Met the mother of a current Bill this week

[Thurman#1]

It was very cool.

 

The wife and daughter and I were flying out of Denver last Sunday after a couple of awesome weeks off the grid in Grand Teton and Yellowstone NPs. Fantastic, though I had pretty much missed everything Bills-related. Saw half the first game at Lodo's in Denver, which turned out to be great Bills bar but that's all I'd seen, and I'd tried to avoid the rest so I could watch it on Game Pass back in Japan, but I didn't have any idea how the season had gone.

 

Anyway, we're leaving the check-in counter and I see that a smiling lady, an employee of the airline we're on, has given my little three year-old daughter a set of pilot wings. I thought that was sweet, so I went over to say thank you, and I noticed she had a Bills piece of jewelry right on her uniform. I asked her if she was a fan and she said she was, and we talked for a minute or two. She mentions player names and I can see she's a real fan.

 

So I was about to say goodbye and my Japanese wife, who absolutely loves to talk to strangers, asks her why she became a Bills fan. And she says, "Oh, my son's on the team." 

 

I kind of did a double-take and asked who and she said, "Ryan Lewis." I pretty much blanked on the name. Stupidly, I had a kind of glimmer and said something moronic like, "He's ... wait, is he? Is he a linebacker or a defensive lineman?" Not my finest hour. She says, "No, he's a cornerback." Looking like a fool, I just said, "Oh, that's great, when did he ...?" And she kindly told me he's just joined the team. And then she says, "He's playing today. Are you listening to the game? Do you know what's happening?" It was just a bit after noon in Denver so it took me a minute to realize that the game must have started. 

 

Then she says, "It's 24 - 0." 

 

And she's smiling, so I'm like, "The Bills are up? Against the Vikings?" 

 

She says she's checking her scores app every few seconds, hauls out her phone and says, "No, it's 27 - 0," with obvious glee.

 

We both got happy after that and talked a while. We had to go through the long security line so we had to get moving, but we talked for about five minutes. She said Ryan loved Buffalo and that they had connections in the city and to the team.

 

I asked her about what the connection was and she said that she was related to Robb Riddick. Brother-in-law, I think she said ...? I was psyched as I remembered him well and had a chance to make up for my idiocy. "He was a running back, right? He was a good player." She just smiled and said thanks.

 

It was a really nice conversation. She was a very kind person and talked a while to my daughter as well.

 

You guys probably already know the Robb Riddick thing but as I say, I've been off the grid, and I just thought that was a very cool thing. She said the family went a little nuts when the Bills called to bring Ryan in.

 

I've never really met a Bills family member before, so it was a really nice thing for me. She couldn't have been nicer. I wished her and her son good luck and we shared a "Go Bills."

Edited September 27, 2018 by Thurman#1

[oldmanfan]

10 minutes ago, Thurman#1 said:

It was very cool.

 

The wife and daughter and I were flying out of Denver last Sunday after a couple of awesome weeks off the grid in Grand Teton and Yellowstone NPs. Fantastic, though I had pretty much missed everything Bills-related. Saw half the first game at Lodo's in Denver, which turned out to be great Bills bar but that's all I'd seen, and I'd tried to avoid the rest so I could watch it on Game Pass back in Japan, but I didn't have any idea how the season had gone.

 

Anyway, we're leaving the check-in counter and I see that a smiling lady, an employee of the airline we're on, has given my little three year-old daughter a set of pilot wings. I thought that was sweet, so I went over to say thank you, and I noticed she had a Bills piece of jewelry right on her uniform. I asked her if she was a fan and she said she was, and we talked for a minute or two. She mentions player names and I can see she's a real fan.

 

So I was about to say goodbye and my Japanese wife, who absolutely loves to talk to strangers, asks her why she became a Bills fan. And she says, "Oh, my son's on the team." 

 

I kind of did a double-take and asked who and she said, "Ryan Lewis." I pretty much blanked on the name. Stupidly, I had a kind of glimmer and said something moronic like, "He's ... wait, is he? Is he a linebacker or a defensive lineman?" Not my finest hour. She says, "No, he's a cornerback." Looking like a fool, I just said, "Oh, that's great, when did he ...?" And she kindly told me he's just joined the team. And then she says, "He's playing today. Are you listening to the game? Do you know what's happening?" It just a bit after noon in Denver so it took me a minute to realize that the game must have started. 

 

Then she says, "It's 24 - 0." 

 

And she's smiling, so I'm like, "The Bills are up? Against the Vikings?" 

 

She says she's checking her scores app every few seconds, hauls out her phone and says, "No, it's 27 - 0," with obvious glee.

 

We both got happy after that and talked a while. We had to go through the long security line so we had to get moving, but we talked for about five minutes. She said Ryan loved Buffalo and that they had connections in the city and to the team.

 

I asked her about what the connection was and she said that she was related to Robb Riddick. Brother-in-law, I think she said ...? I was psyched as I remembered him well and had a chance to make up for my idiocy. "He was a running back, right? He was a good player." She just smiled and said thanks.

 

It was a really nice conversation. She was a very kind person and talked a while to my daughter as well.

 

You guys probably already know the Robb Riddick thing but as I say, I've been off the grid, and I just thought that was a very cool thing. She said the family went a little nuts when the Bills called to bring Ryan in.

 

I've never really met a Bills family member before, so it was a really nice thing for me. She couldn't have been nicer. I wished her and her son good luck and we shared a "Go Bills."

Great stuff here.

[Ned Kelly]

It was very cool.

 

The wife and daughter and I were flying out of Denver last Sunday after a couple of awesome weeks off the grid in Grand Teton and Yellowstone NPs. Fantastic, though I had pretty much missed everything Bills-related. Saw half the first game at Lodo's in Denver, which turned out to be great Bills bar but that's all I'd seen, and I'd tried to avoid the rest so I could watch it on Game Pass back in Japan, but I didn't have any idea how the season had gone.

 

Anyway, we're leaving the check-in counter and I see that a smiling lady, an employee of the airline we're on, has given my little three year-old daughter a set of pilot wings. I thought that was sweet, so I went over to say thank you, and I noticed she had a Bills piece of jewelry right on her uniform. I asked her if she was a fan and she said she was, and we talked for a minute or two. She mentions player names and I can see she's a real fan.

 

So I was about to say goodbye and my Japanese wife, who absolutely loves to talk to strangers, asks her why she became a Bills fan. And she says, "Oh, my son's on the team." 

 

I kind of did a double-take and asked who and she said, "Ryan Lewis." I pretty much blanked on the name. Stupidly, I had a kind of glimmer and said something moronic like, "He's ... wait, is he? Is he a linebacker or a defensive lineman?" Not my finest hour. She says, "No, he's a cornerback." Looking like a fool, I just said, "Oh, that's great, when did he ...?" And she kindly told me he's just joined the team. And then she says, "He's playing today. Are you listening to the game? Do you know what's happening?" It was just a bit after noon in Denver so it took me a minute to realize that the game must have started. 

 

Then she says, "It's 24 - 0." 

 

And she's smiling, so I'm like, "The Bills are up? Against the Vikings?" 

 

She says she's checking her scores app every few seconds, hauls out her phone and says, "No, it's 27 - 0," with obvious glee.

 

We both got happy after that and talked a while. We had to go through the long security line so we had to get moving, but we talked for about five minutes. She said Ryan loved Buffalo and that they had connections in the city and to the team.

 

I asked her about what the connection was and she said that she was related to Robb Riddick. Brother-in-law, I think she said ...? I was psyched as I remembered him well and had a chance to make up for my idiocy. "He was a running back, right? He was a good player." She just smiled and said thanks.

 

It was a really nice conversation. She was a very kind person and talked a while to my daughter as well.

 

You guys probably already know the Robb Riddick thing but as I say, I've been off the grid, and I just thought that was a very cool thing. She said the family went a little nuts when the Bills called to bring Ryan in.

 

I've never really met a Bills family member before, so it was a really nice thing for me. She couldn't have been nicer. I wished her and her son good luck and we shared a "Go Bills."

[PIZ]

Awesome story.  That's sure made your trip memorable.  Thank you for sharing.

 

 

[Clemfield2622]

All I read was Japanese wife

 

Gratz

[JESSEFEFFER]

Real neat story.  Robb is one of my all time favorites. Lots of NFL players in his family and ryan would be of the next generation.  Robb played bigger than he was and punished his would be tacklers.  It took him a long time to actually start playing as he was stashed on IR for multiple years which was common back then.  He was drafted out of Millersville and seeing him at Fredonia and preseason games,  I thought he might make a good pro so I felt vindicated when he eventually did so.   I saw a similar style with James Conner of the Steelers coming out of Pitt but at 230+ lbs.   Both grinding out the tough yards on every play, not a whole lot of dancing, and making defenders pay a price for the tackle.  Being a ready, willing and able blocker made him an effective 3rd down back.  He had a great over the pile leap and his skill set  made him a very good goal line/short yardage back.  

 

I find it strange that I have not heard much about him all these years.  I hope he has fared well but given how he played, I fear he may be a candidate for the CTE  issues we have all been hearing about.  

[YoloinOhio]

I didn’t know he was related to Robb Riddick

[Patrick Duffy]

I once met the man who met Andy Griffith. Cool

[ComradeKayAdams]

Robb Riddick is the cousin of Will Lewis, who is Ryan's father. Both Robb and Will went to Millersville University in PA. Ryan Lewis went to Pitt, so it looks like that whole family is from Pennsylvania.

 

I think Ryan Lewis has the potential to be our next Jabari Greer...that is, an undrafted free agent CB who can be a solid NFL starter.

 

[Stranded in Boston]

Awesome story, OP, thanks. Ironically, given your moniker, I used to see Thurman's mom occasionally in Houston during the Bills glory years, where she worked at my local post office. We'd always chat about the Bills; super nice lady (although she also looked like wouldn't take any guff from a young Thurman!). Also, I remember Robb Riddick well. He toiled on some pretty crappy Bills teams in the mid-80s -- but the guy was absolute money from short yardage, goal line, etc. He got some serious air on those dive plays. Now we have big Josh for that! 

Edited September 27, 2018 by Stranded in Boston

[teef]

my mom goes to church with john fina's aunt.

 

just putting that out there.

[drf1835]

24 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

I didn’t know he was related to Robb Riddick

 

That's ok. I  didn't know Louis Riddick, the ESPN guy who sounds exactly like Robb, was Robb Riddick's brother. I thought Robb just changed his name to Louis. 

[boater]

3 hours ago, Thurman#1 said:

Robb Riddick

My memory: 3rd and Short, Robb Riddick always made the play.

 

He could leap a pile at the goal line like it was nothing..

[Royale with Cheese]

5 minutes ago, teef said:

my mom goes to church with john fina's aunt.

 

just putting that out there.

 

I once was standing next to John Murphy at baggage claim.  I tried to take a pic with him but my phone froze and needed to restart it.  I told him I won't keep you waiting and he said thank you.  Top that story.

[teef]

3 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

I once was standing next to John Murphy at baggage claim.  I tried to take a pic with him but my phone froze and needed to restart it.  I told him I won't keep you waiting and he said thank you.  Top that story.

was he eating when you met him?

 

 

also, who wants a picture with john murphy?

Edited September 27, 2018 by teef

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

34 minutes ago, Patrick_Duffy said:

I once met the man who met Andy Griffith. Cool

I ran into Darby's cousin last year.  

not as cool as the story .... but I knew who he was 

 

 

[Soda Popinski]

I'm glad i'm not the only one who draws a blank sometimes in these kind of situations.    Then 2 hours later you think of all the knowledge you could have put out there to prove you're not a casual Bills fan (there are none)

[4_kidd_4]

Thank you Kanye, very cool!

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

3 minutes ago, Soda Popinski said:

I'm glad i'm not the only one who draws a blank sometimes in these kind of situations.    Then 2 hours later you think of all the knowledge you could have put out there to prove you're not a casual Bills fan (there are none)

with so much turnover it's hard to keep track of the players.  

 

years back I could name a whole bunch of guys (beyond the stars) 

today ...  not so much 

(and it aint old age  )

 

[YoloinOhio]

31 minutes ago, BiffFromTonawanda said:

Robb Riddick is the cousin of Will Lewis, who is Ryan's father. Both Robb and Will went to Millersville University in PA. Ryan Lewis went to Pitt, so it looks like that whole family is from Pennsylvania.

 

I think Ryan Lewis has the potential to be our next Jabari Greer...that is, an undrafted free agent CB who can be a solid NFL starter.

 

That’s awesome. I have not listened to his interview yet from this week but maybe he talks about this there. I’m going to listen to it right now. I was a big fan of Robb Riddick as a kid.

19 minutes ago, drf1835 said:

 

That's ok. I  didn't know Louis Riddick, the ESPN guy who sounds exactly like Robb, was Robb Riddick's brother. I thought Robb just changed his name to Louis. 

Seriously? Didn’t know that either