38 years in the making

I am a lifeong Chiefs fan. Dedicated to the core. It's almost a part of my identity (Christian, racing, music junkie, Chiefs fan) I have waited 38 years for my team to do something of meaning. I have stuck with them through the highest of highs (none higher than yesterday) and the lowest of lows (the forgetful 2012 2-14 season that had the tragedy of a player killing his girlfriend and then himself at the stadium parking lot.

I remember the gut-wrenching playoff defeats of the 1995 and 1997 seasons, both being 13-3 and having home field advantage throughout (to this day, I do not want the Chiefs to have a 13-3 record because of the curse it brings) to the playoff shootout with the Colts in 2003, the once-again gut-wrenching come-from-behind defeat at the hands of the Titans in 2017, being up 21-0 and losing by 1.

Flash forward to one year ago. The Chiefs. Highest scoring offense in the league. But a screen door defense that couldn't stop a cold. The vaunted Patriots come into Arrowhead. The Chiefs hosting their first-ever AFC Championship game at Arrowhead. The Patriots come storming out with a big lead. The Chiefs fight back. Take it to overtime. Coin toss. Patriots win the toss, and the lack of defense by the Chiefs, the Patriots marched right down the field and scored on the only drive in overtime. In a span of minutes, I went from sheer elation, thinking the Chiefs had FINALLY reached the promised land, to a phantom flag. Dee Ford, number 55, lined up off-sides. The game was going to be the Chiefs. And a trip to the Super Bowl. The penalty negated any of that. I remember saying that, if they had ANY kind of defense that game would have had a different outcome. And that I kind of used the 2014 Royals as a team motivation, and I called it (before they did) unfinished business.

Yesterday. I was going to be a nervous wreck for 3.5 hours. I usually have a Chiefs wallpaper on my phone, computer, and my social media profiles. I changed everything Saturday night. I didn't wear any red yesterday, shoot, I didn't even listen to the band red. Titans come out to a quick 10-0 lead. I didn't panic. The Texans were up to a 24-0 lead in the first quarter of the divisional game, so 10-0, I was like, we got this. Patrick Mahomes had a 35-yard touchdown RUN, by that point, I pretty much figured the game and the long-overdue AFC Championship, were ours. Fittingly, Frank Clark, the NEW Number 55 for the Chiefs, ended the game with a sack of Titans QB Ryan Tannehill. The Lamar Hunt trophy was coming home!

I didn't know how to react since I had never been in this situation. Would I cry tears of joy as a sense of accomplishment, living vicariously through the lives of 53 men I've never met? Would I run around the house and dance like an out-of-rhythm white southern Baptist? I did a little bit of all of that and more. I did my fair share of yelling, shed some grown man tears, clapped really loud, and ran outside to scream, CHIEFS ARE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL!!!!

Why it took 50 years, I'll never know. I think of some of the great Chiefs that have played that never got that chance. Art Still (my almost namesake). Christian Okoye. Derrick Thomas (RIP), Jamaal Charles. Will Shields. Willie Roaf.  Priest Holmes. Tony Gonzlez. Derrick Johnson. Justin Houston. Eric Berry. All great players who never got to experience a Super Bowl. I also think of family members who were die-hard Chiefs fans who have gone on into glory and think of how happy they would be that the Chiefs finally got there.

I still can't believe it. I always joked that I didn't know what would happen first: I get married or the Chiefs win the Super Bowl. Well, marriage is nowhere in sight for me while there's the Chiefs, with only the San Francisco 49ers and their vaunted defense (with Dee Ford of all people) standing in their way. I see this as more unfinished business. They got this far. Only one more game to go.

I also always joked, after every playoff defeat year-after-year, I would say that when I die I want the Chiefs to be the pall bearers at my funeral, so they can let me down one more time.

They finally got there. There is no more deserving fan base on the planet to see their team have a shot at the Championship. Chiefs Kingdom deserves this. It's been 50 years. Let's bring it home!