Hello 1,937 Bills Fans,

With a 2 game road winning streak the Bills return home this week at 1pm to face the Houston Texans. Trent Edwards is still out with the concussion he sustained in the Jets game, and next week is a bye, so it’s Ryan Fitzpatrick’s last chance to prove he’s a better quarterback. While the offensive play has not gotten much prettier, Fitzpatrick has at least shown a refreshing willingness to throw the ball deep. It’ll be his first game in the Ralph, so let’s hope he enjoys the comforts of home and we enter the bye week with a three game winning streak and a full blown QB controversy on our hands.

McFadden’s and Calico’s will be rocking as always so come over and enjoy this mini-resurgence with all your Little Buffalo friends. Drink specials start at noon and run until the end of the game. Also, it’s daylight savings time on Sunday, so be sure to set your clocks back an hour.

Check out Phil’s column – A View From Calico Jack’s, Week 7:
https://www.nycbbb.com/columns/102809.shtml

Kelly’s Call:
Did you know Jim Kelly has a column on BuffaloBills.com? His latest effort talks about the Bills QB struggles and doesn’t pull any punches.
http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/Kellys-Call-Stability-at-QB-a-must/a9a0e59d-e679-422a-9165-ccd00d6e90b5

Jets Game Wrap-up:
Thanks to everyone that came out and tailgated with us before the Jets game two weeks ago. I think it was our biggest turnout ever, which is really saying a lot considering how bad things looked before the game. Hopefully everyone enjoyed themselves at the tailgate and stuck around long enough afterwards to watch all the sad Jets fans leave the parking lot. I know I did.

Marathon:
This Sunday is the 40th NYC Marathon. It’s an amazing event that showcases the best of the city and I’d like to encourage everyone to head out before the game to watch and cheer on the runners. I’ll be out there running this year so if you see a guy in a Bills shirt sure be sure to yell extra loud because I’ll need the help to finish fast enough to get to Calicos for the second half! Good luck to any other runners out there!

Go Bills! Go SABRES! (7-1-1 so far!)

Kevin

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays the NYCBBB from throwing our 7th Annual Tailgate Extravaganza!”

Hi All 1,943 Diehard Bills Fans,

It’s that time of year again, when we take over Lot 16, Pole C and show those disgusting Jets fans the true meaning of Tailgating! The weather forecast is pretty gross but that won’t stop us. Pack your jackets, boots, hats and mittens (all waterproof of course) and join us! On a personal note, this is my 6th year running the tailgate, and my 7th tailgate overall and I’m not going to let a little rain dampen my fun and neither should you!

Here are the details – Kickoff is 4pm, and we’ll have things up and running by 12ish. We’ll be in Lot 16, by Pole C. Look for the huge collection of Red, White and Blue in the sea of puke green. If you plan on driving you MUST pre-purchase a parking pass. Ebay and Stubhub have a bunch on sale if you need one.

McFadden’s was nice enough to donate beer and Bloody Marys and we’ll be selling $5 wristbands as a fundraiser for our annual operating costs. The Bloody Marys are always a huge hit so get there early if you want some. We don’t supply food but there is always plenty of grill space so feel free to bring food.

For those of you not venturing into the swamp, McFadden’s and Calicos will be showing the game with the usual specials.

Billboard
Has everyone seen this? A Bills fan started a website to raise money for a billboard calling for Ralph to clean house and in a couple of days raised more than enough money.

A View From Calico Jacks
Phil chimes in this week with his thoughts on potential candidates to replace Dick Jauron. It’s a must read:
https://www.nycbbb.com/columns/101409.shtml

Videographer Wanted
The NYCBBB is working on a secret video project and is in need of someone with the equipment and know-how that can shoot a video during a game, edit it and upload it to YouTube. Email me if you are interested.

Food Network
A show called “Tailgate Warriors” is premiering on Saturday Night a 9pm on the Food Network. The first show was filmed at the Bills/Bears preseason game and features many NYCBBB friends like Pinto Kenny and Captain Buffalo. Check it out:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/food-network-specials/all-specials/tailgate-warriors-with-guy-fieri.html

Stand Correction
Small correction from last week on the info for Stand’s show – it is this Tuesday the 20th at the Bowery Ballroom.

Hope to see you all on Sunday!

Kevin

“It’s deja-vu all over again!”

Any overly astute NYCBBB member may recognize the title of this email from my “Ready to Tailgate in the Swamp for the 5th Consecutive year email” last year. I figure everything went so well that I should stick with what works, with the exception of trumpeting the fact that’s it’s our Now Legendary 6th Annual Tailgate Party and due to all the parking regulations at the Meadowlands is sure to be the one that really pisses off the most Jets fans!

As usual we will be in Lot 16, Pole C. The basic rundown is that without a pre-paid parking pass you will NOT be allowed into the parking lots. We have confirmed that the info in our last email about being allowed in early without a pass is FALSE. However there are a lot of parking passes available on ebay and some of them can be emailed to you so keep an eye out.

Beer n’ Food 
We’re still coordinating what we are doing in terms of providing a keg and it looks like we will have one there. Since we have no idea how many people will be there we are not going to throw an official “$5 all you can drink special” like in years past. If you can I would suggest bring a spare 6 pack just to be sure. There will be plenty of grill space around, so feel free to bring food to cook. If you are traveling by bus or are parking in the satellite lot let me know if you would be interesting in having someone with a car bring beer or food to 16-C. A number of folks with parking passes have offered to help bring supplies as long as people are willing to chip in and cover the cost. Please email me if you are interested and/or have any questions.

Tickets for the Game 
I have 2 spare tickets in the Mezzanine, Section 234, Row 2. $100 for the pair (I think face is $75 or $105). There are also a couple of tickets mentioned in the comments section of our blog. Check it out. Also there are usually a number of spare tickets floating around the tailgate, especially when the Jets are this bad so don’t hesitate to come if you don’t have a seat. Let me know if you are interested in tickets and I’ll try to coordinate.

Send me an email if you have any questions and I look forward to seeing everyone bright and early in the Swamp on Sunday.

J-E-T-S SUCK SUCK SUCK!

Kevin

Hi Everyone,

Quick Update:

Sabres
A reminder that the Sabres season is on the line tonight. I think this list is split 50/50 versus Sabres fanatics and Isles/Rangers/Devils fans who either hate them or are rooting for them as a last resort.

The team has played very poorly in this series but after watching them this season score countless times in the final minute and stage monster 3 and 4 goal comebacks in the final period I REFUSE to count them out. If there is any team capable of pulling this off, it’s our Sabres. I read a great article this morning comparing this series to the Oilers game. At this point, we’re down 35-3 but we’ve got the ball and if we score here, we get an onside kick at home on Saturday afternoon. Say you were watching when it happened!!

The puck drops tonight at 7pm on Versus. The Blue Moon (75th and 1st) and Kinsales (3rd Ave between 93rd and 94th) will be rocking.

Bills
The Bills conducted their three day rookie minicamp last week as well as announced that the great Steve Tasker will be inducted to the Wall of Fame in the upcoming season. Get all the details at Bills Daily:
http://www.billsdaily.com/

PUSH Buffalo Fundraiser
Finally, a number of members have alerted us to a great organization back home called PUSH Buffalo. PUSH is a grassroots, non-profit community organization working to rebuild the West Side of Buffalo. PUSH organizes residents to confront institutions that perpetuate poverty on the West Side and to create and implement an action plan for improving the neighborhood. They are having a fundraiser in NYC and it sounds like a great time. The details are below and you can get more info on their website:
http://pushbuffalo.org/default.htm

On Saturday, June 9th, PUSH Buffalo will host a celebration of Buffalo culture in midtown Manhattan. The party is open to all those who know that Buffalo is the greatest city on earth. It will feature Buffalo cuisine, Buffalo interior decor and a Buffalo-themed silent auction. Four musical acts–all with Buffalo roots–will perform: DJ Kevlar, DJ Caps, Rabbi Darkside and Hylofi.

Thanks to SEIU 1199, the party will be held in a penthouse space with beautiful views at 330 W. 42nd Street, 33rd floor. It begins at 8 PM. The $20 admission will assist PUSH in the renovation of a vacant building at 129 Chenango Street on Buffalo’s West Side. PUSH, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, redevelops abandoned buildings, transitions low-income folks from renting to owning and advocates for Buffalo’s struggling neighborhoods.

Let’s Go Buffalo!!

-Kevin

Hi Everyone,

Big week upcoming. The ’07 Bills officially (in my mind) kicks on Saturday with the NFL Draft and the Sabres start their second round series against the Rangers TONIGHT at 7pm. Couple that with spring finally, maybe, hopefully arriving and it’s a great time to be a Buffalo sports fan in NYC!

SATURDAY
Unfortunately WGR really screwed up and the Sabres 2nd game will NOT be this Saturday during the draft. They play tonight and Friday instead, so at least you’ll have lots to talk about on Sunday in between Bills picks. As a reminder the specials are below and the Bills have the #12 pick in the first round so they should be drafting somewhere between 2 and 3 o’clock.

Draft Party Drink Specials from 12-7pm:
$35 – All the draft beer you can drink and wings you can eat.
$25 – All the Bud/Bud Lite draft you can drink and wings you can eat.
$20 – All the soda you can drink and wings you can eat.
$1 off all mixed drinks.

SABRES
Tonight at 7pm the Sabres begin their 2nd Round series with the NY Rangers. The overall schedule for the series is:

GAME 1, Wednesday April 25, 7pm, VERSUS Buffalo, NY
GAME 2, Friday April 27, 7pm, MSG Buffalo, NY.
GAME 3, Sunday April 29, 2pm, NBC, New York, NY
GAME 4, Tuesday May 1, 7pm, VERSUS New York, NY
GAME 5, Friday May 4, 7pm, MSG Buffalo, NY
GAME 6, Sunday May 6, 2pm, NBC, New York, NY
GAME 7, Tuesday May 8, 7pm, MSG Buffalo, NY

The television coverage is noted above. Tonight’s game will only be shown on Versus (Channel 122 for Time Warner) so if you don’t get it, be sure to head to one our Sabres bars noted below:

The Blue Moon (75th and 1st)
Our usual Sabres hangout, but also a favorite of Rangers fans. If you are looking for a packed house, competitive atmosphere and want to feel like you are at the game head here.

Kinsales (93rd and 3rd)
New addition for the post season. I’ve heard lots of good things about this place and a large number of Sabres fans have taken residence there. 20oz Blue on tap and on special.

McFadden’s
Last year they didn’t have Versus but I’ve been told they are showing the games this year. PLEASE CALL AHEAD AND ASK if you want to head here (212) 986-1515. They have drink and appetizer specials, ask your bartender or the manager Johnny.

Series Previews
Lots of people are expecting this to be a tight, competitive series based on the Rangers sweeping Atlanta and the Sabres looking less-than-stellar against the Islanders. I say BS. The Sabres have a habit of doing just enough to win. Most of the series they looked bored and to me this is not a bad thing. Their only goal is to win the Cup, not show up the 8th place team.

The Rangers on the other hand haven’t made it to the 2nd round in like 10 years, got swept last year in the opening round and were facing a team that had NEVER made the playoffs. I’m not saying they aren’t a good team but the NYC media (god bless them) have been blowing this way out of proportion.

The other habit the Sabres have is that when they are pissed off, they will absolutely destroy you. Case in point – the Leafs game when they went down 4-1 in the 3rd on a couple of fluke goals, the last one helped by the ref. Miller was pissed, the whole team pissed and they went out and scored 4 goals in 8 minutes to win the game.

So obviously the Rangers know this and have been play low key, right? Not a chance. Blowhard Sean Avery has been running his mouth, their coach has basically said the Rangers are better and even Mayor Bloomberg’s staff told Buffalo to shuffle off.

They woke a sleeping giant and I don’t see this ending pretty for them. I think it will go to 6 games due to the amazing goaltending of Lundqvist with the Sabres hanging a touchdown on them in Game 6 at the Garden. For some other previews check out:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=2847088&type=story

As for tickets in MSG they are extremely scarce. I’ve inquired about group sale tickets but I’m not holding out hope. If anyone comes across any extras let me know and I’ll pass the info along.

4 Down, 12 To Go. Let’s drop the puck already!

Let’s Go Buffalo!

Kevin

Hi Everyone,

This Sunday the place to be is Little Buffalo as the Bills go for the season sweep of the hated Dolphins at 1pm. Hopefully everyone enjoyed this past week rubbing it in the face of every Jets fan you know. Sunday’s game should be a great one as these are two of the hottest teams in NFL. Unfortunately it is expected to be in the 50s for the game so if you know of any snow dances feel free to start dancing….now! I’m expecting big things again from the dominating Bills D as I picked them up for my fantasy team this week. Schobel and Clements, don’t let me down!! We’re expecting large crowds for the last game before the holidays so be sure to show up early.

Tailgate Photos
If anyone has photos from the tailgate last weekend we would love to see them. Please send them to me at this address. If the email does go through please let me know (sometimes big emails get rejected).

See you Sunday.

LET’S GO BUFFALO!

Kevin

Hi Everyone,

I guess the fifth time’s a charm! The Bills finally won a game at the Meadowlands and broke the curse of the NYCBBB tailgate. Hopefully you’ve seen the highlights and gloated to every Jets fan you know because it was an absolutely dominate performance by the Bills on the road against a playoff contender/pretender. The blueprint for this team’s success has been established: solid special teams, effective offense lead by the running game and mistake free play from JP and a defense that takes away the ball. The Bills are now 4-2 since the bye week (with the two loses coming on the road to Indy (losing by 1 point) and at home against San Diego (losing by 3) and are building serious moment toward a mathematically still alive Playoff berth and a very exciting 2007 season. Dick Jauron and JP have made a believer out of me! Their next task is at home against the equally resurgent Dolfelons at 1pm on Sunday (the game was changed back to 1pm right after our email last week). Despite the huge crowd at the tailgate Little Buffalo was hopping this week and is sure to be packed next weekend!

Tailgate Wrapup
Once again our tailgate exceeded all expectations. Lot 16C was rocking with at least 200+ Bills fans enjoying the beautiful weather and gameday atmosphere. Word has clearly spread about the tailgate since not only a ton of new NYCBBBers showed up but lots of Jets fans tried to get there early and take up all the good spaces! It was great to meet all of you and we can’t wait to do it again next year!

Also, thanks to everyone that chipped in for the $5 Beer and Booze special. These tailgates are were our only fundraisers this year and we managed to collect enough money to cover our expenses (website, email list, business cards, etc) for the entire year! THANK YOU!

NFL Films Special
For some reason ESPN decided to change the time for the special last night and most of us that set our DVRs missed it. It will be shown against at 1:30pm on Tuesday. Just to be safe I set up my DVR to record the show before and the show after cause I definitely don’t want to miss it and I encourage you to do the same!

Sabres/Devils Game
I know there are a ton of you making the trek back into the swamp tomorrow night for the Devils game. If you managed to watch any Sabres away games this year you’ve seen (and heard!) Buffalo fans coming out in force every night and I expect tomorrow to be no different. If you’d like to try to arrange to sit with a bunch of Sabres fans feel free to send me your phone number and I will try to find a spot for everyone to sit together or just listen for the Lets Go Buffalo chants! The arena is usually empty in the 200 level so it should be pretty easy.

If you are going home for the game this weekend have fun! We’ll see everyone else at Calico’s and McFadden’s this weekend for another round of Squish the Fish!

Kevin

Hello to All 1,578 Re-energized NYC Bills Fans!

“It’s the most wonder-ful time of the year!” No, this isn’t another Matt Kabel Holiday Music special, it’s the Kevin’s Ready to Tailgate in the Swamp for the 5th Consecutive year! We’ve got lots to cover, include Tailgate info, Tickets, Sabres, the Pinto on NFL Films, Time Change for the Dolfelons game and tickets for the last two home games! Enjoy:

New Jersey Jets vs. Buffalo Bills Tailgate
Are you ready for NYCBBB’s Legendary 5th Annual Tailgate Party this Sunday??? We will again be in Lot 16, Pole C, which is conveniently located near several portable bathrooms. Parking is $15, and the lots open at 10am. History suggests they will be open earlier than that but we will be there starting around 10:30am to enjoy the BEAUTIFUL 50 degree weather and I suggest getting there early to get a spot near us. There are a bunch of us that don’t have tickets and are going strictly to tailgate so I expect everyone to show up. No excuses! There is even setting up some TVs and watch the game from the parking lot. If you are interested let me know.

Beer n’ Food
We’ll have kegs of beer and bulk quantities of mimosas and bloody marys. $5 will get you an unlimited amount of all of these fine alcoholic beverages. There will be plenty of grill space around, so feel free to bring food to cook!

Saturday Night
We know a lot of folks will be coming from out of town for the game and are looking for a place to catch the Sabres play the hated Canadians. Our Sabres bar is the Blue Moon on 75th and 1st and they will have the game on as well as Labatt Blue on special during the game. Also, if you are going to the Sabres/Devils game next Tues or need tickets let me know!

Tickets for the Jets Game
Got any extras? Need some? Right now I know of two people that have an extra seat. Let me know if you are interested in tickets and I’ll try to coordinate. You can also post on our message board.

NFL Films
Remember back in September when our friend Michelle brought an NFL film crew with her for our NYCBBB Roadtrip to document Kenny’s tailgating festivities? After months of hard work she is ready to present it to the world! Be sure to turn in to ESPN Monday morning at 3:30am (right about the time you should be sobering up after the game) as well as Tues at 1:30pm. If you are like me and like to sleep/work during those hours, be sure to set you Tivo!

Time Change
Once again the Bills have been chosen to star in the 4pm afternoon game. Their home game against the Dolfelons (which I know a lot of you will be there for) has been moved to 4pm. I’ll help the NFL explain:

“With the Bills winning two of their last three games — all decided by a field goal and some terrible calls by the refs in the San Diego game — and the Dolphins earning victories in four of their last five games despite starting Joey Harrington at QB, the move to the 4:05 PM ET start will enable many more fans across the country to see these two teams on the rise. It’s a much bigger showcase for Buffalo and Miami, even though we all hate Miami and know they suck” said Howard Katz, NFL Senior VP of Broadcasting.

Bills Ticket Offer
Need tickets for the Dolfelons or Titans game on Christmas Eve? The Bills have a special offer for NYCBBB members. Call 1-877-BB-TICKS, ext 8912 and mention code GPBB to save $3 per ticket as well as receive a commemorative cup.

And…..I’m spent. I look forward to seeing everyone bright and EARLY Sunday afternoon!

J-E-T-S SUCK SUCK SUCK!

Kevin

Hi Everyone,

Is it Friday already? In an earlier email I mentioned how quickly the week passes when the Bills do well on Sundays. This past Sunday was quite the doozie with the Bills escaping with a heart pounding victory and the Sabres bringing their high flying act just down the street. Everyone at Calicos, McFadden’s and MSG enjoyed themselves immensely.

The Bills defense channeled the great bend-but-don’t-break teams of the 90s while scoring a TD and forcing/recovering 4 turnovers. Brian Moorman and the kicking teams resurrected the great “MVP” chants from Little Buffalo with a number of BOOMING kicks. The offense is still a major work in process, especially with the loss of Willis McGahee to broken ribs. As painful as they were to watch at times, they did NOT turn the ball over and at the end of the game they came through with a big TD pass from JP to Lee Evans.

So what’s their reward for playing their first solid game in a long time? They get to travel with Indy to play the 8-0 Colts. Now, having been at the game in Chicago I can say first hand they have their work cut out for them. However, the Colts are due for a let down after beating the Pats last week and they do have their weaknesses. Backup Anthony Thomas created a feeding frenzy among Fantasy Football owners last week with a very strong performance. The Colts are horrible against the run so if the defense continues their strong play and the offensive doesn’t screw it up….well who knows. By the way, has anyone seen TKO? I heard he’s back but you could have fooled me. Time to step it up big man!

Calicos
I know there was some confusion regarding Calicos and reservations for last week. They were having some problems and thought they wouldn’t be ready for us on Sunday. Unfortunately, we didn’t realize they weren’t accepting reservations and couldn’t let you all know. Fortunately, everything was straightened out by Sunday and we had our usual packed house. Just to be clear Calicos is still open on Sundays and should be for the rest of the year. If you ever have any questions or confusion during the week please email us and let us know.

Now everyone take off and enjoy this beautiful weather! See you all Sunday.

Kevin

Hi Everyone,

The Bills start the second half of their season this Sunday at 1pm. The Bills are at home against the Green Bay Packers and the human interception himself Brett Farve. This Bills are coming off their bye week and should have a winning gameplan in place. The biggest change is the reshuffling of the offensive line, which if you ask me if like the ol’ “lipstick on a pig” joke but what do I know? Our best player, Jason Peters, is now playing left tackle with Mike Gandy moving to left guard and rookie Terrance Pennington takes over at right tackle.

Keep in mind the NYC Marathon is Sunday so be sure to check your travel plans so you don’t miss a minute of the action!

Sabres
The Sabres are now 11-0-1 on the Season after a thrilling come from behind win last night in Boston. They play the Rangers at MSG this Sunday at 5pm. I know a lot of people are planning to go and if you are you should definitely be at Little Buffalo for some pregame tailgating. Make sure you wear your Sabres gear so people that are headed to the game can meet up. If you have any extra tickets or know of anyone who does please let me know because there are a LOT of people who want to go to this game.

Also, if you are late to the bandwagon of the BEST TEAM in the NHL you should catch up on all the action at the Blue Moon Saturday night when the Sabres are at home against the hated Leafs. Kick off a great 24 hours of sports the right way by watching the HIGHEST SCORING TEAM crush the punks from Toronto.

If you listen real close you can hear us shouting “Let’s Go Buffalo” at the 2 minute mark of the Islanders game. To join in on all the fun email me and tell me you want to be added to the Sabres email list to ensure you get all the updates on the MOST EXCITING TEAM in hockey.

Sorry, got a little distracted there. Go Bills! Good luck to who is running or knows anyone running this weekend! See you Sunday!

Kevin