Wow! How long has it been since I have actually been able to say that , and feel it in my heart? “It’s fun to be a Kansas City Chiefs fan!”

Longer than your Arrowhead Adventurer cares to remember.

It wasn’t an instant realization for me. It kind of gradually hit me at the draft party at Arrowhead this year. I felt different.

Everybody knows that person who tries to make fun where there isn’t any.

It just makes things worse in the long run.

For many of us loyal STH’s that is what we had become.

This party was different for me for sure.

I didn’t feel the need to get my photo with the Cheerleaders this year. I was happy to just watch them exist.

I didn’t fight over the discount Chiefs gear either. I have plenty and I’m glad.

I didn’t mind waiting in line for the free concession food. And when I ate it, it tasted so wonderful it was hard to eat and not smile.

I saw Clark Hunt and said “hi” to him and he returned the greeting, and I liked him and was glad he was our owner.

And I missed his dad, but was glad in my heart he never was cursed to spend his last days like Al Davis.

I didn’t hurry by Warpaint and the pretty lady that rides her to get a jump on the beer line.

I stopped and marveled at how soft Warpaint’s pretty fur is, and pretty the lady is that rides her.

Yes, something was different about this draft party.

I didn’t have to justify being a Kansas City Chiefs fan.

I just liked being one. It was fun.

And it hit me. Being a Chiefs fan is fun again.

Many of you have been Chiefs fans so long that you might not even remember why you became one.

You may have inherited it, like my friend Shawn who grew up with red and gold carpet in his basement and breakfasts with his father and brother at Arrowhead in the frigid weather.

You might have noticed a player like the great Derrick Thomas, and wrapped your mind around the rest of the team.

You may have went with a winner, like the Kansas City Chiefs certainly were when they won what I personally think was the greatest Super Bowl victory in the history of the greatest sporting event on earth.

None of that was really true with me.

Someone gave my buddy and I lower level tickets so many years ago when the Chiefs were the worst of the worst.

And I sat in my seat, and marveled at the brightness of the green grass, and the blueness of the blue sky, and the cheerfulness of the cheerleaders.

And I said to my buddy….”This is fun.”

And so it went. I became a lifelong Kansas City Chiefs fan on that warm September day.

We have had some rough times Addicts for sure.

How long did I wear my Chiefs hat at Walmart ready to defend their honor instead of bask in their glory?

A long time.

But now I wear it to HyVee to talk about the bright future and exciting players, and bad ass coach we have now.

I might be misguided but I don’t have to try and convince myself we have a talented coach, or a skilled quarterback.

I honestly believe we do. Time will tell.

I know we have the best sports complex in the NFL. Truman is still the envy of those who would rather drive a 1953 Corvette instead of a 2013.

I know we have the best tailgaters.

And the most beautiful uniforms, amazing red and gold wonder.

We have the most wondrous history in the NFL.

Amazing wins, heartbreaking losses, career ending injuries, and even deaths.

If it happened to the Chiefs, it’s likely to have happened at Arrowhead Stadium.

No, being a Chiefs fan doesn’t rule my life.

But I think about my beloved Chiefs fans all the time.

I have a text network that gets my alerts, usually after everybody knows it happened anyway. But so what.

Being a Chiefs fan is so important to me that when my fiancee and I talked marriage, we talked about keeping my Chiefs tickets after we tie the knot.

I get to keep them!

And how did I know for sure she was the girl I wanted to spend my life with?

Lots of things for sure. But it didn’t hurt that not only did she have a real, stitched Tony Gonzalez jersey, but a Kansas City Chiefs winter coat as well.

And I even found a Kansas City Chiefs water cooler in her garage.

And all doubts were swept away like the spring rains sweep away the dreariness of a long winter.

So scheme, plan, strategize, argue, and defend our beloved Kansas City Chiefs all you want.

But above all have fun being  a Kansas City Chiefs fan.

Because being a Kansas City Chiefs fan is fun again.

And I for one am so very glad.

Whoohoo Skippy!

I will be the first to admit it, Addicts. Your Arrowhead Adventurer gets goosebumps just thinking about this time of  year.

Every team in the NFL is tied.

It’s a fresh new start.

Our fresh new start includes the number one pick in the draft.

That’s never happened before.

That’s cool.

My job plotting the future of the Kansas City Chiefs officially started last night when the 2013 schedule was announced.

Many people are waiting for the tough decisions I shall make.

Lives will be affected.

For you see, it’s my job to decide when and who gets to use my second seat at good old Arrowhead.

Not only who, but when.

Of course I’ll review the loyalties exhibited by my crew during last season.

I’ll consider who cheerfully walked to the stadium with gladness in their heart, during one of the worst NFL seasons by my side.

And paid full price for their ticket.

They shall be rewarded with a prime seat in beautiful September weather.

Those who refused to pay full price for the ticket reserved for them, or worse, go at all, will suffer the wrath of a cold December afternoon at Arrowhead.

If they are lucky.

The worst offenders will be watching the games from their living room.

Oh well. It’s lonely at the top.

But my responsibility does not end there.

I’m in charge of plotting our draft picks and emailing Clark Hunt my decisions the night before draft day starts.

And draft day!

I lose sleep thinking about it.

I’ll change my mind on what I will be wearing to the draft party multiple times.

I’ll work late in order to make up for my early departure from work on that magic Thursday afternoon.

When I present my ticket to the smiling cheerleader at the practice facility door, I’ll walk in to a wonderous world of music, players, cheerleaders, concession food, beer, and of course the best NFL fans in the world.

I’ll mull over the discounted Kansas City Chiefs merchandise nobody wanted five seasons ago and load up.

I’ll inflate my importance to this site and to the world in general to the cheerleaders who pretend to be fascinated and invite me for a picture with them.

And I’ll breathlessly wait for the news on the big screen.

News that can change the future of the Kansas City Chiefs for years to come.

Yes next to opening day, it’s my favorite time of the no offseason year.

But it’s not all about me.

What do you have planned?

When it comes to sports, I love to be there live.

Sitting in front of the tube scarfing beer and chips isn’t my favorite way to watch the action.

Sure live sports action can be a pain in the butt.

I’ve been at some of the hottest Kansas City Chiefs games on record, and I’ve shivered in the coldest.

Your Arrowhead Adventurer has suffered through drenching rain, and tornadic conditions in the greatest NFL stadium in the world.

Not to mention the equitorial Africa hot training camps that I’ve dutifully texted updates to Patrick from.

But not just football.

I’ve braved hostile fans at Lambeau, unbelievably cold winds at Soldier field, and the numbingly boring atmosphere of the Edward E Jones Dome in St. Louis.

But as loyal readers of my post know, there ain’t nothing like watching the good old NFL draft in front of gigantic television screens at the good old Kansas City Chief draft party at Arrowhead.

The last couple of years, though the event has gotten better, the access to the public has gotten worse.

Now you have to be a season ticket holder.

And even a small percentage of us lucky folk get them, you have to be pretty quick when you get the email alert.

But fear not.

Many season ticket holders download them and then get busy and well the unused tickets kind of just sit there.

Waiting for you to find it.

So think hard my friends.

Track one down.

And until then stay tuned to Arrowhead Adventures for weekly updates as your professional draft party attender gets them.

See you there!

Well, here we go again. We fired our head coach! Fired our GM! Brought in a backup quarterback from another team that is both unproven and expensive.

How exciting!

It makes me think back to the Herm Edwards, Carl Peterson, Matt Cassel days of crushed hope and broken dreams.

But what the hell, it’s only football.

“Only football”…..

To Chiefs fans, that is similiar to saying that our mothers are “only mothers”.

But here we are again with a new GM, new head coach, and a new QB, but this time, there are more pieces in place. More so, I think, then they did when Scott Pioli was brought aboard.

But will things turn out differently this time?

Hopefully we learned a lot over the last several years failures.

Without further BS, let’s get on to the things your old Arrowhead Adventurer has learned from our mistakes in the last few years.

Things I hope Clark Hunt has learned too.

1.  Our GM and our head coach have to get along. Period. And if they don’t you cannot make them. Let the new, promising coach have some input in the choice.  Or vica versa.

2. A backup quarterback that leads a team to a division win, isn’t necessarily a quarterback than can get your team further.

3. As a fan, when your team is the worst in the NFL, a division win seems awesome. But if your team can’t close the deal it doesn’t mean squat. You just wind up with a much lighter wallet and a very empty feeling in your stomach as you drive home from the post season loss.

4. Kansas City Cheifs fans are the most loyal, amazing, enthusiastic fans in the NFL. But don’t take us for granted. We can and will stay home Clark. No matter how much money you put into our beloved stadium.

5. A crappy coach can look successful when surrounded by gifted players. For awhile. Until he isn’t surrounded by gifted players anymore.

6. On a cold December Sunday, Arrowhead can be the warmest place on earth when it’s full. And the coldest when it’s nearly empty.

7. $27.00 for parking can seem like an amazing deal if your team leads the division. Or highway robbery if your team sucks.

8. The mystique of Arrowhead has faded but it can reappear just as quickly on a warm spring Monday night.

9. You can’t win if you don’t spend the money it takes to win.

10. Spending the money it takes to win doesn’t mean you will.

And so it goes. I’m so excited for the upcoming season I’m not sleeping that well.

I’m breathlessly trading updates with my buds in the lunchroom.

And wearing my Kansas City Chiefs clothes to the gym again.

But in the back of my mind, I won’t let myself get to excited yet.

Because I’ve learned a lot in the last five seasons.

How about you?

Well Addicts, it’s been a long time since your Arrowhead Adventurer had more fun inside the greatest NFL  stadium in the world than outside on the parking lot. Too damn long!

Something has been missing from the in Kansas City for a long time.

You know exactly what I’m talking about.

Things aren’t as exciting as they used to be.

But what will bring excitement back to the Red Sea?  I’ll tell you what!

So without further BS, here is what I want to see in Kansas City in 2013.

1. I want to see kickoffs returned for touchdowns. Just like they used to be when Dante Hall rammed the ball down the throat of those brave enough to enter that sea of red we call Arrowhead. I want to sit in my little seat and know it can happen every single time it’s our turn for the ball.

2. I want to see sacks. REGULARLY! By one guy. Like when Jared Allen or Derrick Thomas would clean house. You feel me.  I want to see fear in the opposing quarterbacks face through my binochulars.

3. I want to have complete confidence in our head coach. Like I did with Dick. And Marty. When we lose I want to know it wasn’t because of poor coaching.

4. I want to see wild west plays that lead to scores. That lead to wins. That lead to post season appearances with hope. You betcha.

5. I demand to see plays succeed because one guy wouldn’t quit. Like Priest Holmes wouldn’t quit. Or Joe Delaney.

6. I want to see confidence in the eyes of our players from my little seat in Amen Corner. Maybe just a little glint of fear. Fear  born from the knowledge that our team is going to fight. Hard. Fear born from the knowledge that careers have ended and lives have ended on our field.

7. I want to see our tight ends score and score and score.

8. I want to see kick butt replays on sports shows of Chiefs plays and then hear the color commentator say “And the Chiefs went on to win…”.

9. I want to see someone dump a big cooler of Gatorade on Andy Reid.

10. I want to be excited about the Kansas City Chiefs again. And hear others talking about them in the break room. And hear little kids at the mall with little KC jerseys talking breathlessly about our team.

How about you?

Well I finally figured out what is missing in Kansas City. The intangibility factor. It hit me when I was sifting through my much coveted jersey collection just now.

Its jersey day tomorrow at work, so I need just the right colors. I need a player with intangibles. Someone who really pegs the needle.

I grabbed a wadded up Dawson jersey, reached way in and came up with my treasured Okoya.

These guys had intangibility, but nope. Some of the younger folks at work won’t know who they are.

My Derrick Johnson? Maybe. He has the intangibility factor. I have stood by and even spoke with DJ a couple of times. Shirtless, the guy is ripped. Built like a stack of bricks. But his position, well it doesn’t really lend itself to heroics as do some others.

One of the greatest performances by a player in his position was when he intercepted and ran back three picks for touchdowns in a meaningless game against the donkeys.

At least that’s how I remember it.

But no, my DJ is staying in the closet.

Which jersey to wear?

It’s tough.

I think it finally sank in just now.

Our players are just don’t have that intangibility factor anymore.

What the hell are intangibles anyway?

Well Howie Long, I think, said it best.

I don’t know what it is, but I know it when I see it. Or something like that.

Priest Holmes ranked high in this factor. Derrick Thomas was through the roof.

Good God, Tony Gonzalez did too.

I must say I thought Jared Allen did too, until his perceived (by me) disloyalty clouded my perceptions.

Jamaal Charles comes close, but he takes himself out of the game too much for me to rank him high.

The fact is, that when the players come over in our little corner to screw around before the games, I don’t look for anybody in particular anymore.

Don’t even tell my Dwayne Bowe has them. He doesn’t. Not anymore anyway.

We just don’t have anybody that excites me anymore.

I finally found my old standby. Joe Delaney. Always perfect for all occasions and always will be.

Joe was a good guy. He didn’t deserve to die so young.

But despite my respect for Joe, I want a new jersey. One that excites me when I dust it off and throw it in the dryer to get the wrinkles out.

One that I wear so much it fades and unravels and has mustard and BBQ stains that remind me of a certain time at Arrowhead.

I keep thinking, draft after draft, that we will bring that player aboard.

We never do.

Oh well. Maybe this year.

It could happen I guess. At least that is what I tell myself.

What about you?

And so we find ourselves these days with a fresh new crew to lead us into the next decade.

I am as guilty as the next fan, I guess.

Most of last season my red and gold Kansas City Chiefs workout suit stayed in the drawer.

My St. Louis Cardinals workout wear took over.

But my workout suits and I knew it would be only for a short time.

They remembered the drawer from the end of the Dick Vermeil/Carl Peterson era.

And they were just as happy to see the daylight as they were when Pioli and Edwards took the helm.

And my Kansas City Chiefs workout suit is seeing good old daylight once again.

But this trend goes far beyond workout wear.

My phone is popping with texts from my Kansas City Chiefs buddies, eager to be the first to spread the latest, almost unbearably exciting news.

And of course my mind wanders to different but familiar places once again.

A sunny warm day in September, when the music at Arrowhead is loud and pumping again.

The smells of every king of grilling you can imagine pleasure our noses through the open windows of the good old Kansas City Chiefs bus I happily dance around in.

And I imagine myself closing my eyes as I sit in my little seat at Arrowhead one hour before game time. My little seat that only I can sit in. And watching in my mind forty years of the best game and players the NFL ever produced battling in the greatest NFL stadium in the world, just three feet from where I sit.

I imagine my self sitting in my seat in Arrowhead and watching the players and the coaches and the cheerleaders, and knowing in my heart that on that day, if the coaches are in the game, if the players are in the right frame of mind…

No team on earth can beat us.

Not in our house.

Not in the greatest NFL stadium in the world.

In eight short months our new team will be back in action.

But until then sit back and watch one of the most exciting off season we, as Chiefs fans, have experienced in years.

Back we are!

Look out NFL.

Well we finally did it! We hired a coach proven to win! And he isn’t 82 years old either.

Andy Reid is in the prime of his NFL butt kickin’ years.

Perhaps the most astonishing part of this move is the money that the Chiefs shelled out to get the guy.

It certainly appears it’s the dawning of a new era in Kansas City.

Time will tell. Its certain that overwhelmingly Kansas City Chiefs fans like the move.

But will our new coach like Kansas City?

I’m not worried.

We have the best fans in Kansas City. Andy has to know that.

And of course the best stadium. Arrowhead, though one of the oldest, is still the best.

For one thing its HUGE. Still in the top five in seating capacity. In one of the smallest venues in the NFL. And the cheapest tickets.

We have the best tailgating by far.

Those who have not smelled the smells and heard the music of the Arrowhead parking lot on a warm September Sunday afternoon, need to change that status. And 2013 is going to be a great season to experience it!

But what about the city itself?

Same deal. The BBQ in KC is unmatched anywhere in the world.

Jazz and blues bars, better than Memphis or New Orleans. I know, I’m a self proclaimed expert in these areas as well.

The climate can seem cold but its downright balmy compared to what the Vikings and Packers fans grumble through year after year.

When it comes to fishing and hunting, Missouri is a virtual sportsmans paradise.

And what about pro sports in general? Two Major League Baseball teams, two NFL teams… even the NHL has a presence in good old Missouri.

All that within a days’ drive of anywhere in the state.

Cost of living? Sure times are tough, but try and scratch out a living in venues like any of the other AFC West teams. You won’t do much better than good old Missouri.

Cheerleaders? We have the hottest in the NFL hands down. And the nicest too.

Fan loyalty? None better. I was astonished at the number of fans that showed up for the home season ending Colts matchup. Before any team changes were even announced.

But be careful Coach. Don’t let us down.

Pioli, Haley, Edwards, even poor Romeo found out the hard way that Kansas City fans mean business.

Screw up, and you’re liable to see your name being dragged behind an airplane on game day.

Yes, Coach, you’re gonna love Kansas City. Kansas City Chiefs fans sure do!

One thing I can tell you about the 2012 Kansas City Chiefs season is I did not see this mess coming. We were looking good in my opinion. Romeo had showed us that he could lead the team to a win over a powerhouse like Green Bay. Pioli seemed to finally be making the right personel choices. And we had Matt Cassel, a quarterback who may not be the best in the league but showed us that he could lead a team to a Division championship.

Then things began to unravel.

And so we close the season with a stupid home loss to the Colts and a final game we have no chance of winning.

What is an Arrowhead Adventurer to do?

I’ll admit, I have been experiencing a pretty serious case of the Kansas City Chiefs depression that is going around.

Sure, I had a fun time at the game with my buddies and the good old Chiefs bus we cruise up to the stadium in.

But the bitterly cold day and the bitter loss to the Colts just seemed to be the final nail in the coffin of the corpse we shall refer to at the 2012 Kansas City Chiefs season.

What is a die hard Kansas City Chiefs fan to do?

Get over it!

This offseason should be much more entertaining than any since the season we fired Carl Peterson, Herm Edwards, and everyone associated with them.

I am predicting we shall clean house, all the way from the front office down.

Change is not always good, as we saw from the results of the last house cleaning. But it can turn out to be a blessing for sure, and with the right moves, exciting to see.

What to do in the meantime?

1. Get out a piece of paper and a pencil, and plot the future of the team as you see it. Send it to Clark Hunt at One, Arrowhead Drive.

2. Take advantage of the fire sale on Chiefs clothing you should see very soon. Incredible deals will be had in your local stores on gear that nobody wants. You are a lifelong Chiefs fan, so you will always need it.

3. Patrick just figured out our opponents for 2013. Focus on their strengths and weaknesses and predict our successes and failures for 2013.

4. Figure out which games you wish to see in person, or at least plan a party around. Plan who you will invite or attend with.

5. If it is in your budget, plan an away game trip. For displaced KC fans, see if there is an away game near you.

6. If  you are having major problems with depression over this season, try to focus on something else. I’m a die hard fan all the way, but I also like to fish, hunt, and tinker with old outboard motors. Even your Arrowhead Adventurer needs a break.

7. Season ticket holders, consider fixing up an old bus or RV for tailgating. Better yet, buy one that somebody has invested a ton in already, and lost interest in. There are some fantastic deals out there; check Craigslist. I’m talking $2000 or less.

8. Go to Arrowhead Addict daily, hourly, whatever your schedule. You need us during these difficult times and we need you.

The Kansas City Chiefs are the coolest team in the NFL. Our fans are the best. Arrowhead Stadium is AWESOME! We have the best tailgating, the best food, and the best cheerleaders in the NFL. And we always will.

It was a tough year. Hang in there. Good things are in store for 2013!

It has been said that in this world, there is a constant, age old struggle. The struggle is between good and evil. And as we were reminded last week, good does not always win that battle.

And so it goes.

So my crew didn’t really know what to expect as we loaded our Kansas City Chiefs-themed limobus and headed north to the greatest NFL stadium in the world last Sunday. Tired from too much work, too much studying, and too much bad news, we rose at 4:30 am to start the three hour drive to see two of the worst NFL teams this season play the day after one of the most unimaginably horrible events in Kansas City Chiefs history took place.

We didn’t know what to expect. We didn’t know what would happen. But one thing we did know. Our fellow Kansas City Chiefs fans and even the team itself  needed us that day. And we needed them. Nothing was going to keep us away.

As we set up our little camp at Arrowhead one thing was noticeably different. It was quiet. A  peaceful quiet.

And unseasonably warm.

As I sat in my chair smelling the bacon cooking on our grill, the warm wind in my face, I felt a calm sadness I do not remember feeling in my travels to see the Chiefs.

We get mad. We get frustrated. We get loud. But we don’t give up.

Bad break after bad break. Mistake after mistake. Bad season after bad season. And even the day after one of the darkest days to blanket Kansas City, we came.

The eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy and hash brown potatoes were the best I can ever remember eating.

The December weather was the best I can ever remember in Kansas City so late in the year.

If I stood on my chair and my toes, I could just see in my favorite place to be in the world.

So relaxing was that morning that we couldn’t get ourselves our of our chairs until the beginning of the second quarter.  But we knew the time would eventually come for us to make the trek inside.

And we were not sorry we did.

We were surrounded by our old friends instead of the rowdy drunks that had pirated our section in games past this season.

The Kansas City Chiefs played well and we won.

Of course we didn’t feel exhilaration we normally felt after the win. That takes some time to get that back after you experience horror.

But back it shall come. It always does and always will.

Horror won the battle Saturday. But we were all reminded Sunday by the best, most loyal, most caring NFL fans and players in the world, that good always wins the war.

It’s very hard to see how things could be much worse in Kansas City when it comes to seeing a game. Unbridled joy and appreciation for life has turned to protesters and drunks.

Sometimes good, sometimes great football has turned to always bad.

It’s hard to describe the feeling your Arrowhead Adventurer gets when I sit in the fourth quarter knowing that a six-point deficit is a three possesion game, while drunk fans’ butt cracks hang out as they all move to the front row where the few remaining loyal fans have already bailed.

It’s the worst.

I have seen crowds at Arrowhead that are not to be believed. Those crowds are no more.

Yes it’s still fun to sit next to my buddy’s awesome Chiefs bus, tailgating and solving the world’s problems.

Much more fun than going inside for the game.

But what can we do?

Wear black to the games? Fans in black still buy tickets.

Hire a plane to drag dumb banners urging the Hunt family to fire Pioli? A big waste of money. Clark Hunt will do what he feels like doing regardless of banners.

Football has never been the bread and butter of the Hunt family, simply an expensive hobby they can easily afford.

BUT the difference is Lamar Hunt totally focused on the game. Clark Hunt, it seems is not.

The problem in Kansas City isn’t lack of funds by the owners of the Kansas City Chiefs.

It’s lack of motivation.

You see no matter how bad football in Kansas City gets, loyal fans keep paying the bills.

Clark Hunt has uncovered the dark secret team owners have jealously guarded since the beginning of pro football

A team owner can make money from a shitty team.

And until big changes hit the Kansas CIty Chiefs, we are in for more of the same.

Time for new ownership? It certainly could be. Time for a more focused approach on football for sure.

Hell yes the Chiefs are bad. Worse than any team I can remember in recent history. Sure the Herm Edwards era was rotten. Yet even they could score in the red zone.

But I’d take a bad Kansas City Chiefs team over any other team that takes the field today. Your Arrowhead Adventurer says that with no hesitation.

Why? The list for me is a long one. Here are the ones I can think of today after a great Thanksgiving meal. I bet you can add some too.

1. We won the Superbowl. With one of the best NFL teams ever to take an NFL field. Over forty years later the team we pounded is still trying. Many of the players that contributed to that win played on the historic field of battle we call Arrowhead today. From the second row on some days when you close your eyes you can still see ‘em.

2. We play in the greatest NFL stadium in the world. Period. No others compare.  Jerry Jones tried, but you know that place reminds me of the pyramid in Vegas. It’s nice but you just can’t beat the ones in Egypt no matter how much you spend. When Arrowhead was built, it was one of the largest NFL stadiums. Still is. Yet it was built in one of the smallest venues. Why? One reason. So you could afford a ticket to see a game if you wanted. We still have the cheapest season ticket in the league.

3. We have the best tailgating. Nobody has better. Period. I don’t even want to hear it. Modern stadiums have broken up parking lots all over the center of their cities. You might see a hibachi here and there. At Arrowhead you can literally walk through miles of an unbroken chain of the best smells, laughter, and music on any given Sunday in the world. On the worst day of the worst season there is no place on earth your Arrowhead Adventurer would want to be.

4. Our uniforms are the coolest. Simple cool. Red means war. Red means victory. Red means you better watch your ass no matter what your record. Or ours.

5. The fans are the best. No opposing fan needs to fear entry into the gates of Arrowhead. We are a welcoming lot even to the visiting team. We are happy people, and we keep things in perspective. It is only a game after all. And to each other, well to each other we are family.

6. Our team founder was the coolest owner ever. Lamar Hunt was the Howard Hughes of the NFL. He had more money than he knew what to do with, so he tried to find new ways to spend it. Like oh I don’t know, start a new football league. Or buy Alcatraz and make it into an amusement park (he tried this). Or a three bedroom condo right smack in the middle of Arrowhead, where the current Hunt family still resides sometimes today. Marty Schottenheimer said he had more respect and love for Lamar Hunt than any other man he knew. Including his own father. Wow.

7. The best food in the NFL is prepared on that parking lot. Or brought in. BBQ that has no match. Cased meats at Lambeau? Baked beans at a Patriots game? Seafood in Florida? Puhlease. Not even close.

That is seven. There are hundreds. You finish the list.

From your Arrowhead Adventurer and all the folks at Arrowhead Addict,  have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Hell is the absence of reason, they say. The Kansas City Chiefs are there, my friends.

I would not mind nearly as much as some bad years in KC. You lose every game, you KNOW you’re going to lose, you take your place at the front of the draft line, take your pick, and move on.

You don’t lose intentionally. True fans of the Kansas City Chiefs don’t want that. But the players, coaches, and management are so stinking bad that you give up for the season. And when you give up, well, sometimes when you give up, a certain freedom surges through your bones.

Not the best feeling mind you, but a better feeling than the Kansas City Chiefs fans face now.

I had no hope we would beat the Steelers this week. But for awhile I allowed myself to think we could.  And of course that feeling of hope was yanked cruelly from my grasp once again.

Remember the “Suck for Luck” chants last year? Well the Colts sucked alright, and they indeed wound up with Andrew Luck.

And it seems to be working for them.

Problem is the Colts have proven to the world that they can take a talented young quarterback and develop him into a historic performer.

The Kansas City Chiefs have never been able to pull that little trick off. And I am fairly certain we will not be able to pull it off in 2013.

Should we wind up with the worst record in the 2012 NFL season, we most certainly will use our pick for a promising young quarterback.

And sure as the day is long someone like Richard Seymour will send him to concussion land for good.

Say what you will about Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn.

But one thing you must give them is: it takes guts to line up behind the Kansas City Chiefs offensive line. Two Quarterbacks. Two Concussions.

The Kansas City Chiefs are broken, Addicts.

A fresh, young, talented quarterback won’t do a thing for our winning percentage unless we fix the rest of the machine first.

Until we scrap the whole program in Kansas City and start over, we are doomed to dance with the devil of inconsistency.

Clark, fire everybody and start over. Let the players who no longer want to be Kansas City Chiefs go.

Bring in players and coaches and managers who do.

It is time for a fresh start in Kansas City!

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.

Sure, being a rotten team can have some advantages. Game ticket prices plunge. Team gear goes on sale early at your local K-Mart. And the worst teams in the NFL generally get the first picks at the best college talent in the postseason draft.

And it’s all happening in Kansas City as usual, just a little bit earlier this year.

So we lose the rest of our games and finish last. Which means a first pick at some pretty slick college talent. So what?

We have no clear plan in place to do anything with the poor unfortunates that wind up in the red and gold uniform.

You see, when it comes to developing talent, the Kansas City Chiefs have the worst record in the history of the NFL  Ok, maybe not officially, but I feel pretty comfortable making that proclamation.

Especially when it comes to quarterbacks.

The Kansas City Chiefs have never drafted a quarterback that ever amounted to anything.

EVER.

And with things the way they are today, we won’t be drafting any in the near future.

What do we need to do?

A complete overhaul, of course.

Clark Hunt stays. I like him, and he owns the place. So Clark can stay.

Fire Pioli. Today.

And let him take his ten foot by ten foot giant desk with him. We need to go old school here.

Romeo needs to go too. He has never been able to perform as a head coach, and he won’t ever.

Keep the lovable guy as defensive coordinator. He is the best in that position.

Get Charlie back as offensive coordinator. He is the best at that position. He may not want to come back. Court him. Pay him. Get him back.

Get rid of Matt, keep Brady as back up. Get Orton back until we can do something else.

If Dwayne Bowe wants to go, let him. I’m sick of his inconsistent crap.

Court, woo, and pay Cowher. Whatever he wants. Short on dough Mr. Hunt? Then sell your share of the Chicago Bulls, get out of soccer, and focus on the game your father loved, football. Give Cowher free reign.

Bring Marty back in some capacity. Like the vacancy created by Pioli’s departure.

And then… well, then you can send my my 2013 ticket renewal package.

I’ll even buy the red parking passes too.

And if we lose some games in the mean time, well, you gotta break a few eggs to make an omelet. But at least we will have a good plan in place. A plan that will allow us to develop a decent quarterback for a change.

Sunday’s game was weird; one of the weirdest I have attended. The Chiefs played terrible football. Disappointment after disappointment the Kansas City Chiefs fans endured.

And when we  made the long, depressing trek home, we got blasted.

We, the fans who spent hard-earned money in a bad economy to drive, for many of us, literally hours to a game we knew in our hearts we had very little chance of winning.

We gave up golf, fishing, time with the family, even church, to see just another embarrassing performance by our beloved Chiefs.

We defended our Chiefs when the busloads of Ravens fans hurled challenges at us on the parking lot.

We do not complain when the Hunt family sells us a bag of Doritos and canned cheese sauce for shocking prices.

We quietly swipe our lifeless cards at the ticket gate, which replaced the sheets of tickets we couldn’t wait to ceremoniously unwrap and breathlessly examine each spring without a whimper, then save in our ticket drawers.

We thank the lady who hands out the two-sided piece of cardboard that replaced the chock full of exciting information “Snap” magazine we enjoyed in recent years. Another way  to save money, it appears.

But what we did not do is cheer when Matt Cassel hit the turf Sunday and did not get up.

Did some fans? I’m sure they did. But I didn’t hear them.

Does a pickpocket incident make the Kansas City fans thieves?

Does a parking lot incident make the Kansas City Chiefs fans horrible drivers?

Does an inebriated fan make the Kansas City Chiefs fans drunks?

Of course not.

Why did Eric Winston choose to blast the Kansas City fans Sunday?

There are multiple possibilities.

I’ll go with the possibility that Eric Winston isn’t used to playing in front of the most dedicated, civilized, family-oriented, loyal fans in the NFL and simply mistook a cheer for Matt’s mobility as a celebration of his injury.

And I will leave it as that.

I’ll continue to praise the wonders of Arrowhead Stadium to the wide-eyed kid with the ancient Rison jersey down the street.

I’ll keep calling my pals to confirm that they will keep their promise to make the trek with me to the greatest NFL stadium in the world, with less and less confidence they will go as the season progresses.

I’ll still plan my jersey choice weeks in advance of my beloved home games.

And I’ll continue to make that three-hour trek to the stadium on home game Sundays.

For now….,

I’m sorry you were embarrassed to be playing football Sunday, Eric.

I, for one, am embarrassed you were playing, too.

I expressed doubts about the Chargers’ visit  in my last post. Those doubts were realized Sunday.

Empty seats, crowd malaise, confusion on the field and in the stands!

The “dad” from “What’s Happening?” came on the jumbotron and told us all to “stand up!”. When we did, the event staff told us to “sit down!”. That pretty much sums up the status of the Kansas City Chiefs. The right hand has no idea what the left is doing.

Clearly changes need to be made at One Arrowhead Drive.

What changes? How the hell would I know?

But if you need a tip on how to park in the red parking zone with a general admission parking ticket, I’m your guy.

Still, were the team in my hands, I would have to start with Matt Cassel.

I give Matt all the credit in the world for pulling our team out of a deep dark hole.

Before Matt, we played musical quarterbacks with a couple of losers named Croyle and Huard that could not be depended upon to finish a game without being carried off the field.

Matt appeared, and soon we had a division title.

Well, who gives a crap?

The NFL is all about what a player can do for us today, not what a player did for us.

And Matt Cassel isn’t doing it for us anymore.

But who can we get?

You tell me.

But I do know this: Matt Cassel is not the future of Kansas City.

It has not been that long ago that the guy currently playing second fiddle to the Golden Boy Matt Cassel had the honor of appearing on a website titled www.bradyquinntokansascity.com or something to that effect.

And Kyle Orton, who brought us one of the most memorable wins in recent memory over the Packers, was promptly shipped off to Dallas.

But that isn’t all.

Too many dropped passes! Too many penalties!

The defense looks stiffer than the vending machine nachos that have now replaced the previous fresh, hot ones served in the concession stands!

But the sad fact is, winning in the NFL is one of the hardest things to do in pro sports.

Look at the Cowboys.

One post season win in the last 15 seasons. ONE. That’s it.

That is the product of one of the most knowledgeable, dedicated, financially-able-to-spend-money owners in the NFL.

That’s all he can come up with.

So how the hell can we expect to do any better?

The answer is luck. Good, old-fashioned luck. We are overdue for some for sure.

Yes I know what’s wrong in Kansas City. No, I do not have any idea what to do about it!

Maybe you do?

I’m sitting by my grill, beer in hand, ready to listen.

Some things look promising coming into this second home game of the season. The Chiefs are coming off a hard-fought win against the scandal-ravaged Saints.

The problem is the Chiefs had to break several team records to pull it off.

A record number of field goals means that golden boy Matt could not seal the deal when it comes to scoring touchdowns.

Succop was hot. Do not expect him to be able to do that again Sunday, though I fully expect Matt to set him up to have to try.

As far as the game day experience goes, I would characterize the Chiefs-Chargers rivalry as a friendly one. In my experience, friendly rivalries do not draw the fan base that all-out battles such as the Chiefs-Raiders matchups do. Additionally, I am not sure everyone is buying the win as a legitimate turnaround for our heroes in red. I certainly am not.

Expect there to be some empty seats is what I am saying. Which means there should be plenty of opportunity for *ahem* upgrading your seat should you be carrying nosebleeds.

Tailgating should be awesome as usual, the weather appears to be cooperating, and the optimistic feeling of a fresh new start is still in the air.

For reasons I cannot explain fully, late traffic has been just horrible. You are well advised to get to the stadium as early as possible.

Tickets on the secondary market as of Friday were about face value, with plenty of opportunities for instant downloads. That suggests the turnout will be at least fair.

The win-loss history for our two teams is slightly in Kansas City’s favor overall. Likewise, in recent history we have won 6 of the last 10.

The game day rating scale is 1-10. Ten being the best possible NFL experience imaginable, such as the last two MNF matchups with the bolts.

Your official Arrowhead Adventure game day experience prediction is 7.

A game well worth attending for sure.

If you go, stay the entire game no matter what happens! Bang the seats on defensive plays until your hands bleed! Encourage your neighbors to do likewise!

The Arrowhead Experience has declined in recent years, but it’s still the best in the NFL!

See you there!

You remember the days. At Arrowhead Stadium it did not matter who was injured and who was healthy. It did not matter who we picked up in the draft and subsequent free agency.

It did not matter who sat in the front office, or who called the plays, or even who coached the entire team.

If the game was at Arrowhead the Kansas City Chiefs could win.

“The Arrowhead Advantage”, they called it.

We certainly had it through “Marty Ball”. We still claimed it during the Vermiel era. But along came Herm Edwards and things changed.

It didn’t get any better with Haley, and it’s not back with Crennel.

Most of the time, there is no Arrowhead Advantage anymore.

There are empty seats in almost every game except special ones , like Monday Night Football.

We do not hold the sell out record. We do not have the highest winning home game percentage anymore.

If you can get what you paid for a ticket on the secondary market your lucky. Time was you could easily get three times face value.

But you never sold.

People go to games looking for the most exciting tailgating in the NFL. Quite a few times they come home disappointed.

“The Loudest Stadium in The NFL” title is no longer a slam dunk.

It happened on the field too.

I don’t see the fight I used to see in the players eyes anymore.

I don’t see long passes for touchdowns when we are behind. I don’t see running backs plow their way to a first down.

I don’t see gourd rattling nut busting sacks.

If the Chiefs are behind at the end of the third quarter, fans go home. And sadly I do not blame them. My Chiefs don’t fight for a win like they used too.

The departing fans are right, the game is likely over.

Now don’t get me wrong. My blood the nurse drew for my yearly checkup yesterday was red and gold.

It always will be.

We have a Superbowl Championship that nobody can take away.

I believe in the Kansas City Chiefs.

I just do not expect them to win anymore.

What about you ?

And what has to happen before we can believe they can win again?

It was developing into one of those perfect days to hold an opening game at Arrowhead, and my girlfriend and I had high hopes as we sped north to Kansas City.

My trunk was stuffed with all the gear we would need for a first class opening day tailgate.

I chose my Joe Delaney jersey to start the season with.  Number 37 always elicits comments from fellow Chiefs fans about the selflessness of a hero that never had a chance to show us what he could do.

A perfect way to start a perfect season.

I could tell it was going to be a packed house as we made our way through the gates of the greatest NFL stadium. After a much awaited parking lot cook out, we made our way toward the sea of red I consider my favorite place to be in the world.

We caught up with old friends in my section, and introduced ourselves to new ones as we watched Dwayne Bowe go through his usual rituals in our little corner of the stadium.

I marveled at the sheer size of Dontari Poe and wondered how Peyton Manning would hold up to an 18 mph hit from such a wrecking machine. In my mind, I pictured Manning’s helmet landing in my lap as I waved it at the camera.

The Stealth welcomed us to the 2012 season, and what looked like a full house appeared to ready itself to spring that world famous “Arrowhead Advantage” into action.

But that weapon would never be a factor this day.

A thunderous roar welcomed Tony Gonzalez back to Arrowhead. Fond memories of his days in Kansas City were relived by his many fans.

I even heard some cheers from the my Kansas City brethren when good old number 88 caught a pass.

And I didn’t hear that victory cry when he missed one.

Hmm.

Understandable for sure. If Tony G is not the greatest tight end ever to play the game, he certainly should be in the conversation. Tony gave the best years of his NFL career to Kansas City, and has no postseason wins to show for it. That is loyalty.

Years ago I watched from my seat in Soldier Field as Tony was the only player from either side to run out and help a parachutist tangled in his gear as he flailed helplessly during a pregame warm up.

A class act all the way.

Blame who you will, folks, but Tony Gonzalez is no longer a Kansas City Chief.

He stood in our way to victory.

Sure the Falcons are a Super Bowl-level team. But so were the Packers last year. So were the Steelers when we took them out a couple of seasons ago.

The difference between those games and Sunday? Quite a few I am sure. But the glaring difference in my mind was the Arrowhead crowd.

Any high school coach will tell you player distraction can be costly. This Arrowhead Adventurer will tell you that fan distraction can be costly as well.

Do we have an ownership in place that does all that can be done to bring the best talent to Kansas City?  I have my doubts.

Do we have the quarterback in place to lead us to that elusive Super Bowl victory? Time will tell.

But this fact I am sure of.

A small market team like the Chiefs with an ownership that does not exactly have a reputation for throwing money at its problems must use every weapon in its arsenal to secure victory.

The Kansas City Chiefs once held the proud title of the highest home game winning percentage.

Not always because we had the best players. Not always because we had the best coaching staff in place or spent the most money.

We had the highest home game winning percentage due because we had the best fans.

And we still do.

But if the Kansas City Chiefs are going to reach the Super Bowl in 2012, those fans are going to have to give it their all.

We simply didn’t give it our all Sunday.

I was as guilty as everyone else. I casually chatted with my buddy Matt about muskie fishing, 5k runs, and anything else that came to mind while my beloved team slowly eroded in the third quarter. My hands were not bloody and bruised from pounding on the seat in front of me as we made that long, quiet trip home.

Arrowhead was not the loudest stadium in the NFL Sunday, despite the fact that there were plenty of Chiefs fans in attendance to accomplish that.

Matt Ryan didn’t shake his head in frustration like I have seen Peyton Manning and Phillip Rivers do in years past.

Communication wasn’t a problem for him that warm, sunny September day.

Some good football teams lost Sunday. The Kansas City Chiefs are one of those teams.

I truly believe we have the pieces in place to be Super Bowl contenders.

Some very good quarterbacks will be coming to Arrowhead in the coming weeks that are going to do everything in their power to make sure that doesn’t happen.

And we, as fans, are in charge of making sure those very good quarterback ears bleed.

If you are on the fence about attending a Kansas City Chiefs game this year and can afford it, go.

If you are like me, blessed to be able to attend every game, don’t just come but show up.

Let’s make sure that Phil Rivers throws his usual little tantrum as the cries from the Arrowhead crowd reach dangerous levels Sept 30.

Let’s make sure that the opposing fans and players know they are in for a battle in the  harshest NFL conditions in the league.

I am not convinced the owners of the Kansas City Chiefs are doing everything possible to secure red and gold another Super Bowl victory.

I am totally convinced that we, as fans, are going to have to.

I will be the first to admit I was a bit optimistic about the reception we would receive as my buddy and I got out of the car at Brett Favre’s Steakhouse and set up our gear to tailgate. Everybody loves Chiefs fans, right?  Well, not everybody.

The Packer fans were not exactly, er, welcoming, to put it mildly.

We were pleasantly surprised to see KCTV-5′s sports director Michael Coleman, who stuck out like a very sore thumb as he walked up to us in his Kansas City Chiefs polo with a big smile and a handshake.

Oh well. Lowly Kansas City did after all ruin the Packers chances of a perfect season with the handicaps of a brand new head coach and a brand new starting QB. One of the greatest upsets at Arrowhead I have ever witnessed.

That would understandably stick in the craw of any Packer fan.

So without further delay, we shall get to the official Arrowhead Adventures ranking of one the most historic stadiums in the NFL: Lambeau Field.

1. Historic Value : 10!

This place is like going back into time. From the rock hard bench seats to the battleship-like inner structure, you can almost see Vince Lombardi yelling from the sidelines. I left grateful that the people of Green Bay have preserved this treasure.

LIke going back in time! Incredible!

Yes, the sign pole is indeed rubbing the fender. But they saved a $15.00 parking fee.

2. Ability to see the game :10

Not a bad seat in the house, as they say.

3. Tailgating: 4

Sadly, I pictured my buddy and I roasting encased meats in the shadows of the Lambeau Field sign. Those hopes were dashed when a cop directing traffic told me that you needed a very exclusive pass to get in the parking lot.  We wound up the only tailgaters in the parking lot of the Brett Favre Steakhouse due to the kindness of the manager. Still we had a good time, but Arrowhead keeps the title in this category. This is a trend, I think, that sadly we are seeing more and more of. Broken up lots with a few cars here and there.

4. Traffic.10

No traffic snarls at all. I’m not sure why. The place seemed full. They kick our butts in this category.

5. Stadium comfort: 2

It could only get worse if I had to stand. Which I did a lot of the time. I had no warning that bench seats were all we were gonna get. No chairs means no clear boundaries. Many fans had ample room due to no shows. We didn’t get so lucky.

6. Concession food: 5

Not much variety. The pizza was Digiorno. The Green Bay folks liked it though; they were still carrying it up to the stands late in the fourth quarter. Interestingly, I see a lot more beer swilled at Arrowhead than in Green Bay.

7. Fan dedication: 10.

Benny Sieu-US PRESSWIRE

These folks are serious about their football, which is refreshing. No fair weather fans here, though there hasn’t been that much foul weather at Lambeau lately.

The houses across the street from the place were painted Packer green and yellow, with the Packer logo proudly displayed. People purchased houses for the exclusive purpose of tailgating. Preseason tickets were going for face value or more. This place was full of hard core Pack fans.

8. Flyover :10

The credit goes to the good old USA. Flyovers make your heart glow. Nothing like a good pregame flyover no matter where you happen to be sitting.

The bottom line? They like their place, we like ours. Way of the world. Always has been, always will be.

And that’s fine with your Arrowhead Adventurer.

I am glad I made the trip. And I would not hesitate to go back. You should go if you get the chance too. Sure the fans were a little chilly. But the upset at Arrowhead  last year certainly fueled that hostility.

And that, Addicts, feels mighty good.

You have watched the show. A team of willing participant thrown into hostile environments, represented to be ill equipped for the season long adventures ahead. I watched it for awhile and eventually lost interest.

But it reminded me of  adventures long ago.

We didn’t call it “Survivor” back then. We didn’t really have a name for it at all. We just kind of showed up  and did it.

The rules were fairly simple.

1. No food. None. Nada. No food since lunch the day before. Beer was fine though. It was the weekend after all.

2. No money .  No plastic.  Nothing to use for bartering purposes either.

3. One ticket to Arrowhead Stadium

The game was simple.  Hook up with some tailgaters, score free food and hooch, then enjoy an afternoon of Kansas City Chiefs football. All for the price of a ticket and 1/6 of the price of a parking pass.

The idea was to show up as early as they would let us in the damn place, after all we were starving youth. We parked, scattered after  high fives, war chants, and a sketchy plan of meeting back at the vehicle sometime that evening. (None of our seats were ever together, they were cheaper that way).

This may sound like a risky plan to anyone who has never experienced tailgating at Arrowhead. But Arrowhead Adventurers know that relying on the kindness of strangers is no risk at all in the greatest NFL stadium in the world.

Some of us developed elaborate schemes. Schemes that were usually abandoned pretty quickly as the players found out how easy it was to score.

A guy might spend the whole morning with one bunch, or move from group to group. Swapping stories,  football talk, and scamming on the long legged ladies.  Stretched out under the warm, clear , fall, northwest Missouri skies we could not imagine life being better.

Beer, BBQ, Bratwurst.

Escape  from our class schedules and eventual nine to fives.

Just being free.

My Arrowhead Survivor Days are long gone. As are my class schedules and single days. Times I look back on fondly, but wouldn’t go back to.

Thanks to Arrowhead , for the most part, I don’t have to.

For eight Sundays a year those same tailgaters gather .

Eight Sundays a year I can smell that indescribable smell of grilling meats and hickory smokes.

My ticket to the stadium lets me in to see the game, but my parking pass gives me license , if only for an afternoon, to be that  college student that showed up all those years ago without a care in the world . Full of hope for a fresh start in both the season and our lives.

It has been said that a person “can’t go home”.

True for the most part. With one exception.

You can always go home to Arrowhead Stadium.

The first preseason game of the year is always a time of optimism for your Arrowhead Adventurer. So optimistic am I, that I always assume traffic will be light, and miss the first quarter of the game every damn time.

This Friday’s game was no exception.

“Oh well, I can always watch the parts I missed on the DVR,” I said to my girlfriend as we greeted familiar faces in our section upon arrival just a little after the second quarter. Which is what I did.

It turns out I didn’t miss much. Except Peyton Hillis handing his first touchdown game ball to the guy who sits on the only row in front of my seats, and just to my right. Just to the right of two empty seats in front of me I likely would have moved into.

Oh well, nothing new for me. Last year I went to the bathroom only to find out my girlfriend and my empty seat were both featured exclusively in a shot during the Monday night football game.

Peyton Hillis on his way to giving me his touchdown football only to find out I was not there: Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

That’s ok though. The list of things I haven’t missed in my Arrowhead Adventures is endless, or at least may  seem endless to Addict readers.

Friday night, in my humble opinion was a smashing success for Chiefs fans. Arrowhead, the “Sleeping Giant” didn’t just waken, it came alive.

Though it was a disappointment that Bowe didn’t make it on the field, it was amazing to see players like Hillis and Winston in a Chiefs uniform. For several seasons I have suggested that Brady Quinn would make a nice addition to the team despite Merlin’s views, and was pleased to see him on the field in red and gold as well. (I don’t know why I wanted him to be a Chief, I just did. Apparently so did Pioli.)

All of our injured players are back! Cassel came out strong in an apparent attempt to nullify skeptics (he still has a long way to go), and at last we have a head coach that I both like and trust. Vermeil for me was our last.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous, as was the stadium at night. So gorgeous, in fact that half of Kansas City turned out, if not to enjoy the game then to enjoy the incredible tailgating that makes Arrowhead famous.

Arthur Bryants was partly to blame for my late arrival. And that’s fine.  A plate full of the world’s best BBQ in exchange for a quarter of glorified scrimmage is always a fair trade.

 When it comes to sliced pork and fries, there is no place on earth that does better than Arthur Bryants. The atmosphere just makes it more special.

I witnessed plenty of good food preparation on the lot. The gold parking section was full, which is a real surprise during preseason. It can be hard to get the elite pass holders to anything but a real game.

The red sections were full as well.

Bowe’s absence aside, it would be hard to beat Friday’s preseason opener. It certainly left me with an optimism I have not felt in several seasons.

My observations:

SO many good things to watch and see it’s hard to follow it all. The offense looked great. It is sad that Charlie Weis isn’t still here to work with this bunch. His departure was a major step backward in my opinion.

The defense looked awesome. Romeo has to be happy with that bunch as well.

Matt looked confident. But he still does not have the crowd. We are talking about a crowd made up of a lot of people who were given their tickets, and do not know football, sure.  But lots of hard-core fans out there as well.

I need to see more of the running game. Over the next several games, I will.

This could certainly be the season. Plenty of preseason remains to find out. What do you think, Addicts?

Football at Arrowhead is a big part of the reason I make the three hour trek to the greatest NFL stadium in the world. Game after game, year after year, your Arrowhead Adventurer can be seen in Amen Corner, tirelessly supporting the red and gold.

And being smack dab in the middle of training camp reminds me football is just around the corner.

The other part is tailgating of course. The best tailgating in the world.

One of the most common questions I’m asked, as the official Arrowhead Addict Game Day Reporter, is questions about the parking.

What do the different kinds of parking passes mean? Which are the best to get? Why not just purchase general admission?

You have questions, y0ur Arrowhead Adventurer has answers! Read on.

The cheapest parking is outside the stadium. You can park along side the road and hoof it to your seats. This option is cheap, important in todays economy, but unless you wander around crashing other peoples parties, tailgating is not gonna happen.

Private parking is the next option. It can be cheap, five bucks or so, and you will not get towed (a risk parking along the road) but again no tailgating and a long hike to your seats.

General admission offers a nice alternative. Tailgating is good,  and you have a much shorter walk to your seats than outside the stadium.  Your car is probably much more secure while you are in the game, and you can resume your tailgating once the game ends.

Red parking passes are next. When purchasing them from the Kansas City Chiefs organization, you must also purchase season tickets. Additionally you have to purchase an entire seasons worth , including preseason. They usually run about five bucks more than general admission. Red sections are closer to the stadium, right in the middle actually. The tailgating is the best I think. Single game passes can be purchased on the secondary market, such as ebay etc. but they are very high on average (two or three times face value). The red parking pass is the option I have chosen in recent years. My financial situation this year has forced me to examine other options.

Gold parking passses are the most expensive, and the same rules apply for gold as red as far as purchasing.

The gold section is the closest to the stadium. Closest to the stadium means there will be a huge crowd in front of you when the game lets out.

Gold passes must be purchased along with certain premium season ticket packages. I have never purchased them, but have used single game passes. My impression is the tailgating is more entertaining in the red sections but this a matter of personal opinion.

General admission, red, and gold parking passes allow you to unpack those leftovers and resume your tailgating after the game. I do this often, and you should plan on it too.

You can stay at least an hour or so before the little golf cart guards wave you on.

By that time the exiting crowds are much thinner,  and you don’t have to worry about dinner when you get home.

Parking options are an important part of your game day, so plan accordingly.

See you there!

Training camp starts today, and football is around the corner.

Five years ago about this time I’d be readying myself for another shitty season of fumbles, injuries, and all-around, worst-in-the-league football.

A sad level the once proud Kansas City Chiefs football program had reached.

Ticket sales calls for mouthwatering seats I would have killed for in the nineties did not even interest me. The most interesting thing on the field were the cheerleaders (God bless em’).

The most interesting player was Tony G. The greatest hope was Larry Johnson.  Herm Edwards was…ENOUGH OF THIS!

Today is a new day and 2012 brings a new team with new hope! Real hope, I must say.

Training camp moved to St. Joe! An hour from good old Arrowhead, where they belong.

As I said a couple of weeks ago, training camp will be hot, humid, and dusty. You will, at times, think you’re going to pass out. You might question the sanity of  fighting the elements and making the drive.

Well thank goodness you read my posts!

Without further delay, my updated 2012 training camp tips! Enjoy!

1. Camp is free. Parking isn’t. Parking is usually five bucks or so.

2 Drinks are very expensive. Drink a lot before you go in the gate if you’re on a budget. Same deal on the food. Bring a cooler loaded with food, water, whatever. You have to leave it in the car though. You can go in and out as much as you want (but it’s a pretty good hike). Avoid alcohol unless you like sitting in the ER with a a tube of saline solution in your arm.

3. It will be one of the hottest, most humid experiences you have ever been through. Take a hike or two each day, a couple of days before you go to get used to the conditions. This is no joke folks, do it.

4. I have had no problems getting my camera in. Take yours and you will get some great photos. Make sure your lens isn’t too long or they will stop you at the gate.

5. They say no video, but most cameras have that option now. Shoot away.

6. Watch Arrowhead Addict for updates on the practice schedule. They are often cancelled with little notice. Weather can really screw things up too. You will need to be flexible.

7. Keep your eye out for updates on the actual practices. Some are much more interesting than others. Again, these announcements are often given with little notice so check AA often.

8. Volunteer to be an on-site reporter with your favorite Kansas City Chiefs website, Arrowhead Addict. I have participated in previous years and it’s an experience you will not forget. It really makes you feel like you’re part of the AA family, (an even bigger part than you are now!).

9. If you are a hardcore fan (you’re an Addict after all!), use one of those hand-held recorders or a recorder phone apps to take notes of what you see. Pour through them when you get home. Associate your notes with your photos. Refer to them throughout the season. Feed your addiction to the greatest NFL team in the world.

10. Gear is important. Take a very light breathable rain jacket. If you don’t have one and don’t have the coin to get one, get one of those dollar ponchos at a local store. They are better than nothing, and you will actually bring it without much thought.

11. Take a very good pair of sunglasses.

12. Take sunscreen (I love those packages that have a little pad soaked in sunscreen), but do what works for you.

13. Same thing for bug repellant (again I love the little tear-open packages). For some reason you will have to look for these in sporting goods stores, department stores don’t carry them.

14. Extra batteries are a must. Cell phone, camera, whatever runs on juice. Dead batteries can ruin your day.

15. Wear cargo shorts that have lots of pockets to carry all this crap.

16. Take a Sharpie. Most days the players are hard to access. Season ticket holders day is the exception, so be ready to meet the players!

17. If you do see an opportunity for an autograph, put your jersey on backwards. That way you can turn around and the player can sign the front of your jersey on your back! (I’m a genius.)

18. If you get an autograph on your jersey, your hat, whatever, and you value it, take it off and place it immediately in the trunk of your car to preserve it for posterity.

18. If you decide to take on the role of AA reporter, tell the people you meet what you’re up to! Get their opinions, their hopes, their fears! Capture the mood of the damn place, it’s your job!

19. Sure there will be girls. Hot girls. And you’re going to be sweating like a somebody in somewhere. Your clothes are going to be soaked. Maybe you can carry it off, maybe you can’t. Don’t be disappointed if interest is not shown, that’s all I’m sayin’. (Girls, don’t worry about how you look, we don’t care. You’re a girl that loves football. You have the power. End of story.)

20. There will be a player or two on stationery bikes by the crowd control ropes due to injuries. They won’t talk to you. At first. Keep at it. Scout security. This is a juggling act. You will get good at it throughout the day. If you see Tyson Jackson on a stationery bike, prepare yourself. He is one of the biggest human beings you shall ever see.

Above all, have FUN. Don’t try and see or do everything. Find some shade, relax every 30 minutes or so and compare notes with your buds and all the other fans looking for the same opportunity to compare notes with you.

FOOTBALL SEASON IS HERE! SEE YOU AT CAMP!

Dwayne Bowe.

It’s hard for me to remember a time when Bowe wasn’t parading around in my little corner of Arrowhead before game time in the greatest NFL stadium in the world.

Skipping, punching the air, talking to the crowd, there is no doubt that Dwayne Bowe has the intangibles when it comes to on the field personality.

His first season, Bowe came to Kansas City with impressive style. Team records were broken. Hopes were high.

In contention for rookie of the year, that honor was eventually bestowed upon Adrian Peterson.

By the end of the 2007, it seemed that Kansas City had made good use of the 23rd pick in the draft.

The first game of 2008, “The Show” caught five passes. But he also dropped four. One would have tied the game.

“Hmm” said your Arrowhead Adventurer.

As we start the 2012 training camp without a long term contract secured for Mr. Bowe, your Arrowhead Adventurer continues to scratch his head.

Dwayne Bowe is a world class athlete. A Pro Bowl athlete as well.

My trips to the Kansas City Chiefs training camp prove that a more chiseled physique is not to be found in a red and gold uniform.

Pass after pass, Dwayne has caught in my little corner of Arrowhead.

If the team needs a big play, there is no doubt in your Arrowhead Adventurers mind that “The Show” can deliver the goods.

Game after game, season after season, bratwurst after bratwurst, one question floats across my mind like a cloud across a sky blue Arrowhead afternoon.

Will he?

Will he catch the pass that will tie or win the game?

If the game is on the line, is Bowe the go to guy?

I don’t know. I just don’t  know dammit.

I love Dwayne Bowe. I wear my Dwayne Bowe jersey more than any other since my Tony Gonzalez jersey developed a knife size hole in the back of it during the 2008 offseason.

But I don’t completely trust his skills.

Sure people aren’t perfect. They are not robots. They make mistakes. All players do.

The thing about it is there have been players in the past whose skills I did trust.

If a pass needed to be caught for a touchdown, I trusted Tony Gonzalez to catch it.

If a pass needed to be intercepted, I trusted Derrick Thomas to magically, gracefully sail through the air and steal it away.

If a kick off needed to be returned for a touchdown, I knew in my heart that if it was possible, Dante Hall would make it happen.

So why don’t I know my man Dwayne Bowe will?

I don’t know.

I guess I need to trust the powers at One Arrowhead Drive more than I do.

The Tony Gonzalez trade wasn’t a mistake on paper I don’t think.

Dante Hall didn’t do much for St. Louis.

It was time for Trent Green to go.

For now, I think, franchising Dwayne Bowe for the 2012 season is probably the way to go.

I think the 2012 Kansas City Chiefs season is shaping up to be a memorable one. Dwayne Bowe can most certainly contribute to that .

But he needs to prove himself to me.

What do you think, Addicts? Will he?

Preseason is around the corner. A much ignored, little respected time of the year for many NFL fans.

But not this one.

Your Arrowhead Adventurer is one of the few fans that looks forward to the preseason.

Sure, it’s a way to stick it to the season ticket holder. Preseason tickets cost as much as regular season tickets, and to be a season ticket holder you are required to buy the damn things.

Trying to resell them is fruitless– you’re lucky to get ten bucks for an eighty dollar ticket.

So while many give them away or leave them in the drawer, your Arrowhead Adventurer makes the trek to Arrowhead year after year to witness these glorified training sessions.

And I have fun.

The first home preseason game usually falls around the week of my birthday, so my girlfriend and I make a weekend of it in Kansas City. (I’ve mentioned before that Arrowhead and I share the same birthday, so we celebrate together.)

Most of the time, the second one is an event I tackle on my own.

By this time the excitement of the appearance of football at Arrowhead has worn off, and the reality of what the fan witnesses comes to light.

I like to go to this game by myself to explore Arrowhead. Nobody to entertain, no football to miss, no parking mess. Just me and my favorite place on earth.

A wise man once said “Not all who wander are lost.”  A fine theme, I think for my second preseason adventure.

I’ll get there early and wander around the parking lot. If someone is cooking something good I’ll ask them for a taste and they will happily oblige. I’ll sit for awhile if it’s good and share my thoughts on the upcoming season.

As a tailgating expert, I’ll provide them with an honest assessment of their culinary skills and move on.

If Warpaint and that pretty girl that rides her is walking around, I’ll wander over and chat. I’ll remind them both that we chatted at the draft party. They won’t remember but at least the pretty girl will pretend she did.

Priest Holmes might be there, in the ATT Cellular booth signing autographs. I’ll walk around the line amidst scowls and tell him I remember seeing the last play he ever made at Arrowhead.

He will smile that million dollar Priest Holmes smile and I will move on.

During the game I’ll walk around to nearly every part of Arrowhead. I’ll walk around the museum displays and trade stories with fans from around the country and the world.

I’ll go to that section that is right behind the players and make suggestions for the upcoming season to Romeo himself. He will hear me but pretend he doesn’t and some of the players will smile.

I’ll wander around the concessions checking the menus to see if there will be any new offerings for the 2012 season. I’ll ask if I can sample some of it.  Sometimes I’ll get at taste and sometimes I won’t.

I’ll make my yearly trek to the farthest, highest corner of Arrowhead, then I will lean over the wall and look out on the lights of Kansas City.

I’ll leave the game early, a perfect time to wander around the outside of Arrowhead before I hit the road. I’ve got a long drive home.

I’ll look for curious doors and ask security where they go. I’ll ask them how long they have worked here and if there is anything secret they can share about the place. Sometimes I’ll get little tidbits, sometimes I won’t.

Then I’ll check out grill setups as they are left to cool.

I’ll wander back to my car and head home eventually, I’ll glance in the rear view and watch Arrowhead get smaller and smaller as I leave her behind.

I don’t know for sure, but I believe I will have a lot more optimism that in past years as I head out on I-70.

How about you?

Arrowhead Stadium.

Regular readers of my posts know its my favorite place to be on earth.  It’s likely one of  yours too.

I’ve been in every corner of Arrowhead . Over the next few weeks I’ll share some of the secrets I’ve learned talking to folks, and exploring her corridors. I invite you to share your secrets too.

The Field

The playing field at Arrowhead sits three stories below ground level. When the stadium is empty, the quiet is as extreme as the stadium is loud when it’s full.

Standing on that field you realize, even today, what a feat it was for Lamar Hunt to convince Kansas City that building the largest NFL stadium in one of the smallest venues in the NFL was the thing to do.

Yet he did.

It’s still the largest outdoor stadium. The fourth largest in seating capacity.

Arrowhead and I share a birthday. The first game ever played in Arrowhead was on August 12, 1972.

Standing in her end zone, you realize the acoustic miracles the designers worked, as your shouts echo throughout her levels.

At her loudest, I have watched opposing quarterbacks shake their heads in frustration and walk away in disgust.

There is truly nothing like the “Arrowhead Advantage” in the league today.

Some days when I’m tired, or feeling a little lonely, or down, I get out a little tuft of grass I once pulled from the end zone and think of the ghosts of Arrowhead past that still dance on that field.

Think about it. Think about the players that have played there. The players that wore the red and gold and the players that fought the  battles against us.

People have tried over four decades to place a roof over Arrowhead. They always fail , and they always will. The fiercest team in the NFL is meant to play in the fiercest weather Mother Nature can deliver. And we, the fans, will always fight those elements right along with them.

The secrets that field holds are endless.

How about it Addicts? What secrets do you know about the field at Arrowhead?

The training camp schedule is out! Football is around the corner!

Sometimes I forget about all the really really cool things that have happened to the Kansas City Chiefs in the last five years or so.

We have a quarterback that can stay on his feet and win games. We have a newly renovated stadium. We have one of the most respected, talented GM’s in the league.

And the Kansas City Chiefs training camp has moved to Missouri where it belongs.

If you have never been to camp, you need to go.

It’s  a great way to meet players, staff, and other fans.

It’s a great way to see which players really want to work hard to win, and which ones don’t care one way or the other.

It’s a great way to get that 2012 Kansas City Chiefs football feeling going.

I’ve been every year since the Chiefs made the switch to St. Joe from River Falls. Here are some tips to make your trek more fun:

1. Camp is free. Parking isn’t. Parking is usually five bucks or so.

2 Drinks are very expensive. Drink a lot before you go in the gate if you’re on a budget.Same deal on the food.

3. It will be one of the hottest, most humid experiences you have ever been through. Plan accordingly.

4. I have had no problems getting my camera in. Take yours and you will get some great photos. Make sure your lens isn’t too long or they will stop you at the gate.

5. They say no video, but most cameras have that option now. Shoot away.

6. Watch Arrowhead Addict for updates on the practices. They are often cancelled with little notice. Weather can really screw things up too. You will need to be flexible.

7. Keep your eye out for updates on the actual practices. Some are much more interesting than others. Again, these announcements are often given with little notice so check AA often.

8. Volunteer to be an on-site reporter with your favorite Kansas City Chiefs website, Arrowhead Addict. I have participated in previous years and it’s an experience you will not forget.

9. If you are a hard core fan (you’re an Addict after all!), use one of those hand-held recorders or a recorder on your phone and take verbal notes of what you see. Review them in the car on the way home or when you get sometime later. Make predictions, then review them during the season to see how accurate your predictions turn out to be.

10. Go to as many as you can.

The 2012 Training Camp is just around the corner! See you there!

Arrowhead Stadium.

Sacred words in your Arrowhead Adventurer’s vocabulary. Sacred words in the hearts of all true Kansas City Chiefs fans.

Arrowhead Stadium.

I’ve been all over this beautiful country.

I have seen the redwood forests of California, the Rocky Mountains, and the deserts of the Southwest.

I have seen the beautiful crystal clear waters of the Gulf and the gorgeous angry waves of both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

I have gazed at the flickering lights of San Fransisco at night, from the shore of Alcatraz.

And I have sat in my seat in the lower level of Arrowhead Stadium.  To me, there is no better place on earth to be.

Sometimes when I’m stressed, or in between that dream and awake state right before I fall asleep, or when I realize I don’t have any plans as I lay in bed at 7 a.m. Saturday morning, I try to imagine I’m with her.

If I am depressed , I imagine I’m at one of the indescribable Monday Night football games in which we fight our never-ending battles with the Chargers.

If I’m in stressed, I imagine I’m all by myself, sitting in my little seat on the second row of the lower level during the offseason, basking in the warm rays of a beautiful, crystal clear March day. Alone. Alone in her quiet, peaceful tranquility.

I’m not old enough to remember when Kansas City didn’t have her.

I can’t imagine a day when she won’t have her any more.

But, Addicts, that day will surely come.

You can look at every picture ever taken of Arrowhead. You can read every description ever posted about her.

But only those who have entered through those majestic gates can tell you what it sounded like when Dexter McCluster scored his first NFL touchdown on a 94 yard punt return on Sept. 13, 2010 against the Chargers.

I know what it sounded like. 80,000 others do too.

But someday Arrowhead will be gone.

What will we remember about her when she is gone? What secrets do we know that only those who made the trek through her gates can truly know.

The list is endless.

I can tell you that when you sit in the very last seat in the upper corner, you feel like you are on top of the world.

I can tell you that when you sit in the corner seat on the lower level, you feel like you’re on another planet.

From the my seat in the lower level of the greatest NFL stadium in the world, I can tell the exact instant when a player meets my gaze, even when I cannot make out his face. And I can tell you what it’s like to see pure, unbridled joy in the face of a Kansas City Chiefs cheerleader.

When I see my little brick at Arrowhead with my name on it, I can look up and there will be Lamar Hunt looking down at me. He always says the same thing when our eyes meet. He says “Look what I did for Kansas City.”

If you stand there, Lamar will tell you something special, too.

I know what it’s like to be a broke college senior riding through the gates of Arrowhead in the back of a pickup, with no money, and one upper level corner ticket, but with the peaceful, secure knowledge that the kindness of 80,000 strangers will provide  me with all the wings and beer I can eat on that cold December day.

I have peeked for hours under the August, preseason shade of a  college buddy’s 4×4, watching long, giggling, never-ending college girls legs flow by on their way to my beloved Arrowhead.

Only those who have been there will know the sad, empty feeling of the walk to the parking lot after a season ending loss.

And the incredible feeling of optimism as you chant with thousands through the tunnel after a season opening win.

Arrowhead Stadium. Thankfully, I’ll never know what it was like when she wasn’t in Kansas City.

Sadly, someday I’ll likely know what it’s like when she is gone.

If you have never been to Arrowhead go. If you have been to Arrowhead go back.

Addicts, what will you say about Arrowhead when she is gone?

Tony Gonzalez used to dunk the ball through the goal post.

Jared Allen used to  rope ghost cattle after a sack.

Priest Holmes would jump and kind of glide for awhile then land like a butterfly . It was so graceful. Like he was.

I think  the Kansas City Chiefs started the celebration when Elmo Wright did his “happy feet”. The “Happy Feet” was awesome.

Our players need to start doing things like that again. We do too.

I want to sit in my seat at Arrowhead and wait for that moment to happen so I can cut loose.

I used to rope cattle when Jared Allen would rope his.

I used to dunk the ball through an imaginary goal post like Gonzo did.

I used to  try and help Andre Rison get his “Spiderman” thing going and shoot imaginary webs.

The field celebration might not be a good idea. It fires up the other team to prevent the celebration from happening.

I don’t care I want us to do it anyway.

Sometimes when I am laying in bed, in that zone where you are halfway in between being asleep and being awake I imagine what I would do if I scored NFL touchdowns for the Chiefs regularly. I’m probably getting a little old to be doing this. I’m a Chiefs fan so it’s ok though.

I might act like I was reeling in a fish with an imaginary fishing pole.

I might shoot an imaginary arrow with an imaginary bow at the defense I just rendered ineffective.

I might pull the pin on an imaginary grenade and toss it too.

It might be cool to act like I was riding a motorcycle and twist an imaginary throttle.

These all would be good for touchdown celebrations.

When I am in that half awake half asleep state though, I prefer to think of myself as a sack artist.

If I were a sack artist like Jared, I might act like I had an imaginary chainsaw and cut the guy up with it after I ended his ideas for a pass completion. Maybe I’d be called “Chainsaw Randy” or something bad ass like that. “Chainsaw Randy cuts another one up!” Mitch Holthus would say. Then everybody in the crowd would do it too.

I could riddle the sacked quarterback with an imaginary AK-47 but that would probably be too violent. I’d be accused of being a bad role model for kids.

Oh well.

I once saw Larry Johnson grab a flag from one of the flag carriers and wave it around.

It was very cool but also very dumb, of course we were penalized. He was always like that. All about Larry, to the detriment of his team. I’m anti-that.

I’ll do my own thing in the stands after something cool happens most Sundays.

I’ll high five my neighbors, or hug them.

I’ll hang over the rail and reach toward the field. I’ll stretch so far I think I went to far and will fall over, which would be cool in itself. But I never do.

If we score a touchdown, I’ll do the “Ickey Shuffle”, or the “Dirty Bird”.  Or a combination of both.

If I’m at home watching an away game I’ll do stuff too.

I don’t ever do anything at other stadiums. There simply is no other stadium like Arrowhead. Arrowhead is like Vegas , I guess in some ways. You can act as silly, as crazy, as outrageous as you want. I credit Carl Peterson for that. Not much else though.

No other stadium in the world allows you to leave your cares at the gate like the red sea does.

I think we should talk Patrick into allowing us to send in video clips of our ideas of the best end zone celebration and the winner should get something.

Or not.

The Chiefs need a signature celebration.

The sack celebrations and the end zone dances make me think about the incredible, wonderful extremes of this game we love.

The most violent acts in sports that make us scream bloody murder occur in football.. The most graceful acts in sports make us shake our heads in awe do too.

I want the signature celebrations back.

Let’s do something about it!

What do you do Addicts when you see that teeth chattering, bone crushing  sack?

What will you do when Jamaal Charles puts up a quick, effortless TD stat?

I wanna hear about it!

Teams like the Giants and Jets, the Cowboys, and even the Colts (ouch bad timing).

The Falcons are working on a new home, as are the Vikings.

The Vikings ticket prices will be especially interesting, since they boasted a $10.00 per game season ticket in the old place, the cheapest in the NFL at the time. (Kansas City is the second cheapest at $25 per game)

Florio of Pro Football Talk  points out that while this may not seem that it will impact the majority of fans, since only about 1 percent or so regularly attend games, it could lead to more blackout situations, which of course impacts more than just the fan lucky enough to attend games on a regular basis.

A crappy situation for all.

Kansas City renovated their stadium at great cost, yet my ticket prices actually went down as a result. Other venues, such as Chicago, actually removed seats as a result of recent renovations, which, as a result,  increased sell out games, but also increased ticket prices.

Kansas City, one of the largest stadiums in one of the smallest venues, actually added seats.

And we still do not have a seat license fee in place.

No one with a realistic outlook on life can argue it’s cheap to attend a game at our beloved Arrowhead. But it could be so much worse.

A Superbowl win or even an appearance could change the cheap ticket trend for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Let’s hope we find out soon.

John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Players Association interprets a clause in the CBA that could create an interesting scenario in 2014.

If Brees is willing to gamble $16 million plus, and sits out  all of 2013,  the Saints would not be able to use the franchise tag on him in 2014.

The Chiefs are being mentioned as one of the teams capable of the huge amounts of salary money this would take if such a scenario (be it unlikely for sure) should occur, and Brees would become available.

I, for one, am doubtful that Drew would give up a year of prime NFL play at his age.

Plus the bounty the Saints would put on him would be murderous.

Still it’s an interesting situation to ponder. Stay tuned….

The Kansas City Chiefs cheerleaders! A more beautiful bunch of girls would be hard to find. I don’t believe a more dedicated bunch can be found in the NFL (my unbiased, professional opinion).

Long ago our cheerleaders made me a promise. If I would make the three hour trip to Arrowhead, they would be there waiting for me.

Snow, sleet, rain, subzero temperatures. I have seen them all in my adventures at Arrowhead.

So have they.

If I’m cold, they are colder. If I’m wet from the driving rains, they are wetter. If I am depressed from unbelievably bad  on-field performances, they are even sadder.

And on and on and on.

The thing I sometimes think about as I sit in my seat  at Arrowhead is the  sacrifices they have to make to be on our field.

A few extra pounds and I just loosen my belt. A few extra pounds for our cheerleaders could mean the end of their careers.

Constant workouts and practices, I imagine. All this while juggling busy college schedules, raising children and being housewives.

I’m free to express my true feelings at Arrowhead; this is America after all.

Yet fumble after fumble, missed field goal after missed field goal. Interception after interception, these brave girls just keep cheering.

“Get that dumbass off the field!” my buddies and I may scream.

Yet the cheerleaders keep smiling and waving.

The feature photo on this post is one of my favorite Arrowhead pictures.

The beautiful cheerleader is so happy to be there. You can’t fake that. She isn’t.

The crowd behind her is, too. Each and every one of those 75,000 people knows how lucky they are to be in the greatest NFL stadium in the world. They all have problems, like we do. But for three hours or so those problems will all be gone, replaced by smells of hot dogs, bratwurst and fresh cold beer.

Sure the play can be bad at times. It can also be good. Really good. Sometimes it can be the best in the world.

We are all the same at Arrowhead. The business owner worth millions can paint his face and high five the unemployed factory worker sitting next to him.

The most exciting win I can remember in recent history was when we kicked the hell out of the World Champion Green Bay Packers last year. We did it with a new coach and a transient quarterback.

And we did it with the support and confidence of the best NFL cheerleaders in the league.

The Dallas Cowboys are frequently called “America’s Team.”

I say bullshit. America’s team is the stadium that sells season tickets for $25 a game. Not the team with a ten-gazillion-dollar stadium that the working American can’t afford tickets to.

The Kansas City Chiefs are America’s team. The Kansas City Chiefs cheerleaders are America’s cheerleaders.

Thank you, girls, for keeping your promise to me so many years ago.

I’ll be there for you, too. Game after game after game.

Memphis, Tennessee, and Kansas City, Missouri! Two of my most favorite places on Earth! Your Arrowhead Adventurer has spent more than a few weekends listening to the best blues, sampling the best BBQ, and of course enjoying pro sports in  both places.

Therefore, Dontari, I can say with confidence, that if you liked Memphis, you’re gonna love Kansas City.

I love Memphis BBQ. Rib-wise, I think Memphis does a better job. Sauce-wise, Kansas City hands down.

At 350 pounds and an ability to sprint nearly 20 mph, I won’t be standing in your way of a rib sampler, dude.

When it comes to BBQ sandwiches, (pulled pork in both places), I give the nod to KC. You certainly get more for your money in KC.

Blues joints are easier to find in Memphis, and it’s always hard to beat a summer Saturday evening on Beale street. Still I think there tends to be more high quality blues in KC than in Memphis. Jazz , no question, is king in KC.

You gotta drive a long long way to catch a pro football game if you live in Memphis. Kansas City, of course has the best team, the best stadium, and the best atmosphere in the world.

Memphis tried with the Manics. Sorry, guys, but nice try. There can only be one pro football league in the U.S.

Baseball can get pretty bad in KC. And it can get pretty good in Memphis. Yet , in my books, a major league team beats AAA every time. Kauffman Stadium is hard to beat. The Truman Sports Complex is unbeatable. Period.

You have to go a long way to beat a weekend in Kansas City when the Chiefs are playing in town. Long way — hell, Kansas City is the best!

What it would be like to be a Combine record-setting, top draft pick with newly acquired millions in Kansas City is hard to imagine.

Yet it’s happening to yo,u Dontari.

Welcome to Kansas City, Mr. Poe. You’re gonna love it here. We sure do.

Ah, the 2007 Kansas City Chiefs. Watching the “Hard Knocks” episodes sure brings back memories. Some good, mostly bad. It’s said those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. I find truth in that statement for sure.

Herm Edwards was just starting his second year with our beloved Kansas City Chiefs.

In 2012, from my standpoint, he is a total failure when it comes to his turn as head Chief. But in 2007 he filled your Arrowhead Adventurer with hope.

The guy definitely seemed to have credentials.

Unlike Haley, Edwards had a pretty damn good career playing in the NFL.

Likewise , he seemed to show promise coaching at footballs highest level .

So I understood when Carl Peterson brought him aboard at the expense of more than just the almighty dollar.

Larry Johnson was kicking ass as well.

At 230 pounds he ran through the opposition rather than jump over it as did the phenomenon we knew as Priest Holmes. And he was damn good at it too.

Additionally,  he didn’t seem to have a lot of mileage on him. He was able to keep his personal problems a secret at that point.

Tony Gonzalez wasn’t happy with things. I had noticed him wincing more than usual the last couple of seasons through my binoculars from my seats in the upper level of my beloved Arrowhead. But it didn’t even seem possible that he wouldn’t finish his career in a red and gold jersey.

Jared Allen was sitting out the first couple of games. But he seemed to have promise. Just as I focused on Tony when the Chiefs controlled the ball,I focused on Jared Allen when we were trying to get the ball back.

And like Tony, I looked at his tenure with the Chiefs through rose colored binoculars.

Both rarely disappointed me in 2007.  That would soon change in ways I could not imagine.

Priest Holmes surprised me with a comeback attempt.

I didn’t worry too much if it would be successful or not. I just knew I’d have more opportunity to see Priest fly over the opposition like no other running back that has ever played the game. Through my binoculars I saw him fly for the last time that season.

And the battle for quarterback! How exciting!

Brody Croyle vs Damon Huard!

Brody had a rocket arm and a glass everything else. He never won a single NFL game.

Damon Huard looked like he had a bad case of the flu through my binoculars every time I watched him walk off the field that season.

But at least he could stay on his feet and in the game.

Not enough by any standards. Except the standards of the 2007 Kansas City Chiefs…..

Tank and Turk filled me with hope as well.

Now I don’t even know if either is still in the NFL five seasons later.

I seem to remember a guy that showed promise at QB, Casey Printers. He had one huge flaw though. He fumbled.

I think he went on to some success in the Canadian league but I don’t know for sure.

Five seasons later. Wow.

Five seasons later every single name I mentioned is gone.

None , in my opinion went on to better things. (Room to disagree left here, that’s what blogging is about so let me have it).

The team has certainly changed.

We were rebuilding. We rebuilt. The new , rebuilt motor turned out to be a piece of crap and blew up. We had to replace it with another.

I’ve changed too.

I don’t bring my binoculars to the games anymore, I finally scored those elusive seats on the lower level I used to dream about. Though I love the Chiefs more than ever, I don’t have the blind faith I used to have in the Chiefs ability to do the right things, as I did back then. A healthy amount of doubt accompanies me on the three hour drive to Arrowhead on game day Sundays.

I never thought Lamar Hunt was greedy. When his son Clark took over, I hoped he wouldn’t be either.

I don’t think he is. But I don’t have the blind confidence in him that I had in his father.

In 2007 I had to work hard, damn hard to get someone to go to all the games with me. I fell short in one or two.

In 2012 I have to turn people down. That’s cool.

Things have changed in five seasons.  I think they have changed for the better, and that we will be Superbowl bound in a couple of years.

Of course I thought that in 2007 as well.

What do you think ? What will we think of the 2012 season in 2017

Five years of hard knocks should tell.

Cheap Bastards! It’s a label I have seen placed on the Hunt family for years. Frankly it’s a label I have always had difficulty understanding.

Lamar Hunt  certainly wasn’t considered cheap when he and the rest of the “Foolish Club” started the AFL. They lost millions and millions of dollars but never gave up until the AFL finally became a competitive and respectable league.

A couple of years into it, he built (ok with some help from the city) what is still one of the largest NFL stadiums in the league. It took a lot of courage to build a stadium with that kind of capacity in one of the smallest venues in the league.

Building small stadiums in large venues is smart business. It assures sell out crowds and allows for inflated seat prices, as in Chicago and other stadiums.

Building large stadiums in small venues makes it difficult to sell out and encourages cheap seat prices.

Lamar of course knew this. He wanted everyone who wanted to see his beloved Chiefs play to be given a chance to do so. So he built the colossal  stadium we call Arrowhead anyway.

After the glory years of the late sixties, the Chiefs, well sucked. If ever a team was ripe to be moved it was the red and gold of Kansas City.

But with Lamar, the subject never came up. The Chiefs belonged to the Hunt Family, and the Kansas City fans. And in Kansas City they would stay.

The recent investment of millions by the Hunt family insures that our beloved Chiefs will be playing in Kansas City for a long long time.

But what about Clark? What about Pioli?

I won’t label them cheap either.

Since Clark took the helm, my season tickets improved dramatically, while the prices actually went down.

This new regime created the cheapest NFL seat in the league at $25.00.

During the renovation, unlike the Chicago bears, the Hunt family actually added seats to Arrowhead. They added seats in the midst of some of the lowest attended games in decades.

They wanted to make sure you could see a game if you wanted to. As did Lamar.

Sure they keep the salary under the cap. So what. It;s the smart man who keeps expenses down in order to be able to afford golden opportunities when they arise.

And this year it paid off with the addition of some of the best free agency talent in the league.

Another classic money saving technique is to trade away from the low draft picks. Another money saving move that we don’t see the front off ice in Kansas City taking.

Last year I got a free brick at the stadium with my name on it.

This year I got a free jersey.

The draft party this year was awesome! (see last weeks post)

Cheap bastards? I say no way when it comes to the Kansas City Chiefs and the Hunt family.

What say you?

Regular readers of Arrowhead Adventures will know how much your Arrowhead Adventurer looks forward to the draft party! This year even more.

The Kansas City Chiefs organization decided to have two, one for the general public, and one for season ticket holders.

This was one party I wasn’t going to miss. As it turns out, I am very glad I didn’t.

Arrowhead Stadium remains the cheapest season ticket in the league at $250.00.  And with no license fee to boot. (I think the Vikings sell a ten dollar seat. Screw them. ) 

When Lamar Hunt built the bohemuth we call Arrowhead in the middle of a cornfield in one of the smallest venues in the NFL he did it for a simple reason. He wanted anyone who could afford dinner and a movie to be able to afford a day at Arrowhead.

A simple fact that Clark made sure remains true today. __________room to argue this provided, that’s what blogging is all about.

Entry to the season ticket holders party was free. The first string cheerleaders were there. Many current and past players were there. Free concession stand food was provided to us, all you could eat. Free first beer, two dollar drafts after that. All the soft drinks you could slosh.

Cheap Chiefs gear! Tables and tables of it! All less than twenty five bucks, most five and ten bucks! Hats, jerseys, hoodies, shirts. A gear junkies dream.

I took my photo with two of the cheerleaders! Both claimed to know about Arrowhead Addict when they saw from my shirt I was a staffer! One knew my posts! woohoo! 

I got to try on my free jersey given to all season ticket holders this year! I took my photo with Warpaint and the gal that rides that beautiful horse.

And not one single person tried to sell me anything. Not one.

Pioli, Hunt, and of course Romeo addressed us. Minutes before they were to go in the room next to ours and make multimillion dollar decisions about the future of the organization. That absolutely blew me away.

They didn’t have to do that. But they cared enough to do it anyway.

And as my buddy Kent is always quick to point out, none of the “free stuff” I described is really free. 

When the cheerleaders leave, so do we!

But my point today is that Lamar Hunt and the Hunt family today have made sure that for $250, a person can get ten tickets to see the greatest NFL team in the world play in the greatest NFL stadium in the world. And be treated at the draft party like a big deal.

 But how about you gang? What did you do for the draft?

If you aren’t planning to hit the draft parties in Kansas City this year, you should. The draft party is one of the last non-game events that the Kansas City Chiefs organization has not found a way to keep me out of… yet.

The parties in the past were awesome. The first day of the draft was Saturday. I made my three hour drive in plenty of time, and since they didn’t separate the season ticket holders from everyone else it was a jolly good time.

Aaaah… but things change.

Nowadays, the best day of the draft is on a week night. They have two parties, one for season ticket holders and one for everyone else. The season ticket holders’ party will be cooler as far as who you will see there, but the other one should be more of a party.

Oh well, not a bad choice for your Arrowhead Adventurer to have to make, now that I think about it.

Tips for the draft party for those of you who haven’t learned that you cannot value my opinion yet:

1. Get there early rather than stay late. Its more fun before the early picks. Things kind of drag afterwards. Plus you gotta go to work the next day, thanks to the good old NFL.

2. Scope your targets early. If you want to talk strategies (I love this) look for the dudes with the scouting magazines and clipboards. If you want to hang with football minded ladies (yep they will be there) scout for ladies-only groups that seem to be having a great time. Hot ladies with Lindy’s draft magazines are real keepers. If they are wearing an updated player jersey (watch out for fakers wearing L. Johnson or worse) be prepared to propose marriage.

3. Find KC Chiefs employees and pump them for info. They should share the schedule of activities, as well as who you can expect to be there. Digest this information, then scheme. Call the damn stadium during regular business hours if you get bored and see what you can find out.

4. It can be tough to find someone to go with on a weeknight. Go by yourself if you must. I have been both with and without crew. I have as much fun by myself as I do with a group. If you are with Kansas City Chiefs fans, you are with friends.

5. Track down the cheerleaders. If you don’t look creepy they are a blast to talk to. Ask a friend who is a girl to help with your look if you must.  There appears to be a varsity and junior varsity squad. Know the difference. Ask the JV squad members to take photos of you with the varsity girls. DO NOT do this in reverse. For some reason they always ask what section you sit in, be ready to fire that off without hesitation.

6. Dress sharp, not like a bum. Stay sharp, don’t get drunk. You don’t want photos of you with an ice bucket on your head and Monster Energy Drink girls scowling at you to follow you around the internet. Why give the cops more evidence for your prosecution?

7. If you have a three hour trip or more think about renting a car. I scope deals early. It’s the rare occasion your Arrowhead Adventurer will tack the miles on one of his own rigs. The same goes for games and the training camp sessions. I can usually snag a gas sipper for $15.00 bucks a day or even less. The miles I keep off my cars as well as the gas savings pay for the rental. An additional tip is to check with your credit card issuer for additional insurance coverage they might offer. You will be surprised.

Food is there but its pricey so load up before you go if you’re on a budget. It appears hot dogs and beer might be free at the season ticket holders’ party this year. Attention Season Ticket Holders: If you have not heard about this party until right now, your probably out of luck. Check your season ticket holders account to see if they are included with your regular season tickets. Look now!

You will bring back lifelong memories and make lifelong friends if you make the draft party a regular part of the Kansas City Chiefs experience, so do it.

If you can’t go, don’t worry. Your Arrowhead Adventurer will bring back stories and photos. You know you can count on me.

For those who have been there, lets hear your tips and stories.

See you there!

Well the NFL isn’t the USGA, we all know that. Players call penalties on themselves in golf for one thing. I have never witnessed that at Arrowhead.

Football is a team sport, golf isn’t. The list of comparisons goes on.

But in my mind what the Bounty System Scandal revealed to the world is the real, true danger of the NFL and the courage a player must have to step on that field game after game after game.

Winning seasons can mean untold millions to team owners, staff, and players. Likewise losing seasons can cost millions and ruin careers.

Individual players can and do mean the difference between winning and losing seasons.

Some players and coaches don’t mind sacrificing a career or two in order to reach the top.

I was shocked, surprised when the scandal first broke. I listened to the tape released yesterday with horror.

But I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised.

Football is war.

Helmets hide faces from the fans and to some degree the players creating a weird , impersonal environment that encourages brutality.

Prescription and non-prescription drug use in the NFL is prevelant, who knows what kind of effect that has on players abilities to evaluate right from wrong. It’s still unclear the effects  that steroids have to some degree. But it ain’t good.

Players perform on the field of battle like gladiators in ancient Rome in front of tens of thousands of screaming, alcohol fueled fans.

I tell myself if I played NFL football I would never take steroids, and never target other players.

Plenty of players don’t. I wouldn’t.

But the sad fact is some choices that NFL players make  can mean the difference between being wealthy cultural icons, and being poor uneducated failures, at least in the players minds.

It can be an easy thing to tell ourselves that we wouldn’t do the things some NFL players do if we  have never worn an NFL uniform of war.

Women, fame, and unimaginable wealth would have no effect on my morals.

My kids would be able to go to private schools, and the best colleges in the country if I succeeded.

My wife would never have to work again.

My parents could have that home they always dreamed of.

I could retire at 35.

 I would be the cleanest NFL player in the league I tell myself. Whatever happened would happen.

What about you?

Some days it’s kind of tough to be a Chiefs fan. Three steps forward, two steps back if you know what I am saying. New head coach, fired head coach. Talented running back, injured running back. Winning season, higher ticket prices. Losing season, nobody at the games.

The Chiefs, like life, are all about change most years.

Of course it wouldn’t be good if life didn’t change at all.

The good things might not get worse, but the bad things wouldn’t get better either. And so it goes…

Some things change, some things remain the same, but in the middle of this thing we call living , some things have the perfect mix. You know if you have a little patience, the bad things can and will get better. But the good things, well those parts of the perfect parts of your life will always, always stay the same. Which keeps life worth living.

In my life, that  perfect thing that has the perfect mix of change  is the Kansas City Chiefs.

A walk through the museum at Arrowhead reminds me of this every time I wander through its sacred halls.

The stadium that we watch our beloved Chiefs fight battle after battle looks pretty much the same as it did in 1975. So do the uniforms. So does the parking lot, so do the tailgaters . The Kansas City Royals stadium sits next door waiting for warmer weather exactly like it has year after year after year. And my little brick patiently waits for me to kneel by it and make sure it’s nice and clean and remembered.

The Truman Sports Complex was the best stadium complex in country in 1975 and it still is today. Jerry Jones and his Cowboys, and all those Texas  billions can’t change that no matter how they try.

The millions the Hunt family pumped into her a couple of years ago will guarantee that for another couple of decades too.

Why have the uniforms, and the stadium, and so many other things remained basically the same for forty or so years? Why?!??!

Because we got it RIGHT DAMN IT! We got it right the first time.

The Indianapolis Colts thought they had it right when they built Lucas Oil Stadium. It’s nice, I had to give them that as I sat in the conditioned air, relaxing with my hot dog in a nice, calm, peaceful sea of blue, gazing out over downtown Indy.

A more relaxing afternoon I can’t remember.

Arrowhead, somehow, is a little different.

You see if it’s hot outside Arrowhead, its hotter inside Arrowhead. If it’s mind numbing, bone chilling cold in Kansas City , its mind numbingly, bone chillingly colder inside the greatest NFL stadium in the world. Which is exactly how God intended football to be played, and exactly how he meant it to be enjoyed by your Arrowhead Adventurer.

No blue at Arrowhead. They don’t call it the Red Sea for nothing. Red is the color of blood. Red is the color of fire. Red is the color of war.

The Chiefs had the best home game winning percentages in the NFL for decades.

I hate to be the one to say this gang, but it was not because we fielded the best teams Sunday after Sunday after Sunday. And it wasn’t because we had the best coaches or the highest payroll or the best luck in the drafts.

It was not because of any of that.

It was because when opposing teams and opposing fans came to Arrowhead they came to a world of fire, and blood. They came to a battleground. They came to fight a war in  a sea of red.

It’s still that way today.

Players have died on our field defending its honor.  I watched the  Rams head physician carried away with a bone sticking out of his leg one fine summer preseason afternoon.

We lost the game if I remember right. But as he found out,  by God if you win or if you lose at Arrowhead I will promise you this. You will bleed.

The players make a wordless promise to us when they come to pray in our little corner in Arrowhead. They promise they are willing to die like Stone Johnson died so many years ago in order to win.

We make them a promise too. We promise that if the game gets too cruel, or too unfair. If the officials get to one sided. We make a wordless promise to our Chiefs that the greatest fans in the NFL will come over that rail and make the worst fight in NBA  history look like a game of tiddly winks.

We promise that if it rains or sleets or hails, or if the blazing sun burns them, it will rain and sleet and hail and burn us too.

Those players promise us that if an opposing team disrespects us in any way, shape or form, they will bleed.

We promise those players the same when it comes to opposing fans.

It’s been that way since the greatest NFL team to ever take a field took the field of Arrowhead for the first time.

It’s still like that today.

Which is why I’m still like I am……. When I sit….in the greatest NFL stadium in the world.

How about you?

What a crazy two weeks it’s been for Kansas City Chiefs fans, and for your Arrowhead Adventurer! Two weeks ago I dared to assert that bringing Peyton Manning on board at the cost of both Orton and Cassel might not be the best idea. I suggested we might not want to put all of our eggs in one basket. Opinion varied, but it turned out not to be something any of us really needed to worry about.

Blame who you wish, but at the cost of all their cap space, warehoused Tim Tebow jerseys, and possibly all of their sanity, Peyton Manning shall suit up for the Denver Donkeys when training camp rolls around.

The following week, I boldly declared (during a downside of my recent case of Kansas City Chiefs bipolarism triggered by a review of my 2009 NFL draft party photos) that our beloved team might be lacking a little excitement these days.

In response, support was offered, my reputation as the most enthusiastic Kansas City Chiefs fan at the north side Springfield, Mo Buffalo Wild Wings and the south corner of Arrowhead was challenged, but it didn’t take long for civilized, cerebral discussion to develop.

One week later I’m stoked about the future of my favorite team, the Kansas City Chiefs and my favorite place on earth, the old girl they call home, Arrowhead Stadium.

What do I think of Peyton Manning signing with the Donkeys? Well he shall soon find out, as countless others have, that donkeys are filled with donkey doo. And it stinks. And so shall the Denver Broncos with Peyton Manning at the helm.

I predict that a swamp thing butt shaped dent will appear in the chest of Mr. Manning one fine Sunday afternoon in Kansas City, much as they are rumored to have appeared in countless car hoods at LSU parties attended by a then student named Glenn Dorsey.

As the other potential candidate for “greatest active QB in the league,” Tom Brady, found out, well, the Chiefs can take your ass out for a season.

I believe the current Kansas City Chiefs roster can handle Manning. That game is one I actually look forward to this season.

The Eric Winston deal is simply amazing. One of the best in the NFL. This guy can hit the field playing at a top level. And we have not even reached the draft yet! When was the last time we went into the draft in such great shape? Oh my.

For several years I have casually mentioned the possibility of bringing Brady Quinn to our squad. I don’t believe that Brady will be a serious challenge to Cassel as starter, but he is definitely a backup that can, in my humble opinion, take the team to wins should Matt suffer another injury. The only hesitation I have in saying this is that Merlin has no faith in him at all. And well… Merlin actually knows what he is talking about.

So as we enter the 2012 season, it appears the team I had hoped for in 2011 might actually be forming. This idea makes it a little easier to click the “pay button” on my season ticket holder’s account.

The seven hour drives to the games in frigid weather once again seem exciting. The tickets I’ll receive may actually be worth the paper they are printed on, as they were in 2010. And the draft party might actually be worth driving up for on a weekday evening.

To those who became alarmed last week at my lethargic outlook, I thank you for your support. It certainly snapped me out of it. To those who questioned my loyalty, well, I understand.

I’m only human, after all.

My level of loyalty can only be truly known to your Arrowhead Adventurer himself.

I only need to think back to the coldest game in Kansas City Chiefs history to remind myself of the depth of my loyalty.

Then one warm summer August evening I’ll close my eyes and be truly at peace on the parking lot of the greatest NFL stadium in the world.

What excites me about the Chiefs these days? Not much actually. Most of the pleasure I derive from being a Chiefs fan has nothing to do with what happens on the field anymore.

Exciting personnel moves usually are limited to firings such as Haley leaving. Nothing ever goes on in free agency, (I may change my position this week). The Peyton Manning situation appears now to never have  had a real chance, just another KC Chiefs front office smoke up your butt maneuver.

Kyle Orton’s arrival got me excited. I thought we might have a real competition for the QB position. Orton was instrumental in pulling off one of the biggest upsets in team history, the Packers win, only to be shipped off to Dallas to ride the pine and pave the way for another couple of years of  “Adequate Matt” Cassel. And should Matt be injured, we of course are screwed once again as I don’t feel any of our current backups are ready to captain the ship.

The last really exciting move was when Matt came aboard, we needed him desperately and it seemed an incredibly awesome move on the part of the K.C. Chiefs front office. Now it just looks like another career backup promoted to starter in good old Kansas City. (more…)

Not “Jamaal Charles” best, but the best by a margin that doesn’t require opening the stats book.

A player that can attract opposing fans to Arrowhead just to see him play. A player that can take an average team from a division win to Super Bowl champions. A player that changes and defines his position.

In Kansas City, you probably have to go back to the Derrick Thomas days.

That’s a long time ago.

The Kansas City Chiefs have been presented with an opportunity to have such a player in Peyton Manning.  A player that could get us beyond a division win, a player that has and possibly can in the future take a team to the greatest sporting event on Earth if things worked the way we hope.

But that’s a big if.

In my business, I work with injured parties. In twenty five years I have seen injuries convincingly faked, and just as convincingly covered up. When it comes to evaluating an injury and recovery like Manning’s, especially with a player as obsessed with the game of football as he obviously is (not to mention the pain-masking drugs available to NFL players) well, the gamble is almost hard to comprehend.

Not only will the Kansas City Chiefs be gambling salary cap money, they could be gambling future of the team for some time to come.

I think we would let go two very serviceable quarterbacks in Orton and Cassel. We would have killed for either of these players in 2008. One wrong hit taken by Manning, and we are instantly back to the misery of the Herm Edwards years.

However, it could be a gamble pays off with historic returns. (more…)

Matt Cassel. The golden boy. No skeletons in this dude’s closet. With Matt, what you see is what you get.

And what we, the Patriots, and everybody else that provided young Matt with a place to play got was just enough to get by.

Just enough to get us the Division title in 2010. Just enough to get the Patriots 11 wins when Tom Brady went down. Just enough to keep his job.  Just enough, no more no less.

Still, I can remember not too long ago when Brody Croyle lay on the turf for the last time he would ever play for the Kansas City Chiefs  that ” just enough”  seemed so far out of reach that I didn’t know if we would ever get back to a competitive level.

Matt Cassel gave us the tools to do just that.

But it’s no longer enough for your Arrowhead Adventurer.

Kyle Orton on the other hand, well, he has never enjoyed that welcome “how ya doin, glad to see ya” attitude that Matt has in Kansas City.

Kyle was not a welcome presence in Chicago. The Bears fans wanted someone named Rex Grossman.

Kyle was not welcome in Denver, either. Denver fans wanted Jay Cutler, who ironically went to Chicago, who welcomed Jay with, well at least, mostly open arms.

Then Kyle came to Kansas City, where Kyle received a welcome like he had never enjoyed before in the NFL.

His reaction? Well, he delivered us a historic win over Green Bay.  A win that  no one, and I mean no one,  gave the Kansas City Chiefs a chance to get.

The thing is, old neck-beard isn’t as squeaky clean as Matt. Google “Kyle Orton” and “Jack Daniels” and you should get some interesting search results. Here, I’ll do it for you.

 And so it goes.

But, sigh, unfortunate timing again for Mr. Orton. Just when he thought he might get the chance he, (and your Arrowhead Adventurer) thinks he deserves, the lily-white, greatest-ever-to-play-the-game, but-questionably-game-ready Peyton Manning enters (sort of) the fray.

Nobody questions the wisdom of bringing a healthy Peyton Manning to Kansas City. The Patriots proved, with Matt Cassel, that the Patriots were a damn good team, with Tom Brady out of the picture for a season.

The Colts proved just the opposite when Manning left the picture in Indy.

With that in mind a healthy Manning could, no doubt, do wonders with a much better overall Kansas City squad.

But what a gamble. If we bring Manning to KC we must dump our two “will get it done” quarterbacks that we would have paid a precious amount to have back in 2008.

Leaving us with the cold, hard slap-in-the-face fact that if Manning fizzles, we are on a one-way trip to screwed land once again.

None of us really knows if the Manning thing could happen. I believe it could. But we have made steady progress over the last three years with Matt Cassel. That’s no longer enough, but it’s not time for the incredible gamble that Peyton Manning presents.

The draft? Are you KIDDING? Not with the Chiefs’ complete, total lack of historical success drafting successful quarterbacks.

Your Arrowhead Adventurer backs Kyle Orton. What about you?

I was reading the forward to a book about the Kansas City Chiefs written by Otis Taylor. The forward described his relationship with Hank Stram as “Love / Hate”. Hank Stram, according to Otis, would make the team run 100 yard sprints, ten sets, then turn around and make them run them again until they dropped. “Fifty players would be ready to kill Hank,” said Otis. But after it was all over, he would have beer and ribs ready for the entire team. “Coach really knew how to work your mind.”

Wow. That description sure made my mind work.

He didn’t mention the time period, but as I lay in bed this week sick with the flu, my mind drifting in between that wonderful state of slumber and consciousness, I imagined it was the incredible season of 1969.

That, of course, would mean Municipal Stadium.

Ribs and beer after practice! Those would likely be ribs prepared by the great BBQ artist Arthur Bryant himself. I bet they were spread out on long fold up tables with red paper cloths sporting the Kansas City Chiefs logo. Metal forks and glass plates, maybe with the Chiefs logo on them too.

I’ll bet the beer was Falstaff. Not the Falstaff in that thin, aluminum crap today but real metal, with pull off tabs. Back then you “pulled the pin and welcomed it in.”

And those ribs that Coach Stram had waiting for them? Not commercial hog farm raised swine full of antibiotics, but hogs raised by local Kansas City farms, probably butchered the day before. The sauce was made fresh too, stirred in a big pot over a hickory fire, the only way Mr. Bryant would prepare his BBQ.

The beer came buried in those metal Igloo coolers covered with chipped ice, not those cubes you get at the grocery store today. You could grab a handful if it were an especially hot day and feel them melt in your mouth as you hurried off to join Willie Lanier, Bobby Bell, Buck Buchanan, Johnny Robinson, and the rest of the best NFL team ever to take the field.

The parking lot outside the stadium would be stacked with 1969 muscle cars, of course. The players of 1969 didn’t make a lot of money, but then NFL players aren’t exactly known for their thrift.

If you stood on the last row of the stadium and looked out on the parking lot you would see Pontiac GTO’s, Oldsmobile 442′s, maybe even a bright red Hemi Cuda.

The black Cadillac parked over by itself probably belongs to Len Dawson. The white Lincoln with suicide doors is waiting for Willie Lanier.

Just as in later years, Lamar Hunt probably walked among the players, joking and listening to their hopes, dreams, and stories. Mr. Hunt likely drank a freshly squeezed lemonade packed with freshly cut lemons from Bryant’s down the street.

But the difference was optimism. The Lamar Hunt dream to own his own professional football team was working. His beloved Chiefs had went to the first Super Bowl. They were about to win this year’s in one of the best Super Bowl wins in history.

Good God, I have to go find some ribs.

Sometimes I stop by the library on my lunch break at work. Yesterday I happened to see a children’s book about the history of my beloved Kansas City Chiefs laying out.

“Well, that’s pretty cool,” I told myself, and grabbed it.

The last sentence I read was this:

“You can always depend on the Kansas City Chiefs. They will always be the loudest stadium in the NFL. They will always have one of the most exciting players in the league. Teams will always fear playing at Arrowhead.”

Wow…

Those are words that will turn a crappy day at work into a great day to be alive pretty quickly. That day they most certainly did.

Our Kansas City Chiefs. Our Arrowhead. Always the most exciting!

I shall never forget the day I saw Dick Vermeil take the field wearing the Kansas City Chiefs colors and taking command of our team in 2003.  He hadn’t exactly set the world on fire the previous two seasons, but something about this one was different.

Priest Holmes. Trent Green. Dante Hall.

Truly three of the league’s most exciting players.

Every time Dante got his hands on the ball, every single time, I knew he could take it all the way.

Teams feared coming to Arrowhead that year. Our nine game winning streak and 80,000 screaming fans game after game after game gave them good reason to.

Those 80,000 fans just like me made Arrowhead hands down the loudest and most exciting NFL stadium in the world.

Yep, those words changed my day.

But it didn’t last like it should have.

You see, I don’t believe in my heart they hold true anymore. (more…)

The 1969 Kansas City Chiefs: in my humble opinion, the best Super Bowl team ever. Many people assume that the Kansas City Chiefs only played in Arrowhead, which is not true, of course.

Municipal Stadium was the original home for our beloved team.

She was over forty years old when Lamar Hunt brought his Texans to Kansas City.

A blue collar atmosphere, which the players especially loved, was the reputation she had.

Both teams sat on the same side of the field, as the Chiefs felt that was an advantage over confused visitors who were not used to the dual sport setup.

There were not many corporate seats at Muni. The fans were guys that were used to throwing their lunches under the truck seat before they headed out to construction jobs. Many were farmers whose tailgating food consisted of four-inch-thick ham sandwiches made with freshly baked bread.

The corporate types that did attend, from such companies as Western Auto, brought their eats from Arthur Bryants, just down the street.

The games in Kansas City were blacked out. Period.  Families stayed in motel rooms on the edges of the blackout areas just to watch their beloved Chiefs battle opposing teams.

Teams in the 1960′s didn’t just get nervous when they came to Kansas City. They felt fear. Real fear.

Of course, football was different back then.

Damn good players made $20,000 a year. Lesser-skilled players could make more at regular jobs and worked at car dealerships during the offseason. My friend and fishing partner, a Kansas City policeman at the time, pulled Otis Taylor over for running a stop sign. “Please have a valid driver’s license, please have a valid driver’s license” he told himself as he walked to the ten year old Plymouth that Otis drove. The license was produced, no tickets were issued, and both parties went on their merry 1960′s Kansas City way.

In the days of Municipal stadium,  ACL injuries were permenant. Men were crippled for life on the playing fields of the 1960′s and early seventies. Men, such as Stone Johnson, even died.

Lamar Hunt and Kansas City soon moved on to the Arrowhead we love today. The Truman Sports complex was the first sports complex to have both a baseball and football facility side by side, a testament to our city’s love for sports that many envied, and still envy even today, as constructing a complex akin to ours is a near impossibility in today’s economy for most venues.

Kansas City went to the Superbowl twice while playing at Municipal stadium.

The early success the Kansas City Chiefs enjoyed there just hasn’t been recaptured, though the nineties came close.

Sometimes when I’m laying back in my chair on a lazy August afternoon at Arrowhead, especially when a few empty cans of a certain malt beverage litter my perimeter, I close my eyes and imagine I’m at the old Municipal stadium with my dad. As we sit in old wooden chairs on the field, I can see Otis Taylor, Jan Stenerud, Willie Lanier, and Len Dawson take the field for the longest NFL game played to date, on December 25, 1971. It was the last time the Chiefs would ever compete at 22nd Street and Brooklyn. (more…)

Intangibles. NFL scouts know exactly what it means, but few– if any– can describe it. Though it’s one of the least understood NFL rating factors, it is universally considered one of the most important.

The players’ intangibles.

Howie Long may have said it best: “I don’t know what it is but I know it when I see it.”

And so it goes.

I’m convinced that for a player to succeed in the NFL he must have those intangibles. Many Chiefs players in the past have certainly had it. Some currently active players on the Kansas City roster have it as well. Some do not.

I certainly think the great Len Dawson had those intangibles. Tony Gonzalez has them. No question Derrick Thomas had more intangibles than any Chief I can think of.

But what about current players?

I don’t think Matt has them. With Matt, they seem to come and go. Dwayne Bowe could use more some days. Jamaal Charles has all he needs, if that is possible. Thomas Jones may have had them, but he doesn’t anymore.

Tamba Hali has a goodly amount. Kyle Orton may, if he is given a chance to play on a team that welcomes him. He didn’t enjoy that welcome feeling with Chicago or Denver so I don’t feel he has had a chance to display them yet. I hope, somehow, we give him the chance to do that in Kansas City.

Good God, I can say without hesitation, that Priest Holmes had them. I could feel those intangibles every time I sat in my seats at Arrowhead and watched him sail high over a defensive line.

Training camp can be a good time to evaluate a player’s intangibles if you are a simple tailgater like me. Terrence Copper appeared to have them during his camps. It never appeared to me that Brodie Croyle did in any of his.

Coaches can have intangibles, though I’m not sure they are used in any rating system for them. (more…)

Arrowhead Anxiety! Change in the Chiefs front office! Former employees express displeasure at the organization! Thirty year employees let go!

It’s news nobody including your Arrowhead Adventurer likes to hear.

But the truth of the matter is, we haven’t been to a Superbowl in over forty years. And once again the Chiefs end a season with a losing record and no clear plan that this Arrowhead Adventurer knows of to change much. Maybe the employees that have been with the company when it doesn’t succeed should be replaced by employees who might help the company achieve its goals.

So I read the  Kent Babb article with a mixture of sadness, empathy, but also excitement.

Scott Pioli is serious about change! (more…)