Growing up in Buffalo you become immune to certain things that outsiders consider abnormal. The weather is typically the first thing that comes to mind for most people. Of course snow is one thing, but October snow is another. Most cities shutdown when a few inches of the white stuff comes down. We just bundle up and leave a few minutes earlier to get where we are going. Partying is a close second. That’s right partying. Where else is Dyngus Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Octoberfest, the night before Thanksgiving, and so many more celebrated like it is here? We love our late nights as well don’t we? Last call around here is at 4AM making places like Allentown and Chippewa St. well known destinations. However, nothing in Western New York compares to the partying that goes on out in Orchard Park on game days. It is a celebration really.
Things may seem business as usual for those of us who attend regularly, however outsiders see it as anything but normal. Every year we hear about how bad it is from someone who has never witnessed it before. They talk about the drinking, swearing, and violence that occurs with no mention of anything positive. It isn’t perfect out there by any means, but letting an out of towner who shows up for one game a year tear us apart isn’t fair either. If you haven’t noticed, we haven’t had much success around here as of late, but at least we still show up. We show up when it’s warm. We show up when it’s cold. We even show up when they move our game to another city. So the next time you out of towners come to blast this town and this city take a look around. Sure you may see a few over served youngster having a good time. At least they showed up.
I hate Miami for many reasons the main one being that their fans don’t show up. In fact, when you tune in on Sunday you will be well aware of that. All that orange you see in the stands isn’t the fans it’s the seats. The culture in South Beach is clearly different than what we have up here especially when it comes to football. Their college team ruled for such a long time that most people down there associate with other professional teams. There are a number of transplants down there as well making a loyal fan base hard to establish. They aren’t misbehaving down there nearly as much as we are, but they still do. Don’t believe me? Well I am here to tell you a little story about how they may be even worse than we are up here in blizzard country.
Miami is one of the only stadiums I haven’t been to in the league. People ask me why all the time and I tell them this little story:
About ten years ago one of my best friends traveled to Miami with his brother to spend the weekend and attend the game. Their agenda was packed with numerous stops along the way and some serious partying. Their uncle, who relocated to South Beach years ago, setup an incredible weekend for both of them. It was the typical Miami experience. Night clubs. Party boats. It was everything Crockett and Tubbs would have expected. However, this magical journey came to a crashing halt when they entered the stadium. My boys arrived on a boat dressed to the nines in Bills attire including the popular chicken wing hat. They were harassed the entire time as it should be, but things took a change for the worst once they arrived at their seats. Now, my friends aren’t angels but nobody deserved what happened next. As they enter their section someone thought it would be a good idea to remove his brothers chicken wing hat and smack him with it. An altercation broke out and a number of Miami fans joined in on the assault. As my friend tried to breakup the melee a man in a wheel chair approached the scene. Believe it or not the man in the wheel chair attacked my friend!
Now we have Bills fans fighting Dolphins fans in the seats before the game has even started. My friend did well to defend himself but when you are fighting a man in a wheel chair as security arrives you’re in trouble. I have watched this type of situation transpire at the Ralph so many times that I knew what was going to happen next. Everyone in the section blamed the Bills fans for the fight and both of my buddies were taken away in handcuffs. It went from one of his greatest vacations to his absolute worst. They missed their flight, had to play some fines, and aren’t welcomed in South Beach any more. Seems fair that they get framed for something they wanted nothing to do with.
Football games bring out some serious emotion. It gives people an opportunity to let loose with a large group of people who are looking to do the same thing. Letting loose shouldn’t involve violence. Letting loose shouldn’t involve passing out in your seat either. Every time one of those articles comes out about how awful our behavior is at the Ralph I think about what my friends went through in Miami. They were there to have a good time and look what happened. So the next time some writer from parts unknown comes through here to blast the Bills I hope they realize we aren’t the only ones with behavior concerns. I didn’t hear about anyone smacking Packers fans with their cheese head hats last year. Did you?
