Lonestar
07-19-2009, 03:45 AM
Kiszla: Grab a chance to grade Coach McD
By Mark Kiszla
The Denver Post
Posted: 07/19/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT
In a sports town where Sunday worship means watching the Broncos, there are followers who stubbornly refuse to place their faith in new coach Josh McDaniels.
But is it crazy to think McDaniels could mess up Mile High madness?
The local NFL franchise proudly claims to have sold every seat that counts for every game that has really mattered in Denver since John Elway was a fifth-grader. A sellout streak of 316 home games is the orange-and-blue cornerstone on which Broncomania is built.
Well, anybody want a ticket to help Kid McD celebrate his regular-season home debut as a head coach when his Broncos take the field Sept. 20 against Cleveland?
I've got four seats. And I bought them Saturday, at face value, no sweat, without having to stand in line.
While the NFL has been the hottest ticket in Denver for decades, it appears Broncomaniacs bummed out by the triple whammies of Mike Shanahan's painful dismissal, Jay Cutler's contentious departure and a sluggish local economy have softened the demand for seats.
At least that's what I found when single-game sales of Broncos tickets began at 11 a.m. on a summer day that was bright and sunny with everything except expectations of Denver going to the Super Bowl anytime soon.
Although the Broncos can boast of a season-ticket base in excess of 73,000, the rush to fill the joint for McDaniels' home debut was far from as crazy as at would be if Hannah Montana or the World Series were coming to town.
When Internet sales began, it was no trouble to land two $45 seats in Section 518 to see Denver take on Cleveland. Ninety minutes later, I again easily grabbed a pair of $60 tickets to the home opener while wondering why Cutler loyalists had yet to gobble up all the $380 ducats remaining to watch the new Bears quarterback take a few snaps in an August exhibition game.
By the dinner hour, tickets priced well within the means of a working man were still available to see if McDaniels can beat the Browns.
So you think there might be less than universal, enthusiastic approval for franchise owner Pat Bowlen's choice for coach?
With recent league champions such as the Steelers and Giants visiting town, not to mention scheduled appearances by playboy quarterbacks Tom Brady and Tony Romo, it figures empty seats should not be a major issue at Invesco Field at Mile High during the course of the season.
But should McDaniels struggle to win in his own backyard, the Broncos could see their ballyhooed home-field advantage put at risk by ticket-buyers whose loyalties are to Pittsburgh or New England.
If that happens, Kid McD will be done before he has a chance to grow into the job.
And, believe me, Broncomaniacs have been known to curse a predominantly blue streak at a coach who proves to be a bum. All these years later, here's betting the four-letter words hurled by South Standers at Wade Phillips as he jogged off the field with his head bowed after an embarrassing 48-16 home loss to the Raiders in 1994 are still ringing in his ears.
I have been slow to believe that the anxiety and ire of Broncos fans during the recent months of upheaval would have a seriously adverse effect on the team's business.
But has Kid McD really put a damper on Broncomania?
Let's conduct a little experiment to find out.
If anybody wants to go to the home opener and critique McDaniels in person, fire off an e-mail with your most persuasive reasons why you deserve a free
Share Your Analysis
Post sports columnist Mark Kiszla fields your feedback. Look for it in Kickin' It With Kiz on Sundays.
ticket to see the Broncos play the Browns.
There's only one caveat:
The winner of the ticket has to sit with me.
http://broncosforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41516
By Mark Kiszla
The Denver Post
Posted: 07/19/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT
In a sports town where Sunday worship means watching the Broncos, there are followers who stubbornly refuse to place their faith in new coach Josh McDaniels.
But is it crazy to think McDaniels could mess up Mile High madness?
The local NFL franchise proudly claims to have sold every seat that counts for every game that has really mattered in Denver since John Elway was a fifth-grader. A sellout streak of 316 home games is the orange-and-blue cornerstone on which Broncomania is built.
Well, anybody want a ticket to help Kid McD celebrate his regular-season home debut as a head coach when his Broncos take the field Sept. 20 against Cleveland?
I've got four seats. And I bought them Saturday, at face value, no sweat, without having to stand in line.
While the NFL has been the hottest ticket in Denver for decades, it appears Broncomaniacs bummed out by the triple whammies of Mike Shanahan's painful dismissal, Jay Cutler's contentious departure and a sluggish local economy have softened the demand for seats.
At least that's what I found when single-game sales of Broncos tickets began at 11 a.m. on a summer day that was bright and sunny with everything except expectations of Denver going to the Super Bowl anytime soon.
Although the Broncos can boast of a season-ticket base in excess of 73,000, the rush to fill the joint for McDaniels' home debut was far from as crazy as at would be if Hannah Montana or the World Series were coming to town.
When Internet sales began, it was no trouble to land two $45 seats in Section 518 to see Denver take on Cleveland. Ninety minutes later, I again easily grabbed a pair of $60 tickets to the home opener while wondering why Cutler loyalists had yet to gobble up all the $380 ducats remaining to watch the new Bears quarterback take a few snaps in an August exhibition game.
By the dinner hour, tickets priced well within the means of a working man were still available to see if McDaniels can beat the Browns.
So you think there might be less than universal, enthusiastic approval for franchise owner Pat Bowlen's choice for coach?
With recent league champions such as the Steelers and Giants visiting town, not to mention scheduled appearances by playboy quarterbacks Tom Brady and Tony Romo, it figures empty seats should not be a major issue at Invesco Field at Mile High during the course of the season.
But should McDaniels struggle to win in his own backyard, the Broncos could see their ballyhooed home-field advantage put at risk by ticket-buyers whose loyalties are to Pittsburgh or New England.
If that happens, Kid McD will be done before he has a chance to grow into the job.
And, believe me, Broncomaniacs have been known to curse a predominantly blue streak at a coach who proves to be a bum. All these years later, here's betting the four-letter words hurled by South Standers at Wade Phillips as he jogged off the field with his head bowed after an embarrassing 48-16 home loss to the Raiders in 1994 are still ringing in his ears.
I have been slow to believe that the anxiety and ire of Broncos fans during the recent months of upheaval would have a seriously adverse effect on the team's business.
But has Kid McD really put a damper on Broncomania?
Let's conduct a little experiment to find out.
If anybody wants to go to the home opener and critique McDaniels in person, fire off an e-mail with your most persuasive reasons why you deserve a free
Share Your Analysis
Post sports columnist Mark Kiszla fields your feedback. Look for it in Kickin' It With Kiz on Sundays.
ticket to see the Broncos play the Browns.
There's only one caveat:
The winner of the ticket has to sit with me.
http://broncosforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41516