That was the title of a futuristic movie about people in space a few decades ago, but in addition to the obvious play on words, “Logan’s Run” seems an apt description of the remarkable career of Denver Broncos play-by-play announcer Dave Logan.
I recently asked Media Relations Coordinator Erich Schubert to do a little research on an idea I had, and he and 2010 public relations intern Stuart Zaas did the heavy lifting on my brainstorm, which we will get to in just a bit.
Most Broncos fans are aware that Dave Logan was one of the state’s greatest prep athletes ever at Wheat Ridge High School and that he followed that up with a superlative career at the University of Colorado.
Logan played for a decade in the National Football League, going to the Pro Bowl once as a Cleveland Browns wide receiver and finishing up his career in his home town of Denver as a Bronco.
I still remember the day I was standing in Dan Reeves’ office and he mentioned to me that we were going to cut Dave, but that it was really “no big deal.”
I remember thinking to myself, “Dan, Dave is one of the great schoolboy players in Colorado history and this will be a real big deal.” And it was.
The fans lit up our switchboard and the talk radio shows with complaints and protests.
But Dave moved on and became a talk show host himself, of course, eventually being asked to join the Broncos broadcasts as a color man by Larry Zimmer.
Both are in the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, and no one could argue with either selection.
When Dave became the Broncos’ play-by-play voice for our games (as opposed to color commentary, and there is a big difference) he took another huge step in Logan’s Run, because there are very few ex-players in the history of pro football to become play-by-play announcers. Actually, I can only think of one — Pat Summerall, ex-New York Giants placekicker — in addition to Dave. Logan is the only ex-NFL player doing play-by-play for a team currently, and I am not able to find one other in league history. Summerall does his work for the networks, of course.
Any list that only has two guys on it is both short and notable.
But now, to the point of our research. I was sitting with Dave at the Colorado Rockies’ home opener this year, chatting about this and that, and I suggested to him that regardless of how much credit he has received as a high school football coach, it has not been enough. He has been and remains unappreciated for his prep coaching accomplishments.
That changes right here, right now.
Following up that conversation, I asked Erich and Stuart to do state-by-state research on this one question: at the highest level of high school football play in the state, has any one man ever won five state championships coaching at three different high schools, winning at least one title at each school?
I vividly remember being at the funeral of Dave’s father, who coached youth teams for much of his adult life, and think frequently of Dave telling me how much he felt compelled to give back to kids, to helping youth through sports both for their benefit and as a tribute to his late father.
Dave started his high school coaching career at Arvada West, then went on to Chatfield before his current role heading the Mullen program. He won his first crown at Arvada West and his second in turning the Chatfield program around. Of course, his three titles at Mullen have made the Mustangs our state’s most recent prep dynasty. It is hard to win a championship at any level of play. Doing it is a remarkable feat. Being a regular participant in state title games is the stuff of legend.
The answer is that in all of American high school football history, Dave Logan is the only coach in any of the 50 states to have won five state championships at the highest level of play with three different schools, at least one championship at each school.
The 50-state research yielded only one coach who even came close to what Dave has done.
In the state of North Carolina, a high school coach named Bobby Poss won four titles at three different schools, but Coach Poss is now retired.
So while the accomplishment is itself a marvel, the coach most likely to challenge the record is the man who owns it, by adding onto it himself.
Think about that for a moment.
In 100-plus years of high school football, Dave Logan is the only coach to ever accomplish that feat. That comes after an NFL career when he was a Pro Bowl wide receiver, which comes after a great college career and a great high school football career. And to top it all off, he is virtually the only former player to serve as a play-by-play announcer. That’s pretty remarkable.
Logan’s Run, indeed.
You’ve done great, Dave. Your father would be proud, and so are the Denver Broncos.
Now, go get ready for 2010.
Tags: 850 KOA, Arvada West, Chatfield, Dave Logan, High School Football, Mullen
What a great tribute to a Class Act. Dave Logan should be the Head Football Coach at CU period end of story.
If he got that job he would missed by all Bronco Fans who would miss him on the KOA broadcasts.
Go Broncos.
Great story Jim,as always you find someone great to put on the Blog.Dave Logan is a GREAT success story.
I guess NFL.com dosen’t give the Broncos a shot at the playoffs this season,they have a poll on which team you think will make the playoffs,that didn’t make it last year,and the Broncos aren’t on it.NO RESPECT!!!!!!!! Never do we get any respect,man that ticks me off!!!!!!!!
Falcons
Dolphins
Giants
Steelers
49ers
Titans
:are on the list,but no Broncos,guess we’ll surprise a lot of people,just like we did at the beginning of last year,oh well.
All we did was solid up the entire Dline,solid up the Oline,and draft some great WRs,we missed the playoffs by 1 game last year,they think we can’t win 1 more game than we did last year.
BFE, that’s simply because we won 6 of our eight games to START the season but lost 8 of our LAST 10 with TWO four game losing streak. I can see why we will need to prove them wrong, if this kind of collapse would of happened to any other team, I seriously doubt anyone would give them a chance to get in the playoffs either, no matter the team. I personally don’t think we will make the playoffs either and I have looked at the whole thing pretty objectively, so I can’t say we are not getting any respect on this specific occasion, I believe on this one we need to earn that respect first. Even Dawkins lamented how awful last season ended and the horrible taste it left in his mouth, considering that’s how the team feels about their effort, I can’t blame the entire media for not believing in us, we need to show them something worthy of respecting, last year wasn’t it, just my opinion as usual.
Remember, in the NFL it’s what have you done for me lately, and unfortunately we didn’t do diddly so we deserve to be looked down upon, even Dawkins said he would welcome the underdog position, it’s just what we are facing, we put ourselves in that position and we deserve it.
BTW, great read on Logan, the voice of my Mile High Broncos.
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Hopefully, that fact that the media doesn’t consider us a threat will be a great motivator for our team. I do see you point Bay, and you are very objective, which is hard to do sometimes when you are a die hard fan.
However, I do have a good feeling about this team. I feel we can make the playoffs, but there are some unknowns that we will have to see play out. I guess that is what makes this so interesting. We have gotten rid of some major talent and have added talented guys with high character. I believe a lot of our success hinges on how the 2009 and 2010 draftees pan out. If these guys can contribute and play up to the level that McD believes they can, then we can win the AFC West.
There are just a lot of “if’s” right now, so it is difficult to make any predictions. I want to be totally objective, but my orange and blue blood makes that difficult. I feel if the pieces fall into place we will be a team to reckon with and suprise a lot of teams. If all the pieces do not fall into place, then Bay is completely correct and we will have to wait to 2011.
As BFE says, “just one mans opinion and that don’t mean a helluva lot.”
GO BRONCOS….
Big D, well said, my feelings are just slightly different than you in regard to the timing at which we will be great again, even if everything goes our way this year, I still find it a nearly unsurmontable task to make all the changes gel this year (D line, O line/RB’s, QB/WR’s) just to name the main areas of rebuilding, but I have just as strong a feeling that in 2011 it will all start seriously coming together and take us back to the top. Everything McD has done this off season appears to me to be right on except for the lack of reinforcement to our RB corp, but to the depth to which he took all this rebuilding for now the second year in a row tells me we are still another year away from putting it all together. However I don’t care, I have patience, and I will look at this year with the same usual enthusiasm as any other year and would be pleasantly surprised if we exceed my expectations, and completely overwelmed if we make the playoffs. Any given Sunday, right? let’s just hope this year they remember they are 16 of them….
haha, no kidding Bay. If the season was only 6 games we would be right up there with the 72′ Dolphins. lol And I agree, we could have used a powerback. As you know I was a big supporter of picking up Gerhart. Although, I am excited to see how Branson and Larsen contrbute in out 2 back sets. Could be very interesting.
Hey guys I guess I’m just upset because we never get any respect whether we deserve it or not.Baylin,you’re right we really don’t deserve any credit with that mudslide we went through last year,but if our D plays better I don’t think that’ll happen again,I just think we done some things in the offseason to IMPROVE the team,and I think we’ll win more than 8 games (I won’t predict our record until preseason).
Big D…You’re right there are a lotta if’s.but I think some of them will pan out though.
BFE
I think we are an improved team this year and our record will show it.
Don’t forget we also have a much easier schedule this year as opposed to last years. It’s not that far fetched that we could win 9 or 10 games this year.
If I look real hard and stretch it as far as I can go, I see up to 9 wins in the schedule, but no matter how I look at it I still can’t see where any more win would come from, but in all honesty 8-8 is what I come up with most often. I ‘ll wait to see who is our starting QB for the pre season or at least training camp before I make my final prediction.
Don’t forget a lot of people are picking the Raiders to finish better than us,they’re picking:
Chargers
Raiders
Broncos
Chiefs
in that order,I’ll tell you guys one thing right now,the damn Raiders finish better than us,I’ll give up watching NFL football after 27 years(started watching when I was 12,didn’t have ANY sports fans in my family at all).
I can’t believe anyone but a stupid Raider would pick them over us,I guess McClain and Campbell are going to turn them around from a 5-11 team to a playoff team,but we can’t go 8-8 last year and make the playoffs this year.GHEEEEEEEZ!!!!!!!!!!!
Baylin I won’t predict our record yet,but if our D plays better,and we can run the ball a little better,I don’t see why we can’t win more than 8 games,I might be mistaken,but I think we can more than 8.I guess we will have to wait and see who starts at QB and how well they play will have a LOT to do with how we finish.
Yeah, that’s b.s. is all I can say about that. But if I remember right there were many media members last year who picked the Raiders to finish ahead of us, and they obviously were wrong, so, who cares….
If we don’t finish with 9 or 10 wins,I for one will be very disapointed.
I’m just sick to my stomach of hearing about the Chargers and Raiders,I’ll be tickled to death when we take our rightful seat atop the AFC West again.
9-7 would be very good for where we’re at in my book, anything more would be gravy, but I could live with 8-8 once again, only because I think 2011 will be our break out year.
No kidding, we have to go back 5 years to 2005 for that, it’s getting old, we were used to better, we got spoiled, it’s all Elway’s fault, LOL.
I guess I’m just in to big of a hurry to get back on top again,but I guess I can wait one more year,if I have to,but we may play better than a lot of people think though,especially if our D plays good.
Yeah Elway’s fault…LMAO.
It’s funny, florio and sndvl are having a discussion on the previous blog while we are having ours here, like a different phone line…
I just feel sorry for the older guys that won’t be around much longer,they don’t have a lotta time left.Champ and Dawk both are deserving of a ring.
Sorry BFE, it’s getting close to beer thirty, I gotta hang up, LOL.
New Blog.
Yeah have a good one bro,I will.LOL
That is some amazing information! Congrats Dave Logan!
GO BRONCOS 2K10!!!!!!!!!!
SIGN DOOM
WOOOT GO LOGAN AND “THE RIDE HOME” love that show man..Great caller and sounds like a great person. Much respect.
i say were either 8-8 or 7-9….thats being nice…but im cool with it..because like BAY said 2011..will be our year…so another .500 season will be great….ive been a bronco fan since ’84…so use to up and downs seasons…thats all ive been is a bronco fan…since i was 7…orange and blue is all i knew…lol…so stop cryin we love our team no matter if were 12-4 or 4-12….but if 2011 isn’t our year..i say we get Gary Kubiak as a coach…since he left for Texans..our team’s production..went down…he was the brains…shannahan was the whatever..lol…we need a person who won’t waste our draft picks…football is football..not a crap table…skillz not potential…anyways…GO BRONCOS… lets stop cryin…we are Bronco fans not charger fans…we never need the waaa-bulance…we send them to the charger fans…
Wow. What a great article. Really left me speechless, so I agree with Mr. Saccomano….
Logan’s Run, indeed.
You’ve done great, Dave. Your father would be proud, and so are the Denver Broncos.
Now, go get ready for 2010.
GO BRONCOS!!!