It was named “Rich Stadium” at birth in 1973. From there several iterations commenced including my personal favorite “Ralph Wilson Stadium”, or what many of us still lovingly and not-so-lovingly refer to at times as “The Ralph”. Whatever title you choose to embrace, we are all about to embark upon the last season in a stadium full of incredible memories for fans, players, coaches, media and other staff.
While the shiny new venue is captivating attention across the street every day, the old Ralph deserves it’s last rodeo to be one that acknowledges the incredible history that exists within. Before it is torn down, let us all take the opportunity to share in the legacy that will soon be no more than a memory.
On a personal note, it may become necessary for me to return to The Ralph for one last hurrah this season with an additional specific intention in mind. I really need to expunge the stench from my brain about the last time I was at a game in Orchard Park. Yea… that one. The 33-30 OT loss to the Vikings at The Ralph in November 2022. It scarred me so badly I haven’t been back to Buffalo since.
It would not be appropriate for this game to be my last memory at The Ralph.
There will be many official and unofficial celebrations for our last season at The Ralph. What I would like to do with this blog post is begin creating a collection of memories people would like to share about their experiences at The Ralph. It would be nice to have a record of what all of you who support this blog remember most about more than five decades of history at our glorious stadium in Orchard Park.
So if you are inclined, please feel free to use the comment section after this post to share any thoughts or memories you have about The Ralph. It would be fitting for this blog that we leave some of our legacy together as fans of the Buffalo Bills right here, right now.
Editor’s babble: You can also find me on Xwitter @RobynMundyWYO or Bluesky @RobynMundyWYO.bsky.social.
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