Inkana7
07-20-2008, 06:47 PM
Broncos looking to erase old odor
By Woody Paige
The Denver Post
The Broncos start camp Friday with the fresh scent of lavender baby powder.
Last season, the Broncos stunk like a skunk.
The stench could have been worse.
They were close to stinking like a Titan Arum, a large, flowering plant that is indigenous to Sumatra and emits an odor considered by many botanists, and the people in Sumatra, to be the foulest on Earth.
I've never sniffed a Titan Arum, but I got a whiff of the Broncos last season.
They won only seven games, but their record easily could have been 3-13, down below the Oakland and Kansas City nether regions.
In the opener, the Broncos escaped Buffalo with a fire-drill, last-second field goal and won in overtime the next week when the Raiders' winning field goal was nullified because of The Shanahan Shenanigan — or Shanahanigan. The coach called time out a millisecond before the ball was snapped. The Raiders, who had believed they won, missed the second kick, and the Broncos prevailed with their own field goal.
The Broncos beat the clock and the Steelers with a field goal for a 31-28 victory and barely defeated Minnesota in overtime with a field goal after the Vikings rallied late in the fourth quarter with two touchdowns and two two-point conversions, then promptly fumbled on their 12 in the extra period.
The Orange was predominantly blue — dropping three at home and six on the road. The 44-7 and 41-3 blowouts, in particular, reeked.
So the Broncos are not some middle-of-the-NFL team that needs minor alteration. This camp requires major transmutation.
Gone from last year's stinkorama are both coordinators, the general manager (in title only), the original No. 1 running back, the previous leading wide receiver, defensive linemen and backs and linebackers, the punter and the kicker (sigh for Jason Elam).
They've removed warts and wart- hogs, malcontents and incompetents. They've added (relative cheap) free agents and draft choices and re-added injured veterans.
At least a third of the 53-player roster will be turned over — and the club will be turned around.
Football, said coach Vince Lombardi, or maybe sports anchor Vic Lombardi, "is only two things — blocking and tackling." The Broncos could do neither last season.
Will they block and tackle this season? Throw and catch? Punt and kick? Run the ball? Defend the pass? Return and stop returners?
And coach a whole lot better?
Twelve victories are there for the taking, but, if the Broncos don't do the "things," eight losses are there for the giving. They have to win seven or eight at home and half the road games, or the Broncos will have wasted a relatively undemanding schedule, which should include victories over Miami, Buffalo, Tampa Bay, New York Jets, Atlanta, and twice each over Kansas City and Oakland. Beat Jacksonville and New Orleans at home and either split with San Diego or win at Cleveland or Carolina, and there you have it. Lose to the Falcons and the Bills and the Dolphins and the Bucs, and you don't have it.
The first practice of camp Friday morning won't have the same clean-sheet feel and excitement of the old days in Fort Collins and Greeley. The Broncos train at their complex in Dove Valley; they've been working out most of the offseason, and the team is limited to 80 players in camp, not the 120-odd players and oddballs they used to bring in. No quarterback controversy or Travis Henry revelations or, it is hoped, Brandon Marshall dealings with marshals and deputies to worry about.
The usual questions will be: Will they keep both those free-agent safeties, and who will be the backup right guard and the fifth wide receiver, and how's that new guy in at middle linebacker and the old guy back at center, and who's Nos. 65 and 48, and is Marshall recovering, and can John Lynch play another year, and can Ryan Torain play this year, and which of the new free-agent wide receivers is looking good, and was Ryan Clady the best choice for No. 1 and can the rookie start at left tackle, and how about those three linebackers, and how many defensive tackles will the Broncos have on the roster and which will start, and who's going to replace Elam?
Will Selvin Young run for 2,000 yards? How about 1,000 yards? Can Michael Pittman help?
Jay Cutler?
The quarterback will come up big in his third camp — in control of the offense and his diabetes.
The Broncos will be improved (vastly) at linebacker, on the defensive line, at wide receiver and on the offensive line.
With new, improved coordinators on both sides.
Watch Boss Bailey. He can play.
Keep both eyes wide open for Eddie Royal, the No. 2 draft pick who's a wide receiver/returner, who will be a contributor immediately, and the rookie free-agent lineman from Colorado, Tyler Polumbus, who is hefty, smart and a pleasure to be around.
Take a look at Torain, the all-terrain vehicle.
And check out those defensive ends. Elvis Dumervil has not left the building.
On July 25, the Broncos will smell good — like sweat.
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_9929776
By Woody Paige
The Denver Post
The Broncos start camp Friday with the fresh scent of lavender baby powder.
Last season, the Broncos stunk like a skunk.
The stench could have been worse.
They were close to stinking like a Titan Arum, a large, flowering plant that is indigenous to Sumatra and emits an odor considered by many botanists, and the people in Sumatra, to be the foulest on Earth.
I've never sniffed a Titan Arum, but I got a whiff of the Broncos last season.
They won only seven games, but their record easily could have been 3-13, down below the Oakland and Kansas City nether regions.
In the opener, the Broncos escaped Buffalo with a fire-drill, last-second field goal and won in overtime the next week when the Raiders' winning field goal was nullified because of The Shanahan Shenanigan — or Shanahanigan. The coach called time out a millisecond before the ball was snapped. The Raiders, who had believed they won, missed the second kick, and the Broncos prevailed with their own field goal.
The Broncos beat the clock and the Steelers with a field goal for a 31-28 victory and barely defeated Minnesota in overtime with a field goal after the Vikings rallied late in the fourth quarter with two touchdowns and two two-point conversions, then promptly fumbled on their 12 in the extra period.
The Orange was predominantly blue — dropping three at home and six on the road. The 44-7 and 41-3 blowouts, in particular, reeked.
So the Broncos are not some middle-of-the-NFL team that needs minor alteration. This camp requires major transmutation.
Gone from last year's stinkorama are both coordinators, the general manager (in title only), the original No. 1 running back, the previous leading wide receiver, defensive linemen and backs and linebackers, the punter and the kicker (sigh for Jason Elam).
They've removed warts and wart- hogs, malcontents and incompetents. They've added (relative cheap) free agents and draft choices and re-added injured veterans.
At least a third of the 53-player roster will be turned over — and the club will be turned around.
Football, said coach Vince Lombardi, or maybe sports anchor Vic Lombardi, "is only two things — blocking and tackling." The Broncos could do neither last season.
Will they block and tackle this season? Throw and catch? Punt and kick? Run the ball? Defend the pass? Return and stop returners?
And coach a whole lot better?
Twelve victories are there for the taking, but, if the Broncos don't do the "things," eight losses are there for the giving. They have to win seven or eight at home and half the road games, or the Broncos will have wasted a relatively undemanding schedule, which should include victories over Miami, Buffalo, Tampa Bay, New York Jets, Atlanta, and twice each over Kansas City and Oakland. Beat Jacksonville and New Orleans at home and either split with San Diego or win at Cleveland or Carolina, and there you have it. Lose to the Falcons and the Bills and the Dolphins and the Bucs, and you don't have it.
The first practice of camp Friday morning won't have the same clean-sheet feel and excitement of the old days in Fort Collins and Greeley. The Broncos train at their complex in Dove Valley; they've been working out most of the offseason, and the team is limited to 80 players in camp, not the 120-odd players and oddballs they used to bring in. No quarterback controversy or Travis Henry revelations or, it is hoped, Brandon Marshall dealings with marshals and deputies to worry about.
The usual questions will be: Will they keep both those free-agent safeties, and who will be the backup right guard and the fifth wide receiver, and how's that new guy in at middle linebacker and the old guy back at center, and who's Nos. 65 and 48, and is Marshall recovering, and can John Lynch play another year, and can Ryan Torain play this year, and which of the new free-agent wide receivers is looking good, and was Ryan Clady the best choice for No. 1 and can the rookie start at left tackle, and how about those three linebackers, and how many defensive tackles will the Broncos have on the roster and which will start, and who's going to replace Elam?
Will Selvin Young run for 2,000 yards? How about 1,000 yards? Can Michael Pittman help?
Jay Cutler?
The quarterback will come up big in his third camp — in control of the offense and his diabetes.
The Broncos will be improved (vastly) at linebacker, on the defensive line, at wide receiver and on the offensive line.
With new, improved coordinators on both sides.
Watch Boss Bailey. He can play.
Keep both eyes wide open for Eddie Royal, the No. 2 draft pick who's a wide receiver/returner, who will be a contributor immediately, and the rookie free-agent lineman from Colorado, Tyler Polumbus, who is hefty, smart and a pleasure to be around.
Take a look at Torain, the all-terrain vehicle.
And check out those defensive ends. Elvis Dumervil has not left the building.
On July 25, the Broncos will smell good — like sweat.
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_9929776