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Feb 11, 2000 - Bruce Smith places curse on the Buffalo Bills


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Angry Bruce Smith Says Bills Fans were 'Robbed and Cheated'

The Buffalo News -- February 12, 2000

By Allen Wilson

 

Bruce Smith said goodbye to the Buffalo Bills, but not before delivering a few parting shots.

 

Smith was reflective after he, Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed were released Thursday. After having a full 24 hours to think about it, Smith's disappointment turned to anger.

 

"This organization did not show any class in this situation," Smith said Friday from his home in Virginia Beach, Va. "This is an awful way to treat guys who have given so much not only to this organization, but to the community as well. The people that I feel the most sad for are the fans of Buffalo. I feel that they got robbed and cheated. This organization will have to live with the consequences of its actions."

 

I believe we are still living with the consequences of this action. The unceremonious dumping of 3 of the best players this league has ever seen. Buffalo went from a desirable destination for players & coaches to being the NFL's figurative (if not literal) Siberia. Having to completely over-pay marginal players to come here in free agency. High draft picks playing out their initial contracts to get away via free agency (if not forcing a trade before then). The Butler/Donahoe/Levy/Brandon/Nix carousel at GM making draft blunder after draft blunder. Retread coaches or middling coordinators put in charge of the team on the field. All of this eroding the fan-base.

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All i can say is that several of us middle aged fans predicted this. I sat in the stands at Super Bowl 25 & 28. I sat and drank beers with buddies and we all agreed., it's a guarantee that Buffalo will pay dearly for those dominant Kelly, Thurman, Bruce, Reed...years when we didn't win it all. I said back then we'd be stuck in a generation of futility after reaping a decade of success. Well, we're in it up to our necks.

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All i can say is that several of us middle aged fans predicted this. I sat in the stands at Super Bowl 25 & 28. I sat and drank beers with buddies and we all agreed., it's a guarantee that Buffalo will pay dearly for those dominant Kelly, Thurman, Bruce, Reed...years when we didn't win it all. I said back then we'd be stuck in a generation of futility after reaping a decade of success. Well, we're in it up to our necks.

 

I was an adolescent during the glory years. My dad and I started going to games in 1986-87, and by the time I was old enough to really grasp what was happening, we were starting the upswing and winning the division.

 

We attended every home game through the glory years (and beyond), but after each dominant win he would tell me "Son, don't get used to this kind of football. Savor every game and every play as much as you can. This isn't how it normally is. This isn't a normal team. This will not last forever."

 

Well, unfortunately, he was more correct than he ever knew at the time. Success for Ralph Wilson is and always has been, more luck than brains.

 

Whether it is simply a return to the norm for this franchise, a curse by a star player, or payback for a few years of success... it sucks.

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