SPORTS BRONCOS NO LONGER TOAST OF THE TOWN
This is a Broncos town. It always has been. But is the future guaranteed? In the current power rankings of the Denver’s big four professional sports franchises, our local NFL team ranks dead last.
Nobody puts baby in a corner. But the Broncos are locked in the basement, listening to the footsteps, as the Nuggets, Rockies and Avalanche get to work.
How did that happen?
At a time when our worldview is framed by the corners of a cellphone, two pieces of recent video illustrated how far the Broncos have slipped in the local pecking order.
In the first video clip, Nuggets players danced in their locker room under showers of bottled water, after coach Michael Malone saluted the team’s first playoff bid since 2013 with this happy declaration: “We got no champagne, but we got some water. We ain’t satisfied, but we’re going to celebrate.”
And then there was: Woody! TMZ released a video of (now former) Broncos quarterback Chad Kelly dressed like our favorite cowboy from “Toy Story,” after his trip to a Halloween party took a ridiculously bad turn and he was chased from a stranger’s home with a vacuum cleaner tube.
From the top of the organization to the last man on the 53-man roster, the Broncos often seem more like fodder for a bad reality TV show than championship material. How long will it be before they can again match the fun factor of the Nuggets, instill the same civic pride as the Rockies or even be as much of a playoff contender as the Avalanche?
The four main elements that define success for a pro sports franchise are star power, coaching, management and ownership. To understand the depth of the Broncos’ problems, consider this: They rank closer to the bottom than the top in every category, when compared to our local NBA, major-league baseball and NHL franchises.
Franchise player No. 1: Nolan Arenado, Rockies. By signing a jawdropping $260 million deal, he not only became the new king of Denver sports, Arenado made LoDo one of the more happening spots anywhere between Boston and Los Angeles in the major leagues. No. 2: Nikola Jokic, Nuggets. We can’t make this stuff up. That a dude with a belly taken 41st in the 2014 draft has turned into a legitimate MVP candidate is almost as delightfully unfathomable as not one (David Fizdale of the Knicks), but two (Scott Brooks of the Wizards) coaches have compared the Joker to Magic Johnson. No. 3: Von Miller, Broncos. With all due respect for the MVP of Super Bowl 50, the nature of his job does not allow Miller to have as much impact on his team during a game-in, game-out basis as either Arenado or Jokic does. No. 4: Nathan MacKinnon, Avs. There’s no shame in finishing fourth on this list. What’s more: At 23 years old, MacKinnon has yet to reach his prime, while it’s fair to wonder if Miller’s best football is behind him. Coaching
No. 1: Malone, Nuggets. He’s got my vote as NBA coach of the year. How about you? No. 2: Bud Black, Rockies. First manager in team history to look fearlessly at the beast that is Coors Field through the eyes of a pitcher. No. 3: Vic Fangio, Broncos. Beautiful football mind. even stuff a Fangio Better 60-year-old admits, man. But rookie there’s as head by going coach through can only it the learn first Are No. we 4: time. Jared certain Bednar, he’s the Avs. right Management guy for this job?
No. 1: From Tim Connelly, Jamal Murray Nuggets. (No. 2016) 7 to in Monte the first Morris round, (No. round, 51 2017), in the maybe second we should give John Elway some of whatever magic elixir Connelly is drinking. No. 2: Jeff Bridich, Rockies. He has a firm vision of how to win at 5,280 feet above sea level and an even stronger belief Colorado can compete with the mighty Dodgers. No. 3: Elway, Broncos. Hoping Joe Flacco has one more Hail Mary in him. No Plan B? Flacco is Plan E, F or G. I’ve lost count. No. 4: Joe Sakic, Avs. Took over as front-office chief in May 2013, and his five-year plan to restore the team to its Stanley Cup glory might require a decade. Ownership
No. 1: Josh Kroenke, Nuggets and Avs. Got both jobs too young. Grew up fast. Kudos. No. 2 Dick Monfort, Rockies. Reinvesting money of loyal fan base in team payroll. No. 3: The Pat Bowlen trust, Broncos. Let’s celebrate the induction of Mr. B in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August, then get down to the business of asking: For the good of the franchise, would it be best if the family sold the Broncos?