Former Bills defensive playmakers, the "Bermuda Triangle" will be making a special appearance in Western New York for the first time in over 30 years. The legendary trio includes Bills Wall of Fame nose tackle Fred Smerlas and linebackers Jim Haslett and Shane Nelson. During their time with the Bills, the "Bermuda Triangle" wreaked havoc on Buffalo's competition. Smerlas, Haslett and Nelson earned their lasting nickname due to their physical style of play, which quickly gobbled up running backs—diminishing the most capable rushing attacks. The group is recognized for helping propel Buffalo to the top of the defensive rankings in 1980, after finishing 14th just one season before.
Coming together again, the "Bermuda Triangle" will be at the Buffalo Convention Center this Sunday, Feb. 14 from 2pm-4pm for the 2016 Buffalo Auto Show. The group has teamed up with the Buffalo Auto to spread awareness for the Buffalo Bills Alumni Foundation's "Cure the Blue" initiative. The "Cure the Blue" Prostate Cancer Awareness campaign is dedicated to promoting the importance of prostate screening, in order to support disease prevention.
The cause hits home for Fred Smerlas, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the age of 50. Now cancer free, Smerlas takes an active role in supporting the "Cure the Blue" cause. On Wednesday Feb. 10, Smerlas joined The John Murphy Show and spoke to Sal Capaccio about his involvement with "Cure the Blue." After explaining how deeply his family has been impacted by prostate cancer, Smerlas expressed the need to advocate for preventative treatment.
"I think men are more reluctant to talk about it," said Smerlas. "…I want to be there to help guys out. There's a lot of guys on the team who have had it, there's a couple who've died from it…We want people to be aware of it, get tested for it and don't die from it."
Recognizing the campaign, the National Football League Players Association Professional Athletes Foundation recently granted the Buffalo Bills Alumni Foundation a $5,000 award for "Cure the Blue." Along with Smerlas, Bills alumni Billy Shaw, Booker Edgerson and Marv Levy make up the "Cure the Blue" project team. Dedicated to providing assistance to those with prostate cancer and their families, Smerlas, Edgerson, Shaw and Levy continue to inspire hope through sharing their own personal experiences.
In an effort to garner additional support for the campaign, the "Bermuda Triangle" and the Buffalo Auto Show welcome the Western New York community to visit the event this weekend.
For more information on the Buffalo Bills Alumni Foundation and the "Cure the Blue" campaign, please visit www.curetheblue.com.
