The ridiculously annoying alarm disturbs what is considered sleep, but 4 hours of sleep is almost inadequate. The first thing you begin to think about is the Bills, as if there is anything else to ponder on a Sunday morning at 5am. As you stumble incoherently into the shower you start your checklist for tailgating utilities. You list them in your head, Hot dogs, cooler, ice, hamburgers, cheese, chicken wings, plates, forks, and the most important of all, beer. The shower is just another sorry excuse for more rest, when often you find yourself nodding off into the deep sleep you wish you had the night before, but the anticipation for the game tends to keep you awake for long periods of time. You already have 3 missed calls of your friends who seem to always be ready before you, and have not forgotten a thing. Sometimes they are even outside waiting. As you throw on your Bledsoe jersey and other ridiculous

amounts of clothes, you once again go over the checklist; of course you have forgotten everything you listed 5 minutes ago. Once you think you are ready, you’re not, there is always at lease one thing that you know you are going to be mad about when you realize that it is not there, and it is usually the most important thing.

The level of anticipation is now at the fullest extent, because you are on the road heading for the Ralph. Visions of sport center highlights flash through your head as the road quickly passes by you, and the sounds of happiness radiates from the tightly packed car as you turn onto 1 Bills drive. As you arrive in the stadium you are greeted by the veteran tailgating fans that have been there all night, and have as much energy as you had on Christmas morning as a child. You fire up the grill and talk about every aspect of the great team you cheer for, and also bash every opposing teams fan as they walk bravely through the parking lot. A crazy bearded man named Kenny greets you generously with a “Bowling Ball Shot”. The taste of the warm syrupy liquor sooths your throat during the below zero temperatures and lake effect snow buffalonians have come to tolerate. After your less then satisfying shot, you are greeted with a “Bills helmet beer funnel”. For any Bills fan this well designed sculpture is nothing less then perfect, the bright sun causes the helmet to glimmer against the white snow all around you, and although it may seem intimidating, just looking at the helmet above you gives you a sense of wellbeing. After a couple of hour

Some topics in this essay:
Ball Shot”, It’s Bills, Takeo Spikes, Ralph Visions, Bills Game, bills fan, Drew Bledsoe, bills game, opposing teams’, drew bledsoe, “go bills”, tell yourself, bills fans,