The Broncos’ selections seemed solid if not sexy, serviceable if not spectacular.
But if the Class of ’08 ultimately turns out to be a bust, The Lost Weekend involving the other six Denver teams who did play, not draft, will rank as the most despicable, disheartening, disreputable in the city’s professional sports history.
Can’t anybody around here win a game?
0-8.
It was an Amazing Disgrace.
Denver teams were outscored 207-156 and had no cowbell.
This is Blue Monday. Wear sackcloth and ashes.
And hope the Broncos drafted well.
Friday night, the Rockies fell to the Dodgers 8-7 in 13 innings, and the Crush lost to the Rush 65-52.
On Saturday, the Avalanche suffered another meltdown on the ice and was blown out by the Red Wings 5-1. A few hours later the Nuggets imploded and were flogged by the Lakers 102-84. The Rapids were thumped by the Fire, which took an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the second half and won 2-1. The Mammoth was drubbed by the Stealth 11-6. The Rockies were waxed poetically by the Dodgers 11-3.
The Broncos took a tackle with their first pick Saturday.
On Sunday, the Rockies were beaten by the Dodgers 3-2 in the 10th.
And the Broncos chose several players who had a variety of injuries and flaws in college. They used their final choice on a young man who, when asked what is his most suitable position in football, replied, “I will play anywhere.” Which means nowhere.
Woe R Us.
Jose Theodore was ill, and Peter Forsberg was hurt, and the Avalanche is down 2-0. The Nuggets are pointing fingers at the referees and their coaches and trash-talking the Lakers and each other, and they are down 3-0.
The Rockies dropped three in L.A. and have changed closers, dismissed their second baseman, are worried about their shortstop and can’t find pitchers in the middle and the bottom of the rotation who can properly locate their pitches. A starter gave up 10 runs in the first Saturday — and stayed in the game.
I’m just too crushed to talk about the Crush, the Rapids and the Mammoth. As was multifaceted owner Stan Kroenke. I saw him again on Saturday night, and the second exclusive interview in 10 days went like the first one: “Hi, Woody.” “Hi, Stan.” Stan The Sportsman didn’t bring his German shepherd to The Can this time. There were enough dogs in the arena.
Thank goodness the Broncos didn’t play Sunday.
As it were, they were busy drafting and eating pizza. (The smell wafted down from the second floor. The smell of the pizza.)
The Broncos had gone from picking a tackle with great feet to picking a running back with a bad foot.
It is football.
The Broncos did attend to needs — a tackle in the first round, a punt/kickoff returner/wide receiver in the second, a center and a cornerback in the fourth, a running back and a defensive tackle in the fifth, a linebacker in the sixth and a safety and a fullback/anywhere player in the seventh. Immediately afterward, they signed a kicker and a punter as free agents, and coach Mike Shanahan said he was elated the players he wanted were available at the right time.
Only the quarterback, guard and defensive end positions were not addressed.
Wonderful draft? Weak draft? So, so-so draft?
The nine players have promise. They also have faults.
Take Arizona State running back Ryan Torain. The Broncos did. The JC transfer rushed for 553 yards (5.0 average) last season before missing the final seven games with what the NHL terms lower-body injuries. The Broncos are taking a chance on a recovering running back, wishing for another sleeper-star.
Unlike the Chiefs and the Raiders, the Broncos didn’t get any big names — unless you count center Kory Adam Lichtensteiger out of Bowling Green, a spell checker’s delight. He has size (6-feet-3, 310 pounds) and letters (22) and started every game for four years. But he’s not a special pass blocker.
Carlton Powell (6-3, 300 pounds) could help at defensive tackle. He conducted a Bible study class for teammates at Virginia Tech and majored in nutrition and exercise.
In 2006, the Broncos conducted an extraordinary draft. All seven players are in the league, and Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall, Elvis Dumervil and Tony Scheffler are potential Pro Bowlers. The 2003 draft was a waste. None of the nine players is still with the Broncos.
But this year’s bunch will have to go hard to surpass the group from the draft of 35 years ago. In 1973, when the Broncos had 19 — count ’em —picks, 11 made the team, and nine — topped by Otis Armstrong and Tom Jackson — eventually started for the Broncos.
Coach Mike Shanahan emerged late Sunday afternoon after the draft concluded and proclaimed: “We’re a better football team.”
Couldn’t be much worse after a 7-9 season.
Maybe the weekend wasn’t a complete loss. But it was as low as Denver can go.
Woody Paige: 303-954-1095 or wpaige@denverpost.com
