omac
05-25-2008, 12:59 AM
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_9363445
No coincidence Pats can't solve Broncos
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
Article Launched: 05/24/2008 12:30:00 AM MDT
Guarantee you that no one in the Denver media is surprised the New England Patriots have done a poor job of cracking the Broncos' signals.
Is it possible for a team to guard its practices and game plans more than Mike Shanahan's Broncos? This organization may have laid off eight front-office and stadium employees two months ago, but those strong men with dark sunglasses and crossed arms continue to peer beyond the stone wall that surrounds the Dove Valley practice fields.
In the latest revelation of Spygate, evidence is overwhelming the Patriots had been illegally videotaping opposing coaches' signals from the 2000 season until the first game of 2007, when the New York Jets finally snitched.
Many teams were identified as victims, but not the Broncos. The Pats are 1-5 against the Broncos since the start of the 2001 season.
The Broncos' secretive nature, and their success against the Pats, can't be a coincidence.
Don't ask Broncos tight end Daniel Graham about the Pats' past practices. The future is fine, but Graham did not come to Dove Valley to talk about the past.
"I could care less about what the Patriots do," Graham said. "I don't play for them anymore. I'm a Bronco now. I look forward to playing them this year. But I don't have that game circled on the schedule, yet. We've got Oakland first."
Now, that's a well-schooled football player. All players are conditioned to live in the now. Which is why an estimated zero players are losing sleep over the possibility NFL owners will lock them out in 2011. Most players understand they will be lucky if they're part of a 2011 lockout.
"Maybe I'll be on 'Dancing with the Stars' by then," said John Lynch, laughing in reference an Internet blog suggesting he would be an ideal candidate for the popular show.
Even the Broncos' game Oct. 20 in Foxborough isn't worth more than a cursory glance (and perhaps an early prayer that Tom Brady plays on a sprained ankle), not when Denver opens in the Black Hole on Sept. 8.
As for Graham, chances are he's younger than you think. That 2002 Super Bowl when the Patriots didn't illegally videotape, but did illegally observe, the walkthrough of their heavily favored opponent, the St. Louis Rams?
Graham still belonged to the University of Colorado at the time. It wasn't until a few months later that Graham became the Patriots' first-round draft choice and later helped them win two more Super Bowls.
"I wasn't with them for that Super Bowl against the Rams, so whatever happened doesn't concern me," Graham said.
Other than 18 meaningless games, the Pats haven't won a thing without him. The Broncos won only seven meaningless games with Graham last year, but in the end, what difference does it make how many you've won unless you win the Big One?
Graham thinks both he and the only team he cares about will have a much better season this year. He had 24 catches as a blocking tight end for the 7-9 Broncos in 2007, even though he essentially missed the final three games with a high ankle sprain.
"I feel real good," he said. "The offense is coming much easier to me this year. I don't have to stop and think about what I'm supposed to do like I did at this time last year. I'm much more relaxed and comfortable with the system. I think we're going to have a real good offense this year."
Graham was talking seconds after the Broncos completed one of the offseason practices last week that the media was not allowed to observe past the team stretch. When Graham was finished offering nothing about his past, he turned and walked toward the Broncos' locker room, where the media is forbidden except for select days during the regular season.
If the Pats are going to beat the Broncos on Oct. 20, they'll have to beat them fair and square.
Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com
Funny, I made a comment recently on one of the Pats cheating threads implying that it's one of the reasons the Pats couldn't get an upper hand on the Broncos.
The article does say something that hasn't been covered a lot; the value of Daniel Graham. I'm pretty sure Bellichick would've wanted his blocking skills for Brady during the Superbowl.
No coincidence Pats can't solve Broncos
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
Article Launched: 05/24/2008 12:30:00 AM MDT
Guarantee you that no one in the Denver media is surprised the New England Patriots have done a poor job of cracking the Broncos' signals.
Is it possible for a team to guard its practices and game plans more than Mike Shanahan's Broncos? This organization may have laid off eight front-office and stadium employees two months ago, but those strong men with dark sunglasses and crossed arms continue to peer beyond the stone wall that surrounds the Dove Valley practice fields.
In the latest revelation of Spygate, evidence is overwhelming the Patriots had been illegally videotaping opposing coaches' signals from the 2000 season until the first game of 2007, when the New York Jets finally snitched.
Many teams were identified as victims, but not the Broncos. The Pats are 1-5 against the Broncos since the start of the 2001 season.
The Broncos' secretive nature, and their success against the Pats, can't be a coincidence.
Don't ask Broncos tight end Daniel Graham about the Pats' past practices. The future is fine, but Graham did not come to Dove Valley to talk about the past.
"I could care less about what the Patriots do," Graham said. "I don't play for them anymore. I'm a Bronco now. I look forward to playing them this year. But I don't have that game circled on the schedule, yet. We've got Oakland first."
Now, that's a well-schooled football player. All players are conditioned to live in the now. Which is why an estimated zero players are losing sleep over the possibility NFL owners will lock them out in 2011. Most players understand they will be lucky if they're part of a 2011 lockout.
"Maybe I'll be on 'Dancing with the Stars' by then," said John Lynch, laughing in reference an Internet blog suggesting he would be an ideal candidate for the popular show.
Even the Broncos' game Oct. 20 in Foxborough isn't worth more than a cursory glance (and perhaps an early prayer that Tom Brady plays on a sprained ankle), not when Denver opens in the Black Hole on Sept. 8.
As for Graham, chances are he's younger than you think. That 2002 Super Bowl when the Patriots didn't illegally videotape, but did illegally observe, the walkthrough of their heavily favored opponent, the St. Louis Rams?
Graham still belonged to the University of Colorado at the time. It wasn't until a few months later that Graham became the Patriots' first-round draft choice and later helped them win two more Super Bowls.
"I wasn't with them for that Super Bowl against the Rams, so whatever happened doesn't concern me," Graham said.
Other than 18 meaningless games, the Pats haven't won a thing without him. The Broncos won only seven meaningless games with Graham last year, but in the end, what difference does it make how many you've won unless you win the Big One?
Graham thinks both he and the only team he cares about will have a much better season this year. He had 24 catches as a blocking tight end for the 7-9 Broncos in 2007, even though he essentially missed the final three games with a high ankle sprain.
"I feel real good," he said. "The offense is coming much easier to me this year. I don't have to stop and think about what I'm supposed to do like I did at this time last year. I'm much more relaxed and comfortable with the system. I think we're going to have a real good offense this year."
Graham was talking seconds after the Broncos completed one of the offseason practices last week that the media was not allowed to observe past the team stretch. When Graham was finished offering nothing about his past, he turned and walked toward the Broncos' locker room, where the media is forbidden except for select days during the regular season.
If the Pats are going to beat the Broncos on Oct. 20, they'll have to beat them fair and square.
Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com
Funny, I made a comment recently on one of the Pats cheating threads implying that it's one of the reasons the Pats couldn't get an upper hand on the Broncos.
The article does say something that hasn't been covered a lot; the value of Daniel Graham. I'm pretty sure Bellichick would've wanted his blocking skills for Brady during the Superbowl.