Fan Focus With BillsMafia: Mafia Monday Interview with @TheKickIsGood

Preseason Week 2′s Mafia Monday interview is Mike Sullivan, owner of one the more whimsical and humorous Bills-related websites out there, TheKickIsGood.com. If you’ve not discovered him or his site yet, we suggest you check it out! He’s been running a countdown until the season begins, with each day corresponding to a different player’s uniform number, since 99 days prior.

How long have you been a Bills Fan, and what’s your earliest Bills memory?
My whole life. My first Bills memory is that I remember my parents had all the neighbors over to watch a Monday Night Football game against the Dolphins. I had to go look it up: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198110120buf.htm. I would have been six years old at the time. Three weeks later, they brought me to my first Bills game.

What is your favorite Bills memory?
1989 Joe Robbie Stadium Miami. Jim Kelly dives into the end zone with no time left on the clock to win the game. I also have a toy statue of Jim Kelly that recounts the whole story when you press a button.

What was the first Bills game you attended?
Click here for a picture of the ticket.

I sat in the upper deck and my only lasting memory is that I was witness to two very drunk men dressed as the Blues Brothers smashing a glass bottle over a lady’s head about 6 seats away from me.

It was disturbing and I so very clearly remember it. WHAT THE HELL! In 1981, I was only 6 years old why would my parents expose me to such things??? Was it because the ticket was only $13? If they knew the Internet was on the horizon and I’d be retelling this HORRIBLE story, they might have thought twice.

Favorite moment from attending a Bills game?
“The Snow Game” in 2002 vs. the Dolphins. The skies went from clear to heavy, heavy snow in about 3 minutes. We were sitting up high and during a commercial break you could see the wall of snow move into the stadium. Before the snow moved in the Bills were losing and as soon as the show hit–everything changed. All the fans were all singing Dean Martin’s “Let It Snow” and Peerless Price caught a 70 yard+ TD pass from Drew Bledsoe.

There was so much snow that after the game the parking lot was complete gridlock, so we played football in the snow for hours and I had to “borrow” a wooden pallet from another tailgate to burn for warmth. We won, and we were in the thick of the playoff race. It was a good day.

Do you own any Bills jerseys, and if so what ones?
I have a #55 Bennett, 3 Kellys (Authentic from back in the day, a Mitchell and Ness, and a Donohoe Era jersey version), a McGahee, a Rob Johnson (full disclosure), and a Lynch. My oldest is an authentic #55 Cornelius Bennett jersey. I was relentless on my mother until she bought it for me. It was a custom authentic from the Official NFL Catalog back in 1987. It must have cost her a fortune for a custom authentic back in 1987.

Favorite current Bill?
This is a tough one. I really like this year’s team. There are so many guys that I like that I can’t just single out one.

Favorite former Bill?
Jim Kelly. No doubt about it. He came in as the team and city’s savior and backed it up. I had jerseys and posters on my wall. I cried like a little baby during his retirement press conference in 1997. My oldest daughter was born in the Fall of 1997. Her middle name is Kelly. The only reason that her first name isn’t Kelly is because I was CONVINCED that most of the girls in her grade would also be named Kelly. I was a little off. There are none.

What is your favorite team to watch lose to the Bills?
Even though the rivalry isn’t anything like it used to be, I still hate the Dolphins and always will.

Best tailgate food?
My wife made Steak Fajitas out of Filet one year. We’re still talking about that.

Other sports you enjoy following? If so, favorite teams?
I try to play fantasy baseball every year–and as soon as Bills Training Camp starts I lose ALL interest. I try to like the Sabres, but there’s too many regular season games before the playoffs.

Lastly, what does “Bills Mafia” mean to you?
I love the concept of the FAMbase. Buffalo is small town and gets little respect outside of WNY. I love that the players know that we’re all in this together and we’re behind them 100% win or lose, on or off the field.

About #FanFocus: The word fan first emerged as an Americanism around 1889 referring to baseball enthusiasts but today’s football fans are really the true modern day fanatics. While all sports have their fans, football fans have a uniquely intense devotion. We willingly submit to braving the elements in brutal temperatures, eat unusual culinary concoctions, theme decorate our homes, engage in remote control battles, and proudly wear body paint and tattoos all in an effort to show loyalty to our favorite players and teams. Pro Player Insiders is creating a special section on our website and partnering with dedicated fan groups throughout the country to highlight and engage with some of the most passionate NFL fans. If you are a fan group that fits that description, contact us on twitter @PlayerInsiders and let us know.