All In The Family : Why I'm a Bills Fan

The team I love more than any other is a small market team. For as long as I can remember I recall hearing how this is the year the Bills are moving out of Buffalo.

Even living across the continent, I could not imagine how low that would make me feel if the team were to relocate. From the age of six on, from every September to January Sunday’s were spent with the Bills.

When they won I would have a jump in my step all week. When they lost it was normal for tears to be flowing like the very waterfall we were driving past on the way home from Orchard Park.

I still remember one of my first games. Maybe because I am reminded of it by my father every so often.

There sits young Christopher, cheering on his Bills, eating away at a giant bag of peanuts.

I was so into the game that I had started eating the peanuts with the shells on. After realizing what I had done, I instantly spit them out. Even to this day while at a Bills game if I happen to be eating peanuts my father reminds me to make sure I don’t eat the shell.

That molded my life. The relationship I have with my father was built upon these Sunday afternoons together with the Bills. And that moment in time is ours forever.

These stories are not uncommon for the diehard fans of their respective home team they love.

For the people of Western New York, and people like me who grew up with that team, the Bills are a part of my family. A part of my life.

As the years went on the season ticket package went from two to four. Now it was the whole family going.

Every year I knew that for eight Sunday’s we would all be together, enjoying a Bills game.

Even as all of us got older and started to have commitments times shared with one another became scarce. But we still know we always have those eight Sunday’s from September to January.

So what makes me a Bills fan? My family does.