Good day, and welcome to the last day of 2007 …
It’s player check-out day at the Valley of the Dove. For those of us in the laptop and mic set, the locker room opens at 8 a.m. — about four or so hours earlier than it normally would during the season. Players pass through, sifting through and cleaning out their locker-room stalls, milling about in between season-ending physicals. It’s a day when the organization goes through bulbous black garbage bags the way a restaurant’s kitchen goes through paper towels.
But locker clean-out isn’t what it used to be. Not everyone goes through their belongings and stuffs them in a bag. The locker room here at Broncos headquarters won’t buzz over the next three months as it did the last five, but it won’t be permanently silent, either. Just because players don’t need to be around for workouts doesn’t mean they’ll all avoid it, and those that must continue their rehabilitation work from injuries will remain four- or five-days-a-week fixtures around these parts.
So will we. The blog might occasionally pause for brief vacations, but no extended hiatii are on the horizon. Too much to discuss and disseminate. We’ll be back on the road in a few weeks for the Senior Bowl. “Offseason” is an antediluvian notion; I reckon I should come up with another word for it …
… Still waiting to hear about the Broncos’ draft status … we presume that they will select 12th, but until the NFL announces the draft order, we don’t know for certain.
Assuming the Broncos begin harvesting their draft crop a dozen picks in, here’s what the last 10 drafts have netted in that slot:
2007 - Buffalo: Marshawn Lynch, RB, California
2006 - Baltimore: Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon
2005 - San Diego: Shawne Merriman, OLB, Maryland
2004 - N.Y. Jets: Jonathan Vilma, ILB, Miami (Fla.)
2003 - St. Louis: Jimmy Kennedy, DT, Penn State
2002 - Arizona: Wendell Bryant, DT, Wisconsin
2001 - St. Louis: Damione Lewis, DT, Miami (Fla.)
2000 - N.Y. Jets: Shaun Ellis, DE, Tennessee
1999 - Chicago: Cade McNown, QB, UCLA
1998 - Atlanta: Keith Brooking, LB, Georgia Tech
Hit or miss, like many slots. The four most recent selections have fared quite well, but between 1999 and 2003 … eh, not so much. Kennedy passed through Denver in 2007 but was released in the preseason …
… Left the press box at two minutes past 2 in the a.m. Fell asleep at 3:45. Awoke at a few seconds past six. In the office at 20 past 7. The odds of my making it to midnight and the first seconds of 2008 are roughly the same as CU had of scoring a touchdown on the final play of the Independence Bowl last night.
But I can make it to 10 a.m. — the end of the open locker room for us chronicling the team — and that’s what counts today.
Time to run … ’til the next posting, vaya con Dios.
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What a year Mason! Though you must admit, we told you this is EXACTLY how it would turn out! We’ve still got your LPP shirt waiting for you, so anytime you want to receive it, just email us your po box and it will be on its way! Be sure and indicate size.
As happy as you’d think we’d be, that we were sooooo right, we aren’t. We’re bummed and really don’t care about the rest of this season. I guess personally, it would be interesting to see the Pats go 19-0, other than that I hope Shanahan calls Jake and says, “I’m sorry.”
We’d have been 2-14 if Plummer was playing still. Thank you, Tampa Bay.
A very heartbreaking season in nearly every aspect. A few good things that give us hope for next year.
1. The development of Jay Cutler. ( Congrats on 20 TDs )
2. The emergence of Brandom Marshall as a #1 WR. ( Congrats on 100 cartches. )
3. Another solid undrafted FA rookie in Selvin Young.
4. DJ Williams began to look alot more confortable in that mike spot as the season went on. Hopefully with a full off season and training camp, he’ll be 100% to go for ’08.
5. Jason Elam gave us another glimpse of greatness. It’ll be a sad day when he hangs it up.
On a sad note, we had to say goodbye to several Broncos this year. I pray that Rod Smith doesn’t end up being another. I want one more year!
sickness….Yeah you’re right, all those years Jake took the Broncos to the playoffs prove what you just said.
And your 5 points on how to improve the team SUCK.
It was truly a “season to forget.” I think first step of the offseason is to fire the entire training staff. I cant remember a year when we have been so decimated by injuries. Without injuries, we might have went 9-7 or 10-6. We need to shore up the lines (O and D) via free agency, and draft safety and LB and I think we are a playoff team next year. Hopefully B-Marsh was not a fluke this year and Javon/Stokes can stay healthy next year. We are going to be the cream of the AFC West in a year or 2, but it does not make this year suck any less. As for Bates? Don’t know whether making the players learn a new scheme will help. Let’s face it, our d-line was a patchwork of scrubs and rookies and Elvis is a pass rusher, not run-stopper. If our line wasn’t so pathetic, I think our rush defense might have been respectable.
LPP,
I think Jake was great, but he was not the answer for this horrible season. He will be playing for Kubiak in Texas next year as soon as Tampa releases him. Jake will not pass up the $$$, and I am sure he is getting bored. Texans are on the rise, and he will be happy to “be the man” to help them make a push toward the playoffs.
Walker says he wants out, GREAT! One less decision for Shanny to make about the roster. Careful the door doesn’t slam you in the ass on the way out chump! Cutler looked as though he didn’t care what was being called half the time, he was going to one guy and one guy only. I mean he threw bee bee’s, but the offense needs some coaching changes. Welcom aboard as the newest WR’s coach HOT ROD!!!
Here’s the link.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/31/javon-walker-open-leaving-broncos/
I just lost all respect I had for Walker. Take your bum knee and go be a #1 somewhere else with Lelie. Then you can cry and whine together when someone outperforms you on the field and takes your job. Hey Ashley, how is being the #1 receiver in ATL working for you? What’s that? Oh, you’re NOT the #1 receiver on a s*it team like the Falcons? Wow, I guess you really ain’t that good after all…… Happy trails Javon, good luck getting a better deal than we would have offered you after a pay cut. Hopefully nobody outshines you there either.
So I hear Billick might be looking for a Job… Isnt he a good D minded coach? Shouldnt we be looking for a D-coach?… I think he is good at picking D talent…
I doubt Shanahan would want a guy who once won a Super Bowl looming behind him, waiting to do what Shanahan once did to Dan Reeves.
Hey, Shanny hasn’t even fired Jim Bates. Why would he, look at the disaster caused by firing last years defensive coordinator.
And how sweet it will be to see Jake and the Texans smash Shanahan in the face 2x next year….I’m just saying.
Javon Walker is like Darrent Williams, they got tired of playing for a crappy team and a bad coach. They VOICED their opinion. They should be allowed to do so!
Billick was supposed to be an offensive genius at Baltimore who told Modell “I know how to handle quarterbacks”. Well, he didn’t and now he’s updating his resume. Jake Plummer was a head case and he wet himself against Pittsburgh a few years ago in the AFC Championship. All he had to do was not turn the ball over in that particular game but he did. Now he’s frolicking with the elk and the deer. Let it go. I have no animosity toward Javon Walker because I think he is running from the memory of friend. Perhaps a fresh start would do him well but he needs to remember that this organization stood by him in his time of need. Happy New Year to all. Please do not drink and drive.
Hey Mason, what do you make out of the Walker situation?
lpp,
you continue to spew your sycophantic idolization of a mediocre QB where it is not wanted. That’s some convoluted little fantasy world you have built, how many playoff victories and superbowl rings does Jake have in your world?
If Jake had been subjected to the amazingly poor play of the O-line, not only would he have thrown a ton of interceptions, he would probably be recuperating from any number of injuries. He never had the best decision making skills and he made plenty of incredibly stupid decisions while running for his life.
As for walker, why did he get tired of playing? Did he ever play for the Broncos? I can’t seem to recall a great deal of highlights other than “injury,” “injury,” “played but nothing spectacular,” and “injury.” Sure he’s allowed to voice his opinion, this is America. But he’s also free to sign a contract to play football for the Broncos. Just like any other disgruntled employee, don’t be surprised if management does not want his not-so-smiling face around anymore. 1400 yards over two years for how much money? AND we have to listen to him whine? Doesn’t seem like a good deal to me.
All we have to know about Walker is this, Favre didn’t want him on a team he KNEW was going to be bad. He’s a bad egg, his ego is out of control and he’s not a team first player. The man wants fat paychecks, not silver trophys. Those guys should be the first thing Shanny cuts in March. He’s a punk, plain and simple.
walker…..i hope you fall down your stairs and break your other leg….
this is just another example of an overpaid underachieving player that thinks he is above the team. i know williams died in his arms, and that can affect you, but you have to play threw it, and play for that same reason that you may want out. Williams would want to be on that field, so why are you asking for a trade. I am a HUGE denver fan, i have been for my whole life, but maybe its time for shanny to step down, and let brian formally the ravens head coach take a stab at our terrible defence.
LPP, are you even a broncos fan? hard to tell. Also, you didn’t read post #2 very carefully or you would have noticed that he was listing bright spots for the season, not ways to improve the team. But maybe your Plummer-colored glasses were obscuring your vision. At any rate, anyone who saw the team this year knows what their main problem was and it had nothing to do with the QB position. I really have faith the team will be much improved last year, that this was a transition year, and if they get a couple more defensive studs (and a new coordinator) they’ll be much more competitive next year.
As for the list of #12 draft picks Mason listed above, some duds but also some studs. (Man, what a bust McNown was…) If the Broncos can get FS Phillips from Miami or the Penn State linebacker at the spot, you’ll be amazed at how much better they’ll make the defense by themselves next year.
this is just another example of an overpaid underachieving player that thinks he is above the team. i know williams died in his arms, and that can affect you, but you have to play threw it, and play for that same reason that you may want out. Williams would want to be on that field, so why are you asking for a trade. I am a HUGE denver fan, i have been for my whole life, but maybe its time for shanny to step down, and let brian formally the ravens head coach take a stab at our terrible defence.
LPP, if you truly believe what you’re saying about Jake Plummer’s ability to lead Denver, then I’m afraid you are a simplistic moron. You cannot possibly be a Bronco fan. Jake Plummer is the main reason that the members of the 2005-06 team aren’t wearing rings. With his terrible quarterbacking, how could you forget, when it’s been burned into my mind for years. Hello, why do you think the broncos drafted Cutler in the first place. And that comment about HIM taking us to the playoffs was bull**** as well cause if you remember the broncos went 13-3 that year on defense and the running tandem of Mike Anderson and Tatum Bell, not Jake Plummer’s ability to throw. This was made obvious when the orange and blue played pittsburg and got manhandled in Mile High. And who was it who put the ball on the turf twice and threw two game changing picks everytime the broncos had a little bit of momentum. If he truly was as good as you hold him in esteem then I’d love to have him here, but he’s not. He’s an outdated game-losing nimrod who has a peashooter for an arm compared to Jay Cutler’s cannon who even at his prime was a game MANAGER not a playmaker which is what we need at QB. Cutler is that guy so deal with it and quit wit letplummerplay because even if we did he wouldn’t be capable enough which is why we BENCHED HIM.
if Im correct Lelie is now a 49er, and I think receiver number 3
all he can do is run straight
good riddance
I liked Walker, he played hard and well, but if he wants out, dont let the door hit you on the ass
LPP,
Oh, the glory days of Jake Plummer. My, how could I have forgotten about that 1 magnificiant playoff win. It was truely something special.
As was when the 6th seeded Steelers came into Denver and made Jake look like a no talent, poor decision making, slug.
We won in spite of Jake Plummer, not because of Jake Plummer.
So what are you the guys fan club president or something? Seriously. I think you’re the only “fan” out there that doesn’t see that Jay Cutler is the real deal.
That’s okay, after a few years you’ll forget all about Jake the Fake and learn to love Jay.
Walker will be back and be happy. He’s banged up, upset about a poor year, and mourning the 1 year anniversary of a very tragic and scary moment in his life. Back off a little bit.
Go Broncos!
i’m pretty sure LPP is either Jake Plummer himself, or at the very least, it’s his wife.
No one esle could be that stupid, to continue to think he is better than Jay, or have reaseon to continue to voice such ridiculous nonsense. Why else would he have such intimate photos of jake, like wedding photos and such.
htekid…sikness…
You can say all you want about how we won in spite of Jake…it’s just not the case.
What you can say is:
Since John Elway’s retirement the almighty Broncos have won ONE, yes ONE playoff game in those 10 years. Who was the QB? Oh yeah Jake Plummer. Let’s not forget that victory was also over the INVINCIBLE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS.
and
In the history of the Arizona Cardinals, they have won ONE , yes ONE playoff game. Who was the Qb, oh yeah Jake Plummer. Let’s not forget that victory was also over the “at the time invicible” and almighty DALLAS COWBOYW with Emmit Smith, Michael Irvin and Troy Aikman.
Jake was on his way with the Broncos, it took Elway some 14 odd years, Jake had 3yrs, got them to AFC championship then got booted.
What has Cutler done, nothing yet.
cutler is in his second year…..Jake played with more passion but thats it..he also played with a noodle arm…take it from me ive watched him since Highschool growing up in the same hood!! or boise!! lol..but ya…Cutler has the tools to be a legend for denver….jake had the tools to bootleg!
oh yah jake didnt win the patriots game…he just didnt lose it….Champ Baily won the game!! and for the next week at PITT if champ picked off that first pass that went about 9 yards in the air then Hines caught it! we would have prob won that game if jake didnt blow it like he did running around like a chicken with his head cut off!!
Hell yeah.
I mean what more can you say about a ten year career that resulted in a grand total of 2 playoff wins.
Now that’s a winner alright…
Pathetic.
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