Something very different: who we really are. 😄

[Italian Bills]

Hello my dears Bills friends.

 

Season over, we’ve been year for five months talking about football, the Bills and all the things related on them. 
 

After the Cincy game we started talking about what went wrong, the reasons of our elimination and after those first days after that game, the threads are all about the FA, draft, what to do to improve the roster, prediction on the 2023-2024 season, about Beane,McD, Dorsey, Frazier, the new stadium, etc. 
 

I know many here will make fun of me about this thread, it’s ok… but i wanted to talk about something different. Who we really are ? 
 

Maybe not friends in the right meaning of the word, but sure we are friends thanks to the Bills. So let’s say who we really are in normal life, if you don’t mind, of course. 😉

 

Me: i’m Giulio, 52 next sept, i’m 5’9” tall and around 160lbs, live in north Italy, very close to Swisse, married with two little kids, 8 and 3, both girls… so my football days are all alone 😄 (fortunately). 
 

I’m an insurance agent and i played soccer for almost 35 years, now i ski (since i was 10), I cycling and and of course love to watch many other sports, nba and baseball also. 
 

Ohh.. i was forgetting this: i really love good food.. but how I couldn’t ? I’m italian. 😁

 

We can start knowing each other a little bit… also if i know that some of you are close friends already, in life and not only here.

[chongli]

Your English is excellent! Is English part of the school curriculum there? I know it was for my mom, who grew up in Taiwan.

[Italian Bills]

43 minutes ago, chongli said:

Your English is excellent! Is English part of the school curriculum there? I know it was for my mom, who grew up in Taiwan.

Oh well… excellent, i won’t say that 😃,  but thank you. 
 

It is thanks to the many times i’ve been in the US on vacation when i was young.. with my best friends. We were used to come there also a couple of times a year.. and that for something like 10 years. 
 

I studied english at school too (but i don’t honestly know how much it helped me, you know how the level there could be, very basic), but i’m used to read a lot in english and of course, the most important part, chat in this board that help me to learn how to speak english the “right way” 😂

[Shaw66]

I'm 76, a mostly retired lawyer with a wife, three kids and four grandchildren. 

 

Who we really are is an existential question.  We are living beings experiencing moments of joy, sorrow, just moments passing one after another that we try to attach some meaning to. There's no understanding them. Better just to appreciate each of the moments.  They're all precious. 

[Dan Darragh]

6 hours ago, Italian Bills said:

Ohh.. i was forgetting this: i really love good food.. but how I couldn’t ? I’m italian. 😁

Dear Giulio, I love Italy and I love your enthusiasm for the Bills!.  But I have to say I really prefer southern Italian food, not what you have up north.  Being from Western NY, all my Italian friends from school were Sicilian and they introduced me to cannoli.

 

It's OK, we can still be friends.

Edited February 8, 2023 by Dan Darragh

[2ForMacAdoo]

Carissimo!

 

I'm 59, father, brother, teacher of Romance Languages (among which Italian!), lifelong Bills fan. Not sure how to private message you on this forum but it would be very cool to Skype or Zoom with you one day. Planning a trip to my beloved Bologna sometime this summer. Go Bills, go Bologna FC!

[Bongo]

4 minutes ago, 2ForMacAdoo said:

Planning a trip to my beloved Bologna sometime this summer. Go Bills, go Bologna FC!

Ah, it is funny, the Italian connections.

 

I am 55, wife and two kids; a 21 year old daughter and an 18 year old son. 
 

Grew up in Western New York which started this masochistic obsession. Have lived many places over the years and currently reside in Tennessee.

 

I am a product director for a tile company and so spend much time with Italians, and come most years to Bologna in September. Love that city and the food is terrific. Also end up in Sassuolo, Imola, Maranello, etc…

 

I mostly lurk here but wanted to say welcome to the board, IB. I like your passion. 👍

[Ga boy]

Hey Giulio:  I’m Chris, 68, and live in God’s country, Ga.  Married a girl from Buffalo, whom I met in Brussels when traveling after college.  Just retired after 45 years as an educator.  Became a Bills fan while doing grad school at UB in the 80s.  Our 2 sons are part of Bills maffia too as their first NFL game was at Rich.  Love your country best.  I did Europe on $5 a day (or 5000 lira, lol).  I took a freight train in the livestock car from Florenza to Roma.  Love your posts.  I was wondering if you actually live in Italy.  Now I know.  How did you become a Bills fan?  Blessings!!

[machine gun kelly]

My Paizan friend, I’ll respond later, as I have a crazy week, but that’s a nice question for the board.  I’ll read these posts as it tells a lot of each of us.  I just don’t want to sell short to you as I’ve offered to show you how to catch a football including a zoom call.  I know a bunch of the guys would do the same.  On that point, I think the best thing I can set up for you bud is having one of my oldest sons housemates zooming with you one weekend and we’ll play catch and we’ll show you.  Ian was an excellent QB in his youth.  I was his coach to begin his career.

 

well pm and see if we can make that happen maybe next weekend.  Besides I’d love to see your family.  Btw- Ian’s I think 30% Italian American.

 

I’ll reach out on you’re question this weekend.

[Long Suffering Fan]

1 hour ago, Shaw66 said:

I'm 76, a mostly retired lawyer with a wife, three kids and four grandchildren. 

 

Shaw, in my mind you don't just look like your profile pic...you are your profile pic.  Please don't correct my misconception.

[Draconator]

Giulio, my wife, and I are booking our next cruise on our upcoming cruise (leaving one week from today!!!). It will be a 9-day Greek Island Cruise, and the port will be Rome. We're going to stay a week in Italy, taking a bullet train to Venice and staying there for 4 or 5 days. Are you close to Venice? 

 

Currently taking Italian through the Pimsleur app. So I may hit you up on how to say "Do you have any vodka" in Italian. 

 

Anyhoo, I'm Ken. I'm 56. Work at Yahoo, I'm a Real Estate Agent, and I'm in a band. Boomerang. 

[Don Otreply]

I’m Jeff, I am 63, 210 lbs, turn 64 in July, I am retired, sold my house it Ct, and my wife and I moved onto our sailboat, in 2018, we have since then been sailing from Groton Connecticut to the Bahamas and back, up and down the east coast, stopping in places we had never been before, and returning to some of our favorites while in route, we are currently in the Exuma island chain, at Staniel Cay, anchored at Big majors spot. We hope to sail to Bermuda on our way back to Connecticut this time on the way north. That’s what I do when not here on this board being a slightly frustrated Bills fan, 😁👍

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

 

[WhoTom]

Ciao, Giulio!

 

I'm Tom, 59, Italian-American, originally from western NY state (about 60 miles south of Highmark Stadium.) I'm married and have a son.

 

I'm an engineer, instructional designer, professor emeritus, author, and armchair philosopher. After a stint in the machine tool industry, I found my true calling in higher education, where I was a professor of engineering technology for three decades. I retired from the classroom in 2018; I'm now a freelance writer and editor. My wife is also a writer and our son is a graphic artist. In my spare time, I enjoy reading books, listening to music, being in nature, watching football, and making somewhat recognizable sounds with an acoustic guitar.

 

I've been a Bills fan since Fergie was throwing to Bobby Chandler and OJ was famous, not infamous.

 

 

[Fleezoid]

[27yanks]

Buffalo homey, removed to serve this great nation for 22 years AD AF, and since private contractor with AF. Now live somewhere in the Cornbelt (can never tell no landmarks, just corn for days). All kidding aside in Nebraska, to close to Chiefs territory. Having been a Oakland Raider fan back in early 70"s, Chiefs are def on the dislike list.

However humbling still a Bills fan, may God Bless everyone.  

[dwight in philly]

Retired 70 yr old originnaly from South Buffalo, South Park HS..,UB Grad. Went to my first Bills game at the  Rockpile in 1960.. with my Dad.. Bills imbedded in me ever since. Rode my bicycle  out to the Regency during  the years they held camp there., Upon retirement at 55 from the Govt moved to a suburb of Philly Pa in 2008 to be closer to my 2 daughters and their families, grandchildren. Needless to say its not a "joy" watching everyone here anticipting  the Eagles in the Bowl this week.. Have discovered lots of transplants here over time to commiserate with .

[Gugny]

11 hours ago, Italian Bills said:

Me: i’m Giulio, 52 next sept, i’m 5’9” tall and around 160lbs, live in north Italy, very close to Swisse, married with two little kids, 8 and 3, both girls… so my football days are all alone 😄 (fortunately). 

 

What are you wearing, Giulio?

[HappyDays]

I assume everyone's avatar is who they are in real life. I happen to be a golfing legend with a fear of alligators.

[Einstein]

11 hours ago, Italian Bills said:

 

Me: i’m Giulio, 52 next sept, i’m 5’9” tall and around 160lbs, live in north Italy, very close to Swisse, married with two little kids, 8 and 3, both girls… so my football days are all alone 😄 (fortunately). 
 

I’m an insurance agent and i played soccer for almost 35 years, now i ski (since i was 10), I cycling and and of course love to watch many other sports, nba and baseball also. 

 

Hello Guilio. 

 

I am 6 foot, 300lbs. Not listing my name, simply because I don't want anyone Google'ing me . I am a CEO and I played football at a competitive level in my younger years but my body feels old now, though my brain does not.  I have a home in NY and another in Florida. 

 

[Italian Bills]

5 hours ago, Dan Darragh said:

Dear Giulio, I love Italy and I love your enthusiasm for the Bills!.  But I have to say I really prefer southern Italian food, not what you have up north.  Being from Western NY, all my Italian friends from school were Sicilian and they introduced me to cannoli.

 

It's OK, we can still be friends.

Believe me, come here and visit me and you’ll taste some food you won’t never forget. 😉

5 hours ago, 2ForMacAdoo said:

Carissimo!

 

I'm 59, father, brother, teacher of Romance Languages (among which Italian!), lifelong Bills fan. Not sure how to private message you on this forum but it would be very cool to Skype or Zoom with you one day. Planning a trip to my beloved Bologna sometime this summer. Go Bills, go Bologna FC!

I do have Skype, so we can always arrange something cool 😃

 

I missed also to say i’m also a brother and uncle 🙉

4 hours ago, Bongo said:

Ah, it is funny, the Italian connections.

 

I am 55, wife and two kids; a 21 year old daughter and an 18 year old son. 
 

Grew up in Western New York which started this masochistic obsession. Have lived many places over the years and currently reside in Tennessee.

 

I am a product director for a tile company and so spend much time with Italians, and come most years to Bologna in September. Love that city and the food is terrific. Also end up in Sassuolo, Imola, Maranello, etc…

 

I mostly lurk here but wanted to say welcome to the board, IB. I like your passion. 👍

I’ll try my best to come there next season with my family. Maybe leaving them in Orlando, playing in Disney World, so i can be “single” again for few days 😂

[Italian Bills]

4 hours ago, Ga boy said:

Hey Giulio:  I’m Chris, 68, and live in God’s country, Ga.  Married a girl from Buffalo, whom I met in Brussels when traveling after college.  Just retired after 45 years as an educator.  Became a Bills fan while doing grad school at UB in the 80s.  Our 2 sons are part of Bills maffia too as their first NFL game was at Rich.  Love your country best.  I did Europe on $5 a day (or 5000 lira, lol).  I took a freight train in the livestock car from Florenza to Roma.  Love your posts.  I was wondering if you actually live in Italy.  Now I know.  How did you become a Bills fan?  Blessings!!

Hey ! I still live here, my city is Morbegno, look for it. I become a Bills fan in the 1989… and since then, never gave up. 
 

yes, it was 5,000 Lire at that time. 

4 hours ago, machine gun kelly said:

My Paizan friend, I’ll respond later, as I have a crazy week, but that’s a nice question for the board.  I’ll read these posts as it tells a lot of each of us.  I just don’t want to sell short to you as I’ve offered to show you how to catch a football including a zoom call.  I know a bunch of the guys would do the same.  On that point, I think the best thing I can set up for you bud is having one of my oldest sons housemates zooming with you one weekend and we’ll play catch and we’ll show you.  Ian was an excellent QB in his youth.  I was his coach to begin his career.

 

well pm and see if we can make that happen maybe next weekend.  Besides I’d love to see your family.  Btw- Ian’s I think 30% Italian American.

 

I’ll reach out on you’re question this weekend.

Hey buddy. I feel sorry i wasn’t able to get a zoom call yet.. learning how to properly throw a football would be great… but right now outside is something under 30f degree 🥶

[Italian Bills]

3 hours ago, Draconator said:

Giulio, my wife, and I are booking our next cruise on our upcoming cruise (leaving one week from today!!!). It will be a 9-day Greek Island Cruise, and the port will be Rome. We're going to stay a week in Italy, taking a bullet train to Venice and staying there for 4 or 5 days. Are you close to Venice? 

 

Currently taking Italian through the Pimsleur app. So I may hit you up on how to say "Do you have any vodka" in Italian. 

 

Anyhoo, I'm Ken. I'm 56. Work at Yahoo, I'm a Real Estate Agent, and I'm in a band. Boomerang. 

Hi Ken. I don’t live so close to Venice, almost 4 hours far by car. My town is Morbegno, pretty close to Milano. Would be nice meet and have a good lunch. 
 

Do you have any vodka in Italian ? Very easy: HAI UN PO’ DI VODKA ? 😁

[Lieutenant Aldo Raine]

My name is Jason.  I am 50 yrs old from Wyoming but live in Colorado Springs.  I am retired Army and work as a military planner for the Dept of Air Force.  I used to be a big Charger fan until they moved the team out of San Diego.  I was kind of in football limbo until a strong armed QB came out of my Alma Mater and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills.   I always had a liking for the Bills, they reminded me a lot of San Diego as a franchise.  I had a poster of Joe Ferguson in my room as a kid next to Dan Fouts, Ron Jaworkski, and Steve Bartkowski.   So it seemed like a natural fit to adopt Buffalo as my new team.

[Italian Bills]

2 hours ago, WhoTom said:

Ciao, Giulio!

 

I'm Tom, 59, Italian-American, originally from western NY state (about 60 miles south of Highmark Stadium.) I'm married and have a son.

 

I'm an engineer, instructional designer, professor emeritus, author, and armchair philosopher. After a stint in the machine tool industry, I found my true calling in higher education, where I was a professor of engineering technology for three decades. I retired from the classroom in 2018; I'm now a freelance writer and editor. My wife is also a writer and our son is a graphic artist. In my spare time, I enjoy reading books, listening to music, being in nature, watching football, and making somewhat recognizable sounds with an acoustic guitar.

 

I've been a Bills fan since Fergie was throwing to Bobby Chandler and OJ was famous, not infamous.

 

 

Woow Tom, you seem full of skills ! 😄

[Jay_Fixit]

33 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

I assume everyone's avatar is who they are in real life. I happen to be a golfing legend with a fear of alligators.

I’m a golfing legend as well.

 

I’m witty and affable. As well as calming presence and a skilled mediator; a lover, not a fighter. Though brutally honest and bad with names, I’m one of the most popular members of Bushwood.

[LeviF]

I'm 6'4".

[Johnny Hammersticks]

My name is Johnny and I have abnormally long testicles. 

[WhoTom]

19 minutes ago, Italian Bills said:

Woow Tom, you seem full of skills ! 😄

 

Thanks. I'm the quintessential generalist: pretty good at a lot of things but not spectacular at any one thing. 🙂

 

 

 

[RangerDave]

I am Dave.  ("Hi Dave.")  I've been a recovering Bills fan for all of my 59 (almost 60) years.  My last Bills game attended was 17 days ago....

 

I retired as a National Park Ranger in 2016, then worked as an Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for a hospital in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State.  My wife and I retired (again) in 2020 and started a 10-month trip around the world.  A trip that was cut short after 78 days due to the global pandemic that I had written a plan for while working as a hospital Emergency Preparedness Coordinator.  🙄  We only made it to 3 of the 20 countries we had planned.

 

We honeymooned in Italy and are planning to return for our 20th anniversary in 2025.  Among other areas in Italy, we want to get up to Milan and the Italian Alps.  We read the book, "Beneath a Scarlet Sky", which is now one of our favortite books.  We are so intrigued to hike in the mountains where Pino Lella guided Jews escaping into Switzerland.  The book was so well written, we can envision exactly what it looks like.  

 

Giulio, are you familiar with this book?  Do you know where Pino and his brother were sent to escape the Allied bombing?  When we get there, maybe we can meet up.

[Gugny]

My name is Gug.

 

My head is not really a baseball.

 

Sometimes I like to smoke the devil's lettuce, but not very often.

 

My favorite Eye Talian restaurant is Olive Garden because it is authentic.

 

I grew up thinking I was partially Italian until I found out that my grandfather was not my biological grandfather.  He was a miserable bastard, so I'm glad I don't have his genes.  

 

Speaking of genes, I've never seen my dad wear jeans.  Dickies.  Always Dickies.  I think that's pretty neat.

 

Lots of people on this site make fun of me because they heard I have a small penis.  But my mom always told me that it's not the size of the wand that matters; it's the magic it produces.

 

I'm pretty sure I have children in at least three continents.

 

My first cat's name was Janis.

 

Janis died a pretty violent death, so I'd rather not talk about it.

 

Merrell makes my favorite footwear.

 

I don't have any hair on my armpits or my legs.

 

I always wear a belt, whether I need to, or not.

 

I'm a lot shorter than @LeviF.

 

[BillsFanSD]

My first name is Jason.  I'm 50.  My wife and I both grew up and went to school in Indiana.  I became a Bills fan because they became an interesting team with lots of big personalities when I was in high school.  At the time, the Colts were in the AFC East, so I got to see the SB teams and also caught some of the early post-SB guys like Bryce Paup, Moulds, and Flutie.

 

We left for South Dakota in our mid-20s when I become a college professor.  Still there.  I've gotten to see the Bills play at Arrowhead a couple of times (not recently though) and was there for The Hurdle in Minneapolis.  Unfortunately, attending a Bills game usually means getting on a plane.  We raised both our kids here, and they're now both out of the house, which is wonderful.      

[djunfm]

I'm Dave. Married. Two sons, one grandson. One son lives in Houston with his wife and my grandson. Other son served 10 years in Navy on Nuclear sub. Lives in Groton CT with wife expecting in May. All have been infected with Bills mania. Have lived in enemy territory (Dallas) since 1979. First game was at Rockpile ironically against Houston Oilers. Had season tickets when "Rich'" stadium opened until moved to Texas. WIfe and I make annual pilgrimage to WNY for Bills, Sabres, UB Bulls football. As long as I have been gone still call it home. Always dream of moving back. July and August tough in Texas. Only upside is don't have to shovel heat.

 

GO BILLS!!

[TheWeatherMan]

12 hours ago, Italian Bills said:

Hello my dears Bills friends.

 

Season over, we’ve been year for five months talking about football, the Bills and all the things related on them. 
 

After the Cincy game we started talking about what went wrong, the reasons of our elimination and after those first days after that game, the threads are all about the FA, draft, what to do to improve the roster, prediction on the 2023-2024 season, about Beane,McD, Dorsey, Frazier, the new stadium, etc. 
 

I know many here will make fun of me about this thread, it’s ok… but i wanted to talk about something different. Who we really are ? 
 

Maybe not friends in the right meaning of the word, but sure we are friends thanks to the Bills. So let’s say who we really are in normal life, if you don’t mind, of course. 😉

 

Me: i’m Giulio, 52 next sept, i’m 5’9” tall and around 160lbs, live in north Italy, very close to Swisse, married with two little kids, 8 and 3, both girls… so my football days are all alone 😄 (fortunately). 
 

I’m an insurance agent and i played soccer for almost 35 years, now i ski (since i was 10), I cycling and and of course love to watch many other sports, nba and baseball also. 
 

Ohh.. i was forgetting this: i really love good food.. but how I couldn’t ? I’m italian. 😁

 

We can start knowing each other a little bit… also if i know that some of you are close friends already, in life and not only here.

I live in Napoli, just spent the holidays in the Dolomites.  

[Another Fan]

1 hour ago, HappyDays said:

I assume everyone's avatar is who they are in real life. I happen to be a golfing legend with a fear of alligators.

I was under the impression you were a boxing legend that gave Rocky his first shot

Edited February 8, 2023 by Another Fan

[Italian Bills]

28 minutes ago, RangerDave said:

I am Dave.  ("Hi Dave.")  I've been a recovering Bills fan for all of my 59 (almost 60) years.  My last Bills game attended was 17 days ago....

 

I retired as a National Park Ranger in 2016, then worked as an Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for a hospital in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State.  My wife and I retired (again) in 2020 and started a 10-month trip around the world.  A trip that was cut short after 78 days due to the global pandemic that I had written a plan for while working as a hospital Emergency Preparedness Coordinator.  🙄  We only made it to 3 of the 20 countries we had planned.

 

We honeymooned in Italy and are planning to return for our 20th anniversary in 2025.  Among other areas in Italy, we want to get up to Milan and the Italian Alps.  We read the book, "Beneath a Scarlet Sky", which is now one of our favortite books.  We are so intrigued to hike in the mountains where Pino Lella guided Jews escaping into Switzerland.  The book was so well written, we can envision exactly what it looks like.  

 

Giulio, are you familiar with this book?  Do you know where Pino and his brother were sent to escape the Allied bombing?  When we get there, maybe we can meet up.

Hi Dave. Honestly never read that book, i’ll ask my favorite library about it. It would be nice meet you the next time you’ll be here. 

20 minutes ago, TheWeatherMan said:

I live in Napoli, just spent the holidays in the Dolomites.  

And why you live here ? Military career ?

[TheBrownBear]

32 minutes ago, Gugny said:

I grew up thinking I was partially Italian until I found out that my grandfather was not my biological grandfather.  He was a miserable bastard, so I'm glad I don't have his genes.  

 

That's funny, Gug.  I actually grew up thinking I was German, and only recently found out that my miserable bastard German grandfather wasn't my bio-G.  That guy is some Italian dude per 23AndMe.  

 

Then again, outside of the small penis thing, I'm not sure if anything you've written resembles the truth.

Edited February 8, 2023 by TheBrownBear

[HomeTeam]

Hi. 

 

My name is at Ari. I'm 31, single, live in Ontario Canada. 

 

I grew up watching the Bills when I was younger. We had a TV with the bunny ears antenna that would only get 3 channels. Channel 9 (CTV) played the Bills on Sundays at 1. I've tried to watch them every since. It's a comfort for me. A remembrance of simpler times. 

[smward8]

I'm Steve.   I live in southwest Ohio, north of Cincinnati.  I became a Bills fan when I went to the University of Buffalo in the late 70's.   I watch the games at a local bar with about 100 of my closest Bills fans friends.  One day, hopefully soon, I'll see the Bills win a Super Bowl.  I'm 65, so it better be soon. 

[MJS]

7 hours ago, Lieutenant Aldo Raine said:

My name is Jason.  I am 50 yrs old from Wyoming but live in Colorado Springs.  I am retired Army and work as a military planner for the Dept of Air Force.  I used to be a big Charger fan until they moved the team out of San Diego.  I was kind of in football limbo until a strong armed QB came out of my Alma Mater and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills.   I always had a liking for the Bills, they reminded me a lot of San Diego as a franchise.  I had a poster of Joe Ferguson in my room as a kid next to Dan Fouts, Ron Jaworkski, and Steve Bartkowski.   So it seemed like a natural fit to adopt Buffalo as my new team.

I grew up in Colorado Springs. I really liked it there. It's a good city.

[NoHuddleKelly12]

I’m 44, and a proud father of 3 who are shocked if they see me in anything other than Bills gear when I’m not at work as a lawyer who wishes he’d become a history professor instead 🤷🏼‍♂️. I’m also a fluent German speaker as that’s where my family is from, and grew up in Pittsburgh Steelers country. Finally, pasta is my favorite food  (fried spaghetti is highly underrated) and I have an Italian coworker—so we have a lot in common OP, I’m sure! 😀