Buffalo Bisons hold 'Keep Tom Brady Suspended Night'
The city of Buffalo has good reason to hope Tom Brady's suspension is upheld, considering how he's laid waste to their beloved Bills over his career.
The Triple-A Buffalo Bisons have civic pride, and are Bills fans, too. In that spirit, the Bisons hosted "Keep Tom Brady Suspended Night" at Coca-Cola Field on Saturday - a response to their International League rival Pawtucket Red Sox, who just held a "Free Brady Friday" promotion.
The Bisons pulled out all the stops. Fans were encouraged to bring properly inflated footballs and cellphones - in working, not-destroyed condition - to the game in exchange for tickets; the footballs and phones were donated to charity. T-shirts with the No. 12.5 on the front - the minimum inflation pressure mandated by the NFL - were sold by the team online and at the stadium.
Some of Tom Brady's "highlights", presented by the @BuffaloBisons. #KeepBradySuspended pic.twitter.com/IZ4vYVQ2qR
— Michael Parthum (@MichaelParthum) June 11, 2016
Fans named Tom or Brady weren't allowed to enter the stadium for the first four innings, though at least one anonymous fan found a loophole.
Well, well, well... Look who's at #KeepBradySuspended Night!!! Um, you can't watch for 4 innings, you know! pic.twitter.com/LH3rvtLpwr
— Buffalo Bisons (@BuffaloBisons) June 11, 2016
They even got Tom Brady to throw out the game's ceremonial first pitch. Well, a Tom Brady, from the Buffalo suburb of North Tonawanda, N.Y., threw the pitch, accompanied by an official "deflator" with a deflated football.
Tom Brady, of North Tonawanda threw out the first pitch for the @BuffaloBisons on #KeepBradySuspended night @WKBW pic.twitter.com/BCNfMlxVL5
— Dave Thompson (@DaveWKBW) June 11, 2016
Outside of the Bisons dropping both ends of the doubleheader, the event was a success, and everyone appeared to have fun. Everyone, that is, except for one very important person in the dugout.
"Yes, I'm a New England fan, and Tom Brady, too," Bisons manager Gary Allenson told Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News earlier in June. "I might not show up that day."