ESPN's Rick Reilly: "The NFL's most faithful fans are losing all hope -- and with good reason"

[tomjonesrocks]

On ESPN:
The NFL's most faithful fans are losing all hope -- and with good reason
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=5926379

An exerpt:

Denver has become a ghost town.

Phantoms people our streets.

We have two Elway's steak houses and one Shanahan's, yet the glory days of those men are 11 years gone now. We drown our sorrows in the green chile of Mark (Stink) Schlereth, departed now 10 years. The wind whistles down the empty seats at Mile Low Stadium.

We live in the past here because the present sucks like a Bissell factory. The future is flatter than Kate Moss. Remember how awful Tim Tebow's Friar Tuck haircut looked? That's how we feel inside everyday now.

These are the worst days in over 40 years to be a Broncos fan, and I know -- I've been one since 1965.

To wit:

We once had a wise and vocal owner, Pat Bowlen, who has disappeared. He's rarely seen anymore. Doesn't do interviews. Fires coaches and yet doesn't come to the news conferences. Bowlen admits he's suffering from short-term memory loss. With the way this team has been run in his place, he's the lucky one.

[claymore]

The darkest days are behind us.

[BroncoWave]

I disagree with his assessment that Tebow will never see the field in Denver. That's just ignorant. I just don't see Bowlen letting him get away without seeing what he has on the field first.

[Buff]

"His name is Joe Ellis. He is George Bush's cousin. Since he took over in 2008, he has waterboarded Denver fans."

[Nomad]

"His name is Joe Ellis. He is George Bush's cousin. Since he took over in 2008, he has waterboarded Denver fans."

I look at him more as Obama's cousin. Since Ellis took over, his hope and change has failed BRONCO nation!!

[nevcraw]

"His name is Joe Ellis. He is George Bush's cousin. Since he took over in 2008, he has waterboarded Denver fans."

i love Rick Rielly!

even when he is wrong he is right!

[Krugan]

The anti-Tebow campaign by the liberal media is still alive and well. Go figure...

Are you high?

How was that anti-tebow?

All he is saying is the haircut was bad, and you know what, it was.

And wtf is with all the political crap in this thread, must be the holidays.

I know the economy is farked, wal-mart is easing further into the evil empire roll by raising its toy prices right at the time it should be having sales(evil ********), but do we have to make everything into a left and right debate?

[frauschieze]

Keep the P&R crap out of Broncos Talk.

:focus:

[Lancane]

I disagree with his assessment that Tebow will never see the field in Denver. That's just ignorant. I just don't see Bowlen letting him get away without seeing what he has on the field first.

Is it really ignorance or a compounded analytical view point based on his opinion? He's not the only one Bailey that has brought it up, I know a few people and even some that are close friends (and a number of them are conservatives) that feel much the same way...that it is possible that Tebow will never see the field in a Broncos' uniform and that Denver might well draft a kid in the next draft, and it's their shared opinion.

And what in the hell does politics and religion have to do with sports anyways, let alone the Broncos? Unless it's relative to a religious or military based school that offers athletics neither have any bearing on this matter. Just for general PB I like Tebow as a person and think he's a tremendously positive role model, and I'm neither Christian nor Conservative so bite me!

;)

[frauschieze]

YO!








NO POLITICS OUTSIDE OF THE POLITICS FORUM!






Got it? Good.

[Tned]

For those hard of seeing, let me bump this.


YO!








NO POLITICS OUTSIDE OF THE POLITICS FORUM!






Got it? Good.


ENOUGH OF THE ******* POLITICAL talk outside of the politics forum.

[chazoe60]

Hey, just for clarification. Are we allowed to discuss politics in here?

[Krugan]

Hey, just for clarification. Are we allowed to discuss politics in here?

Shut the **** up donny...

(cant help but quote from the lebowski)

[BroncoStud]

We all know that Mr. Orton isn't going to miss practice tomorrow. He will show up to throw passes in a body cast just to keep ahold of his starting job. His ONLY starting QB security is if Tebow never sees the field.

Orton is being a selfish douche through this. The guy can't complete much more than a 7 yard screen and he refuses to come out. No matter how many of us FANS chant another QB's name, no matter how many games the Broncos lose, Orton refuses to step aside and let the future take hold.

Before we got Orton I just thought the Bears fans were a little overboard, now I understand their frustration 150%. Orton is the worst thing that can happen to your team. He doesn't seem interested in helping out in a backup role, he isn't good enough to be a decent starter, he can't perform well in a typical pro offense, and he won't fully disclose injuries just to hang onto his job.

It's sad that he is being afforded such power in this franchise. We went from Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall, and Peyton Hillis, All-Pro performers, to Kyle Orton. This season sucks in so many ways.

I used to tolerate Orton because he seemed like a good dude, now I just think he needs to be out of a Broncos uniform as quickly as humanly possible. There are any number of veteran backups that would relish the opportunity to help Tebow and Quinn come into their own. Get a guy like Mark Brunell, Sage Rosenfels, A.J. Feeley, anyone who can come in and mentor these guys in a positive way. Not some selfish douche who is so worried about losing his job to a better player that he won't put the team first.

[BroncoBJ]

Hey, just for clarification. Are we allowed to discuss politics in here?

I was wondering the same thing? :confused:

[dogfish]

beef and jags are BFFs. . . who knew?

[Dzone]

What a dreary and depressing article. I like Reilly about 80% of the time. Some of his articles are pretty cornball. I guess he does describe the pain we all feel here.
We have to have some good in this situation to look forward to.
Hopefully Dumervill will return 100% to pro bowl form. Ayers will live up to his draft position and wont be injury prone. Maybe D Thomas will someday get healthy and make us glad we passed on Dez Bryant. The offensive line has a bright future. We have no way to know yet how Tebow will play. If Tebow comes through, there will be enormous optimism in Bronco Country. Things can turn around. How can anyone possibly not like a guy who when asked about being traded says he thanks God that hes a Denver Bronco????

[Juriga72]

It could be worse.... Looks like Carolina is thinking about Luck for the first pick overall. WHICH would then make Jimmy C very Orton-ish ( useless).

Imagine picking ANOTHER first round qb the year after picking the last one.

[TXBRONC]

It could be worse.... Looks like Carolina is thinking about Luck for the first pick overall. WHICH would then make Jimmy C very Orton-ish ( useless).

Imagine picking ANOTHER first round qb the year after picking the last one.

I thought Clausen was taken in the second round?

[BroncoStud]

I thought Clausen was taken in the second round?

He was. Clausen REALLY sucks. He's terrible if you watch him play. No reading defenses, no confidence, scared to death to get hit, inaccurate, he's a mess on the field.

[BroncoNut]

beef and jags are BFFs. . . who knew?

Beef is MY BF!

[Juriga72]

I thought Clausen was taken in the second round?

He was.... THATS why its so bad to pick a first round one this year.

Thats how teams fall out of contention, spending high draft picks on the same position.. Kinda like how I feel WE will take a Qb this year...ouch

[HORSEPOWER 56]

After reading the article it makes me feel like I was kicked square in my hairy beanbag...

My stomach hurts. :tsk:

[OrangeHoof]

Wasn't it Reilly who introduced politics into the thread? If he wasn't inserting political potshots into his writing (which he often does), nobody would be responding to it.

I disagree with the "most faithful fans" comment too. I think Packer and Steeler fans probably deserve the title more than we do. Even Browns fans deserve some credit for the crap they've had to put up with the last 20 years.

[HORSEPOWER 56]

Wasn't it Reilly who introduced politics into the thread? If he wasn't inserting political potshots into his writing (which he often does), nobody would be responding to it.

I disagree with the "most faithful fans" comment too. I think Packer and Steeler fans probably deserve the title more than we do. Even Browns fans deserve some credit for the crap they've had to put up with the last 20 years.

Well, seeing as how Denver fans hold the #2 spot to longest sell out streak only to Washington, Packer and Steeler fans can suck it...

[Ravage!!!]

Well, seeing as how Denver fans hold the #2 spot to longest sell out streak only to Washington, Packer and Steeler fans can suck it...

But the Broncos haven't had to suffer through many of the awful seasons that the Browns have. They haven't been good, at all, for 20 years. Then before that, it was another 30 years before they were any good. They are the WORST franchise, of the long haul, than anyone else...... and despite ALlllllllll that, they STILL wan to keep their name and that CRAPPY uniform in the name of "tradition."

Look at the Chiefs. When was the last time they won a playoff game? Early 90's.

We'll test our fan mettle the next couple of years. McD delivered a hit to this team that we hoped we would never see, and haven't for over 30 years.

[Dzone]

Beef is MY BF!

You guys post some funny shyt, I gotta say...:lol::laugh:

[I Eat Staples]

The Steelers have the best fans in the NFL. There really shouldn't be an argument there. Packers come to mind as second for me.

For the rest, Chiefs fans come to mind as well as Broncos, Seahawks, and Raiders. I'd have to give the edge to KC and Seattle, their stadiums are consistently loud. Denver fans have been slacking!

The entire AFC West has amazing fans, outside of the Chargers.

[MileHiWildcat]

I was wondering the same thing? :confused:

What's that ? We're talking politics now ? I'm confused. :listen:

[Superchop 7]

Being "politically correct"................... FEMA............. couldn't fix the damage hurricane McDummy did.

[BroncoWave]

Is it really ignorance or a compounded analytical view point based on his opinion? He's not the only one Bailey that has brought it up, I know a few people and even some that are close friends (and a number of them are conservatives) that feel much the same way...that it is possible that Tebow will never see the field in a Broncos' uniform and that Denver might well draft a kid in the next draft, and it's their shared opinion.

And what in the hell does politics and religion have to do with sports anyways, let alone the Broncos? Unless it's relative to a religious or military based school that offers athletics neither have any bearing on this matter. Just for general PB I like Tebow as a person and think he's a tremendously positive role model, and I'm neither Christian nor Conservative so bite me!

;)

Yep, it was ignorance.