By Sean Kirst
A few weeks ago, I wrote a column about Dr. Ryan Miller, a young physician and lifetime Buffalo sports fan who had one especially passionate concern about the movement toward a new Buffalo Bills stadium:
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California-based AECOM projects it will cost $1.354 billion to construct a new stadium on adjoining county-owned property in Orchard Park next to the team’s existing stadium, versus $862 million to renovate Highmark Stadium.
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Buffalo Bills defender Bruce Smith sacks Oakland Raiders quarterback Jeff Hostetler in the AFC divisional playoff game at Rich Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 15, 1994.
News file photo
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Jim Kelly celebrates during the AFC title game on Jan. 20, 1991 at then-Rich Stadium, when the Bills beat the Los Angeles Raiders 51-3 to move on to Super Bowl XXV.
Buffalo News file photo
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Fans bid farewell to the Rockpile at the Bills' final game in War Memorial Stadium in 1972.
Buffalo News file photo
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Former Buffalo Bill Reggie McKenzie fires up the crowd after he and Fred Smerlas were honored prior to a 1999 game.
Harry Scull Jr./News file photo
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Butch Byrd, a Buffalo Bills defensive back, intercepts New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath on Sept. 29, 1968, in the Bills' 37-35 victory at the old War Memorial Stadium, in Buffalo.
Buffalo News file photo
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The special relationship between several different generations of fathers and sons is brought together through a common thread – the Buffalo Bills.
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If something had changed last week in that Cleveland-Kansas City showdown so that Cleveland ended up at Bills Stadium for the AFC title game, Bart Stancampiano had planned on being in the seats.
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The Bills "are the one good thing everyone can get behind,” said Rich Sajecki, who will be watching Saturday's game with fellow residents at Father Baker Manor in Orchard Park.
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Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones performed at then-Rich Stadium in 1978. (News file photo)
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Joan Hoak and her daughter, Donna, are emblematic of a fan base that has managed to keep a National Football League franchise here when teams and owners have deserted much larger American
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Jubilant fans pull down the goal posts when the place was still called Rich Stadium.
Buffalo News file photo
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The famous "Snovertime" game between the Bills and Colts, 2017.
James P. McCoy/News file photo
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Until 40 years ago this month, Buffalo had seemed a baseball graveyard, but a team finally returned in an against-the-odds way, says Sean
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Frank Reich in the great playoff comeback against the Oilers, in then-Rich Stadium.
Buffalo News file photo
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U2 at then-New Era Field, 2017.
Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News
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The Bills at then-Rich Stadium, great comeback of 1993.
James P. McCoy / Buffalo News file photo
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kAmx =:G6 :? t2DE pFC@C2 2?5 5C:G6 3J w:89>2C< $E25:F> 7C6BF6?E=J @? #@FE6 a_p] {@@<:?8 2E E96 2C62 2C@F?5 E96 DE25:F> E96C6 2C6 ?@ @3G:@FD Q4:G:4 36?67:EDQ E@ 36 D66? ?62C :E[ ?@C >2?J @C 2?J Q?6H 3FD:?6DD6DQ 92G6 D6E FA 42>A E96C6 6:E96C]k^Am
kAm!FE E96 DE25:F> H96C6 :E H:== 5@ >@C6 8@@5]k^Am
kAmk6>mkDEC@?8m– yF5J !2DE@C6k^DEC@?8mk^6>mk^Am
kAm Yk^Am
kAmx 5:D28C66 E92E E9:D 2C62 ?665D 2 ?6H DE25:F>] w2D E96C6 6G6C 366? D@ >F49 >256 23@FE D@>6E9:?8 D@ :?D:8?:7:42?E 2D AC@ 7@@E32==n !=62D6 E6== E96 !68F=2D E96J 42? E2<6 E96 q:==D 2?5 =62G6 E@H?] %96J 42? 2=D@ E2<6 E96 $23C6D H:E9 E96>]k^Am
kAm x7 2 ?6H DE25:F> :D 3F:=E[ =6E E96 >:==:@?2:C6D A2J 7@C :E]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mk6>m\ s@? $FEE6Ck^6>mk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmYk^Am
kAm(6 ?665 2 5@>6 DE25:F> E@ 36 FD65 J62C\C@F?5] %96? >2J36 H6 H:== 86E 2 $FA6C q@H=[ 2==\DE2C 82>6 6E4] w@H 23@FE D@446C[ 9:89 D49@@= A=2J@77D[ >2C49:?8 32?5 4@>A6E:E:@?D[ 4@?46CED[ (:?8 76DE[ xE2=:2? u6DE[ H92E6G6C 76DE ]]] e_[___ D62ED :D q$] k^Am
kAm{@42E:@?i #6>6>36C 2 4@FA=6 J62CD 28@ H96? E96 32D632== A2C< =6E @FE 2?5 z6Jq2?< r6?E6C =6E @FE[ A6@A=6 925 E@ H2:E EH@ 9@FCD E@ 6G6? >@G6n ]]] :E =62G6D E96 36DE A=246 2D ~C492C5 !2C< 2?5 3F:=5 :E C:89E H:E9 2 5@>6]k^Am
kAm$@ >F49 >@C6 42? 36 5@?6] x 2> f_ J62CD @=5 2?5 @? 2 G6CJ =:>:E65 3F586E ]]] s~ x% #xvw%] qF:=5 :E =:<6 ?@ @E96C DE25:F> H:E9 2 EC2:? DE2E:@?[ 4@??64E:?8 9@E6=D 6E4] k^Am
kAmx’> D@CCJ[ x 42? C2EE=6 @?] x =:G65 96C6 2== >J =:76] %92?< J@F]k^Am
kAmk6>mkDEC@?8m\ y@9? s6:?92CEk^DEC@?8mk^6>mk^Am
Sean Kirst is a columnist with The Buffalo News. Email him at skirst@buffnews.com .
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