The Mario Williams -Toronto connection

[Cru Jones]

I am a Bills fan in Toronto and I have been for many years. Since the city doesn't have a NFL team, I think they have the choice of rooting for who they want? Why are they idiots?

They're Idiots because they show up to Bills v. Redskins wearing 49ers and Steelers gear and "cheer the big plays", as George Wilson said. Football or even non-football fans are going these games, not Bills fans, It's not a Bills game its an NFL event, more importantly its a people who can afford it event. The fact is, they pay way more money to make it a crappy atmosphere for people that payed the same amount, who know and want the same incredible atmosphere a real Bills game has. That's not to say all Toronto fans are idiots, or that everybody willing and can spend more money are not great fans, the Toronto fans who show up in Buffalo either at the Ralph for the Bills, or at First Niagara against the Sabres, rich or not, are awesome fans. The fans that travel to Sabres games are worse on the Sabres fans at home than they are in Toronto. Again the fans at big Toronto sports events are the ones who can pay or justify paying for tickets. I know some idiot that payed $1200 to see the UFC at the SkyDome, $1200!!! UFC!!! and they weren't even ringside seats, and if/when the Jays go to another World Series, the die-hard Blue Jays fan who manages the Beer Store in your town isn't going to any of those games unless he pawns his Gordie Howe rookie card.

What I am saying, and a lot of bills fans are saying, and even George Wilson is saying is: if you're not a fan of the Bills or even the "visiting" team and your only reason for spending a couple hundred or thousand dollars on a ticket(s)is to wear your $400 authentic Joe Montana Jersey that you bought because he was your favorite player in grade 8, we'd prefer you just do what you do best, show up late and leave early to Leafs games. Or watch the 49ers game.

[Hsp08]

They're Idiots because they show up to Bills v. Redskins wearing 49ers and Steelers gear and "cheer the big plays", as George Wilson said. Football or even non-football fans are going these games, not Bills fans, It's not a Bills game its an NFL event, more importantly its a people who can afford it event. The fact is, they pay way more money to make it a crappy atmosphere for people that payed the same amount, who know and want the same incredible atmosphere a real Bills game has. That's not to say all Toronto fans are idiots, or that everybody willing and can spend more money are not great fans, the Toronto fans who show up in Buffalo either at the Ralph for the Bills, or at First Niagara against the Sabres, rich or not, are awesome fans. The fans that travel to Sabres games are worse on the Sabres fans at home than they are in Toronto. Again the fans at big Toronto sports events are the ones who can pay or justify paying for tickets. I know some idiot that payed $1200 to see the UFC at the SkyDome, $1200!!! UFC!!! and they weren't even ringside seats, and if/when the Jays go to another World Series, the die-hard Blue Jays fan who manages the Beer Store in your town isn't going to any of those games unless he pawns his Gordie Howe rookie card.

What I am saying, and a lot of bills fans are saying, and even George Wilson is saying is: if you're not a fan of the Bills or even the "visiting" team and your only reason for spending a couple hundred or thousand dollars on a ticket(s)is to wear your $400 authentic Joe Montana Jersey that you bought because he was your favorite player in grade 8, we'd prefer you just do what you do best, show up late and leave early to Leafs games. Or watch the 49ers game.

 

 

Cut them up all you want, but they are helping the cause financially and helping to keep the Bills in Buffalo and that is a fact like it or not.

 

BTW, Leaf fans are passionate about their team as you Sabres fans, how about some respect? Why so much hate? People leave Leafs games early because maybe the Leafs are sucking bad or many other things to do in a major city?

 

Lastly, if people can spend the $$'s, then let them, it's their money.

Edited March 17, 2012 by Hsp08

[Campy]

Cut them up all you want, but they are helping the cause financially and helping to keep the Bills in Buffalo and that is a fact like it or not.

 

BTW, Leaf fans are passionate about their team as you Sabres fans, how about some respect? Why so much hate? People leave Leafs games early because maybe the Leafs are sucking bad or many other things to do in a major city?

 

Lastly, if people can spend the $'s, then let them, it's their money.

 

I was joking in my original response. This time, I'll address your post sincerely. I'm cool with Toronto and with Torontonians. In fact, I've posted here that if the Bills should leave Buffalo, the only way I'd continue to root for them is if they moved to TO.

 

Aside from a good natured rivalry with a team that's 90 minutes up the Q, my dislike for all things Leafs stems from the attitude that many of their fans (not all, but many) seem to have: As an American, I can never fully understand the game and cannot possibly appreciate their passion. Never mind the fact I learned to skate at the same time I learned to walk. Never mind my parents' first date was at a Buffalo Bisons' AHL game. Never mind that my grandmother couldn't watch football because she was unable to follow the ball but never missed a home Sabres game. Never mind that I was raised in a family that embraced the unique culture of the game. Never mind that I grew up playing both shinney and club hockey. Never mind any of that because as an American, the game couldn't possibly mean as much to me as it does to them because their family is from the other side of the line on a map. And Lord knows, I certainly can't ever know as much about the game (or even more - gasp!) simply because they're Canadian. And not only are they Canadian, they're Leafs fans - as in Original Six Leafs - to boot!

 

The proximity to Bflo and the holier-than-thou attitudes are the reasons I dislike the Leafs and many Leafs' fans. But that's just my take. And while I'm sure there are many Sabres fans who feel the same, I'd bet a Loonie that more are just ol' fashioned xenophobes.

[ajzepp]

I think they can cheer for whomever they want as paying patrons and Toronto really is a neutral site. The Bills have done a crappy job putting competitive teams on the field during this series and they have themselves to blame. No way I would pay $250+ for the recent product, and most in town would agree it is a money grab. If you go back to the glory days of Kelly, Smith & company, the town was made up of 50% + Bills fans.

 

Can Toronto support their own NFL team? Yes it can. The town's got money, population and passion for the NFL and would thrive with their own franchise & identity. Most are with you, Bills belong in Buffalo, they want their own franchise. And I agree, Rogers Center STINKS for sports and needs to be replaced. Somebody paid somebody off in our Government in the 80's picking this Rogers Center design.

 

I like the Sky Dome, actually...my buddy and I broke into it back in 1990...the security people couldn't have been more kind.

 

You sound like you're one of the bitter folks from Toronto, so probably we're going to agree to disagree. Toronto isn't getting their own team any time soon from what Goodell said (IIRC), so hopefully a few more of you guys will stop with the bitterness and support some Bills football. We've had Canada Day at the Ralph for years...you guys can suck it up once a year a be a bit more supportive of the team you've supposedly been behind all these years.

[Cru Jones]

Cut them up all you want, but they are helping the cause financially and helping to keep the Bills in Buffalo and that is a fact like it or not.

 

BTW, Leaf fans are passionate about their team as you Sabres fans, how about some respect? Why so much hate? People leave Leafs games early because maybe the Leafs are sucking bad or many other things to do in a major city?

 

Lastly, if people can spend the $$'s, then let them, it's their money.

 

1. didn't say the game doesn't help the Bills financially, or that I didn't like that fact.

 

2. Didn't say the leafs or Toronto fans in general aren't passionate, I'm just saying if you want to see the most passionate leaf fans you gotta come to buffalo. The tickets are hard to come by for average income die hard fans because of the price, and in order to see their team they have to buy more affordable and available tickets for Sabres games. As in any city, season tickets are a status symbol, and in a thriving and highly populated Canadian city with a storied hockey team tickets are more expensive and harder to come by which makes them even more of a status symbol. And I'll say it again having the money to afford expensive tickets doesn't make you a crappy fan, it's just that the status and expense of them invite people who care more about having the tickets than supporting their team, thats why your home croud is weaker than your road crowd. This happens in buffalo too, who do you think scalps all those tickets to leaf fans? This is why the Toronto game atmosphere sucks, any real bills fan in Ontario knows its a better experience and costs about the same amount to travel to buffalo and go to the Ralph than to pay for a ticket to the game at the skydome. Similarly to leafs games it seems there are people there who care as much or more for the novelty and status of the event than the team or teams playing, even an opposing fan is better than a neutral one in my opinion. I don't care how people spend their money, but in a team sport where crowd noise from the "home" crowd is an advantage it sucks to see that people who could care less about the teams or the outcome are a good portion of the attendees and the lack of advantage for the Bills.

 

3. As for the argument about the Bills failing to put a good product on the field, it would change nothing. There would be more demand and a higher price for the tickets which would only mean there would be more of the same, the better the team, better the novelty and status that comes with having tickets, still a bad atmosphere. Unless I'm wrong and you guys like the Bills like you like the Blue Jays: when they're contenders.

 

You are correct about one thing though, if they have the money let them spend it how they like, I just wish they would spend it on the "many other things to do in a major city."

 

 

Disclaimer----I realize that not all the leaf fans who come to Sabres games are from the metro area of Toronto but from all over Ontario, and for those fans who only go to a few games a year it's just easier to go to them in buffalo. Which can be nice I hear, because they can get really high before the game at home and their car doesn't smell like weed when they go through customs, if it doesn't already. One disadvantage though, you can only listen to the Hip hits album not the whole anthology.