Charlieguide
07-31-2004, 12:09 PM
Every year or so, I pull this out and relive The Comeback. And I also try to remember the rest of the poem . . . at one time I had it posted on my bulletin board, and knew every word.
I found this poem in a 1993 issue of Buffalo Bills Insider magazine (I think), and it was titled "The Greatest Game"
Can anyone help fill in the gaps?
The Houston Oilers came to town
on a January day
to face the Bills from Buffalo,
a wild card game they'd play.
A wild card game? Alas it's true!
The Bills weren't number one.
The Houston Oilers saw to that,
The last game they had won.
The fans were disappointed.
The Dolphins won the crown.
But even though the Bills were out,
We knew they were not down.
We knew for sure, as in the past,
The Bills would find a way.
Though some key men were injured,
This would be a special day.
The Bills' Twelfth Man was in full force,
the Oilers' fate was sealed.
But Houston took the kickoff,
and marched right down the field.
It's only seven-nothing.
The Bills will bounce right back.
With Frank Reich in for Kelly,
they'll mount a fierce attack.
(something about the second TD)
Another score, then another one,
can this really be?
Houston's beating up the Bills,
it's twenty-eight to three!
It's halftime at Rich Staidum.
Faint-hearted fans did flee.
And those of them that listened
were glad they did not see.
But to the fans that remained true,
that sat through times of strife,
they were about to see and hear
the ballgame of their life!
The Bills received the kickoff,
Then they took the field.
Even though they were behind,
the team refused to yield.
The cheering and the screaming
pushed them on their drive.
But an intercepted pass
pushed the score to thirty-five.
The dream of Pasadena
started fading fast away.
The Bills were five touchdowns behind.
This was not to be their day.
Some fans gave up, the Bills did not,
this gallant group of men.
And endzone run by Davis
made it thirty-five to ten.
An onside kick, a Marv surprise,
The Bills now had it back.
The offense came on to the field
to mount a new attack.
The Oilers were not worried,
still up by twenty-five.
Then the Bills marched down again,
the big crowd came alive.
(?)
(?)
A touchdown pass to Beebe,
Thirty-five to seventeen.
(?)
The Bills kicked off to Houston,
but the Oilers failed to score.
A touchdown catch by Andre,
Thirty-five to twenty-four.
(?)
With Andre's catch of Frank Reich's pass
The gap was now eleven.
Wide receiver Andre Reed,
The Bills' forgotten man.
And Davis in for Thurman,
My goodness, how he ran!
No one could believe it,
the swift change of the score.
The Bills, behind by thirty-two,
had cut the gap to four!
The quarter fourth was winding down
Fans pleaded, "one more drive!"
Amazing Andre once again,
thirty-eight to thirty-five.
The fans were in a frenzy,
the Bills were now ahead!
But Warren and the Oilers
had other plans instead.
The Oilers moved the ball,
but time was getting late.
DelGreco made the field goal:
all tied at thirty-eight.
The Oilers won the coin toss,
then they took the field.
It was just like in the first half,
they marched right down the field.
Then it finally happened,
as Moon dropped back to pass.
The ball sailed right to Odomes,
and he caught it in his grasp!
Three plays later, all was hushed,
as Christie set his sights.
Frank Reich set the ball down,
Steve kicked with all his might.
The ball sailed through the goalposts,
the Bills had cheated fate,
pulled off the greatest comeback,
forty-one to thirty-eight.
To football fans throughout the world,
incredible but true!
Can you believe it? Yes we do,
our Bills we do love you!
One of these days, I'm going to have to contact NFL Films and get a copy . . .
I found this poem in a 1993 issue of Buffalo Bills Insider magazine (I think), and it was titled "The Greatest Game"
Can anyone help fill in the gaps?
The Houston Oilers came to town
on a January day
to face the Bills from Buffalo,
a wild card game they'd play.
A wild card game? Alas it's true!
The Bills weren't number one.
The Houston Oilers saw to that,
The last game they had won.
The fans were disappointed.
The Dolphins won the crown.
But even though the Bills were out,
We knew they were not down.
We knew for sure, as in the past,
The Bills would find a way.
Though some key men were injured,
This would be a special day.
The Bills' Twelfth Man was in full force,
the Oilers' fate was sealed.
But Houston took the kickoff,
and marched right down the field.
It's only seven-nothing.
The Bills will bounce right back.
With Frank Reich in for Kelly,
they'll mount a fierce attack.
(something about the second TD)
Another score, then another one,
can this really be?
Houston's beating up the Bills,
it's twenty-eight to three!
It's halftime at Rich Staidum.
Faint-hearted fans did flee.
And those of them that listened
were glad they did not see.
But to the fans that remained true,
that sat through times of strife,
they were about to see and hear
the ballgame of their life!
The Bills received the kickoff,
Then they took the field.
Even though they were behind,
the team refused to yield.
The cheering and the screaming
pushed them on their drive.
But an intercepted pass
pushed the score to thirty-five.
The dream of Pasadena
started fading fast away.
The Bills were five touchdowns behind.
This was not to be their day.
Some fans gave up, the Bills did not,
this gallant group of men.
And endzone run by Davis
made it thirty-five to ten.
An onside kick, a Marv surprise,
The Bills now had it back.
The offense came on to the field
to mount a new attack.
The Oilers were not worried,
still up by twenty-five.
Then the Bills marched down again,
the big crowd came alive.
(?)
(?)
A touchdown pass to Beebe,
Thirty-five to seventeen.
(?)
The Bills kicked off to Houston,
but the Oilers failed to score.
A touchdown catch by Andre,
Thirty-five to twenty-four.
(?)
With Andre's catch of Frank Reich's pass
The gap was now eleven.
Wide receiver Andre Reed,
The Bills' forgotten man.
And Davis in for Thurman,
My goodness, how he ran!
No one could believe it,
the swift change of the score.
The Bills, behind by thirty-two,
had cut the gap to four!
The quarter fourth was winding down
Fans pleaded, "one more drive!"
Amazing Andre once again,
thirty-eight to thirty-five.
The fans were in a frenzy,
the Bills were now ahead!
But Warren and the Oilers
had other plans instead.
The Oilers moved the ball,
but time was getting late.
DelGreco made the field goal:
all tied at thirty-eight.
The Oilers won the coin toss,
then they took the field.
It was just like in the first half,
they marched right down the field.
Then it finally happened,
as Moon dropped back to pass.
The ball sailed right to Odomes,
and he caught it in his grasp!
Three plays later, all was hushed,
as Christie set his sights.
Frank Reich set the ball down,
Steve kicked with all his might.
The ball sailed through the goalposts,
the Bills had cheated fate,
pulled off the greatest comeback,
forty-one to thirty-eight.
To football fans throughout the world,
incredible but true!
Can you believe it? Yes we do,
our Bills we do love you!
One of these days, I'm going to have to contact NFL Films and get a copy . . .