What He Should Say Theater

With apologies to Paul, I feel like I'm the only one to tackle this...

Over the weekend it was discovered that the Broncos entertained the idea of trading Jay Cutler for the purpose of acquiring Matt Cassel. This enfuriated Cutler and he was refusing to talk to new head coach Josh McDaniels until a sit-down was scheduled for next week. I have a feeling the meeting is going to be for the purpose of placating Cutler and making him feel wanted by the Broncos again. However, I feel like McDaniels should take another approach. This is what he should say.

"Sit down son. While we did not actively seek to trade you, yes we entertained the idea when my old quarterback in New England Matt Cassel was shopped to us. Here's why. While you are very talented and had a very impressive season this year, things you have said to the media, opponents and your teammates make me wonder if you feel like you have nothing to prove. I'm here to tell you you have A LOT to prove to me and to the city of Denver. You may have a stronger arm than John Elway, I was a teenager during his prime so I don't have first hand basis to judge but you haven't come close to accomplishing what he has in this league and until you do, you will always have something to prove. I'll say this about Matt, and then I will never say his name to you again, from the second he stepped in for Tom, he knew he had something to prove and practiced and played accordingly. If you take that same attitude, with your abilities you can win a Super Bowl and possibly multiple Super Bowls but you have to realize that you have not arrived until you do that. Now I too have something to prove, I'm a 32 year old head coach replacing a legend myself. We're in this together and we're going to accomplish a lot together if you come to realize that you have something to learn from me. If you still feel like you have nothing to prove and I'm full of shit than we will try to send you elsewhere, but you have the best chance to succeed here with me. Together we will prove to this city that the Broncos are the best organization in football once more".

Or he can knock on his house, eat some of his dimented grandmother's pie then take him out to Invesco Field and make him bark out plays. But then I'll know he's been watching Friday Night Lights as much as I have, which is too much.

My Shanahan Thoughts

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.

This Wouldn't Happen if Mike Shanahan were still Alive

The grand finale of this year's Democratic National Convention in Denver, Barack Obama's Nomination Acceptance Speech, won't be taking place at Pepsi Center, home of the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche and the first three days of the convention. Instead the convention will shift to Invesco Field at Mile High, home of my Denver Broncos, on Thursday where Senator Obama will accept the nomination and speak to an expected crowd of 75,000 people.

There is no conflict with the Broncos, they play their final preseason game away at Arizona the next day. My questions are, what must the security detail be for an event like this. Will the speech be given from an "Obamamobile". And also, is this the first time 75,000 Democrats will be together since Phish broke up?

Anyway the dynamics of this election stay the same. All the enthusiasm seems to be on Obama's side but he will still accept the nomination of perhaps the worst run political party in the free world, the only opposition party that could lose an election under these circumstances.

I just hope Obama doesn't try to invoke John Elway (an active Republican) into his speech as Elway never played at Invesco, however Bubby Brister, Brian Griese, and Jake Plummer have.

Jersey Help

DenverBroncos.com is having a sale where all Replica Jerseys are $50. I like the replicas better because they wear better and I can play football in them where I'd be hating myself for playing in a $200 authentic jersey. My blue John Lynch jersey has seen better days and is ready to be retired. The only question is what should I wear next. Choices are:

a) Champ Bailey (Home Blue)
b) John Lynch (Away White)
c) Champ Bailey (Away White)
d) John Lynch (Alternate Orange)
e) Champ Bailey (Alternate Orange)

Things to know:

1) My last name is Lynch
2) I've never owned a white Bronco jersey (not my most flattering color but I am in better shape than I have been in a while)
3) Champ Bailey is the best player on the Broncos and we all know I love '24' but something about how the name "Bailey" on a jersey with such a low number looks is keeping me from pulling the trigger automatically
4) The Broncos didn't wear the Alternate Orange jerseys at all last season.

Broncos Schedule

I'm checking flights to Phoenix and cabs to Glendale. An easy 14-2 with Oakland twice, Houston, Detroit and Buffalo all on the schedule.

Week 1: at Buffalo (Sunday 1)- Luckily I'll be somewhere with Direct TV
Week 2: Oakland (Sunday 4)- JaMarcus Russell's second start and first at Mile High
Week 3: Jacksonville (Sunday 4)- No Mark f'n Brunell
Week 4: at Indianapolis (Sunday 4)- Automatic national game for CBS. Automatic loss.
Week 5: San Diego (Sunday 4)- A difficult stretch I admit
Week 6: BYE
Week 7: Pittsburgh (Sunday 8)- Sorry Smokey!
Week 8: Green Bay (Monday 8:30)- Another National TV game playing two of Josh's three teams back-to-back
Week 9: at Detroit (Sunday 1)- Dre Bly returns to Detroit
Week 10: at Kansas City (Sunday 1)- Tough place to win, but Larry Johnson will probably be hurt
Week 11: Tennessee (Monday 8:30)- Vince Young, welcome to Mile High!
Week 12: at Chicago (Sunday 1)- The NFL record for Interceptions by a QB is 8
Week 13: at Oakland (Sunday 4)- Randy Moss will have shut down by now
Week 14: Kansas City (Sunday 4)- Hopefully Larry Johnson will STILL be hurt
Week 15: Houston (Thursday 9)- Gary Kubiak vs. Mike Shanahan
Week 16: at San Diego (Monday 8)- Never a win
Week 17: Minnesota (Sunday 4)- Hopefully a rest game, definitely a trap game

Broncos get an "FU" from Jake the Flake

The Broncos were all set to trade Jake Plummer to Tampa Bay for a Fourth Round Pick...

However Raider-hating Rumor Mongerer Adam Schefter is reporting that Plummer has decided to retire nullifying the deal.

This is one of those rare occurances where two sports sources are conflicting. Taking Schefter's closeness to the Broncos, I am taking his word and retiring to nix a deal after giving the Broncos no indication that he would is something Jake the Flake would do.

For the record, I always like Jake and defended him while he was here, but if Mike Shanahan thought John Elway screwed him by retiring after the draft, then he can't be liking Jake Plummer today.

Update: The ESPN story now acknowledges the retirement possibility

Better Bly Night

The Broncos acquired Pro-Bowl Cornerback Dre' Bly from the Detroit Lions in exchange for Tatum Bell, Tackle George Foster, and an undisclosed draft pick.

As the Portis for Bailey trade did three years ago, this trade makes the Broncos a better football team. Like Bailey, Bly's effectiveness is as much in reputation and its effect on an opponents' gameplan as it is in talent and game ability, if not moreso.

The Broncos give up two players who never fit into Denver's offense. Bell wasn't the 25 carry guy that Broncos Runningbacks in the past had been and Foster was the complete antithesis of Bronco linemen (high pick, big oeffy guy who got penalized a lot)

Expect the Broncos to draft a runningback at some point in this draft or acquire a disgruntled player on another team (e.g. Thomas Jones)

The '98 Broncos: The Giant Game

To go 14-0, all the Broncos had to do was beat a 5-8 New York Giants team that was in a Quarterback controversy between Kent Graham and Danny Kanell. Which was like having a President controversy between Michael Dukakis and Charles Logan. The game was in the Meadowlands but this looked to be a mere speed bump in Denver's dream season.

The game was much closer than anticipated and I ended up watching the game by myself in the 920 Ackerman living room. Dave Dunleavy who was beginning a separation process from "The Kliq" which is now complete came over with his usual Sunday Kimmel or Goldstein Lunch but sensed how nervous I was then went upstairs.

Then with :48 left in the game, Kent Graham threw a 37 Yard Touchdown Pass to the well dressed Amani Toomer, ending the Broncos perfect season and sending me into a furniture throwing fit.

The Broncos lost their next game to then division rival Seattle, their only other loss on the season and it was on to the playoffs...

The '98 Broncos: Dominance Unseen

Before 1998, the Broncos had embraced the identity of an underdog franchise, characterized by a 98 yard drive, a fumble on the 2, and the close but never close John Elway, they were almost two touchdown underdogs to Green Bay and won the game mainly because they're small scrappy Offensive Linemen out hustled and outdistanced Gilbert Brown and the vast Packer Defensive Line.

So I didn't know how to handle the dominance of the 1998 Broncos. I never did grasp my team becoming the year's version of the '72 Dolphins or '85 Bears, but they put as much of a scare to Mercury Morris and Nick Buonoconti as any team since the '91 Redskins.

Terrell Davis had one of the Five Best Fantasy Football Seasons of all-time, rushing for 2,008 yards and 21 Touchdowns.

While I resisted the urge to refer to this team and myself as "we". I did just about the next best thing. I would speak about games as if I was Mike Shanahan using post-game cliches like "You can't take any team in the National Football League lightly" or "Gotta tip your hat off to them, they put out a gutsy effort".

The Broncos were favored in their final three games of the regular season, prompting many experts and my friends to assume the Broncos were going 16-0 in 1998. Of this, came about one of my favorite phrases, mixing two overused cliches. I warned many Broncos observers and myself "Don't Count Your Chickens Before They're All in One Basket".

The New York Giants would prove those words to be foreshadowing...

And the 12th Best Super Bowl Champions of All-Time Are...

As voted by NFL Network's Blue Ribbon Panel, the 1998 Denver Broncos were voted the 12th best Super Bowl Championship team of all-time. I was hoping the Broncos would crack the Top 10 but when the 1987 Giants were #13 (a team only slightly less dominant than the Bears before them) I knew this team's time was coming up. Plus we the 60's Packers, 70's Steelers, 80's 49ers, 90's Cowboys, and 00's Patriots (although no Patriots team would've beaten the 98 Broncos, Rod Smith would've Blow'ed Up) still on the board.

In the week leading up to their NFL Network special, I will pass on some memories of that season (not the Broncos team that beat the Packers and made me well up, this is the season AFTER), and my year (the one NFL season I lived at 920 Ackerman) watching this team.