Week 9 @ Chiefs

Game Day

We left the hotel just after 9. We knew it was too late but quietly hoped the traffic wasn’t going to be too bad. That was funny. As it turned out we could have hoped through a set of Chilli Peppers speakers and we still would have been as wrong as could be. We were 6 miles away from Arrowhead on a trip that was going to take us almost an hour in the end.

As we approached the gate the first thing that caught my eye was the car parking. There was space for about 2 million cars. I couldn’t believe it. What’s more it all seemed to be filling. I have always been told that KC fans are about the only ones that could challenge the Lambeau tailgate and come close. I learned this today in no uncertain terms. It seemed we were parked so far away from the stadium. It was incredible.

Pre Game – Traffic and Tailgating

It actually made me think even more of the mystique that is Lambeau Field. I mean here I was, at a stadium that holds some 5,000 more people than Lambeau but occupies what seemed like 4 times the space. This truly is, what I would consider at least, a professional sporting complex for a professional team in a reasonably sized city. The lot was big, the traffic was awful and the despite being outside of any downtown or industrial area, the place was hard to get to.

By comparison, the area surrounding Lambeau is small. Green Bay is not a reasonably sized city and it’s not hard to get to. With regards to traffic and parking, we might not have the space they do down there in KC but we have front yards and neighbours of the stadium willing to throw out the welcome mat. I tell you, this is one magical place. Having seen what I have over these last few weeks you begin to appreciate Green Bay for more than just it’s team. The ease of access, the street parties and the $10 front yard parking. It really is something else.

Pre Game – Anyone got a Ticket?

Of the 10 of us on the RV (known from here on in as the RV8 with Sam and i excluded), I was the only ticketless one. Sam, our designated driver is quite well connected so far as friends on the team go and the rest of the crew had planned this trip well in advance.

So it was up to me. For most of the away games so far I have relied on a friend of a friend who knows someone in the right place. You know when you do that though, sometimes you think you’re being a burden? I do. This week, amongst all of the emails we received, there were a number offering tickets or assistance getting tickets. This meant that I could leave my friend alone for a week and take care of myself. Chalk that up as stupid idea number 4. All roads led to nowhere once I got there so at 10:15 Sunday morning I was out, in that behemoth of a car park looking for a ticket.

This experience was incredible. Not the looking for a ticket part - that was a pain in the clacker. It was the meeting new people every few minutes or so. When you have an accent like I do and you’re wearing a hat that any Aussie bushman would gladly call his own, you tend to stand out a little. Throw in a few newspaper articles and a couple of TV interviews and you very quickly become known as “that Australian guy”. Yes, even here in Kansas City.

I met alot of people Sunday morning who wanted to get their photos taken. Not so many that were prepared to swap a ticket for it though. I cruised the lot, picking out all of the Packer groups hoping that somewhere along the way I would come across a group where somebody hadn’t turned up. That happened once but they’d sold the ticket for $30 not long before so I missed out.

My experience with the fans from KC was wonderful. One fool turned his back on me (not the guys in this pic by the way) when I asked his group about ticket availability. I thought that was a little rude so I asked him why he turned his back? He pointed to my shirt. He pointed! This from a grown man? Unbelievable.....

On the contrary I met Dr. Earl Malone and his son, also KC fans. When he heard me looking for a ticket and got wind of my accent he took me under his wing completely. From the winding car park roads he took me down to the stadium, showed me where to stand and must have spoken to a dozen people on my behalf. We were separated in the end but if you get to read this Doc, I just want to say thanks. I got there in the end. (Insert Smiley face here)

Getting There in the End

It had to happen sooner or later. I missed the kick-off. Tickets were going for, at times, $400 a piece. As if anyone was going to pay $400 for a regular seat. I wasn’t too concerned for the hour between 10:45 and 11:45 but as midday approached I began to wonder. The cheapest ticket I could find before kick-off was $200 so I decided to bite my tongue and wait until I heard the roar of the crowd.

Expecting to cut the price in half once the game had started I was on the lookout again. A funny thing happened though. All of a sudden there were hundreds of people wandering the outer precinct with their fingers in the air. This is NFL speak for the number of tickets needed. One finger, one ticket needed and so on. At about the same time this happened, the guys that had the tickets seemed to disappear. As I thought about this it made sense. Go into hiding for a little bit and then come out marketing some of the last tickets available. Very clever.

Anyway, after some serious searching I bought the first ticket I could and hot footed my way into the stadium. Operation “I’ll get one when I get there” will never be employed again.

Game Time

I didn’t miss that much after all. I saw Mason’s first field goal so there are no complaints from my end. The seating experience was an interesting one though. Long story short the usher misread my ticket and pointed me in the wrong direction. After a little drama I found my seat and all was good.

Last week I said that Denver was LOUD. Arrowhead was no different. The thing this stadium had though was the colour red. Much like a Badgers game the entire stadium was red and I don’t care what team you support, this is impressive.

Because we’d (Sam and the RV8) all arranged our tickets individually I was on my own in a sea of red. Sure there were a few Packers fans around but none that I could talk to openly without having to yell over the lap of a KC fan. I decided that seeing it was such a nice day (I was seated in the shade) I’d cruise around the stadium, have a look around and meet some people.

My plan? Find spots of green and gold close enough to the aisles that I could easily join without putting too many people in red out. This worked a treat. Sure, it was probably my hat that got people’s interest but it was fun seeing every side of the stadium and chatting my way through the first 3 quarters.

At halftime the score was 7-6 KC. It was 6-0 GB until the Chiefs put on a score with 15 seconds remaining and it stayed that way until the last 11 seconds of the quarter.

Now the last 15 mins, 11 seconds were something else. The score, the game, the emotions of everybody in the crowd were up and down like nothing I have experienced since being here. I certainly picked a good time to stop my Arrowhead exploration and take my seat to see some football. Here’s how the game and my emotions unfolded:

Q3 - KC hold their 7 - 6 lead for much of the play. I am not happy or sad. There’s a long way to go.

Q3, 11 seconds remaining - Brett throws for 13 yards to his man Greg Jennings after A.J took an intercept 5 plays earlier. I, whilst excited was reserved. Still a whole quarter left. GB lead 13 - 7.

Q4, 11 minutes remaining – KC score on a screen pass to Larry Johnson. That was after Tony Gonzalez tore us apart earlier in the drive. This was disappointing. From where I was sitting I could see the entire play unfold and when Johnson took the catch and turned up field you could see, as a Packers fan, that he only had daylight ahead. KC re-takes the lead 14 -13.

Q4, 9 minutes to go – Mason kicks a field goal following DD’s awesome one handed catch in the middle of the field amongst double coverage. I got really excited at that. It was a pretty amazing grab. GB assumes the lead 16 - 14.

Q4, 5 and a half minutes remaining – Chiefs score, take a 2 point conversion. This was not a very good drive. Lots of penalties and we go behind again. I had my elbows on my knees, sometimes my face in my hands. I was a little slouched and somewhat nervous. A field goal is no good now, we need a TD. KC again lead 22 - 16.

Q4, 3 minutes to go – Brett passes to that guy called Jennings again. He sure likes catching touchdown passes this bloke. 60 yards, awesome throw, awesome catch. I frantically look back hoping the officials didn’t drop a flag. NO FLAG, I and my new friends (I had moved seats) go totally off. GB see-saw back to lead 23 - 22. (Picture - Crosby kicking the PAT)

Q4, 1 minute 40 left – Chiefs look to move downfield until a 40 yard catch they made was overturned. KGB enters the game with an awesome sack and the chant (deepen your voice) K-G-B starts. We get the ball, Woodson returns it to the 30 yard line. Why the Chiefs punted I’ll never know? They were losing? Mason kicks another field goal and we all gives high fives with the knowledge that they need more than a field goal to win. GB extend to 26 – 22.

Q4, final minute – Defence comes up big, Woodson intercepts on 3rd and desperate and skips his way into the end-zone. I, the people I was sitting with and I’m sure the entire green wearing section of the crowd lose our minds. I was jumping. I couldn’t stop screaming and jumping. GB ahead 33 - 22 for good.

7 and 1. Yeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaa. It doesn’t really sound the same when you type it does it.

I know that was kind of detailed but seriously that last portion of play was nuts. The lead changed 5 times in the space of 15 minutes and at more than one point red and green fans had good reason to laugh or cry.

Afterwards, I took the atmosphere in as I always do and found my way to the RV8. Their time was equally as good as mine. We slowly made our way back to the bus and put the BBQ on. (No, there wasn’t any shrimp.) The traffic was way too heavy to consider leaving and we’d won.....What was the rush?

I was quite reflective at this point in the day. For everything I have seen this season, the last 6 days have been amazing. Denver, Halloween, the road-trip, KC. And that wasn’t all. I’d made some real friends along the way and got to see Brett beat the only team he hadn’t beaten in his illustrious career so far. We made our way to the hotel after that but I’ll write about that one separately.

Sunday night celebrations and the trip home still to come.