BILLINGS — When the Chiefs and Eagles kickoff at 4:30 Sunday, in Arizona for the biggest game of the year. Many might be surprised to find out that one of the faces of the evening news here in Billings will be decked out in red and probably be going just a little crazy.
"I think it was the 1970 Super Bowl when the Chiefs beat the Vikings. Like a lot of nine- and ten-year-old kids, you kind of latch on to a team that’s good when you’re young and that team was the Chiefs and I just fell in love with them. I think they were really the first love of my life, and they caused a lot of joy and a lot of heartache, mostly heartache until the last few years," said Russ Riesinger, Chiefs superfan and MTN anchor on Friday.
For as long as Russ can remember, he’s bled red, gold and white. And it's a love that his parent’s Ed and Carol Riesinger, knew would stand the test of time.
"When he was just little, if we were outside playing football or anything, he had to be a Chief. He was always a Chief," said Ed Riesinger, Russ' dad on Friday.
Ed and Carol say it's unusual for kids to know exactly what they want to be when they grow up because interests change, but they knew that sports would play a role in their sons’ life from the very beginning.
"Ever since he was little, he would play these games, Strat-O-Matic or any kind of game and he’d be the announcer, he’d be playing it, but he’d be the announcer," said Carol Riesinger, Russ' mom on Friday.
His love of football really took off when Russ got the opportunity to live out his dream early in his career.
"One of my first jobs was as a Sportscaster in Joplin Missouri, which is just a little over two hours away from Arrowhead stadium. And I covered all of the Chiefs games for just about four years," added Russ.
To this day it's all business in the Riesinger household when the Chiefs are on.
"When it starts, he’s ready to watch. It's very 'Don’t talk to me.' He’s watching now," Ed said laughingly.
Yes, Russ is a diehard fan. So much so, it got him in a little trouble as a child.
"I probably did a little yelling sometimes as a kid. I know I got in trouble a few times with my mom where she threatened to send me to bed if I didn’t settle down," Russ said laughingly.
Russ saw his beloved Chiefs win a super bowl as a kid but after a 50-year super bowl drought, he wasn’t sure he’d ever see it happen again. But his fortunes changed when they beat the San Francisco 49ers, 31-20 in Super Bowl 54.
And where does that moment rank in the top moments of Russ' life?
"I’m thinking probably right at the top somewhere," both Ed and Carol laughingly said.
And you can bet MTN's Chief superfan will be glued to the TV again Sunday, hoping to see it happen once more.
"Just to get to the Super Bowl, I was so happy for that. To win that one and now to be going back for the third time in four years, I’m going to enjoy the riches while they last. And now that we got one, if it happens again, it's just icing on the cake," Russ said.
