SB Nation User Blog: Zappa

Hello, I hear they, the fans, are voting on a 50 year team. Well I cannot believe 50 years has...

Zappa — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:50:40 -0000

Hello,

I hear they, the fans, are voting on a 50 year team. Well I cannot believe 50 years has passed! I am proud I had the chance to be there at the first game. Nobody believed we could win, but we did. The Bronco fans still keep in touch, if not them, their kids or grand kids. Best fans in football!

~Goose Gonsoulin, #23, 1960-66.

I received this email from Goose himself. One of the greatest Broncos of all-time and a member of the AFL Hall of Fame.

Champ Bailey's new website

Zappa — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:58:44 -0000

Champ Bailey's new website

Check it out.

My All-Time Bronco Team

Zappa — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 17:45:33 -0000

I am proud that my favorite team is doing something like this. The video alone is worth its weight in gold to me. My only hope is that the fans will take an honest look at our past and our All-Time team will rightly include our past greats. Especially from that fabled Orange Crush defense.

Here is My All-time Bronco team or you can view it below. Just be sure to set your page to "widescreen" view. I am curious to see how the rest of us MHR people voted.
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Brandon Marshall will not be suspended by the NFL for his latest run-in with the law.

Zappa — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:59:44 -0000

Brandon Marshall will not be suspended by the NFL for his latest run-in with the law.

http://cbs4denver.com/broncos

Just seeing if you guys are still awake out there! :) 2009 is going to be interesting for...

Zappa — Fri, 29 May 2009 22:47:46 -0000

Just seeing if you guys are still awake out there! :) 2009 is going to be interesting for both our teams I think. Good luck..except for two games this year! :P

MHR Broncos History Lesson - Ring of Fame -- Class of 1987

Zappa — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:12:06 -0000

Back on the Ring of Fame trail again this week as we take a look at the sole player honored in the Class of 1987. While I don't think this former Bronco is quite Hall of Fame-worthy, he still makes my All-Time Broncos team as a Safety - just edging out Dennis Smith.

Billy Thompson was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1969 draft. He would play his entire thirteen-year career in Denver and become an instrumental part of the long, arduous journey the franchise made from laughingstock to championship stock.

Class of 1987

Billy Thompson, CB/S, 1969-81

Photo via Denverbroncos.com

Unlike most players, Thompson would get better with age. He languished at RCB for the first five years he played in the league. He appeared serviceable, but just short of great. That was before John Ralston became the head coach. And after watching Thompson for a season, he moved him to Safety; where Billy would become a dominant force on the newly-minted Orange Crush Defense.

The switch to safety changed the course of Thompson's career greatly. He was able to roam the secondary and became the best at killing the big play. Billy was a huge reason why the Orange Crush gave up so few points during the late 70's. He also showed amazing durability, starting every single game from his switch to the Safety position in 1972 until his retirement from football in 1981. He also seemed to get better with age, being selected to the Pro Bowl in both 1977 and 1978, as well as his final season of 1981.

During the Denver Broncos' first Super Bowl appearance, the Orange Crush was faced with their toughest task ever. The Broncos offense would commit eight turnovers and put their defense in the unenviable position of stopping one of the league's best teams. The Orange Crush would hold the Cowboy offense to just 27 points, but really it should have been 17. One touchdown should have been called incomplete and another field goal should have never happened as Billy Thompson intercepted a Roger Staubach pass in the end zone, yet the referee Jim Tunney dubiously decided that Staubach stepped out of bounds before he threw the ball.

In any case, the Broncos would rightly lose to the Cowboys that day, as any team that commits eight turnovers should, but the fans applauded the Denver Broncos and the Orange Crush that day. The season was a success even in the midst of defeat. The fans' desire for a championship would come later; 1977 was all about shedding the history of mediocrity.

Billy Thompson was a fixture in the secondary for the Orange Crush and without his presence that team would never have made it as far as it did. Thompson would finish his career ranked first-all-time in fumble returns for touchdowns and in the top-ten all-time for fumble return yardage. His 179 starts still ranks near the top in Broncos history.

He now resides in Aurora, Colorado and is involved with various non-profit organizations dealing with community outreach for youth, health and hunger initiatives. As great as he was on the field, it has been his off-the-field work that has touched the most lives. We, at MHR, wish him continued success in the community.

Billy Thompson's Career Stats
YR	POS	GM	INT	YDS	LG	TD	FMB	FR	YDS	TD
1969	RCB	14	3	92	57	1	4	3	0	0
1970	RCB	9	2	65	33	0	1	1	0	0
1971	RCB	14	5	83	42	0	5	2	15	0
1972	RCB	8	1	4	4	0	0	0	0	0
1973	SS	14	3	96	59	1	2	2	80	1
1974	SS	14	5	105	38	1	1	2	0	0
1975	SS	14	2	97	49	0	1	0	0	0
1976	SS	14	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1977	SS	14	5	122	38	0	0	3	16	0
1978	SS	16	4	0	0	0	0	2	4	1
1979	SS	16	4	57	28	0	0	2	28	1
1980	SS	16	2	49	36	0	0	2	32	1
1981	SS	16	4	14	14	0	0	2	0	0
Career Totals		179	40	784	59	3	14	21	175	4

Watch Super Bowl 32 online.

Zappa — Thu, 14 May 2009 22:37:34 -0000

Watch Super Bowl 32 online.

The entire game. Awesome!

Shannon Sharpe elected to Ring of Fame!

Zappa — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:28:24 -0000

Shannon Sharpe elected to Ring of Fame!

Congrats to one of the best Tight Ends in NFL History. He will make a GREAT addition to the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame.

Part 1 from DraftParty on YouTube. Knowshon Moreno.

Zappa — Tue, 12 May 2009 20:50:24 -0000

Part 1 from DraftParty on YouTube. Knowshon Moreno.

Part two from DraftParty.

Zappa — Tue, 12 May 2009 20:42:46 -0000

Part two from DraftParty.