As we count down to June 24th for the unveiling of new 2011 uniforms for the Buffalo Bills we take a look back at the franchise's uniform history with anecdotes, stories and recollections from those that experienced the history first hand. Our latest installment features Hollywood writer and actor for the both the big and small screens, native Buffalonian Nick Bakay. He shares with us some of his favorite Bills' looks over the years as well as his excitement for what's to come with Buffalo's soon to released uniforms.
Though he's been living on the west coast for the better part of the last 20 years, Nick Bakay's passion for his hometown team has done anything but wane. Bakay has been tied to the Bills practically from the womb as he was born just three weeks prior to the announcement on October 28th, 1959 that Buffalo was to be one of eight AFL cities and home to the Bills.
So it's no surprise that Bakay, like all Bills fans, has some favorite looks when it comes to Buffalo's uniforms over the past 51 seasons.
"I'd say I have a pair of personal favorites when it comes to the Bills look," Bakay told Buffalobills.com. "Number two would have to be the early to mid-80's when they had the blue pants and they went to the charging Buffalo on the side of the helmet. I liked it. It was kind of a resurgent Bills era with Chuck Knox as head coach."
Come 1984 the white helmet was changed to red and initially Bakay was on board.
"At the time I loved the red helmets, but my relationship with the red helmets was short lived," he said. "It kind of wore off and I wanted to see the white helmets again."
At the top of Bakay's list of favorite uniform look for the Bills is one of their most recent rollouts.
"The current blue throwbacks were it for me," said Bakay. "I loved that look the most. That look to me is classic Bills, that mid-60's look. That's what they were wearing when I was a kid. I just generally like AFL throwbacks whether it's the Chargers powder blue or the Bills, even the Jets old AFL uniforms."
So why not choose the original mid-60's uniforms themselves?
"I liked the current blue throwbacks even more than the originals because they really popped with that blue," he said.
Bakay is eagerly anticipating the unveiling of the new uniforms on the 24th believing it's time for a change.
"I'm happy they're going to change the look," he said. "The past 10 years have been kind of a lost decade. It's a new era and Buddy (Nix) and Chan (Gailey) are doing good things. It might take a little longer to get there, but I believe good things are in store. It's time to refresh the look and I hope I'm right with what I'm expecting. I'm very excited with what I sense the new uniforms will look like."
