So last night Stanford’s had its holiday party on the Plaza at the hot new Zocalo restaurant and nightspot…
Take it from me it’s THE place to be on weekend nights now. Pretty ladies ages 25 to 45, sharp guys, plus it’s a money place. Nice.
The food is good, too and there’s a large bar area. Anyway, I sat with my brother, Jeff, his girlfriend and my long time pal Joel, a manager at Stanford’s. We grew up together and Joel was explaining how great the NEW CHIEFS are.
"Boy, if we’d had Kyle Orton a few weeks back, we’d be in the playoffs. Beating Green Bay (which may have cost me some nice dough that I’ve waited all year for) was so sweet. The Chiefs proved who was the best team in the NFL."
WHAT?
So we got into it. I explained that I’d been a Chiefs fan since I was a little boy. Around 1963 or 1964. Lenny THE COOL Dawson and Otis Taylor were my childhood heros along with Muhammed Ali. That I lived and died for this team for 40 years – practically my whole life. That I almost never missed a game and bought season tickets when I got back from LA in 1990 – the whole nine yards.
And what did they give me? HEARTACHE.
Sure there was the Super Bowl win in 1970. As I’ve written, I went to the parade for the team and my hero Otis Taylor wouldn’t sign my hat and pushed me away from him on the stage. I was a kid and it hurt.
But that didn’t stop me from loving the Kansas City Chiefs.
In LA I would PAY the bartender to switch to the Chiefs games on cable. We got some games due to the Raiders being in LA back then. Or I would get up at 9 AM Sunday to drive to the sports bar and make sure the 10 AM game was KC . It was a two-hour drive which was tough after those long LA Saturday nights.
Oh yeah, I bought in big.
I remember in Vegas around 1993 or 1994 being proud when guys in the gym saw my Chiefs T-shirt and asked, "Wow, you ever meet Joe Montana or Marcus Allan?" I told them not only had I met them, I kinda was friends with both of them.
A cab driver out there recited the entire 1969 Chiefs line-up for me and I gave him a $40 tip. Yep, I was hooked…Chiefs forever.
When they lost a big game I got headaches and it really hurt for days. Later I got into a business relationship as President and Chair of the Red Friday rallys here. I was close with the Marty Schottenheimer teams of the 90’s and hung out with the top guys like Neil Smith, Derrick Thomas, Marcus and Joe. Fun times, fun nights.
Still they always let me down come January. Every single time.
Anyway, so Joel got on my ass for dumping on the Chiefs.
"Hey, if you don’t like the Chiefs, why don’t you and Jeff move away," he said.
WHAT?
My brother had changed me on the Chumps in 2003 – the UNDEFEATED SEASON – 13-3. Nevermind that it was supposed to be 16-0. The day before the Colts play-off game Jeff had my younger brother fly to Vegas and bet against KC.
He knew I wouldn’t take our pool money and bet against my team. And I was pissed.
I said, "Now I can’t enjoy the game." But reality hit, we ARE NOT GREAT. We always lose when it matters. And overall we’re terrible. We are the Cleveland Browns, yesterdays news. It hit me hard. From then on – and Jeff was right the Chiefs got killed – I became a non Chumps fan.
I began to see the truth, that it’s a business. The players only care about each other and themselves.
ALMOST NONE OF THEM GIVE A CRAP ABOUT OUR CITY. THEY DON’T LIVE HERE, MAYBE ONE OR TWO.THEY ARE MERCENARIES FROM OTHER CITIES. THERE’S NEVER A KC GUY ON THE TEAM…ALMOST NEVER.
.jpg)
Oh yeah, the red-haired kid Kerry Reardon who was an average player. The best players on the team are predominantly of color while most fans are white. The two are not usually pals in real life. And most of the big stars always move away the second their careers here end.
KC is just a big locker room to these guys.
Again, there are rare exceptions. Dawson is the biggest, but if Lenny had $10 million would he have stayed? Remember, he got the top sports TV/Radio gigs here which pay pretty good money. And the few others who stayed didn’t get much from us – Otis Taylor, Neil Smith, Ed Budde, Ted McNight.
Having said all that, boy it sure would be nice to win another Super Bowl. Even in my disgust, deep down, I still have a soft spot for our Kansas City Chiefs. God Help Me.
Those whom the gods wish to destroy, they first drive insane
Dad had me watch the 58 Colts championship game with him. He wasn’t a football guy but thought there might be something to this game.
Chiefs came to town, started playing hs football. One of my good friends got a job as towel boy, Lamar liked him and made him the first manager of Worlds of Fun. The Chiefs were KC personified.
Then a move east, no Chiefs on TV (rarely) and now sitting in the 700-level of the Vet. The rise and fall of the two franchises seemed to mesh, meaning two heartbreaks a year.
World Football League, USFL, hell Joe Kleko knocked the shit out of me when I tried out for the Aston Knights.
Remember Curtis McClinton’s trial as a weekend sports guy at KMBC following the Super Bowl. Immortalized by WKRP In Cinncinnati.
Got to see Maas play hs ball and then followed him to the Chiefs.
There was a special bar in Philadelphia for Chiefs’ fans who were far from home.
Lanier & Bell would come down to Volker Park and play touch football with us. Still have handmarks from their “touch”.
Hell Joe Namath used to drop in at the ol’ Bigger Jigger on State Line & 39th.
But the grass don’t grow and the river don’t flow like it did in our childhood days…
Gosh, Glaze…
…no Stanford’s holiday party at Jardine’s? What gives, big guy?
So is this what it is like to sit around with gLazer when he is all coked up
balthering meaningless, somewhat embarrassing sounding, drivel? what is the point?
Please try to have a point to articles posted here, I cant find one with this one.
I will never forget…
when joe montana was knocked out (literally) of the afc championship game against the bills. i was so mad that i punched our living room floor. that was january, i jammed my thumb terribly when i did that, and it hurt for months. every time i felt or re-hurt my thumb, it was a reminder of that game. we were supposed to go to the superbowl, and beat the 49ers, (who didn’t make it either) i was like 12 when that happened, now i am 31 and can barely remember the last playoff game the chiefs won against the oilers and warren moon. that seems like it was lifetimes ago. i feel your pain
Merry Christmas, would love to see a column on nightlife…
Glazer, I really enjoyed this article. I think it sums up the way I feel as a Chiefs fan (although my 1970s high water mark was the DT/Montana era Chiefs as Im a bit younger fan).
Ever thought about doing a column on KC nightlife (not just the cool live music columns that appear on this site)? I know you have Stanfords and don’t want to give too much free publicity, but Id like to see something where you tell us about places around the city you enjoy.
Living in a place for decades means you have the info that people who have just moved here don’t have. You could drop some knowledge…
Merry Christmas, “scribe”. You are like Howard Stern, the man KC loves to hate (but still listens to).
i am confused…
did hearne or glazer write this??? just wondering. either way it is a great column…no matter what the haters try to say…
Sorry about that…
Craig wrote it, I edited it and it was I, of course, who attempted to steal his thunder. Until you busted me
Think they were booked
Oh By The Fireplace
Sad tale, but kinda how many of us middle aged men feel about our Chiefs. I can’t argue with any of it Craig. I used to go to every game, now its just too much head ache and for what? But I watch them on TV every game, hoping one day our ship comes in, never does. I do think one day it will, but man don’t know if its worth the wait. Good one.
Hearne…great editing…Glazer…great writing…
thanks to both of you for some good stuff. im sure that it gets old to see nothing but criticism all the time, but i appreciate the website, and it is very entertaining. have a good holiday and enjoy life even if you lose the football bets…(could be worse…could be raining…huh?) anyway god…(if he exists)…bless…(i hope he doesnt)…………………sincerely………………………………..devils advocate………………
HEARNE AND GlAZER TOP FOUR ONLINE WRITERS IN KC OFFICAL
HOPE I READ WRONG, ON A SITE THAT TRACKS WEBSITES, YOU WON’T BELIEVE IT AFTER SOME KC STAR CRAP, THEN WHITLOCK, IT WAS HEARNE, CRAIG GLAZER AND IN THE 8 SPOT HOLLY STAR….HEARNE AND GLAZER MATTER. WOW. IS THAT FOR REAL HEARNE. OH YEAH KCCONFIDENTIAL WAS LIKE THE NUMBER 4 READ WEBSITE IN KC? What, wow. I saw it, I’m serious.
Western Division Champs 2010 .2011?
All I want for Christmas is for the Chiefs to win out…and the Broncos to lose in Buffalo.
Oh boy…that would be great…yes sir…no offense Glaze. http://tinyurl.com/7sp3hrt ….that’s gamblin
Hey Kerouac are you going to wear your Lamonica Jersey Saturday?
bschnoz, I don’t wanna say you just came out of the closet but if the fits quip fits, yes, I do have a Lamonica jersey as a matter of fact. It hangs right next to my Alworth jersey… which is hung next to my Len Dawson & Otis Taylor jersey’s same. As for that funeral Saturday: I expect Oakland will tattoo Hunt’s 53 pretty good…
Enough with the plaudits, send money
Glazer wrote it. I tried to steal some of the thunder but…
Glazer Has Won Most Of Those Bets My Friend
Maybe if you had a point? You need to back to school. I don’t bet, but I read his picks. Have all season. Early on he was like 9 out of ten latter 7 of 9, recently it has dipped. Hey the dude has been very on spot all season. Can’t win’em all friend. Your crazy comments make you seem like a straight jacket might be needed, for you not him. Maybe move on to another way to hate the man. All your dirty name calling makes you seem small. Try your own medicine and be a decent sort. OK. Thank you. Us readers would appreciate that friend.
Hey I have been a life long Chiefs fan Glazer. It’s hard to be a fan sometimes. No team wins every year. In my opinion the Chiefs have given our city much to be proud of. We have a great stadium, top fan support, and it gives all of us something to look forward too on Sunday besides Church Amen.
Cool On Ratings Hearne and Glazer
Yeah my still working on the waves told me something about kcconfidentila and Hearne and Glazer being up there somewhere. What happened to radio being about all the numbers? Right? Thats all radio is, I swear. I do have some smiles when I read this thread you two trouble making pricks. All in having some good fun. Glazer you some harsh fans. Have a nice holiday you guys. Hope you win your bet Glazer, I am done with the Chiefs. They drove me off my rocker.
HEY GLAZE…I THOUGHT I’D WISH YOU MERRY XMAS
… but I realized you don’t believe in god…so instead I’d like to bring my xmas tree down to
standfords and shove it up your ass while i sing “deck the halls”.
Had to finish the year out with one final insult. Keep the faith (or don’t in your case)…HANG
tough….spread some of your chirstmas “cheer” on all your hotties…and don’t get thrown in
jail over the holidays in your new car4.
Oh…by the way….I’d apprecaite knowing how jessica yourv little elf is doing this holiday
season…would love to have her kiss my b*lls under the misteletoe.
Happy holidays…stay safe.