And the home of the.......

When I decided to start the Weekly Grind in 2020, my intention was not to highlight my favorite sports team. In fact, the Weekly Grind was intended to share current events, healthcare news, motivation + productivity tips and anything regarding being a working/traveling parent.

However, history was made yesterday in #KansasCity and I felt the need to share some wisdom about my Beloved Chiefs. I was a Chiefs Cheerleader from 2010-2014. During my tenure, I had the honor of running the "football knowledge" committee. I was responsible for making sure every single girl on that team knew the history of the Chiefs organization, the league, how to play the game, player transactions, injuries and any relevant news that the fans were talking about. It was an honor to be the team football sponge. It made me fall in love with the game and more importantly, realize the magic behind my team.

So for those that are living under a rock, yesterday the Chiefs had an epic game against the Houston Texans. After digging a 24-0 hole against Houston by middle of the 1st quarter, Chiefs fans were feeling nauseous and losing hope. The Chiefs have a looooong history of losing in the playoffs. Just last year, I was left Arrowhead without a voice after the AFC Championship game against the Patriots. We walked out of that stadium in silence, united as fans, but heartbroken because 2018 was supposed to be "our year."

However, this year is different. Yesterday's game proved that. Early in the second quarter Sunday, Patrick Mahomes and the rest of his superstars, embarked on the biggest comeback in franchise history. Mohomes proceeded to throw for 321 yards and five touchdowns, Travis Kelce and Damien Williams reached the end zone three times apiece, and Kansas City reeled off 41 consecutive points in a 51-31 victory over the Texans in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Onward and upward to the AFC championship game next Sunday at Arrowhead, against the Tennessee Titans. You better believe my tickets were purchased today along with hand warms, feet warmers, layers upon layers and baileys for my coffee to keep me warm during the tailgate.

The road to the Superbowl has been a long and difficult one for my Chiefs. We have more hurdles to overcome before we gain the opportunity to dance in the big show.

Without giving a full wikipedia like history of the Chiefs, I wanted to share the highlights so you can full understand the gravity of this situation and maybe understand why Chiefs fans are more hyped than ever:

• In 1959, Lamar Hunt began discussions with other businessmen to establish a professional football league that would rival the National Football League
• The NFL turned him down, so Hunt then established the American Football League and started his own team, the Dallas Texans, to begin play in 1960.

• Hunt was ultimately swayed by an offer from Kansas City Mayor Harold Roe Bartle. Bartle promised to triple the franchise's season ticket sales and expand the seating capacity of Municipal Stadium to accommodate the team.
• Hunt agreed to relocate the franchise to Kansas City on May 22, 1963, and on May 26 the team was renamed the Kansas City Chiefs.
• Hunt and head coach Hank Stram initially planned to retain the Texans name, but a fan contest determined the new "Chiefs" name in honor of Mayor Bartle's nickname.
• The franchise became one of the strongest teams in the now thriving American Football League, with the most playoff appearances for an AFL team (tied with the Oakland Raiders), and the most AFL Championships.
• The team's dominance helped Lamar Hunt become a central figure in negotiations with the NFL Commissioner to agree on an AFL–NFL merger. In the meetings between the two leagues, a merged league championship game was agreed to be played in January 1967 following the conclusion of the leagues' respective 1966 seasons. Hunt insisted on calling the game the "Super Bowl" after seeing his children playing with a popular toy at the time, a Super Ball.
• THE SUPER BOWL IS BORN (1966)
• Super Bowl I (1966/67) - The Chiefs LOSE to the Green Bay Packers 35-10
• Super Bowl IV (1969/70) - The Chiefs WIN our first and ONLY Super Bowl against the Minnesota Vikings

The Dry season begins but first we move to Arrowhead (I am the short blonde in the middle pointing up to the crowd as we break the world record for the first time in history as the loudest stadium in world).

Ok back to the dry season. We had a LOT of playoff appearances between 1970 and now:

• 1971, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2003, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and an EPIC loss to the Patriots at the AFC Championship at home in 2018.
• In 2006, the founder of the AFL and the Kansas City Chiefs, Lamar Hunt passed away. It should also be noted that Lamar was also a principal founder of the MLS (Major League Soccer). Upon his death, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones called Hunt "a founder of the NFL as we know it today." The legacy and business were kept in the family to this day and now owned by Lamar's son, Clark Hunt.
• The 2019 season has been a nail biter from beginning to end. We watched our QB go down with a knee injury early in the season which was followed by several other starters sitting out for what seemed like the worst seasons in history. But it's all about timing and this team is peaking at the right moment. The stars are aligned and our team, our QB, our starters are healthy.

The point of all of this is.....

The Kansas City Chiefs are special. They are not your average football team. Our history runs deep and our journey has been difficult. But the fans have held on. This team, this quarterback and this group of players have more grit and grind than any other team in the NFL.

This upcoming Sunday, arrowhead will be alive. I know the 11 men on our team will do their job and the fans in the stands (otherwise known as the 12th man) will do ours. Bang on the chairs, scream until we lose our voices and proudly shout "and the home of the CHIIIIIEEEEFSSSSS!!!!!!"