Chandler#81 Posted April 25, 2021 Posted April 25, 2021 Made the biggest bet of my life before the season, $500. Working a big project near Ft. Worh TX, I’d been obnoxious talking about the team through the strike shortened, replacement players fiasco with co-workers in ‘87. We lost to the Pats* at home in the season ender, but most thought we were rising. Having had enough with my harping -call it excitement- about the team, a co-worker who made huge bets w/ bookies nearly daily, challenged me in front of our team. $500 The Bills Don’t make the playoffs in ‘88. The Rest, as they say..is History! 3 4
machine gun kelly Posted April 25, 2021 Posted April 25, 2021 Yep. I’ll ever forget that year. I’ve already told the story a couple of times, but that blocked kick by big old Freddy Smerlas, and fandemonium was amazing. Made it on the goal post for all of 7 seconds before getting climbed in and trampled thereafter. Thanks Chand. One of my fondest Bills memories. 1
Chandler#81 Posted April 25, 2021 Author Posted April 25, 2021 (edited) 41 minutes ago, machine gun kelly said: Yep. I’ll ever forget that year. I’ve already told the story a couple of times, but that blocked kick by big old Freddy Smerlas, and fandemonium was amazing. Made it on the goal post for all of 7 seconds before getting climbed in and trampled thereafter. Thanks Chand. One of my fondest Bills memories. The team was finally set, with Thurman being the most important addition. He, Jimbo, Andre, Hull, Wolford, Bruce, Conlan, Daryl, Tasker & Biscuit! Incredible collection of talent! *perhaps I’m mistaken.. I thought House Ballard blocked that FG attempt..🤔 Edited April 25, 2021 by Chandler#81 Added comment on blocked FG
BillsPride12 Posted April 25, 2021 Posted April 25, 2021 That was the season that really catapulted the Super Bowl runs...I hope someday we look back at 2020 in the same way(of course there will always be the Pandemic BS associated with it as well unfortunately) 1
machine gun kelly Posted April 25, 2021 Posted April 25, 2021 1 hour ago, Chandler#81 said: The team was finally set, with Thurman being the most important addition. He, Jimbo, Andre, Hull, Wolford, Bruce, Conlan, Daryl, Tasker & Biscuit! Incredible collection of talent! *perhaps I’m mistaken.. I thought House Ballard blocked that FG attempt..🤔 Im sorry Chand, but it was for sure Fred Smerlas who blocked the 40 yard upfield goal attempt by Leahy that put the game into overtime. It was the lynchpin to winning that game. 2
Philly McButterpants Posted April 25, 2021 Posted April 25, 2021 2 hours ago, machine gun kelly said: Yep. I’ll ever forget that year. I’ve already told the story a couple of times, but that blocked kick by big old Freddy Smerlas, and fandemonium was amazing. Made it on the goal post for all of 7 seconds before getting climbed in and trampled thereafter. Thanks Chand. One of my fondest Bills memories. I can find myself, my brother and my dad in our yellow rain slickers in the "Fandemonium" poster. Definitely Smerlas who blocked the FG. 2 1
Brennan Huff Posted April 25, 2021 Posted April 25, 2021 This season is the first Bills season that I can remember. Well I remember the Jets game and the fans storming the field. I was certainly spoiled starting out my fan hood with this season. Such a great team 2 1
njbuff Posted April 25, 2021 Posted April 25, 2021 1988 is still my favorite season as a Bills fan. They were good. They were young, but.......... a great season ended on a VERY sour note in Cincinnati. And thanks to Joe Devlin and Derrick Burroughs, the BICKERING BILLS was invited as they started all this in team bickering with their major tiff on the sidelines after Burroughs punched Tim McGee in the mouth. 1
Rubes Posted April 25, 2021 Posted April 25, 2021 2 hours ago, Chandler#81 said: The team was finally set, with Thurman being the most important addition. He, Jimbo, Andre, Hull, Wolford, Bruce, Conlan, Daryl, Tasker & Biscuit! Incredible collection of talent! *perhaps I’m mistaken.. I thought House Ballard blocked that FG attempt..🤔 Absolutely was Smerlas who blocked it. 1 1
Brennan Huff Posted April 25, 2021 Posted April 25, 2021 1 hour ago, njbuff said: 1988 is still my favorite season as a Bills fan. They were good. They were young, but.......... a great season ended on a VERY sour note in Cincinnati. And thanks to Joe Devlin and Derrick Burroughs, the BICKERING BILLS was invited as they started all this in team bickering with their major tiff on the sidelines after Burroughs punched Tim McGee in the mouth. I’ve never heard this before. That’s how the “Bickering Bills” started?
BillsPride12 Posted April 25, 2021 Posted April 25, 2021 4 minutes ago, Brennan Huff said: I’ve never heard this before. That’s how the “Bickering Bills” started? Yeah I'm not sure I agree with this take. I always thought the Bickering Bills stuff started with Jim Kelly calling out Howard Ballard and the stuff that followed that 2
Brennan Huff Posted April 25, 2021 Posted April 25, 2021 8 minutes ago, BillsPride12 said: Yeah I'm not sure I agree with this take. I always thought the Bickering Bills stuff started with Jim Kelly calling out Howard Ballard and the stuff that followed that That’s what I thought too but I was 8 years old in 1989. Definitely could have happened but didn’t come out to the media. Something like that could never happen nowadays without the entire world knowing as soon as it happened
BillsPride12 Posted April 25, 2021 Posted April 25, 2021 1 minute ago, Brennan Huff said: That’s what I thought too but I was 8 years old in 1989. Definitely could have happened but didn’t come out to the media. Something like that could never happen nowadays without the entire world knowing as soon as it happened I'm not disputing that an incident between those two didn't happen in Cincy but I don't know if that would be considered the true beginning of the Bickering Bills either. Just my opinion 2
Chandler#81 Posted April 25, 2021 Author Posted April 25, 2021 1 hour ago, Rubes said: Absolutely was Smerlas who blocked it. Okay, Okay! I’m old and getting forgetful! (Not). I knew Freddie blocked a FG, I just wasn’t sure it was this one. Can anybody be charitable to an old man and recall House making an important FG block around this time? I’m still certain he did it before he became a great starter at RT.. 1
That's No Moon Posted April 25, 2021 Posted April 25, 2021 22 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said: Okay, Okay! I’m old and getting forgetful! (Not). I knew Freddie blocked a FG, I just wasn’t sure it was this one. Can anybody be charitable to an old man and recall House making an important FG block around this time? I’m still certain he did it before he became a great starter at RT.. Yes, I recall this happening also, just not this Jets game. I recall Smerlas saying in the post game that they put wing sauce on the ball and told Ballard to go get it. I think it was the Patriots game from October of 1988. https://buffalonews.com/news/norwood-provides-bills-as-a-pat-answer-for-overcoming-first-half-turnovers/article_227521f3-1583-5a09-ad43-e1f7ebd97c0e.html 1
mushypeaches Posted April 25, 2021 Posted April 25, 2021 This was a fun season that started my true Bills fandom at the ripe old age of 14. The defense was absolutely stifling even with Bruce sampling the nose candy. Good think too, because despite having an up-and-coming QB, we gave way too many carries to stiffs like Jamie Mueller and Carl Byrum
machine gun kelly Posted April 25, 2021 Posted April 25, 2021 52 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said: Okay, Okay! I’m old and getting forgetful! (Not). I knew Freddie blocked a FG, I just wasn’t sure it was this one. Can anybody be charitable to an old man and recall House making an important FG block around this time? I’m still certain he did it before he became a great starter at RT.. For you buddy, anything. Sorry others piled on but I think it was in jest having fun with our Bills Scholar. 1
Chandler#81 Posted April 25, 2021 Author Posted April 25, 2021 34 minutes ago, That's No Moon said: Yes, I recall this happening also, just not this Jets game. I recall Smerlas saying in the post game that they put wing sauce on the ball and told Ballard to go get it. I think it was the Patriots game from October of 1988. https://buffalonews.com/news/norwood-provides-bills-as-a-pat-answer-for-overcoming-first-half-turnovers/article_227521f3-1583-5a09-ad43-e1f7ebd97c0e.html Thank you, yes! Home game, Right Season, right Division, important block! so I’m slipping just a Little Bit.. 1
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