• If the Giants’ remarkable run has taught the Broncos anything, it’s that, much like the Giants showed patience with Tom Coughlin, patience with defensive coaches will be rewarded. [Colorado Springs Gazette]
• Eli Manning‘s amazing escape act will be remembered among the great Super Bowl plays like The Catch and The Helicopter. But what do we name it? This guy says “The Play,” which I think is pretty freaking boring. How about The Escape, or The Throw, or “Third and Five,” at the least. [Albany Times Union]
• It helps that a record number of viewers saw The Escape. [Rocky Mountain News]
• Super Bowl XLII fallout has begun – first order of business is the dropping out of Tom Brady and Randy Moss in the Pro Bowl. [Boulder Daily Camera]
• For the past month or so, the official Broncos site has been celebrating the 10-year anniversary of Super Bowl XXXII with interviews from the players. They concluded the series by talking to John Elway. [DenverBroncos.com]
• Randy Gradishar talks about another disappointing year as a finalist. [Denver Post]
• Gary Zimmerman knew he was elected for all of an hour before questioning why in the world he’ll only be joining Elway as a Bronco in the Hall. [Rocky Mountain News]
• Oh… poh wittle baby. [ESPN Page 2]

In our first SPEAK UP post I asked you all to give us a bit of background info into your personal Broncos fan story.

In the responses of that post, I was reminded of how many of our readers are not necessarily from the Denver area. And as a Broncos fan currently residing in Knoxville, TN I know how difficult it is to catch the weekly games (unless you have directTV – which I don’t).

So, do you all catch the games at home with family? Do you hide in the garage with a tiny tv or do you have a monster-size flat-panel beast of a tv? Do you invite friends over or are you a fan-loner. Do you get out the sports bars with friends and strangers? Or are you one of the ‘Lucky Ones’ that have season tickets?

Basically…

How do you watch the Broncos?

Post a comment below.

NOTE: Due to the vast quanity of spam this site recieves daily, we moderate our comments. I’m sorry we have to ask you to sign in to comment, but it’s the only way to avoid having 100 viagra and adult ads from buring any real feedback (not to mention it’s just plain annoying). So, please sign in and give us your story – we’d like to know more aboutcha.

Buy Me This!  [Mason’s Morsels]

Wow… just, wow. Congratulations to our 2008 NFL champions.

And ha ha Boston fans. That’s for the World Series.

The New England Patriots and New York Giants are set to square off in Glendale, AZ (which, by the way, is about 90 minutes south of where I live. If only I made, oh, $20,000 more per year…).

While many are expecting a blowout, and that certainly wouldn’t surprise me, I’m expecting a much closer game than the majority of NFL fans. Most championships come down the superior running game and the better defense – and the Giants just might have the edge in both categories.

Of course, it warrants mention that no one has run the football as well as the Patriots in the postseason. Their defense has stepped up as well, holding the San Diego Chargers to 4 field goals.

If the Giants can pressure Tom Brady (they will)… if the Giants can run the football effectively (two-headed beast in Ahmad Bradshaw and Bradon Jacobs)… if Eli Manning can remain efficient and not turn the ball over (we’ll see), the Giants have a real decent shot at winning this game.

Seriously. I know this is going to be a great weather game, and the Patriots are going to take every advantage they can of that. But that means the Giants pass rush will be able to use all of their quickness and power to get to Brady as well.

The Giants might be one of the only teams that can effectively push Brady around with only four down linemen. Strahan and Osi on the edges, with Justin Tuck disrupting the middle – it’s a very difficult personnel group to account for, and one against whom the Patriots struggled earlier. Antonio Pierce has grown into the middle linebacker the Giants always hoped he would be, and their secondary has been playing well for the most part. Defensively, the Giants should be able to hold Brady and company to, oh, about 31 points.

Which may or may not be enough to win. I don’t think it will be.

On the flip side, when the Giants have the ball, look for a healthy mix of Jacobs and Bradshaw to open up the passing game. The Giants are playing well offensively behind a conservative passing game and a bruising-then-explosive running attack. I thought the short passing game of Eli Manning would be disrupted against the press coverage of the Packers – instead, Plaxico Buress outplayed and outfought Al Harris in that game. These receivers are playing exceptionally well, something that’s making Eli look good along the way.

I think the Giants are going to be able to score on the Patriots, too. I’m expecting about 3-4 lead changes throughout this game. Kyle’s final score: 31-27 Patriots.

Earl has another type of game on Sunday in mind…

I can’t pick Eli “Scattershot” Manning, for some reason. And while I really am not ready for the Patriots to have yet another ring this decade, and I’d love to see them blow their 19-0 (I like knowing that the only time a perfect record was made was the year after I was born), I can’t pick anything but the Patriots. I think the good game the Giants gave them in week 17 was an illusion; all the Patriots were playing for was a perfect record, but I don’t think that’s the same motivation. The Giants were playing for their lives.

This is the big game. I expect a Patriots win and it won’t be a good game unless you’re a Patriots fan.

Last but not least, Jonathan pulled the trigger…

NYG 35 vs NE 33

Why not, everyone in the world thinks the Patriots are going to run away with it.

Former great Vikings and Broncos tackle Gary Zimmerman is to be inducted in the 2008 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the NFL announced today. Longtime Broncos linebacker Randy Gradishar was not elected.

Zimmerman is the second Denver Broncos player in history to be immortalized in Canton, Ohio. The other, is of course, John Elway.

For a full list of the Class of 2008, see the NFL.com story here.

It’s a shame Gradishar didn’t get in. I was really pulling for him. Now he’ll have to wait on the long, long, long list of senior candidates. I am happy that (finally) someone is going to represent the orange and blue, besides Mr. Elway. Zimmerman is more than deserving of the award.

The Broncos have two very, very deserving candidates for the Hall of Fame on the ballot today. There’s no doubt both Randy Gradishar and Gary Zimmerman belong in the Hall of Fame – the problem is that there are so many other names out there that are deserving.

Len Pasquerelli of ESPN even talked about how Broncos fans have bombarded the voters this week regarding the bias against our worthy team:

The best way to approach the process is to enter the meeting room with as open a mind as is humanly possible — though I’m not so naive that I think everyone, like the fans from Denver who have been bombarding selectors this week in support of linebacker Randy Gradishar and offensive tackle Gary Zimmerman, believes this.

(I had to read this sentence 3 times to get what he was saying – yes, Mr. Pasquerelli, we believe the voters are politically disinclined to vote for Broncos. That’s putting it nicely, you cheap East-coast bias asshats).

With names like Derrick Thomas (as much as you hated him for being on the other side of the field, the guy is more than deserving to be enshrined already for what he did on the field, in my honest opinion), Art Monk (the poster boy for ridiculous Hall of Fame voting), Cris Carter, Darrell Green, and Paul Tagliabue up for debate – these are the headlining names, mind you, as far as the national media is concerned – it’s hard to bump someone out of the Hall just to get a Bronco in. If those deserving candidates all get the votes – and I’m predicting they will – that only leaves 2 spots. Oh, and by the way, there are still 2 senior candidates up for the vote, who consistently seem to get in once they’ve reached this point.

But this is Gradishar’s last chance before he is relegated to the seniors list. If either he or Zimmerman had to be elected, I would choose Gradishar in a heartbeat. He should have been enshrined nearly 20 years ago.

The Broncos are due for another member either way. I would love to see both, but I’m not getting greedy here. That type of complete turnaround by the voters might give me a heart attack.

The voting began at 9:30 this morning. Let’s cross our fingers for Gradishar and/or Zimmerman to take their place besides Elway in the Hall of Fame.

The press conference is scheduled for 4:30 EST today.  You can watch it live at NFL.com or on TV through the NFL Network.  I’m pulling a double at work today, so bear with us – we’ll get the (good or bad) news posted as soon as possible thereafter.

• Today’s the big day. Time to find out who’s in and who’s out for their ticket to Canton, OH this year. For those who haven’t been paying attention, the Broncos have Randy Gradishar and Gary Zimmerman among the 17 finalists, out of which 4-7 will be enshrined. [Boulder Daily Camera]
• Andrew Mason discusses the two Broncos nominees (with video). [Mason’s Morsels / Photo Courtesy]
• Take a look at the full list of nominees. [ProFootballHOF.com]
• The USA Today thinks both first-time nominees Cris Carter and Darrell Green will likely be enshrined. [USA Today]
• John Elway, the only Bronco currently in, is hoping he gets a little orange and blue company in Canton this year. [Rocky Mountain News]
• A knee replacement surgery, along with seeing Matt Lepsis retire (who was on the practice squad during Elway’s last years) has the Hall of Famer feeling his age. [Denver Post]
• Broncos ticket prices went up, between 3-10% depending on the seat. [Rocky Mountain News]
• Why Randy Gradishar Belongs in the Hall of Fame. [BroncoTalk]
• Why Gary Zimmerman Belongs in the Hall of Fame. [BroncoTalk]

• What do actor Paul Newman, tennis star Serena Williams, country singer Martina McBride, and American Idol judge Randy Jackson all have in common? They, along with several dozen others, picked the Super Bowl. [Rocky Mountain News]
• If the Patriots win, are they really the best ever? [Rocky Mountain News]
• For professional athletes, when it comes down to a choice between The Big Game and living comfortably in the future, there really isn’t a choice. [Denver Post]
• Kevin Everett will watch the Super Bowl as Roger Goodell‘s special guest. [Denver Post]
• The Broncos 2nd G.O.A.T. is having visions of a Giants win. [Denver Post]
• Feel free to stop back in.  Jon, Earl and I will have our breakdown and picks for the game a little later!

The Broncos will be looking for a few choice free agents to help the team this offseason. First, they’ll need to address their own team as the 2008 buying season approaches.

Here’s a handy list of the Denver Broncos free agents coming up, with my thoughts on each of these guys. I plan on updating this list regularly.

Unrestricted Free Agents

DE Ebenezer Ekuban – Ekuban’s age and injury history make him a lesser priority than he would have been this time last year, but I think he’ll come back home after testing the market and sign with Denver.

K Jason Elam – Top resigning priority.

RB Cecil Sapp – I’m on the bubble with Sapp. I’m hoping for an upgrade at fullback, but the coaches like him enough where he might return before free agency begins.

S Nick Ferguson – Our complete lack of depth at safety necessitates Ferguson returning for another year or two, particularly if Lynch hangs ’em up.

TE Stephen Alexander – Alexander will likely retire.

TE Nate Jackson – On the bubble.

Restricted Free Agents

CB Karl Paymah – Came on strong and the coaches really like him. He’s not going anywhere.

CB Domonique Foxworth – Rumors abound that Foxworth is on the block. I’d hate to see another young talented draftee go, and I believe Foxworth could thrive as a #2 cornerback. He also adds valuable safety depth. If he’s traded, the compensation better be damn high.

S Hamza Abdullah – Before Abdullah’s infamous whiff against Houston, most Broncos fans were really excited about this prospect. With his contract year coming up, Abdullah will have a chance to show his worth, and I think he’ll shine plenty.

C Chris Myers – Right now, Myers is slated as the future of the Broncos offensive line. While I have mixed feelings about that, the Broncos have invested too much time in him to let him go.