NFL Kickoff has arrived, meaning football fans are excited. 32 teams (okay, except for the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys, so that makes 30 teams) are hoping to hoist the Lombardi Trophy this season. That means getting out your lucky jerseys and pre-game rituals before every game. That way, your team can inch closer to winning the Super Bowl.
It's also a wonderful time for Las Vegas Raiders fans, who will dress up like GWAR members to cheer their team on. They have Antonio Pierce as the head coach and Tom Brady as a minority owner, instilling a kickass attitude in the group. The scene? Allegiant Stadium, where they saw their hated rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs, defeat the San Francisco 49ers in last season's Super Bowl.
Now, the NFL seems intent on marketing the Chiefs non-stop, especially since they have that billionaire millennial singer dating the attention-seeking tight end. Nick Wright won't stop talking about his dream of a 17-0 season (rumor has it he's the biggest Chiefs fan) and the referees are allegedly helping the champions. The non-stop media coverage and love are enough to drive Raider fans crazy. Gotta roll out the red carpet for the power couple, right?
Never fear, Las Vegas, because the Vegas Golden Knights are here (unless you're a Chiefs and Golden Knights fan, which you're in heaven)! The NHL regular season will return one month from now, when the Golden Knights face the Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena. Hockey cures everything, especially for those sick of the constant NFL coverage and the league becoming more predictable.
Why the NFL Kickoff doesn't seem as exciting as the Vegas Golden Knights returning
On September 8, 2002, the Houston Texans started their NFL Kickoff journey against the Dallas Cowboys. They defeated their interstate rivals, 19-10, establishing themselves as the top team in Texas. However, that's all they'd get, for they would finish the season 4-12. It's not easy being an expansion team in the NFL, for there are dominant teams that always win (i.e. the Chiefs and 49ers).
Meanwhile, the Vegas Golden Knights finish their inaugural season with a bang, winning the Pacific Division with a record of 51-24-7 and making the Stanley Cup Final. Granted, they fell, 4-1, to Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. However, that's a terrific place to be if you're starting in the NHL, especially when you win the Stanley Cup in six seasons. One can say the Golden Knights's success made the Las Vegas Raiders finding their new home easier. How could a team relocate if the other is not successful?
The point? Parity is alive and well in the NHL, which saw the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup last season. Mind you, Florida's been a historically bad franchise that hasn't done anything since their inception in 1993. But the more recent teams have a chance to win it all. The NHL also saw the Los Angeles Kings win the Stanley Cup in 2011-12 as the eighth seed. This proves you can win if you're riding a hot goaltender and the right team.
Compare that to the NFL, where it'll probably be the Chiefs winning the Super Bowl again. Yay, three-peat... Yes, one can say the Detroit Lions made the NFC Championship last season. But here's the thing: Detroit's been laying the groundwork for success for years. Through solid drafting and building a strong offensive line, the Lions have become a consistent Super Bowl threat. The moral of the story is to hang tight, Las Vegas Raiders fans. Vegas Golden Knights hockey (and the NHL) is coming soon and you won't have to hear Peter Schrager reading off a script again.