SB Nation User Blog: phantom818

Happy Father's Day!

phantom818 — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:40:21 -0000

Happy Father's Day!

I wanted to take the time to wish all of the MHR faithful (especially those that are fathers obviously) a very happy Father's Day! Hopefully this weekend has been extremely enjoyable for you in the midst of rumblings in Bronco town. Finding time to step back from work and either spend it with our kids and/or fathers is always important. Enjoy!

A Lesson On Leadership

phantom818 — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:23:12 -0000

It’s no secret that the Denver Broncos have become a "drama-queen" in terms of media coverage this NFL offseason. Shanahan’s departure, Cutler’s bitter exit and now the Brandon Marshall trade speculation continue to provide writers with more fuel for more headlines.

While some have directly attributed reactions of Cutler and Marshall to the rocky transition at the top of Rocky Mountain High, the brunt of blame rests on the players. How they’ve carried themselves throughout the whole escapade doesn’t exactly scream the words " team leader." Personally, I wouldn’t want to root for a team represented by that kind of behavior anyway.

If those players don’t wish to be leaders after all, where does that leave the Broncos? A team in transition needs more than just Pro Bowl performances from a leader. It needs steadfastness, commitment and a mature demeanor. With the upheaval caused (or seemingly caused) by the recent coaching change in Denver, where can the Broncos - a team already in need of a "leader" prior to this offseason – look to for leadership?

It’s easy to get swept up in the drama, but all you have to do is step back for a second and you’ll find what you’re looking for right under your very nose.

The Broncos did something this offseason that’s not getting the press this time of year. Pat Bowlen and company brought in a 13-year NFL veteran loaded with experience and, most importantly, with pure class: Brian Dawkins.

Dawkins recently addressed former teammate Donovan McNabb’s new contract in a Fox News interview. Did Weapon-X have second thoughts about Philadelphia forking money Donovan’s way instead of his way? Mr. Dawkins answered that inquiry with one simple sentence.

"I cheer just as hard when someone gets a blessing as when I get mine," the former Eagles’ safety said.

Like Cutler and Marshall, Dawkins found his state of affairs in limbo this off-season. Albeit both situations exist in entirely different circumstances (Cutler and Marshall are both under 30 years of age and Dawkins is currently 35), the right way to handle oneself remains the same in each.

Cutler wanted out. Dawkins did not. Cutler and Marshall started this drama on their own. In Brian’s case, the Eagles facilitated what became a business decision by choosing not to match an offer from an outside source. Cutler didn’t care about a matching offer.

Furthermore, the Dawkins transaction did not spark anywhere near the same reaction in Philadelphia that the Broncos’ recent issues have in Denver. Most fans blamed Dawkins’ departure on the team rather than the player. Further west, in Colorado, fans have been more apt to blame the player for stoking the drama this offseason (especially in the current case of Marshall).

I know many of us are tired of the Cutler saga and have already moved past it, but I hope you’ll excuse me if I reference it just a bit more for the purposes of this write-up.

First, a quote from Jay Cutler on the situation via an ESPN.com article in March…

I went in there with every intention of solving the issue, being a Bronco, moving forward as a Bronco. We weren't in there but about 20 minutes, [McDaniels] did most of the talking and as far as I'm concerned, he made it clear he wants his own guy. He admitted he wanted Matt Cassel because he said he has raised him up from the ground as a quarterback. He said he wasn't sorry about it. He made it clear that he could still entertain trading me because, as he put it, he'll do whatever he feels is in the best interest of the organization.

At the end of the meeting, he wasn't like, 'Jay, I want you as our quarterback, you're our guy.' It felt like the opposite. He basically said that I needed to tell him if we can't work this out, to let him know. I thought he was antagonizing me and that was disappointing because I was ready to move on, committed as a Bronco. Really, I figured we'd hash things out, shake hands, laugh a little and move forward. What happened [Saturday] was the last thing I expected. If I didn't think it could be fixed, I never would have come back to Denver. It was painfully obvious to me and Bus [Cook, his agent] it's not something they want to fix.

Now Dawkins, from an interview on 950 ESPN Radio in Philadelphia (also conducted in March)…

"Denver came out of the jump, and we didn’t have to prompt them to offer me anything," Dawkins said. "They came out the jump just like this. Not quite where it is right now, but it was close to that. We didn’t have to ask for anything. This is what they came out with, wanting me there. They made it clear right away that I’m not a ‘want’ there, that I’m a necessity. They feel they need me here."
"I would say they opened my eyes right away that this was a business deal. That it wasn’t about me being who I am to the team. It was about my age, and it was a business decision. And that really hurt."

"I did not want to get to free agency," Dawkins said. "I’ve never gotten to free agency, I’ve never gone to free agency. I’ve had years in the past where I could have collected big bucks on the open market, but I did not want to get there. So why would I want to get there all of a sudden now on my last contract? I wanted to be an Eagle. And they denied that."

Both players "wanted" to play for their former teams…or so they said. However, who really wanted to stay aboard? If it doesn’t come across through the quotes, maybe it’ll register if presented in another fashion.

Jay Cutler

Brian Dawkins

Two completely different reactions. See if you can figure out which player wanted to be a part of his team. It shouldn’t be too hard. And remember, before you say Cutler had reasons for not wanting to be a Bronco, ask yourself, were those reasons generated by the Broncos organization itself or harbored in the mind of the quarterback himself?

Hopefully my point has made itself clear. No matter what else happens this offseason, Broncos fans should be honored to have a player with the sense of pride in and loyalty to the game of football that Brian Dawkins has.

I could go on and on about the leadership qualities I’ve read about and/or witnessed relating to number twenty-two, but I won’t. Instead I shall point out one more time how a player should carry himself. I will point out that Brian Dawkins is a leader and he comes at a time when the Broncos so desperately "need" one.

No, Dawkins may not have all that much left in the tank years’ wise, but he embodies the kind of character and positive example that players should follow for years to come. He’s the guy you want on your team. He’s also the guy that wants to be on your team.

Instead of the players Denver has lost, let’s think about the players the team has gained. Brian Dawkins may not be in Colorado for long, but his mentality and behavior should linger (not just in the NFL, but in all sports) for eternity. That’s what the Broncos are getting and that’s the kind of example that defines a TEAM.

So I say, let’s stop worrying about what the MSM wants us to worry about and stick to focusing on what we as fans know best: the TEAM. It’s June. Regular season football doesn’t begin until about three months from now. Remember, no matter what happens this offseason, we’ve still got the Broncos.

Broncos' VIRTUAL Rating? One word. Ouch.

phantom818 — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:57:24 -0000

Broncos' VIRTUAL Rating? One word. Ouch.

So, any fans of gaming out there will know that Madden 10 is coming out in August and this past week held the E3 Gaming Convention (during which M10 was showcased). Here are the bottom ten teams in the game at this point as far as overall ratings are concerned:

23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 74
24. San Francisco 49ers 73
25. Jacksonville Jaguars 71
26. Oakland Raiders 71
27. Denver Broncos 70
28. Kansas City Chiefs 69
29. Cleveland Browns 68
30. Cincinnati Bengals 67
31. St. Louis Rams 66
32. Detroit Lions 65

Remember, the ratings are of course subject to change based on how the season progresses. I know Madden and virtual ratings mean nothing, so I want to say that I am in no way using this as a realistic barometer of the Broncos. I just wanted to throw it out there and see what everyone thinks. (Extra Info: Denver was rated 84 at the release of Madden 09 - 17th in the league then. Of course a whole season and an off-season has happened since then and ratings may be factored differently.)

You can see the rest of the team ratings by visiting the link. Again, just information...wasn't trying to make a point or anything.

Denver Broncos - 8th Best Team of the Decade ... According to SI

phantom818 — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:23:35 -0000

Denver Broncos - 8th Best Team of the Decade ... According to SI

Don Banks has the Broncos in at number eight in his list of the top teams of the decade.

Remember this guy?

phantom818 — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:14:52 -0000

Remember this guy?

According to an ESPN Outside the Lines report, Travis Henry recently had two more children, now making him the father of 11 different kids with 10 different women. He also owes child support payments of $17,000 per month (which has subsequently put him in jail). The former Broncos running back is also facing federal charges of cocaine trafficking. How do you let something like this happen?

Oh well. At least Denver's done with him. Sad story for his kids though.

While everyone looks ahead, let's take a moment to step into the time machine and review the...

phantom818 — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 04:29:44 -0000

While everyone looks ahead, let's take a moment to step into the time machine and review the combine performance of a particular wide receiver from Virginia Tech University. In this slow season of 40-times and draft stocks it's good to have some comparative knowledge from the past, as well as videos like this to relive. A little nostalgia never hurt anyone.

Umm....yeah. Allowing the initial pass and flopping on the puck aside, do you guys honestly take...

phantom818 — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:38:49 -0000

Umm....yeah.
Allowing the initial pass and flopping on the puck aside, do you guys honestly take the penalty here instead? Tough call either way and Marty probably would have caught some flack if he had taken a delay, but at least a goal wouldn't have been scored immediately afterwards. Oh well. Still a good hockey game.

2009 Free Agents : Current Status

phantom818 — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:20:39 -0000

Free Agency. It’s not the only way to improve a team, but if done correctly, the addition of free agents can spark a championship run. In the case of the Denver Broncos, the team would be happy just to ignite a playoff run and free agents could eventually help do just that. Here at MHR, members have posted their own thoughts concerning possible free agent acquisitions. As a sample, I’ve taken seven free agent “primer” and “wish list” posts since January and compiled them into an MHR wish list of sorts. This list is not meant to be the “be all end all” in terms of possible free agents to the Broncos and may not even include everyone out there. Also, a seven-post sampling certainly does not represent the opinions of a vast community such as this. Take for granted that some of the posters may have left out names because they thought they were going to either be snatched up by another organization or franchised by their current team (like Julius Peppers). Some of the free agent lists included in this compilation also focused specifically on defense. Free agent running backs were discussed in only a few of the seven posts and quarterback back-up plans for Cutler were only mentioned in two. Players have been franchised, names have been eliminated, and now all we can do is wait till 12:01 am EST on Friday, February 27 for the NFL free agency period to officially begin.

With that said, let’s get to the current status of the 2009 Broncos free agent wish list.

In addition, here’s walter football’s succinct, often one line analysis (as of 02/19) of some of the popular players:

Derrick Ward, Giants. Age: 29. ****  Derrick Ward averaged 5.6 yards per carry this season and also caught 41 passes. However, his age makes him a risky multi-year signing for anyone. Also, Ward didn't carry the ball more than 20 times in any game in 2008.

Jonathan Vilma, Saints. Age: 27. ****  Jonathan Vilma was recently charged with reckless driving and resisting arrest. There was no alcohol, however, so at least we know that Vilma isn't auditioning to be Cedric Benson's disciple.   Vilma is probably a better fit for the Saints at weakside linebacker. Unfortunately, they can't re-sign him until the free-agency period begins, unless they want to cough up a first-round pick.

Bart Scott, Ravens. Age: 29. ***1/2  A really good linebacker or the product of a great Ravens system? No one can really be certain, but one thing's for sure - Bart Scott is really entertaining. Asked to compare Chris Johnson and LenDale White, Scott said, "Let's see: a fat guy and the fastest guy in the 40... Not fat. I'm sorry. Plump."

Yeremiah Bell, Dolphins. Age: 31. ***1/2  If it weren't for Yeremiah Bell, all hope would be lost in Miami's secondary. The only concern here is age, but a 3- or a 4-year deal would be fine.

Gabe Watson (RFA), Cardinals. Age: 25. ***  One of the many reasons Arizona was able to improve so much on defense throughout the year. The Cardinals can't afford to let Giant Gabe go anywhere.

Channing Crowder, Dolphins. Age: 25. ***  Channing Crowder is coming off a great season in which he recorded 113 tackles. However, he has bad knee history, and it's a bit concerning that his best year came in his contract season. Someone will likely overpay for him.

James Sanders, Patriots. Age: 25. ***  James Sanders has become a pretty reliable player in New England's secondary. At just 25 years old, Sanders looks like he has a bright future ahead of him.  

Dawan Landry (RFA), Ravens. Age: 26. ***  Dawan Landry recorded five interceptions as a rookie, but none since. However, he played in just two games this season because of a spinal cord concussion. In related news, Landry's spinal cord still thinks its name is "Batman."

Jim Leonhard, Ravens. Age: 26. **1/2  Jim Leonhard stepped in for an injured Dawan Landry and played remarkably well. Look for him to follow Rex Ryan to New York.

Mike Brown, Bears. Age: 31. *1/2  It's a shame, but it looks like Mike Brown's career is winding down. He was an incredible player when healthy, but he spent far too many weeks on injury reports. 

Again, some of the names mentioned once could very well be Broncos and may very well be better fits than those in two or more lists. This simple list also clearly does not include all viable free agents this off-season. This list is just meant to serve as a reference and talking point for the feelings of Bronco fans here at MHR.

Any key players not mentioned in those seven posts? Any players here you like? Feel free to discuss and post as always.

Panthers Take Peppers Off the Market

phantom818 — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:53:11 -0000

Panthers Take Peppers Off the Market

Panthers gave Gross a new six-year deal (with the biggest first three-year payout to an offensive lineman in NFL history), which paved the way for a Peppers tag.

Kubiak's questionable minicamp practices?

phantom818 — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:01:10 -0000

Kubiak's questionable minicamp practices?

A few players and a team front office member told ESPN that the Houston coach held contact, one-one-one blocking drills (without pads) during Texans' minicamp. The NFL's collective bargaining agreement specifies that such off-season practices are prohibited. Also, Kubiak ignored the wishes of players and player reps who wanted to stop the drills and continued anyway. Three players had suffered season ending injuries by the end of minicamp.

What do you guys think? Non-issue, issue, or unexpected?