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Lonesome Dove

Drew Litton13

drew031609

No Peace in the Valley

It was hard enough to grasp the firing of Mike Shanahan. But even more stunning may be the events of the last few weeks and the mess that has emerged between the Broncos new head coach and their franchise quarterback. On one hand you have a new inexperienced head coach who has not yet witnessed his first practice as an NFL head coach and a young promising quarterback who just played his first pro bowl.

With Cutler now requesting a trade, and refusing to show up on the first day of mini-camp, his actions have undermined the authority of McDaniels from which I don’t think he will ever recover. In a sense, McDaniels has lost the team before he has even started. Yes, Cutler has acted immaturely. Yes, he too has hurt his image that will most likely haunt him for the rest of his career. But the real damage that all of this has inflicted is aimed at the very heart of the Broncos organization. The result is devastating, and is most likely to last until McDaniels is replaced as the head coach, an event not likely to happen anytime in the near future. McDaniels hast lost the trust of an entire team. That is wound not easily healed, not easily mended. Have another opinion? Or agree with me? Please comment away.

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13 thoughts on “Lonesome Dove”

  2. Cutler hasn’t responded well, but what can you expect? Most times, there’s an announcement: “So-and-so is going to this team, we’re getting such-and-such in trade.” Whether he goes quietly, with dignity or with a little sniping, it’s over and he’s headed someplace where they want him.

    A new manager in any business does well to come in low-key and get a good look around before he starts making big changes. You often find that the people who look the best when you walk in the door are merely competent, and that some people who seem like trouble are wonderfully talented and just need different handling. Yes, they may be hard to handle, but that may be because they see their jobs as doing good work, not as sucking up to the boss.

    You work with them, you learn about them, and then, yes, if they can’t produce, you get rid of them. Along with a couple of the more charming types who didn’t turn out to be productive after all.

    But the last thing you do — the last thing you do — is to let them know you want them gone and then expect them to stick around and be productive and smile about it. No good manager operates this way. None. Whatever the merits of Jay Cutler, whatever the potential he has for playing well under this regime or some other, McDaniels made a major, major management blunder and is paying for it.

  3. good morning from Omaha…

    There are always bumps in the road when a new person is put in charge.

    The Broncos are looking at some lean years until McyD gets his feet under him and gets his people in place. I agree that right now it looks like a mistake but you have to look down the road some to come to another conclusion.

    Hey in KC they have Haleys comet and SlowPioli and it looks like they are just marking time.For what nobody knows????

    At least in denver you are getting information, no matter how bad, about what is going on with the team.There is no soap opera to keep interest during the off season like a football soap opera.

  4. I think Cutler is acting like a spoiled brat, but McD brought this all on the organization. I thought if they could get a defense, they would do well this next season. Now, they have some pieces in place on defense and the new “coach” pulls the dumbest move EVER and now they’re going to be without Cutler.

    That defense they have in place now, is good for 1, MAYBE 2 years. Not enough time to get a good QB up to speed.

    We’re hosed as fans. I may have to just spend Sundays outside… Man the NFL is getting sad.

  6. Whatever you think about JayC, his leaving would set the Broncos back 3-5 years unless a halfway decent cast-off can be found this late in the game.

    I’m disgusted with the whole lot of them.

    All you people crying for the firing of Shanahan–see what you got?!

  7. I love how you can say so much in so little words.

    for more information and commentary check out this new website devoted to Colorado sports

    denvsports.com

  9. Actually, I think Bowlen knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s hired someone to take over for a successful coach (no matter what happened over the past ten years, Shanahan did coach two winning back-to-back Super Bowls). And few coaches want to come into a program that already has a reputation for being successful. So McDaniels is an interim coach; at least until someone like Cowher or Parcells can be convinced to come out of retirement.

  11. Drew, thanks a ton! i have grown up reading your wit. i am glad i have found you again. again drew, thank you. i look forward to reading you for another 35 years.

  12. What has Cutler done to deserve hands-off treatment from a new coach? It’s not like Josh was shopping a QB who has shown over a long period that he will take the franchise to the top. If Jay’s ego can’t take that he was talked about in a possible trade that didn’t happen, I wonder if he has the mettle to really succeed in the league long term.

    McDaniels may not be the answer, but I think the Broncos learned a lot more about their quarterback than they did about their coach.

  13. Well Mr. Bolwen wanted change, he is going to get it!!!! Look another Patriot coach getting fired after 2 years on the job. McD’s is an idiot why screw with your qb???? Sad part is the relationship is never going to be repaired and us ie the fans suffer!!!!! Team need a defense not a total over haul of the offense. Makes you wonder what Bowlen was thinking???

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