another tradition bites the dust

Folks who know me, will never accuse me of being a traditionalist.

On social issues, I lean far left on everything except two issues. I personally am anti-abortion (although I would not overturn Roe v Wade). And I don't give a crap about gun control, both sides are nuts on this issue.

But when it comes to the team I love, our Kansas City ... Chiefs!!!, I am a die hard "traditionalist".

I don't want Arrowhead to change names (even though I accept it as inevitable). If widening the concourses and adding amenities destroys the home field advantage, I'd rather leave things alone. (Thankfully, the designs look promising in maintaining our status as the loudest stadium in football when, you know, we're even semi-decent).

But this week, Carl Peterson kicked me in the balls. And look at my profile pic -- I'm not a jock. I'm not wearing protection. He just cocked that leg, swung, and nailed me below the border. Me, and every other Chiefs fan.

He took a gigantic squat and defecated on the single greatest tradition this franchise has left.

He fired the TD Pack Band.

The reason for this is obvious: why allow a band to occupy 4-5 rows of premium seating behind the goalpost in the east end zone, when you could sell those at (currently) $84 / seat?

I'll tell you why you don't do it, Carl.

Tradition.

Here's my problem with the modern NFL. And the Sports Guy kind of hit on it a couple weeks ago in his picks column, in how home field advantage has disappeared due to the design of new stadiums and the catering to the fat cats vs us average fans. And he has a point.

But he's missed the bigger picture.

When I say "Arrowhead", what comes to mind? Luxury suites? Fancy overlooks on top of the press box? Finely manicured grass? Wide concourses, a bathroom for every section, multiple vendor options no matter where you look?

Hell no!

What comes to mind is being in line at 8am, before the gates open, to party. Then setting up a 3 hour party, no matter what the weather is, no matter how crappy our team is. Filing into the stadium ready to yell ourselves hoarse for the next 3 hours, and then shutting the place down in the postgame tailgate.

You think of the balloon launch on Opening Day. You think of the fireworks going off during the Anthem, of the "home of the Chiefs!!!" Of the (steve grinding his teeth at acknowledging biggest waste of taxpayer money known to man ...) flyovers over the east end zone as the Anthem reaches it climax.

You think of pathetic KC Wolf sketches that once a year, make you laugh.

You think of the familiarity of sitting by the same people year after year, of cultivating friendships outside of the stadium with those folks. Speaking for myself, I hang out at my seat neighbors pool all summer. I'm the hot hot pool boy for Christ's sake, OC style! I was an honored invited guest at the people in front of me's wedding two years ago, as were the others in my section. In 131 / 132, we're a family. That's Arrowhead dammit!

And the biggest part of it, the part everyone could most recognize ... was that familiar trumpet coming from the east end zone. Tony DiParto. His lovely daughter Patti DiParto-Livergood. The other six members of the TD Pack Band. Hell, even visiting teams loved the setup -- it was just this year that Chris Johnson took over the bongo-playing duties of the band after a touchdown.

I remember in programs from years past (yet another tradition sh*t canned by this administration -- no Gameday Programs anymore. Ridiculous. It destroyed the best part of the walk to the Overlook), how it was highlighted, shouted out, how one of the very first things Carl did when taking the job here was to hire Tony DiParto to direct the band again.

I think it would only be fitting for (hopefully) the last major decision that man will ever make as the head of this franchise, to be to fire the greatest Chiefs fan walking this planet. A man who literally has poured his life into cheering for this franchise in the most visible way possible.

After next Sunday, the TD Pack Band is gone. Another tradition bites the dust. Another thing that made Arrowhead ... uuh, Arrowhead, removed.

All in the name of corporate greed, of making an extra buck to throw at a stupid free agent signing.

The Chiefs have promised a fitting sendoff at the Dolphins game next week for the TD Pack Band. The only fitting sendoff I want to see is Carl Peterson (finally) show a spine, take the field to "honor" the band, and for Clark to do his best Vince McMahon routine and tell Carl "you're fired! Get out of my stadium, you're fired!" If anything this season could bring tears to my eyes ...

How do you fire the Band? How do you kick the DiParto's to the curb? Unless you're so consumed by the bottom line, by profit, by pure greed, that you can't see what ultimately matters?

Another tradition bites the dust. But hey, those four rows of seats, that's gonna make a huge difference between Arrowhead hitting 118 decibels when a game that matters is played, I'm sure ...