Pats fan beaten last week at Bills game

[Crowpointer]

Insults, injuries: Mass. man beaten at N.Y. stadium
By Jessica Heslam
Boston Herald Media Reporter

Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - Updated: 04:29 AM EST

While his helpless, pregnant wife watched in horror, a Woburn man says, he was viciously beaten outside the Buffalo Bills’ football stadium last week by a liquored-up mob of New York fans embittered after the Pats crushed their team.

“I thought they were going to kill him,†a pregnant Diane Donaghey said yesterday of the booze-fueled ruffians who allegedly attacked her husband, Barry, 30.

The couple filed a police report and have retained a lawyer. They say they never saw a security guard during their ordeal.Police in Orchard Park, N.Y., where the stadium is located, did not respond to calls seeking comment.

A spokesman for the Bills organization said he wasn’t aware of the incident but would look into it today.

The pair went to Niagara Falls and the Oct. 22 Patriots game at Ralph Wilson Stadium to celebrate their second wedding anniversary.

After the game, in which the Pats mauled the Bills 28-6, the couple grilled food in the parking lot while waiting for it to clear out. About 5 p.m., Barry Donaghey - who was wearing a Red Sox cap and Pats jacket - went to use a nearby porta-potty.

While Donaghey was inside, he said, Bills fans began hurling anti-Patriots insults and pelting the portable restroom with rocks and other objects. “I thought if I kept my head down, I would be fine,†recalled the software salesman.

Donaghey said four men were waiting outside, and one of them punched him in the face, turned to the others and yelled “Let’s get him!†The ****eyed crowd quickly grew to about 20 people, he said.

He said the mob punched, kicked and attacked him as he made his way back toward his car. One man struck him with a portable chair, he said. “I was just fighting for my life. I managed to stay on my feet. I thought, if I went down, they would kill me,†he said.

Diane Donaghey, 31, who is four months pregnant with their first child, screamed for help and begged the cowardly mob to stop. At one point, she was grabbed as she tried to help her husband.

Finally, one man helped the blood-covered Donaghey into his car. He underwent surgery Friday to repair a shattered finger and broken hand. He suffered a black eye and head injuries. His arms were covered in bruises and he’s “without the use f his hands.â€

 

[Michigan Dave]

Stay classy, Buffalo.

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

Insults, injuries: Mass. man beaten at N.Y. stadium
By Jessica Heslam
Boston Herald Media Reporter

Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - Updated: 04:29 AM EST

While his helpless, pregnant wife watched in horror, a Woburn man says, he was viciously beaten outside the Buffalo Bills’ football stadium last week by a liquored-up mob of New York fans embittered after the Pats crushed their team.

“I thought they were going to kill him,†a pregnant Diane Donaghey said yesterday of the booze-fueled ruffians who allegedly attacked her husband, Barry, 30.

The couple filed a police report and have retained a lawyer. They say they never saw a security guard during their ordeal.Police in Orchard Park, N.Y., where the stadium is located, did not respond to calls seeking comment.

A spokesman for the Bills organization said he wasn’t aware of the incident but would look into it today.

The pair went to Niagara Falls and the Oct. 22 Patriots game at Ralph Wilson Stadium to celebrate their second wedding anniversary.

After the game, in which the Pats mauled the Bills 28-6, the couple grilled food in the parking lot while waiting for it to clear out. About 5 p.m., Barry Donaghey - who was wearing a Red Sox cap and Pats jacket - went to use a nearby porta-potty.

While Donaghey was inside, he said, Bills fans began hurling anti-Patriots insults and pelting the portable restroom with rocks and other objects. “I thought if I kept my head down, I would be fine,†recalled the software salesman.

Donaghey said four men were waiting outside, and one of them punched him in the face, turned to the others and yelled “Let’s get him!†The ****eyed crowd quickly grew to about 20 people, he said.

He said the mob punched, kicked and attacked him as he made his way back toward his car. One man struck him with a portable chair, he said. “I was just fighting for my life. I managed to stay on my feet. I thought, if I went down, they would kill me,†he said.

Diane Donaghey, 31, who is four months pregnant with their first child, screamed for help and begged the cowardly mob to stop. At one point, she was grabbed as she tried to help her husband.

Finally, one man helped the blood-covered Donaghey into his car. He underwent surgery Friday to repair a shattered finger and broken hand. He suffered a black eye and head injuries. His arms were covered in bruises and he’s “without the use of his hands.â€

Can you say "Plaintiff: Donaghey, B; Respondent: Buffalo Bills Football Club, Inc, et al"?

If I was this Barry fellow, I would sue those bas tards pronto!

Pregnant wife? Surgery?

He's looking at negligence for the lack of security and loss of wages if he can't get back to work, not to mention punitive damages for the trauma of having his wife watch him get beaten and the fear he will now most certainly have of ever being in a crowded public place again!

I have only to been to Buffalo once and I found the Bills fans to be pretty cool. They are mostly like neutered dogs whose team has nothing left. They just sit there in their Thurman Thomas and Jim Kelly jerseys watching their beloved Bills get thier butts kicked every week!

This guy must have just run into a group of a-holes!

None the less, "sue 'em all!" and the courts sort 'em out!

ADPF

 

[rtunstal]

The NFL needs to get involved. This stuff makes me sick. It was a game; people need to realize that this type of stuff is ridicules. Trying to kill some one because your team lost is just down right sick. The bills organization needs to make a public apology to the couple and show the rest of Buffalo that this will not be tolerated.

 

[Patriotic Fervor]

Can you say "Plaintiff: Donaghey, B; Respondent: Buffalo Bills Football Club, Inc, et al"?

If I was this Barry fellow, I would sue those bas tards pronto!

Pregnant wife? Surgery?

He's looking at negligence for the lack of security and loss of wages if he can't get back to work, not to mention punitive damages for the trauma of having his wife watch him get beaten and the fear he will now most certainly have of ever being in a crowded public place again!

I have only to been to Buffalo once and I found the Bills fans to be pretty cool. They are mostly like neutered dogs whose team has nothing left. They just sit there in their Thurman Thomas and Jim Kelly jerseys watching their beloved Bills get thier butts kicked every week!

This guy must have just run into a group of a-holes!

None the less, "sue 'em all!" and the courts sort 'em out!

ADPF

Why do you think there was no response from the club afterwards? As soon as word of this got to the club, the lawyers told everyone to shut up.

I smell big-time lawsuit here, 7-figures.

More disturbing, however, is the story reports no arrests or status of any investigation that might be in progress.

I'm sure the Orchard Park stadium has cameras situated on it's premises. If so, it should help lead to an idenity of some of the perps, but of more import, will raise the question in any suit as to why no security was dispatched in a timely manner.

This one's gonna cost Mr. Wilson....

 

[Seymour93]

If this happened in Europe the Bills next home game would be played in front of an empty stadium.

Something has to be done. Opposing fans shouldn't fear for their lives when they go to take a piss. Maybe when I go to Dallas next year for Pats-Cowboys I should bring a machete for protection.

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

I love how the article kept referring to the wife as pregnant, as if it was in any way relevant. Oh, and calling the mob cowardly is a nice touch. Makes me take the story with a large grain of salt.

For all we know the guy was drunk and mocking the Bills fans. Assault is never a solution, but this story is entirely one-sided and intended to stir up outrage.

 

[patchick]

I love how the article kept referring to the wife as pregnant, as if it was in any way relevant. Oh, and calling the mob cowardly is a nice touch. Makes me take the story with a large grain of salt.

For all we know the guy was drunk and mocking the Bills fans. Assault is never a solution, but this story is entirely one-sided and intended to stir up outrage.

Honestly, the "cowardly" line was a red flag for me too. That's a classic lazy/inflammatory prose gambit. And you're right as well that the wife's fertility status has nothing to do with anything. BUT...if that article is even close to accurate, the guy was attacked while doing his business in a port-a-potty, for crying out loud. Pretty terrifying story.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

One thing that is sad is that the Bills and Pats fans always had a grudging respect back when the Bills went to all those bowl games, and then the Pats went in 96.

It is a little strange to see how much the Bills have been hating on us lately.

Envy, for one thing. Bledsoe factor? Thinking Belichick tricked them?

It is a shame.

 

[PatsDeb]

One thing that is sad is that the Bills and Pats fans always had a grudging respect back when the Bills went to all those bowl games, and then the Pats went in 96.

It is a little strange to see how much the Bills have been hating on us lately.

Envy, for one thing. Bledsoe factor? Thinking Belichick tricked them?

It is a shame.

I was at this game and did not run into any trouble. The fans were frustrated with their team, but respected the Pats (and their fans as far as I could see). This seems to be an unfortunate isolated incident, and while I don't in any way condone what happened, you have to be smart when attending a sporting event in "hostile" territory. Grilling in the parking lot after the game displaying the colors of the team which just ripped the home town boys good, knowing there will be drunk malcontents around (there always are) was not a good move.

 

[Murphys95]

It's a horrible story, but unfortunately it's all one-sided. There are numerous stories just like this one throughout the NFL (I know of much worse ones from FedEx Field and Veterans Stadium). That being said, Buffalo, IMO, has the most vigilant security team in the league...in the stadium. They prevent fights from starting. They are always on the lookout for the slightest provocation by one fan on another. I've been to Ralph Wilson 5 straight years and these guys are on top of their game.

...but this apparently took place in a parking lot. In all of my games, I have but once seen security in a parking lot.

 

[B-LO Baby]

Look at this objectively:

The writing is extremely inflammatory. She even refers to Buffalo and their fans as "N.Y." and "New York fans." Yes, Buffalo is in New York State, but this was done purely to make New Englanders subconciously associate Buffalo with your big rival, NYC.

The guy has NO marks on his face. I thought you got jumped by 20 people, dude. All you have are broken hands which, if suffered in a fight, are caused by punching someone else 95% of the time.

My favorite touch, though -- The picture of the couple in front of a church.

 

[Mooch]

Look at this objectively:

The writing is extremely inflammatory. She even refers to Buffalo and their fans as "N.Y." and "New York fans." Yes, Buffalo is in New York State, but this was done purely to make New Englanders subconciously associate Buffalo with your big rival, NYC.

The guy has NO marks on his face. I thought you got jumped by 20 people, dude. All you have are broken hands which, if suffered in a fight, are caused by punching someone else 95% of the time.

My favorite touch, though -- The picture of the couple in front of a church.

Good point. Other than his hands, he looks totally fine. Bizarre story.

 

[italian pat patriot]

bad story, really bad...

i have always liked the way the people in US goes to the stadium without 'risk'
i really hope it is a very sporadic accident


instead in Europe for some soccer games it is like going to the war...

since 30 years...the same...

 

[Patjew]

Sounds like the bad old days in Foxborough. I remember being there as a kid and there was more action in the stands and in the parking lot than on the field.

 

[Keegs]

Sounds like the bad old days in Foxborough. I remember being there as a kid and there was more action in the stands and in the parking lot than on the field.

same for me.
I am 23 now, but I was born in Massachusetts and lived there until halfway through the 2nd grade.

My dad had season tickets and would take me to the games... The tickets were in the endzone and every single game there would be fights in the stands and his friend Brian would take me for a walk and we'd watch the guys get arrested and put in the paddy wagon.

There were some maniacs at those games.

 

[Kdo5]

That was definitley an exaggerated report by the couple...

 

[sdaniels7114]

this story shows progress. Back in the '70's and '80's at the old Boston Garden, Canadians' fans took their lives into their hands if they so much as ordered french fries. It happened countless times and the theme to the newspaper report was usually something like 'What a moron."

 

[lobster]

The fact that the Bills had no idea what happened on their own stadium property could indicate the level of security was inadequate. However I don't understand how some of you can call the story "exaggerated" just by reading it?

 

[Aqua4Ever04]

Man that's ridiculous. It's great to have rivalries and yell smack back and forth at each other, but to make it physical is just a joke. Just shows how classy those Bills fans are.