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Broncos Have One of a Kind Sellout Streak

June 14th, 2012 - 9:39am by jim_saccomanoOther posts by

The 2012 National Football League season will mark another year in the game’s longest home sellout streak.

The Denver Broncos sellout streak will be in its 43rd year this season, and that makes it unique beyond its simple and obvious length.

Denver found its place in pro football as an American Football League original in 1960, and when the most contentious battle between leagues ended with a merger in the late 1960’s, it was agreed that the two leagues would merge into one—or more accurately, that the AFL teams would move into the NFL to crates just one pro football league—starting with the 1970 campaign.

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Today’s Unknowns Can Be Tomorrow’s Stars

May 14th, 2012 - 12:02pm by jim_saccomanoOther posts by

One of the things that fascinates me in sport, as well as in life, is the vast number of fans and followers who know everything.

But a lot of that knowledge is gleaned after the fact. There is no limit to the wealth of knowledge we all have using past vision. But keeping our focus on present vision gives us the best peek into the future.

The Denver Broncos Sunday completed their rookie mini-camp, and the players now have a few days off to attend to personal items, finishing school, graduations, and they can begin to come to Denver on a more permanent basis on Wednesday, May 16.

At that time the rookies will begin to assimilate entirely into the Broncos’ off-season program. They go from being a completely new player to being part of a team.

Most of them remain unknown to most fans and media, however. That is completely logical and how it is expected to be, but future success is in no way predicated on how well known someone is now.

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Draft Just One of Building Blocks

April 30th, 2012 - 5:06pm by jim_saccomanoOther posts by

Everyone knows that the National Football League draft is a big key to the long term success of any team, but like any key, all it does is get you inside the room.

Too much is made by fans and press about instant success or failure of draft choices, but these comments often are based on what people think they know about the players. And quite frankly, with the exception of a very small minority of observers, most fans have not heard of most players.

But they love watching the game so much that in their minds, they think and assume they have heard of everyone. So when their favorite team steps up and makes a choice, more often than not the reaction is that “I never heard of that guy,” followed by something to the effect that he possibly is not very good.

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‘Now’ is the Byword

April 23rd, 2012 - 3:08pm by jim_saccomanoOther posts by

Denver Broncos Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway did his pre-draft press conference on Monday, and one question brought what I thought was one of the “money comments” from the entire briefing.

In referencing one of the National Football League drafts’ common themes, that of impact players, a reporter asked John if the term impact meant in the future or now for the Broncos.

“No, we’re talking about now,” John replied in words that should make every Bronco fan very happy.

The longtime NFL head coach Chuck Knox, who once said that he learned everything he ever needed to know back in the eighth grade at his school in remote Pennsylvania, use to say that, “Yesterday is a cancelled check. Tomorrow is a promissory note. Today is cash.”

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New Uniforms and Old Traditions

April 12th, 2012 - 11:50am by jim_saccomanoOther posts by

The excitement level around Denver Broncos headquarters and among the legions of Broncos fans is palpable at this time, obviously fueled by the acquisition of quarterback Peyton Manning.

(Actually, despite the Associated Press stylistic guide, it probably is never necessary to use the adjective “quarterback” when saying Peyton Manning. He just is).

The preseason schedule has been released and while the firm dates are yet to be announced we know that the Broncos will kick things off in Chicago, then play home games against Seattle and San Francisco before traveling to Arizona to close out preseason play.

And last Tuesday in New York City Nike and the National Football League unveiled the new uniforms for all 32 teams.

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A QB Back in the Day: Charley Johnson

April 5th, 2012 - 3:52pm by jim_saccomanoOther posts by

Much of success in professional football is and always has been about the quarterback position.

The most recent and an all-time most notable example is that of Peyton Manning, already stamping the Denver Broncos organization merely through osmosis, with greater influences to come steadily, and constantly, an ever flowing example of the water rising to elevate all boats.

Manning is the only man to have been named the National Football League Most Valuable Player four times. He has passed for 54,828 yards and 399 touchdowns, third most in NFL history in both departments.

No quarterback has earned more Pro Bowl selections than Manning (11), produced more 4,000-yard seasons (11), posted more 300-yard games (63) or had more seasons with 25 or more passing touchdowns (13).

This is a staggering array of statistics that he brings to the Broncos, but always, there is a connection to the past at the quarterback position.

In the category of winning, Peyton Manning’s 141 victories as a starter rank fourth all time, with a winning percentage (.678) that is the very best among any of the five quarterbacks who have won 125 games.

Clearly, he is a winner almost without parallel.

But once upon a time, Broncos Ring of Fame wide receiver Haven Moses, speaking of another Denver QB, said, “He taught us how to win.”

Moses was speaking of Charley Johnson, and this is just a little jaunt down memory lane to remind us all that the foundations for current successes were built in the past.

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Dreessen 12th Colorado Prep/College/Bronco

March 28th, 2012 - 8:02am by jim_saccomanoOther posts by

With the very recent signing of Joel Dreessen to a Denver Broncos contract, his return home prompted me to take a look at the common bond he shares with other previous Broncos.

This blog won’t be about Peyton Manning and might not be as interesting to some readers, but it might be a fun look at 12 players who grew up in Colorado, played high school football in our state, went on to play college football in Colorado, and then reached the NFL with the Broncos, the team that all of them grew up watching.

Dreessen went to Fort Morgan High School and was on the state 3A championship tam there in 1999. He had the added honor of being named a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete, making him the only Bronco player ever to have a Colorado prep state title, NFF scholar/athlete status, plus in state college play (Colorado State) and ultimately the Broncos. When you can count the list on a single thumb, that’s a short list to be on.

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A Tale of Two Days

March 21st, 2012 - 12:24pm by jim_saccomanoOther posts by

A career is a compilation of moments, most of them pretty normal and a few that, if you are lucky, stand out as incredible, remarkable, even extraordinary events.

Those are the kinds of moments that have you remembering where you were when the event took place.

I have been fortunate enough to be part of the two greatest single player acquisition press conferences in Denver Broncos history, almost 30 years removed from each other.

The other Bronco who was present at both is John Elway.

At the first one, back in 1983, he was the guest of honor as he joined the team by trade from the Baltimore Colts.

Since then a lot has happened, including the move of the Colts from Baltimore to Indianapolis.

And now, here we are in 2012, somewhat of a surreal moment as we watched Broncos Executive Vice President of Football Operations and Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway introduce his enormous and astonishing quarterback free agent signing—Peyton Manning, certain future Hall of Famer recently released by the Indianapolis franchise.

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A Team and the Time Continuum

February 8th, 2012 - 1:41pm by jim_saccomanoOther posts by

The Super Bowl is over, the confetti is being swept up in New York’s Canyon of Heroes, players are in or headed to any number of recreational sites to heal their wounds and get some R and R.

And within organizations, the building for next year is under way.

A key factor for all to remember is that each season is its own, it has its own ups and downs, its own results and ultimately, it deserves its own dignity.

The Denver Broncos from 1986 through 1998 won 14 playoff games in that 13-year span, including five Super Bowl appearances and back to back world championships.

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Offseason Starts in Mobile

January 24th, 2012 - 1:53pm by jim_saccomanoOther posts by

While there are still two teams that have not yet begun their offseason, for everyone else the path being traveled is that of improvement for 2012.

And that big first step is underway this week.

On Saturday at 3:00 p.m. (CST) the Senior Bowl will take place in Mobile, Alabama but the game itself is an anti-climax for the legions of NFL coaches and scouts who have headed to the southern city this week.

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