Twenty years ago today. Was a bit of Western New York history that transcends. Sports. Just like the blizzard of 77 transcended whether. There was something about the comeback game. By the Buffalo Bills. That was absolutely. Magnetic. For those of us who lived through. And as one of our guest this morning said look if you're fifteen years old then now you're 35. About that for just a minute you're just starting out in that high school. When you're fifty years old. Now you're 35. You got Earl hits you've got thrown out you got your own bills -- responsibilities. Twenty years went by really quickly all of the next what we will go by quickly as well believe it. You're fortunate enough to last that long. So. It was a monumental. Story I know put it right up there in terms of but it's recognized ability factor. And it's emotional impact factor and it's bonding factor with the a blizzard of 1977. I don't think there was a neighborhood in Western New York don't care what you look like -- -- -- what language you speak. Out of here. Where you -- Everybody in this area was simply magnified. Magnified was magnetized. By that game. And interestingly. The stadium at that time held what 80000 people I'm pretty sure that 600000 people claim to have been there in attendance at the stadium for the comeback game. And I can honestly tell you that I was one of them and I'll give you the specifics if you really wanna. -- specifics are. I'll -- back when. When WGR. Was in news station I did more leisure and our general manager apparently couldn't find anybody else to go with him -- the wild card playoff game so he asked me. If I wanted to ago and I said hell yeah. And he happened they have suites seats I don't mean SW EET like sugar sweet. I mean sweet as in the big time executive -- The first and only time I have been in one of those big corporate suites for an NFL Buffalo Bills football game. So this -- was close to the fifty yard line. And the box I wanna say the box was full because as I'll call it wasn't. Is I'll call there was some vacancies in the box. Which. I don't know what that reflect that. Did it reflect may be a a lack of confidence a lack of belief that this was the same team -- go on to Super Bowl I don't know. But in any event. The the bad guys went up and at halftime score was 35. To three. I will say that again 35. Territory. At that time the radio station was owned by -- rich communications which was a subsidiary. Well I don't know exactly what the -- mr. would be it was part of the rich empire -- -- -- rich. And one of the executives was there. And what -- executives said you know what you gotta stop thinking at this as 35 victory. It's not really 35 to three. We're talking a couple of touchdowns were talking a few touchdowns so they've got to score 32 touchdowns to -- this game. We're talking about going down the end zone and scoring seven points with the extra point for the Buffalo Bills to come back and tie this bad. So long and the short of the news. Victory the crowd was absolutely. Frenetic. In the second half. The bills. In in the third quarter. First of all I let us at this up right. I can't even begin to describe. The atmosphere at the stadium in the first half. In the first half of that game people were shell shocked. People were disgusted. Vera was this all my god I can't believe this is really happening with the Buffalo Bills you know the road to the Super Bowl -- buffalo. This is really happening to the Buffalo Bills on their home field. They were being absolutely manhandled by the Houston Oilers. There was shell shocked as well. Which gave way to frustration. People were leaving the stadium at halftime. People were absolutely. Fed up at that point. I said Bob why. We're done we're what do you guys. Well. Things as you probably imagine took a very interesting term in the second half. And I'll play is something there was an electricity in the air. Very early on. There was and it's so hard to describe. But once the bills started to show signs of life. Barely was electricity. There was a certain energy in the air that was almost palpable. Which sounds absolutely unbelievable. But it absolutely was true. By the time the bills came back to tie that game. People were already believing. All my gosh are the bills a team of destiny and when Steve Christie Christie nailed the game winning field goal. It was like this giant community orgasm. And I think everybody at the same time at the same thought where was this guy -- Scott Norwood -- ports in the Super Bowl. And oh my god did the bills really come back and win this game. It was so talked about. Not only in buffalo across the country in NFL circles remains the greatest single NFL comeback in history. I will never forget it and I won't ever forget it because there are certain metaphors. I think that apply to that football game. One of the metaphors is now much or how applicable this is this something that is dead like the Republican Party right now. But one of the metaphors is don't give up. Where there is life where you've still got a chance there is still hope for you. I guess that would be a metaphor. Where were you for the combat. Where were you for the comeback you know I was talking to somebody today. Who has a totally different view of the combat. He was not and is not excited by the comeback game. What he says is he will never forgive frank Reich for building up his hopes that the bills would win a super ball. Because -- him. It was like he was with a girl EU. They broke up you know she dumped him. And then she came back only did dump him forget them. That's how he compared the feeling he had with the Buffalo Bills going back to and losing another Super Bowl. With his own life experiences it was like being with a -- She dumps you you get -- whether she Don -- again it's like a doubly -- sense of depression. All right you know 30930. Is the a phone number 8030930. Is a land line where were you for the comeback and am I missing anything. The blizzard of 77 and the comeback game twenty years ago today. I -- in my lifetime I really think these hard beat news stories. That I believe we're the most talked about. And the most shared experiences. In Western New York.
