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You've been a Bills fan for too long if...


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...You think "Cookie" is a "who", not a "what".


...You think "Rockpile" is a "what", not a "who".


...You know what "Best Exit" means.


...Your idea of a quarterback controversy is Kemp-Lamonica.


...You remember that the only Bills home game that your Mom ever wanted to see in person was against the Los Angeles Rams, and that was because the Rams brought along Jim Nabors to sing the national anthem.


...You don't think that Bruce Smith is the greatest NFL defensive lineman of all time. Shoot, you don't think that he is the greatest BILLS defensive lineman of all time (see Sestak, Tom).


...Your dad took you to Bills games while wearing a fedora and a tie with a tie clip.


...Today, you have the strongest bladder of anyone in your office because, as a kid, it was either “hold it” or use the bathrooms at War Memorial Stadium.


...You have neck problems in your middle age because you spent most of the time in your youth watching Bills games in person while straining your neck in your seat while trying to look around a pole.


...Your idea of a sideline reporter is Dick Rifenburg.


...You thought that your Dad was the coolest because he left High Mass early with you so that you wouldn’t miss the opening kickoff.


...Your dad drove to the game, parked his car on the East Side, and the car was undamaged when he returned.


...You thought that Pete Gogolak was a sissy because he wasn’t a linebacker or lineman like all the other kickers in the league.


...You can still identify the smell of a warm Genny spilled on wood seats and concrete.


...Your parents thought that Miami was a neat place full of warm weather, people their age, and Jackie Gleason.


...Your Dad would go to the game with you and would sit through rain, sleet, snow and gloom of night so that he see that twinkle-towed sissy boy Joe Namath get slapped around by Ron McDole.


...More than once, you saw a Bill in the off-season in Buffalo working his part-time job as a steelworker / laborer / truck driver.


...You remember snow fences and a cinder track.


...Yohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-HO!


...you cared what Charley Bailey says.


...you think Laverne is a man’s name.


...you remember the haze on a Saturday night caused by stadium lights and thousands of chain smokers.


...your idea of "all sports, all the time" is WBEN-AM.


...you remember when Sunday games started at 2:00 p.m., then later on at 1:30 p.m.


...you consider Marty Schottenheimer to be a linebacker, not a coach.


...you remember Saturday night games.


...you thought that Ernie Warlick was the coolest football player around, not because he played football, but because he owned a hamburger stand.


...you remember a boy scout tent on the sidelines where the cheerleaders went to change, as well as dozens of men standing on the cinder track behind the snow fence next to the boy scout tent.


...your dad parked the car by the armory.


...you know what “What’s New, Harry?” means.


...you think that the best home uniforms were the ones with the stripes around the shoulders.


...you stopped at Freddie’s Doughnuts Sunday morning before the game.


...your kids don’t believe that there were once real first names like Remi, Hagood, Birtho, Daryle, Buster, Booth, Mack and Wray.


...you know the significance of the numbers 45,748 and 46,206.


...you remember Bills’ players missing games because they were on National Guard duty.


...your idea of “color commentary” is Stan Barron.


...you never could understand why Paul Maguire was listed on the roster as “LB”.


...you thought that Orchard Park was a “farming community”.


...you remember your dad sometimes still called it “Civic Stadium”.


...you know that “Duby” was a “flanker” and that “Bass” was a “split end”.


...you remember serious talk about the “Seattle Bills”.


...you remember the Camelot Motor Inn.


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Does anyone actually think that Tom Sestak was better than Bruce Smith? While Sestak was a great athlete Bruce is arguably the greatest DE of all-time. He is at least on the short list. He had 200 sacks as a 3-4 DE.

i think it's between Bruce and Reggie White. I admit I never saw Sestak play. I think JJ Watt, at his current pace and if he plays a long time, is going to end up in the conversation. Edited by YoloinOhio
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...You think "Cookie" is a "who", not a "what".
...You think "Rockpile" is a "what", not a "who".
...You know what "Best Exit" means.
...Your idea of a quarterback controversy is Kemp-Lamonica.
...You remember that the only Bills home game that your Mom ever wanted to see in person was against the Los Angeles Rams, and that was because the Rams brought along Jim Nabors to sing the national anthem.
...You don't think that Bruce Smith is the greatest NFL defensive lineman of all time. Shoot, you don't think that he is the greatest BILLS defensive lineman of all time (see Sestak, Tom).
...Your dad took you to Bills games while wearing a fedora and a tie with a tie clip.
...Today, you have the strongest bladder of anyone in your office because, as a kid, it was either “hold it” or use the bathrooms at War Memorial Stadium.
...You have neck problems in your middle age because you spent most of the time in your youth watching Bills games in person while straining your neck in your seat while trying to look around a pole.
...Your idea of a sideline reporter is Dick Rifenburg.
...You thought that your Dad was the coolest because he left High Mass early with you so that you wouldn’t miss the opening kickoff.
...Your dad drove to the game, parked his car on the East Side, and the car was undamaged when he returned.
...You thought that Pete Gogolak was a sissy because he wasn’t a linebacker or lineman like all the other kickers in the league.
...You can still identify the smell of a warm Genny spilled on wood seats and concrete.
...Your parents thought that Miami was a neat place full of warm weather, people their age, and Jackie Gleason.
...Your Dad would go to the game with you and would sit through rain, sleet, snow and gloom of night so that he see that twinkle-towed sissy boy Joe Namath get slapped around by Ron McDole.
...More than once, you saw a Bill in the off-season in Buffalo working his part-time job as a steelworker / laborer / truck driver.
...You remember snow fences and a cinder track.
...Yohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-HO!
...you cared what Charley Bailey says.
...you think Laverne is a man’s name.
...you remember the haze on a Saturday night caused by stadium lights and thousands of chain smokers.
...your idea of "all sports, all the time" is WBEN-AM.
...you remember when Sunday games started at 2:00 p.m., then later on at 1:30 p.m.
...you consider Marty Schottenheimer to be a linebacker, not a coach.
...you remember Saturday night games.
...you thought that Ernie Warlick was the coolest football player around, not because he played football, but because he owned a hamburger stand.
...you remember a boy scout tent on the sidelines where the cheerleaders went to change, as well as dozens of men standing on the cinder track behind the snow fence next to the boy scout tent.
...your dad parked the car by the armory.
...you know what “What’s New, Harry?” means.
...you think that the best home uniforms were the ones with the stripes around the shoulders.
...you stopped at Freddie’s Doughnuts Sunday morning before the game.
...your kids don’t believe that there were once real first names like Remi, Hagood, Birtho, Daryle, Buster, Booth, Mack and Wray.
...you know the significance of the numbers 45,748 and 46,206.
...you remember Bills’ players missing games because they were on National Guard duty.
...your idea of “color commentary” is Stan Barron.
...you never could understand why Paul Maguire was listed on the roster as “LB”.
...you thought that Orchard Park was a “farming community”.
...you remember your dad sometimes still called it “Civic Stadium”.
...you know that “Duby” was a “flanker” and that “Bass” was a “split end”.
...you remember serious talk about the “Seattle Bills”.
...you remember the Camelot Motor Inn.

 

awesome list! tough to add anything to the list .. but a couple.. remembering the vertical striped socks of the denver broncos in 1960.. the huge mustard cannisters along the corridors..

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Does anyone actually think that Tom Sestak was better than Bruce Smith? While Sestak was a great athlete Bruce is arguably the greatest DE of all-time. He is at least on the short list. He had 200 sacks as a 3-4 DE.

Too young to remember Sestak as a player, but I remember the pizza from Sestak and Maguire's was pretty good.

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Does anyone actually think that Tom Sestak was better than Bruce Smith? While Sestak was a great athlete Bruce is arguably the greatest DE of all-time. He is at least on the short list. He had 200 sacks as a 3-4 DE.

Yes, whippersnapper, I do! ; )

I'm working on a long term project in Lake Charles, LA, home to the McNeese State Mustangs. Sestak is still revered here as one of the Top 5 players ever to wear the jersey. Pictures of him adorn the walls in diners, old sports bars and coffee shops. He was a TE in college and wore #84. As such, he was a low round draft pick. But Saban/Collier quickly made him a DT -where he literally tore up all AFL OL's and quickly became an overwhelming force as his team went to the playoffs 4 straight years, winning 2 titles. The only way he could be stopped was to injure him -which happened. Knee surgery was comparatively Neanderthal by today's standards and his 'flash in the Pan' career was over after 7 seasons. He never took a play off.

I ordered the away McNeese State jersey with his name on it. If you see it at the stadium, you'll know what it represents,

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Does anyone actually think that Tom Sestak was better than Bruce Smith? While Sestak was a great athlete Bruce is arguably the greatest DE of all-time. He is at least on the short list. He had 200 sacks as a 3-4 DE.

Dude lighten up!

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Does anyone actually think that Tom Sestak was better than Bruce Smith? While Sestak was a great athlete Bruce is arguably the greatest DE of all-time. He is at least on the short list. He had 200 sacks as a 3-4 DE.

They played different positions. Sestak was the best DT I've ever seen. Smith was a great DE, run stuffer, & pass rusher.

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Yes, whippersnapper, I do! ; )

I'm working on a long term project in Lake Charles, LA, home to the McNeese State Mustangs. Sestak is still revered here as one of the Top 5 players ever to wear the jersey. Pictures of him adorn the walls in diners, old sports bars and coffee shops. He was a TE in college and wore #84. As such, he was a low round draft pick. But Saban/Collier quickly made him a DT -where he literally tore up all AFL OL's and quickly became an overwhelming force as his team went to the playoffs 4 straight years, winning 2 titles. The only way he could be stopped was to injure him -which happened. Knee surgery was comparatively Neanderthal by today's standards and his 'flash in the Pan' career was over after 7 seasons. He never took a play off.

I ordered the away McNeese State jersey with his name on it. If you see it at the stadium, you'll know what it represents,

and , i might add, tom was a terrific person. in his latter years he was employed by erie county. i had the good fortune of crossing paths with him back in his latter retirement years(from football). he was unassuming and the antithesis of the modern day bragging , blowhards that permeate the league now. he died suddenly, and way too young.. as a youngster watching him during the 60's glory years, he was the best.. but that is just my opinion.

Edited by dwight in philly
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- With an 11 pt lead with 3 minutes to go and the ball you're still calculating ways in which you can still lose

 

- You can never spontaneously erupt in joy after a TD, no celebrating until after you're absolutely convinced there's no flag

 

- You consider OJ one of the greatest ever to play the game, pesky double-murder be damned

 

- When you were a kid you and your friends practiced tip-toe sideline catches a la Bobby Chandler

 

- Talking Proud >> Shout

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Yes, whippersnapper, I do! ; )

 

Exceptional player for his era. But no Bruce...who, if he played today, would still dominant.

 

 

Been a Bills fan too long if...you still think the birth is more important than the pregnancy.

Edited by Lurker
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Dude lighten up!

 

Sestak has a reputation as a dominating DT and an unbelievable athlete. I am not disparigning his accomplishments in any way. Bruce Smith is the NFL's all-time sack leader (yes, I know how long it has been an official stat) and he was a 3-4 defensive end. You would need to average 20 sacks a year for 10 years to equal him. You would need to average 13.33 sacks a year over a 15 year career or 10 sacks a year over 20 years. DID I MENTION THAT HE WAS A 3-4 DE?!? He is without question the greatest defensive player that the Bills have ever had and right there with OJ as the top overall.

 

 

I tend to try to be the hyperbole police around here. Sestak over Bruce is like saying that Jim Kelly was a better QB than Tom Brady. While Kelly was great and in the HOF he is not in the conversation of the greatest of all-time. We can be fans of Kelly and hate Brady but that doesn't mean that Kelly was ever the better player.

Edited by Kirby Jackson
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Exceptional player for his era. But no Bruce...who, if he played today, would still dominant.

 

 

Been a Bills fan too long if...you still think the birth is more important than the pregnancy.

hmmm.. Debatable Lurker. While my smiley face/winky face -while lame- was tongue in cheek. Then again, Bruce's career was twice as long as Tom's, Tom only faced 7 other teams (fairly certain he was done before the Cincy/Mia additions) vs Bruce's 30/31 teams and a few AFL centers (EJ Holub, John Schmidt and Jim Otto) are HOFers. Very tough to compare over different decades, but Sestak was a defensive terror on every single snap he played.

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...You think "Cookie" is a "who", not a "what".
...You think "Rockpile" is a "what", not a "who".
...You know what "Best Exit" means.
...Your idea of a quarterback controversy is Kemp-Lamonica.
...You remember that the only Bills home game that your Mom ever wanted to see in person was against the Los Angeles Rams, and that was because the Rams brought along Jim Nabors to sing the national anthem.
...You don't think that Bruce Smith is the greatest NFL defensive lineman of all time. Shoot, you don't think that he is the greatest BILLS defensive lineman of all time (see Sestak, Tom).
...Your dad took you to Bills games while wearing a fedora and a tie with a tie clip.
...Today, you have the strongest bladder of anyone in your office because, as a kid, it was either “hold it” or use the bathrooms at War Memorial Stadium.
...You have neck problems in your middle age because you spent most of the time in your youth watching Bills games in person while straining your neck in your seat while trying to look around a pole.
...Your idea of a sideline reporter is Dick Rifenburg.
...You thought that your Dad was the coolest because he left High Mass early with you so that you wouldn’t miss the opening kickoff.
...Your dad drove to the game, parked his car on the East Side, and the car was undamaged when he returned.
...You thought that Pete Gogolak was a sissy because he wasn’t a linebacker or lineman like all the other kickers in the league.
...You can still identify the smell of a warm Genny spilled on wood seats and concrete.
...Your parents thought that Miami was a neat place full of warm weather, people their age, and Jackie Gleason.
...Your Dad would go to the game with you and would sit through rain, sleet, snow and gloom of night so that he see that twinkle-towed sissy boy Joe Namath get slapped around by Ron McDole.
...More than once, you saw a Bill in the off-season in Buffalo working his part-time job as a steelworker / laborer / truck driver.
...You remember snow fences and a cinder track.
...Yohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-HO!
...you cared what Charley Bailey says.
...you think Laverne is a man’s name.
...you remember the haze on a Saturday night caused by stadium lights and thousands of chain smokers.
...your idea of "all sports, all the time" is WBEN-AM.
...you remember when Sunday games started at 2:00 p.m., then later on at 1:30 p.m.
...you consider Marty Schottenheimer to be a linebacker, not a coach.
...you remember Saturday night games.
...you thought that Ernie Warlick was the coolest football player around, not because he played football, but because he owned a hamburger stand.
...you remember a boy scout tent on the sidelines where the cheerleaders went to change, as well as dozens of men standing on the cinder track behind the snow fence next to the boy scout tent.
...your dad parked the car by the armory.
...you know what “What’s New, Harry?” means.
...you think that the best home uniforms were the ones with the stripes around the shoulders.
...you stopped at Freddie’s Doughnuts Sunday morning before the game.
...your kids don’t believe that there were once real first names like Remi, Hagood, Birtho, Daryle, Buster, Booth, Mack and Wray.
...you know the significance of the numbers 45,748 and 46,206.
...you remember Bills’ players missing games because they were on National Guard duty.
...your idea of “color commentary” is Stan Barron.
...you never could understand why Paul Maguire was listed on the roster as “LB”.
...you thought that Orchard Park was a “farming community”.
...you remember your dad sometimes still called it “Civic Stadium”.
...you know that “Duby” was a “flanker” and that “Bass” was a “split end”.
...you remember serious talk about the “Seattle Bills”.
...you remember the Camelot Motor Inn.

 

Trust me, I've been a Bills fan for way too long and i don't get half the references in the list. Nice list though, I'll send it over to my father to read...

 

 

- You can never spontaneously erupt in joy after a TD, no celebrating until after you're absolutely convinced there's no flag

 

This ^^^ for sure!

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hmmm.. Debatable Lurker. While my smiley face/winky face -while lame- was tongue in cheek. Then again, Bruce's career was twice as long as Tom's, Tom only faced 7 other teams (fairly certain he was done before the Cincy/Mia additions) vs Bruce's 30/31 teams and a few AFL centers (EJ Holub, John Schmidt and Jim Otto) are HOFers. Very tough to compare over different decades, but Sestak was a defensive terror on every single snap he played.

Not really, IMO. Sestak played against generally smaller O-linemen (250-260 pounds) at a time when pass blocking skills were NOT emphasized.

 

Bruce would still be All-Pro today, which is how transcendent players typically roll...

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...remember your Uncle Joe showing you how good there were in black and white on Sunday afternoons winning those AFL championships even though he was a Giants fan.

Edited by Uncle Joe
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Does anyone actually think that Tom Sestak was better than Bruce Smith? While Sestak was a great athlete Bruce is arguably the greatest DE of all-time. He is at least on the short list. He had 200 sacks as a 3-4 DE.

Sestak was a beast. Unfortunately, his knees made him a lame one in short order.

Two more:

 

You know Golden Wheels is not a bike.

 

You remember vividly what made Dan Magrew dangerous.

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Not really, IMO. Sestak played against generally smaller O-linemen (250-260 pounds) at a time when pass blocking skills were NOT emphasized.

 

Bruce would still be All-Pro today, which is how transcendent players typically roll...

 

Does anyone actually think that Tom Sestak was better than Bruce Smith? While Sestak was a great athlete Bruce is arguably the greatest DE of all-time. He is at least on the short list. He had 200 sacks as a 3-4 DE.

i love all the "experts" on here.. a reminiscent thread turns into a pi$$ing contest over the merits of tom sestak v bruce smith.. cant some of you let it go once in a while? no worries, you guys all know your football.. jesus.

Edited by dwight in philly
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Awesome list, dead-on recap of the original, early 60s Bills. As to the Sestak/Smith carpers, the title of this thread is "You've been a Bills fan too long if...". Clearly the Smith faction hasn't been fans long enough.

 

My first Bills game was the last home game of the original Bills. Too little to remember much except that the adults were all well-dressed. And I was at the first practices of the new Bills on Seymour Knox's polo field.

 

Any old timers remember kegs of beer and hibachis in the aisles at WMS? Drinks at the Grotto bar after the game?

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Awesome list, dead-on recap of the original, early 60s Bills. As to the Sestak/Smith carpers, the title of this thread is "You've been a Bills fan too long if...". Clearly the Smith faction hasn't been fans long enough.

 

My first Bills game was the last home game of the original Bills. Too little to remember much except that the adults were all well-dressed. And I was at the first practices of the new Bills on Seymour Knox's polo field.

 

Any old timers remember kegs of beer and hibachis in the aisles at WMS? Drinks at the Grotto bar after the game?

i remember a season ticket that a group had for a seat to hold a keg.. you didnt think of it as a big deal at the time(and being 8-10 years old , didnt pay it much mind), but in hindsight, it is unbelievable that it was done.

Edited by dwight in philly
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When I was 2 the Bills were in the Super Bowl. I asked my dad when I was 7 why the Bills weren't in the Super Bowl.

 

My first memories with my Dad was sitting outside where the Jim Kelly section us now and seeing Ralph Wilson walk by and my dad telling me to go say hello to him and I didn't know why.

 

Another game it was freezing out and my dad saw his boss inside one of the boxes and his boss offered to let us come sit wit him but I was afraid I wouldn't be able to see the game so his boss offered to buy me anything I wanted. Went inside and looked around for a long time, didn't want a jersey or a foam finger, nope I ordered French fries haha and my dad was made I didn't take advantage of this rare opportunity for free stuff

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Been a Bills fan too long if.......you drank a Utica Club beer on the way to the game.

 

you saw Namath attempt a jump-pass at WMS.

 

thought that paying more than $!2.00 for a General Admission ticket at WMS.

Had a typo. The 3rd one should read: Thought that paying more than $ 12.00 for Gen. Admission was too much, at War Mem. Stadium.

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i think it's between Bruce and Reggie White.

 

Agree on Watt. Bruce and White had two completely different styles though. Bruce played smaller and faster, like LT, whereas White was larger and played with more power and less speed.

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i love all the "experts" on here.. a reminiscent thread turns into a pi$$ing contest over the merits of tom sestak v bruce smith.. cant some of you let it go once in a while? no worries, you guys all know your football.. jesus.

Again, not trying to pee in anyone's cheerios. There is just so much hyperbole on here that it stunts productive conversation. Regardless of what the topic is it is more productive when we are more realistic. Sestak as the greatest DT, sure, as the greatest defensive player, no.
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i love all the "experts" on here.. a reminiscent thread turns into a pi$$ing contest over the merits of tom sestak v bruce smith.. cant some of you let it go once in a while? no worries, you guys all know your football.. jesus.

 

LOL

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i think it's between Bruce and Reggie White. I admit I never saw Sestak play. I think JJ Watt, at his current pace and if he plays a long time, is going to end up in the conversation.

 

Watt will get busted for steroids in the next year or will have the inevitable steroid body breakdown.

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You know you are an old Bills fan when:

 

You paid $6 for a ticket to see a bills game.

 

You remember the day Butch Byrd was drafted.

 

You remember Bo Roberson.

 

You saw Mike Stratton's big hit on Keith Lincoln either live on tv or at the game.

 

You remember all the articles Larry Felser wrote about Cookie Gilchrist and Jack Kemp.

 

You remember the day the Bills were crowned the AFL champs :)

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You know you are an old Bills fan when:You paid $6 for a ticket to see a bills game.You remember the day Butch Byrd was drafted.You remember Bo Roberson.You saw Mike Stratton's big hit on Keith Lincoln either live on tv or at the game.You remember all the articles Larry Felser wrote about Cookie Gilchrist and Jack Kemp.You remember the day the Bills were crowned the AFL champs :)

'64 was an amazing year! On the heels of that horrific day in Dallas the previous November, the Beatles flipped the world on end in February, followed by the Real Cassius Clay whoopin' the Big Bear later that month. Then an ALI-Liston rematch. Then Kemps 1st full year as QB -with marvelous cameos by Lamonica, which ended the day after Chtistmas with 'the Hit heard 'round the World'! Incredible time to be alive!

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Geez, never thought I'd agree with anyone in Philly...

LOL.. but i am a buffalo bred guy.. so all is well!

Again, not trying to pee in anyone's cheerios. There is just so much hyperbole on here that it stunts productive conversation. Regardless of what the topic is it is more productive when we are more realistic. Sestak as the greatest DT, sure, as the greatest defensive player, no.

not the place for it in this instance .. you gotta lighten up sometimes.. dont worry, nobody will question your football expertise ..

Edited by dwight in philly
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not the place for it in this instance .. you gotta lighten up sometimes.. dont worry, nobody will question your football expertise ..

Nothing to do with any of that. This place is just better when we check our emotions. Unfortunately too often (not in this case) people post based on emotion which immediately alienates 1/2 of the people here and attacks get personal. This is a great topic for sure but let's not get carried away. Again, we can love our team without making crazy statements. Edited by Kirby Jackson
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