major Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 I have to go with the 1980's. Great games and great personalities. Late 70's and early 90's were good too. Sad to say, this modern version is kind of boring at times. I keep wondering if the influx of $ is turning the league into crap. Your thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Over 29 years of fanhood Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 If you ask bills fan it'd have to be the 60s or the 90s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gray Beard Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 Influx of money and medical concerns are changing the game. Before the medical concerns were widely understood, there was a certain innocent pleasure in watching the game. Maybe we were just in denial about the head injuries. Now the injuries and the prima donna personalities are changing the game to me. I think the 70s were great, but that was probably because I was in high school and college so I was watching with friends and family (especially in college). In the 90s, the Bills were winning and my kids were old enough to watch with me, so that was a great period for me as a Bills fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotAGuy Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 I'm old, but I think the 70s were the golden days for me. TV really took off - Monday Night Football, Jimmy the Greek, Phyllis George - and some of the old guys were still doing games (Curt Gowdy, Charlie Jones, Howard Cosell). The Super Bowl grew into a major event. Great QBs - Bradshaw, Tarkenton, Brodie, Namath, Dawson, Lamonica (ouch). The long ball was alive and well. Bills home games were fun, as always, but the excitement over MNF in 1973 - 1976 was tremendous. Just a great time to be a fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juno999 Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 If you ask bills fan it'd have to be the 60s or the 90s For me it's the 70's. OJ running loose all over the place, the Steel Curtain, the Raiders, the Cowboys. Just great football all around. Plus the Patriots sucked! For Bills only, has to be 60s or 90s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark80 Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 (edited) I have to go with the 1980's. Great games and great personalities. Late 70's and early 90's were good too. Sad to say, this modern version is kind of boring at times. I keep wondering if the influx of $ is turning the league into crap. Your thoughts? I really think that FA has hurt football. Before FA, most of the better players were with the same team for the vast majority of their careers. Now you're lucky to get a guy to resign and if they do, it's for so much that you can't afford to keep your depth guys around. Therefore, you grow less of a connection with the players IMO. I'm at odds with this as well though, since the players should have every right to decided what team to play for and not be the "property" of the franchise. Forgot to answer the question though. For me 90s. Too young to remember most of the 80s and the bills have sucked this millenium. Best 10 years would be 88-97. Edited May 21, 2014 by Mark80 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prickly Pete Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 (edited) I have to agree about the 80's. I only have experience from around 1974, but I think the game had struck the right balance between the run/pass game in the 80's. Less specialization, but still some of that type of sophistication developing. The rules weren't skewed so far towards the offense. I put the 70's right up there too, though. Edited May 21, 2014 by HoF Watkins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vorpma Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 The 1960's and the AFL, I still look back in awe at the football played and the slow but steady growth of the upstart league. The old Buffalo - Boston rivalry, Curt Gowdy doing the games on NBC and the wide open offensive game. Watching mud bowls and snow games at War Memorial. In August 1967 the Lions came to the old Rockpile (first NFL Team to come to Buffalo) for a pre - season game and both teams play like it was a playoff game. I was at my home in NT listening to Van Miller and you could hear his voice echoing throughout the neighborhood. The Bills traded Lamonica in the off season and Tom Flores was having a great night until he got hurt. The home crowd boo'ed Jack Kemp as he came on the field, Kemp merely threw a 69 yard bomb to Elbert Dubenion changing the catcalls into cheers. Iron Mike Ditka dragged and clawed his way to the end zone for an 89 yard TD after catching a slant pattern. Back then the players were normal guys who worked off season jobs and were just good guys. I was at the 1969 home opener against the SB Champ Jets; Buffalo crowd gave them a huge standing O. Golden era of Football! Even the hated NFL was fun to watch - Jimmy Brown, Packers, Cowboys - never dull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manther Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 I have to go with the 1980's. Great games and great personalities. Late 70's and early 90's were good too. Sad to say, this modern version is kind of boring at times. I keep wondering if the influx of $ is turning the league into crap. Your thoughts? Great post. I am too young to have seen many of the decades in football. But, from what I have seen and heard I would say '70's or '80's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandler#81 Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 The 1960's and the AFL, I still look back in awe at the football played and the slow but steady growth of the upstart league. The old Buffalo - Boston rivalry, Curt Gowdy doing the games on NBC and the wide open offensive game. Watching mud bowls and snow games at War Memorial. In August 1967 the Lions came to the old Rockpile (first NFL Team to come to Buffalo) for a pre - season game and both teams play like it was a playoff game. I was at my home in NT listening to Van Miller and you could hear his voice echoing throughout the neighborhood. The Bills traded Lamonica in the off season and Tom Flores was having a great night until he got hurt. The home crowd boo'ed Jack Kemp as he came on the field, Kemp merely threw a 69 yard bomb to Elbert Dubenion changing the catcalls into cheers. Iron Mike Ditka dragged and clawed his way to the end zone for an 89 yard TD after catching a slant pattern. Back then the players were normal guys who worked off season jobs and were just good guys. I was at the 1969 home opener against the SB Champ Jets; Buffalo crowd gave them a huge standing O. Golden era of Football! Even the hated NFL was fun to watch - Jimmy Brown, Packers, Cowboys - never dull. So well stated! Thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max997 Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 My favorite time was late 80's early 90's and not just bc that was a great era of Bills football. I liked the overall style that was played, thought 30 teams with 3 divisions of 5 teams was perfect and teams were able to keep their talent for more then 4-5 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 I have to agree about the 80's. I only have experience from around 1974, but I think the game had struck the right balance between the run/pass game in the 80's. Less specialization, but still some of that type of sophistication developing. The rules weren't skewed so far towards the offense. I put the 70's right up there too, though. I started watching/listening in 1972, when I was seven. As a Bills fan, while I realize the 90's were the "golden era", I think my sense of aesthetics and my appreciation for the game is pretty rooted in the 1980's. Though not the most successful, the Chuck Knox Bills teams are my all-time favorites... while the Bills were really woeful mid-decade, my understanding of the game took off in the 1980's, and my appreciation for the league (as opposed to just the Bills) really took off then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Formerly Allan in MD Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 Aside from the Bills not being there for much of it, the 50s. It had Jim Brown and Johnny Unitas, which says it all. If you want to argue that, watch their games during that period, as I had the good fortune to do on a regular basis. It was magical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QB Bills Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 I think for the most part, fans will pick the era they grew up watching. There's a certain cynicism that evolves the older you get and you lose that child-like appreciation for things. Music is the same way. Or maybe it's just that the Bills have sucked for so long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garion Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 I think for the most part, fans will pick the era they grew up watching. There's a certain cynicism that evolves the older you get and you lose that child-like appreciation for things. Music is the same way. Or maybe it's just that the Bills have sucked for so long. Agreed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsPride12 Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 80s/90s hands down. Kelly, Marino,Elway, Bruce, Reggie White, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Barry Sanders, Ronnie Lott, Walter Payton and I could go on and on and on and on..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwight in philly Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 If you ask bills fan it'd have to be the 60s or the 90s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yungmack Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 For a Bills fan, the 60s and the late 80s to the late 90s. For the NFL in general it is the 70s hands down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 80s ALWAYS and forever the 80s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campy Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 I'm old, but I think the 70s were the golden days for me. TV really took off - Monday Night Football, Jimmy the Greek, Phyllis George - and some of the old guys were still doing games (Curt Gowdy, Charlie Jones, Howard Cosell). The Super Bowl grew into a major event. Great QBs - Bradshaw, Tarkenton, Brodie, Namath, Dawson, Lamonica (ouch). The long ball was alive and well. Bills home games were fun, as always, but the excitement over MNF in 1973 - 1976 was tremendous. Just a great time to be a fan. Yep. And I'd add some pretty great defenses (Steel Curtain, Purple People Eaters, Orange Crush) and RBs (OJ, Walter Payton, Earl Campbell, Tony Dorsett, & Larry Csonka) too. The 70s were a fantastic time in the NFL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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