[zow2]

I won't say HATE, but there seems to be a general dislike or disinterest towards the Bills nationally. I mean when they are rumored to re-locate, no one seems to care other than locals like us or ex-pats. No one really has any sympathy towards the fans of Buffalo and their dedication even after those 4 SB losses. Is it maybe because Bills fans are viewed as cocky, drunk and obnoxious? Ralph is a meddling, cheap old geezer? i don't know.

[RJ (not THAT RJ)]

zow2, on Feb 7 2010, 02:55 PM, said:

I won't say HATE, but there seems to be a general dislike or disinterest towards the Bills nationally. I mean when they are rumored to re-locate, no one seems to care other than locals like us or ex-pats. No one really has any sympathy towards the fans of Buffalo and their dedication even after those 4 SB losses. Is it maybe because Bills fans are viewed as cocky, drunk and obnoxious? Ralph is a meddling, cheap old geezer? i don't know.

Because Buffalo is a small town, and an authentic underdog. Despite the cliches, the unhappy fact is that American society hates the poor, the weak, the underdog. It worships strength and success. The only time an underdog gets affection is when it wins, a paradox of the first order. That sportswriters and others try to deny this only makes it more nauseating.

All the "lovable loser" franchises come from larger metro areas (Chicago, Boston, NY) which can already claim fans, money, and success. When a franchise in a smaller city loses (Kansas City in MLB, Green Bay during the 1970s and much of the 1980s, for example) the world simply ignores them, or sportswriters mock them.

[....lybob]

baseball has lovable losers- football has losers

[RJ (not THAT RJ)]

....lybob, on Feb 7 2010, 03:12 PM, said:

baseball has lovable losers- football has losers

QED

[Bob in STL]

zow2, on Feb 7 2010, 02:55 PM, said:

I won't say HATE, but there seems to be a general dislike or disinterest towards the Bills nationally. I mean when they are rumored to re-locate, no one seems to care other than locals like us or ex-pats. No one really has any sympathy towards the fans of Buffalo and their dedication even after those 4 SB losses. Is it maybe because Bills fans are viewed as cocky, drunk and obnoxious? Ralph is a meddling, cheap old geezer? i don't know.

I am from Buffalo and have lived in several major cities in the US that have (or had) football franchises (such as Los Angeles, Baltimore and St. Louis).

After a few Super Bowl losses the Bills were seen as lovable losers and many people across the country wanted to see them win one. Those days are gone so why should people live in the past and sympathize for those missed oppottunites? More important is not to dismiss those teams and to recognize their greatness. Which, by the way, the national media does do.

Today there is no hate or general dislike toward the Bills, they are simply irrelevant because they have not seen the post season in 10 years and they have very few star players. What you do see is a paranoia among many Buffalonians that their city and their team is not up to par. I sense a hyper-sensitivity even on these boards that everything directed toward Buffalo is taken as a diss (i.e. TO's recent comments about it being cold in Buffalo made its own thread).

Buffalo, as a city, needs to bring itself out of the doldrums and revive itself. Buffalo, the city, should stop using the Bills as the major barameter to measure itself ... that is really selling Buffalo short. It is a great city with so much potential.

[Fewell733]

are there any lovable losers in the NFL?

[Joe In Macungie]

RJ (not THAT RJ), on Feb 7 2010, 03:03 PM, said:

Despite the cliches, the unhappy fact is that American society hates the poor, the weak, the underdog. It worships strength and success.

I can tell you're a liberal. America loves someone who comes from nothing and makes something of himself. See: Dick Clark or Henry Ford or any one of hundreds of other American entrepeneurs or sports heroes.

[vorpma]

zow2, on Feb 7 2010, 02:55 PM, said:

I won't say HATE, but there seems to be a general dislike or disinterest towards the Bills nationally. I mean when they are rumored to re-locate, no one seems to care other than locals like us or ex-pats. No one really has any sympathy towards the fans of Buffalo and their dedication even after those 4 SB losses. Is it maybe because Bills fans are viewed as cocky, drunk and obnoxious? Ralph is a meddling, cheap old geezer? i don't know.

I travel quite a bit and have to say that the Buffalo Teams of the 90s led by Jim Kelly and the "no huddle" had many fans. Just spent time in a Tampa watering hole and relived a few Bills memories from those days. I think if the Bills ever put a competitive product on the field and get back to the playoffs the support is there to stay in Buffalo. I'm just sold on the off season restructuring of the front office, things could get ugly in 2010.

[saundena]

Ive lived in a lot of different places and have a habit of expressing my pride in the Bills. Most people I run into seem to respect the Bills and Buffalo. A lot of these people say that they pull for the Bills to win as long as It dosent affect their team. Of course maybe this is because I'm vocal about the fact that I carry a loaded .44 mag and have the Mortal Kombat logo tattooed in my chest with the words "finish him" underneath....

[Las Vegas Calling...]

Bob in STL, on Feb 7 2010, 03:20 PM, said:

I am from Buffalo and have lived in several major cities in the US that have (or had) football franchises (such as Los Angeles, Baltimore and St. Louis).

After a few Super Bowl losses the Bills were seen as lovable losers and many people across the country wanted to see them win one. Those days are gone so why should people live in the past and sympathize for those missed oppottunites? More important is not to dismiss those teams and to recognize their greatness. Which, by the way, the national media does do.

Today there is no hate or general dislike toward the Bills, they are simply irrelevant because they have not seen the post season in 10 years and they have very few star players. What you do see is a paranoia among many Buffalonians that their city and their team is not up to par. I sense a hyper-sensitivity even on these boards that everything directed toward Buffalo is taken as a diss (i.e. TO's recent comments about it being cold in Buffalo made its own thread).

Buffalo, as a city, needs to bring itself out of the doldrums and revive itself. Buffalo, the city, should stop using the Bills as the major barameter to measure itself ... that is really selling Buffalo short. It is a great city with so much potential.

Agree. In Vegas, many people that I talk to tell me that they used to root for the Bills to win one of their SB's. However, those days were almost 20 years ago, and since this team has not even sniffed the playoffs for ten years, the team is not relavant. If the Bills were to win again, much of the country would be happy for them, much like how people are happy for the Saints franchise this year. The Bills deserve all of the mockery that the national media gives them. Every bit of it! The people of Buffalo do not. When I return to Buffalo, I see tons of potential in the area. You all need to chill out a little, drop your oppressive taxes, make the area business friendly again, and watch WNY take off. I hope to see it happen.

[Wilson from Gamehendge]

zow2, on Feb 7 2010, 02:55 PM, said:

I won't say HATE, but there seems to be a general dislike or disinterest towards the Bills nationally. I mean when they are rumored to re-locate, no one seems to care other than locals like us or ex-pats. No one really has any sympathy towards the fans of Buffalo and their dedication even after those 4 SB losses. Is it maybe because Bills fans are viewed as cocky, drunk and obnoxious? Ralph is a meddling, cheap old geezer? i don't know.

What do ex-Patriots have to do with locals of Buffalo?

[Fan in San Diego]

Nobody loves an underdog that whines about it. Underdogs that shutup and persevere garner love and admiration.

[Faustus]

Joe In Macungie, on Feb 7 2010, 10:42 AM, said:

I can tell you're a liberal.

:(

Quote

America loves someone who comes from nothing and makes something of himself. See: Dick Clark or Henry Ford or any one of hundreds of other American entrepeneurs or sports heroes.

That's exactly what he said in his next sentence.

[Lurker]

Fan in San Diego, on Feb 7 2010, 04:29 PM, said:

Nobody loves an underdog that whines about it. Underdogs that shutup and persevere garner love and admiration.

Bingo. Nothing lovable about the 'we get no respect' posturing when many of the wounds are self-inflicted.

Coupled with "irrelevent" from a ratings/readership/ad revenue perspective and you have your answer.

[Indy Dave]

As others have said, I think it's more a case of the Bills having little relevance. However, if/when the Bills return to the Super Bowl, I think we'll get America's vote in terms of rooting interest. People will want to finally see Buffalo get its championship.

[RJ (not THAT RJ)]

Joe In Macungie, on Feb 7 2010, 03:42 PM, said:

I can tell you're a liberal. America loves someone who comes from nothing and makes something of himself. See: Dick Clark or Henry Ford or any one of hundreds of other American entrepeneurs or sports heroes.

Joe, you know nothing of me, and your assumption that making an honest observation about american society makes one a "liberal" is an expression of the extreme poverty of your views.

[zow2]

Kudos, you guys gave some really good perspective....some things i have not thought about. I realize back in the early 90's there were many people nationally rooting for the Bills to finally win one. I just get the feeling nowadays that if the Bills saddle up to leave, most of the nation and media would be like "good,,,,send them to a REAL city". New Orleans sorta' made me think about this. THey are/were the loevable losers....everyone feels sorry for their city, fans, etc... They are now on the brink of a SB victory.

[....lybob]

RJ (not THAT RJ), on Feb 7 2010, 05:08 PM, said:

Joe, you know nothing of me, and your assumption that making an honest observation about american society makes one a "liberal" is an expression of the extreme poverty of your views.

To be fair "making honest observations" disqualifies you as a conservative or at least what we call conservative today.

[RJ (not THAT RJ)]

....lybob, on Feb 7 2010, 05:57 PM, said:

To be fair "making honest observations" disqualifies you as a conservative or at least what we call conservative today.

Now you sound like a liberal. :(

[Mr_Blizzard]

zow2, on Feb 7 2010, 02:55 PM, said:

I won't say HATE, but there seems to be a general dislike or disinterest towards the Bills nationally. I mean when they are rumored to re-locate, no one seems to care other than locals like us or ex-pats. No one really has any sympathy towards the fans of Buffalo and their dedication even after those 4 SB losses. Is it maybe because Bills fans are viewed as cocky, drunk and obnoxious? Ralph is a meddling, cheap old geezer? i don't know.

O.J. Simpson, Willis Magahee, Marshawn Lynch, Ko Simpson, Greg Williams, do I need to continue? :(