do you realize what today means, chiefs fans ...

"I've been reading books of old;
The legends and the myths.
Achilles and his gold;
Hercules and his gifts.

Spiderman's control,
And Batman with his fists --
And I clearly don't see
Myself upon that list.

But she said, where'd you wanna go?
How much you wanna risk?
I'm not looking for somebody,
With super human gifts.

Some superhero?
Some fairy tale bliss?
Just somebody I can turn to;
Somebody I can kiss.

I want something?
Just like this!

I want something?
Just like this! ..."

-- "Something Just Like This" by the Chainsmokers.

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Wherever he may be nowadays, I believe Tony Dumas needs to update the flight plans, sir * .

I noted to Tyler leaving Arrowhead on Sunday that I was 80% sure the Chiefs / Bengals game next week would get flexed to a later starting time.  I just thought that time would be 3:25pm.  I didn't dream the NFL would give us free prime time football at Arrowhead just for the hell of it.

Bengals!  Chiefs!  Prime!  Time!

And thus, the march through the most crucial three weeks of the (regular) season?

Just got that much more damned enjoyable.

And potentially memorable.

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(*: you had to live in the Metroplex, and/or be a Dallas Mavericks fan, from 1994ish to 2000ish, to get that joke.  I qualify for both "designations".)

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First, a brief interlude, before getting to the point(s) of the post, and there are two of them -- one of them kinda obvious, one of them not so much.

This is "Fat" Andy Reid's sixth season.  As best I can tell, the Chiefs have been flexed INTO a better time slot, five times prior under "Fat" Andy:

* Week Seven 2013: Texans game moved from noon to 3:25 national game.  (I should note, I still haven't seen the Chiefense ever look better, than those last fifteen minutes of that contest.  I turn 42 in less than 90 days.  I feel like you should know that.)

* Week Eleven 2013: those people game moved from 3:25pm to Sunday Night.  (It did inspire what is still to this moment, my favorite post I've ever, uuh, posted.)

* Week Seventeen 2015: raiders game moved from noon to 3:25pm national game.  (Game meant nothing to both teams ultimately due to those people win at same time.)

* Week Twelve 2016: those people game moved from 3:25pm to Sunday Night.  (The Doink Heard Round the World Game.)

* AFC Divisional Round 2016: Steelers game moved from noon to Sunday Night due to weather.  (For what it's worth, I believe this loss, is the number one reason the Chiefs traded up to get Patrick Mahomes "Of The Chiefs".  They knew they would never get farther than the Divisional Round, with "Sir" Alex Smith.)

And now, we have a sixth: Week Seven 2017, Bengals game moved from noon to Sunday Night.

For what it's also worth, I cannot find a single time the Chiefs have been demoted from prime time, to a regular afternoon slot, in the "Fat" Andy Reid era.

Gaining an extra national TV game every season, solely because our coach is so damned good, 9-7 is the f*cking floor for this franchise?  Sign me up!

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So here's the two points.

1. If you people thought the roar when Patrick Mahomes "Of The Chiefs" was introduced two weeks ago was awe-inspiring (and trust me -- I cried for seven straight minutes simply hearing "and at quarterback" over the PA system), if you thought that could move your emotions to the point of tears?

Imagine hearing "and at safety, from Tennessee!" a week from Sunday night during player intros.  I mean, Jesus, talk about a moment.  If Eric Berry chooses that spot to return (and for what it's worth, it seems as good a time as any), can you imagine the roar?  Can you just close your eyes and imagine it?  Because I can.  And I want to see it.

But more to the point ...

2. Do you realize just how monumental today is?  It's OK if it slid by you.  It took me a solid four seconds to realize it when I got the text from multiple people that we'd been flexed to Sunday night.

As my buddy and (once again ... I think this is the fourth time now?) co-worker Pickell would put it: "put it this way".

Put it this way -- in the five previous flex games?  Three have involved satan manning, and a fourth involved the Ice Storm of the Decade.  (The other one?  Not sure what the NFL was thinking, flexing a 2-4 Texans at 6-0 Chiefs game back to 3:30 ... but we'll take it.)

This game was flexed today solely and only because the Chiefs are involved.

Specifically, this game was flexed today solely and only because Patrick Mahomes "Of The Chiefs" is involved.

Folks?  The NFL kicked OUT the LA and San Francisco market from prime time, to give you ... the Cincinnati and Kansas City markets.

Because Patrick Mahomes "Of The Chiefs".

Let that sink in: the NFL threw out a guaranteed ratings winner in LA and the Bay Area (two of the top five television markets) for KC (around twentieth) and Cincinnati (ditto).

They threw out a guaranteed 12 rating / 20 share ... to gamble on Patrick Mahomes "Of The Chiefs" drawing the nation in and improve on the 12 / 20 floor.

(Note: my college roommate was a RTVF major.  I had to listen to Nielsen explanations more than I care to remember.  I do remember, though, that a 12 / 20 is damned good ... and the NFL and The Big Bang Theory are about the only two franchises left, that can deliver that rating, on a weekly basis.)

Today, Chiefs fans?

The NFL rolled the dice on the Chiefs being a national draw simply because they're the Chiefs ... led by Patrick Mahomes "Of The Chiefs".

This?  We ain't seen before.

The NFL kicked LA and the Bay Area to the curb, for us.

NBC kicked LA and the Bay Area to the curb, for us.

How f*cking awesome is that?