Are You Feeling Depressed Today? Here is an interesting read...

[DuckyBoys]

5 hours ago, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

Maybe the disappointment is about more than the loss, maybe it’s just that some fans look forward to watching the team play, and now have to wait a loooong time before it happens again? 

 

That is what I feel.  I really enjoyed the season .  Tried my best to not rush it and savor the build up each week  It was nice to be in every game.  Bummed to see it end.  To lose by blowing a big lead in a game I though we had in control probably made it sting more.  Now the long wait begins again

[Phil The Thrill]

It’s crazy how we let our fandom effect our lives.  In the grand scheme of things, this loss is completely unimportant.  But man, does it seem like the most important thing.  

[The Frankish Reich]

10 hours ago, billsfan1959 said:

I am not depressed today. I was disappointed last night and let it go.

OK Boomer. Seriously though ... Since you're "billsfan1959" I'll assume you're roughly of my generation. Younger fans, that's a nice part of getting older: it's a game. It's entertainment. It's fun to follow a team, to enjoy the ups and downs, and (for me) to stay connected to a city I left as a kid. It's not real life. It's a diversion. Watching every game this season (well, half of the meaningless final Jets game) gave me roughly 50 hours of entertainment during games and probably 200 hours of time talking to people I have little connection too anymore other than an irrational connection to 53 guys from everywhere but WNY who put a helmet with a bison on their heads every Sunday.

[billsfan1959]

5 hours ago, The Frankish Reich said:

OK Boomer. Seriously though ... Since you're "billsfan1959" I'll assume you're roughly of my generation. Younger fans, that's a nice part of getting older: it's a game. It's entertainment. It's fun to follow a team, to enjoy the ups and downs, and (for me) to stay connected to a city I left as a kid. It's not real life. It's a diversion. Watching every game this season (well, half of the meaningless final Jets game) gave me roughly 50 hours of entertainment during games and probably 200 hours of time talking to people I have little connection too anymore other than an irrational connection to 53 guys from everywhere but WNY who put a helmet with a bison on their heads every Sunday.

 

You assume correctly, my friend. It is interesting how we form this, as you say, irrational connection, to a sports team. And, once it happens, it seems it can never truly be broken, even when you move away. I have loved this team since I was a kid, and the Sabres as well. I understand the emotional attachment and the emotional reactions after wins and losses - even some of the more extreme reactions I have seen here  - been there.

 

I am passionate and competitive by nature, and it took me a long time to gain real perspective on my fandom and many other things in life. That is the real benefit of growing older: The "growing" part. I have always loved the Bills. I haven't always liked who I was during a game and particularly after a loss. It took time to change that, but, I did. I still loved my team; however, it became much like it is for you: a source of enjoyment and bonding with others, particularly my son.

 

The best part of the Bills games for me now is texting with my son and friends during the game and the talks my son and I have after every game. Trust me, I felt the frustration and disappointment Saturday night, as I am sure you did. However, it didn't consume me, it was in the moment, and then I let it go. I had a great talk with my son after the game and we are both looking forward to next season.

 

He is as much of a fan as I am, and I am amazed at how well he has handled the frustration and disappointment that has been this team for most of his life. Hopefully, the example I set for him plays at least a small part in that.

[BigBillsFan]

I was having a heart-attack during the game it was so intense.

 

I never believed it was over until Watson threw his final pass. I stayed up to watch the Cheatriots lose. It was the only way I could sleep. Watching Henry drill those mofos in the 1st half was borderline nirvana after my heart was pulled out of my chest after they lost. Then I could sleep. 

 

I won't lie, I'm still having chest pain from the gain and anxiety. We haven't won a playoff game in so long and I wanted it so bad. Still I'm not depressed today, I'm too busy from work.

[Olliemets]

All of the stages of grief the past 36 hours.

 

Especially the anger. This was a missed opportunity. And not cashing in on it hurts. And its been the story of this season. Many close losses that can be attributed to growing pains, some talent issues and questionable coaching strategies/decisions.

A few more wins earlier we might have had a home playoff game.

 

Feeling more acceptance today and pressing on. But I want to see growth out of this. I'd hate to be a card short every year and have Allen end up like Phillip Rivers and Chargers, having decent seasons and little playoff success.

 

A good draft, wise FA signings, a new OC (at least thats what I want) and real growth from McDermott and Allen.

 

 

[Dan]

I had mixed emotions... depressed, disappointed, but I had a fun time at the game .  It was the first ever playoff game I attended. My girlfriend got her first Bills jersey and was with me.  We met a lot of great Bills fans (and some good Texans fans) and had a great time all weekend with Bills Mafia in Houston.  She truly understands what its like being a Bills fan now.   

 

As it sinks in... I think of all the missed oppportunities the team had not only in the game, but the season.  It's frustrating to always come up short and to be 1 or 2 plays away.  But as I told her, after a few drunk texans fans tried to give me ***** and I laughed it off.... I've been a Bills fan my whole life, longer than those idiots have probably been alive, I've seen just about every kind of win and loss possible.  The Bills will be back next year. They'll get better.  Or they won't.  But I'll still be wearing my shirt, cheering for them, hoping for the win.  Its what I do.  One loss ain't gonna stop that.   

 

Its funny.  I had to hold back tears walking into the stadium.  Seeing all the Bills fans, chanting with them.  I could feel the drought finally gone.  It felt good.  After the game... I didn't have to cry. Because I know we'll be back in the playoffs next year a better team.

[Don Otreply]

Disappointed, pissed at the time when we lost, but I’m not wired in such a way as to be all whimpery for days, like some are. Ya just gotta man up, put on your big boy pants and move on, they have next season for a reason ya know...

 

Go Bills!!!

[SydneyBillsFan]

No shame in admitting that I was depressed and completely gutted but that is slowly subsiding and I am already looking forward to the draft andnfree agency period.

 

If we play our cards right we could win the division. That is what has helped me get over the loss.

[ChasBB]

I'm not depressed at all.  I love this team and the trajectory it is on.  While Allen did unravel late, he was simply excellent at times, too.  I like Allen and I like this team and they are only going to improve.

 

What DOES get me down is reading news stories of idiotic fans saying terrible things to Cody Ford - there is no place for that.

 

On an aside, this game mimicked "The Comeback", in ways:

 

"The Comeback" (or "The Choke", as Houston fans call it):

35-35 Buff ties it

38-35 Buff goes ahead

38-38 Hou ties it - OT

41-38 Buff wins in OT

 

The "Payback" (just made that up - sure someone will come up with something better):

16-16 Hou ties it

19-16 Hou goes ahead

19-19 Buff ties it - OT

22-19 Hou wins in OT

 

The main difference is that Buffalo came back from a 32-point deficit and Houston came back from a 16-point deficit, but very similar in some ways, too.  When I say "Houston", really the fanbase (obviously, a different franchise), but the "payback" represents fandom.

[JaCrispy]

I don’t get depressed anymore about the Bills because I always expect to lose...

 

And at the end of the game I was alright with it because it was super entertaining...

Edited January 7, 2020 by JaCrispy

[Tcali]

On 1/5/2020 at 10:56 AM, I am the egg man said:

Not depressed, Josh Allen was the best player in the game.

 

Busy trying to figure out which restaurant to go to for dinner.

as long as you believe its true,,thats the important thing

On 1/5/2020 at 3:20 PM, Your Brown Eye said:

I took some Xanax, I'm not doing too bad

excellent choice... being a real fan of a professional sports team--which cares absolutely nothing about us and that we have no control over --to the point of being depressed about it(which many are) is an illness.And illness can be ameliorated by medicine.

[billsfanmiami(oh)]

It was a long walk down the ramps at the stadium....All I could do is just shake my head and sigh. This one stings real bad just because of all the ups and downs of the game. And the fact that if just one of 6-7 things that happened in the last 20 min went the Bills way, we still win. It would have been real good experience for this young core going forward. I’m still very happy about where we’re headed but obviously the Bills fan in me is already worrying about the tough schedule next year, injuries, etc. 

 

So many things can derail an nfl season and seemed like this year we avoided most of them and were in a good position getting into the playoffs. And once you’re in, you never know what can happen (unless it’s a team like the 2017 Bills). Just don’t want us to next years Bears.

[Augie]

On 1/5/2020 at 1:57 PM, Nextmanup said:

 So basically you're just a casual fan.

I have many friends still living in Buffalo who I'm quite sure didn't even watch the game, much less care who won or loss.

 

They're pretty casual about the whole thing too.

 

 

 

I’m not depressed, and I think I’m a pretty serious fan. But I’m also a GROWN UP. 

 

Seriously, when I was a kid I could sense how WNY was in the dumps after even a regular season loss. Maybe it’s still like that. I know a lot more about life than I did back then. This was disappointing, but in the big picture we are heading in the right direction. I’ll choose to focus on that. The future is bright.