To those of you that went to the game vs. NY

[Lv-Bills]

Joe Ferguson during the pre-game stuff? I'm 34 yrs old, and grew up in Pittsburgh. I've had season tix for 6 years now and have been going to Bills games since the early 90's. I went to a few in the 80's with my parents.

 

Growing up, I loved Fergy. I could hardly wait to get trading cards to see if I landed a Fergy card. Not seeing him play much but knowing he was the Bills QB made him my hero as a kid. I have a signed Joe F throwback helmet.

 

So, for the first time, I saw Fergy in person at the Ralph on Sunday. Even though it wasn't Fergy playing, it gave me goose bumps.

 

Here's hoping Joe's illness is long gone, and he goes on to be another great Bills alum.

 

As an adult, I was giddy on Sunday. Loved every minute of it.

[Bob in STL]

Joe Ferguson during the pre-game stuff?  I'm 34 yrs old, and grew up in Pittsburgh.  I've had season tix for 6 years now and have been going to Bills games since the early 90's.  I went to a few in the 80's with my parents. 

 

Growing up, I loved Fergy.  I could hardly wait to get trading cards to see if I landed a Fergy card.  Not seeing him play much but knowing he was the Bills QB made him my hero as a kid.  I have a signed Joe F throwback helmet.

 

So, for the first time, I saw Fergy in person at the Ralph on Sunday.  Even though it wasn't Fergy playing, it gave me goose bumps.

 

Here's hoping Joe's illness is long gone, and he goes on to be another great Bills alum.

 

As an adult, I was giddy on Sunday.  Loved every minute of it.

789718[/snapback]

 

 

I was there and seeing Joe was one of my favorite parts of the game. He looked great and hopefully he beat the cancer.

[Tom]

I was there and seeing Joe was one of my favorite parts of the game.  He looked great and hopefully he beat the cancer.

Ditto............ My 17 year old didn't have a hint as to who he was.

[CircleTheWagons]

As an adult, I was giddy on Sunday.  Loved every minute of it.

789718[/snapback]

A few years ago he was a position coach (I think) in the CFL and he came up to Calgary - I had the exact same feeling. It's amazing how seeing someone like that can make you feel like you were a kid again.

 

Of course last weekend Ricky Williams was in town and the Stampeders destroyed him and his team. Not the same feeling, but it also felt pretty good

[rockpile]

Yeah, Joe Ferguson never got great press, but remember he was the QB during the 70's which was not a great decade for Bills fans.

 

The following is an article I wrote for Two Bills Drive a "couple"years ago; the facts were accurate at that time.

 

 

The Buffalo Bills Other Number 12

 

by Tom “Rockpile” Benson

 

There should be no doubt in any long-time fan’s mind that Jim Kelly was the greatest quarterback in Bills history; all one has to do is scan the record book for proof. But there was another number 12 at the helm of the Buffalo Bills during some of their most exciting and most frustrating years who also had the heart of a lion, Joe Ferguson.

 

Ferguson was drafted out of Arkansas State in 1973 in the third round, after leading the Razorbacks for three years. His college accomplishments include All-Southwest Conference quarterback where he passed for 4,431 career yards. He set a school record that still stands with 2,203 passing yards in 1971. He was Most Valuable Player of the 1971 Liberty Bowl.

 

In his rookie year with the Bills, Ferguson became the starting quarterback and played in all fourteen games, but his role went from “Air Arkansas” to a role that mostly involved handing the ball to O.J. Simpson. He only attempted 164 passes that entire year (in one game at Arkansas he had passed 51 times!), but he was an integral part of the squad that helped O.J. get his 2003 yard season.

 

Sometimes Ferguson looked at OJ and asked himself why he was needed in Buffalo. But instead of fretting over the lack of an aggressive passing offense, he concentrated on his primary role on the team - play every down, work hard, study the game - there is always room to improve and his day would come.

 

In 1980, the Bills won their first division title in 14 years, and the goal posts came tumbling down! This led to a playoff game against San Diego that, for me, will always be one of the most memorable contests I have ever watched. Ferguson was playing hurt; his ankle caused him so much pain that he could barely stand. But he stood in there and took a pounding, unable to scramble and injured too severely to plant his foot to throw. The Bills held a 14-13 lead until late in the fourth quarter when an across the middle slant pass put the Chargers ahead 20-14.

 

After the game was over, the ankle was examined again. It was sprained, torn, stretched, pulled, and had a cracked bone in the back. But the hardest part for Joe Ferguson was that he knew this was likely the closest his team would get to the Super Bowl. For his tenure with the team, in fact, it was.

 

Ferguson was widely praised when the Bills won, and crucified when they lost. The biggest misunderstanding was his posture when he left the field after an interception, failed conversion attempt, or other offensive miscue. He would walk off the field, head down, which was misinterpreted by fans as hanging his head in defeat. But for Joe it was a personal statement: whatever play he was trying to execute had not worked and he was already concentrating on what he would do the next time he got the ball in his hands.

 

Joe Ferguson retired in 1990. In all, he spent twelve seasons with the Buffalo Bills and six more with Detroit, Tampa Bay, and Indianapolis. During his NFL tenure, he passed for 29,827 yards and 196 touchdowns (27,590 yards and 181 touchdowns as a Bill).

 

After his career in the NFL was finished, he worked at real estate for a while, and was a football radio commentator and pre-game co-host on Arkansas Razorback Sports Network.

 

In 1995, he filled in for two weeks for an injured David Archer as a favor to an old friend, former Bills quarterback and head coach, Kaye Stephenson, then head coach of the San Antonio Texans of the CFL. Stephenson had tried to get him to commit to the entire season, but at 45, he and his family decided playing football was no longer an option!

 

1995 was also the year Joe Ferguson’s name went up on the Wall of Fame in Rich Stadium.

 

Football was still in his blood, even if he was through as a player. He served as quarterbacks coach for Louisiana Tech in 1990 and 1991, eventually returning to Arkansas as quarterbacks coach for the Razorbacks.

 

At the age of 47, he is back at his alma mater, 28 years after he first arrived. He and his wife Sandy have a daughter Kristen, 14, and son Trey, 11.

 

He is in excellent physical shape and still looks like he could come out and take some snaps from center! He will always be one of the players I look up to; he made the most of every opportunity that came his way. He was never a quitter. Now he is teaching those same qualities to a new generation of college and NFL hopefuls - play every down, work hard, study the game.

 

 

Copyright © 1997 Tom “Rockpile” Benson. All rights reserved.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Hell yeah, man. That 80s team was the one I grew up with.

 

The guy I went to the game with was about 6 years younger, and had no idea who Fergy was.

 

I told him he was my favorite Bills QB of all time.

[Bob in STL]

ESPN has aired a highlight tribute on Joe Ferguson's career. it is very interesting to hear what the other great plays from the 70's and early 80's said about Joe. Buck Buchanon, a HoF DT for the Chiefs, said that you had to always worry about Joe making a great pass to beat you. He has considered one of the toughest players in the game. He took a pounding anfd kept coming back.

 

I still believe that the only thing that stopped that 80's team from making the Super Bowl was injuries. In the San Diego Playoff game Jeff Nixon, our safety, fell down and Dan Fouts hit what amounted to their 5th string wideout for a long TD. One mistake decided the game. Simpson would not have even been playing had not Jeff Nixon, and then Rod Kush, both been injured during the season. Nixon was having a pro Bowl year. Kush was an up and coming player too. Simpson was a veteran at the twilight of his careeer, brought in by Coach Knox to plug a hole. It was very unfortunate. Fergy played the game on one leg and the san Diego defensive linemen we teeing off, trying to knock him out of the game. Joe never backed down.

[Fan in San Diego]

Yeah, Joe Ferguson never got great press, but remember he was the QB during the 70's which was not a great decade for Bills fans.   

 

The following is an article I  wrote for Two Bills Drive a "couple"years ago; the facts were accurate at that time. 

The Buffalo Bills Other Number 12

 

by Tom “Rockpile” Benson

 

There should be no doubt in any long-time fan’s mind that Jim Kelly was the greatest quarterback in Bills history; all one has to do is scan the record book for proof. But there was another number 12 at the helm of the Buffalo Bills during some of their most exciting and most frustrating years who also had the heart of a lion,  Joe Ferguson.

 

Ferguson was drafted out of Arkansas State in 1973 in the third round, after leading the Razorbacks for three years. His college accomplishments include All-Southwest Conference quarterback where he passed for 4,431 career yards. He set a school record that still stands with 2,203 passing yards in 1971. He was Most Valuable Player of the 1971 Liberty Bowl.

 

In his rookie year with the Bills, Ferguson became the starting quarterback and played in all fourteen games, but his role went from “Air Arkansas” to a role that mostly involved handing the ball to O.J. Simpson. He only attempted 164 passes that entire year (in one game at Arkansas he had passed 51 times!), but he was an integral part of the squad that helped O.J. get his 2003 yard season.

 

Sometimes Ferguson looked at OJ and asked himself why he was needed in Buffalo. But instead of fretting over the lack of an aggressive passing offense, he concentrated on his primary role on the team - play every down, work hard, study the game - there is always room to improve and his day would come.

 

In 1980, the Bills won their  first division title in 14 years, and the goal posts came tumbling down!  This led to a playoff game against San Diego that, for me, will always be one of the most memorable contests I have ever watched. Ferguson was playing hurt; his ankle caused him so much pain that he could barely stand. But he stood in there and took a pounding, unable to scramble and injured too severely to plant his foot to throw. The Bills held a 14-13 lead until late in the fourth quarter when an across the middle slant pass put the Chargers ahead 20-14.

 

After the game was over, the ankle was examined again. It was sprained, torn, stretched, pulled, and had a cracked bone in the back. But the hardest part for Joe Ferguson was that he knew this was likely the closest his team would get to the Super Bowl. For his tenure with the team, in fact, it was.

 

Ferguson was widely praised when the Bills won, and crucified when they lost. The biggest misunderstanding was his posture when he left the field after an interception, failed conversion attempt, or other offensive miscue. He would walk off the field, head down, which was misinterpreted by fans as hanging his head in defeat. But for Joe it  was a personal statement: whatever play he was trying to execute had not worked and he was already concentrating on what he would do the next time he got the ball in his hands.

 

Joe Ferguson retired in 1990. In all, he spent twelve seasons with the Buffalo Bills and six more with Detroit, Tampa Bay, and Indianapolis. During his NFL tenure, he passed for 29,827 yards and 196 touchdowns (27,590 yards and 181 touchdowns as a Bill).

 

After his career in the NFL was finished, he worked at real estate for a while, and was a  football radio commentator and pre-game co-host on Arkansas Razorback Sports Network.

 

In 1995, he filled in for two weeks for an injured David Archer as a favor to an old friend, former Bills quarterback and head coach, Kaye Stephenson, then head coach of the San Antonio Texans of the CFL. Stephenson had tried to get him to commit to the entire season, but at 45, he and his family decided playing football was no longer an option!

 

1995 was also the year Joe Ferguson’s name went up on the Wall of Fame in Rich Stadium.

 

Football was still in his blood, even if he was through as a player. He served as quarterbacks coach for Louisiana Tech in 1990 and 1991, eventually returning to Arkansas as quarterbacks coach for the Razorbacks.

 

At the age of 47, he is back at his alma mater, 28 years after he first arrived.  He and his wife Sandy have a daughter Kristen, 14, and son Trey, 11.

 

He is in excellent physical shape and still looks like he could come out and take some snaps from center! He will always be one of the players I look up to; he made the most of every opportunity that came his way. He was never a quitter. Now he is teaching those same qualities to a new generation of college and NFL hopefuls - play every down, work hard, study the game.

                                   

 

Copyright © 1997 Tom “Rockpile” Benson.  All rights reserved.

789851[/snapback]

 

I was at that game in San Diego ! It was an awesome game, I became a Fergy Fan for life after that game.

[loadofmularkey]

Ditto............  My 17 year old didn't have a hint as to who he was.

789807[/snapback]

 

Scarier yet, does your 17 year old know who Jim Kelly was??

 

I'm sure he knows who he was, but there's no way he could remember seeing him play.

 

Oh my God, I'm old. I'm only 26.

[beerme1]

Copyright © 1997 Tom “Rockpile” Benson.  All rights reserved.

 

789851[/snapback]

 

Copyright? All rights reserved? Was this in a book?

 

 

Seeing him and the reaction he got was goosebump moment.

[rockpile]

Copyright? All rights reserved? Was this in a book?

Seeing him and the reaction he got was goosebump moment.

790203[/snapback]

Back in the early days, when fans actually wrote articles for TBD, they were always tagged this way. Now, I believe they are just tagged:

 

"Copyright © (date) Two Bills Drive. All rights reserved"

 

I think TSW posts like Lori's pre-game reviews should be tagged this wasy.

 

Question - whatever happened to the "Spies on the East?

[The Warden]

Back in the early days, when fans actually wrote articles for TBD, they were always tagged this way. Now, I believe they are just tagged:

 

"Copyright © (date) Two Bills Drive.  All rights reserved"

 

I think TSW posts like Lori's pre-game reviews should be tagged this wasy.

 

Question - whatever happened to the "Spies on the East?

790571[/snapback]

 

 

Decent, reasonable posts are buried away by the drivel of posters who don't remember the original #12 (or care). This one will be on Page 2 by kickoff tomorrow.

 

Joe Ferguson was one of the toughest QB's to play for a long time for a bad team

 

I always get amused by the current NBA generation who espouse the game. I tell them that (back in the day) an NBA could score 120 points and lose the game.

Bob MacAdoo - where are you ? They don't grasp the concept.

[Tcali]

ESPN has aired a highlight tribute on Joe Ferguson's career.  it is very interesting to hear what the other great plays from the 70's and early 80's said about Joe.  Buck Buchanon, a HoF DT for the Chiefs, said that you had to always worry about Joe making a great pass to beat you.  He has considered one of the toughest players in the game.  He took a pounding anfd kept coming back. 

 

I still believe that the only thing that stopped that 80's team from making the Super Bowl was injuries.  In the San Diego Playoff game Jeff Nixon, our safety, fell down and Dan Fouts hit what amounted to their 5th string wideout for a long TD.  One mistake decided the game.  Simpson would not have even been playing had not Jeff Nixon, and then Rod Kush, both been injured during the season.  Nixon was having a pro Bowl year.  Kush was an up and coming player too.  Simpson was a veteran at the twilight of his careeer, brought in by Coach Knox to plug a hole.  It was very unfortunate.  Fergy played the game on one leg and the san Diego defensive linemen we teeing off, trying to knock him out of the game.  Joe never backed down.

789883[/snapback]

He was very tough---and he weighed about a buck 80!!---extremely accurate passer.

[Yoho]

Decent, reasonable posts are buried away by the drivel of posters who don't remember the original #12 (or care).  This one will be on Page 2 by kickoff tomorrow.

 

Joe Ferguson was one of the toughest QB's to play for a long time for a bad team

 

I always get amused by the current NBA generation who espouse the game.  I tell them that (back in the day) an NBA could score 120 points and lose the game.

Bob MacAdoo - where are you ?  They don't grasp the concept.

790762[/snapback]

Original #12??????????

 

That would be Darryl Lamonica. Changed numbers when he got to Oakland. Art Powell???????????? For those of you regretting that your kids dont know Joe Ferguson, I feel the same way about those of you who don't understand the pain of Art Powell.

[Olaf Fub]

It was great seeing him and I too hope he is healthy.

 

It was nice seeing all those guys from the early eighties. That was a pretty good team, I loved the way they played football; Great D and Ground Chuck's 10 minute drives.

[beerme1]

Decent, reasonable posts are buried away by the drivel of posters who don't remember the original #12 (or care).  This one will be on Page 2 by kickoff tomorrow.

790762[/snapback]

 

Although most of what I post is drivel, I assure you this thread will not be on page 2 by kickoff.

I remember and I care.

I'm 40 and grew up in Toronto but was a Bills faithful even back then because of my dad. I got hooked so much on Buffalo I adopted the area as home eventually.

 

Joe went through a lot around here (Buffalo) both good and bad profesionally and personally. It is nice to see him recovering, nice to see that people around here still care about him, and nice to see him acknowledge that fact.

Salute Joe.

[beerme1]

It would be nice if Joe hung hung around this week to see us honor Andre.

 

Thanks again Joe! Stay well.

[Astrobot]

Thanks for sharing the bio, Rockpile.

 

While I remember Joe Foerguson, I'm old enough to be losing the excellent details you provided!

[CFLstyle]

A few years ago he was a position coach (I think) in the CFL and he came up to Calgary - I had the exact same feeling.  It's amazing how seeing someone like that can make you feel like you were a kid again.

 

Of course last weekend Ricky Williams was in town and the Stampeders destroyed him and his team.  Not the same feeling, but it also felt pretty good 

789831[/snapback]

Then of course the following weekend the Stamps go to Toronto and the potent Argos defense makes Henry Burris look like Spergon Wynn.

 

And Williams gets his second touchdown of the season