What does it mean to be a Bills fan? Is it the same as being a fan of any other NFL team? What about for any other sport?
I grew up in Elma, NY, just outside of Buffalo. Though I have since moved out of the Buffalo area to settle in North Carolina for career opportunities, Buffalo in a way is still my home. I have been attending Bills games since I was 12 years old with my father, John. The passion that I carried into adulthood for September Sunday mornings is like no other.
Driving down Southwestern Boulevard on the first Sunday in September is like Christmas morning for me, as it is for many of you. Seeing Bills flags atop RV’s, beaten up tables with Sahlen’s hotdogs sitting on top, and the smell of perfectly grilled food is a weekly occurrence. It always seems like everyone in the parking lot who is throwing a football manages to have it land on the group sitting five cars down. Believe it or not, all of this is paradise.
Being a Bills fan can be hard for your health sometimes. We are amongst the most loyal fans in the entire National Football League, though it has been tough to remain that way at times. It seems every season we have the same record: 6 wins and 10 losses. But as loyal fans, we support our team no matter what, through bad seasons, bad weather, and the lack of Monday and Sunday night games. It gets to you after a while; the worrying, the anxiety, as well as the highs and lows can make someone crazy.
I am not trying to make some sort of proposal to convert non-Bills fan. You either are, or you are not. Some are extreme, others aren’t.
Personally, my love for the game begins the same way every year — by getting everything ready for the first tailgate a week in advance. I go to the Bills store to buy a jersey, read up on the latest articles from Chris Brown from BuffaloBills.com–or back in the day, Larry Felser of the Buffalo News. Everyone has their own ritual which makes sports a very personal experience, even when surrounded by tens of thousands.
Driving into “drive five” with my dad was the most exciting annual experience of my childhood. For those 6 hours I forgot the anxiety the world creates and focused on the pleasures, excitement and the love of Buffalo Bills football. As we sat by our car and cooked some of the best food the NFL has to offer, we had the radio blasting as we intently listened to the pregame show. The radio show, Bills Roundtable, was a staple of many-a-Bills-tailgates. Every single person on the show had his or her take on how the game was going to play out, and we always had one personality we agreed with, and another we didn’t. Our group talked (and dreamed) of Bills wins, playoffs, and dare I say Super Bowl victories. We always seemed just a couple players away.
As we wrapped things up and put all of our items and personal belongings into the car, the excitement grew with the looming Ralph Wilson Stadium in the backdrop. We then walked through the parking lot, through the tailgate parties and up to our section. We sat in our seats with our eyes open wide and in awe. It still baffles me that I sit there in complete jubilation and completely mesmerized by the amazing impact a Buffalo Bills football game has on me.
As the clock ticks down to game time, people start to get restless. It’s a restlessness that shines with excitement and high fives. The camaraderie that is quick to develop is one of the greatest things about Buffalo Bills games. Even if you don’t know the people that are sitting on each side of you, you are best buds for those few hours. As the years go on you develop life long friendships and share stories with them that you never thought you would. We became friends with Bill and Kenny next to us, on our right, as well as Greg and Doug behind us. Being a Buffalo Bills fan is one of the most rewarding feelings ever. I hope one day when I have a family I can share my love of the Bills with my kids as much as my family shared that with me. I’ll take my 12-year-old. He and/or she will have no choice but to be a Bills fan. Let the brainwashing begin. Of course a Super Bowl victory would help as well.
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