If you don't live in Buffalo anymore or never have, what's your connection?

[Skooby]

We are Mostly all Bills fans here & became fans for a reason, what is it ??

[SquishDaFish]

I was watching football with my dad when I was little and he is a Dallas fan so I dont know just picked Buffalo because of the colors. But been a Bills fan since then.

[ServoBillieves]

Born in Watertown, lived 1 year in Liverpool, then moved to York PA, and from 2nd grade to end of college I lived in Pittsburgh (hell), now for the past year I've lived in Charlotte. Family has lived in Western NY for generations above me, I stick with tradition

[Billz_fan]

Born in Rochester in 1959 lived in the area for 37 years. The first game I went to was a Bills game. Been a fan since then. Around 1974 or so.

[methos4ever]

Grew up in Brooklyn, didn't like Jets or Giants. Moved to Eastern PA and now live in Pittsburgh...

[Crisis]

I grew up in Town of Tonawanda, family moved to Texas during my Soph year of high school. Bills/Sabres are in my blood.

[Beebe]

I've always lived in L.A. all my family is a RAIDER or COWBOY fan I just wanted to like a different team.Since 1988, BIG time DON BEEBE FAN, my family nickname is BEEBE,only my family calls me.

[Figster]

Born in Buffalo, lived all over the US, currently about 40 miles south of Erie, PA. I started watching Football/Bills at an early age. I had to figure out what was so special about this number 32 fella that nobody seemed to be able to stop. He sure had a way of making my Dad and older brother pretty excited. I would see him sometimes on my television running through an airport, jumping over obstacles like a Superman, seems like nothing could stop him, and the man had a smile that could just light up the world.

Imagine that, my biggest childhood hero, OJ Simpson...

[Skooby]

I lived between Otto's & Captains Cove, near the airport. Schooled there & everything I learned there has been applied to make my life better.

I love all the Buffalo teams, always have. Biggest hero growing up was Jim Kelly, he was a man amongst boys.

[SpillerThrills]

Born in Warsaw, NY and my father grew up in Buffalo. I spent all my summers growing up in Java Center at my family's camp ground. My father has always been a big Bills and Sabres fan so I just followed in my dads footsteps.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

While I'm not a Bills fan per se, I can share you my story. I've lived in WNY my entire life, grew up with my early years in the era of the Bills' four straight Super Bowl losses. It was hip to be a Bills fan back then, and my whole family was (and still is).

Then, when I started playing youth football, I was on a team where orange was the predominant jersey color. One day our school had a "NFL colors" day. Not having a lot of money, I just threw on an orange jersey and blue jeans, and my parents informed that those were the colors of the Denver Broncos. I followed the Broncos for a while-- got interesting when the Bills and Broncos played each other-- and got to witness Elway finally win the big one, not once, but twice. I was a fan after Elway's retirement, which didn't exactly fly with a lot of my youth-ball teammates, most of whom were bandwagoners.

Eventually, I started to grow more and more distant from the NFL teams in particular. The last straw came not too long ago, when the Broncos decided to bench Peyton Hillis, then trade him away for a third-string quarterback. I'd always been impressed with Hillis, and I still believe that his being a white running back played a role in the decision to kick him to the curb. It was something that was tremendously disrespectful in my opinion.

As evidenced by my presence here, I still follow the Bills, due to living in WNY and the fact that I'm still close to my family. After the past decade, I simply can't see how anyone can logically be a true fan of this team. However, I've followed alternative football a lot since the days of the XFL and the arena ball's Destroyers, and in the early 2000s I picked up a fandom of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL. I figured, hey, it's only a few more miles away than Buffalo and I'm close enough to pick up the radio broadcasts. Sure, the Ti-Cats haven't been much better than Buffalo, but it's a league where you at least have a realistic shot at the playoffs every year, which is something you can't say about Buffalo and the NFL. There's much less frustration, and it's far easier to maintain your fandom, when hope springs eternal that way. There is a realistic "maybe next year" in Hamilton, not so much in Buffalo. Honestly, I think Buffalo would be a much better fit for a smaller league like the CFL than it does the big-money, limited-access NFL, and that drives a lot of my opinions here about wanting the Bills to leave for greener pastures. I will always root for Buffalo and Western New York as a region to be a better place, for its teams to make progress. I've always been a Sabres fan, and I don't imagine ever not being one. But I'm also aware that we're getting to the point where it's impossible for the Bills to succeed in this environment, and I'm of the belief that if the Bills can't succeed, then it hinders the region as a whole, and maybe it's time to move onto something else.

So there you have it, that's how an outside "Bills observer" sees things.

[T-Long]

Born and raised in Steeler country in NW PA....and my Dad took me to my first NFL game when I was 7...Bills vs. Colts. We went with about 10 people and my Dad got me a coat, hat and a football...been diehard ever since.

[elltrain22]

Grew up in Jamestown, NY, and was always a Bills fan. If your born in western New York you understand that its not just about loving this team, but its about the area. We're loyal, hard-working, never say die, and never quit kinda people. That same mentality carries over towards your passion for this team. Even though I live in NC now, you always have to remain true to your roots.

[Skooby]

Sorry about yesterday, seems like you might have some hard realities to deal with soon as well.


While I'm not a Bills fan per se, I can share you my story. I've lived in WNY my entire life, grew up with my early years in the era of the Bills' four straight Super Bowl losses. It was hip to be a Bills fan back then, and my whole family was (and still is).

Then, when I started playing youth football, I was on a team where orange was the predominant jersey color. One day our school had a "NFL colors" day. Not having a lot of money, I just threw on an orange jersey and blue jeans, and my parents informed that those were the colors of the Denver Broncos. I followed the Broncos for a while-- got interesting when the Bills and Broncos played each other-- and got to witness Elway finally win the big one, not once, but twice. I was a fan after Elway's retirement, which didn't exactly fly with a lot of my youth-ball teammates, most of whom were bandwagoners.

Eventually, I started to grow more and more distant from the NFL teams in particular. The last straw came not too long ago, when the Broncos decided to bench Peyton Hillis, then trade him away for a third-string quarterback. I'd always been impressed with Hillis, and I still believe that his being a white running back played a role in the decision to kick him to the curb. It was something that was tremendously disrespectful in my opinion.

As evidenced by my presence here, I still follow the Bills, due to living in WNY and the fact that I'm still close to my family. After the past decade, I simply can't see how anyone can logically be a true fan of this team. However, I've followed alternative football a lot since the days of the XFL and the arena ball's Destroyers, and in the early 2000s I picked up a fandom of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL. I figured, hey, it's only a few more miles away than Buffalo and I'm close enough to pick up the radio broadcasts. Sure, the Ti-Cats haven't been much better than Buffalo, but it's a league where you at least have a realistic shot at the playoffs every year, which is something you can't say about Buffalo and the NFL. There's much less frustration, and it's far easier to maintain your fandom, when hope springs eternal that way. There is a realistic "maybe next year" in Hamilton, not so much in Buffalo. Honestly, I think Buffalo would be a much better fit for a smaller league like the CFL than it does the big-money, limited-access NFL, and that drives a lot of my opinions here about wanting the Bills to leave for greener pastures. I will always root for Buffalo and Western New York as a region to be a better place, for its teams to make progress. I've always been a Sabres fan, and I don't imagine ever not being one. But I'm also aware that we're getting to the point where it's impossible for the Bills to succeed in this environment, and I'm of the belief that if the Bills can't succeed, then it hinders the region as a whole, and maybe it's time to move onto something else.

So there you have it, that's how an outside "Bills observer" sees things.

[Ginger Vitis]

I live 2 hours from Toronto and a guy I met a work who became my best friend was a hardcore Bills fan so gradually over time I became a die hard as well

[THE END OF ALL DAYS]

born in Florida and moved to Phelps in 5th grade while being a Fish fan but then started to love the bills and hating the fish more and more
been a Bills fan since 1979

[PromoTheRobot]

We are Mostly all Bills fans here & became fans for a reason, what is it ??
Grew up on the east side, a long walk from War Memorial Stadium. Left in 1978 for college, came back in '81 for a few months but moved on for good since. Moved around a few times but always stayed within an 8 hour drive of town.

PTR

[Buffalogic]

Me, my dad, and my brother were born in Buffalo. My mom was born in Boston. It's been a painful existence.

[mightysimi]

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and surprisingly , the Bills instead of the Vikings were on TV a lot as a kid. Plus my brother decided to like the Phins and there was no way I was cheering for a team in teal.

[Extremebillsfan247]

We are Mostly all Bills fans here & became fans for a reason, what is it ??O.J. Simpson

[jamze132]

Grew up in Gasport.

[VeggieMan14]

First NFL game I payed Attention to Drew Bledsoe came in for an injured Tom Brady in that one playoff game and led a touchdown drive... next year he was traded to the Bills and I've liked them since

[hemi13]

Born and raised in Oneonta NY. The first thing I remember was watching OJ break the 2,000 yard make. From that day on I was a Bills fan.
I have lived all over the country and started the Denver Bills Backers. We had over 160 member during the Superbowl years. Have been a member of the Charlottesville Bills Backers (VA) and now the Tucson Bills Backers (AZ). I bleed Red, White, and Blue and always will.

[The last buffalo fan]

I'm now 39 and since I was like 8 yrs, started to play ball at the streets and at school's breaks also, there were nothing but Dallas, Pitts, Philly, Miami, Raiders and Bears fans, never liked those colors. Me just like Squish, I loved the bills colors the first time I saw them. A friend from NY living in Miami who loved the hurricanes named Jim did his part also. I have been a Buffalo Bills fan for about 27 years now.

[Jan Reimers]

I grew up in the Southtowns (South Wales and Holland) and was a Browns fan until switching to the Bills when they came to Buffalo in 1960. I moved away permanently from WNY in early 1968, after college.

Since then I've lived in 7 different states, but have never even remotely considered the Steelers, Eagles, Giants, Jets, Redskins, Colts, Ravens, Panthers, Jags, Bucs, or Dolphins - the teams in, or near, states and towns where I have lived or worked.

When you're a Bills' fan, how can you ever change teams?

[OpIv37]

My parents are from the Philly/South Jersey area, and that's where I was born, but they moved to Rochester when I was less than a year old.

My dad was a fan of Philly sports initially, but he was more of a baseball fan than a football fan, and in the 1980's, it was damn near impossible to follow an out-of-market team, so he adopted the Bills. My grandpa had me watching Notre Dame from the time I was a little kid, but I just watched because I knew my grandpa liked it. I didn't really understand what was going on.

By the late 80's/early 90's, when I became old enough to start understanding and enjoying the sport, the Bills had finally become good, and during the Super Bowl runs, the entire region just had this buzz about it. The team was popular and hugely successful, and I became hooked on watching Bruce, Jim Kelly, Thurman, Reed, Lofton, Talley, Biscuit and all the other great Bills of the era.

After that, the Bills were in my blood. I went undergrad at Niagara and Fredonia, then moved to the DC area. Fortunately, unlike when my dad left Philly, the Internet and Sunday Ticket made it possible for me to keep following the Bills even after leaving WNY.

[djjimkelly]

born in southern ontario

i started liking the in the early 80's with joe cribbs and joe ferguson

and whos kidding who this is my local team :) and i want them to stay in buffalo and i cheer for buffalo to keep making economic gains.

ive never said this on here before but the fact that buffalo was based on steel mills and such at one point. i feel for the city for what its been through in the economic cycle.

my dad was and engineer in hamilton a similar style city buffalo.

long story short ive seen what the steel places slowing down have done to hamilton and businesses like my father had being sold off.

and buffalo seems to be turning it around on the job front

i relate to buffalo and the city is close to where i went to university st catherines we used to have a 25 minute drive to go see games all the time in the glory years

GO BILLS

[tampabay25690]

OK
34 yrs old Born in Buffalo.
After I got married in 2002 my wife took a job and transferred with Hyatt Hotels down here to Tampa.
We have been in Florida since Dec 02.

Luv my Bills, Sabres and everything about Western NY.........

But I make a great living down here but travel to buffalo at least 2-3 times a year and NEVER miss the opener.

I still have Season Tix for the Bills and I give them to family or friends when Im not around. Last week I gave my 2 tix to a Buffalo charity and a Mom and her son were able to use the tix.....That made my X MAS...........

[Prov401]

My father was an OJ fan when he was a kid. Wasn't a passionate over the top fan, but followed it enough, and started to watch more of it in the Kelly days. One day I asked who his favorite team was? He said Buffalo. So I started to follow them the day Flutie boot-legged for a TD against Jax at the Ralph. I was 9, and have been a fan since. Unfortunately, I've only seen them make the playoffs twice, and have lived through this mess for the past decade.

I wish my dad had said Pit, GB, or NE

jk

But not really (sigh)

[ServoBillieves]

I grew up in the Southtowns (South Wales and Holland) and was a Browns fan until switching to the Bills when they came to Buffalo in 1960. I moved away permanently from WNY in early 1968, after college.

Since then I've lived in 7 different states, but have never even remotely considered the Steelers, Eagles, Giants, Jets, Redskins, Colts, Ravens, Panthers, Jags, Bucs, or Dolphins - the teams in, or near, states and towns where I have lived or worked.

When you're a Bills' fan, how can you ever change teams?

Since you usually see most threads, I've become a small Panthers fan since I live in Charlotte now. Mostly due to my fiancee, but she bought me a Steve Smith jersey that I had to wear the other day when I took her to her new favorite teams stadium.

This woman, as did I, grew up in Pittsburgh PA (home of the bandwagon) and gave up her heritage as an ACTUAL Steelers fan (knows football, players, other teams, stats, etc) to become a Bills/Panthers fan, as I have too with the Panthers part.

The Bills are 99.99 repeating % of my fandom, but it really is awesome to see what Cam Newton is doing down here. That being said, I will ALWAYS wear my Bills tattoo with pride, when the Bills play the Panthers I will burn my SS jersey, and although I follow the entire NFL, I will never, EVER stop believing in the Bills.

When in Pittsburgh your nickname is Buffalo, you have a hard charge to keep that name and give it pride, even if your team's owner won't help.

[djjimkelly]

OK
34 yrs old Born in Buffalo.
After I got married in 2002 my wife took a job and transferred with Hyatt Hotels down here to Tampa.
We have been in Florida since Dec 02.

Luv my Bills, Sabres and everything about Western NY.........

But I make a great living down here but travel to buffalo at least 2-3 times a year and NEVER miss the opener.

I still have Season Tix for the Bills and I give them to family or friends when Im not around. Last week I gave my 2 tix to a Buffalo charity and a Mom and her son were able to use the tix.....That made my X MAS...........


your a good man bro!!

[PTI]

Dad was a a huge sports fan, and it was all about the hometown teams. Me and my brother have all the same favorites. Been a Bills fan my whole life. I was 10 when this play happened, and if I wasn't already hooked this got me:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/auto/09000d5d8208e9c1/Hooks-Hail-Mary-catch

Same with the Sabres, the blue Jays (I went their first game ever in Exhibition Stadium in 1977), and I cheer for the LA Clippers since they were the Braves. My 2 sisters are huge Bills and Sabres fans too. I have been gone from Buffalo for over 16 years, no changes, except now, if the Bills ever leave, I will not root for that franchise.

[warsawbassman]

I was born in Warsaw NY, raised and lived all my childhood in Perry NY, now live in Warsaw with my wife and kids. First game I ever went to was in the strike year in 1982.......against the Marv Levy coached Kansas City Chiefs. Been a Bills fan every since. I feel blessed to have been around for and old enough to remember the "good old days", we had season tix from 89 to 96. My high school/collage/young adult years. It was the best of both worlds.