What were your feelings going into each Broncos Super Bowl?

[Jason in LA]

I was just thinking about how I felt about the Broncos chances going into each Super Bowl that they played in. I'm curious to know how everybody else felt. Mine are below.

Super Bowl 12- I was born in 1976, and I hadn't become a Broncos fan yet.

Super Bowl 21- I still wasn't a fan.

Super Bowl 22- I became a fan that season, when I was 11 years old. My father had season tickets to the Raiders, and he took me to a game. I just wasn't feeling the whole Raiders thing, so I told my pops that I was rooting for that other team, which happened to be the Broncos. The Broncos won, and it was the greatest thing to happen to me as a sports fan! I got a Broncos starter jacket a couple weeks later (the blue one with the logo on the left chest and the two orange stripes on the sleeve), and I wore that jacket damn near everyday until I grew out of it. It's still hanging in my closet.

Well heading into the Super Bowl I was super excited. I mean, I had only been a fan for like two months and it was already paying off with a trip to the Super Bowl! That decision at the LA Coliseum was looking like a great one. I remember hearing about how the Broncos were the favorites, so I couldn't wait for the game. Then the game started and Elway threw a bomb on the first offensive play of the game. Touchdown! It was awesome. Then they go up by 10 points. Yeah, this is the best thing ever! Yeah…then the second quarter. WFT?!?! It was going so great, and it all came crashing down. Yeah, that sucked.

Super Bowl 24- Well, I'm sure that I'm not the only one who convinced myself that the Broncos would win that game. I mean, #1 defense in the league, and Bobby Humphrey was the running back that Elway always needed. The Broncos had a great season. They finished 11-5, but they were 10-2 and wrapped up the #1 seed really early, so they just took their foot off the gas.

I was telling myself that they could beat the 49ers, mainly because I'm a fan, but I really knew that it wasn't going to happen. I mean, that 49ers team was loaded. It was no shock that they ran the Broncos out of the building.

Super Bowl 32- This was an interesting one. I felt confident and scared at the same time. I wasn't confident just because I'm a Broncos fan, I really believed that the Broncos could win that game. They had a loaded team. But with the AFC losing 13 in a row, the Broncos hitting that late season slump which allowed the Chiefs to win the division, and with only one wild card team ever winning the Super Bowl, nobody gave them a chance. But after watching that team for two years, it was clear that they were a real power. But I was kind of scared because another Super Bowl loss would have mean the 5th one, and Elway would have been tainted again.

Then the Packers marched down the field on the opening drive. It was like dammit, here we go again. But the Broncos answered, and scored 17 points in a row. We were winning! It felt real. And then TD just killed the Packers in the 2nd half. It was just awesome! Best feeling ever! (Only sports feeling that has topped that was my son single handedly beating a rival on the final drive of the game this past high school football season. Like, 4th and 10 from their own 20 with 30 seconds to play and the QB was wildly inaccurate, my son catches a 40-yard bomb to save the drive, then three plays later he catches the game winner in the back of the end zone. Yeah, it was nuts)

Super Bowl 33- That was also interesting, because it was kind of an annoying two weeks. I pretty much knew that game was in the bag. But it was annoying to hear the Falcon fans convince themselves that their team would just stop TD, and that Jamal Anderson would run all over the Broncos. Of course neither came close to happen, and we haven't heard anything about any dirty birds since. It was also annoying to hear people say how lucky the Broncos were that the Vikings didn't make it. That was some BS. The Broncos were a loaded team. The Vikings were a team that caught people's attention because of their offense, but they certainly weren't loaded team. The Broncos flirted with an undefeated season. The Falcons shut down the Vikings offense for the final three quarters and overtime of the NFC Championship game, so how where they going to contend with the Broncos?

Super Bowl 48- I feel really good about this game, but it won't be an upset either way. I really believe that the Broncos are the better team, but not by much. And since it is only one game and not a series, anything can happen. It is kind of a different feeling though, because those Super Bowl runs in the late 90s, the Broncos had never done anything like that. That was really special. It's hard to come close to that. This one is more about building a legacy. Not just for Manning, but for the organization. Winning a third Super Bowl puts them in a higher class. If they get a win, and hopefully one more with Manning, they would be on that top tier of NFL franchises. The Steelers, 49ers, Cowboys, Giants, and Packers are the only teams with four or more Super Bowl wins. It's time to climb that ladder!

[broncocalijohn]

Long post but I think it is time for the game to get here. We are running out of topics to start.

[Jason in LA]

Long post but I think it is time for the game to get here. We are running out of topics to start.

Well, Tom Leykis is back on the air. His shows are online now.

[Cito Pelon]

I have to admit I was kind of Richard Shermaning for '97. I was yapping quite a bit about TD and the running game . . . . .

[BroncoFanDoug]

Super Bowl 12- Orange Crush, Morton to Moses, watched with best friend and girl friend in Vail. Was sure we would win. Broke up with girl friend after game - she just did not understand my angst.

Super Bowl 21- Still hesitant after 9 years. Hopeful.

Super Bowl 22- Nervous. 0-2. Hard to be confident.

Super Bowl 24- Very nervous. Looked like 9rs were better team and I lived in the middle of 9r nation. Was hard week for me after.

Super Bowl 32- I was there!!!!!! No way not to be nervous after 4 losses. Did not want to surpass Bills as most SB losses without a win. After the first GB drive I looked over to my cousin (we were watching together) and said - "I am just not sure I can take another SB loss emotionally". One of the greatest days of my life.

Super Bowl 33- Not worried at all. Monkey was on our back and Atlanta was not a great team.

Super Bowl 48- Seattle is a good team and not as good as the Broncos imho. Like you I am nervous and wildly excited. Turnovers, injuries, weird penalties could alter this game because both teams are good. However, you get the good with the bad. I believe the more you suffer through the losses the more you can enjoy the highs. I will sleep fine tonight but not so sure about tomorrow night!

[Kaylore]

Sb 12: I wasn't alive. My Dad said the team seemed distracted and just happy to be there. He said them going to the SB killed their edge because to that point in the playoffs everyone said they weren't for real. When they beat the Raiders apparently they seemed like they had "made their point" and then just showed up at the game flat. He also said Morton was basically a broken man and had no shot.

SB 21: I was six year old. I barely remember much about the season, but the Drive had just happened. My parents were Bronco fans, but that's when Orange fever took over for me. I thought we could win until I saw the half time show. My Dad was teaching me about football that year and explained earlier in the season that either you play at home or in the opponent's stadium. No one mentioned to me the SB was on a neutral site. I saw Mickey Mouse come out during the half time and truly believed Mickey wanted the Giants to win and that his support directly let the Giants destroying us that third quarter. I remember being depressed we lost and that "everyone" liked the Giants. I did not like Mickey for several years because of this, no joke.

SB 22: I thought we could win this one two. It started out amazing. I remember jumping out of my chair with my Mom that opening TD. Then Doug Williams went off. I was depressed, and again wondered why we played so poorly in the Super Bowl. It was especially odd because we never had really bad games. We were in every game, but for some reason everyone played poorly in the SB.

SB 24: I'm ten years old at this point, and figured out that Mickey Mouse isn't a NY Giants fan. Joe Montana had already established himself and my neighbor friend I played with was a complete bandwagoning homer. I had hoped Joe winning some already he would be less focused on winning this. So my friend liked Joe Montana and told me we were going to lose badly because the Broncos suck in Super Bowls. I kind of believed him deep down, and just wanted us to keep it close. He was so right. I decided that we had some kind of problem as a team and felt like it was Dan Reeves' fault.

SB 32: I'm a senior in High School. I had a crap ton of apprehension going into this game. The line was so huge against us. I remember very vividly several things. Beating KC was huge. And then before the Steelers game Adam Sandler did a music video about kickers with Jerome Bettis. I remember being pissed Pitt was the popular team and thrilled when we won. Leading into the SB some network did a pregame segment with Collinsworth, Jerry Glanville and Barry Switzer. It was totally scripted. Collinsworth and Glanville are going back and forth about the game. It was supposed to be like they were debating but you could tell they were reading lines. Anyway every point Glanville, who was adopting the "pro-Broncos" stance made, Collinsworth shot everything down and they made it seem like the Packers were better in every way. I was so pissed about that. Winning was insane. But we led most of that game and by the fourth quarter, you had a feeling things were finally different.

SB 33: Anti-climatic. We were supposed to face the Vikings in an epic duel. I wasn't even worried about the game AT ALL. I was sad for Sharpe getting hurt, but glad for Rod Smith and for Elway being named MVP. It was a nice capstone on his career, especially since to that point his haters were still saying "he still plays bad in Super Bowls."

SB 48: I am nervous. Which is good. Usually when I'm nervous we play really really well. I still get fears of their secondary mugging and holding all game and then Percy Harvin running wild against us. It'll probably be a close game. And I actually share the opinion with Jason that if we lose, I wouldn't be devastated. It's been such a fun year that I'm grateful to be a Bronco fan.

[gunns]

SB 12 - was so excited just to be in the SB. Had no faith in Morton or Weese.

SB 21 - thought we would win, again so excited to be there. Really broke my heart when the realization hit it wasn't going to happen.

SB 22 - thought couldn't lose again, neither did media. Elway to Nattiel, yes we're going to win! Major shock hit during the second quarter. Devastated.

SB 24 - Same as the first post. Wanted to believe we were going to win, but deep down knew. Was asleep by halftime.

SB 32 - I was there. Knew we were going to win, same feeling I have this year. But as a Bronco fan after 4 losses the nerves were still there. Only 2 times did those nerves overtake the confidence. When TD fumbled the ball and when Elway threw the INT. I thought the mojo might change, had Packer fans in my ears whole game. Such an amazing feeling when Mobley knocked the ball down but literally took me a second to accept it as reality. I cried.

SB 33 - Knew we'd go again, didn't worry at all.

SB 48 - Same feeling as 32 but the butterflies are starting to flutter.

[Old Dude]

SB 12 – [I was a senior in college and had been a Broncos fan for about ten years, getting more fanatic every year] Going in, I thought it was about a 50/50 proposition. Denver had played at Dallas on the last week of the regular season and had lost by a single score, but both teams had rested a lot of their starters in that contest. I thought that the neutral site would help even things up. And I was convinced that Denver had the better defense. What I didn’t know was how ravaged Tom Glassic had become in late December with a staff infection, and that the guys lined up against him would dominate the game and get joint MVPs handed to them on a silver platter. To this day, I can’t believe Miller started him. People blame Morton (who was also hurting), but he never had a chance. Seven turnovers in the first half. If our D hadn’t played its heart out, the Broncos would have lost by at least four TDs.

SB 21 – Had some personal complications going on in my life that made the whole thing a pretty low priority. Still, I remember thinking that it should be a close game, and was really bummed when it turned into a blowout. Never saw Simms, a mediocre QB, play that well before or after. That’s when I started thinking we might be cursed.

SB 22 – I was cautiously optimistic. But it was a strike-shortened season (one game) and three others had been played with scrubs, so the whole thing felt slightly cheapened. I was really upset when we lost all-pro safety Mike Harden in the AFCCG, but I thought our offense could make up the difference. I was high as a kite when Denver went up 10-0, especially because it was very rare for anyone to lose after establishing a 10-point lead, but then our LT broke his leg and Elway spent the rest of the day running for his life. I didn’t expect much out of Tony Lilly as Harden’s replacement, but he was torched in every way a human being could be torched. Over and over and over. With the 35-point explosion in the 2d quarter, the sportsbar where I was watching the game was empty at halftime. Just me, the owner, a waitress and a bunch of deflated balloons. It was one of the most dismal downers imaginable, and that’s when I knew we were cursed.

SB 24 – I fully expected Denver to lose, and I rather dreaded the fact we were headed back to the SB because I just didn’t think the team had a chance. The best we could hope for was to avoid another blowout – and, of course, it was the biggest super bowl blowout of all time.

SB 32 – Denver was a double-digit underdog, and many people were griping that the Broncos should not be allowed to play in a SB, but I’d seen enough of both teams to know we had a legitimate shot. Still, having a legitimate shot isn’t the same as expecting a win, so I was thrilled with the upset.

SB 33 – Fully expected Denver to win. Never really had a doubt. Missed almost the entire game because my kid had hockey practice – a sacrifice that I remind him about on a weekly basis, especially since he's now a hardcore Bronco fan.

SB 48 – Cautiously optimistic. No real butterflies. I expect Denver to win a close game, but I’m hoping, of course, that the Broncos can blow them out of the stadium. On the other hand, I no longer feel it will be the end of the world if they lose.

[Broncomutt]

12 - just turned 4

21 - hope turns to anger

22 - hope turns to humiliation

24 - hope turns suicidal

32 - doubt turns to disbelief

33 - confidence turns to swagger

48 - I hope

[Meck77]

Wasn't old enough to remember 77. After suffering through 21-24 I've learned not to set any expectations on the SB.

It's personally served me well.

[2KBack]

SB22: My first introduction to the Broncos. I was 8 and living in Denver, my parents took me along to a superbowl party. There was so much yelling and Chaos, I left the other kids to watch the game with the adults. I didn't understand the game, but I was hooked on the energy (positive and negative).

SB24: I was a full fledged fan and was convinced that Denver was going to win. Steve Atwater and Karl Mecklenberg were my favorite players. I figured there was no way we could lose with that defense...no one could score on us that year, and we PUNISHED those that tried. I watched the game alone....looking back....I probably got PTSD from it.

SB32: I was just happy to be back, but incredibly pessimistic about our chances. I mean it's not like we had just lost our other superbowls....we never looked like we belonged. No amount of regular season success was going to convince me things were different. Every negative play from that game resulted in me declaring it was over, Green Bay is gonna take control, I'm going to have to go back to defending Elway again. Winning that game was an intense relief, and the reason I am so much less negative now.

SB33: I never thought this one was even in question. The Miami game in the regular season had let small doubts into my head in the playoffs, but our dismantling of them cured that. When we found out it was Atlanta, I had no worries. probably helps that we had just one the year before though. 1998 was icing, losing couldn't take 1997 away.

SB48: I'm pretty nervous again. Not 1997 nervous or negative, but not the calm I felt in 1998. This superbowl is about Manning, and overcoming obstacles. I really feel like it would be the coolest freaking thing for Manning to have the single best year for a QB ever from front to back. I also thing the team deserves a lot of credit for working through all the injuries, suspensions, DUI's and what have you.

If we win tomorrow, next year will probably feel like 1998 again. A SB champion getting back 6-7 starting players? We will be hurtin fools.

[TheElusiveKyleOrton]

XII: I was just a glimmer in my daddy's eye.

XXI: I was 6. I'd just gotten into football that year, and I was convinced after The Drive that nothing could stop us. My second heartbreak within a year, as the Red Sox took my defeated fan v-card just a few months prior when the ball went through Buckner's legs.

XXII: I was 7. I thought we'd win handily, and for the first quarter, I looked right. Remember going into the kitchen and saying to my mom, "Mom, I think we really play better when we wear the orange jerseys."

XXIV: I was told all week by the kids at school that we didn't have a chance in this game, but I wore my Bronco orange every day anyway. I think I went outside to play at halftime, because that game really wasn't worth watching. I will forever hate Joe Montana for running up the score like he did.

XXXII: Had a quiet confidence as a freshman in college, thought the line was WAY too high, and knew that we could win, but I was definitely nervous. Still one of the best days of my life.

XXXIII: Knew we would win. If we'd gotten Minnesota, I'm not sure we would have, but against the Falcons I just knew. We made jello shots and took one every time the Broncos scored. So I'm saying I got drunk.

XLVIII: I feel pretty good about this game. Nervousness that we might beat ourselves, but mostly I feel like Manning is absolutely on a Terminator-style mission and he just won't be stopped.

Let's get this mother****ing game.

[SVine]

Great thread...

SB 12, I was born in 77, so had no concept or awareness of sports in general as I was only a few months old. I have now come to appreciate what that team must have meant for Denver as most of the years in franchise history up til then were very poor Bronco teams, and that the teams in the mid-late 70's was sort of a turnaround for the franchise that has led to Denver becoming one of the most overall premier franchises in the NFL.

SB 21, I was only about 9 years old. I was just beginning to understand football, and I come from a huge Broncos family in which I have 2 older brothers and an older sister, all huge Bronco fans, so I do remember this Super Bowl. I vaguely remember the disappointment of this Super Bowl.

SB 22, at 10, I remember being very excited to seeing Denver in their 2nd straight Super Bowl. I remember Denver getting off to a good start. I also remember the frustration of being completely out of it by halftime, but I was generally unaware of the how historically poor that 2nd quarter was for Denver.

Looking back on it, Denver should not have been blown out in those two Super Bowls. I feel that Denver, talent-wise, had just as much talent as the Giants and Redskins, but poor gameplans and coaching had a major effect on how those games played out.

SB 24. I remember the fact that Denver was a giant underdog to all mighty 49ers. Still, I was hopeful that this would be the one that John would breakthrough and shock the world. I always thought since then that Denver was just an inferior team, would need a great game by Elway to keep up with Montana and the 49ers, and it just didn't happen. I recently learned that Denver had the #1 ranked defense. Considering that, there is absolutely no way that Denver should have got blown out like that, but I specifically remember Montana's numerous perfectly placed bombs that fell into the hands of Rice and his receivers as they were always at least 5 yards beyond Denver's closes defender. Such a poor effort by Denver, offensively and defensively. Coaching a problem once again?

SB 32. First year in college. 8 frustrating years since Denver made a trip to the Super Bowl. Glad that Denver made it back finally, especially after the devastating heartbreak of losing to Jacksonville. I still don't forgive Micheal Dean Perry not getting off the field on a Jacksonville punt. In retrospect, that could have been the first part of a Denver 3 peat. Still, about SB 32. I remember the media giving Denver no chance. One of the biggest SB pointspreads, mainly due to the NFC domination over the AFC. I remember how unstoppable Denver's offense was, and I was very confident that Denver could beat any team in the league. In retrospect, it is quite ironic how the media disrespected Denver as they had one of the most prolific offenses in NFL history. I watched this game with one of my best friends at a McNichols Arena Broncos Super Bowl party. I remember spilling into the streets of LoDo in celebration (all of it law abiding) as Denver was finally able to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

SB 33. Having finally won the Super Bowl the previous year, I was content and satisfied that Denver finally won a Super Bowl. Although very excited and happy to see Denver back, I would not have been so heartbroken had they not made this game. Since they did make it, I was thinking that Denver absolutely needed this Super Bowl because it was against Dan Reeves, and I think the AFC needed to make a statement that the NFC domination of the previous 10-15 years was truly over. Also, to cement John Elway's legacy. Little did I know it would be 15 years before Denver would be in the Super Bowl again.

SB 48. Absolutely pumped for this game. Although not an underdog, I am very surprised at the media attention that is favoring Seattle. Just makes me more pumped than ever. This is the best offense, statistically, ever in the NFL! I just don't see Seattle slowing Denver down. If Denver limits offensive penalties and doesn't turn the ball over, I cannot see them scoring less than 35 points. I do realize that Denver does commit a lot of penalties and is prone to turning the ball over, but I seriously cannot see anyone stopping Denver, except for Denver themselves. Also, the lack of talk about the total domination by Denver's D as they are peaking at the right time. Rivers and Brady were both rendered practically non-existent, in nearly historical fashion, before Denver went with a more conservative defensive approach while Denver was sitting on huge leads. But all the talk is about Seattle's D is far and away the best in the NFL (I thought that was the Chief's D, but that was until they played Denver!) I am very confident about this game, and I can see Denver winning by 2-3 scores if they limit mistakes, although, it can be nerveracking close if Seattle forces Denver into a few mistakes.

[Los Broncos]

Well, Tom Leykis is back on the air. His shows are online now.

Nice

[Bronco X]

12- too young (1 year old)

21-22, 24 - My first year getting into football was coincidentally Elway's first season and by 86 I was a die hard and ever the optimist. I thought the Broncos would win all three. I was convinced the Broncos had the 49ers number (I think they hadn't beaten the Broncos in the entire decade of the 80's if I'm not mistaken). All three losses were crushing. I had three goldfish named after the Three Amigos that all died the week of 22.

32- I was a cynical and jaded 21 year old and I'd stopped following sports for a while. I hadn't followed the Broncos all season (I watched the game at KC and was pissed when that 54 yard field go went through despite not having followed the team much). Given that I wasn't that familiar with the team my perceptions were still colored by the three crushing childhood Super Bowl experiences, and I didn't want to watch the game. I thought about going to see a movie since the theaters would be empty, but I was convinced to go to a Super Bowl party. I was pessimistic and the first Packers touchdown had me thinking "here we go again". But as the game continued and the Broncos were competing, the cynicism and pessimism faded. By the time Elway's helicopter leap happened, years of cynicism had been squelched in just a couple of hours, tears were rolling down my eyes, and my childhood optimism was back in full force. I've been a die hard fan again ever since.

33- By this time I'd been following every game and was totally confident. The game was almost anti-climactic.

48- I am confident and not particularly nervous but I know it can still go either way. It's going to come down to how many mistakes the Broncos make make. Seattle is good at forcing and capitalizing on mistakes, and that's what gives them a chance. If both teams play their best game I think the Broncos win.