Bills Backers of Boston News Blog
News and events from the Bills Backers chapter in Boston, Massachusetts.
Home Page
Contact Us
XML
Subscribe to a syndicated RSS feed of this weblog.
Tue, 08 Sep 2009
If you're going to the game on Monday in Foxboro, here's the info on the Bills Backers tailgate. Once again, Tim Sweeney is the contact person; you can reach him at timothy.m.sweeney (at) gmail (dot) com. He can give you his cell number if you need it.
You can meet up for the traditional "convoy" or head straight to the tailgate spot.
MEETING PLACE - 1:30 pm.
If you want to drive in to the lot together, meet up at the Dunkin Donuts on Route 1 in East Walpole, on the southbound side at the intersection of Union Street. Here's a map: Google Map
The best way to get there from Boston would be to take exit 15B (Rt-1) off of 128/I-95 and head southbound down Rt-1, or take I-95 south to Exit 10 (Coney St), right on Coney St, right on Rt-1 northbound, and u-turn at Union St to head southbound on Rt-1.
TAILGATE SPOT: We'll be tailgating in a private lot so as to avoid the North Korean security detail at Gillette Stadium. It's a private lot just north of the stadium behind a liquor store. When approaching the stadium from the north you'll see the RT-1 Liquor Mart on the right just past Washington St intersection. We'll be parking in the lot just PAST the liquor store building on the right. Here's the location: Google Map
Meeting time is negotiable. If enough people want to do it a little earlier/later, Tim will adjust. Just let him know..
Enjoy the game... Go Bills!
Mon, 20 Jul 2009With training camp starting next weekend, we'd like to remind everyone of our policy regarding preseason games. The short answer is that we can't guarantee the Harp will show the games -- if you're interested, the long answer can be found on our website.
This year, the Bills play five (ugh) preseason games, beginning with the Hall of Fame game on Saturday, August 9. Two of the five preseason games will be broadcast live; the other three will be shown on the NFL Network on a tape delay basis:
- Sun., Aug. 9 Hall of Fame Game vs. Tennessee Titans, 8:00PM. Live on NBC; NFL Network tape delay, Monday August 10, 9 am.
- Sat., Aug. 15 vs Chicago Bears, 7:00PM. Live on NFL Network; tape delay Saturday August 15, 7 pm.
- Sat., Aug. 22 @ Green Bay Packers, 8:00PM. NFL Network tape delay, Sunday, August 23, 4 pm.
- Sat., Aug. 29 @ Pittsburgh Steelers, 7:30PM. NFL Network tape delay, Sunday, August 30, 1 pm.
- Thur., Sept. 3 vs Detroit Lions, 6:30PM. NFL Network tape delay, Sunday, September 6, 7 am.
This Sunday, December 14 is the Bills Backers of Boston annual Charity Day. This year, we'll be raising money for Boston Children's Hospital by raffling and auctioning lots of cool prizes. As a special treat, we'll be serving Beef on Weck from the halftime buffet. Kickoff against the Jets is at 1 pm.
You can see what we've accomplished in the past on our Thank You Backers page - let's try to top last year's terrific donation!
We'll see you at the Harp!
Wed, 05 Nov 2008Here's the info on the Bills tailgate for the game on Sunday, November 9. Please note that we've changed things up a bit to make it easier for everyone to get together. Tim Sweeney is the contact person, you can reach him at timothy.m.sweeney (at) gmail (dot) com. He can give you his cell number if you need it.
You can meet up for the traditional "convoy" or head straight to the tailgate spot.
MEETING PLACE - 8:15am. If you want to drive in together, meet up at the Dunkin Donuts on Route 1 in East Walpole, on the southbound side at the intersection of Union Street. Click here for a map.
The best way to get there from Boston would be to take exit 15B (Rt-1) off of 128/I-95 and head southbound down Rt-1, or take I-95 south to Exit 10 (Coney St), right on Coney St, right on Rt-1 northbound, and left onto Union St.
TAILGATE SPOT: We'll be tailgating in a private lot so as to avoid the North Korean security detail at Gillette Stadium. It's a private lot just north of the stadium behind a liquor store. When approaching the stadium from the north you'll see a 1 story liquor store with a Subway next to it. We'll be parking in the lot behind that building. Click here for a map.
Go Bills!
Tue, 02 Sep 2008Welcome back, Bills Fans!
The 2008-09 edition of Buffalo Bills football kicks off this Sunday, September 7 at 1 pm, when the Bills host the Seahawks. Before we get started, the Executive Committee wants to pass along a few notes, reminders, and requests regarding Game Day at the Harp:
1.) The tables on the main floor of the Harp (in front of the stage) are reserved for customers ordering from the menu. If you're going to sit there, we ask you to order from the menu, and, of course, respect (and tip!) your wait staff. If you don't want to order from the menu, there are more tables near the front of the bar and in the lower bar area.
2.) There are some new TVs sprinkled around the bar. This may necessitate some changes to traffic patterns, so please bear with us as we try to work out the best arrangement. Please keep the walkway and steps clear.
3.) Any questions, comments or, especially, complaints, about service on Sunday -- including TV channels -- should be addressed to a member of the Executive Committee first. Please do not approach Harp staff yourself. Chances are, one of us can handle your issue, or we will work on your behalf to resolve the situation. By keeping things streamlined we can all enjoy a better gameday experience. Matt, Chris, Jeff or George can typically be found in the lower-bar area.
3.) Chicken Wing Etiquette: Please be courteous to your fellow Bills Fans, and take only the number of wings that you, personally, will eat. Please do not take a huge plate for everyone in your group, because this is wasteful and deprives other fans the opportunity to have some. If you want a plate of wings to share, you can order one off the menu. Please ask your server.
4.) And last but not least, our friend and fellow Bills Backers, Michael Farrell, will be at the Harp on Sunday selling and autographing copies of his debut novel, “Running with Buffalo.” Stop by his table and pick up a copy. You can read about Michael and his book below.
Go Bills!
"Running with Buffalo", the debut novel by Michael Farrell, tells the tale of young idealist and Buffalo, New York native, Joseph Cahan.
Told through Cahan, the story follows the recent college grad through an nine month obstacle course of humor, heartache, and professional frustration as he strives to discern if a productive existence in his hometown or the “real life" he anticipated is even attainable. In “Running with Buffalo,” Farrell relays the lament of a new generation, full of young adults trying to deal with life’s unexpected complexities. Amongst this confusion, some still yearn for the simple inherent truths sometimes found in the most logical of places. This duel between head and heart exists as the soul of this stirring novel.
To date, the book is approaching 1,000 copies sold, and is now available through all Web retailers (such as Amazon), and in local outlets in Buffalo, including Talking Leaves and Barnes & Noble.
Born in Buffalo and raised in nearby Hamburg, Farrell held over 40 ridiculous jobs before having his first piece published in 2002. Since then, his writing has been published in The Buffalo News, Barstool Sports, Five Star Magazine, and on the Buffalo Bills fan site, www.billsinsider.com. In 2004, he was hired to cover high school sports for The Boston Herald in Boston, Massachusetts. During the scholastic calendar, he can be found there or on his website at www.farrellstreet.com. On Sundays during football season, he can be found praying for the Bills at The Harp in Boston, Massachusetts.
Today, Farrell resides in South Boston.
Fri, 15 Aug 2008
Bills Backers changes for 2008
Believe it or not, the 2008 season will be the 13th year of Bills football at The Harp. While a lot has changed since the summer of 1996, our Bills Backers club has, for the most part, remained the same. This year, though, we will be changing things up a little.
Some of you may be aware that Alison moved back to Buffalo earlier this year, and she truly will be missed. She can't be replaced, but we've added two new members to our Executive Commitee, Chris Salemi and Matt Irvine. Neither of these guys are strangers, since they've been fixtures in the lower bar for a number of years now, but stop by and say hello -- and thanks! -- to Chris and Matt. Of course, Jeff and George will be returning for another year, too. Don't be too disappointed, ok?
The Executive Committee's primary role on game days is to serve as a liason between you (the fans) and the management of the Harp. If you have comments, concerns or questions during a game day, you should seek out Jeff, George, Chris or Matt. Please do not approach Harp staff yourself -- chances are, one of us can handle your issue, or we will work on your behalf to resolve the situation. By keeping things streamlined we can all enjoy a better gameday experience.
We are also making a few changes to the administration of the club. Since we founded the club in 1991, we've been asking for $10 annual dues from our members. With everything done on email these days, the extra membership information has lost its importance (and it's not a trivial task to maintain the list, either). In short, we're eliminating the annual membership dues; going forward, we'll only be maintaining the email list. We encourage everyone to sign up for the email list on our website, http://www.bostonbillsbackers.com.
One way we will replace the annual dues in our budget is with an occasional 50-50 "squares" game. We'll have more details as Opening Day gets closer, but it's sure to be an exciting addition to the gameday experience.
Enjoy the rest of the preseason and we'll see you on September 7th!
Mon, 04 Aug 2008
Preseason starts this Saturday
Are you ready for some football? The Bills get back on the field in actual game action (well, as "actual" as the preseason can be!) this Saturday night, when they visit the Redskins.
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on the NFL network starting at 7 pm. As per our pre-season game policy, we cannot guarantee that the Harp will have the game on. Yes, they do have the NFL Network, but on Saturday nights the music/DJ starts at 8 pm, so there won't be sound.
That said, there will be a Backers contingent at the Sports Depot in Allston on Saturday night. You can find directions at their website, www.sportsdepotboston.com.
The NFL Network will be broadcasting each Bills preseason game, either live or on tape delay. Here's the schedule:
- Bills at Redskins -- Live: Saturday August 9, 7:00 pm; Tape Delay Monday, August 11, 4:00 am
- Steelers at Bills in Toronto -- Tape Delay: Saturday August 16, 12:00 midnight and 9:00 am; Tuesday August 19, 9:00 am
- Bills at Colts -- Live: Sunday, August 24, 8:00 pm; Tape Delay: Tuesday, August 26, 3:30 pm; Wednesday, August 27, 6:00 am
- Lions at Bills -- Tape Delay: Saturday, August 30, 5:00 am and Sunday, August 31, 4:00 am.
Get those Tivo's ready, get some Blue chillin' in the fridge and get ready for football season. It's training camp for us fans, too!
Tue, 22 Jul 2008
The 2008 Season is almost here!
The 2008 season of Buffalo Bills football begins this Friday, July 25 in Rochester, as the annual rite of summer known as Training Camp kicks off. Here in Boston, we're gearing up for another great season at the Harp. We'll have more details on the calendar of events for this coming season shortly, so stay tuned. If you're not on the mailing list, please sign up at our website, http://www.bostonbillsbackers.com so you don't miss a thing. If you're so inclined you can also subscribe to an RSS feed from our website.
Please be advised of our policy regarding the preseason games. Note that the preason game on Saturday, August 24 (8 pm) against the Colts will be shown live on NFL Network. The NFL Network usually broadcasts all of the preseason games on a tape-delay basis; we will post the schedule to the website when it becomes available.
Fri, 22 Feb 2008
My View: Bills are much more than a business to fans
The February 22 edition of the Buffalo News has a great editorial by Michael Farrell, author and long-time member of the Boston Bills Backers. Links on the Buffalo News don't last too long, so check it out while it's available, here.
Michael is the author of Running With Buffalo, published in 2007 and available for purchase on Amazon.com.
Sun, 25 Nov 2007Photos from Charity Day and the Jills' visit to the Harp are posted in the Photo Gallery. Enjoy!
Thu, 08 Nov 2007Our annual charity raffle/auction day will be held at the Harp this Sunday as the Bills take on the Miami Dolphins at 1 pm. We have some GREAT prizes to auction and raffle off this year, including a game-worn shoe donated from Brian Moorman, a mini-helmet autographed by Marshawn Lynch, other autographed merchandise and tons of great raffle prizes.
We're also collecting non-perishable food items for donation to a local food pantry. Please drop your donations in the collection boxes at the front door of the Harp.
Thank you for your support!
Sat, 11 Aug 2007
Bills games on the NFL network
Here is the schedule for the remaining Bills preseason games on NFL Network:
Atlanta at Buffalo - Saturday August 18, 10 am (Tape Delay) Tennessee at Buffalo - Saturday August 25, 10 am (Tape Delay) Buffalo at Detroit - Thursday August 30, 7 pm (LIVE)
Sun, 05 Aug 2007The 2007 season is almost here! Only five weeks to go until Opening Day on Sunday, September 9. This year the Bills kick off at home against Denver Broncos. We'll see you at The Harp!
More information on the upcoming season at the Harp will be available soon. In the meantime, please take note of our policy regarding pre-season games.
Tue, 08 May 2007
Oooh! Ahhh! Sabres on the Warpath!
As was the case with last year's Stanley Cup playoffs, Sabres fans will be gathering at the Sports Depot in Allston, located at 353 Cambridge Street in Allston. For directions, see their website.
Let's go Buffalo!
Mon, 19 Feb 2007At our 2006 Charity Day event, we did a 50/50 raffle ("split club") to benefit Treats for Troops, an organization that sends care packages to our brave servicemen and women serving overseas. After awarding the prize, we were able to donate $305 to this worthy cause.
To be eligible for a care package from Treats for Troops, soldiers register on a website, supplying some personal information - including the name of their favorite sports team -- as well as their preferences for gifts: personal care products, snacks, phone cards, etcetera. Treats for Troops selected six servicemen to receive our donations, and they're all Bills fans, too!
Our gratitude and prayers go out to the following servicemen as they fight for our freedom around the world: Darius Myles, USAF; Jason Bell, USN; Matthew Maxwell, USMC; Sean Miosek, USMC; Jerry Lambert, USAF; Sean Lovell, USAF.
For more information, or to make a personal donation, see the Treats for Troops website
Mon, 18 Dec 2006At halftime of the Fish Fry, some Bills Backers were spreading some holiday cheer with the help of the Red Hat Ladies! Hey, is there a better way to get into the Christmas spirit than a SHUTOUT of the Miami Dolphins? Thanks for the video, Julie!
Mon, 04 Dec 2006
Charity Day pics in the Gallery
Some pictures from Charity Day have been posted in the Photo Gallery. Check them out!
Wed, 29 Nov 2006Check out the scene at the Harp as the Bills beat the Houston Texans on a JP Losman-to-Peerless Price TD strike with seconds on the clock!
Thanks to Tony B for the camera work... FAN-Tastic!
Mon, 09 Oct 2006Congratulations to Miles Gaddy, who won the members-only drawing for two tickets to the upcoming Bills/Patriots game in Buffalo.
Fri, 06 Oct 2006For fresh-baked kimmelweck rolls in Boston, contact Martha at Martha's Bread Basket in Danvers Square. Her shop is located at 16 Maple St, Danvers, MA 01923; the phone number is (978) 777-2308. Call ahead and order a dozen (or more, they freeze well!) and enjoy some Beef on 'Weck at home.
Martha's Bread Basket has a wonderful assortment of breads, baked fresh daily, and all sorts of muffins, scones and other bakery treats.
Thu, 31 Aug 2006We'll be doing the tailgate thing for the season opener in Foxboro. For details, click here.
If you're not already on the email list, sign up so you don't miss anything!
Sun, 27 Aug 2006
Boston Backers on Buffalo Rising
Mick Farrell, one of our members, has written a book called "Running with Buffalo". He gave our club a great shout-out in an interview with Buffalo Rising not too long ago. You can read the interview here:
Fri, 28 Jul 2006
Important Note About Preseason Games
With training camp upon us, we'd like to reiterate our policy regarding pre-season games. Please read this page for details, and thank you for your understanding.
Sun, 02 Jul 2006Email to bostonbillsbackers.com is now back an operational. Thanks for your patience.
Sat, 01 Jul 2006
E-Mail Temporarily Not Working
Please be advised that for a short while, email to bostonbillsbackers.com is not getting delivered. We expect to have this problem rectified soon. Thanks for your patience.
2005 Charity Day And Food Drive a Smashing Success!
Thank you to everyone that made the 10th annual Bills Backers Charity Day a smashing success! We raised $1,685 for the American Red Cross as well as garnered a significant donation to the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry.
Thanks to everyone that made this the best charity day event yet!