Did the Bills Super Bowl run in the 1990's really influence your love of the Bills?

[Alfredo]

 

I've been a fan since 1960, having grown up in North Tonawanda. So the four super bowls were not a factor in my fandom, except for the disappointment.

 

1 hour ago, Royale with Cheese said:

If the Bills had nothing in their history like the Browns and Lions....would your fandom be as strong?

 

Just to set the record straight, the Brown won four AAFL championships and, since joining the NFL, they have won four NFL championships. The last NFL championship was in 1964, the same year the Bills won their first AFL championship. (That would have been a great superbowl.)

[skibum]

The Bills' run of greatness began just as I was becoming old enough to care about sports. Prior to that, I only remember them being a laughingstock franchise, but technically I was still a fan. I knew Joe Ferguson existed, though I can't say I remember any games prior to the '88 season, nor do I remember Jim Kelly's draft debacle/arrival, as I would have been 6-7 years old at the time and was not yet reading newspapers. I do vaguely remember the cautious optimism that followed the Bills' respectable showing in the '87 strike year. So in 6th grade, I went into the '88 season with the idea that they might actually be good.

 

My first coherent Bills memory was an article in the Rochester D&C following the horrendous 85-86 campaign. They did a spoof on the Bears' Super Bowl Shuffle, called the Stupor Bowl Shuffle. After that, it was the division win and the goalposts coming down, and I definitely remember getting jazzed up for the team at that point. So yeah, I was a fan before the SB runs, but likely became much more of one because of them. 

[Royale with Cheese]

Just now, Alfredo said:

 

I've been a fan since 1960, having grown up in North Tonawanda. So the four super bowls were not a factor in my fandom, except for the disappointment.

 

 

Just to set the record straight, the Brown won four AAFL championships and, since joining the NFL, they have won four NFL championships. The last NFL championship was in 1964, the same year the Bills won their first AFL championship. (That would have been a great superbowl.)

 

I was counting more of the Super Bowl era.  I think the Lions have one playoff win?  The Browns, maybe a half dozen in the Super Bowl era?  But also several upon several missed playoff seasons for both.

[KHAN]

My earliest memory of the Bills was losing 24-23 to Miami during their 17-0 season.

Other early memories:

 

Listening to Van Miller (or Rick Azar) for every home game, because we never sold out.

My dad being angry because Lou Saban was too conservative and was "sitting on" a 3 point lead in the second quarter. 😆

Gary Marangi.

Nick Mike-Mayer hooking every big kick wide left.

Fergie hanging his head.

OJ was amazing.

Kay Stevenson.

Hank Bullough.

 

So yeah, 88-93 brought joy never before felt (and pain). But the love of the team is in my DNA.

And of course this era is full of possibilities. Is the season here yet?

 

[julian]

I was a Leaf fan and only paid attention to football during the super bowl. After watching the Bills lose to the Giants, something about that loss pulled me in.

 

 I was at a bar the following year watching the Skins physically impose their will upon the Bills. I was completely invested at this point and haven’t missed a game since.

 

 My wife noticed I was no longer screaming at the television during Bills games this past season and after some thought, I realized I now just have an expectation of post season and no longer live and die with every play.

[ProcessAccepted]

Became a fan during Thurman's first year in the league. So go on the train when the team was on the up swing. The four SB years just cemented it. I really get a lot of deja vu watching McD and Beane building things. 

[Buftex]

My earliest memories of the Bills start in 1972.  Lived through the OJ era, and enjoyed the hell out of the Super Bowl era...but I think the "era" that sealed my lifelong love of the Bills was the  short, but exhilarating "Talking Proud" era when Chuck Knox was the head coach. 1980 was the first year that I had season tickets (I was 15) and on opening day that year, the Bills broke the Dolphins streak.  It is, to this day, the single most exciting sports moment I have experienced live. 

 

I had season tickets from 1980-1987, and I have been to about 200 Bills games...regrettably, I have never been to a playoff game.  But for me, Fergy liming around on a bum ankle, playing his heart out in San Diego is my "wide right" moment.  I was devastated after that loss, but it trained me to approach sports the only healthy way a Buffalo sports fan should...with high hopes and lowered expectations...win or lose, I find this team to be a joy, more often than not.  My only moment of doubt in faith came when Dick Jauron was the head coach. If he hadn't been fired the season he was, I seriously might have stopped watching them. I hated those seasons so much. 

 

Absolutely loved those teams...1980-1981 are still my favorite seasons.  If the Super Bowl runs had never happened, I can't say with 100% certainty, but I think I would still love the Bills as much today.  That isn't to diminish my love of those 1990's teams, but the early 80's teams are forever my touchstone when it comes to Bills football.  

 

To this day, I have missed only 1 Bills game in 42 years...seen a lot more bad football than good. I like to say I "live and die" with this team, but to be honest, I don't do the "die" part as hard as I used to.  I am just glad they are still here.

Edited March 30, 2022 by Buftex
Place paragraphs

[LVGrown]

If they weren't in the Super Bowl at that exact moment against the Giants, I likely wouldn't have been a fan. Being born and raised in Las Vegas surrounded by a family of Saints and Rams fans (one parent from New Orleans and the other from Los Angeles) I would've likely been steered in one of those directions. 

 

EVERYONE at my parents SB party were rooting for Giants so I had no choice in the matter but to root for the Bills, and ***** if that little 9 year old girl didn't give it her all. 

 

It's been a one-sided love affair until JA17 arrived. Now I'm finally feeling the love back!

[eee1776]

I am old and those 4 years put me into therapy. LOL It never stops.  Wide Right, Music City Mistake, 13 sec, Still love my Bills, its a like love- hate relationship with your wife. There is hope, light at the end on the tunnel . 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

I'm 52. Ferguson, Cribbs, and Jerry Butler in 1980 was the match that lit the fire. 

[elijah]

Early to mid 20’s now, so all I knew was the drought and the recent success.

 

Granted I live right in the heart of Bills Country, 5 minutes from the stadium and was born to a diehard Bills family, but if anything the lack of success made me that much more of a Bills fan during the drought because you wanted to see the success so badly. As good as we are now with big wins and playoff trips every year, nothing will be as memorable as the Tyler Boyd catch and playoff berth for me. 

 

I don’t think any Bills moment will top that until a Super Bowl, after watching for my entire life and never making the playoffs (aside from when I was 2 or 3 years old) that was just the sweetest moment. 

 

So if anything, on the contrary to the Super Bowl era fans and the success maybe drawing you guys in more, as a drought era fan I think the lack of success made me a bigger fan because you wanted the playoffs so bad every year. 

[1997WS6]

I'm in my late 40's and the Bills of the 90's didn't make me like the Bills.  I always watched, but wasn't a "real" fan until McBeane and Allen got here.  Now I'm a Billiever.  This is the most excited I've ever been about a football team.

[Dablitzkrieg]

I'm 41.  Fell in love with the team in 1989, game versus Cleveland.   Been a Fanatic ever since

[Repulsif]

I don't have any tie with the city of Buffalo, so if the Bills had won SBXXV (1st game I ever watched here in France) I may have followed the Giants

And if they have won 4 in row, I would have probably hated them (some figures high on themselves, bickering bills etc) and perhaps followed the Cowboys (who would have lost twice in a row in this case.

please don't hate me

[aristocrat]

Hell yes. I was 6-7 right when your memories start to stick. We had seasons so I was at every game throughout the 90s, grandparents had seasons to Sabres as well so it all stuck.  

[Bob Chandler's Hands]

17 minutes ago, Ethan in Portland said:

I'm 52. Ferguson, Cribbs, and Jerry Butler in 1980 was the match that lit the fire. 

Same age. I cried when Fergy was limping off the field in defeat against the Chargers in the playoffs. 

[ddaryl]

I was already a Bills fan. I turned 21 During the season of our 1st SB appearance. The Superbowl run strengthened my Bills fandom

[NoHuddleKelly12]

I’m in my early 40’s and got hooked on the Bills by way of growing up right by Jim Kelly’s hometown (East Brady) in western PA; that was right on the eve of the SB run starting, and their successes definitely helped fuel my early fandom at the start. But once you’re in, if you’re a real fan, then even a drought of 17 years can’t take it out of ya…

[BreezeMafia]

No.  Already was a diehard fan.

[HOUSE]

I supported and became influenced by the horrible teams of the 70s

 

I became stubborn and said I will never give up till this team wins the Superbowl

 

When that does happen I will waving you guys goodbye. I am tired