I had one chance to make it to Billy's this last season. I'll keep my
comments to myself about it. It seems that several of our members have
the Sunday Ticket. If it's possible, it seems like it would be much
more fun to meet at members houses for the game. We could all bring
food, beer etc...and help clean up afterward. I would be happy to have
people over when they play the Pats, since I don't have the ticket. Do
we have enough volunteers?

--- In granitestatebillsbackers@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Quinn"
<nhbillsbackers@y...> wrote:
>
> Reply to this post and tell your fellow Bills Backers about the
history
> of your connection to the Bills.

I was born and raised outside of Buffalo (Clarence, NY).  Even though
I've lived in New England for a decade, there's no way I would convert
to a Pats fan - it would kill my father!  Some of my favorite memories
growing up were spending Sunday afternoons with my Dad either in front
of the TV or at Rich Stadium watching the game.  If you haven't lived
in the Buffalo area, you can't possibly understand the impact the
Bills have on the character and activities of the region.

Yes, it's been a rough couple of years to be a Bills fan, but I'm
still proud to have a Bills license plate holder and wear my Bills
attire whenever possible in New Hampshire!

Well, I'm a transplant type victim of the crappy economy that
Upstate NY can't seem to get away from. I was born into a Bills
household, and therefore I regard the Bills as being on par with
religion. Bills fans are as emotional as they come, as you all know.
I grew up outside of Oswego NY in a small fishing town called New
Haven. If it weren't for me having fallen in love with fishing in
the ocean, I would swear that I will return to Buffalo when the
economy does. It's funny how, as a Bills fan, you are raised to
dispise the dolphins, but you don't learn to dispise the pats until
you meet the fans. They are as fair-weather as they come. So, here's
a Labatt raised to the guy who can't deal with this dead sox nation
b.s. I have season tickets now, and I work in the restaurant
industry. I am also a a member of the Boston Bills Backers. So,
we'll see how many games I get to join you guys for. I'll be sure to
catch a few.

P.S. We should get a big office pool going. Or a Knockout pool.

Jon Dowie
--- In granitestatebillsbackers@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Quinn"
<nhbillsbackers@y...> wrote:
>
> Reply to this post and tell your fellow Bills Backers about the
history
> of your connection to the Bills.

--- In granitestatebillsbackers@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Quinn"
<nhbillsbackers@y...> wrote:
>
> Reply to this post and tell your fellow Bills Backers about the
history
> of your connection to the Bills.

Born and raised South Shore Massachusetts, less than 10 miles from
the stadium in Foxboro. (Shafer, Sullivan, Foxboro whatever you want
to call it.)

Used to watch every Patriot and BC game with my grandfather.  Became
a huge fan of the "Magic Man" Doug Flutie.  When the Patriots
organization (namely Raymond Berry) said that Doug was too short to
play in the NFL, I decided to change my allegiance to a new squad.
I was around 10 or 11 at the time.

Buffalo was the only team in the East that I didn't dispise, so my
allegiance was shifted.  Its been tough at times living around here
as a Bills fan (mostly recently of course), but its sure been a wild
ride.

Hoping to make it on the 11th....

--- In granitestatebillsbackers@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Quinn"
<nhbillsbackers@y...> wrote:
>
> Reply to this post and tell your fellow Bills Backers about the
history
> of your connection to the Bills.

Born in Buffalo, where parents both went to SUNY Buff (my youngest
sibling starts there this fall, but don't let that fool you - I was
on my way to college when she was born :) ).  Anyhow, Dad was
military so we moved around.  Ended up back in Erie, PA in the
late '70's where my Dad re-introdued me to the Bills.  He was a long
time fan from the Kemp era and before.  I remember the day - we were
picking up a pizza and I got to pick out a free football card, and I
picked Tony Dorsett over OJ.  I think my Dad about had a heart
attack and decided right then and there I needed a good beating, or
an education in the Bills.  Luckily for me he chose the latter, and
I've been a Bills fan ever since.

I'm military as well (captain in the Army, ex NCO (11B) now 25
series) and and am stationed in NH, living in Dunbarton (near
Concord for the geographically challenged.)  I look forward to the
games at the bar, but I have to at least watch SOME at home since I
finally convinced my wife to spring for Sunday Ticket.  Mostly
because we can't get cable here, only satellite TV. :)

Well I moved to WNY when I was 5 years old and have been a Buffalo fan
ever since.  Grew up outside of Jamestown, NY and unfortunately didn't
get to go to many games, but watched every game available on
television.  College time brought me to New England to Plymouth, NH
where I spent 5 years in the snow and cold studying meteorology.
After college I moved back home for a year trying to find a job in my
field, which wasn't easy to do.  Finally had my opportunity in April
2004 in Nashua and moved back to NH.  As many of you know, if you
don't have tickets or NFL Sunday Ticket, Bills games were hard to come
by.  I spent many Sunday afternoons in front of the computer on
NFL.com watching the stats pop up on the screen.  I am glad that I
finally have more options to watch some games and especially glad I
can watch some games with some actual fans because I am throughly sick
of Pats fans and Red Sox Nation....ugh!

--- In granitestatebillsbackers@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Quinn"
<nhbillsbackers@y...> wrote:
>
> Reply to this post and tell your fellow Bills Backers about the
history
> of your connection to the Bills.

Enter your vote today!  A new poll has been created for the
granitestatebillsbackers group:

How many games will the Bills win this season?

   o 16
   o 15
   o 14
   o 13
   o 12
   o 11
   o 10
   o 9
   o 8
   o 7
   o 6
   o 5
   o 4
   o 3
   o 2


To vote, please visit the following web page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/granitestatebillsbackers/surveys?id=1319725

Note: Please do not reply to this message. Poll votes are
not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the Yahoo! Groups
web site listed above.

Thanks!

I am originally from N. Reading, MA and moved to Amherst, NH
2 years ago with my wife who is also a MA native. I got on the Bills
bandwagon in the late 80's. I was involved with Jack Kemp's
presidential run my freshman year at UNH and he didn't give a speech
where he didn't mention football and the Bills.
I was a casual NFL fan at the time, but was never a big Pats fan. I
started watching Bills games and who could watch Kelly, Thomas, Reed,
Smith etc. and not get hooked. I have been a fan ever since. I
started going to Buffalo for games when I lived in Syracuse briefly
in the early 90's. I have been a member of the Boston Bills Backers
for about 12 years. I have been a season ticket holder for 6 years
  now. As such I have become familiar with the area and met many
Buffalonians (and some Canadians) while tailgating. It's always a
great time. And, incidentally, I have also become a Sabres fan and I
look forward to their return to the ice.
Whether its football or hockey, I am convinced that Buffalo sports
fans are among the best in the nation, if not THE best. They are more
knowledgable about the games and more loyal to the teams than the
fair weather fans that make up most teams' fan bases. That just makes
every trip to the Ralph, or to HSBC, even more enjoyable. And that's
also why having a strong Bills Backers chapter is great.
It's the next best thing to being at the game, surrounded by the same
types of fans. As such, I look forward to this season at Billy's
(when I am not at the Ralph that is) and many more great seasons.


--- In granitestatebillsbackers@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Quinn"
<nhbillsbackers@y...> wrote:
>
> Reply to this post and tell your fellow Bills Backers about the
history
> of your connection to the Bills.

Born in Lackawanna, NY.  Fan of the Bills since 1965.  Worked at Rich
Stadium in the late 70s as a member of the post-game cleanup crew--
primarily because the job included free admission to the games.  Sort
of like having really messy, cold season tickets.

Resident of New Hampshire since 1985; very excited about finally
getting to cheer on the Bills with fellow fans.

Registered Granite State Bills Backers in late 2004.

Big Bills moments:  shoveling off yard markers during a late-season
game vs. Vikings; meeting Butch Byrd and Al Bemiller at a second-grade
sports night; receiving autographed Eric Moulds jersey from
buffalobills.com.

Reply to this post and tell your fellow Bills Backers about the history
of your connection to the Bills.

2005 is going to be a great season.  We have a new Backers chapter, a
new Yahoo group, and a new quarterback.  All we need is a new
divisional title and a run deep into the playoffs and we'll all be
much happier.

Here are some basics about the Granite State Bills Backers:

Membership
----------
If you are not an official registered member of the Granite State
Bills Backers yet, join at www.buffalobills.com.  It's free.

Meeting Place
-------------
Billy's Sports Bar in Manchester, NH.  GSBBer Mark Vincent reports
that the bar is willing to give us as many screens as we have people
attending--and a separate room if our group grows to a sufficient
size.  Billy's has a pretty good menu and not-outrageous drink
prices.  Hey, we might even be able to convince the bar to carry
Genny Cream Ale and serve beef on weck.

Come and cheer on the team with your fellow Bills fans.

Getting There
-------------
We'll post a separate message with directions from various points
around the state, but in the meantime use Mapquest or your favorite
mapping website and the address 37 Tarrytown Road, Manchester, NH.
NOTE:  members from the western/northwestern part of the state--
contact Mike Quinn at nhbillsbackers@... for possible
carpooling into Manchester.  It would save gas and $$.

Group Site
----------
Primary topic is Bills football, obviously.  It would be cool to know
who lived in the Buffalo/western New York/upstate area, buy and sell
game tickets, plan transportation to The Ralph, etc.  Also, your
moderator (Mike Quinn) has all kinds of family in Lackawanna,
Hamburg, Orchard Park and Amherst, so if there's specific info you
need about the area, just ask.

Photos
------
We'll post GSBB photos here, and be sure to e-mail me photos you take
at The Ralph when you're tailgating.

Ideas?  Comments?
-----------------
If you are a GSBB member, this is your site.  Send me your ideas and
comments.  nhbillsbackers@...

Common Sense Stuff
------------------
Be respectful of others, especially if you disagree with their point
of view.  Good, honest debate is welcome.  Have fun, participate
often, and use this site as your "home away from home field" when you
need your Buffalo Bills fix.