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Vs. Dallas Cowboys (W, 20-6)
August 11- Pre-season football is back!! You may get this confused with other
earth-shaking events, such as TV Land's "Mama's Family" Marathon, or
Oxygen's "Salute to Massengill", but here it is! The theme behind
pre-season football always seems to be "throw everything against the wall and
see what sticks".
Speaking of things that stick, this year we start off in the muggy climates
of Texas in August. Rod Smith missed the trip for some personal reasons.
Meanwhile, Terrell Davis missed the trip by simply raising his hand and saying:
"Coach, sweating is not good for my knee. Can I stay home? Look, I even have a laminated
note from my momma". Thank you for the excuses, Terrell... that brings up a new
theme for this year: Griese is off the hook.
If you dropped by this dump, last season, you noticed the constant bitching about
the Greatest Player in His Own Mind, Brian Griese. I'm eager to announce that
this year, I've decided to give Griese a break (besides, Gus Frerotte's not going to
take this team to the Title game). I'll refrain from blasting the guy, and
hope my "Goodwill to Griese" campaign will result in taking the team to
the Lombardi Trophy. This way, at the end of the season, if they DO win the dang thing,
I can feel personally responsible. Simply because I lifted my curse from Griese.
I'll try this... at least until his first game with three turnovers.
Meanwhile, back in Dallas: Local papers and broadcasters were quick to point out how
"dominant" the Broncos were. "Dominance" is rarely established or seen in pre-season, so take
that phrase with a grain of salt. Plus, 20-6 over the Cowboys doesn't exactly make a team
the Masters of Domination. Heck, that won't even get you nipple clamps and a leash.
If the Broncos come back to Dallas for Thanksgiving, with 10 or 12 wins, then you can
make all the dominance jokes you'd like. For now, it's simply an "optimistic practice
showing". Maybe some kinky foreplay...but definitely not "dominance".
With Terrell staying home in Greeley, Mike Anderson and Olandis Gary were given the
brunt of the offensive load. My choice would be to go with Anderson as the main
back, and keep Gary to spell him. Gary could even fill the old Glyn Milburn or Steve Sewell
role that the Broncos used to feature. I'd pick Anderson, simply because he appears to
hit the holes with more force, while Gary looks a bit hesitant to make initial contact.
Anderson also has the hot hand, having finished off last season as the #1 back.
Plus, he's had more work with the current line (minus the left tackle spot).
And everyone knows that the key to a succesful
running game is determined by the back's rapport with Lennie Friedman.
Eddie Kennison and Gus Frerotte proved their rankings as top backups.
Kennison has been steady, if unspetacular, as a starter. He may finally settle in
nicely as a third wideout. Frerotte appeared focused, and may have punched
Steve Beurlein's ticket out of town. Jarious Jackson still remains a "project".
Desmond Clark looks to be moving in as the #1 pass catching tight end.
Further down the roster, a few other temporary Broncos almost single-handedly
cut themselves from the team. Runningback Basil Mitchell looked more like
Basil Rathbone, as he fumbled the ball twice. Steve Lindsey barely made his first
field goal, and hooked it wide right on his second attempt. Billy Miller
blocked a punt on a slooooow snap and release, but then committed two boneheaded
penalties in the fourth quarter. The coaching staff's been sweet on Miller the past two seasons,
but he may have soured on them this year.
Over on the other side of the field, Lee Woodall looks to be the Dante Jones of 2001.
In 1995, Jones came over a free agent, and was expected to start at linebacker.
Depsite having decent success elsewhere, Jones never made an impact and was released in
October. Ian Gold and Keith Burns seemed to be on the field more often than Woodall. In the backfield,
Jason Suttle was the ultimate opportunist again- snatching an Anthony Wright pass and
heading for the endzone. No sacks were recorded...
FINAL CUTS
Da-hey!! "You ready for a cold one?".. and then, and then, he drops a block of SNOW on his
friend!! Bwahahahahahaha!...||... Sports Illustrated just released their "where are they now" issue, last month.
Ten bucks sez they spotlight Terrell Davis in five years...||... While the Broncos were in Dallas,
their new crib, "INVESCO FIELD AT MILE HIGH IN THE CITY BY THE MOUNTAINS WHERE JOHN ELWAY USED
TO PLAY" was having a "grand" opening with the Eagles (not the boys from Philly, the
FM music act). Fans were bitching because of the reportedly attrocious sound quality. Here's
oh, just something off the top of my head, but this is a FOOTBALL stadium, NOT a
concert venue. Go to the Ogden, Paramount or Red Rocks if you want quality concert
sound. The only audio needed at a FOOTBALL game is the PA announcer....||.. I'm not sure if this
is embarassing or not, but I imagined two hammered dudes sitting in the Dallas stands, looking over
the program: "Well lick my nutsack...they done got Leon Lett AND Kavika Pittman!
That's shittin' funny, Earl!"...
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