Mike Shanahan breaks his silence, talks to CBS4 in Denver

He is a class act and I will always like him even though he isn’t our coach anymore. Well, unless he is on the other side of the field…..just for that Sunday.

I’m not sure I agree that it would be “within his right” to slam the Broncos. He did a LOT for this organization (more than anyone other than Bowlen and #7), but the organization also did a LOT for him. So while I agree with what you said prior to the last part of your comment which is that Shanahan didn’t say anything wrong in that interview with the answers he gave (very polite, respectful, but also tactful, typical Shanny answers), I don’t agree with the very last part of your comment. He doesn’t need to get down on his knees and thank the Broncos and Bowlen for allowing him to coach here because it was a mutually beneficial two-way street. But if he ever were to “slam” the Broncos (which I can’t EVER see him doing), then I would lose a little respect for a man that I do HIGHLY respect and admire because he was given EVERY chance and then some to succeed in the last 10 years since Elway and those Super Bowl wins.

Look, we all know he’s probably hurt and the sting from this will take some time to heal, but the Shanahan I know will only use this to come back stronger and better and realize (which I’m sure he probably does) that he’s as much to blame as anyone for the struggles over the last 10 years. In any case, he’s far too classy to “slam” the Broncos, even if he wanted to, which I personally don’t think he does. So other than him suddenly becoming someone other than the coach I’ve known and loved for almost 20+ years, I will NEVER lose respect for Shanahan…..the coach or the man.

We are in agreement Cali. Mike got stale even though he took a good team to a great team, but did not seem to make it stable in the later years to keep it going. Of course today’s world makes that so much more difficult.

Watching the BMarsh interview, even this stupid jock now seems to get it. It is a business DUDE!

Even my In-Laws in KC are laughing at the Donks. I bite my lip and know… change is good in Denver. (Better than whats going on in KC)

    The “get rich quick” system with worked once with T.D. and won two super bowls, and I can understand not wanting to give that up. Unfortunately, once the “rich” period is over you have keep the entire team in a position where you can make a run the next time you “get rich.” Unfortunately, keeping a team in top form and constantly going after that next one player to put you over the top are concepts that are extremely difficult if not impossible to carry out at the same time.

Shanny was very weak in his personnel evaluations and decisions, partially because he would “gush” over a player, and because of his control issues.

The new philosophy is geared toward Dynastic aspirations in ans for the long haul.

13-3 Baby! (for the next 10 years) =)

I’m sure Pat started realizing that after 10 years without a Superbowl appearance, another year on the “get rich quick” system in the current economy would get him poor quick… : )

trillz

I don’t see the issue of ‘Who has the power’ as being associated with ‘Is he a good GM?" A person’s management style – Xanders or McD’s – isn’t readily apparent to us as fans as we can’t view their day to day interactions. We just see the media perspective, which isn’t much.

Regardless of who is ‘dominant’, both men seem knowledgeable and talented. As a GM, Xanders background is appropriate and he seems to be doing a very good job as far as I can tell. I think that we will be glad to have him – with his personnel skills (look at what he helped build in Atlanta, for example -

Xanders, 38, brings a diverse foundation of NFL experience to front office management. He owns 13 years of experience with college scouting evaluations at more than 80 colleges in 35 different states. He also has worked in pro personnel for seven seasons. In addition, he was on the Falcons’ coaching staff for five seasons and has been involved in labor negotiations for eight years.

Xanders was employed by the Falcons from 1994-2007 in a variety of football operations positions, working under seven different head coaches during that period.

And: Brian Xanders in 2009 enters his 16th NFL season and his second year with the Denver Broncos, who promoted him to general manager on Feb. 12, 2009. Xanders spent his first 14 NFL seasons (1994-2007) working with the Atlanta Falcons before he was named assistant general manager of the Broncos on May 5, 2008.

Xanders leads all initiatives in evaluating player talent for the Broncos while directing the club’s college scouting department through the NFL Draft and the pro personnel department with offseason acquisitions. He also supervises the Broncos’ football operations, labor operations, equipment, medical, video, football information systems and turf operations departments.

I think that those are very good credentials.