Nice video feature on Fergy...

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Chris Brown sat down with former Bills QB Joe Ferguson.

 

It's a nice 2 minute package with lots of good old video of Butler, Cribbs, Frank Lewis, Piccone, etc.

 

Pretty enjoyable.

 

http://www.buffalobills.com/media-center/videos/Bills-Focus-Catching-Up-with-Joe-Ferguson/15298abc-0689-47d4-9251-c1afa05dd11f

[eball]

Watching those highlights gets me even more stoked about the new unis -- those of the Fergy era were, in my opinion, the best the Bills have worn, and the new ones pay tribute to that era.

[Stormin Norman]

Fergy is one of my favorite athletes of all time. He is a gentleman, humble, and to this day is a proud Buffalo Bills alumni. He has suffered incredibly wtih Lymphoma (there was a time when it looked like he wasn't going to make it), yet today he appears fully recovered.

 

My favorite game of all time was his performance in Dan Marino's rookie debut, when Fergy threw for 419 yards and five touchdowns to beat the Fish in OT. (And Marino looked like the real thing on that day, too).

 

I am still miffed to this day about the playoff loss to Cincinnati (vs. Kenny Anderson). It's fourth and four as the Bills are behind but driving to win the game. Fergy hits Lou Piccone for a quick five yard strike at the sideline. First down! No, wait. There's a LATE FLAG on the field. Delay of game! Joe overthrows Roland Hooks in the end zone on fourth and nine and the Bills lose a heart-breaker.

 

Here's what I have never understood, nor has it ever been resolved in my mind: Why would the officials allow a play to run to completion before throwing a flag for delay of game? Why was the play not blown dead immediately like every other freakin delay of game call I have ever seen. You can watch the game on YouTube. I defy anyone to tell me they hear a whistle or see any referee motioning as if he is attempting to stop the play.

 

I can honestly say I have never seen a delay of game call that was not blown dead before the snap or immediately after the snap. And it's been 30 years since we got jobbed in Cinci!!!

[DDD]

Watching those highlights gets me even more stoked about the new unis -- those of the Fergy era were, in my opinion, the best the Bills have worn, and the new ones pay tribute to that era.

 

Agreed. Those uniforms kicked ass.

[KD in CA]

I am still miffed to this day about the playoff loss to Cincinnati (vs. Kenny Anderson). It's fourth and four as the Bills are behind but driving to win the game. Fergy hits Lou Piccone for a quick five yard strike at the sideline. First down! No, wait. There's a LATE FLAG on the field. Delay of game! Joe overthrows Roland Hooks in the end zone on fourth and nine and the Bills lose a heart-breaker.

 

Here's what I have never understood, nor has it ever been resolved in my mind: Why would the officials allow a play to run to completion before throwing a flag for delay of game? Why was the play not blown dead immediately like every other freakin delay of game call I have ever seen. You can watch the game on YouTube. I defy anyone to tell me they hear a whistle or see any referee motioning as if he is attempting to stop the play.

 

I can honestly say I have never seen a delay of game call that was not blown dead before the snap or immediately after the snap. And it's been 30 years since we got jobbed in Cinci!!!

 

I remember it well, just a crushing loss. Probably top 5 along with the San Diego game (when I lost my Bills-heartbreak virginity), Music City Whatever, SB 25 and the Ronnie !@#$ing Harmon game.

[Homey D. Clown]

Let's face it, except for the Bills current uniforms, there really hasn't been a bad looking uniform for this team, I just really loved the 2009 opener uniforms the best, and our current throwback unforms over everything else. I do have to say that the 90s all white aways and blue shirt home uni's are a close second.

[Buftex]

I agree with the senitiment about the uniforms from 1974-1984... best in team history, IMO. I like the current throwbacks okay, but, in some way, they look almost faux-retro to me, cuz they are so clean looking...like when you go to Target and see "vintage" Rolling Stones 1978 Tour of America t-shirts...something just a little off about it.

 

Also, the Chuck Knox era Bills are still my all-time favorite teams. I was born in 1965, not really old enough to remember the legendary teams from the 1960's, although their names and faces were ingrained in me almost before I could walk. Still have my older brothers card collection from the early to late 1960's...those Knox era teams were the first teams that, going into the season, I felt confident were one of the best teams in the league. The first contenders...I was old enough to appreciate the winning, becasue I was old enough to realize the drudgery of a lot of losing...but I was also young enough to really embrace the whole "Talkin' Proud" phenomenon.

 

To this day, my all-time favorite Buffalo Bills are Jerry Butler, Joe Ferguson, Joe Cribbs, Steve Freeman and Ben Williams.

 

That is not to say I didn't enjoy the hell out of most of the 90's...

[vincec]

I remember it well, just a crushing loss. Probably top 5 along with the San Diego game (when I lost my Bills-heartbreak virginity), Music City Whatever, SB 25 and the Ronnie !@#$ing Harmon game.

That's the one that I can't seem to shake. Bills pick off Fouts and just need a couple of first downs to ice the win... can't get them... San Diego gets it back and burns them with the deep post.

 

Weren't the Bills down 7 in the Cincinnati game? That last drive was to tie, I believe.

[RJ (not THAT RJ)]

That's the one that I can't seem to shake. Bills pick off Fouts and just need a couple of first downs to ice the win... can't get them... San Diego gets it back and burns them with the deep post.

 

Weren't the Bills down 7 in the Cincinnati game? That last drive was to tie, I believe.

 

 

Worst thing of the SD game is Charlie Romes dropped an INT the play before the TD... and on the previous drive the Bills were stopped on 4th and 1 after forcing a fumble on a punt, then missed a FG... sigh.

 

And yes, the Bills were driving to tie one last time in Cincy, after coming back from 14-0 and 21-14 deficits to tie...

[dollars 2 donuts]

Retired for 20 years and he's still 35th all-time in the NFL for passing yards.

 

 

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_yds_career.htm?redir

 

 

...tied for 34th in TD passes, as well.

[eball]

Retired for 20 years and he's still 35th all-time in the NFL for passing yards.

 

 

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_yds_career.htm?redir

 

 

...tied for 34th in TD passes, as well.

Fergy was a hell of a QB. If he'd have had a little swagger to go with that talent (instead of the hang-dog look after an INT or bad play) he could have REALLY been great.

[nucci]

Fergy is one of my favorite athletes of all time. He is a gentleman, humble, and to this day is a proud Buffalo Bills alumni. He has suffered incredibly wtih Lymphoma (there was a time when it looked like he wasn't going to make it), yet today he appears fully recovered.

 

My favorite game of all time was his performance in Dan Marino's rookie debut, when Fergy threw for 419 yards and five touchdowns to beat the Fish in OT. (And Marino looked like the real thing on that day, too).

 

I am still miffed to this day about the playoff loss to Cincinnati (vs. Kenny Anderson). It's fourth and four as the Bills are behind but driving to win the game. Fergy hits Lou Piccone for a quick five yard strike at the sideline. First down! No, wait. There's a LATE FLAG on the field. Delay of game! Joe overthrows Roland Hooks in the end zone on fourth and nine and the Bills lose a heart-breaker.

 

Here's what I have never understood, nor has it ever been resolved in my mind: Why would the officials allow a play to run to completion before throwing a flag for delay of game? Why was the play not blown dead immediately like every other freakin delay of game call I have ever seen. You can watch the game on YouTube. I defy anyone to tell me they hear a whistle or see any referee motioning as if he is attempting to stop the play.

 

I can honestly say I have never seen a delay of game call that was not blown dead before the snap or immediately after the snap. And it's been 30 years since we got jobbed in Cinci!!!

I was at that game. The official that is behind the QB did throw a flag and was waving his arms. It was very noisy and a huge play that no one noticed it. My brother and I did and it still hurts after all these years. That was a really good team. Losing Cribbs after his TD run hurt a lot.

[bowery4]

Fergy was a hell of a QB. If he'd have had a little swagger to go with that talent (instead of the hang-dog look after an INT or bad play) he could have REALLY been great.

Totally agree. I liked him as our QB for quite a while but he just drove me crazy with his head hanging and then playing badly after. As much of a gunslinger as Jimbo could be sometimes, he always lead even when he threw a few too many bad balls. I always kind of felt that Fergy had almost as much or even just as much talent but just lacked the real leadership and heart that Jimbo had.

I am kind of amazed he is looking so healthy, good on him.

[Buftex]

Fergy was a hell of a QB. If he'd have had a little swagger to go with that talent (instead of the hang-dog look after an INT or bad play) he could have REALLY been great.

 

 

Somewhere, in my Bills collection, I have a great photo of Fergy getting up off the turf, his uniform partially covered in mud, and his helmet turined almost sideways, after a Redskin player sacked him...he is holding the ball in one hand, and while you can only see part of his mouth, you can tell he is pissed off at someone...a O-linemen no doubt.

 

I love Fergy, but, in the end, it is that "swagger" you refer to that seperates the really good, from the really great most of the time...he was awesome during the Knox years.

[RJ (not THAT RJ)]

Somewhere, in my Bills collection, I have a great photo of Fergy getting up off the turf, his uniform partially covered in mud, and his helmet turined almost sideways, after a Redskin player sacked him...he is holding the ball in one hand, and while you can only see part of his mouth, you can tell he is pissed off at someone...a O-linemen no doubt.

 

I love Fergy, but, in the end, it is that "swagger" you refer to that seperates the really good, from the really great most of the time...he was awesome during the Knox years.

 

 

Quite so. What is amazing is that, for most of his Bills career, Fergy was booed mercilessly by the expert fans who were just SURE that Gary Marangi, or Matt Kofler, or somebody else had to be better. He took a lot of punishment, especially in 1977, which had to be a low point in Bills football. One of several, to be sure!

[eball]

Quite so. What is amazing is that, for most of his Bills career, Fergy was booed mercilessly by the expert fans who were just SURE that Gary Marangi, or Matt Kofler, or somebody else had to be better. He took a lot of punishment, especially in 1977, which had to be a low point in Bills football. One of several, to be sure!

The more things change, the more they stay the same...

[dollars 2 donuts]

Fergy was a hell of a QB. If he'd have had a little swagger to go with that talent (instead of the hang-dog look after an INT or bad play) he could have REALLY been great.

 

 

Man, eball, I did not want to say it but I was thinking it. Great memory on your part.

 

it used to drive my father crazy when he would hang his head like that.

 

I did a quick look on that sit I provided and I think that at the time of his retirement, and don't quote me on this, he was maybe top 20 in yards and touchdown passes.