For all you veteran Bills fan...

[The Dean]

Losing season by 1 game or 13 games makes no difference.[/b]

 

 

 

Damn your're dumb.

[Nuncha]

Just have a question for all you long time bills fans. By long time im talking like 30-40 years. Anyways, my question is: Has there ever been a lower point to be a bills fan? If yes, when? Just curious. Go bills

 

1984 and 1985. I remember I taking the logos off of my Bills coat during one of those two seasons. I wouldn't wear it otherwise..haha! Back to back 2-14 seasons were pathetic.

Edited October 2, 2010 by Azucho98

[thewildrabbit]

Sorry Harvey, I really wasn't trying to condescend. I had season tickets from 1978-1988, went to a quite a few games before and after that. As I stated in one of my diatribes, the Chuck Knox era of early 80's Bills football is still my favorite time as a Bills fan...the late 80's and 90's weren't too shabby. And, when OJ was breaking records in the 70's, there was something to hang your hat on. This century? Nothing. So, we are talking about the same time period. I don't know where you got the notion that I was hoping for a top 5 pick. As I said in another post, in this same thread, I root for the Bills to win, every week, and hate the notion that fans root for them to lose, to ensure a higher pick.

 

I have not completely given up on Chan Gailey, but, even the greatest coaches of all time, couldn't succeed with so many obstacles placed on them, by their ownership. I think, the players that are still here, will eventually play better under Gailey than they did Dick Jauron, but the results won't be much better, if at all.

 

I have missed one Bills game since 1989...saw it months later on a VHS video tape. It was the game the Colts blew the Bills out, Kelly got injured, and the "bickering Bills" were conceived. From 1972-1987, I went to 3-5 games a season, and only missed home games that were blacked out, and I wasn't fortunate enough to go to. I was too young to be able to afford season tickets then.

 

I guess I misconstrued your notion that this was not the worst period of Bills football, to mean that you were optimistic about them. And I honestly do envy people who still think things are going alright. I miss that feeling. My bad. All in all, I think we are saying the same thing, just I feel this last decade is as bad as it has ever been in my 38 years on the Bills bandwagon, and you feel it was worse at other times. To me, back to back 2-14 seasons, doesn't even begin to compare to 10 years of sub .500, particularly, with no end in sight.

Its cool, forgive me for thinking you were only a 90's fans, because to them this must feel like the lowest point ever. The Chuck Knox era was my favorite time as a Bills fan also, got Jim Hasletts- Jerry Butlers autographs along with most of the players on those early eighties teams. My favorite game was the season opener Miami game in which we tore down the goal posts and ran them around the stadium and right to Ralph Wilson's box. To think that Chuck Knox came into that team and rebuilt basically it by himself, the GM at the time was a complete tool. Knox traded up to get Jim Richter with the #1 pick, he knew and understood the value of building a good O line. Knox traded for Conrad Dobler, lord that guard was the meanest O linemen ever, he wasn't very gifted, but man was he tough as nails and would do anything to beat his man.

 

I was an OJ fan, but it wasn't until the Knox era that I cemented my passion for the Buffalo Bills, that guy could take a bunch of average players and get them to play great football. He traded Bobby Chandler for Phil Villapiano, not the best for move the Bills but that guy was the best ever team leader / player and such a great rah rah type of guy. Chuck Knox turned around the losing mentality into a winning mentality, something not a lot of coaches can do.

 

I've been around long enough to know a bad coach, to a good coach, to a great coach, and a great coach that can change the mentality of the team. Right now Gailey looks pretty stupid to me for cutting Edwards and making the fans happy, exactly how does that equate to wins if Fitz gets injured?

 

There are two very very good head coaches out there at this time, they are probably the best motivator head coaches I know of currently not working in the NFL, both want to return to the NFL badly at this point an both could turn this team of so called 'bad' players into winners in one year. Ralph Wilson won't hire either of them.

.

 

Perhaps like me, you feel the futility of it all because you realize that as long as fans keep buying tickets and the Bills keep selling out games like they have this decade. The fans keep buying up jerseys, Bledsoe-Moulds-Henry-McGahee-Lynch-poz-Spiller . Buying up merchandise and selling out games so that the status quo will never change and Wilson will pass and perhaps the team is sold and the Buffalo Bills will be no more. Unlike you tho, this thought no longer depresses me... because the fans deserve better then this slew of mediocre coaches this owner keeps hiring, which equals mediocre teams . These loyal devoted Buffalo Bills fans deserve better then what owner Ralph Wilson keeps passing off on all of us year after year. He knows the difference between a Chan Gailey type and a Chuck Knox type and refuses to hire the latter ever again.

Edited October 3, 2010 by Harvey lives

[DarthICE]

Damn your're dumb.

 

 

LMAO so ignore fact to throw out a personal insult, typical.

[billsfreak]

Its cool, forgive me for thinking you were only a 90's fans, because to them this must feel like the lowest point ever. The Chuck Knox era was my favorite time as a Bills fan also, got Jim Hasletts- Jerry Butlers autographs along with most of the players on those early eighties teams. My favorite game was the season opener Miami game in which we tore down the goal posts and ran them around the stadium and right to Ralph Wilson's box. To think that Chuck Knox came into that team and rebuilt basically it by himself, the GM at the time was a complete tool. Knox traded up to get Jim Richter with the #1 pick, he knew and understood the value of building a good O line. Knox traded for Conrad Dobler, lord that guard was the meanest O linemen ever, he wasn't very gifted, but man was he tough as nails and would do anything to beat his man.

 

I was an OJ fan, but it wasn't until the Knox era that I cemented my passion for the Buffalo Bills, that guy could take a bunch of average players and get them to play great football. He traded Bobby Chandler for Phil Villapiano, not the best for move the Bills but that guy was the best ever team leader / player and such a great rah rah type of guy. Chuck Knox turned around the losing mentality into a winning mentality, something not a lot of coaches can do.

 

I've been around long enough to know a bad coach, to a good coach, to a great coach, and a great coach that can change the mentality of the team. Right now Gailey looks pretty stupid to me for cutting Edwards and making the fans happy, exactly how does that equate to wins if Fitz gets injured?

 

There are two very very good head coaches out there at this time, they are probably the best motivator head coaches I know of currently not working in the NFL, both want to return to the NFL badly at this point an both could turn this team of so called 'bad' players into winners in one year. Ralph Wilson won't hire either of them.

.

 

Perhaps like me, you feel the futility of it all because you realize that as long as fans keep buying tickets and the Bills keep selling out games like they have this decade. The fans keep buying up jerseys, Bledsoe-Moulds-Henry-McGahee-Lynch-poz-Spiller . Buying up merchandise and selling out games so that the status quo will never change and Wilson will pass and perhaps the team is sold and the Buffalo Bills will be no more. Unlike you tho, this thought no longer depresses me... because the fans deserve better then this slew of mediocre coaches this owner keeps hiring, which equals mediocre teams . These loyal devoted Buffalo Bills fans deserve better then what owner Ralph Wilson keeps passing off on all of us year after year. He knows the difference between a Chan Gailey type and a Chuck Knox type and refuses to hire the latter ever again.

Your post brings back fond memories, I too loved the Chuck Knox era, and as I have been saying, Knox is the only previously successful head coach that Ralph has ever hired. Then after getting a taste of Ralph's ownership, an extension was turned down and Knox couldn't wait to bolt for Seattle. I still have a piece of the field goal net from that Miami game, and vividly remember running down on the field and girls would just come up and hug you (pretty exciting since I was just a teenager). I also remember the year before (I believe) when I thought we finally beat Miami but Dempseys field goal went wide, which we couldn't see from the side of the field. People talk about how Flutie saved the Bills, and I don't dispute that, but I think what Knox did was just as equal, as he brought an excitement to the area that it hadn't seen in quite some time. When I started going to Bills games, most people went, and tickets were sold based on who the Bills were playing, after Knox took over, people went to see the Bills. Those teams had such a fun blend of young exciting players and veterans, several of whom Knox brought with him (Bill Simpson, Isiah Robertson). I like yourself have seen down times, and probably worse teams, but has it ever been so depressing to be a Bills fan? This team has pretty much taken most of the fun out of it? Even in the 1970' ane 1980's when they lost alot more than they won, it still seemed fun to go the games or watch them on TV. I would never say Ralph was never a good owner, or I don't respect what he did in the past, but similar to Al Davis in Oakland, his time has passed him by, the game has passed him by, the passion is gone and he has turned into a greedy business owner. I agree, Ralph might be old as dirt, but he isn't stupid by any stretch, he knows with the hires he makes he isn't going to turn this team around. He goes the cheap route with every hire he makes, hiring unproven coordinators (Williams, Mularkey), Head Coach retreads (Juaron, Gailey), or the nearest cheerleading coach if they come cheap enough. And no, the loyal fans of the Bills don't deserve the crap he throws at us year after year after year. It is too bad, that the league owners can't vote out useless owners like Ralph and make them sell the team, it would be best for the NFL, Western New York, Bills fans, and most importantly the Buffalo Bills.

[rockpile]

During the darker periods of the 70s & 80s you had 50-60,000 empty seats at Rich Stadium by the end of the season. In 1985, the second season of back to back 2-14 records, with the exception being the Miami game, the final 4 of 5 games had crowds in the 20 thousands. You'll never see crowds that low again for half the schedule. In 1977 I lived about a mile & 1/2 from the stadium. Money was a lot tighter for me then, I went to the 1st 2 home games & gave up, choosing to listen the games on the radio. I used to do my laundry at a laundromat in Hamburg while listening and would drive right by the stadium on gamedays. There was no traffic and I could see how empty the stadium was.

One of the lowest points, even though the team was on the upswing with Knox as head coach was in 1979 when the Bills lost the top pick in the entire NFL draft to the CFL. Can you imagine if we had the #1 pick next year & he signed with the CFL?This board would explode.

This period is nothing compared to the stuff that went on at One Bills Drive (and the Rockpile before that) before the great teams of the 1990s. I laugh when I see the younger fans talking about how low the franchise has sunk. We old guys know that the mid 1960s and the 1990s were the abberations. Also, for those who think Ralph has lost it, he was pulling the same stuff 30-40 years ago, so there's nothing wrong with him, he's just reverted to Same Old Ralph.

 

To be fair, without being there, they could not have the experience to compare THEN to NOW.

I smile when Babyrock tells me she thought the Super Bowl was the Buffalo Bills against some other team every year. Being born in '82, it was what she experienced.

[Rico]

Just have a question for all you long time bills fans. By long time im talking like 30-40 years. Anyways, my question is: Has there ever been a lower point to be a bills fan? If yes, when? Just curious. Go bills

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Just have a question for all you long time bills fans. By long time im talking like 30-40 years. Anyways, my question is: Has there ever been a lower point to be a bills fan? If yes, when? Just curious. Go bills

 

Well 84- 85 was bad with 2-14 sesaons and Hank Bul-ugh, but this could be the worst, we'll see how it goes. The only silver lining is high draft choices. I think Gailey is a good coach he just doesn't have much to work with and hope Ralph gives him time to turn it around if he fires he officially becomes worse than Al Davis.

[EDinRTP]

For me this is the absolute lowest. We probably have had worse teams, but it was still fun to go to games and be with friends. At this point I don't care to watch them anymore.

[birdog1960]

Really you youngsters haven't even smelled stinky yet. You have no idea how bad my childhood as a Bills fan was. Not to mention my teenage years and pretty much most of my adult life. We have been through so much more than you, you will never understand.

and yet, people defend wilson for his putrid legacy

[CircleTheWagons]

It used to be Boy I Love Losing Superbowls.

Those were the good days. Now it's Boy I Love Lost Seasons

[Chef Jim]

I'm not going to read 5 pages of how bad the Bills are. But I've been a bills fan over 40 years and I have to say the lowest it's ever been was the day the best player to ever wear a Bill uniform cut his wife's head off.

[seq004]

Just have a question for all you long time bills fans. By long time im talking like 30-40 years. Anyways, my question is: Has there ever been a lower point to be a bills fan? If yes, when? Just curious. Go bills

A lot worse. I remember 1970, 71, 72, 84, 85, 86 2001

[Maguire's Beer]

No, this is definitely the lowest period in Bills history. Why is this worse than the low points of the '70s and the early '80s? Because hanging over the miserable play on the field is the very real fear that the team will relocate before it ever gets good again. That's what makes the last few years so damn depressing.

[DarthICE]

A lot worse. I remember 1970, 71, 72, 84, 85, 86 2001

 

 

Again more old timers trying to say the 70's were worse when facts show otherwise. 99-10 has been the worst this team has ever been and this team right here might be the worst in Bills history

[birdog1960]

Again more old timers trying to say the 70's were worse when facts show otherwise. 99-10 has been the worst this team has ever been and this team right here might be the worst in Bills history

has the potential to be one of the worst in nfl history...talent wise there might be 2 players in the top 200 in the league and many in the bottom 200

[Buftex]

As a long-timer, I just don't see how anyone could not see that we are currently soaking in the worst period of Buffalo Bills football..

[FreeBird]

Just have a question for all you long time bills fans. By long time im talking like 30-40 years. Anyways, my question is: Has there ever been a lower point to be a bills fan? If yes, when? Just curious. Go bills

 

its deja vu all over again or is it all a bad dream, why did i renew the ticket, at least I have my DUCKS! QUACK ATTACK!!

[JohninMinn.]

No, this is definitely the lowest period in Bills history. Why is this worse than the low points of the '70s and the early '80s? Because hanging over the miserable play on the field is the very real fear that the team will relocate before it ever gets good again. That's what makes the last few years so damn depressing.

You nailed it McGuire I'm 54 and have never been more depressed regarding this franchise. Maybin, Kelsey, Gailey this is ugly

[don_of_manhattan]

Been a fan since the '60s - this is pretty bad because we have been so bad for so long. At least in the early '70s our offense was fun to watch - we had two years of pretty good teams in 1980 and 1981 (if memory serves me correctly) - then it got reeeaaaaalllllly bad - back to back 2-14 seasons in the mid '80s. The problem is that it is bad being a fan of this team MOST OF THE TIME.