Being Played

Network TV went straight for the cliché last night in Buffalo, showing Bills’ fans on the proverbial edge of their seats as the home team held on for a 27-25 win over the Ravens and a trip to KC for the AFC championship. Expect more crowd shots on Sunday. Only, it’ll be of Chiefs’ fans every time the visiting Bills threaten to score or keep Patrick Mahomes and company out of the end zone. God, is this old. Teams and TV could care less about fans, how much they pay for tickets or how they have to rearrange their plans because a game has been flexed. But make noise to drown out the opposing quarterback calling signals, stat. Meanwhile, back in Buffalo, fans must be going crazy. Really, Buffalo and Chicago should become sister cities given the heartbreak their respective sports’ teams generate. Four straight Super Bowl losses—yikes! You feel for these people, or should. And now they’re supposed to root for their team to get back to the big event, spend thousands upon thousands of dollars, even, to cheer the Bills on in Kansas City. And their reward? Why, a new, publicly subsidized stadium that will seat 10-12,000 fewer screaming Bills’ fans. Pay, cheer and obey.