LAS VEGAS | In wrestling, fights have always been centered on the eternal storyline involving the “good guys” and the “bad guys”. The NFL may be less fanciful, but heading into Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas, the Chiefs have clearly become the team football fans love to hate.
Four years ago, before the same duel as this year in the Super Bowl against the 49ers, the Chiefs benefited from popular fervor.
They were seen as a breath of fresh air with their first appearance at the ultimate match in 50 years. They were the new sensation of the NFL and officially put an end to the outrageous domination of the Patriots, which all of America could no longer feel outside of New England.
Times change quickly! Two Super Bowl victories later, the Chiefs seem to have become the new Patriots as a team that many describe as detestable.
A poll of 2,000 people from across the United States conducted by SportsHandle last week even found that quarterback Patrick Mahomes was declared the “most annoying athlete at the Super Bowl,” by a margin of 23 percent. Travis Kelce follows him closely, at 22%, while no 49ers player exceeds the 4% mark.
Mahomes shared
Getty Images via AFP
During his daily press conference at the Chiefs hotel on Wednesday morning, the Journal asked Mahomes if, like many of his teammates, he enjoyed this new role as “bad guy.”
“Not necessarily,” he replied, pouting. I just like to win. If you win and that makes you the bad guy, I’m OK with that. At the end of the day, what I enjoy is playing football and winning as much as possible.”
Like wrestlers
Unlike Mahomes, Kelce seems to fuel this sudden negative energy.
When the Chiefs arrived at the stadium Monday at media night, you had to hear the intensity of the boos to realize how disturbing their repeated successes were.
The tight end, who loves to put on a show, even took the opportunity to taunt the crowd, like a perfect wrestler in the villain’s boots.
“You set me on fire, it makes me want to play right away! I like boos more than applause. Keep it up, Niners Nation!” he yelled.
Kelce is far from alone among the Chiefs in noticing the change in fans’ attitudes.
“When we arrived in the stadium to boos, I loved the energy! It makes the experience even more fun. As defensive players, we already love the physical aspect, but if you want to motivate us even more, I will take that energy without hesitation,” mentioned safety Justin Reid when asked about this perception.
Chris Jones in disbelief
Chris Jones finds it difficult to understand why the Chiefs are causing discontent, but is fine with it. Getty Images via AFP
For his part, star tackle Chris Jones is surprised by this sudden change of direction.
“Everyone loved us, we seemed to be one of everyone’s favorite teams. Now those same people are saying, “We can’t wait for the Chiefs to lose.”
“I don’t know what dramatic incident happened or what changed, but it’s okay. They can still hate us, but the only problem is that we haven’t won as much as the world thinks yet. We only won two, didn’t we?” Jones said sarcastically about the Chiefs’ two championships in four years.
There is the fact that the Chiefs are part of the furniture in recent years at the Super Bowl, but also their media omnipresence which irritates many. There’s also the fact that the overexposure of Kelce and Taylor Swift’s romance makes purists break out in hives.
“We agree to be the bad guys. It’s like participating in a role-playing game. You know what I mean? We enjoy disturbing the crowd,” concluded Jones.
AND LETTER…
A great party…
Stéphane Cadorette
LAS VEGAS | It was the traditional media party on Tuesday evening to mark Super Bowl week in Las Vegas. It was at the F1 Grand Prix Plaza, which took place in November in Las Vegas, that the media and various NFL partners were invited for this opulent evening. On three floors dedicated to different notable eras of Vegas, with countless food stands concocted by local chefs, bars, shows reflecting different eras typical of the city and casino tables, everything was there to immerse us in the heart of the character glamor of the place. Even Elvis Presley performed on stage! Still alive, the King? There’s nothing wrong with pretending to believe it for a moment. In short, an evening of sweet madness typical of Vegas, but nothing indecent. Promised!
Like a giant potato chip
Stéphane Cadorette
LAS VEGAS | The NFL and Las Vegas will stop at nothing when it comes to promoting Super Bowl sponsors and corporate partners. With the typical eccentricity of Las Vegas, this is the case more than ever this week. A striking example is the promotion of Doritos on an entire facade of the Luxor hotel, where some of the media are staying (of which yours truly is not part). The famous pyramid visible from afar on the Strip has become a kind of gigantic outdoor potato chip in recent days. Nothing too beautiful to impress the visitor or to disgust them. One thing is certain, we cannot miss it!
The controversy continues
Getty Images via AFP
LAS VEGAS | Controversy continues to rage over the 49ers’ training field, which many consider inadequate. On Monday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell indicated that all the usual tests had been carried out and that the field posed no problems. On Wednesday, the Players’ Association got involved in the matter in turn. If she believes that the risk of injury is not greater, she remains concerned by the supposed poor quality of the surface. “It’s far from the standard we expect for players,” said general manager Lloyd Howell. For your information, the media has no access to practices during the week of the Super Bowl.
2024-02-07 22:21:49
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