FanPost

A True Fan

While I was having a conversation with Kurupt this morning - he said something that kind of sparked my brain.  I've always joked and said that I root for a Buffalo team so I know that they will a) get your hopes up then smash them to bits and b) will never win a championship.

I typically said that in a blase way that really never meant anything to me or was more just humor directed than what I really thought.  I always thought the Bills or even the Sabres for that matter would win a championship sooner than later - I mean they have to right?

I have to say that I'm honestly more disconnected from this Bills franchise than I have been my entire life - all 30 years of it.  I say that because I'm not sure how much more a person can give to a team.  I've watched every draft that I can remember, been to at least 2 games a year every year (except this year), bought Bills merchanise and watched every televised game - if it wasn't televised then I listened to it!

I'm 100% positive that the Bills have taken at least 6 years off of my life - I have high blood pressure and heart disease in my family so i'm certain of this.  If you asked my doctor I bet he'd tell me to stop watching Bills games because of what they do to my heart.  But something funny happened about half way through this season - my heart stopped pumping during Bills games (not entirely!!).  I truly, for the first time in my life, didn't care.

I look at this team and see no hope.  I guess you can say that we can hope by having an entire new coaching staff, players and front office next year - but that's not hope to me - that's a requirement in order to yeild a profit.

I've always defended the Bills saying whatever it took even while a) looking like an ass and b) knowing that I was wrong - but truth of the matter is I can no longer even come up with anything at all to defend this team.  They are the definition of a dysfunctional NFL franchise and I am a fan of it - why?

Why am I a fan of a team that might never win a championship and will probably lose more games than win over the next 5 years?   I say it's because of the Kelly years when we were never out of it, I say because there is hope on the horizon but there never seems to be anymore, I say because they are in my backyard so that's why, I say because they will win evidentually and I'll be a fan that was there through thick and thin - but i'm not sure they will. 

This is when my "True Fan" came out.  My True Fan said it's not because of the history, because of your younger years - it's because the Bills are part of my family.  While I (clearly) don't mean that literally - I grew up with the Bills.  I've seen the good times and the bad times.  I was there through the knee scrapes, the broken arms and concussions.  I was Thurman Thomas in the back yard - and most importantly - the Bills were there - every Sunday.  No matter how good or crappy life was - I could always watch a Bills game and leave the crap out of my brain for 3 hours.   It was a place where I could sit with my friends and family and have fun.  Even if they were losing - we still had fun - it was a commonality we all shared that allowed us to be together at the same time every week - and we all wanted to be there.

There is something to be said about growing up with a friend/family or in this case a team.  You for whatever reason look past all of the dysfunctionalness and all the bad - and just think of what they can do to become better and how they will become better.  It's an odd thing - but it happens nonetheless.

As a True Fan - I will continue to support, watch and defend this team.  I will look like an ass and be wrong the whole way.  I can't help the fact that that the Bills are part of my family - but they are - it is indeed a weird thing - but it's the truth.   Through thick and thin - you'll find J2 with the Bills in his heart - hopefully the Bills will have us in their hearts when they make the decisions that shape this franchise.  We've weathered similar storms before - we'll do it again this year and next year and the year after that.  If that moment ever comes - if we ever get that SB victory - you can bet our sweet ass i'll be partying like a rock star - because we all want our family to succeed and make you proud - and thats what I want.

Just another great fan opinion shared on the pages of BuffaloRumblings.com.