Where were you 15 years ago?

[finn]

Gives you a sense of how long it's been since we've been in the playoffs. I was in grad school, fifteen pounds lighter and with all of my hair. My three year old is 18 now. I never got him interested in the Bills, mostly because they have been awful all his life.

[Helpmenow]

San Diego

[Talley56]

Senior in HS working at Wendy's trying to sneak glances past my managers on a little snowy TV in the back room (mostly used for training videos). I saw the "winning" field goal then went back about my day. It wasn't until my shift ended and I got home that I found out the real ending.

[maddenboy]

San Diego

 

Me too. In the last century.

 

Working. Without a clear plan for my future. Because I was young.

 

Apparently, Me and the Bills had something in common. But I do believe Whaley has a clear plan/vision so I'm more optimistic than at any point in the last 15 years.

[SBUffalo]

Since it was actually 14 years ago I was getting ready for the end of the world as a 7 year old. Realistically I was probably playing Pokemon monopoly that we had just got for Christmas and played all the time that winter.

[boyst]

15 years ago to the day that we played the playoff game I was at Woodward High School wrestling tournament where I won first place @ 215, a weight class above mine @ 189. There was a heavy snowfall that day and I remember leaving there in our van with the game on the radio listening as Flutie sat like I did, not playing in the game. Driving home was slow and Telegraph and Alexis were very, very hard to travel making the trip very slow. I got home in the middle of the 3rd quarter to catch the rest of the game.

[Martifal]

I was in Wilson NC talking to my brother in Florida, he said alright we got this one, I replied there's still 16 seconds and we both fell into a silence. This team has been tearing our hearts out for a lot longer then the last 15 years, in silence we watched as the kickoff unfolded, forward lateral I shouted into the phone this has to come back, once again we sat in silence waiting for the call with a deeply sickened feeling in my stomach as certain as I was that this should come back, I also knew in my heart it wouldn't, it's the Bills we lose in the most heart wrenching of ways.....

[Fan in San Diego]

Working in San Diego

[ExiledInIllinois]

Exactly where I am today, woking. Wow... Boring, but you will get old too.

 

You know what's scary? When the OJ Trial was going down... I scribbled in pencil on a pit wall @ work: OJ was here. 1995. It's still there... Yikes! What prompted me were other workers who initialed their name. WOW, 1972, 1966, seems like eons ago. LoL...

 

Invest in time capsules!

 

Don't know why this song popped into my head:

 

"...Teachers told us

The Romans built this place

They built a wall and a temple

On the edge of the empire Garrison Town

They lived and they died

They prayed to their gods

But the stone gods did not make a sound

And their empire crumbled

Till all that was left

Were the stones the workmen found

 

And all this time

The river flowed

In the falling light

Of a northern sun

If I had my way

I'd take a boat from the river

Men go crazy in congregations

They only get better one by one

One by one

One by one, by one

One by one

 

I looked out across

The river today

I saw a city in the fog

And an old church tower

Where the seagulls play

Saw the sad shire horses

Walking home in the sodium light

Two priests on the ferry

October geese on a cold winter's night."

[3rdand12]

Here in Rochester. A casual fan. But a Bills fan.

after that year the drop off began, and then I stopped following mostly.

Now i am sucked back in up to the hips.

I dont consider anything before the last 3 years to be relevant.

and the Pegula era is now upon us. after 55 years. Hows that for perspective !

Go Bills

 

Exactly where I am today, woking. Wow... Boring, but you will get old too.

 

You know what's scary? When the OJ Trial was going down... I scribbled in pencil on a pit wall @ work: OJ was here. 1995. It's still there... Yikes! What prompted me were other workers who initialed their name. WOW, 1972, 1966, seems like eons ago. LoL...

 

Invest in time capsules!

 

Don't know why this song popped into my head:

 

"...Teachers told us

The Romans built this place

They built a wall and a temple

On the edge of the empire Garrison Town

They lived and they died

They prayed to their gods

But the stone gods did not make a sound

And their empire crumbled

Till all that was left

Were the stones the workmen found

 

And all this time

The river flowed

In the falling light

Of a northern sun

If I had my way

I'd take a boat from the river

Men go crazy in congregations

They only get better one by one

One by one

One by one, by one

One by one

 

I looked out across

The river today

I saw a city in the fog

And an old church tower

Where the seagulls play

Saw the sad shire horses

Walking home in the sodium light

Two priests on the ferry

October geese on a cold winter's night."

Wow. thats kinda profound Exiled

[Kemp2Warlick]

I was in Tennesee...of all places....

[GOBILLS78]

Working in a grocery store, where they were airing Van's call. Van made it sound like there was no possible way the call would be upheld, so I was relieved. Yet, here we are.

[chaccof]

Sitting here in my family room in Richmond, VA...friends dropped in unexpectedly, we watched the last minute together. My buddy couldn't understand why I wasn't excited since the Bills had just scored to win the game....I told him to sit tight given this was the Bills and anything could happen. then it happened and I damn near fainted.....and my friend and his wife left...and I think I told my then 5 year old that I forbad him from rooting for the Bills.....unfortunately he didn't listen.

[Nick the Greek]

At my parents house in Syracuse NY.. I was still in high school.

[jimmy10]

Senior in college. All my teams were great in the 90s. All my teams have sucked since.

[Augie]

I was in my living room telling my young kids it's not over 'till it's over.

They didn't believe me..... they still don't listen...

[ExiledInIllinois]

Senior in college. All my teams were great in the 90s. All my teams have sucked since.

 

You need to go back to school!

 

You know, you know, you know, we just ain't seen nothing since out of The Bills

You need education, you gotta go school!

[ExiledInIllinois]

I never got him interested in the Bills, mostly because they have been awful all his life.

 

No excuses! Just preaching hard on you finn.

 

I was born in 1968. The Bills were mostly God awful until I was @ least 20. I was still interested in them as a youth!

 

Get it dun-colored darling(s)! So hungry and so many... Not all of them bold in spirit !

 

Stolen from Mary Oliver's:

 

"Red Bird

 

Red bird came all winter

Firing up the landscape

As nothing else could.

Of course I love the sparrows,

Those dun-colored darlings,

So hungry and so many.

I am a God-fearing feeder of birds,

I know he has many children,

Not all of them bold in spirit.

Still, for whatever reason-

Perhaps because the winter is so long

And the sky so black-blue,

Or perhaps because the heart narrows

As often as it opens-

I am grateful

That red bird comes all winter

Firing up the landscape

As nothing else can do."

[Dan]

At that time, I was out of Graduate School and in my first job in New Jersey. My wife and I had traveled home for the holidays, like always. I saw the game at my parent's house in Tennessee with my family. I made the bold prediction, prior to the game, that the winner would be in the Super Bowl. We went from the highest of elation to the lowest of despair in those few moments. The closest to that feeling was our first Super Bowl, as we all stood in my parents house holding hands in hope and prayer.

 

Since then I've moved 3 times, changed jobs twice, gotten divorced, seen nieces and nephews grow up to get married and graduate college, my parents have retired, and our Bills' fandom is met with a mixture of joke and sympathy. It truly feels like a lifetime ago, so much has changed in my life and the world.

 

And, yet I still get Bills' gear every Christmas and hope for a better next year. It's gotten to the point of absurdity what we endure as Bills fans... To be this bad for this long.

[3rdand12]

I was in my living room telling my young kids it's not over 'till it's over.

They didn't believe me..... they still don't listen...

Damn Kids !

smart alecks is what they are.

I know !

[finn]

Gas was $1.22 a gallon. The Matrix was a big hit. Bill Clinton was president. On the Bills roster: Kamil Loud, Jerry Ostroksi, John Fina, Gabe Northern, Thurman Thomas... That was a long time ago, folks.

[JM57]

I was in 6th grade. I'm now 26 and married with a kid. It's been awhile, Bills.

[Bubba Gump]

I was in Disney World with the family watching the music city miracle at a tiki bar. At least the weather was nice. I'll never forget that moment. That day Disney was not the happiest place on earth, although it did help ease the pain.

[Augie]

Damn Kids !

smart alecks is what they are.

I know !

 

The younger one still taunts me with "it's in the bag" every time we get a lead. He's out of the will!

[dwight in philly]

50 years ago plus one day, i was using my cheap mini reel to reel tape recorder i got for xmas and taped the first half of the bills v san diego chargers AFL championship game at the rockpile holding the mic up to the radio.. .. a bit off topic. sorry, but 50 years ago, could not resist..

Edited December 27, 2014 by dwight in philly

[sfbillsfan]

I forgot to exhale back then; however, I do remember we won a wild card game last year, I think

[3rdand12]

50 years ago plus one day, i was using my cheap mini reel to reel tape recorder i got for xmas and taped the first half of the bills v san diego chargers AFL championship game at the rockpile holding the mic up to the radio.. .. a bit off topic. sorry, but 50 years ago, could not resist..

Thats just cool

[dwight in philly]

Thats just cool

thanks, sure wish i still had that tape.. you just never thought in terms of history back then.. just like old baseball cards thrown out.. Edited December 27, 2014 by dwight in philly

[Luxy312]

In 1999, I was 5 years removed from college living in a high rise in downtown Chicago. Can't bill-ieve it's been that long.

[mead107]

45 years old. WOW!

[Beerball]

Since it was actually 14 years ago I was getting ready for the end of the world as a 7 year old. Realistically I was probably playing Pokemon monopoly that we had just got for Christmas and played all the time that winter.

1/8/00 seems like 15 years to me

 

It was my daughter's first birthday & we were at some pizza joint. I kept going back and forth between the party room and a TV.

[3rdand12]

thanks, sure wish i still had that tape.. you just never thought in terms of history back then.. just like old baseball cards thrown out..

Corgi cars , first GI Joe

and Hemis. nope .

 

But a fine memory !!

Edited December 27, 2014 by 3rdand12

[Disinterested Observer]

I was sitting in the living room of my parents house getting ready for my family's Christmas when the " Music City Screwjob" took place. Needless to say it wasn't a very merry Christmas for me.

[dwight in philly]

Corgi cars , first GI Joe

and Hemis. nope .

 

But a fine memory !!

forgot about the corgi cars! jeez, had a few of them.. if only.. Edited December 27, 2014 by dwight in philly

[machine gun kelly]

1/8/2000 (14 years for another 10 days, then 15 years). Sucked as i went to a National Sales Meeting the next day in a Medical Sales Company at Oprey Land, in Nashville. I had my Bills hat on each day in the gym in the morning before work sessions just stewing over that play.

 

Sucked as that Saturday was my oldest son's first birthday. We celebrated the whole first year cake, ya da, and kept a smile on my face for the family, but just reeling inside.

 

As a side note, that's Elvis's birthday. i only know as so many people have told me regarding my boy's day. I could care less.

[PearlHowardman]

At home in Syracuse watching the game. Not too much later I was right here at TBD. And if I remember correctly, the Bills were pretty beat up, leaving me to think that they wouldn't have won the next game anyhow. Or someone said that and I agreed with it.

[negativo]

Great thread on perspective. Was 32, had a new girlfriend, and was living in Fort Myers for a brief stint for work. Was on the phone with my father when the final play happened. Stood in stunned silence, but not disbelief, when it happened. Being a Bills fan for life you tend to expect the worst. Now I'm 47 with a wife (don't even remember the name of the girl I briefly dated) and two kids age 8 and 9, and am about 40lbs heavier for the wear.

[PromoTheRobot]

Same place I am now. Except I was arguing with people about whether Wade Phillips should be fired for not wearing a headset.

Edited December 28, 2014 by PromoTheRobot

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

I was a senior in college, a day shy of 22, and was a frequent "guest" poster on here. I remember logging on here minutes after the game on my parents' dial-up Aol connection. Never got on-- as I think the board crashed.

[Augie]

I remember logging on here minutes after the game on my parents' dial-up Aol connection. Never got on-- as I think the board crashed.

 

Not sure if the board crashed, or God intervened to keep us all from jumping off the ledge. Glad I was in a one story house.