It’s probably fair to suggest many Bills fans of a certain age are feeling as queasy as I am writing this hours before the most important NFL Playoff game in Buffalo for over 30 years. But we know the drill. We’ve been here before. Long time Bills fans have experienced every emotion imaginable over the years in what we kindly refer to as our bumpy, twisted tale of woe.
The Buffalo Bills have an opportunity today to exorcise, expunge and eviscerate a franchise legacy of despair. Steve Tasker’s reference to our fan base as covered in scar tissue was arguably the best description of us ever made.
Will Josh Allen lead his team to glorious victory over the Kansas City Chiefs today, or put a cement boot on all of us and let us sink to the bottom of Lake Erie?
This wasn’t supposed to be ‘our year’. It still might not be. At 6-6 with a quarterback who looked like he needed an antidepressant, I was lining up my favorite “It’s not our year” responses… and cue the chorus of “we’ll get ’em next year” phraseology.
However, that strategy only works if you’re under 65.
Old farts don’t have as many “maybe next year’s” left in us.
When Buffalo started stacking wins after the loss to Philly, the thought of the Bills winning it all rolled over me like a bad Wyoming wind storm.
Wait, what?
With each win the drum beat a little bit louder. This CAN’T be our year, can it? Immediately my mind created a visual of Steve Tasker smoking a cigar and cackling at all of us while Carly Simon sang “I Haven’t Got Time for the Pain”.
The scar tissue runs deep.
I’ve mentioned this in the past when Buffalo made the playoffs and it’s equally important today IMO because it’s easy to forget or get lost in your own thoughts at times like these. Whatever you do today to “get ready for the game”, be sure to embrace each other with love and respect no matter the outcome.
Because while there is a game going on, there is hope. However, if this crazy season ends today, it brought many wonderful people together to celebrate our uniqueness, and that isn’t all bad.
Besides, I figure what’s one more layer of scar tissue around this ol’ mummy?
Editor’s babble: I’ll be spending most of the day cleaning our house, how about you? Find me on Xwitter @RobynMundyWYO.
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