All posts by Matt Kabel

Battle of Lake Erie, TODAY 2PM –> Sabres Game at Public House!

Hello all 2,200 NYC Buffalo Bills Backers!

First off, the Sabres take on the Tampa Bay Lighting today at 2PM in Sweden! Public House will be airing the game along with $4 Blues and Molsons if you can escape the office early on this beautifully chilly Friday afternoon. We’re going to start a Buffalo Sabres mailing list about games, gatherings, tailgates. If interested, you can Sign Up Here.

Now, to the Battle of Lake Erie. The Bills head down the lake to take on the sinking Cleveland Browns this Sunday at 1pm. I’m especially fired up for this game. First off Cleveland fans are about as close to being “cousins” to us Bills fans as you get and there’s a mutual respect there. Second off, I am excited to see Josh Allen face off against fellow first-rounder Baker Mayfield.

There’s plenty of drama around the game as most “experts” expected the Browns to be Super Bowl contenders and the Bills to be bottom dwellers. Instead it’s the opposite where Buffalo stands at 6-2 and Cleveland at 2-6. Josh Allen is quietly putting together an efficient season, if that can continue the sky is the limit once they set him lose again. And how about Devin Singletary?! As I had hoped in my email last week they set him lose and he ran all over the Redskins. He can open up so much for this offense who badly needs a spark.

Should be an exciting matchup! Come on down to Public House and watch with your fellow NYC Buffalo Bills Backers for the 1PM kickoff!

THANKSGIVING GAME
We are still awaiting a decision on whether Public House will show the Bills/Cowboys game on Thanksgiving Day. We received about 50 RSVPs for it, the bar is determining if they can make it happen. We’ve informed them that we support their decision either way.

See you Sunday!

Let’s go Buffalo!

Matt “Talkin’ Proud and hoping Allen destroys Mayfield” Kabel 

Redskins @ Bills, Sabres Games at Public House!

Hello all 2,200+ NYC Bills Fans!

Well, that Eagles game was certainly ugly. I read an article before the game where a couple of our defensive players were complaining about a lack of respect. I’m not a fan of that, just play your game and if you dominate week and week out, the respect will come. “Act like you’ve been there” as Marv Levy used to say. Those complaints rang hallow last Sunday as the Eagles rolled right over those guys, so am hoping each of them took a giant mouthful of humble pie.

I don’t think there’s cause for major concern, the Eagles were desperate for a win and are another good team. As I said in the beginning of the season this is still a late phase rebuilding year. This is a good team who is still a couple players and some experience away from being a great team. The defense is the only one this season to make Tom Brady look sub-bar, but still have to find a way to be consistent. Josh Allen didn’t cost the Bills this game, he’s still learning and growing in the position. I think they’re holding him back some as he works on the little things, but he’s still trending upward. I’d personally like to see them use Devin Singletery more and start leveraging the ground game.

That said, let’s look for the Bills to rebound against the Washington Redskins. I’m still bitter about that Super Bowl, so we need to take care of business. Kickoff is at 1pm, it’s Marathon Sunday so your best bet is to stick to underground transportation, which fortunately Public House is just a stone throw from Grand Central Terminal.

SABRES @ PUBLIC HOUSE

Our members have embraced Public House so much that the bar has ordered the NHL Center Ice package and will air ALL remaining Buffalo Sabres games this year! Along with each game will come $4 pints of Blue and Molson! I remember the old days at Blue Moon when fans would meet up, even just knowing there’s a bar to catch the game is a big win for #OneBuffalo. We’re discussing doing some weekly or monthly meetups too.

Please help us spread the word to our fellow Sabres fans!

See you Sunday!

Matt “Talkin Proud and am loving Public House!” Kabel

Eagles at Bills

Hello all 2,200+ NYC Bills Fans!

As I said last week, I was hoping for a blowout of the Miami Dolphins and anything less would be concerning. During the game at Public House I was asked often if we should be worried yet, to which I always replied, “Nope, I think they’re going to pull this off.”  In the end they did, but chalk it up to the old saying:

Bad teams find ways to lose.

Good teams find ways to win.

I do think the Bills are a good team, and everyone knows the Dolphins are a bad team so the outcome wasn’t a surprise. Over the last two decades the Bills were the bad team that always found new ways to lose. Being good this season they are finding ways to win. What prevents them from being a great team is that inability to play a complete game for all four quarters of football. You know, to go up early on an inferior team and step on their throat. Until we start seeing that, every Sunday is going to give us Bills fans heart palpitations.

That continues this Sunday as we take on the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles are underperforming and desperate for a win, which makes this a dangerous game for Buffalo. If the Bills can pull it out, we’ll be 6-1 for the first time since 1993.

That’s the Super Bowl years folks.

Come on down to Public House and catch the game with us at 1pm. I had some folks sit with me last week that hadn’t been to a game with NYCBBB in years, and all were so impressed with the bar, atmosphere and service in our new home. The “I’ll come check it out” turned into “you’re going to see me more this season” by game’s end.

If you haven’t been to Public House, come check it out for yourself, doors open at 10am!

As a side note, the Sabres were in town last night and got trounced by the Rangers. I totally dropped the ball on that one and should have planned a tailgate party. My bad, next year! I promise!

Go Bills!

Go Sabres!

LET’S GO BUFFALO!!!

Matt “Talkin’ Proud and am really hoping for 6-1” Kabel

Squish The Fish, Important Thanksgiving Survey

Hello all 2,200 NYC Bills Fans!

After having emergency elbow surgery two weeks ago I’m typing this thing one-handed, so bear with me. The Bills are coming off a much-needed Bye Week and will host their first of three straight home games this weekend in my old hometown of Orchard Park. First up are the tanking Miami Dolphins, who will be quarterbacked by our old friend – Harvard grad, wedding-ring wearing, A+++ beard gaming Ryan Fitzpatrick. That guy is a ‘g damn’ legend people, and impossible to dislike. Still, the Bills should Squish the Fish violently, anything less would be a disappointment.

Kickoff is at 1pm, and you know the best place to catch the game is with your New York City Buffalo Bills Backers at our new home – Public House.

The Madden Curse took down Mahomes last night and the Pats are definitely beatable, the AFC is wide open!

Public House Survey (takes 30 seconds)

BTW – if you haven’t already done so, PLEASE fill out this quick survey. We’re trying to figure out if Public House should be open on Thanksgiving for the Dallas game. Also, our Buffalo Sabres are currently ranked #1 in the NHL! If you haven’t caught them this season, new coach Ralph “Freddy” Krueger has breathed new life into this budding team and are really fun to watch. We’re looking into showing the games at Public House but only if there’s interest.

Here’s the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YVF9J2K

I’ll see you there on Sunday!

Let’s go Buffalo!!!

Matt ‘Talkin’ proud and thankfully has one good arm to drink booze with” Kabel

Bengals @ Bills

Hello all 2,240 NYC Bills Backers!

After back-to-back road game victories here against the NJ Jets/Giants, the undefeated Bills head back to Orchard Park to take on the 0-2 Bengals. It’s a game Buffalo should win hands down, so let’s pray the team isn’t looking past this week towards New England. New Era is going to be rocking, hopefully the players don’t get overly excited and come out flat (which I’ve seen before).

Good lord, the emotional damage done by previous teams is really coming out through me right now, eh?

Kickoff is at 1pm, doors at Public House open at 10am, specials kick in at noon. We had another big crowd on hand last week to watch us trounce the Giants and end Eli Manning’s career here. We’re expecting an even bigger crowd this week, which the bar is prepared for and there’s plenty of space.

We also just want to confirm that it is currently NOT mandatory to purchase one of the offered specials and there is no cover charge to enter the bar. Although the special is certainly worth the money if you’re going to have a few drinks. If you get a special that includes wings, they come out come out fresh in single order baskets for each fan as opposed to a buffet, which so far has received praise from everyone attending.

Side note: Public House has gluten-free bread and two gluten free beers available.   

Finally, please be sure to tip the bartenders, wait staff and attendants. I watched the last game from up on the balcony and the staff appeared highly efficient, even up there.

As always, please be sure to send any feedback our way and let us know how things are going – good or bad. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

PUNT FOUNDATION
September in Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, as always NYCBBB is teaming up with the PUNT Foundation in Western NY to raise money for families battling childhood cancer. We’re raising money on our Facebook page, and the organization will be at Public House for a game this season where we’ll hold our annual fundraiser for them.

I’ll see ya’ll on Sunday, let’s go into next week undefeated!

Matt “talkin’ proud and fired up for Sunday” Kabel

Bills/Giants: Pre-Party (w/ Ticket Giveaway!), Tailgate and Public House (WOW!)

Hello all 2,200 NYC Bills Fans!

As I mentioned in my previous email, I turned down tickets to the Bills/Jets game last week as I wanted to be at Public House for our first game there. I expected to watch it with only a handful of Bills fans knowing most would be going to the actual game.

I was wrong. VERY WRONG.

I watched Buffalo upset the NJ Jets with TWO HUNDRED Bills fans that were going absolutely insane in the 4th quarter. Check out the video I took on your preferred social media page:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/matthew.kabel.7/videos/10217497785389702/UzpfSTEyOTgyMjEzOTEwNDoxMDE1NzQ1NzgxNDAzOTEwNQ/?epa=SEARCH_BOX

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/p/B2NbB84J8BR/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/MattKabel/status/1170787162067017729

Speaking of, be sure to follow us on our social media pages, we’ve begun to amp up our content on them in an effort to have better communication with our members knowing not everyone gets these emails.

Back to Public House – I have to say the bar was already in mid-season form, and even with such an unexpected large crowd they had zero issues handing our needs. Service was quick, the wings were great and the staff were really into it. There was also plenty of space for more of us fans! I heard nothing but positive feedback from everybody there, it sounds like many were ready for the fresh start.

The big piece of feedback I received from most fans was that the previous bar in recent years felt too “frat-like”, whereas the atmosphere at Public House on Sunday was a throwback to the old days when watching the games was more family-like. That said, there’s a couple things we’re putting in place to maintain that at Public House:

1) There is a decent-sized private room available near the bar/bathrooms. We’re going to designate this as the Family Room with preferential seating for those with young children. It’s also quieter in there and much more sensory-friendly, and a quick walk to the bathroom. A dad who was there with his young sons last week said it was perfect for parents like him.
2) Us Bills fans are all misfits, it’s a common bond we all share. We’re all like family. Everybody should respect each other, the staff and the venue as such. I’ve asked Public House management to have a zero-tolerance policy for any behavior that violates that. Anybody who does violate that will be asked to leave and not return. Simply put – have fun, but don’t be an asshole.

That said, if anybody has any other feedback or recommendations, please let us know.

BILLS/GIANTS TICKET RAFFLE/PRE-PARTY
This Saturday night Public House will again be hosting a pre-party, last week’s having a great turnout. To up the game, they’ve secured 2 great seats for the Giants game on Sunday and will be raffling off at the party. If you want a shot at winning them, head over to Public House on Saturday from 6-9pm. Details for the party, tailgate and viewing at Public House (including specials) can be found here: https://www.nycbbb.com/2019-emails/jets-giants-weekend-schedules-public-house-metlife-stadium/

NEW STAFF
Soreco, Phil and I are excited to announce two new members to the NYCBBB leadership team. Alex Valentine and Kristin Ruesch have been watching games with NYCBBB since the early years, and are mainstays both at the bar and at road-games throughout the season. They’re going to jump in and amplify our communication through social media and help be our eyes/ears both online and at the bar to ensure everything is humming along perfectly.

The NYC media complained this week that there were too many Bills fans at the Jets game and their noise level had an effect on the game.
Let’s do it again #BillsMafia, show them who the REAL NEW YORK TEAM IS.

Don’t forget, Buffalo has more wins at the Meadowlands this season than the Giants do.

See you this weekend, GO BILLS!!

Matt ‘talkin’ proud and going old-school NYCBBB’ Kabel

Jets and Giants Weekend Schedules – Public House/MetLife Stadium

Hello all 2,200 NYC Bills Fans!

It’s finally here, the 2019 Buffalo Bills season kicks off in just a few days right here in New Y…er…New Jersey. Expectations are very high for this team, especially Josh Allen. I personally have tempered expectations, feeling the defense will be solid but the offense will take time to gel among all the new faces. I also think putting all the pressure on Josh Allen this season is a bit unfair, he still is a work in progress, I honestly think the team will hit it’s stride late in the season. Playoffs? Possible, but I think next year is when they make a legit deep playoff run.

No matter what, this team is gonna be fun as hell to watch and could take a lot of teams by surprise this year.

With the first two games of the season being here in NJ, we’re doing a bit of rinse and repeat:

SATURDAY NIGHTS @ Public House – On both this and next Saturday night Public House is throwing a gathering for all Bills fans. From 6-9pm they’ll offer $4 pints of Blue & Blue/Bud Lite cans for all Bills fans. Come check out the new home of your New York City Buffalo Bills Backers.

SUNDAYS @ MetLife Stadium – For both Sunday tailgates, hundreds of Bills fans will be meeting up in Lot 26, Pole A. It’s directly under the “ski ramp” of the defunct mall complex next to the stadium and is connected to the main parking lot by a walking bridge.

SUNDAYS @ Public House – At Public House, game day specials for ALL Bills games this season:

  • Specials start 1 hour prior to game time. End at the end of the game.
  • Open with full service kitchen at 10am for 1pm games.
  • Under 21 will be limited to the mezzanine and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
  • Tipping at 20% for tables
  • Reservations will start at 12pm on Mondays prior to the game.
  • More about specials.

WEEKLY SPECIALS:

  • $35 Unlimited Bud, Bud Light, Labatt Blue, Molson Canadian (Cans or Draft)
  • $40 Unlimited above with wings
  • $50 Premium open bar
  • $55 above with wings
  • $15 Unlimited pop, include half off Bud, Bud Light, Labatt Blue, Molson Canadian drafts
  • More about specials.

Sadly you won’t see me at MetLife for the games as I’ll be holding down the fort at Public House to help get our new home situated, but I hope to see many of you there!

Leftern GameDay Series:
Leftern Gameday Series is a project that connects people to the creators within Western New York while supporting foundations making a difference in the community. There will be a limited edition print designed by local artists available for each of the Bills home games as well as a couple of the away games. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to local foundations or families in need.

Leftern believes that this season should be played in Ezra Castro aka Pancho Billa’s honor, so we decided to dedicate the Week 1 print to him and his family. The print was designed by Morgan DiGangi and depicts NYC legends in Pancho’s gear. There were only 150 copies printed and are 10$ each. A portion of the proceeds will go directly to Ezra’s family. We want to make sure his spirit lives strong across Bills nation and beyond. You can buy these prints at Public House on Saturday night before the game, at the official tailgate on Sunday, or on www.leftern.co. Stay in the loop with more of our upcoming projects and events on social media @lefternco.

Let’s go Buffalo!

Matt “Talkin’ Proud and ready to start a new era at Public House” Kabel

Jets/Giants Saturday Night Meetups at Public House

Hello all 2,200+ NYC Bills fans!

Many have asked, especially those coming from out of town, if there would be a meetup at our new bar the night before the upcoming Jets and Giants games here in NYC (cough…NJ). You know us Bills fans, you gotta tailgate for the tailgate and a lot of folks are probably coming in from out of town for these.

Ask and ye shall receive! From 6-9pm on the Saturday nights before both games Public House will offer $4 pints of Labatt Blue & Blue/Bud Lite cans for all Bills fans. For those here going to the games, it’s also a good chance to come scout out our new stomping grounds.

Be sure to check out the Bills flags that were raised to the ceiling a few weeks ago.

The season is almost here!

Go Bills!

“Matt talkin’ proud and fired up to get this season started! Kabel

Our Group Has Moved!

Hello all 2,200+ NYC Buffalo Bills Fans!

We wanted to share some exciting news. Starting this season, the New York City Buffalo Bills Backers will have a new home – Public House located on 41st Street between Lexington and 3rd Avenue! If you’ve never been, the bar is huge and will allow all of us to fit under one roof.

You may be asking, why move? Well for 17 years, McFadden’s and Calico Jack’s worked well for us and our purposes. Unfortunately, Calico’s unexpectedly closed this year which only left us with McFadden’s, who also experienced staff turnover. Having listened to member feedback, knowing there would be another learning curve and having seen the crowds we’ve drawn over the years (remember when FDNY shut us down once after beating the Pats?) we knew we needed to find a long-term solution as we all strongly feel the team is going to make a playoff run soon.

Public House turned out to be the perfect solution:

  1. As I said, it’s HUGE. We always wanted a bar that could house all us Bills fans under one roof, which this bar can and feel us WNYers will feel at home there. Check out some of the photos: http://www.publichousenyc.com/gallery
  2. Many of the original McFadden’s team who helped us grow the club in the early years are now at Public House, so they understand our needs.
  3. It’s located right by Grand Central Terminal and other transportation hubs that everyone is already familiar with.
  4. They have promised to pull out all the stops – excellent wings, WNY beers, staff in Bills attire, Shout song after scores…we’re confident they’ll do it up right.
  5. They also host the Notre Dame club on Saturdays so the staff are familiar with the unique needs of our group.

This was by no means an easy decision. Me, Matt Soreco and the other NYCBBB leadership have so many memories at the bars on 42nd and Second. We were young kids back in the 2000s when we started the club and in a way we feel like we grew at McFadden’s. We have nothing but love for that bar. However, with the Bills now having firm ownership and appearing to be well run finally (no more Russ Brandon) we needed to set the club up for the long haul, and we feel Public House is the perfect establishment for that.

The games will be on every TV with sound and there will be beer/wing specials as we’ve all come accustomed to over the years. We’ll send more details & specials soon in a separate email but wanted to share the news first.

We’d appreciate it if you could spread the word about Public House, and point people to www.nycbbb.com where they can sign up for our updates. They can also follow us on Facebook/Twitter.

Also be sure to see Soreco’s email from yesterday about the Jets game/tailgate.

In the meantime, please enjoy the last few weeks of summer, training camp is right around the corner!

GO BILLS!!

Matt “Talkin’ Proud” Kabel
Co-Founder, NYCBBB

Come Meet Buffalo Bill Dean Marlowe to Help PUNT

Hello all 2,200+ NYC Bills Fans,

Queens born and raised Buffalo Bills safety Dean Marlowe will be here in his hometown this week raising money for the PUNT Fund. Dean, who played as a rookie in Super Bowl 50 for the Carolina Panthers, has remained in Buffalo all offseason and has become very active with PUNT, making visits to kids battling cancer and is even at a retreat for bereaved families this weekend.

As father to a 6 year old Bills fan who lost her life last year after battling the effects of cancer treatment, I can personally attest to the fact that PUNT does wonderful and important work for Western NY families who are battling or have battled childhood cancer. Please consider joining us this Thursday, April 4th from 6-7:30pm at California Pizza Kitchen on 30th Street and Park Avenue. Meet Dean and 20% of your check will go to helping childhood cancer families.

Hope to see you there!

Matt Kabel