From my early years of growing up – sitting in the kitchen with my father – a small radio on the table-
He with a slip of paper and a pencil in hand –
Listening ever so intently to The Saint Bonaventure men’s basketball game broadcast!
That would be the middle to late 50’s!
The years of the Stith brothers and Whitey Martin.
I grew up a Bonnies fan.
Later – we would go down to SLAVIN’S –
The local hang-out bar and grill.
I would crawl up on the bar stool next to him and the bar would be full.
It seemed like all the townsmen were there –
Russ would have the radio turned up and we would listen to the BONA’S game!
Even later he managed to secure a season ticket for the Olean Armory –
Home of the Bona’s team and faithful.
Those were my introduction to Saint Bonaventure Mens Basketball games.
Today – I still follow them – we had season tickets before we moved to NVA!
I will always remember those special times with my father-
and his influence on my being a BONNIE for life!
This sculpture is by a fellow co-worker at American Olean Tile – Eric Jones.
BILLS MAFIA – SNOW – COLD – ICE and the faithful who sit through it all at the stadium in Orchard Park
Growing up for some reason – ( JIM BROWN – WARFIELD and others ) I was a browns fan.
That changed later in life with Kemp and Cookie and then OJ.
Then the four straight Super Bowl runs.
Kelly – Reed – Smith Thomas and Bennet – Norwood – Tasker.
What a run – and now ALLEN – ALLEN – and ALLEN and COOK!
I still cheer them on –
but 25 years ago – we transferred to NVA!
I could not watch them anymore.
Everything there was REDSKINS!
And they slowly found a place in my heart.
JAYDEN DANIELS – a kid as cool as a cucumber –
A number two pick and a franchise quarterback.
He will be the one over the next decade as long as he does not get hurt.
All the turmoil with the owner – even poaching Smith and Reed from the Bills.
Losing one after another with his idiocy meddling into a once proud franchise.
He even cut trees down on the Potomac River so he would have a view –
They were protected!
WHAT A IDIOT!
Finally, a sexual harassment case brought by dozens of female employees –
He was forced to sell the team – 6/12 BILLION DOLLARS!
He packed up and moved to London – goodbye DANNY BOY!
But in all that time I also became a fan of this team.
I now had THREE teams in my heart –
BONA’S – REDSKINS (COMMANDERS) and THE BILLS!
JAYDEN DANIELS – cool as ice – a rookie – unflustered and breaking the norms
JOSH ALLEN – a one-man wrecking machine. Always a chance with him and his arm and legs.
And the BONNIES – Coach Schmidt – my opinion – a great college basketball coach.
A University that has one of the smallest enrollments in Division I-
1800 hundred plus on a good year –
Taking on National Opponents and winning –
They won’t come to Olean, In WNY –
So he plays them in NYC or Buffalo-
or Rochester or in tournaments elsewhere!
YEP – I have three teams –
and toss in the Nationals and Caps.
Thanks for reading my blog!
PAPA’S WORLD –
my site: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog
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