It’s been a brutal time to be a loyal Kansas City fan. Year after year, disappointing seasons by the Kansas City Royals and Chiefs have left KC supporters with zero bragging rights, gloomy Sundays and substandard summers.

Well, except for one thing: Royals’ pitcher Zack Greinke’s 2009 performance has given Kansas City fans a taste of success, and hope.

Not only did Greinke draw record-breaking crowds to Kauffman Stadium this year, but he was also voted as the American League’s Cy Young Award recipient, a prestigious recognition to the top Major League Baseball pitcher. This honor revived Royals fans, and also put the city back on the radar – or so we hope.

A loyal Kansas City fan myself, I must admit it’s not only been a frustrating year, but a frustrating decade. Consistent losing records and minimal big-name players leave fans like me with nothing in the form of ammo to back up my hometown teams with.

Although I have not reached the point of denying support for these teams I have loved for years, I’ve come real close. So close that I failed to follow the Royals after mid-August and have found other things to occupy my time after halftime of Chiefs’ games each Sunday.

Sadly, my optimistic attitude is slowly diminishing.

However, the hype and excitement Kansas City experienced with Greinke’s remarkable year was an inspiration and just what the city needed. Greinke’s confident style on the mound and ability to find ways to win games should be a model for the rest of the Royals ball club, and perhaps the Chiefs can take a few pointers from his competitiveness too (because we all know the Chiefs could use some).

And who knows, maybe we’ll see the emergence of a big-named Chiefs player move up in the ranks in the next few years to give Kansas City the next Tony Gonzalez, Will Shields or Derrick Thomas.

But fans must keep in mind Greinke can’t do it all. His recognition this past season was outstanding, but the Royals can’t rely on one star player. Although he may be the start of excitement for Kansas City fans, he needs a support staff of decent players around him.

And in a city that continues to get let down by its hometown teams, both of these franchises are running out of time. The Royals and Chiefs need to start making moves to find more Zach Greinkes for excitement, success and hope. Otherwise, these teams, coaches and athletes are going to experience a bunch of cranky, frustrated and let-down fans for years to come. <br/>