Win One Before I Die

[Shaw66]

I don’t recall what I was thinking as I left the stadium after the Bills lost Super Bowl XXV.  The only thing I actually remember is that some guys outside the stadium were selling Giants Super Bowl Champions t-shirts for $25.  There also were some guys selling Bills Super Bowl Champions t-shirts for $5.  I thought about buying one.   I wish I had.

 

I do remember that as the first few years after that game went by, after three more Super Bowl losses and the beginning of the decline, I assured myself that the Bills had plenty of time in to win a Super Bowl in my lifetime.  After all, I had been waiting since 1969, and sooner or later they’d put together a team and win it all. 

 

It’s been 30 years since wide right, and that Super Bowl win hasn’t rolled around yet.  In fact, last season was the first time the Bills got close enough to sniff the game, let alone a win.  I’ve gotten older.  I no longer live in the comfortable assuredness that I will see the Bills hoist the Lombardi.  I now understand how good teams have to be to make it to the Super Bowl, and how special they need to be to win it. 

 

Until 2020, there hadn’t been one season that began with the Bills having other than a Cinderella’s chance of winning a Super Bowl.  Until 2020.  Last season, suddenly and almost unexpectedly, the Bills began winning like a champion wins.  I say “almost unexpectedly” because I did expect it; before the 2019 season began, I had written that these times were coming.  Still, when it happened last season, I wasn’t prepared for it. 

 

I wasn’t prepared for the Bills to stand pat with their 2020 as roster they headed into 2021.  Sean McDermott told us not to expect changes.  Change has been a way of life for the Bills for 25 years; could 2021 possibly be different?  Yes.  Swap out one veteran wide for another, and that was about it.  No big draft trades.  Just work at getting better. 

 

I wasn’t prepared to see Bills highlights on broadcast network promos.  I wasn’t prepared to hear talking heads describe the Bills as on of the early favorites to win the Super Bowl. 

 

I wasn’t prepared to behave like a fan of a good team.  I don’t have to defend my team to anyone.  I feel uncomfortable modestly agreeing when one of my friends mentions how good the Bills look. 

 

I don’t know how to prepare for the inevitable and unexpected events of the season.  The injuries, the losses, the player disappointments, all of those things visited on every team every season.  Now that I think my team could be a winner, I’m not prepared for those soul-crushing surprises. 

 

Can the Bills survive the ups and downs of the NFL season and win the Super Bowl?   Yes, they are now in that discussion, legitimately in that discussion.  Will they win it?  Predictions are pointless.  All I know is that now, finally, after 25 more or less hopeless years, after retirement, the birth of grandchildren and the inevitable arrival of old age, the Bills could make good on those assurances I gave myself after the Kelly Super Bowl era ended.

 

I still want a Bills Super Bowl Champions t-shirt, but I want one after a Bills win. 

 

[HOUSE]

Me too

[teef]

do you guys have the AIDs?

[SoCal Deek]

Still have my old t-shirts and framed my tickets from the two Super Bowls that I attended.  And yes Shaw.....yours are my sentiments exactly!

 

Go Bills.....PRETTY PLEASE!

Quote

 

 

[LabattBlue]

100+ combined years of following the Bills and Sabres, and the “just one in my lifetime” has been my mantra for a while now.  🤞🤞🤞🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Edited August 31, 2021 by BTB

[Shaw66]

5 minutes ago, BTB said:

100+ combined years of following the Bills and Sabres, and the “just one before I die” has been my mantra for a while now.  🤞🤞🤞🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Watch your diet, exercise, see your doctor regularly.   That's your only hope with the Sabres. 

[HOUSE]

7 minutes ago, teef said:

do you guys have the AIDs?

 

Lupus

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

You don’t need to wait…

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/what-happens-to-super-bowl-losers-shirts-2014-1

[Allen2D̶i̶g̶g̶s̶TBD]

5 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

 

Lupus

House isn't supposed to come up with the right diagnosis right away! You have an hour to fill!

Edited August 31, 2021 by Allen2Diggs

[BigAl2526]

Not sure when one officially turns old.  I hit 70 next year.  I'm fairly certain I can no longer argue that's middle age.  Don't let me down, Buffalo Bills.

[ChevyVanMiller]

24 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

I don’t recall what I was thinking as I left the stadium after the Bills lost Super Bowl XXV.  The only thing I actually remember is that some guys outside the stadium were selling Giants Super Bowl Champions t-shirts for $25.  There also were some guys selling Bills Super Bowl Champions t-shirts for $5.  I thought about buying one.   I wish I had.

 

I do remember that as the first few years after that game went by, after three more Super Bowl losses and the beginning of the decline, I assured myself that the Bills had plenty of time in to win a Super Bowl in my lifetime.  After all, I had been waiting since 1969, and sooner or later they’d put together a team and win it all. 

 

It’s been 30 years since wide right, and that Super Bowl win hasn’t rolled around yet.  In fact, last season was the first time the Bills got close enough to sniff the game, let alone a win.  I’ve gotten older.  I no longer live in the comfortable assuredness that I will see the Bills hoist the Lombardi.  I now understand how good teams have to be to make it to the Super Bowl, and how special they need to be to win it. 

 

Until 2020, there hadn’t been one season that began with the Bills having other than a Cinderella’s chance of winning a Super Bowl.  Until 2020.  Last season, suddenly and almost unexpectedly, the Bills began winning like a champion wins.  I say “almost unexpectedly” because I did expect it; before the 2019 season began, I had written that these times were coming.  Still, when it happened last season, I wasn’t prepared for it. 

 

I wasn’t prepared for the Bills to stand pat with their 2020 as roster they headed into 2021.  Sean McDermott told us not to expect changes.  Change has been a way of life for the Bills for 25 years; could 2021 possibly be different?  Yes.  Swap out one veteran wide for another, and that was about it.  No big draft trades.  Just work at getting better. 

 

I wasn’t prepared to see Bills highlights on broadcast network promos.  I wasn’t prepared to hear talking heads describe the Bills as on of the early favorites to win the Super Bowl. 

 

I wasn’t prepared to behave like a fan of a good team.  I don’t have to defend my team to anyone.  I feel uncomfortable modestly agreeing when one of my friends mentions how good the Bills look. 

 

I don’t know how to prepare for the inevitable and unexpected events of the season.  The injuries, the losses, the player disappointments, all of those things visited on every team every season.  Now that I think my team could be a winner, I’m not prepared for those soul-crushing surprises. 

 

Can the Bills survive the ups and downs of the NFL season and win the Super Bowl?   Yes, they are now in that discussion, legitimately in that discussion.  Will they win it?  Predictions are pointless.  All I know is that now, finally, after 25 more or less hopeless years, after retirement, the birth of grandchildren and the inevitable arrival of old age, the Bills could make good on those assurances I gave myself after the Kelly Super Bowl era ended.

 

I still want a Bills Super Bowl Champions t-shirt, but I want one after a Bills win. 

 

About as well-written as that sentiment can be. Thanks, @Shaw66, I'm right there with you. This very well could be THE year!

[machine gun kelly]

Shaw, we’ll get there buddy.  This may be the year.  I arrived in Tampa to live until now 5 days or so before the giants SB.  
 

Im so confident we are going to go deep this year. I was shocked positively GROOT was going to be this good this soon.  That was one of the missing pieces.  If our main guys like Tre, Edmunds (yeah yeah), and Milano are there in critical times, we will prevail!

[Shaw66]

7 minutes ago, BigAl2526 said:

Not sure when one officially turns old.  I hit 70 next year.  I'm fairly certain I can no longer argue that's middle age.  Don't let me down, Buffalo Bills.

70 is when I first realized there may not be much time left.  

[RobbRiddick]

30 minutes ago, teef said:

do you guys have the AIDs?

 

NOBODY'S got AIDS, and I don't wanna hear that word in here again!

[MJS]

Hey, for you old timers the Bills already won a couple back in the AFL days.

 

For us youngsters we've seen nothing but garbage football until McDermott rolled into town.

[Greg S]

The Bills I think will win one in the next few years maybe this year but the Sabres are a different story.

[RobbRiddick]

We're like the old couple at the beginning of UP, breaking that savings jar open every year thinking there will be plenty of years to come, not realizing time is always running out.

 

 

I wish I had a more macho film analogy than that but I really don't...

[DrDawkinstein]

I want need one before my dad passes. Hopefully we still have some years ahead of us, but the sooner the better when it comes to the Bills.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

26 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Watch your diet, exercise, see your doctor regularly.   That's your only hope with the Sabres. 

For the Sabres, I would suggest the 'Ted Williams / Futurama' approach.

[Logic]

I'm in the "win one before I die" camp, too.

My biggest Bills loving friend says he wants multiple rings. As many as Brady has, plus one. I think he means it.

Me? Just win me one title before I go. Just one, that's all I need.

Edited August 31, 2021 by Logic