Thighs Wide Shut

this Costacos Brothers poster hasn’t exactly aged well…

Blue Springs Examiner, 9/11/1991

On their lone day off this week, 13 members of the Kansas City Chiefs decided to whoop it up.

They donned authentic Native American clothes and accessories and gathered at Longview Farm to shoot “The Tribe” a poster that will benefit the American Indian Center’s Tutorial Youth Program.

“Just look at the guys,” said All-pro linebacker Derrick Thomas, who dreamed up the poster shoot, “they’re like a bunch of little kids. They’re having a great time.”

And they were.

“That’s you, Rock,” defensive end Bill Maas said to cornerback Kevin ‘Rock’ Ross, who was one of the first to have his face painted.

As Ross’s defensive backfield teammate Lloyd Burruss beat a tom-tom, the Chiefs one by one sat down in a sweltering makeshift makeup studio to have warpaint applied.

“Man, I look like a mean dude,” cornerback Albert Lewis said. “I just wish this bear claw necklace wasn’t so darned itchy.”

Because of the impending rain, the location for the shoot was moved three times. 

“It’s the most hectic shoot I’ve had,” said photographer Chris Vleisides.

“The biggest concern wasn’t the rain, it was the lightning.” Added Chiefs director of promotions Brenda Boatright, “‘If a bolt of lightning struck here tonight l’d be out of a job tomorrow.”

She helped coordinate the event that featured all but one member of the Chiefs starting defensive unit. “Chris Martin missed it,” Thomas said. “But I think it’s great all the other guys showed up.”

“This sill be the first national sports poster featuring a team’s defensive unit,” said Nancy Mitchell, a representative of Thomas, who will market the poster. “The Chicago Bulls did one a few years ago but it was just regional.”

All proceeds from the poster will benefit the American Indian Center’s Tutorial Youth Program.

“I think its great these guys would waive their fees and donate their time to come out and help the kids that we help,” said Chet Ellis, the executive director of the center.

“We went to great lengths 10 make this shoot as authentic as possible. The headresses Derrick and Deron are wearing are the real thing. And those beaded wristbands that Derrick is wearing cost thousands of dollars.”

The players took great pride in their warpaint and overall look.

“Call me Iron Eyes,” Thomas said with a grin. “If we were a real Indian tribe I think you’d call us trouble.”

A grinning Lewis said, “No, I think you’d call us the Blackfeet.”

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The Chiefs in the poster with their Indian names:

Lloyd Burrus (Yellow Elk), Dino Hackett (White Eagle), Leonard Griffin (Free Lance), Derrick Thomas (Chief Iron Eyes), Neil Smith (Lightfoot), Kevin Ross (Red Cloud), Deron Cherry (Chief Wolf), Jayice Pearson (Ten Bears), Bill Maas (Full Moon), Tracy Simien (Thunderbolt), Kevin Porter (Man-of-War), Dan Saleaumua (Buffalo Dancer),  Albert Lewis (Bear Paw)

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not surprisingly, the community the poster was ‘benefiting’ didn’t take too kindly to it

Chiefs’ intentions are good, but found to be insulting [read more on page 6]

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[poster image from here]