The Avenger Posted January 2, 2009 Posted January 2, 2009 One thing I've seen here and in talking with fellow fans is the utter dismay at the direction of the team. It seems that the longer you've been a Bills fan, the more hurt you are by the 2008 season and the decision to keep Jauron. The newer fans seem more optimistic - keep supporting the Bills and eventually they'll get better. Is there a fatigue factor in how you think? I'm curious to find out. Tell me: How long have you been a Bills fan? (Be honest - if you're 30 you haven't been a Bills fan for 30 years - when did you really become a fan?) What's your out look on the Bills now? Done with being a fan? Optimistic that with a few small tweaks we'll win the division on the next couple of years? Where are you on the spectrum?
The Avenger Posted January 2, 2009 Author Posted January 2, 2009 Sorry - post got submitted before it ws done - full post is on the board with the same title (mods - please delete this one)
bizell Posted January 2, 2009 Posted January 2, 2009 been a bills fan since 1990.. not optimistic w/ jauron.
bg17 Posted January 2, 2009 Posted January 2, 2009 I am 47 and have been a fan since my first game at War Memorial in 1969. Sad is the word that best describes my feelings since the Jauron announcement. I don't consider myself old, but I'm sure as hell not getting any younger. In my mind, Jauron coming back makes it a minimum of two years from now before the Bills can take the field without being at a competitive disadvantage before the coin-toss. I don't want to wait that long.
Hazed and Amuzed Posted January 2, 2009 Posted January 2, 2009 I'm 30 and this season almost broke me. I will however keep watching them and rooting for them. I've always been the optimist but it's getting harder and harder.
Marv's Neighbor Posted January 2, 2009 Posted January 2, 2009 I've been a fan since the first day of the AFL. Am I happy with the Dick situation?...NO Could we do worse?...Absolutely and we've done worse in the past. Kay, John Roush, Meathead the Kay clone and Hank come to mind for most of the same reasons. The outlook?...Not good, but unfortunately that's been the norm for most of the life of the franchise. Ralph is what Ralph is, an absentee owner, from day one, who spends most of his time flying between Detroit and Florida and could care less about Buffalo. Financially the franchise has been wildly successful for him and his family. He wants a winner but can't make the financial committment and that's getting worse as he gets older. He's more concerned about the value of the asset that he will leave his family. Having lived in: Washington DC, Chicago, Houston, and Seattle over 30+ years, but having been born and raised in Buffalo, I could never be a fan of any other team. BUT if the BILLS move I will do as i did when the BRAVES left and give up being interested in the rest of the league, for good!
Fergonius Posted January 2, 2009 Posted January 2, 2009 Been a fan probably 32 years) I was 14 in 76 and just began to really like football around that time. I sadly am not very optomistic with this team. This really was a hard year to stay a die-hard fan. The fan base is shrinking, the owner refuses to spend what it takes to get top quality players and coaches, and quality free agents aren't interested in going to the Bills. I'll stay a fan, I always have; but I've gotten less passionate for this franchise over the past few years. I think no playoffs for the next two years and the team will move out in three or four years after Wilson passes.
BuffaloBill Posted January 2, 2009 Posted January 2, 2009 One thing I've seen here and in talking with fellow fans is the utter dismay at the direction of the team. It seems that the longer you've been a Bills fan, the more hurt you are by the 2008 season and the decision to keep Jauron. The newer fans seem more optimistic - keep supporting the Bills and eventually they'll get better. Is there a fatigue factor in how you think? I'm curious to find out. Tell me: How long have you been a Bills fan? (Be honest - if you're 30 you haven't been a Bills fan for 30 years - when did you really become a fan?) What's your out look on the Bills now? Done with being a fan? Optimistic that with a few small tweaks we'll win the division on the next couple of years? Where are you on the spectrum? 44 years old - been a bills fan since I was a little kid - started with "the juice and the electric company" (now best described as the sad man who wasted his life and fame. While he is in jail I hope he finds some way to turn ot around.) I would describe the current state of the Bills as sad. I am upset not simply because of Dick Jauron. I would add that Bills Nation also suffers the indignation of being a franchise that is most likely going to be ripped away from its incredably loyal fan base. It is sad that the average fan no longer matters to the NFL in general and certanly not to Ralph Wilson. I fear that if the Jauron mess and continued poor play leads to poor attendance at games the NFL owners will have no reason to support the idea of keeping the team in Buffalo once Ralph passes on. Buffalo fans are second to none. That is why I am one and remain one even during this current slap in the face.
Jerry Jabber Posted January 2, 2009 Posted January 2, 2009 I'm 34 and have been a fan of the Bills when I was a kid and was old enough to know what football was. I started out watching a good Chuck Knox led Bills team, then the depressing years of Kay & Hank. What's really depressing is that it's been 9 long years since we had a good team. Ralph is so scared of hiring a GM & coach that is a proven winner because he is afraid of getting burned again. I just don't understand how he could dish out big bucks to certain players, but no big bucks to get good management & coaches to lead this team?
BuffOrange Posted January 2, 2009 Posted January 2, 2009 28, fan since I was 11. Not optimistic at all. One thing I'm certain of in my years of following the league is that the QB is more important than the coach, so I'm perhaps in the minority in that the search for the franchise QB is more interesting to me than the coaching fiasco. I still have some strange optimism that Trent can be that guy so that's the source for my glimmer of hope. Like JR said, most coaches are dumb so there's more to our failures than that.
The Avenger Posted January 2, 2009 Author Posted January 2, 2009 One thing I've seen here and in talking with fellow fans is the utter dismay at the direction of the team. It seems that the longer you've been a Bills fan, the more hurt you are by the 2008 season and the decision to keep Jauron. The newer fans seem more optimistic - keep supporting the Bills and eventually they'll get better. Is there a fatigue factor in how you think? I'm curious to find out. Tell me: How long have you been a Bills fan? (Be honest - if you're 30 you haven't been a Bills fan for 30 years - when did you really become a fan?) What's your out look on the Bills now? Done with being a fan? Optimistic that with a few small tweaks we'll win the division on the next couple of years? Where are you on the spectrum? OK, now that the posting snafu was been addressed, I'll answer my own question. I've been a fan for almost 30 years. I am very fatigued. I am not optimistic that the Bills are on the right track and ready to take the next step. I am incredibly tired of hearing that we are a year or two way. I am also tired of seeing all our division make substantial changes that allow them to get better while we stay in place. It's enough to make me feel that I need to turn down my fandom a few notches for reasons of self preservation. I'll still root for the Bills and follow them, I just can't live and die by them - all the dying in killing me!
Toledo Bill Posted January 2, 2009 Posted January 2, 2009 52 years old and a life-long Bill's fan. I moved out of the Buffalo area in 1979 but my family has had season tickets since the 60's. I attend games when possible and never miss a game on Direct TV. I will always be a Buffalo sports fan and regardless what happens I start each year with renewed hope. I have NEVER been a Ralph Wilson fan and feel the Super Bowl years were a case of all the stars being aligned. He has always been a cheap owner that hires cheap coaches. Two Harvey Johnson regimes, Hank Bullough, Kay Stevenson, etc. Ralph Wison for the Hall of Fame... what a joke! I think you have proposed an interesting question to the group, I have figured the older fans would always be loyal and although frustrated, have become somewhat hardened to mediocracy. Buffalo fans are a hardy group yet I understand some fans getting frustrated and "cutting ties" with the team. I just can't do that; I love the city of Buffalo and will always support their sports teams. An interesting point... during the Super Bowl years I would expect we picked up a decent percentage of our fan base. Just my two cents, but I would imagine that is the group that is more often than not willing to "cut bait". I am not saying one group of fans is better or more loyal than any other... just my best guess.
thecoz77 Posted January 2, 2009 Posted January 2, 2009 31 years old and have been a fan since 1986, when I had the honor of going to Marv's first game. I was hooked. I sat through four SB losses (one to the Giants hurt since I lived downstate). I watched the MCM and the age of Rob Johnson. This year was awful though. I think watching the last few games, I had a feeling of a new coach and regime coming in could make a difference, but when Mr. Burns...er....Ralph Wilson decided to keep his Smithers, I have no hope for this team. There are bright spots...Marshawn and Freddy. Also, who can have hope when Robert Royal is dropping passes.
CTBillsGuy Posted January 2, 2009 Posted January 2, 2009 Give up on the Bills? Did Russert give up on them? I'm 63 and have been a fan since 1960 and will never quit on the team. Disappointed? Sometimes, but I love to watch them play. I live in CT and you can take the boy out of Buffalo but you can't take Buffalo out of the boy. And you cant stop your mouth watering for Ted's, beef on weck and Genny. Go Bills!
stuckincincy Posted January 2, 2009 Posted January 2, 2009 Give up on the Bills? Did Russert give up on them? I'm 63 and have been a fan since 1960 and will never quit on the team. Disappointed? Sometimes, but I love to watch them play. I live in CT and you can take the boy out of Buffalo but you can't take Buffalo out of the boy. And you cant stop your mouth watering for Ted's, beef on weck and Genny. Go Bills! Good post.
cåblelady Posted January 2, 2009 Posted January 2, 2009 53 years old. Been a fan since the 60's when black and white tv's were still the norm. Had no idea what our colors were, but I liked the little standing buffalo on the helmets. I like to think of myself as the eternal optimist. Having been thru two divorces and losing both of my parents....I still have that glimmer of hope for the Bills. They've let me down more than they've brought me up, but hope springs eternal. Don't like the Jauron extension. He needs to grow a set of balls. I want to see a little fire, a little assertiveness.....borderline agressiveness. Will we see it? I highly doubt it. I want to see two-back sets, alot less of running up the middle, more play-action, more slants......do our coaches even know what a slant is? I want TE to stop being Captain Checkdown. I don't really like TE, but I never really liked JK either. I'll give TE a chance. Maybe I've got him all wrong. I'd like to see more blitzes. I'd like to see our defense stop playing back so far. I'd like to see more jumping the route. Be agressive. Be....be agressive. Will I re-new my season tickets? Hell, yeah. It's the only thing I do for myself each year. I've met so many fabulous people on this board. I can't envision myself not tailgating with the best at Lot 1 Pole 5. GO BILLS !!
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