Triumph and tragedy with the Buffalo Bills, four time conference champion and four time Super Bowl loser. Buffalo's story is one of perseverance, of epic highs and humbling lows, the forge of many a rich human character.
Starting quarterback Jim Kelly is a prime example, a hot-headed kid who joked at the city's expense before jilting them for a rival league after the draft. During his early years in the NFL he was a petulant prima donna, throwing teammates under the bus and running his mouth at press events. The adversity of four straight bitter pills changed him, though, steeled him, prepared him for what trials his life held in store after his career was through. Scott Norwood, whose errant kick spoiled the team's first championship try, lives every day with the guilt of that one defining misfire. He also wells up with pride in reliving the days immediately after the game, when the community taught him lessons in compassion and forgiveness.
These teams are rife with such stories, of morals wrenched from each player's deepest disappointment. It's a bittersweet tale - of course there's no Hollywood ending - but also a resonant lesson in humility, acceptance and personal growth.