Through
many years of frustration in Buffalo
sports, fans have found ways to express their discontent with their hometown
team, but one fan has taken his feelings to the next level and perhaps even too
far. An avid Buffalo Bills fanatic, Ryan Abshagen, wanted to find a way to show
the Buffalo Bill’s front office his (and many others) discontent with the
progress (or lack thereof) of the Bills 2009 season. This unemployed 18 year
old resident of Freedom, Pa. began setting up an
internet campaign in order to raise funds to pay for a digital billboard here
in downtown Buffalo.
After $1,402 of hard fundraised dollars were collected, Abshagen’s unusual dream
became a reality.
“It’s
time to clean the house, RALPH,” followed by a checklist of the Bills coaching
staff, will now be seen starting on the 19th. This billboard will be
displayed all week on the interstate 190 near downtown, and it will flash this
message around 3,000 times a day to all the residents of this disgruntled
sports town. Abshagen said to reporters, “The donors and myself included, don't
mean any harm or wish to insult anyone. We simply just want to get our voice
out as fans,” and that is exactly what Abshagen has done. With the popularity of
this publicity stunt Abshagen says he has already begun raising funds to extend the
time period of the billboard’s running.
The
response has been overwhelming, more than anyone had ever expected, but no one
really expects owner Ralph Wilson to let this one billboard affect any decision
made. Still, that doesn’t mean it has had no effect. Coach Dick Jauron has taken many
controversies during his years here at Buffalo after facing four consecutive
7-9 seasons, but this has to be the largest personal attack. Perhaps this will
push the coaching staff of Buffalo to will together and prove something to fans
that spend their time, money, and heartache on the Bills week in and week out.
Coincidentally, in the game following the beginning of all this billboard
talk, the Bills won a huge upset victory against their division rival the New York
Jets to push their record to 2-4. We will be sure to see the progress of the
Bills next week in a winnable game against the Panthers, and hopefully put all
this billboard talk behind us and build a winning team for the future here in Buffalo.