Some of the time when I do these columns I do them for myself more than the fans, I know that’s greedy, but deal with it. I became a fan when the K-gun team started rolling, I’m a youngin’ so excuse me for not being a long time fan. One of my favorite players was Shane Conlan, so I decided to look him up, and unfortunately there’s really nothing much of him out there. I’m sure there have been other players who have played for the Bills who grew up as a Bills fan. However, Shane Conlan was one, and I don’t think that he could have dreamt about playing for them.

He would watch the Bills on TV while living Frewsburg, NY, home as a teenager. Then just a short time later Conlan was selected in the first round of the 1987 draft. Head Coach Marv Levy wrote Conlan in as a starting linebacker in big letters with black ink.

It didn’t take Conlan that long to show the player he was going to become. In his first game he had nine tackles against the Jets a 31-28 loss. However the loss wasn’t the last of the season, two weeks later the fans lost when the players went on strike. The strike was settled and the Bills made one of the biggest trades in their history, getting Cornelius Bennett from the Colts, and putting Conlan in the middle.

The Bills success started in his fourth year 1990. Going 13-3, earned the AFC title and met the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXV, stupid NORWOOD. As an unrestricted Plan B free agent following the ‘92 season, Conlan signed a three-year deal with the Rams for $5.6 million. Shane Conlan, was voted to the Pro Bowl three times during his six years with the Bills. He retired after the ‘95 season, enjoying a nine-year career.

Shane has found another way to be around football nowdays, he’s coaching his nine-year-old son, Patrick’s flag-football team in Pittsburgh. Conlan and his wife, Caroline’s children: Christopher, 5, who is in kindergarten. Mary Catherine, 4. And the couple has a one-year-old Daniel.