From Down Under to Highmark: a visit to the mafia

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Bills are taking their talents on the road this week in a quest to remain undefeated this season. Something they certainly did four weeks earlier.

One family was beyond grateful to witness a 47-10 Jaguar beating? That’s the Cusicks.

“I fell in love with them in the late ’80s. Obviously. Then into the Super Bowl years,” said father Damien Cusick.

Long ago, a fan was born who planted the seeds for this journey.

“I’ve never been to America before, but my wife and two children are along for the trip of a lifetime. And tonight is of course the highlight of it,” he added.

Cusick, an Australian pub owner, may celebrate the sport and the team at home with American-style specials and odd hours to accommodate time zones, but this time he and his family have gone from down under to downtown Buffalo to their favorite team and some other guys.

“It doesn’t matter who the Bills play tonight. Just to see them play live is an honor and a privilege,” he said.

A few stops along the way show where the love for blue, red and white comes from.

“Every Monday morning we get up at 3am to watch the Sunday kickoff at 1pm in America,” Cusick said. “And it’s going on all day. Then it lasts until it ends between 12:31 p.m., when Sunday Night Football ends.”

Up early to meet the world famous “Pinto Ron” and even before the grills get going or other tailgating..

“It’s incredible to be able to say we’re here,” Cusick said. “We’ve seen it on various sports shows in Australia. But what I just saw there, you know, is just incredible. It’s just some kind of writing.”

They’ll pick up some equipment before being inducted into the illustrious water buffalo club, an honor nearly forty years in the making.

‘Just. Yes. “I can’t get enough of the bills,” he said.

The Cusicks will be in the United States for a while to play some other sports as well, but they’re hoping that while they watch the next few games in the same time zone, they can celebrate a few more wins before returning to their native Australia.