February 29, 2020

By Fred Liggett
FredL@lstribune.net

Since 2013 Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid has been building the Chiefs football team into a Super Bowl winner. Thanks to Coach Reid’s success since his arrival in Kansas City many Chiefs fans have enjoyed calling him “Big Red.” Many fans in what is known as the Chiefs Kingdom enjoy watching Coach Reid at work and seeing anyone that may look just like him. That’s where Lee’s Summit’s Matthew Black comes in or as many fans and followers now call him “Almost Andy.”

Black, a Lakewood area resident, is a big Chiefs fan and he shows it each time he dresses up as “Almost Andy” for public appearances at Chiefs radio shows, corporate events and much more. Black states, “Have a lot of respect for Andy Reid” and adds “Reid is a good guy, a good coach and a great guy to emulate.”

For Mathew Black, who works during the day as vice president of sales for Hyalogic located in Riverside, Mo., the story of how he became “Almost Andy” began just a short time ago during the 2018 football season. Black was trying to think of what to be for an upcoming Halloween Ball when he came up with the idea of dressing up as the popular Chiefs coach. Having lots of Chiefs gear already on hand in his home and a black head set in his basement it didn’t take long for Black to look the part.

The popularity of being “Almost Andy” really took off in a training camp visit to see the Chiefs get ready for the 2019 season. While at camp, Black was called by the voice of the Chiefs Mitch Holthus. Then came TV interviews which was followed by many Chiefs fans coming up to him for photos. Since that camp visit Black has even had people at airports stop him for a few pictures.

Fast forward to present day and Black is now making public appearances, visiting corporate events and even while out of town at seminars related to his day job he will “Throw on Andy Reid garb and have some fun.”

Emulating a very popular head coach in Chiefs history is not the first time Black has had a role related to his favorite sports team. Back in 1985 Black was one of 10-15 trumpet players who came on to the field at Arrowhead Stadium to perform the national anthem. Black at that time was a trombone player but taught himself to play the trumpet well enough to play it before a Chiefs game in front of a near sellout crowd.

Now Black wears a head set and plenty of RED gear to entertain Chiefs fans of all ages at a wide variety of events. Whether it’s at a Chiefs Kingdom radio show, a corporate gathering or just a simple Chiefs fan event look for “Almost Andy” helping everyone in the Chiefs kingdom have a great time as he demonstrates why we love the real Andy Reid.