When the 2012 Olympic Games commence at the end of this week the legacy of Denver Broncos Head Coach Red Miller will continue.
Among the Colorado residents who will be intently watching the events on their television sets will be the coach who led the Broncos to our first American Football Conference Championship and appearance in Super Bowl XII, Robert “Red” Miller.
The Broncos made their first three playoff appearances and posted the first two division titles in franchise history under Red, who brought the highest degrees of experience, passion and the ability to relate to his players to the Mile High City.
But Red Miller will be watching the American rowing team more closely than any other, as his granddaughter, Taylor Ritzel, is a member of the women’s eight for the heavily favored American rowing team.
“She actually had never been in a boat to row during high school,” Red says, noting with pride that Taylor was “a tremendous swimmer at Douglas County High School, but she sustained an injury in her senior year that stopped her swimming.”
However, her 6-3, 185 pound athletic frame quickly attracted the attention of Ivy League rowing teams, and Taylor Ritzel opted to attend Yale, where she was captain of the crew team for the Bulldogs. “She told them she had never done it before, but they said she had the right body for crew, tremendous grades, and she is very, very competitive. So she did it,” Red says.
She has been on the American national rowing team for four years and was a Division I first team All-American at Yale from 2008-10.
Taylor lists her most memorable sporting achievement as winning the varsity eight at the 2010 NCAA Championships, and she can claim a bevy of international honors as well.
Included among those are winning gold and setting a world record (5.54.17) in the heat in the eight at the Samsung World Rowing Cup II, winning gold in the eight at the 2010 World Rowing Championships, while also winning gold in the eight at the 2010 World Rowing Under 23 Championships.
But if things go as Taylor and her legendary grandfather hope in London, she will be able to significantly update that list of most memorable achievement to include an Olympic medal.
While the generations are twice removed, Taylor Ritzel will be representing the Denver Broncos family in this year’s Summer Olympics, and we wish her the same success the Broncos had when Red Miller used to tell the team, “Remember, the fourth quarter belongs to Denver!”
Good luck, Taylor!
Tags: Red Miller
Such a good article. Broncos country will be cheering for her for sure!
Wow, that’s awesome! She is a very pretty girl as well and obviously incredibly fit! I hope they win the gold for the US.
At 6’3″ 185 maybe we can try her at safety or something! haha
http://thenewamerican.com/usnews/crime/item/12175-two-aurora-shootings-one-widely-known-the-other-ignored
Nice article. Feel good stuff!
I think the Olympics is a dying concept and I think kids don’t grow up dreaming of winning in the Olympics because they can’t afford to watch the Olympics.
DB I think there are many kids who still dream of competing in the Olympics. I know for a fact any here where I live do. But all f or the Winter Olympics. In fact I know a couple people who are competing to represent USA for the next Winter games.
Mike Klis
With the start of training camp down to hours, the Broncos are focusing on getting four-year deals done today with 2nd-round QB Brock Osweiler and 3rd-round RB Ronnie Hillman.
Ok this is awesome and can I just say thank you to Tim Tebow for helping remind the whole world that THE FOURTH QUARTER BELONGS TO DENVER?????? I look forward to Peyton Manning continuing this tradition!
DB I make a huge deal of the Olympics @ school. I will have some kind of project for them when school starts up again… winter Olympics are easier to incorporate into the curriculum though. Don’t worry… social media is helping the Olympics like never before.
Great to learn of the connection and another super article from the best…Sacco!
I really enjoyed the interaction and was quite entertained by the communication from my Broncos family on the blog today. I support and whole heartidly agree with the input from FTR, DB, Strand, AB, Cat and pray that we don’t enter the conversation so blindly as appears it happens from our elected officials.
Thanks for all the opportunity to share and consider the thoughts discussed, eventhough, my time on the blog can only be for a short period everyday and my input is so little at this time. I enjoy reading whatever is here by my Broncos brothers and sisters. Keep it up and love you guys.
Can you believe it….are you ready for some football…let’s get it started….Go Broncos!
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/berry-released-lions-155013953–nfl.html
^^^^This NFL owner has had enough! Good for him, and it’s about time. Maybe Pat Bowlen will adopt that as HIS new strategy and make some of these guys think twice before they do something stupid.
I am so excited! I might not sleep! LOL imagine Sept. 8th! I might be an insomniac ;-P by then! LOL
Tide, I think it says something huge that he was released. Can you imagine how Stafford feels this offseason? I don’t like the guy but come on… his team just racks up DUIs and all kinds of other stuff.
We met Red Miller a fews back in the Bronco Barn… very friendly man.
Best wishes to Red’s granddaughter !!!
We’ll be looking out for the Womens Rowing Team!! GO USA!!!