To the best of my memory, I started watching in the 1970 season. I'm hopeful that the Chiefs will wear a patch on their jerseys this season for me during this golden season.
If I had to note my 50 most memorable moments of Chiefs fandom, they would be ... (in spoiler). I'm sure I'm missing some important and obvious events, but this is my initial thinking.
Spoiler!
Meeting my first bandwagon fan. In 1970, a girl named Roberta informed me that the Packers were the best team because they had beaten a team 10 to 0. Since we both agreed that 10 was the largest possible number, I had no rebuttal. But since I lived in southern Missouri, I later recognized that Roberta was a bandwagon fan.
The disappointment of Christmas 1971, though buoyed by the fact that the Chiefs would be back next year stronger than ever. (Give me a break - I was eight years old.)
Pretending to be Otis Taylor or Jim Lynch or Buck Buchanan on the playground.
Learning to take a hit on the playground because hey, if Otis can do it, so can I.
Watching Art Still dominate the line of scrimmage even when he was on his nuts and berries diet.
Developing a high-school tradition of going to my favorite restaurant to get a spaghetti and a Boston Cream Pie to go before watching Chiefs games.
Watching some Chief WR (can't remember who) unleash the greatest blindside block I've ever seen on Odis McKinney of the Raiders. It decleated him and they had to stop the game to find his contact lenses, which were really expensive at the time.
Joe Delaney's death.
The backfield of Lewis, Ross, Burruss, and Cherry.
The Chiefs' shocking last-second win over the Steelers to start the 1981 season.
An Albert Lewis punt block. Any Albert Lewis punt block. Every Albert Lewis punt block.
The Chiefs' victory over the Steelers to get into the playoffs in 1986, in which all three touchdowns were scored by the special teams unit.
Stephone Paige torching the Chargers for 300+ yards
Todd McNair converting third downs
Christian Okoye runs, the ones where he sheds tacklers like Godzilla in Tokyo.
My first-ever visit to Arrowhead in 1988, and seeing the field and the stadium for the first time. The Chiefs beat the defending AFC Champion Bengals with an Albert Lewis punt block, a Christian Okoye touchdown, and a last-second Nick Lowery field goal for a great comeback win. How's that for a signature first game?
My first time watching Derrick Thomas turn the corner on a left tackle, and thinking, 'whoa, this guy's good'.
Getting to see Derrick Thomas' 7-sack game live.
Montana's Monday Night Magic in Denver at a game I saw in person. My wife went with me for her first-ever live game, and I turned to her and said, "You'll probably never see a game better than that."
Keith Cash nailing the Buddy Ryan poster.
The 4th-down touchdown from Montana to Tim Barnett to save the Pittsburgh playoff game in 1993. (And after the game Barnett didn't know that it was a fourth-down catch.)
Tamarick Vanover winning the game against San Diego in overtime.
James Hasty winning the game against the Raiders in overtime.
The pain of the missed field goal in 1995.
Grbac to Rison to beat the Raiders.
Leslie O'Neal blindsiding a scrambling Jeff George.
Stoyanovich kicks a 57 yard field goal to beat the Broncos.
Listening morosely to fireworks in my house after the NFL awarded the Chiefs' 1997 Super Bowl win to the Broncos.
Derrick Thomas' death.
Discovering Chiefsplanet, which has led not only to great interactions online, but also several real-life great things through the friends I've made here.
Watching the Vermeil-era offensive line run a sweep. Any sweep.
The helmet game with John Tait, and watching Roaf and Waters immediately react and turn that play into the greatest power sweep ever.
Tony Richardson making the greatest lead block ever on a sweep left against (the Bears?) to let Priest score.
Dante Hall running backwards against the Broncos, and yelling, "Other way!" And then he did.
The Larry Johnson goal line touchdown against the Raiders, led by Jason Dunn.
Ray Lewis mic'ed up as he was being destroyed by the Chiefs blockers.
The Tony Moeaki touchdown catch.
Jamaal Charles scoring five touchdowns against the Raiders.
That Jamaal Charles run against the Redskins where they couldn't bring him down and at one point even tackled the wrong guy.
Knile Davis' kickoff return touchdown to start the playoff game against the Texans.
The Cairo Santos doink field goal to win the game against the Broncos (and the game itself).
Having my wife walk into the room and ask how the game was going a second before Tyreek Hill broke a long touchdown return on a punt, so I could show her how great he is.
Tyreek Hill's safety kick return against the Broncos. In fact, any Tyreek Hill touchdown.
The moment when Marcus Peters yanked the ball out of the Titan's hands and Derrick Johnson returned it for the winning touchdown (briefly) in the playoffs.
Watching Mahomes scramble and throw the touchdown against the 49ers, at which point I became convinced that we really had a franchise quarterback.
Mahomes' long bomb to Robinson to go 50/5000.
Walking into the Arrowhead parking lot before the Indy playoff game in 2019, with the snow shrouding everything in a magical way.
Watching the home playoff win against Indy live. (Thank you, kind sir.)
The brief moment after the interception against New England when the Chiefs were finally going to the Super Bowl.
The next game coming up.
It's been a good ride for 49 years. I'm kind of hopeful that Year 50 is going to put a few new highlights onto the list.
I'm really happy for all you fans not old enough to have seen the Chiefs in a Super Bowl. You guys have been so loyal and disappointed so many times but that's not going to happen today. I am so happy right now and so is my inner 10 year old who watched his hero Otis Taylor kick the Vikings asses 50 years ago.
08-18-2019, 02:59 PM
VARSITY
Celebrating my 50th year as a Chiefs fan.
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