At this point, adding to what has already been said about the Chiefs game would just be piling on. Suffice to say, I agree with pretty much all of it, and will probably never again look at a red flag without weeping.
So, let me inject two optimistic thoughts into the equation: the first of which I can’t claim I really believe…and the second of which I absolutely believe. In 2004, the Bills rattled off six consecutive wins at the end of the season to put themselves into the playoff picture in game 16. We won’t bother getting into what happened next. The wins came against fairly marginal opponents. Take a look at the rest of the Bills’ schedule this season. Not a lot of world-beaters there. Now, neither are the Bills right now. But in any given game, the idea of a Bills victory doesn’t sound so outlandish. Should be interesting.
Moving onto topic two: the Bills’ Super Bowl teams of the 1990s. You may have heard of them. Why mention them? One, because they’re a perfect antidote to what ails so many Bills’ fans today, and more importantly, because of a long-time friend of NYCBBB, Michelle Girardi Zumwalt.
Michelle left what was arguably the second-coolest job for a Buffalo sports fan — producing pieces on the Bills and other football topics for NFL Films — after landing the number one coolest job: working for the Pegula organization to produce pieces on the Bills, Sabres and other Pegula-owned teams. She even got to move back home to Buffalo with her husband and two children.
Before all of that? Michelle was one of us, serving as advisor and columnist for the NYCBBB. Clearly, the woman loves football and loves Buffalo. She did great work with NFL Films, and from what I hear may have saved some of her best work for last with her contributions to the “30 for 30” documentary, “Four Falls of Buffalo,” debuting Saturday, December 12 on ESPN.
Michelle’s a friend and great at what she does, so I’d watch anything she worked on. I’ll admit I’ve had some apprehension about this one: I LOVED those teams, but naturally I have some bittersweet memories associated with them. From what I understand, though, there’s a lot to feel really good – and really proud – about, from the character of those teams to, above all, the character of the city those teams represented. Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing about those years. Well, maybe one thing.
Congratulations in advance, Michelle. I’ll be one of many glued to my screen.