Week four of the NFL season is well under way. Despite the record of your team, you hope your team can pull it together to at least make the playoffs. Buffalo Bills’ fans last saw their team in the playoffs in 1999 when Doug Flutie relieved Rob Johnson of his quarterback duties.
Moving to Rochester, NY meant re-acclimating myself with this fan base. Even a Jets’ fan can feel sympathy for this team. Recently, BuzzFeed posted an article on the pain of Bills’ followers since 1990- the start of the four year run of second place.
The season began with a rookie quarterback and new coach. Some expect great things from the new regime, while others remain in the wait and see mode. Nevertheless, the Bills and their fans can teach us. Here are a few things, I am learning from this Upstate New York team:
1. Live with realistic expectations about yourself.
Unlike the Jets, the Bills have not been accustomed to making Super Bowl predictions. Most of the fans would consider an 8-8 season this year a success. One radio host said, “We would just love the Bills to be competitive each game.” For the Bills and us, the expectation is not to win the Super Bowl this season. Growth steadily happens over time in faithful consistency. Realistic expectations consider the circumstances around us. Maybe this season is the ascent of growth for the Bills.
2. Disappointment happens to all of us.
Scott Norwood kicked the ball wide right. Getting to four Super Bowls with no titles. The Cowboys came back to beat the Bills on that infamous Monday night. Now some Bills’ fans always expect disappointments, well beyond cynicism. The Bills help us understand disappointment. Think of this; they still come back every season. Does that not look like life for us? We will face disappointment, but part of life is simply coming back for the next season.
3. Savor every win.
When you listen to Bills’ radio, they celebrate the win until Tuesday. By Wednesday they start focusing on the next game. There is something to be said about celebrating a win. Perhaps, we could learn not only to celebrate our wins, but the wins of others.
Congratulations Buffalo on your win this week. What have learned from being a Bills’ fan?