A Bills fan takes a step back and reflects

[JohnC]

 

 

When they got rid of Chuck I was hoping for a replacement like Hank Stram.

 

It was never going to happen. His ill fitting hair piece would never have survived the gusty winds of the region. Having his counterfeit hair flapping in the wind would have made a comical sight.

[The Dean]

It was never going to happen. His ill fitting hair piece would never have survived the gusty winds of the region. Having his counterfeit hair flapping in the wind would have made a comical sight.

 

 

Good point. How did that escape me?

 

[mead107]

You like a lot of other people will be back on the band wagon when they start winning and telling people how you have stood by this team. fan, I question how much of a fan you are.

 

My vent, sorry.

[thurst44]

Not going to tell you how to feel, but for the life of me I can't figure out how people refer to the Levy years/Super Bowl years as the toughest time to be a Bills fan.

 

I couldn't agree more. From 90-95 they were emotionally draining for a day, but the rest of the season they were monsters and so much fun to root for. I'm still thankful those were my UB years (grew up in NYC, family from Buffalo). First game at the stadium was the 51-3 game against the Raiders. My uncle surprised the family with tickets. What a rush.

 

So, yeah, if op is referring to those years as tough, he's probably right to tamp down his fandom. Not meaning to be mean (seems a nice human being), but if you can't appreciate those years, being a fan will never make you happy.

[Georgia Bill]

 

It's not that the OP was saying he hated those years, but the pain from those losses hurt more than the losing seasons, because emotionally there was so much more to lose, so much more invested, and at stake, and at the time, it took the team 30+ years to get there, and you just never know when we'll be back.

I hear ya. Back then the wins and the seasons leading up to the Super Bowls were awesome - unquestionably the best ever as a Bills fan. But there is no denying those SB losses stung the most. It did take a loooong time for us to get to that place. Now that so many years of additional suckdom have passed, it is almost more painful, recognizing how very hard it was to get to that place, and how very far away from it we are now. Sometimes I wonder if Kelly & Company in that first SB could somehow have seen a glimpse of the future on that last drive, of how close they'd come, and how tough all the next ones would be, that they would have somehow found a way to dig just a little deeper, and get just a little closer for Norwood. Maybe not, but who knows?

 

At any rate those years were clearly filled with higher highs and lower lows. Now, the hope flame is burning kind of low, and unfortunately, most of us are back to the pre Kelly years, kind of getting numb to the losses, and trying to take some comfort in the little things. Problem I've got is those little things keep getting littler. They were things like winning some games, the hope of getting past .500, picking up some needed talent, things like that. I found myself feeling kind of good about how well we played NE last week in another expected loss. As I reflect on that, I can't help but feel that taking comfort in the little things that keep getting littler is kind of sad. Especially when you guys bring up the memories of the closest thing to glory days we may ever have as fans. That said, I will always be a fan, and hope to see a SB win before I leave this green earth.

Edited October 2, 2010 by Georgia Bill

[SlamnSam]

I have been reading this forum and other Bills sites for a few years now and have recently decided to post some thoughts of my own.

I have been a Bills fan since I was old enough to understand the game, which has been since the early to mid 70’s. You see I was born and raised in the greater Buffalo area so I really had no choice, I was steeped in the Bills for all of my formative years, my parents, friends, friend’s parents, and everyone I knew were Bills fans and we all lived and died with the Bills. I like to say that the scar tissue on my heart has scar tissue on it from being let down so many times. I moved away from Western New York in the early 90’s living in places like North Carolina, Washington, and Baltimore. I have spent a sports fan’s lifetime dealing with the ridicule, the look of pity when someone finds out that I am a Bills fan, the “Wide Right” knuckleheads, and all the rest.

Over the past few years (read last 10 years) I have been getting progressively less tolerant of the product I was seeing, I was getting more and more fed up with the fact the I was spending the money on the NFL Sunday ticket so I could watch break down after break down, buying the hats and the jerseys, and the T’s only to find myself looking in my closet trying to decide if it was worth the ridicule I knew was coming if I wore that stuff out in public… (See, there is a down side to moving away from Buffalo.)

All of this got me to thinking long and hard about my Fan status with the Bills…how many times do you touch the pretty orange flame???

After much consideration I have come to the conclusion that what I am seeing today is no different than what I have been seeing my whole life.

Let me explain.

Since 1960 the Bills are 354-397-8. They have always been a sub 500 team, even when they are good and make it to the postseason they are still a sub 500 team (14-15 in post season play)

In team history (50 years) they have only had 22 seasons of 500 or better… and 12 of those were in the Levy era where we lost playoff game after playoff game and super bowl after super bowl…arguably the hardest time to be a Bills fan. And I do not see any evidence that the owner wants to change anything

Ralph Wilson and the Bills reminds me of the store in town that has been there for years and everyone wonders how the owner stays in business, no set business hours, little to no stock on the shelves, place hasn’t been cleaned in years, it seems the owner puts in just enough work to keep the doors open and little else. And he is happy to live that life.

So now I have taken a step back, I am still a Bills fan, just not like I used to be. I won’t buy the swag, I don’t get the Sunday ticket anymore, and I will only go to a game if I win a ticket. The Bills are actually playing here in Baltimore this year…my friend has offered me his extra ticket… I am still not sure if I will go or not. If I do I won’t wear any of my gear, I may have embraced my new Bills fan attitude of quiet desperation, but I still don’t feel like hearing it from a stadium full of Ravens fans.

I will close with a quote from the Book Sh*t My Dad Says.

“No, I'm not a pessimist. At some point the world sh*ts on everybody. Pretending it ain't sh*t makes you an idiot, not an optimist."

 

Ha, you're weak. Being a Bills fan is showing your colors of what and who you are. Don't get me wrong the Bills suck and they do suck because of Wilson. I am from upsate New York and have been a Bills fan since I can remember, late 60's. People from the northeast share a special bond. They endure many things in life others don't. Harsh winters, low paying jobs, and very little ever changes. I live in Dallas and I am proud to fly my Bills flag on the weekends and wear my hat and jersey whenever they play. I will always have hope for the Bills because thats what people from upstate New York do. They always hope for the best and know that better times are always coming. You've been away for too long. The Bills are your legacy as a person, the fans vigor and always true to their team is who western New Yorkers are. So, give up on the Bills, then give up who you are. Be proud to wear the Bills color on your sleve.