Any minute now, my relatives will all be here.
Please God -- don't let me run out of beer!
Thinkin'! 'Bout drinkin'! For Christmas!
Fillin' my glass to the top,
With some holiday wishes!
Doesn't matter what you're sippin' --
It's the gift that keeps on givin'!
Just Thinkin'! 'Bout drinkin'! For Christmas!
My cousin showed up with a bottle of peppermint shine.
And tomorrow, I'll be cursing him
For this migraine of mine!
If Aunt Alice talks any longer?
I'm gonna need something
A little more stronger!
Thinkin'! 'Bout drinkin'! For Christmas!
Fillin' my glass to the top,
With some holiday wishes!
Doesn't matter what you're sippin' --
It's the gift that keeps on givin'!
Just Thinkin'! 'Bout drinkin'! For Christmas!
It's a long standing family tradition --
Have a not so Silent Night,
Lit up like the lights we hung up in the kitchen!
Thinkin'! 'Bout drinkin'! For Christmas!
Fillin' my glass to the top,
With some holiday wishes!
Doesn't matter what you're sippin' --
It's the gift that keeps on givin'!
Just Thinkin'! 'Bout drinkin'! For Christmas!
Yeah, I'm thinkin'? 'Bout drinkin'?
For Christmas!!!!! ..."
-- "Thinkin' 'Bout Drinkin' for Christmas" by Kristian Bush.
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Welcome to my second favorite time of year, y'all! * I love the month of December, and everything that comes with it. Well, except the cold. And the fact my personal property taxes are due. And that once again, the Chiefs are hellbent on making me sweat this month out with undue and unnecessary stress that ... well, that can be someone alleviated Sunday. Anyways, here's to a (god awful car sales voice) December to Remember!!!!!
(*: nothing trumps Fourth of July week. A week built around drinking insane amounts of alcohol, floating in the pool, and blowing sh*t up, while wondering where the hell my t-shirt disappeared to? That's as good as it gets. If only IndyCar would bring back the July Fourth race to Kansas Speedway, to truly make that week (the late, great mr. hugh m. hefner voice) really special!)
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The Statisticals.
(Note: no Week Ten picks were submitted due to real-life issues that trumped posting them.
Last Week SU: 8-6-0.
Season to Date SU: 97-65-1.
Last Week ATS: 7-7-0.
Season to Date ATS: 89-73-1.
Last Week Upset / Week: yikes.
Season to Date Upset / Week SU: 7-7-0.
Season to Date Upset / Week ATS: 8-6-0.
This Week's Upset / Week:
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The Non-Chiefs Picks.
* Byes: None. Thank God.
* The Turkey Day Picks were posted earlier.
* Packers (-6 1/2) 34, at Giants 13. Danny Dimes might want to invest in a dime bag or six before this one is over. Trust me dude; it makes you feel better than you're gonna feel when the Jones Bros are done using you as (clark judge voice) their own personal urinal, Sunday afternoon.
* Redskins (+10) 14, at Panthers 10. I'm picking "Sur" William Callahan to win back-to-back games for the first time since Weeks One and Two ... in 2007. Who says excessive drinking on this holiday weekend doesn't cause permanent brain damage! Also, how cool was it that a KU Football product produced the Redskins victory last week! Who knew the David Beaty
Double also -- who gives a f*ck that Dwayne Haskins chose to take a selfie with a long-suffering Redskins season ticket holder, than come out for the final kneel down? (Other than our "good friend", self-righteous hypocrite Ol' Pete King. Of COURSE he b*tched about it:
In the same column he demands the NFL "move on" and "get over" Myles Garrett trying to kill -- literally kill! -- Mason Rudolph on the field, he trashes a dude who just got his first professional win taking a selfie with a fan. Jesus, Pete. Maybe it's YOU who needs to take the sixty minutes each week that make you a millionaire more seriously. And by "more seriously", I mean "shut the f*ck up" sometimes about sh*t you know nothing about.)
Triple also: I've always believed that unless the victory clinches something of value (a playoff berth or win, a division or conference championship, a Super Bowl), you send out the third stringer to take the knee. Too many crazy injuries happen in this league, to risk your QB1 taking an unnecessary hit. To say nothing of crazy endings said run-out-the-clock scenarios can create. Right, Herm Edwards?
* 49ers (+5 1/2) 24, at Ravens 20. This line is beyond insane. It's the second worst line on the board this week (the worst involves the Chiefs ... sadly.) This is such an overreaction to Lamar Jackson shredding an injury riddled Rams defense that failed to show up Monday night (dammit). The 49ers are at worst the third best team in the league right now. Considering the two best teams square off Sunday night, that means I think they're better than the Ravens. And for once? That ain't the beer talkin'.
* Titans (+2 1/2) 17, at Colts 16. These 1/2's are driving me bat sh*t crazy. Just pick a whole number, please, CBS Sportsline? It makes, uuh, making these predictions, a lot easier.
* Eagles 19, at Dolphins (+10) 14. Philly survives ... barely. There's clearly something wrong with Carson Wentz, and I ain't talking about his half completed, looks completely ridiculous right arm sleeve of tats. Still, Philly has to be the favorites to win the East, given their and Dallas' remaining schedules. The Eagles in the playoffs over the Cowboys. Please, pass the stiffest whiskey in my freezer ...
* at Jaguars (+1 1/2) 3, Bucs 0. Sweet merciful baby Jesus. Not even these two fanbases want to witness this failed abortion of a matchup.
* Jets (-3 1/2) 24, at Bengals 13. Sssshhhh. (elmer fudd voice) Be vewy, vewy quiet. If the Jets win out? They're in. They actually control their own destiny. Now granted, they have the Steelers, Ravens, and Bills still to go ... but they control their own destiny. (Note: Godd*mmit, does that collapse against Buffalo to open the season look 99.99% worse in hindsight, than it did in real time.) But again -- the Jets control their own destiny. How Jets would it be, to take a 1-7 start, and set NFL history by running off eight straight, to reach the playoffs ... and enter Arrowhead for a wild card game. (Pause). Yeah. I don't think I'd survive my two teams facing off in the postseason. Let's just hope the Bengals win and end this (rob dyrdek voice) ridiculousness.
* Browns (-2) 34, at Steelers 13. Holy God, the Browns are road favorites ... at Pittsburgh! For the first time since Bud Carson was being wheeled around the sidelines!
Also, one of my three direct reports will be at this game. I've already given her permission to take until mid December to come back to the office if need be, if her Steelers lose. I'd need a couple weeks if my team ever lost at home to the Browns. Sh*t, I needed a month after the Chiefs crapped the bed at home against those people in 2002. And twenty something years later, I still haven't gotten over January 4, 1998. Let alone January 20, 2019.
* Rams (-2 1/2) 31, at "Super" Cardinals 24. I hate taking this many road teams ... but they're all favored for a reason, right? Also, the Rams close vs Seahawks / at Cowboys / at 49ers / vs "Super" Cardinals. They need this one, badly, if they're gonna steal the six seed from the loser in the NFC Norris.
* at those people (+3) 31, "Super" Chargers 20. Does the drew lock
* at Texans (+3) 31, Patriots 21. I've admitted to my indefensible and insane man crush on Deshaun Watson. The nation will see why I feel about him as I do, on Sunday night.
* Vikings (+3) 34, at Seahawks 31 (OT). An epic Monday nighter to open December, between two teams that in any of the divisions other than the ones they occupy, would probably win said divisions.
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The "Klassy" Kevin Kietzman Tweet O' The Week.
For once, I come to not only praise "K"KK ... but kompletely agree with him.
The "makeover" kommercials airing here in Kansas Kity are kompletely klueless and outright stupid. I mean, if you own a house in Leawood, are you really driving a 1988 Oldsmobile Kutlass? Or a 1992 Khevrolet Kelebrity? I mean Jesus, I rent in Waldo and I kan afford a 2015 Jeep Wrangler. (Trust me: it ain't kheap.)
You're telling me people making six, seven times my salary, living in and owning a house that my rental would be a treehouse in the back yard at, kan't afford a Dodge Ram payment? ("mnf kountdown" voice) Kome on man!
Also from Kaptain Klassy Kietz this week:
I kouldn't agree more, Ol' Kev. I kouldn't agree more.
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The Watching Party Plans.
There are no The Watching Party Plans, as this is a Chiefs game I will be in attendance for.
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The Tailgating Plans.
If it's the raiders, that means only one thing: ribs.
Russ will start the smoking of them Saturday, and we'll reheat them on Sunday. In addition to a generous helping of the best ribs you'll ever eat, we'll have some smoked baked beans, some assorted side dishes, and an operational bar to boot. Scott is trying a new variety of his green bean casserole that never lasts beyond the fifth person in the food line too. And in the words of the late, great Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA ... and you can decide if the D stands for Democrat, Drowned, or Drunk), "you can bet your ass" Michelle will have the seven layer dip that somehow disappears within thirty minutes of the first chip entering it.
The STM email says the gates open at 10:30. We all know that's (seventh day adventist voice) fertilizer. The Bus is leaving at 8:30, anticipating a 9:30 opening. I'll have the iPad out to catch the 49ers / Ravens and Browns / Steelers contests that have significant playoff ramifications for the Chiefs (especially the latter).
As always, if you wish to avoid paying parking, you're more than welcome to ride with us, although Sunday's gonna be a little cramped -- there's at least ten of us riding out, possibly twelve depending on if Nicole and Andrew can get Monday off. (Note: they couldn't. It'll just be ten as of Saturday morning.) As always, if you need a spot to park, I'll do my damndest to save it, although its far easier to just park in Lot G across from us, than on the grass anymore.
And as always, if you need a place to tailgate, you're always welcome to join us in that little slice of heaven, on the grassy knoll just north of the G30 sign. We're anticipating our biggest crowd of the season -- probably sixty of us between the three groups that converge on that magical spot, including our good friend Chris in from Puerto Rico (because, raiders. That team is to her, what those people are to me. Section 132 should be fun Sunday afternoon! #embracethehate). Hope to see y'all on this magical "who'dve thunk this game would determine the fate of the regular season?!?!?!" Sunday!
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Stevo Drink O' The Week.
Flash back with me nearly fifteen years ... ok, slightly more than fifteen years, to the spring of 2004. What a lovely spring it was. Phil Mickelson finally won a major, storming from six back on day one (and five back with nine to play) to win The Masters via a birdie on 18 that may or may not have (jim valvano voice) "moved my emotions to tears". (Note: it did. Big time.) The worst KU squad Bill Self will ever coach, somehow took a loaded Georgia Tech team to overtime in the Elite Eight.
The Chiefs had just brought back the original "Confident and Classy One", Gunther Cunningham, to oversee their defense after the no-punt playoff debacle against Indy.
And in western Shawnee, two good friends made (arguably) the dumbest financial decision of their lives: me and "The Voice of Reason" purchased full season Royals, uuh, season tickets, after the excitement of the 2003 season.
Knowing we'd be going on a nightly basis, and knowing how much I drank then (and now too, I suppose), it was time to pick a quality liquor to mix with the cheap Pepsi's at Kauffman. But what to pick?
So, we go to the late, great Matchette Liquor ** , and Justin hands me a bottle, and simply says "you can't go wrong with this".
The bottle? Knob Creek.
I mention this, because Thursday at me and the folks' Turkey Day dinner, my dad reaches into the freezer, grabs a couple glasses, and pours us a couple ... Knob Creek's on the rocks.
(It's nice to see his "cardiac event" two weeks ago hasn't impacted the reasons behind that cardiac event, I suppose.)
But mostly, it was just nice to sit for an hour and shoot the sh*t over some quality bourbon with the old man.
So that's this week's Drink O' The Week: Knob Creek on the rocks.
(And as a finishing note: they couldn't produce enough Knob Creek, to deal with being a 2004 Kansas City Royals season ticket holder. (To say nothing of being a 2004 Kansas Football season ticket holder.) I'm pretty sure I consumed every bottle in the bistate county area by mid-May. Jesus, that team was awful. Just awful.)
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(**: "Mr. Reason" and other friends used to argue I single handedly kept that liquor store afloat for the five years I lived out that way. You laugh ... but within six months of my moving across the state line to South Kansas City, that place had closed. The lesson? Damned if I know.)
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The Flashback.
When it's the Chiefs and the raiders, there's way too many games to pick, as the "defining game" or the "defining moment" of my lifetime. (For the record, I turn 43 on Wild Card weekend. Gulp. (family guy voice) Damn Stevo! You old!)
So this week, I'll let you all decide. Here are my ten favorite Chiefs / raiders matches, and my reason(s) why.
10. Chiefs 9, raiders 7, 1990. Unless you were there, you can't imagine how miserable this game was. Low 30s, howling wind, endless freezing rain. Chiefs won on an Albert Lewis blocked punt that set up the game winning field goal.
9. Chiefs 28, raiders 10, 2019. The raiders get out to a 10-0 lead ... and then the Chiefs blow them out of the building, in the last game we'll likely ever play at whatever the hell they call the Real Black Hole nowadays. (Is it still the O'Co? I don't know, and frankly, I don't care, but still, I try to call stadiums by their right name whenever possible.)
8. raiders 41, Chiefs 38, 1999. The only defeat included in this listing, because (a) the game was amazing, (b) it's the greatest sports "what if" of my life (then, and now), and (c) did I mention the game was amazing? Yes, the Chiefs collapsed (we led 17-0 before six minutes had elapsed). Yes, the raiders tied the game on a fifth down. Yes, one of the most clutch kickers this franchise has ever employed, badly missed the game winner from 45 as time expired. Yes, this defeat cost the Chiefs the division, (I believe) a Super Bowl appearance, and most tragically, the life of Derrick Thomas. Plus, for one day, "The Kicker Who Shall Not Be Named" was not the most hated kicker in franchise history. (He arguably wasn't even the second most hated kicker that day. Thank you, Pete "For President" Stoyanovich and Jon Baker.)
It also led to one of the great all-time post-game meltdowns I've ever witnessed, and for once, it wasn't me doing the melting down. #weregoingtokmart #buyascale
7. Chiefs 27, raiders 23, 2005. The moment Richard A. Vermeil took the diapers off Larry Johnson, as he called the delayed draw at the goalline as time expired to beat the raiders. As "Captain Cash Grab" explained afterwards, "I'm too old to play for overtime". Thanks, coach. You're the best. (Note: there is no Chiefs coach of my lifetime I despise more than Richard A. Vermeil. And God knows I have a few sh*tty, incompetent baffoons to choose from. Although his wines are amongst the best you'll ever have, ironically enough. If only he'd invested the time he spends in fermentation, on his defensive units ...)
6. Chiefs 19, raiders 9, 1994. A de facto playoff game that closed down the Coliseum. Winner got to enjoy a beatdown by the Dolphins to open the playoffs, loser had their season end. Mark Collins had a 90 plus yard return for a touchdown as the deciding score on this Christmas Eve matchup.
5a. Chiefs 24, raiders 19, 1989;
5b. Chiefs 31, raiders 24, 1998.
I always thought it perfect that Marty's first -- and last -- wins as a Chiefs head coach, were against the raiders.
4. Chiefs 21, raiders 13, 2016. "Tyreek! Tyreek! Tyreek!"
3. Chiefs 30, raiders 27, 1997. "Eighty yards. One minute to play. No TO's." / "We've seen it before." / "Oh yeah!" ... "And Andre Rison has just burned al davis' house down! If you know what I mean!" / "We do!" God, I miss Frank, Al, and Dan.
2. Chiefs 23, raiders 17 (OT), 1995. "And Hostetler is ... INTERCEPTED! The pass is intercepted by ... Collins! And Mark Collins is gonna ... go ... touchdown! Touchdown! Kansas City! The Chiefs have won the game!" God, I miss that well placed back judge.
1. Chiefs 10, raiders 6, 1991 Wild Card. Arrowhead's first playoff game ... and arguably its' finest hour. It was so damned loud in that place, that first and goal at the eight, wound up being third and goal at the thirty eight, via six false start and procedural penalties on the raiders. (Granted, it's the raiders, and the Art Shell "Face" coached raiders at that, but still -- six freaking penalties due to crowd noise on the deciding drive of the game! (fran tarkenton voice) That's incredible!) The first -- and so far only -- Chiefs / raiders playoff game of my life. (Although I sorta, kinda hope numero dos occurs in five weeks.) And the first Chiefs playoff win of my existence.
This has to be number one ... at least for now.
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Stevo Neighborhood Update.
They've finally broken ground on redeveloping the Price Choppe ... hang on. I have to do this one right.
Ladies and gentlemen, from that great
(bill grigsby voice) Thanks Stevo, and how the f*ck are you, sir? Ladies and gentlemen, they've finally broken ground on redeveloping the Prrrrrrrrrrrrrice Choppppppppppppppper complex on Wornall! Live from the
Thanks dude. Let's just hope Harry is still getting his Mountain Valley Spring Water up there beside you, sir.
(And yes, Grigs asking someone "how the f*ck are you?" **** live on the pregame show (which got him banished to The Pavilion in (I believe) 2003), will never get old.)
Yes, the redevelopment has finally begun. The African-American hair place finally was evicted, so the only two things left are the only two that are assured to be left standing (three if you count the UMB Bank): Price Chopper, and the Piano Room.
I can't wait to see how sweet this Price Chopper is gonna be when it's done. And I guarantee you all of us who voted to tax ourselves to redevelop this strip mall, agree with me on that ***** .
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(***: the best Bill Grigsby story ever, ironically enough, is told by someone who despised him: Mr. Reason's mom. Trust me -- you'll simply smile and say "yup, that's Grigs!" hearing it.)
(****: I must have retold the Bill Grigsby "I hope we beat those f*ckers" story at least fifty times on Broadway down in Nashville three weeks ago. Every Chiefs fan loved it. Twenty years later, and encountering a Chiefs broadcaster exiting an adult entertainment establishment less than six hours before he has to be on the air, and hearing him say that, never gets old.)
(*****: kudos to Jackson County and KCMO for establishing these local zones where we can vote to tax ourselves, to redevelop where we live. It's not a city-wide vote, but an area wide vote. Thanks to the street car, it's now legal. And it's paying off. If you doubt me, take a drive to 31st and Prospect, and look at what that tax zone did for that area. You'd never believe you were on Prospect, it's that nice looking. I can't wait to see what 85th and Wornall will look like, two years from now.)
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"Disreputable" Mexican Food Truck Update.
Apparently said "Disreputable" Mexican Food Truck failed a city health inspection, which is why we haven't seen it in pushing a month. Frankly, I don't care if they had live rats on top of the grill, I miss the food. Besides, there's no way in hell the Subway on Linwood could pass a health inspection, and somehow they're still open for business.
(Seriously, I ate at that Subway on Tuesday and got the meatball foot long. It looked sketchy, but I was hungry. It's five days later, and I still can't sh*t solid, uuh, sh*t, when I have to go. I'm gonna be paying for that $5 foot long, for at least a week. Thanks, Subway on Linwood. You're the best!)
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The Chiefs Pontification and Prognostication.
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Picking the Chiefs This Season:
Straight Up: 6-5-0 (L at Jaguars, W at raiders, W vs Ravens, W at Lions, L vs Colts, L vs Texans, W at those people, L vs Packers, W vs Vikings, L at Titans, W at "Super" Chargers).
Against the Spread: 6-5-0 (L at Jaguars, W at raiders, W vs Ravens, L at Lions, L vs Colts, W vs Texans, W at those people, L vs Packers, W vs Vikings, L at Titans, W at "Super" Chargers).
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I hope everyone used the bye week to relax, and prep for the stretch run.
As noted last week, I ducked out to spend the weekend with my college roommate, Vineet. And damn, was it fun. Friday night we hit up Maggiano's for dinner, did a lot of reminiscing over some frosty cold Miller Lite's ... and other assorted chemical products that may or may not become decriminalized here on January 1st, then Saturday took in the Stars / Blackhawks shootout thriller, before I headed home Sunday.
And on the trip home Sunday, I stopped off to see my friends Brett and Shannon, who I hadn't seen in a few years, and that was another few hours of reminiscing over frosty cold adult beverages.
This, coming two weeks after five of us got together to celebrate surviving another trip around the sun, and to reminisce and just enjoy each other's company (on a day I really needed it. F*cking idiot cardiologist at Research.)
I mention this ... because in many regards, there's one reason why I don't despise the raiders like I should.
And that's because this weekend ...
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The raiders game is almost always our biggest tailgate of the season, and it's for a reason -- it's because it draws in countless friends, former season ticket holders, and random one-off "hey, we tailgated here once, why not do it again" casual encounters that turns the gig into one gigantic party.
Sunday, my buddy Drey and his girlfriend, and Tom and his girlfriend, will be in from South Dakota for this game. Granted, I just saw them in September for the road game at oakland, but still, it's probably the last time we'll see each other (barring a wild card matchup) until next football season. Sunday, my former seatmate Chris and her guy Freddie will be there. She'll never miss a raiders game, even if she misses most of the others since her move to Puerto Rico six years ago.
Sunday, my "special little guy" (who isn't so little anymore -- Jesus, they grow up fast) will make his first appearance of the season. I'll never forget the Chargers finale in 2014, when the A-Man (all of six years old at the time) came strolling into the tailgate like he owned the place, and just grabbed a plate, shoveled some food on it, then sat down in Unca Teve's old-school Rolling Rock chair and staked his spot. (As his poor dad (aka my brother) was stuck lugging a cooler from Lot N. #goodtimes)
Two thirds of the people there didn't have a clue who he was. A-Man couldn't have cared less. This was "Unca Teve's Tailgate", and that was good enough for him.
As it is for so many of you reading this, a lot of whom I look forward to seeing tomorrow.
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Twenty years ago, when I moved back to Kansas City after college, Chiefs football was honestly about one thing for me: the football. The tailgating was nice, but it was a take or leave proposition. (Especially if it was cold. 90 and sunny? I can always get my tailgate on. 18 and snowing? Not so much.)
I cared more about the game itself. The hatred of those people. The despise of oakland. The "wait, they're our rivals?!?!?!" attitude towards the Chargers. The "wait, they're in our division?!?!?!" confusion over the Seahawks. The love of the Red and Gold, on the field, above all.
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Ten years ago, my attitude started to shift (mainly because the on-field product was unwatchable most weeks). I started to look forward to who the Chiefs were playing more. I looked more forward to watching Aaron Rodgers, than the Chiefs. To watching Cam Newton than the Chiefs. To watching Michael Vick, Tom Brady, Donovan McNabb, Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch, Tony Romo and Dez Bryant. Andrew Luck, Drew Brees, phyllis rivers.
(You won't hear me say "jay cutler". That cuckholded deusche never lost to the Chiefs, anywhere. 3-0 at Arrowhead, 5-0 overall. Those stats still make me need to vomit. I mean, even satan manning got his ass handed to us as those people's starting quarterback once.)
To seeing Tony Gonzalez return as a Falcon, seeing Donnie Edwards return as a Charger (note: that one still is weird to think about), seeing Trent Green return as a Dolphin. (It happened ... preseason 2007).
But somewhere between ten, twelve years ago, and today, my focus and anticipation shifted from the game ... to the reason I still choose to pay thousands of dollars to go to said games.
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At the risk of sounding like the philosopher I ain't, as I get older, what matters more on these GameDay Sunday's isn't the game. It's the interaction with everyone. And as I get older, and reflect on the "road not chosen", so to speak, it's honestly cool to see how things change ... yet remain the same.
It's cool to see Mr. Reason and his kid, and whatever the hell we're gonna call Tim and his kid, out there every week. The present ... and the future. Ditto my brother and his kid. And this week, we found out my good buddy Ryan and his lovely wife Alyssa are expecting in June. This on the heels of my good buddy Anthony and his wife Jaimmie expecting Super Bowl weekend.
When I was twenty, twenty two, I didn't get why tailgating meant so much to folks my parent's age. I didn't get why Randy and Nancy were there before the gates opened. (Ditto The Bus folks.) I didn't get why Gordon and Bonnie drove six hours every Saturday to spend a couple hours enjoying a Dr. Pepper or five on a frigid cold Sunday morning in a parking lot.
I think I get it now.
(Pause).
God d*mn, The Byrds were right.
"I was so much older then. I'm younger than that now ..."
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I used to write a post every year thanking the people who make my life worth living. It used to be my favorite post of the year to write. I haven't written it in five years, partly because some of the people who made that post worth typing, proved to not be worth typing about.
But mostly because I just assumed, for better or for worse, that those of you who are a part of my life, know what you mean to me. I'd like to think I don't have to type on this poorly read (and proofread! #makestevossitenumerodosgreat ... #forthefirsttime) site my feelings and emotions.
But maybe I do.
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In the past three weeks, I've seen my dad survive a botched heart operation after a "cardiac event". I've spent an evening with four great friends, all of whom I've known for at least half my life. (And in three of the four cases, a helluva lot longer than that.) I saw my former co-worker and friend, and his wife, for the first time since my "career sabbatical" three years ago.
I spent Wednesday night with my extended family, attempting to play Fortnite with my nephew (note: I suck at that game, worse than I suck at Madden ... and at least I could blame my suckitude at Madden, on Chadwick Pennington), attempting to figure out which niece was which now that they changed their hair looks (note: please don't ever do that again to Unca Teve, ok? He's usually at least five glasses of pinot grigio in before he sees you). I spent Thursday with my parents, Friday with my Second Parents, and will spend today with "raider nation north" coming in for the game tomorrow. I'll get to spend tonight with Coltin and Chance and Blake and the Mahomies folks that have become a core of our tailgate.
And I'll get to spend tomorrow with a lot of you reading this today.
That?
And for once, I won't attempt to censor myself.
That?
Is pretty god damned fucking cool.
Because you?
Are why I keep showing up for these "cardiac event" endusing, uuh, events.
Happy Thanksgiving (and Drinksgiving!) weekend everyone. Happy Chrismukkah season!
And on Sunday?
Embrace the hate of oakland ... and the love of those, you truly love.
Because sometimes? It takes ten years apart, to realize how much better, you are together:
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Sunday, like Norm every day at "Cheers", I'm showing up for my one true love in life.
And like Norm -- in a stunner -- it ain't the beer.
I'm showing up, because of y'all. I'm nothing without the friends, family, and most importantly, the friends that are family, in this life. So many of you I've met through this experience we call tailgating, we call GameDay, we call Chiefs Football.
And I'm damned lucky and proud, to do it again on Sunday.
I truly hope an annual post isn't needed, to express how thankful I am, for each and everyone of you, being a part of my life.
I hope I've conveyed the emotion properly enough.
But if not ... thank you for being a friend. Travel down the road and back again. Your heart is true; you're a pal and a confidant.
(Pause). Dammit! Late 80s sitcom theme songs strike again!
* at Chiefs 31, raiders (+10) 27. This line is indefensible, ridiculous, and possibly insane.
Three things, if we're being honest here, all of y'all have said about me, more times than I care to think about. And yet, we're still here. Still friends. (paul simon voice) Still crazy, after all these years ...
Hope to see y'all tomorrow!
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