Bleacher Report - Denver

Peter Budaj: The Forgotten Man in Colorado

James Crider — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:33:48 -0500

A year ago, Peter Budaj was the talk of the Colorado Avalanche. With Jose Theodore departed through free agency, would Budaj be able to rise up as the Avalanche's starting net minder of the future?

No, he wouldn't.

Budaj, like most of the players on the team, struggled greatly. He finished the season with a career high 55 starts, but also had a career high in losses as he posted a 20-29-5 record.

His 0.899 save percentage ranked 27th among starters.

Last offseason, it was speculated that the Avalanche would break ties with Budaj, but they surprisingly gave him a $450,000 raise by signing him to a one-year, $1.25 million contract.

With Craig Anderson only making $1.5 million this year, many speculated that while Anderson was the clear starting goaltender, Budaj would get involved in 25-35 games.

Instead, Budaj has sat and watched as Anderson has started 27 of 29 games, on pace to start 76 games, a number that would shatter Patrick Roy's franchise mark of 65.

Part of the reason for Budaj's lack of playing time is the fact that he came down with the H1N1 flu early in the season, causing him to miss several games.

But that only covers the month of October. Budaj was available all of November, and Sacco only choose to start him in two games—ten times less than the amount of starts he had a year ago at this time.

The results of those starts were mixed. Budaj played well in his win against Phoenix, turning aside 28 shots in a 4-1 win, but struggled against Edmonton, where he let in several soft goals en route to a 6-4 third period meltdown loss.

Unfortunately for Budaj, he'll also pick up the overtime loss in tonight's game, even though he didn't face a non-shootout shot.

With Colorado playing the second of a back-to-back tomorrow night in Pittsburgh and Anderson possibly hurt after being run by Keith Ballard, the ball is in Budaj's court. He can either come out with a big road win against the defending Stanley Cup champions, or he can fall flat on his face and further cement Joe Sacco's policy of starting Anderson every game.

In this writer's opinion, Peter Budaj was the biggest reason for the last place finish a year ago. If he would have even given average goaltending, the Avalanche could have been alot more competitive than they ended up being.

That said, he's still better than alot of goalies in the NHL, and is a more than competent backup. But he needs to be given a chance to prove it.

Craig Anderson set a career high in starts with 27 last year, and he's already tied that number well before the halfway point of the season. His recent play indicates he's exhausted, and if he sustains a serious injury due to over use, the Avalanche's season is over.

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

Huston Street, Colorado Rockies Far Apart on a Contract?

Adam Bernacchio — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:22:23 -0500

According to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney, the Colorado Rockies and closer Huston Street are far apart on a contract extension. Street is a free agent at the end of the 2010 season.

Olney is hearing that Street’s camp is asking for a three-year deal in the neighborhood of $24 million.

If the Rockies and Street can’t come to an agreement, they would consider trading Street at the 2010 trading deadline in July.

There are a couple of elements to this, so let’s take a look at each one individually.

First, I don’t think Street’s camp is asking for anything outlandish. Three years and $24 million for a pitcher like Street is not like signing Carlos Silva to a four-year, $48 million contract.

According to Fangraphs, Street pitched like a $7 million pitcher for the Rockies in 2009. That year, Street’s actual salary was $4.5 million, so asking for $8 million a year is a very reasonable demand.

Also consider that Billy Wagner, at 39, just got a $7 million contract from the Atlanta Braves, and Trevor Hoffman, at 42, received an $8 million contract from the Milwaukee Brewers.

Street is still only 26 years old and should be entering the prime of his career.

Second, let’s say the Rockies and Street don’t come to an agreement.

Are they really going to trade him in July if they are in the middle of a pennant race? That would be an extremely tough call for GM Dan O’Dowd.

I fully expect the Rockies to be a contender in 2010, so that will be interesting.

Obviously, if the Rockies are not in contention, then trading Street becomes a lot easier.

Third, I wonder if O’Dowd wants to see Street have two good years in a row before he looks to sign him to an extension.

Street has a 2.55 ERA in odd years and a 3.52 ERA in even years. If history stands true, then Street should have a down year in 2010.

Lastly, if Street leaves in July or at the end of next year, who will be the Rockies closer going forward?

I might be good at predictions, but even I don’t have the answer to that one. The Rockies don’t have a suitable replacement on their roster as of right now.

One name I would look out for in the future would be Rex Brothers.

Brothers was one of two first-round picks for the Rockies in 2009 and is being groomed as the closer of the future. In his first year of minor league ball in 2009, Brothers struck out 11.8 batters per nine innings and had a 1.13 WHIP in 17 games—all in relief.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

Week 13: NFL Picks & Predictions

Daymon Johnson — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:19:05 -0500

I pick 'em every week and have for years. This season, I’ve been doing most of my picks right here on bleacherreport.com and also over at my site sports-uncut.com. Going into last week (12), I was a solid if unspectacular 114-46, good for a 72.5 percent accuracy rate. Last season was my personal best of right at 80%. This year, I'm looking to improve upon that, but these 10-6 weeks are killing me, and I gotta get at least 11 wins this week! Maybe I should pick Denver huh? This week, there is only one game on Thursday, as opposed to last week when there were 3. Which leads me to mentioning that I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving with your families and friends! I know I did, however, I do what I always say I won’t, and that’s over eat to the point of being miserable! Damn Pumpkin Pie…… Anyway, this week’s Thursday night game pits the New York Jets at Buffalo in what’s sure to be a barn burner….. the good news is that there are some decent games this week, nothing really great, but some decent games aside from the dud on Thursday. As always, I’m not picking the spread here folks; I’m picking the straight-up winner. Record: Record from Two Weeks Previous (11): 11-4 Record from Last Week (12): 10-6 Record coming into Week 13: 124 - 52 (70.4 percent) Now that the records are out of the way, let's get right to it!

Begin Slideshow

Nuggets-Warriors: Denver Answers the Bell Against Golden State

Courtzide Seatz — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:26:49 -0500

As the third quarter of Tuesday night's game against the Golden State Warriors began, Nuggets fans had to be holding their collective breath.

The situation seemed all too familiar—up by 14 at half against an opponent who really had no business even being that close. Having scored at least 40 points in a single quarter in the first half, Denver entered the third quarter where they struggled so mightily on Sunday night against the Timberwolves.

It was almost as if the gods of basketball karma were testing the Nuggets resolve and resiliency to see if they had truly learned their lesson.

And apparently they did.

The Nuggets did not fall prey to their own peril on this night however. What they lacked in intensity against the Timberwolves on Sunday, they made up for in the third quarter against the Warriors.

There was no let down. There were no lapses in concentration. There was no sense that the Nuggets thought this game was already in the bag.

In fact, what came to be on the court Tuesday night, and especially in the third quarter, was perhaps the Nuggets finest example of all around team play on display so far this season.

Despite taking nearly an identical number of shots from the floor (Denver took 95 and Golden State 94), the Nuggets doubled the Warriors assist total with 30 for the night. This speaks volumes to the quality of shots they were getting, and they did so by staying active and getting everyone involved. In fact, every single player for the Nuggets scored at least four points.

Carmelo Anthony continued to impress with 25 points on the night, and Chauncey Billups seems to finally be getting his legs under him adding 22 points and 8 assists of his own.

Nene was a beast all night (18 points,12 rebounds, 2 blocks) and Chris "Birdman" Anderson had perhaps his strongest performance of the season (14 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks). Both were a huge factor in the Nuggets dominance on the boards, out-rebounding the Warriors 57-33.

Arguably the most valuable performance of the night came from rookie Ty Lawson. His impact cannot be seen as much in his numbers (13 points, five rebounds, five assists) as it can in his contagious energy and his command over the tempo of the game. He has been a catalyst for this Nuggets team time after time this season, and his influence tonight should not go unnoticed.

This win, while impressive, should not pacify all concerns that arose from their lackluster performance the other night against a bad Timberwolves team. I am still apprehensive about our lack of intensity and focus at times, but I'm hoping Sunday's loss can be used as fuel for their fire as the season progresses.

It sure worked tonight as the Nuggets bounced back to the victory column in impressive fashion.

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

Nuggets' Huge Loss to Timberwolves Should Be a Learning Experience

Rich Kurtzman — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:23:02 -0500

One of the most unimaginable things happened in sports last night.

The Northwest Division-leading Nuggets (12-5) lost to the cellar-dwelling Timberwolves (2-15), a team that had previously won only a single game—their season opener.

Since then, the bunch of players that only resembles an NBA team in Minnesota lost 15 straight games, including a 124-111 drubbing by Denver only five days ago.

Much was different for Minnesota Sunday, as the T’Wolves hung tough throughout the entire game, even after Carmelo Anthony scored 19 in the first quarter and the Nuggets were up 40-25.

George Karl put in the second unit for almost the entire second quarter, with four backups (Smith, Andersen, Lawson, and Graham) and either Kenyon Martin or Nene. While the backups didn’t do horribly, playing Melo for even four minutes could have made the game a runaway before half.

The other problem with playing the B-squad for the total second period was that it sent the wrong message to the whole team.

Karl basically told his team, “We have this game in the bag. We’re going to win and we don’t even need Melo to do it.”

Coming back from half, Denver led by 14, but not even the starting unit could hold back a Minnesota team that played better that night than they had all season. The Timberwolves went on a 14-0 run, and the Nuggets couldn’t answer against a much inferior team.

Minnesota’s Damien Wilkins said after the game, “Being down 14 to Denver, for us that was like being down three. We came into the locker room and were like, 'They'll let us back in it with the way they play.' They're known as a team that will relax sometimes.”

The Nuggets further proved that perception post-half as Denver took jumper after jumper, including a wildly high 24 three-pointers on the night.

After Minnesota out-scored Denver 31-12 in the third quarter, the game was basically over for the Nuggets because their fight wasn’t enough to overcome and pull out the victory.

Everyone in the Nuggets starting lineup played lackadaisically in the second half. There was no movement in the offense and almost no passing. Denver had an awesome 19 assists in the first half, but only four in the second as the offense essentially came to a halt.

But then again, was it unthinkable—or just another game in the NBA?

I mean, sure the Nuggets were supposed to win and it was a big-time loss on their end, but it’s not time to push the panic button if you’re a Nuggets fan. This is a chance for the team to learn.

In the post-game press conference, Karl was upset about his players’ effort, saying, “The playing-hard thing is driving me crazy. Tell me my play-hard (lineup), tell me five guys I can put on the court to play hard every possession ? I had it last year. I don't have a play-hard team this year, and it's making me very angry.”

Karl not only pushed the onus of the loss onto his players, he failed to mention that he was part of the reason the Nuggets lost to the T’Wolves.

Anthony was astounding in the first quarter, yet he couldn’t help widen Denver’s lead from the bench. Karl could have at least sent in Chauncey Billups to be the court general and make players run, or force the issue himself.

Billups addressed Karl’s comments today, saying, “When we play teams that are not very good, it's tough to play the whole 48 minutes when you’re up 14, 15, 17, 18, 19 points. It's tough. I don't care what no coach or no player says. I know that it's tough. George knows that he's got a play-hard basketball team. We embarrassed ourselves. It's not been very consistent through these last five or six games. That's something we have to keep our finger on and get better.”

The asset of veteran Chauncey Billups is that he understands what Karl is trying to do, and realizes it’s an opportunity to improve.

Karl is trying to make a point to an overconfident team that they have to perform at a much higher level and Billups agrees. He also commented today, “I don’t think it’s written enough that we’re somewhat a young team. I don’t know if we’re a championship mentality yet.”

The Nuggets should also take this opportunity to learn that if they want to compete for a championship, they have to play at a championship level night-in, night-out. No more playing down to sorry opponents, (losses to the Clippers, Bucks, and a close win over the Bulls) no more being cocky and thinking they can just walk back to the Western Conference Finals.

Karl warned about the team being too confident coming into training camp, and that theme seems to have continued to this point.

If Denver can learn from this game and attempt to play more consistently as a team, they could be that championship contender they are striving to be. If not, they will likely be bounced from the first round of the playoffs like they were from 2003-08.

Learn young Nuggets, learn.

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

2010 Colorado Commitments react to Hawkins' retention

Stuart Whitehair — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:27:30 -0500

The first verbal commitment the Buffs received for the 2010 recruiting class came back in April, when Danny Spond, a four-star quarterback/linebacker/tight end prospect from Littleton committed to play in Boulder.

This past weekend, though, Spond re-opened his recruitment. “Before the season, I just had such high hopes for Colorado,” Spond told BuffStampede.com . “Just with the season they had, it has kind of changed a lot of my thinking.” While Spond did not rule out Colorado as an option, he will be taking other official visits, with Stanford considered to be a leading contender. “I want to go to a program that is fundamentally sound and ready to win,” said Spond.

Ouch.

This is just the sort of sentiment many of us thought would permeate through the 2010 recruiting cycle. Colorado is on a down cycle, Dan Hawkins is a lame duck, and there is no sense of where Colorado will be in four to five years.

But…

Another four-star Colorado high school prospect from Littleton, running back Mister Jones, is not backing away from his commitment. “I am still committed to Colorado,” Jones told BuffStampede.com . “All around it is a perfect school for me, and it is close to home.” Jones, despite a good G.P.A. and a decent ACT score, still has some work to do in the classroom to qualify, and plans to skip running track in the spring to get through all of his classes.

And then there is…

Three-star defensive end prospect Chidera Uzo-Diribe, from Corona, California, has been a “soft verbal” for Colorado since September, but firmed up his decision this past weekend. “Knowing that Coach Hawk will be back really solidified my decision,” Uzo-Diribe told BuffStampede.com . “I have decided not to take any more trips. I really feel comfortable in my decision right now.”

So, there you have it. The decision to retain Dan Hawkins for a fifth year has made different impressions upon different players.

Stay tuned; there are still 10-12 commitments out there to get to complete the 2010 class.

(This weekend, an in-depth look at the quarterbacks, the present roster, incoming recruits, and those still being courted by CU.)

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

The Denver Nuggets: A Dangerous Team with Dangerous Tendencies

Courtzide Seatz — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:15:09 -0500

Sunday night’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves exemplified everything good and bad about the Denver Nuggets.

In the first half, they were high octane, frenzied, and hitting on all cylinders. They dropped 40 in the first quarter alone, with Carmelo seemingly on his way to another 50 point performance with 19 points in the quarter.

The Nuggets entered halftime with a 14 point lead and seemed to be on cruise control, but that is exactly where their problem always starts and ends.

They started the third quarter with the mindset that they already had the game in hand, and their performance reflected this attitude. They came out lackadaisical and played uninspired basketball allowing the Timberwolves to score the first 14 points of the quarter to tie the game.

The Nuggets were ultimately outscored 31-12 in the third quarter, giving the Timberwolves a five point lead entering the fourth quarter.

This apathetic play has been far too prominent throughout the early part of this season. Usually, it comes earlier in the game, and they bounced back to come out on top, but living dangerously like that will come back to haunt them as the season progresses, as it did last night.

This was by far the most disappointing performance of the season, and arguably in the last two years. The Nuggets are displaying the symptoms of a team without leadership and at times look like they are playing without any heart whatsoever.

Whatever magic Chauncey Billups inspired last year has seemingly lost its novelty and luster on his teammates and the Nuggets often look like they are at a complete loss for leadership on the court.

George Karl could not contain his anger and disappointment during a postgame interview.

'Tell me the five guys I put out there on the court to play hard every possession," said Karl. "Tell me it. I had it last year. I had a play-hard team last year. I don't have a play-hard team this year. And it's making me very angry."

Despite his obvious anger, much of the blame should actually be attributed directly to Karl. During the 14—0 Timberwolves run to start the third quarter, Karl went without a timeout to slow the momentum and kept his inept lineup in the game despite their obvious struggles and lack of effort. He also had Carmelo on the bench nearly the entire second quarter when the Nuggets could have put this game out of reach.

Too often, the Nuggets have relapsed into being the team they were two seasons ago, unmotivated and stagnant on defense. I must have seen Nene single handedly allow 10 baskets without so much as an outstretched hand.

Expectations aren't the same for this Nuggets team as they were two years ago, and this type of performance is no longer acceptable. You might look at their record and think that they have been a better team than they actually are.

Yes—they have three terrible losses to the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, and the Minnesota Timberwolves—but there are also countless other games in which they have displayed half—hearted emotion for at least half of the game, and were lucky to come out on top.

So, this my plea to coach Karl, to Chauncey Billups, to Carmelo Anthony to any other Nuggets player with the cojones to show some testicular fortitude. Please, please, please do not allow another subpar effort to damage this team's potential.

You are too good, and our expectations are too high. We will not accept your lack of emotion, or your passive defense. We will not stand for your heartless performances or your apathetic attitude. You have to show some guts and you have to do it now. Losses like this will come back to haunt you, and another disappointment will not be tolerated.

Show Golden State what you are made of. Win by 30. Keep all of your starters in until the buzzer. Let's get our swagger back.

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

Denver Broncos' Remaining AFC West Games Will Make or Break Season

Jesse Schaffer — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:17:19 -0500

We are 11 games into the NFL season and the Broncos still haven't figured out if they are Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde.

They get crushed in their own backyard by the Chargers only to bounce back on four days rest and roll against the Giants. It seems that they can't decide whether they are playoff contenders or pretenders. Maybe they just love driving their fans crazy.

Certain people, myself included, thought Kyle Orton wasn't anything special at quarterback, yet the Broncos passing game completely fell apart when he was out with an ankle injury. We were sure the offensive line was one of the league's best, only to see the protection break down when Ryan Harris got hurt and Ben Hamilton become a shell of his former self.

Oh well, at least no one on the team has suffered a concussion yet (knock on wood).

One thing I've learned to expect from the maddeningly inconsistent Broncos is to never know what to expect. I have no idea how their season will finish out and you're lying through your teeth if you think otherwise.

At 7-4, the Broncos are a game behind the Chargers in the division. They'll chase them as valiantly as Wile E. Coyote chases the Road Runner. The problem with that is Wile E. never catches the Road Runner, he just gets mangled and embarrassed.

Looks like a fourth straight division title goes to San Diego, and yet they still have issues with local television blackouts. Why does no one go to see that team play?

On the other hand, Denver is at the top of the wild card race and Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Houston, and Miami all lost yesterday. However, the way things are shaping up a 9-7 finish probably won't be enough to make the playoffs, so the Broncos have to find a way to prevail in at least three of their five remaining games, which are at Kansas City, at Indianapolis, vs. Oakland, at Philadelphia, and vs. Kansas City.

No matter how bad the Chiefs are, Arrowhead Stadium has never been a kind place to the Broncos. Not to John Elway and certainly not to Mike Shanahan. The place is like a Broncos torture chamber.

However, it hasn't exactly been a banner year for the Chiefs, and Orton and Co. has been through enough adversity. I say they gut it out and Josh McDaniels finds out just how hard it is to win in Kansas City.

If Arrowhead Stadium has been Denver's torture chamber, then Peyton Manning has been their executioner. You may think that title belongs to Phillip Rivers, but Eli's big brother started owning them before Rivers was even drafted.

Since 2003, Manning is 4-2 against the Broncos (the Colts starters played only the first quarter in one of those losses) and has thrown 15 touchdowns to only one interception. In that span, Indy has outscored Denver 193 to 149. Oh yeah, and the Colts are 11-0 so far this season.

Still think the Broncos are going to win that game? Neither do I.

Assuming that Manning doesn't kill the whole team before they board the plane, it's back to Denver for a showdown with the pitiful Raiders. I would feel really good about this game if those same pitiful Raiders hadn't stunned the Broncos at home last season.

However, its a well known scientific fact that the only thing that doesn't strike twice in the same place other than lightening is a Raiders victory. Wait for it, wait for it...Well, I had to get my cheap shot against Oakland in here somewhere. Regardless, chalk a "W" up for Denver.

On to Philadelphia, where this game will likely mean as much to the Eagles as it will to the Broncos, and for more than one reason. My biggest question is not in regards to the outcome of the game, but rather how Brian Dawkins will be received by the Philly faithful as a member of the other team. This is equivalent to Steve Atwater returning to Denver in a Jets uniform.

My take? Eagles' fans are infamously ruthless and ferociously loyal when it comes to their team, but I can't see them turning their backs on Dawkins after everything he did for them. They won't be nearly as kind to the other Broncos, and unfortunately neither will the Eagles, who seem to always play their best football in December and January.

At last, the roller coaster comes to a stop in the season finale against the Chiefs. As much as the Broncos struggle in Kansas City, the Chiefs struggle just as much in Denver, where they are winless since 2000. If the playoffs are on the line for the Broncos in this game, I seriously doubt that Matt Cassel and Todd Haley will be able to break that slump.

If things go the way I see them (they probably won't), and if I am as smart as I think I am (I'm not), this means that to get to 10 wins, the Broncos can't lose any of their remaining games against the division. Victories against the Colts or Eagles are possible, but highly unlikely—especially against the Colts.

The Chiefs and Raiders have long been out of the playoff race, but they would love nothing more than to spoil it for the Broncos as well and that's what scares me.

The only question remaining is which Denver team will show up to play these final five games, Jekyll or Hyde?

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

Brett Favre Proving that the Elway and Montana Principles Do Hold True

Chaz Mattson — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:52:03 -0500

Considering all the great quarterbacks in NFL history, without a doubt, Brett Favre has proven that he is among the best.

He sits along the legends of the NFL lore in John Elway, Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Roger Staubach, Terry Bradshaw, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady.

Say what you will, Cheesehead Nation, you never wanted to see a No. 4 FAVRE jersey come into the frozen tundra in any other color scheme but the Packers' gold and green.

Unfortunately you, the franchise owners, and the front office let it happen. It was during that time period that a few key ideologies, theories, and principals about how to handle such situations became the center of great debate nationwide on sports talk shows.

The questions surrounding Brett Favre had to do with his offseason attitude and questions about his desire. On the Packers' front, it was complicated to say the least; but it had more to do with building for the future than the present.

Certainly, since Favre beat the Packers twice this season with the arch rival Minnesota Vikings and his new team appears primed and ready to make a deep playoff run...one which will in all likelihood have them playing in the NFC Championship and possibly in the Super Bowl.

The whole debacle and fallout between the Packers and Favre is not unique in and of itself. However, it did cover a lot of ground. With that, it’s really time to get a clear pulse on the dynamic of what happened between Favre and the Packers.

At the end of the day, any way you slice and dice the data, the Packers and their fans only have themselves to blame for letting Brett Favre go. Moreover, and most damaging, they instigated it with not allowing him back to camp and with the eventual trade.

It's an emotional issue but one that is worth looking at on a deeper level.

So by now it’s fair to ask what exactly is the Elway Principle and how does it apply to Brett Favre?

Explaining the Elway Principle

In a sense the Elway Principle is the explanation of a dynamic that does exist and is unique to professional football.

The Elway Principal is simply this: A franchise quarterback is retained by the franchise for the greater good of the team and the player with the ultimate goal of a Super Bowl Championship in mind.

In the case of John Elway, it took the intervention of owner Pat Bowlen to keep a trade of Elway from Denver to Washington from happening.

Dan Reeves was later fired in part because of his decision to seek a new quarterback. Reeves drafted Tommy Maddox out of UCLA as Elway’s possible replacement in the early 1990s.

The Elway Principle is somewhat sympathetic on both sides.

Don’t misunderstand it however. It’s not entirely empathetic.

When applying the rule to Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers, the direct comparison can and should be made between John Elway and the Denver Broncos because there are parallels that exist in how each franchise handled their business.

In the Broncos' case they knew they had a franchise quarterback who was heading into the sunset of his career.

By 1990, John Elway had played in three Super Bowls while his team suffered blowouts in each of the big games. Denver became one of the best teams in the NFL during that time period, but could not win the big game.

Something very unique happened to the Broncos franchise at that time, a time when free agency played a major role in the NFL.

Both Elway and the Broncos stuck with one another through challenging setbacks and time periods. Elway and the Broncos showed noticeable signs of falling into mediocrity and there was the trade that never was and never should have even been a discussion.

The Broncos could have given up on Elway in the early 1990s when Dan Reeves had a personal rift with Elway and Mike Shanahan over play calling. In many ways, Dan was reaching a burnout point over the shortcomings of his Broncos teams in the Super Bowls.

The loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIV was devastating and forced major changes on a team that went to the Super Bowl three out of four seasons but lost to the 49ers 55-10 in the big game.

The Broncos, however, became yesterday’s news as they went 0-3 in the big dance while the Buffalo Bills hit their stride and reached four consecutive Super Bowls from the AFC.

The Bills' fate was no better, as they went 0-4 in those games, as the NFC was dominating football at the time with the emergence of the retooled Dallas Cowboys.

Broncos’ owner Pat Bowlen ensured that despite these hardships, John Elway stayed in Denver and never landed in Washington, as Reeves was proposing at the time.

Pat Bowlen showed Dan Reeves the door after the 1992 season and eventually got his man Mike Shanahan to return to Denver and lead his football franchise in 1995.

The Broncos had been through two mediocre seasons under Wade Phillips and the first one under Mike Shanahan. Then the Broncos had a devastating playoff loss to Jacksonville in 1996 after the team filled so many high expectations.

It was one loss that still stings the franchise, especially when you consider they could have possibly had a three-peat, something that has never been done in the Super Bowl era.

The Broncos were the clear favorite in the AFC and had a memorable blowout victory at New England, the eventual 1996 AFC Champion during the regular season.

Consider the fact that during the following season of John Elway’s career he tore a bicep tendon in a pre-season game in Mexico in 1997 against the Miami Dolphins.

That was the same season John Elway made his now-legendary helicopter leap to decisively tell his team they were going to beat Brett Favre’s Green Bay Packers team in Super Bowl XXXII.

The Pack were the defending champions and Elway on that one play began to drive the dagger through the hearts of the Green Bay faithful as he came crashing to earth for a first down.

That play and that Super Bowl matchup might not have happened if the Broncos had given up on John Elway. The key note here is that John Elway and Denver stuck it out together during Elway’s 15^th season.

In Green Bay there is a clear distinction that must be made. Brett Favre was being forced out by the Packers management and head coach who wanted to endorse the draft pick of Aaron Rodgers, who was picked four seasons previously.

So when he retired at the time, he was being forced out. Then Brett decided he had something to prove since he later felt he could still play and still wanted to play.

By that time, the concessions being made by the Packers were nil and none. They were sticking with Aaron Rodgers.

Here is the flaw of that argument: Aaron Rodgers is not Brett Favre either in athletic ability or in star talent. It’s very possible that Aaron Rodgers may never even reach the Super Bowl.

Now think about that for a moment and consider the argument thus far.

John Elway had the type of injury that could have kept him from playing the 1997 season. He could have been on the IR and not the championship platform hoisting the Super Bowl XXXII trophy above his head.

It still seems peculiar at best to think that the Green Bay Packers were ready to part with Brett Favre before he was really ready to part ways with them. It’s not like Brett Favre really ever had an Elway like injury holding him back at the time either.

So what was holding them back?

It’s a simple answer, but a complicated formula that causes blindness in business and athletics.

It’s called pride. Its best friend is ego, who, for the record, is also blind.

The Packers management did what many management groups do. They took control of the situation with their power and their money, but they failed to do what people are generally paid big dollars for: making the right decision.

The same sort of actions that got Dan Reeves fired in Denver would most likely be the fate of current Packers coach Mike McCarthy if only it was his decision alone to part ways with Brett Favre. The fact of the matter is that it was not.

Mark Murphy, President and CEO of the Packers, along with G.M. and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson led the charge with McCarthy against Favre.

Make no mistake; this was an all-systems-go charge against their former NFL MVP and future Hall of Famer.

The Packers offered Brett Favre over $20 million to never play professional football again shortly after he was banned from the facility and team activities.

Brett Favre has made less actually playing for the Jets and the Vikings, but he did prove his point this year to the Packers twice, once at hallowed Lambeau Field.

This is the pivotal piece defining the Elway Principle.

There is no way, none whatsoever that the Broncos fans or owner were willing to part ways with John Elway. It was part of the understanding through trials and shortcomings in the playoffs that the franchise owed John time and space to work towards coming back for the next season late in his career.

There was no political maneuvering. No conspiracy. No collusive change management policy designed to oust a longtime veteran, star power and all.

Absent in Denver was the future franchise quarterback. Up until the very end of Elway’s career the Broncos had the likes of Bubby Brister and Brian Griese ready to go, but neither could be considered seriously as filling Elway’s shoes.

Even if John Elway retired and later decided to come back, the Broncos' franchise would have allowed it to happen. They would have made concessions based on his ability and leadership.

This is the thing the Broncos figured out that the Packers somehow could not.

For whatever reason the Green Bay Packers failed to recognize those attributes in Brett Favre.

The Packers drafted Aaron Rodgers in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. It was at that time the team started looking ahead, little did the fan base actually know they were seeking a successor to actually oust Brett Favre.

Had it been sold to the fans that way then an absolute uproar would have taken place, even in the depths of the Packers' mediocrity at the time.

Brett Favre was respectable in 2005, just as he played more than respectably his last year in Green Bay, leading them to the NFC Championship in 2007.

Brett showed his mettle last season after his trade to New York in helping the Jets be one of the best teams in the AFC in 2008 until their late-season collapse.

The Jets implosion was bigger than Brett Favre, but he was partially to blame for his poor play and arm injuries that weren’t entirely disclosed or known at the time.

Then came the 2009 season, one in which Brett Favre was in Minnesota Vikings camp for only a short time before taking the reins and with them a total change in the mindset of a football franchise.

There was a great deal of fear and excitement among the Vikings fans and coaching staff.

Head Coach Brad Childress is now virtually married to that decision; to bring Brett to Minnesota even after wavering with the Vikings could have been career suicide for the coach. So far it’s been paying huge dividends on the 2009 season with the Vikings at 10-1.

Explaining the Montana Principle

This brings to mind another situation it’s called The Montana Principle, named after San Francisco legend Joe Montana who won four championships with his 49er teams and was later traded to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Montana Principle is simply this: A franchise quarterback is traded by the franchise regardless of the ultimate goal of a Super Bowl Championship in mind. This is usually done to accommodate a youth movement or a younger backup quarterback.

Specifically, in Joe Montana’s case, Steve Young became the starter for two years before Joe was healthy enough to play again. So at that time he did have an image of being damaged goods like other star players traded late in their careers.

Looking at first piece of the definition, it may as well be called the Montana/Favre Principle for the rest of time. Both franchise quarterbacks were spurned by their former teams for whatever reason for the sake of progress and moving on. This was all done despite six Super Bowl appearances and five championships between them.

The situations are very different, however. Joe Montana was injured and traded two years later. Steve Young eventually did win a Super Bowl; it is however very possible to make the argument that Joe Montana may have won two Super Bowls.

In Favre’s case, Aaron Rogers clearly lacked playing time, but it was the front office that had to cover themselves and found that to be more paramount than winning football games and championships most immediately.

It’s possible that Brett Favre may hoist the hardware one more time at the end of this season, ultimately proving out these principals all the more. In Green Bay, it’s already proving to be a long cold winter.

Consider for a moment some of Joe Montana and Brett Favre’s career statistics.

Joe Montana was 117-47 spanning a 15-year career. The 49ers never ensconced Montana into the starting role until starter Steve DeBerg was injured midway through the 1980 season.

Montana’s first full season as a starter in 1981 saw him lead the 49ers to a 13-3 record, which thanks to Dwight Clark’s amazing catch in the NFC Championship resulted in their first Super Bowl.

San Francisco downed the Cincinnati Bengals in that game to claim their first championship.

Montana won three more with the 49ers in 1983, 1989, and 1990. His playoff record was something to be admired with nine playoff appearances with San Francisco and two with the Kansas City Chiefs. His record with the 49ers was a brilliant 14-5 in playoff games.

At Kansas City, the Chiefs had very good teams but could not win big games and lost out on making a Super Bowl with Joe Montana. His record there was 2-2 in the playoffs. The Chiefs however were not the 49ers on or off the field.

As a passer, Joe Montana connected on 3,409 passes for 40,551 yards. His career completion record finished at 63.2 percent.

Joe Montana was essentially replaced as the starter in San Francisco due to an injury he suffered on his elbow in 1991. Joe only played one game over the 1991 and 1992 NFL seasons.

The 49ers found insurance in backup Steve Young and by the end of the 1992 season the franchise parted ways with Joe Montana.

This was a time that saw a little tension and heartbreak as the franchise could no longer keep Joe Montana on their roster due to the evolution of change in San Francisco.

Perhaps, when it comes to Brett Favre, the Packers knew more about Brett Favre’s arm than the rest of the country. That may be the reason they did not want to bring Brett Favre back after he led them to an NFC title game.

The press however had numerous reports regarding a deteriorating relationship between Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers front office.

So for Brett Favre’s part, his statistics and leadership were shown the door.

Probably one statistic speaks volumes more about Brett Favre’s dilemma in Green Bay than any other. That statistic is the measure of a quarterback’s performance itself, the quarterback rating.

In 2007, Favre’s last year in Green Bay his quarterback rating was 95.7, the third-best rating of his career. His career rating resides at 86.4.

At the peak of Favre’s career, when he won the Super Bowl in 1996, his rating was 95.8, his second-highest rating ever. The following year when the Packers lost to the Broncos in the Super Bowl, Favre’s rating was at 92.6.

What catches the eye are his ratings with the Jets and Vikings. In New York, with an injured arm, Brett the Jet had a rating of 81.0.

This season with the Vikings through 11 games, he’s sitting on a 112.1 rating, his best-ever by a mile.

But ratings don’t tell you the amazing last minute heroics and the ways in which Brett Favre is a man among men. It’s a shame, perhaps they should.

For his career Favre has thrown nearly 6,000 completions, has a 61.9 completion percentage, racked up 68,001 yards, 488 touchdowns, and 313 interceptions.

His numbers take a backseat to no one.

Perhaps the Green Bay Packers thought of Joe Montana’s situation briefly and spurned their golden boy Brett Favre in the blockbuster trade that landed him in New York for all of one season.

The sheer neglect of seeking out the best possible solution for the Green Bay Packers franchise is baffling when considering the great lengths they went to silence Brett Favre and to back the draft selection of Aaron Rodgers.

The Packers probably should have considered how the Denver Broncos handled John Elway late in his career for the betterment of their own franchise, yes even through extremely challenging times.

Certainly the past is the past, but we can learn from it.

In the case of Brett Favre, these well stated principles do hold true.

He’s still proving it game after game.

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

Pepsi Center Hosts 'Melo vs. Johnny in High-Scoring Affair

Ryan Maloney — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:31:00 -0500

Only two players have been drafted in the NBA lottery out of Syracuse University over the past eight years. Those two men are going head-to-head tonight on the hardwood at the Pepsi Center in Denver, CO. Carmelo Anthonty's Denver Nuggets led Johnny Flynn's Minnesota Timberwolves 64-50 after 24 minutes of play in Sunday night's regular season match-up. The game can be viewed online by clicking here .

UPDATE: Flynn has led the Wolves on a 14-3 run to start the second half and it is now a three-point game with under eight minutes remaining in the third quarter. Thus far, Flynn has scored 12 points and Anthony has poured in 19.

UPDATE No. 2: Make that a 21-7 run to tip off the third as the Wolves have tied the game 71-71. They are looking to snap a 15-game losing streak after winning their season opener.

UPDATE No. 3: Break up the Timberwolves! Minnesota snapped their 15-game losing streak with a 106-100 victory over Denver.

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

Week 13 NFL Predictions: Playoffs Loom Large On Teams Game Plans

thomas moreland — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:31:48 -0500

Denver must now give chase to San Diego in the AFC West as the Chargers will win against Kansas City in Week 12 and keep a one-game lead.

In Week 13, the Broncos play Kansas City in Arrowhead Stadium and should win this one to run their record to 8-4.

The Jets have Buffalo and should win this one, even though it’s on the road. New York still has little chance to make the playoffs unless Mark Sanchez suddenly matures one season early, and takes them on a run starting this week.

The Jets will beat Buffalo, but after that, no one knows.

Philadelphia travels to Atlanta and needs a win, but so do the Falcons. Matt Ryan and his offense should outscore Philadelphia for a close home victory.

Indianapolis, on autopilot to the playoffs, has Tennessee in the friendly confines at home in Indiana. We have to take the best team in the AFC to this point, and give the Colts the nod on this one.

Houston takes on Jacksonville in Florida and should nail this road win becoming one step closer to the first playoff game in franchise history. Houston must keep winning now, and hope the chips fall right for the Texans.

Cincinnati will handle Detroit at home and remain a good solid 9-3 for the season. The Steelers sitting Ben Roethlisberger last week, basically said, here's the division Bengals, take it.

Tampa Bay will have their only real shot at another win this season, against the Carolina Panthers on the road. I would almost take the Bucs in this one, but I think not.

Carolina wins this one at home.

The Steelers will have Roelthlisberger back hopefully, and handle the Raiders, to keep their playoff hopes alive.

New England is in Miami, and should handle the reduced wildcat without Ronnie Brown.

The Patriots are trying to get a high seed for the playoffs at this point, and will play hard up until at least Week 15, then maybe rest some key players.

The Bears may finally win one as they host the Rams. I will take the Bears to get it done.

New Orleans, on cruise control to the NFC Championship Game, will beat Washington on the road easily.

San Diego will take Cleveland on the road easily as well to keep the division lead.

The 49ers have Seattle on a trip north, and should handle the Seahawks to keep very faint playoff hopes alive. These hopes are very faint, like barely a pulse.

Dallas has a big test with the Giants in the Meadowlands. I would take Dallas in this one, except it’s time for the big fold-o by the Cowboys going down the stretch.

I will take the Giants at home, who have something to prove still, while Dallas will be complacent it seems in this one.

The Vikings travel to the desert and take on Arizona. This season, the Vikings added some Favre guy for the trip west. Advantage, Vikings.

On Monday, the Ravens travel to Green Bay and take on the surging Packers. This should be a pretty good one. Green Bay, at home as of late, seems like a good pick.

The Ravens are fighting for the playoffs and so are the Packers. This is like a mini-playoff game to make the playoffs. Take the Packers in this one.

Thomas [NFL Mikee] Moreland.

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

In Josh McDaniels' Defense

Josh Gilchrist — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 02:42:25 -0500

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4697154

This is a good article with lots of Josh McDaniels’ quotes as he presents his side of the story. Honestly, I totally believe his side of the story regarding that cocky punk Sean Phillips (I hope I mispelled his name; I don’t care enough to even check).

He is always talking some trash, and I am glad if Josh McDaniels threw it back at him. I think Ryan Clark of the Steelers should mind his own business regarding what transpired between the Chargers linebackers and Denver’s coach.

McDaniels shouldn’t even have to apologize about a network picking up an F bomb from him on the sideline. He was not miked up; he was doing his job. If you have ever been to a professional football game, you hear the F word more than any other word, it seems. It is up to the networks to screen and filter that out.

I am thinking that some guys in the NFL are feeling threatened by Josh McDaniels and need to vilify him somehow. People who don’t like the Broncos are going to judge him regardless, but I am glad that Josh McDaniels is telling his side of the story.

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

Colorado Avalanche Lose David Jones for 4-6 Months with Torn ACL

James Crider — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 02:11:55 -0500

When things are going bad, they're going bad.

Following Colorado's 3-2 shootout loss to Minnesota (yet another game where they blew a 3rd period lead), the Avalanche learned they would be without forward David Jones for practically the rest of the year due to a torn ACL.

Late in the third period, Jones was skating with the puck when Wild forward Chuck Kobasew was pushed into him; Jones lost and edge, and one of his legs became awkwardly trapped underneath him.

This loss is astronomically bad for the Avalanche.

Jones had been the complete package for Colorado this season, doing a little bit of everything. He was playing 20 minutes a night on the top line, is second on the team in goals (10), has been one of the Avalanche's leading hitters, and also one of the best defensive forwards (adding two short handed goals).

If at any point the outlook of the Avalanche's season looked bleak, this is it. Unfortunately, the outlook on Jones's career looks even bleaker.

This is now the second season in a row Jones's season will end early. Last year, he played in only 40 games before a shoulder injury ended his season. This year he was only able to play in 23 games (partially due to a bruised chest that sidelined him the first four games of the season).

Jones is known for his speed, so if he somehow manages a comeback this season, it's likely he won't be as effective of a player.

When next offseason comes around, will Avalanche management remember the generic named forward? Or will they go out and sign a player with the money they would be using to extend Jones when his contract expires?

As much as I'd like to say tonight's fluky injury could have happened to anyone, it didn't just happen to anyone. You need your top players to play every night, and Jones hasn't been able to deliver yet again.

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

Josh McDaniels "Zwah's" The Media, Shaun Phillips, and Ryan Clark

Sayre Bedinger — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:55:02 -0500

On ABC's hit television show “Scrubs” there is a very colorful character named Ed, an intern who is known for his laziness and timely humor. In the show, Ed makes popular the verb "zwah,” which according to Urban Dictionary is defined as "a word that you yell only when someone has been completely owned."

We will come back to that.

Josh McDaniels has been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately, and he finally set the record straight.

The first incident was that he allegedly shouted at San Diego Chargers' linebacker Shaun Phillips, a player known for running his mouth constantly, yelling, "We own you" at him. McDaniels was apologetic, and a little frustrated by the accusations, also saying that Phillips was one who should also be at fault.

"I was two or three steps out of the tunnel when Shaun Phillips raced up to me with his helmet off and said, 'I'll kick your [expletive] ass, too,' " explained McDaniels. "I'm not saying I felt physically threatened but that's exactly the way it went down. It surprised me in a way but we played them a lot when I was in New England and he's always been that kind of guy.

"I wasn't out there trash-talking their players, going through their drills. This guy has been doing this since I've been in the league and, because they won, he takes the liberty of telling his side of the story. I didn't swear at him or threaten him. What I actually said was, 'I've heard the same thing from you for four or five years now, and when I was in New England, we owned you.'"

McDaniels apologized for saying even that, but said also that it was nothing near what Phillips portrayed.

In fact, McDaniels was so rubbed the wrong way that he has asked the league to look into the events of that particular day further. He also added that maybe the Chargers don't know the whole story either.

"I don't think [Chargers coach] Norv Turner knows what happened and I know he wouldn't approve of it," said McDaniels. "If one of my players ever did that, I'd be livid. I think any coach would be."

Shaun Phillips, if what Broncos coach Josh McDaniels is saying is true, (and for the record, we'll take his side in the matter because you are known for running your mouth) then you have just been "Zwahed!”

After the incident and the reports that McDaniels tried to start a fight with the San Diego ball club by saying, "We own you," Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark felt the need to throw in his two cents on the situation.

Might I add in a very immature manner.

Essentially, what Clark suggested was that if a coach came to you and said something along the lines of what McDaniels said, the opposing player(s) should be able to retaliate in a physical manner.

Despite my thinking that he might be joking, he actually had the gall to go on and say he wanted to petition something to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Absolutely laughable, and McDaniels was stunned as well.

"I'm hearing that I'm being called a renegade coach and that I'm always trying to stir things up and [media] are asking questions based on erroneous information. I even read where [Steelers safety] Ryan Clark wanted the commissioner to do something about a coach taunting players. I have a lot of respect for Ryan Clark and that bothers me.

"I'm not trying to exacerbate the situation by talking about it but if somebody is going to make a judgment about me, I'd appreciate it if they had all the facts and properly report it."

Ryan Clark, you also have just been "Zwahed!”

The other incident McDaniels was involved in recently was the NFL Network not editing out one of his atomic F-bombs on live television.

McDaniels was heard accross the nation saying, "All we're trying to do is win the motherf***ing game!"

Now, this is commonplace in the NFL, as sad as it may be. I do not approve of swearing, nor do I promote it.

Nonetheless, it is a huge part of the game today because people often get caught up in the moment and say things they shouldn't (not that we haven't seen countless coaches mouth these things on the sidelines).

"I'm not going to apologize for coaching the game but I apologize that people had to hear that," McDaniels said.

McDaniels has been ridden pretty hard by the media all year long, and this was just fodder for them apparently. The statement above is worthy...

Media, you have just been "Zwahed!”

McDaniels and the Broncos are fresh off of what turned out to be the biggest victory of their season so far, and this is how the media rewards them.

Now that they have finally bugged the guy to the point where he was obligated to address the situations, they got what they deserved.

A verbal slap in the face, also known as the "zwah.”

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

Will Tim Tebow Be Running "Wild Horses" With the Denver Broncos In 2010?

Sayre Bedinger — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 22:15:40 -0500

Alright Broncos fans, here's the deal. Obviously many are under the impression that Josh McDaniels' squad does not need a quarterback in the upcoming draft because of the emergence of Kyle Orton, and some with good reason.

Orton has completed over 62 percent of his passes for 2,447 yards, 12 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. He has a decent quarterback rating of 87.9 and has been very effective in the Broncos' offense as a leader.

He has shown great toughness, playing through a devastating ankle injury and leading the Broncos to a gutsy Thanksgiving night victory over the New York Giants.

Personally, I still feel there is a persistent need for a true playmaker at quarterback. To me, it feels like Chester Taylor is playing when Adrian Peterson is somewhere out there.

Is Taylor a good backup? Yes. Is he capable of starting whenever called upon? Yes. Is he smart? Yes. Is he tough? Yes. Is he Adrian Peterson?

No.

Obviously it's a little different with the quarterback position, and I know the Broncos are doing more than just getting by with Orton as they are on top of the AFC wildcard race and just as recently as last week they held sole possession of first place for the first two months of the season.

If the Broncos decide to pursue Kyle Orton in the offseason as a free agent, there will be no major change at quarterback without an injury. He will be the starter, and likely for the foreseeable future.

This year, the Broncos added a new formation to their offense called "Wild Horses” that is essentially the team's version of the "Wildcat". Currently, the player taking the snaps out of this formation is Knowshon Moreno, and while the rookie tailback is one of the team's most versatile players, he is not fit to run the "Wild Horses.”

That is one of many reasons I believe the Broncos will give Tim Tebow a serious look in the NFL Draft. Many people are giving Tebow a hard time when it comes to his NFL prospects, mainly because of his accuracy issues and release point.

Let me go on record as saying that I believe Tebow will be an extremely effective player in the NFL. There are a variety of reasons I believe he is a good fit for the league, and the Denver Broncos in particular.

It is not because he already looks good in orange and blue.

1. Versatility

If there is one thing I took from Josh McDaniels' first crop of draft picks, it is that every single player's main strength is versatility.

    * Knowshon Moreno: Very multi-talented back. Powerful runner, willing blocker, excellent receiver.
    * Robert Ayers: Able to play standing up or with his hand in the ground. Excellent run-stuffer and powerful pass rush capabilities.
    * Alphonso Smith: Good cover corner, solid tackler, and an asset in the return game.
    * Darcel McBath: Willing tackler whose main strength is in coverage. Ball-hawking safety with speed to play cornerback. Also a solid special teams player.
    * Richard Quinn: Blocking tight end specialist with surprisingly reliable hands despite his college numbers.
    * Seth Olsen: Strong, athletic, and quick. Played both tackle and guard in college.
    * David Bruton: Excellent special teams gunner, and strong leader of a defense. Great tackling safety.
    * Kenny McKinley: Good hands at receiver, but maybe more promise as a kick return specialist. Can be a good slot receiver and is deceptively fast.
    * Tom Brandstater: Smart quarterback prospect with a strong arm.

Essentially, my point is the Broncos love and clearly value versatility in players, and I have to ask, is there a more versatile player in the entire draft that Tim Tebow?

Some are saying he could be a tight end or H-back prospect. Some are saying he will be a scrambling quarterback. Heck, I have even heard that he might be a good fit for the linebacker position.

Tebow, statistically is one of the most dominant players in college football history, and may even be the best college player of all time. He is a good passer with great escape ability, and he is a powerful runner who has set numerous rushing records from the quarterback position.

This guy has the chance to be a scrambling star at the next level and is one of the best quarterback prospects on the run.

2. Leadership

Tebow is famous for his ability to lead a team, and people might remember him best for the shot where he is bleeding all over his face, and he has the I’m-going-to-kill-someone look in his eyes.

This guy commands the huddle without getting under his teammates’ skin. He is a fiery competitor and he is willing to do whatever it takes to win a game or to gain an extra yard.

The Broncos clearly value leadership, as nearly every captain from the 2008 squad changed in 2009. Brian Dawkins, the team's main free agent acquisition, was named a defensive captain along with Champ Bailey and Mario Haggan.

On offense, Kyle Orton, Casey Wiegmann, and Daniel Graham were all named captains.

Wesley Woodyard, a second-year player who was undrafted in 2008, was named special teams captain.

Andra Davis was a team captain for the Cleveland Browns for a few years prior to signing with Denver, and D.J. Williams was a defensive captain in 2008.

Kenny Peterson also seems like he could be a strong candidate for a defensive captain.

The point I'm trying to make here is that the Broncos place a high value on leadership, and Tebow brings that to the table. Here is a scouting report from ESPN.com on Tebow's leadership abilities:

“Rare intangibles and work ethic. The ultimate team player. Exceptional mental and physical toughness. Temptations that can accompany NFL money and lifestyle will have zero affect on Tebow.

“Rare mental toughness. Very few are blessed with his natural competitiveness, leadership skills and work ethic. Both a vocal leader and leader by example. However, there are some concerns regarding his mental aptitude in the passing game. He comes from a unique spread-formation offense so it can be difficult at times to differentiate instincts from inexperience. The bottom line is that he's nowhere near ready to make the kind of coverage reads necessary to succeed as a passer in the NFL.”

3. Intelligence

This one is basically self-explanatory, and unless you have been living under a rock for the last four years, you should know that Tebow is one of the most intelligent players in college football today.

For two years in a row, he has been named an ESPN Academic All-American and likely will be named to his third straight after the 2009 season. He is also extremely involved in community events, mainly related to mission works.

Tebow is an extremely mature young individual, and I think the Broncos will be hard-pressed to come away from interviews with him without being impressed. He is an outstanding young man, and it translates onto the football field.

So, if the Broncos are not looking at a quarterback to replace Orton, they most certainly will be looking for a backup as Chris Simms simply is not cutting it. My question is, why not Tebow?

Versatility, intelligence, and leadership are three things that clearly the Broncos value in draft picks, and Tebow possesses all three at an elite level.

He brings the offense another huge weapon, and quite frankly another dimension with the wildcat formation.

So if not Tim Tebow for a replacement at quarterback, what about another offensive weapon?

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

Pepsi Center Is Melo's Center as Anthony Drops 50 On Knicks

Ryan Maloney — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:58:00 -0500

It had been two years, 11 months, and 12 days since Carmelo Anthony landed an uppercut to the chin of Mardy Collins before 19,763 patrons at Madison Square Garden in a 2006 game between Anthony's Denver Nuggets and Collins' New York Knicks.

The incident still serves as a shiny black eye on an otherwise brilliant seven-year professional career for Anthony. But for the former Syracuse Orange forward, Friday night's game may have served as a metaphorical steak over a bruised peeper.

Anthony lit up that same Knicks franchise with a career-high 50 points as Denver outlasted the Knicks 108-105 in Denver.

His first of two successful free throws with 16 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter wound up being the decisive tally as it gave the Nuggets a 126-121 lead. His second foul gave him 50 points in a game for the first time in his NBA career.

"They might have been the two toughest free throws I've shot in a while," Anthony told reporters after the game. "We've got the game on the line, 50, you're right there and you want to get it. If I didn't say I wanted to get it, I'd be lying to you. I'm right there. But most importantly they were two big free throws."

The fact that Anthony made 15-of-16 at the charity stripe is a small miracle for any player who has ever donned the orange and blue of Syracuse, a program notorious for their struggles at the line. But Anthony seemed to be dialed in from all spots on the floor, hitting 17-of-28 shot attempts.

New York's Al Harrington also turned in a memorable performance, dropping in 41 points to fall one short of his career best. But after the game, even he had to marvel at 'Melo.

"He's got the total package right now," Harrington said. "He's hitting 3s, he's hitting mid-range, he can get to the free throw line whenever he wants.

"When you play against a guy that's going like that, there's nothing you can really do. I think our guys did a pretty good job, because if they didn't, he would have had 70."

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

Terrell Davis and Shannon Sharpe Should Be Horseshoe-Ins for Hall

Rich Kurtzman — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:41:40 -0500

Terrell Davis and Shannon Sharpe are hands-down one of the greatest duos to play for the Broncos and the best Denver players to ever do it at their position.

And even though they were both named to the NFL's All-Decade team of the 90s, one former Bronco may have a harder time getting into Canton’s hallowed hall than the other.

Shannon Sharpe should be nothing more than a shoe-in for Pro Football’s Hall of Fame—he revolutionized the NFL tight end position forever, taking a sixth offensive lineman and turning him into a threat on the offensive end.

Sharpe was dominant in a pass-catching role, receiving HOFer John Elway’s bullet passes from 1990-98, and from other less notable QBs from 1999-03. During his 14 year career, Sharpe caught an amazing 815 passes for 10,060 yards and 62 touchdowns—all of which were all-time highs for tight ends in NFL history when he retired.

While not speedy (my Dad used to always say he looked like he was moving in slow motion), Sharpe was as dangerous as any receiver in the NFL during the 1990s. Many times opposing defenses would line up a linebacker against the massive tight end, a matchup that was irrevocably eaten alive by Elway and Sharpe. He was amazing across the middle, was the Broncos’ best possession receiver, and could score at-will with an Elway naked bootleg on the goal line.

Sharpe also blocked for five different 1,000-yard rushers in Denver, including Terrell Davis from 1995-98, and he is one of only four players in NFL history to have 11 or more 50-catch seasons (Jerry Rice, Andre Reed, Chris Carter). He also won three Super Bowls and had three 1,000 yard receiving seasons. Sharpe was so good; ESPN named him the No. 7 draft steal of all time .

But what Sharpe is remembered for the most is his big personality, which gave him his big mouth and big touchdown celebrations.

His most famous quote came in a Nov. 1996 Denver drubbing of New England as he was caught by NFL Films proclaiming, “Mr. President, call in the National Guard! Send as many men as you can spare! Because we are killing the Patriots! They need emergency help!"

Sharpe was not shy about asking for the ball either, as NFL Films interviewed him and Elway explained how Shannon would constantly come back to the huddle to say, “I’m open John, throw me the ball.”

When he couldn’t be heard over the eardrum-busting Mile High maniacs, Sharpe showed his delight nonverbally. He came up with two different TD celebrations, both of which helped make him a fan favorite. His original celebration was a mere flex of his bulging muscles as he earned the nickname “Hulk.” The second was more innovative, as he danced around and made it look like he was riding a bucking bronco in the end zone.

And while many believe he’s an absolute no-brainer for the hall, one stat may go against his quest, as there are only seven TEs in the HOF currently.

Realistically, Sharpe will have a bronze bust of his chiseled jaw and smiling face in Canton soon, but what chance does Terrell Davis have?

Davis is more the long-shot of the two, although his greatness should not be ignored. Even though TD technically played for seven years in the NFL, his first four were the masterpiece of his career.

From 1995-98 Davis’ rushing yards increased every season and he amassed 6,413 total yards in those years, including 56 touchdowns. While being only the fourth ever player to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season, he was the NFL MVP in 1998 and was the major reason why John Elway and the Broncos won back-to-back Super Bowls.

But as they say, sometimes the brightest stars burn out the fastest, which couldn’t be truer about Terrell Davis.

In his hey-day, no one could stop TD, let alone slow him down. He was never really a threat to go for an 80-yard dash down the sideline, but Davis hit holes quicker and harder than any back in recent memory. He exploited the idea of a “one cut and go” running system, with running backs coach Alex Gibbs, which became Mike Shanahan’s calling card in the NFL for almost a decade.

Likely the best run I ever saw TD make was in Super Bowl 32 against the Green Bay Packers. Davis hit the hole in the O-line quickly like usual, then as a safety dove at him, TD spun quickly to get away (:42). Then a few yards down the field, he juked a guy so hard he fell over and Davis walked in for the score.

And while Davis was proving he was the best running back in the game in 1997-98, he came up with a little TD celebration of his own—The Mile High Salute. The salute is the best celebration in the history of the Broncos, something respectful done with a fellow teammate after a successful drive. Davis supposedly started doing the salute in honor of his father who was in the military, and the small gesture pumped up the Broncos faithful in a huge way.

In total, Davis’ 7,607 career yards and 60 touchdowns are two of the 47 Broncos franchise records he holds and he added three pro-bowls to his resume as well. But, neither of those numbers rank him even in the top-25 among running backs and many say his career was too short.

I say, a player’s career length should not keep a player out of the HOF, especially when he was the best player at his position—arguably the best player in the NFL at the time. Terrell Davis definitely belongs in Canton along with Elway, Sharpe, and their lineman Gary Zimmerman.

The ironic thing about it all is that while both Sharpe and Davis were great on the field, they couldn’t be more different in character. Sharpe was the loud and proud, larger than life figure—the personality of the Broncos—while Davis was a reserved, quiet perfectionist that let his game do all the talking.

And now that the two are in the top-25 finalists to get into Canton in 2010, the writers must silence Sharpe and speak up for Davis and make sure both Broncos greats are in the Professional Football Hall of Fame—if not this year, then soon.

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

Denver Broncos Get a Giant Win On Thanksgiving

Chaz Mattson — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:29:34 -0500

Call it a big win.

A must have.

A must win situation.

Call it what you will, just call it what was: it was a giant win for the Denver Broncos.

Not even the likes of the FOX pre-game show prognosticators saw this one coming.

Granted the Denver Broncos have been down for a solid month, but even the professionals missed big time when it came to picking this game.

Not even Howie Long from the AFC West picked Denver. Then again he always was a Raider.

Hopefully you and yours were able to stuff enough Thanksgiving food in your faces that you were feeling rather large by the time the kickoff rolled around on the NFL Network. A feeling is sublime, as you're content in life’s emotional here and now.

The Denver Broncos played host to the New York Giants on a Thanksgiving evening in what was supposed to be the night they wrapped up the AFC West Division title.

At least that was how it appeared a month ago with the Broncos 6-0 and the struggling Chargers at 3-3. That would have happened had the Broncos not gone on a four game skid and the San Diego Chargers not gotten so hot to make the division race drastically flip-flop in less than a month.

For their part the Broncos decided before it was too late that it was high time to air out things in a player’s only meeting on Tuesday night. It was called for by their team’s new found stalwart and spiritual leader Brian Dawkins.

No one outside of the team really knows what was said or done, and no one needs too. The end result was a full team effort akin to the effort of the first six weeks of the season.

The team did struggle from time to time on offense but did start producing points on the majority of their drives. It is something that has not been seen out of the Broncos since the Mike Shanahan era.

Something else not really seen and in severe neglect since the Mike Shanahan era in Denver was the running game. In particular the zone running scheme reared its head and turned into a huge problem for the New York Giants defense.

Offensively the Broncos showed a lack of composure at times to the point of being reamed by their youthful head coach Josh McDaniels. So much so that his verbiage bomb nuked more than a few front-range households to the tune of an NFL Network full apology in real time as the recorded tirade was replayed still intact. No bleeps but plenty of blunder to go around at the NFL Network offices.

This all came about after three penalties caused a Broncos drive to stall and the team had to settle for a Matt Prater field goal.

In spite of the minor discombobulated offense, the Broncos were productive and the zone running scheme against the Giants front was lethal.

The Giants front line has been battling the injury bug and their lateral pursuit and contain did not make the trip to Denver for Thanksgiving. The Broncos used and abused this advantage in a dominating performance in a game they had to have.

Meanwhile, the Broncos' defense rose from the dead.

This happened because the offense was moving the ball, make no mistake about it. The offense and the defense are joined at the hip. When one succeeds, the other prevails; when both are bad things are terrible.

Additionally the Denver Broncos are very hard to figure out this season.

At the moment, there is only one description that fits them best.

They are a streaky football team: hot or cold, never both.

Bright Stats on the Sheet

The most important number right now is one.

The Broncos got the one victory they needed so desperately to build the rest of their season and playoff hopes on, and it is far from over for this team.

If the Broncos are able to retain the momentum they will reel off more wins and more stats to be sure and they might possibly win the division if they can play solid like they did on Thanksgiving night.

Statistics from the game bear the fact that they dominated on both sides of the ball.

Denver had 23 first downs to the Giants' 15. The Giants only attained two of their first downs rushing the ball, which shows that their bread and butter on the ground was taken away from them by Denver’s tenacious defense.

The Broncos offense racked up 373 total yards to the Giants 267. Keep in mind the Giants faced a prevent defense much of the second half of the football game.

Denver controlled the tempo and the clock at 35:30 to the Giants 24:30 in the telling statistic, time of possession.

On the ground Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter combined for 139 yards. This combination still only has one rusher over a hundred yards for the season, but provided a much needed shot in the arm. The Broncos remained committed to the run game and Moreno did eventually score one touchdown.

Kicker Matt Prater has matured a great deal this season and went 4-4 on field goals, with two extra points on the night.

The Broncos scored 26 points on the night, their fifth highest output this season, but it solidified the template they must have for their success.

The Broncos must stay on the field offensively, own the clock, score points in any way they can. The fact that the Broncos went with the zone blocking scheme was a pure concession from head coach Josh McDaniels that his version of the run game was not playing to his teams’ strengths.

The Broncos dominated the edge of the line of scrimmage and opened up endless opportunities for Moreno and Buckhalter to run downhill, something that was not seen much in the first ten games of the season.

This offensive control allowed the defense to be unpredictable and as hard hitting as they were in the first six games of this season. The Broncos took care of the ball on offense and created turnovers on defense. Both teams had one interception, but the Broncos forced three Giant fumbles, two of which were recovered by the Broncos with the third rolling out of bounds after a vicious hit by Dawkins.

Furthermore, to add to the Broncos determination came a few shining examples with Brandon Marshall hauling in a pair of spectacular one hand grabs. Kyle Orton also distributed the ball well to tight end Tony Scheffler on a few keys while Brandon Stokley and Daniel Graham hauled in one big catch each to help the team.

Defensively the Broncos kept pressure on Eli Manning all night long and turned in three sacks for a loss of 20 yards.

For the Record

The Broncos are now 7-4 and have more than a fighting chance to make the playoffs. The team will however have to stay on track if they are to secure their playoff slot.

Going to Kansas City in the past has never been automatic by any stretch for the Broncos. But, if the Broncos are indeed elite in the AFC, look for them to dominate in Kansas City in a very winnable game.

The Broncos are 1-2 in the early games this season, winning in Cincinnati and losing in Baltimore and Washington. Ironically enough the Broncos have three more early games remaining on the schedule at Kansas City, at Indianapolis, and at Philadelphia.

The Broncos are also 2-1 against the NFC East this season with the remaining game at Philadelphia two days after Christmas in the second to last game of the season.

Final Note

For the Broncos the theme really should be to win out at all cost. If Denver does win out, they will more than likely surpass San Diego again and win the division. That would guarantee them one or two home playoff games and anything is possible at that point.

The Broncos had a much better effort out of Orton on Thanksgiving, sprained ankle and all, and again appear headed in the right direction.

Yes it is late in the season; however, it is not too late for the Broncos to look at signing a veteran backup quarterback over the upcoming extended week.

Should Kyle Orton go down again he is probably done for some time. The idea of signing a Jeff Garcia makes a great deal of sense when you consider the fact that he is a gamer, not just a game manager. There is more creativity and more possibilities to bringing in a veteran of his caliber to help the Broncos solidify the position overall. Without a doubt Chris Simms has proven that he’s not ready and can’t be trusted at this juncture.

Finally they say winning cures a number of ills, in the Broncos case this could not be truer as they are sticking together as a team and grinding it out again to win games. To Coach McDaniels' credit, he’s not afraid to get in his players' grills to help them realize what’s at stake.

contact Chaz at sportsmanagement@gmail.com

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

Nebraska 28, Colorado 20

Stuart Whitehair — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:56:33 -0500

Nov. 27, 2009 Nebraska 28, Colorado 20

For the Colorado Buffaloes, the 2009 season ended the way it began with a disheartening home loss to a rival. A season which had the potential for 10 wins and the expectation of at least seven or eight wins and a bowl game, ended with a 28-20 loss to Nebraska to put a terrible 3-9 season out of its misery

Against Nebraska , the offense rolled up a season-high 403 yards. But when the game was on the line in the second half, the Colorado offense failed on three consecutive trips to the red zone to produce any points.

Against Nebrask a, the defense limited the Cornhuskers to 217 yards of total offense. But when the game was on the line in the fourth quarter, the Colorado defense gave up a 13-play, 80-yard drive that consumed almost seven minutes of game time, and resulted in a touchdown which clinched the game for Nebraska.

Against Nebraska , the Buffs had a 100-yard rusher (Rodney Stewart, 110 yards), two 100-yard receivers (Scotty McKnight, 114 yards; Markques Simas, 108 yards), but could not produce a sustained offensive attack.

Against Nebraska , the Buffs again allowed non-offensive touchdowns, giving up a punt return for a score and an interception for a score—the difference in the game.

In sum, the 28-20 loss to Nebraska, played out before a sun-bathed Folsom Field crowd of 52,817 (at least two-thirds of which were Colorado fans), was the Buffs’ 2009 season in microcosm.

A day after receiving a reprieve from the Colorado administration granting him a fifth chance to produce a winning season, Colorado head coach Dan Hawkins’ Buffs won the opening coin toss. Rather than defer to the second half, Hawkins chose to receive, pitting the Buffs’ inconsistent offense against a top 15 defense.

The game may have been lost before it ever began.

Colorado started its first possession at its own 17-yard line, and punted three plays later. Nebraska took over at its own 47, and drove to the Buffs’ 34 before two sacks forced a punt.

Colorado started its second possession at its two-yard line, and punted three plays later. Nebraska started possession number two at its 46, but went backwards before punting.

Two drives for each team. Colorado had 13 total yards; Nebraska six. Still, the Buffs, starting inside its 20 while giving the ball to Nebraska near midfield, were playing with fire.

Three plays later, the Buffs got burned.

The Buffs’ third possession started at their seven yard line. Three plays netted nine yards, and senior punter Matt DiLallo was sent out for the third time. This time, though, Nebraska would not start their drive near midfield.

Instead, Niles Paul ran right up the middle of the Buffs’ kick coverage for 59 yards and a 7-0 Nebraska lead with 3:34 to play in the first quarter. After the Buffs’ fourth first quarter possession again ended in a three-and-out, the makings of a rout were in the offing. Colorado fans were eyeing the exits a few plays later, as Nebraska capped a six-play, 56-yard drive with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Zac Lee to Ben Cotton on the first play of the second quarter.

When the Buffs trotted out for their first possession of the second quarter, they were coming off a “perfect” first quarter. Four possessions; four three-and-outs; four punts.

The fifth possession showed a modicum of improvement, as Colorado picked up its first first down of the game on a quarterback sneak by quarterback Tyler Hansen on third-and-one at the CU 29-line. Any thoughts of righting the Buffs’ ship were muted a few moments later, as Tyler Hansen was intercepted by Nebraska defensive back Dejon Gomes at the Nebraska 48 yard line.

Nebraska drove as far as the Colorado 32-yard line, but a 50-yard field goal attempt by Alex Henery missed wide right. Colorado had dodged a bullet, but, with 8:54 to play in the first half, Nebraska had as many touchdowns on the scoreboard as Colorado had first downs (2).

Still, the missed field goal seemed to bring new life to the Buffs. Stuffed all afternoon, the Colorado offense found its rhythm. After a three-yard completion from Hansen to Scotty McKnight on third-and-two at the 41-yard line kept the drive alive, the Buffs put together three straight double digit gains: a 13-yard run by Brian Lockridge; a 22-yard pass from Hansen to McKnight; and a 19-yard Rodney Stewart run. A first-and-goal at the Nebraska two yard line was quickly converted, as Hansen hit fullback Jake Behrens for a touchdown, cutting the Nebraska lead to 14-7 with 5:39 to play in the half.

Colorado fans were in full voice a few minutes later, after the Colorado defense forced a three-and-out. Then…the only cheers were from the 10,000 Nebraska fans.

On third down, Tyler Hansen threw the ball directly to Nebraska’s Matt O’Hanlon. The Cornhusker free safety took the ball 20 yards for a Nebraska score. Hansen’s second pick of the quarter gave the Cornhuskers a second non-offensive touchdown of the game.

Colorado had the edge in yards gained, 148 to 89. Unfortunately, total offense was not the measure of success.

Halftime score: Nebraska 21, Colorado 7.

Determined not be routed in their final game, the Buffs came out and played well in the third quarter. The defense forced a quick punt, and the Colorado offense put together its most impressive drive of the game. Rodney Stewart carried much of the load, carrying the ball five times in the 12-play, 59-yard drive. Assisted by a defensive holding call against Nebraska on a third down incompletion, the Buffs scored when Tyler Hansen hit Scotty McKnight for a six yard touchdown.

Nebraska 21, Colorado 14, with 6:50 to play in the third quarter. It was a new ballgame.

The next three possessions by the Colorado offense all pushed the ball inside the Nebraska red zone ... and put up no points.

The Colorado defense, with the Buffs down only a score, gave the CU offense the ball back five plays later. A 58-yard pass from Hansen to Markques Simas, the longest offensive play of the season by Colorado, put the ball at the Nebraska 25 yard line. Two plays later, on third-and-two at the Nebraska 17-yard line, Tyler Hansen was called for intentional grounding. The 17-yard loss pushed the Buffs back to the Nebraska 34, where Aric Goodman missed a 52-yard field goal attempt.

Undeterred, the Colorado defense quickly gave the offense the ball back. On the first play of the fourth quarter, freshman defensive lineman Will Pericak forced a fumble by Nebraska running back Roy Helu, Jr. The ball was recovered by sophomore defensive lineman Eugene Goree at the Nebraska 49-yard line.

After a 28-yard run by Rodney Stewart to open the drive, an upset, for the first time since the opening kickoff, seemed plausible. Three more plays, though, netted only two yards, and Aric Goodman was again called upon to pull the Buffs closer. Goodman's 37-yard effort, though, missed wide left. The score held at 21-14, Nebraska.

Nebraska's next drive brought back memories for fans wearing both black-and-gold and crimson-and-cream. For Buff fans, it was the memories of games of recent past, when the Colorado defense finally succumbed after making a valiant effort. For Cornhusker fans, whose offense has not been the reason for Nebraska's success this season, it brought back memories of the days of Tom Osborne. Nebraska put together a 13-play, 80-yard drive, taking up 6:52 of the fourth quarter game clock. Cornhusker running back Rex Burkhead carried the load, with nine carries for 60 of those yards, including a seven yard touchdown run with 6:43 to play.

Game all but over. Nebraska 28, Colorado 14.

The Buffs did engineer a third consecutive drive inside the Nebraska 20-yard line on their next possession, with a 23-yard Hansen-to-Simas connection setting the Buffs up at the Nebraska 15-yard line. Then, with just over four minutes to play, the Buffs of 2009 returned. The sequence: complete pass for no gain; incomplete pass; delay of game penalty; false start penalty; and incompletion. Then, on four-and-20, a Tyler Hansen's pass was intercepted by Nebraska.

Colorado did get the ball back at their 20-yard line for one last drive with 1:30 to play. An 80-yard drive was completed with a 56-yard touchdown pass from Hansen to Scotty McKnight as time expired. The longest touchdown play of Colorado's 2009 season came on the last play of the season, as, under NCAA rules, the extra point attempt is not allowed when the score comes with no time to play and the attempt will not affect the outcome. (The inability to attempt the extra point hit two Buff players harder than others. Senior long-snapper Austin Bisnow was to make the snap, with red-shirt freshman placekicker Ryan Aweida to be given the chance at the extra point. With the chance at point taken away, neither player made the final participation chart).

Final score: Nebraska 28, Colorado 20.

Pop quiz: guess which quote goes with which coach ...

1) "We didn't play well today. I'm disappointed in our effort and how we played ... I don't like the way our football team played in any phase of the game";

2) "I think those guys are coming together a little bit. The O-line is growing up ... We just have to clean a few things up ...".

You guessed it. The first quote is from winning coach Bo Pelini; the second quote is from losing coach Dan Hawkins. The Colorado head coach also stated, "I think it's one of those seasons where, if you take away ten plays, you are probably a bowl team."

Assuming the NCAA will not be giving Colorado any "do-overs" anytime soon, the Buffs are still 3-9. The Colorado defense did hold Nebraska offense to 217 total yards, the lowest total since the 1961 Buffs held the Cornhuskers to 31 total yards (a 7-0 Colorado victory). Rodney Stewart did post his eighth career 100-yard game, and the Buffs' offense did have two 100-yard receivers in Scotty McKnight and Markques Simas. The 403 yards gained against the Nebraska defense is the highest of the season; the Buffs were only the second Big 12 opponent to reach the 20-point mark.

"It was closer than it looked," said fullback Jake Behrens. "We had a lot of missed opportunities out there". Linebacker B.J. Beatty also had the party line down. "Like Coach (Ron) Collins always tells us, 'We have a small margin of error,' " said Beatty. "You go back and look at this game, and it could have been three or four plays ... it's the little things that killed us."

Colorado finished the season with a 3-9 record, 2-6 in Big 12 play. Colorado finished 5th in the Big 12 North, just ahead of Kansas, which started the 2009 season 5-0, but lost its final seven games to finish with a 1-7 conference record.

The Buffs will not play again until September 4, 2010, taking on a Colorado State team which also finished 3-9, losing its final nine games of the season.

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

All-Time Colorado Avalanche: Top Five Goals in Franchise History

James Crider — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 03:18:01 -0500

Even though the Colorado Avalanche franchise is only 14 years old, choosing the top five goals ever scored is a challenge. There have been so many great moments since the team moved to Denver, so let's hope I do a good job with my selections.

5. Joe Sakic against Dwayne Roloson (Mar. 28, '08)

Game 79 of the season, with the team's playoff hopes hanging in the balance, the Avalanche were down 4-3 to Edmonton with six seconds left on the clock.

But old habits die hard.

Peter Forsberg fed Joe Sakic the puck from behind the net, and Mr. Clutch buried it. Colorado went on to win the game in a shootout and clinch a playoff spot.

Many people probably don't remember this goal, but I'll never forget it. It was the last time Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic were able to combine their talents to get the Avalanche into the playoffs, even though Sakic was coming off hernia surgery and Forsberg was playing with a machine on his leg that pumped blood to his foot.

This play was the closing chapter of two brilliant NHL careers.

4. Peter Forsberg against Chris Osgood (May 18, '99)

What kind of list would this be if there wasn't a goal against the Red Wings on it?

It wasn't the most important goal ever scored, but Peter Forsberg's undressing of the Red Wings defense sums up his career and the Avalanche's dominance all in one play.

Late in the third period at Joe Louis Arena, the Avalanche held a 4-0 lead and looked to be advancing to the Western Conference finals against Dallas.

But Detroit started to turn the game around, and quick goals by Nick Lidstrom and Todd Gill put the Wings back in the game.

That is, until Peter Forsberg got the puck again.

Forsberg intercepted an Igor Larionov dump in from the blue line, and with the hall of fame forward hooking him (for a delayed penalty), Forsberg deked out Osgood and ended the defending Stanley Cup champions' season as he and the puck went crashing into Detroit's net.

3. Joe Sakic against Ed Belfour (May 8, '96)

There may not have been any 1996 Colorado Avalanche Cup if it weren't for Joe Sakic's triple overtime goal against Chicago in the second round.

The Avalanche were down 2-1 in the series, playing in Chicago, and would have to win three straight if they were to lose.

But the Avalanche managed to get a power play in the third overtime, and Sakic redirected a nifty Alexei Gusarov pass from the blue line past Ed Belfour, who to that point was playing lights-out with 54 saves.

After that goal, the Avalanche didn't look back and went 12-2 the rest of the playoffs en route to their first Stanley Cup.

2. Joe Sakic against Roman Turek (May 12, '01)

Things were going great for Colorado until Peter Forsberg's spleen unexpectedly ruptured, making him unavailable for the remainder of the 2001 playoffs.

Forsberg was the Avalanche's leading playoff scorer at the time, and his loss had many people believing that the St. Louis Blues (fresh off sweeping the Dallas Stars, who had been the Stanley Cup finals in both of the previous years) would end Colorado's season.

That's when Joe Sakic became Super Joe, and showed the Avalanche weren't just going to roll over and die. Sakic had two goals and two assists, including scoring an iconic penalty shot goal against Roman Turek, and the Avalanche won game one 4-1.

The eventually won the series four games to one, and went on to win the Stanley Cup for the second time in franchise history.

1. Uwe Krupp against John Vanbiesbrouck (June 10, '96)

After three games of domination by Colorado, Florida made one last stand.

In one of the longest games in NHL history, Patrick Roy and John Vanbiesbrouck both had the performances of their careers; Roy turned away 63 shots while Vanbiesbrouck stopped 55.

Eventually, as it had been for the rest of the series, Colorado prevailed over Florida. Four minutes and 31 seconds in to the third overtime, Uwe Krupp (who had zero goals in the regular season) blasted a shot by Vanbiesbrouck, and the Avalanche were showered by plastic rats from the angry Florida crowd.

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com

Top Five Candidates For Offensive Rookie of the Year

Tanner Thoms — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:44:20 -0500

In my opinion, the offensive rookie of the year award is one of the more prestigious awards that is given out annually. What does it take to be the offensive rookie of the year? Being a year-round phenom for your team as a first year player. The winner of last years award was Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. Who will it be this year? I will be listing my top 5 candidates (in order) to see who can and will win the award at seasons end. Enjoy the show!

Begin Slideshow

George Karl, Is an Eight-Man Rotation Right for the Denver Nuggets?

Rich Kurtzman — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:54:00 -0500

Today Benjamin Hochman reported that Anthony "Carter gets lost in bench shuffle " and that, "Now that J.R. Smith is back from suspension, the Nuggets normally play three guys off the bench—Smith, Lawson and Chris Andersen."

Really, this is nothing new, as George Karl has played mostly with an eight-man rotation for the last couple of years—but is the approach effective?

Sure, the starters have to get their large amounts of minutes—the big four (Melo, Billups, Nene, K-Mart) all average over 31 minutes per game, but they do need their rest.

I realize balancing the minutes of an entire NBA team must be difficult and frustrating, but it seems that getting nine or 10 players on the court a night helps two-fold.

First, injuries happen, in the NBA, it's a fact of life. Now, I would absolutely love it if every one of the Nuggets stayed healthy for the entire season, but it's probably not going to happen.

And if someone is injured, others must be ready to step up and play. While Carter is not as skilled as he once was, taking all of his P.T. will make him a liability if and when he is needed. Malik Allen is the Nuggets fourth big man and he will have to play later in the season. And besides those two, Joey Graham may be the Nuggets bench player that needs the most time.

Graham is versatile, as his size (6'7" 225) gives him the versatility to play both shooting guard and small forward, meaning he can guard both positions as well. But, Graham only gets in for 10 minutes a game, and it's usually during garbage time. While his services aren't a must now, he will be needed or the Nuggets will be outsized when Carmelo Anthony wants a breather.

The other reason a bigger rotation is better is that it makes it easier to give starters rest. Let's face it, this Nuggets team is built to go deep into the playoffs, but if they want to do that, starters will definitely required some time off.

Chauncey Billups is aging, as is Kenyon Martin, and and the other big two play so much they may be too fatigued come playoff time to lead Denver deep into them.

Why not rest some players regularly throughout the season, instead of too often during the stretch run?

While both players have stayed healthy the past couple years, each one has sustained major injuries earlier in their careers that forced them to miss entire seasons (three together) and both have to sit lots at the end of the year. Last season, the two sat out of 22 games combined and most were in March and April, so why not evenly distribute those games earlier in the year?

Plus, anyone that watches the Nuggets knows if K-Mart or Nene go down for a significant part of the season, Denver's year is likely over.

Lastly, the Nuggets have been blowing teams out, but still some starters have remained in the game deep into fourth quarters. Those situations present perfect opportunities to get all the deep bench players more P.T. and in turn make the Nuggets more deep overall.

So, at least for now, Karl should ponder the idea of a nine or even 10-man rotation instead of the eight-man one he's currently going with. By giving starters more rest now, it could benefit the team in the long run.

Read more Denver news on BleacherReport.com