Tradition Tuesday: If This Is It

Man. I thought "Requiem for a Dream" was depressing. It's like a "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood" rerun compared to the blue splattering the HoG's canvas this week. C'mon, boys. It's tradition week. You'll come out here. We'll make fun of Chiefs fans. Chiefs fans and I will make fun of you. We'll watch Selvin "I'm pretty" Young and Priest "Call it a comeback; I've been here for years" Holmes duke it out in a snoozy runfest of a football game. That, my friends, is good freakin' times. Let's analyze the matchup a bit further, though. Shall we?

On the Broncos front, the status of Travis "Who's Your Daddy?" Henry is about as certain as a weatherman's prediction; he might play, but he might not. Enter Selvin Young to fill that slot. Screamin' Jay Cutler might've broken his leg at Ford Field on Sunday, but, in all likelihood, he probably didn't. And Javon Walker? Who knows when he'll return. Actually, the Bronco nation faithful probably do know, but they're a bit busy -- how shall we say -- wound licking to check it out. That leaves the Denver D as the only for sure, and that side of the football is only sure of its sub-mediocrity.

As for the red and gold, Larry Johnson, according to a Denver media figure, has a broken foot and is out for the season. The Chiefs PR department, in stunning Denver Bronco-PR fashion, has allegedly denied any such breakage/knows nothing about it. Add to that that the rumor mill is churning out curds suggesting it's Brodie Croyle time in Kansas City, and that Eddie Kennison may or may not play this Sunday, and you've got two teams that continue to struggle to form an identity at mid-season, and two fan bases that really just want a bit of Arrowhead hot sake to warm their PBR-rotted guts.

Here's an interesting X factor, too. It's been since the 2002 campaign that this divisional matchup happened in Kansas City first. That contest, which featured a missed Morton Andersen field goal, resulting in a Jason Elam game-winning field goal in OT, remains the only episode of The Tradition wherein the visiting team has won. And it was a glorious day at the 'Head, I tell you. Old No. 7's kid brother (HoG congrats on the newly pledged nuptials, Young No. 7) was in attendance, as was Mayor McVesco himself. If memory serves correctly, that was also the infamous "First of all, I don't even like red/Throw it in the trash and make it again" post-game experience at Popeye's Fried Chicken. That was a meal that will live in infamy.

More importantly, it was niceish out for the contest, a descriptor we haven't been able to use for the Broncos at Chiefs game on many other occasions. In fact, the last three have been so miserably cold that the HoG staff has only been able to watch spurts of the games while tending to watery eyes and frozen boogers. When I left for work this morning, my car thermometer read 32 degrees, also known as freezing. Having arrived home, the wife, spurring all her energy-conservation endeavors, has fired up the furnace for the first time, so yes, it's freakin' cold in Kansas City.

I'm pretty sure Denver hasn't won in Kansas City in December but once since Cec', Seven and myself were born. Other months appear to be fair game. November wasn't necessarily a good one for them last year.Obviously, we hope that spills over. As for myself, I'm optimistic that the Chiefs can salvage something out of this season. Denver still can, too. But this game, as it always is, is huge.

May the best team win. And by "team," I mean the home club.