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