A Open Letter

Dear Bucs and Broncos fans,

I am writing this letter to you on August 7th, 2009. You don’t know it yet, but your respective teams are going to be harder to watch this season than Paul Bearer in a speedo on Siesta Key.



Let’s start with the Broncos.

What can I say; the damage already speaks for itself. In a span of 6 months, Denver went from having one of the most promising offensive football teams, to a squad that has Kyle Orton and Chris Simms as its quarterbacks.

Which is more depressing? Having Orton and Simms as your QB’s or the state of our Economy? If you are a Broncos fan, it’s easily the former.

Head Turd, err I mean Coach, Josh McDaniels and owner Pat Bowlen are squarely to blame.

Bowlen fired Mike Shanahan at the end of last season, mainly because of a late season collapse that saw Denver blow a three game lead, with three games to play.

This was hardly Shanahan’s fault, as the Broncos were on their 6th string Running Back (Tatum Bell, who had been out of the league because he stole a teammates bag of belongings in Detroit, was signed to be the starter; if that doesn’t scream desperation, I don’t know what would), and had numerous injuries up and down the defense.

They even had player, Spencer Larsen, who started at both Linebacker and Fullback in the same game, which isn’t a big deal if it’s Pop Warner, but is when it’s the NFL.

So Shanahan gets the axe, and they bring in Josh McDaniels, who had been New England’s offensive coordinator for the past three seasons.

McDaniels comes in and immediately looks to try to trade for Matt Cassel, who he coached in New England. The Chiefs wound up acquiring Cassel, and eventually word leaked out, that McDaniels tried to get Cassel.

This set-off a chain of events that ultimately saw Jay Cutler, one of the top young quarterbacks, to be traded to the Bears for a 2009 First round pick, a 2010 First round Pick, a 2009 Third Round Pick and quarterback Kyle Orton.

I’d rather have Randy Orton, than Kyle F. Orton on the Broncos. At least Orton could RKO McDaniels for being an idiot.



With Cutler being traded, the Broncos top wide out, Brandon Marshall has now become disgruntled, asked to be traded, and is making up injuries, so he doesn’t have to work out with the team in training camp.

Compounding matters is Denver’s schedule. The Broncos have home games against San Diego, Dallas, New England, the New York Giants and Pittsburgh.

On the road they have San Diego again as well as games against Baltimore, Washington, Philadelphia, and Indianapolis.

Expect a 6-10 season from Denver at the best and a 3-13 at the worst.

On to the Bucs.

They are not in as bad of shape as Denver is long term, but 2009 looks really tough.

I think this story about the Bucs off-season pursuit of then free agent, defensive tackle, Albert Haynesworth will sum up everything you need to know about the Bucs in 2009.

The Bucs were the leaders in the clubhouse to sign Haynesworth, and offered him more money than the team that eventually signed him, The Redskins did.

So why did Big Al go to D.C. instead of the Bay Area? Simple, new Bucs head coach Raheem Morris said the ugliest word a proven, veteran football player can hear… The R word…. REBUILDING.

As soon as that word left the lips of Morris, Haynesworth was all but a goner, and he took the 2009 season with him.

Tampa Bay would then go on to release the face of the franchise, Mr. Derrick Brooks, even though he pleaded with them not to, and offered to take a pay cut to stay around for one more season.

The Bucs also let go of Warrick Dunn, Joey Galloway, Ike Hilliard, Jeff Garcia, and Cato June. Granted, these players are older, but are their replacements any better?

Byron Leftwich? That dude is slower than the kids on the Short Bus.

Derrick Ward? He has never been THE MAN, at any point of his NFL career, and two years ago, was rated in the low 70’s in Madden 08. Highly doubtful that he will be the answer in the Bucs oft-injured backfield.

Besides the trade for Kellen “The Soldier” Winslow (this never gets old http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I82BPA5QAaQ ) what else do Bucs fans have to look forward to this season?

These Hideous Things?



A rookie quarterback that no one had ever seen play a game in college? Ask Vikings fans what they thing of Tarvares Jackson, because that’s pretty much what Josh Freeman is.

And, just like the the Broncos, The Bucs also have a killer schedule looming in front of them.

Their whole home schedule against Carolina, Atlanta, New Orleans, Dallas, The Giants, New England, Green Bay, and The Jets, are all going to be tough. I can see maybe two to three wins tops against those teams.

Couple those with their away games at Carolina, Atlanta, New Orleans, Buffalo, Washington, Philadelphia, Miami, and Seattle and I forecast a 5-11 season for the Bucs.

So good luck watching these two teams compete for the higher draft pick come next April. Because that is the only thing to look forward to.

Signed,
Disappointed.