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Elway Proving He Belongs
March 20, 2012 – 6:30 pm
In just 14 months as VP of Football Operations, Elway has proven not only does he belong as an executive but he is going to be one of the best. And it proves that the whole Indianapolis thing back in ’83 was personal. Good night – to stick it to the same team again. It would have only been better if Cleveland had been in the running.
One huge question has been answered over these last few months. Why didn’t Elway joint the Broncos sooner?
Two words – Mike Shanahan. Can you imagine Shanahan allowing anyone have this much leeway and freedom in making a roster? Can you imagine Shanny talking through decisions with anyone? Or him flexing his offense back and forth? Or drafting heavy defense? I loved Shanahan’s time with the Broncos. He did Denver proud and is still one of the greatest offensive minds ever. But it came with a pretty good sized ego that wouldn’t listen to anyone else. He would have home runs on offense only to be undone by a defense he drafted. Elway has proven not only will he listen to his coach and his GM, but he’s not afraid of changing anything if it will get them closer to winning a Super Bowl.
What will remain unanswered is why in the world did Bowlen put us through the McDaniels era?
Elway is showing not only an incredible eye for talent, but that he knows exactly the kind of team that he and John Fox want to build. For all the records Elway holds, he just seems to only care about how many more Super Bowls he can add. And he only wants those kinds of people in the building with him.
The Manning signing is huge. Even if Manning comes back only 70 to 80%, it’s a huge win. With Manning, free agents are going to want to play with him in Denver. The Tebow experiment can be over in the only way it could possibly end without causing mass revolt. Everyone loved Tebow the person. Watching him throw in the playoffs was painful. I’m sure it was not lost on Elway as he watched Brady dismantle his team.
Another thing not to be lost in all of this is how Elway has handled some potentially horrific situations. He allowed Orton to walk. Did it cost the Broncos a draft pick? Maybe but he didn’t drag out the drama between Orton and Tebow, allowing Orton a chance to just walk away and find himself a landing space. Same thing with Brady Quinn. Although I think Elway let Quinn walk because once again – he doesn’t want any of that drama at the QB position. So Quinn will take his GQ loving self to Kansas City.
I’m guessing he will attempt to trade Tebow. Getting something for him should not be incredibly difficult. The guy will fill a stadium and sell jerseys. So if you are a team that is a few years away – make a pitch on Tebow. But if the trades don’t happen, I’m guessing Elway won’t let the drama last very long. He let Tebow play, he allowed him to show off for the league and he’ll at the very least do his best to get Tebow to a place that will use him.
The future looks bright for the Broncos.
#18 To Denver Makes Sense
March 12, 2012 – 4:41 pm
I tweeted this moments after the Manning/Colt news conference – The Broncos will land Manning.
I really believed that Elway would go after Manning. The major media outlets I felt like were missing the picture in this whole ordeal. None of them gave Denver a chance, saying that Washington and Seattle, KC and Arizona had better shots at Manning.
First – Seattle? Really? You think Manning would play for Pete Carroll on purpose? I never understood why Seattle made the Manning list. Carroll can’t really coach, it’s not a great team, weather is terrible. Never was going to happen in my mind.
Second – Washington? Shanahan doesn’t bend for anybody. Manning was not going to have control over that offense. Second, that team is a long way away from making the playoffs mainly because they will have to go through New York Giants (Manning the Younger) and the Cowboys and the Eagles to get there. OUT.
Third – KC. I did think Manning would at least stop by and visit KC. Never thought he would sign. Clark Hunt is no Lamar Hunt. And while the Chiefs seem to have a ton of great potential on offense and defense – they have yet to play up to that potential and with a new head coach, it’s not exactly a well established culture of leadership. And the Chiefs still don’t have an offensive coordinator.
I thought the Broncos had about an equal shot with Arizona. Arizona has the dome, great weather, Larry Fitzgerald, Whisenhunt as the coach. But they have the Bidwells as owners as well. Notoriously cheap and just recently starting to pony up as an owner.
Broncos have great ownership, Elway is proving himself as a VP, solid defense, great coaching (look at how they adjusted to Tebow), and the wildcard are the backs and receivers. Do we really know how good they are with as inaccurate of a thrower as Tebow was last season?
For the Broncos, if Manning signs – it’s the only thing that saves them from the Tebowmania. Who knows what they will do with Tim. Trade him? To who and for what?
But — I’m hoping that it happens. Love this move by the Broncos.
UPDATE: should have put this in the original article but..
1. Elway sort IS the map for an aging Hall of Fame quarterback. Elway’s last 3 seasons in the league were 96, 97, and 98. The Broncos about went 3 for 3 in Super Bowls during that span. In ’96, they were the #1 seed on the AFC side of the playoffs. An upset by Jacksonville stunned the league and about sent Elway back into retirement. The next two seasons – back to back Super Bowl wins, Elway being the MVP in the final one.
The trick of those years? A killer running game with Terrell Davis, an opportunistic defense. Elway’s job was to move that offense, pick up some 3rd downs, keep the D’s honest with the long ball – and he did that. No ego, no need to ride his arm and legs like the Bronc’s did in years past. Elway COULD still fling it but not run as well. But he didn’t care about all of that – he wanted rings.
I think Manning respects that and is in the same position.
2. If the coaching staff changed the whole offense in the middle of the season to adjust to Tim Tebow – what kind of craziness could they do with Manning and a whole offseason? This should make the rest of the AFC West very, very, nervous.
A Not So Super Week
February 6, 2012 – 9:30 am
Let me get this out of the way – I thought the worse possible Super Bowl matchup was New England vs. New York. Two franchises that most people love to hate and picking between the two was like choosing between broccoli and cauliflower.
However, I decided from the minute the Ravens missed that kick that I was going to pull for the Giants and I’m so glad they defeated the evil Patriots. Multiple reasons.
First, the arrogance/cluelessness of Belicheck. To cut a player the night before the Super Bowl just because you can and is just pointless. It’s heartless. That player practiced all week, was ready to play, had probably got his family all situated and then to get called to the coaches room less than 24 hours before the game to get cut? Add it to the long litany of Belicheck stories where he does something just to show everybody that he is still the boss. Remember him fining players for being late to team meetings during the blizzards last year?
Second, Belicheck hasn’t won a Super Bowl and has lost 4 out of 6 playoff games since he got caught cheating by video taping opposing teams pre-game walkthrough. McDaniels brought that act with him to Denver and it got him fired. It didn’t help him win either but that is another post.
Third, The Manning Drama. You think your family has drama? How’d you like to be a Manning? Actually…I’d like it very much but that is not important right now. Eli has always been in the shadow of big brother Peyton and daddy Archie. This was supposed to be his week – 2nd Super Bowl, opportunity to have 2 rings, the confirmation that maybe Peyton was Eli’s brother instead of the other way around.
Instead, we have Peyton-Irsay war of the roses breaking out. Peyton started it with the “we’re walking on eggshells, everything has changed” comments. Irsay firing back with his “protect the Horseshoe” and calling Peyton a politician. To top all of that off, Peyton announces that he has been cleared to play (further proving Irsay’s point) while his team says — ‘uhhhh, that’s news to us.’
The bottom line – it was a lot of incredibly selfish behavior from Irsay and Manning during a week that should have been about their city and his brother. Apparently, neither one got the memo.
I didn’t really like anything either party said all week long – speaking of Irsay and Peyton. All of Irsay’s talk about the “Horseshoe” was just pathetic. There is no “Horseshoe” without Peyton Manning. The Irsay family had gutted and killed the Colts until Manning walks in and gives them double-digit wins every single year. There is no Lucas Field, Super Bowl, full stadium, or anything remotely successful about the Colts without Manning. To paint Manning as just another player to wear the uniform is wrong and petty.
However, Peyton seemed to forget that Irsay made him a very, very, very, rich man even though he didn’t play a down this year. It was Irsay that didn’t move Peyton to injured reserved and thus allowed him to collect his full salary this year. That should have in the least bought some public civility between Peyton and the Irsays. Apparently 28 million doesn’t buy what it used to buy.
(And as a sidenote – the Colts needed to make some drastic changes – despite what Peyton thinks. The team just went 2-14, looked woefully out-coached, and had no depth in any position on the field. That’s an epic fail of epic proportion and Irsay was completely justified in dropping the hammer on the coach and general manager.)
Back to the Giants — maybe now the New York media will believe that Eli Manning is not a bust and Coughlin can keep his job for a year or two. How Marvin Lewis keeps his job and Tom Coughlin seems to have to fight for his every season is beyond my understanding.
And to Eli’s credit – he has not changed at all over these years. Just the same old, calm, nothing phases me guy.
The commercials were not so Super this year either. Hands down the M&M and Dog Burying The Cat Doritos commercials were the best. The rest – mweh.
Halftime show? Great stage – loved the video/production of that. But it wasn’t incredible, wasn’t terrible. Then we got the “We just spent millions of dollars on this 20 minute half-time to sell our albums but we want World Peace ending.” Complete with MIA giving the world the middle finger.
Really? Leave to the music industry to completely miss the point of the Super Bowl halftime once again. IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU!!! You can have wardrobe malfunctions and political statements and whatever else you want at YOUR OWN CONCERT!! Not at the Super Bowl. I wish they would just give up on the music scene and try something else. Cirque De Solia, maybe? Dancing penguins?
The only thing super about the Super Bowl as the last 3 minutes of the game. And maybe that’s how it is supposed to be…but then again, watching the Patriots celebrate New York scoring a touchdown with a minute left in the game while the Giants looked stress was surreal.
And while I’m disappointed with the Super Bowl, the only thing worse is having no football until August. Sigh….. Welcome to the offseason.
LSU-Bama II for National Championship
January 6, 2012 – 11:57 am
These are the two best teams in the country. People might not want a rematch, might hate defensive football. Hate Saban or the Mad Hatter but the bottom line – these are the most talented, best coached teams in the country right now.
Reasons Alabama could win:
1. They are healthy…for the most part. There are a couple of defensive backs that are still on the mend but Barrow is back, rest of crew is healthy. Of course…so is LSU.
2. It’s hard to beat the same time twice in the same season. aka: Revenge factor.
3. Saban’s had 2 months to prepare. The first game was about Jarrett Lee then JJ comes in. A bit of confusion and adjustment resulted. This time, Tide will be focused on JJ.
4. Alabama left alot of points on field at last meeting. 19 if you are being generous.
Reason LSU could win:
1. They are healthy. See above.
2. BUT if they weren’t – they are the deepest team ever. It doesn’t seem to matter who goes down or gets suspended or arrested, there’s another guy with just as much speed and talent right behing him. Next Guy Up really is the culture at LSU. Every position is like this.
3. Superdome, aka LSU South. The dome is nuts when full. Super nuts with the Saints. Insane nuts for LSU. Ridiculous for National Championship games. Off the planet crazy if Saints in playoffs, full, and LSU is playing for the National Championship. Alabama travels about the best in the country, especially to the Sugar Bowl. Second to only…LSU.
4. Special Teams. It’s not just that LSU has incredible special teams – returners who can go the distance, kickers that don’t miss, and the ability to pull of the best fakes in the world. It’s also that Alabama’s special teams are the other kind of special. Like short bus kind of special. This is a huge advantage for the Bayou Bengals.
3 days and counting. LSU is 3 point favorite. This sounds about right.
Monday can’t get here fast enough.
BCS, Rematches Part 2
December 9, 2011 – 7:50 am
So I ended up being wrong. I thought that the human polls would vote OSU into the title game, not wanting to see another LSU-Bama game, pitting the conference champions against each other. Instead, the human element voted Alabama as #2 and into the National Championship game.
I would have been okay if Oklahoma State had been voted to go instead of Alabama. Disappointed but not “they was robbed!!!” upset. And I get that some OSU fans are a bit upset about not going to National Championship game but the BCS once again did what it was designed to do.
Before you go all postal on me, hear me out.
The BCS system was designed to accomplish 2 goals.
Goal 1: Put the top 2 teams in a championship game.
Goal 2: Do this without a playoff so that the Bowl System could still make all their money.
I don’t like it but it’s done it’s job every single year. Sure, every other sport in every other division has a playoff. But major college football isn’t about the championship. Never really has been. It’s been about the tradition, the money, the writers, the money, and the money. Before the BCS, the top 2 teams never met. Ever. Okay, maybe once every 15 or 20 years.
The BCS was the ultimate solution between those who really wanted a champion and the billion dollar behemoth of the Bowl system.
Don’t believe me? Look at the Sugar Bowl invitations this year. Or the Orange Bowl. They don’t care about the best match-up. Who is going to bring the most fans and hence, the most money.
As far Alabama as #2 team in the country? It’s fairly accurate. Alabama lost to LSU in OT. They fell in the rankings behind all the undefeated teams at the time – in which OSU was one. Then they all lost to teams they really should not have lost to. So that opened the door for Alabama to get back in at 2.
As far as toughness of schedule – OSU beat 4 top 25 teams (ranked at time they played them). Alabama got 5 on the schedule and beat 4 of them, lost to #1. So the rankings did have to come down to – who did each team lose to.
LSU averaged 40 points a game (minus the Alabama game). Alabama averaged 39 against the same competition (minus the LSU game). Margin of victory was practically identical. Both teams just manhandled every team they played — once they woke up after being bored in the first half.
What the BCS did cheat us out of this year was one heck of a playoff. Can you imagine this Elite Eight – LSU, OSU, Alabama, Stanford, Oregon, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Boise State. That would be 4 awesome weeks of football right there. That same four weeks we have to wait until January 9th.
BCS, Rematches, and The Hypocrisy of the Press
December 3, 2011 – 8:08 am
By now every one knows the situation of the BCS. LSU is the best team in the land and is sitting at Number 1. After them comes a host of one-loss teams that unfortunately will have to rely on politicking and the press to get a shot at the national championship game.
Here’s the lineup: Alabama (loss to LSU), Stanford (loss to Oregon), Virginia Tech (loss to Clemson – don’t ask me how), Oklahoma State (loss to Iowa State), Boise State (TCU), and then undefeated Houston which honestly is a joke but that’s another story for another time.
Which one ‘deserves’ the shot at LSU – given they beat (or don’t) Georgia? Let’s filter through some of the rhetoric.
Must win their conference championship. Really? So Stanford’s game against a pitiful UCLA team that just lost to USC by 50 is the ticket to the BCS Championship? The two best teams in the Pac-12 aren’t even in the game (Oregon and USC). The Big 10 champion will have two losses, so they are out. Big-12? Oh wait — they don’t have a championship game anymore because Texas didn’t want that game to ruin their shot at a BCS title.
Houston wins their conference – put them in, right? Oh but they aren’t part of the “club” of BCS schools so they are out. Virginia Tech makes a compelling argument but…
Pick the two best schools. This is where the losses matter. Iowa State, LSU, Clemson, Oregon – which is the best loss? Traditionally this is how the voters decide giving Alabama the most compelling argument but…
Every game counts means no rematch. This is the BCS slogan – every game counts. The playoffs are all season long. Which sounds great until you realize that even if LSU loses they are in the National Championship game due to the BCS rankings. So every game except the conference championship counts? Or maybe the BCS guys should say “every game counts but some more so than others.” some count more than
What we need is a playoff! Here is where the hypocrisy of the press really kicks in. I hear all the cries for a playoff but if that were the case – here are our top 10 teams and seedings.
LSU vs. Arkansas (rematch)
Alabama vs. Boise State
OSU vs. Houston
Stanford vs. Va Tech
If you had the top 10 you’ve added Oregon and Oklahoma. You see where I’m going with this?
Exactly – a playoff would have the possibility of 3 rematches, possibly more during the playoffs. So those who are calling for a playoff system, rematches could (and most likely would) happen every single year. If you want a playoff – not wanting a rematch can’t really be your war cry.
So what’s the solution?
There isn’t one. Some team is going to get the short end of the stick no matter how you slice it. There isn’t a “fair” way to determine the FBS National Champion. And there will never be until a playoff system is in place.
In the meantime — all I’m saying is Roll Tide, anyway.
The Unfiltered Truth About Tebow
November 18, 2011 – 2:27 pm
It’s not rocket science why Tim Tebow is so polarizing. It’s part Jesus…and part Tim Tebow.
Listen, I cringe at the “Tebowing” kneeling posture that has somehow become larger than planking. But do you know how many football players kneel on one knee before a game or on the sideline to get focused before the game? Take a look the next time you get a chance. There’s quite a bit. The fact that Tebow is praying when he does it instead of listening to rap music that celebrates guns, drugs, sex, and more sex seems to really bother most of the other NFL teams, ESPN, NFL Network and FOX Sports.
I can understand the hesitancy and skepticism of most people. We’ve been sold the fakes so many times that our first instinct now is to dismiss Tebow as another nut job that one day is going to get found out. How many “Jesus” players have ended up in the news with drug charges, late night arrests, and overall fairly selfish behavior in life?
Then there is the actual gameplay of Tebow. He plays like a linebacker, talks like a pastor, leads like a general, and has a competitive fire of the likes we haven’t seen since….Michael Jordan. We don’t know what in the world to do with him. How is he 4-1?
Every player that has ever played with him says the same exact thing. I believe in him. He’s the biggest competitor on the team. He’s a beast. He can’t throw an out pattern to save his life but he can run over the middle linebacker, get up and do it again on the next play. He’s smart enough to figure out what the defense is doing and what he SHOULD do with the ball. He just can’t always do it. He’s what Ray Lewis would have been like as a quarterback.
I don’t think Tebow is the long-term answer for the Broncos. This run has been nice in terms of the record but it’s painful to watch. And one bad game by the defense renders this offense completely obsolete. See the Lions game.
However, I’m tired of announcers and players trashing and making fun of Tebow because instead of buying bling and Bentleys, he’s building hospitals in the Philippines. Instead of being a jerk and talking in 3rd person, he walks by kids with jerseys and hats and signs autographs until he’s pulled away.
I’m pulling for him. I hope he gets this throwing the ball accurately thing down. Because if he does, he’s going to be a beast of a quarterback and a heck of a leader.
But if he doesn’t get it figured out – the only thing that will be true is that he’s not an NFL quarterback. I’m guessing he’ll still sign autographs, build hospitals, and talk about Jesus.
And that’ll be okay too.
If he only had gone to Alabama.
Alabama is ready for a rematch with LSU
November 18, 2011 – 7:55 am
My buddy Wayne ‘the Italian Stallion’ Galli sent me this. It’s to funny to not send it along.
The Debate of Going To The Broncos Game
November 12, 2011 – 7:41 am
I have a great friend that has season tickets to the Kansas City Chiefs. I’ve known this family for year and we are incredibly close but there is one thing that comes between us…two times a year. They are die-hard Chief fans. I am a die-hard Bronco fan.
Last year, he took Cooper and Amy to the game at Arrowhead. I’ve been to a game at Arrowhead – Broncos, 1st ever Thanksgiving game at Arrowhead in fact. At that time – it was as loud as I can imagine a venue to be. He offered me tickets again this year and I really wanted to go but I just couldn’t swing it.
Besides that, the last few times I’ve gone to a professional football game, it’s been a bit dodgy.
Raider-Bronco game @ Invesco field, 2009. Broncos give up 24 unanswered points in the second half and get thoroughly embarrassed. That was just more fuel for the handful of Raider fans around us to drop more F bombs than a Samuel L. Jackson movie. It didn’t matter how many kids were around. They kept drinking and kept swearing. It was one of the few times I imagined throwing someone off the top deck of a stadium.
Chief-Bronco game @ Arrowhead, Thanksgiving night, 2008. You know the problem with night games? It gives bone-head fans all day to prove their bone-headedness. It was just me and Cooper for this go around. It was Jake Plummer’s last official start in the NFL. Cutler ended up starting the next week.
Any rate, we wore our Broncos gear and had a great time until it was time to leave. Even though we lost, I made sure that we stayed as late as we could to avoid the doofus’ in the ramps going to out to the car. On the way, several fights broke out between Bronco and Chief fans. I managed to get Coop and I out of there with little incident. There was an older Chief fan that sat next to us through out the game and he walked down with us, running block as best as he could.
On the way to the car, I noticed a Bronco fan with a busted nose, blood running down his Eddie McCaffrey jersey. Appropriate, I thought.
He said – “Hey man, I need some help. I was hit by a Chief fan.” What did you do?
“I told ‘em all to go …” well, just let your imagination roam and that’s pretty much what he said.
I kept walking and said to Cooper – I can’t imagine why anyone would want to punch that guy.
A buddy of mine was at the Bills-Chief game earlier this year and he had beer and food thrown at him as he was sporting Bills gear. No Bills fan should ever get anything thrown at them as being a Bills fan is enough embarrassment as it is. It’s not his fault that the Chiefs are terrible and can’t decide if they are a horrible team that plays well every now and then or a good team that plays horrible every now and then.
Fortunately for me, the Broncos are consistent. They are just a bad team right now. Tebow is painful to watch and I think Elway/Fox are geniuses for playing him out this year so that every Tebow fan in the country can see the train wreck for what it is. Now…Tebow at linebacker? Or tight end? That would be freakin’ awesome.
Any rate, I’ll watch the game from the comfort of the house with no beer being thrown at me or F bombs launched. And if by some miracle the Broncos pull this one out…I’ll gloat only for a few moments as the rematch is coming in a short few weeks.
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