Hello friends. Another week has gone by and not much has been going on in Broncoland. Although there were a couple of interesting things.
A big Zappa welcome to Brian Shrout and EJ Ruiz. I've known EJ online for a couple of years now and I feel like I've known Brian longer than he has been here, but apparently only about a year. ha!
MHR took a hit when it lost a couple of key contributors, but like the Lynch train, the MHR-train never slows or derails. The show must go on!
As for me, I am still glowing over the Floyd Little nomination to the Hall of Fame and I cannot wait until I get to watch his induction on the television.
We are looking at a shorter post today, since there really isn't much to talk about. I'm not going to complain though. The last thing I want is another Jay Cutler-like soap opera. It made for good media, but I am fan first and that kind of drama is bad for a fan.
Pat Bowlen
I did not believe for a second that Pat Bowlen was thinking about selling the team. Of course, that belief is shrouded in the irrational mind of a Broncomaniac.
Truth is, as a student of history, we are very fortunate to have an owner like Pat Bowlen. He is an excellent chief executive. He cares as much about quality as he does about profitability. Few business models can succeed without a healthy balance between the two.
I am just 31 years old and count my lucky stars that the entire period of my fanhood exists within Bowlen's ownership of this franchise. It is an ownership that has witnessed just a few losing seasons, five Super Bowl appearances, and league-wide respect.
If you need a refresher course on just how important Pat Bowlen is to all of our fanhood, just review the coaching history of the Broncos. We are blessed to have an owner that "gets it". I am glad the rumor turned out ot be crap.
NFL Lockout
I have some nagging questions about what would happen to the 2012 NFL Draft if there were a lockout in 2011. I have yet to find a satisfactory answer. I've heard of there being no draft period in 2012, but was unable to find any other source than the one link I just provided. On the other hand, I've heard that there might be a lottery, which I think blows. We all know how lame the NBA lottery system is. At least for a Sacramento Kings fan like me.
Personally, I'd like to see the owners throw in some replacement players for the season. If they do that, then I implore Pat Bowlen to field the worst possible team in all of history. In fact, I volunteer to be your quarterback. Let Al Davis win a Super Bowl like he did back in 1982. It'll be his last hurrah and we can use the excellent draft position to begin a dynasty.
If it turns out to be a lottery, then bribe whoever needs to be bribed to ensure a solid draft position. How pissed will we all be if the Broncos get #32?
At the very least, push for the draft order to be flipped from the year prior. I don't really have a problem with the 2010 Super Bowl winner to draft first overall in 2012. Of course, I also think the Broncos will finally return to the playoff mix next year, so I do have a hidden agenda with that idea!
If anyone has a clear, well-referenced answer to my question, please respond in the comments section. I don't claim to know everything, but I'd sure like to know what the NFL Draft picture might look like in two short years.
Random Tidbits
1. Has anyone else seen a correlation between hosting the Olympic Games and national bankruptcy?
Greece and Italy are already on the verge of defaulting. Though the EU appears to have figured out a way to hold things together there.
Meanwhile, Australia's housing market is the most overvalued market in the entire world. Twice that of America's bubblelicious peak. And China's currency is now on the brink of implosion.
Totally not Bronco or football related, but I just felt the need to warn all of our Canadian breathern out there of their impending DOOM!
If you are a citizen of one of these nations. I was joking around of course. Oh wait, was that Salt Lake City in there too? Damn, oh wait, damn.
2. I am starting to wonder if Brandon Marshall will remain a Bronco. Meaning, I think he might just be a Bronco in 2010. Of course, the only basis for this opinion is that I have not heard any of the Jay Cutler-esque drama swirling Dove Valley this month.
I have gone back and forth in regards with BMarsh, but the fact is, the Broncos are better off with him than without him. For now.
Through The Years
For those of you who have been around for quite a while, you may recall a weekly regular season post I did during one season called Through the Years.
I've decided to start at 1983. The year Pat Bowlen took over the franchise. Ironically, they year after another season in which the NFL and NFLPA decided to have it out. We got John Elway thanks to that.
My focus will be, what I think is, the best game the Broncos played in that particular season. It could be a regular season or playoff game. The decision is entirely subjective to my own narrow views and bias, so enjoy.
There really is only one game that sticks out to me and I think most of us know which one that is.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Colts | 3 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 19 |
| Denver Broncos | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 21 |
Yes. It is the first of forty-seven John Elway comebacks. After last week's controversial Manning-Elway debate, I felt it was time to do some 'community service'. I was a budding San Diego Charger fan at the time this game took place. Of course, I was just five and both my parents were raving San Di-eggo Super Charger fans. A boy is impressionable, though my parents would not leave an lasting impression on my younger self.
Though I was too young to remember and too Southwestern California to care, I have seen the highlight reels and have read about this game many times.
John Elway played against Baltimore early in the season and was harrassed and punked by the Colts for much of that game. Elway was even benched, enabling the Broncos to pull off a 17-10 win in spite of Elway's horrible play.
Week 15 proved to be much of the same for Elway. He was brutalized and harrassed for three quarters, yet this time Dan Reeves would choose to keep him in the game. The rest was history. Three touchdowns in the final quarter erased a 19-0 deficit and propelled the Broncos into the playoff mix.
Elway would finish with the best game of his rookie year. The Legend of the Magnificent #7 was also born on this day.
| BAL | DEN | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Downs | 19 | 19 |
| Total Yards | 387 | 352 |
| Passing | ||
| Yards | 201 | 307 |
| Comp-Att-Int | 13-28-1 | 23-45-0 |
| Yards Per Pass | 7.2 | 6.8 |
| Sacked-Yards Lost | 5-38 | 2-16 |
| Rushing | ||
| Yards | 186 | 45 |
| Attempts | 47 | 12 |
| Average | 4 | 3.8 |
| Turnovers | ||
| Interceptions | 1 | 0 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 0-0 | 3-2 |
| Punting | ||
| Punts | 6 | 7 |
| Yards | 276 | 280 |
| Yards Per Punt | 46 | 40 |
| Penalties | ||
| Penalties | 16 | 5 |
| Yards | 95 | 51 |
| Possession | ||
| Time of Possession | 36:44 | 23:16 |
Interesting...To Me
I probably should have put the Olympic crap down here, but oh well.
My daughter turned 9 weeks old yesterday and two months old on the 16th.
I thought the post would be shorter than usual, but apparently I vastly underestimated my ability as a blithering windbag.