Broncos Star QB Must Recognize Denver's Defense As The MVP

What's up with Peyton's fourth quarter production.

Every attempt that we keep making to answer the question about Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos seems to leave us more clarified about the competition and not the home team or its leader.

Much like the first two weeks, Manning has finished a really close game with no reason for anyone to believe that he is the game closer that will be necessary for the final climb to the top.  This Superbowl rematch started out eerily similar to the original game.  Much like the Superbowl, Denver's improved defense gave Peyton time to decide if he wanted to show up or not.  Another fumble on our opening offensive play shut down Denver's confidence in Montee' Ball and running the ball with Ball.  In a wild stroke of luck, Ronnie Hilman actually resurfaced early in the game, even though he was inserted to give Peyton another passing weapon (screen out of the backfield) and not a reliable running attack.

By games end, the Broncos had settled on 20 running plays versus the 47 running plays that San Diego used a week prior to upset the Superbowl champs.  Granted, the Chargers were lucky enough to do it on home turf, but their blueprint was never designed to yield humongous yards on the ground.  No self respecting defense would ever give up too many yards on the ground anyway.  The commitment to running is like making slow love.  It may take a while to yield the benefits, but its well worth the patience shown.  Three years and three weeks into the Manning experiment, and the Broncos are still full of quick triggered, youthful exuberance, but lack the wisdom of experience.  Their defensive effort in last nights game was similar to that of the Superbowl, but failed offensive series after failed offensive series is likely to run any defense into the ground, even an improved one.

Three weeks into the season and John Fox is also continuing to use the same 'tired' excuse as an explanation for shoddy play down the stretch.  Fox has yet to explain the lack of offensive execution late in games that has made the first three games such an adventure, or assign his QB's fourth quarter departures as the reason for the dilapidated defense in Denver that he  does keep referring to.  Its likely that Fox is just another well paid talking head who understands football, gains the love and respect of his players with a jovial, laid back personality, but can not hold the leader of his team to the highest level of expectation- which Manning is so apt to do when other players fail to execute.  Is there no one in the Bronco organization to tell the quarterback to step your end game production up?

At the conclusion of last nights defeat in Seattle, Denver cornerback Chris Harris Jr. tweeted a comment that Russell Wilson is better than Luck, referring to Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts.  If Harris Jr. had the courage to tweet such a comment about two up and coming QB's in the league, what do you think he feels about the old guy he has on own team?  Both Luck and Wilson show late game execution that Manning lacks since so many defenses are certain that he will ONLY sit in the pocket and pass when the game is on the line.  Harris Jr. might be right about his evaluation of Wilson, but he might also be admitting what is starting to become clear about Manning.

The Broncos would love to win it all on the backs of their best player, but they simply have overestimated how good he actually is.  Manning will always be knowledgeable enough of the game to make average teams pay dearly, but against the best of the best, Manning becomes mortal.  In fact, he is pretty average. If you can remember the last time he ran for a first down against pocket pressure you might have witnessed the first time as well.  In some ways, it is remarkable how well the Broncos perform on offense given the fact that they can be forced into predictability so easily. .

Harris Jr. wasn't out of bounds with his comment.  Wilson is special, and capable of winning it all once again.  It is not as though he has skills that are beyond that of most QB's in the league (although his ball fakes are legendary).  In fact, his lack of physical stature actually leaves him at a disadvantage compared to the average NFL QB.  Wilson makes up for every shortcoming in his game, and in his team, by squeezing the life out of his own potential.  When you watch Wilson make plays, it makes you wonder why he doesn't do more of the same throughout the course of the game.  Why doesn't he ignore the run game and Marshawn Lynch?  Lynch performed well last night, but was held below his normal production by a stingy Broncos run defense. Lynch finished the game with only 88 yards on 26 carries, or 3.38 yards per carry, but scored the game clinching touchdown in overtime.

Wilson only passed for 255 yards on 35 attempts, yet the formula for a Seahawk's victory will rarely include 300+ passing yards when balance and patience are their agenda.  Denver did acquit themselves better in the final scoring, but they did not show themselves truly competitive throughout the game, except on defense. If  Wilson is better than Luck then he probably is more capable than Manning too at this point in each players career.  No matter how you size up these players in a head to head comparison, Wilson is not the MVP of the Seahawks team, just as Manning isn't that for Denver.

For both of these Superbowl contenders, the collective defense is the MVP of each team, and it will be the team that relies on its defense the most that will win the next match up, which most expect to be for all the marbles.  When the game mattered most, Wilson grabbed the reigns and kept his defense from being needed,  however, it was his reliance on them throughout the game that made it possible.  Denver was an overtime away from a 3-0 start to a season in which their star quarterback has yet to outplay his competition.  Scoring is down in Denver, offensive production is sporadic, and the Broncos still appear to be the team most likely to take on Seattle in the end.

WHY?

If the current signs are legitimate, Denver has fielded the most impressive defense in its storied history and very few people are talking about them as the real hope that the Broncos have to capture the crown.  Manning has to see how impressive his defense has performed, but, thus far, seems to be the most unaware Bronco in the stable. The defense might be growing weary late in games, but to these tired eyes, it is totally on Manning whose style of play says that he still thinks of himself as the primary key to victory.

Mayweather Must Lose If He Wants To Win The Hearts Of Fans

I'm not really interested in spending money on boxing matches that get replayed for free in a week, but this one might be worth peeking through my neighbors window to see.

Floyd Mayweather against Marcos Maidana in a rematch that is becoming the last best hope to bring a defeat to the only undefeated champion history has produced.  As impressive as an undefeated champion sounds on paper, Mayweather has just as many critics as he does fans. He practically markets for opposition, as if too many people on his side would harm the Vegas betting that makes every Mayweather fight a worldwide revenue stream. Love him or hate him, he has everyone's attention because at this point in his illustrious career, no one wants to be the fight fan who missed it when Floyd got beat.

Hands down, Mayweather is the hardest fighter to hit that ever accomplished so much.  Witnessing 17 years of no one laying a solid glove on a fighter is the stuff of legend, but the outcome of his fights has become quite predictable.  Every Mayweather fight looks basically the same.  His opponents chase and miss while Floyd feathers them with punches for their troubles.

Let Maidana tell it, feathers are all that Floyd is bringing to the fight, because he claims to have zero fear of Mayweather's punching power.  Many people have claimed the same thing about Floyd's lack of power, but the knock out is simply a boxing bonus. Three judges are paid during every sanctioned fight and their services are usually needed more than they are not.  Floyd could finish his career as the greatest boxer of all time without being the games greatest knockout artist, but will he even earn the respect that he already deserves if he does not lose a fight or two?

Among the many opponents that Money Mayweather has had to overcome in his career, his own greatness stands in his path as the greatest challenger of them all.  Continuing to be the hardest guy there ever was to hit will secure his record, but it is no longer doing a thing for his legacy.  As contradictory as it sounds, Mayweather probably needs to lose if he plans to win the heart of his critics. But does he know this?  His words say one thing, but his fighting style lately tells an entirely different tale. The tendency he has shown to to stand and be hit lately either says that Mayweather's is actually listening to his own critics, or he's just losing legs from too much sex.

I was watching the Showtime pre-fight preview special a few hours ago in which Mayweather makes it clear that he doesn't care about those who criticize him because he is going to live his life as he pleases.  While he's saying this, a beautiful blond Latina sits at his side as a video adornment for Mayweather's portion of the preview special.  Apparently, Mayweather is running with lots of ladies in his midst, none does he claim as a wife or girlfriend, but all appear to be lovers.  People like Mayweather (and Hugh Hefner) might claim to not care about public opinion, but their attempts to stimulate public opinion contradict their every word.

Everything about Mayweather is a contradiction of imagination.  It doesn't seem possible that a fighter who no one believes can hit hard, has never been beaten as a pro.  It is odd that he trains so intensely hard, but has his people bringing him McDonald's in the middle of a yoga workout.  When most fighters shun sex during their fight preparation, Floyd seems to be taking those workout hormones and letting them have free reign.  Old school fighters used to believe that "saving your mojo" instead of losing it in the throes of passion made you sharper in the ring.  Maybe blissfully wobbly knees only effect guys who don't beat the heavy bag for 45 minutes straight like Mayweather does?  

With the size of a Showtime undercard, Mayweather is probably in his dressing room right at this moment resisting the urge (or not) to get a little pre-fight fellatio just because he's Floyd, and he can do that.  Up until now, no one has been able to argue with his methods because he has an unblemished  record.  Before the last fight with Maidana, Mayweather had an unblemished face, but Maidana cut Floyd and gave him the toughest fight of his career, This time around, Maidana has even less to lose than he did in the first go round.  Simply looking good in the ring against this legend is the only expectation anymore; knocking him out and winning will be one of those things that happens when we all least expect it.

On that day when Floyd feels that first defeat, despite a long career of nothing but success, his story finally begins.

Fantasy Football: NFL Eases Drug Testing To Distract From Ray Rice?

http://www.si.com/nfl/2014/09/11/new-nfl-drug-policy-vote-nflpa

With major controversy surrounding the NFL, Roger Goodell and the recently terminated Ray Rice, the NFL is moving like lightning to ease up on weed.

WHY?

Not why are they easing up, but Why Now?.  The NFL drug policy has always been some convoluted, use in the off-season only, mixed message that is harshly used against weed abusers while front office alcoholics and oxy users engage in attempted homicide, choosing to drive while impaired.  If that wasn't enough disciplinary confusion, the Ray Rice domestic violence incident encouraged an instant revision to the domestic violence standards, but it may have just forced the NFL to ease up on weed too?

Why would Goodell, the famously tough commissioner, give in so much on something he just recently punished so harshly for?  An NFLPA (Players Association) vote is schedule for today (9-12-2014) and, if approved, is expected to be retroactive to players that are currently doing time for trace levels of recreational drugs (Browns receiver Josh Gordon tops that list of players).  Players might be voting today, but collective bargaining typically only occurs when contracts have expired and work stoppage is pending.

If the NFL has given ground on this issue days after Goodell promised he didn't see the video, Goodell is essentially slapping his own hand from recent recreational drug punishments at the same time that  he must get tougher on domestic violence, .  Is this just a way to take the attention off of the other failed decisions that Goodell has made recently?  More importantly, is it the right thing to do anyway?

Former NFL kicker and current NFLPA player representative, Jay Feeley, had his moment at the ESPN First Take desk today and his words made a lot of sense.  Feeley explained how he personally couldn't relate to addicted players who continue to risk their livelihood for the sake of illegal drugs like marijuana, until the Jim Irsay situation shined a light on the matter for him.  When Irsay, Indianapolis Colts owner, had to accept some form of punishment (what a joke) from his employee Roger Goodell, he was given 6 games of suspension from whatever owners who mix oxy and alcohol, do.  I'm still wondering how exactly the Colts team was punished for the actions of its owner, but I am not confused about what the official statement was on the matter.

I'm not saying that Irsay has always looked
like an abuser, but....okay, yes I am.

"He is seeking help and he's done that voluntarily," Goodell said in March, a week after Irsay's arrest. "Obviously any policies or laws that are broken, whether they are commissioner, player or coach, those are subject to discipline."  (cbssports.com)

Was Irsay disciplined?  Sort of!

In actuality whether it was Irsay or each ruling against Rice, Goodell is walking a slippery slope that is so very slick, he can't keep from falling. Easing up on drugs right now is another slip by Goodell mostly because it is not driven by the correct motivations.

Reactionary governing is how America ended up with the welfare state.

Easing up on off season abuse, which is what raising drug testing levels will do, is not a great formula for encouraging players to voluntarily get help as Irsay was said to have done.  Weaker testing policies will only benefit the current player practice of quitting just before the season begins and hoping that your detox plan will slip through testing.  Now, only the guys who just can't quit for a few weeks before the test, will get caught up into this web, and even they are being given a test beating compromise that should keep many players currently in the league drug program, below the new allowable levels.

Addicted people can be detrimental to themselves and their teams, but that applies to people who are addicted to food, drugs, sex or themselves.  What separates illegal recreational drugs from the rest of the addictive items I've listed is one word.  Illegal.

The standard that we place upon people who get paid a lot of money for whatever they do in life has always been a bit skewed.  The standard that we place upon athletes, especially NFL players, is moving into the realm of constitutionally illegal.  Weed is typically seen as a poor man's drug, so the prevalence of it in the black community and among black athletes makes it an easy target for public disdain and distorted punishment.  Alcohol, on the other hand, is socially accepted to the degree that we are much more comfortable with  potentially murderous front office executives only losing 6 games for drunk driving convictions.

Did recreational drug users who play football actually need domestic violence to gain some slack?

Basically.

What that says about righteous discipline is that you had better quit playing football if you expect to get treated like an American citizen  again.  Thanks to Goodell and the NFL, constitutional law might soon get a few new case studies for consideration.  Can a league legally flex their employment policy to meet whatever they consider to be public opinion?  Ray Rice was punished already for his actions. Granted, he was never given the correct punishment, but he was punished.  Even if the league decided to give him the result of the new policy, a policy that his wife beating helped to create; that new policy only called for 6 games on the first domestic violence offense, not an indefinite ban from the league. How can the NFL legally justify ignoring a rule that had been implemented less than a week prior?

Will Ray Rice force the NFLPA to stand up in his defense, and what will they say?  Wife beating is not a collective bargaining agreement like drug testing. The domestic violence policy is one of those 'Goodell is god' things that he can place under the umbrella of "detrimental to the league".  Detrimental behavior has suddenly become way too subjective to determine how Goodell might respond.  Carolina Panther superstar player, Greg Hardy, is playing as we speak despite a domestic violence conviction that he is currently appealing.  Apparently, the potential of winning an appeal is enough to keep you out on the field, so future offenders need to be preparing their appeal before they even commit the crimes.

Rice, who plea bargained his charges, falling on the mercy of the legal system, was forced to go get the help that he will need to correct the problem, while  Hardy is functionally innocent in the eyes of the NFL until his appeal says otherwise.  The Hardy story has only recently come to light so the question of whether public sentiment comes to bear on this issue, as it did on Rice, will be worth watching. If Hardy offends again while waiting on his appeal, then what?  Is he still considered a first time offender?

Either Goodell is working on losing his job or instigating a big lawsuit between a player and the league.  Nothing, except public disgust, is impacting the reason that Ray Rice has been banned from the league.  If he is coordinating with the NFL to take a year away and help Goodell and the Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti absorb the decision that (I believe) they all made to hide the worst of that video, than I do not expect Rice to sue either of his employers. Wait and see if Rice is not reinstated at the end of the season, and playing for the Ravens when he returns. Lawyers will line up to challenge the NFL treatment of Rice, while that same league turned a blind eye towards Hardy and many other players with domestic violence charges that are pending.  

These changes to the drug testing policy were inevitable because they are in tune with our changing world. but the timing only diminishes the statement made by this noteworthy act of contrition. If changes are made to the manner in which players receive help for addiction problems as Feeley claims, than the NFL will complete the circle started by this initial action today.

Change is painful, and the NFL is struggling so badly with change that they keep creating their own set of work place laws that are totally different than most employers must adhere to.  Up until now, we have allowed millionaire employee's to suffer at the hands of their billionaire employers because working for less than six figures a year doesn't naturally develop millionaire sympathy.  When seemingly unfair NFL discipline felt like the right thing to do for the players themselves and the children who look up to them, we allowed it to happen.

Suddenly everything has changed.

Roger Goodell has quickly confirmed that the NFL is only concerned with its bottom line, and that America is so football obsessed the we will allow the NFL to be the only corporation in America that can randomly re-write employment policy (even retroactively) whenever their bottom line demands it?

Fantasy football has a totally new meaning.

Roger Goodell Supporters Remain Steadfast Despite Mounting Evidence

ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith is steadfast in his
support of commissioner Roger Goodell.

I am never too fond of these sports topics that totally take over the entire two hours of ESPN's First Take with Stephen A. Smith, Skip Bayless and super moderator Carrie Champion (see; Tim Tebow), but the Ray Rice issue has ceased to be about the Rice family and has totally become about Roger Goodell and whether or not he should retain his job.

My previous post about this issue did not demand the firing of Goodell mostly because I am very cognizant of what his termination entails.  32 NFL owners will have to be convinced that Goodell was behaving deceptively and was likely in collusion with the Ravens and the Rice family on how this matter would be conducted for public consumption.  As hard as it seems to believe he is telling the truth, proving that he has done all of that might not be easy to do, but could be the threshold for his termination.

However, lets be clear about the details.  The Associated Press (AP) news organization is reporting that someone in the NFL office confirmed receipt of the full video.  If AP is to be believed (and they usually are) Goodell will struggle to remain exempt of responsibility.  Even if he did not see the video, this all happened 'on his watch'.

Those were the words of Goodell when he put the hammer down on the New Orleans Saints organization during Bounty Gate.  Several Saints staff, including the head coach and players, were punished during this over reach of Goodell.  Eventually, the former commissioner Paul Tagliabue would be called in as the arbitrator who found Goodell's rulings a bit too harsh, especially on linebacker Jonathan Vilma who lost several games to the misguided rulings of Goodell, but was fully exonerated by Tagliabue.

Add this potential lie to that Goodell misstep and it is easy to understand why Goodell should be on his last days with the NFL.  Most people are not convicted on potential truths except if it is being done by Goodell himself, so this current heat on Goodell might just be the rabbit with the gun (as one NFL player tweeted). In reality, Goodell will need to be captured dead to rights in order to convince his bosses or  his most vocal apologist, Stephen A. Smith.  When Smith went all-in on Terry O'Neill, the head of the organization called NOW (National Organization for Women), who called for the resignation of Goodell on their website, he found himself apologizing for the harshness of his words (Bayless reminded him that many women who work for NOW are often former victims themselves), but doubled down on his support of Goodell.  As hard as it was to watch Stephen A. stumble to defend Goodell, I had to acknowledge the fact that only one NFL team owner has spoken out to say that Goodell might lose support if he is proven to be lying.....and that owner remained anonymous.

NFL team owners love Goodell and he realizes the power of his position.  Commissioners don't get fired, they retire or resign at their own leisure because their jobs are secured by the difficulty of gaining a majority consensus.  Even the total exoneration of Saints linebacker Vilma did not result in admonishing Goodell who was responsible for confirming the facts on those he had punished. Guest ESPN analyst and former Saints player Jabari Greer, was a Saints player when Bountygate was being investigated by the league.  Given the thoroughness of their Bountygate investigation, Greer is confused why the league did not acquire the video tape on Rice. According to Greer (an NFLPA rep. who announced his retirement during today's episode of First Take), "It was clear that Goodell is on the owners side.  There is no compassion for the players from Roger Goodell", Greer added.

Nothing like a little controversy to shine light on people and situations. In hindsight, the whole role of NFL commissioner is reflective of a marketing plan and not a sound organizational approach.  "The GAME of football has become a pure business", according to Greer.  Yet, when he said that statement, he was shocked to be challenged by Stephen A. Smith who asked him the question, "Have you told that comment to the owners?"  Greer had to admit that he had not.

What Smith was pointing out was who they all work for, including Goodell, and he quieted the panel with his question.  How does anyone argue with the person who cuts all of the paychecks.  Complaining about Goodell might be expected and even allowed, but some owners have described this recent attack of Goodell as a "witch hunt" despite the facts that stand against him.  Employee whining that reaches the owners office comes at a major risk to that employee, but not having a viable place for grievance creates an antagonistic environment that is not healthy for employer or employee.

Speaking of healthy environments, Greer pointed out that none of the 32 NFL teams has an in-house clinical psychologist, and that needs to change today.  In a league of such prized athletes, doctors of every other sort are made readily available, but Greer claims that therapy is suggested through typical benefits posters like most employers are required to display.  It could be that an in-house psychologist would shut down on the field activities that NFL teams currently allow, like domestic violence issues or concussion issues, but these problems are forcing players to take the time away from the field that they currently only get during a public crisis that soils their reputation and that of the league.  If the NFL truly wished to address the problems that Goodell has tried to deal through the termination of Ray Rice, it would do more to avoid the issues like Rice is experiencing.

Disregard what you think about millionaire football players.  In reality, they are high paid cattle.  The really great ones, like Peyton Manning are cattle with opinions, but even he has someone watching for that moment in which he must be sold for value or sent out to pasture. That someone is typically called "the boss".  Commissioners retire because having 32  bosses makes it work out that way.  If the Baltimore Ravens owner is more willing to own his role in the under investigation of the Rice incident, it is because he is more untouchable than Goodell.  Aside from rare occurances, owners do not get fired, but commissioners can, and Goodell either needs to be fired or fired from his holy stature.

The NFL needed to change to role of the commissioner and this incident gives them a unique opportunity to save Goodell and save their soiled reputation by appointing a boss over the only employee in the league without one.  Roger Goodell has done good for the owners. $78 million dollars in players fines since 2006 might be proof of player stupidity that Goodell has kept from destroying the leagues reputation, but it is also evidence of a commissioner who answers to so many owners that he answers to no one.

To correct this problem, the NFL needs a punishment czar to oversee discipline and is also the boss of the commissioner.  Goodell can continue doing everything that he currently does for the league, but he would now be accountable to someone truly responsible for the shield and not just the shareholders.  Condoleeza Rice would be great PR for the current issue of domestic violence, and having Goodell implement the Greer suggestion of in-house therapy could offer additional healing to damaged NFL families and the wounded shield as well.

We may not be able to prove Goodell a liar, but he is nonetheless responsible for being on watch at the time.  Goodell has earned the termination so many are calling for, but even the new commissioner must be removed from this god-like responsibility, while retaining the power that comes from steadfast support of 32 bosses. In the banning of Rice, Goodell is disregarding his own new rule regarding domestic violence.  Unfortunately for the NFL, firing Goodell from his role as the existing commissioner makes the prospect of terminating future commissioners more realistic to disgruntled players who might not like Goodell's replacement either.  The owners duty to the shield and to the office of the commissioner will make this decision a tricky one for sure.

Goodell should be fired, but its much more complicated to the ownership group than a simple termination.  Firing Goodell would compromise the shield, which means he must be fired from his exclusive role of NFL decision maker.

Whether he stays or goes, Goodell must be fired from something.

President Obama Will Deliver A Performance, But NO New Information

This might be the last great speech of his presidency.
Choose the correct suit and tie.

Barack Obama has a problem that will always be a disadvantage to him in the world of business and politics (a code word for business).  Barack Obama is way too honest for his own good.  His natural tendency is to thoughtfully consider his position and deliver his thoughts with passion.  Passion is like blood to a vampire in the world of business and politics, and as non-political as international affairs used to be, they are highly political these days, and are a primary aspect of the office of the president.

Upon adding the title president to the name Obama, president Obama had to learn how to shun his passion and adopt his poker face.  Even when you do no intend to bulldoze your enemies, business and politics demand that you maintain the threat.  Barack Obama never had to learn that game in the world of community organizing, but he is learning its importance with every day in office.  When you listen to president Obama stutter through his words, it is because he is at war with his passionate nature and the demand of political prowess.  Poker players with too much passion get swallowed up by the dog eat dog nature of the game.  Misspoken words in politics  become bullets in the gun against you, so speaking slowly is smarter than speaking incorrectly.

President Obama is learning to slow down, but usually the day after he has already shown his entire hand.  I may not be the best poker player in the world, but I recognize a player who can't hide his cards.  Unless I am mistaken, is there another hand that Obama can possibly play?  The do-nothing congress squeezed the Pentagon for a vision of the plan weeks ago.  When president Obama finally took off that tan suit and started sharing preliminary details, it sounded just like the very suggestions that everybody in this war weary nation had already suggested; build a coalition of nations in the region to take the lead on the ground offensive and provide that coalition with surveillance, air strike support and weapons for the cause.

President Obama will declare that the same darn thing that we are doing in Iraq is what we will continue doing until it is no longer working.  How far we travel into Syria will be Syria's decision in the final analysis.

So why the speech tonight?

Congress is obsessed with the pomp and circumstance of history, and historically, presidents used monumental speeches to educate a nation when limited technology demanded the formality. Radio, television and computers insure that we get up to the minute information about ISIS, and our overly passionate president has done the rest.  Congress is full of disgruntled non-presidents who relish in the opportunity to force a sitting president to feed into their narcissism. Most in congress would rather not offer input on ISIS even as they insist on congressional permission.  In reality, the president only needs congress for a military action that will last beyond 180 days.  Finding out whether he intends to proceed with or without their permission is really the only reason to tune in tonight.

......and for the show of course.

President Barack Obama is stepping before America to perform for history sake.  He might say something that very few people expected to hear, but I seriously doubt it.  What is most important tonight is HOW he delivers his message to America.  Polls have already shown over 70% support for airstrikes against ISIS, but the poll doesn't even ask about boots on the ground.  WE are all more aware of the futility of long term war in the middle east, so even suggesting boots brings instant concern of mission creep.  President Barack Obama is attempting to lead the way on how we deal with worldwide terrorism, and it all begins with his opening act performance tonight.

No one will care much about what he says, but critics will spend a day or more dissecting the manner in which tonight's speech gets delivered.  Despite the heavy stake that a growing ISIS is to the entire world, defeating them comes with political points, and politics is serious business.  President Obama's speech could be step one in the process of securing political power into the hands of Democrats concerned with losing the Senate (and maybe the White House) to Republicans. A dynamic speech and a successful military campaign against ISIS might actually excuse president Obama for pushing immigration down the road.  Ruin tonight's speech and he'll need to put ISIS on the run just to repair the damage from talking about it wrong.

If you plan to watch this Superbowl (of sorts) in order to see the game, don't bother. It's been on display since we headed to Iraq, and there is nothing that we don't already know.  Tonight is totally about the halftime show.

Why Does America Expect Roger Goodell To Fix Domestic Violence? ...and why does he keep trying?

If getting Roger Goodell to step down is like domestic violence reparations, then he should step down today.  If his removal doesn't further the cause of domestic violence awareness or comfort any hurting victims, then he doesn't need to step down, he needs to fess up about seeing the full video and stop continually searching for the moral high ground once he's made a mistake.  Goodell should be naturally inclined towards earning, and maintaining, the immense respect that viewers have for the NFL by acting with integrity from the beginning and not as a reaction to potential revenue loss. On this issue, Goodell's reactions are late and his integrity, maybe even his honesty, are questionable.

But who are WE to talk?

What exactly did we imagine a knock out punch would look like? I am getting so very mad at America because WE decided that WE needed another lifeless body to compel us to care about a problem that occurs everyday.  Fortunately, Janay Palmer (Rice) got up off of the ground and did not die (this time), even if she chose to protect her abuser and her financial means of feeding her family as her response. This is predictable behavior in cases of  domestic violence, but we already know these things.  America is well versed in violence and its residual impact. Whether it is domestic violence, police violence or our pending violent pursuit of violent terrorists who behead American journalist', violence becomes us.  Some Americans have decided that the best solution to violence is more guns and more violence. I wonder how this story would read if Janay Palmer or Ray Rice had violent weapons on them?

Violence becomes us, and today's violent mirror is domestic violence, which is long overdue to be seriously addressed in a comprehensive way (mental healthcare). WE should not expect, or even allow the NFL to take the lead on such a serious social issue.  What we are indirectly asking Goodell to do is be a judge and jury for an entire league of professional athletes and potentially all of the people they do business with.  Goodell will have to monitor abuse from each of his employee's, male or female, and that of their spouses who might commit acts of violence against someone inside of the NFL family bubble.  Corporate affiliates with a public face might be asked to follow suit in order to maintain contractual relationships with the NFL.  On the surface that might seem like a good thing, but the topic today is domestic violence.  Tomorrow it will be child abuse and the next day it will be drug trafficking.  Goodell will not be able to keep a separate policy for every social ill that haunts society, nor should he try.

Because the full video made this a news story again, it begs the same question I began with.

WHAT DID WE EXPECT TO SEE?

Janay Palmer took some of the blame,  but did we expect to see Palmer swing at Rice before receiving a left hook, or did we believe that an open hand slap could cause her to hit her head against the hand rail, as Ray Rice and others seem to describe it? Some of her behavior appears defensive and some of it appears aggressive, but who expected her to roll into a ball while getting punched from that position?  Even if he ended up grabbing her like Jay-Z did his sister-in-law, would we commend him like we did Jay-Z and forget that Jay-Z probably needs conflict resolution skills after angering his sister-in-law into a fist fight?

Solange Knowles has domestic violence issues too by the way.  Many families do, but making Roger Goodell, the NFL, and the Ray Rice family be the leaders of a worldwide problem is simply wrong and insensitive to all of the Rice family, especially Janay, and to the issue of domestic violence in general.

Pope Francis warned us about this issue

Upon being elected pontiff of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis declared domestic violence to be the greatest worldwide problem that the church must address.  At the time he declared this statement, most news outlets scratched their heads and barely made a footnote of the statement.  Few took the Pope's words to heart, and no one used his spiritual guidance as a reason for a national referendum on domestic violence.
USA TODAY  - WORDPRESS     (news reports on Pope Francis to the council of Bishops)

The Rice family needed what they are finally getting, family therapy.  The NFL will have another act of domestic violence captured on tape in the near future, and that NFL family needs support today, not days after a tape is captured and revealed. If there is anything clear from the Rice family video of shame, this was not their first fight.  Despite Goodell's bold attempts to fix his errors with the Rice family, future domestic violence cases with NO video evidence will require the same legal channels that the NFL has typically honored in the past.  Enacting punishment on innocent employees is not a great public relations approach for any corporation, especially one that regularly draws the attention of millions of viewers.  Having indisputable video evidence is not grounds for ignoring the legal process. Although the legal process seems complicit in turning a blind eye to the Rice family video, his sentencing was actually consistent with first time offenders.

To my eyes, Palmer gets hit and then hits the hand rail before falling to the ground.  Did she get knocked out from the punch or the hand rail?  Who cares?  Domestic violence is bad news no matter how its going down because it NEVER ends well.  There are thousands of women in prison from killing men while defending themselves against domestic violence. Most are glad it was him and not them this time, but their families are the ultimate casualty.

The most severe results of domestic violence are grossly tilted against women, but the path to America's healing begins with shunning all acts of violence within the family unit.  If Goodell would like to bring some good to this bad scenario, he could encourage most (and demand other) NFL employee's to get family therapy.  The new face of domestic violence, the Rice family, are actually only the victims of an untimely video that will make the healing process a little harder.  Ray Rice needed  help for himself and his family, and the source of his curse (the video) will offer the path of his healing as his family is getting the help that other NFL families, currently suffering in silence, need as well.

When it comes to expecting the NFL to find the proper punishment to fit future domestic violence crimes, I say STOP IT!!  Kicking Rice out of the league probably punishes his victim even more than the perpetrator in this case. Forcing Rice to get help and sending part of his income to his current victim and the rest to organizations that will support future victims is probably a better approach.  The next video Goodell (or the future commissioner) will receive might be of child abuse captured on home security cameras, and then Goodell will have to gauge Americas feelings about child abuse versus domestic violence. PED's (performance enhancing drugs) might be easier to regulate, but certain crimes demand a case by case approach because that is how justice works. Goodell keeps chasing after a cookie cutter approach to player issues in order to exonerate the NFL from lost revenue, and we keep asking him to do it. If there is a crime to his behavior, its that Goodell seems hardly concerned about the well being of his employees and their families, but well focused on NFL shareholders and revenue streams.

Okay America!  I have gotten that off of my chest.  I'm still a little upset, but I am hopeful that WE have learned to STOP letting video evidence create our national call to action.  Of course, if this daily embarrassment that we keep doing to Janay Rice and her family doesn't lead to substantive actions (more family therapy in America) instead of these knee jerk reactions, then I might just get angry again.

You've been warned America,

Note to self:  Talk to my family therapist about this anger problem of mine.

Manning, Luck Horse Race Gets A New Chapter. Broncos By A Nose

It will be great for Denver when Peyton Manning finally gets that second championship that has eluded him for so many years.  Only then will we ever get back to a sense of normalcy.

What does normal look like in the world of NFL football?  It looks like fans of teams that win opening round games against the hottest young quarterback in the world, accepting the win for its value and not parsing it into the meaning of life.  This is only football people, and WE Bronco fans won the game. In last years horse race, the Colt won by a nose.  This season, the Bronco exacted revenge, but this rivalry is destined to produce a tight horse race every time, despite the lofty expectations created by so many off season free agent acquisitions in Denver.

In the end, the regular old drafted rookie that doesn't cost so many millions like a free agent, was the player who saved the day.  In hindsight, rookie cornerback Bradley Roby was the key player in more ways than one final stop.  Not only did Roby knock down a key fourth down pass intended for future Hall of Fame receiver Reggie Wayne, he made a third down, goal line, one on one tackle that lead to a fourth down, goal line stop as well. With vaunted cornerback Chris Harris Jr. operating on limited minutes as he returns to action from off season surgery, back up Tony Carter seemed ill-equipped to step up to the challenge of the large Colt receivers (Carter had just given up a touch down to the Colts on the previous series). The fact that the rookie Roby was placed one on one with Wayne in the first place is as impressive as the play he made against him.

Let ESPN's Sportscenter tell the story, Manning was the same stellar performer last night that lit up the stat sheets and the highlight reel most of last season.  He certainly had his fair share of moments, but none were saved until the waning minutes of a this very close game.  When the game was on the line, Andrew Luck, not Manning, made the more spectacular plays.  For an athlete who's career has been defined by regular season greatness and post season meltdowns, late game departures should add to the negative knock against Manning.  It feels like national journalist' often pre-write their expectation of an outcome and slightly deviate the transcript if game results demand.  Since Denver held on for the victory that most anticipated, and Bradley Roby was not the expected hero in the pre-write, he becomes an added footnote in a story that deserves a deeper look beneath the surface.

These Broncos are better than last years Broncos, but not a whole lot better (yet). They have better talent but not better chemistry (yet). Creating chemistry is challenging for sure, because finding that proper chemical mix for maximum impact takes trial and error.  In the first trial of the season, there were plenty of errors to point out.  The Denver Broncos still do not insist on ball control when the quality of opposing quarterback clearly calls for time of possession versus speed of scoring connections. Was that part of the game plan or did the Colts force Denver to look just like they did the past two seasons?

Laser sharp passers will always be able to rise above imperfect offensive execution, but they can not change the primordial rules of football. Passing is predictably risky, so running the ball and great defense is the only reliable route to a championship.  Running the ball and demanding yards against a defense that is committed to stopping the run is offensive domination.  Passing your way up the field provides a lot of fanfare and hype, but, even when succesful, gives the ball back to the opponent way too quickly to be an effective approach against the best of quarterbacks.

Like Andrew Luck, for example.

It may not be this season, and probably not even next, but Luck will be called the best of them all one day.  Whether that extends itself into the realm of all time greatness or just the greatest of this era is the story football fans are watching unfold before our eyes.  During last nights game, the Bronco's best hits on Luck never made me wince in pain like I do every time Peyton takes another whack from the defense.  Andrew Luck is the closest marriage I can imagine between the quarterback that we have now, and the one who wrote the Bronco legend, John Elway.  He has the best physical and mental attributes of each of these great players and is destined to share in championship revelry along with the great QB's of NFL history.

Will Luck's championship journey begin this season?

In my eyes, the Broncos just played against the team that they will be forced to overcome in order to return to the big dance.  Luck is a legend in the making, and ironically, Manning may need to ride the back of his old team and its new leading Colt to secure his own legendary QB status.  What better way for Peyton to ride into the sunset than getting the best of a story book rivalry between the former Colt turned Bronco, and the Colt's new thoroughbred who is already sticking his nose into the race of all-time great quarterbacks?

Last nights game was another chapter in the lore of Luck .vs. Manning mania; players inextricably linked by their equestrian lineage, their quarterbacking journey's, and the race to be the greatest stallion of all-time. The Bronco's victory insured that we would not have a triple crown winner and added Manning to a list, along side Brett Favre, of quarterbacks who have beaten every team in the league.  To Manning, that is only an accomplishment that speaks to how old you are, not how great.  Yet, getting this victory was a lot bigger than simply growing old.

Minus a couple significant plays from Roby, Luck might have kept his triple crown hopes alive since the two teams will likely see each other in the playoffs this year.  Now, Luck must look forward to that playoff game for a chance at redemption. This Bronco fan is not excited about being the team that has to keep Luck from happening because it seems clear to me that he will be the last man standing.

The consistent end game heroics of Luck make his prospects much more than luck.

This is fate.

POSTSCRIPT;  NO SHOWS = Vonn Miller, Derek Wolfe and the promised quarterback pressure that all of those expensive free agents were supposed to provide.

Demarcus Ware did show his immense talent, but seemed alone except for a few coordinated blitzes that brought linebacker pressure.

Congratulations to the much maligned Raheem Moore who set a goal to lead the NFL in interceptions and got two to start the year.

Can President Obama Destroy (Or Contain) ISIS Without Angering Islam?

Obama has to figure out how to get tough with the Islamic State
 without upsetting the state of Islam?

 Islam is on the rise around the globe.

Politics is such a filthy business that I hesitate to even use the word anymore in fear of scaring really nice people away from my company.  I might talk the P word with you, but you had better 'go there' first or I just can't touch it.

Islam has become a similar word, but Barack Obama is not afraid of the word Islam and unashamed to protect its image around the world.  Let some of the birther folks tell you his story, he might be a secret Muslim from Kenya anyway.  I certainly do not share in their opinion, but would it matter if it were true (the Muslim part, not the Kenyan thing)?  If we came close to electing a Mormon president, will a Muslim have an opportunity to lead America one day?  Nothing in the law forbids it, but our difficulty with the word Muslim and the Islamic faith that they confess, has made Islam into some detestable image similar to the images we get from hearing the word, 'politics'.

With that in mind, President Barack Obama must proceed forward in a world that is becoming more and more Muslim, but less and less tolerant of them. Unlike Christianity in America, Islam is a growing religion in both America and abroad.  ISIS, as an organization, is focused on the recruitment of westerners as a tactic against westerners, and they are succeeding in their efforts. Estimates state some 2000 western recruits that are currently fighting for ISIS, including 70 Americans.   Unlike concerned Americans, British officials have begun to confiscate passports as a means of avoiding the obvious risk that comes from western recruits with free access in and out of the western countries that they detest.

Becoming disgruntled with the nature of western politics is a common experience and a common recruitment tool as well. Although evil is never done of God, anger is not inherently evil, and anger towards western ideology is worthy of discusion.  My faith says; when angry, sin not.  Islam comes from Abraham (Ishmael, the Father of Muslims, is the son of Abraham), as do Christianity and Judaism. Our God is the same, and so are the primary tenants of each religion. Our practices vary greatly from one religion to the next, but we are truly more similar than we are different. Muslims pray five times a day, and Seventh Day Adventist believe Saturday (Sabado, or Sabath), not Sunday, is the proper day in which God rested from his work.  I believe they are both correct in practice and interpretation, but confused about how these practices fit within the forgiving plan of grace.

The Islamic Jihad is no more doctrinal to Islam than the Christian Crusade was to the Bible.  Anytime a religion becomes the overriding force behind politics, the combination can be uncomfortable.  Suddenly, the things that you must do in order to secure the future of any nation state are being done in the name of religion, when politics are the true motivation.  For this reason, democratic nations have learned to separate church and state, but there IS no separating a caliphate (Islamic State).

ISIS is a name that has evolved in a matter of weeks.  What started out at as ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq & Syria) was quickly modified by the Obama administration into ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq & the Levant) giving consideration to the IS occupation of the expanded region called the Levant. Lately, the worldwide acceptance of the achieved caliphate has forced us to drop the last IS and recognize only the first when describing this newly formed nation.  The IS is real, and it is really growing.  Syria lost a significant swath of land to the IS, and Iraq lost land, loot and weapons that WE left behind for Iraq to maintain control of a nation they believed they could keep a grip on. In their defense, Iraq failed just like Syria failed, and as a result, the Islamic State is real.... and really hoping to draw us into a war against all of Islam.

Beheading's that encourage air strikes are a tactic that will probably achieve the fight that they are hoping for, but will it achieve the results.  9-11 teaches us that angry Americans are okay with retribution before thought, so the pressure to do something fast is always going to be stronger than the pressure to do something that will work.  It is likely that the pressure on the president to act is also designed to force him to fail.  Developing a coalition of Islamic people fighting in the righteous name of their own ideology is the proper way to wage a war against this evil, masquerading as Islam, but that could take time.  If president Obama rushes into combat without allowing Syria and Iraq to lead the way, he forces himself into protecting American lives regardless of the impact it could have on relationships within the region.  America does not have many strong allies within the heart of the middle east, but removing ISIS from their newly acquired state could go a long way towards beginning friendships in the region. Political opponents of the president have looked ahead on this matter an realize that destroying ISIS could be a huge feather in the cap of a president that's had most of his feathers plucked clean. More importantly, politicians urging the president to do something right away (but never say exactly what), seem more concerned with gaining political points than losing American lives.

This issue is bigger than politics as usual.  The world sits on a tipping point between Islam and the distorted evil that claims its name.  If the global war against terrorism becomes a war against Islam instead, choosing sides becomes the biggest source of world chaos.  The easiest way for powerful nations to turn allies into enemies is to engage in mission creep, and the easiest way to insure your mission will creep is to drop one boot on the ground.  When boots, or planes for that matter, engage war on foreign soil, attack or surveillance missions become rescue missions very quickly..

Thanks to the power of the US Air Force, especially the unmanned drone, we can wage any war with minimal boots on the ground, but we have to embrace the technology of drones more readily than we have thus far.  It is my hope that we learn to appreciate the power of winning a fight without losing our sons and daughters.  It is also my hope, and the president's, that we learn to call evil what it is and not associate it to respectable people that follow respectable religious practices.  It is very hard for president Obama to comfort angry Americans who keep watching OUR journalist die on video.  He is angry as well, but how can he say that he will destroy the Islamic State without also  instilling fear in the state of Islam? To destroy an enemy that is willing to die demands collateral damage (aka., the death of the innocent). The president has every intention to destroy this enemy, but not if it means creating a worldwide assault on Islam, and every boot that we place in middle eastern soil looks like an assault on Islam to those afraid of western Imperialism.

So what is the president to do?

Politics.

Politics is  a dirty word because it matters, much like this challenge called IS. Its called the Islamic State, but the Islamic label is purely political.  The State is the only element of worldwide concern. This military and political attacks from ISIS demand a counter campaign against it, and any good campaign deserves a campaign slogan.

I've got one.

We MUST destroy the IS of evil, and that IS who our war IS against.  Religion, especially Islam, really has little to do with this story.  

Wes Welker Gets Busted. Failed Test For Molly Will Cost Four Games

Next up?  Suicide.

I know that might be keeping it a little too real, but I just started this damn article. If you already know where I am going, then you probably already agree.

When I was a kid, we really didn't know the things we know today.  Ten years from now, we might even be able to place a grade level on the concussion that each person experiences like we use to do when I was a kid.  I've had so many low grade concussions, as they used to call them, that I am a walking research study for the ailment.  Most of the kids of my generation can tell you about the amount of stars that they saw while competing in sports, but we played on.

Yeah, I realize I am suppose to be ripping the white guy for getting busted with drugs like the brothers have done so much recently, but I am going Roger Goodell on this one by repeating the message that he silently delivers in his final rulings on most things in this league of unusual punishment.

The littlest head with the biggest helmet might need even more cushion.

It wasn't weed, and the Broncos have plenty of talent to overcome the white boy who is popping molly's, (a party drug similar to ecstasy) but only for four games. If you would like to debate the message that we are sending to our children when our athletes are continually being exposed for using party drugs too much, then I am not sure where to begin.  If you are a family with a perfectly stocked liquor cabinet in your home, then you probably don't get to join in this argument about role modeling for our children, unless you are teaching them how to avoid drinking and driving. Is it absolutely mandatory that we get every detailed release about athletes who party too much, but not enough information about athletes who really have concussion issues? I know that the league does not report the first offense, so we typically are discovering athletes who have failed a previous test, but the transparency of drug usage is light years beyond that of concussion injuries and their impact to the players who get them.

What I didn't know about concussions back when I was often getting them  scares the hell out of me today. Concussion training has been a yearly requirement for nearly a decade for coaches in the Denver area.  Every year that I take the course, I learn new things that make me think back to symptoms that I once experienced, or symptoms that I have witnessed in the players whose care I am entrusted with.   If there is one VERY important lesson that I could share with any person who cares about concussions, it is this.  Concussions can happen when the head looks like it was not even involved.

A sharp blow to the mid-section or a blow in which you jar your body unexpectedly can be felt in the brain.  Take this example. I ran my shoulder into a really clean glass panel.  I missed the door because I was distracted, but the unexpected jar caused a whip effect to my brain.  Whatever grade you might like to assign to it, I had a concussion.  In modern concussion education, the grade stuff is highly frowned upon.  A concussed brain does not have a grade, it has trauma that will require time to heal.  How much time is the mystery that has caused doctors to frown on the grading thing.

If I call it a low-grade concussion than does it automatically mean that I can return to normal activities within a week, since low-grades only require 3-7 days?  The truth about concussions is that me, and Wes Welker, are no longer able to endure brain trauma as well as the average brain that hasn't seen so much trauma.  I might have a better fighting chance than Welker because its been years since I ran into that glass panel.  Did it take years for my brain to fully recover?  Maybe.


Since we just don't know how long it takes for any person to fully recover from concussions, we have to monitor all of the common symptoms (the list is long) and ensure that a patient is symptom free before they are allowed to return to normal activities.  Some of those symptoms are clearly observable (sensitivity to light or constant headaches), but other symptoms can be subtle enough that a Pro Bowl receiver could fake his symptoms in order to return to work more quickly.

If you ask me, Wes Welker has done this way more than I would be comfortable with if I was his mom and dad.  NFL football players have made their reputation on playing with their bell rung, and have won an important lawsuit against the NFL for complicit concealment of the real dangers of doing this repeatedly. While doctors may know more now than they knew then, they always knew it was important to rest the brain when concussions occur, and every NFL team has used doctors to advise them for too long for the NFL to avoid the settlement.  However, with all of that history, and all of that settlement money due to be paid to the players, I am concerned that being honest about concussions is too financially costly, and Wes Welker is all the example you need.

Welker might have delivered the accidental rub block on Aqib Talib last season that ended Talib's injury plagued year, but Welker left that collision with his bell rung once again, even though he caught Talib with a solid shoulder, and not his head.  Why?  Welker has the Liberty Bell in his helmet.  It's cracked and it needs time to rest. Lots of time.  Maybe a year or more in order to restore the crack in his brain, but I will take four games if that's all you can spare (can I get a bye-week in that stretch?).

Seau's family has rejected the NFL settlement in lieu of
wrongful death suit against the NFL.

I am thinking from the mind of the mom and dad who should be thanking their lucky stars that their star, Wes, won't be seeing any for a while and has to sit down to get some help for both of his issues, partying and concussions.  Mostly, I hope they are doing their research about concussions and trying their best to convince Wes that his life is so much more important than any game, even one that pays a whole lot of money to watch men sacrifice their future for the sake of entertaining the masses. Welker's family needs to be forcing him to watch the legendary career and tragic post career of Junior Seau, who made every sacrifice you can imagine in order to be great, including his sanity and ultimately his life.

Junior Seau committed suicide as a result of the uncontrollable symptoms that occur when you continue to play football with a brain that is traumatized.  Eventually, the damage can result in the kind of depression that causes suicides.  One of the most common remedies that self medicating people use when fighting the symptoms of depression, caused by repeated brain trauma, are party drugs that can lift the fog of depression a bit.  In a sport that uses head trauma as a means of achieving a goal, depression and the natural behavioral by-products should be somewhat expected.  There might be a protocol for appearing to give a damn, but there isn't one for insuring repeat concussed players, like Welker, do not circumvent the system and cause himself problems worse than losing his roster spot to a rookie.

Of course it could be possible that none of the players in the league have any connections between their football induced ailments and addictive reactions to them.  They all could be simply partying too much and not taking the importance of a career in football very seriously.  Unfortunately, if there is any connection that we could make between these behaviors and the trauma of the sport, the NFL will be the last to help tell that story.

Denver Broncos Hopes Tied To Change At Offensive Coordinator

Last season has come and gone (I think), and a new season has begun for the expectant Denver Broncos and their fans.  Two seasons ago, it was a bird from Baltimore that poked us in the tail feather just when it appeared we had overcome those pesky Ravens. Last seasons massacre by the hands of a different bird has almost erased the memories from Baltimore, but its possible that Bronco fans have never forgotten anything. Could that Jacksonville Jaguar defeat from the Elway years still be fresh on the brain of some?


HOPE AND CHANGE

While spending holiday time with family recently, we found ourselves embroiled in the typical, preseason Obama campaign that happens across the NFL called Hope and Change.  This is where teams begin the season hoping they can figure out why they did not win it all, and changing as much as needed to be the last team standing.  In preseason, every team is a potential champion, at least in the eyes of the fans who support them.  With that in mind, preseason arguments are usually the best of them all.  Everybody has a pretty good point at that point of the year.  Sadly, I could hardly mount a credible defense for my team during this recent family tirade.  Even with a few family defectors in the house (a Cowboy and a Raider fan at that) I still couldn't jump and scream for the home team because I was also feeling some of the same pain that sent those other family members over to the dark sides they now inhabit.

Last season just wasn't what I had hoped for, but hope was certainly in the formula.  Many have been calling for a change in the way that we do business in Denver for a long time, but no one seems willing to tell Peyton Manning. Everyone must subject themselves to the constraints of a system, but as of yet, the only system that I can decipher from the Manning lead Broncos is the same system that Manning has incorporated for the entirety of his career. The evidence of the guy that our team pays to fulfill the role of offensive coordinator remains hidden behind the audible leaning Manning, who seems incapable of getting out of the way of his immediate boss, the offensive coordinator.

I was watching the Rocky Mountain Showdown game between crosstown rivals CU and CSU. Entering the second quarter with a 7 point lead, the CU Buffaloes had marched down the field with an abundance of run plays and bubble screens to one of their hard running receivers.  When the ball had moved all the way inside of the CSU Rams 5 yard line, CU proceeded to run the ball 4 times in a row, but had to settle for a field goal as the Ram defense held strong.  Despite their failure, the Buffs and their offensive play caller had established an identity of unpredictability that will bode well as the season progresses. Should they have allowed the quarterback to go back to what got them up the field so well?  If CU were the Broncos, I can guarantee you we would never see the ball completely removed from the hands of the quarterback.  In fact, it is more likely that any defense facing Manning will employ a  formation designed to stop the run, trying to lure Manning to call the audible against it. He still might burn you, but he certainly doesn't leave you baffled as to what branding iron did the job.

The art of being unpredictable is what makes an offensive coordinator stand out in the crowd.  In a game most typically described as a chess match, predictability is never a positive trait. Considering all of the things that Peyton Manning is, unpredictable has never really been one of his traits.  If the Broncos are to rise to the top of the mountain, they need to destroy the Manning blueprint that every team in the league (not just the Seahawks) seems to own a copy of.  If they can't stand to do it during the regular season, then they had better plan to alter the image a bit come playoff time.

Ouch!  Its getting hard to be a long time Bronco fan.

Much of what made the Broncos great during the championship years was the ability to consistently give the ball to the running backs, since no self respecting team could ever take their focus away from John Elway, the trigger man, even though his trigger had obviously started to rust over.


Manning could be in a similar state of decline, but he may not have the humility to adjust.  This is why good teams employ great coaches to make the kind of decisions that great players could never make for themselves. Legends don't place themselves out to pasture and they rarely adjust their temperament.  That is typically done for them or to them.  For Elway to finally sip from the cup, he had to humbly revert to the quarterback that played under Dan Reeves for so many stifling seasons; resisting audibles and continuing to pound the rock so that the Mike Shanahan/Gary Kubiak roll out, play action play could have its greatest impact.  Whether it worked or not, and it usually did, we had an identity and it was clearly one that was NOT oozing from the pores of its team leader and quarterback.

Who is this guy, and why don't we know him more?

If I could have spelled the name of the man you are looking at right now, then I would have jumped into that family argument with confidence.  I am a nerd of the spelling bee order (7th grade champ), so spelling names correctly is never something I take a laissez-faire attitude towards.  When I typed the name "Adam Gast" trying to find information on the Denver Broncos offensive coordinator, I was despondent to discover that Google spelled the name "Gase".  (I had better edit an old post in which his name is mentioned.)

This guy, I mean, Adam Gase, is the only problem that I see with the prospect of a Superbowl championship for my team. Elway has assembled a Peyton proof defense that will likely give Manning all of the chances he needs to triangulate his laser sharp approach to dismantling defenses. Even with all of that to look forward to, I could only sit quietly and listen to family members who's butts still ache from being kicked by the Denver donkeys that should have won so much more, but have a resume of failure that is bigger than the legendary career of John Elway.  Elway authored most of those failed attempts, so even his legacy remains tarnished by the losing. Failure can foster humility, especially failure in the last game of the season, so Elway has ample reason for the changes he forced upon himself in the waning years of his legendary career. Manning knows failure, but most of it happens before the final game of the season is ever played.  The rub on Manning has been how infrequently he's even made it to the final game of the season.

And so......will the real Adam Gase please stand up?  Three years into his tenure as offensive coordinator and we still have no clue about what represents Gase football.  We wouldn't catch his face in a crowd or recognize his voice if we heard it.  This man is an utter mystery, and the fact that we still do not know him will be the reason the Broncos storm through the regular season and the playoffs, only to be outwitted by an NFC defense (they all are good) that knows the true offensive coordinator is Manning.

Maybe, just maybe, the Broncos have a crafty plan to keep Gase bottled up for another regular season and unveil him in the playoffs so that teams do not have enough time to decipher whose play calling nature will bear fruit for the Broncos and their leery fan base.  After all, if you have waited this long to get to know your community, then it doesn't make sense to give away your secret identity now and allow opponents to bank some highly tactical information.

If Gase is too small a man to impart his will, and his system, then I am disappointed that I have wasted this post on such an insignificant figure.  As the Broncos continue along the path that Manning has established since coming to town, Gase needs to consider sharing his paycheck with the Hall of Fame QB since he has already given Manning all of the credit for Denver's offensive glory.  Even the blame for the Superbowl meltdown has eluded Gase who was responsible for making the fix, yet never received blame for the fix that did not arrive.

Of all of the new faces in the crowd of the 2014 Broncos, 3rd year offensive coordinator, Adam Gase is the newest of them all.  Gase has been in Denver since 2009, a former QB coach hold over from the Josh McDaniels era, so the man has tenure that even
precedes the coach he works for, and still we don't know who he is.

This season, that will change.....I hope.