A Culture of Losing
By author
The life of a Kansas City sports fan is pretty rough. Although the Kansas City Royals won a championship in 1985, they have regressed with the David Glass ownership to a virtual farm club for large markets and will never have a chance of contending for a division win let alone a championship. Their renovated stadium is fantastic, especially since you can get tickets starting at less than ten dollars since no one cares to go see them play.
The Chiefs. Oh my beloved Chiefs. One of the originals. They have not been to a Super Bowl (Paddy can I even say “Super Bowl” without owing the NFL 50k?) since January 11, 1970. Since then, every single team in their division including the Seattle Seahawks, who were not only kicked out of the division but the conference, have gone to the big game. The Broncos and Raiders of course have claimed World Champion titles in that span more than once each. To add to that 41 year drought the Chiefs this year set the record for post season ineptness by losing seven straight playoff games.
So before these comments start rolling in, I want to set this straight. I understand that the Jets have a longer drought than the Chiefs. I understand that there are many teams that have not won a Super Bowl, and others that have never been at all. I don’t care. These other teams are denials that we bring up to escape the fact that aside from getting a game away from the Super Bowl with Joe Montana, the Chiefs have done nothing of significance since the year “The Odd Couple” debuted on television. Winning teams and fans do not think like this. This is part of a culture of losing that we as fans have become part of.
I don’t mean to be negative; I am just tired of losing. I am tired of making excuses. I am tired of the mantra of “next year” and as much as anything I am tired of seeing other teams take home Lombardi trophies. Unfortunately I will be stuck with this anguish until either the Chiefs do win a Super Bowl or I pass away* because I do not have the weakness of constitution to change team loyalties and cannot compute how people do. Despite how frustrated and hopeless I feel sometimes as a Chiefs fan, I still could never contemplate liking another team. Might as well ask me to swear allegiance to Spain.
*Funny I should bring this up, because there is actually a running bet amongst my group of friends with a particular individual that the Chiefs will never go to a Super Bowl while they are alive.
Is there hope on the horizon? This always depends on who you talk to. There are homers, and there are haters, and the majority of people fall in between. Although I am not a total homer, I fall more towards that side of the scale than any. With free agency a bust so far, and the draft being all that more crucial. With there being no guarantee of a season next year, and with no off season workout programs, I still remain hopeful. I remain hopeful in Jamaal Charles’ ability to carry the team, and Bowe’s ability to buy stick ‘em so he doesn’t drop the damn ball. I count on Todd Haley to be the man that can build a culture of winning and make this franchise what it should be. I count on Scott Pioli to live up to the person he has created for himself in the mainstream media.
There are many reasons to count on these things, but to me there is really only one that matters. In my humble opinion, if you are a fan than be a fan. You do not have to agree with every decision made and tow the company line, but don’t continually sandbag a team and talk about how stupid, deplorable, ignorant, and terrible they are while you wear their apparel. I know the record just as well as anyone else, and although I am tired of losing, I am more tired of people claiming to be Chiefs supporters while doing nothing but bashing the team over and over again.
I know the score, but I look for a brighter tomorrow. I am tired of defeat, but it makes me all the more eager for victory. I remember the past for lessons learned, but realize the only thing any of us can impact is the future. I am a Chiefs fan.