It’s a great matchup on paper, with the NFL’s top quarterback (Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, a number 10 draft pick) against San Francisco 49ers signal caller Brock Purdy, a kid taken last in the NFL draft in 2022, 262nd overall.
It’s also a fun matchup of cities that are quite unalike; one smack dab in the middle of the American heartland and solid as Midwestern rock; the other perched on the edge of the continent and known for its breezy, live for today attitude. Here’s a look at the two cities.
Full disclosure: I grew up in the SF Bay Area and I’m 49ers fan. I grew up as a rabid Oakland Raiders fan and quite disliked the Chiefs. Okay, I admit it. But I used to love visiting Kansas City when I covered baseball for the Toronto Star, and used to tell people how much I enjoyed the food and the general vibe of the city. I also have tremendous admiration for Mahomes and Travis Kelce, not only for his football abilities but his pro-vaccine position, and the fact his girlfriend drives Republicans out of their minds.
Here’s a brief look at some highlights from each place, along with points of comparison.
FAMOUS FOOD
KC: Bbq Ribs
SF: Dungeness Crab
The skinny: I love crab, but I like KC ribs a tad more.
TOP CITY SIGHTS
KC: Fountains (more than any city outside Rome)
SF: Golden Gate Bridge
The skinny: Fountains are nice, but nothing like the world’s most famous bridge.
TOP LOCALLY BORN SPORTS HEROES
KC: Golfer Tom Watson, owner of eight major championship titles
SF: Yankee great Joe DiMaggio was born in suburban Martinez but raised in San Francisco. ESPN rates him as the 16th best baseball player in history.
The skinny: Joe married Marilyn Monroe, but Watson had more impact in his sport. KC wins this category.
CITY TOURISM SLOGAN
KC: That’s How We Do KC
SF: It All Starts Here
The skinny: Both lame.
Taylor Swift. Raphael Lovaski-Unsplash Photo
CELEBRITY SUPPORTER
KC: Taylor Swift
SF: Jeremy Renner
The skinny: What, you need to ask?
TOP SHOPPING DISTRICT
KC: Country Club Plaza
SF: Union Square
The skinny: Country Club Plaza has gorgeous fountains and lovely Spanish architecture. KC gets the nod.
MOST FAMOUS SONG ABOUT THE CITY
KC: Going to Kansas City (Kansas City Here I Come)
SF: I Left My Heart In San Francisco
The skinny: Gotta go with Tony Bennett and SF
Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco. Robin Jonathan Deutsch/Unsplash Photo
MOST FAMOUS INTERSECTION
KC: Twelfth St. and Vine
SF: Haight-Ashbury
The skinny: SF’s intersection is known around the world. Sorry, KC.
NFL TEAM MASCOTS
KC: An Indian Chief
SF: An 1849 Gold Miner
The skinny: SF edges out KC. Some people object to the name Chiefs, especially when KC fans do that silly chant (like fans do at Atlanta Braves games). The people who came panning for gold did intrude on Indian land in California, but the 49ers mascot doesn’t seem to offend anyone.
AVERAGE JANUARY DAILY HIGH TEMPERATURE
KC: 5C
SF: 15C
The skinny: SF, by a long shot
AVERAGE JULY DAILY HIGH TEMPERATURE
KC: 33C
SF: 22C
The skinny: 33 is hot but warm summer nights are a beautiful thing. SF is too cool and foggy in summer in most parts of the city, and you can’t parade around in shorts and a t-shirt at midnight. I’ll take KC.
Kansas City is said to have more fountains than any city outside of Rome.
MEDIAN HOUSE PRICE
KC: $457,000
SF: $1.4 million
The skinny: KC ocean views are lousy, but hard to pass up that kind of difference.
FAMOUS PEOPLE BORN IN THE CITY
KC: Don Cheadle, Ed Asner, Dianne Wiest, Robert Altman. (Charlie Parker was born in KC, Kansas. Sorry, doesn’t count.)
SF: Steve Jobs, Clint Eastwood, Bruce Lee, Natalie Wood
The skinny: SF wins this one.
MOST SUPER BOWL TITLES
KC: Three
SF: Five
The skinny: A KC win gets them within one of the Niners, but SF will lead the race no matter what.
OVERALL WINNER
Pretty darn close, I’d say. I do hope the Niners win, but I suspect they’re in tough against Mahomes and the Chiefs. I grew up not liking them, and I can’t say I’m a fan today. But they have my utmost respect.
