As much as I dislike Mel Kiper "Mel Kiper: John Elway The Greatest #1 Pick Of All-Time"

[TDmvp]

At least he knows something...







http://www.milehighreport.com/2011/3...ck-of-all-time





Like him or not, Mel Kiper Jr. is intertwined into the very fabric that makes the NFL Draft what it is today. He's been doing what he's done longer than anyone and, personally, I appreciate that he always has an opinion - right or wrong.

Kiper recently ranked the Greatest Top-10 Draft Picks of All-Time(Insider Needed), and none other than Broncos Legend John Elway was named the greatest #1 Pick ever. Here is what Kiper said:

You can list the plaudits -- five Super Bowls, nine Pro Bowls, a league MVP, a Super Bowl MVP, over 51,475 yards -- but Elway really doesn't get enough credit for what he did in simply getting the Broncos to those first three Super Bowls. Those were mediocre teams and he flat-out willed them to the Super Bowl. "The Drive" was good theatre but also indicative of what he meant to those teams. He was literally the difference between a win and a loss in so many games. He finally won his rings when the Broncos defense became a more formidable unit, and when the team could actually run the ball, but Elway was just a brilliant competitor throughout. Incidentally, he's also a part of the most lopsided deal in NFL history. Denver got him for Chris Hinton, Mark Herrmann and a third-round pick that became Ron Solt. You could argue for any of the others, but Elway is my pick.

[bendog]

Except Ron Solt wasn't a thire rd pick. But it was a nice gesture by the imposter.

[vancejohnson82]

I think he makes a good point though....

WHen I think of Elway, I of course think about the back to back

[BroncoMan4ever]

even a broken clock is right twice a day. but a right doesn't suddenly make the massive amount of wrong go away.

[Taco John]

When I think of Elway, I think about The Drive, and how that Sunday changed my life forever. The rest is great too - the back to back and all that. That was the goal. But watching The Drive in real time as a child was about the most magical thing I can ever remember. I was absolutely captivated by it, knowing - just knowing that the Broncos were going to somehow win the game. And when they finally won the game, Elway turned into this mythic figure for me. It's funny to think about, but that game literally changed my life. I became "that" kid in school who everybody identified with the Broncos - I wouldn't shut up about Elway. There were other Broncos fans, sure... But I was THE Broncos fan. And man, when the Broncos lost Superbowls, boy did I get it. Losing to the Redskins was the absolute worst. All the other losses hurt, but we were such underdogs in those games that it was merely embarassing just how bad we lost. But losing to the Redskins, who we were favored to beat... It still cuts deep down remembering how painful that loss was.

Thank God for the Back to Back Superbowls. I can always remember that day against the Packers if I want a quick pick-me-up.

[bendog]

The Redskins loss hurt badly. I was personally having a rough time already, and then that. Football isn't very important to me anymore for a variety of reasons. The back to back wins, esp with the defense mentally beating Faver to the pt where he was ready to lose and then the grudge match v. R66v6s who shamelessly rode on the Duke's coattails for over a decade and dissed the guy along the way, were highly enjoyable though. The criminals Shanny paid huge sums to get them to underachieve, and then the Vick and Rapesburger sagas, as well as the greed of the owners with their billion dollar buildings turns my stomach.

[epicSocialism4tw]

Originally Posted by Taco John

When I think of Elway, I think about The Drive, and how that Sunday changed my life forever. The rest is great too - the back to back and all that. That was the goal. But watching The Drive in real time as a child was about the most magical thing I can ever remember. I was absolutely captivated by it, knowing - just knowing that the Broncos were going to somehow win the game. And when they finally won the game, Elway turned into this mythic figure for me. It's funny to think about, but that game literally changed my life. I became "that" kid in school who everybody identified with the Broncos - I wouldn't shut up about Elway. There were other Broncos fans, sure... But I was THE Broncos fan. And man, when the Broncos lost Superbowls, boy did I get it. Losing to the Redskins was the absolute worst. All the other losses hurt, but we were such underdogs in those games that it was merely embarassing just how bad we lost. But losing to the Redskins, who we were favored to beat... It still cuts deep down remembering how painful that loss was.

Thank God for the Back to Back Superbowls. I can always remember that day against the Packers if I want a quick pick-me-up.

My story is very similar. I grew up in Oklahoma and began to like Elway when I'd see him on TV, but when he beat the Browns with the Drive...I became not only a football fan and an Elway fan, but a Broncos fan. My most vivid early football memory is watching the Broncos lose to the Giants...mostly because it was the first real disappointment I felt in a sporting event. After that, it was all Elway. We moved to Texas when I was older and all of my friends picked at me because of my big orange Broncos clothes! Especially after the blowout loss to the 49ers. I was also "the Broncos guy".

My brothers all like different teams, but I'm the only one who has seen their team play in 5 super bowls! Its good to be a Broncos fan.

[vancejohnson82]

Originally Posted by vancejohnson82

I think he makes a good point though....

WHen I think of Elway, I of course think about the back to back

my bad, looks like the rest of the post didnt come through

the back to back is definitely a great set of memories, but he literally carried those teams to the first three super bowls

that was greatness

[Atwater His Ass]

Originally Posted by Taco John

When I think of Elway, I think about The Drive, and how that Sunday changed my life forever. The rest is great too - the back to back and all that. That was the goal. But watching The Drive in real time as a child was about the most magical thing I can ever remember. I was absolutely captivated by it, knowing - just knowing that the Broncos were going to somehow win the game. And when they finally won the game, Elway turned into this mythic figure for me. It's funny to think about, but that game literally changed my life. I became "that" kid in school who everybody identified with the Broncos - I wouldn't shut up about Elway. There were other Broncos fans, sure... But I was THE Broncos fan. And man, when the Broncos lost Superbowls, boy did I get it. Losing to the Redskins was the absolute worst. All the other losses hurt, but we were such underdogs in those games that it was merely embarassing just how bad we lost. But losing to the Redskins, who we were favored to beat... It still cuts deep down remembering how painful that loss was.

Thank God for the Back to Back Superbowls. I can always remember that day against the Packers if I want a quick pick-me-up.

You pretty much just described the childhood of me and my best friend growing up. We used to rehearse the drive in my backyard for hours almost every weekend, pretending to be Elway and Jackson, etc.

The endless taunting from those first 3 losses was horrible. But it made the 2 wins so much sweeter.

[gunns]

The thing I remember about Elway is that draft and May 2, 1983. For weeks I wanted Elway so badly. I created fantasy's I knew would never/could never come true. The Colts took Elway and I was barely interested in Denvers pick. When that trade went down I was in absolute shock. It was like hoping the teacher runs out of test papers before she gets to me and I don't have to take the test, a wild fantasy that happened to come true. I knew he was the Broncos saviour and he was indeed. Way to get one right Kiper.

[Tom G]

The trade was not as bad as the article stated. It included 2 first round choices, Hinton and Solt, both multiple time Pro Bowlers. Hinton is on the Colts Ring of Fame. Later in Solts career, the Colts traded him, in turn, for a first round draft choice. Mark Herrmann was a back up NFL QB for a dozen years or so. If Elway had been just a good QB, it would have been a pretty fair trade.

(Yeah, it was a steal for Denver).

[Steve Sewell]

Originally Posted by Taco John

When I think of Elway, I think about The Drive, and how that Sunday changed my life forever. The rest is great too - the back to back and all that. That was the goal. But watching The Drive in real time as a child was about the most magical thing I can ever remember. I was absolutely captivated by it, knowing - just knowing that the Broncos were going to somehow win the game. And when they finally won the game, Elway turned into this mythic figure for me. It's funny to think about, but that game literally changed my life. I became "that" kid in school who everybody identified with the Broncos - I wouldn't shut up about Elway. There were other Broncos fans, sure... But I was THE Broncos fan. And man, when the Broncos lost Superbowls, boy did I get it. Losing to the Redskins was the absolute worst. All the other losses hurt, but we were such underdogs in those games that it was merely embarassing just how bad we lost. But losing to the Redskins, who we were favored to beat... It still cuts deep down remembering how painful that loss was.

Thank God for the Back to Back Superbowls. I can always remember that day against the Packers if I want a quick pick-me-up.

I think we're about the same age...just guessing.

It was funny watching Broncos games as a kid. I can't even imagine what it would be like as an adult. Probably kind of like how it felt after Tebow brought us back against the Texans, only having that happen over and over nearly every week. I just kinda felt like the Broncos were unbeatable with Elway. I feel really fortunate to grow up as a kid with John Elway and the Broncos as my guys.