When Blind Loyalty Turns To Blind Rage

I have witnessed it before in my years as a Kansas City Chiefs fan. We defend our red and gold gladiators at work, at home, and in the local watering hole until we are ready to hang it up for good.

But we never are ready for that.

Marty made us believe that we could once again be Super Bowl champs, at a time when we were afraid to trust it could happen.

And we were gut-punched for our trust.

So a proven winner must be the answer, we thought. And so we coaxed Dick out of retirement. A coach who had taken every single NFL team he led to the big show. Every single one. Until he came to Kansas City.

And we trusted again.

And that gut punch turned into a low blow.

I never was on the Herm bandwagon. Never was.

And therefore I never had to get off the bandwagon when we sunk to a historic low with his leadership.

Haley never seemed right either. And he wasn’t.

Romeo had me fooled for awhile. Not any longer.

Brody Croyle and Damon Huard made us sick to our stomachs.

Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn make us mad.

Brodie Croyle got booed for sure. But nobody cheered when he was carried off the field time after time.

Damon Huard was booed as well, but he could score in the red zone. And cheers never erupted when he was carried off the field.

But times have changed.

There is a different feeling at Arrowhead these days.

Though I didn’t hear them, it is alleged that cheers erupted when Cassel left the field with a head injury.

As a result, a Kansas City Chiefs player lashed out at the fans.

I have been threatened, spat at, punched, and everything else you can think of by opposing fans in my years at Arrowhead.

But I never had to worry about my fellow Chiefs fans.

Last Sunday at Arrowhead I did.

Fans are not saying “wait until next year” anymore.

They are saying “wait until I see you out in the parking lot.”

People I shared sorrow and joy with in my section are selling or giving away their tickets to people who don’t care about the Chiefs any more than I care about the Rams.

They are only there for a good time. And their good time isn’t the good times Arrowhead used to be famous for.

Changes need to be made, obviously. And I am confident they will be made.

But until they are, I must advise that if a game at historic Arrowhead Stadium is on your bucket list, well, focus on something else this year.

Stay away.

Watch the games at home.

Good old Arrowhead has turned into mean old Arrowhead.

The tailgating is great. It always has been and always will be.

So good in fact, the last thing I want to do these days is go into the stadium.

Will the old Arrowhead be back? Sure it will.

Will I remain a Chiefs fan? Until the day I die.

But until it things change, don’t waste your money on a ticket.