Off the Couch
“This isn’t going to happen very often, and what we need to do is enjoy it.”
— Dick Vermeil, following his team’s first win in Washington, 101.1 KCFX
GH: Vermeil meant that the Chiefs wouldn’t blow out many opponents like they did the Redskins. But his words also sounded like a warning to all Chiefs fans to rein in any optimism they may now be feeling.
“Unfucking believable.”
— Marty Schottenheimer, on the sideline just before halftime as his Redskins headed to the locker room down 28-10 to the Chiefs, CBS
“I’m not saying the inaugural Winston Cup race at Kansas Speedway dragged on, but you can drive from Omaha to KC in a shorter time. And that includes pit stops at Rock Port, Mound City and the St. Joseph McDonald’s. The first Protection One 400 at this fabulous race facility was one of the great sporting events you’ll ever see. And then the race started. The thing about a NASCAR race is that it’s not about the race. It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s whether you stopped by the merchandise trailer and bought a $150 Dale Jarrett leather jacket with all the trimmings, er, logos. It’s about the atmosphere. Unbelievable atmosphere. The tailgating at a Chiefs game at Arrowhead Stadium is a George Foreman grill compared to the brat-and-suds city at Kansas Speedway. It’s a surreal scene, miles long around the track.”
— Tom Shatel, columnist, Omaha World Herald
GH: At 7 Sunday morning, the gentleman in front of me at the Quik Trip, decked out in Jeff Gordon gear, purchased three tins of Skoal and three cartons of Winstons. At 8 Sunday night, traffic near I-29 and Barry Road was still teeming with NASCAR patrons. The lines at the drive-through fast food restaurants stretched out into the street. NASCAR is like an enema; it comes to town and cleans it out of whatever is unhealthy.
“Here are the topics we will accept….”
— Steven St. John, alerting would-be callers that his interpretation of 810 WHB’s “Powered by fans” slogan may differ from most dictionaries, 810
“We’re all in this together, so let’s hope taunting becomes extinct. And booing and clipboard-smashing and head-hunting. Let’s hope the terrorists’ attacks will put an end to the look-at-me chest thumps after a two-yard gain. Pal, unless you went up a flaming skyscraper when the rest of the world was coming down, we don’t want to hear about it.”
— Rick Reilly, Sports Illustrated
