Phil./K.C. Historic Links

A few weeks into the 2024 NFL season, the certainly historic Athletics’ baseball franchise, one whose highs and lows were epic, played their last game in a city (Oakland) for the third time.

The cities involved in previous last A’s/Athletics games, Philadelphia and Kansas City, will have representative teams meet, with the NFL crown on the line for a second time in 3 seasons/2 years on the calendar, and for a third time in a major North American sports league final round. (Philadelphia, which lost a highly competitive Supe 2 years ago with its Eagles, vs the current two time champion, incredible winners in close tilts, Chiefs, won the ’80 World Series 4 games to 2 with its Phillies, vs the K.C. Royals).

The Eagles taking advantage of 5 “Wash” turnovers” rode 3 rushing TD’s apiece from Saq Barkley and Ja Hurts to a (55-24) NFC title game victory.

They are now (4-0) in such games, when current Chiefs coach and 3 time Super Bowl winning coach Andy Reid was not their coach in said game. Phil was just (1-4) in such games under Reid.

A close Chiefs win vs the Bills in the ‘offs (3 of the 5, all in the last 4 seasons and in 2 straight seasons, K.C. is (5-2) vs Buff. in ‘offs tilts) yields some details here. In effect, while difficult, some “Hail to the Chiefs” is in order.

Of course Mahomes, he with 3 crowns (NFL variety), and not so appealingly, a la Curry, who has 4 crowns (titles, I do not know what is in his mouth), plays and more relevant, is shown “playing” with his mouth retainer, was brilliant, severely outplaying Allen, the latter below par for a third straight Bills ‘offs loss, after playing great, finding Gabriel Davis for an ‘offs record 4 TD’s (one to tie and three to give “Buff” the lead), in a heartbreaking “slots 4” loss at K.C. in ’21, running for 2 TD’s juxtaposed with Allen being stopped on myriad key plays.

Add in this “hail,” Butker, an all-time great “booter,” who no matter how hard I try to “jinx” him, does not miss and credit must be given him!!

I will add the obscure Samaje Perine, taking the “wrap up” Mahomes short pass as well as Kareem Hunt, no relation to Lamar and Clark, who “first td’d” for a second straight game.

That is the great hockey player, Dave Keon, a key member of 4 Toronto Maple Leafs’ title teams, for so long now the last 4, pictured above.

Sure it is a tangent, however, 50 years ago, (’72-’74) the Oakland Athletics won 3 straight World Series.

Go back 10 years from that and the Maple Leafs, who last even made the NHL final in ’67 when they did “6” then great Montreal (Canadiens), won NHL titles (’62-’64).

Will K.C. also make it three?!