Jump to content

Digging Deep - why do you remain a fan of this franchise?


BuffaloBill

Recommended Posts

Dec-1988 last game of the season, Bills vs the Indianapolis Colts if I'm remembering correctly the final score was 17-14 Colts. My fanhood started on a losing day and it seem it's been that way since. That was the day I became a Bills fan Dec 1988 Bills vs Colts at Hoosier stadium. I'm not from Buffalo, and I only visit the city once in my life, but I not only root for the Bills I root for the city of B-LO. At the end of the day it's pure love, being born and raised in VA what else could it be, if or when this team leave Buffalo I will no longer follow the NFL it's Buffalo Bills for life. DieHard til death!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 129
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Dec-1988 last game of the season, Bills vs the Indianapolis Colts if I'm remembering correctly the final score was 17-14 Colts. My fanhood started on a losing day and it seem it's been that way since. That was the day I became a Bills fan Dec 1988 Bills vs Colts at Hoosier stadium. I'm not from Buffalo, and I only visit the city once in my life, but I not only root for the Bills I root for the city of B-LO. At the end of the day it's pure love, being born and raised in VA what else could it be, if or when this team leave Buffalo I will no longer follow the NFL it's Buffalo Bills for life. DieHard til death!!!!

I was at that game and living in Indy it was not easy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tried to leave three years ago, but like a moth to the flame, I couldn't sever the tie that binds me so tightly. I wasn't always a Bills fan, even though I was born and raised in Upstate New York. Jim Kelly didn't even want to play in Buffalo. The team would struggle for two or three wins a season. Then Kelly decided to show up to play, and the persona of the team seemed to change over night. I started watching them and haven't looked away since. When I graduated from H.S., I joined the Coast Guard. Moved away from N.Y. It always made me feel close to home when watching the Bills on MNF (when we played there regularly against Dolphin Dan) especially when it was snowing. Looking back, those were good times. I hope they come back to Buffalo soon. What I wouldn't give to see the Great FANS of Buffalo storming the field after a playoff win (preferably against N.E. but any team will do) and tearing the upright down. Just imagining it makes me feel twenty years younger.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Grew up a few blocks from the rock pile. My wife asks me these days, "why do you do this to yourself ?!" I don't have a good answer. After The steelers game I feel like trying to quit again.. That was pathetic.

 

But oh would I love to have a great Bills team again !

Edited by SoulMan
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My father was one of the original founders of the Buffalo Bills Boosters Club, Inc.

In my avatar I am wearing his 1961-62 Boosters coat, with the Buffalo Bill Cody logo.

I met Tom Day when I was eleven and shook his hand.

I grew up with the AFL.

 

As others have said "it is in my blood". Yesterday I felt cursed. :death: \

I will get over it. :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I could simply stop and pick another team I would, but I'm not that kind of person. However, I can care less and as the years go by I do. Sundays are more about my kids now than about football -- far more upside and far fewer disappointments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

sitting on my porch in 1964 on Rohr street listen to a transistor radio as the Bills beat the Chargers in the rock pile. I can still hear the roar rumbling down Northhampton when Stratton laid the wood to Keith Lincoln. That kinda hooks you

Edited by billfan63
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was born in Rochester. My family moved to San Diego in 1960, when I was five. I remember them taking us to see the San Diego Chargers play the Bills in old Balboa Stadium each season when the Bills came west. You could go to the game for $1 if you had a Huddle Club card. I guess my roots are in upstate New York even though I hardly lived there. I have followed the Bills since the 60's. I do root for the Chargers but believe they are almost as disfunctional. My heart is with the Bills and it always will be, but it isn't easy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Parents both from Buffalo, I was raised in Rochester. I honestly can't remember a time when I wasn't a fan. Lucky enough to go to a lot of games in the late 80's and early 90's with my Dad. Moved to NC after college and would find a bar to watch games (later Direct TV Ticket), and would break down the game each week with my Dad. Bills Fanhood has its' bonds.

 

When my Dad was dying of cancer he told me that he "wished he had enough time to see the Bills win one Superbowl". I told him that "none of us have enough time to see them win a Superbowl".

 

I told that story during the eulogy at his funeral, and it brought laughter from all attending (a church of mostly Bills Fans).

 

Fanhood isn't logical, it's emotional. For if it was logical, most of us would root for an organization that was better run and was deserving of our passion

Link to comment
Share on other sites

sitting on my porch in 1964 on Rohr street listen to a transistor radio as the Bills beat the Chargers in the rock pile. I can still hear the roar rumbling down Northhampton when Stratton laid the wood to Keith Lincoln. That kinda hooks you

Archie Matsos laid some wood as well. And Cookie broke some. My worst memories were Dangerous Dan McGrew's regular hikes over the punter's head.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

That's how I feel. I couldn't change even if I wanted to.

Yea I'm in that boat as well. I started watching the bills with my dad when I was 6 in '91 and had some of the best times of my life growing up and watching the games. I love this franchise and make the 5 hour trip to the Ralph at least 3 times a year. Our good days are coming. The sweet ain't as sweet, without the bitter baby.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was raised as a Dallas Cowboys fan by my father who was in tight with the team. He got me a job selling programs at Texas Stadium in 1972 which I did until that evil swine Jerry Jones bought the team. Then I half rooted for them to win and half rooted for them to lose. Very confusing. Then in 1995 I met a woman who was a Bills season ticket holder for years. I started watching games with her and from seeing how hard they played and how much fun it was watching the games I switched my fan-hood solely to the Bills in 1996. I am now a Bills fan by marriage!

 

I was on the Seattle Seahawks Drumline and went to the Super Bowl with them in 2005. It was fun and I was a fan, but it just wasn't the same. Now I hate the Pete Carrol Seahawks.

 

I watch every game and root for the Bills like crazy. One day we'll be good again and it's going to be sweet! Until then, it's business as usual. Follow every move they make and on Sunday root like HELL !!!

 

Go BILLS !!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's my team and my town, it's like being patriotic but for your team like one would be of their country.

 

I guess it is a natural instinct of mine.

 

I am loyal to my country "Proud to be an American". I can't imagine not being patriotic especially on a day like today. Happy Veterans Day

 

I am loyal to my hometown team. "Bills fan to the core." It is part of being a real Western New York'er.

 

yep

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was born on the west coast and have never been to Buffalo so I can't explain it. Red, White and Blue + American Buffalo + blue collar work ethic. Perhaps it's more than that. The Buffalo Bills. It's Iconic, it's historical, it's in my blood. It just feels right to be a fan.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Parents both from Buffalo, I was raised in Rochester. I honestly can't remember a time when I wasn't a fan. Lucky enough to go to a lot of games in the late 80's and early 90's with my Dad. Moved to NC after college and would find a bar to watch games (later Direct TV Ticket), and would break down the game each week with my Dad. Bills Fanhood has its' bonds.

 

When my Dad was dying of cancer he told me that he "wished he had enough time to see the Bills win one Superbowl". I told him that "none of us have enough time to see them win a Superbowl".

 

I told that story during the eulogy at his funeral, and it brought laughter from all attending (a church of mostly Bills Fans).

 

Fanhood isn't logical, it's emotional. For if it was logical, most of us would root for an organization that was better run and was deserving of our passion

 

I think I will be saying that to my grandsons sometimes!

Edited by rockpile
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As a 6 year old, ever the contrarian, I was cheering for the Bills to beat the Giants in the superbowl despite my dad being a giants fan. As the Bills went on to lose more superbowls it became kind of a family joke that I was Bills fan (the lovable losers) even though in reality I had no interest in football at that age.

 

Anyway the family had CFL season tickets and Flutie was always in the running for most outstanding player. I never really liked Flutie in CFL cause he was on the wrong teams but when he moved to the NFL it was right around the time my friends and I started getting into the NFL. Flutie was a player I knew of, he was an incredible CFL QB, and I wanted to see him succeed in the NFL.

 

It seemed natural to root the Bills giving the old family joke, Flutie, and it also helped that they actually made the playoffs under Wade Phillips a couple times. Kids are natural front runners. Anyway it was between the Bills and Jaguars for a while (I just thought Fred Taylor was a beast & 12 year old me liked the jaguar name). Realizing I couldn't have "two teams" I decided to go all in for for the Bills and haven't looked back since. I just wish they would give me something to root for.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I went to a game with my father when I was maybe 7 years old. It was maybe 10 degrees out and we were sitting in what is now the Jim Kelly Club (wasn't then). My dad looked over in the box and saw his boss sitting in the front row so he waved and his boss came out and invited us inside. But the windows on the box were tinted and I was so scared I wouldn't be able to see so i refused to go in. After much coaxing and a promise I could get anything I wanted inside I reluctantly accepted to go in. My dads boss took me to all the merchandise stores and food places and I felt bad asking him to buy me something so finally I just asked for some french fries.

 

My dad still calls me a dummy for that :lol:

 

Simply put some of my first memories was sitting outside with my dad and brother chanting "DANNY DANNY" and tasting some really bad apple juice ;) . I'm hooked for life. Even when the Bills are horrible I can always count on them to give me something to talk about and root for. Frankly I wouldn't trade it for anything and someday I'll be rewarded for my patience and consistent loyalty

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rooting for the Bills keeps me tied to where I was born and my earliest memories. I haven't lived in Buffalo since I was in 1st grade, but I've moved so much that I hate the question of "What's your hometown?" I just say I'm from Buffalo now. Go Bills!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am from St.Catharines, Ontario but the Bills were the home team for me and my family starting in the early 80s. I can remember being heartbroken when Ferguson and Cribbs et al. lost to the Chargers in the playoffs and were so close to winning. When Kelly and Marv came to town I was in my late teens and the Bills were so much fun to watch. I often have to remind myself how awesome they were by watching that team on youtube. They were just so great. Its one of the greatest disappointments in my life that they failed to win a SB esp when they were a best team of the era. The Flutie era rekindled my interest but the last 14 years have really shaken my faith. My wife constantly questions my mental health as I scream at the TV when the Bills find a way to lose and screw me over emotionally. But there I am, week after week watching them like a sucker!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was born and raised in Buffalo. My Dad was and still is a huge Bills fan, along with my whole family. We always listened to the radio call-in shows about the Bills in the car to and from school. I was in 8th grade when they first made the playoffs that started the SB era. That was when I really got invested. I was a freshman in college when they went to their last SB. I remember sitting in my dorm room in Ohio by myself watching the game and being immensely homesick because I realized there weren't any other Bills fans there. After I graduated and moved to Columbus I still found a place to watch them every Sunday. I am as much of a fan now after the 13/14 years of no playoffs as I was back then. It is in my blood. Sometimes I wish I could choose not to be a Bills fan, it is ruined many Sundays (and Mondays) for me for many years. But it isn't possible. I am sometimes a Bills apologist because I love the team so much, I have a hard time criticizing and always give the benefit of the doubt and have hope. I think being a Bills fan builds character though somehow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Digging Deep - why do you remain a fan of this franchise?

 

What are we supposed to do? Become a fan of another team just bc the Bills haven't been winning or bc another team has?

 

Anyone who does that isn't really a fan to begin with

 

I would only stop being a fan if the team ends up moving to another city

Edited by Max997
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...