It seems like every "Horse Tracks," there is some eminent football philosopher stating in great detail just how doomed the Broncos are in 2009.  On one hand, I can understand their point of view.  They are not fans of the team they are reporting on, so they are not likely to have our bias (which hopefully does not border on irrationality).  Also, to state the opposite viewpoint (or, for that matter, even a nuanced cautiously optimistic one) would put them in the extreme minority of their colleagues.  It takes a man a strong character and erudition to accomplish that feat.  So, the deck is already stacked against them anyway-- not because they are of weak character or low intelligence (although there are some who cause me to question my charity on this point), but because by definition an exemplary person is not a statistically frequent occurence.  Further, I wonder if we all appreciate just how taxing and demanding the job of reporting on the entire NFL (or, best-case-scenario, an entire division) can be.  Sure, you can do your research, but ask HoosierTeacher or BroncoBear how long that takes them for just one team, and one they already have a passion for and a vested interest in championing.  I've often heard friends of mine-- and I've joined them-- grumble that sportswriters have the best and easiest job in the world and they would do anything to get it.  If you'll pardon the analogy, like wanting to be a male porn star, one should be careful what one wishes for.  This will stand as my attempt now and in the future at a charitable interpretation of the pundits, talking heads, and MainStreamMedia (MSM to the MHR newbies) personalities.

And now, having laid that foundation, I want to put flesh to my criticism of them.  I have followed many others on this site by referring to "the MSM" and "MSM nonsense," without fully explicating what that is.  I want to rectify that omission now by exposing exactly what the MSM is preaching, and why it is faulty.  I feel the necessity of this because I want to avoid MHR and its readership using the phrase "MSM" as a negative mantra, which we can invoke against the infidels those who speak negatively against the Broncos, without really having any substance behind it.  As C. S. Lewis, a British theologian and philosopher described it, the "Inner Ring" is a powerful allure, full of "the delicious sense of secret intimacy" and "delightful intimacies and confidentialities."  I hope to avoid the appearance of this veneer by opening the door to all those not in the MHR "Inner Ring".

 This is the MSM mantra, with varying shades of grey:

New head coach Josh McDaniels sauntered into Dove Valley, full of confidence in his own abilities and pedigree.  Almost immediately, he proceeded to clean house top to bottom, removing fan favorites and long-term mainstays as well as bringing in pet projects of his own from New England.  This alienated many in the fan base as well as in the locker room, and the whole situation culminated in the Broncos' star quarterback, leader of 2008's 2nd-best offense, feeling as if his job was not being sufficiently protected.  Rather than assuage his fears, McDaniels clumsily refused to acknowledge Cutler's job security and role on the team in an effort to instill the belief in his players that he was the supreme football authority in town.  The situation blew up in his face, and he was forced to watch his franchise quarterback walk out the door.

During the draft, McDaniels did little to make things better.  Thinking he knew more than everyone else, he only put 100 players on his draft board and picked whoever was at the top, willfully ignoring glaring needs elsewhere on his team in order to get players he liked.  Along the way, he made several highly controversial and nearly unprecedented moves, such as trading away a likely top-10 pick in next year's draft for an undersized cornerback and not drafting a punishing nose tackle.  Though some college free agents were signed after the draft, they are little more than scrubs who will provide depth without providing the necessary radical high-profile overhaul to last year's 30th-ranked defense.

Now, Josh McDaniels is on the hot seat without having ever played a single game.  He is staring down with one of the top 5 WR talents in the NFL, who is talking as if he is already out the door.  First the downgrade from Cutler to Orton, then the bizarre draft, and finally the refusal to play a star the money he is due, Josh McDaniels has shown himself to be Bill Belichick's disciple through and through, and he will only continue to repeat the (un)success of former Belichick brances Romeo Crennel and Eric Mangini.  At worst, he has shown himself to be a rookie, often making decisions with all the appearance of throwing a dart at a board.  It is likely the Broncos will go 2-14 in 2009, and if that happens there will be a lot of people in Denver pining for Mike Shanahan.

 Note to avoid confusion: the above is my personal summary, blockquoted for visual ease only

There are several points in here to refute, but my mission here is to list them all and direct whomever reads this (hopefully someone from the MSM ranks) to an exemplary article from an MHR member (often staff, but sometimes we mere members strike gold as well).  So, without further ado:

1. Josh McDaniels is a Belichick clone/disciple

• Made reference to many times by the MSM, but never fully step-by-step discussed on MHR.  Probably because it isn't worth dignifying.  For the purposes of argument, I'll do so here briefly.  This charge is usually based on one (or more) of four errors:
  1. Incorrect facts (i.e., "JMcD and Belichick both run star players out of town")
  2. Unsupportable subjective evaluations of personality (i.e., "JMcD and Belichick are both arrogant, egotistical, etc.")
  3. Overgeneralization from actual similarities (i.e., "JMcD and Belichick both tend to refuse speculation, focus on truisms about football, and have clear boundaries with the media regarding what they won't talk about.  Therefore, they are alike in every significant respect")
  4. Ad hominem non sequitors (i.e., "JMcD is guilty by association in virtue of being from the Belichick coaching tree)

2. Josh McDaniels ran Jay Cutler out of town (or, JMcD bears the brunt of the responsibility)

• To be fair, I think that MHR is significantly divided on this issue.  However, most of us fall in the camp which rejects the above asserstion as at best overly simplistic and at worst patently false.
• A look at the gamut of ideas here: Love Hope Hero (says McDaniels will never be a Bronco in his/her eyes, "win or lose"), Broncoman (spreads significant blame to McDaniels but is willing to move on), BroncosfanBinghamton (puts some blame on McDaniels, but calls Cutler a "punk"), the RightReverendBronco (thinks Jay's lack of character means we are better off without him)and finally an in-the-moment view from our resident Guru (he thought Cutler needed to grow up)
• A significant point?  Search "McJaygate" and see if any staff postings turn up.  Not a one.  Given the open-source nature of this site, this is very surprising and still reflective of the overall tone and tenor of elevated discussion here, even on a touchy issue like this one.

3. The Cutler trade was ill-advised and will turn out poorly for the Broncos

• Admirably disputed by Hoosierteacher: The Jay Cutler trade
• Cutler vs. Orton (with a little Rivers thrown in): First by Spock, then by Kdo09

4. The Broncos' 2009 draft was unusually unpleasant

• See this marvellous article by Hoosierteacher: The Broncos' draft strategy
• Broncobear chimes in regarding player evaluations: McDaniels has a plan

5. The Brandon Marshall situation is McJaygate, part 2

• Guru shows how this is hardly on McDaniels' head, and how Marshall has a lot yet to prove: Some food for thought and Stepping away from the ledge
• BMarsh, while good, is far from our only option: Beyond Brandon Marshall

6. Josh McDaniels is making many rookie mistakes, possibly because he is in way over his head

• Discussed at length and rejected by Broncobear and nycbroncosfan: McDaniels' football raison d'etre

And finally, just because it's so darn good, Hoosierteacher's big picture for 2009.  You'll never hear any one MSM author make even three of the points HT does, let alone see the entire big picture with intelligence and a complete absence of orange-and-blue colored glasses (HT's been on record for a .500 or only slightly better season).  In the category of overall quality, I would also place bowma101's excellent post about building a team the Bronco way.

All in all, I think that there is much on this site I wish the MSM would read and consider honestly.  I also wish they would be much less in love with their own supposed penchant for wordplay or clever phrasing, but I digress.  Since it's bad form to simply criticize without offering a solution, here is my solution:

I want a mainstream media that acknowledges its limitations, and does not tout its personnel as "experts"; rather, I want to hear from well-connected and well-informed journalists.

I want a mainstream media that delegates authority appropriately, and does not put an unfair burden on its personnel by asking them to be experts/well-informed regarding 32 NFL teams and their numerous liaisons.

I want a mainstream media that is accountable.  I want clear metrics in place and advertised for the hiring and retention of journalists, and those standards enforced.

I want a mainstream media that is relevant.  Age alone is no detriment, but moribund attitudes and distaste for nearly all present players/systems/philosophies is a detriment.

I want a mainstream sports media that has more facts and less opinion, or at least a clear demarcation between the two.

I want a mainstream media that respects and values the insights of its lesser-publicized brethren, rather than becoming more hidebound and fear-driven because of declining print readership.

I have a dream.  It's a little silly, but I like it.