Who recalls this game from Thanksgiving in 1976?

[Boca BIlls]

17 minutes ago, mannc said:

Not the Bills’ only #1 pick

It was the last one they have had is what I mean.  We haven't had one since.

[mannc]

Just now, Boca BIlls said:

It was the last one they have had is what I mean.  We haven't had one since.

I remember that year, the vast majority of the fan base wanted them to draft Flutie instead of Bruce.  

[Xwnyer]

2 hours ago, vorpma said:

Remember this game; many on this board do not know the really bad years of 1968, 1970, 1971, 1976, 1977, 1984, and 1985!

I still think 84 and 85 were the worst  on,y good thing was each year we entered season ticket lottery and got better seats!!

[BADOLBILZ]

2 hours ago, vorpma said:

Remember this game; many on this board do not know the really bad years of 1968, 1970, 1971, 1976, 1977, 1984, and 1985!

 

2 hours ago, oldmanfan said:

 

Can you imagine if this board existed for those years?

 

 

Yeah those damn spoiled kids!?

 

You two old farts do realize that the Sabres just played "Bills 84-85 level" hockey for the past half a decade and the Bills recently clinched their 19th consecutive season of never reaching 10 wins.

 

These teams have never had periods this long were they weren't even ONCE up for air(a legit contender).

 

This current generation of Buffalo fans has experienced the worst periods for both franchises.

 

It's indisputable.

 

It's hilarious really.........old hacks always point to the mid-80's...........the Bills missed the playoffs 6 times between the last Knox playoff team and the 88' AFC championship........it was a relative blink of the eye.    

 

Previous to the 17 year playoff drought the longest the sorry Bills organization had gone between playoff appearances was 8 years.

 

And the OJ playoff team and the Knox playoff teams were actually SB contenders........not a token funny story about a team that was statistically dominated and still got lucky and got the last spot in 6 team AFC playoff field.

 

Face it.......you got old and this post 2K period is just easier to cope with because you perceive time passing much faster than it did in those days when you were much younger..........the 2000's have been pretty fruitless for Buffalo sports fans.

[vorpma]

15 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

 

Yeah those damn spoiled kids!?

 

You two old farts do realize that the Sabres just played "Bills 84-85 level" hockey for the past half a decade and the Bills recently clinched their 19th consecutive season of never reaching 10 wins.

 

These teams have never had periods this long were they weren't even ONCE up for air(a legit contender).

 

This current generation of Buffalo fans has experienced the worst periods for both franchises.

 

It's indisputable.

 

It's hilarious really.........old hacks always point to the mid-80's...........the Bills missed the playoffs 6 times between the last Knox playoff team and the 88' AFC championship........it was a relative blink of the eye.    

 

Previous to the 17 year playoff drought the longest the sorry Bills organization had gone between playoff appearances was 8 years.

 

And the OJ playoff team and the Knox playoff teams were actually SB contenders........not a token funny story about a team that was statistically dominated and still got lucky and got the last spot in 6 team AFC playoff field.

 

Face it.......you got old and this post 2K period is just easier to cope with because you perceive time passing much faster than it did in those days when you were much younger..........the 2000's have been pretty fruitless for Buffalo sports fans.

No argument from me! Don't dispute anything in your post!

[without a drought]

1 hour ago, mannc said:

I remember that year, the vast majority of the fan base wanted them to draft Flutie instead of Bruce.  

This is so far from the truth that I'm not sure what else to say.

[Billznut]

4 hours ago, Another Fan said:

OJ ran for 273 yards in a loss to the Lions.  I believe it broke the record for yards in a game at the time.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LhqzVtwwKVg

 

Unfortunately I’m not able to embed the video.  

 

I cant recall the Bills ever playing on Thanksgiving Day in my life.  I googled it and discovered the 1976 game 

 

 

The Bills have played in multiple Thanksgiving Day games. Just not many in the past 20-25 years. 

[The Frankish Reich]

Absolutely I remember OJ setting the record for most rushing yards in a game. Weird thing though: Gary Marangi did indeed start that game. I had completely blocked that from my memory. In fact, I had a distinct memory of Joe Ferguson playing. That's what watching Gary Marangi would do to you. (Think Nathan Peterman but with more incompletions/fewer interceptions.)

As far as best running backs of all time:  I still have OJ #1. I missed Jim Brown, so I'll grant the old(er) timers that. There were season in which other guys were just as dominant: Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson, Barry Sanders, Bo Jackson. But for about a 5 year period, OJ was the Bills offense. Think LeSean McCoy in that he was a threat to break one every time he touched the ball, combined with Leveon Bell, in that he had that uncanny ability to wait for the opening to develop and then get through it ridiculously quickly. It was a thing to behold.  (But they still need to take that name down from the wall of fame. Sorry ... I loved watching him play, but there is nothing honorable about his post-NFL life.)

EDIT: Gary Marangi in that Thanksgiving Day game -- 4 for 21, 29 yards.  Holy crap. He really was the worst multi-game starter in NFL history, Nathan Peterman included.

Edited November 23, 2018 by The Frankish Reich

[mannc]

29 minutes ago, The Drought said:

This is so far from the truth that I'm not sure what else to say.

Umm, no, it’s not.

[longtimebillsfan]

I do remember that game.  My entire family were bills fans.  My mom scheduled our thanksgiving meal around the game.   Is was an awesome game.  In was incredible.   

[Utah John]

5 hours ago, mannc said:

Umm, no, it’s not.

It's really true that a lot of Bills fans wanted the team to draft Flutie #1 overall.  Absolutely true.

[row_33]

23 minutes ago, Utah John said:

It's really true that a lot of Bills fans wanted the team to draft Flutie #1 overall.  Absolutely true.

 

It was this thinking that has led to the last two decades of.... 

 

 

[billsintaiwan]

22 minutes ago, Utah John said:

It's really true that a lot of Bills fans wanted the team to draft Flutie #1 overall.  Absolutely true.

I second that because I was ten and was firmly in flutie camp (and there was a camp) knowing, like most of the fan base, very little about football.

[row_33]

 

i still believe it wasn’t inevitable.....

 

3 minutes ago, billsintaiwan said:

I second that because I was ten and was firmly in flutie camp (and there was a camp) knowing, like most of the fan base, very little about football.

 

As a ten year old at the time you are forgiven. You just missed out on seeing what a real athlete and QB could lead the Bills to.

 

 

 

 

 

It also was an era when fans still believeed winning the Heisman meant a big step towards having a useful career in the NFL

 

Edited November 23, 2018 by row_33

[Dan Darragh]

12 hours ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

Pretty unforgettable performance in an otherwise nondescript conest.  Gary Marangi.  

We want Marangi http://www.dailypublic.com/articles/09182018/we-want-marangi-anyone-else-ready-quit

Edited November 23, 2018 by Dan Darragh

[TAinLack.]

12 hours ago, oldmanfan said:

Yep.  Recall it well.  As much as OJ is now a complete degenerate, I have never seen a better runner.  

Agree, big, strong and elusive!!! What a shame,  he had so much going for him, just really sad how his life after football went.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

12 hours ago, Buffalo Barbarian said:

 

84-85 were the worst

 

 

But as Coach Stephenson said seemingly after every defeat, the "Bills played with a lot of character today".  Apparently it was his version of clapping and looking at film.

[oldmanfan]

9 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

 

Yeah those damn spoiled kids!?

 

You two old farts do realize that the Sabres just played "Bills 84-85 level" hockey for the past half a decade and the Bills recently clinched their 19th consecutive season of never reaching 10 wins.

 

These teams have never had periods this long were they weren't even ONCE up for air(a legit contender).

 

This current generation of Buffalo fans has experienced the worst periods for both franchises.

 

It's indisputable.

 

It's hilarious really.........old hacks always point to the mid-80's...........the Bills missed the playoffs 6 times between the last Knox playoff team and the 88' AFC championship........it was a relative blink of the eye.    

 

Previous to the 17 year playoff drought the longest the sorry Bills organization had gone between playoff appearances was 8 years.

 

And the OJ playoff team and the Knox playoff teams were actually SB contenders........not a token funny story about a team that was statistically dominated and still got lucky and got the last spot in 6 team AFC playoff field.

 

Face it.......you got old and this post 2K period is just easier to cope with because you perceive time passing much faster than it did in those days when you were much younger..........the 2000's have been pretty fruitless for Buffalo sports fans.

Blah, blah, blah.  Yes the past few years have been frustrating.  But in none of those years were the Bills anywhere near as bad as some of  us older fans remember.  And since you feel the need to bring the Sabres up so you can wallow in your misery, they made some bad decisions, but now seem to have figured it out.  Unless a 7 win streak is bad.

 

You see, us older, more mature folks are able to deal wth things better than your generation.  The younger generation that gets participation trophies and has their helicopter parents and their cell phones think they should have everything they want exactly the way they want and exactly when they want it has trouble understanding there are ups and downs in life.

 

Bills made the playoffs last year.  They have drafted their hopeful QB of the future and have a structure in place to continue to build a contender.  As do the Sabres.  Good to see.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

26 minutes ago, Dan Darragh said:

We want Marangi http://www.dailypublic.com/articles/09182018/we-want-marangi-anyone-else-ready-quit

Dave Staba's articles are always an interesting and enjoyable read.

Edited November 23, 2018 by Ridgewaycynic2013
Credit where credit is due.

[Steve O]

13 hours ago, Buffalo Barbarian said:

 

what back was that ?

 

 

Joe Dudek from Plymouth State, Division 3 not 2. Finished ninth in the 1985 voting (Thurman Thomas was tied for tenth.)

 

https://www.ebay.com/i/264020758689?chn=ps

 

Edited November 23, 2018 by Steve O

[jwhit34]

'73 was historic for OJ because of 2,003 yards, '75 may have been a better season, he ran for 1,817 and had over 400 yards receiving (he had 70 in '73) and 23 TDs which I think set the record at the time (14 games remember). Then he was excellent again in '76, had 1,500+ yards in 13 games. He had 6,448 yards in 55 games from '73-76,  that's 1,612 yards a season, 117 yards a game, probably the greatest 4 year stretch ever by a RB. Jim Brown's best 4 consecutive years were 5,849 in 52 games, 112.5 per game. 

 

OJ was amazing, I remember those years well. 

[The Crowing Rooster]

I Remember that game

[without a drought]

11 hours ago, mannc said:

Umm, no, it’s not.

The term vast majority means around 90% or more, so if you really believe that over 90% of Bills fans were hoping for a guy who was selected in the 11th round with the 1st overall pick is ludicrous.

 

Some fans thought this, sure, I'll give you that, but it was no vast majority or even close to a regular majority.. It was just some fans.

[mannc]

20 minutes ago, The Drought said:

The term vast majority means around 90% or more, so if you really believe that over 90% of Bills fans were hoping for a guy who was selected in the 11th round with the 1st overall pick is ludicrous.

 

Some fans thought this, sure, I'll give you that, but it was no vast majority or even close to a regular majority.. It was just some fans.

The News ran a poll that year and, as I recall, Flutie garnered around 80 percent of the vote.

[row_33]

13 minutes ago, mannc said:

The News ran a poll that year and, as I recall, Flutie garnered around 80 percent of the vote.

 

he touched something in the heart (certainly not the brain) of fans who feel that life hasn't been fair to them

 

i never understood drooling over him (even to this day) for one second for the NFL

 

great CFL QB

 

 

[billsredneck1]

16 hours ago, Buffalo Barbarian said:

 

many would say Barry was the most elusive? I wasn't his biggest fan because of the negative yards and short yardage situations.

 

 

to me barry was the best and God only knows what his career could have been like.  anyway, my fandom started one snowy december day in 1973.

[row_33]

16 minutes ago, billsredneck1 said:

to me barry was the best and God only knows what his career could have been like.  anyway, my fandom started one snowy december day in 1973.

 

Eric Dickerson was an amazing RB in form and accomplishment

 

running with your back mostly straight was a big deal to me....

 

Ricky Williams had the form and style to be another great but the RB role was ruined by the time he came around,

 

 

 

Edited November 23, 2018 by row_33

[Rico]

1 hour ago, The Drought said:

The term vast majority means around 90% or more, so if you really believe that over 90% of Bills fans were hoping for a guy who was selected in the 11th round with the 1st overall pick is ludicrous.

 

Some fans thought this, sure, I'll give you that, but it was no vast majority or even close to a regular majority.. It was just some fans.

I thought Ralph wanted to take Flutie #1, but after taking a quick look, I don’t see any mention of that, just this:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1985/01/14/usfl-offer-to-flutie-1-million/c18e8f24-090d-4233-a3f7-a84b327aba84/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.e4491c7aa670

[mannc]

Just now, Rico said:

I thought Ralph wanted to take Flutie #1, but after taking a quick look, I don’t see any mention of that, just this:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1985/01/14/usfl-offer-to-flutie-1-million/c18e8f24-090d-4233-a3f7-a84b327aba84/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.e4491c7aa670

As I recall, Flutie signed with the USFL before the NFL draft, so he wasn’t really an option for the Bills by the time the draft came around.  Maybe NE used a late round pick on him, but I don’t remember how that went down.

[row_33]

21 minutes ago, mannc said:

As I recall, Flutie signed with the USFL before the NFL draft, so he wasn’t really an option for the Bills by the time the draft came around.  Maybe NE used a late round pick on him, but I don’t remember how that went down.

 

11th round pick by the Rams, traded his rights to the Bears.

 

[reddogblitz]

I saw The Juice play and he was great. One of the best if not THE BEST.  I'd also put Earl, Dick, and Tony Dorsett up there as well.

Edited November 23, 2018 by reddogblitz

[Dan]

8 hours ago, oldmanfan said:

Blah, blah, blah.  Yes the past few years have been frustrating.  But in none of those years were the Bills anywhere near as bad as some of  us older fans remember.  And since you feel the need to bring the Sabres up so you can wallow in your misery, they made some bad decisions, but now seem to have figured it out.  Unless a 7 win streak is bad.

 

You see, us older, more mature folks are able to deal wth things better than your generation.  The younger generation that gets participation trophies and has their helicopter parents and their cell phones think they should have everything they want exactly the way they want and exactly when they want it has trouble understanding there are ups and downs in life.

 

Bills made the playoffs last year.  They have drafted their hopeful QB of the future and have a structure in place to continue to build a contender.  As do the Sabres.  Good to see.

I have to agree with Bado here...  I lived through the 80's (actually the 70's too, but was a bit young to really remember football games). The mid 80s sucked for the Bills, sure.  But thats a couple years in between a very good couple of years.  Even the 70's and the domination of the Fins, do not compare to the nearly 2 decades of bad football we're still watching.  

 

This isn't a hot pocket, I think we should win every year kind of notion. The Bills have been irrelevant for nearly 2 decades!  We finally make the playoffs, after going 9-7, and follow that up by putting up some of the worst performances in NFL history since then.    Whatever hope we all had last January, is all but gone.

 

Sure, we have the QB of the future and lots of picks and whatever... But, may I remind you, that's all based on hope and speculation.  Allen, for as much as myself and everyone wants him to be the QB of the future, has shown extremely little this year.  I mean like, less than Barkley little!   So, forgive some of us folks ..that aren't so young.. if we put it all in perspective, recognize that we're still very much in the quagmire of being a losing franchise and haven't started counting all of Allen's wins already.   To say that '84 and '85 were way worse, is ignoring the context of the last 18 years.  

 

 

 

7 hours ago, jwhit34 said:

'73 was historic for OJ because of 2,003 yards, '75 may have been a better season, he ran for 1,817 and had over 400 yards receiving (he had 70 in '73) and 23 TDs which I think set the record at the time (14 games remember). Then he was excellent again in '76, had 1,500+ yards in 13 games. He had 6,448 yards in 55 games from '73-76,  that's 1,612 yards a season, 117 yards a game, probably the greatest 4 year stretch ever by a RB. Jim Brown's best 4 consecutive years were 5,849 in 52 games, 112.5 per game. 

 

OJ was amazing, I remember those years well. 

Those numbers are simply astounding!  I've never seen it summarized like that.   Judging players and decided who's the greatest often depends on the individual and the fond memories we grow up with.  But, there's simply no denying that OJ belongs in the top 2 of any discussion of the best RBs ever.   

[Buffalo Barbarian]

8 hours ago, Steve O said:

Joe Dudek from Plymouth State, Division 3 not 2. Finished ninth in the 1985 voting (Thurman Thomas was tied for tenth.)

 

https://www.ebay.com/i/264020758689?chn=ps

 

 

division 3 !? How could they have been serious.

 

 

[RaoulDuke79]

21 hours ago, Augie said:

Met my wife in 84, got married in February, 1985. Not too long after she asked “why do you do this to yourself?” 

 

It was a fair question. The next generation carries it on. It may be genetic? 

On my second date with my now wife, I picked her up at her place and met her parents for the first time wearing a Miami Hurricanes jersey. Her dad was pretty cordial at that point. When they finally learned that I was a Bills fan, I think he flat out felt sorry for me and let me do as I wish with his daughter to keep my mind off football. 

[IDBillzFan]

The only Bills Thanksgiving game I can really remember was against the Lions in 1994. Flea flicker by backup Kreig on the second play pretty much set the tone. Such a crappy game.

[Augie]

11 minutes ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

On my second date with my now wife, I picked her up at her place and met her parents for the first time wearing a Miami Hurricanes jersey. Her dad was pretty cordial at that point. When they finally learned that I was a Bills fan, I think he flat out felt sorry for me and let me do as I wish with his daughter to keep my mind off football. 

 

Does she have any sisters??? 

 

[Steve O]

20 minutes ago, Buffalo Barbarian said:

 

division 3 !? How could they have been serious.

 

 

Guess you'll have to click the link I left and buy that issue on ebay?

I really don't know why SI had an issue with Bo. But their campaign must have had some impact, Dudek got 12 first place votes that year to go along with 4 second and 12 third place votes. Jackson won a close race with Chuck Long, Iowa qb. I believe at the time it was the closest race ever, could be mistaken on that.

[RaoulDuke79]

4 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

Does she have any sisters??? 

 

None......or brothers. I'm just trying to keep this train on the track until we can put our rocking chairs on the porch facing the sunset. 

[row_33]

24 minutes ago, Steve O said:

Guess you'll have to click the link I left and buy that issue on ebay?

I really don't know why SI had an issue with Bo. But their campaign must have had some impact, Dudek got 12 first place votes that year to go along with 4 second and 12 third place votes. Jackson won a close race with Chuck Long, Iowa qb. I believe at the time it was the closest race ever, could be mistaken on that.

 

Extreme cynicism by writers in those days, they thought atrackig Bo was really witty

 

the worst joke was handing BYU the college title after they beat 6-win Michigan in the Holiday Bowl

 

dudek was a sick joke option

 

the revenge is SI has been totally irrelevant for 20 years now....

 

 

[Helpmenow]

Juice with his beard.