Blessed Buffalo

[hondo in seattle]

As a Bills fan, it's easy to feel cursed. 

 

Our list of starting QBs looks like it comes from an episode of America's Least Wanted:  Kyle Orton, EJ Manuel, Todd Collins, Johnny Green, Dennis Shaw, Dan Darragh, AVP, Rob Johnson, Thad Lewis, and everyone's favorite - Nate Peterman. 

 

Our list of head coaches is just as bad: Rex, Kay Stephenson, Hank Bullough, Doug Traitor Mallone, Dick Hard-to-Win Jauron, Greg Blowhorn Williams, Jim Ringo (career .139 win rate), John Rauch (.250), and Harvey Johnson (with not one but two 1 win seasons!).

 

After 61 years of play, we've only managed 26 winning seasons.  The glass isn't even half full.

 

But it's not completely broken either.  While we haven't been rich at the QB position, we have had more than our fair share of good RBs including two HOFers as well as the likes of Shady McCoy, Cookie Gilchrist, Fred Jackson, Marshawn Lynch, Joe Cribs, Travis 'Daddy' Henry, Willis McGahee, and Greg Bell.  

 

Just having a team in Buffalo in the first place seems a little miraculous.  There are 48 U.S. metropolitan areas bigger than Buffalo yet we have a NFL team.  Ralph Wilson, for all his notorious cheapness, kept the team in Buffalo when it would have been more profitable somewhere else.  And when Ralph died, his estate sold it to another rich Buffalo supporter.  Then in 2022, with a budget due, the governor resigned allowing a Bills fan to become the governor responsible for negotiating the new stadium deal.  What a stroke of luck that was!

 

And, of course, the QB and HC curses are over with Josh and McD.

When you think about it, as Bills fans, we're blessed.  

[Helpmenow]

Buffalo wasn’t this small in population. San Diego is much larger and their owner was from Sacramento.?

[NoHuddleKelly12]

Good call OP. Lots of things in life become better with a simple change of perspective…instead of waking up thinking I have to [insert unloved task here], think I get to…just like we get to root for our Bills, even tho we have to still root for them when they’re bad…also, our many years of disappointment make the good times all the more poignant. 

[Doc]

7 minutes ago, Helpmenow said:

Buffalo wasn’t this small in population. San Diego is much larger and their owner was from Sacramento.?

 

Kroenke is from Missouri.

[T master]

Yes we are blessed but one big thing people seem to forget is back in the day Buffalo was a big deal it was a city that had a lot of ties to the steel industry & much more presidents use to visit Buffalo because of it's influence in elections . 

 

There use to be a ton of automotive factories and being where there were 2 lakes they could transport a lot of goods that way so i think that was a big reason why Ralph chose Buffalo at the time he was choosing which city he would bring this team to .

 

Today given the NYS economy the tax structure & the amount of business that has left i don't think Buffalo would be a consideration for a major NFL franchise but yes we are all blessed to have the Bills & even more blessed now that Ralph sold them to the Pegula's .

 

So we all can look forward to many more years of Buffalo sports & with the hopes that Josh can finally bring a Lombardi to Buffalo !! 

 

GO BILLS !!!! 

Edited April 16, 2022 by T master

[Doc]

5 minutes ago, T master said:

Yes we are blessed but one big thing people seem to forget is back in the day Buffalo was a big deal it was a city that had a lot of ties to the steel industry & much more presidents use to visit Buffalo because of it's influence in elections . 

 

There use to be a ton of automotive factories and being where there were 2 lakes they could transport a lot of goods that way so i think that was a big reason why Ralph chose Buffalo at the time he was choosing which city he would brin this team to .

 

Today given the NYS economy the tax structure & the amount of business that has left i don't think Buffalo would be a consideration for a major NFL franchise but yes we are all blessed to have the Bills & even mor blessed now that Ralph sold them to the Pegula's .

 

So we all can look forward to many more years of Buffalo sports & with the hopes that Josh can finally bring a Lombardi to Buffalo !! 

 

GO BILLS !!!! 

 

It 100% would not be in consideration today, and even wouldn't have been for the past couple decades.  We are very fortunate that the Pegulas popped-up on the scene when they did. 

[Maynard]

2 minutes ago, Doc said:

 

It 100% would not be in consideration today, and even wouldn't have been for the past couple decades.  We are very fortunate that the Pegulas popped-up on the scene when they did. 

Very true today. Back in 1960 Buffalo was the 20th biggest city in the country so it made sense then. 

[Ponch]

21 minutes ago, Helpmenow said:

Buffalo wasn’t this small in population. San Diego is much larger and their owner was from Sacramento.?

Huh 🤔.?? 

16 minutes ago, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

Good call OP. Lots of things in life become better with a simple change of perspective…instead of waking up thinking I have to [insert unloved task here], think I get to…just like we get to root for our Bills, even tho we have to still root for them when they’re bad…also, our many years of disappointment make the good times all the more poignant. 

Nice point Kelly …. As the famous laureate Sheryl Crow sang, “ 🎵 …it’s not having what you want… it’s wanting you you’ve got 🎶 “

[Ethan in Cleveland]

Portland has NBA basketball.  Puke.

 

Buffalo has football and hockey! We are lucky to have grown up in an area of the country with passion for NFL football and along the way we have witnessed some of the greatest players and greatest moments in NFL history. 

[freddyjj]

1 hour ago, Doc said:

 

Kroenke is from Missouri.

I thought he owns the Rams.  I know he built the new LA Stadium that both teams use.

[The Dean]

2 hours ago, Doc said:

 

It 100% would not be in consideration today, and even wouldn't have been for the past couple decades.  We are very fortunate that the Pegulas popped-up on the scene when they did. 

 

IMO there is about ZERO chance Buffalo would get another NFL team if the Bills relocated. 

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, freddyjj said:

I thought he owns the Rams.  I know he built the new LA Stadium that both teams use.

 

He does.

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

3 hours ago, hondo in seattle said:

Our list of starting QBs looks like it comes from an episode of America's Least Wanted:  Kyle Orton, EJ Manuel, Todd Collins, Johnny Green, Dennis Shaw, Dan Darragh, AVP, Rob Johnson, Thad Lewis, and everyone's favorite - Nate Peterman. 

You forgot Billy Joe Hobert 

He may have started once. 
 

if not for Tuhrod we would have never seen Nate start 

I ❤️ JA17

[hondo in seattle]

7 minutes ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

You forgot Billy Joe Hobert 

He may have started once. 
 

if not for Tuhrod we would have never seen Nate start 

I ❤️ JA17

 

We've had so many bad quarterbacks, I couldn't list them all.  But, yeah, Billy Joe is not forgotten!

44 minutes ago, The Dean said:

 

IMO there is about ZERO chance Buffalo would get another NFL team if the Bills relocated. 

 

Sadly, I agree.  I think that's why Hochul was in a bad negotiating position.  She probably didn't believe the Pegulas would move the Bills out of Buffalo. 

 

But what if?  It would be an irreplaceable loss.  

[hondo in seattle]

3 hours ago, T master said:

Yes we are blessed but one big thing people seem to forget is back in the day Buffalo was a big deal it was a city that had a lot of ties to the steel industry & much more presidents use to visit Buffalo because of it's influence in elections . 

 

There use to be a ton of automotive factories and being where there were 2 lakes they could transport a lot of goods that way so i think that was a big reason why Ralph chose Buffalo at the time he was choosing which city he would brin this team to .

 

Today given the NYS economy the tax structure & the amount of business that has left i don't think Buffalo would be a consideration for a major NFL franchise but yes we are all blessed to have the Bills & even mor blessed now that Ralph sold them to the Pegula's .

 

So we all can look forward to many more years of Buffalo sports & with the hopes that Josh can finally bring a Lombardi to Buffalo !! 

 

GO BILLS !!!! 

 

 

Buffalo has a rich and fascinating history.  But, if I recall right, Buffalo was the 8th biggest city in the US in 1900.   While still comparatively big in 1960, when Wilson started the Bills, it was already a city in decline.  

 

Most club owners would rather invest in an ascending city but Ralph took a chance on Buffalo.  And it paid off handsomely.  Still, I'm grateful.

[chris heff]

23 minutes ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

You forgot Billy Joe Hobert 

He may have started once. 
 

if not for Tuhrod we would have never seen Nate start 

I ❤️ JA17

And Joe Dufek

9 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

 

Buffalo has a rich and fascinating history.  But, if I recall right, Buffalo was the 8th biggest city in the US in 1900.   While still comparatively big in 1960, when Wilson started the Bills, it was already a city in decline.  

 

Most club owners would rather invest in an ascending city but Ralph took a chance on Buffalo.  And it paid off handsomely.  Still, I'm grateful.

Ralph took a chance on Buffalo only after a deal to have his franchise in Miami feel through.

[TailgateChef]

29 minutes ago, chris heff said:

And Joe Dufek

This can't be a real name.  If so, I sure hope his nickname was "What".  As in "What" Dufek.

[MiltonWaddams]

Buffalo is a case study in loyalty. The Ralph has been near capacity as long as I have been a fan (36 years). I've been to games in the building years of the late eighties, glory years of the early 90's and the horror show of the early 2000's and the fans were always riled up and supportive. Jersey and merchandise sales remained strong. Fans traveled in droves to watch the team in stadiums around the country. Call the Bills a small market team all you want, but it has to come with an asterisk because there's no big market team that has the true fans that Buffalo brings to the table. It would have been a travesty for the NFL to move away from Buffalo and I am so happy for the city and for all of us that it won't. 

[Poleshifter]

Nice thoughts, Hondo. So true.

 

Isn't it nice to watch the draft come and go, and never need to worry about getting a QB? Just some upgrades to the supporting cast.

 

Blessed at long last.

 

Happy Easter to those who believe.

[chris heff]

35 minutes ago, TailgateChef said:

This can't be a real name.  If so, I sure hope his nickname was "What".  As in "What" Dufek.

Would have been a good nickname. Dufek an UDF from Yale replaced Joe Ferguson in 1984.