SB Nation User Blog: Mike Clark

The Good Marshall

Mike Clark — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 03:51:30 -0000

Marshall......

I didn't want to reveal this, Brandon is a clone of Shannon Sharpe. Genetically restructured to be fast enough to be called a wide-reciever instead of a tweener. Both Shannon and Brandon are beasts. The problem is Shannon had a Sterling brother to follow in the foot steps--Brandon had nothing. They both have great smiles, great humor, great love of the game. They both have a mouth, they both are very strong...funny us to end up with a Shannon clone that has problems. There is nothing any of us can do to help Marshall's problems, he is a work of something special.

We can only hope that the really good Marshall--that all of us have seen--can win over the troubled Brandon (that we don't see).
My vote goes for the Good Marshall defeating the Troubled Brandon, we have something special.

many years pass

Years later, at Canton, Brandon sees big-mouth Shannon (quite old and already in the Hall) just before his 'Hall of Fame' speech.
These many years later Brandon has many many records being a good man for many many years (the Good Marshall won). He walks up to the big-mouth Shannon, shakes his hand and says, "You were a beast!" Shannon smiles a perfect camera smile and looks 'The Good Marshall' in the face and says, "So were You."

My vote goes for "The Good Marshall" let's hope he wins.

Montana Elway and Sammy (in la-la-land)

Mike Clark — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:07:39 -0000

Sammy Winder

As I reminiscent the days of Elway and Montana, suddenly I have this, ’ come from somewhere', memory of a half-back named Sammy Winder. For some reason I love Sammy and hate the stories about Montana vs Elway. Those of us that saw Elway carry, team after team, of average tallent, know that no other QB could have done this. Elway is the best ever, and I thank him for staying in Denver his entire NFL life.

But what about Sammy! He started, “The Drive,” he helped the Elway legend.

Some have told me not to---but I just can’t help it.

I’m going back into the la-la-land-of-pre-season-feel-goods.

Ahhh! It is so nice to be back in la-la-land. In this land Cutler is only ‘just-as-good’ as Elway and its only his third year..

Selvin is faster and stronger than the Sammy of old, and as good as Davis at running away.

Sammy Winder is remembered by Bronco Fans because of his style and ‘The Drive’. There is a love of him because there is no illusion. “Get Ball Run Forward” From the Two he took the ball, ran forward, and started the drive.

Sammy and Selvin are, and were, in the same spot. Montana and Elway….there is no contest. Montana played with a team. Elway carried a team, a franchise, an entire city, and many of us fans on his shoulders. This is la-la land and comes at you like a dream.

In this dream Selvin doesn’t see Davis holding up a trophy. He sees Sammy, putting his head down,plowing forward, getting a first down. The drive begins!

Thankyou Mr. Winder

Us somewhat funny Bronco fans are funny….don’t you think?

Lost something

Mike Clark — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:49:23 -0000

Somehow you've lost something. Somehow you've lost something that people love to hate. Somehow I have lost that feeling of, 'hate you,' and have this feeling of pity, "Who you?"

Who are you Raiders, where are you at! Who are you Raiders that we call Faiders. What has happened to you! You need to pick yourself up off the matt. You need to look at us Broncos and hate us! The AFL West has become the joke of the NFL. Wake-up! You black and silver-face-scary-things.

You better be ready for us because we are becoming a great team. You better be ready for San Diego....we will.

Forget our recent games that had no meaning.

Be the Raiders. Be the team that we love to hate and beat!

Davis get a grip

Javon

Mike Clark — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:55:45 -0000

I am a Bronco Fan that wishes Javon well. Nobody wants what has happened.

You have a funny site. It seems to want me to come up with seventyfive words. This could be dangerous for a Bronco fan at a faider site. I just wanted to say I wish him well. I think you deserve him but he did not deserve what has happened. Let's see if I've hit seventyfive words.

Not yet

Now I have

See you guys Monday night!

Inside Shanahan's Brain

Mike Clark — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:37:13 -0000

I am really shooting from the hip with this post. I'll have little proof, little evidence, and most of you may think me crazy if you take time to read. I think Shanny is trying skip, or jump around, one single year.

In 1993 the arguments between Reeves and Elway came to an end...Wade Phillips replaced Reeves. Reeves discipline and hyper-conservative play did us well, he and Elway made us a power. Reeves only problem, he refused to abuse the tallents of the greatest QB of all time. I like Reeves and think he should be in the ring, but imagine 15 years of Elway under Shanny. The stats would be scary and maybe never broken. Anyway,1993, Wade is the new, 'easy going' coach. We start out 3-1, think things are great, but end in mediocrity.

1993 we start out great--are 7-4 at the eleventh game--and end up 9-7.

Hmmm. Recent 9-7's. Just a thought.

2006 we start out great--are 7-4 at the eleventh game--and end up 9-7.

Hmmm.

1994 we start out terrible, 0-4 start, struggle all season, and end with a 7-9 record.

Hmmm. Recent 7-9's. Just a thought.

2007 we start out great...but it is an illusion. We struggle all season and end with a 7-9 record.

Hmmm.

1995, enter Mike Shanahan. He has this funny thought. If defenses can cover in a zone why can't an offensive line zone-block? Funny thought, no particular hole, just block in that direction. I bet in Mike's brain he was thinking, "If I could just find a decent, one-cut, downhill runner--this thought might work." Hmmm. Enter Terrell Davis. This is the year that Shanny is trying to skip. This is the year he tinkered with ideas, saw that they worked, and moved to fill the pieces.

1995, under this new funny system, we end up 8-8. This is the year I hope we avoid. This 'what' is behind Shanahan's brain. This 'what' is what he is trying to do. Skip 1995. Jump to 1996 but don't get surprised in the playoffs. This thought is in Shanny's brain. I know it is! Well, I say I know it is...remember...this is just speculation. But I know I'm right.

1996 we should have gone to the Superbowl. 1997 we have the ultimate revenge tour and, "This one's for John!" 1998 we should have gone undefeated. John is MVP. We defeat Dan. Just reward!

Hmmm, Whats'up!

2008! What is in Shanahan's brain. Is the purge of staff because he wants none to question his thoughts? Probably. Did he fill the staff's holes with people in house because he knew they would listen to him? Probably. Has he looked at the Superbowl years and seen what was then? Probably. Has he looked at that '97-'98 teams character? Yes, back then we had one ethic problem (Roman) and one mouth question (Sharpe). Roman I'm glad is gone but I miss Sharpe's mouth. I love Shannon. 1995 and '96 we had mostly uknowns...we have this now in 2008. The difference is this is not a new system...and Shanny has seemed to have kept coaches that understand it.

What's in Shanahan's Brain? "Skip 1995, move to 1996, don't get surprised in the playoffs.

Royal Mini-camp

Mike Clark — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 05:07:00 -0000

Its a nice feeling to have players wanting to be the best when they run a race. I'm a little suprised that Samie Parker beat the youngster Alridge...but there it was. Its a funny feeling to again have a team that seems to like each other. What a change from the last few years.

Has anyone noticed Brandon Marshall's smile, did anyone notice that he is not taking any time off. How fun to have a player that wants to, " stay in town, continue working-out, and help community projects." Brandon really made me mad a few months ago--what a loss--or so I thought. Now I see a star that could have watched from the sidelines--holding his arm--but he didn't. I really liked him last year after 102 catches....now I'm beginning to love this fourth round pick.

I think its fun, the news from mini-camp, the defense held their own, and sometimes outplayed the offense. I hope this is real. I think it is. Lynch gets his nose bonked, leaves for just a moment, and returns with his nostrils stuffed with TP to stop the bleeding. I bet he had many a young-player looking at him and thinking, "I must live up to this standard." I hope they do.

I love the Clady pick and he seems to be doing well. If you search the Fiesta Bowl you can see him play in the best college bowl game in history. This is not a bias because I graduated from Boise State...it is simply the best college-bowl-game...ever...ever!

Eddie Royal, my favorite pick this draft, a media favorite at the beginning of camp, seems to have dropped off the map. Is this a bad sign....no. The only word of Royal this camp is, 'Character,' 'speed,' and 'great hands.' We must realize that we have brought in some very good WR's that also want to play. Royal wil have a few great plays as a reciever this year and hopefully a couple TD's in returns.

What's happening to this team?

Selvin wants 2000 yards, can bench 360 lbs many times, and is bigger -stronger-faster than the Selvin we knew.....and that Selvin was good.

Marcus Thomas says, "I had been out of football and was out of shape last year." He also loves Shanny for standing behind him. He now says that he is stonger, faster, and ready to show what he can do. Carlton Powell and Marcus are powers of the future.

Jarvis Moss says, his leg is fine, I'm ready to go, and have a chip on my shoulder to prove my last year #1 pick. Haven't heard much from Jarvis...this may also be good...he may be working hard.

I could go on with this through every player...but why? Something has happened to our team that I really like. We have enough offense to stand with any.

Crush! What a funny word! Orange Crush! Maybe a thought.

This Pre-Season...So very Important

Mike Clark — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:33:25 -0000

I may be one of those, "maybe too positive," type of positive people--but I can get down. Daylight savings throws me into a depression every year...but, starting with the draft, I fight back. After the draft I look forward....but for now I regress....and talk about Last season's pre-season.

We all fell for the hype of free-agency. Great running back, great tight end, huge defensive linemen...many experts (as well as us) were hyping us to the Super-Bowl. For some reason we felt so good that surely the SuperBowl was just a swatting away of what stood between training camp and Lombardi.

We went into the four Pre-Season games looking towards the Super Bowl...Came out of the four Pre-Season games looking towards the Super Bowl....but somehow forgot, and learned nothing from, those four, not-important ,Pre-Season games between training camp and the regular season.

What a great run-on sentence. The Apostle Paul woud be proud. So I continue.

Last year we were happy to beat San Fran (17-13) in the first pre-season...they had beat us in the real season (knocked us out of the playoffs) just a many months before. Wow are we good! San Fran's record last year...I don't even want to go there.

What a great story of peoples feelings when we went to Dallas--but I'm not going there. That story is closed. We Practiced with Dallas and became friends. When it came time to play the game we were their friends but they were ready to play. Dal 31 Den 20. I don't have the head count as to the players we lost that game--but it was many. I throw a Challenge to Guru, HT and styg. I live outside Denver news but I know I read that, one of Denver's players said that, "We didn't think that after practicing together they would come at us so hard." It was on the net and I hope that player, or coach, is no longer with Denver.

Cleveland, third game, we lose by one...no big deal. But it doesn't matter who they put int the backfield--they run all over us. Who cares! Its just the Pre-Season.

Ari 3 Den 21. Our bad team beats their worse team...then (when the season begins) comes,"toro toro", a "timely called time-out" a false hope...and the season is history. Our greatest moments are in the first two games and the rest of the year is off-field problems. Occasional hope. Mostly disappointment.

Where are we now as compared to last year. Last year we had brought in a running back, a blocking tight end, and many fat defensive linemen (if thats the word). Some had a history of truly great...some had a bad history.

What have we done this year? Shanny has seemed to rediscovered character and drive. Hmmm, haven't seen this in this team since '96 or '97. I hope that Shanny will look at Pre-Season as a true test. We have a lot of new players that need to glop into a single-minded direction. We have some amazing tallent that should not be held back by a conservative pre-season.

This Year We start in Houston. I hope that everyone is ready for a fight. Kubiak loves our team, but will gage where his team is by what he does to us. We better be ready.

What! Dallas again! (they played so hard and we lost so many players)

We may practice together.....again. When the pre-season games begins. Let's hope we show up to play.

Then Green Bay and again Arizona.

Are the four Pre-Season games important? I don't know.

Not for teams that need no improvement...but they are few. Not for they that do not care...and they are some. Hopefully for us they will be signs that we want to win and management wants to win.

I don't want us to ease our way through this pre-season. I want us to gel into a team. I want to gel during training camp. I want this team to look forward to the season. This team will need to work hard to become a team.

If we all do the camps and pre-seasons right--this is how the season begins: Denver crushes Oakland. Broncos shame Chargers.

funny feelings

Mike Clark — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 23:49:00 -0000

I just put a responce in HT's, "Who's falling and Who's rising", but maybe it should be a post.

I really do have a funny feeling this year--don't know why--I just have it. It is not a bad feeling--its a kinda good feeling. Its a feeling that we are bringing in players that REALLY want to play. Its a feeling that when Cutler says he is surprised by Royal's hands that this is good. Its a feeling that our first round pick is called, "sweet feet," this must be good.

Its a feeling of people who care. D'Will has a statue, a boys club in his name, and maybe (finally) the person responsible might be known. I hope so--we need closure--period--we need this thing closed. I have never been in Denver, but with tears in my eyes, I watched the dedication to D'Wills boys club on the Broncos web site.

I have a good feeling about Henry gone, I wish him the best, but I still have a good feeling. We seem to be losing off-field distractions--this is good. Shanny must like Train and Pitman....and this also is good. More than good however is a player that doesn't want to do, "just good" he wants to do 2000 yards. To Mr. Young I can only say this, "DO IT....Please Do It...I will love you if you do it...love you if you get anywhere close.

This is a funny year, none of us can really know what the changes will do. None of us know this team...none of us...none of us...period.

I have this funny feeling, however, that we have the best team we've had in years. Don't know why, Its just a funny feeling.

Why I Love the Draft

Mike Clark — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:58:49 -0000

Hi,

This is my first ever adventure at this so please be kind. I would like to jump right in and talk about football and, on another day, I will. Instead, however and because I'm brand new to this site, I will talk about me and an annual issue. I think you will see why, to me, the Draft is so special.

I am an early morning person and sell cars for a living--a tough mix at times --but I enjoy it. I am also prone to depression, refuse to be drugged, and try to keep a steady schedule to fight the onslaughts. Early morning people never use alarm clocks we simply wake up--usually around the same time. For most of the year I will average ten to fifteen cars a month...then comes April (and now March). On this evil day I wake up at four, my smart-clock says its five, and I can't figure out where that hour went. I wander around wondering why my routine (the rut I love) has been changed. My average for April is 2.5 cars. My average for March was 12, this year it was 6--6 before the evil day--Zero after the evil day.

I hate to use the word hate (unless it precedes words like the Raiders or the Steelers) but I hate day-light savings. I wander around getting hungry at the wrong time,wanting breaks at the wrong time, and looking for someone to help me reset my watch. I get home and my smart-clock says 8 O'clock--time for bed--but my brain says 7 O'clock--so I lay there and get a 'try-to-get-to-sleep' headache. Within two days the fog rolls in--my brain becomes inert--and life is meaningless.

To make matters worse its been weeks since the Super Bowl, months since the Broncos last game, and the only news coming out of Dove Valley is firings, lay-offs, television arms, and drugs in glove boxes.

I try desperately to regain some touch with reality but researching players I know we can't pick, and watching mock drafts that rarely pan out, only deepens the depression. By late April the fog in my head is so thick that I can barely get out of bed, barely make it to work, or remember how to get home at night.Then it happens...'on the clock' Denver Broncos.

I love the Draft. Football is back, we know our players, mini camps are close, and life once again has meaning. I really love this years draft--character, grit, and leadership seemed to be the theme. I also happen to be a Boise State fan, having lived in Boise for ten years, so the Clady pick was a double whammy of fun for me. I also love the Royal pick--he seems to be unusually strong for his size and speed.

Anyway...May is near, the fog is lifting, and that's why I love the Draft.

There! I've done my daylight savings vent. Thankyou for your patients. Hopefully I will never again make a post in April and next time write about football.