Is watching this amazing team a little bittersweet for you due to the loss of someone?

[The Dean]

4 minutes ago, Arkady Renko said:

 

Never watched that show.  Please explain.  

 

Oh my bad. I just assumed. Renko was a character early in that series and Arkady is one of the best "recurring" characters not only in NCIS LA, but in the entire NCIS franchise, IMO. Strange that these two names got stuck together.

[Heitz]

I was home and watched all last season with my Mom, who passed away 2 months ago, today.  She wasn't a giant Bills fan per se, but watched and rooted for them because of me!  She'd be very happy they were doing well, I'm sure.  

 

I'll miss her excitement during the games (despite not fully understanding what's going on) and her texts and calls after the games.

 

Sure would be nice for the Bills to have a magic ending to this season...

 

🙏 ❤️ 

[Arkady Renko]

1 hour ago, The Dean said:

 

Oh my bad. I just assumed. Renko was a character early in that series and Arkady is one of the best "recurring" characters not only in NCIS LA, but in the entire NCIS franchise, IMO. Strange that these two names got stuck together.

 

Ah!  My screen name comes from the character Arkady Renko who is the detective in Gorky Park and the many less well-known books that followed.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkady_Renko

Edited October 12, 2021 by Arkady Renko

[Draconator]

I think of both my parents. Mom passed away in 2019 and Dad earlier this year. They had season tickets for the very first year the Bills were in Orchard Park. They took me to my first game, which was MNF against the Dolphins in I think 78. I remember the "Howard Yuck" sign to this day. They wore Bills gear for every game, no matter if they were at the game, at the bar, or in front of their TV in their living room. When the Bills win it all I'll leave The Buffalo News signifying us as SuperBowl Champions at their gravesite.

[jkeerie]

54 minutes ago, Patience said:

Every single game.  People say it gets better with time, but a couple years later, still waiting for that to come to fruition.  Hang in there.  

This is so true.  You get through most days okay...and then something triggers a memory and the sadness and emptiness resumes.   I lost my Mom 3 years ago.  My Dad has been gone 15 years.  We enjoyed watching the games together.  I talk outloud during the games as if they're in the room with me.  I believe they're still watching.  They have much better seats.

[NewEra]

Always

[RobbRiddicksTDLeap]

Lost my Dad in April of ‘89, right before the beginning of the run. 
 

Lost my Mom in August of ‘17, just about when everything started to come together. Our last game together was Bills/Vikings Preseason game. I was home caring for her at the end, and we continued our life long tradition of watching the games together in the family room. 
 

I think about the both of them every week. My kids hearing me talk trash to Cris Colinsworth, and telling my wife “this is NOTHING compared to what my Father yelled” when she chided me for my language(Which wasn’t that bad). I think about the parties and the food, and the smell of cigarettes and beer, and the yelling and swearing. I think about all the down years, that were painful for my Mom as a fan, but she always stayed optimistic. 
 

I like to think that they’re both together wherever you go, watching from the couch and the recliner, screaming the way I do with my family now. 
 

Thanks for starting this thread OP!

[Patience]

Just now, jkeerie said:

This is so true.  You get through most days okay...and then something triggers a memory and the sadness and emptiness resumes.   I lost my Mom 3 years ago.  My Dad has been gone 15 years.  We enjoyed watching the games together.  I talk outloud during the games as if they're in the room with me.  I believe they're still watching.  They have much better seats.

 

I'm really sorry to hear that.  I know that pain, and it can be debilitating some days.  I know it is for me.  It'll be three years in February that I lost my mom.  I'm thankful to still have my dad with me.  If you ever need someone to talk to that can relate, always feel free to PM me.  

[The Dean]

13 minutes ago, Arkady Renko said:

 

Ah!  My screen name comes from the character Arkady Renko who is the detective in Gorky Pork and the many less well-known books that followed.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkady_Renko

 

 

Gorky Park, I assume. I'm guessing that's where NCIS got the names.

 

Now I'm thinking of what Gorky pork might taste like. I'm getting hungryl.

[JohnNord]

1 hour ago, Arkady Renko said:

Just wondering if the joy of last night had a tinge of sadness and regret for anyone else who has lost a close Bills fan recently.  I was overjoyed last night but all of a sudden this sharp pain hit me after the initial excitement wore off.  

 

One of my great joys growing up was watching the Bills with my father during the Super Bowl years.  He wasn't a Bills fan originally (was actually a Colts fan until they moved) but I converted him to the closest team that I selected as a kid.  He eventually cared almost as much as me.  He died this spring after a horrendous ordeal with cancer in the midst of all the COVID terribleness.  He lasted less than a year after his diagnosis.  

 

We watched the MNF game against the Patriots last year in the emergency room.  We never got to watch another Bills game together.  He was in the hospital for the next month or so and we weren't allowed to visit him or enjoy the playoff run with him.  He could hardly communicate during this time.  He rallied in February but then crashed suddenly a couple months later.   I obviously want the Bills to win it all, but it just sucks that this might be the year for the Bills and I won't be able to share it with him.  

 

Sorry if this is too real or brings people down but if someone else is dealing with this know that you are not alone.  

Man I am so sorry.  It sounds like you have some great memories of watching Bills football with your dad.  And damn, that MNF NE game was a fun one!  
 

There are some people in my family who have passed and I’ve thought about them a lot during this recent resurgence over the past year or so.  Mostly aunts, uncles, and grandparents who I remember watching the team when I was little.  We enjoyed the Super Bowl years together, and I’m hoping to share a few more successful seasons with my own family.  
 

Following the Bills has caused us some disappointment and heartbreak but also left with unbelievable memories with our loved ones and important people.  
 

[jkeerie]

3 minutes ago, Patience said:

 

I'm really sorry to hear that.  I know that pain, and it can be debilitating some days.  I know it is for me.  It'll be three years in February that I lost my mom.  I'm thankful to still have my dad with me.  If you ever need someone to talk to that can relate, always feel free to PM me.  

Thank you for this.  It's especially hard with my Mom as we lived together the last 3 and a half years of her life.  I retired early so that I could become her caregiver.  We enjoyed not only the Bills but also college ball.  She loved Notre Dame but we would often switch to any close high scoring game to enjoy the drama.  Overtime games were considered bonus football. 

 

My Dad when we would watch would rate the Bills QBs.  We hadn't had a good one since Kelly.  I was always more optimistic, but Dad would say "He doesn't have it, Sweetie."  The first time I watched Josh play I looked to heaven and said "Pop...I think this guy's got it!"

[Dave_Bills]

I lost my best friend in 2018 the month after we drafted Allen. We started watching together in the late 90’s when we were in high school. So many great memories together and many were spent watching the bills. We watched the Music City Miracle together, watched decades of poor quarterback play, yet always keeping the faith that eventually this thing would be turned around. Feels very bitter sweet watching all the success they’re having now but I know he’s watching with me still

[gdabillsfan]

Sorry to hear that. I lost my dad in 91, unfortunately his only Bills Superbowl memory was wide right. Mom passed in 09, she rooted for the Bills, but loved the Yankees.

My siblings and I are in our 60's and 70's so we're on the clock.

I have been fighting cancer since 2019, thought we had it beat, but now it's back, so I hope the Bills can win a super bowl for me before I'm done. I'm ecstatic that they are playing so well, and still optimistic for my own health, everyone I know tells me I am too damn stubborn, and ornery to go out just yet, anyway everybody keep cheering.

Go Bills!!

Edited October 12, 2021 by gdabillsfan
*

[Jay_Fixit]

No.

[LeGOATski]

Most of my dead family members were Pats fans. They're rolling over in their grave.

[Haslett_Stomp]

My dad, who passed away in 2009.  We attended at least 4 games a season at Rich (rotating users of company seats) in the late 70s until he and my mom moved to Florida in 1995.  Once they moved, we had our weekly call on Sunday nights so we could talk about that day's game.

[Your Brown Eye]

Buddy from HS died suddenly this past weekend before the Chiefs game. 35 years young. Big Bills fan. Left behind a wife and two small kids. Couldn't help but think how much he would've enjoyed Sunday's victory.

[Homey D. Clown]

11 hours ago, The Dean said:

For those of you who are unaware, The Senator died on Sunday, September 26th, before kickoff. I believe he is rooting the team on from wherever his consciousness has relocated.

I remember him here over the years, so sorry to hear.

[cwater10]

Yes.  Yes.  And oh F*** yes.  I lost my best friend to leukemia back in 2013.  And it ripped a piece of my soul away.  Whenever the Jets visit the Bills, I always think of him in a bittersweet painful memory.  The Jets played in Buffalo the Sunday after he had passed on a Friday night.  I spent the day watching the game with his wife and helping her rip out some carpet and replace with hardwood.  We were both so lost, we couldn't think of anything other than to just dig into some project to keep us occupied.  The Bills, although not very good, tore up the Jets that day.  So there were a few smiles mixed in. 

 

A couple of years prior, I had taken his wife to her first game.  It was the New England game in 2011...  Yeah, the one that Buffalo won.  My late friend was not able to be there as he was at home enduring the after effects of chemo.  We had him on speaker phone for huge chunks of the second half and as we walked out of the stadium so he got to feel the euphoria and the insanity.  I watched every game for more than 20 years  with that man and miss him dearly.  I smile now during every now every game and think of how much he would be loving this team.  And for me, he is in fact very much a part of it still.  So please hang in there Renko.  You will smile again. 

 

A quick aside, ironically I just spoke with my late friend's widow last night and am planning a visit back to Buffalo to visit her next week.  We have both moved on to different and happy places in our lives and the just plain fantastically good memories remain, and they do get celebrated.  Be well Renko.  Your journey is yours, but you are definitely not alone.

[Golden*Wheels]

I mean....doesn't even need to be a Bills fan. My buddy from grade school, who ended up living across the field from me years later, was a huge Giants fan. Being a big football fan, he watched our games and I would often watch his, for years. He died of pneumonia last year in March.

 

He watched the Houston playoff loss with me of course, and when I was completely dejected and about as sad as a grown man can be over a damn game, he told me to "bring it in", gave me a big hug and a pat on the back, and said, "you guys have a great team. You'll be back next year".

 

Wish he could see it! Although....he'd be real upset to see his Giants!!!!