Sunday's game experience

[JPS]

Not to condone bad behavior but to answer your question about when did it become OK to swear and use vulgarities at games in public...That's easy, it became OK when we formed this country on the principal of free speech. If you are going to go to a public event that is emotionally charged like a divisional rival game, then you are subjecting yourself to language and statements you may not approve of, but they have as much right to voice them as you do to voice your displeasure about them.

 

Just my 2 cents.

Puhlease. Don't lawyer up around here. Does this mean we can bring AK47s to the game as well because that's protected? The issue is not what our constitutional rights are, it's when to have the class and common decency to restrain the use of extreme (and I mean EXTREME) vulgarity around those who deserve a little respect.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Wow, so much whining. The crowds haven't changed, football has always been like this.

So you've been going to games in that stadium since the 1970s?

 

I've gone to numerous games in the stadium and other NFL stadiums over 4 different decades and I can tell you that the crowds have changed.

 

And not for the better.

 

It's "no longer family oriented"? When was it ever that way?

It's a matter of degree.

 

Behavior in that stadium is worse than it used to be.

 

As it gets worse, the environment is less and less family oriented.

 

 

[Mass Transit]

We've been ticketholders for the past 9 years and have brought different groups to the games: wives, daughters, friends, bosses, etc. We have never been exposed to any situation that made us think we wouldn't go to another game. We know what to expect and what areas to stay away from. There are plenty of great fans at the games and a few really bad ones. That's the way it is everywhere in every city in every country. Search out the people who you enjoy being around. If you don't want to come back to a game at the Ralph, that's OK. There will always be someone ready to take your place.

 

Go Bills

[sullim4]

It completely depends on where you are sitting. Club seats (Jim Kelly, Van Miller, Paul Maguire as well as the End Zone clubs) are all great. Fans are well behaved here and the prices displace those who want to get drunk rather than watch the game. Lower level sideline seats are also pretty safe. Many long-time season ticket holders have seats here.

 

End zones and upper deck seating are unfortunately free-for-alls. If I were in Buffalo in a blackout situation, and my choice was to sit in one of those two areas for free or listen to the radio... I'm listening to the radio.

[Tcali]

So you've been going to games in that stadium since the 1970s?

 

I've gone to numerous games in the stadium and other NFL stadiums over 4 different decades and I can tell you that the crowds have changed.

 

And not for the better.

 

 

It's a matter of degree.

 

Behavior in that stadium is worse than it used to be.

 

As it gets worse, the environment is less and less family oriented.

 

I wouldn't know about todays fans..I havent been to a pro game in 35 years...even though I went to most of the Bills games betw 64 and 76.

It must be very bad now---because it wasnt a pretty picture back in the day..esp early 70s on. The first game at Rich was the biggest drunkfest I had seen in my life to that point.

I guess a lot of frustrated people get to act like big men when they are drunk and abusive.Sad.

[D'love]

So you've been going to games in that stadium since the 1970s?

 

I've gone to numerous games in the stadium and other NFL stadiums over 4 different decades and I can tell you that the crowds have changed.

 

And not for the better.

 

 

It's a matter of degree.

 

Behavior in that stadium is worse than it used to be.

 

As it gets worse, the environment is less and less family oriented.

 

 

Have the crowds changed, or have you changed?

 

Everyone claims that "this current generation is the worst of all" about pretty much everything... it's a load of crap. There's always been crazy obnoxious drunks at Buffalo games. Hell I remember a game 15 years ago where a Jets fan got hit with at least three full cups of beer just for holding a sign. Nobody even got kicked out.

 

So basically, I think that "things have gotten worse" is a load of bull.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Have the crowds changed, or have you changed?

 

Everyone claims that "this current generation is the worst of all" about pretty much everything... it's a load of crap. There's always been crazy obnoxious drunks at Buffalo games. Hell I remember a game 15 years ago where a Jets fan got hit with at least three full cups of beer just for holding a sign. Nobody even got kicked out.

 

So basically, I think that "things have gotten worse" is a load of bull.

Fair enough.

 

We can disagree and maybe the truth is somewhere in the middle.

 

It's impossible to say without some sort of scientific study and even then, you never know if the study is good science or bad science.

 

TCali is my age and he remembers the first game at Rich Stadium as being real bad… so maybe it is me.

 

 

[Hammered a Lot]

 

 

End zones and upper deck seating are unfortunately free-for-alls. If I were in Buffalo in a blackout situation, and my choice was to sit in one of those two areas for free or listen to the radio... I'm listening to the radio.

Upper deck seating is unfortunately free-for-alls? Really. Not where I seat. Well behaved, no fights, Never ever had a beer spilled on me. I don't know where you get your info , but it's wrong.

[Alphadawg7]

Puhlease. Don't lawyer up around here. Does this mean we can bring AK47s to the game as well because that's protected? The issue is not what our constitutional rights are, it's when to have the class and common decency to restrain the use of extreme (and I mean EXTREME) vulgarity around those who deserve a little respect.

 

It means quit being a drama queen and cowboy up...it's a football game, if you don't want to be around rowdy fans get directv

[HalftimeAdjustment]

That rationalization never gets old.

 

At Lollapalooza 2008, about 30 mins before RATM took the stage I watched some drunk turn around, whip it out, and start pissing all over the backs of some dude and his girlfriend who were sitting in the grass waiting for the show to start. The urine soaked guy got to his feet and and yelled "dude, you're pissing on me!" to which the drunk replied "IT'S A F#$%ING CONCERT!" and went about his business.

 

If someone were (unwisely) there with children, I guess that would be a teachable moment??

 

Speaking of bad behavior, does anyone remember the game where the Jets fans set fires in the stands on Monday Night football? There were also fights bordering on riots, and an inflatable pumpkin. I just looked it up and it was in 1988. I am not sure that it can be said that Bills fans are the worst, or that it has gotten much worse, when considering this kind of situation.

 

http://people.wku.edu/douglas.smith/Sports%20Crowd%20Behavior.pdf

[jkrules]

Forget about the game. That was brutal enough. I brought my family and a few friends in section 131 and there were fantastic displays of public drunkenness and about 10 people who inserted the F work in front of virtually everything. I am hoping it was an anomaly, but I just shouldn't have to apologize to my friends and explain to my daughter what a dirty Sanchez is.

 

Are we Bills fans really that bad?

 

I have season tickets in the same section and I have never experienced any problems in that section. The only annoying part of Sunday was the 8 Jets fans behind me.