It’s really freaking awesome!!!!! 

[longtimebillsfan]

My first memories of the Bills go back to the 1963 season.  I have been around a long time, and never even considered not being a Bills fan.

 

During the 21st century it has been so difficult to accept the consistently bad teams that this organization has put on the field.

 

New ownership, new gm, new coach...It is great to be a Bills fan again.

 

We are relevant!

 

[Buffalo716]

As a Buffalonian I could never bail on my buffalo bills

[BillsFanSD]

I've been a fan since the late 80s, when I was in high school.  Admittedly, I had a few "Why am I doing this to myself?" moments during the drought, but bailing out completely was never really an option for me.  I did make a decision to boycott Bills merch after they brought back Dick Jauron after the 2008 season, but that was the closest I ever came to turning my back on the team.  

 

Strangely, it was almost worth going through the drought to fully savor what we have now.  I literally cried in 2017 when the clock hit zero in the Cincinnati-Baltimore game and we ended the drought.  I absolutely love the team that Beane and McDermott have built.  Part of me wonders whether fans of regularly-successful teams like Pittsburgh (for example) really appreciate any of this sort of thing.

[NickelCity]

Not being a fan never crossed my mind. But it was not enjoyable for awhile.

[H2o]

I don't understand how people change teams, unless you're a kid. Their minds are all over the place. But once you get to be about 13 or 14, it's almost blasphemous imo. I have players that I have liked on other teams and rooted for the individual, but the Bills have and always will be my team whether winning, losing, or perpetually 7-9. The lows of fandom in any sport make you relish the high's. I can't wait to watch all of the Pats fans jump ship once their years of suck ensue and the stadium begins to be half empty. 

[klos63]

Never considered not being a fan of the team. I lived through some pretty crappy years in the 70's and 80's. I'm used to this.

[NewEra]

Breathing and a bills fan for 45 years.  I feel like it’s part of me.  Never really a choice.  Not something I can “quit”.  

[JMF2006]

My low point was when they hired Wrex.

 

I called my ticket rep and tried to cancel right then he wouldn't let me so I cancelled the next year.

 

He said are you out of your mind besides losing your seniority Wrex is just what this team needs.

 

I laughed and said when he gets fired after 2 or three years I will be back.

 

I just knew McD and Beane were the right guys at the right time and from the depths of despair rose renewed hope

 

That POS Wrex cost me 15yrs of seniority  

[Nextmanup]

You started in 2001?  Not sure that qualifies as long suffering! 

 

My fandom goes back to the 1970s, but no, I don't feel great about sticking with the team! 

 

That suggests switching teams or abandoning the Bills was some type of option, and I have never thought of it that way, nor could I.

 

I'm a Bills fan until I'm dead, in good times and bad.

 

 

Edited December 16, 2019 by Nextmanup

[billsfan89]

1 minute ago, Nextmanup said:

You started in 2001?  Not sure that qualifies as long suffering! 

 

My fandom goes back to the 1970s, but no, I don't feel great about sticking with the team! 

 

That suggests switching teams or abandoning the Bills was some type of option, and I have never thought of that way, nor could I.

 

I'm a Bills fan until I'm dead, in good times and bad.

 

 

 

At least you got to see a great run for a little over a decade. for 18 years I didn't see a 10 win season. I never thought of switching teams, but rather during the Chan years I just simply accepted that this team would never be good. 

Edited December 16, 2019 by billsfan89

[Fan in San Diego]

I started becoming a Bills fan in the late 60's early 70's . I was  just a little kid back then.

[Canadian Bills Fan]

37 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

When Josh threw the TD pass to Kroft, I jumped off the couch and yelled "MY FAITH HAS BEEN REWARDED!"

 

 

I jumped off my couch and yelled "suck it Collinsworth!"

[ShakAttack]

I stick with this team every single season, but there have been several seasons in which I didn’t want to, but fortunately (I can say that now) there was not a damn thing I could do about it; my Bills obsession was too deep.

 

Cool little side note:   My only son was born on 1/11/2017, the day the Bills hired Sean Mcdermott . 

[billsfan89]

38 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

When Josh threw the TD pass to Kroft, I jumped off the couch and yelled "MY FAITH HAS BEEN REWARDED!"

 

So yeah, I'm glad I stuck with it. There was a point in Tuhrod's second season where I briefly considered jumping ship. But I'm glad I held out.

 

 

I don't know how you could look at the Tyrod years and think of jumping ship. Compared to the JP Losman, Fitz, Trent Edwards, and post 2002 first half Bledsoe Tyrod was the best QB of the bunch and had produced a winning record. I get not liking Tyrod but he was far from the bottom of the pack. 

[rayray808]

fell in love with them when I would use Kelly/Thurman/Bruce Smith in Tecmo Bowl... love them now - this team is going places and Josh Allen will continue to get better

[JohninMinn.]

Bills fan since 1963. Not once was there even a choice of not sticking with the Buffalo Bills. It is imprinted into my consciousness.

However, they are still capable of ripping my guts out as they ascend to the playoffs. I abhor moral victories.

Edited December 16, 2019 by JohninMinn.