Sikeston pals have a ‘Super’ interest in Sunday’s BIG game

SIKESTON — There will be no shortage of competitiveness, passion and bravado exhibited on Sunday during the playing of Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. Oh, and the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will be going at each other, as well.

Whatever “smack-talk” is thrown around on the turf of the Caesars Superdome may pale in comparison to the jawing that Sikeston residents Tyler Anderson and Bobby Gray have already begun to unleash on each other.

“One thousand percent,” Gray responded when asked if he was confident that his Eagles would prevail. “I think we beat them in a two-possession game.”

Not to be outdone, the 30-year-old Anderson spoke with the assuredness that his Chiefs would claim victory, which comes when you’ve been an elite NCAA Division I pitcher (he led Murray State in ERA twice in his career).

“I’m as confident as it gets,” Anderson boasted.

The two friends have had an ongoing duel over the past few years, as both of their lifelong favorite teams have ascended to the top of the NFL hierarchy.

The Eagles won one Super Bowl (41-33 over New England in 2018) and played in three others (a 1981 loss to Oakland, a 2005 loss to New England and a 38-35 loss to Kansas City two years ago).

The Chiefs are playing for their fifth world championship in the past six years and have won three of those contests (31-20 over San Francisco in 2020, 38-35 over Philadelphia in 2023, and 25-22 over San Francisco last year).

“After seeing us win last year,” Anderson said of why he believes this year will garner another Kansas City title, “with one of the worst teams we’ve had under (quarterback Patrick Mahomes), it gives me more confidence this year.”

The Chiefs have a long history of advancing this far, which began with the first Super Bowl in 1967 (it wasn’t referenced by that name then) when they fell to Green Bay 35-10.

Kansas City won its first Super Bowl in 1970 with a 23-7 beating of Minnesota. Following that momentous feat, it was a long, long, long dry spell until 2020, and Anderson recalls those lean years.

“I’ve been a Chiefs fan since the day I was born,” Anderson said.

Anderson’s father, Rod Anderson, and Tyler’s uncle, who lives in Kansas City, have been Chiefs season ticket holders for most of Tyler’s life. So, rooting for Kansas City was a genetic obligation.

“I watched them because my dad watched them,” Anderson said. “I watched them struggle through those early years.”

The recent years have been memorable, with the exception of a 31-9 beatdown of the Chiefs by Tampa Bay, in the 2021 Super Bowl. That success coincided with two major decisions made by Kansas City leadership.

In 2012, Philadelphia management decided it had enough of the franchise’s all-time winningest coach (Andy Reid) and fired him.

Kansas City pounced on Reid like Anderson on some Kansas City BBQ, and he has led the Chiefs since 2013. As Anderson is quick to note, Reid is also the all-time winningest coach in Kansas City history.

“Ever since Andy Reid got (to Kansas City),” Anderson said of his team’s fortunes, “things have changed. I love giving Bobby a hard time because the Eagles let Andy Reid go.

“It’s kind of funny.”

What isn’t “funny” to Anderson is the fact that Philadelphia strengthened its offense with the signing of the NFL’s best running back last off-season, Saquon Barkley.

“Oh yeah,” Anderson responded when asked if Barkley’s signing made him nervous. “But I didn’t know that we would run into him.”

For Gray, his affinity for Philadelphia wasn’t genetic, it was cinematic.

“I have always been a Rocky Balboa fan,” Gray said of the iconic movie character.

The toughness, grit and abrasiveness of the Eagles fans appealed to Gray, who makes an effort to see his team live whenever Philadelphia visits within a reasonable distance of the Bootheel.

Gray will get another opportunity to do so next fall.

The two buddies always make some type of wager when their teams battle in the Super Bowl, and next year’s loser is responsible for buying a pair of tickets to the Eagles’ game at Kansas City.

Two years ago, the Kansas City victory over Philadelphia resulted in Gray having to work out all week at the YMCA of Southeast Missouri in Chiefs gear.

“That hurt,” Gray said.

Anderson is headed to Memphis for a sports-centric weekend in which he’ll watch the Grizzlies host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday, and said he’ll probably watch the Super Bowl in Memphis.

Gray will watch the BIG game in Sikeston, but don’t bother him on Sunday.

“My wife hates watching a game with me,” Gray admitted. “I do a lot of hootin’ and hollerin’. I like to be alone when I watch the Eagles play. I really get into it. It’s almost like I’m on the sidelines of the game.”

The BIG game kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Sunday on FOX.