Will anyone actually admit to leaving the Oilers game early?

[gobillsinytown]

Our group talked about it, but we decided to stay and not break our tradition of never leaving a game early.

 

I noticed a lot of people who left the game at halftime and stayed in the parking lot to "drown their sorrows".......and then started climbing the fences to get back in. After a while, stadium security opened the gates, which was the smart thing to do.

 

it was the greatest sporting event I've ever been to, although to this day I'm baffled as to why the Oilers' DC almost completely changed the defensive scheme that was working so well in the first half. The DB's went from playing tight coverage to lining up at least 10 yards off the Bills' receivers. Giving Andre Reed a couple of extra seconds to decide how he's going to juke the DB out of his pants is never a good idea. Don Beebe took advantage of it too.

 

Once the crowd got into it, you could feel the momentum change. At the end of the game it was so loud that my friends and I were shouting and we still couldn't hear each other!

[Call_Of_Ktulu]

It's funny how they say that 3/4's of that stadium left after the half. I guess you could conclude that if your part of this message board you are part of the 1/4 that stayed.

[Kirby Jackson]

It's funny how they say that 3/4's of that stadium left after the half. I guess you could conclude that if your part of this message board you are part of the 1/4 that stayed.

It's weird to me because it didn't feel as empty at the time as they say. Maybe it's just blurry but I remember the people around us all hugging and stuff. It felt full still.

[KollegeStudnet]

I was 11 and couldn't leave. I remember everyone leaving before half time. One guy walking by the aisle screamed, "We Suck!" Of course, he had no shirt on and was super intoxicated.

 

Still even with people coming back into the stadium, there were still a lot of empty seats.

Edited July 25, 2017 by KollegeStudnet

[eball]

 

You're absolutely right because I had to bust him when I heard him talking about that being one of the best games he ever attended. I had to jump in the conversation and say...yeah, too bad you never saw the comeback though!

 

And that right there is why an estimated 250,000 people have attended the comeback game.

[Wayne Cubed]

I went with my dad and uncle. My uncle left early, he always leaves early, and he admits to leaving the Oilers game early.

[mead107]

Was not at that game.

[nuklz2594]

was living in maine with my patriot bride. i was...dejected at the half. my bride me took out for tequila and lunch. came home and well...the rest be history. we have a daughter about nine months to the day now

[CanadianFan]

I bet you half of Western NY was there to the end of the game.

[Mark Vader]

my grandpa left at halftime and on the way home heard the comeback and turned around and tried to get back into the stadium and they weren't letting anyone in. he saw guys trying to jump the fence. the game was blacked out and you could only listen to it on the radio. that was probably the first and last time in my life i can remember my whole family huddled around the radio like that

1) thank god for Van Miller

2) can you believe that a Bills home playoff game wasn't sold out?

3) great game, Frank Reich was like our Jimmy Garappolo

That is insulting.....even if it is sarcasm

[Domdab99]

I was watching the game on TV in L.A., and got so pissed after the INT that made it 35-3 that I turned it off and went to the gym. Well, the game was on the TVs there, of course, but no sound, so I ignored it...it was when a few people saw what was happening and turned the sound up that I saw they were making a comeback. I stayed in the gym and watched the rest of the game with a bunch of strangers who were all yelling for the Bills. Fun times.

[CA OC Bills Fan]

I was at the game, end zone seats on the side that Christie's winning field goal was kicked. I lived in Endicott, NY at the time, a 3.5 hour drive. The night before I stayed with friends who lived in Orchard Park and had season tickets in the end zone near the tunnel (I along with a few other friends bought those tickets for them for their wedding). He came to our seat at halftime, looking really dejected. If he had said, "let's go back to my house and drink", I would have been gone. If I wasn't driving back to Endicott after the game to go to work the next day, I would have been gone. But, he didn't offer and I didn't bring it up, we stayed.

 

To be honest, I was very late in thinking the comeback was happening. I remember at least after the first two scores and maybe even the third, saying to my friends that were sitting with me, "This is just making it less embarrassing, there's no way we're coming back to win this." I absolutely didn't BILLieve, even though I'd been at some great comebacks for the Bills (such as vs. Broncos in September 1990, Bills score 20 points in 77 seconds of the 4th to win 29-28).

[EasternOHBillsFan]

Ironically, I was the exact opposite that day.

 

I had to drive back up to college that afternoon, and I could not find the game on the damn radio and I was PISSED.

 

I get to my dorm right when they are replaying the Bubba McDowell INT return and I am EVEN MORE PISSED.

 

Needless to say I watched the rest of the game and they came back like demons. An awesome late afternoon...!

[Albwan]

I walked away from the tv, that's for sure. I was at work, in the day room the game was on...

i used to advertise loudly I was a bills fan during those years, so when as the bills

were getting their butts kicked my co workers were giving it to me but good. I went back

to the kitchen dejected..sometime later one of the guys came in and told me they

were coming back ...i didnt believe him...didn't look back at the tv until the game

was tied...I was very tense towards the end of that game, I still felt they were

going to lose.

 

I see some were saying it was blacked out, was that locally? Im from ct

it was most definately on tv, i video taped it

Edited July 27, 2017 by Albwan

[Bills4everNY]

I watched on TV with my dad. He got sick of watching and went down to the cellar and said: Call me if the Bills start coming back.

[thebug]

I was watching on TV and lit a bunch of rally candles at half-time. I was late for work because I wasn't missing that finish. When I got to work, my boss and co-workers laughed and said they knew not to expect me until the game was over!

[Augie]

I think we're not hearing from the people who left because they all jumped off bridges after they realized what they missed. That has to be it....

[Adam]

One thing I will never forget about the drive home (as I thought nothing of it on the way to the game, as it was typical in my car), after a half hour, the Oil/Choke light came on my dashboard. My friend and I were laughing so hard we almost had to pull over and stop.

 

Last year I actually dug up my ticket stubbs from the game

[Mikie2times]

My dad passed a few years ago, but like so many, I have very special memories on that day. I was 11, he was working in Virginia, we lived in Michigan. Old man was a huge Steelers fan so the whole week was trash talk since that's who we would face next. We spoke at halftime. He could hear how disappointed I was, "well meat, you guys had a good run". After the pick 6 I threw the remote in disgust and turned the TV off only to rampage into the living room and turn it back on. As the game progressed he kept calling. Nobody knew what the hell was happening. Then the whole time you have this sinking feeling. Would Houston score a TD on the last drive or kick a quick FG in OT? I mean all that emotion and we very well could have had it taken from us. It's the best memory I have as a Bills fan. Pretty much the complete opposite of MCM. I also remember that vividly. As amazing as the comeback was, MCM was just as incredibly awful. Some people talk wide right as the worst. I get what was on the line, but it was a missed FG. Those happen. MCM does not happen.

Edited July 26, 2017 by KzooMike

[ChopBlockKCKS]

I left the Nichols Brook in Sardinia early at halftime, playing pool and pissed off...that much i remember. Damn 4am closing time the night before did me in! If i made it to the game, I would say I never left early! The good old days, we hit it hard!

[Jay_Fixit]

Was watching on TV and went out mid 2nd to play some snow football. Came back to watch at end of third quarter.

[plenzmd1]

Old man was a huge Steelers fan so the whole week was trash talk since that's who we would face next. We spoke at halftime. He could hear how disappointed I was, "well meat, you guys had a good run".

Funny thing is, i went to the Steeler game as well with my brother. He did a lot of business in Pittsburgh and scored us some great seats, I had a bunch of friends there from college...and it was awesome. Couple things about that Steeler game I am sure you remember..and hope you got to watch with your Pops!

 

1) Woodson dropped that for sure pick 6, Bills score TD that drive(maybe even next play)...I think that 14 point swing end of 1st half was crucial

 

2) Only time in a visiting stadium I had any issues, and it was simply some drunk who tried to run my brother and myself down..dude actually tried to hit us with his car after the game. It was pretty long after the game and we were still tailgating, and all we did was laugh we were still so happy.

Edited July 26, 2017 by plenzmd1

[Meathead]

i had just moved into my house the day before so it was still full of unpacked boxes. i almost left at halftime to go get started on unpacking that stuff but i was at the game with like eight friends and family members so my dad talked me into staying and just partying with everybody. thank you dad

[John Gianelli]

So it isn't the comeback game or even an NFL game but I have a story about the mistake of leaving a game early.....

 

26th May 1989...... Anfield, Liverpool, UK

 

It was the final game of the English Football (soccer) League season - this was in the days before the Premier League. Reigning champions Liverpool led the league by 3 points. To overhaul them their opponents, 2nd placed Arsenal, needed to win by two clear goals. Liverpool hadn't lost at home by 2 clear goals in over 3 years and Arsenal hadn't won at Anfield since 1974. It is the only time in modern English football history that the season has ended with a game between 1st and 2nd place.

 

At half time the score was 0-0 but early in the second half Alan Smith got the merest of flick headers to a wide free kick and diverted it into the corner of the Liverpool net to give Arsenal a 1-0 lead. Arsenal then started to take control and created two very good chances to get the second goal but missed them. My dad's best friend and best man had managed to get a ticket in the Arsenal visitors end of the stadium with his brother. With 5 minutes remaining he looked at his brother and said "I can't face this... our best chance of winning the league in 18 years I can't stand here and watch all these Liverpool fans celebrate at the end" (in those days it was customary because of fan trouble for visiting fans to be "locked in" for up to an hour after a game while the home fans get a chance to get away from the stadium.)

 

So with 5 minutes to go they walked out. In added time at the end of the 90 Arsenal scored...... arguably the most famous goal in English Football League history. History had been made. My dad's best friend and his brother got back to their car and turned the radio on just in time to hear the roar as the Arsenal captain lifted the trophy.

 

NEVER. LEAVE. EARLY.

I left the Notre Dame - Houston Cotton Bowl where Joe Montana led Notre Dame's greatest comeback. The girls I was with were cold, and the Houston fans were obnoxious, so we left. In the parking lot I heard a cheer, which was when Notre Dame blocked the punt.

By the time we got back to where we were staying, we saw the last minute on t.v.

NEVER. LEAVE. EARLY. is right. I learned my lesson, and never thought of leaving the Bills - Oilers game.

[flomoe]

I was at the game and wanted to leave at half time, my fiancé (now wife) talked me into staying because we had plenty of beer and nothing else to do. Glad I listened. Ended up driving down to Miami a couple weeks later to see that game too.

January's used to be fun!!

[Fan boy '92]

Was watching on TV and went out mid 2nd to play some snow football. Came back to watch at end of third quarter.

You know the game was blacked out, right?

[Gugny]

You know the game was blacked out, right?

 

Not for the entire world. I watched the game on TV, too ... in Queensbury, NY.

[thebug]

You know the game was blacked out, right?

You know that blacked out doesn't mean everywhere, right?

I watched it on TV.

[Jay_Fixit]

You know the game was blacked out, right?

Then I guess you understand how important I am.

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

....admittedly wandered away from the tube.......a couple of scores didn't mean much.....wandered back to the tube later and it was the proverbial WTF?......still hear Van's call,,,,,,,,,,,,...

[Spiderweb]

I was watching from my rec room bar and frankly was so down I was almost paralyzed. Then of course the pick 6 by the Oilers to start the second half only furthered the depression setting in. Yet, as this would have ended our season I stayed and watched knowing it would be 6 months before I got to watch the Bills again. Afterward, I was awake well past midnight just replaying the second half over and over and over again. What a rush that was.....

 

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk

 

 

[Putin]

On the old BBMB and here as well The Comeback comes up as a favorite game for us fans. Deservedly so.

 

I've never actually seen though on any of these boards someone admitting to leaving early and not coming back because the game looked futile. Will anyone own up to it?

I will never admit any of that

[dwight in philly]

me and a buddy paid 20 bucks to watch the game in a south buffalo bar that had an "illegal" feed.. the 20 bucks included unlimited pic's of beer .. so we stayed.

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

me and a buddy paid 20 bucks to watch the game in a south buffalo bar that had an "illegal" feed.. the 20 bucks included unlimited pic's of beer .. so we stayed.

....that joint CERTAINLY lost their azz........... ..

[dwight in philly]

....that joint CERTAINLY lost their azz........... ..

you are correct sir!

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

you are correct sir!

.....heard that even Taffer's BAR RESCUE couldn't save 'em....LOL...........

[dwight in philly]

.....heard that even Taffer's BAR RESCUE couldn't save 'em....LOL...........

but the tips , good vibes, and euphoria made up for it..

[fasteddie]

We live in the Southern Tier of NY and we had (and still have) season tickets. It usually takes us about 2 1/2 hours to drive to Orchard Park. However, there was a wicked freezing rainstorm that morning so we left earlier that usual to try to make it to the game. It took us one hour just to drive 10 miles, in which time we saw at least a dozen cars that were in the median or in a ditch succumbing to mother nature.

We decided to turn around, limp back home, and watch the game on TV. After the first half, I decided to take a shower after getting an invitation from the in-laws for dinner. So after the second half interception, I felt it was over. But when the comeback started, I found myself watching the game with a towel wrapped around my midsection. By the end of the third quarter, I decided to tempt fate and get dressed (in my Bills gear, of course!) and watch the rest of the game.

It makes me sick every time I think about how mother nature stole a part of Bills history from me. And no, I would not have left.

 

Ed

[T-Bomb]

I wanted to leave at half-time, my brother said we should stay for one more offensive drive. iirc Riech threw a pick six. At that point it was getting goofy in the stands around us, ppl cracking jokes etc, so we just stayed. Then Kenneth Davis, yadda...

[Dave in Avon Lake now]

I was away for the beginning of the game and had set my VCR to tape what I missed. When I got home it was the second half and I saw Reich's pass get intercepted for a touchdown and turned off the VCR. I listened to the game and watched the second half but no recording for superstitious reasons. Still unbelievable comeback, but I didn't have a copy to rewatch.