An inside look from Mike himself

Denver Post columnist Thomas George, has written a piece where he does everything but declare his outright love and affection for Mike Shanahan. It's filled with several moments that are just absolutely touching. Seriously, I can feel it down in my soul. But there are also parts of the article that paint a picture that seems radically at odds with reality.

In Mike Shanahan's view, he has become a part of us. We have become a part of him.

Broncos players report for Shanahan's 12th training camp as head coach here today. Twelve seasons as head coach is perpetuity in the NFL. Look around and see the churning change at the position that colors NFL camps.

We have ridden him, jabbed at him, taken him for granted more than we have applauded him. The guy has absorbed serious heat.

But Shanahan, in quieter moments, understands.

It's hard for me to understand where George gets the idea that Denver fans or the Denver media outside of Woody Paige and one or two others have been anything other than absolutely laudatory of Shanahan over the years. If the comments and email I get are any indication then the Shanahan apologists far outweigh the critics, and it seems that the number of journalists who like George line up to kiss Shanahan's feet continues to grow.

There are also a couple statements made by Shanahan in the article that are a little suprising. One where Shanahan himself goes against his apologists, and shockingly he appears to actually shoulder the blame for once.

Shanahan has studied the film at least 25 times, he said. His team was outplayed, he said. He was outcoached, he said. Give Pittsburgh credit, he said, but ...

"I study so much," he said. "I've got to be able to look into the mirror and like myself. And it's not that I do all of the time. But sometimes you have to be hard on yourself. And in the end, I'm thinking, 'We just blew an opportunity to be world champions."

I am blown away at the admission by Shanahan that he was outcoached in the AFC Championship game. There it is for you in black and white, Mike Shanahan himself admits that he did a poor coaching job in the AFC Championship game. It's a breath of fresh air to finally see Mike take some responsibility instead of blaming things on Griese, Rhodes, Robinson, Plummer or whoever happens to be the skapegoat of the month in Denver. If nothing else it's a step in the right direction, either towards a change in Shanahan's mindset or a step towards him leaving.

Read the whole article, it's interesting.

Poll results

Here are the results from the last poll asking how you thought the Broncos would fare in 2006. It doesn't surprise me that the majority of you are homers to the degree that you picked the Broncos to win 14 or more games next season. I am suprised that the next highest vote total was for the Broncos to win 5 or less games though.

A new poll is up, asking if you think that The Gunslinger ($48 million) will see action this year.

Gunslinger of the future

Everybody talked about how good Cutler was at Senior Bowl practice, why do they forget how poorly he played in the game? All the greats throw behind their receivers in the endzone. Look at his throwing motion on the pass too.

Shanahan draft retrospective #2: Willie Middlebrooks

With the 24th overall pick in the 2001 Draft Mike Shanahan selected Minnesota defensive back Willie Middlebrooks. During his stay in Denver, Middlebrooks never managed to get higher on the depth chart than the nickelback slot. Middlebrooks was so bad that undrafted rookie Lenny Walls was pretty much slated to be the starter before training camp even started.

The Broncos ended up robbing the 49ers in a trade to dump the first round bust getting John Engleberger out of the deal. But does it balance out losing a first round pick? Absolutely not.

For his career Willie Middlebrooks has seven defensed passes, thirty-three tackles, one sack, and zero interceptions. Oh, but to his credit he also has one assault conviction. Shanahan sure knows how to pick high quality character guys.

UPDATE: Shanahan resigned him! haha

Also: Retrospective #1: Marcus Nash

Shanahan draft retrospective #1: Marcus Nash

In 1998 the Broncos selected wide receiver Marcus Nash with the 30th overall pick in the draft. Nash's current organization's website lauds over his performance.

Nash has caught more passes, gained more receiving yards, scored more touchdowns and more points than anyone else in [the league] over the last two years.

Here's the only problem, that league is the Arena Football League. That's right, Nash has completely washed out of the NFL. In fact, Marcus played only one season in Denver before being shipped out of town. In his rookie year Nash caught only four passes for 76 yards.

In fact, Nash's only real accomplishment in college was being the guy who caught passes from Peyton Manning. But of course this somehow appealed greatly to Shanahan. And of course, Marcus was only one in a series of ridiculous first day picks from Shanahan. We'll take a look at those in the coming days as well.

Abysmal (a-bzml) adj.

1. Resembling an abyss in depth; unfathomable.
2. Very profound; limitless: abysmal misery.
3. Very bad: an abysmal performance.

I really want to hear people back this shit up.

When I went to work this morning, the Broncos had four first day picks and a potential to get some players that could help them out immediately. When I got home from work today, the Broncos had traded up to draft a position of non need already filled by a pro-bowler and had traded away two of their four picks. They ended up with Jay Cutler and a tight end whose main selling point is "he's a lot like Jeb Putzier." Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't we already have Putzier on our roster? Not only that, Leonard Pope, a tight end who is by any objective measure much better was still on the board.

We sit here, and the Broncos haven't addressed their glaring holes on the defensive line and backfield.

All Shanahan managed to do today was take the slats out from underneath BOTH Jake Plummer and Ashley Lelie as well as manage not to improve the team at all.

Instead of walking away with players that can make an impact, we walked away with a tight end and some guy who's going to get paid a premium to sit on the bench for two seasons.

I get the impression Shanahan took Cutler so he can shirk the blame onto Plummer as soon as possible. But, I'm sure you people will let him do it.

Day before the draft

The Texans have made a very smart move and signed Mario Williams as the first pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. But, what really matters is who the Broncos plan on taking.

For the first day here's what I'd like.

Round 1, pick #15: I'd like to see the Broncos take one of the following three players here.

LenDale White RB USC

To me this pick is really a no brainer. White can put up numbers vastly superior to what Anderson put up last year. His style of running and effectiveness at getting tough yardage will make Tatum Bell just that much more dangerous. His injury shouldn't be an issue either.

Santonio Holmes WR Ohio State

Chad Jackson sucks, anybody who drafts him is asking for a bust. Holmes not only didn't have a yards per catch ranking in the 500s of NCAA wide receivers last season unlike Jackson, he can block and do the little things one looks for.

Jason Allen S Tennessee

The Broncos need a safety, and Allen may be the best in the draft. Huff will not be able to play safety at the next level and Allen has definitely recovered from his injury.

Round 2, pick #37

DeAngelo Williams RB Memphis / Laurence Maroney RB Minnesota / Joseph Addai RB LSU

In that order, if we don't take White, then grab one of these guys here.

OR

Tamba Hali DE Penn State

OR (if we don't draft Holmes)

Greg Jennings WR Western Michigan

Round 2, pick #61 John McCargo DT NC State

Want to know why Mario Williams is the top choice in the draft? Take a look at the help he got from this guy inside.

Round 3, pick #68 Joel Klopfenstein TE Colorado

Hometown kid with a ton of intangibles, will help replace Putzier.

Denver's free agency silence is deafening

So after cutting Trevor Pryce to clear cap space, the Broncos have failed to sign targets Jamal Lewis and Terrell Owens. They have for the moment, completely dropped off the map in the John Abraham sweepstakes as well.

The one signing that has been made, Kenard Lang, makes zero sense considering that he had lost fifty pounds and switched positions last year.

It looks like our needs at runningback, defensive end, and wide receiver need to be addressed in the draft now.

Take Maroney and Moss.

Since the Broncos are doing jack in free agency

I really have nothing to post about. I highly doubt we get TO or anybody to replace Pryce short of drafting somebody but I don't trust Shanahan to draft defensive linemen.

Does anybody actually believe that Ron Dayne is the answer at runningback? I'm actually glad we let Anderson go as I'm pretty sure he's done as a starting runningback.

And just because.

My final four picks: Syracuse, Gonzaga, UConn, Boston College.

UConn beats Syracuse for the title.

Bill Leavy gets robbed in Super Bowl XL MVP voting

Hines Ward certainly didn't deserve that trophy.