I was sitting in the Denver Broncos dining hall with a couple members of the PR staff Tuesday when John Elway came in and grabbed a tray to get a quick meal.
Most meals are quick in football, especially when you are as busy as John Elway.
“John, congratulations on Wednesday,” I said.
“For what?” John replied.
“Twenty-fifth anniversary of The Drive, John,” I replied.
This is the day, this is the week, and how apropos that the classic one-play overtime drive engineered by Tim Tebow against the Pittsburgh Steelers came just three days before the 25th anniversary of a game voted as one of the 20 greatest in the entire history of professional football.
I am one of three current members of the Broncos honored to have been on the field when each of those drives took place—long-time head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos and Elway himself are the other two.
Some of the special elements of the win over Pittsburgh is that it happened here, in our stadium, before our fans, and it happened now. Everything is part of history, but this is current, “now” history that everyone can enjoy, be a part of and relate to. It seems less a part of the history books than those events that happened years ago.
And make no mistake, in this era of instantaneous media almost too much to count, Sunday’s game was big. When ESPN is asking fans to respond to a poll to name the drive/play, you know it has captivated the nation.
But we don’t need the media to tell us—they have done a spectacular job of describing it all, but that is just icing on the cake to the personal experience of having witnessed it firsthand, as virtually every Bronco fan did, either in person or by watching the great coverage on CBS.
Fans will always remember where they were, with whom they were watching, and how they saw the great game by the Broncos and the pass from Tim Tebow to Demaryius Thomas for the winning score.
As the longest-tenured administrator in Broncos history, I know I am qualified to say this was one of the greatest Bronco home games in the entire 52 years of franchise history.
Sunday’s game reminds me of something the late film director Alfred Hitchcock said about the movies—that the movies are like life, with the highlights emphasized. We all watch a lot of games, and the game against Pittsburgh was a “watching” highlight for every Denver Broncos fan—an all-time special moment.
But 25 years ago Wednesday, before Tebow, before Thomas, there was a drive in Cleveland that put the Broncos back into the Super Bowl and added to the growing legend of John Elway.
John’s career, as I told him several times when he was still playing, moved way beyond mere greatness and morphed into legend. And to quote another director, John Ford, “When the legend is bigger than the facts, print the legend.”
That was and is John Elway, and he took a huge step toward carving out his own bronze sculpture in the Hall of Fame in Cleveland on January 11, 1987 when he drove the Broncos past the Browns for a berth in Super Bowl XXI.
The memories from that day are still so vivid for me—watching Ken Bell handle a bouncing kickoff at the one and eventually fall on it at the two-yard line—creating almost literally the greatest amount of real estate a team ever had to chew up in a final drive to win a title. That was when I got up to leave the press box and head for the field, watching a couple of short Sammy Winder running plays just before the elevator doors opened.
When I got to the field I found myself standing next to T.J. Simers, who had covered the team in Denver before heading out to San Diego and eventually Los Angeles. We watched together as John hit Steve Sewell for a nice gain over the middle to put the ball near midfield. You knew you had a chance—anytime a team has a gunslinger like John Elway, who is not afraid to pull the trigger, you have a chance.
The Browns sacked him to create a third-and-18, and I remember watching the Cleveland fans leaping in the air, nobody sitting down, as they felt the certainty of being just two plays from the Super Bowl. But those two plays never came for Cleveland, and they still have not.
After being admonished by head coach Dan Reeves on the sidelines to not try and get it all on one play, Elway the gunslinger pulled the trigger and got it all back on a 20-yard completion to Mark Jackson. Just a bullet. Right then, you could feel the air going out of the crowd’s balloon.
Elway then used his legs to scramble inside the Cleveland 10, and then he threw a low, perfect strike to Jackson for the game-tying touchdown.
People sometimes forget that the game ended in overtime, as the drive itself was so dramatic. But Elway’s drive just tied the game.
But there was no question about which sideline momentum was standing on as the two teams headed to overtime.
Cleveland went three and out on its first possession and there was a sense of impending greatness, legend and doom—depending on one’s point of view—in Cleveland Stadium from that point forward.
As John marched the Broncos downfield for the touchdown, I remember looking behind me—not just to see if I was about to be hit by another dog bone—to see Pete Abitante of the NFL leading a small cadre of game officials and broadcast people dashing from one locker room to the other. One of them was carrying a cumbersome box.
I pointed out to TJ that they were moving the trophy, and the announcers, from what had been felt to be the winning locker room, that of the Browns, to the Broncos locker room for the celebration and trophy presentation (it was still done in the locker room in those days).
History was clear to everyone at that point. John completed a nice pass to Steve Watson to put the Broncos in field goal range and after a couple of carries by Winder to secure position for the field goal, Ohio native Rich Karlis trotted out and put his bare foot to ball.
And nothing was ever the same. The Broncos were on their way to history, and John Elway on his way to legend.
The final chapters of the 2011 season have not yet been written, but the authors are named John Elway, John Fox, Brian Xanders, Tim Tebow and a marvelous blend of veterans and young players who believe that as in any tale, it is the authors who determine the direction of the story.
And they believe. As do the fans.
It all starts with “Do you believe?”
When the answer is yes, anything is possible.
Two drives, 25 years apart, and once again, the past is prologue to the future.
Tags: Jim Saccomano, John Elway, The Drive
Stubhub is correct.Haven’t looked again since Monday.Had to order by phone.Their tickets page was having trouble loading yesterday.
A 1400 tickets available.
http://www.stubhub.com/new-england-patriots-playoff-tickets/patriots-vs-broncos-1-14-2012-2782196/
If I had about 6 thousand dollars lying around that I didn’t need too much, I totally would go to this game.
You could probably get it done for less than 1,000.00 alex.Least expensive ticket is 140.00
The Broncos are the reason for winning.
Im still holding out for a Broncos victory and a ravens victory so that I can go to the game like 20 minutes from my house lol.
TRB
I’ll most likely be at that one too TRB.
Broncos win 38-35.
Strand – what’s up bro?
Yeah, the fireworks that go off on the southside after each score and the grand finale after a win! Didn’t see myself, as we were to busy singing and dancing…lol!
Prediction: ^^^
Hey Royal, hows goes it brother? Kinda cool though. I like fireworks!
Plus round trip air fair, accomodations, parking, rental car, probably about 100 bucks worth of concessions while I was at the stadium (BEER!!!).
If all that doesn’t add up to 6000 thousand, figure in the hospital bills after I get rofl stomped by the home crowd when I lose my mind after the victory.
lol
er 6 thousand hehe
28-27-Patriots
U know which receiver we shoulda picked up … brandon stokely … maybe he can pull off another immaculate deflection lol. He is a free agent after all lol TRB
Going good overall… had a blast at the game last Sunday !
Totally unbelievable and but I believe!!!
I`m looking forward to saturdays game. We`ve got a shot at this one with N.E. D being shaky. Gotta play keep away from Tom Brady.
I`m glad you were there, ya lucky duck. LOL
I hear that Dawk might play, maybe?
Looking forward to that one too!
I tell you all the analysts don’t give us a chance but, I believe it will be our finest hour yet!
If we pull this game off with a win, I want a shot at that punk Suggs. He`s a basher and a loser at that. No respect for a puffed up arrogant player like that. I`ll laugh if the Houston Texans win on sunday. That`ll shut him up real fast.
Bring it!!
As we`ve seen, Tom Brady has alot of respect for Tim Tebow. Brady is a classy dude!!
Not sure about B-Dawk.. we’ll see. Bruton was all over the place last weekend!
Bruton is holding his own.
I don’t think of it as playoffs. I think of it as games.
All we need is a three game streak and we are SB champions.
We will be heavy underdogs in every game. But that is ok. That just makes it win win.
We already surpassed even the most die hard fans pre-season expectations.
Any given sunday, baby.
Just Believe!!
Funny you mention that Alex. My family are season ticket holders and they tailgate with a few others who hold tickets in the same section! Not a one of em thought we stood a chance before kickoff!
That moment we all met at the parking lot, when a bottle of bubbly was popped…priceless!!!!
You should see the Blue & Orange mini cowbell I purchased for 5 bucks
GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Haha. Wish I could of been there. Bubbly /w friends + broncos victory. It doesn’t get TOO much better than that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGWbVHU_Rmg
This one is about DT. Tell me what you think. I like the quote at the end. It can be a reference to experts and fans who didnt believe. I dont like the Optimus Prime nickname. He should be named Demaryius Prime!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljic3_THGz0
This one is about Tebow. Let me know what yu think. neither of these vids were made by me.
My god, what a fabulous season we have all been treated to.
Forget everything else, just getting that playoff win as revenge for 2006, and getting to eliminate Big Raplistburger and one of my least favorite teams made it all worthwhile.
I’m still kind of shocked by what a non factor guys like Polamalu (sp?) were in that game. Harrison’s biggest impact was hitting Decker in the knee. Other than that Harrison was pretty quite.
I don’t know if that was just McCoy scheme that accounted for em, or if the individual players were beating them, or if Tebow was just making really good reads. But even after we put all their starting D linemen out of the game, we still kept their handful of HoFers out of the game.
Palomalu had that one near int, but for the most part we totally kept those game changers out of the game.
HH27: I listened to the tape again and I was right…. It’s Simms who mentioned Thomas was from Central Florida.
Yeah Royal Simms was seeing Marshall when looking at Thomas score!!!!
Hmm, coulda sworn it was Nantz but either way they were WAY off.
Don’t they have people checking facts for them before opening their mouths?
Simms also said That we didn’t need a FB. We have one at QB. If need be when Brady Q comes in thats where Tebow is gonna go!!!! That what Mike Irin was talking about on NFL Network. When he said the Play by play guy kept calling Tebow a FB.
Michael Irvin*
I hate Simms and Nantz calling games, any games. The commentary from a guy who played in the league makes him sound dumb and they are boring and bandwagoners.
The game Sunday was the first time I can recall Simms saying anything positive about the Broncos. I swear he hates us, even when we are winning. Kinda like Hoge.
@greatness007 that tebow video was awsome i think a lot of analysts look like idiots saying some of the stuff they said. our team believes they can win every game and its the guys in that locker room who matter not the fools who are on the outside. our team is mentaly tuff for being able to shun away all the negitive crap being said. go broncos stay hungry and play like winners.
Hey fellas! I think it was Simms who messed that up.. For waht its worth I’ve heard Simms on a local NY radio show, and he doesn’t hate on Tebow. He actually stood up for Denver when the host was saying we had no chance against the Steelers..
Daddy – it was me that said DT would’ve been blown up if he held on to the that pass near the goal line.. I only saw the game once, so I may have been wrong, but it looked like he was heading right for two defenders with his eyes on the ball.. Maybe I was just sticking up for DT.. He’s such a good kid, and when he starts to get confidence in his abilities and with his body, I think we’ve just scratched the surface with him! I really believe that!
Btw, why did you change your name??
That’s the funny thing about Simms, he seems to like Tebow a lot but hates the Broncos.
But who cares what he thinks.
We love our Broncos and bleed Orange and Blue til the end.
GO BRONCOS!!! Lay the smack down on the Pats this weekend. Maybe we can get Shannon Sharpe to call in the National Guard again!!
But I think a lot of these “experts” literally take both sides on different programs, so that there is tape of them being right, at least half the time.. Lol
I love those old Elway uniforms! I hope we use them for a ‘throw back’ game sometimes!
Thanks Millerqbkiller
Vegas has us at a whopping 13.5 point underdogs.
If I were a betting man …
Damn! 9 hour drive… although I could probably turn it into 7 and a half lol… thanks for the link, Im surprised there are so many tickets still available… A lot of good ones too.
HEY GUYS CHECK OUT GREATNESS’S LINK BUT ALSO LOOK AT THE ONE ABOUT HITLER GOING NUTZ ON TIM TEBOW TO HILARIOUS!!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGWbVHU_Rmg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGWbVHU_Rmg