Denver Native (Carol)
01-26-2011, 01:24 PM
MOBILE, Ala. — You had to look close, had to scan the hundreds of faces seated in Ladd-Peebles Stadium from one end to another.
But there he was, tucked in the upper southwest corner of the old-school ballyard, with newly hired head coach John Fox at his side, one John Elway.
Sunglasses propped on his head, scouting notebook in hand as the skies threatened rain.
And with that, Elway, the legend, the Hall of Famer, one of the best players to ever grace the NFL, has now most certainly started his journey as a football executive in earnest.
Because figureheads just don't do the Senior Bowl.
"I feel good about what we've gotten done already here," Elway said Tuesday afternoon as the South team wrapped up its practice. "We've already seen a lot of people."
So, in his first few weeks on the job, a trip to the Senior Bowl, much like a trip to the scouting combine in Indianapolis next month, does show Elway means business.
Sometimes football executives decide they don't have to be there in person, don't have to go to such things, that they can simply stay cocooned in their nicely appointed offices and watch the video. Perhaps — but the good ones go see for themselves.
Guys like Packers general manager Ted Thompson, whose team has worked the draft well enough to play in the Super Bowl in less than two weeks, was in the house Tuesday. And like Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome, who stopped to hug Fox at one point after the afternoon practice was over.
They're here — and that says to everyone who works for them that it's important.
Elway has been among them — and that makes it important for the Broncos as well.
full article - http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_17198470
But there he was, tucked in the upper southwest corner of the old-school ballyard, with newly hired head coach John Fox at his side, one John Elway.
Sunglasses propped on his head, scouting notebook in hand as the skies threatened rain.
And with that, Elway, the legend, the Hall of Famer, one of the best players to ever grace the NFL, has now most certainly started his journey as a football executive in earnest.
Because figureheads just don't do the Senior Bowl.
"I feel good about what we've gotten done already here," Elway said Tuesday afternoon as the South team wrapped up its practice. "We've already seen a lot of people."
So, in his first few weeks on the job, a trip to the Senior Bowl, much like a trip to the scouting combine in Indianapolis next month, does show Elway means business.
Sometimes football executives decide they don't have to be there in person, don't have to go to such things, that they can simply stay cocooned in their nicely appointed offices and watch the video. Perhaps — but the good ones go see for themselves.
Guys like Packers general manager Ted Thompson, whose team has worked the draft well enough to play in the Super Bowl in less than two weeks, was in the house Tuesday. And like Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome, who stopped to hug Fox at one point after the afternoon practice was over.
They're here — and that says to everyone who works for them that it's important.
Elway has been among them — and that makes it important for the Broncos as well.
full article - http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_17198470