Royal Crush

It is finally time for me to let go of the Broncos as “my team” for the following reasons:

1.  Pat Bowlen completely dismantled the team in one offseason.

It took almost 10 years for the Broncos to find another franchise QB after Elway.  Cutler was the perfect fit – strong arm, cocky and  ugly (a long standing Bronco QB tradition).  After last year, that excitement I felt as a kid watching Elway was starting to creep back.  321 segments on Sportscenter later and the Broncos are left with Orton and a mound of draft picks.  All this after losing Shanahan, and with talks of him moving to the Chiefs!

2.  Why did I fall in love with the Broncos as a kid?  Because when I turned on the TV, there was Elway.  He was spectacular and I was sold.  Period.  I am not from Denver. 

Why can’t I use the same logic now?  How could I have prevented falling in love with Chris Johnson last year and the story of the Titans?  The NFL Sunday Ticket (DirectV) allows me to find those players that excite me the most, for whatever reason, and follow them all season. 

3. Super Bowl 43.  I have never liked the Cardinals or the Steelers but found this past Super Bowl among the best in entertainment value.

4. Though Cutler was/is good, how many times did I have justify his childish behavior because he was on "my team"?  What if T.O. ended up on the Broncos next year?

5. Eddie Royal.  He is the most exciting thing about the Broncos right now if you're a fellow fantasy freak.  The combination of Josh McDaniels and the younger and faster version of Wes Welker has me ready to pounce on Draft Day.  Why is this significant?  Like many fantasy players, I tend to draft and start the players I know I will be watching on a weekly basis.  I have seen people draft many players from "their team" (ok fine...i started cutler  marshall and hillis one week last year) and suffer for it.  So now I can set aside my delusions about Royal and see him for what he really is - a great receiver with upside.  Period. 

The goal in all of this is to maximize the enjoyment of watching the NFL and playing FF.  Through fantasy, we have such an intimate knowledge of teams and their stories, that we find ourselves cheering for players, teams and situations all over the league.  Frankly, the “my team” loyalty is sometimes
distracting and annoying compared to the enjoyment I feel following whatever storyline or team that intrigues me.

I am not saying that I will only be watching football for fantasy implications - not at all.  I am saying that at the end of the year, when you're pissed your team lost (97% of the NFL does you know) i will be cheering for the shiniest new toy and loving it - just like I did with Elway.