Holy “H-E- Double-Hockey-Sticks”… that game was awesome! I am writing roughly 36 hours after the kickoff and still cannot completely see straight. The past week has been chaotic and awesome at the same time. I wrote last week about being in Madison for a wedding show and Alabama concert, and then rushing home to catch the Wild Card game. That ends up being the start of this week’s adventure. I have mentioned that I am from Kansas and my wife is from California. This makes us Milwaukee transplants. One of the effects of being a transplant is starting from scratch.
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Our MKE Community
We moved here in September of 2008 for my work. I was just in time to see a couple rounds of layoffs due to the economic downturn that wrecked 2009. My promotion was a few months after a college Fraternity brother, so I had a friend in place. I also have a community of Chicago-based family. My mom is 1 of 9, and 3 of her siblings made their way there. That was our 2008 connection, so we essentially moved here with a blank slate.
We have a ton of family (friends, the ones you pick), friends and acquaintances up here now, and the area has truly become home. Our kids are well established at their schools, my wife is president of the home and school board, we have bounced around jobs like good Xenials (right on the border of Gen X & Millennial), opened a business, and set many other roots. A couple years into my tenure I had a conversation about the area with my mom. She asked if we were setting root in MKE. I fly by the seat of my pants and cannot tell you what I’m having for dinner, so how the hell would I know that? My answer was something to the effect of: “I can’t see it now, but I won’t be mad if I wake up in 20 years still here.” Well, we’re over halfway there.
The Family You Choose
Close friends are the family you choose. I’m blessed with many across the places I have lived. Milwaukee is no different. We have a blog community with our Milwaukee CHIEFS Fans, and I have friends from every job I’ve worked, but I do not have any by blood family in the area. This is notable because I have young kids and a chaotic schedule. They need a place to go when I leave town for a weekend to work a wedding show and/or, see an Alabama concert. We established our go-to about 8 years ago.
The at home daycare became our speed from Day 1. Our first choice did not work out, so we scrambled to find a new one with a 6-month-old. The second choice has been the charm. We connected with a woman running a daycare with her sister, and she is the oldest of 9. The fit has been perfect, and we have become very linked with the family. I cannot count the number of family events my crew has attended, and her now 18-year-old son works for my wedding service company. Life is crazy and fun.
Monkey in My Wrench
I bring up my kiddo care family because they are where this week starts. She is incredibly flexible, which is necessary for us to pull off our existence, and we are so grateful. Kids were dropped Friday afternoon, stayed the weekend, and picked up in time for the Chiefs game. We rocked out for the Pittsburgh win and got the kids home by bedtime to rest up for school Monday.
Monday morning is usually the day of the week where getting up and out the door to school is easiest, and this was the story. Around lunch time we got notification that the kids were around positive Covid case over the weekend. We did the diligence and grabbed them from school forgoing all after school scout meetings and such. An at home test confirmed my son had Covid, so we were home for the week. He ended up with a small fever, and no other incident. He’s fine and we’re all fine. The week was another reminder that kids are crazy, and teachers are saints. Hug a teacher. They make our world run.
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How Did I Get Here?
I have been in the content creation game for just over a year. The Arrowhead Kingdom CHIEFScast started everything in my world. It was pretty random as well. Bryan Reynolds and I have been friends since high school and have collaborated many times. The first was a short stint as a Blink-182 cover band. We worked together for a year or so at a hotel after that, and then later in our careers in Denver. There has always been an unspoken agreement that we would one day tackle something creative together.
That day came after a conversation with Chris Thomas. The only reason I know Chris is our MKE CHIEFS watch parties. He and I are close in age, interested in many similar things, and have become good friends. Sports matters, and I am thankful Chiefs fandom crossed our paths. I connected with Chris during prep to appear as a guest on Kevin Kietzman’s podcast to talk about the MKE CHIEFS. We wrapped the conversation when I floated the idea of having a podcast by our local group. He was immediately on board. I asked Bryan to participate and edit, and he agreed immediately as well.
A Fast Start
We were off and running into the content world. I quickly added my wedding planning podcast as another personal project because… I don’t like sleep. This work became fun to me instantly. I never considered a YouTube channel or a podcast until I did it, but it felt right immediately. My life is a series of random stories about meeting people, and I found an outlet. At one point, early on, my wife asked me what my plan is for all of this, and who I have in mind as an audience. My answer was myself and people like me. I enjoy putting this stuff together and will continue until I don’t. That was my initial approach to being a wedding DJ. Almost 20 years ago. When stuff fits, it fits.
The craziest thing that has happened with CHIEFScast to date occurred a month in. In the course of a week, I interviewed author, David Smale, and also Chiefs Hall of Famer, Christian Okoye. These are the 6th and 8th videos we released. I am still in some state of shock and awe that it happened. David has an excellent podcast and made the Kietzman introduction. Okoye came together through a random message from an MKE CHIEFS member. I think we did a good job, but thank both again for allowing us to punch multiple classes above our weight.
Advice That Stuck
I am not a journalist, writer, or actor. My degrees are marketing and MBA, so I did not train for any of this. I operate in the head space of trying anything interesting and that the answer is no, if you don’t ask. Another debt of gratitude is owed to a guy named Dr. Will Keim. Dr. Keim was a speaker, motivator, and a true entertainer. My first experience was a speaking engagement on the Fort Hays State campus my sophomore — I think — year. The school boasted a robust performance schedule, so I always had an eye on the performers. I had never heard of Dr. Keim, so did not target this event. Thankfully, I was prodded to attend with other members of the Fraternity. Why did a bunch of Fraternity guys want to watch a motivational speaker? Because Dr. Keim was an incredible advocate of Greek Life.
The entire Greek community attended, which meant all the girls were going. That, and Dr. Keim’s reputation for dynamic speech, got my group of guys there. The older guys in my house knew how his events went and were insistent as well. His protocol at the time was a contracted speech for the general assembly, and then overtime with the Greeks. I still remember that first evening and the lasting impact on me. Dr. Keim is a member of Delta Upsilon, but worked closely with my organization, Sigma Alpha Epsilon. We lost Dr. Keim in 2016, but his legacy lives and I would like to think I help that.
My Top Dr. Will Keim Tips
An overall theme I learned from how Dr. Keim carried himself and advocated for Greek Life was collaboration. He was not SAE, but he was around us all the time. We provided friendship and he provided knowledge. It was a great trade and brought him to our national conventions. That taught me that life is too short to fabricate rivalries. I have friends in all the other Fraternities on FHSU campus. We competed for the same members, but we were always in Greek Life together. I try to carry that philosophy into business and personal relationships. The world provides enough competition and there is enough for everyone to survive and thrive. Here are my favorite bits I learned from Dr. Keim:
- Girls do not go to the bathroom together to talk about guys. Guys are not interesting and there is nothing to talk about. They go to air traffic control hovering over your filthy toilet. Clean your bathroom and you will be shocked how much more often the girls come over. (We cleaned the bathrooms at the Fraternity house that night, and always had soap and toilet paper reserves)
- Do not carry the burdens of past mistakes. They are heavy and wreck life. Ask for and give forgiveness, and let it go.
- Recruit for your weaknesses. If you party too much recruit nerds to balance your house. (Was directed at Greek Life, but works for any team setting when applied properly)
- Find something you love to do and get good enough to go pro. His example was making a career in public speaking. He would tell the story of getting flack for risking his own path. And then perfectly time a look at his massive audience to prove his point.
Another Big Interview
The last one resonates with me now. I love making videos and writing about the Chiefs. This is a great time to give another thank you owed. Laddie, I appreciate you connecting with me about writing here. I am having a blast!!
Editor’s Note: Totally my pleasure! Thank you!!
Greg Matzek is a local sports figure with ESPN and WTMJ (the 620AM flagship of the Packers, Brewers, Bucks and Badgers). I have known Greg for over 10 years — actually worked for him at one point — and we have talked tons of sports. Greg is a pro, but also a huge local sports fan. I had the chance to talk shop with him last week on Kingdom CHIEFScast. I honestly thought this has potential to be the first of multiple spots, I am shocked it won’t be. That’s because although the Packers/Chiefs had been threatening a repeat of Super Bowl I — which would be wild for a Chiefs group in MKE — and I thought the stars would finally align, alas… it is not to be.
The Art of Being Prediction Nimble
The Packers were not my only incorrect pick last week. I went on the record multiple times calling for all 1’s and 2’s in the Championship games. Well, I got one pick right. The good news: it’s the best and only one that matters. Moment of honesty: the teams I was most confident in winning were the Packers and Titans in that order. I picked the Bucs, but the Rams winning did not surprise me. The confidence in the Chiefs pulling it off was high as well. So much that I booked flights and hotel rooms to Nashville about the time the playoff bracket finalized. A good friend of mine is a Titans fan, and we have been targeting the AFC Championship game since about week 15 of the regular season.
Apparently, I am back in KC this weekend. My wife and I travel enough to make trip-planning second nature, so this one came together quickly and cleanly. It also came together with pleasure!!
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About That Game
The most interesting thing about being a Milwaukee transplant and Chiefs fan is the rarity. Being married to a native Californian adds to it. This is a blast for me, and I enjoy standing out. My father-in-law is always quick to text with comments about the Chiefs. He does this because he loves football, we are related, and he knows I am a huge fan, but the interesting part is I am the only Chiefs fan he knows. I doubt he ever thought he’d know a Chiefs fan well. It is a fun place for me to reside. I received numerous messages from him and others. My favorite is this text from a work friend, who is a Vikings fan:
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I agree!!
How That Game Went in MKE
Watch party numbers have been down for a couple years. The reasons are obvious and documented. Our Divisional round game produced our best attendance of the season. I finally felt like the band was back together. It was great to be back in the room with my MKE CHIEFS family. I have spent the entire Reid Era following the Chiefs with these people, and we are in the Golden Age of Fandom. We approached and watched like most of Chiefs Kingdom:
- The first quarter started with a strong Buffalo drive, which was indicative of their season-long quality, and concluded with the Chiefs scoring on a more frantic drive. Our comfort level was even with kickoff.
- Second quarter brought the K.C. Defense alive, and the Offense scored late to give us the lead. The mood was elevated, and I was calling for one more score. I went as far as to predict a 17-7 Half Time lead. Then the Bills “killed the clock” with a minute long massacre of the CHIEFS Defense to tie it up. Back to the measured tension.
Halftime Vibes, Generational Tribes
The struggle of life as a Chiefs fan is well documented. Anyone born after 1965-ish has to dig deep for memories of top-level victory. Fans born around my 1981 mark lived through formative growth watching Elway owning the division. A Raiders appearance in Super Bowl XXXVII meant all AFC West teams made one within a 10 year period – except for the Chiefs. I will always love Marty Ball, but it meant regular season glory, only. Being a Chiefs fan meant almost seeing greatness, and then being crushed. I attended the 2010 season playoff loss to the Ravens, and also the 2013 to the Colts. We all watched Peyton Manning pick the Broncos without taking a meeting with the Chiefs.
Losing sucks, but we all got used to it. The NFL took great measures to ensure parity, which is great for TV, but not much fun for QB needy teams. QB play almost always dictates the winners in this league. This is the first Championship weekend in over a decade that doesn’t feature Brady or Rodgers. The halftime feel of a tie game in our room in 2016 or 2017 was pure tension, but we were all loose for this one, plus a win and trip to K.C. was expected. Many of us were checking ticket sites and speculating about trips to KC this weekend. This changed in less than 5 years. I have at least one friend that is a fan of every NFL team. The Patriots fans say life sucked as a fan until it didn’t. That’s where we are, and it’s awesome.
Second Half and the Last Laugh
The Chiefs took care of business in the second half. Two Butker Field Goals and a TD produced a 26-21 lead. It was impossible to kick the thought that a missed FG and PAT were insignificant. Things like that mean something in playoff games, and this was no different. Previous Chiefs playoff heartbreak is littered with situations where this led to loss. A missed FG here, a dropped pass there, and you’re done. Four points is a lot to leave on the table and is the kind of mistake that crushes non-elite teams.
However, these Chiefs are elite! My belief is the years of losing has galvanized the Chiefs and their fans and prepared us for what transpired Sunday. The last 2 game minutes and OT were incredible. The battle was epic, and the blows were fierce. Mahomes vs Allen has all the story to become the next great NFL rivalry, and it feels great to be in the middle of it.
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My favorite social media comments from Monday are around fans’ pulses likened to the win probability chart. It is accurate, and it was a blast. Cheers to the Bills for that classic.
Showtime For Prediction Time
I have been in on the Chiefs to win it all the entire season, and I feel stronger than ever about it now. They must ride this wave. Arrowhead will be rocking this Sunday, and I cannot wait to walk in the gate. My last trip was January 19, 2020, and it ended with an elated drive back to the hotel. I expect to feel that again this Sunday. The following week I did this interview. I didn’t make it to the AFC Championship last year, but I did another interview. I am eagerly looking forward to part 3.
On the NFC side I’m taking the Rams. The 49ers showed enough quality to beat an uninspired Aaron Rodger in Lambeau, which is apparently not much. That won’t cut it in the 3rd meeting with LA. The Rams built a lead, poked the bear, Brady surged, but the Rams won. It had a galvanizing feel for that team. Goff doesn’t do that, which is why they went and got Matt Stafford. Rams will beat the 49ers, and for the second time ever and in a row an NFC team will play the Super Bowl in their home stadium. However, this time Patrick Mahomes is coming, and the Grim reaper and his line (seen on the right) are coming with him. Shout out to my friend, Chris Rau for the incredible art.
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Josh Kingsley — ArrowheadOne
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You can follow Josh on Twitter at: @mkechiefsfans
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Editor’s Update on the Chiefs/Bills TV viewing audiance: “The rating for the Kansas City market was 55.3 with an 85 share, meaning 85% of all TVs in use during the game were tuned to Chiefs-Bills. That figure peaked at a 90 share from 8:45 to 9 p.m., according to John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal.” -KSHBSports.com The peak brought in 51.6 million viwers, but they are also announcing that this was the most watched game in 5 years, ever since the Packers met the Cowboys in a Divisional game of 2017, which brought in 48.5 million viwers. So, I don’t know why UPI is only going back 5 years? -Laddie Morse
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