After watching his team take the field for the first practice of OTAs, Head Coach John Fox took an hour drive down to Colorado Springs to watch another team practice.
The Air Force demonstration squadron, the Thunderbirds, was visiting Peterson Air Force Base and invited Coach Fox on board for a ride-along.
Fox underwent three hours of medical tests and training in preparation for a one-hour ride-along in one of the squadron’s F-16s.
Thunderbirds personnel fit Fox with customized equipment and trained him on how to handle the up to nine Gs that he would experience on the ride. He watched a video on how to eject and parachute in case of an emergency.
After the briefing period, the pilot brought in the bad news that the jet was having mechanical problems and wasn’t able to fly.
“I think the fact that it broke before I took off is better than if it had broken afterwards,” Fox laughed. “That’s the fortunate part and maybe we can do it another time.”
The crew invited Coach Fox to try again another day, which is something he said he’d look forward to.
“Oh yeah, sometime,” Fox said. “They’re based out of Las Vegas, so maybe if I can get over that way sometime maybe I’ll take them up on it. This time is busy for us – it just kind of worked out (today). Unfortunately this happened, but we’ll do it another time.”
Fox invited the team to Dove Valley to watch the Broncos’ practice Tuesday morning. The group had a chance to meet a handful of players in the dining hall before practice.
Flight Surgeon Maj. Michael Carletti, who trained Fox at Peterson, met fellow Texas native Von Miller — his favorite player.
Miller, Peyton Manning, Elvis Dumervil and Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway signed a football for the group along with other Broncos memorabilia.
Even though he wasn’t able to get up in the air with the Thunderbirds, Fox said it was a worthwhile experience just to spend time with the team.
“It’s fun to get out on the base,” he said. “We’re still going to get a chance to watch those guys fly and they’re some of the best pilots in the world. I just like being around the military and like to let them know how appreciative me and my family are of their efforts and that commitment and sacrifice. Just coming down on base was really a lot of fun. I’ve met a lot of great people and we’ll do the ride some other time.”
-Stuart Zaas
Tags: Head Coach John Fox, Peterson Air Force Base, Thunderbirds, US Air Force
Too bad Coach, that is an experience I can only dream about. Hope you make it next time. Thanks to all our military for all they do.
dangit the new blog caught me by suprise again. i guess i’ll post the end of the last blog again.
killerkod said:
I’ll agree to disagree on that strand………..for me, while the exciting plays were like mid-blowing exciting, his lows were the lowest of lows and it was a struggle to watch. Last year was some of the ugliest football I’ve ever seen. But wins are wins and I thank TT for coming through when the game was on the line. I’m just happy that I won’t have to watch that kind of ball again this year…….
louisianabroncofan says:
May 22, 2012 at 11:11 am
amen to that kk. last year was a tough, draining, and embarrassing year. i couldnt hardly watch us playing those games. i would just sit on the couch for 2-1/2 hours shaking my head. and then after would hafta listen to people talk about how proud they were of the worst football i had ever seen. was like being in the twilight zone man. still haunted by it. i thank god elway knows what he’s doing and got rid of tebow. he figured correctly that most tebowites would raise 10 kinds of hell but then would eventually fade out. and thats what happened. all hail the man in charge!
ok now its on the right blog with context.
pretty dang cool for those pilots and those players. heck i hope the players got the pilots to autograph something too because they deserve to be very high on a pedastal. and the players should have been proud to meet such elite soldiers. hopefully the players realized who was in there presence and how truly special and elite those guys are. they are something.
This is the most excited I’ve been about a broncos season in such a long time. A SB championship is so hard to attain……….things have to allign themselves and even the best teams can fall short.
I’m not going to be upset if we don’t win it all next year……….but I will be upset if we don’t compete and make a good run at it at least. I just want to see us bring some respect back to our division and get back to being a team that noone wants to play on Sundays………..espcecially at home. I think we’re on the right track with that and I’m expecting an awesome season coming up!
“THE NECK” lmao…………..too funny of a knickname!
yeah lbf……….this season and last will be like night and day. We’re stepping out of the twilight zone and back into reality! lol
champ is like a kid in a candy store………..he sees the potential this team has now and you know he’ll be rallying the D to push hard and play lights out! He wants it oh so badly!
yep kk and i count on that. a totally different season and i will finally be able to watch the whole time and be excited. manning will keep us ahead or at least keep games really close. people need to really think about just how good manning is. this guy will lead us to many many touchdown drives. we will have shoot outs, blow outs, close but high scoring games, and all of it will feature good football by the broncos. no more of that having to make up some kooky, simple offense so the goober running it can actually do something on the field, all while said goober is being bailed out by the other teams mistakes, pure luck, and great play by other broncos. and i use goober as an endearing term of course…. now we will have a field general who will make everyone around him better. it will be night and day my friend and i cannot wait.
I’m also extremely happy we will never have to endure another year of Orton either……….he was so so horrible. I pity the fans in big D if romo goes down (not that I think romo is actually that good of a QB either) lol
LBF, Im sooooo glad someone else feels the same bro. I remember watching the Bears game, oh wait I fell asleep LMAO my wife woke me up cuz she herd the crowd and the announcers talking about a possible comeback. Same with both KC games, Bro I can go on and on. I have never seen so much lucky events happen last yr, unreal, the ugliest football I have ever seen IMO. And everyone saying if we dont when to playoff games PM is a bust, I feel if we win 9 gms it still better then tebow. We lost the 4 of 5 games and if it wasnt for chokeland losing their last game we wouldnt of even been in the playoffs period.
Lost 4 0f 5 of our last games
I have nothing against him or his lifestyle to each his own, I just think he a horrible QB
WOW, you got my blood going lbf I forgot how to spell LMAO
Sitting at the airport and thought I would make four small adds.
1. Last year the first 5 minutes were painful but the last 5 were some of the most exciting. I would rather have a full 60 minutes of excitement over 5.
2. There are 53 players on NFL teams season roster. Plus 8 on the PS. Thats 1952 total players in the NFL on a NFL team (Not including all the FAs). Every player is brought to the team to help compete for the SB. Only one team of 61 players out of 1952 win the SB. Also not including players brought in to replace players on IR.
3. I am glad to see McGahees confidence about running over 1200 yards! The run game is going to be exciting to watch especially since the box wont have 8 or 9 players in it.
4. I find it really cool that Fox invited them to the practice! Thanks to all the brave men and women who serve in our US Military. RIP to all the fallen.
ILMSDB!!! Gotta go boarding soon wanna get something to eat first. Peace out Broncos country!!!!
AB where you heddin
Oh and LB Danny Teviathan signed today.
Now Im out lol.
Lol dang it MT2 the girlfriend is wanting food. Haha.
Im headed to Disneyland with the girlfriend. Tomorrow night im proposing to her.
Peace out Broncos country!!!
ILMSDB!!!!!!!
He’s headed to disneyland with the gf millertime…………..lucky him!
Go get her AB! Congrats buddy! I have no doubt she’ll say yes.
stepped away for a sec but i’m with ya miller. was a tough year to take!
oh and congrats ab. is a moment yall will always remember. i got so nervous everything i was gonna say to my wife when i proposed was right out the window. just asked.
on a side note, former west virginia head coach died of a heart attack today. was a nice guy, hate to hear that. never could understand why he got that reporter to try to discredit the coach replacing him. they were gonna coach together until he did that and they fired him for it.
Man that is so cool. I would love to ride in an f-16!!! How amazing would that be?!!
I would love to have that football presented to the Thunderbirds!! John Elway, Peyton Manning, Elvis Dumervil, Von Miller, and others autograph all on one football!!! Heck Yeah!!
I’m out for the day gang………….have a good one. I’m going outside to enjoy this 23 degree day…….(don’t worry, I’m in Canada and it’s celcius) LMAO!
LMAO LBF! Hey, its a new era, a new chapter. Gotta roll with it. HaHa!!