This sign for the rack of no. 6 jerseys says: "Women's and Kids Sale T-Shirts"  Perhaps it is merely a coincidence.  Perhaps someone has a good albeit mean sense of humor  Anyway I like the picture, and the joke, and I thought I'd pass it along to you, the faithful, and wish you a Merry Christmas, and Happy New Yea etc. from the mountains of Colorado where we have snow and it's -10!

As I said here Mitch has been a very good influence on Matt.  Now this courtesy of Chres Gentilviso's story on Matt:

Since Berger took over the team’s holding duties, Prater has converted all seven of his field goal attempts. He was far from shy about what the 16-year veteran has added to the kicking equation.

“I’m super confident in him,” Prater said. “When I line up I don’t ever have to think about the hold, which (former Broncos punter) Brett (Kern) was good at too. But Mitch has been doing it so long. He kicked as well so he gives me little pointers here and there on kicking, too.”

I posted from here in Colorado that Mike Shanahan, Oak Park native, was a likely candidate, if not odds on, to be your head coach.  Some of you said Lovie Smith's contract made that prohibitively expensive. Not!  The Mastermind® probably comes, at least for two years, at a lower cost than Cowher or the others.  That's because Broncos owner Pat Bowlen is obligated to make up the difference between $7 million and his new deal for the next two years.

Lookit, you now have all your eggs and $ in the Jay Cutler basket.  You  will live and die with him.  Just ask Brian Uhrlacher.  Who will develop no. 6 best, a defensive guru like Cowher, or the Mastermind®, he who developed Elway when he was a pup.  It is noteworthy that Elway without the guidance of the Mastermind® came up short when Dan Reeves had the last word, and regressed to really sloppy play when Wade Phillips was head coach (I was there and it was depressing).  And the Mastermind®'s man-love for no. 6 isn't much of a secret.  There is a lot of unfinished business between those two, since their relationship was cut way short when Mr. Bowlen decided to change direction.

And get this: Kubiak is going probably going to get canned in Houston.  Mike’s kid, Kyle Shanahan, Houston’s offensive coordinator, will probably be on the street. You could do a lot worse than that. Most teams would love Houston’s offense.

There has been a fair amount of buzz about a father-son reunion in the Houston press.  Check this out. 

You heard it here first.

Good interview with Mitch Berger, on KKFN this evening, with Alfred Williams.  It isn't posted on their site yet. Hopefully tomorrow it will be.

Berger has sixteen NFL seasons with 10 teams.  Guy's been around the block.  He finally earned a Superbowl ring last year during a season that saw him cut due to leg miseries in midseason in favor of Paul Ernster -  remember him - and re-signed after Ernster faltered in three games, just in time for Mitch to finish strong and earn a Superbowl ring with his dad, a Steel City native and Steeler fan, in attendance.  Earlier in his career, back in the nineties, when Berger kicked off, he was no slouch.  He has a reputation as a great tackler for a kicker, with two touchdown saving tackles and five in all during the '08 season.  He is a former CU Buff.  A bon vivant, he owns a string of nightclubs in Vancouver (Mitch is from B.C.)

 In fact, here's Mitch with s ome sweet eye candy in Las Vegas this summer enjoy ing some time away from the stresses of the game.  Hubba hubba! 

via thevikingage.com

Obviously, the man knows a thing or two about sick legs so his observations about Matt Prater's leg are probably pretty legit.  He thinks Matt is a definite candidate to break the touchback record  if the Broncos offense gets it in gear and he gets his fair share of attempts.  I believe the record since kickoffs were moved back to the 30 is 30, allegedly set by Rhys Lloyd of Carolina in 2008. Matt has 16 at the moment.  Mitch has been a very good influence on Matt.  Since Mitch has come on board, Matt hasn't missed a field goal or PAT, and has consistenly whaled kickoffs into the end zone and beyond.

Mitch also thinks this year's team is a special group, and "loves what he has seen" from Josh McDaniels.  Mentioned that McD obviously loves what he is doing and that his enthusiasm and his passion is contagious with the players.  That was nice to hear of course.

Tune in to the interview if you get a chance. And please rec this post for the picture!

"AFC: Pretenders

Denver (7-4), second in AFC West

I can't see the Broncos getting beyond nine wins, and a nine-win Broncos team would be in trouble because of losses to Pittsburgh and Baltimore. They had four straight losses before beating the Giants on Thanksgiving, and they have looked awful against suspect opposition. No downfield thrust in the passing game. The defense has slipped from its unreal performance the first six weeks and the pass rush has evaporated. The run game is going nowhere. Even after the Giants win where the Broncos showed life, I don't see them pulling out of it. They could end up dropping a few more games in their division, with good fortune no longer on their side.

Remaining schedule: at Kansas City, at Indianapolis, Oakland, at Philadelphia, Kansas City.

Prediction: Winning at Arrowhead will be tough, and even though they stopped their skid by beating the Giants, they might not win again until they host the Chiefs in the season finale, matching last year's collapse."

Dumbass can't see us beating the Raiders at home!  What an ignorant tool!

The guy inherited a team and won with it, but face it, he is an amatuer.  Look at the bright side, Mike Shanahan, local boy, is coming to the rescue!   The Mastermind ® was burned out at the end of his stint here, but some time off will rejuvenate him like Phil Jackson.

You guys are in a world of hurt on the offensive line, and lack a serious secondary, but at least the coaching at the top will be vastly improved.   A change in defensive coordinators, a more consistent offense and running game, better injury luck, and, voila, the defense will be resurrected.

With the Mastermind® on the sideline ,look forward to moving the ball up and down the field like you would expect from Forte and Jay. By the way, I thought Cutler looked as sharp as he can be in limited opportunities. The fade in the endzone to Knox was picture perfect, and I can think of six or seven times where he delivered the ball in a flash under heavy pressure.  Faster than the human eye could see.... Freakish!

It's a drag that you have to play the Vikings again. They are a juggernaut.  Pray for frigid weather and a more respectable outcome.

to wreck the Bears by beating down and humiliating his own.  Cutler completely undermined their efforts.  But at least two of the five picks weren't Cutler's fault no?  One was the referree right, and the other was what?  Oh, the defender got to the ball first and what, the receiver bumped into him after he picked it off!  Should've been interference!  Are Matt Millen and Mike Papa criminally insane or what?

Cutler stank up the field and they are still saying "none of it matters now if they score."  Hey fells, it matters, Cutler cost his team that game.  At least you could say that, and maybe mix in that he was awful and stunk.  Didn't you see Cutler melt down on the field and on the sideline?  Wasn't that red zone pick at the end predictable?  I saw it coming all the way...I thought Millen and Papa were going to undress Cutler and have a menage a trois!  It was sickening.

The ridiculousness, the unfairness, of the NFL media make me pull for the Broncos and Orton even more.  More love from me!

Mark my words, Broncos will draft in the top seven thanks to Jay!

Broncos were outphysical'ed for once.  Dierdorf said the Ravens were winning on both the offensive and defensive line and I think I saw that duh!

Otherwise, that was a respectable defensive effort.  Baltimore could not run till late.  There was good pressure and receivers were well covered.  Flacco gets some credit, no, for extending plays and pull stuff out of his a**!  What about that little flip when he was going down, good for about 25 yds.  Hang on to your hats, because Rothlesberger has a lot of magician in him!

Kept waiting for that sack/fumble, that fumble, that INT, but they never came.  Looked for a few calls we did not get.  Suppose the no call on Reed hitting Royal in the back was a make up for Zo Smith's grabbing Clayton's jersey.  It didn't matter.

What the hell did they do to us on third down?  We got killed on third and long.  Have concerns about the lack of INT's.  Goodman was so-so, everything big was completed was to Goodman's side, although I saw Champ get burned by Washington and that was disheartening.

Lookit, the offense never had a chance.  Field position was lousy all day.  Berger's punting looked pretty limp, I was disappointed.  The second coming of Ray Guy or Reggie Roby would help.

That kickoff return for a touchdown killed us.  How did that happen?

The Ravens pass rush totally got off under ideal conditions and found a yellow brick road over Hamilton.  Did I see him getting tossed backwards on a play?  I suppose the tight ends were too busy, or were underutilized in the game plan.  That was disappointing.  Graham is one of their gamest players and I think he is consistently underutilized.  Like almost all qb's Orton looks pretty average when he can't set his feet, doesn't he?

He was on the Fan with Scott and D-Mac today.  So Scott asks him, "Did anyone, experts or non-experts, forsee at all Orton being successful with the Broncos."  Porkchop: "No, not really."  Huh?  We've debated that here, and several people have forseen just such a thing!

He also said this: "Josh McDaniels told him [Cutler] in their last meeting that he could make anyone a good quarterback."  What BS, as if Porkchop would ever know what was said in that meeting.  As if that is actually a quote or close to it.  If someone told Porkchop that McDaniels said that, then he is an idiot for believing something so improbable. Then idiot Scott picks up on this as evidence of cockiness and arrogance on McDaniels part and how as a player, he would never have liked being told that anyone could do his job.  The implication was that Cutler was  justified in carrying on as he did.

Did you all hear this?  Don't you that irresponsible idiots in the media posing as journalists?

I'm up here in the foothills about 20 miles from the stadium and it is really blowing - gusts to 40!

IMy view is due west looking right at the Continental Divide.

There is a big storm on the divide less than 100 miles from the stadium.

This stuff will all blow in in a few hours.  Dress accordingly so you don't freeze your can at the game.

I'm heading down at 11.