Major Mud Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 The last text I sent my son, who is freshman in college, last night was one apologizing for making him a Bills fan. Poor kid was less than two yrs old for music city miracle. Has always loved the Bills (as a non-native) and they have always sucked for him - but he's always been steadfast in his fandom, even through the dreck of the last 16 years. Geez - at least we had OJ and other beloved players to root for even through bad/mediocre teams when I was a kid - he's had to live through periods where the friggin punter was considered the best player. I said last night, in 40+ years of fandom this is by far the earliest and deepest I've ever had the annual despair resignation that we suck again. Literally 5 days into the season! How pathetic to wait for months for the season to begin, and all the renewed hope and energy a new season brings, all to have it dissolve in 5 days?! WTF The difference between bad teams in the old days, as people have mentioned, was there were usually little/no expectations- and some teams were lovable losers because they had some colorful characters and at least played hard or seemed to care. This sh!tshow is too much to take - stupid selfish players doing things to let the team and fans down, no one seeming to be on the same page, no universal semblance of organization, effort or caring. And ridiculous moronic coaching that took a top 5 defense and turned it into an embarrassment. I've never seen a team that looked like it was ready to run for the bus so much 5 days into the season. WTF I think most of us feel exactly as you do. I don't know how to feel honestly. Do I watch and try to make myself not care? Do I walk away for a little bit? Do I try to become a casual fan? It's hard because you invest yourself into this team, year after year waiting to be rewarded. Only to be left with a broken heart again......sigh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pi2000 Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 This was an 8-8 team last season, their personnel got worse this year.... I'm not sure what everyone expected. GONE: Mario, Karlos, M. Lawson, Bradham, Rambo MIA: Dareus, S. Lawson, Ragland, Watkins ...this is at best a 5-11 team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 I had a moment last night, early in the game they showed a young kid in the stands maybe 10-12 years old holding his face and it hit me that I was younger than him back during the super bowl runs. I feel bad for Bills fans 18 and under- all they know is suffering. We have suffered most of our existance- but the 1979 bills, 1988 bills, 1990-94 were the exceptions to our misery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie's Dead Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 Does anyone remember a season where the fans and media gave up on this team so quickly? I've never seen it like this so early and that includes the 3-13 season. Maybe because that year, we knew we were going to be bad. But seriously, I can't find a single article of hope, optimism, anything. This is the worst I can remember since the back-to-back 2-14's in 80s. The sails have been taken right out of our wind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevewin Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 I feel bad for Bills fans 18 and under- all they know is suffering. We have suffered most of our existance- but the 1979 bills, 1988 bills, 1990-94 were the exceptions to our misery Don't forget 1973! OJ's run to 2000 was a magical thing to this 7 year old (and all his friends) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pi2000 Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 I feel bad for Bills fans 18 and under- all they know is suffering. We have suffered most of our existance- but the 1979 bills, 1988 bills, 1990-94 were the exceptions to our misery Yeah, I thought the 80's were bad. I remember asking my Dad if the Bills were ever going to be good. It's always darkest before the dawn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronyAbounds Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 Yeah, I thought the 80's were bad. I remember asking my Dad if the Bills were ever going to be good. It's always darkest before the dawn. Unfortunately, it is mid-December and we are at the Arctic Circle - dawn a long ways a way and the light is very short-lived. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaccof Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 Things were much more grim in the mid-80s than they are now - fans and media gave up on the team before preseason games started. There was no realistic expectation they would finish above .500 and in '85 nobody was shocked when they posted a second consecutive 2-14 record. Rich held 82,000 people and while I don't recall exact numbers, it seemed half full at best. - and half of the people that were there rooted for the visiting team. So yeah, it's been worse IMO. True Dat...the mid 80's we as grim as they come for Bills fans, even darker than the late 60's/early 70's.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Best Player Available Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 Does anyone remember a season where the fans and media gave up on this team so quickly? I've never seen it like this so early and that includes the 3-13 season. Maybe because that year, we knew we were going to be bad. But seriously, I can't find a single article of hope, optimism, anything. The media had already almost stopped talking about the Bills after Sundays laugher. the only reason the Bills got press this week was because of a prime time Thursday game. But even that coverage was all negative in regards to Bills football. Now unless they go on a 6-0 run. They will be a running joke until playoffs begn. By then they will be rightfully forgotten. I thnk they should have cleaned house today and fired Rex & Rob too. this season is done. Get it over with and start a new era. Because sooner or later those clowns are gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. K Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 I wrote this last December 15th: My desire to see Rex fired has nothing to do with the 15-year drought. Normally, as you may see from my posts over the years, I am quite a patient fan. I've never been one to say "blow it up" after one bad season. But with Rex it's different. Hiring him, I suspected from the start, meant already blowing up the successful defense that Schwartz had put together with the talented players Whaley had assembled. I could see from the start that he was not Whaley's guy (though Whaley had to sign onto the choice and make the best of it) which was evident from the peculiar organizational structure with Rex and Whaley reporting separately to the Pegulas instead of Rex serving under the general manager as most other teams do. I did not care for his personality, his arrogance, his aggressive blockheadedness, his mediocre record with the Jets. The Bills under Marone blew his team to bits in both games last year. All the orgasms that Bills fans had over his hire left me cold. And Rex proved worse than I feared. I'd thought, well, he has great talent to work with; maybe he can maintain the defense's strength. Nope. He did not put the players into a position to succeed, instead he forced his system onto them even if their talents (like Mario's, and Dareus's, and Bradham's) did not suit the scheme. So now they have to get new players, and Dareus is going to either end up playing mediocre at nose tackle or playing great for some other team. His game management skills are weak at best. The lack of discipline on the team is appalling. The penalties--despite hotheads like Hughes, these same players did not commit anywhere near as many last season. It's left me furious at the Pegulas for hiring this clown, and in despair at the thought they will keep him on (and maybe fire Whaley instead). As I say, I have never had this reaction to any other coach the Bills have hired (and I've been a fan since the mid-1960s) with the possible exception of Gregg Williams, another man who was a legend in his own mind. I don't want to blow up the roster. I want to blow up Sexy Rexy and his freakin' pickup truck and sky diving and teeth whitener so that we can get somebody running this team who has a chance of making it better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Best Player Available Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 The team has taken on the personality of the head coach, too. Body language is not good right now, it is not a team united for a common purpose. Even calling it a "team" is a stretch. More like a few skill players getting oversized games checks with little to zero interest in their team succeeding. shady is a great example, And then,a bunch of friggin scrubs drafted by Whaley put on a pedestal by some fans when they are basically barely functioning NFL caliber players. Funny how come Rex never knows Watkins condition? I understand coaches being vague for obvious reasons but he always defers and says " you will have to ask him". If Sammy goes out for multiple games. There is not a single player capable of taking over. That said Sammy hasn't done crap anyways. But I don't think that is on him at all. The culture of constant fail has not changed even slightly going back all the way to Philips. He was the last competent Bills HC untill he got screwed over by the owner. For the most childish of reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Over 29 years of fanhood Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 Does anyone remember a season where the fans and media gave up on this team so quickly? I've never seen it like this so early and that includes the 3-13 season. Maybe because that year, we knew we were going to be bad. But seriously, I can't find a single article of hope, optimism, anything. I think the overriding theme is the (incorrectly imo) branded defensive mastermind Rex proclaimed he got everything he wanted when they 'won the off season.' Against opponents it's obvious they are outmatched... then you hear about disorganization and the coaching staff contributing to poor execution with a lack of adjustments, late play calls... Players get stupid penalties, all sorts of off the field issues start cropping up. You can see the franchise moving backward from their 9-7 peak into the cellar and its disappointing that the team is clearly another rebuild/overhaul away from competing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevWarRifleman Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 I get it. But damn. I'm negative and pessimistic as can be and even I'm taken aback. It's the 16 years of it, FireRex. The NFL have made it easier for bad teams to get better quicker than what it was in the 90's. Bills fans realize this, but still the Bills stay stuck in mediocracy. Four years of rebuilding would be too long for some people, but 16 years and counting? Too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabattBlue Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 I feel bad for Bills fans 18 and under- all they know is suffering. We have suffered most of our existance- but the 1979 bills, 1988 bills, 1990-94 were the exceptions to our misery The youngins' have a higher losing %, but being a fan since the late 60's(unfortunately to young to remember the 64 & 65 teams), I have sat through way more years of crap than they have. Despite this, revisionist history tells me I'm supposed to revere Wilson? Never going to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty McFly Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 I get it. But damn. I'm negative and pessimistic as can be and even I'm taken aback. Agree. I think its cuz everyone had high hopes. Those high hopes got bashed when Ragland, Shaq, Glenn, and Watkins turned up injured. Then crushed in week 1, then pissed on in week 2. We expected to be competitive and got a bunch of casual fans on the bandwagon. When they realized we werent that good they sky started falling for their fandom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Turk Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 Does anyone remember a season where the fans and media gave up on this team so quickly? I've never seen it like this so early and that includes the 3-13 season. Maybe because that year, we knew we were going to be bad. But seriously, I can't find a single article of hope, optimism, anything. The offense has looked completely out of sync, made a few big plays but other than that not much. The defense played well in spots...mainly one half against Baltimore. They gave up huge yardage totals in the first half last week and huge totals in both halves this week. The D was "bad" last year and they held Fitz in check twice...basically the same offense, sub in Forte for Ivory. This year they get shredded from start to finish with no answers for it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcjeff215 Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 (edited) I'm 42, and the last real excitement this team gave me, I was still a teenager. When I think about that I'm like,wow! I haven't posted here in probably a good four years, mostly because life gets in the way. I still read every day. That said? You, sir, have driven me to come out of my cave and post. I had this exact same thought last night, with a five year shift on the age. I'm 37 and the last time they were actually worth much of a damn? I was 16. Slowly post-Polian downhill from then on, never to dig themselves back out. I was 20 when that whole backwards lateral thing went down. Edited September 16, 2016 by mcjeff215 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Mud Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 I haven't posted here in probably a good four years, mostly because life gets in the way. I still read every day. That said? You, sir, have driven me to come out of my cave and post. I had this exact same thought last night, with a five year shift on the age. I'm 37 and the last time they were actually worth much of a damn? I was 16. Slowly post-Polian downhill from then on, never to dig themselves back out. I was 20 when that whole backwards lateral thing went down. Bravo for coming out of your cave, I too have been a long time lurker, and seldom poster. However my distain the past week can only be shared with my fellow Bills fans. I live in Florida now, and go every year to Miami for the game. But I am really thinking about not going this year. I feel like if the team don't care, why should I? Sometimes you can only vent to like minded individuals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djp14150 Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 Does anyone remember a season where the fans and media gave up on this team so quickly? I've never seen it like this so early and that includes the 3-13 season. Maybe because that year, we knew we were going to be bad. But seriously, I can't find a single article of hope, optimism, anything. What I can remember..... starting from when the bills were worse (when the sucked and drafted bruce).... late 80s you had Levy come in and Buffalo had good draft picks and got kelly to come so 1986-1987 fans were excited because the team was fu to watch and you knew there was talent on the team. 1988-1995 --Kelly years and playoffs. There was always a bad game the tam played that brought the negative nannies out of the wood work and then you had the Riech vs Kelly controversey late 1990s the team was still competitive and returned to the playoffs with Flutie. The problem was still finding that young replacement for Kelly. since the playoff droght the team has had some talent but couldnt seem to get everything organized on both sides f the ball. some years the offense was good but the defense sucked, other years it was stong defense but ****ty offense (more often) If Chan Gailey had not ^&*(ed with defense and brought in a good d coordinator who kept the 4-3 in place they could have been alot better. Similarly last year if the team didnt change the defense that was playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreezeMafia Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 2001 was different. We kinda knew what was coming as we entered into serious cap hell after making a run for it in '98 and '99. If only Flutie started the Titans playoff game. Tom Donahoe was hired, had a great reputation and had a pretty solid '01 draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blzrul Posted September 17, 2016 Share Posted September 17, 2016 I remember a song on WCMF (Rochester) in the 1980's, to a Foreigner tune, loosely titled "Take the Bills Away".... 2 and 14 was poor, but that was 1984 now, it's 1985 and the Buffalo Bills are just barely alive... I think sung by Tyrone, the Buffalo Bills water boy So - yeah, I've seen people just as disheartened as we are now. In fact it seems to be the lot of a Bills fans. Some tremendous highs but for the most part, unrequited love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralonzo Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 I was optimistic on September 9, 2001 when the Bills led 6-0 at the half against the New Orleans Saints in Greggggg Williams first game as a HC. Everything since then has learned me not to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAJBobby Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 This team is bad because of bad coaching. Did that HC change yet? What about the AVG at best QB he change yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coastie Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Who knew the Y2K crash prediction was actually about the Bills' playoffs hopes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Who knew the Y2K crash prediction was actually about the Bills' playoffs hopes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 14-2 is all I can hope for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26TrapDraw Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 I get it. But damn. I'm negative and pessimistic as can be and even I'm taken aback. Dude I have been a die-hard fan of this team for 25 years and I am absolutely sick of the same old bullshyt and my give up fuse is short. I have already written off this season so what does that tell you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Playoffs, no playoffs, it's all the same. People complain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bananathumb Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 I gave up (for the first time) before the season started. Horrible draft and how can you win with a Trumpstump coach? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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