Special Note - The Rock of the Chiefs - Lamar Hunt passes away, December 13, 2006

I have not known a minute of pro football without Lamar Hunt. No one has known a minute of Chiefs football without him. After the NFL refused to allow him to add a team to the league, he put together the entire AFL in 1960, and included that team he wanted, then the Dallas Texans. After only a few years, he wanted out of vying for fans with the Cowboys and blessed Kansas City with what became one of the stalwart organizations in football. Even though it wasn't always successful on the field, he made the Chiefs a lasting, vibrant part of the city and the NFL. He was the Chiefs.

The impact of Hunt goes way beyond the fact that he came up with the name "Super Bowl." For starters he not only got the AFL going, but was instrumental in the entire success of the NFL. Many people think it was the Jets upset win over the Colts in 1969 that afforded the AFL respect. No, with all due respect to the Jets, that could have been a fluke. It was the Chiefs Super Bowl win the following year that meant it was for real. Few people outside of the faithful remember what a dominant team this was in the late-60's. The Len Dawson-led offense got the job done, and the defense with Bobby Bell, Willie Lanier, Buck Buchanan, Curly Culp, and Johnny Robinson was phenomenally good, arguably one of the greatest ever.

Right after that, it was AFC teams that defined success in the 70's. The Dolphins, the Steelers, and the Raiders all rolled over their NFC counterparts through that decade. Even though the 49ers and the Cowboys each had their dynasties in the 80's and 90's, people don't fully realize how good the classic AFL Broncos, Bills, and Oilers were in those years.

And if you talk about the 90's you can't deny Hunt's very own Kansas City Chiefs were one of the exceptional teams. There were those close, crushing losses in the playoffs, but remember, this team made the playoffs 7 of 8 years, at one point getting in six straight times. Hard to believe that it is now in our Chiefs memories that we fondly think of Derrick Thomas, Neil Smith, Albert Lewis, John Alt, Christian Okoye, Marcus Allen, and even though they were each there for such a short time but did very well, Joe Montana and Steve DeBerg.

And the 00's? You know it. The most impressive team by far has been another original AFL'er, the Patriots. Lamar Hunt never grumbled or or got petty whenever he endured the frustrations of his team. It was almost as if, when a team defeated his Chiefs in the playoffs, he'd just be proud of all his other babies.

The neatest thing about Lamar Hunt was that he loved sports so much, that in college he earned the nickname "Games." He built on that reputation by industriously putting together all kinds of leagues for things like tennis and soccer. In having such a passion for competition, he made it possible for so many to showcase their skills and have a great time in vibrant competition.

It is not an overstatement to say that half of the NFL was his doing.

It is just weird not having him there being the Rock of the Chiefs. I thought he would be there forever. There is no question his spirit will live on in the Chiefs, in Kansas City, in the NFL, and anywhere people desire to accomplish great things.