Those of you reading that know me (and at this point I assume all of you reading know me), know that I bought a styrofoam Denver Broncos horsehead in the Spring of 1999 after the Broncos won their second and last Super Bowl.
As time goes by, dogs bite it, and 35 degree rain drops on it, the horsehead has deteriorated I am reminded of how long I have had it and how long its been since the Broncos last Super Bowl Championship.
So after a 52-21 loss to San Diego, a performance that embarrassed me in front of my family post-Christmas weekend, to cap a collapse that ended yet another playoff-less season, I couldn't help but sense that something had to be done to fix this team.
So while I was surprised that Mike Shanahan was fired from the Broncos on Tuesday, I was more shocked that everyone else was so shocked.
For the solution from everyone that followed the Broncos this year would be the same:
-Since the Broncos ranked 30th in Scoring Defense under a first year Defensive Coordinator, who was last year the Secondary coach, it was time to look outside the organization for a Defensive Coordinator
-Since said defense was comprised of Free Agent retreads and First Round busts, it was time for someone who could dedicate all their time to scouting and acquiring talent to be brought in to do so.
-Since Shanahan's teams were losing home games to non-playoff teams like Oakland and Buffalo, it was time for Shanahan to re-evaluate his motivational tactics that may have worked in 1997 but not with today's much better compensated players.
Since Mike would never agree to at least two of the three parts of this solution anyone in owner Pat Bowlen's position would be forced to do what he did Tuesday afternoon.
So where do the Broncos go from here?
They can hope Bill Cowher sees the opportunity in Denver as better than the one with the Jets (and with the offense and ownership, quite frankly its much better) and perhaps agrees to coach under a new GM, relinquishing his full authority demands.
They can bring in the hot DC du jour (that means Defensive Coordinator of the Day, don't that sound good?) in Steve Spagnuolo and hope the entire team is as successful as the Giants Defense has been. A formula that never seems to fully work (see Mangini, Eric and Crennel, Romeo) but if OC Jeremy Bates is allowed to stay on I could get behind.
They could seriously consider their Rooney Rule guy Raheem Morris and hope he has the mental stuff that has made first time coaches like Mike Tomlin and Tony Sparano successful.
They can NOT hire Bob Stoops. I don't know what I can do to keep this from happening other than send Pat Bowlen pictures of Nick Saban, Steve Spurrier, Lou Holtz and Bobby Petrino everyday. Buying and sneaking into college recruits does not translate to success in the NFL, it just don't.
As for Shanahan, I wish him the best. He gave me two of the greatest moments of my sports fan life. I hope his ego possesses him to adopt the wounded puppy in Detroit and makes a winner there to solidify his Hall of Fame status rather than coach in the too fickle for football New York market with the Jets, where one writer can write a column under the headline "Can the Shan" and he goes on the hot seat. He's just too good for that.
Whatever happens of Shanahan, I hope the steps the Broncos take them to another Super Bowl Trophy before I have to retire my horsehead.
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