YOUR AD HERE »

Lance Scranton: Broncos’ mania deflated

Lance Scranton
Lance Scranton
Lance_Scranton

I love watching the Broncos and proudly support one of our favorite Colorado football teams. The prognostication before last weekend’s game was as well-intentioned as the excuses made after the loss to the Colts. The Indianapolis quarterback lived up to his name in a very lucky performance validated by the uninspired play of the Broncos. Clearly and objectively, the Bronco’s performance was slipping weeks before Sunday’s playoff loss, especially on offense.

Arm-chair coaches are quick to pronounce their alternative strategies but one thing is clear; General Manager John Elway leveraged the future of the team to “just win now.” It’s not the player’s fault and one need only take a look at the reactions of many fans to realize just how far out of perspective winning has become in our culture.

It’s called a game for a reason but the collective sigh of our fair city matched the general outlook and attitude of the average Bronco fan across the country. People will move on from the early exit from the playoffs and will forget just how challenging it was to finish the season with a 12-4 regular season record. Amazing by any standard except for the millions of dollars paid in talent and the thousands of fans who put their hopes and dreams in the hands of young men playing a game.



Sure, we treat it like it’s more than a game but really it isn’t. What remains fascinating about sports are the intangibles. The things you can’t measure, the slips and misses that you don’t expect and the plays that are made in spite of the odds. These are the reasons we watch the games and cheer for our favorite teams. It’s the reason we go to watch our local sports teams play and compete. Contests should unfold logically but we just never know and that’s what makes games such an indelible part of our culture. Our fortunes, mood and passions resting on the shoulders of imperfect human beings from whom we expect victory.

It’s unfair, unrealistic and undeniably part of our culture to elevate our expectations beyond the bounds of objectivity and demand more from our fellow man than we should but as the old ABC Wide World of Sports adage goes: “The joy of victory and the agony of defeat.”



And so, a Bronco fans long season of agony begins!


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Craig and Moffat County make the Craig Press’ work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.