January 20, 1991

An AFC Championship Game.

In Buffalo!

🦬 🦬 🐃 

I couldn’t believe that I’d scored the tickets, and I actually grabbed an extra one for my buddy Terry.

So, the lineup was me and Jeff in the middle bowl at about the 30 yard line. My buddy Terry, sitting alone somewhere else.

We tailgated, but not for long because it was cold. A few beers and some hamburgers. I know that other buddies were scattered elsewhere, and truth be told, I was a little hungover from a party the night before.

And I was nervous.

They were playing the Raiders. The Raiders were a team that had already played in Super Bowls. I couldn’t really fathom that if the Bills won they’d play in the biggest game of all.

Also, it was the first game where we had to go through security to get into the game as we were at war and they were worried about a dirty bomb.

(Amazing how much the world has changed in 31 years).

The Bills scored quickly to take a 7-0 lead.

The nervousness grew when the Raiders moved down the field and kicked a field goal on their first drive.

“By the end of the quarter it’ll be 14-3,” I said. 

But it wasn’t.

It was actually 21-3 after the first.

It was 41-3 at the half.

(Just a couple of weeks ago the stadium was rocking as the Bills led the Patriots 27-3 at the half in a wild card game).

This was the AFC Championship!

41-3 at the half!

Which means we had the whole second half to get used to heading to the Super Bowl.

And in true Buffalo fashion, it started snowing.

Huge ❄️ snowflakes ❄️ falling from the sky and landing on our frozen heads.

I’ll never forget the cheer that went up. It was deafening.

And we talked excitedly all the way home. There was no way they would lose to either San Francisco or the Giants.

No f***ing way!

(We know how that worked out).

We partied for the next two weeks.

And so did the Bills.

Sadly.

Wide right made that Raiders win a lot less pleasurable.

But I still remember.