Practicegate

What is practicegate? Practicegate is what happened last week in the state of Missouri before the Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Rams played on Sunday.

The game between the Chiefs and the Rams marked the first regular season Governor's Cup since 2006. Usually the Governor's Cup falls on the last preseason game. It is called the Governor's Cup because it is a literal cup (or trophy, or bowl, whatever you're comfortable with) that is handed out to the winning team by the governor of Missouri. This game marks sort of a bragging-rights match-up between Missouri's two professional football teams.

This year was special. Both teams were in first place in their divisions. Both teams were rebuilding and were performing so well with young and talented players. Both teams look like contenders, for this year and in the future.

Despite the success of both franchises, and despite the fact that Missouri Governor Jay Nixon relies heavily on voters from the Kansas City and St. Louis areas, Nixon did not make it to a Chiefs practice all week. He did however, have time to make it to a Rams practice. In fact, he even set down with coach Spagnoulo and talked about getting former Mizzou (which is Nixon's favorite team) wide reciever, Danario Alexander, into the game plan. “He asked about Danario and he put some plays in for him. We’re going in right now and putting them on the board. They’re definitely going in," said Spagnoulo.


Why did Nixon not make it to a Chiefs practice? His justification was that he attended Chiefs training camp at their new facility at Missouri Western in St. Joseph this summer. Horrible excuse. 


He attended the new facility of the Chiefs because it was bringing money and jobs to the state of Missouri. In fact, both teams bring a lot of money and jobs to the state of Missouri. The Chiefs, as of 2009, make revenue of 228 million and have operating income of 52.4 million. The St. Louis Rams (also as of 2009) have revenue of 217 million and operating income of 22.3 million. The Chiefs current value ranks 14th in the league and St. Louis ranks 25th in the league. That's a lot of money coming into Missouri.


So, for Nixon to attend a Rams practice and not a Chiefs practice would be like the governor of Arkansas going to a company softball league and only attending the practice of Tyson Chicken's team and not of Wal-Mart.


When asked who he would be rooting for on Sunday, Nixon said: “I’m from the eastern side of the state. So, my dad will certainly be wearing Rams colors. As for my two sons, I’ll try and dress them down. I’ll be wearing black and gold something.” 


Black and gold? Mizzou colors? I have nothing against Mizzou but this isn't the border showdown between Mizzou and the Kansas Jayhawks. This is a game between the Chiefs and the Rams. And by not attending a Chiefs practice and by attending a Rams practice, you are ignoring a large group of your constituents. Has he never seen a game where two brothers have played against each other (Manning brothers, Colquitt brothers) and the parents have worn those split-down-the-middle uniforms or worn the team colors for both teams?


And this is why it is called Practicegate (Stategate might also work but I just thought of it). Leave it to a politician with the last name Nixon to get involved in a scandal that ends with "-gate."