Good evening TST, I'm primarily a Broncos maniac; however, the Rams are my #2 because my best buddy is a die-hard Rams fan and now they have Josh McD. I'm also very impressed by coach Spags and when Denver hired McD I had actually preferred Spags as the choice instead of McD at the time.

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So I'm starting to think some crazy thoughts about what is about to happen with the organization as far as coaching goes...I think what we see right now is what we get. Period. And, I'm not really upset or disappointed by that possibility.

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...smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection." 

Thomas Paine 1737-1809

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First off I would like to say R.I.P. Kenny Mckinley... 

Join me after the break for some thoughts on the upcoming battle against the colts.

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Drafting Tim Tebow is about more than winning on the football field.  Let's take a moment and look at the biggest benefit to the Denver Broncos organization from the aquisition of Tim Tebow.

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Kyle Orton traded to Buffalo for their picks 41 and 107.

Jimmy Clausen QB to Cleveland with pick 38 (this is why Buffalo trades for Orton)

Rodger Saffold OL to Denver with pick 41

Vladimir Ducasse OG to Denver with pick 45

Matt Tennant C to Denver with pick 80

More draft position jumps are likely depending on what's out there- anything's possible.

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"There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it."  Alfred Hitchcock

"Such is the state of life, that none are happy but by the anticipation of change: the change itself is nothing; when we have made it, the next wish is to change again."  Samuel Johnson

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The young man looked over the wreckage left behind, still haunted by the old man's ghost.  Carrying only his massive brass implements, the young man began to wade through the tall grass, careful not to lose footing, stepping over the old broken parts and the rattlesnakes they concealed.  He could see there was some value scattered around, like less-favored toys on a Christmas morning.  Just chaos, the workings of a man on the decline.  Living things were everywhere, the Grass greener than any the young man had ever seen- it didn't make sense- all the wreckage strewn about.  There had once been glory there, yet little evidence remained... except for that lush Grass, that exceptional lush green vibrant Grass.........

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Rip Van What the...  Oh boy, where's the ibuprofen?  8-8 again, REALLY????

Where the heck did I put my glasses......................?  Oh yeah, they must be somewhere behind the TV with my Broncos hat..... 

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This is just a theory, and wishful thinking maybe.  

Despite the use of several gadget plays lately, it seems like McD is employing a fairly predictable and vanilla offensive play calling strategy.  The defense seems to be playing in a similarly plain way as well.  Where are all the blitzes we saw earlier in the season.  It's like McD took his foot off the gas pedal. 

I'm thinking that there must be some method to what we're seeing on the field.  Did McD basically resign the team to a wildcard spot that has been well in his control?  After dropping the game to SD, did he see that as an opportunity to deceive his possible playoff opponents by slipping back into the shadows by keeping the film close to the vest?  Now that the game against the Eagles is basically a must win, will we see all the stops pulled out?

Something tells me that McD is smarter than what he's shown lately- I sure hope that's the case and not the alternative...  I just don't know what this team is right now, and maybe that's what McD wants heading into the playoffs...

Go Broncos!!

I kind of wanted to start a conversation on the running back situation- so here's a couple of questions/ statements to get it started.  I would love to hear everyone's thoughts as I'm quite sure that the running game is going to be a strong theme through the conclusion of our season in January and hopefully February...

This kid is getting better and better.  Buckhalter is the man, but Knowshon is due for a big day against the Colts.  I would love to see the kid rack up 180 on the ground on Sunday.

What does everyone think about the apparent switch back to the zone blocking schemes- and how does that match up against the Colts D-line?  Where are the running lanes gonna be against their line?   

Where does Hillis fit in?- my gut tells me that McDaniels has been saving him for some evil plot hatchery?

Are we going to see more of the 'Hochstein blocking packages' where he lined up as a jumbo TE?

How 'bout more Spencer Laarsen love?

"You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing for you."

-Walt Disney 

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"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment."

-Guatama Siddharta 563-483 B.C.

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The Rider blinks his eyes, and tries to reopen them without the blur of moisture that is ever-present when he moves at this speed.  The flats are brisk today and reflection of the sun off in the distant dry lake bed is blinding.  This, with the blurriness on account of the ripping wind under the tightly wrapped goggles, is making vision tenuous for the Rider.  

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...wipe that smirk off your face or we're gonna take that lightning bolt and stick where the sun don't shine!

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...when you get to wake up in the morning and realize you are not a Raiders fan.  Hey, I was depressed as anyone else about the game yesterday, but life is good and Happy Monday to my MHR freinds.

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This post is gonna ruffle some feathers, and that's okay.  This is just my opinion of what's going on, you're entitled you yours too... 

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...smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection." 

Thomas Paine 1737-1809

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Like Patriot missiles pointed at a lonely Scud; Bailey, Goodman, Law, Dawkins, and Hill stand at the ready.  Waiting for the tree-trunk known as Big Ben to get flushed from the pocket by DOOM, Denver's Legendary Secondary, has a combined 54 years of experience and 159 interceptions.  It hardly seems fair..  

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The US Army has a process called 'After Action Review' which is central to their efforts to be a learning and adapting organization.  The purpose of this process is to learn from history and not repeat the same mistakes- an important concept if you want to save lives on the battle field.  Please join me after the jump, this is going to get a little ... different...

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Hello MHR friends.  Last week I posted on Emotional Intelligence.  This week I would like to expand on that and discuss Amygdala Highjacking- something that plays a role in every football game.  I will explain.  

When the brain reacts to a sensation (sight, sound, touch, taste, or smell) there are several things that happen.  This begins with sensation, then that sensation information is relayed to the thalamus.  Basically, the thalamus is like a air-traffic controller, directing the information to the appropriate parts of the brain for most efficient handling.  Most often, the information is directed to the cortex, or the 'thinking brain' where the information is analyzed rationally, and then directed to the amygdala.  In the amygdala, peptides and hormones are released to create both emotion and action through the body.  When the sensation is sufficient to trigger adrenaline, as in the case of an emergency situation, the cortex is bypassed, and the raw information goes directly to the amygdala.  Bypassing the cortex allows the brain to react immediately, and in many cases, this can save lives. 

Bypassing the cortex has a drawback, an amygdala highjacking results.  The brain will force action based only on previously stored patterns.  So, depending on the experience of the brain, this can and does go very wrong at times.  This little drawback is the cause of many inappropriate responses, such as murder, assault, or destruction of property.

On the football field, amygdala highjackings result in penalties and errors which can mean the difference between winning and losing.  Josh McDaniels has the Broncos doing better over the past several weeks at avoiding penalties.  This is because the players are coached mentally and physically to develop patterns that support the appropriate response.   

The blame for penalties can be assigned to two different scenarios in the player's or coach's mind.  One type of penalty occurs when a normal brain process occurs with the cortex involved, the other occurs when an amygdala highjacking happens.

1. Encroachment.
2. Delay of game.
3. Illegal substitution.
4. Excessive time out(s).
5. Incidental grasp of facemask.
6. Neutral zone infraction.
7. Running into the kicker.
8. More than 11 players on the field at the snap.

Basically, these are the dumb little incidental things that happen.  This is because the player or coach is in a postion prior to the play where he is thinking about his actions and processing the most appropriate action.  Every player has a automatic mental checklist of what he will do on every play.  This checklist is improved through situational learning/ coaching- something Josh McDaniels has talked about.       

Examples of amygdala highjacking errors are:

1. Pass interference.
2. Holding, illegal use of hands, arms, or body by offense.
3. Tripping 
4. Illegal block above the waist.
5. Chop block.
6. Clipping below the waist.
7. Fair catch interference.
8. Illegal crackback block by offense.
9. Piling on.
10. Roughing the kicker.
11. Roughing the passer.
12. Twisting, turning, or pulling an opponent by the facemask.
13. Unnecessary roughness.
14. Unsportsmanlike conduct.
15. Taunting 

These are the more costly penalties that occur and are the result of players 'not thinking' aka amygdala highjackings.  These penalties can be eliminated through situational learning pattern development as well, and likely are much easier to prevent through that method.  This is because after repetition, the patterns are developed, and there is really no thinking involved.  When is the last time you remember seeing a Bronco commit one of these penalties? 

As the season goes on, the Broncos are improving on their overall penalty performance.  Over the past 3 games they have averaged only 4.3 penalties per game, despite committing 6 in baltimore.  View this chart from www.teamrankings.com

Rank	Team	2009	Last 3	Last 1	Home	Away	2008
1	Seattle (2-5)	3.9	4.3	6.0	3.8	4.0	4.9
2	Cleveland (1-7)	4.6	4.0	3.0	6.0	3.8	6.2
3	Jacksonville (3-4)	4.9	4.7	2.0	5.0	4.8	6.5
4	Minnesota (7-1)	5.1	5.7	3.0	4.7	5.4	5.5
5	Pittsburgh (5-2)	5.1	4.3	3.0	4.8	5.7	6.1
6	Houston (5-3)	5.4	6.3	5.0	4.8	6.0	5.0
7	New England (5-2)	5.4	6.7	10.0	3.2	8.3	3.6
7	Atlanta (4-3)	5.4	4.3	4.0	5.3	5.5	4.6
9	Denver (6-1)	5.6	4.3	6.0	6.0	5.2	4.4

Josh McDaniels' approach to player and team development centers around emotional intelligence.  The amygdala, or rather the amygdala's use of the brain's experience patterns, is a key component of EI.  In order for us to see improvement it is critical that we have players and coaches with high EI.  As you know, we do have that in McDaniels and those he has chosen to surround himself with.  There are several obvious things that must be done correctly in order to consistently win in the NFL.  As several other MHR members have pointed out previously, penalties, field position and turnovers, and time of posession are very important factors.  Unfortunately, these items are not simple to address.  That is why only the best at coaching and executing can win with regularity.  Look for there to be vast improvement in the 'cortex' related penalties as McDaniels continues to work his methods. 

Despite our setback in Baltimore, you will begin to see more evidence of EI and the role it will play as McDaniels builds a team beyond any of our reasonable expectations.  Maybe we won't win the Super Bowl this year, or next, but I guarantee it is coming and will keep on coming as long as McDaniels is with us.   

Thank you McGenious, and GO BRONCOS!!!   

Having observed Josh McDaniels' interactions with the media and with his staff and players on the sidelines, I have realized that he is one of the most emotionally intelligent leaders I've ever seen.  If you are not familiar with the term 'Emotional Intelligence' (or EI as I will refer to it from here on) here is a very basic definition:

The awareness of and ability to manage one's emotions in a healthy and productive manner.

EI is a relatively new area of study, in fact, it has only been recognized as a term and studied in depth since the early 1990's.  If you are interested in digging deeper on the subject, I suggest reading the work of Mayer, Salovey, Cobb, and Caruso.

Bringing the subject back around to Coach McDaniels and the Broncos

It is fairly obvious to anyone who has paid attention that McDaniels doesn't exactly fit the mold of your standard NFL coach.  It has nothing to do with his age.  To outsiders, on the surface he appears to be aloof or arrogant; however, if you ask anyone on the inside who really has looked the man in the eye, I'm sure they would tell you there is something more under the surface.  McDaniels' leadership core is based on his extraordinary EI. 

Looking at the basic definition of EI, you might say 'okay, so he's aware of his emotions and can manage them in a healthy way.'  Well, that isn't the whole story- McDaniels isn't only keyed in on his own emotions, he has an innate ability to read the emotions of those around him.  Further, he knows exactly how to work with people on an interpersonal level to get the very best out of them.  This is why the media has been so very wrong about McDaniels- they have based everything they've said on the surface observations they've had access to.

Player after player, pundit after pundit- their perceptions of McDaniels change immediately after they have met McDaniels in person.  I've never met McDaniels, but look at the record.  Players have admitted they had negative preconceptions of McDaniels, yet after they met the Coach, they are 100% behind the man.  Obviously, when you meet any leader worth his/her salt in person and you will come away with an understanding of why that person is a leader.  McDaniels appears to far exceed that basic level.  Look what happened with Brandon Marshall after McDaniels finally broke through to him.  I predict that Marshall will be one of the most loyal players McDaniels will have in the long run.  Marshall himself is very strong-willed/ yound and immature, but McDaniels recognized he could eventually reach him, thereby forming the strongest of bonds.  

McDaniels' EI is such that he has been able to perfectly identify the players who he can effectively reach on an EI level.  He removed those players who he could not reach (Jay Cutler.)  Many of his players are above average EI as well.  Kyle Orton and Brian Dawkins stand out.  You might say, 'Brian Dawkins, are you crazy?  He's a maniac all over the field and certainly doesn't seem to be in control of his emotions!'  Well, actually, Brian Dawkins is a maniac on the field, but he effectively uses his emotions to lead the entire defense on the field like no other.  Think about it.  Look at Kyle Orton, when faced with the daunting task of driving his team down the field for a second 90+ yard 4th quarter drive in order to win the game, he embraced his own emotions, recognized the emotions of his teamates, cracked a joke and went on a calm Sunday drive to win the game.  Also, I love that McDaniels shows his emotions on the sidelines.  Don't think for a minute that he lost control when he pumped his fist 4 times while screaming his bloody head off- there was more to it than that. 

McDaniels has EI at the core of everything he does.  Mr. Bowlen could see that when he hired him.  I believe that Shanahan was the greatest coach in Broncos history; however, he fell short of creating a dynasty in Denver.  I never got the sense that Shanahan was high EI.  It is for this reason, I believe McDaniels has a good shot at breaking records in Denver. 

EI-that's why you can call him McGenious 

Hello everyone.  I've been engaged in some spirited debate over on the ravensbeatdown site.  I am convinced that the McBroncos are on to something special on the defensive side of the ball.  Not to say the offense is a slouch or special teams can't be great.  I'm just excited about our 'D' for the first time in many years.

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Hello there Baltimore.  I would like to point out some things that make a case for a valid comparison between the Broncos of 2009 and the Ravens of 2000.  It is not my intention to troll here, I genuinely would like to hear what you all think of this:

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Hello there everyone.  I am a homer and this is my first attempt at a fanpost, just so you all know.  That said, I would like to point out some stats that compare the 2000 Ravens Championship team to our 2009 Broncos.  More after the jump... 

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