2019 K.C. Chiefs: Fun, Fun, Fun – the 2019 version of the Kansas City Chiefs was seen playing in the snow last Sunday and that scene may best describe this group of players: fun, fun, fun. Of course, when you have the reigning MVP who is feeling as good and healthy as he’s felt all season… and the same goes for the Chiefs preeminent WR Tyreek Hill… plus a defense that is peaking… then you may have cause for some gettiness. The very site of the Chiefs players playing in the snow was beyond entertaining:
Chiefs vs. Broncos looks like it's going to be a snow globe ❄️pic.twitter.com/dDhb7zG8iw
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) December 15, 2019
Then, watching the team “warm-up” on that cold and snowy afternoon had a certain strangeness to it. It was as if they didn’t know it was snowing at all. Of course, the snow fun wasn’t only being had by the players, the fans from far and wide were in on it too:
Now *THAT'S* dedication! These two exchange students were pumped to experience a @Chiefs game in the snow. ❄️🏈 #WeAreAYA pic.twitter.com/IGEpf9EKQa
— Academic Year in America (@AYAExchange) December 19, 2019
The Fun, Fun, Fun
Some of you may recall the time Joe Montana — before he was a Chief — who said, “Hey, isn’t that John Candy?” while in the middle of a critical drive in the Super Bowl:
22. TAYLOR-MADE
Jan. 22, 1989Joe Montana hits John Taylor in end zone with :34 left to give 49ers a 20-16 win over Cincinnati in Super Bowl XXIII.
Factoid: To calm his teammates before final 92-yard drive, Montana pointed into the crowd and said "Hey, isn't that John Candy?" pic.twitter.com/wwnVs2ZgkD
— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) August 14, 2019
It’s that calming effect that playing in the snow has had for Chiefs players… and fans… afterall, the Chiefs creamed the Broncos while those same Broncos, like Von Miller, were predicting they would shock the AFC West by marching into Arrowhead and beating the Chiefs: a premature declaration for sure.
The Importance of Fun
You may have noticed that I like to keep it lite here on ArrowheadOne. By going the lighthearted, it becomes easier to get the perspective you’re looking for… which usually includes a broader one. I used to do the same thing as a teacher: most kids were only used to teachers pushing them through the curriculum so any variations from that timeline meant a setback… for the teachers and consequently, they can become overly serious… at times. Teaching technology was always a creative experience because the curriculum always changed every year… kind of like always being prompted to update your software. The things kids needed to learn about the basics of technology changed every month…. which I loved because I am creative by nature and being asked to recreate the textbook on technology on a regular basis was pure fun for me.
I used to tell my students that: “If they misbehaved I had some “fun-ishment” for them”… instead of punishment. They’d all smile. They liked that a lot. The plus is, most immediately felt more comfortable with me. Most people, kids included, prefer being asked politely to “Stop” what they are doing (assuming it is unacceptable… like, pounding the keyboard), and they’ll simply stop. No need to brow beat anyone, nor make an example out of them.
So, how does any of that apply to the Chiefs? For years I have identified closely with Andy Reid on a personal basis. He is five years younger, grew up 25 miles from where I grew up and he gets personally involved with each of his players, much the way I was with my students… and bloggers alike. He provides the atmosphere for fun. To take this point one step further, here’s a collection of quotes on FUN from Success.com that I think are important and which this team seems to emulate:
- “There’s power in looking silly and not caring that you do.” –Amy Poehler
- “Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.” –Elbert Hubbard
- “From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere.” –Dr. Seuss
- “Mix a little foolishness with your serious plans. It is lovely to be silly at the right moment.” –Horace
- “Humor is the great thing, the saving thing after all. The minute it crops up, all our hardnesses yield, all our irritations, and resentments flit away, and a sunny spirit takes their place.” –Mark Twain
- “Learn to let go. That is the key to happiness.” –Buddha
- “Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in one’s own sunshine.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “A good laugh overcomes more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than any other one thing.” –Laura Ingalls Wilder
- “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” –Confucius
- “Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.” –Guillaume Apollinaire
It’s not only important at this time of year to remember to have fun, but to embrace those childlike qualities we each have the opportunity to cherish… if we only will. This is a great time of year to cradle the “child” in each of us (ah… a child is born… hehe).
This team is already very good. Now, will they become great? Only time will tell, and specifically during the next two months.
Around the AFC
New England Patriots – the Pats star WR, Julian Edelman, appears to be hobbling a bit. However, it looks like he’ll play tomorrow vs the Bills.
Julian Edelman is hoping for a wild crowd on Saturday @GilletteStadium as the #Patriots host the #Bills.
Edelman: "I'm hoping that our fans come out and you know are supportive for us. That'd be big"@NBC10Boston @RaulNBCBoston pic.twitter.com/TZNLy8xquv
— Craig Kolodny (@NBCBostonCraig) December 19, 2019
Tom Brady was shaking his arm (elbow) after many throws in practice this week. Could his body be wearing out so soon in life?
Buffalo Bills – opportunity knocks for the Bills on Saturday as best spelled out by Good Morning Football’s Kyle Brandt:
“BREAK THE WHEEL!!”@KyleBrandt explodes for Buffalo. pic.twitter.com/1ByzvlMfUm
— GMFB (@gmfb) December 19, 2019
If the Chiefs win out and the Bills can pull the upset in New England tomorrow, K.C. will get the first round bye and the second seed.
Los Angeles Chargers – will the game against the Chargers in Arrowhead Stadium next weekend be the last time Philip Rivers is seen in a Chargers jersey? Other places you might see Rivers show up to make a Super Bowl run could be… Chicago… Jacksonville… or the Titans (if they decide to not go with Tannehill). The same list could be true for Cam Newton.
Denver Broncos – after seeing their rookie “phenom” get destroyed by the Chiefs defense, the consensus is in Denver is, who knows for sure. Also, the best OLB in the game, Von Miller, was so emotional after the loss to the Chiefs that he sounded dazed, confused, and in his own words, “lost.”
There are some who think that CB Chris Harris is a little too in love with the Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes:
Chris Harris Jr. on Mahomes: “He’s the best. There ain’t no doubt about it. He’s better than Lamar.” #9sports
— Mike Klis (@MikeKlis) December 16, 2019
Others go so far as to say that Harris will be wearing a Chiefs jersey in 2020. He made $11.9M this season and although he’ll be 31 years old next summer he’s still a top CB in the NFL.
Chris Harris Jr. will be a Chief next year & I can’t wait. From #RockChalk to #ChiefsKingdom
— Nate (@Bathan_Nurgess) December 17, 2019
That’s not just twitter chatter either as I have heard the same possibility discussed on K.C. sports radio.
I know that Chiefs have to win Super Bowl at some point to make this run mean anything.
However, seeing division rivals talk with disgust & almost defeat its pretty wild.
Von Miller & Chris Harris have both seemed to hit the wall.
Gruden talked like KC was from another galaxy
— Jeff Fawver (@Jtfawver) December 16, 2019
Baltimore Ravens – the Ravens may be the team the Chiefs will need to beat… for the second time this season… if they are to make it to the Super Bowl. Of course a lot has to go right for K.C. before that can happen but right now, the Chiefs and the Ravens look like to two best teams coming out of the AFC. Plus, many are projecting that the Ravens will want to face the Chiefs the least of all the other teams in the AFC.
When pointing out that the #Chiefs beat the Ravens this year, the first thing said is “the Ravens have gotten a lot better since that game”
Can’t the same thing be said about the Chiefs? Didn’t have Tyreek Hill or Fisher. Defense was not where it is now. It goes both ways
— Ron Kopp Jr. (@Ron_Kopp) December 16, 2019
So, the question is: have the Chiefs gotten better than the Ravens have, since week three, when the two teams met in Arrowhead Stadium?
1) If you’re a Ravens fan you might reason that Lamar Jackson is still in an upward progression and will be even better this time around plus, the Ravens traded for CB Marcus Peters.
2) If you’re a Chiefs fan you may reason that the team was without their star WR Tyreek Hill and the defense was still a work in progress… as well as, without Terrell Suggs (who can be a difference maker and a torn in the Ravens side, if not at least psychologically).
That’s the drama that’s about to unfold for us Chiefs fans. I just hope our guys can keep it all in perspective… and have a little fun along the way (because winning is the most fun of all).
Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
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