SB Nation User Blog: metalman5050

HEY GARY, WHATCHA BEEN UPTO?

metalman5050 — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:27:39 -0000

WHO ARE THE TEXANS?

Hey guys and gals. When the idea was put forth, that one of us should take one of the OTHER 31 teams in competition with us, I thought that there was no way that I would have time for this. And then I thought about "the guy," that I have been MISSING for the last four years.

Gary, where R U?

I remember Mr. Kubiac, on the sidelines, (he was almost always there) and he was always warring a clipboard!

I also remember the few times that he came in as relief for BIG JOHN, and I do NOT know of a time where he was anything but STELLAR, in his performance! That being said, I had the notion that, after spending that many years on the sidelines, standing next to (no argument) the best offensive mind of the time, (hi Mike, how's the vacation going? I wish I could retire on your salary!) and watching the greatest comeback specialist of all time work his magic, well, what indeed, could Gary Kubiac have learned through all of that?

His mind, body and family, were stolen from us, by the Houston Texans, a team who had only been in the league for four years! GO FIGGUR!

HERE'S THE LOW DOWN.

Just look at the facts. (This is from the "Home Page" at NFL.com) I might mention here, that the "home page" for the Texans, leaves a lot to be desired. In other words, it is slow on its negotiations. Perhaps they need someone like "the Guru", to get it all together for them, anyway, here we go...

Sept. 6, 2000: The NFL's 32nd franchise is officially christened the Houston Texans before thousands at a downtown rally on Texas Avenue. NFL Commissioner Tagliabue introduces McNair, who then unveils his team's name, colors and logo to the crowd. The ceremony, televised live on ESPN2, includes simultaneous unveilings in Austin and San Antonio.

Jan. 21, 2001: The Texans introduce Dom Capers as the club's first head coach. Capers comes to Houston from Jacksonville, where he served the previous two seasons as the Jaguars' defensive coordinator. From 1995-98, Capers was the head coach of the expansion Carolina Panthers, leading the team to the NFC West title and a berth in the NFC Championship Game in 1996.

You would think that, with those credentials, this guy would "bring it all together for this franchise, but, here is what happened. 2002 - 4 wins. 2003 - 5, 04 - 7 wins, 2005 - TWO WINS? OOOPPS! Your FIRED!!! That is when they "ripped us off," for our Offensive Coordinator! Mr. Kubiac sure could call the plays!

Jan. 2, 06: The Texans dismiss Dom Capers as head coach one day after Houston completes the 2005 season with a 2-14 record. Capers leaves after four seasons with a record of 18-46.

Jan. 26, 06: The Texans hire former Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak as the second head coach in team history. Kubiak, a Houston native, had led the Broncos offensive attack for the past 11 seasons. His offenses totaled 66,501 yards from scrimmage, most in the NFL over those 11 years. His offenses scored 465 touchdowns over the same time span to lead the NFL.

Gary's wins with Houston over the years? 06 - 6 wins, 07 - 8 wins, 08 - 8 wins, and here he is, begining his fourth year as HC.

    The Texans finished 2008 by tying a franchise-best 8-8 record and going 5-1 over the final six weeks of the season.

    The 08 - 09, coaching staff "shake up!"
Out with the old.

Dec. 30, 08: The Texans dismiss defensive coordinator Richard Smith, defensive backs coach Jon Hoke, defensive line coach Jethro Franklin and offensive assistant Mike McDaniel.

Jan. 6, 09: The Texans announce that head athletic trainer Kevin Bastin and strength and conditioning coach Dan Riley would not have their contracts renewed.
In with the new.

Jan. 13: The Texans promote senior defensive assistant Frank Bush to defensive coordinator, hire David Gibbs as defensive backs coach, and hire Bill Kollar as defensive line coach.

Jan. 28: The Texans promote assistant defensive backs coach Ray Rhodes to senior defensive assistant and re-signs assistant head coach/offense Alex Gibbs.

Everyone is talking around the league, about the Patriot connection in Denver! I think that we could start to call Houston, Denver South! Does anyone remember Alex Gibbs? In 1984, he accepted a position with the Denver Broncos. The team appeared in two straight Super Bowls in 1986 and 1987. Gibbs became famous with the Denver Broncos http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denver_Broncos and Terrell Davis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrell_Davis in the late 90's. He is best known for his zone blocking http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_blocking that he installed in Denver and later with the Atlanta Falcons in 2004.

Feb. 27: The Texans hire Pro Football Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews as an offensive assistant. Bruce Rankin Matthews played as an offensive lineman in the NFL for the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise from 1983 through 2000. He is considered one of the best offensive lineman in NFL history, and was also voted into the Pro Bowl 14 times. He aught to be able to help the offensive line in Houston!

IT ALL BEGINS WITH COACHING.

So at the top we have: Gary Kubiak: Head Coach

via www.houstontexans.com

by Spenser Harrison the bleacher report.

Gary Kubiak had been a top choice for many NFL teams following the Broncos second Super Bowl victory but decided to stay in Denver and hone his skills. In fact, he was interviewed for the Texans head coaching position in 2002, and was reportedly a top candidate before being passed over for Dom Capers.

On Jan. 26, 2006 Gary Kubiak was named the Texans second coach in franchise history. He immediately shocked us all by having the brass to draft Mario Williams over Vince Young and Reggie Bush; a bold move that has already paid off and left doubters eating crow. Since then Kubiak has led the Texans through two 8-8 seasons.

Offensively the difference between Kubiak*s offense and that of the Capers/Palmer ERA is night and day. What was once a dink and dunk conservative offense has been transformed into a budding powerhouse populated with young stars. Since 2005 the Texans have improved from the 30th ranked offense, to 28th in 2006, 14th in 2007, and 3rd in 2008. (That sounds like somthing that is going on in Denver right now, out with the old & in with the new.)

"We pretty much know what will be expected from an offense that ranked third in yards and 17th in points * reduced turnovers and improvement in the red zone."

Sound familiar Denver fans? We were ranked 2nd in offence and BAD in the RED ZONE! Houston was 8 - 8, and so were we. We both missed the playoffs.

via www.houstontexans.com

Gibbs, Alex Assistant Head Coach/Offense

via assets.houstontexans.com

by Spenser Harrison the bleacher report.

Alex Gibbs is the tycoon of the trench, the connoisseur of the cut block, and the baron of the zone-blocking scheme.

Alex Gibbs is most recognized for his tenure in Denver from 1995-2003 in which he worked with Gary Kubiak in helping build the Broncos into a perennial winner. It was his zone-blocking scheme that served as the catalyst behind Denver*s five playoff appearances and back-to-back SuperBowl victories in 1997 and 1998.

Under Gibbs tutelage the Broncos built an envied running game that seemed to work regardless of who was in the backfield. In fact, they were able to churn out four separate andconsecutive thousand-yard rushers in Terrell Davis, Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson, and Clinton Portis. In the nine years Kubiak and Gibbs were together in Denver, the Broncos rushing attack led the NFL with 20,150 yards.

Following his success in Denver, Alex Gibbs was hired as the Atlanta Falcons offensive line coach from 2004-06. It didn*t take long for him to duplicate the success he had in Denver as the Falcons rushing attack led the NFL in 2004.

Given his track record andformer stint with Gary Kubiak, it was no surprise that Kubiak and the Texans offered him a job, in hopes of an immediate help.

In his first year, the Texans rushing attack improved in every statistical category from the year before. Their yards-per-carry went from 3.8 to 4.3, their total yards per game improved from 99.1 to 115.4 and they added four more touchdowns than the previous year. Perhaps most importantly however, the Texans overall offense went from 14th to 3rd.

With Gibbs working his magic, there*s no reason to believe this team*s offense will take any steps backward in 2009.

Kollar, Bill Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line " Hey Bill, Make your point!"

via assets.houstontexans.com

by Spenser Harrison at the bleacher report

Hired on Jan. 20, 2009, as assistant head coach/defensive line coach, Bill Kollar is the newest addition to the Texans coaching staff. During his stay in St. Louis, Kollar groomed Leonard Little into a premier sack artist, amassing 57 sacks in five seasons and helping the Rams earn a trip to the Super Bowl in 2001.

via www.houstontexans.com

He*s also coached the Falcons* defensive line in 1998, which led the NFL by allowing only six rushing touchdowns the entire season along with a remarkable 75.2 rushing yards per game.

The Falcons defense under Kollar was a big reason for the franchises first NFC Championship victory and Kollar's defensive lines are known for their ability to shoot the gaps, high energy level, and a willingness to do everything in their power to disrupt the opposing offense.

This is why the Texans are hoping Kollar*s intensity and fiery motor can translate into a more aggressive and effective pass rush, something the Texans need dearly, if they hope to make the playoffs a reality in 2009. (COME ON! ISN'T THAT THE EXACT SAME THING THAT WE NEED?)

Bush, Frank Defensive Coordinator Congrats on the promotion Frank!

via assets.houstontexans.com

It looks to me like Gary Kubiak saw something in Frank Bush, that he did not see, in Rick Smith!

by Spenser Harrison at the bleacher report

Prior to joining the Texans in 2007, Bush spent time with the Cardinals, Oilers, and you guessed it, the Denver Broncos. (Just one more former member of my team.)

Although Frank Bush ushers in a change defensively, expect it to be more philosophical than formational. Under Bush, look for the Texans defense to be more aggressive rather than sitting back, in fear of giving up big plays. (Sounds like Denver last year!) To do so, they*ll likely rely on more substitution packages, player movement, and blitzing to keep opposing offense on their heels. (sounds like what Denver should do this year!)

Expect Bush and the Texans to step up their pass rush by bringing extra heat from their young, athletic, linebackers. Good greif man! IF THAT DOES NOT SOUND LIKE WHAT MY TEAM NEEDS, THEN... Moreover, don*t be surprised to see Antonio Smith move inside with Connor Barwin lining up at defensive end in passing situations.
Frank Bush intends to light a fire, and ignite an aggression not seen in Texans defense of the past. Hopefully, his presence will be the missing piece needed to transform this young and ever improving defense, into a force to be reckoned with.

Kyle Shanahan: Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks Coach

via assets.houstontexans.com Now there's a baby face for you!

by Spenser Harrison/the bleacher report

With such a last name it*s not hard to figure out why Kyle is considered one of the rising young stars in the NFL coaching ranks.

Although Shanahan is young, he comes from a winning pedigree and has an undeniable thirst for football knowledge. This thirst for gridiron knowledge was clearly displayed by a response regarding his coaching philosophy.

*I studied every potential Xs and Os play and issue possible,* Shanahan said. *I spent my whole life working on that. My goal was that any question a player could have about anything on the field, I'd be able to answer it.* Following his playing days at the University of Texas, Shanahan served as an assistant coach in Tampa Bay under Jon Gruden, before being hired in 2006 as the Texans wide receivers coach. ( Gary watched this kid grow up!)

At the ripe age of 26, Kyle Shanahan was the youngest position coach in the NFL. However, he quickly proved wise beyond his years by developing Owen Daniels and Kevin Walter into immediate contributors. By 2008, Shanahan was promoted to offensive coordinator, becoming the youngest coordinator in the NFL. It didn*t take long for Kyle to exceed expectations, and Gary Kubiak handed him the play-calling duties by mid season. Once again, the young prot*g* didn*t disappoint, as he helped guide the Texans offense to third best in the league. (RED ZONE PROBLEMS should dissipate)

The Texans and their fans should expect the offense to build and improve on last year just as Kyle Shanahan surely will. At this point there should only be one question left regarding Shanahan's tenure with the Texans. "How long can we keep this kid, before he's a head coach somewhere else?"

Joe Marciano: Special Teams Coordinator

via assets.houstontexans.com

by Spenser Harrison at the bleacher report

Marciano*s NFL career as a special teams coach has spanned twenty-three seasons, during which he*s established himself as one of the top coaches in his field.

Marciano has been the Texans special teams coordinator since the start in 2002, and is the only remaining coach from the Dom Capers area.

While Joe "Fuzzy" Marciano is now living in the deep south, his roots hail back to Bunker Hill in Dunmore, Pennsylvania. Some of his friends from back home in NEPA include Frank "Buzzy" Padula and Joe "Mazz" Mazzarella.

By Michael A. Lutz , HoustonTexans.com

He leads a double life, and his players know both men. He*s the Texans' tough-talking special teams coach on the field and the gentle, single father who leaves practice to attend to his autistic son.

Players see him on the job as a lightning rod of energy, charging around the practice field, demanding the best from his players. He splices boxing fights and race car crashes into training videos to inspire the controlled violence and effort he expects.

Then, they see him walk off the field into the world of autism, an affliction where a child*s fantasy is more plausible than reality; where beautiful children can*t vocalize to their parents how much they love them or to even look into their eyes.

Autism causes moments of tantrums because mommy and daddy don*t understand that the yellow gummy bear is not in it*s proper place or that his or her little people toys must be located at all cost.

Marciano makes the transition from barking coach to caring dad appear seamless. But, even this bare-knuckles Pennsylvanian acknowledges reality.

"It*s hard," he said. "But once you realize it*s hard, and difficult, and you accept it, it becomes a little bit easier." I sacrifice during the season. I spend all day here on Tuesday, all night on Tuesday and try to get all my work done for the whole week so I can go home a little early on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Basically*I can spend five or six hours with my son. I*m a little tired the next day, but it*s all worth it."

Remember this Hall Of Famer?

via www.houstontexans.com Bruce Mathews, the new Asst. O line coach.

Feb. 27: The Texans hire Pro Football Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews as an offensive assistant.

WHATS NEXT?
THE DRAFT!

via assets.houstontexans.com The #1 pick

Rd 1, Pick 15 (15) Cushing, Brian OLB Rd 2, Pick 14 (46) Barwin, Connor DE Rd 3, Pick 13 (77) Caldwell, Antoine OG Rd 4, Pick 12 (112) Quin, Glover CB Rd 4, Pick 22 (122) Hill, Anthony TE Rd 5, Pick 16 (152) Casey, James TE Rd 6, Pick 15 (188) McCain, Brice CB Rd 7, Pick 14 (223) Nolan, Troy S

The draft for Houston gave the nod to the defense, on the last pick, with 4 picks for the D and 3 for the O, but the thing that I found to be interesting is that they picked not one, but two corners and two tight ends. But why?

Here is Gary's take on all that. (on TE James Casey) "He's just versatile. We know he can play tight end...I also think that he can play some full back...he's a very smart young man...When you have tight ends on your team who can play special teams, (it) gives you a lot of options on game day." The Texans only show 4 TE's on the roster.

(on the CB's) "We were looking specifically for someone who could play the nickel position...andgot Glover Quin. Then...we were able to pick up Brice McCain. To come out of the draft with two guys who look like they also have some flexibility makes it even better. You never have enough corners in this league. The Texans now have 6 CB's on the roster.

THE OFFENSE

Quarterback

via www.houstontexans.com Matt Schuab

10 Brink, Alex 6'2" 208 6/2/1985 1year Washington State    Grossman, Rex 6'1" 217 8/23/1980 7years Florida
7 Orlovsky, Dan 6'5" 230 8/18/1983 5years Connecticut    8 Schaub, Matt 6'5" 234 6/25/1981 6years Virginia

The Texans certainly aren't lacking in competition at this position, although I rather doubt that Matt will lose the starting spot, but competition is a good thing. It tends to push everyone to get better but someone is going to have to go. No team can afford to keep that many QB's.

by Chad Washington at the bleacher report.

...where's the drama going to be in Houston for the summer time? It's at the Texans camp!

...with signing two quarterbacks that started games last season in the NFC North, training camp could be interesting this year. Dan Orlovsky and Rex Grossman, castoffs from the Lions and Bears, respectively, will battle for the right to be Matt Schaub's backup. The question is which is the lesser of two evils?

You can give Orlovsky a mulligan for playing on a really bad Detroit team, but how much? He did have a great receiver in Calvin Johnson to throw to, but that was when he was very young and still learning the ropes in the NFL. And the Texans did throw a lot of money at him, which must mean that they believe he's a pretty good player.

But then why sign Grossman? He did lead Chicago to the Super Bowl, but that was more of the players around him. His confidence has to be shot after being decimated day after day on Chicago talk radio and on Bears' fan pages. But could a new start get him to be the quarterback that he was supposed to be back in 2002? The quarterback duel will be just one of the things to look at when Texans training camp opens...

Running Back

via www.houstontexans.com Steve Slaton

The Texans have 5 RB's and 1 FB on the roster. Steve Slaton, Chris Brown, Ryan Moats Clifton Dawson
Arian Foster and Jeremiah Johnson.

Steve Slaton 268 carries for 1282 yards. 4.8 average/att.

by Dave Mundy the bleacher report.

Havethe Houston Texans found the tough-yardage back they*ve wanted for so long?

Not yet, says head coach Gary Kubiak*but when training camp starts July 31, he*s not exactly going to be moaning over the lack of talent.

*It*s hard to tell, but they all have the ability to run the ball and have the foot quickness,* Kubiaksaid in the team*s daily media circular. *But you find out a lot about backs when you put pads on and start picking up blisters (interesting point) andtaking that pounding every day. So come July 31st, we*ll find out more.*

The Texans will enter pre-season with last year*s pleasant surprise, Steve Slaton, firmly entrenched as the starter. From there, however, it*s up for grabs.

Wide Receiver

The Texans currently have 8 WR's on the roster.

Rk Player Team Pos Rec Yds Avg Yds/G Lng TD 20+ 40+ 1st 1st% FUM
1 Andre Johnson HOU WR 115 1,575 13.7 98.4 65 8 20 4 79 68.7 1

via www.houstontexans.com

Andre led all NFL Wide Receivers in three categories above. And, so far at least, he seems to be a humble, (imagine that) hard working, stand up sort of a guy! TE Owen Daniels and WR Kevin Walter combined for another 130 catches and 1761 yards to help Houston's Offence rank third in yards/game, but like #2 ranked Denver, couldn't seem to punch it in when they needed to.

Tight End

Owen Daniels 70 rec. 862 yds 12.3 average/catch 2 TD's

Tight end Owen Daniels took his game to a new level in 2008, finishing the season with 70 receptions for 862 yards and averaging 12.3 yards per catch. The third-year pro ranked third among NFL tight ends in receiving yards and fifth in receptions.

At 6' 3" and 247lbs., this guy is a load to take down, and keep in mind that last year was only his third year in the league.

Offensive Line

All five starting offensive linemen will return to the lineup in 2009, and Kubiak thinks they could be strongest part of the team. Making the calls at center was Chris Myers, who joined the team via a trade withthe Broncos. Rookie left tackle Duane Brown, became a valuable member of an offensiveline that was the foundation of the NFL*s third-ranked offense. Left guard Chester Pitts, a second-round pick in 2002, served as the anchor of this young line andcontinued his streak of being the only player to start every game in team history. Right tackle Eric Winston, a third-round pick in the 2006 draft, also took his running-blocking skills to the next level. Mike Brisiel, who was signed off of the practice squad in late 2007, started every game at right guard and was key to the success of the run game.

DEFENCE

The Line

A year after his team-record 14-sack season, defensive end Mario Williams anchored the Texans* defensive line with 12 sacks and was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2008. Williams, a second-team All-Pro and the NFL Alumni Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2007, finished 2008 with more sacks than any other AFC defensive end.

Outside of Williams, who accounted for 48 percent of the team*s sacks, the Texans struggled to finda consistent pass rush from their front four. But defensive end Tim Bulmanemerged to finish secondon the team with 4.0 sacks.

Defensive tackle Amobi Okoye was slowed by an ankle injury and didn*t make the jump in his second season that head coach Gary Kubiak had hoped for. The 2007 first-round draft pick found some consistency at season*s end, showing flashes of pass rushing ability that made him a first-team all rookie in 2007. Tackle Travis Johnson, the

Texans* 2005 first-round pick, continued his solid play in run support.

End Anthony Weaver started all 16 games in his third season in Houston.

The Texans finished 27th in the NFL with 25 sacks. They were 23rd against the run, allowing 122.6 yards per game. Defensive line coach Jethro Franklin was dismissed after the season after two years with the team.

Line Backers

Anchored by middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans, the Texans* linebackingcorps got more formidable in 2008 with a boost from two young players and a versatile veteran newcomer. Ryansplayed through an ankle injury all season but, instead of complaining, woundup leading the Texans with112 tackles. He had five double-digit tackle games andnow leads the NFL with 19 double-digit games and 310 solo tackles since 2006. Ryans has led the Texans in tackles in 24 of 48 career games.

Rookie Xavier Adibi, a fourth-round draft choice from Virginia Tech, and second-year pro Zac Diles, a seventh-round pick from Kansas State in 2007, showed the potential to be playmakers for years to come.
Seventh-year player Kevin Bentley became a valuable contributor when Dileswent down with a midseason injury, and Morlon Greenwood added another veteran presence to the mix.

Ryans was named a first alternate for the 2009 Pro Bowl after serving as a Texans defensive captain for the second consecutive season.

Corner Back

Jacques Reeves, signed from the Dallas Cowboys before the season, was the only member of the Texans* secondary to start all 16 games. He led the team with four interceptions, returning one for a 44-yard touchdown on Nov. 2 at Minnesota. Reeves also had 50 tackles and a team-high 19 passes defensed, a testament to his ability to keep pace with most any receiver in the league.

Dunta Robinson, who suffered career-threatening leg injuries in the midst of a Pro Bowl-caliber 2007 season, came off of the PUP list in Week 7 andreturned to the starting lineup fiveweeks later at Cleveland. The hard-hitting, emotional leader of the secondary recorded two interceptions and38 tackles in only 11 games. The Texans went 5-1 in games with Robinson in the starting lineup.

Cornerbacks Fred Bennett and Demarcus Faggins both played in every game andsplit starting duties before Robinson returned. Bennett, who as a rookie in 2007 led the Texans with three interceptions, came to life at the endof 2008 with two picks in the final six games.

Rookie cornerback Antwaun Molden, a third-round pick out of Eastern Kentucky, saw limited action on defense but was a special teams demon, finishing second on the team with 19 special teams stops along with a fumble recovery.

Safties

Free safety Will Demps andstrong safety C.C. Brown were the opening-day starters, but neither retained that role past the fifthgame of the season. Brown had 15 tackles through three games but was placed on injured reserveon Sept. 30 with a broken arm. Demps, a Pro Bowl alternate in 2007, made 30 tackles in the first five games before being relegated to backup and special teams duty for the remainder of the season.

Veteran free safety Eugene Wilson, who spent the previous fiveseasons withthe New England Patriots, supplanted Demps in the rotation. Wilson started 10 games andled the Texans* secondary with63 tackles while showing good ball skills with two interceptions and seven passes defensed.

Strong safety Nick Ferguson, a ninth-year veteran and former Denver Broncos standout, played in 14 games with nine starts in his first season in Houston. Ferguson provided a physical presence in run support and finished the year with 52 tackles and a forced fumble.

Second-year pro Brandon Harrison, who spent his rookie season on injured reserve, played in all but one game and started six times at strong safety. He wound up with 30 tackles. Rookie safety Dominique Barber from Minnesota played mostly on special teams but stepped up on defense in the final two games, recording three tackles, a pass defensed and his first-career sack.

via assets.houstontexans.com Looks like Houston has some great "assets."

Well, there you have it boys and girls. Class dismissed! OOOOPS! Not quite.

Projections?

This year is pretty much the same as last year, with the Crows (MSM writers) cackling about how they think that "this is Houstons year" to take over their division, but, look who is in that division. The former Houston Oilers (Tennessee Titans), Indi and Jacksonville will each have thier input two times a year and none of them are exactly push overs.

For Gary Kubiacks sake, I hope that they have a very good year and make the play offs for the first time in their teams short history.
"BEST OF LUCK TO YOU, KUBE"

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

BRONCOS

Poll

How many Wins do you think that Houston will have this year?

TAKE A DEEP BREATH, AND CHECK THIS!

metalman5050 — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 06:17:57 -0000

Patrick Dennis Bowlen (born February 18, 1944 (1944-02-18) (age 65)) in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin) is the Owner, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the Denver Broncos. He purchased the team from Edgar Kaiser in 1984 and saved the team from possible bankruptcy.

Pat's father, Paul D. Bowlen, became a millionaire in the Canadian oil business, founding Regent Oil as a wildcatter. Bowlen attended the University of Oklahoma and earned degrees in business (1965) and law (1968). The younger Bowlen became wealthy in his own right by becoming a successful lawyer in Edmonton, Alberta. He also worked as an executive for his father's company and as a real estate developer.

Bowlen is an initiated member of the Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity. He was initiated by the University of Oklahoma, Beta Omicron chapter in 1963. He is a member of the bar association and law society of Alberta, Canada. Bowlen is also one of the largest donors to the University of Denver.

Now, think about this: "Who is at the helm?" I don't think that Pat, is "out of control". do you?

Josh Mc Daniels, (born April 22, 1976 in Barberton, Ohio) is the American football head coach of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He previously served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the New England Patriots. At the time of his hiring, McDaniels was the youngest head coach in any of the four major North American professional sports and the fifth-youngest NFL head coach ever, although less than a week later the Tampa Bay Buccaneers named the even-younger Raheem Morris as their head coach.[1]

McDaniels is the son of Thom McDaniels (often described as a "legend" of Ohio high school football).[2] Attending his father's practices during his youth has been credited with inspiring McDaniels to enter coaching.

McDaniels began his coaching career as a senior graduate assistant at Michigan State University from 1999 to 2000 under Nick Saban. Who is ready to just blow this guy off?

In the 2008 NFL season, McDaniels led the offense to an 11-5 record with quarterback Matt Cassel, the only known NFL quarterback ever to start an NFL game without ever starting at quarterback in college. McDaniels' role in developing Cassel has been cited as one of his qualifications for head coaching jobs.

Denver Broncos President Pat Bowlen on Thursday announced the appointment of Brian Xanders as General Manager for the National Football League team, effective immediately.

Bowlen said, "In evaluating the work of our football operations department over the past several weeks, it has become clear to me that Brian Xanders is the right person to step into our general manager's job. I am confident he will work in tandem with Head Coach Josh McDaniels to re-establish our football team at the level we desire."

Well, enough said! It is time that we as fans sit back and enjoy what is to come because as one fan says, and that fan is ME, You go Pat! You go Josh, and you better work hard Brian, cause you all got the flesh eating fish at your door. It is either time to feed the fish, or it is time to kill it and feed the carcass to the rest of the feeding fish!!

Yours truely, the metalman.

Sacks or No Sacks / Whats the Big Deal?

metalman5050 — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:20:03 -0000

With all the talk about the Denver Bronco's Offensive line giving up a league low 12 sacks, along with the Tn Titans, I began to wonder which of the two has the best O Line. In the process of comparing the two, I discovered a few things that I thought might interest the readers here at MHR.

The two "Top Ten" tables below, ended up being the product of my curiosity.

The first is based upon the Offense and compares the number of sacks against the number of attempted passes as well as the "strength" of the teams Defensive Opponent's sack totals. The second is the Defensive Sack leading teams and the stats that I thought could be of some relevance.

TEAM ATT SACKS ATT/S S/O/O

DENVER 616 12 51.6 450

NEW ORLEANS 636 13 48.8 480

* INDIANA 585 14 41.7 504

**TENNESSEE 453 12 37.7 468

**PHILLADELPIA 606 23 26.3 557

*ATLANTA 434 17 25.5 492

*ARIZONA 630 28 22.5 581

**CAROLINA 414 20 20.7 481

CLEVELAND 488 24 20.3 555

*SAN DIEGO 478 25 19.1 472

The SOP (strength of opponent) is based upon the total combined regular season team sacks gotten by each of the Defenses that a team played this year. Since Denver played KC twice, and KC only had 10 sacks all year, they counted a measly 20 sacks on our opponents total sack tally of 450. (*) indicates a team that made the playoffs. (**) indicates a team that made the top ten on both of the lists. Philadelphia is the only team to make both lists and not loose their first game in the play offs! Does that mean that they will win it all?

Notice how close the top four teams on the above list are. It looks to me like Tenn must have had a running game going on due to the # of ATTs.

SACK LEADERS

               TEAM          SACKS       FF      F/R      INT   F/R&INT    S&FF   MAD/TOT
           Dallas               59             17       14        8          22            76              98
         *Pittsburgh         51             12         9      20         29             63              92
       **Philadelphia     48             21       14     15          29             69              98
         *Minnesota        45              22       13     12          25             67              92
       **Tennessee       44             23       11      20         31             67              98
         *NYG                   42             15         5      17          22             57              79
           NYJ                    41             29       16     14        30             70            100
         *Miami                 40            17        12     18          30             57              87
       **Carolina             37            17       13     12          25             54             79
           Seatle                35             22       11        9        20             57             77

FF=forced F/R=fumble recovered INT=interseption

The Mad total is what pisses Offenses off. It is what I see as a combined defensive power of disruption. Ints and fumble recoveries are absolute turn overs but how many S&FF's happen on third down and cause a punt? I'll bet that no one knows what the Denver D's "fear factor" is. Mad total = 48! 6 Int's all year! 9ff 26sacks and 7 fumbles recovered. WOW! Every team that made the playoffs made it to the top ten of one or both of these two lists, except one, and beleive it or not, the Baltimore Ravens are it, and they made it to the championship game today!

I will be very interested to hear what the "MHR" Intellectuals can come up with reguarding wheather or not... or perhaps why, any of this matters.

Here is Albert Breer's oppinion...

metalman5050 — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:39:14 -0000

From sporting news...

The Cast: Rick Dennison, Frazier, Jason Garrett, McDaniels, Morris, Spagnuolo

The Plot: This job is the brass ring of this winter's market. Strong ownership. Local support. A franchise quarterback, cornerstone left tackle, and two playmaking receivers, all 25 or younger. A rabid fan base. One thing that might be worth noting here, while Pat Bowlen conducts a rather exhaustive search, is that the owner isn't likely looking for a mercenary. As his history with Dan Reeves (12 years in Denver) and Mike Shanahan (14 years) would indicate, he'll probably look for someone who wants to stay a while.

The Final Act: I'll say it here, and be very clear: McDaniels and the Broncos are a match made in heaven. He could bring Romeo Crennel in to run the defense, which needs a major rebuilding job, and maximize the considerable potential of Cutler and the offense. At 32, he's the type of guy Bowlen would love to put in place and allow to run the show. McDaniels has been patient as his name has come up over the last few years, waiting for the right shot. This would be it.

It seems to make sense to me... But what do you all think?

7 MILL / YEAR?

metalman5050 — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:33:41 -0000

Take a vacation Mike!

It is time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Just relax for a couple of years and see what turns up. You really don't need a new job next year, unless of coarse, the absolutely PERFECT spot opens up, but I wouldn't rush it if I were you.

Instead, I will give you the list of objectives that I would try to accomplish, during the next three years, during my "PAID VACATION!"

#1. Relaxe for a minute, and just reminesce, and savor the accomplishments! You have been an Increadible HC, for the Bronco organization for 14 years. 14 YEARS! Think about that for a few minutes.

#2. Ask your wife if she needs you to pick somthing up at the store.

#3. Find out where the grand children are, and steal them away from your kids! They may not be quit the challenge that a head coaching job would be, but they will keep you busy, and the time spent will be something that you will relish, for years to come!

#4. Turn down every offer this year, unless it's the Dallas Cowboys. After all, don't Cowboy's ride Broncos?

#5. Don't do anything that I couldn't do! Wait a minute! 7 mill puts you way beyond what I can do... So ignore that one.

#6. Call John Elway and tell him to get ahold of me. You know my number!

#7. You have worked your butt off for the last........21 somthing years? Why not enjoy the fruits of your labors?

#8. Hey, thanx man! John just called me an asked me to contact you. He wants to know if you wouldn't mind calling plays for the Denver Broncos, as the OC. After all, when you were calling the plays, we were great! John also wondered if you would have a problem coaching under him. He is the new HC, of the DENVER BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Think about it Mike. You could come to work at 9:30 am, instead of sleeping on your couch in your office overnight, just because the next game is going to be tough! Again, THANX for the many exausting years that you spent trying to win, win, and win some more. WE at MHR, will always love U!

IT IS TIME TO STEP UP!

metalman5050 — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 21:23:47 -0000

and that is exactly what certain Bronco players did!

Whatz his name?, Woodyard? Who exactly is it, who wants to make this team?

All through out this game, I had to "put up with" atlanta fans! I would have loved to have been at the game, sitting next to, sorry man, I can't remember who the diehard Bronco fan is, in atlanta, but, I would have loved the support!

Here is the deal. #1. The Denver D showed up in a big way, and caused the vannilla play callers/reporters, to ALL MOST back off of the Negativity, that has permiated the reports that I see on most Networks!

The sweet part is that, I, as a party of 1, was able to "Slam Dunk" those guys, and actually leave the bar, with all of my essentials, in tack.

Now, this is realy the deal, well, not really but, it is something.

The only thing that I really Know, is that you really don't Know, any more than what just happened! Well, the Broncos won, away from home, and I watched the game in a hostile area!

I left that area as quickly as I could, so that I could get back into my support net! And that is

YOU!

You have to love the fact that the Broncos won on defense!

Enough said!

Whiners, Diners and Those who just eat them up.

metalman5050 — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 23:03:43 -0000

I have been wondering about this all season, no actually, even before the season started.

Stat: 60% of the time, When our beloved Broncos win, 80% of the comments, following the game are possitive, 30% of the time! Now, that may not make a lot of sense until you realize this...

Stat: 60% of the time, When our beloved Broncos loose, 80% of the comments, following the game are negative, 30% of the time! Now, does that make more sense based upon the previous statement? Probubly not!

Let me try to explain.

I have been a Member of MHR for the past year and whatever, but much to my liking is the fact that there is soooo muuch possitive input! It does not matter, win or loose, We As A Group, must be recommended, as the greatest fan support group in the NFL, HANDS DOWN!

So, let me explain the 60 -80- 30 formula.

The 30%, is always the "controling factor." Wheather we win or loose, wheather we are on a High or Low, the 30% is the Stablizing factor that keeps us all focused on the goal, and that is to win the next game!

WHEN WE WIN: I personnally am very HIGH at this point! I actually NEED someone to bring me back to some semblance of reality to make me "get back to thinking about," next weeks game. That is where you all come in and begin to explain that it isn't just about this game, but that there are still games to be played. It is then that I am thankful for the 30%

WHEN WE LOOSE: Ditto the above,except for one thing. Here, is where I need all of you to pull me up from the abyss, save me from the drug induced suicide measures, keep me from loosing the faith!

Just kidding. I have heard the possitives and the negatives throughout the season, and although there have been many, on both sides, I am happy to be able to show you the MID year stats. POSSITVE STATS, 80% NEGATIVE STATS 20% - 30%

NOW YOU UNDERSTAND HOW THE PERSENTAGES WORK, HERE AT MHR!

Do you agree, or dissagree?

2008, COACHING STAFF

metalman5050 — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:06:54 -0000

Ok, here we have it.

Mike Shannahan, Exec.VP of FO/ HC. What can you say? Grade A+.

Steve Watson, Ass. Head Coach? What does Steve do, run errands? He was a very reliable reciever with good hands back in the 80's, when I lived in Denver. He then went from wide reciever to a ?Defensive Assistant? for two years, and then became the receivers coach from 03-06. (I guess that Mike wanted him to get a feel for the other side of the ball) As Ass. HC in 07, he got a "baptizm by fire' in his first year in the possition. Grade ?

Rick Dennison, Off. Coordinator/ O Line. I remember Rick when he was a linebacker for Denver. It's funny how he went from D as a player to O as a coach. It's to bad that the Broncos didn't win at least 1 of the 3 SB's that he played in. If I remember right, he was a heck of a run stopper! (Perhaps he is out of possition right now as a coach, not that he isn't doing a good job right where he is, its more like perhaps he may know something about stopping the run that we need on the other side of the ball!) He coached the O Line for so many years that once he became the OC, it really didn't hurt the job he is still doing with the O Line. (It didn't hurt him getting Clady though.) Grade A.

Jeremy Bates, QB Coach. Well isn't he lucky! JC is the QB. That's a job made easy! Or is it? He hasn't been able to instill into Jay's mind some of the very basic principles that Jay needs to master, such as looking off defenders and checking off. What about protecting the ball on the move? When he was with the Jets in 05, he actually had to work. They went through 5 QB's that year! His first job was with Tampa as "Offensive Quality control?" Why has he not "controlled" the quality of the QB position over the past 2 games. I am not impressed. If he cannot teach one possition, especially with the high quality of the personnel at that possition, then... Grade D.

Jedd Fisch WR Coach. Annother "lucky guy", although I am rather intrigued with his stats and education, as well as his ability to overcome adversity and just keep on kickin it. He has to be happy coaching the tallent that we have. Now if he can just get them to hang on to the ball! Grade B.

Pat McPherson, TE Coach. OK. Why did he get "demoted" from QB's coach to TE coach. He was QBC from 03 (the year Plummer arrived) - 06. Plumbers first six years he had a -21 TD-INT rating and went from that to a +24 the next 3 years, while being coached by Pat... Hmmmm. "Hey Jeremy. Ya wanna trade possitions?" Clearly Pat is way out of possition as an assistant for the Broncos this year. He was QBC when Cutler took over in 06 and helped him to transition into that spot. When you look at all he did to create the turn-a-round that happened with Jake the Snake, (Pat McPherson Denver Broncos Staff) then you will also be scratching your head about his new possition. Grade A.

Bobby Turner, RB Coach. Nothing but good can be said about Bobby! 14 years as the RBC for the Broncos, and we all know what they have done over that period of time. It doesn't hurt to get some great players during that period but, more times then not Bobby, turned the average into the great! Grade A+ over the long haul.

Bob Slowick, Defensive Coordinator. You've got to give this man a lot of credit for what he has been able to do, in so little time, with the current tallent! He has an impressive record no matter where he has coached and I believe that, given the time and the tallent to develope "HIS" kind of defense, it will all come together within the next year, or less. He loves the preasure D, and even though he is "Hamstrung" at this point in time by the not nasty enough front seven, he still figured out a way to get 5 sacks last week! Grade E for effort.

Ronnie Bradford, DB Coach. Poor Ronnie. All he can do is give instruction during the week, get the DB's ready to play, and then the game plan comes in and the game is played, and it looks like his guys suck! Its not your fault Ronnie. You didn't tell both safties and cornners to play in the box, and you weren't surprised that they somehow got beat deep! Well, at least you get a short break with the bi and then you are going to have to go back to work to figure out how to teach the principle that "all DB's MUST ALWAYS" be in two places at once. Grade E for effort.

Jacob Burney, DL Coach. Sorry Burney but it aint workin no moe. We can't rest on our laurels, dreaming of yester years gone by. Yes, you have put together some good lines in the past but this is still NOT WORKING this year. Hope you get someone with the tallent of Clady for your DT possition in the draft.... untill then, just keep pluggin (or should I say start pluggin) the holes in the line! Grade D (this year so far)

Bill Johnson DL Coach. OK. Two big guys as DL coaches and we still Stinck? Who is on sick leave here? Grade D

Jim Ryan, LB coach. Ok Jim, when are you going to teach "whats his name", to stop over persuing the play and to contain the run? Maybe you should bench him, everytime he does that, for two plays or more. If the guy wants to play, then a little "time out" might wake him up. I know. You don't want to feel like you are his momma but something has to be done! Grade C

Ryan Slowick, DB Coach. Hey Ryan, go get me a cup a coffee and make it fast! Don't forget the french vanilla creamer and, oh ya, two sugars. Hey, tell your dad that I could do your job. At least I could put some "NASTY" in this D! Grade ? He hasn't been tested yet. You have to at least take a test befor you get a grade.

Scott O'brien ST Coach. Sorry Scott. I'm not impressed by your record. Unless you have some super human return guy, you are less than average. How can you possibly sleep well at night if your cover guys on kick offs and punts can't stop the apponent, at least once in a while, prior to a 20 + return? Well, at least you should get a little better rating this year with the kick offs going for touch backs at least 2/3's of the time. Grade C.

I would have loved to have been in the Coaches meeting the last two weeks and listened to a PO'ed Mike Shanahan telling the strait truth about how sorry the coachig has been for the last ooooooooooooh 5 weeks. Sorry fans but I am not just a little frustrated by what seems to me, to be to little progress.

I realize that we are a very young team, but I sometimes wonder if we are a bit understaffed and under coached in a few possitions. Just my humble oppinion but somthing has to break. The light bulb needs to be turned on in the minds of some of these players so that they can take it to another level! The coaches own all the "switches" to those bulbs so during thier "vacation", I hope they all manage to turn on the lights! Until next time, Metalman.

"Power rankings"

metalman5050 — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:34:59 -0000

POWER RANKINGS

What If Sports ranks them 21st (-3): Yikes!
Yahoo! Sports' Michael Silver ranks them 20th: That goal-line pass to Mike Vrabel doesn't look so smooth with a certain quarterback missing, does it?
The Metro ranks them 18th (-7): With the exception of his 66-yard TD to Randy Moss against the 49ers, every one of Matt Cassel's deep throws is off target by about 15 yards.
ESPN ranks them 17th (-8): The Patriots don't have an extra week to regroup from this blowout like they did their last one. (Notes)
ProFootball Weekly ranks them 16th (-7): Will Randy Moss keep an edge with offensive limitations?
NFL.com ranks them below twelfth: in the middle of the pack.
The Sporting News ranks them 11th (-4): Before Bill Belichick took over in 2000, two years earlier it was still Pete Carroll, who went on to coach current Patriots QB Matt Cassel at USC. Cassel's inconsistent play makes it hard to know where to place the Pats every week.
Peter King at SI ranks them tied for 11th (-5): They play Denver on Monday night and St. Louis the following Sunday, both in Foxboro. Then, for the 89th straight year, Pats and Colts play on the first Sunday of Sweeps Month.
Dr. Z at SI ranks them 10th (-4): Bill Belichick's Monday press conference followed his viewing of the Chargers film, with one team at normal speed and the other in slow motion. "From what I saw of the game," he said, "it's not different than what we saw last night."

Here is wha Tom Wilcox thinks are the keys to the game for the Patriots.

metalman5050 — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:15:30 -0000

Patriots

Three keys vs. the Broncos

Email|Link|Comments (0) Posted by Tom Wilcox October 16, 2008 06:09 AM

1. Solve the puzzle
The Patriots have had success against nearly every opponent in the Belichick era, but the Broncos have given them fits. Under Belichick, New England is just 2-6, including playoffs, against Denver. The Broncos beat the Patriots 17-7 in their last meeting, at Gillette Stadium in 2006. They beat New England twice in 2005, both times in Denver, including a 27-13 win in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Patriots beat the Broncos in Denver in 2003 but lost to them in 2001 and 2002. But Belichick's first win as New England head coach came in 2000 against the Broncos. The 28-19 victory in Denver, with Drew Bledsoe at quarterback, boosted the team's record to 1-4.

2. Get into the backfield
Denver has traditionally used a run-oriented approach, allowing numerous backs to share the workload. Head coach Mike Shanahan has altered his offensive game plan this season, with third-year quarterback Jay Cutler emerging as one of the top signal-callers in the NFL. Cutler leads the league in pass attempts per game, is third in passing yards, and is tied for fourth with 12 touchdown passes. One thing that hasn't changed is Denver's superior offensive line play. Cutler has been sacked just twice in six games -- the best ratio in the NFL.

3. Take advantage of the defense
Denver's defense has not matched its offense's prolific performance. The Broncos have allowed 25.7 points per game (24th in the NFL), 393.0 yards (30th), 137.5 rushing yards (26th), and a league-worst 255.5 passing yards per contest. After starting 3-0 and topping 34 points in each game, the Broncos suffered a stunning 33-19 loss to then-winless Kansas City. They bounced back to beat Tampa Bay the following week but are coming off a 24-17 home loss to the Jaguars. Denver (4-2) leads the AFC West.