Posts Tagged ‘Indianapolis Colts’

Guitar Hero with Peyton Manning?

January 22nd, 2008 - 2:56pm by domonique_foxworthOther posts by domonique_foxworth

Let’s see, what have I been up to? Well I have been keeping my writing group going and we had some pretty good classes, some better ones than usual which is always fun. That is probably one of my focuses now that we are in the offseason and we are unfortunately not playing anymore, is spending time at the Boys and Girls Club. I still get up and work out in the mornings over at Dove Valley and everyday that I am over there I spend about an hour or more with my guys from the equipment room and go and support their basketball team. They were 2-1 before I started going to the games and now they are 0-2 since I have been going. So hopefully I am not bad luck.

I did get away for a little bit. I went to New York during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday and saw The Color Purple. It was ok, I am not much into musicals but my girl wanted to see it so I went with her. It was fun and as good as a musical could be.

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Divisional Playoff Recap

January 14th, 2008 - 9:02pm by AndrewOther posts by Andrew

Everyone misfired on Colts-Chargers … and we now have a two-way deadlock for first place heading into the conference championships:

THE PREDICTIONS SO FAR:

ANDREW MASON: 4-4

MIKE RICE, NEWSRADIO 850 KOA: 4-4

KYLE MONTGOMERY, BRONCOTALK: 6-2

JOHN BENA, MILE HIGH REPORT:: 6-2

JONATHAN DOUGLAS, BRONCOTALK: 4-4

GREEN BAY 42, SEATTLE 20

“Is it snowing there?” queried a friend back in Colorado via text-message as the Packers and Seahawks battled in a gorgeous snowfall that is surprisingly rare for playoff games at Lambeau Field.

Where I was — elsewhere in Wisconsin — the landscape was wintry, but the skies were dry.

State Street Brats

There was no snow beyond a few flurries in Madison, which is 135 miles south-southwest of Green Bay. But by dining at the locally renowned State Street Brats, a favored establishment among University of Wisconsin students and state-government officials alike, I gave myself the next-best experience to being at Lambeau, replete with Brett Favre jerseys galore and the ubiquitous “Go Pack Go” cheer being played over the speakers throughout the restaurant.

(And by the way, from being at Lambeau Field once before, I can only offer this thought on the “Go Pack Go” cheer — cut it back a bit. It’s like going to games at Oklahoma or Tennessee, where one hears “Boomer Sooner” or “Rocky Top” after every … single … play. Two-yard run off tackle? Strike up the band! Less is more, everyone.)

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Divisional Playoff Preview: Sunday

January 12th, 2008 - 2:49am by AndrewOther posts by Andrew

Chargers-Colts

SAN DIEGO (12-5) AT INDIANAPOLIS (13-3)

WHEN: Sunday, 11 a.m. MST
WHERE: RCA Dome, Indianapolis
TV: CBS

The potential absence of Antonio Gates because of a dislocated big toe — he is listed as doubtful could prove significant, if not a fatal blow to the Chargers’ hopes. If Gates can’t recover, Indianapolis’ safeties and outside linebackers will be free to adapt to whatever San Diego tosses their way. If the Chargers focus upon the run, they can creep forward and use some “eight in the box” formations upon the snap. If San Diego opts to go outside and get Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson more involved, they can rejigger their focus accordingly.

“Well, it’s going to make it vital that we get it started if Antonio is not able to go, because obviously we’re losing a weapon,” Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson said. “Antonio attracts a lot of attention. And so not having him, then a lot of attention is going to go moreso on the running game. And so it’s just going to make it that much more important to establish it.”

The potential is there; Indianapolis’ run defense was a fairly pedestrian 15th in league rankings this year. But with Gates likely out, there’s little reason for the Colts to play San Diego honest down the middle. Look for them to attack Tomlinson, Michael Turner and anyone else who carries the football.

Above all, though, I can’t extricate their Week 10 meeting at Qualcomm Stadium from my mind, and the circumstances that defined it.

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Broncos-Colts: Postgame Open Thread

September 30th, 2007 - 5:11pm by AndrewOther posts by Andrew

Discuss the game’s doings here … share your thoughts, but try and keep ‘em clean. We’ll have more on the site when we return to Denver.

Broncos-Colts: Fourth-Quarter Notes

September 30th, 2007 - 4:43pm by AndrewOther posts by Andrew

6:28 P.M. EDT: Brutal efficiency for the Colts on their drive as the fourth quarter begins … but Joseph Addai is now slow to rise after being it at the Indy 45-yard-line. He gets up and leaves the field under his own power.

6:33 P.M. EDT: Broncos now need to tighten on defense; Colts have first-and-20 at the Denver 36 … and even with Addai out, the Colts can still pound the football; 22 yards later, and the Colts are back in the Broncos red zone.

6:35 P.M. EDT: Five-of-five for the Colts in the red zone … With 10:56 left, the Broncos trail 35-20.

6:37 P.M. EDT: Indianapolis now has 175 rushing yards and is averaging 7.0 yards per carry as the Broncos run defense continues to be gashed.

6:41 P.M. EDT: Cutler, under pressure, rolls right and heaves a deep pass for Brandon Stokley … but a pair of Colts defenders are there to stop the play.

6:42 P.M. EDT: Henry is back in. So much for my skepticisim. He promptly darts 12 yards for a first down. Broncos are down two scores, but their pace is not panicky.

6:43 P.M. EDT: Third-and-7 from the Denver 35 … Cutler in the shotgun … Selvin Young alongside him … Cutler under pressure, throws it short for Marshall and incomplete. With 8:41 left, the Broncos send the punt team onto the field.

6:44 P.M. EDT: Sauerbrun clobbers a 65-yard punt into the end zone for a touchback. Colts will take over possession with 8:33 left.

6:49 P.M. EDT: Colts again on the move; they are now at the Denver 43-yard-line with 6:50 remaining.

6:51 P.M. EDT: Colts now at the Denver 31 as the clock moves under five minutes … Indianapolis’ ground game is starting to bleed the Broncos’ hopes dry at this point.

6:57 P.M. EDT: Denver forces a stop on downs and uses its timeouts to preserve 2:38 on the clock … but all Adam Vinatieri has to do to put the Colts up three scores is hit a 22-yard field goal, which he does.

7:02 P.M. EDT: Dwight Freeney hits Cutler from behind, jarring the ball loose … The Colts recover at their 43-yard-line, and with the Broncos out of timeouts, the game is effectively done.

Broncos-Colts: Third-Quarter Notes

September 30th, 2007 - 4:23pm by AndrewOther posts by Andrew

5:51 P.M. EDT: The half opens with the Colts turning to Joseph Addai, who moves the Colts to the Denver 44 via a 17-yard run to the right side.

5:52 P.M. EDT: No sign of Marvin Harrison for the Colts, but they keep on moving; they get 12 more yards and are at the Denver 44.

5:53 P.M. EDT: Bryan Fletcher with a 21-yard catch across the middle … Addai then goes for 12 more up the middle. Colts are having a field day in the heart of Denver’s coverage on this drive.

5:54 P.M. EDT: Denver had Addai in its sights for a 3-yard loss in the backfield, but Crowder can’t finish the tackle, leaving Addai room to get to the 1-yard-line … Indy scores one play later, capping a ruthlessly smooth drive that extends their lead to eight points.

5:57 P.M. EDT: Hixon brought down in the open field … Broncos will start at their 15. The field-of-position disparity on drive starts continues to widen.

5:58 P.M. EDT: Jay Cutler looks left for Brandon Marshall and is intercepted by Marlin Jackson. Indianapolis is at the Denver 24 and the Broncos are in some serious trouble with 10:58 left in the third quarter.

6:00 P.M. EDT: Marshall and Head Coach Mike Shanahan are conversing on the Denver sideline.

6:01 P.M. EDT: Nate Webster flagged in the end zone … Colts at the Denver 19 with an automatic first down.

6:04 P.M. EDT: Third-and-goal … touchdown. Indianapolis now 4-of-4 in the red zone this afternoon after Manning and Clark collaborate on a second touchdown of the day.

6:08 P.M. EDT: Broncos need a big drive now … and it does not begin well for them as Cutler fires wide of Tony Scheffler under pressure.

6:09 P.M. EDT: Cutler hands to Travis Henry, who promptly gains 11 yards up the left side for a first down.

6:10 P.M. EDT: Are the Broncos in four-down territory so early? They have third-and-1 at their 41 … but we won’t find out about the four-down thing now, because Cutler rolls left and finds a wide-open Cecil Sapp off the playfake for 10 yards and a first down at the Colts 49.

6:11 P.M. EDT: Cutler starting to look a little more comfortable on this drive, particularly on rollouts.

6:12 P.M. EDT: Travis Henry is down and being treated on the field.

6:14 P.M. EDT: Henry rises and leaves under his own power, but walked very slowly as he departed the field.

6:15 P.M. EDT: Cutler relying on Daniel Graham on this drive; he makes the catch to keep the drive alive. Selvin Young now in at running back.

6:18 P.M. EDT: Young gets going and now has the Broncos at the Indianapolis 2-yard-line, as he slams his way through the Indy defense.

6:19 P.M. EDT: Flags aplenty as the Broncos run a second-and-1 play from the Indy 2-yard-line … No wonder, the Colts had too many men on the field, leaving the Broncos in second-and-a-microscopic-yard, about 40 inches from the end zone.

6:20 P.M. EDT: The Broncos basically had a potential seven plays to score … and they only needed one as Cutler slams forward for the touchdown to cap a 14-play, 79-yard drive.

6:21 P.M. EDT: Henry is listed as questionable to return with a right ankle sprain, but the way he looked as he left the field, I’d be shocked if he returned.

6:23 P.M. EDT: Steve Cargile makes an outstanding tackle on the kickoff return, finally forcing the Colts to start from somewhat dubious field position, at their 17-yard-line.

Broncos-Colts: Second-Quarter Notes

September 30th, 2007 - 3:16pm by AndrewOther posts by Andrew

4:49 P.M. EDT: Peyton Manning finds a wide-open Reggie Wayne as the Colts move to the Denver 14 .. Manning taking the fairways-and-greens approach as the flashbulbs pop around the dome.

4:50 P.M. EDT: Joseph Addai slices through the heart of Denver’s defense, bouncing off tacklers for the score. Denver’s lead is now 10-7.

4:51 P.M. EDT: Colts celebrate the touchdown with Bang the Drum All Day by Todd Rundgren. I feel like I’m at a Packers game.

4:53 P.M. EDT: Hixon gets hit at the 16, loses his balance and falls to the ground at the 20 after a 21-yard return.

4:55 P.M. EDT: I utterly despise the post-kickoff return timeout. Nothing demolishes the flow of a game in quite the same way. It’s like going to a basketball game where the two TV timeouts come within 30 seconds because there were no appropriate stoppages immediately after the 16:00 mark of the first half.

4:57 P.M. EDT: Broncos now at their 39 as they take timeout … lots of creative work by Denver … taking the Brandons — Marshall and Stokley — out of the huddle and replacing them with a timeouts just before a play.

4:59 P.M. EDT: I’ve seen ads for Hardee’s on the matrix boards and mullets on fans both here at the game and in downtown Indianapolis. I feel like I’m back home.

5 P.M. EDT: Twenty-four yards as Cutler throws across his body for Nate Jackson and moves the Broncos to the Indy 37. Jim Fassel is sitting down now. “Duff Gardens — hurrah.”

5:01 P.M. EDT: Broncos now with third-and-3 at the Indy 29 … Crowd at its loudest so far today … Graham at fullback, makes a block for Henry, and the tailback follows his escort for four yards and the first down.

5:02 P.M. EDT: Henry scoots right into a thicket of pads and helmets for 2 yards.

5:03 P.M. EDT: On the next play Cutler finds Brandon Stokley, who gains 12 yards and gets booed. Here’s the problem … you don’t boo a guy who did not leave of his own volition. The Colts didn’t want him back. Boo the Colts for letting him go, yes, but don’t boo the man. He loved the Colts. He loved Colts fans. Give No. 14 a little respect and love, okay?

5:04 P.M. EDT: Broncos now in third-and-8 from the 10 after Cutler had no chance to throw on second down, just barely getting rid of the football under pressure … crowd now at its noise apex so far today.

5:05 P.M. EDT: Bob Sanders stops Selvin Young two yards short of the necessary yardage … Denver opts for the field goal. It’s a long two yards … might even be closer to three, frankly … Elam drills the 22-yarder and the Broncos’ lead is 13-7.

5:07 P.M. EDT: Statistical guru Patrick Smyth informs me that Elam is now the fastest player to 1,700 points, making the milestone in just 224 games. Elam now has 29 points so far this season, leaving him on pace to pad his bulbous tally of consecutive 100-point seasons to open his career, which is now at 14.

5:08 P.M. EDT: I guess blocking-in-the-back isn’t what it used to be; looks like the guys in black-and-white stripes missed that one on T.J. Rushing’s 34-yard kickoff return.

5:11 P.M. EDT: Colts beginning to exert some will on the ground … while continuing to accelerate the game’s pace. Indy is three yards past midfield, and now at the Denver 40 after Addai runs into D.J. Williams following a 7-yard run.

5:12 P.M. EDT: Addai bounced off Williams as though it were a video game and not a real football contest … Indy now at the 36.

5:14 P.M. EDT: Two missed tackles as Reggie Wayne works his way upfield … one by Dre’ Bly; the other by Nate Webster. Indy now at the Denver 13.

5:15 P.M. EDT: Elvis Dumervil and Jarvis Moss get into the backfield on first-and-10 from the Denver 13; Dumervil gets a fingertip on the pass.

5:16 P.M. EDT: Third-and-6 from the Denver 9. This is the play that could illuminate the difference in this game … and it is, as Manning finds Dallas Clark in the back of the end zone. Indy is two-for-two in the red zone; Denver is one-for-three. That’s why the Broncos will be behind by one point assuming Adam Vinatieri makes the extra point.

5:18 P.M. EDT: And he does. The players often speak of getting better in the red zone … right now, the Broncos are just seeing red, down 14-13.

5:20 P.M. EDT: Broncos at the 20 after the touchback … The crowd seems to be growing louder with each Broncos possession … Broncos now have second-and-5 at their 25.

5:21 P.M. EDT: Gargantuan third-and-2 forthcoming … Broncos in the jumbo package, with three tight ends … Henry goes right and slams into Freddie Keihao … Broncos will punt on fourth-and-1 from the 29.

5:26 P.M. EDT: Colts now at their 26 to begin the drive … hold your breath, fasten your seatbelts, pull up your stockings … whatever.

5:27 P.M. EDT: Anthony Gonzalez makes Jeff Shoate miss; that turns a 4-yard-play into a 19-yard gain. Colts at their 45 with 1:23 left.

5:28 P.M. EDT: Manning for Gonzalez on third-and-5 from midfield is incomplete … but there’s offsetting penalties. Denver’s is an offsides against Elvis Dumervil. Can’t give No. 18 another chance like that.

5:29 P.M. EDT: Ian Gold, however, forces an incompletion with a timely hit … The Colts will punt with 58 seconds left before halftime … and Denver will start at its 8-yard-line after an illegal-use-of-the-hands infraction during the punt, which was fair-caught by Domenik Hixon. The Colts still have three timeouts, so Denver cannot simply run a couple of carries off-tackle and call it a half.

5:31 P.M. EDT: Travis Henry is over 100 yards (101) after gaining six yards on first-and-10 … The game stops as Colts linebacker Rob Morris is treated for injury on the field.

5:35 P.M. EDT: As the crowd rises to a standing ovation, a cart takes Morris from the field …. Back in the game, Henry goes five yards for a first down on the next play, and the Colts make no attempt to stop the clock. The teams will head to intermission with the Broncos down, 14-13.

Broncos-Colts: First-Quarter Notes

September 30th, 2007 - 2:40pm by AndrewOther posts by Andrew

3:56 P.M. EDT: Regarding sitting John Lynch and Javon Walker …

As I just told my mom, who is set to watch from Florida, you have to think big picture. Better to sacrifice one or two games now to ensure full health for the balance of the season rather than play hurt, aggravate the injury and turn a one-, two- or three-week problem into a season-ending game. It makes life tough for the Broncos today, but as everyone in the locker room likes to say, “it’s a 16-round fight.” This is Round 4, and when did you ever see Rocky Balboa not go the distance? (At least when he wasn’t facing Clubber Lang?)

3:57 P.M. EDT:“Twelfth man, are you ready?” asks the overcaffeinated public-address announcer as we are now 19 minutes from kickoff. With those words, the music starts … and I know that nothing gets a crowd more pumped for a game than Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne … unless they’re going to follow this with Church of the Poison Mind by Culture Club.

3:58 P.M. EDT: I’m always disappointed in how there is such scant evidence of this franchise’s Baltimore seasons in here. Only the years “1975-79″ next to Ted Marchibroda’s name on the facade of the upper deck in the end zone provide any clue that this club had a history before the Mayflower vans steamed through the snow out of Owings Mills, Md. some 23 years ago.

4:01 P.M. EDT: I’ve never seen so many people in a crowd wearing jerseys. It looks like everyone’s wearing the same thing. I feel like I’m at a Sun Myung Moon rally or something.

4:07 P.M. EDT: You really can’t go wrong with having your team enter to The Who. Well done, Colts.

4:12 P.M. EDT: Jay Cutler calls tails … and the Broncos win the coin toss and will receive. Jason Elam is again the special-teams captain.

4:13 P.M. EDT: Domenik Hixon is back deep to field the kickoff … Tim Crowder is on the kickoff team as a blocker, making his NFL debut.

4:15 P.M. EDT: I’m not sure how much of this game I’m going to see. Jim Fassel, doing a national radio broadcast, is in front of me and WILL … NOT … SIT … DOWN.

4:15 P.M. EDT: Hixon gets his biggest kickoff return of the year so far … 35 yards to the Denver 36.

4:16 P.M. EDT: Brandon Stokley gets the start at wide receiver with Javon Walker out … Travis Henry scoots 10 yards on the game’s opening play and then gashes the Colts for 5 yards one play later to move Denver past midfield.

4:17 P.M. EDT: Travis Henry makes Marlin Jackson miss in the backfield and uses that boost to sprint 14 yards to the Indy 35 … then goes right for the first time on this drive and sprints 15 yards to the Indy 20.

4:18 P.M. EDT: Rob Morris finally puts a halt to the Henry charge, slamming into him with a crunching hit at the Indy 17. One play later, Jay Cutler misfires on his first pro pass in his home state, overshooting an open Brandon Marshall in the left flat.

4:19 P.M. EDT: Third-and-7 … Glenn Martinez in … Cutler with his receivers covered, makes a rather optimistic pass in Marshall’s direction, which goes out of bounds.

4:20 P.M. EDT: Elam drills it from 35 yards away … 3-0, Broncos.

4:22 P.M. EDT: Colts at their 30 after the kickoff … Jarvis Moss (!) and Tim Crowder start at the tackles, with Moss playing from a stand-up alignment … Simeon Rice at right end, Elvis Dumervil at left end … Domonique Foxworth at free safety in place of Lynch … Colts quickly get 16 yards and are on the move.

4:24 P.M. EDT: Great open-field tackle by Nick Ferguson forces the Colts into third-and-2 at the Denver 45 … Moss gets into the backfield from the stand-up slot … Joseph Addai gains two yards for the first down, in spite of the best, most stubborn efforts of Ian Gold and D.J. Williams … or maybe he didn’t get the first down; a measurement is forthcoming.

4:25 P.M. EDT: Addai got the first down … Next play sees Moss, still working from the stand-up, moving outside of Dumervil on the left side.

4:27 P.M. EDT: Sam Adams is standing in front of the defensive coaches as they make the signals on the sideline … Jarvis Moss nearly jumped on the play, but came back before the snap … Manning’s pass is low and incomplete on third-and-6.

4:28 P.M. EDT: Denver takes possession at its 13 after Hixon’s fair catch of Hunter Smith’s 25-yard punt … Somebody tell the press-box P.A. guy that it’s “Domenik” Hixon, not “Dominique.”

4:31 P.M. EDT: What makes Marshall work … he doesn’t go down at the first contact and he makes people miss. Thirteen yards for No. 15, and the Broncos are on the move … and now at the Denver 39 after Henry goes for 13 to the right side.

4:32 P.M. EDT: Henry is just lacerating the Colts defense so far today … Now Selvin Young ets a shot … Denver already has 74 yards, and it becomes 79 after Young goes for six more.

4:34 P.M. EDT: Cutler and Stokley not on the same page on second-and-4 … Third down; Young, Martinez and Nate Jackson ehcek in … and Young gets the football, coming around from the right side to left end on the end-around for 32 … Cutler, Matt Lepsis, Daniel Graham, Glenn Martinez and Chris Myers with the key blocks … Denver has first-and-goal at the 9.

4:36 P.M. EDT: Drive breaking down in the red zone … Now with third-and-goal at the 7 after Henry has the ball stripped by Dwight Freeney.

4:37 P.M. EDT: Cutler finds Marshall on the short pass … five guys running into the secondary, and Marshall catches it even though he’s in tight coverage … Broncos lead 10-0, and this crowd seems a tad stunned.

4:39 P.M. EDT: How to make a bad play worse … hit the kick returner after he’s well out of bounds. Now the Colts begin their possession at the Denver 47.

4:42 P.M. EDT: John Engelberger in at left end; Marcus Thomas at tackle … Broncos generate some pressure, but Manning still gets the completion for 6 yards … now it’ll be third-and-1 after Addai goes right for three yards.

4:43 P.M. EDT: Marvin Harrison is down and holding his knee …

4:44 P.M. EDT: He is now up and is walking to the sidelines under his own power, albeit somewhat gingerly in spots.

4:46 P.M. EDT: Broncos with a five-man front … it does not keep Addai from getting the one yard he needed, plus two more. Colts now at the Broncos 35, and the crowd is getting back into it.

4:47 P.M. EDT: Harrison now back in, and he makes an 8-yard reception with a defender draped over him … Addai runs up to the Denver 22 as the quarter concludes.

Walker, Lynch Inactive for Game

September 30th, 2007 - 1:09pm by AndrewOther posts by Andrew

Neither Javon Walker nor John Lynch will play for the Broncos today.

Both were listed among the Broncos’ eight game-day inactives, which were announced before the balance of the team took the field for warmups in the RCA Dome.

Joining Walker and Lynch in sweats will be safety Hamza Abdullah and running back/fullback Mike Bell — each of whom was ruled out during the week — and four others: offensive tackle Ryan Harris, tight end Stephen Alexander and defensive tackles Amon Gordon and Sam Adams.

Both Gordon and Adams had practiced throughout the week, with Adams only missing Wednesday’s session, as has been the normal throughout the season. They were listed as the first-team tackles, with Alvin McKinley and Marcus Thomas shown as the backups. Should Thomas open the game on the field, it would mark the first NFL start for the rookie.

The moves also mean that running back Andre Hall and defensive end Tim Crowder will make their NFL debuts, while wide receiver Glenn Martinez — promoted to the 53-man roster on Saturday from the practice squad — will make his Broncos debut.

Broncos-Colts: Early Pregame Notes

September 30th, 2007 - 12:24pm by AndrewOther posts by Andrew

It’s a glorious afternoon in Indianapolis, and on a day like this next year, we’ll be able to peel back the roof at Lucas Oil Stadium and play this thing under God’s warming sunshine and blue skies. Instead, we’re under the white roof in the RCA Dome, where the air-conditioning makes this place feel more like McMurdo Station than a football stadium.

We’re waiting on the inactives, which should be coming within the next 60 minutes. For now, I’ll turn this thing over to you guys. I’ll have more questions and answers in the entries to come — and of course, the Tuesday question-and-answer session will bring some extensive responses to many queries. (Click here to send a question if you don’t want to post it below and get in on the mayhem.)

For now, a quick game-day Q&A:

From vegasbronco:

I have a question about yesterday’s roster moves. First of all, I am fired up about Cargile getting called up. I don’t know what it is, but the little bit we saw of him in the preseason, he seems to have that special something the best safeties have. Keeping my fingers crossed … Can you give us some insight into why Brian Clark was waived? From the limited preseason I was able to watch, he seemed to be the most consistently hard worker on the field, and everything we read and heard said he was impressing everyone on the field. Hixon has been underwhelming up until now, so does the Clark move come as a surprise to you? Thanks.

Agreed on Cargile … he’s also a valuable special-teamer, as he proved late last season, and with the Broncos’ kickoff-coverage units struggling so far this season, I expect he could provide a boost.

As for Clark … maybe this is one of those moves where they had to release a guy in order to make room for another on the roster. In this case, the key move would be the promotion of Glenn Martinez from the practice squad; I would be surprised if they promoted Martinez just to sit him among the eight game-day inactive players, e.g. the Weeks 1 and 2 signings of Chad Mustard. Martinez has kick-return experience from the Lions; maybe he gets a look today?

From BroncoFan1018:

Hey Andrew, do you know if the rumour by Adam Schefter of NFL Network is true about Javon being ruled out for the game tomorrow? Or is it still a game-time decision?

It looks to still be a game-time decision … upon which we’re waiting as we speak.

From our good friend and Man United supporter mikebirty:

It’d be tough to find a sports fan that hasn’t had a nightmare about missing a match despite trying to their hardest to get there. Last time I had that dream, I ended up trying to scale a ladder made of flubber.I think during my twenty-plus years of season ticket holding at Manchester United, every time I missed kick off — they lost. And if that isn’t enough to get you in early I don’t know what is.

P.S. Elano looked good yesterday. Could be bargain of the year.

The thing is, I’m paranoid about certain things … like tickets. When I was 12 years old, my dad and I left our Buccaneers tickets for a Week 3 game with the Phoenix Cardinals on the counter at home. We drove home, walked into the house past my stupefied mother, picked up the tickets and zipped back to Tampa Stadium. Never had I seen my father drive so fast before or since. Fortunately, when we walked into the stadium late, it was still 0-0. The Bucs lost, but we didn’t attribute that to our tardiness; they lost no matter what happened in those days.

As for Elano, I was initially skeptical about him, but from what limited clips I finally managed to see this morning, I’m learning not to doubt Sven’s scouting work. Just like he did with those Italian sides, he’s making the most of the transfer market … even with the pickups that are head-scratchers at the time. Seems like there’s a new blue hero every match. I’d become so used to a desultory brand of soccer that I simply can’t believe what I’m watching with City right now. This is a pretty magical start to the season and I’m enjoying every second of it.

A nickname suggestion from ocrush4ever:

A nickname such as ‘Andrew Missin’?

That is the choice of both you and Kyle Sonneman, fellow Web guru here in Broncoland. It’s the leader in the clubhouse unless anyone else has any suggestions.

From Broncosmontana:

That begs a question though — have any “players” ever missed the plane/bus out of town and have to come up with their own spur-of-the-moment travel plans?

There have — not recently, but in the days when players could make their own travel arrangements to the airport, it did happen — but I’m not going to out those guys in a public forum.

From TheSportsGuru:

You know, if the Broncos win tomorrow, you’ll have to miss a flight every week!!!

If that happens, I simply hope they’ll merely ask me to get my Quarter Pounder with Cheese, fries and a diet Coke at McDonald’s.

I’m lovin’ it … and I’m lovin’ the fact that game time is drawing closer. Back with more later; until then, vaya con Dios.