Fifty years ago, I was an elementary school kid in northwest Iowa. Transplanted from Kansas City. The only Chiefs fan in Vikings country. I was mercilessly ridiculed… surely the Chiefs had no chance against the mighty Vikings in the Super Bowl. I held firm. Wore my Chiefs gear to school the week before the game.
I still remember the absolute joy. Watching the game on our new color TV. Strutting into school the next Monday with a Chiefs shirt again.
Little did I know, that the beautiful rain of future Super Bowls would not come. There were so many close misses over the years. Regular season dominance only to lose in the playoffs. My family are Chiefs and Royals fans… even tho the have never lived in Kansas City. They adopted my teams. Of course they did. So many of their childhood memories revolving around the Chiefs and Royals. The pilgrimages to Kansas City. Watching the games at home. So many wins, yet never tasting the Super Bowl.
But this year would be different. My younger son drove in from Iowa, brought my older daughter with him. Such a wonderful weekend. Of course we went to the beach, and my favorite brewhouse. But the magic was last night. Finally, a different outcome.
The Chiefs are in the Super Bowl!!!