But They Fought for Their Right to Party! Puritanical Chiefs Fans Angered by Super Bowl Parade Drinking
AP Photo/Colin E. Braley
Prudish Kansas City Chiefs fans wrote a letter to the editor of the Kansas City Star, upset about how the Super Bowl champions partied throughout their parade.
On Sunday, the newspaper published letters sent to the editor, angrily annoyed at how the Chiefs celebrated their Super Bowl LVII victory on Wednesday. Various players were filmed with alcohol in their hands throughout the parade route and on stage in front of the hundreds of thousands of fans who showed up. Cornerback Jaylen Watson had to leave the championship celebration in a wheelchair due to his alcohol consumption.
Kansas City fan Janet Elaine Hensel wrote to the Kansas City Star, bothered with how the whole organization conducted itself. She wrote:
If the Chiefs cannot go a few hours without alcohol, the organization has a problem. I, for one, was sickened to see this for the second time. Some Chiefs even bragged through social media about how drunk they were afterward. I am ashamed that players I cheered for could barely walk after they got off the bus. No Doubt this spectacle made the news in other cities.
I wish the Chiefs would take pride in their reputation and forgo drinking next time. The parade Is a citywide party. You don’t represent this die-hard fan when you make the parade look like a college fraternity beer bust.
The criticism of drinking in public did not stop there. Chiefs fan Skip Stogsdill called out the Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player.
I was surprised and dismayed to see that Patrick Mahomes and other players were drinking alcohol again. I felt that way three years ago, and I thought there would have been enough negative feedback from the parents of children and teenagers voicing their concerns to the Chiefs’ administration that it wouldn’t be repeated.
Next time there’s a victory parade, please imbibe your alcohol privately and discreetly. Impressionable young people deserve better role models than you’ve displayed twice.
The third letter was different compared to the first two that complained about the players boozing, Kansas City fan Michele McCue ripped play-by-play announcer Mitch Holthus after he started the “Arrowhead Chop” similar to the “tomahawk chop.” Some view the celebration as offensive and racist.
Wednesday’s Chiefs celebration was fun and joyful – but then Mitch had to rain on the parade. I was super embarrassed for my city and the Chiefs organization when announcer Mitch Holthus stood onstage with the players and insisted that everyone join in the “Arrowhead chop” to cap off the celebration. I’m not saying I don’t participate in the chop sometimes – it’s knee-jerk for Chiefs fans.
But I know better, and I know how inappropriate and disrespectful it is. The Chiefs should be making every effort to protect its awesome brand by getting rid of the chop. Instead, all appearances Wednesday were that they still actively encourage it. Millions of eyes and ears will be focused on our city in a few weeks for the NFL Draft.
