A View From A Massachusetts Bills Fan

by angryBuffaloSEMA on Mar 10, 2010 1:30 AM EST

Every Sunday between September and January something weird happens in my neighborhood. In the middle of Pats country a 26 y/o man walks out of his house with a red and blue Bills cap and a throwback Marshawn Lynch jersey, or more recently a throwback T.O. jersey.

This man heads down to the local bar and requests that one of the TVs be put on the Bills game. Everyone stops and looks at you, kids laugh at the very sight of a Bills hat, adults teach them that the Bills suck. People, friends, relatives all know of my choice to root for the Bills, but give nothing more than a constant verbal beating. Lets face it Pats fan havevery reason to brag or say the Bills suck, they are not stupid people. They know just as much about our team as they do about their team and they let us hear it. I hear it on the news, the radio, and the newspaper. They rub in the three Superbowls, Tom Brady, and Bill Belichick. They believe they are gods gift to football, they can't lose, or they should never lose.

They have a plan and stick with it. They have had the same coach and the same system in place for years now. I'm so critical on the things the Bills do and don't do because I'm tired of sitting back and waiting for something great to happen, I'm tired of watching the Patriots kick our faces in twice a year.

This is a proud franchise and an even prouder city who lives for football. However I don't get to this, I just get the "God must be a Patriots fan" take on life. I feel that Leslie Frazier never had a chance of being coach here, and if Buddy Nix was so good at drafting and building a team why did San Diego let him go? Listen I'm bashing anyone this time, just expressing my concerns. I just see Chan Gailey as another in a long line of disappointing coaches. I'm not too sure but didn't he go 9-7 two years in a row with a Cowboys team that had Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin? I mean if you can't win more than 10 games with those guys what am I going to expect with this group?

Iguess the draft is the way to go, but last time I checked we didn't have 22 picks, and just because Walker and Dockery didn'y work out doesn't mean we have to do NOTHING in free agency. When you sit here in Mass and watch the Patriots win with players like Tully Banta-Cain leading them in sacks, it makes you wonder what the hell we are doing wrong. It seems like when Poz gets his annual broken arm the defense can't stop the run, and their have been so many different left tackles that no wonder any QB gets happy feet in the pocket. If we are going to win it doesn't start with a draft or free agency. It starts with consistency on the sidelines and a system where interchangeable parts can work when injuries or poor play take their toll.

It finally looks like the tide is turning in the AFC East, but instead of just watching the Patriots fall, now we have to watch the Jets and the Dolphins rise. But anyway when I'm done posting this I'll turn on my TV and watch Bill Belichick's TV show and listen to him say how tough the Bills are and how good they can possibly be . Right now thats the only positive praise ( no matter if its all B.S.) that I'll hear anytime soon.

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

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I feel your pain

I live in MA also and can completely relate. I did the bus trip for the Patriots game at the Ralph a few years ago, I don’t recommend being in a bus full of Patriots fans for that duration, but aside from that it was an awesome experience (except for the fact we lost of course).

I also share your sentiments about Frazier, I’m not down on Gailey, but I was pulling for Frazier to get a shot at it.

All I can say is it can’t get any worse and when we finally do move past them it will be so so sweet.

by TJJ on Mar 10, 2010 8:11 AM EST reply actions

Angry Buffalo reading your post makes me feel Like a SAD Buffalo cuz its sooo true!!

First off really good peice, You took the words rite out of my mouth and out of TRUE Bills fans mouths. You said what so many of us feel on here especially those of us who live in MA (pats country). Every sunday also during football season i am faithfully wearing the Bills fitted hat and Jersey and people laugh and make fun. WHat can we do though your rite the Patriots have built a solid team with solid people running it they do throw people in like tully banta-cain, D. Patton + Troy Brown a couple of years ago and win with those type people so that says something. I am with you chan went 9 -7 two years in a row with aikmen smith and the rest of that crew. The real question is what is he really gonna do up here with a team thas not even close to what he had then. Angry Buffalo you are 100 percent rite with this posting We do need players that can fill in and we do need some REAL change up here in order now to compete with the Patriots and now the Jets and Dolphins. Enough with the GREAT REBUILD since 97, now is the time..

by Taber New Bedford Buffalo on Mar 10, 2010 9:40 AM EST reply actions

TRUE Bills fans

That’d be all of us, hoss.

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by Brian Galliford on Mar 10, 2010 9:50 AM EST up reply actions

For real. If you’re still hanging on with this team, you’re a true Bills fan.

Official ledge-talker-offer of the Buffalo Bills.

by WhyBillsWhy on Mar 12, 2010 12:29 PM EST up reply actions

from your RI neighbor

Man, you’re right on the money about being a Bills fan in New England. That bar scenario is exactly what I go through every Sunday. The bar around the corner from my house refuses to tune a single TV to the Bills game so I have to drive to a Smokey Bones 2 towns over. It makes you wonder what the hell they have NFL league pass for if all they show is the local game. If the Pats play the 1 pm game, they don’t even show a 4 pm game; they show Pats post game.

Although there appears to be a difference between the RI fans and the Mass fans

They know just as much about our team as they do about their team and they let us hear it

The Pats fans I know don’t know anything about the Bills other than “They suck!”. Hell most of them don’t even realize the Bills are in their division. They think playing the Bills twice a year is their reward for being a dynasty.

As for Chan Gailey, I think the jury is still out on him. On paper, he seems like the perfect coach. He seems to be a run hard, battle in the trenches, game of inches type which is exactly what Buffalo needs because I think that is the kind of mentality a blue collar team like Buffalo should have. Plus, he has record of making it to the playoffs with mediocre qb talent. Oh yeah, and he makes it to the playoffs. But his inability to hang around teams very long, he only spent 2 years or less anywhere he had a major coaching position except GT, concerns me. To his credit though, he went 10-6 in his first year in Dallas and didn’t have Irving in his second. Plus Aikman was on the verge of retirement.

Nix I like. Whether you like his few (so far), off season moves, he seems decisive and like he has a plan. Good or bad, merely having a plan is a huge improvement. I don’t think the Chargers letting him go to Buffalo should be an area of concern. Talented coordinators leave teams to be head coaches all the time with out animosity and this is rather analogous.

by terrafflo on Mar 10, 2010 9:42 AM EST reply actions

As the only other Bills fan in RI, I feel your pain. You’re dead on about the Pats fans. Fortunately for me, the bar around the corner from me has like 20 TVs and the waitresses know my girlfriend, so they’re cool with switching one of the smaller TVs to the Bills game.
Also, I’m pretty sure that Nix quit SD; he didn’t get fired. I believe he was good friends with Schottenheimer, so when they fired Marty, Nix had some words with them.

Official ledge-talker-offer of the Buffalo Bills.

by WhyBillsWhy on Mar 12, 2010 12:34 PM EST up reply actions

Get out of there!

I made the mistake of living in Pats country for eight plus years, partly due to attending college there then for work. Man, God love you for putting up with all of those Pats fans day in and day out. Best decision I ever made was to move out of NE.

by Circling Wagons on Mar 10, 2010 10:19 AM EST reply actions

Wish I could...

Trust me man I want nothing more than to move out of this god forsaken state. If the taxes don’t kill me than the Pats fans will ( and some yankee fans too) if it weren’t for all my family and friends here and my crappy job I would have season tickets and a raised ranch somewhere in sub-buffalo.

by angryBuffaloSEMA on Mar 10, 2010 10:43 AM EST reply actions

pats fans are all band wagon riders

I was in Fall River in early 2008 at an Applebees and a bunch of 20-20 year ols fans were razzing me re: the Bills and tellig me how big a Pats fans they were.

I took out a $100 bill and put it on the bar and said it would go to the “true Pats fan” could name the last 4 starters before Brady.

As I surmised, no one got it and I left with said $100.

Boston is, and always will be, a Baseball town.

by freddyjj on Mar 10, 2010 12:53 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

awesome

we the FANS the VOICE the PEOPLE the true BLOOD of the Buffalo BILLS are just doing all this SO mAYBE just MAYbe the Coach THE teAM will just see how us the FANS the the SPARTAN aka BUFARTAN we will not Surrender to know onE.
-abayarde

by uPitt_BillsFan on Mar 10, 2010 1:19 PM EST up reply actions

Even out here in Colorado, there are a TON of Pats fans like that.

I do that sort of stunt on them ALL The time. :)

I call it... The Avaslug!
I am the 1st and probably only official member of the David "Dr." Jones fanclub. Until I get the newsletter out, anyway.

Syracuse Basketball 2010: Big East Champs!!! G'Orange!

by UZ on Mar 11, 2010 7:34 AM EST up reply actions

Pats fans = Bandwagon

Living in Boston for 10+ years, just like the rest of you, always having to hear Pats fans rub how much we suck in our face. It really sucks going into work the next day after the Bills drop one to the Pats. But as freddyjj pointed out, I have also found a way to knock these fair weather fans here in NE. I always ask for 5 players that played on the NE Pats ’97 superbowl team…..and you know what, I have asked this question over 100 times, only ONCE as someone answered correctly.

Another funny story is I was asked to go to a game at Gillette, so I said, “ok, well what time do you want to leave sunday?”, their response was 11am, so I came back with “oh, it must be a 4pm game”, but oh no it was surley a 1pm game….If this was Buffalo I would we would be in that parking lot 8am sharp if not the night before…Pats fans suck

If you live in MA or find yourself in Boston during a Sunday in the fall, The Bills Backers represent big time at The Harp on Causeway Street or the newest Bills bar, The Bleacer Bar underneath Center field at Fenway Park on Lansdowne St.

by DukeOfDunkirk on Mar 10, 2010 1:22 PM EST reply actions

NH Bills fan.....

The two joys that i possibly get on a weekly basis during football season are either the Bills Winning or the Patsies losing.

I work with about 5k ppl and when the Pats lose it is miserable at work and I absolutely love it.

Does this make me sick??? lol

by MikeEverett08 on Mar 10, 2010 5:30 PM EST reply actions

it makes you a Bills fan lol

by uPitt_BillsFan on Mar 11, 2010 5:24 AM EST up reply actions

I’m still going to wait for something to happen before I start to trash the new organization. The unrealistic expectations heaped upon the franchise before Nix was hired made it just about impossible for them to achieve what some people were hoping for (IE Rivera at GM, Cowher/Frazier at Head Coach, McNabb at QB, etc.) and I just can’t hold “not being our dream team” against them.

Also, Gailey went 10-6 and 8-8, not 9-7 both years. Both were playoff appearances.

And this wasn’t exactly the salad days of the 90’s for the Cowgirls, this was basically handing him a retirement home wearing cowboys jerseys.

I call it... The Avaslug!
I am the 1st and probably only official member of the David "Dr." Jones fanclub. Until I get the newsletter out, anyway.

Syracuse Basketball 2010: Big East Champs!!! G'Orange!

by UZ on Mar 11, 2010 7:43 AM EST reply actions