That's the Spirit!

I know, congrats are in order for the Avs with the HUGE win last night...but when you revert right back to your recent past of ineptitude, you are going to get some varying degrees of obscene gestures from the crowd.

If you're unfortunate enough to have seats on the glass for the current incarnation of the Avs it seems fairly logical to get busy with the disapproving hand signals. Not a lot of cause for clapping...

Boom, Outta Here.....














And Boom, Welcome Back....



Champ giveth what Melo taketh away....thank you Champ, thank you. And thank you John Elway. A defense cannot hope to significantly improve when your best defense player walks away for nothing.

The only common thread between the Melo and Champ situations is both players apparently got their wish to wear Orange and Blue.

Boom, Outta Here....

After the way his (and the Avs') season has gone, this is hardly a surprise. Not sure we get much in return (Elliott from the Sens), but that probably doesn't matter much anyway since it was doubtful Andy would be coming back next year after kinda sucking this year. Elliott? Never heard of him. But some hockey nerd I work with who follows the Eastern Conference closely says the 25-year old has some upside. Until the defense gets fixed, it probably doesn't make a ton of difference who is getting peppered in net.

My Bloody Valentine

This season so far. Hard not to hanker for the olden days where you didn't let in 5 goals in the 1st period, and had a good goalie in general? We'll call those our Salad Days. (minor threat, dischord 015)
Pretty laughable game tonight. Sacco has to be shaking in his boots a little bit. Hard to figure the slide on some level, but it is ugly, of that there is no doubt. When you're calling 1st period timeouts and you're in the midst of a 7 game losing streak and you're en route to offering up 5 goals in the period, you know things are bad. This is what the franchise has become? Worst in the entire league in GAA? Thankful for the Oilers so that your point totals are not the worst in the conference? Forsberg dicking around for a couple road losses, and then "retiring", distracting a team that looks pretty lost. It's no longer cute.

Losses by the Avs that is.....this skid just gets worse and worse. Time to start evaluating how good the upcoming draft is looking....

Adding the Spleenless to the Heartless

Admittedly, I didn't catch the most recent week in Avalanche bed shitting due to time spent in LA, where it seems only the Lakers and the NBA are acknowledged as sports. When I was boarding my plane home last night, I was actually convinced I cared about the Lakers-Celtics game that was in progress. That's how quickly I had been brainwashed. Thankfully, it only took about 15 minutes of watching the game in the airport and on my Frontier free preview Direct TV to realize I couldn't give a shit about this "huge game." Couldn't even bring myself to drop the $6 to watch the Nugs-Mavs game that would soon follow the conclusion of that game. Turns out that was a pretty damn good game for the Nugs judging by the final score and seeing the last 5 seconds of highlights. I just figured my money was better spent on $5 gin and tonics. But I digress....

The point of this post wasn't to rip on LA sports or the NBA, it was to complain about how the Avs have treated their once promising and entertaining season like a five dollar hooker. What the hell happened to this consistently resilient team since the week before the All-Star break? With their suspect defense, crap goal tending, and never-ending series of injuries, it wasn't terribly difficult to predict a lull in the offense at some point and would spell trouble. But I wasn't expecting it to be this prolonged and hideous. Again, I haven't seen the last few games, but judging from the scores and what I saw right before and after the all-star break, I'm going to say this team isn't playing with much heart right now (no PP goals in like 5 games?!?!). And now the Avs are relying on He Without Spleen to inject some life back into a season that is hanging by a thread. I'm not sure it can happen. But I guess it will be more interesting to watch them coast toward a lottery pick.

This Will Be the Last Time I Support You

I know that this is a Denver Broncos fanbloghumpfest but I am here to declare my support for thee Green Bay Packers as they are set to do battle with the Pittsburgh Steelers. I know that in the past I have made the mistake of publicly switching NFL loyalties from the Broncos to the Raiders on this blog (I'm back to the Broncos now. It was a mistake and I admitted it.) but I can justify my one day fan support for the Packers. Here is my reasoning:

1. This is not the Brett Favre led Packers of old. I hated you in the 90's but now I'm backing you for one day in 2011.
   
2. What happened the last time the Packers won a Super Bowl? That's right. The Broncos won back-to-back Super Bowls. Huh? Huh? It could happen.
   
3. These Packers have done everything I have asked of them. I asked them to humiliate Jay Cutler and expose him for the backwards hat wearing, thumb-sucking, skippity-skippy-skip, interception hucking, pouting cry baby that he is. They did exactly that. (How's the knee Jay? Think you'll be there for Training Camp?)
4. I hate the Steelers and their fans. Steeler fans are by far the most obnoxious fans that I have witnessed inside Mile High Stadium. Oh, how I hope they lose this game. By the way, they are the reason why Jake the Snake Plummer is playing handball at this very moment WITHOUT a Super Bowl ring.
   

Witness this, by wearing these here shoes I hereby hope the Packers win today.

PS. John Fox - If you're reading this today you should consider trading Tim Tebow to the NFC West. Thanks!

If I can be indulged an odd-ass post, sometimes you just need to be reminded of the good times...as I randomly post an "old" picture that I didn't take, (and have no clue how I possess) of a couple luminaries who rattle around these parts now and again. Instead of the good fortune of being at Mile High that day, I was enjoying my ownself in a parallel existence at TD's house. Champ take it to the house on Brady? Yes.

Broncos defeat the Pats at Mile High to go on to the AFC Championship Game back in January of '06. Though that AFC Championship game would ultimately suck...still weird to think the B'cos were a game away from a Super Bowl about 5 years ago.

Feeling A Tinge of Yip Fever For The First Time In A While

I know he didn't play the whole game, but still...

Hey Avs! Bring Back the Best!

If you thought that I was going to ask for you to sign the great Peter Forsberg you are wrong.

Paging Greg Mauldin. Paging Mr. Greg Mauldin. Lake Erie Monsters, please pick up the phone.

OK. Enough is enough. Time to bring back Mauldin back. Seems like the Avs started their slide about the same time that Greg ended up back in Ohio. Let's not let this get out of hand now. I've even created some new nicknames for his return.

Scaldin' Mauldin. No likee?
The Flying Mauler. No?
Smokin' Pall Maul. Makes smoking glamorous?

Just bring back Greg alright! I'll work on the nickname.

BBBbbbbbraaaaaawwwwwwwwwwkkkkk!

You might remember that on November 1, 2010 I said that there was no way that I could ever root for the Seattle Seahawks. Well, I was wrong. I was very wrong.
This week I'm hoping that the Seattle Seahawks beat the living buhjesus out of Jay Cutler. I know that many of the football purists are hoping for a Bears vs. Packers NFC Championship. I am not.
I am personally hoping that the Seahawks knock that horrible toupee off of Cutler once and for all and expose him as the blameshifting wuss that we came to know and loathe here in Denver.
Sour grapes? Maybe. Personally I'm glad he's gone.
Here's how the rest of the playoffs pan out.
Patriots over Jets.
Seahawks over Bears.
Patriots over Steelers.
Seahawks over Packers.
Seahawks win out. Later on it will be discovered that the Patriots coaching staff wasted their time by analyzing tape of the Packers and watching hours and hours of Clay Matthews' hair conditioning techniques in an effort to help out Tom Brady with some tips for his own coif.

Welcome Back Stewie...We Sure Missed You (Dig the Fro)

Introducing Foxy Boy (Liquor Tan Sold Separately)

A defensive coach....I'm sure that wasn't an easy decision for Elway, but it was the right one. Dennison might have been the more fan-friendly choice, but I still have nightmares of when he was the Special Teams Coach for the B'cos and it was keystone cops every time his squad was on the field. I'm sure he's progressed as a coach, but hiring the more experienced coach, who has had some pretty decent success with limited means, is a sound move and should pacify the legions of fans that have been in an uproar since (insert lame McSomethingInsult joke here) took over. And you gotta hand to Foxy Boy, he can craft a fine liquor tan....

Tad Boyle and Tad Doyle Say: "RANK THOSE PUPPIES!!"

2010 Season Finally Over, Now Get To Work (Resign Champ)

Although there was some intrigue down the stretch of the season watching Timmy take some snaps and show flashes of promise, things are now going to start getting mighty interesting in Bronco Land. After getting thoroughly dominated by the Chargers during the better part of today's game, Timmy almost mounted a logic-defying comeback. Good thing it didn't happen, as it would have dropped the B'cos down several positions in the draft. With the 2nd overall pick, we should be able to draft that monster DE from Clemson and start rebuilding something resembling a defense. I'm not sold on Timmy yet (it's too early to draw definite conclusions whether he'll succeed in the NFL), but he has shown enough promise and the defense has shown more than enough shittiness to make it clear where the draft has to be directed....oh, and resign Champ already.

It has been largely leaked that Elway will become VP of Operations. Why not? If nothing else, it lends some credibility to an organization that has been hemorrhaging credibility at an alarming rate for some time now. The only downside I see is that the team needs to focus on defense, which might not be Elway's forte....a good first move would be to resign Champ.

While the top draft selection is clearly a make-or-break decision, hiring the right coach is equally or more important. In line with the draft priority, my preferences would be a defensive-minded head coach. I'd be pretty happy if Chucky were somehow brought in (he's been a big Tebow supporter since he was drafted), but I can't see Bowlen spending the dough. Kubiak also seems unlikely, since it sounds like he'll stay in Houston. Harbaugh? I don't watch college football, so don't ask me. Should be interesting to see what transpires the next few months.....to heck with the 2010 football season.....and resign Champ please.

DRI & OT Victories

It was a late one, but the three opening bands allowed ST and I to take in the 3rd period and OT. Awesome game and another good DRI show (despite Mad Man not being on the set list). Matty D continues to amaze and is becoming rather clutch. Considering it was a 16 and over affair at the Bluebird, I would have bought the lad a beer for his efforts if he made it over from Pepsi after the heroics. This just in, the Avs are fun to watch.

Fleischmann, cold lampin'

...with flavor, no less. Stone Cold Lampin'.
Pretty impressive hat-trick from the new Av. I am a fan of Hannan, but the points and goals scored by Tomas since coming over in that trade have been huge.
Avs have won 4 in a row, 2 in a row against the defending Cup champs, and now head home for a 5 game home-stand. The time at Pepsi could be huge...
Sort of love the animosity that the back to back games generate, if tonight is any indicator....it produces very inspired, yet chippy play.
On that front, hope Stastny is OK. He received a rather awkward cross-check that sent him into the boards head first with a fairly major head of steam. Looked uncomfortable. The Avs have enough injuries already, don't need the surging center out with the rest.

Mauldin? He got himself a goal too.
Anderson? His 5-hole is looking hella soft, don't take that the wrong way, but damn, those pucks just dribble through there. He did face a shit-ton of shots, but you've got to fear those times when letting the "easy" ones through will come back to haunt the Avs when they aren't able to score 4+ a game.

wow

I'm a little out of breath and lacking coherence after that thriller.

Shit-tonnes of goals (Cody McLeod even tallied), dicey goal tending (TURCO!), clutch late game heroics from Duchey and the newly acquired Tomas F. Great win, seeing as I was calling for Budaj in net midway through the 2nd period. I don't ever call for Budaj. Ever.

The Avs are the highest scoring team in the Western Conference. Is that surprising? Tonight's damage was wreaked without Hejduk and Stewart. Pretty much the entire season thus far has not seen the full core of the team healthy. Imagine if???
Besides the intangibles your best players bring, got to wonder what would be different if the whole roster was available and in the lineup night in and night out. The lines thrown out on the ice still manage to win games and demonstrate guts and resilience - especially when down late. Tonight was a first class example. During the Altitude post-game, Keefe and Rycroft were pretty apeshit flabbergasted, funny when they are on the air but not really able to hold any train of thought together. Is that why I'm washing lettuce and they're making the big bucks?

The Blackhawks get a chance for revenge in the ass-end of a home-and-home Wednesday in Chicago....
That is, unless the Avs can throw another Elway up on the scoreboard, then I like our chances.

Yo Coach, Now Might Be a Good Time To Put In Tebow.....

Not sure what to expect if it happened, but at this point, why not. If there wasn't already a legion of fans out there clamoring for God Boy, getting rolled by a shit-ass NFC West team (the B'cos are a combined 1-3 against that illustrious division, for those scoring at home) while Neck Beard has an even worse game than last week's stinker (the hell happened to him?) will certainly increase the volume. And while I don't like further cementing the recent culture of losing, the way the NFL is these days for those teams outside of the elite (which is every team other than the Pats, Steelers, Ravens (maybe?), and New Orleans (probably) - definitely not the Bears) you might as well roll the dice with the rookie QB and see what he has. Worst case scenario is that he proves he's not an NFL QB and the team gets a higher draft pick. Best case is that he shows he's a player and you have something positive to look to next year (and will still have a good pick). By the way, that was one of the most boring football games I've ever kind of watched. Studesville doesn't appear to be the answer.....