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Vs. Green Bay Packers (L, 7-22)
Patrick Hape is on pace to score 64 touchdowns this season, en route to
setting an all-time NFL receving mark. The Broncos new fullback has played
the first quarter for the past two weeks, and come away with a TD catch.
At that pace, he'll score 4 TDs a game, and walk away with 64.
(there's your free expert NFL Fantasy Draft tip)
Green Bay in the summer. The lukewarm tundra. Well, it ain't Miami Beach, but all-around
nugget Melissa Stark was on hand to provide some action. The
stuff on the field wasn't much to look at, or keep anybody's interest.
The Broncos plodded along, comitting four turnovers, multiple penalties
and a final score of 7-22. Really doesn't matter much, because
all of the problems were preventable: penalties and turnovers are
self-induced and can be corrected. However, the first-team
defense looked good against the run. Yes, it is discouraging to see Mike Anderson
bobble the ball TWICE... fumbling more than once in a pre-season
game can cost you your job, just ask Chris Howard. Still, nothing to panic about,
just shrug your shoulders and say "eh, it's pre-season". Besides,
Anderson was probably busy studying Stark's wingback formation, as opposed
to Green Bay's 4-3 formation.
It's only Week (negative)-3 of the NFL season, and already the fines are flying.
Broncos safety Eric Brown leveled Packers wideout Antonie Freeman with
the top of his helmet, drawing the wrath of the Green Bay faitfhul and multiple taps on
the butt from his teammates. Lucky for Steve Atwater that he played
ten years ago... otherwise #27 would be the poorest man in today's NFL.
Especially amusing was Dan Fouts' assessment of Freeman being unprotected.
Umm..if you're on the field wearing a helmet and pads, it's tough to make a case for
being "unprotected". I'm not saying all defenders should run around spearing
every wideout they meet, but when you're charging across the field, it's
kinda hard to lead with anything BUT your head. Difficult to act like a
turtle, poke your head
down between your shoulders and lead with a shoulder.
Kevin Kasper has been running back punts, fielding kicks, playing
wideout and fetching Shanahan's water. He hasn't done anything spectacular,
but the coaches seem big on him. Just his luck, the Broncos always seem
to have a spot on their roster for an "invisble extra receiver".
A slot most recently occupied by Travis McGriff (1999 and 2000).
Justin Armour had the honors in 1998, and Willie Green had it in
1997 (with a five week stint belonging to Flipper Anderson, earlier that year).
Kasper's probably one rookie who will stick around.
However, the prognosis
for fellow rookie Nick Harris did not seem as positive. When you
burn a fourth round draft pick on a punter, you'd better
be getting mortar shots out of the guy. Harris rang up a
pedestrian average of about 39 yards in his first
appearance of the pre-season. It's like
bringing home a new Dodge Viper... then turning the keys
and racing the thing to 43 MPH.
So he apparently went to
Ray Guy's punting camp in his younger days. Okay, I went to CU's
offensive lineman camp in my younger days, but
wasn't able to fool anyone above the high school level
with my "ability". Maybe they just need to break-in this engine
a little. Run it at 43 MPH, but then the thing will start to hit
96 MPH easily after awhile. Or it could be another Marcus Nash-like
situation.
Over on Green Bay's bench, their roster provided a few elightenments.
First off, DT Cletidus Hunt. Remember this name. No, not because I
think he's a future star or anything, just remember it. "Cletidus
Hunt". Now, try walking up to any member of the female race and saying it.
I'll wait, and you can show me the big red welt across your face when
you get back.
Green Bay also has my new "cousin" on the roster: LB Donnie Spragen.
Similar to my other "cousin", the New York Football Giants'
Michael Strahan. I always get excited when a long lost relative of mine
gets to appear in an NFL game. The resemblance is there, and everything.
For the record, Spragen caused a fumble in the fourth quarter and made
the clan proud.
Another phonetic oddity: Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila. This one's tough to
pronounce from context, but announcers were mouthing it as
"Guh-vaja- Mi-a-mi-lee". Now, I'm not Italian, but had a
step-granny who wuz. She's the one who taught me cool phrases
like "dirty specheem" and "fongoola you!" One of those was
"Vaja Mi gulah", which meant roughly "affix your lips to my posterior".
I know what a "gulah" is, but can only imagine what a
"mi-a-mi-lee" is.
I'll be damned if "Gbaja-Biamila" doesn't offend someone
in North Jersey.
FINAL CUTS
No sacks were recorded for the second straight week
...||...
Cooper Carlisle: thank you for playing, you may pick up your
commemorative "Property of Denver Broncos" t-shirt, on the way out
...||...
Crap, I've noticed that Madden 2002 is starting to hit the shelves.
I haven't even finished my Triple Play 2002 season. It's going to
be tough to coordinate the two, but I'm confident I have the personnel
to take it play-by-play, go outon the field and try to win this thing
...||...
As boring as this game was, it kept me away from switching over
to "Monday Night RAW". There's that benefit.
...||...
Hmm, didja notice Missy's hair was kinda messed up, after halftime?
Not saying anything, just fantasizing...
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