How ‘bout those Chiefs! The day I have quite literally been waiting for my entire life is about to come this Sunday. After fifty years, the Kansas City Chiefs are playing in the Superbowl!!! WOW! There are few things I love more in life than football, especially Chiefs football. In fact, my love for football was a major factor in my decision to venture far from the Midwest to attend USC.
You see, in Kansas City and the Midwest, football is “king”. Each fall it’s all about high school football on Friday nights, college football on Saturday’s and the Chief’s on Sunday’s. Life that time of year is all about family, food and football.
The Chiefs are deeply rooted in Kansas City’s culture. The players are huge celebrities. I love the way people rally around the team and the spirited community it creates. Right now, city buildings, statues and fountains are dressed in red as fans wear Chief’s gear to show their support for the team. The onslaught of videos and social media posts I have received from family and friends back home brings me close to buying a ticket back to KC just to reinsert myself into the energetic atmosphere like I never left in the first place.
Watching Chiefs games from LA and listening to Arrowhead Stadium “rock” with the tomahawk chop gives me pangs of both homesickness and incredible pride. I miss the strong feeling of community that you get when you are surrounded by the mutual enthusiasm for something that brings the community together. It’s similar to being in the USC student section! I want to be there to soak in the ambiance and contribute to the community’s level of excitement.
Although being in a new city with a new vibe is exciting and captivating, this football season reminds me how important it is to stay rooted in your hometown. Although sometimes your hometown seems as distant as a one word reply to the generic “where are you from” question we get so often in college, our hometowns define who we are and what is important to us. This football season, although extremely exciting, has been a great reminder to maintain my hometown pride and keep my Midwestern roots strong out here in California.
In this week leading up to the Super Bowl, I will be proudly wearing my #15 Patrick Mahomes jersey with my fellow Kansas City Trojans. It has been a magical season and I can only hope for a little more magic from my team. I AM SO EXCITED – GO CHIEFS!!!
I’M READY FOR THE GREATEST WEEKEND OF MY LIFE WIN OR LOSE (but hopefully win:) )
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