KC Chiefs: Three alternate mascot names we could live with

#3 – Kansas City Smokin’ Blues

Generating a name that is unique and meaningful requires significant historical dives and interrogation of the town’s rich history. The Kansas City Smokin’ Blues combine the two most historically rich components of Kansas City history, Jazz music and BBQ. Honoring only one or the other of these traditions would be a slight towards the other, so why not combine them into one, unique name that celebrates both.

This is not that big of a reach in terms of permutations, either, as K.C. has already combined the two at numerous establishments throughout the region like BB’s Lawnside BBQ.

Kansas City is a BBQ hub and well-known across the world for having the best smoked meat on the planet. Henry Perry opened the first restaurant selling smoked meats in Kansas City in the early 1900s, converting an old trolley barn into his establishment. Jazz music, too, has a storied tradition in the city:

"The roots of Kansas City jazz are quite varied. Blues singers of the 1920s and ragtime music greatly influenced the music scene. Settings such as dance halls, cabarets and speakeasies fostered the development of this new musical style. In the early days, many jazz groups were smaller dance bands with three to six pieces. By the mid-1920s, the big band became the most common. Territory bands also had an influential development on jazz. Many great musicians got their start in these bands, traveling up to 1,000 miles between jobs."