Thread: The Trust

Originally Posted by Cugel

Is Ellis trying to keep his de-facto ownership intact for as long as possible? YUP. He's made millions of $ from total control of a multi-billion$ company. Why would he give that up?

As for Ellis firing Shanahan because Shanny was too powerful in the building, that opinion was widely shared by everybody at the time. Shanahan's drafting was horrible (Anybody remember them moving up to #17 to draft DE Jarvis Moss? And DE Tim Crowder in the 2nd? Ugh.)

Pat was reported at the time as crying during the dismissal and Shanny said that Bowlen was more broken up about it than Shanny was (he took a year off earning around $7m without working and then got the Redskins coaching job).

Shanny's personnel choices were as bad in the late 2000s as Elway's are now. So, there was plenty of reason to fire Shanny the GM even if Shanahan the coach was still a top NFL coach (he was).

As for Pat hiring Elway against Ellis' opinion, that's probably true too. At the time he didn't want such a powerful voice inside the building.

BUT, things have changed wildly since then.

RIGHT NOW , Ellis needs Elway a LOT more than Elway needs him. The reason Ellis is able to run the team without interference from the league is because Elway is actually running the day to day personnel decisions. He's the front man which gives the league cover NOT to demand that the Broncos name an owner -- in accord with league policy.

So, if the trust wins the lawsuit (more likely than not -- capacity cases are tough to prove), then Ellis moves Brittany into management and he's safe for another 5 years.

But, Elway could torpedo this because he's unlikely to want to stay as Team President beyond 2021 when his current contract expires. Dude has over $150 million and recent years have not been any fun for him. He HATES losing and unless the team is competing for championships by then nobody in touch with the Broncos insiders thinks he will stay.

If he goes, Ellis will lose a LOT of legitimacy. Who can he get to replace Elway? The iron fist inside the velvet glove becomes a LOT more obvious and intervention by the NFL to force a sale becomes a lot more likely.

But, if Beth Bowlen wins, then a move to sell the team is likely. The NFL might very well NOT approve a transfer of ownership to Beth Bowlen --- nor is there a shred of evidence that she'd be any better at running the team than the trust is now.

Think of Joe Ellis as an elderly Stalin in the early 1950s. Absolute dictator? Yes, but he's unlikely to last for another 7 years.

The only thing that could change that is if:

1. The Broncos start competing for SBs.
2. Elway stays as team president beyond 2021.

Neither of these things seems terribly likely at this point.

Actually, Shanny's personnel decisions were worse (Niko Koutovides, Marlon McCree, Engleberger from Bad News Bears, etc...), and what ultimately got him fired was not punting the ball against Buffalo with 2:00 left in Week 16 of the 08 season. If he punts, they probably make the playoffs, and he would have been spared no matter how badly Peyton and co. beat them (which probably would have been 60-0. Denver's D was terrible, and they had a lot of injuries).

What you said about Elway, though, is pretty good. If he left, and Ellis was gone, this team would lose a big time cancer. I don't know what the great Pat Bowlen was thinking. He should have been looking for a new buyer around 2008 when he was going downhill. I don't know how he could even think about any of his family running it.

Scratch.

Sniff.



"Smells like dog sh*t man....."

Originally Posted by Tned

Appears to be written from a very Beth Bowlen-Wallace friendly view, so needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

It's a shame that the elder daughters are taking this approach, but that's one of the reasons instruments like this trust are put in place, because all too often family members fight over control/acquisition of assets after someone passes away. There doesn't even need to be a $3 billion football franchise in play for the infighting to happen.

If Beth and her sister are successful, it probably greatly ups the chances the team is sold. If the team is sold, who knows, might not stay in Denver long term.

I couldn’t agree more about the slant of this piece. Immediately after being fired, Shanahan did a press conference retelling exactly what happened during his last meeting with Mr. Bowlan. “Pat said his success came from listening to his gut and his gut was telling him it was time to move on.” That is contradictory to the narrative put forward in this article. I am comfortable in saying this is a ploy to get public opinion swayed.

Originally Posted by Gimpygod

I couldn’t agree more about the slant of this piece. Immediately after being fired, Shanahan did a press conference retelling exactly what happened during his last meeting with Mr. Bowlan. “Pat said his success came from listening to his gut and his gut was telling him it was time to move on.” That is contradictory to the narrative put forward in this article. I am comfortable in saying this is a ploy to get public opinion swayed.

“Fake News” again?

This is convenient.

On Rotoworld, I just found this:

https://www.rotoworld.com/football/n...278/pat-bowlen

Broncos beat writer Vic Lombardi noted, "this is the first time I’ve heard anybody from the organization publicly acknowledge the possible sale of this team."

Not super familiar with that guy but if they are sold, would be nice for someone born and raised in Denver to get them.

Originally Posted by ShaneFalco

So, either the children agree with his choice or he sells the team?

Neat.

Super good hands the Broncos are in.

Sell this Organization get get that POS out of Denver.

I expect the Bowlen children to continue this public divide until Britney is named the successor...

And then I expect her first action will be to fire Joe Ellis. Guy just seems shadier as the days go by, and may even be actively rooting for the team to sell so he can cozy up to a new owner, whether here in Denver or elsewhere. Maybe he's keeping the organization afloat, maybe he's not, but I don't expect him to last very long.

Originally Posted by UnderArmour

I expect the Bowlen children to continue this public divide until Britney is named the successor...

And then I expect her first action will be to fire Joe Ellis. Guy just seems shadier as the days go by, and may even be actively rooting for the team to sell so he can cozy up to a new owner, whether here in Denver or elsewhere. Maybe he's keeping the organization afloat, maybe he's not, but I don't expect him to last very long.

Makes sense, the only way he keeps his gig is if it’s Brittney or a new owner.

Originally Posted by Jaded

Sell this Organization get get that POS out of Denver.

Careful wht you wish for...

Originally Posted by Shazam!

Careful wht you wish for...

We’ve had time to think it over.

Originally Posted by Jaded

Sell this Organization get get that POS out of Denver.

I know the Broncos have had a few down years, but I don't think the franchise if a piece of shit and I don't think having them sold and moved is what most fans want or what's best for the city. Just my opinion.