Opinion

Sports Fans

Friday, October 10, 2014

The happenings of the past few days have certainly brought out all the sports fans in our area. From the diehards like me, who have made our involvements in sports, games, and recreational events, our main hobbies in life, to the infrequent followers of these physical diversions, we have come together in celebration of the feats of our beloved teams.

On the big stage we have just witnessed some remarkable displays. A week ago Monday night, I was lucky to be present for the first Monday Night Football game the Kansas City Chiefs had hosted in four years.

I have been a Chiefs fan since I was a young boy, when the team moved here from Dallas in 1963. When I say "My Chiefs," I realize they are not really "my" Chiefs. Doesn't matter, I know that all of you readers out there who feel as I do about my Chiefs, know exactly how I feel, and what I mean.

To have been a Chiefs fan all these years, means you most certainly know the "thrill of victory and the agony of defeat!" For most of the previous 50 plus years, that has more often meant agony. Despair not, true Chiefs fans love them, win or lose.

Monday night's game was against the highly successful New England Patriots, one of the best teams of the past dozen years. Our Chiefs handed them one of their worst ever defeats, and the stadium was in a musical term, "ROCKIN!" It was so loud, that we once again wrested for the time being, the title of the loudest stadium in football, from the Seattle fans.

As we were leaving the stadium we passed the circular exit ramps, and you could hear thousands of fans as they paraded down the spiral slopes, singing loudly and in unison, the TOMAHAWK CHOP verse, "whooooh.. oh.. oh.. oh!" Everyone in our group was inspired, and I felt a tingle on the back of my neck, during this choral outburst of joyous celebration.

There is something so communal that occurs when sports fans are together. You become a member of a tribe. You want to wear the garb and symbols of your team nation. You quite simply feel as if you belong to something bigger than yourself.

The very next night, in Kauffman Stadium, right next door to Arrowhead, our Kansas City Royals won a dramatic come-from-behind victory, in a baseball wild card playoff game, versus the Oakland Athletics.

I have talked to many viewers who thought the game was over when our Royals went into the bottom of the eighth inning trailing 7-3. I admit I had my doubts too, but I stayed up for the finish. If you missed it, I assure you it was a game for the ages.

The Kansas City stadiums are located on the edge of the city, and the fans are notorious for finding excuses to leave early. On both nights, the fans in the stands, remained to the not so bitter end.

Closer to home I was treated to another outstanding sports victory this week. Our Lady Tigers Softball Team played their last home game of the season before District play. They hosted their long time rivals from Webb City, and sent the Lady Cardinals home in defeat, in a come-from-behind thriller.

Last week our local ninth grade boys football team ventured across the state line to play the Fort Scott Tigers. The Kansas team had not lost a game in the last two years, but our young hometown boys put an end to that record.

Our Lady Tiger Golf team has also had a tremendous season. Several team members qualified for the sectionals and state tournament.

If you cannot tell by now, I am a true and avid sports fan. There is something about the vitality of sports, the players, and the comradeship, that has appealed to me as both a participant and a fan, for as long as I can remember.

Some people think that we have too many activities and sports in our schools today. I beg to differ on that issue. The Greeks taught us centuries ago, that the mind and the body work in unison. If you neglect one part, the other suffers.

I don't think it matters whether you are involved in sports, music, art, speech and debate, FFA, or any of the many clubs and activities that are offered to students today. When a student is active and involved in these endeavors, they are more likely to be a better student too.

Years ago KOAM Channel 7 in Pittsburg, Kan., was the first TV station that was available in our area. I loved to watch two of my favorite announcers on that station's news show.

The first of these was Earl Ludlum. Earl was the weatherman who broadcast live at 6 and 10 p.m. each night. We based our plans upon Earl's predictions.

The other broadcaster was the sports anchor on Channel 7, Vic Cox. Vic had only about 5 minutes of airtime during each newscast, but he managed to get a lot of results on the air. He was a straightforward sports newsman, and he never wasted time or words.

At the end of each broadcast, Vic had a famous saying that became sort of a watchword for sports fans in our area. He would look intently into the camera lens and say, "now remember sports fans, when speaking of sports, speak like a sport!"

I wish Vic were still broadcasting the sports. I would love to hear his reporting on all the teams both pro and amateur. It's been a great fall so far, and who knows, we might just get to see another I-70 World Series. If that doesn't make you a sports fan I don't know what will!