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There once was a guy named Tim Tebow who, not too long ago, took a helpless Denver Broncos team to the 2012 playoffs and knocked off the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round. I know the last thing you want is more Tebow talk, but hear me out. When the Cleveland Browns took Texas A&M‘s Johnny Manziel with the No. 22 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the first thing that came to my mind was Tebow. Manziel and Tebow have totally different personalities off the field, but on the field they are actually quite similar.

Both players lit up the NCAA during their time in college and both players won the Heisman trophy. See, they are very similar, I wasn’t lying. Also, both play the game the same way — both use their athleticism to make plays and both of them find a way to win no matter what. When I say Manziel is the new Tebow, it is not a criticism to either player because I believe that Tebow wasn’t given a fair chance over a full season to succeed. Since Day 1, Tebow was assumed to be a failure but all Tebow did was prove the doubters wrong and now Manziel can do the same.

Just because Tebow and Manziel don’t play quarterback the “traditional” way, doesn’t mean that they can’t win. Look at Cam Newton and Super Bowl winning quarterback Russell Wilson – they aren’t your traditional pocket passing quarterbacks, but I’m pretty sure they are at the top of their position. I don’t expect Manziel to win right away or become the next Newton or Wilson, but I think he deserves to start from Day 1. I want to see if Manziel can lift this Browns team from nothing and turn them into something. I know the NCAA is different than the pros, but if you want to doubt Manziel and say that he is too short or not a great fit, just remember that he completed more than 68 percent of his passes and he went for 26 TD’s and nine INT’s in 2013, and 37 TD’s and 13 INT’s in 2014.

I’m not calling Manziel a Hall-of-Fame quarterback, but I’m not doubting him until he steps on the field.

The iconic image in Colorado sports history caught John Elway off guard. Elway spent his career providing goose bumps, comebacks, face palms and victories. It never dawned on him that he would be remembered for something someone said more than something he did.

On Jan. 25, 1998, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen stood on the podium at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego after his team’s improbable 31-24 victory over the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII. In one sentence, Bowlen summed up the improbable, agonizing journey to delirium.

“This one’s for John!”

On Wednesday — a day of heartache at Dove Valley after Bowlen’s step down from his position because of an ongoing battle with Alzheimer’s disease — Elway reflected on the franchise’s defining moment.

“It was a surprise to me when he said that, but it was probably the most humbling, thrilled feeling I’ve ever had in my life when we were finally able to win that championship and Pat handed me that trophy,” Elway said. “So there will never be a more special time because we’d been working on it for 15 years, and Pat had been here for 14 years. That was the highlight of my career.”

Elway hasn’t played since 1999, when he won his second Super Bowl ring. He returned to the Broncos in 2011, knowing of Bowlen’s faith in him and, privately, his friend’s deteriorating health.

Wednesday, the day after Bowlen’s decision was announced, still came too soon. Elway, fighting back tears, sat before the media at the annual training camp barbecue, clobbered by the reality of Bowlen’s absence.

“What a sad day it is around here,” Elway said, before pausing for 26 seconds to compose himself. “This place will never be the same.”

Watch: John Elway talks about Pat Bowlen stepping down

Bowlen ceded much of the daily business to team president Joe Ellis in 2011, while entrusting Elway to rebuild the football operations that same year. Bowlen didn’t meddle, but provided subtle pressure through tough questions after learning the game through conversations with former Broncos assistants Jack Elway and Jerry Frei.

Ellis and Elway reveled in the give-and-take, recognizing that it was the intelligence and vision of “Mr. B” that created the team’s standard for excellence. Bowlen no longer will occupy his days at the team’s Dove Valley headquarters. This was anticipated over the past few months, but the reality shook Elway.

“He has given me so much. It’s going to be hard to walk through those doors and not see him,” Elway said.

Elway said there are no plans for him to own the team. Bowlen, 70, has placed his Broncos’ ownership in the Pat Bowlen Trust. His desire remains for one of his seven children “to earn the right to run the franchise someday,” Ellis said.

John Elway talks about Pat Bowlen at a press conference at Dove Valley, Wednesday afternoon, July 23, 2014. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Bowlen’s legacy is secure, his accomplishments beyond the imagination of many sports franchises that aspire only to reach the playoffs. During his 30-year stewardship, the Broncos advanced to six Super Bowls, second only to New England. Their winning percentage ranks behind only the San Francisco 49ers. Denver has only five losing seasons since 1984, when Bowlen purchased the team for $78 million.

“He absolutely belongs in the Hall of Fame,” Elway said, repeating the stance of Ellis and coach John Fox. “And I hope that his bust is next to mine (in Canton).”

Elway and Bowlen have overlapped for two decades with the Broncos, a partnership nearly unrivaled in the NFL. When the Broncos went 4-12 in 2010, Bowlen admitted his mistake in hiring unproven Josh McDaniels and turned to Elway for help. The two worked together in Elway’s successful foray into the Arena Football League. But the former brash quarterback wasn’t convinced he was cut out for a front-office post.

“There’s always a little bit of doubt there, especially when you don’t have any experience. To have the confidence that he had in me to be able to afford me the responsibilities that he afforded me with the Broncos — he was the one who thought I was ready,” Elway said. “That’s one great thing that Pat had. He made decisions and had tremendous instincts. Somehow you don’t know how he got there, but his instincts were tremendous. When he told me, ‘You’re ready and you can handle this job,’ that was the final say and what got me over the hump.”

Bowlen leaves a team built to contend for a championship. His desire to win shaped every decision. He struck a rare balance of power, appointing and empowering his employees. He held them accountable without infringing on their authority. He also rewarded them, no praise more memorable than his eloquent gesture after the Broncos’ victory over the Packers.

“No. I really didn’t see it coming,” Elway said. “Heck, I threw for 130 yards. So, yeah, I didn’t see it.”

Category: Brandi’s Commentary, Uncategorized

Nathan Francis

Category: Uncategorized

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The Dallas Cowboys have always had a problem with finding good quality backup quarterbacks so that they can remain a good team if their starting quarterback, Tony Romo, gets injured. In fact, the Cowboys have now released 3 backup quarterbacks since 2013. And the latest one to be released by the Cowboys is Kyle Orton. Before joining the Cowboys, Orton was a pretty good starting quarterback as he took the Chicago Bears to a winning season. However, Orton has been on three different teams in 5 seasons and is now a free agent. The Cowboys finished last season with an 8-8 record and Orton was the starting quarterback for the team in their final game of the 2013 NFL season.

Since the Cowboys have always had a problem finding backup quarterbacks that can win football games, it is time for the Cowboys to wake up and pursue a certain free agent that has won a playoff game in the NFL before. That’s right. The Cowboys should sign Tim Tebow. When he was a starting quarterback in Denver, Tebow had a 7-4 record and took the Broncos to the Divisional Round in 2011, which proved that he could win games in the NFL. But since then, Tebow has had a rough time trying to find a team to join because coaches have stated that Tebow would be too much of a distraction for the team during training camp and during the season. Last season, Tebow was released by the New England Patriots before the season started.

Nevertheless, Tebow would be a perfect fit for the Cowboys for 2 reasons. One reason is that Tebow can win games in the 4th quarter. For instance, in 2011, Tebow led his team to victory by scoring in the 4th quarter in 4 games for the Broncos. And the Cowboys desperately need a quarterback that can win in the 4th quarter because they have lost more than 3 games per year in the final seconds for 4 straight seasons. The second reason will greatly benefit Tony Romo. Tebow will divert attention away from Romo while Romo concentrates on winning football games for the Cowboys. Plus, since Tebow is a player with the highest character, Tebow could help motivate his teammates to become the best players that they can be so that the Cowboys can win more than 8 games this season.

It is about time that the Cowboys do something about their average record and sign Tebow. We will see if the Cowboys have the courage to sign Tebow as training camp approaches. If the Cowboys need any more incentive, here is a reminder of what Tebow can do.

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