I sat down to watch the most recent 30 for 30 on our Buffalo Bills, Four Falls of Buffalo. This one particularly hit home because not only am I a Bills fan, but I was 13 when the run started. This team was definitely the most influential team during my formative fandom years. The biggest surprise to me was how this story almost seemed biographical. I could literally feel all the emotions I had as a teenager happening again. My biggest takeaways from this documentary were that this team is being remembered as the winners they are, Buffalo is such a great city, and there is something to be said about competing, even when you have been knocked down more times than you can imagine.
The documentary seemed to spend a lot of time building up to the first Super Bowl. Even in hindsight, this is still the one that gets me the most. I truly feel that this is the one game where they were definitely the better team. I remember reading Carucci’s article on TBN that morning that Norwood was ready to make a kick to win the game if needed. Even watching the replay, there was a little part of me that thought the kick may veer left and would be good. The kick did not veer left however, and was indeed wide right. It was the first time I ever remember crying at sports. Even to this day, that footage brought a tear to my eye.
In the aftermath of that loss, I remembered the pep rally and all the Norwood love that day. I don’t think I ever truly realized that it was a unique response. That’s who Buffalo is, and what Buffalo is about. I also don’t know how many other cities would’ve given the guy who missed that kick the ovation he got that day. What truly impressed me however, was the current day Scott Norwood the man. I will admit, not proudly, that even to this day, I struggle with Norwood and wonder “what if”. I never will again, as all my conflict is over. To see a man own a play like that, even 25 years later was refreshing. We often think that we as fans care more than the actual players. I learned that I could not be more wrong when it cam to those teams. You could see Norwood still getting chocked up at the fact that he feels he let down his teammates, the fans, and the city. He could not be more wrong. He showed us all how to handle adversity, how to take responsibility, and grow from it.
The Super Bowl 26 year was also somewhat of a blur. I do remember feeling like those teams were evenly matched and that it should be a good game. When Thurman lost his helmet at the beginning of the game, you just kind of saw what day it was going to be. This was also the start of where the Buffalo Bills as loser’s jokes started. I was somewhat surprised to hear how most of the team actually felt this was the one they felt the most confidence about.
I actually think the SB 27 team is remembered the most fondly for a variety of reasons mentioned and highlighted in the documentary. First and foremost was the comeback against the Oilers in the Wild Card. Whenever a team is down big and starts to make a slight comeback, you can count on this team being mentioned. It truly shows the power of never giving up. The other reason this team is so well remembered in the Don Beebe play against Leon Lett in the Super Bowl. It was great to see all the notes Beebe had kept from people telling them they loved his spirit. That single play may have best summed up the early 90’s Bills, no matter what the circumstances were, this team had no quit.
By the time the SB 28 year rolled around, as the show accurately portrayed, the tide had turned and people were just sick of the Bills. Outside of Buffalo, the Bills were a running joke and everyone would’ve certainly preferred to see a different team represent the AFC. In a strange way, this may have been the team portrayed that was the most fun to root for. It was an “us against the world” mentality and this team definitely had an F U mindset, until the Super Bowl that is. Despite leading at halftime, the game really wasn’t that close and the Bills lost again becoming 4 time SB losers.
The documentary essentially ends with naming the various accolades of those teams. It was this last 15 minutes that may have been the most fun. You can see how great these teams are. Obviously it takes a great team to get to 4 straight Super Bowls, but I think they really showed that it took a really special group to be able to mentally do this year after year. In hindsight, that may be what these players are most known for, their mental toughness. This is evident especially in the life of Jim Kelly who has not only lost a son, but dealt with cancer. I thought Steve Tasker really summarized it best at the end when he essentially said the ridicule this team gets continues to go down while the appreciation continues to go up. This is especially evident in the NFL HOF.
Outside of the team, this documentary really made me proud to be from Buffalo. Buffalo is a Northern city that truly has southern hospitality. Never was this more evident than with Scott Norwood. You could see him getting choked up even today about the reaction he got 25 years ago. Keep in mind, this man got a standing ovation the day after missing a SB winning kick. Compare this to the reception Bill Buckner got in Boston after his gaffe. Buffalo says it wants a winner, and I believe it truly does, but more than that, it wants athletes who are like them and genuine. You make a mistake, you own it, and you go work hard to make sure it never happens again.
This is why this city will always love the Fred Jackson and the Chris Drury’s of the world. As I’ve aged I certainly remember the SB losses, but it’s not what I remember most. I remember a great team, with larger than life personalities that made Buffalo proud. I remember a team that refused to be defined by losing Super Bowls, but instead, a team that is defined by perseverance. I do believe someday in the future there will be a victory parade, and I’m not entirely convinced that those guys will be remembered anymore fondly than this group of Super Bowl….I’m not quite sure what word to use, because if you watched, and you lived it, you know these teams, and this city, is anything but losers.
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