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Stadium Review - There's No Place Like Home
Traveling to five different NFL stadiums during the first eight weeks of the regular season, really makes you feel nostalgic for your home stadium. There’s just something comforting about returning to Ralph Wilson Stadium in sleepy little Orchard Park, NY to watch my hometown Buffalo Bills lock horns with any team. So my journey during Week 9 of the NFL season back to Stadium #1 on the Quest for 31, was like visiting an old friend. I don’t know if it’s the scent of fire pits and barbecued meats on a crisp autumn day, the renewed energy in Western New York surrounding the resurging Buffalo Bills, or the thrill of octo-funneling a beer with seven of my friends at the Bills Bus with Tailgating Guru, “Sport”.  But for fans of the National Football League, the tailgating experience at One Bills Drive is definitely second to none.

As always, the men of the Steiniger clan (and a couple of Dobler’s for that matter) select one Buffalo Bills home game a year to serve as our testosterone-filled football weekend retreat. We rent an RV, pack it full of raw meats, sweet and salty snacks, and BEER, lots of BEER, and head down to the RV lot at One Bills Drive on Saturday afternoon. There we begin our yearly ritual that harkens back to the days when we actually rented a U-Haul truck for the weekend retreat. This was all before realizing that an RV provides those fine amenities we’ve grown accustomed to in civilized living. Ah, but sometimes I miss those frigid nights sleeping on a corrugated steel floor and the looks you get from RV owners as the orange and white U-Haul pulls up next to them, but I digress …

Western New York is prime tailgating country, and Buffalo Bills fans have a long, storied history of parking lot tailgating, a tradition that dates back to the Ol’ Rock Pile or War Memorial Stadium. So to honor those that came before us, I assembled a menu of weekend delights to tantalize any NFL fan’s taste buds. Lunch was to be a fantastic Seafood Boil. We grabbed a multi-tiered steamer and filled it with crabs, mussels (for the novice, mussels are actually quite a bit tastier than clams and much less rubbery), shrimp, scallops, and catfish nuggets (for the record, I’m still not sure what catfish nuggets are, did we get a bunch of scraps that couldn’t be sold otherwise?). To provide the necessary fiber, we added red skinned potatoes, corn, and squash to the boil. When fully cooked, we feasted on seafood and steamed vegetables that were accented by a Thai-inspired curry vegetable dish donated by Dhini of the fantastic Dhini’s Café near Klein and Hopkins in Williamsville, NY. Dhini’s Cafe provides gourmet Asian and American cuisine that should not be missed.

That evening we dined on grill-seared tuna steaks and roast beast, slowly prepared on the Grill Pro Rotisserie that I purchased for the weekend’s activities. We dipped the tuna steaks in a wasabi and soy mixture and accented it with pickled ginger. As for the roast beast, in Buffalo it can only be eaten on a Kimmelweck roll with plenty of horseradish, as the “Beef on Weck” sandwich is a local staple.  In preparation for the rotisserie roast beast, I consulted Felton from my trip to the Georgia Dome, to recommend a suitable dry rub.  Felton suggested a simple, but tasty solution, he told me to combine French Onion soup mix with a stick of softened butter - it was excellent.   Sunday was dogs, burgers, and local sausage accented with a special Texas Chili sauce prepared by my Aunt every year … someday we’ll need to get that recipe.

Gameday was amazing. The parking lot is abuzz with meats grilling and beer swilling. I even met up with a fellow Quester from Bengal Trailer LLC who made the trek with his crew from Cincinnati. Tony Adams showed me around their Cincinnati Bengals mobile party wagon complete with electronics, plush seating, and onboard beer kegs. Tony and Co. drive a short bus decked out in Bengals colors that tows the most amazing trailer, complete with a full sized grill and deep fryer. They even offered me a beer from the tap located on the side of the bus … Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale, an excellent choice! Tony and the crew road trip to four Bengals games a year, bringing with them that impressive trailer that serves as a mobile command for Bengals fans on the road.

The game itself was a thrilling Buffalo Bills victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bills offense heralded the return of JP Losman under center and featured the coming out party of rookie running back Marshawn Lynch, who I personally lobbied for selecting on draft day.  No one of import was there to hear my sage advice, but I lobbied nonetheless.  Losman had a fantastic day lofting long balls to Lee Evans and Josh Reed, and Marshawn had a career day punishing the Bengals defense through his trademark slash and dash style.  The capper was a touchdown strike thrown by the golden arm of Marshawn Lynch to tight end Robert Royal for the go ahead score.  My highlight for the weekend was actually being able to meet Marshawn and his mother Ms. Lynch after the game, thanks to the Post Game Access Guest Pass provided by couple of friends (I owe you big time Bobby and Kenny). Damn, it’s good to be home.


For more information on the city of Buffalo, NY check out my other reviews by clicking on the links below:
     NFL: October 19, 2014 - Minnesota Vikings vs. Buffalo Bills
     NFL: September 15, 2013 - Carolina Panthers vs. Buffalo Bills
     NFL: November 21, 2012 - New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills
     NFL: November 6, 2011 - New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills
     NFL: November 7, 2010 - Chicago Bears vs. Buffalo Bills - Rogers Centre: Toronto
     NFL: October 3, 2010 - New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills
     NFL: November 1, 2009 - Houston Texans vs. Buffalo Bills
     NFL: August 15, 2009 - Chicago Bears vs. Buffalo Bills
     NFL: October 19, 2008 - San Diego Chargers vs. Buffalo Bills
     NFL: December 9, 2007 - Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills
     NFL: November 4, 2007 - Cincinnati Bengals vs. Buffalo Bills
     NFL:  November 26, 2006 - Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills
     NHL: March 12, 2010 - Minnesota Wild vs. Buffalo Sabres
     NHL: Buffalo Sabres, HSBC Arena - General Information
 

 
Planning Your Next Trip to see the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium?
Traveling to all thirty-one stadiums around the National Football League, teaches you a thing or two about getting the most for your money.  I've set up this website to help others that are interested in NFL Travel.  Below you'll find links for cheap Buffalo Bills tickets, arena seating charts, local weather, hotel, and flight information, everything you need to plan a successful trip to Ralph Wilson Stadium.