Kansas City has had a million faces. We’ve been a cowtown, an industry town, the center of the crime world. But Kansas City has always been and will always be a sports town at its core.
Drive by any baseball or soccer field in the spring or any gymnasium in the winter to see all the cars lined up with thousands of little athletes waiting to ascend to glory. Seeing the KC on a hat or a shirt means something around the world. But never has it ever meant more than right now as Kansas City plows through its football era.
The championships of the Kansas City Monarchs was a warmup act. The playoff runs of the Kansas City Kings and the early Royals reign in the 70’s and 80’s was the pinnacle at the time. But Kansas City was going to, indeed, be a football town when it all comes down to it.
What we are seeing now will never be eclipsed in the pantheon of Kansas City sports history. There will never be another Ali, or Serena, or Jordan.
But Chris, you say, the Chiefs have won championships before. They’ve had decades of dominance. What about Marty, and Derrick, and Neil? What about Hank and matriculating the ball down the field with Leonard and Buck?
The Hank Stram Super Bowl era was I Wanna Hold Your Hand and shows in the Cavern Club. The championship decade of AFC West dominance in the 90’s was Sgt. Peppers and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. But the era of Mahomes and Andy, Travis and Chris Jones is the White Album. It will have no peer in history.
I say this only to remind you to enjoy this while it happens. Sure, we can bellyache about Kadarius Toney dropping passes. Or gripe about a penalty now and again. But in 30 years, you’re going to tell your grandkids that you saw Mt. Rushmore being carved in real time. You’re going to say you saw Elvis at the ’68 Comeback Special or that you saw Serena’s Grand Slam with a front row seat.
Ignore the rest of the noise. This is an incomparable period of history that could last another 10 years, but could also end tomorrow.
Tens of thousands traveled to Kansas City this summer to watch Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and it was certainly one of those “where were you when” moments. A celebration of the chapters in an artist’s career – an artist who happens to be at the height of said career.
The dynasty era of Chiefs football will be long remembered as well. There’s the ridiculous throws by Mahomes. The sacks by the defense. Travis and Taylor. Andy’s frozen mustache. Or the millions of moments from the past five years. I texted my son the other day after the Chiefs pulled off the amazing win against the number one seed Ravens, “you are watching Tiger at Augusta. You’re listening to Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock. You are helping Michaelangelo pick out paint brushes. Never forget it. It won’t last forever.”
From Cowtown to Champions. Enjoy the era.
(Follow Chris Kamler on X, where he is @TheFakeNed)