A Visit from St. Nickel-Defense

A Visit from St. Nickel-Defense

Skarekrow making fun of Clement Clarke Moore

‘Twas the day of the ball game, and all through the region
All Bills fans were stirring, please call us legion;
The jerseys were donned on our person with care,
In hopes that St. Nickel-Defense soon would be there;

The children were restless to hear “Hey Ey Ey Eys!;”
While visions of touchdowns danced in their brains;
And the fans in our colors, and some in a cap,
Were eating our wings and readied our wet nap,

When out in the stands, there arose such a thunder,
I cast my eyes to the tunnel, behold the wonder
Allen and Diggs take to the field in a flash,
Davis, Knox, Kincaid through the smoke I saw dash.

Next was Morsey and Cook and many you know,
Then along came the defense, the offense’s bros,
Led by Poyer and Hyde, White, Milano too,
Miller then Groot, Ed Oliver and the whole crew.

Remember the specialists, Reid, Sam, and the Bass,
They too put up points, it’s not just run and pass.
Then out came McDermott, the coach of this team,
His Process they follow, to deliver the dream.

“Now Safeties! now, Corners! now Tackles and Blitzers!
Hit, QBs! hit, RBs! hit, TEs and ‘ceivers!
To the back of the end zone! to the top of the wall!
Now score away! score away! score away all!”

As Bison that before a wolf trample and stamp,
This Bills team’s opponents, are snuffed like a lamp;
All day to the scoreboard our gazes do fly
With a smile as we see, the numbers pile up high-

We watch, with a cold one, it might just be Blue
Though other libations can be as good too.
On opponent third downs, the train whistle sounds,
Home game or away, in my head it still abounds.

We cheer a big stop, pass defended or stole,
Or tackle for loss, the Bills defense does its role.
Now comes the offense to the field to attack,
Each touchdown they bring sets the other team back.

Our eyes—how they twinkle! our fist bumps, how merry!
As the Buffalo Bills, to thrill us won’t tarry!
Our droll little mouths are drawn up like a bow,
As victories pile up like the flakes they call “snow;”

The talk of the East of the AFC fame
The Division and Conference, that is the game;
And attach to a Lombardi, the Buffalo seal,
We’ll high-five with such force we’ll all have a weal.

We imagine parades, through the city streets,
And all of the fans like ourselves we will meet;
It all starts with this one, we know that to be true;
So we root for our team, in red, white, and blue.

Today I might see you and shout a “GO BILLS!”
In hopes on this game day we’ll both see some thrills,
We all say it back, it’s replaced the “hello”
I know you’ll return it, with a great big bellow;

Then we’ll spring to the game, watch our favorite team play
United in fandom, even if far away.
Now you’ll hear me exclaim, ere this parody’s “Fin”—
“Happy game day to all, and to Bills a big win!”