Why Bills fans are different....

[OpIv37]

As most of you know, I live in the DC area now. When people first learn that I am a Bills fan, one of their first comments (after a 4 Super Bowl joke) is "you must really hate that Norwood guy" (or if they don't know a lot about football "that guy that missed the kick").

They're always surprised to hear that people in Buffalo don't hate Norwood- that we take his entire career with the team into account and that we realize he wasn't the only reason why we lost that game. In so many other cities (DC and Baltimore for instance), they would have crucified the guy that missed the kick.

In Buffalo, people really understand football. Every team has hardcore fans who truly understand the game, but there are only a handful of cities where the "average" fan knows as much as they do in Buffalo (Green Bay and the Texas teams, for instance). And it shows on the field. Last week against New Jersey B, the Jets had a ton of false starts and delay of game penalties- that's the 12th man effect. It doesn't work that well for a lot of other teams.

[MikeInRoch]

Recruiting TKO was also something that would not have happened in many other cities.

[Devin]

Great post.

I think a lot of it has to do with the simple fact that the Bills are life in Buffalo. Thats not a knock, most cities with teams are metropolitan cities with a number of pro-teams. Buffalo is a hard-core working class football town. Much like what Pittsburgh was at one time.

Fans of the Bills know their Bills inside and out, and most importantly (at least the majority of them) know football.

Besides I dont know that any team has struggled with their team through more heartache then the Bills.

[hydro]

Id also have to say that it is the same with Green Bay.

[footballhottie]

very good post OP...its very very true

[kim_baker]

Raider fans are cool :thumbsup:

[Crisis]

Right.

But I still hate OJ.

[Devin]

Id also have to say that it is the same with Green Bay.

Exactly.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Id also have to say that it is the same with Green Bay.
Yeah but they're much more annoying, especially when they're everywhere you look. :ill:

[OpIv37]

Recruiting TKO was also something that would not have happened in many other cities.

yeah I forgot about that one- what other city has fans that know an opposing player is a FA and then try to convince him to come there when he's in town for the game? I've never heard of that happening anywhere else.

I agree about Green Bay- Buffalo's not the only place like this, but it's one of the few.

[AndreReed83]

I believe this thread deserves a 5 star rating.

[AndreReed83]

And done.

[tampabay25690]

Great post.
I think a lot of it has to do with the simple fact that the Bills are life in Buffalo. Thats not a knock, most cities with teams are metropolitan cities with a number of pro-teams. Buffalo is a hard-core working class football town. Much like what Pittsburgh was at one time.
Fans of the Bills know their Bills inside and out, and most importantly (at least the majority of them) know football.
Besides I dont know that any team has struggled with their team through more heartache then the Bills.

Thats a great post also, as most of you know I live here in Tampa I was born and raised in Buffalo until I moved when I was 25.......THE BIILS mean everything to the people and CITY of Buffalo......If it came down to having us win a SuperBowl or the Bills leave Buffalo........Screw the Bowl then........That would be the worst thing I would ever have seen in my life time if the Bills ever left...

[AndreReed83]

Thats a great post also, as most of you know I live here in Tampa I was born and raised in Buffalo until I moved when I was 25.......THE BIILS mean everything to the people and CITY of Buffalo......If it came down to having us win a SuperBowl or the Bills leave Buffalo........Screw the Bowl then........That would be the worst thing I would ever have seen in my life time if the Bills ever left...

No kidding. I've only been to Buffalo about 6 or so times and the Bills feel like a family member to me. If they moved, I don't think I could ever watch the NFL again. It would be hard to go back even if Buffalo somehow got another team. I know sports isn't the most important thing out there, but I think to most of us Bills fans, the Bills are a big part of our lives. And that's what makes the relationship special.

[Luisito23]

Great post OP....

I've been a Bills fan ever since I could remember, and although I had to suffer through alot of pain and got into alot of fights defending my team, I would NEVER ever switch squads...

My heart is with Buffalo till' it's last beat.....




GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!

[Novacane]

Every city has knowledgable fans and every city has moron fans............including us.

[vicmantak]

I like this thread and I can only say that I haven't seen any NFL team with 3 quality message boards and a 12th man on their OWN Hall of Fame...

[Captain gameboy]

Western New York has truly internalized the Bills. Even the players know it, and many get that sense.
I have posted this before, but at the end of his career, after Beebe had played on a few teams and won a Super Bowl, he was asked on a Chicago sports radio show which one meant the most.
He paused and replied, "I will always be a Buffalo Bill,"
The Bills are much more than an entertainment entity to WNY. It seems to have started long ago in the mid 60's when some punk reporter in Oakland called Buffalo the armpit of the east, (I believe he was feeling defensive because of the status of Oakland vis a vis the rest of the incredibly elitist "Bay Area"). Anyway, that is personalizing something that need not be personalized, and extremely insulting. To a young boy, that comment was absolutely galvanizing. I knew from that moment on, even as a pre-teen, that I was Bill fan for life. Now I am proud to say that my wife, not aq WNYer, and my three children, born in the Bay Area during the 49ers heyday, are as resolute about the Bills as I am.
It starts as entertainment, becomes support, evolves into die-hard patronage, and has now become a mission.

[The_Philster]

Western New York has truly internalized the Bills. Even the players know it, and many get that sense.
I have posted this before, but at the end of his career, after Beebe had played on a few teams and won a Super Bowl, he was asked on a Chicago sports radio show which one meant the most.
He paused and replied, "I will always be a Buffalo Bill,".Don came to a Bills-Packers game in Orchard Park a few years back and a couple of the Packers players he had played with asked him who he was rooting for...as if they had to ask :lol:

[Michael82]

I can only say that I haven't seen any NFL team with 3 quality message boards

That's another huge thing. Look at how spread out the Bills fans are. Hell, check out there Buffalo Bills Backers Clubs, it's coming close to be the largest fan club in the country. And like you you said, there are 3 main Buffalo Bills messageboards and they all are quality boards and do well overall. For now, those 3 are BillsZone.com, StadiumWall.com, BuffaloBillsInsider.com. And the other thing is that there are even more out there like BillsAddiction, BillsFanCentral, BillsDaily, BillsBuzz and more....

I have looked for opponent's fan sites and it's tough. There aren't that many out there. I guess I'm used to all of the ones for the Bills and then when I go looking for a Raiders one or a Falcons one, it's hard to find one or more.

[BillsPride12]

You are never going to see a bigger party or parade than what you are going to see when the Buffalo Bills finally win the damn Super Bowl(whenever that may be:cry: )