Bills Mafia article from The Ringer

[Kelly the Dog]

2 minutes ago, dpberr said:

I love the Bills fan base for its spirit and philanthropy.    I like the oddities, the rituals, the weirdness and the amazing menagerie of fans from all walks of life.  I like how it's distinctly not corporate.  

 

However, the Bills Mafia name itself is just so dumb.  I feel like it was created by people who have never opened a history book and for some, especially Italian-Americans, I can see where it's culturally insensitive and disturbing, given the Italian mafia's violent history,  to see it so freely used.  

 

 

 

 

Are you saying the Irish, Jewish and Russian mafia weren't just as violent? As a Jew, I'm offended! That's racist!

 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

1 hour ago, Herc11 said:

What ever happened to the Ball Burglar? If I remember right it was started by a guy on the original BBMB. Was it Bumbles or something like that?

 

...Bumbles247 was the BBMB Capologist Extraordinaire............

[PaattMaann]

7 minutes ago, Kelly the Dog said:

Are you saying the Irish, Jewish and Russian mafia weren't just as violent? As a Jew, I'm offended! That's racist!

 

 

yea, has he never heard of MURDER INC??? They were the actual strong arm of the Italian Mafia in the 1920's and 1930's and they were mostly alllll Jewish!!!!! They killed hundreds of people for the italian mafia. Ruthless. The nerve! 

Edited September 26, 2019 by PaattMaann

[dpberr]

4 minutes ago, PaattMaann said:

 

so then you are admitting you A) didnt read the article or B) dont know the story of where the name came from?

 

Sure did. 

 

Bills mafia was a dumb name before I read the article.  Post article?  Still dumb.

[PaattMaann]

6 minutes ago, dpberr said:

 

Sure did. 

 

Bills mafia was a dumb name before I read the article.  Post article?  Still dumb.

 

Calling IT dumb......Ohhhhhh the irony. 

[dpberr]

2 minutes ago, Kelly the Dog said:

Are you saying the Irish, Jewish and Russian mafia weren't just as violent? As a Jew, I'm offended! That's racist!

 

 

That's my point.  The mafia isn't a fan base.  It's a highly violent criminal organization.  Somehow, some dork decided that should be attached to a football fan base.  

 

Let's do something with a strong World War II German military them next year like Billsmacht and get some polling when Bills fans start showing up with Iron Cross flags in red white and blue.  (I'm kidding.)

[Kelly the Dog]

1 minute ago, dpberr said:

 

That's my point.  The mafia isn't a fan base.  It's a highly violent criminal organization.  Somehow, some dork decided that should be attached to a football fan base.  

 

Let's do something with a strong World War II German military them next year like Billsmacht and get some polling when Bills fans start showing up with Iron Cross flags in red white and blue.  (I'm kidding.)

It's football. We want the Bills to be violent, and kill their opponent with blitzes and bombs.

[BuffaloBob]

I’ve been a Bills fan since 1966 when I was 8. I saw OJs first game as a rookie. I don’t know when this Bills Mafia thing came into being, but it was no doubt decades after I became a lifetime fan. I see the name like I do the Dawg Pound or Raider Nation.  But I do not consider myself a member of it, nor am I now somehow de facto assimilated into it like a member of the Borg Collective ?. Nor will I ever be. I’m just a lifelong Bills fan. 

Edited September 26, 2019 by BuffaloBob

[PaattMaann]

9 minutes ago, dpberr said:

 

That's my point.  The mafia isn't a fan base.  It's a highly violent criminal organization.  Somehow, some dork decided that should be attached to a football fan base.  

 

Let's do something with a strong World War II German military them next year like Billsmacht and get some polling when Bills fans start showing up with Iron Cross flags in red white and blue.  (I'm kidding.)

 

love it! good idea....gonna get one made, keep the good suggestions coming! The name Billsmacht needs work though, too guttural, no flow...

[Kelly the Dog]

1 minute ago, BuffaloBob said:

I’ve been a Bills fan since 1966 when I was 8. I saw OJs first game as a rookie. I don’t know when this Bills Mafia thing came into being, but it was no doubt decades after I became a lifetime fan. I see the name like I do the Dawg Pound or Raider Nation.  But I do not consider myself a member of it, nor am I now somehow de facto assimilated into it like a member of the Borg Collective ?. Nor will I ever be. I’m just a lifelong Bills fan. 

Funny little story about the Dawg Pound. The original dog pound guys used to bring in that dog house on their shoulders. It took a couple years IIRC for the cops to realize that 4-6 guys carried it in and two carried it out. That is because it held a half keg of beer. To the Browns credit, when they found that out they just made them sign a paper saying they wouldn't do it again rather than ban them from games.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/417030-six-points-before-the-dawg-pound-was-neutered

 

[blacklabel]

Most of the tailgate traditions covered in this article have been around much longer than the Bills Mafia thing. It's just grown in notoriety over the last few years given the nature of social media and things going viral and getting more attention. I think the Pinto Ron stuff is great. It's just a bunch of fans making food with really odd utensils and then dousing a dude in ketchup. (Is anyone else a little bummed that Kenny says he really doesn't look forward to it anymore? But still does it because it's just tradition.)

 

I'm a complete spectator when it comes to tailgating. I have no idea how some of youse guys can start pounding 'em at 10-11 AM and then go sit in the sun (or snow, depending on the time of year) for another three hours and keep going through the whole day. I'd be passed out before kickoff. The worst is really the morons who get completely annihilated in the lots and then stumble into the game and start sh*t with people. Went to the 2013 home opener and a dude in the row behind us was plastered and constantly accusing a dude a few seats down for staring at his girlfriend (nobody was eyeing up that mongoloid, who kept egging on her drunk boyfriend). Some pushing and shoving later, my SO and I are doused in beer and this dillhole is getting thrown out before they even did the National Anthem. Crap like that is what makes the gameday experience less enjoyable. 

 

But hey, if people wanna do shots out of bowling balls and bust up a bunch of folding tables, go for it. The only thing I hope doesn't happen is some fans start trying to push things to more extremes and next thing you know someone's trying a table dive from the 300 section and they wind up getting scooped off the pavement with a spatula. 

Edited September 26, 2019 by blacklabel

[leonbus23]

Not to extrapolate too much, I think the behavior serves as an example of people with the vision to live life and enjoy it despite risks. In an all too regulated and legalistic country full of policing and a hyper-emphasis on safety, Bills Mafia show that spontaneous and ritualistic mayhem still happens somewhere. 

[corta765]

26 minutes ago, blacklabel said:

 

I'm a complete spectator when it comes to tailgating. I have no idea how some of youse guys can start pounding 'em at 10-11 AM and then go sit in the sun (or snow, depending on the time of year) for another three hours and keep going through the whole day. I'd be passed out before kickoff. The worst is really the morons who get completely annihilated in the lots and then stumble into the game and start sh*t with people. Went to the 2013 home opener and a dude in the row behind us was plastered and constantly accusing a dude a few seats down for staring at his girlfriend (nobody was eyeing up that mongoloid, who kept egging on her drunk boyfriend). Some pushing and shoving later, my SO and I are doused in beer and this dillhole is getting thrown out before they even did the National Anthem. Crap like that is what makes the gameday experience less enjoyable. 

 

I have no clue looking back on my early 20s how we would get there at 7 sun or snow and drink and party until 12:45 and then go to the game.

 

These days we are far tamer and just do 9-12:30 so we can get in for kickoff.

 

Ive never had a problem with how people party but like you said I DO have a problem when people party past their limits and stuff like you said occurs. I won’t even consider bringing my son to a game until he is 10 because of this and I think fan behavior has gotten better compared to 5-7 years ago. The KC home opener in 2012 some drunkhead passed out behind my wife and his gum fell onto a little bit of her hair. Thank god we got it out with ease but it was an unnecessary rude thing to have been part of.

4 minutes ago, leonbus23 said:

Not to extrapolate too much, I think the behavior serves as an example of people with the vision to live life and enjoy it despite risks. In an all too regulated and legalistic country full of policing and a hyper-emphasis on safety, Bills Mafia show that spontaneous and ritualistic mayhem still happens somewhere. 

 

I agree with this to an extent. Bills tailgating is an Alamo to the league of corporate controlled everything. People are stunned with how loose and natural our tailgating is compared to the cookie cutter BS that other teams force on their fans.

[muppy]

2 hours ago, PaattMaann said:

we ARE all part of Bills Mafia whether you like it or not, sorry to break it to you. It's the name of the fanbase, you can only get out of it by dying or rooting for another team. 

 

It is sad that we have some idiots that sully the Bills Mafia name, but that is true of any fan base (like those in Raider Nation that are violent)...but the only way to combat the losers who break tables and light themselves on fire and put their hands down girlfriends pants in the stadium is to do GOOD things in the name of Bills Mafia like we all do daily/weekly/yearly. 

 

You can say "thats not me", but you are wrong. 

 

 

I don't know why any Bills fan would want to disassociate themselves from a moniker which yes does include antics of lunacy but is so much more than that...evidenced by the number of charitable causes that have benefitted from our generous nature most notably $17 donations to Andy Daltons charity which received nationwide GOOD  publicity for Bills fans whom are known as the Bills Mafia wether you approve of all they do or not......Also go to any Billsbackers club and you will see generations of people packing the place..THAT to me is the meaning of Bills mafia we are all a multi generational international fraternity of diehards..whats not to like? To disavow from it makes no sense to me really..its just a fanbase name fcol WHY SO SERIOUS 

[stevewin]

That is a great article - captivating and extremely well written

[yungmack]

1 hour ago, Kelly the Dog said:

As opposed to lighting yourself on fire as you jump off a car roof through a table?

At least they're keeping warm.

[Kelly the Dog]

10 minutes ago, yungmack said:

At least they're keeping warm.

They don't need fire, they already have enough anti-freeze inside them.

[Don Otreply]

When me and my cohort were young and physically fit, it made it much easier to imbibe at a very high level, drinking and smoking ganja was just a way of life back in the day. Luckily we as a group we didn’t draw much attention to ourselves, we had a motto back then, “don’t leave tracks”  we did slip up now and then,  got thrown out of a piggly wiggly for telling dirty jokes to the other shoppers I think it may have been the mushrooms, it was a long time ago....?  Anyway,  I am far better behaved nowadays... ?

 

GoBills!!!

[Kelly the Dog]

1 minute ago, Don Otreply said:

When me and my cohort were young and physically fit, it made it much easier to imbibe at a very high level, drinking and smoking ganja was just a way of life back in the day. Luckily we as a group we didn’t draw much attention to ourselves, we had a motto back then, “don’t leave tracks”  we did slip up now and then,  got thrown out of a piggly wiggly for telling dirty jokes to the other shoppers I think it may have been the mushrooms, it was a long time ago....?  Anyway,  I am far better behaved nowadays... ?

 

GoBills!!!

Baby.

 

[plenzmd1]

We decided last week, its not a team, or a fanbase, Its a lifestyle !!!

[Lurker]

17 minutes ago, Margarita said:

I don't know why any Bills fan would want to disassociate themselves from a moniker which yes does include antics of lunacy but is so much more than that...evidenced by the number of charitable causes that have benefited from our generous nature most notably $17 donations to Andy Daltons charity which received nationwide GOOD  publicity for Bills fans whom are known as the Bills Mafia whether you approve of all they do or not.....

 

I may be wrong, but I suspect the folks drinking from bowling balls and slamming tables are probably not the same ones writing checks to charitable causes... 

[Marv's Neighbor]

Would/could this happen At a new stadium location?   I certainly hope so!

[Kelly the Dog]

3 minutes ago, Lurker said:

 

I may be wrong, but I suspect the folks drinking from bowling balls and slamming tables are probably not the same ones writing checks to charitable causes... 

I would imagine a lot of them are. It mostly came from $17 donations and I saw a lot of tweets and the like from that kind of fan.  But surely a lot of Bills fans who donated disassociate themselves from BillsMafia.

[buffalo2218]

If tables are to be sacrificed, at least have someone dress up either as Brady or someone with a Pats jersey and put them through a table

[Kelly the Dog]

5 minutes ago, Marv's Neighbor said:

Would/could this happen At a new stadium location?   I certainly hope so!

They would just jump into full formal table settings, like at a state dinner.

[Gugny]

13 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

We decided last week, its not a team, or a fanbase, Its a lifestyle !!!

 

Were we born this way?

[plenzmd1]

1 minute ago, Gugny said:

 

Were we born this way?

you mean an butthole? No, i worked really hard to get there!

[Moose]

2 hours ago, macaroni said:

 

 

Why yes there is … I'm a charter member.

 

instead of shots of whiskey from the thumbhole of a bowling ball we drink shots of Metamucil from a sippy cup, instead of leaping and crashing through a folding table we just kind of ease ourselves into a Barcalounger. Our version of an all nighter is to sleep through the night with out having to get up and pee.    

 

Great - I think I can keep up with that! ;-)

[macaroni]

13 minutes ago, Moose said:

 

Great - I think I can keep up with that! ?

 

We also roam the parking lots post game looking for a 70 year old woman wanting to "earn" a Cookie Gilchrist jersey ?

[iinii]

It is a great article for outsiders. Gives a nice take on the Buffalo game day experience and pride. 

[Haslett_Stomp]

My friends and I tailgated next to a group of Sabres players back when Cody Hodgson was with the team.  Now those guys could party!

[Buffalo716]

To all the people who think Bills mafia has a negative meaning or that they are all crazy drunks... Or this is new age stuff..

 

The name might be relatively new but the shenanigans are not

 

I remember crazy things going at down at war memorial ... I remember people bringing keggers into the stadium and tons of things that wouldn't be allowed today

 

Bills fans have been partying hard for a long time

 

 

[Kelly the Dog]

21 minutes ago, Haslett_Stomp said:

My friends and I tailgated next to a group of Sabres players back when Cody Hodgson was with the team.  Now those guys could party!

After Bills wins on Sunday afternoon, Danny Gare used to fire up the Sabres players before the game by yelling that if we lose, the Bills players will get all the hot girls at Mulligans on Sunday night, which was the nightclub of choice back then.

[blacklabel]

1 hour ago, corta765 said:

 

I have no clue looking back on my early 20s how we would get there at 7 sun or snow and drink and party until 12:45 and then go to the game.

 

These days we are far tamer and just do 9-12:30 so we can get in for kickoff.

 

Ive never had a problem with how people party but like you said I DO have a problem when people party past their limits and stuff like you said occurs. I won’t even consider bringing my son to a game until he is 10 because of this and I think fan behavior has gotten better compared to 5-7 years ago. The KC home opener in 2012 some drunkhead passed out behind my wife and his gum fell onto a little bit of her hair. Thank god we got it out with ease but it was an unnecessary rude thing to have been part of.

 

I agree with this to an extent. Bills tailgating is an Alamo to the league of corporate controlled everything. People are stunned with how loose and natural our tailgating is compared to the cookie cutter BS that other teams force on their fans.

 

Haha, I remember those days from my 20s as well, but it was typically in bars on Friday and Saturday nights. That's another thing, I have a cousin who lives out of state and on occasion when he comes home he'll go to a game, but he'll go out and party with his buds on Friday and Saturday and then keep it going straight thru Sunday. I just can't keep up with that. 

 

I agree with holding out until your boy is 10 for a game. It's kind of unfortunate that the crowd can get so rowdy that it becomes an unsafe environment for kids. A few years ago Tim Graham wrote an article about the family atmosphere kinda fading away in favor of the table dives and all that. It's been a minute since I've been to a game (I think the last one was the big win over Rodgers and the Packers in 2014, thank the foosball gods that Jordy Nelson dropped what would've been like a 70-yard walk-in TD) so I haven't seen if it's gotten less rowdy or not but if it has that's definitely a good thing.

[dave mcbride]

Loved the piece. Thanks for posting. I'm with them in spirit, although I never drink until *after* the games. 

[Kelly the Dog]

5 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

Loved the piece. Thanks for posting. I'm with them in spirit, although I never drink until *after* the games. 

Baby.

[dave mcbride]

22 minutes ago, Kelly the Dog said:

After Bills wins on Sunday afternoon, Danny Gare used to fire up the Sabres players before the game by yelling that if we lose, the Bills players will get all the hot girls at Mulligans on Sunday night, which was the nightclub of choice back then.

Speaking of Bills and bars, all of my fantasy teams in baseball and football have forever been named "The God Squad" after what a friend of mine who bartended at Jim Kelly's bar termed the trio who showed up together often after games but never drank: Frank Reich, Metzelaars, and one of the other white born-agains (Mark Pike? Can't quite recall).  He said they were always really nice, though! 

 

EDIT - I did not know this about Mark Pike at all. This is about his son: https://www.si.com/college-football/2016/12/26/zeke-pike-auburn-tigers-louisville-cardinals

 

Another edit: Now I recall -- it was Tasker. https://www.si.com/vault/1991/09/02/124827/special-effects-the-choirboy-there-was-the-devil-to-pay-when-the-angelic-steve-tasker-landed-on-the-bills-special-teams

Edited September 26, 2019 by dave mcbride

[Kelly the Dog]

5 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

Speaking of Bills and bars, all of my fantasy teams in baseball and football have forever been named "The God Squad" after what a friend of mine who bartended at Jim Kelly's bar termed the trio who showed up together often after games but never drank: Frank Reich, Metzelaars, and one of the other white born-agains (Mark Pike? Can't quite recall).  He said they were always really nice, though! 

 

EDIT - I did not know this about Mark Pike at all. This is about his son: https://www.si.com/college-football/2016/12/26/zeke-pike-auburn-tigers-louisville-cardinals

Ha. The God Squad would be almost half the Bills team now. It's cool of them to show even if they were not going to indulge though.

[dave mcbride]

7 minutes ago, Kelly the Dog said:

Ha. The God Squad would be almost half the Bills team now. It's cool of them to show even if they were not going to indulge though.

It was definitely Tasker, not Pike. And he said Bruce Smith was an awful tipper.

[BuffaloBob]

4 hours ago, Kelly the Dog said:

Funny little story about the Dawg Pound. The original dog pound guys used to bring in that dog house on their shoulders. It took a couple years IIRC for the cops to realize that 4-6 guys carried it in and two carried it out. That is because it held a half keg of beer. To the Browns credit, when they found that out they just made them sign a paper saying they wouldn't do it again rather than ban them from games.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/417030-six-points-before-the-dawg-pound-was-neutered

 

Thanks for sharing that. That really is kind of awesome.