Memories: let’s this thread on for everybody that want to share his Bills memories

[Einstein]

I read the entire post in an italian accent. Enjoyable.

[AlfaBill]

7 hours ago, djp14150 said:

 

did you go and see the London game they played?

 

My fathers side is from Sicily.  His mom came after WW1 and his dad was born here shortly after they came here around 1910.

 

my brother has gotten Italian citizenship through the paternal family history.  I can’t do it because of my job.

Scusa but how does a job interfere with citizenship? I carry both Italian and Canadian 

[djp14150]

13 minutes ago, AlfaBill said:

Scusa but how does a job interfere with citizenship? I carry both Italian and Canadian 

i work for the government.  Having dual citizenship can be an issue.

[Augie]

1 hour ago, djp14150 said:

  i work for the government.  Having dual citizenship can be an issue.

 

Let me guess…….you are here to help me?   😋

[Augie]

18 hours ago, Italian Bills said:

Ok, we are during the bye and we have to find something to talk about. 
 

This time i want to just share some memories of me being a Bills fan.

 

Everything started in the 1989 (unfortunately) … when i decided to follow the sport of football and when here in Italy we didn’t obviously have what we have today with all the tv services that allow us to watch and enjoy every American sport game at whatever hour, live or not. 
 

We could watch on tv just very few games and for me, basically, they were the conference finals and the superbowl: the channel was Telemontecarlo. 
 

So here we go; i got four straight superbowl losses… it was sportingly devastating. 
 

During those years i wrote a letter to Marv Leave, i got a autographed picture of him in return with some gadget that i still have, i bought a 800 (400,000 Lire at that time) Bills coat from a club security man from Milano that i hardly known, praying him to sell it to me… it was crazy, but I AM CRAZY FOR OUR BILLS, I STILL AM AND I FOREVER WILL. 

 

Then talking through the net with another Bills fan from i don’t remember where he was from, i got a double dvd about the greatest come back ever: Bills vs Oilers, the Frank Reich’s night ! What a f…ing night it has been that night. Unbelievable. I think i cried and yelled and laughed at the same time for about a good 20/25 minutes. All alone obviously… didn’t have friends with who i could share football games at that time. 
 

Those years, also if with bad outcome, very bad, are still some of the best sports years in my entire life… and i’m saying that from a man that love sport (many) since i was 6/7 years old. 
 

And finally my first USA vacation came: of course to go there, to Buffalo and enjoy a game live in Orchard Park, Rich stadium. 
 

It was Seahawks @ Bills in a great sunny day). Bills won 27-21 and the standing said Bills 5-1.

 

I remember at the airport that, leaving Buffalo for NY, i bought 3 newspapers that i still have at home like i still have the entrance ticket of that game. 
 

That’s it… those are few memories about me as a Bills fan, where i was younger and where everything started. 
 

Hope this didn’t annoy you… and that my english isn’t so bad. 
 

I can’t wait the next time i will come there… maybe i’ll meet some of you in a great tailgate outside the new stadium. 😀

 

I can’t remember what I had for lunch yesterday, but I remember Bills games I went to in the 3rd grade. I have so many memories over so many years this would run into countless pages of ramblings in a single post. (I’m just trying to prove that I am self-aware.)

 

I will start with ONE. The Bills on Monday Night Football (which was even bigger back then) beating the Raiders with Ahmad Rashad catching a late TD. It was electric for this high school kid! It was my dad and I think two buddies from my neighborhood. We had season tickets, but these guys didn’t get this kind of treat often. I didn’t mind being stuck in the parking lot because we got to listen to the postgame show on the radio in the car. It was a great day in my early life, and I hope they remember it with the same fondness. Funny how this comes to mind first. 

2 hours ago, Einstein said:

I read the entire post in an italian accent. Enjoyable.

 

Super Mario Italian? 

[AuntieEm]

 

   Curious what made you choose the Bills as the team to cheer for.  You stated you started watching in 1989 that means the  Bills loss to the Browns when Jim Kelly's pass was intercepted in the end zone with 9 seconds left.  Did you prefer the Bills uniform colors over the other teams xou got to watch in that year's playoff or was something else the reason you decided Buffalo was the team to be your nfl team?   

Edited October 23, 2022 by AuntieEm

[Italian Bills]

3 hours ago, AuntieEm said:

 

   Curious what made you choose the Bills as the team to cheer for.  You stated you started watching in 1989 that means the  Bills loss to the Browns when Jim Kelly's pass was intercepted in the end zone with 9 seconds left.  Did you prefer the Bills uniform colors over the other teams xou got to watch in that year's playoff or was something else the reason you decided Buffalo was the team to be your nfl team?   

Good question. 
 

I always loved western movies, looking at those beautiful praises, endless spaces… mountains, creeks, etc .. where 🦬s were a main reason of life for many people. 
 

For all the Native Americans they were sacred also and then i told myself that the Bills would have been the team to root for forever. 
 

I know, maybe it can look silly, but that’s it. 🙂

[AuntieEm]

1 hour ago, Italian Bills said:

Good question. 
 

I always loved western movies, looking at those beautiful praises, endless spaces… mountains, creeks, etc .. where 🦬s were a main reason of life for many people. 
 

For all the Native Americans they were sacred also and then i told myself that the Bills would have been the team to root for forever. 
 

I know, maybe it can look silly, but that’s it. 🙂

   

    Not silly at all.  I had imagined that was a possible reason as well.   There's a reason that there is a genre of movies called spaghetti westerns.  Italian western films were popular I imagine because Italians found them interesting.  I also thought you may have decided you'd attend a game in person and that could have narrowed your short list to east coast teams to limit the miles needed to fly to that teams location in that future visit.  As far as animal mascots go I see the Bills Bison as a particularly .good fit as a mascot of a football team.  I think next would be the Rams due to seeing nature documentaries of rams butting heads is close to what we see with the ol--dl battles in football.  A  stampede of Bisons could be a well designed sweep with good blocking.  Poor Miami.---  their mascot only brings up images to mind of a fish looking mammal balancing a ball on its nose while chattering incessantly ala Flipper  a TV show popular in the late 60s  on American TV about a dolphin.  

 

   When you really think about it most of the teams with animal mascots aren't particularly fitting to depict the characteristics you expect for a football team.   That the Bison is also known as a Buffalo just makes it the perfect mascot for the Bills. 

 

    

 

 

Edited October 23, 2022 by AuntieEm

[Italian Bills]

2 hours ago, AuntieEm said:

   

    Not silly at all.  I had imagined that was a possible reason as well.   There's a reason that there is a genre of movies called spaghetti westerns.  Italian western films were popular I imagine because Italians found them interesting.  I also thought you may have decided you'd attend a game in person and that could have narrowed your short list to east coast teams to limit the miles needed to fly to that teams location in that future visit.  As far as animal mascots go I see the Bills Bison as a particularly .good fit as a mascot of a football team.  I think next would be the Rams due to seeing nature documentaries of rams butting heads is close to what we see with the ol--dl battles in football.  A  stampede of Bisons could be a well designed sweep with good blocking.  Poor Miami.---  their mascot only brings up images to mind of a fish looking mammal balancing a ball on its nose while chattering incessantly ala Flipper  a TV show popular in the late 60s  on American TV about a dolphin.  

 

   When you really think about it most of the teams with animal mascots aren't particularly fitting to depict the characteristics you expect for a football team.   That the Bison is also known as a Buffalo just makes it the perfect mascot for the Bills. 

 

    

 

 

I grew up loving all the USA style of life… since the middle ‘900 to our days… i don’t know exactly why i’m so in love with tour Land, but that’s it. 
 

I always dreamed about moving there forever and i was “inches” to get there a couple of times, but with no luck… maybe it wasn’t destiny. 
 

Anyway i will always be in love with American lands, American sports, American way to do many things… I know that not everything is perfect, but i would move there in a bit if i could… and who knows, maybe one day i’ll win the Green Card Lottery and i’ll come there with my family

 

I’ve been there in vacations with friends from 10 to 15 times, the last was 2009 if i remember well, and once i was in Tampa area close to a College campus: well, i stared hours watching young guys playing football and basketball… i was in heaven. 
 

And this is my favourite home corner:

 

 😀

Edited October 23, 2022 by Italian Bills

[Chandler#81]

7 hours ago, Augie said:

 

I can’t remember what I had for lunch yesterday, but I remember Bills games I went to in the 3rd grade. I have so many memories over so many years this would run into countless pages of ramblings in a single post. (I’m just trying to prove that I am self-aware.)

 

I will start with ONE. The Bills on Monday Night Football (which was even bigger back then) beating the Raiders with Ahmad Rashad catching a late TD. It was electric for this high school kid! It was my dad and I think two buddies from my neighborhood. We had season tickets, but these guys didn’t get this kind of treat often. I didn’t mind being stuck in the parking lot because we got to listen to the postgame show on the radio in the car. It was a great day in my early life, and I hope they remember it with the same fondness. Funny how this comes to mind first. 

 

Super Mario Italian? 

I was at the game too. Both Rashad TDs happened right in front of me in the lower endzone. 
51-3 will always stand out to me -mostly because our 1st Ever Super Bowl party began at halftime in the concourses. Everybody knew we were going and it was euphoric!

 

But my most favorite memory was 10/68 vs the Jets. Our only W of the season came via 5 picks off Namath with 3 being returned for TDs! Jets won the Super Bowl that season anyway and we ‘won’ OJ due to our ineptness.

 

Edit: my worst experience is probably just last season when my nephew gave me & my son tickets as a Xmas gift -to see us  … (I’m choking ..) at Jacksonville… HOWTF DID THAT HAPPEN?!?!

Edited October 23, 2022 by Chandler#81
Added more

[BuffaloBillyG]

Having been a Bills fan my entire life my memories (both good and bad) are vast and deep. I've been to many games, tailgates, special events and had the good fortune to bump into a few players here and there. It's been an amazing ride to be in the Buffalo Bills fandom.

 

My overall greatest memory came on October 19th, 2019. Miami came to town. This was the first game I took my son to. Lifelong dream stuff. At his request we wore matching Josh Allen jerseys, the same Buffalo Bills fishing hat and set out for the day. Watching his face while at the tailgate spot as he took it all in was amazing. He also got a huge kick running into the guy that dresses as a Buffalo Bills version of Darth Vader. And seeing his eyes when he walked into the stadium the first time...just an amazing feeling as a father.

 

Bills fell behind 14-9 after 3 quarters. Normally, of course I would stay until the end...but the image that the Bills may blow it and him exiting the stadium with a bunch of angry drunks ran through my mind. So I offered to head out...but he insisted on staying and told me the Bills would win. 

 

Enter that amazing 4th quarter outscoring the Phins 22-7 and the day being capped off by the amazing Hyde onside kick return TD. Just an amazing day all around.

[Italian Bills]

1 hour ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

Having been a Bills fan my entire life my memories (both good and bad) are vast and deep. I've been to many games, tailgates, special events and had the good fortune to bump into a few players here and there. It's been an amazing ride to be in the Buffalo Bills fandom.

 

My overall greatest memory came on October 19th, 2019. Miami came to town. This was the first game I took my son to. Lifelong dream stuff. At his request we wore matching Josh Allen jerseys, the same Buffalo Bills fishing hat and set out for the day. Watching his face while at the tailgate spot as he took it all in was amazing. He also got a huge kick running into the guy that dresses as a Buffalo Bills version of Darth Vader. And seeing his eyes when he walked into the stadium the first time...just an amazing feeling as a father.

 

Bills fell behind 14-9 after 3 quarters. Normally, of course I would stay until the end...but the image that the Bills may blow it and him exiting the stadium with a bunch of angry drunks ran through my mind. So I offered to head out...but he insisted on staying and told me the Bills would win. 

 

Enter that amazing 4th quarter outscoring the Phins 22-7 and the day being capped off by the amazing Hyde onside kick return TD. Just an amazing day all around.

The savior of the young guys !

[TheCockSportif]

I don't know if this is my favorite memory, but still it stands out to me.

 

I got acquainted with this guy that I worked with, and he was from Amherst -- moving from WNY to Boston area a few years earlier, just like me.  As such we would hang out and do tech things, and when it came to Bills' season, we'd try and watch games together.  Just MO, but nothing is as fun as watching Bills' games with another fan who knows the team intimately well, doesn't take themselves too seriously, and unless the game is tight or the Bills are getting smacked down, employs a healthy degree of snark.

 

This took place in 1999, the year that many of us thought that the Bills would make it to the SB, if not win it.  This dude was the first person I knew who owned a smoker, and he did wings and tri-tips.  I made this Ceasar salad with grilled croutons.  We were feeling no pain (beer, lots of it) before the 8:15pm kick off against the Jets, if I recall.  So we settled into the game on the couch and were drinking more beer.

 

I always loved the Maguire / Theismann booth.  Joe Thiesmann is dumb as a post, and would say unintentionally hilarious things.  Paul Maguire, IMO, was awesome in the booth, and clearly hated Joe Theismann.  So in that light, when somebody (I forget who; beer, and this happened decades ago) missed a field goal, Maguire emoted, "wow, he SHANKED that one!"

 

And then came the exception from Theismann.  "Paul, that's not a very nice thing to say."

 

Maguire was incredulous.  "What are you even talking about?  He SHANKED it!"

 

"Paul, a SHANK is a 'not very nice' person," Theissman continued.

 

ESPN basically immediately cut to commercial.

 

Classic.  Was Theismann talking about 'skanks' and just didn't know it?  Does anyone else remember this game and this exchange?

 

[AuntieEm]

7 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

I was at the game too. Both Rashad TDs happened right in front of me in the lower endzone. 
51-3 will always stand out to me -mostly because our 1st Ever Super Bowl party began at halftime in the concourses. Everybody knew we were going and it was euphoric!

 

But my most favorite memory was 10/68 vs the Jets. Our only W of the season came via 5 picks off Namath with 3 being returned for TDs! Jets won the Super Bowl that season anyway and we ‘won’ OJ due to our ineptness.

 

Edit: my worst experience is probably just last season when my nephew gave me & my son tickets as a Xmas gift -to see us  … (I’m choking ..) at Jacksonville… HOWTF DID THAT HAPPEN?!?!

 

   Just that slip on the qb sneak by Josh.  Just like anyone walking and something little trips them up out of the blue.  Maybe a little tired and a step brushed against the ground with just enough force to cause a trip.  Doesn't mean the person who tripped is incapable of walking suddenly... it was just bad luck.  

 

  Did notice how Dorsey added the wrinkle of Gabe Davis pushing Josh from behind as a stumble protection.  That itself has risks.  Had there been any type of issue with the snap handoff being off then Josh getting pushed as he maybe reflexively going after the fumbled loose ball he might have to reenact his Dallas Thanksgiving recovery.  Having said that as it is Josh he seems to thrive and actually makes the correct moves under fire.  Must be all the call of duty he plays.  Get used to getting the job done under adverse conditions. Even if it's just simulating combat I would guess these guys play those games pretty seriously.

[AuntieEm]

Just now, AuntieEm said:

 

   Just that slip on the qb sneak by Josh.  Just like anyone walking and something little trips them up out of the blue.  Maybe a little tired and a step brushed against the ground with just enough force to cause a trip.  Doesn't mean the person who tripped is incapable of walking suddenly... it was just bad luck.  

 

  Did notice how Dorsey added the wrinkle of Gabe Davis pushing Josh from behind as a stumble protection.  That itself has risks.  Had there been any type of issue with the snap handoff being off then Josh getting pushed as he maybe reflexively going after the fumbled loose ball he might have to reenact his Dallas Thanksgiving recovery.  Having said that as it is Josh he seems to thrive and actually makes the correct moves under fire.  Must be all the call of duty he plays.  Get used to getting the job done under adverse conditions. Even if it's just simulating combat I would guess these guys play those games pretty seriously.   Or Josh will do something entirely new and he widens the gap he can have over Mahomes.  

 

[MarkyMannn]

Raiders at the Rich, Monday night. Bills down like 11 points late in the 4th. Dad ALWAYS had to beat the traffic.  We're in the parking lot as the Bills add 14 in the last 2 minutes.  

 

Decades later I'm with my kids at a Sabre game down 3 with 5 to go & I always stay to the end They come back and win. Never leave

[Gen2]

Many MANY years ago my dad was a member of a Bills QB club which held meetings in an Oriels club. They would invite players or coaches to the meetings to talk about the previous week's game. This was a time when players didn't make much money, so most would eagerly accept an invitation for a free meal and beer for the evening.

 

One week, both Kemp and Lamonica attended the meeting, and after the meeting was over, everybody went to the bar somehow the discussion turned into who was the better Euchre player. My dad laughed and said, "I bet my son is better than both of you". they looked at me (all of 10/11 years old) and said he was on; the only condition was he and I couldn't be partners because a father/son team would surely have signals.

 

We cut cards for partners and dad ended up with Kemp, I teamed with Lamonica. I was a hard-fought game, the last hand had them ahead 9 to 8 but it was our deal, so I felt we had a good chance to pull it out. The initial tricks went back and forth ... and then ... and then ... Kemp caught Lamonica in a renege.

 

I always kind of felt that the embarrassment of the end of that game somehow contributed to Lamonica leaving the team for the Raiders.