Denver Post sports writer Mike Klis posts his Broncos Mailbag every Tuesday during the 2007 NFL season on DenverPost.com.
To drop a Broncos- or NFL-related question into the Broncos Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
This is not Colorado’s week; could be worse, you could be living in Lincoln, Neb. But I’m here in Michigan watching the Denver Broncos transform the hapless Lions into the New England Patriots! No one – repeat, NO ONE – should ever allow the Lions to look this good! Broncos coach Mike Shanahan should be joining Bill Callahan at the Wal-Mart job fair! Just an observation!
— Gabe Renzo, Dearborn Heights, Mich.
Gabe – The Lions may not be the Patriots, but someone from Dearborn Heights should know the Lions aren’t hapless. That is one strong, tough defensive line. We don’t watch the Lions much out here, so I was surprised how they manhandled the Broncos’ offensive line.
I realize Broncoland has opened up on Shanahan. Want him gone. This mailbag is filled with letters calling for Shanahan’s ouster. The talk-show stations are occupied with callers outraged at the Broncos’ coach.
While I don’t think there’s anything wrong with fans reminding a coach that mistakes have been made, and the current state of the team is unacceptable, I believe Broncoland has also worked itself up into a state of huge overreaction.
Allow me to bring up the career coaching record of Bill Cowher. His Steelers’ reign began with six winning seasons, averaging 10.75 wins per year. Then came a two-year slump of 7-9 and 6-10, and Steeler Nation said Cowher must go. Next came a 13-3 and 10-5-1 rebound, only to slip back to 6-10 in 2003, Cowher’s 11th season.
Again, there was sentiment Cowher had overstayed his visit with one team. It was time for a fresh start.
Then came 15-1 for the Steelers in 2004 and Super Bowl in 2005. Look at the year-by-year records of all the coaching greats, and you will find dips in all of them. Shanahan has avoided more dips than most. In his 12 previous seasons with the Broncos, he has had one losing season. One. And that was the year they lost both John Elway to retirement and Terrell Davis to essentially career-ending injury. He averaged 10.25 wins in those 12 seasons.
And now, halfway through what looks like a second tough, injury-ravaged season, Shanahan should be fired? I disagree.
Mike – It’s killing me to ask this question. I’ve been a huge Shanahan fan forever, but are we getting to the point where we have to start asking if Shanahan has overstayed his time in Denver? Injuries aside, other than the Pittsburgh game, this team hasn’t played well in nearly two months. Even an injured team should be able to stay within three TDs of Detroit!
— Jake, Marion, Iowa
Jake – First, these aren’t your older brother’s Lions. Second, let’s say frustration prevails and the Broncos and Shanahan part ways at season’s end.
Now, ask yourself this: Are the odds greater the Broncos replace Shanahan with a better coach, or someone not as good? When the day comes to replace Shanahan – and that day will arrive for everybody, even Bill Belichick in New England – the next Broncos coach is going to find it difficult to live up to his predecessor’s career.
Meanwhile, Shanahan is on the open market. If five teams have a coaching vacancy, how many would immediately consider Shanahan their top candidate? At least three. Maybe, all five.
I was wondering if you could give me one reason why Mike Shanahan should not be fired? I’m just looking for one, but I can’t seem to find any.
— Will, Evergreen
Will – For one, Shanahan organizes a fire-drill, field-goal try with the best of them. For reasons two and three, see answers to previous letters. Reason four: If Shanahan is fired, chances are the Broncos will run through three or four head coaches before they find the next Mike Shanahan. I believe the wait for the next Super Bowl will be longer without Shanahan than by sticking with him.
Hey, Mike. I sure was pulling for Rod Smith and wished he could have made his comeback successful this year. Whatever happens from here out, he certainly was a pleasure to watch. I’ll never forget his rookie year, and his first NFL touchdown came on the last play of the game to beat the Redskins. I told my buddies at that precise moment, “Hall of Famer.” Class act, period.
— Rick, Virginia
Rick – You envisioned “Hall of Famer” after one catch? You should have become a sports writer. I, too, saw that game-winning catch against Washington. I was standing on other side of the same end zone. Straining to see the catch, and witness the subsequent celebration, I remember telling my colleagues at that precise moment, “Who the heck is Rod Smith?”
Your characterization of Smith’s character is noted. He always left the impression he made catches and scored touchdowns for the team. So many receivers today seem to catch the ball and score for personal glory.
I’ll go a little further: When Smith officially hangs it up, the Broncos shouldn’t just put him in their Ring of Fame. They should take one more step and make him the fourth player in Bronco history to have his number (80) retired. (The others are No. 18, Frank Tripucka; No. 44, Floyd Little and No. 7, John Elway.)
Mike – Although we all know that the NFL is the best football league in the world, is it technically correct to call a Super Bowl winner a “world champion” when the league is not open to other countries? Maybe if they had an open tournament, it would spark more interest in other countries?
— Reidar Wahl, Sandpoint, Idaho
Reidar – At the risk of sounding like an Arrogant American, I’m going to assume there’s not an underground team in Barcelona that can beat the New England Patriots.
Seriously, I used to get this question during my baseball days, when people would occasionally take issue with the term, “World Series.” Indeed, there is validity to including the world in a baseball tournament, as the Tokyo Giants would have a better chance of taking a game or two from the Boston Red Sox than, say, the London Fog would have against the Patriots or Colts.
Far as I know, Reidar, football as we know it here in the United States isn’t played anywhere near the same caliber anywhere else, so I don’t have a problem with proclaiming the champion here as the champion everywhere.
As for your worldwide-tournament idea, the problem is logistical inconvenience creates too much competitive inequity. Maybe in another 100 years, if this world advances to a George Jetson-mode of transportation and you can get there from here in a couple hours, football will take off overseas. It’s possible. Just 100 years ago, the primary method of transportation was the horse and buggy.
Mike – The Broncos can turn fairly ordinary RBs into 1,000-yard rushers. Wouldn’t it make sense at some point to invest a first-round choice into a runner? Imagine the Broncos offense with Adrian Peterson – wow!
— Tony Ellsworth, Papillion, Neb.
Tony – Maybe if the Broncos pick as high as the No. 7 overall draft choice, which is where Minnesota got Peterson this year, they might consider drafting a “franchise” type back. The L.T.-Adrian Peterson back usually doesn’t last past the top seven picks. The Broncos have had just two picks higher than No. 11 overall since 1973 – 1991, when they took linebacker Mike Croel with the No. 4 overall pick; and 1983, when they used the No. 4 overall choice to select offensive guard Chris Hinton, who then became the central piece in a trade for the rights to John Elway.
If the season ended today, the 3-5 Broncos would be tied with four other teams for the No. 8 overall pick. Even if Arkansas junior Darren McFadden declares, he figures to be gone by No. 8.
Drafting a running back in the early rounds could become an option, though, if the Broncos’ current running back, Travis Henry, is slapped with a one-year suspension for violating the league’s drug policy.
Mike Klis is in his third season of covering the Broncos after previously covering the Rockies and Major League Baseball for 15 years. To drop a question into his Broncos Mailbag, or visit DenverPost.com’s .
