FanPost

Trashing John Elway is the New Orange

Growing up in Colorado, there was really only the Broncos in terms of sports teams. There were the Larks/Rockets and the Spurs, but they were little more than a side show. The Broncos were the men of the city and the state. And like most boys of the times, I rooted for them through thick or thin. And for most of my youth, there was nothing but thin. In 1970, the team autographed a football for me through my meeting Clem Turner at a Bronco autograph signing at the supermarket in my home town. The names Bobby Anderson, Steve Tensi, Dave Costa, Rich "Tombstone" Jackson and Floyd Little flowed from my tongue as easily as did the Pledge of Allegiance. The Charley Johnson years when Denver started to learn how to win was exciting. The 1977 team is still my favorite team. That year was magical and created the start of high expectations each and every year since.

I was in Jackson Hole Wyoming when I when I heard the news that Denver had traded for John Elway. Unless you had suffered through the years of Steve Tensi, Steve Ramsey, Craig Morton, Steve DeBerg, et al., you will have a hard time understanding what that meant to the team and the fortunes of the Broncos. I remember being extremely optimistic when Denver traded for Don Horn. Floyd Little saved football in Denver. John Elway showed Denver and the World what football could and should be. He delivered again and again and again. And since he arrived, Denver has shown what the pursuit of excellence achieves. He lifted up deeply flawed teams on his shoulders and carried them to heights they never would have known. He rode off with back to back championships. He was part of 5 Super Bowls as a player and has reached 2 more as the GM. Denver has reached 8 Super Bowls in its history. John Elway has directly been responsible for 7 of them.

And after all he has done for Denver, "fans" are calling for his head because of a few down years. Try being a fan when you literally cheered when the team made a 1st down. Try being a fan when the team did not have a winning season in their history and yet sold out every game. For all of the moaning and groaning in this site about him, many things taken for granted would not have happened without him. Denver became irrelevant when he retired. They didn't become relevant until he came back. So, call for his head if you must, but remember that little has been good with the franchise without him. For what John Elway has done for the Broncos, Denver, and the surrounding area, he has earned the right to go when he is ready. Go Broncos!

This is a Fan-Created Comment on MileHighReport.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff of MHR.