Thread: Pat Bowlen has died

a true great. . . this is the end of an era. . .

I got to meet him one time during training camp in Greeley. He flew in on his helicopter. Walked around chatting with fans then went out to talk with the players/coaches. Had a really easygoing command of everything happening. Sad day.

RIP, Mr. Bowlen.

Are they going to re-name the stadium after him? Pat Bowlen Memorial Stadium?

I loved this clip I found in the @CBSDenver archives. It's from an interview with Pat Bowlen after he first bought the team. Hearing his enthusiasm about becoming the owner of the Broncos is the best part:

https://twitter.com/RyanCBS4/status/...750016/video/1

DENVER – A public celebration of life for late Broncos owner Pat Bowlen will be held Tuesday, June 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Broncos Stadium at Mile High, the team announced Friday.

Bowlen passed away at age 75 , his family announced early Friday morning, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

The celebration of his life and career will be open to Broncos fans, former and current players and staff, NFL personnel and others and will be held in the United Club Level West Lounge at the stadium.

The tribute will include memorabilia from his time as owner and a photo and video tribute celebrating Bowlen’s life and contributions to the Broncos and NFL. Bowlen family members will be on-hand to thank attendees.

rest - https://www.thedenverchannel.com/spo...m-at-mile-high

‘Heart Of The City’: Broncos Fans Remember Pat Bowlen

https://denver.cbslocal.com/2019/06/...en-fans-death/

Normally I don't give a **** about rich, entitled privileged billionaires. They are normally complete whining ******** with an attitude and condescending attitude if you ever met any.

Pat Bowlen was one of the few owners in the NFL who really gave a **** about actually winning championships. Most owners would LIKE to win a championship, the way you might "like to date a Super-Model". If one came along who was willing to date you, great! You'd go for it! But, you're not going out of your way to actually meet one, and you don't expect it to really happen.

There's a difference between thinking "it'd sure be nice to win a SB" and actually doing what it takes to win one. A Big difference! Pat Bowlen was willing to do whatever it took. He was willing to spend his money to get the best players. The Broncos signed a bunch of high priced veteran FAs during the Shanahan era.

Lots of teams like Cleveland are just cheap ******** and their owners wouldn't spend as much as other teams. They considered themselves "small market teams" whose owners would just put their revenues into their own pockets.

This problem was so bad the league ultimately instituted a salary cap FLOOR which teams must spend up to on player salaries.

Cleveland for one was so notoriously cheap that when the salary cap floor went into effect they were stuck with over $100m in cap room. They had to spend it on something! They couldn't just pocket it any more! So, they gave $16,000,000 of it to the Texans to pay to get rid of Brock Osweiler. They got Osweiler, paid $16m and got a second round pick. They had to spend $16m to get a 2nd rounder because they had too much $ left over in cap room and not enough players to spend it on.

Broncos fans are lucky not to be fans of suck-ass organizations like Cleveland, Miami or the Jets, Tampa, the Cardinals or some other dysfunctional teams. The reason the Broncos were not a suck-ass organization like those teams is because Pat Bowlen.

Period. It started with him and worked its way down.

paul tagliabue on mr. B;

“Pat was an extraordinary leader and open-minded consensus builder. I have long considered Pat one of the top five NFL owners in league history.”

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...tory/#comments

Paul Tag is missed, was a great commissioner.

Originally Posted by Shazam!

Paul Tag is missed, was a great commissioner.

He was actually bad.

Originally Posted by dogfish

paul tagliabue on mr. B;



https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...tory/#comments

That is really cool. Been a while since he was commissioner. I had not heard that.

Originally Posted by BeefStew25

Originally Posted by Shazam!

Paul Tag is missed, was a great commissioner.

He was actually bad.

How so or is this just the usual contrary to be contrary.

Broncos Country reacts to Pat Bowlen’s passing

https://kdvr.com/2019/06/14/broncos-...wlens-passing/