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Royals and Chiefs fans are not the same
It doesn’t surprise me that some people at Royals’ games sing “home of the Chiefs” instead of “home of the brave” at the end of the national anthem. (See recent Ball Star blog.)
The Chiefs are a bigger deal than the Royals in Kansas City – at least until the Royals become World Series worthy. Beyond that, fans of the Chiefs and fans of the Royals have always been outwardly different. Of course, many people are fans of both teams but let’s just talk about how they act at the games.
At Chiefs’ games, many fans love to draw attention to themselves. They get painted up, bring whatever props they want and drape themselves in big red shirts. For the most part, they yell more, drink more and are more likely to get in fights than would Royals’ fans.
A Chiefs’ game is a happening. A Royals game, like baseball itself, is more like a pastime. A few fans get loud and obnoxious, but for the most part fans just sit back and watch the game. Some actually read magazines during the game. Others get up and go for refreshments or to the restroom in the middle of a Royals’ rally. These aren’t serious fans, but that’s OK. Most people at the ballpark know and like baseball, even if they are a bit laid back.
At Arrowhead, people often stand up for the entire game, which is one reason I have not been out there in 10 years. You could say that Chiefs’ fans have more fun than Royals’ fans. Good for them. But they really shouldn’t come to Kauffman and substitute the word Chiefs for “brave” at the end of the national anthem. It’s not very patriotic. Besides, there’s been nothing brave about the championship-starved Chiefs for years.
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Who is the Royals’ MVP? According to an online poll on the Royals’ Web site, it’s Joakim Soria – by far. Soria has 46 percent of the fans’ vote, followed by 24 percent for Jose Guillen, 15 percent for David DeJesus, 8 percent for Alex Gordon and 7 percent for Zack Greinke. My vote would go to Guillen. Soria is a star, but he wouldn’t have had as many games to save if not for Guillen.
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I see that the Royals climbed to No. 24 out of the 30 Major League teams in the latest monthly Power Rankings in Sports Weekly. I don’t think I have seen them that high in years. This was before the trip to Baltimore. The paper commented the Royals “should have moved to the NL when they had the chance in 1997.”