Bills/Sabresfan

Like most of you, I grew up in WNY. We grew up loving the home team, the Bills, Sabres and for some of you the Braves. What I truly don't understand is how or why so few of you love the Sabres. With Buffalo being such a hockey town, I figured more of you would show more passion for our team. I have such fond memories of growing up listening and watching the games. Many of my friendships were driven by our interest in the team. Maybe with all the losses and The Rigas fiasco, the team doesn't interest you anymore. I for one, love our team regardless of record, ownership problems and strikes. Does anyone out there also love this team and follow it with the same passion as the Bills??? Doug in Clearwater

Cawingnut - I did not appreciate your comment concerning my wife. An opinion was asked for concerning minivan choices. You may be young or too cool for such a purchase, but others need these vehicles to survive with kids. When you do not make a ton of money, you do your homework and find out the best products for your money. If you were intelligent, you would understand. By my guess, you have no clue what it means to work with a budget and make sound financial choices. As a Bills fan, I would expect better from you. In the future, show some class. In the offseason, off topic stuff comes up. I and others do not come on this site to be criticized or to be made to feel bad. My wife and I gave honest and correct information. Act like a man and save the insults for appropriate posters.

I'm the above poster's wife (bills/sabrefan) and felt the need to throw in my .02. I have done extensive research on minivans and couldn't wait to own one. In order to have the cargo room that I needed I would have had to get an Expedition or Suburban sized SUV and between the gas and the price of the car, there was just no way to justify the $$. I needed cargo room for the baby and all of his gear along with some extra room for all of my work stuff. The Grand Caravan fulfills our needs within our budget. There is no doubt that the Odyssey/Sienna/Quest or even the MPV are great vans but the first 3 are extremely expensive adn the MPV is small. They hold their value but if you don't have the bucks to spend initially then you are out of the running. Case in point: My mother's 2001 Honda Odyssey EX without leather retailed at MSRP in 2001 which is what she paid for it. 4 years and 100,000 miles later it is still worth over $12K. If you can afford a car payment then use the $9K as a down payment on an Odyssey or the Quest. The Sienna, redesigned in '04, will come down in price soon due to the new 2005 Odyssey competition. Currently the Sienna is overpriced IMO, but the 2005 Hondas are going for MSRP since they are the new design. Honda re-designs each car every 5 years like clockwork and the Ody was due in 2005. If you can find a new leftover 2004 Odyssey, which is the previous design, you could get a great deal. However, the 2005 Odyssey will probably have a few kinks since it's new. Frankly I'm a little disappointed in Honda right now because they essentially thunked the front end of the CRV onto the new Odyssey. So much for creativity. The 2005 Quest should be in great shape since it's about 2 years old or so. If you don't have the money you could get a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan for about $9K. The transmission issue with Chrysler/Dodge T & C/Grand Caravans were more of a mid-90's issue than anything that is happening currently. The biggest problem you will probably have is the a/c if anything. Don't get the Caravan. It's way too small. Definitely bump up to the Grand Caravan. If you want Flip and fold seats, etc. it will definitely cost you big bucks if you get an American van. On another note I wouldn't personally touch the Ford Aerostar/Windstar/Freestar/Deathstar POS with a 100' pole. They are notorious for build quality problems and for crapping out at about 100K. I frequently use www.edmunds.com for car research. The discussion forums and pricing guide are my favorites. Best of luck to you.

As a recent new dad and even more recent nerd mobile owner, I can say I love my nerd mobile. We have a 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan. If you purchase one, get one with rear air. One's without are referred to as baby cookers!!!!!!!! We paid 14,900 from Carmax with 17k miles. If you wish to own this vehicle long term, buy this van. It does not hold it's value, but if holding long term, who cares???? You don't have alot of money and need safe newer transportation for very important cargo. Honda and Toyota are the better choices by far. If you had more dough, it would be a different story. My van was 24k new. In one year, it went down 10k or so. In my opinion, by a newer used car and let someone else pay for that initial loss in value. I now have a $267.00 per month payment for 5 years on a great family vehicle. My wife and I are really really happy to have safe and affordable transportation for our new Bills fan Dylan Reeves Grandits - age 3 months as of yesterday. God Bless Our Bills!!!!!!!!!! Doug and Dylan Grandits in Clearwater

As a former upper deck season ticket holder, I say upper deck all the way. As a kid, I would always beg my dad to sit down low for a game. He would always say the upper deck is the only seats he would sit in. I would always be angry, but now I share his belief. To be honest, i would love to sit behind the Bills bench on the 50 for one game. My other dream is to be on the field for one game before I die. Go Upper Deck and Go Bills!!!!!!!!!!!! Doug in Clearwater

i think Thomas Smith as well??

great post and something I think about. I think back to House Ballard, Nate Odomes and Mike Hollis having major career ending injuries after leaving the Bills. If my memory serves me, Ballard played afew years then got hurt. I know there are several others, but I am too tired to remember them. Doug in Clearwater

Children of the night - Whitesnake Paradise By The Dashboard Lights - Meatloaf Girls, Girls, Girls - Motley Crue For those about to Rock - ACDC 666 The Number of the beast - Iron Maiden I miss the hair band days. I am glad they are still played them on the radio!! I still wear my acid washed jeans and drive the camero. The 90's will live on forever!!!! - let me correct that statement - the 90's live on when I am alone in the car and I get to pick the radio stations. When the wife is in the car, forget about it. She can only handle so much air guitar in the car and singing into my fist ( my fist is my microphone) take care

Could someone who knows the name of that store please respond. The deals are too good to pass up in my opinion.

While back home this weekend( god it felt great to be back home) my buddy and I stopped in to the Bills merchandise store located behind 7 Eleven on Abbott Road. The store is next to the bar with the Bills helmet painted in red on the side of the building. I have never seen a better selection of nice Bills stuff in one place and the kicker is they had a bunch of xxl in almost all shirt styles. Can anyone tell me the name of that store??? I want to get in touch with the owner and buy more stuff from the store. His prices this time of year are excellent. He is trying to get rid of some inventory, so I picked up abunch of new t shirts for half sticker price. The owner who helped us was very nice. They even have old turf from the Ralph on the floor. Could someone write back with that name and number??? On the door to the store there is a number to call if you would like to browse when the store is not open. If any of you have any of that, please respond. If my memory serves me, the owner is either a friend of Hammered Alot or Hammer himself. I can not remember, I was too busy updating my new collection of Bills formal wear. Thanks Doug in Clearwater If you are in Buffalo currently, I would ride out to the stadium and check out this store. Great stuff for excellent prices and you are supporting a Bills fans small business. God Bless Our Bills!!!!!!!!!!!

great job Mike. Now get some sleep. Questions - have you placed any Bills stuff in your daughters hand yet???? My son Dylan had aBills keychain in his hand 1 hour after birth. Let's go, you are running a little behind. God bless

Talonz, Please keep telling us about your losses. I like others, found it very interesting and motivating. You are dead on about the running shoes - The Beast by Brooks is or has been one of the top rated running shoes for larger people by Consumer Reports. Tell me your life situation now. Are you single with a ton of time on your hands or you like the majority and slammed with family and work committments??? If you are married with kids I give you even more credit. I am fighting that lazy factor lately and can't keep following through with my exercise plan. At the moment, I mentally can not give exercise too much attention. What caused you to make this life change?? Are you grouped with other people for support and running partners??? Above all else, keep it up. Go to a gym and lift a 60lb dumb bell and think that you were carrying that around you for along period of time.

thank you to all who have responded. I am so unsure what is best. Each morning, as I get ready for work, my wife is sleeping with my son in the crook of her arm. They both look so peaceful, I have actually started to cry on a few occasions. I am torn, because I want so much for both of them. When I work hard, great things happen for me( and now us). My dad painted our local church at nights just so I could go to Catholic school. I owe Dylan love and the resources needed to give him a lifetime of good experiences. I understand all of your thoughts about missing out on watching him grow up. Thank you to Alaska Darin for a nice response. Your responses to all of my posts have always been sarcastic, so I really appreciate your genuine remarks. Take care confused in Clearwater!!!!!!!!!

With the arrival of my first child, the thoughts having enough money is on my mind constantly. I am currently a teacher who makes ends meet, but needs more money for my wife and new baby. I have an open job offer to sell cars for Carmax. The good part is I will bring home around 1,200 extra per month. The bad thing is I will be away from my family a lot to get it. My wife has saved a decent amount of money and we should get an excellent tax return, so we will be able to keep my wife home until August and pay the mortgage for the next couple of months. My question for you - especially the fathers out there, how much extra do you work and would you regret being away so much, but to ensure your most important family is ok??? I WOULD LIKE YOUR THOUGHTS. Growing up, I saw my dad and plenty of other male relatives work countless hours to support the family.

Jim aka Floemoe - you are exactly right. Things have changed in Buffalo. People do not have the passion anymore. There should be more then 43k season ticket holders. With the regionalization of this team, there is enough people in the area with money who could and should buy tickets. Everyone from Buffalo(myself included) cries poor, but come on people, there are only 10 events per year. Buck up and buy tickets!!!! The Bills are one of the few fun activities left in Buffalo. That would be the day that if I lived in Buffalo that I would scrape the funds together to buy a season ticket. - If you respond, spare me the people need to put food on the table and things are tough up here in WNY. It is tough all over and someone is buying all those new expensive homes in Clarence, Lancaster and OP. Buy tickets our our favorite hobby will go away, and none of us want that to happen.

hey - there is a big group that meets in Tampa at aplace called Point After Pub. It is located on Hanley Road between Waters and Hillsborough. There is a whole room with many TV's. I bet 60 or more will be their on Sunday. Very friendly and loyal group. Doug in Clearwater

Dear God, Most of us on this board have lived good lives. I personally served as an alterboy and went to Catholic grammar school for many years. The nuns, punched me, kicked me and name called me for 8 long years. Do you know how many ear tugs I received from Sister Bernadette???? (Plenty) I do your work as a special education teacher. I have even brainwashed some of my students (non Buffalo people) to be Bills fans. I am not asking for a million dollars or an extra inch ( like the other guy on here). I just ask for a Bills victory this Sunday and a Denver or Jets loss. I am not even asking for a world championship yet. I just want in the playoffs. The boys in the red,white and blue deserve this. Look how hard they fought against adversity. They never stopped fighting. From what I remember at Mother of Divine Grace School in Cheektowaga that counts for something. Lord we are a passionette dedicated group who is just asking for a break. We as fans and as acity have been kicked in the teeth over and over, and I just want to feel the joy of victory. Thank you Lord for listening to my prayers and the other loyalists of the Buffalo Bills. God Bless Our Bills

One of my buddies flew home for Christmas last week. He mentioned that all patrons at the midnight show( not sure which night) were asked to leave and the shows were cancelled. He later found out they were cancelled because a large group was fighting or expected to fight. I always go to the mall when I go home and in my opinion, it is a scary and depressing place, especially near the movie entrance. What bugs me as well is so many out of towners visit the mall and what do they see?? - dirty, poor and angry people hanging around with nothing to do. No wonder Buffalo has such a bad rap. Does anyone have any details about what happened????

I'm sitting at my in law's computer thinking about next Sunday's game. I'm also thinking about all of the great Buffalo games I've attended over the years. One chant that gets me revved up is "Let's Go Buffalo!!" When I think of 80,000 people standing in unison chanting this I feel tremendous civic pride. I will not be able to attend the game next Sunday but for those of you who are going please start this chant for me. This is the most significant Buffalo home game in many years and I hope that all of you who are going make the Ralph rock! LET'S GO BUFFALO!! - (As you're reading this start saying this to yourself over and over again.) To my buddy, Jim Floriano, known as "Flomoe" on TSW enjoy the game. I wish I was going with you.

You know that answer. What else beside a Baltimore, Denver,Jets and Jags loss??? P. S. I love reading your posts on the wall - you do have an excellent sense of humor. Can you explain how when you type in sh-- on a post, how or why your name comes up?? I am sure you have answered this a thousand times, but it is funny. Keep up your funny responses. Have a great holiday. Doug in Clearwater

As I get older(age 35) and my available freetime dwindles, I have decide which sports I want to play or stop playing. I have grown up playing sports. My friendships and my relationship with my father hinges on sports (not comepletely, but to a large degree). My dilemma, is that I am not that good at most of them. As a huge sports fan, it is difficult to admit, but it is true. I currently play ice hockey in a mens league. I do ok in a "B" level league, but I am playing in Florida. I have been playing golf for 10 years now and I just can't get better (I try and try- do all types of reading, take lessons) it helps but I still suck. I do excell in softball, but i haven't played in a few years because my friends aren't interested. Growing up, I was very competitive in baseball. I did ok in football and basketball. My wife heather and I just had our first baby a month ago (time and money are limited) and I am trying plan what sports I can afford to do and which sports make me feel good about myself. Golf just seems to destroy my self esteem. I am trying to find a sport I can play and be really good at on an extreamly limited time schedule. My question to you is, how do you react to not being good at a sport? Do you accept your limitations and simply enjoy the game? Must you be great at your sport to continue playing it? Does being a bad player crush you, like it does me? For those of you in my shoes, how do you handle it? I think I will start playing softball again, but I also think about fishing because how can you be bad at fishing??? Just someone who wishes they could walk the walk like they talk the talk about sports. Doug in Clearwater.

To all on the stadium wall who did not care for my anti bengals post I apologize. I myself, hate reading stupid posts like the one i sent earlier. I agree that Sunday will be a battle and no easy game for the Bills. It is difficult to read all the negative comments and not lash back. I love this site and didn't wish to ruffle any feathers. Merry Christmas and Go Bills

Wvubengal - I like what you had to say. I agree this game Sunday will be a great matchup. I truly hate reading all that bashing as well,especially Buffalo bashing - some of it is correct but i still hate reading it. Enjoy the game Sunday. I will be in section 128 row 22. Stop down and I will buy you a beer. Take care and GO BUFFALO Doug in Clearwater

If you get a second, go to www.bengalszone.com. Click on forum and read some of the comments they are making about Buffalo - bashing us up and down. I have been going at it pretty good with abunch of them over the last couple of days. It appears that a lot of Bills fans are posting on this site and it is pretty funny to read the comments, smack downs and threats. This site is just like ours. but they have far fewer fans online. Check it out- Doug in Clearwater

As much as I love this team, I can't comment on Baker. Is he doing awesome? or is he just holding his own. I watch the games at a loud sports bar and it's kinda hard to focus on individual players. I tape some of the games, but we just had a baby, so I haven't been able to focus on certain players. Related to the Baker comment, what does everyone think of Teague's play lately? He seems to be holding his own. Are you guys happy with Price,Tucker and L. Smith when they fill in on the line? any comments about new players or fill ins is greatly appreciated. In my opinion, Coy Wire is only a special teams player - too many mistakes otherwise on D.