NOW the story changes

[Superchop 7]

Channel 4 "now" says that Broncos officials deny the report that Bowlen and Shanny had a rift over Slowik.

Made it sound like Bowlen just walked in and said "your fired".

So......we shall see.....

[tomjonesrocks]

Channel 4 "now" says that Broncos officials deny the report that Bowlen and Shanny had a rift over Slowik.

Made it sound like Bowlen just walked in and said "your fired".

So......we shall see.....

Not...making...sense.

Shanahan shouldn't have been fired *this* season unless a refusal to fire Slowik was part of the equasion. You can hear how shocked and distressed Cutler is, and am sure the whole locker room is in disarray right now.

Plus Bowlen's going to eat $20 mil on top of it?

[Superchop 7]

Seriously, if Shanny got blindsided.....that won't set well with alot of us.

[scott.475]

Seriously, if Shanny got blindsided.....that won't set well with alot of us.

Allow me to preface this: I am not calling you out personally at all, in fact, I think a lot of people feel the same way. But, truth be told, real fans of the Broncos will continue to be real fans of the Broncos come next season. We will be cautiously excited about a new year with a new coach and what the future will hold. All us fans have the luxury of not having tons of money tied up in the Broncos like Pat does, we have the luxury of not having to write the checks for every bad FA signing and draft pick that has been made over the last many years. We are talking a nine figure operation here that Pat is in charge of and things have to change. All our shock, surprise, or anger if we have it now, will fade in time, especially if we start winning.

I love Mike, I think he is a total class act, high character man, and I HATE the thought of him coaching somewhere else. But, something got stale about him running this team, we all have to admit that. He may have grown TOO comfortable with the thought that he would be coach for life and so, maybe not intentionally, he just wasn't doing that extra little bit that a coach who is generally worried about losing his job would have done. That comfort level may have dulled his sense of urgency a bit. So, if after the last several years he truly had no thought he might be fired and was blindsided because of that, that is really just ignorance on his part.

Look, I know Mike loved this team and we are all very grateful to him. Pat also loves his team and he is truly one of the best, classiest owners in the league. Pat has given Mike virtually every thing asked for, and it still did not work out. When Pat started wresting some control back from Mike last year, I guess the writing was pretty much on the wall. Schefter said that Pat is not a man of many words, and that he probably just wanted to get the thing over with as soon as possible. I would to. I don't know how many people here have had to fire people, but in a previous life I had to do it a few times, to people I worked with on a daily basis, and it is a very, very hard thing to do to someone you work closely with. I can't imagine having to do it in a Shanahan-Bowlen situation. Bowlen is not Jerry Jones or Al Davis or any other number of truly wretched owners...we are very lucky fans.

[Magnificent Seven]

I think he fired him because of defense situation.

[Shazam!]

I am not calling you out personally at all, in fact, I think a lot of people feel the same way. But, truth be told, real fans of the Broncos will continue to be real fans of the Broncos come next season. We will be cautiously excited about a new year with a new coach and what the future will hold. All us fans have the luxury of not having tons of money tied up in the Broncos like Pat does, we have the luxury of not having to write the checks for every bad FA signing and draft pick that has been made over the last many years. We are talking a nine figure operation here that Pat is in charge of and things have to change. All our shock, surprise, or anger if we have it now, will fade in time, especially if we start winning.

I love Mike, I think he is a total class act, high character man, and I HATE the thought of him coaching somewhere else. But, something got stale about him running this team, we all have to admit that. He may have grown TOO comfortable with the thought that he would be coach for life and so, maybe not intentionally, he just wasn't doing that extra little bit that a coach who is generally worried about losing his job would have done. That comfort level may have dulled his sense of urgency a bit. So, if after the last several years he truly had no thought he might be fired and was blindsided because of that, that is really just ignorance on his part.

Look, I know Mike loved this team and we are all very grateful to him. Pat also loves his team and he is truly one of the best, classiest owners in the league. Pat has given Mike virtually every thing asked for, and it still did not work out. When Pat started wresting some control back from Mike last year, I guess the writing was pretty much on the wall. Schefter said that Pat is not a man of many words, and that he probably just wanted to get the thing over with as soon as possible. I would to. I don't know how many people here have had to fire people, but in a previous life I had to do it a few times, to people I worked with on a daily basis, and it is a very, very hard thing to do to someone you work closely with. I can't imagine having to do it in a Shanahan-Bowlen situation. Bowlen is not Jerry Jones or Al Davis or any other number of truly wretched owners...we are very lucky fans.

Well said Sir. A salute doesn't do this enough justice.

[Denver Native (Carol)]

Channel 4 "now" says that Broncos officials deny the report that Bowlen and Shanny had a rift over Slowik.

Made it sound like Bowlen just walked in and said "your fired".

So......we shall see.....

Channel 4 was told by someone within the rocky mountain news that Bowlen wanted Slowik fired, and Mike said no.

Gary Miller then went to Dove Valley. Do you really think that Bronco officials would confirm to him if this was true or not. They work for Pat Bowlen.

[broncophan]

Allow me to preface this: I am not calling you out personally at all, in fact, I think a lot of people feel the same way. But, truth be told, real fans of the Broncos will continue to be real fans of the Broncos come next season. We will be cautiously excited about a new year with a new coach and what the future will hold. All us fans have the luxury of not having tons of money tied up in the Broncos like Pat does, we have the luxury of not having to write the checks for every bad FA signing and draft pick that has been made over the last many years. We are talking a nine figure operation here that Pat is in charge of and things have to change. All our shock, surprise, or anger if we have it now, will fade in time, especially if we start winning.

I love Mike, I think he is a total class act, high character man, and I HATE the thought of him coaching somewhere else. But, something got stale about him running this team, we all have to admit that. He may have grown TOO comfortable with the thought that he would be coach for life and so, maybe not intentionally, he just wasn't doing that extra little bit that a coach who is generally worried about losing his job would have done. That comfort level may have dulled his sense of urgency a bit. So, if after the last several years he truly had no thought he might be fired and was blindsided because of that, that is really just ignorance on his part.

Look, I know Mike loved this team and we are all very grateful to him. Pat also loves his team and he is truly one of the best, classiest owners in the league. Pat has given Mike virtually every thing asked for, and it still did not work out. When Pat started wresting some control back from Mike last year, I guess the writing was pretty much on the wall. Schefter said that Pat is not a man of many words, and that he probably just wanted to get the thing over with as soon as possible. I would to. I don't know how many people here have had to fire people, but in a previous life I had to do it a few times, to people I worked with on a daily basis, and it is a very, very hard thing to do to someone you work closely with. I can't imagine having to do it in a Shanahan-Bowlen situation. Bowlen is not Jerry Jones or Al Davis or any other number of truly wretched owners...we are very lucky fans.

Well said...................but I think our "luck" just ran out.........but time will tell

[Northman]

Channel 4 was told by someone within the rocky mountain news that Bowlen wanted Slowik fired, and Mike said no.

Gary Miller then went to Dove Valley. Do you really think that Bronco officials would confirm to him if this was true or not. They work for Pat Bowlen.

On the flipside i heard a rumor last night (granted it was PFT) that Mike WANTED to get fired and deliberately did not fire Slowik in order to get canned. The claim is that Shanny may end up going to SD. Again, just speculation.

[Mike]

On the flipside i heard a rumor last night (granted it was PFT) that Mike WANTED to get fired and deliberately did not fire Slowik in order to get canned. The claim is that Shanny may end up going to SD. Again, just speculation.

I think this is a possibility, if it is true that refusal to fire Slowik was the reason he ultimately got canned. Getting fired over that guy goes beyond logic. I am not sure that was the reason though.

[tomjonesrocks]

On the flipside i heard a rumor last night (granted it was PFT) that Mike WANTED to get fired and deliberately did not fire Slowik in order to get canned. The claim is that Shanny may end up going to SD. Again, just speculation.

I read the same story but the team Shanahan was Jonesing to go to, literally, was the Cowboys:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=jc-shanahan123008&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

[NightTrainLayne]

Bowlen's not going to rip Slowik in public or make it obvious that he was the reason. Slowik's got a family and will need to find a new job someplace else as well. There is no reason that they would confirm that story.

That being said there's no doubt in my mind that Slowik played a big role in Shanahan's demise.

I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Bowlen told him last year something along the lines of "If you get to the playoffs with this guy, then ok, but if not he's got to go" after the horrendous D that he was a part of last year.

That explains the Shanny playoff guarantee before the season, and his smugness in wanting to keep Slowik even after this year. He backed himself into a corner, and couldn't find a way out without admitting to Bowlen that Slowik was indeed the wrong guy.

[Traveler]

Bowlen's not going to rip Slowik in public or make it obvious that he was the reason. Slowik's got a family and will need to find a new job someplace else as well. There is no reason that they would confirm that story.

That being said there's no doubt in my mind that Slowik played a big role in Shanahan's demise.

I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Bowlen told him last year something along the lines of "If you get to the playoffs with this guy, then ok, but if not he's got to go" after the horrendous D that he was a part of last year.

That explains the Shanny playoff guarantee before the season, and his smugness in wanting to keep Slowik even after this year. He backed himself into a corner, and couldn't find a way out without admitting to Bowlen that Slowik was indeed the wrong guy.


While I am slightly surprised at his firing, Bowlen did the right thing IMO.

I'm speculating here, but I actually think Bowlen put Shanahan on notice after last season when they had that closed door two hour meeting immediately after the game.

There was also mention in one the the papers today that Bowlen had been considering a change after mid-season this year.

Mike is a great coach and has done a great deal for this franchise. But the monumental decline on defense over several years can't be overlooked. As great on offensive mind as he was, his neglect on the defensive side neutered anything he did successfully on the offensive side.

While he did try to address his defensive shortcomings through the draft and free agency, he failed miserably.

Bowlen was as patient as one could be standing behind Shanahan this long.

This team became mediocre and Shanahan refused to acknowledge it. But mostly, the failure to show any noticable improvement defensively the last 3-10 years, the teams failure to perform when it counted most, it's penchant for wearing towards the end of the season, it's reliance on using scrubs as starters on defense, etc., are the main causes for Shanahan's firing.

If reports are true that Shanahan wanted to retain Slowik as his DC when Bowlen wanted him to make a change, it's further proof that he just didn't get it.

It causes tremendous uncertainty with the defensive staff and players when they can't decide on what scheme best suits the players on hand. My guess is that if we do get a defensive minded coach, Dumervil, Moss, Crowder and Thomas will be the biggest beneficiaries in that they'll be used properly.

Lastly, blowing numerous chances to lock up the division this year was a travesty and was probably the final nail in Shanahan's coffin.

[Mike]

While I am slightly surprised at his firing, Bowlen did the right thing IMO.

I'm speculating here, but I actually think Bowlen put Shanahan on notice after last season when they had that closed door two hour meeting immediately after the game.

There was also mention in one the the papers today that Bowlen had been considering a change after mid-season this year.

Mike is a great coach and has done a great deal for this franchise. But the monumental decline on defense over several years can't be overlooked. As great on offensive mind as he was, his neglect on the defensive side neutered anything he did successfully on the offensive side.

While he did try to address his defensive shortcomings through the draft and free agency, he failed miserably.

Bowlen was as patient as one could be standing behind Shanahan this long.

This team became mediocre and Shanahan refused to acknowledge it. But mostly, the failure to show any noticable improvement defensively the last 3-10 years, the teams failure to perform when it counted most, it's penchant for wearing towards the end of the season, it's reliance on using scrubs as starters on defense, etc., are the main causes for Shanahan's firing.

If reports are true that Shanahan wanted to retain Slowik as his DC when Bowlen wanted him to make a change, it's further proof that he just didn't get it.

It causes tremendous uncertainty with the defensive staff and players when they can't decide on what scheme best suits the players on hand. My guess is that if we do get a defensive minded coach, Dumervil, Moss, Crowder and Thomas will be the biggest beneficiaries in that they'll be used properly.

Lastly, blowing numerous chances to lock up the division this year was a travesty and was probably the final nail in Shanahan's coffin.

Good post. I would also argue that the way Denver has lost recently had to have been one of the key factors in the decision as well.

[Medford Bronco]

side.



This team became mediocre and Shanahan refused to acknowledge it. But mostly, the failure to show any noticable improvement defensively the last 3-10 years, the teams failure to perform when it counted most, it's penchant for wearing towards the end of the season, it's reliance on using scrubs as starters on defense, etc., are the main causes for Shanahan's firing.

Lastly, blowing numerous chances to lock up the division this year was a travesty and was probably the final nail in Shanahan's coffin.

Agreed big time on these points

2002 started 6-2 finished 9-7 out of the playoffs
2006 started 6-2 finished 9-7 out of the playoffs
2008 started 4-1 then 8-5 finished 8-8 out of the playoffs


Our teams have never finished well with the excpetion of 2005 and maybe 2004 for the Wild Card.

Most years besides 2005 our defense would get killed in either the playoffs at Indy or not even make the playoffs. So the defense has been run wrong for many many years.

I appreciate what Shanny did but it was time for a change.

[broncofaninfla]

Bowlen's not going to rip Slowik in public or make it obvious that he was the reason. Slowik's got a family and will need to find a new job someplace else as well. There is no reason that they would confirm that story.

That being said there's no doubt in my mind that Slowik played a big role in Shanahan's demise.

I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Bowlen told him last year something along the lines of "If you get to the playoffs with this guy, then ok, but if not he's got to go" after the horrendous D that he was a part of last year.

That explains the Shanny playoff guarantee before the season, and his smugness in wanting to keep Slowik even after this year. He backed himself into a corner, and couldn't find a way out without admitting to Bowlen that Slowik was indeed the wrong guy.

Everything you said crossed my mind as well. I get the feeling Shanahan knew this could be coming...

[underrated29]

I think its ludacris that shanny would want to get fired to go to san diego or dallas. He loves it here, he loves the team. Plus, he would have no gurantee of a coaching descision at any place.

I am pulling the BS card on those rumors. You never want to get fired. Period. Also shanny just built his 20 million dollar mansion here.