Chandler#81 Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 Made the biggest bet of my life before the season, $500. Working a big project near Ft. Worh TX, I’d been obnoxious talking about the team through the strike shortened, replacement players fiasco with co-workers in ‘87. We lost to the Pats* at home in the season ender, but most thought we were rising. Having had enough with my harping -call it excitement- about the team, a co-worker who made huge bets w/ bookies nearly daily, challenged me in front of our team. $500 The Bills Don’t make the playoffs in ‘88. The Rest, as they say..is History! 3 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasons1992 Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 Is that Chris Berman with the narration?! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machine gun kelly Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 Yep. I’ll ever forget that year. I’ve already told the story a couple of times, but that blocked kick by big old Freddy Smerlas, and fandemonium was amazing. Made it on the goal post for all of 7 seconds before getting climbed in and trampled thereafter. Thanks Chand. One of my fondest Bills memories. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandler#81 Posted April 25, 2021 Author Share Posted April 25, 2021 (edited) 41 minutes ago, machine gun kelly said: Yep. I’ll ever forget that year. I’ve already told the story a couple of times, but that blocked kick by big old Freddy Smerlas, and fandemonium was amazing. Made it on the goal post for all of 7 seconds before getting climbed in and trampled thereafter. Thanks Chand. One of my fondest Bills memories. The team was finally set, with Thurman being the most important addition. He, Jimbo, Andre, Hull, Wolford, Bruce, Conlan, Daryl, Tasker & Biscuit! Incredible collection of talent! *perhaps I’m mistaken.. I thought House Ballard blocked that FG attempt..🤔 Edited April 25, 2021 by Chandler#81 Added comment on blocked FG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsPride12 Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 That was the season that really catapulted the Super Bowl runs...I hope someday we look back at 2020 in the same way(of course there will always be the Pandemic BS associated with it as well unfortunately) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machine gun kelly Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 1 hour ago, Chandler#81 said: The team was finally set, with Thurman being the most important addition. He, Jimbo, Andre, Hull, Wolford, Bruce, Conlan, Daryl, Tasker & Biscuit! Incredible collection of talent! *perhaps I’m mistaken.. I thought House Ballard blocked that FG attempt..🤔 Im sorry Chand, but it was for sure Fred Smerlas who blocked the 40 yard upfield goal attempt by Leahy that put the game into overtime. It was the lynchpin to winning that game. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 I don’t remember Kelso being that fast. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philly McButterpants Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 2 hours ago, machine gun kelly said: Yep. I’ll ever forget that year. I’ve already told the story a couple of times, but that blocked kick by big old Freddy Smerlas, and fandemonium was amazing. Made it on the goal post for all of 7 seconds before getting climbed in and trampled thereafter. Thanks Chand. One of my fondest Bills memories. I can find myself, my brother and my dad in our yellow rain slickers in the "Fandemonium" poster. Definitely Smerlas who blocked the FG. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brennan Huff Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 This season is the first Bills season that I can remember. Well I remember the Jets game and the fans storming the field. I was certainly spoiled starting out my fan hood with this season. Such a great team 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njbuff Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 1988 is still my favorite season as a Bills fan. They were good. They were young, but.......... a great season ended on a VERY sour note in Cincinnati. And thanks to Joe Devlin and Derrick Burroughs, the BICKERING BILLS was invited as they started all this in team bickering with their major tiff on the sidelines after Burroughs punched Tim McGee in the mouth. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubes Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 2 hours ago, Chandler#81 said: The team was finally set, with Thurman being the most important addition. He, Jimbo, Andre, Hull, Wolford, Bruce, Conlan, Daryl, Tasker & Biscuit! Incredible collection of talent! *perhaps I’m mistaken.. I thought House Ballard blocked that FG attempt..🤔 Absolutely was Smerlas who blocked it. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brennan Huff Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 1 hour ago, njbuff said: 1988 is still my favorite season as a Bills fan. They were good. They were young, but.......... a great season ended on a VERY sour note in Cincinnati. And thanks to Joe Devlin and Derrick Burroughs, the BICKERING BILLS was invited as they started all this in team bickering with their major tiff on the sidelines after Burroughs punched Tim McGee in the mouth. I’ve never heard this before. That’s how the “Bickering Bills” started? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsPride12 Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 4 minutes ago, Brennan Huff said: I’ve never heard this before. That’s how the “Bickering Bills” started? Yeah I'm not sure I agree with this take. I always thought the Bickering Bills stuff started with Jim Kelly calling out Howard Ballard and the stuff that followed that 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brennan Huff Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 8 minutes ago, BillsPride12 said: Yeah I'm not sure I agree with this take. I always thought the Bickering Bills stuff started with Jim Kelly calling out Howard Ballard and the stuff that followed that That’s what I thought too but I was 8 years old in 1989. Definitely could have happened but didn’t come out to the media. Something like that could never happen nowadays without the entire world knowing as soon as it happened Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsPride12 Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 1 minute ago, Brennan Huff said: That’s what I thought too but I was 8 years old in 1989. Definitely could have happened but didn’t come out to the media. Something like that could never happen nowadays without the entire world knowing as soon as it happened I'm not disputing that an incident between those two didn't happen in Cincy but I don't know if that would be considered the true beginning of the Bickering Bills either. Just my opinion 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandler#81 Posted April 25, 2021 Author Share Posted April 25, 2021 1 hour ago, Rubes said: Absolutely was Smerlas who blocked it. Okay, Okay! I’m old and getting forgetful! (Not). I knew Freddie blocked a FG, I just wasn’t sure it was this one. Can anybody be charitable to an old man and recall House making an important FG block around this time? I’m still certain he did it before he became a great starter at RT.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
That's No Moon Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 22 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said: Okay, Okay! I’m old and getting forgetful! (Not). I knew Freddie blocked a FG, I just wasn’t sure it was this one. Can anybody be charitable to an old man and recall House making an important FG block around this time? I’m still certain he did it before he became a great starter at RT.. Yes, I recall this happening also, just not this Jets game. I recall Smerlas saying in the post game that they put wing sauce on the ball and told Ballard to go get it. I think it was the Patriots game from October of 1988. https://buffalonews.com/news/norwood-provides-bills-as-a-pat-answer-for-overcoming-first-half-turnovers/article_227521f3-1583-5a09-ad43-e1f7ebd97c0e.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushypeaches Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 This was a fun season that started my true Bills fandom at the ripe old age of 14. The defense was absolutely stifling even with Bruce sampling the nose candy. Good think too, because despite having an up-and-coming QB, we gave way too many carries to stiffs like Jamie Mueller and Carl Byrum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machine gun kelly Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 52 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said: Okay, Okay! I’m old and getting forgetful! (Not). I knew Freddie blocked a FG, I just wasn’t sure it was this one. Can anybody be charitable to an old man and recall House making an important FG block around this time? I’m still certain he did it before he became a great starter at RT.. For you buddy, anything. Sorry others piled on but I think it was in jest having fun with our Bills Scholar. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandler#81 Posted April 25, 2021 Author Share Posted April 25, 2021 34 minutes ago, That's No Moon said: Yes, I recall this happening also, just not this Jets game. I recall Smerlas saying in the post game that they put wing sauce on the ball and told Ballard to go get it. I think it was the Patriots game from October of 1988. https://buffalonews.com/news/norwood-provides-bills-as-a-pat-answer-for-overcoming-first-half-turnovers/article_227521f3-1583-5a09-ad43-e1f7ebd97c0e.html Thank you, yes! Home game, Right Season, right Division, important block! so I’m slipping just a Little Bit.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machine gun kelly Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 As far as the bickering bills stuff in 89, they weren’t used to success yet after winning the East and getting going in the playoffs. From what I remember it was a lot of little things that really started in training camp so not one event. things became really heated when Kelly called out some guys, and Thurmond was pissed. He then offered in the media Kelly should worry about himself and shot back. it turned into a meeting with polian thurm Kelly and I’m sure others basically getting called into the principals office. They moved past it and went to the next four sb’s. Can we all just get an OV, and an L, and an E, and you’ve got love Love, Love OV. that’s all I remember from that commercial from the 80’s. Dropped way too many of those splits on the floor of Mulligans who used to sell those thing by the cases in the summer while in college. 500 capacity my ars. There had to be 2000 college kids there every Friday and Saturday night in the summer on break. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njbuff Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 I am not saying that the Burroughs-Devlin incident was the end all be all for the Bickering Bills, but that incident opened the door for some definite animosity amongst teammates that would take place during the 1989 season. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Romes Posted April 26, 2021 Share Posted April 26, 2021 Still can’t believe we squandered home field losing 3 of last 4, including a 4th quarter lead v the colts the last game. We win that AFCCG at home. The O was not explosive but that pass rush could have beaten anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Flanders Posted April 26, 2021 Share Posted April 26, 2021 Losing the finale to a mediocre Colt team and with Washington's Chip Lohmiller missing a short game winning FG at Cincy the day before, cost the Bills home field advantage in 1988. I'm convinced that if the AFC championship game was in OP, the Bills would have went to their first Super Bowl in 1988. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnNord Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 On 4/25/2021 at 6:06 AM, Chandler#81 said: Made the biggest bet of my life before the season, $500. Working a big project near Ft. Worh TX, I’d been obnoxious talking about the team through the strike shortened, replacement players fiasco with co-workers in ‘87. We lost to the Pats* at home in the season ender, but most thought we were rising. Having had enough with my harping -call it excitement- about the team, a co-worker who made huge bets w/ bookies nearly daily, challenged me in front of our team. $500 The Bills Don’t make the playoffs in ‘88. The Rest, as they say..is History! 1988 was a great year. One of my earliest memories as a fan was watching the Bills host the Oilers. There was definitely a buzz around the team in the Buffalo area then. Such a fun time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motorin' Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 (edited) On 4/25/2021 at 10:11 AM, BillsPride12 said: Yeah I'm not sure I agree with this take. I always thought the Bickering Bills stuff started with Jim Kelly calling out Howard Ballard and the stuff that followed that I definitely remember Jimbo grabbing Boroughs by the collar and giving him the business on the sidelines during a game. That press conference definitely happened where Jim called out House, but Dereck Boroughs was definitely in the middle of the Bickering Bills BS. Edit: getting old sucks! I was thinking of Chris Burkett that Kelly roughed up a bit on the sidelines. Edited April 27, 2021 by Motorin' 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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