Commitment - A Newb's Story

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. No, until the playoffs anyway
4. Well, at the age of seven, I loved the 1969 yearbook, but remember the feeling in the house :)
5. Does 1980’s Chiefs football on the Radio count?

Welcome to AP, You have made a fine Choice of football teams from Afar.

1. Yes. That was our year. We all believed we’d at least win our first game in the playoffs. I personally still think he pulled a pete rose and gambled on the game – it was that poor of a showing for a kicker.

2. Kinda. It was pretty much split… But, to me it seemed to only amplify after he went to the SB. The fan base was probably split 60/40 in Gannon’s favor at the time. Kinda like how Huard played at the end of the year so well with the next controversy. QB controversies are always a hoot in my opinion.

3. I personally was always on the edge of my chair during the Marty Ball years. I remember groups of us just screaming away at the TV. Those are very good memories for me. Those are the years that made me a Chiefs fan. Marty was my hero. I was saddened after my first coaching turn over. But now I’m conditioned to that after five coaches now.

4. (wasn’t alive then)

5. I’ve taken so much heat these past three years at work. I got so much crap from people that didn’t even watch football. Everyone could easily make me their prey when they saw me with my head down on Mondays after a loss. But, the commitment I have now is that I’ll welcome back and embrace all the fare weather fans. Who cares if they can’t tough it out during the rough times. I can’t say that I blame them. We really need Arrowhead rockin`, so open arms to all of them. Let’s bring back the fire to Arrowhead.

I live just 2.5 hours south of Arrowhead Stadium. And, love your enthusium. And yes , I do think that the people that put up fanposts are egomaniacs with a narcissist trait, they want to read their own beliefs. Keep it up matey!

I always thought the Marty years were the best in terms of excitement. The defense back then was the nastiest thing you’ve ever seen. That’s really when Arrowhead got its reputation for being the loudest stadium. When the Defense was on the field, it was the loudest thing you could imagine. That tradition and reputation is still with us. Hopefully you can see it sometime. As for my commitment to this team….All I can say is I am a season ticket holder and drive 700 miles one way to every home game. After the game, we leave Arrowhead at about 4 p.m. and get home about 6 a.m. eastern time. I take a shower and head to work on no sleep. This happens every home game unless the world explodes. It’s not fun going through all that knowing you’re going to lose (2007, 2008, 2009) but I just can’t imagine doing it any other way. The Chiefs may not have the biggest fan base but, it is certainly the most loyal.

But how much could a ten year old really enjoy it? If I knew that it would be four decades (and counting) before they’d get back, would I have savored it more? Probably not. I was ten!

Nice post. I love the commitment of watching dots and red lines. You are a true fan!

I know in parts of Australia broad band has been slow to arrive, (my soon-to-be bride is from Tasmania). You may have to wait a day or two for the game to be posted but kcchiefsgames.com allows you to stream the game and, bonus, sans commercials!

to answer one of your questions in the post …

where does a good-natured, Chiefs-loving man go to post one-line comments like “Bring back Brodie!” or “Jamaal Charles shuld be getting like, 110% of the carries dude”

make a comment in just about any of the threads (posts) that are pertinent (which is just about any and all of them) … of course, if you comment on Brodie in a post about Shaun Smith, you might get a few odd looks (and replies) but so it goes, oddity welcomes oddity (2010: A Football Oddity :::cue music::: slow pan to Lombardi Trophy)

your wit is readily apparant, as is your sense of satire, no doubt you’ll fit right in … great Q’s on the pool, but do realize for any SERIOUS (which this was not) poll you need to limit the answer options to ONE (trust me, I’m a professional)

yup, you’re a bit touched there, Aussie … you’ll fit right in

1) even more than you’ve heard … you have no idea
2) Grbac hurt, Gannon started & did well but came out when Grbac was healthy – in
retrospect not a huge deal, but a major talking point at the time – the concept was:
Gannon has the “hot hand” so why take him out? the official line was: Grbac is our
starter – any coach then or now would do the same thing
3) Martyball was not the most exciting brand of football, but it WAS effective as all hell,
and winning 10 or more games/year is never “boring”
4) heaven, it was heaven winning that game … rumors about Dawson gambling (untrue)
and the old NFL still thinking they were superior to the old AFL … the Vikes “Purple People Eaters” Front Line had an impressive reputation and resume, but … Hank Stram
on the sidelines … the Chiefs defense dominating the entire game … the credibility that
game brought to the AFL teams as the merger came about the next season was the biggest thing, I think … but for us fans in KC, it was reaching the top of the world, vicariously through OUR team, and it gave the city a “we’re major league now!” identity that’s lasted ever since

oh, Koolaid does NOT come in pints … it’s made in enormous 500 gallon drums and you swill it by the gallon liter

To be honest (although some might not want to admit it), it’s derived specifically from the Jim Jones massacre in Jonestown in 1978. You can read about it Here

I personally stopped using that term since UCrawford made a pretty good argument last year. I personally find it distasteful (no pun intended) after he made a pitch on how the term came about and reminded me/us of it. I stopped using it, but I respect that others have a right to do so.

For those that argue it has nothing to do with the death of 909 people, well, they’re wrong IMHO. I remember that period specifically and it wasn’t used before that. Matter of fact it was used by some to crack jokes in the late 70’s around the comedic circuit and that’s how it came about.

Drinking spiked Kool-Aid with cyanide because everybody else did it,i.e….now taking something for face value because everybody else does.

1. Yes. It was a snowy night and I remember Neil Smith banging his helmet going into the locker-room. If Arrowhead still stood after that, 80k fans couldn’t take it down

2. The final straw to me was throwing the ball away on 4th down at the end of a game where we were down and he didn’t even attempt to try to win it. Since that day I always have professed the need “to try” to draft and develop a 1st round QB.

3. Marty-ball was good to watch in the beginning. Having Christian Okoye (The nigerian nightmare) steam roll down the field down after down as well as Barry Word was entertaining. However, it became one-dimensional and eventually led to losses since we didn’t try to win games with a more balanced offensive attack.

4. It was impressive. But keep in mind, the AFL/NFL merger was 4 years old and didn’t have the sort of impact it does with media/fans as it has in the last decade.

5. Wow, that’s a hard one. For as long as I can remember. I grew up watching and enjoying the game through good times and in bad.

1. There is a reason we don’t say his name. Still pisses me off.

2. I wasn’t real informed at the time, but it confused me.

3. Defense baby! I thought it was boring and always looked forward to us being on defense.

4. Not even a twinkle in the eye yet.

5. My personal committment is paying for Sunday Ticket even though I’m within the local area that views the games. I enjoy watching the other games but the main reason is because on those few occasions that the Chiefs are on Fox and the Rams are playing at the same time, also on Fox, my local provider will air the Rams game by default. This used to happen at least 1-2 times a year and I got sick of it so Sunday Ticket it is!

1. After that game, I did not answer the phone or talk to any of my friends the next day. I didn’t even go to school.

2. Although I did understand Marty’s point, Gannon was hot and could move the ball. In hindsight, Carl would have been better off spending his money elsewhere.

3. If we were winning, I didn’t care what we were running, as long as the final score was a Chiefs win.

4. My dad tells me it was great, and hopes to relive it again.

5. Being stationed in Japan, I sometimes have to resort to the ESPN GameCast. But it seems like if the Chiefs are doing well, they will be on AFN (Armed Forces Network)quite a bit (2006 comes to mind). Also, had to convince my dad that it was a great idea to drive 4 hours to KC by himself and see Chiefs-Donkeys last year just so he could be there for DT’s #58 retirement. He got me the DT shirt, the ticket stub, and a program. I love my dad.

Hopefully when I retire to The Philippines in 6 years, I will have good luck streaming games.

     I have a question for you…..how did you get to be a chiefs fan?
I was in Brisbane for a month from June to July, the state of Origin was on, and Rugby was huge. I am sure you did not just happen to like the Chiefs. How did AP’s furthest fan get to become a Chiefs? Good onya mate!