BuffaLowDown
Fansided

Pancho Billa was more than just a great Buffalo Bills fan

By Steven Kubitza

ORCHARD PARK, NY - SEPTEMBER 15: A Buffalo Bills helmet sits on the bench before the game against the New York Jets at New Era Field on September 15, 2016 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NY - SEPTEMBER 15: A Buffalo Bills helmet sits on the bench before the game against the New York Jets at New Era Field on September 15, 2016 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Buffalo Bills family lost a valued member today in Ezra Castro, famously known as Pancho Billa. He will be missed dearly.

Terrible news came out earlier today that has Buffalo Bills fans feeling a bit somber on this Tuesday.

A tweet was sent out from Pancho Billa’s account that he passed away today. It is just terrible, terrible news.

His given name was Ezra Castro but he will always be known to Bills fans as Pancho Billa, much more than your generic sports superfan.

There are plenty of adult superfans who are corny and who seek fame through their actions. Pancho Billa was the opposite. He just loved the damn Bills with all his heart.

I was lucky enough to conduct a few interviews with him during my time here at BuffaLowDown. The first came through email and was all about his special moment at the 2018 NFL Draft. The personality oozed through the words even then.

That was followed by a phone interview earlier this year for a podcast I run. I was speechless for much of the conversation as he calmly explained his battle with cancer like it was no big deal. He kept fighting and continued to cheer on the Bills.

There are plenty of lessons to learn from Pancho Billa’s life but I will not sit here and preach. I will just appreciate all the joy he spread throughout the fandom. He had this impact on me and I never even met him in person. I know this is true with so many other Bills fans.

Cancer continues to suck and I hope everyone out there respects the wishes of his family in terms of not bothering them at this time.

Professional sports are just a game when it comes down to it. Yet the games have an immense power over those of us who are fans. They can inspire and make us laugh and cry and everything in between.

They can also bring us together and have us meet individuals from all over the world who share our love and fandom. The Bills fandom lost a cherished member today and even though he lived in Texas, Pancho Billa was just as much a part of the Buffalo Bills as anyone who puts on the uniform on the field.

Next. EJ Manuel’s career comes to a quiet end. dark

He was a great man and will be missed. This sure sucks more than any loss in some game.

Home/Buffalo Bills News