GLENDALE | When Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs won the Super Bowl in February 2020, they were trending and loved by everyone. Now, with their second coronation in four years, they already appear to be joining the ranks of the Loathly Ones.
It’s always the same. The NFL is a spinning wheel and like WWE wrestling, the bad guys go fast and the good guys go bad. It’s the circle of life.
When Tom Brady won his first Super Bowl in 2001, he was the young quarterback with a fabulous fortune. Sixth round pick, impossible catapulted into sporting apotheosis, a true Disney story.
Then Brady and the Patriots gained a second. Then a third. And so on, up to six.
Acute “ecoeuritis”
From the second championship in 2003, the grunt increased quietly. Brady wasn’t that good, he had good defense, the best coach in the league in Bill Belichick and a surefire kicker in Adam Vinatieri.
Then the acute “disgust” at repeated successes infected many football fans.
Of course, there were also those who relentlessly worshiped Brady, lighting votive candles to ensure his bravery would last. But there were also more and more people who got up at night to spit on him.
Blame the judges
The Chiefs are going through a bit of the same phenomenon, slowly but surely. It’s fascinating how this team, which was considered refreshing in 2019, has suddenly become the target of the greatest conspiracies.
This time, the most frustrated decide it’s the NFL that’s going all out to see the Chiefs win the Super Bowl and reign supreme.
It’s striking to see the Twittersphere burst into flames claiming the NFL is being rigged.
It’s only natural that the penalty against the Eagles at the end of the game sparked passions. Did Cornerback James Bradberry Hold JuJu Smith-Schuster’s Jersey? Yes, probably a little.
Using the book to the letter, the reviewer made the right decision. The problem is that several such offenses are not reported with the same zeal at other times.
With the score at 35:35, a few minutes before the end, it would have been better if the yellow handkerchief had stayed in the zebra’s pockets. In the strict sense of the law, however, there was a ground for a crime.
So this is the perfect opportunity to “prove” that the NFL has a deal with the Views Guy.
A unique ability
It’s time the critics let go of their emotions and face reality. The Chiefs are a solid organization led by Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach.
The term “generation” is often misused, but Patrick Mahomes really lives up to the expression. And yet…
Right now, Pats fans don’t want to see the Chiefs win because they want to continue living off the fumes of their dynasty’s final infernos.
Bengals fans hate the Chiefs because they too claim umpires robbed them. Bills fans also have their reasons to hold their noses when the Chiefs come by. The wound left by the famous 13 seconds and the overtime from a year ago remains open.
Several others, loyal or otherwise, go so far as to believe that Patrick Mahomes is a good actor, acting to compound the effects of his ankle injury to capitalize on sympathy.
It would be fascinating to see these guys on the field struggling with a sprained ankle and being chased by 300lb monsters. They will never get this chance, they criticize.
All of these beautiful people have a right to hate, but we must at least acknowledge that the Chiefs have a gift for spectacular football and wild games. That should be enough to make her respect you.
