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Tales from the Kansas City Chiefs Sideline: A Collection of the Greatest Chiefs Stories Ever Told
Relive the best stories of Chiefs football — newly updated through the 2019–2020 season!
Beginning with their founding as the Dallas Texans of the American Football League in 1960, the Kansas City Chiefs have been one of professional football’s most storied franchises. In Tales from the Kansas City Chiefs Sideline , veteran sportswriter Bob Gretz brings the team’s rich history to life.
Gretz begins with the Chiefs’ visionary, 27-year-old owner Lamar Hunt, who founded not only a team but an entire league. After the Texans won the AFL championship in 1962, Hunt moved the team out of his hometown to Kansas City. Two Super Bowl appearances as the representative of the AFL culminated in a Chiefs’ championship in 1970, despite being a double-digit underdog to the Minnesota Vikings. It would be the final game featuring an AFL team, as the Chiefs and nine other teams merged with the NFL. Gretz covers the battles leading up to the merger along with the high and low points in team history—the lean years (1972–88); the “Carl and Marty” era, when the team made the play-offs in six consecutive seasons; the “Joe and Marcus” show of 1993; the dismal 2008 season; and the team’s 2013 renewal under Andy Reid and John Dorsey.
Tales from the Kansas City Chiefs Sideline is a must-have for any Chiefs fan!
Beginning with their founding as the Dallas Texans of the American Football League in 1960, the Kansas City Chiefs have been one of professional football’s most storied franchises. In Tales from the Kansas City Chiefs Sideline , veteran sportswriter Bob Gretz brings the team’s rich history to life.
Gretz begins with the Chiefs’ visionary, 27-year-old owner Lamar Hunt, who founded not only a team but an entire league. After the Texans won the AFL championship in 1962, Hunt moved the team out of his hometown to Kansas City. Two Super Bowl appearances as the representative of the AFL culminated in a Chiefs’ championship in 1970, despite being a double-digit underdog to the Minnesota Vikings. It would be the final game featuring an AFL team, as the Chiefs and nine other teams merged with the NFL. Gretz covers the battles leading up to the merger along with the high and low points in team history—the lean years (1972–88); the “Carl and Marty” era, when the team made the play-offs in six consecutive seasons; the “Joe and Marcus” show of 1993; the dismal 2008 season; and the team’s 2013 renewal under Andy Reid and John Dorsey.
Tales from the Kansas City Chiefs Sideline is a must-have for any Chiefs fan!
264 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 26, 2021
The ups and downs of the Kansas City Chiefs football history from 1961 to 2014 was discussed in this passion project of a book by longtime Chiefs beat reporter and serious Chiefs fan Bob Gretz. I read Gretz's 1994 book Hail To The Chiefs, so I knew what I was getting into when I decided to buy and then read this book.
One of the elements of this book that I enjoyed was Gretz's objective writing style on Chiefs football history. He didn't mince words when it came to the lows in Chiefs history and he congratulated the coaches, players, and certain team front office personnel when they did things right.
Current or late 2000s to the present Chiefs fans will appreciate Gretz's thoughts on the the ups and downs of the Matt Cassel era (2009-2012), as well as the period when things started looking up for the Chiefs, you know, the period when Andy Reid arrived.
Pros of the book: Gretz is a serious Chiefs fan, and he has been since 1981. But that man wrote this book like an objective sportswriter, which he is as a matter of fact. Meanwhile, I liked the way he really went in on former Chiefs General Manager Scott Pioli who helped run the team into toilet with his bad drafts; CIA-like security detail on Chiefs players and team administration; and other inane events that were apart of the Pioli experience.
Cons of the book: Gretz spent too much time in this book on the 1960s Chiefs, when a lot of the ink he spent on that era could have been used on those insanely talented 1990 to 1997 Chiefs teams. There was no mention in this book on Neil Smith who is one of the best Chiefs ever. Also, there was no mention of Dale Carter, Barry Word, Bill Maas, or Albert Lewis.
In conclusion, the subject within this book was a Gretz passion project and you can tell by the way it was written.
One of the elements of this book that I enjoyed was Gretz's objective writing style on Chiefs football history. He didn't mince words when it came to the lows in Chiefs history and he congratulated the coaches, players, and certain team front office personnel when they did things right.
Current or late 2000s to the present Chiefs fans will appreciate Gretz's thoughts on the the ups and downs of the Matt Cassel era (2009-2012), as well as the period when things started looking up for the Chiefs, you know, the period when Andy Reid arrived.
Pros of the book: Gretz is a serious Chiefs fan, and he has been since 1981. But that man wrote this book like an objective sportswriter, which he is as a matter of fact. Meanwhile, I liked the way he really went in on former Chiefs General Manager Scott Pioli who helped run the team into toilet with his bad drafts; CIA-like security detail on Chiefs players and team administration; and other inane events that were apart of the Pioli experience.
Cons of the book: Gretz spent too much time in this book on the 1960s Chiefs, when a lot of the ink he spent on that era could have been used on those insanely talented 1990 to 1997 Chiefs teams. There was no mention in this book on Neil Smith who is one of the best Chiefs ever. Also, there was no mention of Dale Carter, Barry Word, Bill Maas, or Albert Lewis.
In conclusion, the subject within this book was a Gretz passion project and you can tell by the way it was written.
January 10, 2024
"Tales from the Sideline: Kansas City Chiefs" offers a deep dive into the world of the Chiefs, making it a must-read for ardent fans of the team and the city. The book, however, has its strengths and weaknesses, earning it a modest 3.5 out of 5 stars in my review.
One notable aspect that may limit its broader appeal is the lack of a clear chronology, making it somewhat challenging for those less familiar with the team's history to follow. The narrative structure could have been more cohesive, providing a smoother journey through the Chiefs' timeline.
Furthermore, the author's evident bias towards certain general managers and coaches might be a drawback for readers seeking a more impartial perspective. While passion for the team is admirable, a more balanced approach would have added credibility to the storytelling.
On the positive side, the book excels in capturing the essence of the Kansas City Chiefs, offering a plethora of anecdotes and insights that will undoubtedly resonate with die-hard fans. The personal stories and behind-the-scenes glimpses contribute to the overall charm, creating a connection between the reader and the team.
In conclusion, "Tales from the Sideline: Kansas City Chiefs" is a worthwhile read for Chiefs enthusiasts who can overlook its chronological inconsistencies and the author's biases. For a broader audience, a more balanced perspective and a clearer timeline would have elevated the book to a higher rating.
One notable aspect that may limit its broader appeal is the lack of a clear chronology, making it somewhat challenging for those less familiar with the team's history to follow. The narrative structure could have been more cohesive, providing a smoother journey through the Chiefs' timeline.
Furthermore, the author's evident bias towards certain general managers and coaches might be a drawback for readers seeking a more impartial perspective. While passion for the team is admirable, a more balanced approach would have added credibility to the storytelling.
On the positive side, the book excels in capturing the essence of the Kansas City Chiefs, offering a plethora of anecdotes and insights that will undoubtedly resonate with die-hard fans. The personal stories and behind-the-scenes glimpses contribute to the overall charm, creating a connection between the reader and the team.
In conclusion, "Tales from the Sideline: Kansas City Chiefs" is a worthwhile read for Chiefs enthusiasts who can overlook its chronological inconsistencies and the author's biases. For a broader audience, a more balanced perspective and a clearer timeline would have elevated the book to a higher rating.
June 11, 2024
I was hoping for some inside scoop or stories I hadn't heard before with this one, which wasn't really the case. More than half the book was devoted to the foundation of the team and the early years. While none of that was necessarily new to me, it was interesting to revisit. The 70s and 80s were skimmed pretty quickly (probably for the best) and I enjoyed the chapters on the Schottenheimer era - wanted more info there, actually. Then we entered the 2000s and I was kind of hoping for some interesting tidbits that would make sense of the bizarre Pioli era. Didn't really get them. With all the recent success, it's easy to put out of your mind how dark of a time 2012 was (whoch also happened to be my first year as a season ticket holder). Made me really glad that the book (originally written in 2015) added a final chapter after the 2020 Super Bowl. All-in-all, there was no new information that I learned, really. Was also hoping to hear some interesting stories from/about players or other people involved with the team, and didn't really get that either. But if you're looking for a fairly comprehensive history of the team and their accomplishments (or severe lack thereof for many years), this is a great source. Still enjoyed it, just wanted more for the 1990s and beyond.
November 22, 2019
If you're a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs, this book provides a lot of interesting stories and anecdotes from the team's history. It ends on a bit of an optimistic note (after the 2014-15 season) as the Chiefs were again improving after several bad years, but is still five years out of date. It is also clear which personalities the author likes and supports, and those who he doesn't care for, but then again I tend to agree with his judgments. Overall, a good read for Chiefs' fans.
October 3, 2022
The book was about the beginning of the Chiefs and how Lamar Hunt helped build the NFL. I have always been a Chiefs fan and have really liked learning about the Chiefs past time. The book does a really good job of describing how everyone was feeling around the time and how hard Lamar Hunt had to work to build this successful franchise. Would really recommend this book for anyone who loves the sport of football.
January 30, 2023
This book really shows how the Kansas City Chiefs first started in the NFL. It tells story's on how Lamar Hunt moved the team to Kansas City from Houston. This book is very good and I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the Chiefs or just loves football.
December 2, 2023
The book has great stories of the early history of the founding of the Chiefs and the AFL. Unfortunately, the prose got drier the further the book went along and ultimately read more like a collection of newspaper reports.
July 23, 2024
This is my introduction to Bob Gretz, so I thought this was a wonderful book every Kansas City Chiefs fan should read. If you are a younger fan like myself, this fills in a ton of historical context and makes you appreciate the current Kansas City run even more.
July 8, 2016
If you are a Chiefs fan, it is likely worth a read. It begins well enough with the formation of the team as the Dallas Texans in the newly-formed AFL. There is a lot of detail and the early chapters seem to be written with care. Roughly around the middle of the book, it begins to seem like it was slapped together in a rush and could have benefited from editing and rewrites of many sections. Again, if you are a fan of the team, you will probably find it a worth reading.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews