How did you become a Bills fan?

[Mr. Miyagi]

I'm not sure I've ever told you WHY I'm a Bills fan.

Despite the fact that I went to college in Rochester, the 4 years they went to the SB and lost, I have also a funny story to tell that made me a hard core Bills fan.

I think it was in 1996, my friends and I went to a restaurant in Buffalo. Can't remember the name of the place. I watched the Bills then but wasn't a huge fan. We sat down at the table and the topic of the Bills' performance came up. We talked about how Kelly got sacked quite a few times in last week's game, and I got excited and opened my big mouth: "Jim Kelly's a big SISSY!!!"

Sure enough, the person at the next table heard me loud and clear. He turned around and gave me a dirty look, and it was none other than JIM KELLY himself.

I immediately apologized and got up to shook his hand, and explained that I was an idiot. He was nice enough to buy us all a drink.

From that point on, I was a huge Jim Kelly fan as well as a Bills fan.

How about you?

[Judge]

I was raised a Bills fan- kind of like I was raised in my family's religion.

[The_Philster]

I never followed football at all growing up...sheltered that I was. My closest friend in school was a Fish fan so when the Pats beat them to go to Super Bowl XX, I started rooting for the Bears...that game was the first I ever watched. I didn't pay much attention outside the standings after that. Then, just before I was due to leave for the Air Force, helmetguy had me by his house and we watched football all day long. (Jets-Eagles and Chiefs-Raiders were the day games). He told me about the team....Thurman, Tasker, BRUCE, and the rest and by the time we kicked off against the Giants, I was hooked. :up:

[shelby]

Cool story, Double M.

i lived in Tonawanda and Orchard Park when i was little. My brothers were cub scouts, and i begged and pleaded to tag along with them the day they visited Rich Stadium. i remember walking through the locker room, and onto the field.....and the sense of amazement i felt.
i have been a Bills fan ever since.
Ironically enough, my brothers went through a phase where one was a Cowboys fan and the other a Vikings fan :eek:.....and now they share season tickets for the Buccaneers. They make fun of me for my Bills liscence plate, and my Zone bumper sticker, and my Wire jersey and my Bills jacket......but my loyalty will not change.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Originally posted by shelby
They make fun of me for my Bills liscence plate, and my Zone bumper sticker, and my Wire jersey and my Bills jacket......but my loyalty will not change.
You have a Bills license plate? Does it look something like this?
http://www.boomspeed.com/one_big_head/go-bills-license.jpg

[Cntrygal]

Originally posted by Judge
I was raised a Bills fan- kind of like I was raised in my family's religion.

Me too.

[Mr. Miyagi]

It's like the "Nature vs. Nurture" arguement. Some were born with it, some were taught about it later. :)

[Dozerdog]

Originally posted by Mr. Miyagi
I'm not sure I've ever told you WHY I'm a Bills fan.

Despite the fact that I went to college in Rochester, the 4 years they went to the SB and lost, I have also a funny story to tell that made me a hard core Bills fan.

I think it was in 1996, my friends and I went to a restaurant in Buffalo. Can't remember the name of the place. I watched the Bills then but wasn't a huge fan. We sat down at the table and the topic of the Bills' performance came up. We talked about how Kelly got sacked quite a few times in last week's game, and I got excited and opened my big mouth: "Jim Kelly's a big SISSY!!!"

Sure enough, the person at the next table heard me loud and clear. He turned around and gave me a dirty look, and it was none other than JIM KELLY himself.

I immediately apologized and got up to shook his hand, and explained that I was an idiot. He was nice enough to buy us all a drink.

From that point on, I was a huge Jim Kelly fan as well as a Bills fan.

How about you?


I called Ruben Brown a Fat Pansy- he stuffed me upside down in a trash can - But I got him to sign my ball!

[Tatonka]

i grew up in dallas, TX, but my father and his side of the family lived here in Richmond, VA. I was visiting one year, i think 1989 when the bills lost to cincy to go to the bowl against the 49ers. my cousin called and asked if i wanted to go to his football game. i said sure.

we got there early, and there was a nother game before his. not sure how old the kids playing were, but they were small for sure. all except for one man. i know a lot of you have seen Jim Kelly before.. but at that age, he just looked like a giant.. Someone told me who he was, and i asked for an autograph. One problem. I didnt have anything for him to sign. he said no problem, catch up with me after the game.

I did. he walked over to a minivan (his brother Pat's I think), got a picture of himself and signed it to me, best of luck!

i was so pumped that a guy actually took the time to do that, that i became an immediate fan of Jim Kelly.. the rest of the team followed soon.

yes, i did live in dallas for the two years of the superbowl when they kicked our butts.

and after the last superbowl, i got my plates on my car changed to ...

4XRNRUP

now they just say

TTONKA

=)

[Mr. Miyagi]

I love hearing all these Bills stories. Everyone has a very unique past. We all came from a different place but all merged to the same destination.

GO BILLS FANS!!!

[SoCalBillsFan]

I have a very different story than most, and to be honest it's kinda odd. I know some of you have heard it before, but I like telling it :D

I think I was 8 years old when super bowls 25 took place. I was just starting to become a football fan, but did not really have a team yet. Iknew I was supposed to be a charger fan, like all my friends in san diego, but it just didn't feel right to me. I just didn't really feel much for the bolts. THe day of super bowl 25 I happened to be travelling with my dad and one of his friends and friend's son. The kid was two years older than me, very loud, arrogant, and I flat out did not like the kid. He spent most of the trip finding ways to tell me he was better than me.
SO anyways the day we went home was super bowl sunday and of course the bIlls were playing the Giants. As luck would have it, the kid was a die hard Giants fan. He spent a great deal of the week talking about how great the giants are and how they were gonna beat the bills. At first I jut ignored the kid, but by sunday I definately wanted the Giants to lose. Of course that meant rooting for the bills.
We landed in San Diego during the middle of the fourth quarter. OF course the game was so close we couldn't just leave, so here I was 8 years old watching the game in one of those airport bars with my dad and our company, surrounded by a bunch of screaming fans. I don't remember much of the game, except the Bills final drive. During that drive something clicked. Maybe it was thurman's runnig, of jim taking control, I dont know, but I have never wanted a team to win so badly in my life than I wanted the bills to win that day. It wasn't even about the kid I didn't like anymore.
SO of course the kicked sailed wide right, and as everyone else began to scream i just kinda sat there in shock. And from that day on I've been a bills fan my whole life. Growing up nobody understood, my charger fan friends didn't get it. But it was ok. I had had the privelege of being enlightened, and they just didn't understand. kind of a weird story I know, but hey, it's who I am :D

[JefftheBillsfan]

I liked the Giants untill the Bills/Giants super bowl. After that, I fell in love with Thurman Thomas. Then after that...then Jimbo..then Biscuite...and so on. I was only a little boy and I remember k-mart had a promotion that year...you bought oil and you got a NFL team hat. I picked a Bills one. Never looked back.

[TigerJ]

I was a Browns fan during the sixties. It was the post Jim Brown era. I remember LeRoy Kelly was their running back and some guy named Ryan was their QB. I rooted for them because they were the closest NFL team. Then the Bills drafted a fellow named O J Simpson and signed him away from the NFL when the AFL and NFL were bitter rivals. I was hooked ever since.

[Billz_fan]

Originally posted by TigerJ
I was a Browns fan during the sixties. It was the post Jim Brown era. I remember LeRoy Kelly was their running back and some guy named Ryan was their QB. I rooted for them because they were the closest NFL team. Then the Bills drafted a fellow named O J Simpson and signed him away from the NFL when the AFL and NFL were bitter rivals. I was hooked ever since.

Oh man I am old :D,

That fellow at QB was Frank Ryan #13 in your programs. The fellow who took over for him was Bill Nelson #16 ;) There was also a young man there playing wide reciever who was quite a site to behold. His name was Paul Warfield and dam was he good.

Anyway my story is a simple one. I for my entire childhood and teenage years was a fan of the Los Angeles Rams my walls covered with posters OF Roman Gabriel and Deacon Jones.

It was about 1979 when the boss I was working for gave me 2 tickets to a Bills game. I had never been to a Pro Football game.
The day I walked through that tunnel and looked out over Rich Stadium I was hooked. I remember my first thoughts that day.

Wow !! Look at the colors how bright they are. I need a new television :p It was very easy to get into rooting for the Bills with everyone else there leading the way. I loved being a part of that crowd at the games. After that season I went to at least 4 games every year from 1980-1998 when I had to move to FL.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Originally posted by SoCalBillsFan
I have a very different story than most, and to be honest it's kinda odd. I know some of you have heard it before, but I like telling it :D

I think I was 8 years old when super bowls 25 took place. I was just starting to become a football fan, but did not really have a team yet. Iknew I was supposed to be a charger fan, like all my friends in san diego, but it just didn't feel right to me. I just didn't really feel much for the bolts. THe day of super bowl 25 I happened to be travelling with my dad and one of his friends and friend's son. The kid was two years older than me, very loud, arrogant, and I flat out did not like the kid. He spent most of the trip finding ways to tell me he was better than me.
SO anyways the day we went home was super bowl sunday and of course the bIlls were playing the Giants. As luck would have it, the kid was a die hard Giants fan. He spent a great deal of the week talking about how great the giants are and how they were gonna beat the bills. At first I jut ignored the kid, but by sunday I definately wanted the Giants to lose. Of course that meant rooting for the bills.
We landed in San Diego during the middle of the fourth quarter. OF course the game was so close we couldn't just leave, so here I was 8 years old watching the game in one of those airport bars with my dad and our company, surrounded by a bunch of screaming fans. I don't remember much of the game, except the Bills final drive. During that drive something clicked. Maybe it was thurman's runnig, of jim taking control, I dont know, but I have never wanted a team to win so badly in my life than I wanted the bills to win that day. It wasn't even about the kid I didn't like anymore.
SO of course the kicked sailed wide right, and as everyone else began to scream i just kinda sat there in shock. And from that day on I've been a bills fan my whole life. Growing up nobody understood, my charger fan friends didn't get it. But it was ok. I had had the privelege of being enlightened, and they just didn't understand. kind of a weird story I know, but hey, it's who I am :D
I LOVE your story SoCal. :up: You told it so well I could totally just picture the whole young 8 year old mind clicking right there in the airport bar.

[Mr. Miyagi]

I think I'm gonna save this entire thread when everyone is done telling his/her story. It's great background on everyone here. :up:

[BillyT92679]

I think I might have mentioned this earlier in a thread, but I became a fan in 1986. I was 7 and really do not have an explanation why. I started liking football with the Pats in 1985, since my sister's bf was a big Pats fan. But I remember vividly watching the Bills/Bucs game. Jimbo vs a very young Steve Young. Pete Metzelaars dropped a sure td pass that would have won the gane, but I just fell in love with the team. I really got hooked in 1987 when the local NBC affiliate in Syracuse decided to showcase the Bills more than the Jets.

[kgun12]

I have been a Bills fan ever since I could remember. My first game was the first ever Monday night football game at the Ralph (Rich) stadium. Oct 29, 1973 against K.C. Someone said it earlier, but there right! I will never forget the first time I walked though the ramp and seen the field, the palyers, and the colors it was unforgetable! I get the same feeling everytime I go to a game. IT'S MAGICAL!

[TigerJ]

Billz_fan: "That fellow at QB was Frank Ryan #13 in your programs. The fellow who took over for him was Bill Nelson #16 There was also a young man there playing wide reciever who was quite a site to behold. His name was Paul Warfield and dam was he good."

Thanks for jarring my memory. I remember Paul Warfield too. He wasn't real big but he was a very smooth receiver. He was fast and had good hands too.

[pmoon6]

I was 6 and at Christmas party at the American Legion. I was bored with Santa and the party, so i went to find my dad.He was upstairs with all the other dads watching football. I sat on the arm of an overstuffed chair and watched the Bills play the Boston Patriots. I loved the Bills and football from that day on.That was 1962 and didn't have to wait long before the Bills won they're first championship.

[MissBuffalo]

I was raised on the Bills and Sabres (how can you not be growing up in Buffalo??). And they're both obviously my favorite teams. I remember when I was younger (being the fan of the entire NFL that I was) I asked my dad for a Raiders jacket, because I loved Plunkett and Long, and he was so mad at me--LOL--I remember him trying so hard to convince me on getting a Bills jacket.

[Voltron]

Originally posted by kgun12
I have been a Bills fan ever since I could remember. My first game was the first ever Monday night football game at the Ralph (Rich) stadium. Oct 29, 1973 against K.C. Someone said it earlier, but there right! I will never forget the first time I walked though the ramp and seen the field, the palyers, and the colors it was unforgetable! I get the same feeling everytime I go to a game. IT'S MAGICAL!

Wow Kgun I was exactly 20 days old :D

I became a Bills fan because my dad would root for them. He has since switched back and forth between the Bills and the Giants. I am still a die hard Bills fan and now (thanks mostly to this and another web site) have surpassed him in loyalty and knowledge of the game :)

[Earthquake Enyart]

I can still see that stupid Paul Warfield........*fade to EE childhood*

I was 8 or so and we had seats in the rockpile in the corner of the endzone. It was 3rd or 4th and inches around midfield. The fins lined up tight, they faked to Czonka, you could see Warfield streaking down the field with Butch Byrd about 4 steps behind him, then that stupid Griese hit him in stride with a pass......:angry:


*Fade back to reality....*

Even the rockpile, as run down as it was, was still a sight to behold for a youngster. I watch The Natural just to remember what it looked like.

I loved listening to Lou Sabin on the post game radio show. He had so much passion for the game, and he wore his emotions on his sleeve. How could you not love him?

[Dozerdog]

Unfortnatly, my only memories of he Rockpile were minor league Baseball games.

I did see Bo Jackson play for thr Memphis Chicks at the rock.

One more side bar- One of our members here (BCuz) is a childhood freind of mine who registered but has never posted. His Uncle Larry was one of the baseball players in the Natural.

[kgun12]

Voltron Thanks man you make me feel so young!

Dozer I seen Johnnny Bench pay at the Rock Pile. The funny part was he went into the stands to make a foul catch, hit his head on one of the box seat bars. Next inning he came out of the duggout wiht a batting helmet on to catch. First time I had ever seen a cacther was a helmet.

[Romes]

Originally posted by SoCalBillsFan
I have a very different story than most, and to be honest it's kinda odd. I know some of you have heard it before, but I like telling it :D

I think I was 8 years old when super bowls 25 took place. I was just starting to become a football fan, but did not really have a team yet. Iknew I was supposed to be a charger fan, like all my friends in san diego, but it just didn't feel right to me. I just didn't really feel much for the bolts. THe day of super bowl 25 I happened to be travelling with my dad and one of his friends and friend's son. The kid was two years older than me, very loud, arrogant, and I flat out did not like the kid. He spent most of the trip finding ways to tell me he was better than me.
SO anyways the day we went home was super bowl sunday and of course the bIlls were playing the Giants. As luck would have it, the kid was a die hard Giants fan. He spent a great deal of the week talking about how great the giants are and how they were gonna beat the bills. At first I jut ignored the kid, but by sunday I definately wanted the Giants to lose. Of course that meant rooting for the bills.
We landed in San Diego during the middle of the fourth quarter. OF course the game was so close we couldn't just leave, so here I was 8 years old watching the game in one of those airport bars with my dad and our company, surrounded by a bunch of screaming fans. I don't remember much of the game, except the Bills final drive. During that drive something clicked. Maybe it was thurman's runnig, of jim taking control, I dont know, but I have never wanted a team to win so badly in my life than I wanted the bills to win that day. It wasn't even about the kid I didn't like anymore.
SO of course the kicked sailed wide right, and as everyone else began to scream i just kinda sat there in shock. And from that day on I've been a bills fan my whole life. Growing up nobody understood, my charger fan friends didn't get it. But it was ok. I had had the privelege of being enlightened, and they just didn't understand. kind of a weird story I know, but hey, it's who I am :D

My story has much to do with SoCals. We weren't friends during SB 25 but the next year we became very good friends. Naturally, I spent a lot of time at his house and he would tell me about Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Cornellious Bennet, Darryl Talley, the list goes on. Well, long story short by the SB against the Redskins I was just as a hardcore Bills fan as he was. I remember our parents at the time having conversations trying to explain how their children, living in San Diego, could become such fanatical Bills fans.

[Ð]

Growing up in the Toronto area with the constant TV barrage of Irv Weinstein, Wadi Sawabini, Rick Azar, Clip Smith, etc. etc, you couln't help but be a Bills fan.

[Earthquake Enyart]

What ever became of Clip Smith?

[pmoon6]

Originally posted by Earthquake Enyart
I can still see that stupid Paul Warfield........*fade to EE childhood*

I was 8 or so and we had seats in the rockpile in the corner of the endzone. It was 3rd or 4th and inches around midfield. The fins lined up tight, they faked to Czonka, you could see Warfield streaking down the field with Butch Byrd about 4 steps behind him, then that stupid Griese hit him in stride with a pass......:angry:


*Fade back to reality....*

Even the rockpile, as run down as it was, was still a sight to behold for a youngster. I watch The Natural just to remember what it looked like.

I loved listening to Lou Sabin on the post game radio show. He had so much passion for the game, and he wore his emotions on his sleeve. How could you not love him? The funny thing EE is that the Bills drafted Warfield as well as Carl Eller,but both opted to sign with Nfl teams (Cleveland and Minnesota) rather than the AFL Bills.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Originally posted by Ð
Growing up in the Toronto area with the constant TV barrage of Irv Weinstein, Wadi Sawabini, Rick Azar, Clip Smith, etc. etc, you couln't help but be a Bills fan.
It's interesting you brought that up. When I was in Rochester, I wasn't much of a fan in the beginning. In fact, most of my friends were anti-Bills. Especially since the entire town was Bills fans, and some are so hardcore and fanatical, I guess it's just human nature to rebel against what is preached to you the most. But after my Jim Kelly encounter, I began to root for the Bills, and it wasn't until I LEFT Rochester to come to Wisconsin did I become harder and harder core.

And now I've passed it on to my 3 year old as she sees the logo and will say "GO BILLS!!!"

[Valerie]

That's a great story, Mr. M!:up:

My story isn't very exciting. I grew up a Cowboys fan. My brothers all rooted for the Giants and my Dad rooted for the Bills. I was the odd man out as a Cowboys fan, but I loved Danny White. I wanted to live in Texas and the first plane trip I was ever on was when I was 12. My dad took me to Dallas so I could see Texas Stadium. I actually wanted to be the place kicker for the Cowboys. :)

I went to school in Niagara Falls and became acquainted with the Bills. The Bills was the first professional football game I ever attended, and that was extremely special to me since I love football as much as I do. I watched them and thought they were okay, but I still wasn’t hooked. When we moved down to Maryland one of my neighbors, a native Buffaloian, was a HUGE Bills fan. He and my dad would try to convince me to change teams. As time went on and Jerry Jones started ruining the 'Boys, I was slowly becoming sick of the Cowboys and all the trouble they were always in. One day my neighbor stopped me and started talking about this great quarterback the Bills signed in 1998. And what a great first year he had with the team. That quarterback was none other than Doug Flutie, my ultimate favorite quarterback in the world! I started following the Bills on a regular basis from that day on. :)

[mush69]

You can root for the other teams?

I 've been a Bills fan since I can remember. My Uncle Ray was a diehard fan of the Bills also and just to get his goat I would constantly tell him they sucked. What my mom didn't realize is that whenever I could, I would sneak into the living room to watch the game with him. I was young and Mom didn't really approve of Uncle Ray's language when he was watching football.

"Being the good catholic family that we are, language like that is not exceptable in God's eyes" My mom used to say. You shoulda heard Father Neary one sunday night when we had him over for dinner. :doh: Mom never complained about uncle ray's pottie mouth again and I was finally allowed to watch the games with the guys. :snicker2:

[lordofgun]

When I was younger I had <i>New Kids on the Block</i> posters all over my wall. My mom was worried. So one day when I was at school, she ripped them down and nailed a Jim Kelly poster over my bed. His face was the first thing I saw every morning, and the last thing I saw every night. I can still see the bloody stains on the towel that was tucked into his slacks. Jim made me who I am today.

[LtBillsFan66]

I grew up in Yonkers. Giants and Jets territory. My old man is a big Giants fan. My older brother is a big Cowboys fan. To keep me out of their constant debates, they tried to make me a Jets fan. It didn’t work. At about 2 or 3, I asked my brother if there were any other “New York Teams.” I just didn’t like the Jets – even at that age. He said, “well Buffalo is in NY…” I have been a Bills fan ever since. I still remember asking my brother, “who do I like again” when I didn’t remember Buffalo Bills.

[LtBillsFan66]

Originally posted by lordofgun
I can still see the bloody stains on the towel that was tucked into his slacks.

Slacks? :confused:

[lordofgun]

Originally posted by billsfanone


Slacks? :confused:

Obviously. :shakeno:

[LtBillsFan66]

You need help!

[The_Philster]

He's beyond help. :snicker: