Superbowl 50 Party
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The Broncos, darn it. I was going for Carolina. Good thing I didn't bet anyone. They couldn't compete much with that defense.
I was not a fan of the half time show...Except Bruno Mars.
The Good Guys aka the Denver Broncos.
(Hey, I haven't indulged in any digs so far. Gimme a little one.)
Executive summary of the satisfying drama from the Broncos side:
Back in the '80s and '90s, the Broncos' quarterback (in American football, that's the lead player) was a guy by the name of John Elway. The rest of the team was mostly decidedly average.
Elway was a really talented player who got the team to the Superbowl three times - but sooner or later, the lack of depth shows, and the Broncos would get hammered. Nevertheless, Elway, a fierce competitor, didn't give up. He kept working his athletic miracles.
The Broncos' owner during a few of those years was a real twit. A guy by the name of Patrick Bowlen buys the team. He was an athlete in his own right, not professional, but fit and competitive. He ultimately fired the Broncos' conservative coach who never really built the team around Elway's talents and brought in a guy to build a team that was dominant.
It came together in the 1997 season. The Broncos had a terrific running back, great receivers, an impressive defense. By then, Elway was in his twilight years as a player, but still very good. In the Superbowl, which was a close, hard-fought game, he threw his body on the line, energized the team, and the Broncos won. At the end, Pat Bowlen (the team owner) hoisted the trophy they had all lusted after and said, "This one's for John!" giving appropriate homage to the guy who'd competed so fiercely for so long.
Fast-forward to the next year, when the Broncos returned, and with some irony, against the coach that had been fired a few years before. This time the Broncos won more convincingly, but you could tell that the years were wearing Elway down. At that game, he was the oldest quarterback to have won the Big Game. After the season, Elway announced that his body just wasn't there anymore, and he was retiring. He went out as the hometown sports hero, having achieved that for which he'd struggled so long. Well, yay.
Fast-forward now another 15 years. The Broncos have ups and downs. They're usually competitive but they're out of reach of the big enchilada. They have a series of quarterbacks and coaches. Then Pat Bowlen hires - wait for it - John Elway as a vice president of the team. Elway eventually moves up to general manager.
Meanwhile, there's this guy, Peyton Manning, quarterback of another team. He's building his own legend, being the general for his team, building up historical (for football) statistics, setting records. He's also got a pedigree of a father and brother, great quarterbacks on their own. But he's got a spine issue, and he's being paid a lot of money by the team. He gets surgery, his throwing strength is now suspect, his team doesn't play him and has a horrendous season, they get in a new quarterback for the next season, and release Manning. Elway talks to Manning, who's been working out, getting his strength back, and Manning comes to play for the Broncos.
The town (Denver) goes wild. Manning has always been seen as a very smart, very capable, very charitable guy. He's accepted into the town, he becomes a good citizen just as he had with his former town, and things are looking rosy, perhaps.
Pat Bowlen has kept running the team in great fashion, not necessarily building the success he wants, but being generous, player-oriented, and trying to have a family feel to the team. But then he starts having a big issue, the big issue being Alzheimer's. Terrible thing for anyone. He and his doctors ultimately see how far south he's going, and he resigns from active management. I don't know that he's been seen publicly since.
Elway builds an offensive team around Manning's considerable, if fading, talent. They set offensive records, they get to the Superbowl, and they're blown out by a team who has a balance of offense/defense, but particularly a fearsome defense. Elway licks his wounds and goes out to put together a great defense, does it, and while Manning continues to play well but is dwindling, they're back in another Superbowl two years later.
So we come to this game. Manning is clearly past his prime - he missed a number of games during the season due to a foot injury - but the defense smothers the other team, the Panthers. Manning rides their coattails to a victory, and most everyone is happy that he got another one as a cap to his career.
Remember Elway's victory talked about earlier? Well, at the stage, Elways hoists the trophy and yells, "This one's for Pat!" in a fitting homage to the Broncos' ailing and absent owner. Manning has come back and has his final victory. Elway is no longer the oldest quarterback to have won a Superbowl. That honor is now Manning's. The Fates of Sport are seemingly satisfied.
We'll see what the next chapter brings.
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"Gimme a little one?" That's a freakin' novella.
"Gimme a little one?" That's a freakin' novella.
Oh, I meant "good guys" as the dig. The rest is just history, and pretty fluffy history at that, as seen through this hometown boy's old eyes.
I do notice as I get older, the stories get longer. I don't know why.
Very nice summary, Grandpa.
He left out the part about The Giants kicking their butts.........
That was an enjoyable read and very informative- thank you, grandpa.
Well, he did say they lost a few, just didn't say against who.He left out the part about The Giants kicking their butts.........
I thought it interesting Simms was the one interviewing Elway on the pregame show. I never heard Simms eating any crow after Denver won, though.
He left out the part about The Giants kicking their butts.........
And the Redskins and the 49ers, but who's counting. It was contained in this part:
I kept outside names to a minimum for two good reasons: 1) Not to put too many confusing elements in for the non-football readers; and 2) It's our Superbowl and our freakin' year.
And the Redskins and the 49ers, but who's counting. It was contained in this part:
I kept outside names to a minimum for two good reasons: 1) Not to put too many confusing elements in for the non-football readers; and 2) It's our Superbowl and our freakin' year.
Amen!!
That was the worst halftime show that I can ever remember.
And the Redskins and the 49ers, but who's counting. It was contained in this part:
I kept outside names to a minimum for two good reasons: 1) Not to put too many confusing elements in for the non-football readers; and 2) It's our Superbowl and our freakin' year.
....make that two digs.......
When the NY Jets finally win their second Super Bowl, my post will be short and sweet...
“HELL HATH FROZEN OVER”
Of course I don’t know how I will be able to accomplish that as rigormortis will have long set into my fingers.
When the NY Jets finally win their second Super Bowl, my post will be short and sweet...
“HELL HATH FROZEN OVER”
Of course I don’t know how I will be able to accomplish that as rigormortis will have long set into my fingers.
It can happen!
When the NY Jets finally win their second Super Bowl, my post will be short and sweet...
“HELL HATH FROZEN OVER”
Of course I don’t know how I will be able to accomplish that as rigormortis will have long set into my fingers.
Well, Joe Namath was part of the trophy presentation at this one. I mean... that counts for something.... right? ....No???
I want The Giants listed by name!!!
I'll take any chance I can get!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'll take any chance I can get!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!