The sun is shining this morning in Buffalo, New York as I pump out an edition of Friday Screencaps before hopping in the car for the drive back around Lake Erie to a whole different world from what I just experienced in Orchard Park.
asserted
I → shin → Park
My mission going in from my boss was simple: Go ask questions, talk to the people and document the opening of the new Highmark Stadium.
asserted
mission → go → Stadium
What I experienced was what I suspect it's like to be on a drug-induced trip like those people in San Francisco experience where they're taking dumps in the streets and hunched over in paralysis as the drugs run wild through the bloodstream.
asserted
drugs → experience → bloodstream
Gameday in Buffalo is unlike anything I've ever experienced, and I've been to all the biggest mainstream sports experiences in the U.S.
asserted
I → experience → U.S.
The locals don't even blink at the sight of guys like this who are about to delete 32 beers.
asserted
who → blink → beers
The real members of Bills Mafia have their own looks.
asserted
members → have → looks
They don't even blink at a 400-pounder walking around with his rack hanging out.
asserted
They → blink → rack
This is a place where adults make the pilgrimage to the legendary Pinto Ron and Pizza Pete tailgate spot in the Hammer Lot where Pinto Ron's team of merry pranksters pour shots of liquor into a bowling ball finger hole.
asserted
team → make → hole
Drinking the shot is just one part of the routine.
asserted
Drinking → drink → routine
Throwing the ball to the ground and then blowing on a vuvuzela is also included in the bit.
asserted
Throwing → throw → bit
For the ladies, Ron's crew provides cherries that are dangled over their faces.
asserted
that → provide → faces
Most of the classy women will not suck the cherry off the stem.
asserted
Most → suck → stem
Some, however, go for the full experience.
asserted
Some → go → experience
I assume the cherries have been soaked in moonshine.
asserted
cherries → assume → moonshine
Hundreds and hundreds of people drink the shot out of the same hole over the course of a tailgate.
asserted
Hundreds → drink → tailgate
The liquor kills the germs.
asserted
liquor → kill → germs
Pinto Ron's team also cooks right on the hood of the most famous Pinto in Buffalo.
asserted
team → cook → Buffalo
Yes, I'm told the Pinto runs.
asserted
Pinto → tell → ?
Meanwhile, about 20 yards from Ron's holy grail of tailgating, Lions fans had their own headquarters.
asserted
fans → have → headquarters
That's where the infamous Tubgaters held court with their traveling hot tub that is mounted on a trailer.
asserted
that → hold → trailer
The owner tells me that when he rolls into town, he'll pull up to a house and ask the locals if he can fill up his tub.
asserted
he → tell → tub
On Thursday, he had the water up to 98 degrees, but he assured me it could get up to 115 degrees for those really cold winter nights.
uncertain
it → have → nights
Buffalo Bills games are Disney World for NFL tailgating debauchery, but there's a method to the madness.
asserted
games → be → madness
Friendship isn't hard to come by.
asserted
Friendship → come → ?
You can arrive by yourself and leave with dozens of friends.
asserted
You → arrive → friends
Needless to say, I'll be back.
asserted
I → say → ?
My dad needs to see this.
asserted
dad → need → this
📩 Email: joe.kinsey@outkick.com
Send photos, stories, tips, rants—whatever you've got.
asserted
you → email → whatever
📸 Instagram: @OutKickScreencaps
You guys need to start tagging me on content you're seeing.
📘
asserted
you → need → content
It's LOUD & a beer with a beer horn will run you $30
asserted
beer → run → 30
When I think of loud stadiums, I think of places like Autzen Field in Oregon or Arrowhead.
asserted
I → think → Oregon
It's loud from the second you walk in.
asserted
you → walk → second
The music being played pregame was LOUD, super loud.
asserted
music → play → ?
I'm talking piercing noise.
asserted
I → talk → noise
The other big takeaway for fans has to be concession pricing.
asserted
takeaway → have → fans
I found this couple who just exited a concession room where they picked up the prized Bills beer horns and some food.
asserted
they → find → horns
Here's what you get for $113:
• Two beers (16 oz, I believe)
• Two of the prized beer horns – yes, they have lids so you don't spill beer as you're walking around
• A bucket of popcorn
• A personal pizza
Other food prices that I spotted:
• Souvenir bucket of popcorn: $19
• Dill pickle popcorn: $10
• Pierogies: $14
• Sweet Italian sausage on a sub roll: $14
• Order of chicken wings (I assume you get six): $18
Other observations from Highmark:
– The concourses are a mess in the areas where they're selling the beer horns.
asserted
they → get → horns
, an escalator dumps fans into an area where fans had waited over an hour for the horns.
asserted
fans → dump → horns
"How long have you been waiting for a beer," I asked one guy.
asserted
guy → wait → beer
"An hour and fifteen minutes," the guy replied.
asserted
guy → reply → ?
…and 9 more, not listed.
The Aporia
