Chance encounters with current/former Bill players. Did it change your opinion of them?

[billybob71]

19 hours ago, 145B4IDIE said:

JK used to hold his football camp at St. Bonaventure in early 90s. Someone was looking for one of those giant photo-op checks they use for donations. I made that and JK came in the place I worked to pick it up and signed it. Was returned after the whole photo op but have no idea what happened to it. Players after camp would hit local bars and have drinks. And yes, Andre Reed was unapproachable with his ‘people’ around him.

When the bar closed (good friend with owner) we had a little after-hours and Kent Hull and Will Wolford hung out and helped hammer plaster off a brick wall we were revealing😀 super nice, real people, just hanging out having a good time!

 

also met House Ballard, Don Beebe and Brad Lamb at a charity basketball game at local high school, signed a jacket.

 

this is the wall

The Hickey! and TB playin the blues! small world

[Just Jack]

51 minutes ago, Toomstone.Part.Duex said:

My buddies and I went to the Eagles at Bills game in the mid 2000's (I think) Eagles won on a big run for a TD at the end of the game.  Since we're out of town we all stayed at the Days Inn in Hamburg.  The place with the bowling alley.  Forgive me, not a local.  We were in the bar and some of us were bowling.  Takeo Spikes walked in with his buddies.  Super cool guy!!  He signed my buddies Takeo Jersey he had on, got a group picture with us and chatted for a few minutes.  I was just staring at his neck!  haha.   Met Lee Evans in Hammers lot.  Flutie signed my hat at camp one year along with Wiley who was much more talkative that Doug.   

 

I remember that place, it's been torn down for a while now.  If I remember, the roof collapsed on the bowling alley side.  It was just a matter of time before they tore the whole thing down.  

[Toomstone.Part.Duex]

2 minutes ago, Just Jack said:

 

I remember that place, it's been torn down for a while now.  If I remember, the roof collapsed on the bowling alley side.  It was just a matter of time before they tore the whole thing down.  

 

YES!  It was a snow storm that collapsed the roof.  That place was awesome!  Hotel, Nice Bar, Bowling Alley, Good Bar food too!  It was perfect for an out of towner to go to games.  

[sherpa]

Jim Ritcher a number of times.

His post NFL career led to many encounters.

Great guy.

Much smaller than you'd expect.

 

[Just Jack]

Just now, Toomstone.Part.Duex said:

 

YES!  It was a snow storm that collapsed the roof.  That place was awesome!  Hotel, Nice Bar, Bowling Alley, Good Bar food too!  It was perfect for an out of towner to go to games.  

 

One of the early years of TDBAHOT, we had thought of doing a bowling tournament there, but one poster started taking it way too seriously, so we scrapped that plan.  

[Toomstone.Part.Duex]

7 minutes ago, Just Jack said:

 

One of the early years of TDBAHOT, we had thought of doing a bowling tournament there, but one poster started taking it way too seriously, so we scrapped that plan.  

I only went to the 1st TBDAHOT.  The Titans game.     

[olddays1]

Paul Maguire in 1970 in Vietnam. Some NFL players were visiting the troops. First thing he did when he came in was yell out anybody here from Buffalo? He bought me a beer in the NCO club and asked for my moms phone number and called her when he got back to Buffalo to tell her he met me. She really got a charge out of talking to him.

[ChrisWatson#21]

Saw Thurman here at the airport in Rochester some years ago.  Cool cat laid back and was by himself.  Said hi shook his hand and kept it moving didn’t want to delay him.  

[145B4IDIE]

3 hours ago, billybob71 said:

The Hickey! and TB playin the blues! small world

You know The Hickey?🍻🍻🍻

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

2 hours ago, Toomstone.Part.Duex said:

I only went to the 1st TBDAHOT.  The Titans game.     

Still the best.

 

[babulator]

I once stepped on Henry Jones's shoe while packed in shoulder to shoulder @ Kelly's night club. He was not happy or gracious about it. 🙈

 

 

[RobbRiddick]

On 10/6/2022 at 6:50 PM, JohnNord said:

Yes, I’ve met several at event, training camp at Fisher, and autograph shows but also a few random public encounters.  
 

Back in the day I ran into Gabe Northern at Eastern Hills Mall.  He was freaking huge and stood out like a sore thumb.  He also had a pretty nice looking leather jacket.  I immediately recognized him and he chatted for a few minutes.   Very cool guy that didn’t seem to be bothered that he was recognized.

I also got to talk to Dick Jauron at a special Training Camp VIP reception  at Fisher.  I was not happy with him as coach at the time but he couldn’t have been a nicer and more personable guy.  After leaving the event that day I remember feeling pretty good about the direction of the Bills….little did I know!  

 

I make fun of Jauron the coach a lot but I'm not surprised he was a nice guy, always seemed that way. He was always very good at complimenting whatever team had just humiliated us on the field

[RobbRiddick]

On 10/6/2022 at 7:25 PM, aristocrat said:

Ran into Jp in New Orleans during St Patty's day. Bought a buddy of mine and I a beer and shot. Super nice guy. 

These stories make me happy. I always liked JP and thought he was a great guy despite some of the stories about him being arrogant. Pity he never made it as a player

[KCNC]

11 minutes ago, RobbRiddick said:

These stories make me happy. I always liked JP and thought he was a great guy despite some of the stories about him being arrogant. Pity he never made it as a player

my college roommate (Charlie Coiner) coached with the Bills during the Jauron era.  He introduced me and my family to JP Losman in the team hotel.  Also Alex Van Pelt.  Both super nice.

[JohnNord]

7 hours ago, Big Turk said:

 

Bills certainly had some personalities back then that I don't want to say were a little "rough around the edges" in terms of dealing with fans, but I guess that's the way I would describe it...

 

I can't remember hearing anything like that with the current Bills players regarding fans but I am sure there must be some out there...everyone has bad days and days when they don't want to be bothered or have other things they are dealing with that make them not so nice.

 

I do agree about the current Bills team.  But 

I think part of the reason for the difference is that 30 years ago there was noaccountability and players could be jerks in public.  In 2022, with social media/internet/cameras everywhere you can’t get away with what you used to.  Plus our society is way more litigious.   
 

Because of pressure from social media, players are at risk of losing sponsorships and other financial deals.

 

The NFL and player agents have been much more proactive in training players how to cultivate a positive public persona.  So in many cases players have been trained with how to handle themselves in public situations that won’t bring them bad press. 

[TBBills Fan]

Was on a flight with Jim Kelly about 10 years or so ago.  I didn't bother him on the flight but had my bills hat on and was determined to try and get his autograph when we got off the flight. 

 

Right as I'm walking up to him some guy said "Jim sign my hat".  JK said okay and the douche bag handed him a giants hat. 

 

He didn't sign it, but was still kind enough to sign mine

[Motor26]

I'm more curious about today's guys. I'm too young to remember the guys of the 90's, ran into Josh once. Have seen articles about Dawkins walking around Wegman's like a regular dude. Like that people don't have to try and hide around Buffalo. 

[RochesterLifer]

This wasn't a chance meeting. But, I'll always remember Shane Conlan and his wife's "normal people" kindness.

 

During the 90s Super Bowl run, I worked in Rochester radio and interviewed Shane every week for the 92-93 season. Conlan would call me on Wednesday afternoons. We would do a 15 minute, recorded interview and it would be played on the coming Friday morning show.

 

One week, I accidentally erase the recording - total disaster. The show was sponsored - that meant $$s. I frantically called Shane's agent, who (in friendly fashion) gave me Shane's home number, but cautioned, "You can't make a 23-year-old millionaire do what he doesn't want to do". One of my favorites quotes ever.

 

Then, I called the Conlan home. His wife answered. I began with an apology for disrupting her day and explained myself. She warmly responded, "Oh, Hi Dave! (we had never met before) How are you today? We're sitting down for dinner in about 30 minutes. So, you picked a great time." She then turned away from the phone, said, "Shane, it's for you."

 

Shane got on the call and I again apologized, explaining the situation. He laughed and said, "Sounds like you fumbled." I laughed and responded, "In my world, this is a massive turnover." He then said, "Are you ready to start recording? Good, let's do this". All was saved.

 

The Conlans were just a very nice next-door-neighbor type family, where the husband happened to work in the NFL. 

 

Later in the year, after the Houston comeback, Shane's wife came on the call for that week's interview to describe the scene of all the fans trying to get back into the stadium. We laughed and celebrated through the whole call.

 

I look back on those days and feel very fortunate to have been able enjoy them the way I did.

 

Go Bills

 

[WhoTom]

58 minutes ago, RochesterLifer said:

The Conlans were just a very nice next-door-neighbor type family, where the husband happened to work in the NFL. 

 

Shane is a small-town kid from Frewsburg, NY. My great aunt and uncle lived there. Aunt Mary was a huge Bills fan and she was ecstatic when the Bills drafted Shane. I don't remember if she knew his family or not.

[Just Jack]

1 hour ago, RochesterLifer said:

Later in the year, after the Houston comeback, Shane's wife came on the call for that week's interview to describe the scene of all the fans trying to get back into the stadium. We laughed and celebrated through the whole call.

 

 

I've always heard people describe it but have never seen pictures or video.  

Edited October 8, 2022 by Just Jack

[pkwwjd]

On 10/6/2022 at 2:13 PM, PonyBoy said:

I was volunteering for a fight  cancer celebrity fund raiser. Mark Kelso was one of our celebrity bartenders. When he walked in, the girl I was working with didn't know him. She asked for the cover charge please. I told her no he's a Buffalo Bill, he's one of our celebrities. We all laughed, but you know what? He paid the cover charge anyway. Pretty cool moment. 

I served as one of the pastors at the church Mark attends. He is a genuinely great guy and still consider him a good friend.

[Big Turk]

1 hour ago, WhoTom said:

 

Shane is a small-town kid from Frewsburg, NY. My great aunt and uncle lived there. Aunt Mary was a huge Bills fan and she was ecstatic when the Bills drafted Shane. I don't remember if she knew his family or not.

 

Isn't that one of those small town places where everyone knows everyone? Population is like 1,700 people.

Edited October 8, 2022 by Big Turk

[JoPoy88]

On 10/6/2022 at 1:32 PM, Big Turk said:

I have not had any of these since I was a teenager but I went to Jim Kelly's football camp and talked to Jim a few times when I was there and he seemed like a pretty cool guy...the kind of guy you'd like to sit down and have a beer with and talk football(looking back on it, not then obviously, I was awe struck as it was during the SB years).  Also got a chance to meet and talk with Andre Reed, Mark Kelso, Warren Moon, an Marino and a few others I can't remember that Jim had at his camps over the 2 years I went.

 

Have a buddy who lives down the street from Jake Kumerow and said he sees him walking his dog a lot(not recently I am sure), but never really had any interaction with him.  

 

Always curious as to hear stories about any interactions with current or former Bill players that you had and what that was like.  I am NOT talking at places like training camp when they wouldn't sign an autograph or something like that...more interested in the stories you have when you have interacted with them "in the real world" away from the football field.  

 

What were they like and did your interaction change your opinion of them?  I know eating dinner at a restaurant is probably going to be a common one, not sure if that might be the best measuring stick for what they are like towards fans tho.

Kelly a couple of times at his annual charity volleyball tournament here in Buffalo. Very cool, took pictures with anyone that asked.

[folz]

In 1988, some Bills players came to my high school in Rochester to play basketball against our faculty for charity (they did this for a couple of years apparently at different high schools). I can't remember every player who was there, but I do remember Andre, Cornelius, Talley, Tasker, Pete Metzellars, Nate Odoms, Jamie Mueller, and Mark Kelso. I remember being shocked that Tasker and Kelso could both dunk (didn't do it in the game, but they each dunked a couple in warmups).

 

My buddy and I got to be announcers for the game (we were seniors at the time). We were sitting at the top of the bleachers with microphones calling the game. When Cornelius scored a bucket, I announced, "A basket for Biscuit!" As Cornelius ran back up the court, he looked up at me with a very stern look and shook his finger back and forth at me (as if to say, "Don't call me Biscuit"). I quickly changed my call to, "I mean 2 points for Bennett." And he shook his head. I am guessing that he either never really liked the nickname Biscuit, or maybe only people he knew could call him that.

 

Anyhow, it was a lot of fun and the Bills players were all very cool and nice...even Cornelius (despite getting the death look from him during the game).

 

 

Also had some buddies who went to Fredonia when Bills camp was still there. They often saw the players in a rec room, playing pool, darts, etc. Again, this is like 1988-1990. And to a man, they all said Jim Kelly was a dick. But, that is what is so amazing about Jim. How he grew and matured into the great man that he is today. He was a cocky, arrogant kid at that time, being the star QB at Miami, Houston, and then Buffalo. But then with Marv, his team, his family, the Super Bowl losses, the birth, life, and death of his son Hunter, and then his battle with cancer he became a totally different person over the years: humble, caring, etc. Gotta love a good redemption story.

[WhoTom]

1 hour ago, Big Turk said:

 

Isn't that one of those small town places where everyone knows everyone? Population is like 1,700 people.

 

I think most people there know each other. I wouldn't be surprised if my aunt and uncle knew the Conlan family, but I don't remember whether they said so.

 

 

[DeltaDigital]

met Gilmore at the airport one time. told him he screwed me over cause he changed his number and now I have to buy another jersey. 

Fair exchange... seemed pretty normal. 

 

[ColoradoBills]

Was at the Barrelhead Nite Club in West Seneca with 2 friends and met Shane Nelson and Jim Haslett at the bar.

They were out trolling like us.  We talked for a couple of beers until the band kicked off.

 

 

Talas was playing that night.  I went to ask a girl to dance, she was sitting with her girlfriends, and as she got up to dance, Shane

asked the hottest one at the table to dance and got shot down.  I felt pretty, pretty good.

 

Edit:  I just remembered it was #### Robin playing that night, not Talas.

Edited October 8, 2022 by ColoradoBills

[Stanley Lombardi]

After a game, in the parking lot of the Big Tree Inn, a friend and I talked for over a half hour to Kent Hull.  He spoke in a soft drawl, a southern gentleman through and through, and seemingly unaware that he was a famous football star.

In person, he was taller and thinner than he seemed on TV.  A beer can in his hand looked like it held 6 ounces.

 

Impressive, to say the least.

[JohnNord]

On 10/8/2022 at 12:36 PM, RochesterLifer said:

This wasn't a chance meeting. But, I'll always remember Shane Conlan and his wife's "normal people" kindness.

 

During the 90s Super Bowl run, I worked in Rochester radio and interviewed Shane every week for the 92-93 season. Conlan would call me on Wednesday afternoons. We would do a 15 minute, recorded interview and it would be played on the coming Friday morning show.

 

One week, I accidentally erase the recording - total disaster. The show was sponsored - that meant $$s. I frantically called Shane's agent, who (in friendly fashion) gave me Shane's home number, but cautioned, "You can't make a 23-year-old millionaire do what he doesn't want to do". One of my favorites quotes ever.

 

Then, I called the Conlan home. His wife answered. I began with an apology for disrupting her day and explained myself. She warmly responded, "Oh, Hi Dave! (we had never met before) How are you today? We're sitting down for dinner in about 30 minutes. So, you picked a great time." She then turned away from the phone, said, "Shane, it's for you."

 

Shane got on the call and I again apologized, explaining the situation. He laughed and said, "Sounds like you fumbled." I laughed and responded, "In my world, this is a massive turnover." He then said, "Are you ready to start recording? Good, let's do this". All was saved.

 

The Conlans were just a very nice next-door-neighbor type family, where the husband happened to work in the NFL. 

 

Later in the year, after the Houston comeback, Shane's wife came on the call for that week's interview to describe the scene of all the fans trying to get back into the stadium. We laughed and celebrated through the whole call.

 

I look back on those days and feel very fortunate to have been able enjoy them the way I did.

 

Go Bills

 

that’s awesome…do you still have the audio saved?

[RochesterLifer]

On 10/9/2022 at 7:05 PM, JohnNord said:

that’s awesome…do you still have the audio saved?

Unfortunately no. That was many years (decades!) and lives ago. As good a guy as Shane is, he wasn’t very entertaining. And, as my career change might indicate, I was not a very dynamic interviewer. Silly me, at a rock station, I just wanted to talk football. 😉 

[JohnNord]

1 hour ago, RochesterLifer said:

Unfortunately no. That was many years (decades!) and lives ago. As good a guy as Shane is, he wasn’t very entertaining. And, as my career change might indicate, I was not a very dynamic interviewer. Silly me, at a rock station, I just wanted to talk football. 😉 

Oh well.. it gave you cool stories like this one!  I always wonder what happened to the media content during the Super Bowl years.  
 

My guess is that because it had to be stored on physical cassettes or tapes a fair amount was just recorded over?

 

I would love for local TV and radio stations to release whatever footage they still have for old-time Bills fans like us.  

[wettlaufer]

From 1988 through 1991, I was a field engineer and then producer at WGR 55 / 97 Rock. For most of that run, I would set up and monitor the remote transmission for a number of Bills shows. Weekly, I would go to Jim's house on Mondays and, if I recall correctly, Thursdays. He didn't engage with me, so no fun stories there.

 

I would do the same in the evenings for the Marv Levy and Bill Polian shows. Marv was polite, but incredibly busy. Polian was very cool and would answer the couple questions I might have for him in talking before / after the show. Both Marv and Polian were very clearly high-wattage intellects.

 

Randomly saw Bruce Smith at the movies. The height and mass were incredible.

 

Was on a plane a few years ago and by weird coincidence, I had watched recently the 1990 Divisional round game vs the Browns. Still one of the all-time great games. I noticed Thurm a few rows behind and said hi and mentioned the above. He didn't have much of anything to say. Felt a bit like a stooge, but whatever. Everyone wants to connect with these guys, so it didn't bother me.

 

Conrad Dobler lived up the street, on Elmwood Ave, in East Aurora. Around the neighborhood, he was seen as a cool / badass Dad.

 

Played golf with Dan Kelly during the Super Bowl years. Was trying to win some business from Jim. Dan was fun to hang with. Didn't win the account.

[djp14150]

On 10/6/2022 at 1:32 PM, Big Turk said:

I have not had any of these since I was a teenager but I went to Jim Kelly's football camp and talked to Jim a few times when I was there and he seemed like a pretty cool guy...the kind of guy you'd like to sit down and have a beer with and talk football(looking back on it, not then obviously, I was awe struck as it was during the SB years).  Also got a chance to meet and talk with Andre Reed, Mark Kelso, Warren Moon, an Marino and a few others I can't remember that Jim had at his camps over the 2 years I went.

 

Have a buddy who lives down the street from Jake Kumerow and said he sees him walking his dog a lot(not recently I am sure), but never really had any interaction with him.  

 

Always curious as to hear stories about any interactions with current or former Bill players that you had and what that was like.  I am NOT talking at places like training camp when they wouldn't sign an autograph or something like that...more interested in the stories you have when you have interacted with them "in the real world" away from the football field.  

 

What were they like and did your interaction change your opinion of them?  I know eating dinner at a restaurant is probably going to be a common one, not sure if that might be the best measuring stick for what they are like towards fans tho.

 

last week a friend of mine say mr wide right and talked to him.

 

my mom shared a story….early in Kelly career pre SB years, he and his posies went  into a place where she worked. H cam off to her with a stick somewhere.

 

i talked to Bruce for a few minutes once at one of the local night clubs. They occasionally went out to some clubs.  Ne night they had Bruce, Reed, and Kelly there.

 

i r had more interactions with Sabres.

 

the first Sabres trainer lived a few houses down from where I grew up.  I happened to see Scotty bowman and his kids at a random off season day when he and his family came over late in the trainers career.

 

at the old Sabres practice facility near NCCC I was with a group that rented a rink for an hr a week. Right before our ice Sabres alumni had their weekly skate.  I saw many of the Sabres from the 70s years.  One time in off-season a friend of mine played goalie for the current Sabre players. One of them was Rob ray.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Einstein]

On 10/8/2022 at 2:06 PM, pkwwjd said:

I served as one of the pastors at the church Mark attends. He is a genuinely great guy and still consider him a good friend.

To this day it saddens me that they fired him in favor of Wood.