Cheers and Jeers: For Elway and the Broncos, it’s time
Oct 18, 2019, 6:00 AM | Updated: 12:43 pm
There’s a lot of to cheer and jeer about this week when it comes to Denver sports, but one imagines most of Friday will be spent on the latter.
And with that, here’s a special one-cheer, one-jeer edition. Enjoy.
CHEERS | Broncos legend John Elway (… just wait)
As a certain Denver Broncos general manager once said, I’d like to start with a big thank you to John Elway.
For a certain demographic of Denverite — probably millennials and older — there is a certain amount of requisite love for No. 7.
Elway’s the guy carried the Broncos on his back to three Super Bowl losses, and helped carry the team and the city to its first championship. And second. And third.
He’s the guy who wore that stupid milk mustache on the poster that hung on my bedroom wall. He’s the subject of much of my childhood memorabilia — not so much anything of value other than sentimental.
Elway is among the reasons why nearly every one of my social media handles has a No. 7 at the end.
The Duke certainly deserves a big-time Mile High Salute from Broncos Country for all he’s done.
But …
JEERS | Current Broncos general manager John Elway
… It’s time.
Mike Shanahan was basically the only Broncos head coach throughout my adolescence. So, when it came to a point where his job favorability started to waver, it was hard not to cling to the good times.
And much like Shanahan, there had been hope that the old gunslinger could pull one more comeback out of his hat and return the orange and blue to prominence.
But, also much like Shanahan, there was a tipping point where something had to change.
Thursday night was that tipping point.
Denver’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs was shocking but not surprising.
And there was no hand-wringing from this author, just a numbness that has steadily taken over the past three-plus seasons.
Whether it’s an emeritus position or complete severing of ties or something else along those lines, it’s time for Elway to step away.
