By Dakarai Williams
The Bills Mafia has a strong representation on the Brockport campus. This year, the Brockport softball team has worked at the concession stands for all of Buffalo’s home games. Sophomores Annie Dipirro and Morgan Skpowski have been working at the Bills games since their freshman year.
“The team arrives to the Bills stadium around 9:30 a.m. and we check in,” Skpowski said. “We then go to our portables where we have to set up, this includes filling the coolers with ice and different beers. The gates open at 11:30 and we sell alcohol to fans until halftime when we then count all the remaining beers we have and pack up for the day.”
While star quarterback Josh Allen may not be having the MVP caliber season that he had last year, he is still playing well enough to have the Bills at the top of their division. Coming off a bye week, Allen is 15th in passing yards with 1,723, tied for seventh in passing touchdowns with 15, and tied for fifth in fewest interceptions thrown with only 3 this season. Additionally, Allen has rushed for 214 yards and two touchdowns.
The Bills success has also made working their games more enjoyable for the softball team.
“I enjoy working the Bills games, I’m from Buffalo and it is awesome to always see the fans and how enthusiastic everyone is,” Dipirro said. “The energy inside the stadium is unbeatable and it is a great upbeat environment every time you walk in.”
Since the NFL and American Football League (AFL) merger in 1970, the Buffalo Bills have only been to four Superbowl’s (1991-94) and lost each one. However, with the reigning two-time AFC champions Kanas City Chiefs off to a 3-4 start and at the bottom of their division, fans are expecting a championship from the bills this season.
“I am a huge Bills fan, and they WILL win the super bowl this year. Bills mafia for life!” Dipirro said.
The Bills mafia on campus has also converted fans of other NFL teams into Bills fans. Chandler Bland, a Brockport transfer student from New York City has recently added the Bills to his short list of favorite NFL teams.
“Normally I only rep the Giants but all of my friends here are Bills fans and they kind of turned me,” Bland said. “I can’t watch the Giants games here, but the Bills have been pretty good and they’re easy to root for, so I don’t mind.”
It’s too early to tell if this is finally the year that the Buffalo Bills will get their first Superbowl championship. Nevertheless, they’ll have the full support of the Brockport community behind them however far they go.
