Questions for Pat

[Superchop 7]

For me, I'm bugged by this 5 minute firing.

It sounds like you didn't even consider working on the issues.

I'm also bugged knowing that all Mike has to do is take a 3 year vacation and you will have to pay him the rest of his contract (20 million)

Not alot of class if you ask me.

[SR]

We probably don't know the whole story yet either. Keep that in mind. Once Bowlen and Shanahan talk to the press and reveal all of the details, I'm sure it will clear up. Until then, I've got faith in Bowlen. My guess is Bowlen gave Shanny an ultimatum; probably something along the lines of relinquish your GM and Exec VP duties, or leave. The end result is obvious.

[DenBronx]

i dont buy the whole 5 mins that the media is trying to blow up. i really think bowlen had planted this seed in shanahans mind even years ago. it was just shocking to everyone because they never let any of the issues out and handled everything in house like men. bowlen is a classy owner and i think this was hard for him to do. i dont even think they left on bad terms. really it was just time for it. sometimes your time does come to an end and a new beggining has to happen.

[Shazam!]

This pathetic team fell apart down the stretch after controlling it's own destiny.

Catastrophic injuries this season, some issue with the conditioning regime IMO.

Blown Draft picks and FA busts.

Practically dead last in defense two seasons in a row now.

The roster can be blown up with the exception of about 20 men, almost all on Offense.

How anyone is shocked by this to me is strange. I'm surprised, but not shocked with how this team has been the last few seasons after sabotaging Jake Plummer and blowing up a 13-3 team that was his best since Elway.

There was a Shanahan scapegoat year after year going back to Greg Robinson, another one of Shanny's 'friends.'

'06-08: 24-24 in the last three seasons. Unacceptable to Bowlen.

'92-94: 24-24 in those three seasons. Unacceptable to Bowlen.

Shanahan should have retired when Elway did or in '99, 'My job is done' and let Kubiak take over.

Shanahan overstayed, that's the problem. I'll never forget '96-98, but it was time for a change.

[gregbroncs]

I am shocked this happened. However I do think it may have been time. The Broncos have collapsed to end the last 2 seasons and this team is so inconsistent even in the same game let alone week to week.

My fondest memories of the Broncos will probably always be some of the ones to start Shannahan's career however that does not mean it was not time. I think him going through DC's every year and the defense never improving was his final undoing.

[Superchop 7]

Getting rid of him was worth 20 million ?

Seems to me, fixing the problem would have been a helluva lot cheaper.

We needed a legit DC, not that hard a thing to overcome.

[DenBronx]

This pathetic team fell apart down the stretch after controlling it's own destiny.

Catastrophic injuries this season, some issue with the conditioning regime IMO.

Blown Draft picks and FA busts.

Practically dead last in defense two seasons in a row now.

The roster can be blown up with the exception of about 20 men, almost all on Offense.

How anyone is shocked by this to me is strange. I'm surprised, but not shocked with how this team has been the last few seasons after sabotaging Jake Plummer and blowing up a 13-3 team that was his best since Elway.

There was a Shanahan scapegoat year after year going back to Greg Robinson, another one of Shanny's 'friends.'

'06-08: 24-24 in the last three seasons. Unacceptable to Bowlen.

'92-94: 24-24 in those three seasons. Unacceptable to Bowlen.

Shanahan should have retired when Elway did or in '99, 'My job is done' and let Kubiak take over.

Shanahan overstayed, that's the problem. I'll never forget '96-98, but it was time for a change.


is he really making that big of a splash in texas?

[Tned]

i dont buy the whole 5 mins that the media is trying to blow up.

The 5 minutes was probably simply the 'termination' talk. "Thanks for all you did, Mike. You are a friend, and I will forever be greatful for the SB's, but it's time to move on. You are the weakest link, goodbye..."

I doubt that he had a 5 minute talk about the future, didn't like Mike's answer and made a snap decision to fire him. Bowlen has never struck me as that type of owner. As I posted elsewhere, Sportsline has an article about how there has been 101 coaches fired since the last time Bowlen fired a coach.

Reporters are grabbing little tidbits and trying to make stories out of them. If there was a '5 minute meeting', that sounds like a "you're fired" meeting.

[Superchop 7]

Shanny said he had no idea this was coming.

[Shazam!]

24-24 was unacceptable to Bowlen then in '92-94.

24-24 is unacceptable to Bowlen now in '06-08.

Many more millions are at stake now than a decade ago. Millions wasted on FA and Draft busts.

Time for the Broncos to move on.

Surely the defense can't get WORSE.

[BroncoTech]

I look at it this way. Shannahans offense likes to stretch the field. When they got to the red zone there was no field to stretch, or they could only stretch it sideways. Eventually every team in the NFL had a blueprint on how to beat the Broncos.

I'm looking forward to the change and look forward to watching fun football again.

[SR]

is he really making that big of a splash in texas?

Not really. Maybe they love him in Houston, but a lot of Houston fans I talk to hate that he brings in Denver's trash and tries to make a competitive team out of it.

[Broncolingus]

I think many are (and will remain for some time) torn between the responsibility to the fans and organization (not many coaches last 10 years winning one playoff game) vs the loyalty to Shanny and what he did for Denver - to include me.

I think most Denver fans would have preferred Shanny didnt leave like 'this,' but regardless of Denver's record the next couple of years, I support and agree with Bowl-in's decision.

Shanny remains a great coach - I just dont think he was a particularly good GM...

[lex]

Not really. Maybe they love him in Houston, but a lot of Houston fans I talk to hate that he brings in Denver's trash and tries to make a competitive team out of it.


Id gladly take him. In fact, he would be my first choice.

[tomjonesrocks]

I really hope this was agonizing for Bowlen and something he carefully considered for many months, if not years. I don't know if we should have faith in Bowlen's call here or not--I really don't think Shanny was the problem this season--but Bowlen has certainly earned the benefit of the doubt.

It really is strange Bowlen is willing to not only fire Shanahan at a time where it's highly unexpected but also willing to eat 20 mil to do it. My head is spinning. Why was this so important to do at this time? How are we a better team without Shanahan?

[SR]

Id gladly take him. In fact, he would be my first choice.

Yeah, in Denver where we already have an awesome offense. If I were a team like Detroit, Cincinasty, St Louis, or any of the other bottom feeders in the league that need overhauls or lots of work, I wouldn't want him. He's been with Houston for how many years now and has only been able to bust off a .500 season? I'm not impressed. He's drafted some really good players and done a couple of good things with the Houston organization, but as a head coach, and with me living in TX and reading about and hearing about the Cowboys and Texans daily, I'm not terribly impressed. Admitedly, I would love to have him back in Denver, but for no other reason other than he is Gary Kubiak and he did a lot for our team offensively. I'd love to have Alex Gibbs and Trevor Pryce back, but wish in one hand and shit in the other...