Jim Saccomano

One of the most gratifying moments of Super Bowl week for fans of the Denver Broncos was the announcement that tackle Gary Zimmerman had been selected for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Zim is absolutely one of the greatest offensive linemen in pro football history, as his selection to the all-decade teams of both the 1980’s and the 1990’s clearly attests.

He had to wait a couple of years longer even than he should have, but there is no question that the voters got it right in naming him to the game’s most hallowed halls.

As great as the news was about Zimmerman, it was just as disappointing that all-time great Randy Gradishar did not get selected.

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The 2007 Denver Broncos Alumni Reunion weekend is this week, and it is going to be bigger than ever.

It is the longest running and largest alumni gathering in the National Football League, and one of the first big initiatives by Pat Bowlen upon his purchase of the team in 1984. That was the first year of the reunion, and also the beginning of the Ring of Fame, induction to which is the greatest honor that the Broncos can bestow on a player.

This year the alumni reunion dinner on Friday night and the pregame introductions on Sunday will feature approximately 150 former Broncos, a cavalcade of superstars, all-stars, and just plain good guys who proudly represented the orange and blue over the period from 1960 until now — although that 1960 team represented the Broncos in mustard and brown, not orange and blue.

On Sunday before the Broncos play the Jaguars those 150 former players will be introduced to one of the great audiences in pro football on what shapes up as a beautiful fall day in the first week of the autumnal equinox, and at halftime the 21st member of the Ring of Fame will see his name on the facade of INVESCO Field at Mile High.

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