Articles on Past Broncos

[Denver Native (Carol)]

Thought it would be a good idea to have a thread for articles on past Broncos and Coaches. Please feel free to post articles here also.

I will start it off with one on Red Miller.

http://www.kdvr.com/sports/football/broncos/kdvr-red-miller-070809,0,5444255.story

Family Memories with Red Miller

DENVER - It's the best place to chill out on a hot summer afternoon; Broncos Super Bowl Coach Red Miller's memory-filled basement.

From the floor lamp, made by a fan out of old Orange Crush cans during his Broncos run to the Super Bowl in '77- '78, to a publicity photo taken of Red himself with a live, jungle cat during his brief stop with the Denver Gold, everything is neatly, and proudly, on display.

"There's about forty years of football here", he declares. Then, pointing to a photo, he laughs. "That's the first team I coached. Astoria High. 1951. I taught three biology courses. Three phys ed classes. I coached football, basketball, and track. And, I coached my Golden Gloves team. I made $2700 and I was proud to have it. You can see how much I love the game!"

It's also easy to see how much Miller loves his family.

He brags on his five grandchildren. Then, is asked about the oldest, Taylor Ritzel. She's an NCAA championship rower at Yale. And, he's quick to pick up the magazines touting her success. Ritzel was recently named to the national team, and if she stays on course, she'll be the first Olympian in the family.

Ritzel was the one who nicknamed him "Dad-Dad" when she couldn't pronounce grandpa. And, looking at family photos, you can feel the connection between the two.

"In this one I'm telling her a story, but, she's not listening. I guess some things never change! In this one, she didn't like wearing this costume. She was going to quit. But, I wouldn't let her."

That "never-give-up-mentality" seems to be Dad-Dad Red's legacy.

"That's what he always taught me, to give it everything", Ritzel explains. And, when you tell her that you think she has her grandfather's smile. She laughs and says, "I hope so."

Then, when you tell Dad-Dad the same thing, his reaction is an exact match to hers, "I hope so", he says. "No one ever told us that before."

[Denver Native (Carol)]

http://blogs.denverpost.com/preps/2009/07/15/nalen-now-with-souths-rebels/

The newest former Bronco to be on a Colorado high school field is the rugged Tom Nalen.

Any time a former Denver player tutors schoolboys is nice news, but Nalen’s could be big — he has joined the South staff, part of a city group that has watched its kids repeatedly struggle up front for decades.

If there’s an area in which the Denver Prep League has fallen greatest behind suburban counterparts in football, it’s across the lines. Rebels coach Tony Lindsay may not have initially believed it was actually the five-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman after the first phone call, but does now and is full of anticipation.

“It’s good for the school and good for the DPL,” Lindsay said. “Everybody needs a coach like that.”

[Denver Native (Carol)]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3711275

Want to go from practice squad nobody to NFL record breaker? Broncos wideout Rod Smith has the perfect plan

Rod Smith's life has the plot of a self-help book, and every chapter of every self-respecting self-help book begins with a pithy anecdote. The formula calls for an easy-to-digest parable summarizing the subject's quirky rise to fortune, while sharing universal truths to employ in the never-ending journey to a better you.

Smith loves to tell the tale of the missing shoe. A few years back, during an off-season round of golf, Smith lost a sneaker off the back of a cart he shared with former Broncos teammate Ed McCaffrey. Since it was McCaffrey's course, Smith badgered his fellow receiver to either find the shoe or buy him a new pair. It became an ongoing gag, until finally Smith returned from an off-season workout to find a new pair of shoes in his locker. They were black, and they were from the esteemed shoemaker Voit, and they were size 15, two full sizes too big. McCaffrey, it seems, knew not only how to find his local Kmart, but also how to find the bargain bin.

There were laughs all around. A pair of shoes to a pro athlete is like water to a fisherman-always there, always free. But the next day, something happened that nobody expected. Smith showed up for his workout-that was expected; he's never missed one in 12 years-and changed into his workout clothes: shorts, T-shirt, socks and size-15, $6 black Voits.

Laughs all around again, but Smith kept wearing them until it really wasn't much of a joke anymore. "These feel good," he told his teammates. "These are the next big thing, you just watch."

Smith speaks in inspired, accelerating bursts, as if he's worried time will run out before he finishes his thought. His words run a familiar courseanecdotes followed by lessons learned followed by italicized conclusions. Rod Smith's Rules for Life. He sounds less like a preacher than an infomercial.

And what self-help lesson did he teach McCaffrey?

You can't hustle a hustler.

THERE'S A monster of a house rising from a dirt pile, on five acres along a busy thoroughfare in Denver's swank Cherry Hills neighborhood. The project is part of Rod Smith Development, which counts the 35-year-old wide receiver as its owner and general contractor. He's no mere name on a sign, either. Smith gathers every bid, hires every subcontractor, writes every check. He's not above hopping on a small crane to keep the work moving.

As he stands in front of his handiwork on a warm, October afternoon, Smith can't help but think how he got here. The improbable rise to glory is as self-help as it gets, the off-tackle play of the Tony Robbins playbook. Since entering the NFL as a practice-squad player in 1994, Smith has caught more passes for more yards than any undrafted player in history. His first signing bonus was $5,000, and he hit every off-season workout that year in part because it paid him an extra $60 for two hours of work. Before the 2002 season, he signed a contract with an $11 million bonus. Yet he drives a six-year-old Mercedes and a two-year-old Navigator, and teammates still tease him about the Honda Passport he drove through his first Super Bowl season in 1997.

Smith grew up without a father in the projects of Texarkana, Ark., the middle of Lydia Smith's five children, dependent on a monthly welfare check. He looks up at the turretlike entry of his soon-to-be, 10,000-square-foot, Florida-resortstyle palace, and says, "There were six of us, and we lived on $6,000 a year." He shakes his head, repeating the number. "I've made more than that standing here talking to you."

Now he's walking through the basement, pointing out the future homes of the golf simulator, the poker room and the movie theater that comes with its own concession stand. He mentions that he still cuts his own hair, a practice started when he was growing up. He asks: "How much money do you think I've saved over my life because I don't spend $20 every two weeks getting my hair cut?"

Which brings up another lesson: If you forget where you came from, you won't know where you are.

SMITH WALKS a little crooked, and his six-foot frame is slight, almost wispy. He is, undoubtedly, the most unlikely of the 24 men who have gained 10,000 NFL receiving yards. What do you know about him, after all? Despite his lengthy career and Hall of Fame credentials, probably not much. Playing on teams known for quarterbacks (John Elway, Jake Plummer), a coach (Mike Shanahan) and 1,000-yard backs (anyone who lines up), Smith's role sounds incongruous: he dominates the background.

In contrast to the preening divas of his position, he's an ascot-wearing patrician. "My opponents respect me not because I'm going to do some crazy-ass dance on them," he says. "They respect me because I'm going to make a play that breaks their backs."

He returned punts last year at age 34 and is the team's emergency QB. Says Shanahan, "I know if we run out of players and I need someone to run down and cover kickoffs, his hand would be the first one raised." Smith is a fanatical reader with three businessrelated bachelor's degrees from D2 Missouri Southern State and a near-obsessive desire to be viewed as more than a football player. "On

On the field or on the job site, Smith is a stickler for detail. the plane, guys are watching Batman Begins," Plummer says. "Rod is reading a finance book with a Hi-Liter in his hand."

His peripatetic curiosity seems boundless. Seeking a lower-cost alternative to expensive stone walls to muffle traffic noise around his house, he found a product and liked it so much that he bought into the company. Teammates shook their heads when he drove the 115 miles south to Pueblo to view a piece of property on an off-day two years ago. He bought that, too.

Smith's desire to overcome the stigma of the undrafted sometimes borders on the compulsive. Early in his practice-squad year, he asked thenhead coach Wade Phillips if he could go to road games. It's not customary for practice-squadders to travel, but Smith felt cheated. "This was my job, and I didn't want to be hanging out at clubs."

He kept his own statistics that year. Practice statistics. He shrugs. "Those were my games. That's all I had."

The next year he worked with receivers coach Mike Heimerdinger, who came in with the meticulous Shanahan when Phillips was fired. Smith became a threat on deep routes by learning to keep his shoulders closed while running down long balls, a practice that earned him an extra half-yard. The off-season conditioning made him stronger against the bumpand-run, and he employed his knowledge as a former quarterback, which he was recruited to play in college, to hone his route-running.

Here's the kind of information that escapes public notice but earns raves in the league: Smith understands timing, a quality that makes him one of the best at getting open when he is the second or third option on a play. "It's subtle," Plummer says, "but if he's the third guy, he knows I have to make two pumps before I get to him. Some guys get open right away, then come back to the huddle and say, I was open.' I say, Maybe, but not when I needed you to be.' "

In the first half of the Broncos' 28-20 win over New England on Oct. 16, Plummer looked off two receivers before hitting Smith deep over the middle for a 72-yard gain that led to a touchdown.

Shanahan provides Smith with the perfect front-cover blurb: "He's an overachiever with ability-and what a great combination that is"

AT THE end of training camp in 1995, Heimerdinger phoned Smith on cut-down day to salute him for making the team. The culmination of a lot of hard work for both, the call was a nod of appreciation.

"Thank you, Coach," Smith replied, "but don't ever call me on cut day again." "I just wanted to congratulate you," Heimerdinger said. "Don't call me on cut day," Smith repeated. "I can't take it." The next year, Smith was a starter from the first day of camp and held the job through the preseason. Heimerdinger couldn't resist picking up his phone on final cut-down day. Smith cursed the cackling coach: "I told you not to do that."

"You've been the starter since the spring," Heimerdinger said. "Did you really think you have to worry about being cut?"

"The first thing I do when I get to the locker room every day," Smith replied, "is check to make sure my nameplate is above my locker."

There's an added twist here, one that elevates his … what is it? Possessiveness? Paranoia? Inability to believe his good fortune? Whatever it is, it has persisted through 12 NFL seasons, two All-Pro teams, two Super Bowl rings, seven 1,000-yard seasons and two 100-catch seasons. Smith still looks for his nameplate. He still freaks out when he sees a number from Broncos headquarters on his phone. "To this day," he says, "I have the same fear of being fired I had when I was on the practice squad."

One of the most basic rules of all: If it can be taken away from you, don't take it for granted.

NONE OF this is meant to suggest that Smith is perfect. In January 2000, he was arrested on a domestic-abuse charge stemming from an incident involving the mother of his two sons, Jamie Mourglia. For a guy dedicated to turning negatives into positives, this was a serious challenge.

In the aftermath of the arrest, his two sons, Roderick Jr., now 13, and Devin, 11, moved with their mother to Florida. His positive image temporarily suspended, Smith underwent 36 weeks of anger-management counseling and ended up on Oprah, the self-help mountaintop, discussing his new definition of being a man. "I was taught that we as men walk around carrying bags. We keep putting stuff in themking of the household, breadwinner, tough guy-until those bags break. First I learned not to put stuff in those bags, and then I dropped the bags altogether."

Roderick and Devin spend summers, holidays and most home-game weekends with their father. The second story of the new house is theirs. A daughter from a previous relationship, 15-year-old Vanessa, lives with her mother in Missouri. Vanessa has sickle-cell anemia that requires monthly transfusions. He sees her less often. "I learned a lot about my past by facing my present, and I miss my kids every day," Smith says. "Just because you're on the pedestal, with millions of dollars and fame, doesn't mean you don't have issues. It's all about how you deal with them."

Smith's rule is to not run away: After you make a mess, the worst thing you can make is an excuse.

IT COMES as no surprise that Smith once attended a Tony Robbins seminar or that he learned from one of the guru's questions: On your way to the top, who did you bring with you?

"That struck me," Smith says. "Here I am, living a pretty good life, and I hadn't really brought anyone with me."

He now teaches financial literacy classes to rookies, leaning heavily on the theories of Rich Dad, Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki. His sons are involved as well. Devin's Christmas wish list, at this point, consists of one item: a percentage of one of dad's business ventures. Rod signs autographs for at least an hour after each home game, and he became suspicious after this year's Patriots game when Devin kept bringing him items to sign. It didn't take long to discover that he was accepting $20 from impatient fans.

"You can't do that," Rod told him. "This is sacred ground between me and the fans."

Devin cited one of Kiyosaki's principles: "Dad, you're making me give up my passive income."

[Denver Native (Carol)]

Rod Smith Development has two employees: Rod Smith and Barry Baldwin, who left banking to work with his college friend. A condition of Baldwin's employment calls for him to provide his boss with personal financial statements every month, itemizing expenditures and documenting his savings. Smith explains, "If you're going to work for me, you've got to understand me and what I'm reading."

His penchant for handing young teammates slips of paper with names and numbers-of financial advisers, real-estate agents, tax people-is legendary. When fullback Kyle Johnson joined the team two years ago, he arrived in Denver without a bed. Smith went into action, working a deal for Johnson to drive Plummer's truck to Smith's house to pick up a bed he was replacing. "I hadn't been here more than a few hours, and here I'm driving the quarterback's car to get the Pro Bowl receiver's bed," Johnson says. "That's when I knew Rod was something different."

All part of dominating the background: He who helps others helps himself most.

SMITH ATTENDED a home-builders' show at Invesco Field last spring to shake some hands and make some contacts. When a group of contractors heard he planned on building his own home, a few of them laughed. He knew what they were thinking: dumb jock can't build a house. "If they had said great idea, I might not be doing it," Smith says.

And that nails the essence of Rod Smith.

They laughed in the man's face, so he's standing in front of the house, wondering if the gravel he ordered that morning will be spread over the dirt drive before the next day's rain. He's already thinking about the house he'll put on the other half of the lot. The look on his face says he still hears the laughter of those who doubted him, and if you'll excuse him for a moment, he's got some landscaping plans to look over.

Which brings up what might be the most cherished Rod Smith Rule of all:

The toughest guy to catch is the one who keeps moving.

[Denver Native (Carol)]

http://blogs.denverpost.com/broncos/2009/07/14/bubbys-first-mile-hile-qb-camp/

No. 6 is coming back to Denver. No, not that No. 6.

Bubby Brister!

Brister, who played in Denver from 1997-1999 and won two Super Bowl rings as John Elway’s backup, is bringing his quarterback/skills camp to Denver for the first time on July 28-29. Click HERE for more information on the camp and to register. The camp is for quarterbacks, receivers, tight ends and running backs ages 10-18.

“I want to try to build on them, maybe make one big camp in the future, but this is our first one,” Brister said. “I think things ought to work out.”

Brister also runs his camp in his native Louisiana, where he returned after retiring from the NFL in 2000, and has helped with the Manning Family’s camp in the Gulf Coast area, too. But he said he and his family still love Colorado and that it made sense to bring his camp here.

Brister said he’s trying to recruit some of his former Denver teammates to come help out at the camp, either as speakers or instructors.

[horsepig]

Man, Shannahan and Elway had some magic around them didn't they? TD, Stink, Sharpe, Zim, and of course, Rod. Among others, of course.

[Dean]

Rod never ceases to surprise me.


Rod Smith ran unusual route right into college Hall of Fame
Rod Smith, who began his college career as a quarterback, spent his NFL career with the Broncos and set the record for receiving yards by an undrafted player.



2009 HALL OF FAME CLASS

Players

Troy Aikman, quarterback, Oklahoma 1984-85; UCLA, 1987-88

Roger Brown, defensive tackle, Maryland-Eastern Shore, 1956-59

Billy Cannon, tailback, defensive back, LSU, 1956-59

Fred Dean, defensive end, Louisiana Tech, 1971-74

Jim Dombrowski, offensive tackle, Virginia, 1982-85

Pat Fitzgerald, linebacker, Northwestern, 1993-96

Wilber Marshall, linebacker, Florida, 1980-83

Rueben Mayes, running back, Washington State, 1982-85

Randall McDaniel, offensive guard, Arizona State, 1984-87

Don McPherson, quarterback, Syracuse, 1983-87

Sam Mills, linebacker, Montclair (N.J.) State, 1977-80

Jay Novacek, tight end, Wyoming, 1982-84

Dave Parks, split end, Texas Tech, 1961-63

Ron Simmons, nose guard, Florida State, 1977-80

Rod Smith, wide receiver, Missouri Southern State, 1988, 1990-93

Thurman Thomas, tailback, Oklahoma State, 1984-87

Arnold Tucker, quarterback, Miami (Fla.) 1943; Army, 1944-46

Coaches

Volney Ashford, Missouri Valley (1937-71)

John Cooper, Tulsa (1977-84), Arizona State (1985-87), Ohio State (1988-2000)

Jim Donnan, Marshall (1990-95), Georgia (1996-2000)

Lou Holtz, William & Mary (1969-71), N.C. State (1972-75), Arkansas (1977-83), Minnesota (1984-85), Notre Dame (1986-96), South Carolina (1999-2004)


Source: College Football Hall of Fame






When Rod Smith first arrived on the Joplin campus of Missouri Southern State University, he expected to be involved in a lot of pass plays on the football field. But he thought he'd be throwing them.
Fortunately, his willingness to try being on the receiving end proved successful. That decision eventually paved his way to a standout professional career with the Denver Broncos and to enshrinement this weekend at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind. This year's class will include such recognizable names as Troy Aikman, Wilber Marshall and Lou Holtz.

"Just being around that group of people this weekend is kind of shocking," Smith says. "I never ever played the game for any kind of individual accolades. Sometimes, I just think, 'Was I really that good to be in with those guys?' "


INDUCTEES: Bios of 2009 enshrinement class

Given what he accomplished in college as well as in the NFL, Smith's overall résumé is certainly Hall worthy. He caught 158 passes for 3,122 yards and 35 touchdowns in his career with the Lions.


He averaged a lofty 24 yards a catch one season, a school record, giving an indication of the speed that would help him succeed at the next level.

Smith's career at Missouri Southern was nearly over before it began.

"I'd been a quarterback all through high school," says Smith, a native of Texarkana, Ark. "I went up there for that. I was scheduled to start, then there was a coaching change, and I ended up third-string. I thought, 'I don't think I'm gonna be here long.' "

But the staff saw his potential as a receiver and persuaded him to give it a try. Smith eventually saw time at quarterback in his sophomore season, alternating snaps with Matt Cook.

"Finally, one of my coaches came to me and said, 'Look, you've got an option,' " Smith recalls. "He said, 'You can be an all-conference quarterback, or you can be an All-American receiver.' "

Smith did just that, earning first-team honors as a senior after turning the passing reins over to Cook.

Their frequent hookups helped the Lions to the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association title and Division II playoffs in 1993. He also graduated with three business-related degrees.

Though Smith didn't hear his name called during the NFL draft, his football story didn't end. He signed as a free agent with the Broncos and earned a spot on the practice squad. When he finally got on the field in 1995, his first impression was a lasting one. In a game on Sept. 17, his first career reception in the league was a 43-yard touchdown from John Elway to beat the Washington Redskins 38-31.

Two Super Bowl rings and more than 11,000 yards later, Smith retired before the 2008 season as the most productive undrafted receiver in league history.

"To this day, I have not watched the NFL draft," he says. "I'm like a bitter old guy. I wasn't even Mr. Irrelevant."

But ultimately, the draft-day snubs served as motivation.

"I was still pretty green at the receiver position," he says. "My route-running was horrible. I constantly worked on those things. I wouldn't have been able to catch all those passes from John if I hadn't put in the work. What I always tell kids is that you've got to do your best work when nobody's looking. That's how you get better."

Smith calls the Denver area home and says he plans to be there for a long time. Meanwhile, he plans to enjoy this weekend's festivities.

"I'm a fan, too," he says. "I'm just going to enjoy being around everybody. Sometimes, I just think, 'What made me so lucky to be in this position?' I must have done something right."

[FanInAZ]

Now the question is, will the Pro HOF snub him like they snub all Broncos not named Elway?

[LordTrychon]

Great article. :beer:

[dogfish]

:salute: one of the all-time great broncos! :salute:

[Denver Native (Carol)]

http://den.scout.com/a.z?s=101&p=9&c=2&cid=881607&nid=3986427&fhn=1&refid=400

Free agent FB Cecil Sapp has signed with the United Football League's UFL franchise, his agent, David Canter, announced.

Sapp had a workout for the Buffalo Bills recently and played for the Houston Texans last season. Sapp was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Denver Broncos in 2003 and played for them through the 2007 season.

[dogfish]

good luck to the diesel. . . . :salute:

[Denver Native (Carol)]

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_12915871

Recovery from a stroke inspires others with his battle-tested mentality

t happens at the grocery store near his home in the Golden Triangle, on the 16th Street Mall, in his walks on the Cherry Creek bike path, at his favorite golf course, and virtually everywhere Haven Moses goes.

Whether they recognize him as the former Broncos wide receiver who with quarterback Craig Morton formed the famed M&M Connection on Denver's first Super Bowl team, or have no clue who he is, people tend to smile. They give him thumbs-up. They wave him on. Many even say thanks for being an inspiration.

"A lot of people continue to have that picture of me in the orange," Moses said recently over lunch. "That hasn't diminished any. This is another game for me. They're cheering for me again. I'm not going to let them down."

Six years after Moses suffered a stroke that severely affected his left side, he's making a stunning recovery after a long, difficult fight.

"People ask me if I have a therapist," he said. "I'm the therapist. I know my body better than anyone. I just do the things that I know are stretching my limits. When I walk, my pace is so much better than before. Going up stairs can be difficult, but I look for difficult things to do. I have to re-train my brain to work, so I even pick the hardest things to do in reaching and scratching."

Joyce Moses, who met Haven when both were students at San Diego State and has been his wife for 41 years, recalled an incident shortly after the stroke that drove home the magnitude of her husband's challenge.

"He got out of bed, thinking about his next move," she said. "He said, 'I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.' In all of this, his spirit has further transcended into my spirit. He's my hero, as well as a lot of others' hero."

Jimmy Hayde of Denver is one of Moses' many friends.

"There are mornings you don't want to get out of bed," Hayde said. "There are mornings you don't want to work out. Then you look at a guy like Haven, who could have rolled over and relied on his fame and renown here and have people take care of him. He's never stopped for a day trying to get better.

"And for a man who played the roughest sport on the planet, he is one of the kindest, gentlest and most sincere souls I've ever known in my life."

Comfortable on the course

Before the stroke, Moses was a regular at Lakewood's Fox Hollow Golf Course, where he became friends with the resident pro, Craig Parzybok. After the stroke, he didn't take a swing at a golf ball for four years. He finally returned to the driving range in 2007.

"I said if there was one place I probably would be comfortable, where I wouldn't feel self-conscious about how I looked, it would be there,"Moses said. "I tried to pick a day when I didn't think anybody would be out there on the driving range.

"I took a couple of swings and I thought, 'I'll probably not do this again.' I sat down and looked over the driving range and reminisced about the way it used to be. I tried to comfort myself. And then I got back up and started swinging again. I used one hand. The other hand wouldn't release for me. But I kept working on it. I said, 'I can do this.' I had seen handicapped people play golf. I'd seen people with one arm play golf. That inspired me. Then I started making one or two shots, and it started firing me up."

Moses now plays full 18-hole rounds. He hopes to play 27 holes on Monday, his 63rd birthday. He also is planning to keep his score for the first time since his stroke.

"It's a testimony to the type of man he is," Parzybok said. "He will not give up. It has been a long, hard battle for him, especially being a superstar athlete and being unable to do the types of things he could do. We all get older and you and I can't do the things we could do when we were younger, but to have such a huge gap between being a wide receiver in the NFL and now just struggling to have normal functions, it must be very dramatic. And yet he keeps plugging away. He keeps working. He keeps trying. At least outwardly, he doesn't get discouraged."

Moses continues his long walks, often on the State Capitol steps and grounds or along Cherry Creek. And he pushes himself, with considerable help, most notably from Joyce and their two sons, Bryan and Chris.

"The support of Joyce was the key, because things like this can tear apart a family," Moses said. "With their help, I've really come to look at this as a positive, as setting up the next phase of my life, the fourth quarter of my life, which is going to be that much more special."

Said Joyce: "We've done a lot of praying and a lot of drawing on faith. We've been together a long time, since we were youngsters, and that's helped. We've been able to get through this through the grace of God and friends, and there never has been a moment where he's said, 'I can't do this.' "

Moses finally is comfortable enough to be planning to attend a Broncos reunion weekend this fall for the first time since his stroke.

"I've not been as connected as I could have been," he said. "I see those guys (individually) every once in a stroke.

"It's a testimony to the type of man he is," Parzybok said. "He will not give up. It has been a long, hard battle for him, especially being a superstar athlete and being unable to do the types of things he could do. We all get older and you and I can't do the things we could do when we were younger, but to have such a huge gap between being a wide receiver in the NFL and now just struggling to have normal functions, it must be very dramatic. And yet he keeps plugging away. He keeps working. He keeps trying. At least outwardly, he doesn't get discouraged."

Moses continues his long walks, often on the State Capitol steps and grounds or along Cherry Creek. And he pushes himself, with considerable help, most notably from Joyce and their two sons, Bryan and Chris.

"The support of Joyce was the key, because things like this can tear apart a family," Moses said. "With their help, I've really come to look at this as a positive, as setting up the next phase of my life, the fourth quarter of my life, which is going to be that much more special."

Said Joyce: "We've done a lot of praying and a lot of drawing on faith. We've been together a long time, since we were youngsters, and that's helped. We've been able to get through this through the grace of God and friends, and there never has been a moment where he's said, 'I can't do this.' "

Moses finally is comfortable enough to be planning to attend a Broncos reunion weekend this fall for the first time since his stroke.

"I've not been as connected as I could have been," he said. "I see those guys (individually) every once in a stroke.

"It's a testimony to the type of man he is," Parzybok said. "He will not give up. It has been a long, hard battle for him, especially being a superstar athlete and being unable to do the types of things he could do. We all get older and you and I can't do the things we could do when we were younger, but to have such a huge gap between being a wide receiver in the NFL and now just struggling to have normal functions, it must be very dramatic. And yet he keeps plugging away. He keeps working. He keeps trying. At least outwardly, he doesn't get discouraged."

Moses continues his long walks, often on the State Capitol steps and grounds or along Cherry Creek. And he pushes himself, with considerable help, most notably from Joyce and their two sons, Bryan and Chris.

"The support of Joyce was the key, because things like this can tear apart a family," Moses said. "With their help, I've really come to look at this as a positive, as setting up the next phase of my life, the fourth quarter of my life, which is going to be that much more special."

Said Joyce: "We've done a lot of praying and a lot of drawing on faith. We've been together a long time, since we were youngsters, and that's helped. We've been able to get through this through the grace of God and friends, and there never has been a moment where he's said, 'I can't do this.' "

Moses finally is comfortable enough to be planning to attend a Broncos reunion weekend this fall for the first time since his stroke.

"I've not been as connected as I could have been," he said. "I see those guys (individually) every once in a stroke.

"It's a testimony to the type of man he is," Parzybok said. "He will not give up. It has been a long, hard battle for him, especially being a superstar athlete and being unable to do the types of things he could do. We all get older and you and I can't do the things we could do when we were younger, but to have such a huge gap between being a wide receiver in the NFL and now just struggling to have normal functions, it must be very dramatic. And yet he keeps plugging away. He keeps working. He keeps trying. At least outwardly, he doesn't get discouraged."

Moses continues his long walks, often on the State Capitol steps and grounds or along Cherry Creek. And he pushes himself, with considerable help, most notably from Joyce and their two sons, Bryan and Chris.

"The support of Joyce was the key, because things like this can tear apart a family," Moses said. "With their help, I've really come to look at this as a positive, as setting up the next phase of my life, the fourth quarter of my life, which is going to be that much more special."

Said Joyce: "We've done a lot of praying and a lot of drawing on faith. We've been together a long time, since we were youngsters, and that's helped. We've been able to get through this through the grace of God and friends, and there never has been a moment where he's said, 'I can't do this.' "

Moses finally is comfortable enough to be planning to attend a Broncos reunion weekend this fall for the first time since his stroke.

"I've not been as connected as I could have been," he said. "I see those guys (individually) every once in a while and they ask me, 'When are you going to come to the reunion weekend?' I've been away too long. Maybe subconsciously I wasn't ready to get on that stage again."

The night things changed

After his retirement as a player, Moses worked at Coors Brewery as an executive from 1981-95, then was the executive director for the Archdiocese of Denver's Seeds of Hope program.

His world turned upside down in January 2003.

He attended a function at the new Holy Family High School building in Broomfield, then returned to the archdiocese offices. After he walked up the three flights of stairs to his desk, his office neighbor tried to strike up a conversation. "I was mumbling and I said, 'John, I don't feel like talking, I don't feel good,' "Moses said. "I sat down and tried to turn my computer on and I couldn't do anything with the keys."

He went home, to the family's condominium. Joyce was at her longtime job at Hyde Park Jewelers.

"I lay down, but I got up to use the restroom about 30 minutes later and I fell down," Moses said. "My left side just went out. I crawled to the restroom, used the bathroom, and got back in bed."

When Joyce got home, Haven got up and fell again, and Joyce announced they were going to a hospital. No, Haven pleaded, just let him sleep and he would be all right in the morning.

"She finally convinced me, got me dressed, took me out to the car and we went right over to Denver Health," he said. "They wheeled me in and in no time were telling me I had suffered a stroke. If I had slept that night, I'd probably still be sleeping."

His speech wasn't affected, but his left side was. The prognosis was vague, but this much was certain: He never would be the same again.

[Denver Native (Carol)]

"When we went and saw him in the hospital, we didn't know if he was going to able to walk," Parzybok said. "Now to look at him and talk to him and watch him move, you can tell if you look real close, but to the average person, you see very little effects of the stroke. . . . He does whatever he can to make everybody's day a little more enjoyable."

Looking to make a contribution

Former Broncos linebacker Tom Graham, a Denver businessman who is the father of current Broncos tight end Daniel Graham, was raised in Harbor City, Calif., and said he sneaked in to Harbor City Junior College games to watch Moses star for two seasons before heading off to San Diego State.

"You had this guy with this huge Afro, and he was a bigger-than-life figure for us," Graham said. "When Haven was traded here from Buffalo (in 1972), I walked up to him and was looking at him as my hero. I told him, 'I used to watch you when I was a kid!' "

Graham burst out laughing and added, "Haven said some things to me that were not nice. But I finally had met my hero."

While watching Moses' recovery, Graham's admiration has grown.

"He's still the same Haven," Graham said. "We hook up over at Stanley's barber shop and when we get in there, we talk about each other for a minute and a half, 'Where you been . . . you were supposed to call me . . . blah, blah, blah.' And then we sit down and really talk, and he's very positive. He struggled with this at first, but now he is very upbeat."

The darkest possibilities — self-pity, resignation — haven't come into play.

"I really feel blessed to be at the point I'm at now," Moses said. "Two years ago, if you had asked me that same question, I would have said I was fine, but with reservations. Things have progressed. The neurological damage certainly presented challenges about how I could function with my left side. That was what I faced, but with what I was able to conjure up from sports — that work ethic that pushes you to know that you can get better at what you're doing — helped me tremendously.

"If I had broken a leg or arm or had a knee replacement, I would have had a better fix on this. But when the neurological issues and the disconnect from the brain came into play, all of a sudden I was at a loss. I know there are a lot of experiences in life that help us keep things in perspective, and I feel pretty good about my life and my relationship with my family and friends and this community."

Moses worked at a small private school in Denver for several years after the stroke, but stepped back to concentrate on his recovery in 2007. Now, he's looking for something else to do. He helped Parzybok at a tournament to benefit the Autism Society of Colorado last week.

"I still have a lot to give, a lot to contribute," Moses said. "I'm not ready to kick the can yet. I would like to continue to be involved in the things that give back, that will give me a presence that will allow me to tell my story."

Terry Frei: 303-954-1895 or tfrei@denverpost.com
Haven Moses file

Born: July 27, 1946, in Los Angeles

Schools:

Fermin de Lasuen Catholic High in San Pedro, Calif.

Harbor City, Calif., (Junior) College

San Diego State University.

NFL career:

Buffalo Bills' No. 1 choice (ninth overall) in 1968 draft.

Traded to Denver for wide receiver Dwight Harrison during the 1972 season.

In 1977, teamed with newly acquired quarterback Craig Morton to form "M&M Connection," catching two touchdown passes in AFC championship game victory over Raiders.

Retired in 1981.

NFL reception totals: 448 receptions, 8,212 yards, 56 touchdowns.

Other jobs: Worked for Samsonite during playing career.

Coors executive from 1981-95.

Executive director of Denver Archdiocese's Seeds of Hope program at time of 2003 stroke.

[Lonestar]

ESPN.com ranked its 25 most underrated and overrated players of the past decade in the NFL. No. 2 on the underrated list? Ex- Bronco Matt Lepsis. Writer Aaron Schatz: "Lepsis anchored the fabulous Denver offensive line for five years at starting right tackle, starting left tackle for another four, but never made a Pro Bowl. Honestly, that's a little mind-blowing." ?

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9855300/Saturday-Morning-Posts->>-Quick-hits-from-the-sports-world-Kudos-to-Dealin'-O'Dowd-

[dogfish]

ESPN.com ranked its 25 most underrated and overrated players of the past decade in the NFL. No. 2 on the underrated list? Ex- Bronco Matt Lepsis. Writer Aaron Schatz: "Lepsis anchored the fabulous Denver offensive line for five years at starting right tackle, starting left tackle for another four, but never made a Pro Bowl. Honestly, that's a little mind-blowing." ?

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9855300/Saturday-Morning-Posts->>-Quick-hits-from-the-sports-world-Kudos-to-Dealin'-O'Dowd-


i always though lepsis was vastly underrated, especially when he was playing LT. . . the guy shut down some of the top pass rushers (he owned dwight freeney), and consistently blew open big holes in the running game. . . he was a bargain for what we paid him. . . .

[Lonestar]

i always though lepsis was vastly underrated, especially when he was playing LT. . . the guy shut down some of the top pass rushers (he owned dwight freeney), and consistently blew open big holes in the running game. . . he was a bargain for what we paid him. . . .


not sure that 6 mil was a bargain but he was damned good till his knee went out after that eh..