Buffalo Bills

Many fans hope that replacement J.P Losman can lead the Bills to the playoffs in the 2005-2006 season. ** Played in the era prior to uniform numbers; wore 33 while serving as coach. In the offseason, the Bills released quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who was then signed by the Dallas Cowboys. * Manager. Though they would lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the final game of the season, costing them a playoff berth, the late season surge gave the team a positive direction to approach 2005. Despite this, the Pirates' mediocre performance has translated to subpar attendance figures. This, along with the emergence of Willis McGahee taking over the starting running back role from the injured Travis Henry, and emergence of Lee Evans to give the Bills a second deep threat, sparked the Bills to go 7-2 in their next nine games. This string of victories allowed the Bills to be in the hunt for a final AFC wildcard playoff spot. Due to its simple, unpretentious concept and strategic usage of the remarkably beautiful Pittsburgh skyline, it is frequently regarded (as in a recent ESPN article) as currently the best park in baseball.

The team finally managed to turn things around with a victory at home against the also winless Miami Dolphins. The Pirates opened a new stadium, PNC Park, in 2001. Additionally, each loss was heartbreakingly close. Though this rash of trades has not been popular in Pittsburgh, it is generally accepted that it can mostly be attributed to the aforementioned "small market syndrome." It is felt that Littlefield is attempting, with perhaps mixed success, to follow the blueprint created by overachieving small market teams such as the Oakland Athletics and Minnesota Twins. The Bills started the 2004 season 0-4, with Bledsoe and his offense struggling in their run-first offense, averaging only 13 points per game. After the 2004 season, Kendall's salary was also dumped on the Oakland Athletics. And indeed, Bledsoe did continue to struggle in 2004. Pirate fans found this trade much more palatable in the short run, as Pérez led the majors in strikeouts per inning and Bay won the Rookie of the Year Award award in 2004, while Giles put up a subpar season by his standards.

Losman, to be used if Bledsoe continued to struggle in 2004. Brian Giles was one of the National League's best hitters for several years, but he and his $9 million salary were also traded in 2003 to the San Diego Padres for youngsters Oliver Pérez, Jason Bay, and Cory Stewart. The Bills also drafted another quarterback, J.P. Enigmatic but talented third baseman Aramis Ramirez was traded to the Chicago Cubs in 2003 for a fairly minimal return under pressure to dump his $6 million salary for 2004, and he proceeded to become a star for the Cubs. Gregg Williams was fired as head coach after the 2003 season and replaced with Mike Mularkey. Current General Manager Dave Littlefield was installed midway through the 2001 season and began overhauling the team to comply with owner Kevin McClatchy's dictum to drastically reduce the payroll. In one game, however, the Bills' fans gained a small measure of satisfaction when the defense sacked Rob Johnson multilpe times in his relief effort for Washington. However, the failure of the Pirates to compete in recent years has been blamed on "small market syndrome"; teams located in small cities such as Pittsburgh and Kansas City cannot compete with New York and Boston without a salary cap or similar agreement, as the better players tend to gravitate towards cities where teams generate more revenue, meaning larger salaries.

After beating eventual champions New England 31-0 in the first game, and crushing the Jaguars in their second game, the Bills stumbled through the rest of the season, finishing 6-10. (Interestingly, video footage of Kendall's leg breaking from under him has been circulated on shock sites.). Another Patriot castoff, safety Lawyer Milloy, joined the Bills days before the 2003 season began and gave the team an immediate boost on defense. No such incident has occurred with Kendall, but he has lost almost all of his power and much of his speed following a broken leg in 1999. However, in a tough division with all other teams finishing 9-7, they were still in last place. Despite poor play in 2001, Bell announced that he would begin "Operation Shutdown", a passive-aggressive ploy in which he would fail to play effectively in response to losing his role as a starter. Bledsoe revived the Bills for the 2002 season, leading them to an 8-8 record, setting 10 team passing records in the process. Their overall lack of success in the last decade have been blamed partly on former General Manager Cam Bonifay, who gave large contracts to players such as Derek Bell and Jason Kendall while failing to identify, develop, and retain numerous young potential star players.

After the season they traded for quarterback Drew Bledsoe, deemed expendable by the Patriots after Tom Brady led them to a Super Bowl victory. However, they did miraculously contend for the 1997 division title, finishing second and only being eliminated in the season's final week, despite having a payroll of only 9 million dollars. The Bills even lost a much-hyped mid-season matchup with "Bills West" (the Flutie-led Chargers). Since then, the Pirates have not had a winning season. Buffalo finished 3-13. Both players complained about the preferential treatment given to Van Slyke, leading some to believe that racism was well-ingrained in Pittsburgh sports. Rob Johnson went down in mid-season with an injury and Alex Van Pelt took over. Before the 1993 season, Bonilla and Bonds would leave for more lucrative contracts elsewhere.

Titans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams took over as head coach for the 2001 season, which proved to be the worst in recent memory for the Bills. The Pirates would win the first three division titles of the 1990s, but failed to advance to the World Series each time, the second two losing closely contested seven-game series to the Atlanta Braves on questionable calls at the end of the final game. Smith would be quickly replaced by rookie Travis Henry. Jim Leyland took over as manager, and the Pirates gradually climbed out of the cellar behind young and exciting players such as Bobby Bonilla, Barry Bonds, Jay Bell, and Andy Van Slyke. Both Flutie and Smith were dominant in their final game as Bills, in a rout of the Seahawks. Following was a period of decline until the Pirates were regarded as the worst team in baseball during the mid-1980s. Antowain Smith also left as a free agent for the New England Patriots, where he was the starting running back on their two Super Bowl championship teams. Adopting the then-popular disco anthem "We Are Family" as their theme song, the Pirates won a fifth World Series, again in seven games, in 1979.

Doug Flutie left the Bills with a .677 winning percentage in 31 starts. Stargell, speedy Omar Moreno and power-hitting but ostentatious and unpopular Dave Parker became the cornerstones of the Pirates as Murtaugh left and Chuck Tanner took over as manager in 1977. Flutie controversy, general manager John Butler departed for the San Diego Chargers - and took Flutie and Wiley with him. Clemente died tragically in a plane crash in 1972 while attempting to ship supplies to the victims of an earthquake in Nicaragua, and is today regarded as the most prominent figure in Pirates history, with a riverfront park and suspension bridge named for him. Antowain Smith, Eric Moulds and Marcellus Wiley respectively had long since eclipsed them on the depth chart. After a dismal 8-8 season, and the team still caught up in the Johnson vs. He retired soon afterwards. The final ties to the Bills' Super Bowl years were cut in 2000 when Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed and Bruce Smith were all cut. However, in 1973, Blass suffered a mysterious breakdown in his pitching abilities and posted an outrageous 9.85 ERA.

Others believe it wouldn't be an issue, had Johnson not taken sack in the endzone early on, allowing Tennessee to get 2 points, and good field position, which they used to score a touchdown. They also thought they had a genuine superstar pitcher (historically rare for the Pirates) in Steve Blass, who pitched two excellent games in the World Series and put together excellent seasons in 1968 and 1972. The Titans ended up advancing to the Super Bowl. The Pirates won their first of five division titles over the next six years, and won their fourth World Series the next year behind a .414 batting average by Clemente. Many Bills fans still think that the lateral was actually a forward pass, and the touchdown should not have counted. Slugger Willie Stargell became a fixture in the Pittsburgh lineup, and the Pirates would return to prominence in 1970 when Murtaugh returned as manager and the Pirates' home field, Forbes Field, was demolished in favor of the multi-purpose Three Rivers Stadium. The Bills scored a field goal with 16 seconds left to give them a 16-15 lead, but the Music City Miracle, a lateral from Frank Wycheck to Kevin Dyson that led to a Tennessee touchdown on the ensuing kickoff lost the game for Buffalo. However, the Pirates struggled for the remainder of the decade, and Murtaugh was replaced by Harry Walker in 1965.

Flutie's popularity continued into the 1999 season, with the Bills finishing 11-5, two games behind the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC East standings. However, Johnson was given the starting job in the first playoff game against the Tennessee Titans (the former Houston Oilers) in Nashville. The 1960s would continue with extremely solid defensive play by Mazeroski and the first Puerto Rican superstar, Roberto Clemente. Clemente was regarded as both one of the game's best all-time hitters and right fielders. They faltered in their first playoff game against the Dolphins, though the game's poor officiating was one of many poorly called games which caused instant replay to be brought back in 1999. In arguably the most memorable World Series in history, the Pirates were defeated by more than ten runs in three games, won three close games, then recovering from a 7-4 deficit late in Game 7 to eventually win on a walk-off home run by Bill Mazeroski. After Johnson and the Bills stumbled to begin the season, Flutie came in and led the Bills to a playoff spot and 10-6 record. The 1960 team featured eight All-Stars, but was widely predicted to lose the World Series to a powerful New York Yankees team. Despite many Bills fans wanting Flutie to get the starting job, Phillips named Johnson to the position. Murtaugh is widely credited for inventing the concept of the closer by frequently playing pitcher Roy Face late in close games.

This started one of the biggest controversies in the NFL at the time. The Pirates would have only one winning season until 1958, when Danny Murtaugh took over as manager. The Bills, under new coach Wade Phillips signed two quarterbacks for the 1998 season, Rob Johnson and former Canadian Football League star Doug Flutie. The post-World War II years were not kind to the Pirates, despite the presence of a genuine superstar in Ralph Kiner. Coach Marv Levy retired after the season. The 1927 season was the first for the sharp-hitting combination of brothers Lloyd Waner and Paul Waner, who along with shortstop Arky Vaughan ensured that the Pirates had plenty of Hall of Fame-caliber position players through 1941. Kelly's loss was felt in 1997, with the Bills stumbling to 6-10. The Pirates recovered from a 3-1 deficit to win the 1925 World Series over the Washington Senators, and reached the 1927 World Series before losing in a sweep to the New York Yankees, who at that time had built the most dominant team in baseball.

Thurman Thomas gave way to new running back Antowain Smith. However, veteran outfielder Max Carey and young players Pie Traynor and Kiki Cuyler, along with a steady if unspectacular pitching staff, brought the Pirates back into the spotlight. Jim Kelly retired after the season, signalling an end to the most successful era in Bills history. The decline of Honus Wagner, considered by some to be the greatest shortstop ever, led to a number of losing seasons, culminating in a disastrous 51-103 record in 1917, Wagner's last season. They still made the playoffs, but as a wild card - and the first victim of the cinderella Jacksonville Jaguars. With largely the same star players, the Pirates would continue to be a strong team over the next few years and got their first World Series title in 1909, defeating the Detroit Tigers in seven games. In 1996 the Bills saw their commanding lead in the AFC East race disappear to a surging New England Patriots team. Deacon Phillippe pitched five complete games, winning three of them; but it was not enough.

They would not get a chance to get back to the Super Bowl - the Pittsburgh Steelers beat Buffalo in the divisional playoff and ended up being the AFC's representative there. However, owing to injuries to their starting pitchers, they lost the first World Series ever played, in 1903 to Boston. In 1995 Buffalo, with free agent linebacker Bryce Paup anchoring the defense, again made the playoffs with a 10-6 record, and defeated Miami in the wild card round. The 1901-1903 Pirates completely dominated the National League, in part because they lost few star players to the rival American League. The 1993 Bills also proved to be the first of twelve different teams to lose the Super Bowl, with no NFL team doing so twice since then. In 1900, the Pirates picked up star players from the defunct Louisville, Kentucky club, including greats like Honus Wagner and Fred Clarke (who also served as the team's manager from 1900 to 1915), triggering a long string of pennants. The outcome of Buffalo's 1994 season has proven to mark the start of what has become known as the "Super Bowl Runner-up Jinx:" Beginning with the 1993 Bills, no Super Bowl loser has since reached the conference championship game the following year in either the AFC or the NFC, and only one has advanced that far in the postseason in either of the next two seasons after losing a Super Bowl (the Steelers, who lost to Denver in the 1997 AFC Championship Game two years after having lost Super Bowl XXX to Dallas); furthermore, only one Super Bowl loser since the 1989 Denver Broncos (who lost the game the year before the first of Buffalo's four defeats) has won a Super Bowl in any season since losing one (the New England Patriots, who lost the game in 1996 but won it in 2001, 2003 and 2004) and starting with the 1998 Atlanta Falcons, five out of six Super Bowl losers have finished with losing records the season after. In 1890, they merged with the Pittsburgh team from the Players League after that league folded.

The team stumbled down the stretch and finished 7-9, fourth in the division and out of the playoffs. The AA club picked up a number of players from a defunct Columbus, Ohio team in 1885. The Bills would not get a chance to make it five straight in 1994. In its early days, the club benefitted three times from mergers with defunct clubs. A Thurman Thomas fumble returned for a touchdown by James Washington put Dallas in the lead, however, and the Bills were stunned again, 30-13. They are in the Central Division of the National League. The Bills became the only team ever to play in four straight Super Bowls, and looked ready to finally win one when they led at halftime. The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

They won the AFC East championship with a 12-4 record, and again won playoff games against the Los Angeles Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs, setting up a rematch with the Cowboys in Super Bowl XXVIII on January 30, 1994 . Bradenton Pirates. They looked to rectify the situation in the 1993 season, but the same result happened. Lynchburg Hillcats
Hickory Crawdads
Williamsport Crosscutters. By now the Bills had become laughingstocks, poster children for failure in the eyes of many. Altoona Curve. Lett held the ball out long enough for Tasker, who had made up a considerable distance to get to Lett, to knock it out of his hand. Indianapolis Indians.

One of the sole bright spots for the Bills was Steve Tasker's rundown and strip of Leon Lett after Lett had returned a fumble inside the Bills five and was on his way to scoring. National League
. Buffalo committed 9 turnovers en route to a 52-17 thrashing. Pitching strikeouts: Bob Veale (276, 1965). Super Bowl XXVII, played against the Dallas Cowboys, turned out to be a mismatch. Pitching wins: 28 Jack Chesbro (28, 1902). They then handily defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the divisional playoff and upset the archrival Dolphins in the AFC Championship to advance to their third straight Super Bowl. Hitting streak: Danny O'Connell (26 games, 1953).

Undaunted, the Bills scored touchdowns on several consecutive possessions to tie the game and force overtime. Steve Christie kicked the game-winning field goal in the extra session to cap the biggest comeback in NFL history, 41-38. Walks: Ralph Kiner (137, 1951). Backup quarterback Frank Reich started their wild card playoff game against the Houston Oilers, and they were down 35-3 by the third quarter. Stolen bases: Omar Moreno (96, 1980). The Bills lost the 1992 AFC East title to the Miami Dolphins and Jim Kelly was injured in the final game of the regular season. Owen Wilson (36, 1912) [MLB record]. The Redskins opened up a 24-0 halftime lead and never looked back, handing the Bills a 37-24 loss (an embarrassing moment occurred as the teams were leaving the field at the end of the first half when Bills center Adam Lingner angrily ordered a cameraman to "Get that f***in' camera out of my face;" the comment was picked up by a nearby microphone and everyone watching or listening to the game on television or radio would have had an opportunity to hear it). Triples: J.

The Bills looked to avenge their heartbreaking Super Bowl loss a year earlier by playing the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XXVI, but it was not to be. Doubles: Paul Waner (62, 1932). The Bills steamrolled through the 1991 regular season as well, finishing 13-3 again and with Thurman Thomas winning the Offensive Player of the Year award. They also had an easy time with the Kansas City Chiefs in their first playoff game and beat the Denver Broncos in a defensive struggle in the AFC Championship. Hits: Paul Waner (237, 1927). Norwood's miss set the stage for future failures by the Bills in the early 1990s. Runs: Kiki Cuyler (144, 1925). It went wide to the right, and the Giants emerged victorious; however, some criticized Levy for not calling one more offensive play in an effort to make the field goal try shorter. Runs batted in: Paul Waner (131, 1927).

The game featured many lead changes, and with the score 20-19 in favor of New York with eight seconds left, Bills kicker Scott Norwood attempted a 47-yard field goal. Home runs: Ralph Kiner (54, 1949). The Bills were overwhelming favorites to beat the New York Giants, but the defensive plan laid out by coach Bill Parcells and defensive coordinator Bill Belichick kept Buffalo in check (and without the ball) throughout the game. Batting average: Arky Vaughan (.385, 1935). The team finished 13-3 and blew out the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Raiders in the playoffs on their way to Super Bowl XXV. Branch Rickey. In 1990 the Bills switched to a no-huddle offense and it started one of the most successful runs in NFL history. Bob Prince (legendary announcer nicknamed The Gunner).

1989 was a relative disappointment, with a 9-7 record and a first-round playoff loss to the Cleveland Browns. Bill McKechnie. After having an easy time with the Houston Oilers in the divisional playoff, they lost the AFC championship to the Cincinnati Bengals. John Galbreath. In 1988, the rookie season of running back Thurman Thomas, the Bills went 12-4 and finished atop the AFC East for the first of four consecutive seasons. Barney Dreyfuss (former owner and creator of the World Series). In addition to new coach Marv Levy, a receiving game featuring Andre Reed and a defense led by first-overall draft pick Bruce Smith, the Bills started marching back to the top. 42 Jackie Robinson (retired throughout baseball).

After the USFL's demise, Jim Kelly joined the Bills for the 1986 season, and immediately proved to be worth the wait. 40 Danny Murtaugh *. In 1984 and 1985 the Bills went 2-14. 33 Honus Wagner **. Knox left his coaching position to take a job with the Seattle Seahawks, and new coach Kay Stephenson proved to be less than stellar. 21 Roberto Clemente. In the famous 1983 draft the Bills selected quarterback Jim Kelly as their replacement to an aging Joe Ferguson, but Kelly decided to play in the upstart United States Football League instead. 20 Pie Traynor.

The following year — the strike-shortened season of 1982 — the Bills slipped to a 4-5 final record.   9 Bill Mazeroski. The team's players and fans alike adopted the informal slogan "We're Talkin' Proud" during this period.   8 Willie Stargell. They lost in the second round to the eventual AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals.   4 Ralph Kiner. The following season they lost their title to the Dolphins, but won their first NFL playoff game (over the New York Jets).   1 Billy Meyer *.

They beat the archrival Miami Dolphins for the first time in 11 years in their season opener, en route to winning their first AFC East title. Jim Leyland (1990, 1992). 1980 marked another breakthrough for the Bills. Manager of the Year