Parting shot

By the time the game was over, I was over it. Yeah, the first, second and third quarters were tough...when I was still holding out a modicum of hope. But by the fourth, it was painfully obvious even to (me) the most myopic/hopeful of fans: The season was over.

As the camera focused on Tebow looking for people to congratulate after the game, I stood and clapped for this team. Every season for the past five, I've felt so sick, so awful, so nauseous heading into the off-season. But not this year. I'm taking the lemons and best of what this overachieving group did and making sweet lemonade. I'm inspired. I'll bust my tail and finish my Masters program then find a great job to make my family proud.

I still take this game too seriously, I'm sure. But when the takeaway is positive like this, I can justify it. When the result is something that gives me good stuff to point at for my kids, I'm good with it. And, being completely honest, for the fact that I'm over 30 years into this team, I'm just too far to turn back.

I've seen the ups and downs and know there is enough good on this team to build on. And, apparently, there is management and coaching in place (can you imagine!?) to develop some of this young (occasionally painfully) raw talent we've watched this year. There were so many plays last night where I just saw the field dripping with opportunity. For whatever reason, this years Broncos were not able to capitalize in those situations. But because of the solidarity of the team from top to bottom, I'm very confident they'll be better next year. What more can one hope for?

Congratulations on a solid season, MHR and Denver Broncos! Thank you for the memories. I'll see you at draft time when we start putting the pieces together for next year.