Buffalo Bills quarterback Trent Edwards spoke to Stan Gasiewicz of Hamburg, NY through an online game on Stan's computer screen all season long, but on Saturday they got to speak to each other in person.
Gasiewicz was the grand prize winner of the Verizon Wireless Playbook online game and he shared the priceless experience of watching the Bills last practice and meeting Edwards afterwards with his son Brendan and daughter Erica.
Stan is a huge fan of the Bills, has been to three of their four Super Bowls and even lives down the street within walking distance to the stadium. He was excited to be at the Field House with his two kids and watch the Bills last practice.
"I was shocked that I won, I didn't believe the girl that called me," he said. "I was pretty lucky because I have never won anything, but this is big. I really follow the Bills."
Gasiewics was the grand prize winner among thousands of participants and he said that he was a frequent player of the Playbook game.
"It was fun and I couldn't wait to play," he said. "I'd wait for emails and Trent's image on the computer screen to tell me to play. It was like a live person there on the website. It was great."
The Playbook online game ran on the Bills website this past fall and gave fans the opportunity to play fun games, make game selections, answer football questions, win great prizes and meet Trent Edwards.
Stan's kids were even more thrilled to meet Edwards after practice. Trent signed some autographs, posed for pictures and the three family members shared some stories about living near Ralph Wilson Stadium. They laughed about how Stan has used his yard as a parking lot for Bills fans on game days.
After watching practice and meeting Edwards, Brandon said, "It was fun to see the actual sizes of the players in real life."
Stan's daughter Erica, an Orchard Park High School senior added, "I just saw my future husband!"
The Bills partnered with Verizon Wireless to bring fans the online game and were pleased with the participation and success of the game. They are planning even more fun online games for Bills fans with a new game slated for the spring.
"This season's Playbook Promo received a lot of positive feedback from fans," said Marquett Smith, the president of Verizon Wireless's Upstate New York region. "Verizon Wireless wants Bills fans to have fun, test their knowledge about the Bills and win a host of cool Bills prizes. We look forward to introducing our next online game with the Bills around Draft Day which will provide fans with some unique interaction with safety Donte Whitner, lots of prizes and a chance to meet Donte himself. We appreciate the support of the Bills in helping give Verizon Wireless customers and Bills fans the opportunity to have some fun at the team's site several times a year."
Donte Whitner is looking forward to the next online game too.
"The upcoming Verizon Wireless online game will provide fans with a fun way to get to know me and win some great prizes," said Whitner.
As for Stan, he also received VIP seats in the M&T Bank Club for the Bills vs. Patriots game on Sunday and watched the game in style and out of the windy weather elements!
More information regarding the exciting new Verizon Wireless online game will be available on the team's website at www.buffalobills.com in the near future.
