On Aug. 24, 1952, a U.S. Air Force colonel piloting an F-84 reported spotting two UFOs over New Mexico. They eventually flew north.
Michael Edward Shanahan reportedly was born in Oak Park, Ill., on Aug. 24, 1952.
Or was he brought here by a flying saucer from another galaxy? Is he an alien? (Put Tom Tancredo on the case.)
Could this mild-mannered, soft-spoken coach really be SuperShanahanman?
Examine the searing eyes. Check out the milk-white teeth and the rawhide-tanned skin and the Mr. Spock ears. (Except when he is covering his entire face with a cardboard sheet as he calls the plays to his quarterback.)
Michael Edward is out of this world, I tell you.
Yeah, they say, but can he win a Super Bowl without John Elway?
Two weeks after he turns 55, Shanahan will become the longest-tenured coach in Broncos history. His 13th season will surpass Dan Reeves’ longevity.
This is Shanahan’s 20th season with the Broncos as receivers coach (1984), offensive coordinator (1985-87, 1991), quarterbacks coach (1989-1990) and head coach (1995-2007). He spent a year and four games in Hades with the Oakland Raiders (1988-89) and three years across the bridge in heaven with the San Francisco 49ers (1992-94).
Shanahan has averaged 10 victories a season (counting postseasons) in his 13-plus as a head coach. If he coaches until he is 65 and keeps that average, Shanahan could become the fourth-winningest coach in NFL history, behind only Don Shula, George Halas and Tom Landry.
Of the current NFL coaches, only Jeff Fisher has served more consecutive seasons with the same franchise (14, Tennessee Titans). Shanahan’s 139 victories overall are third to Joe Gibbs (162) and Mike Holmgren (159). Shanahan’s two Super Bowl victories are one behind Gibbs and New England’s Bill Belichick.
Shanahan’s winning percentage of .618 trails only Gibbs and Philadelphia’s Andy Reid.
This year, Shanahan could win his 150th game as a head coach and his 340th game as a head coach, pro assistant and college assistant. He has won national or NFL championships with the University of Oklahoma, Eastern Illinois, the 49ers and the Broncos. From 1975-2006, only five of the 33 teams he was associated with had losing seasons. Sixteen on the college and pro level won at least 10, and one (the 1998 Broncos) produced 17 victories.
But, they say, can he win a Super Bowl without John Elway?
Not so far.
He tries again with the eighth starter at quarterback since Elway retired. You won’t guess them all. Brian Griese and Jake Plummer, of course. Bubby Brister didn’t start a game after Elway retired. But Gus Frerotte did, and so did Chris Miller, Steve Beuerlein, Jarious Jackson and Danny Kanell.
Jay Cutler is the third of the Broncos’ QBs whose first name begins with “J” and has one syllable and whose second name is two syllables. Of them all, only J.E. and J.P. won a playoff game and got to the AFC championship game.
Shanahan’s task might be the most difficult – and most satisfying – since he joined the Broncos as an assistant in 1984 and worked with another young well-armed quarterback who was in his second season with the Broncos.
Shanahan isn’t from Krypton, and he isn’t Superman, and he isn’t infallible, and he isn’t invincible.
He isn’t one of the game’s most scintillating quotes.
He is one of the best coaches on the planet, and that was a significant reason he was put on Earth.
He is subject to criticism (for unwise personnel decisions and unwise calls during games), and his large ego is stung by criticism, but he has won as many Super Bowls as names such as Shula, Landry, Lombardi, Parcells and Johnson and deserves to be Broncos coach for life.
Truthfully, would you trade Shanahan for any other coach in the division? In pro football? Possibly Belichick or Tony Dungy, but that’s it, and that’s not for sure.
OK, they say, but can he win a Super Bowl without John Elway?
Michael Edward has retooled the Broncos at running back and tight end, in the offensive and defensive lines, at middle linebacker and cornerback.
Yet, the season will be about Shanahan and Cutler, the coach and the quarterback. They must win the eight (winnable) home games and split on the road (Buffalo, Detroit, Oakland, Houston).
Shanahan must draw this team’s strength of unity out of tragedy and change.
And the coach must bring back the proactive atypical offense (that scored 30 or more points 12 times in the 1998 season) to replace the predictable mess of last year (that scored 30-plus points in just three games).
Shanahan’s birthday wish is to hear them say: “Yes, he did win a Super Bowl without John Elway.”
The coach is extraterrestrial or extraordinary. Shortly after Aug. 24, 2007, he must prove it again.
Staff writer Woody Paige can be reached at 303-954-1095 or wpaige@denverpost.com.
