Woody's view

[Atlas]

He is so far above all the other hacks covering Denver it's unbelievable.




woody paige
Broncos definitely stirring the pot
By Woody Paige
Denver Post Staff Columnist



We are curious orange.

With all the subtlety of a blacksmith welding a hammer and an anvil, the Broncos indeed have gotten our attention.

They may not be that great, but they will be interesting.

Maurice Clarett?

Mike Shanahan seemed to be following the lead of Col. Frank Slade in "Scent of a Woman," who said he was just getting started.

Recently I read an evaluation by an NFL expert who claimed the Broncos' draft was the worst.

Then, another account suggested that the Broncos had the league's worst offseason free-agent acquisitions.

And there has been laughter the past few days when the Broncos brought in a wide receiver of note.

A couple of local heavyweights have questioned practically every move

Shanahan has made in the past three months.

I, a lightweight, grumbled about the signings of three former Cleveland Browns defensive linemen.

And some upstanding local citizens apparently believe Shanahan shouldn't be fired, but, rather, tied to a garage door, with the automatic opener set to constantly go up and down while a nearby boombox plays the hits of Boy George.

OK, consider this: Would you rather get excited about the Chicago Bears?

I'm finding these additions kind of fun.

What's next: Is Barry Sanders coming out of retirement to join the Broncos? Are they trading for Ricky Williams? Is Brian Griese returning? Will Red Miller and Rick Upchurch be hired as assistant coaches?

Shannon Sharpe?

Admit it, that Clarett pick in the third round had you murmuring and wondering and hoping and thinking about asking your buddy for his exhibition tickets. People were drafting quarterbacks and Auburn running backs, and the Broncos took three cornerbacks you never heard of, but Broncos fanatics and NFL draftniks across the country sat up in their chairs when it was announced Denver had chosen Clarett.

Ron Dayne didn't do it for you.

Tatum Bell and Quentin Griffin are your Broncos running backs, but everybody is talking about and interviewing Maurice Clarett. Can he run the 40-

yard dash in under 10 seconds? Will he rush for 2,000 yards this season or languish on the practice squad or take sophomore English literature?

The Browns thing wasn't special because the Broncos were losing Trevor Pryce. Bam! Pryce is right back with the program, and Ian Gold - whose parents obviously idolized Ian Fleming and "Goldfinger" - rejoined the Broncos. Courtney Brown looks a lot better as a backup defensive end, and the linebacking corps got smarter and tougher.

Meanwhile, there are 47 cornerbacks under contract. Including Champ Bailey, who may decide he needs to concentrate more on his position than his house.

Jeb Putzier gone to New York. Happens. Jeb Putzier not gone from Denver. Happening.

Todd Sauerbrun has done several pretty stupid pet tricks, but he also punts farther than 99.993 living human beings. And at sea level. Imagine if he punted at altitude eight games a year. Forget 44-yard average. Think 50 yards.

Sauer became sweet when he finally met with Shanahan and agreed to come to the Broncos, who gave the Carolina Panthers a bag of marbles and a Baby Ruth candy bar for the best punter in pro football. Forget the left-footed rugby punters.

So the Broncos' efforts were fairly unusual.

Before Jerry Rice popped


up.
Last week the Broncos signed Rice, the greatest wide receiver in the history of the old game. He already has scored more touchdowns than anyone else and, without much trouble, could go over the 200 mark in TD catches next season. How swell.

A few of us remember a Super Bowl in which Rice caught a 20-yard touchdown pass to give San Francisco a 7-0 lead over the Broncos, then caught two other touchdown passes in the 49ers' 55-10 victory. Well, we don't have to worry about Rice catching three scoring passes against Denver

in anymore Super Bowls.

A few of them believe Rice's career should be over, but he will be the top conditioned athlete in the NFL in 2005, and won't that make a difference at a mile high? He doesn't have to catch 100 balls. Fifty would be nice, as a third receiver. Line up Rice against the other team's third cornerback, and I'll take that matchup.

And you've got your Jake Plummer, who hasn't been figured out yet, except that when he wasn't offering an obscene sign at the stadium, he was throwing for more yardage in one season than John Elway ever did. Plummer is no Elway, but he's no Griese.

Unlike the Rockies, the Broncos aren't constructing a team for 2034, and we prefer it that way, because a few of us may be eating bananas and drooling on the patio by next Memorial Day.

We would like to see the Broncos get back to the Super Bowl, or, at the very least, beat the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the playoffs.

I don't know the Broncos are about to win the title or even the division.

But if Shanahan is down to one more season in Denver, he's not going down quietly.

I like it. There may be possibilities and prospects and pleasure, but it won't be boring in the 2005 training camp and season. You've got your controversial running back; your Hall of Fame wide receiver; your expatriate Browns; your Champ and your chumps; your weird-up, drinking-and-driving punter; your enigmatic quarterback; and your coach trying to remove the tarnish from his iconness.

Burning horseshoes for the Broncos.

[Needa Pass Rush]

Good piece by Woodrow. It certainly should be interesting!

Thanks for posting it, Atlas.

[watermock]

What? No 19-0 proclamation?

"A couple of local heavyweights have questioned practically every move" Ha!
I know at least one of them. Burger Billy, who seems to get his scoops from ESPN.

He has to be the dullest writer on the planet.

[Northman]

I agree with his article. all the Cleveland players we signed should be interesting whether they work out or not. but if they pan out just think of cool that will be and if Rice becomes a bigger factor that just adds to the excitement. it's easy to be negative about this offseason but if it works out the Broncos may do some serious damage.

[Broncoman13]

And some upstanding local citizens apparently believe Shanahan shouldn't be fired, but, rather, tied to a garage door, with the automatic opener set to constantly go up and down while a nearby boombox plays the hits of Boy George.



That is rich!!! Rep to Woodrow!

[Drek]

I like Woody, but then, he's a likable guy. Gets a bit too homerish sometimes, but when he's not stumbling and bumbling over what he's trying to say and just says it, he typically makes a good point with sound reasoning. Sad that his generation of sports writters is one of the last to do that. Now writters like Mariotti (in Chicago) are becoming too frequent with their groundless conjecture and ESPNEWS fed "knowledge".

I miss the old days of sports reporting when guys like Dick Schapp ran the show, and when sports reporting was about providing real insight into the games and the players we loved to watch, not listening to some mouthpiece trying to push his 15 minutes of fame as far as he can.

[baja]

I like Woody, but then, he's a likable guy. Gets a bit too homerish sometimes, but when he's not stumbling and bumbling over what he's trying to say and just says it, he typically makes a good point with sound reasoning. Sad that his generation of sports writters is one of the last to do that. Now writters like Mariotti (in Chicago) are becoming too frequent with their groundless conjecture and ESPNEWS fed "knowledge".

I miss the old days of sports reporting when guys like Dick Schapp ran the show, and when sports reporting was about providing real insight into the games and the players we loved to watch, not listening to some mouthpiece trying to push his 15 minutes of fame as far as he can.

So true

Adam S. was a cross between the two types, he liked his notoriety but at least he did ferrot out the occasional scoop

[Al Wilson]

This guy is great!

Good article, I love it :thumbsup:

[Cito Pelon]

I can't stand that jackass. Didn't read the article either here or in the paper. Woody's the sorriest-ass columnist I've ever read. What a chump.

[Dukes]

I can't stand that jackass. Didn't read the article either here or in the paper. Woody's the sorriest-ass columnist I've ever read. What a chump.

To each their own I guess....

[telluride]

I've always liked Woody's stuff--even his ill-fated life as a regular news columnist was interesting. But he's not doing himself any favors by pretending to still be a Denver columnist, from NYC. Everything--including this nice little piece--feels and reads like he's cobbled together his reporting from websites and phoned it in. The Post should allow him to gracefully fade, and find a good young columnist who actually lives in town and talks to the people he writes about.

Plus Woody now dies his hair, which is just sad.

[scorpio]

Sometimes when I'm working out in the AM I'll tune into Cold Pizza and watch Woody and that Other Guy argue like an old lesbian couple. It makes me feel all warm inside.

:kiss:

[Cito Pelon]

To each their own I guess....

Did I mention I can't stand that jack-ass?

Sorry, but I like to say that about Woody every chance I get.

I can't stand that jackass. Ahhh, feels good.

[bloodsunday]

I agree with Woody, especially the shot he took at the Rockies. Ouch. Hilarious!

He pretty much summed up my position on the offseason: the Broncos have made some good moves, and some controversial moves. But, they have addressed the weak links in the roster. How that pans out, only time can tell. Boob and Naptown can crow and poke fun all they want, but there is will be a lot of "publications" (see Street and Smith) that take the optimistic route and predict great things for this team. Besides that, the Chiefs have some house cleaning of their own to address.

Woody is definitely right about one thing, Shanny gave us a reason to at least have some hope this year. To some that's good, to others it could be viewed as false hope. I have had the suicide thought -- maybe the Broncos should blow up and start over -- but I realize now that is crazy talk. As dull as this time of year is, can you imagine what it would be like if you knew the Broncos would suck?

[watermock]

I dissagree Telluride.

It seems to me he's got his hand on the pulse of the perceptions of Denver's moves from a national perspective, that the East Coast media is laughing at us.

I've gone thru this a million times, so the east coast can eat my shorts.

1. We had only around 3 million in cap room before some juggling.

2. We got an overall #1 pick who has a decent prognosis. Brown's other injuries are healed, and he's running on his foot. Hell, I don't think Ty Law even has his boot off yet and wants a 12 million dollar bonus.

3. We got a healthy Warren, an overall #3 pick that hasn't been bad, just considered an underachiever for a dysfunctional and poorly motivated Cleveland team.

4. We got yet another first rounder in Ekuban, #20 overall, who also has good prognosis on his shoulder, and basically, just a cleanup of his knee. Throw in Myers for free.

5. We are getting what looks to be a high #1 from Washington next in in a class that looks better than this years was. Washington even threw in a #4 because they are fools.

6. We got one of the best punters in the NFL.

7. We propped up our guard position by keeping Hamilton and Coop, and got a couple more guards with starting experience from Arizona, another perennial loser that's doiing a housecleaning.

8. We signed the NFL's all time reciever

9. We drafted a smallish corner that is super fast, and an excellent punt returner

10. MoC...He would of gone in the first round last year, for the last pick in the third.

11. We managed to get Pryce to take a paycut when every other player in the league is crying for more Bling Bling. Several team leaders restructured contracts to help the team's cap situation.

That's not even all of it, but enough. For a team basically at the cap ceiling.

[baja]

I can't stand that jackass. Didn't read the article either here or in the paper. Woody's the sorriest-ass columnist I've ever read. What a chump.

That's what I like about you, you are so open minded.

[Odysseus]

Good Tripe...

Personally have grown to respect Woody since he stated clearly that the Invesco should be call New Mile High. BIG TIME rep.

This really is how the off season is going for me.

[baja]

I dissagree Telluride.

It seems to me he's got his hand on the pulse of the perceptions of Denver's moves from a national perspective, that the East Coast media is laughing at us.

I've gone thru this a million times, so the east coast can eat my shorts.

1. We had only around 3 million in cap room before some juggling.

2. We got an overall #1 pick who has a decent prognosis. Brown's other injuries are healed, and he's running on his foot. Hell, I don't think Ty Law even has his boot off yet and wants a 12 million dollar bonus.

3. We got a healthy Warren, an overall #3 pick that hasn't been bad, just considered an underachiever for a dysfunctional and poorly motivated Cleveland team.

4. We got yet another first rounder in Ekuban, #20 overall, who also has good prognosis on his shoulder, and basically, just a cleanup of his knee. Throw in Myers for free.

5. We are getting what looks to be a high #1 from Washington next in in a class that looks better than this years was. Washington even threw in a #4 because they are fools.

6. We got one of the best punters in the NFL.

7. We propped up our guard position by keeping Hamilton and Coop, and got a couple more guards with starting experience from Arizona, another perennial loser that's doiing a housecleaning.

8. We signed the NFL's all time reciever

9. We drafted a smallish corner that is super fast, and an excellent punt returner

10. MoC...He would of gone in the first round last year, for the last pick in the third.

11. We managed to get Pryce to take a paycut when every other player in the league is crying for more Bling Bling. Several team leaders restructured contracts to help the team's cap situation.

That's not even all of it, but enough. For a team basically at the cap ceiling.


Good recap Mock - well said!

Rep for you

[Breck Bronc]

Plus Woody now dies his hair, which is just sad.That must be terribly painful.

[rbackfactory80]

To each their own I guess....

Yeah Woody is the cats meow, but that is because he is a true Denver Fan. Not a guy like williamson who needed a job so he came to Denver, became the post writer when he like other teams much more.

[Kaylore]

Good read and he really summed up how excited I am about the season. I don't know how all these "unknowns" are going to turn out, but it sure is going to be fun to watch. We play some great teams this year, and with all the questionables goin into the season, there is going to be some good football to watch. Couple that with two first round draft picks at the end, and its hard to not be optimistic about what could potentially happen. Good or bad, it will be fun.

[KillerBronco#76]

Plummer is no Elway, but he's no Griese.

Whats funny is i said the exact same thing on every ones favorite "Jakes not to blame thread"

[Kid A]

Good article. This has kind of been my opinion. I'm not sure how succesful this team will be, but they'll damn interesting to follow. Still, I don't exactly want to see this team become a freakshow for the rest of the league to laugh at.

[TheReverend]

I dissagree Telluride.

It seems to me he's got his hand on the pulse of the perceptions of Denver's moves from a national perspective, that the East Coast media is laughing at us.

I've gone thru this a million times, so the east coast can eat my shorts.

1. We had only around 3 million in cap room before some juggling.

2. We got an overall #1 pick who has a decent prognosis. Brown's other injuries are healed, and he's running on his foot. Hell, I don't think Ty Law even has his boot off yet and wants a 12 million dollar bonus.

3. We got a healthy Warren, an overall #3 pick that hasn't been bad, just considered an underachiever for a dysfunctional and poorly motivated Cleveland team.

4. We got yet another first rounder in Ekuban, #20 overall, who also has good prognosis on his shoulder, and basically, just a cleanup of his knee. Throw in Myers for free.

5. We are getting what looks to be a high #1 from Washington next in in a class that looks better than this years was. Washington even threw in a #4 because they are fools.

6. We got one of the best punters in the NFL.

7. We propped up our guard position by keeping Hamilton and Coop, and got a couple more guards with starting experience from Arizona, another perennial loser that's doiing a housecleaning.

8. We signed the NFL's all time reciever

9. We drafted a smallish corner that is super fast, and an excellent punt returner

10. MoC...He would of gone in the first round last year, for the last pick in the third.

11. We managed to get Pryce to take a paycut when every other player in the league is crying for more Bling Bling. Several team leaders restructured contracts to help the team's cap situation.

That's not even all of it, but enough. For a team basically at the cap ceiling.

Holy ****, Mock made perfect sense

[Tredici]

I've always liked Woody's stuff--even his ill-fated life as a regular news columnist was interesting. But he's not doing himself any favors by pretending to still be a Denver columnist, from NYC. Everything--including this nice little piece--feels and reads like he's cobbled together his reporting from websites and phoned it in. The Post should allow him to gracefully fade, and find a good young columnist who actually lives in town and talks to the people he writes about.

Plus Woody now dies his hair, which is just sad.

I suspect had Woody written a Shanahan sucks and must go article you'd be his biggest fan.