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Bowlen: 'I'm not going to sit still'

Owner defends firing Sundquist, his increased role

By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published March 17, 2008 at 11:12 p.m.

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Pat Bowlen.

Pat Bowlen.

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The move to fire their general manager less than a month into free agency and six weeks before the NFL draft has cast the Broncos in some circles as a club in disarray.

But things are just the opposite, owner Pat Bowlen said Monday.

In some respects, it's a smooth transition. The team already had rid itself this offseason of "dysfunctional" elements among the players and coaches. The purge merely rose to the front-office level this time with Ted Sundquist's exit last week.

It's now Bowlen's fervent hope a sense of calm can prevail and move the Broncos forward into a productive future.

"I didn't think it was a healthy situation," Bowlen said, explaining a communication breakdown between Mike Shanahan, the coach and head of football operations, and Sundquist was addressed as far back as the end of the 2006 season but didn't improve.

Bowlen, who just returned to town after a series of meetings as the NFL owners' labor head, added that while he shared a healthy communication level with his top two personnel executives, Shanahan and Sundquist's relationship was marred by an obvious personality clash. And, with Shanahan "the top guy in that part of the building," Bowlen sided with his football operations chief.

"I often, in my business and football careers, have had to get rid of people I couldn't get along with or communicate with, and I think it was a classic case of that," Bowlen said.

With Sundquist out of the picture, player personnel director Jim Goodman, assistant general manager Jeff Goodman and chief operating officer Joe Ellis will have expanded roles in the decision-making process.

Skeptics, though, envision Shanahan having an even more all-encompassing role in the team's power structure.

But such a viewpoint perhaps fails to consider Bowlen's overriding influence, which appears to have grown this offseason. The team's more restrained approach to free agency, given past failures, was almost entirely at Bowlen's behest. He even intervened in tricky negotiations aimed at retaining popular safety John Lynch.

"It's a misconception," Bowlen said of the perception Shanahan has an autocratic role with the Broncos. "I'm 10 steps from Mike's office, so Mike doesn't have the ultimate power. I'm not off somewhere else. I'm here every day. I have a job. Mike and I discuss a lot of things, just like Joe Ellis and I discuss a lot of things on the business side."

So, he insisted, Shanahan does not have unchecked power.

"I am the check," Bowlen said.

And as the one who signs the checks, it's his prerogative to become more involved, a notion he said "perhaps" is the case this year.

"I'm not used to - and I don't mean this in any braggadocios fashion at all - going 7-9 and missing the playoffs," Bowlen said. "That's not what I'm in the business for. It's no fun at all. And that does get my attention. . . . I want to return to the glory days. I'm not satisfied without having a very significant opportunity to win it all."

He joked his increased involvement "might make it worse" but noted that's part of his responsibility as owner.

"I'm not going to sit still," he said. "This is what I do for a living."

As for the rest of the power structure, Bowlen said he's pleased with the current setup. The player-evaluation area has gotten younger, and "I think we needed that." He was "happy to see" some coaching changes, moves that included Jim Bates' exit as head of the defense and offensive boss Mike Heimer- dinger's decision to return to Tennessee.

As for the seemingly odd timing of Sundquist's departure, Bowlen believes the shake-up "will have minimal effect."

"I don't want to all of a sudden disenfranchise Ted, either," Bowlen said. "Ted's a bright guy, and he deserves credit for being a bright guy. But we have a number of people in that particular area that are working their butts off right now. So I'm not anxiety ridden about it at all."

On the field, the Broncos have signed linebackers Niko Koutouvides and Boss Bailey, safeties Marlon McCree and Marquand Manuel and receiver Keary Colbert, while retaining several of their own free agents, including Lynch, who restructured his deal to stay.

Bowlen believes the club has gone a long way toward correcting - and here again is the word making the rounds at Dove Valley - a dysfunctional season and playing environment, though there's still much work to do.

"For an extended period of time, we brought in big-name guys and a lot of them didn't measure up," he said. "I'm happy with the direction we're going. I've met most, if not all, the free agents we've brought in, and at this stage, I'm pretty comfortable with where we're at."

Comments

  • March 18, 2008

    1 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    csloan999 writes:

    Sounds like there was some bad blood with Sundquist that Bowlen is holding back on...I guess we'll never get the real story though.

  • March 18, 2008

    4:46 a.m.

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    R8R_H8R writes:

    "I am the check", said Bowlen. Yah? Well, that's not something I'd be admitting too, considering the long line of blunders and failures this team has gone through. Looking at the number of D-coordinators being shuffled through, and the fact that Heimerdinger took the first bus outta town, I am FAR MORE inclined to believe Sundquist than Shannyhanny on who is screwing up this entire operation.

  • March 18, 2008

    7:41 a.m.

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    xbfan writes:

    It certainly seems like you need to be a Shanahan "yes" man to keep a job with the Broncos. That will certainly shut down the any creative thought. I think the team needs a lot of new blood with new approaches and some creativity, not just the same old predictable Shanahan approach.

  • March 18, 2008

    8:09 a.m.

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    Patriot writes:

    Maybe Mr. Bowlen is starting to hear the discourse from the fans, and will put Shanny on double secret probation.

  • March 18, 2008

    8:52 a.m.

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    RockyV writes:

    Question - just who would you have as a head coach for the Broncos? What coach among that is still available for coaching that has measured up? How many losing seasons in Shanahan's tenure? Two? I strongly suspect you can count on one hand the number of available coaches that can match, let alone exceed, that type of record.

  • March 18, 2008

    9:12 a.m.

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    BroncoRick69 writes:

    I as well as any other Bronco fan have had mixed feelings about what has been going on with the Broncos, and the shuffling of personnel. Sometimes it seems like Shanahan is getting desperate, and making knee-jerk decisions. On the other hand, as RockyV pointed out...who would be a better choice to lead this team than Shanahan? In my heart I dont believe there is a better overall coach than Shanahan. We have a very solid group of young players with big-time potential, and with the upcoming draft I think Shanahan will be smart enough to start looking more at the big picture instead of who can come in and contribute right now...Like we were basically forced to do at the last draft. Nobody is perfect all the time, but Shanahan has done one hell of a job as coach overall. The true Bronco fans will stick with whatever happens.

  • March 18, 2008

    10:14 a.m.

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    kmeissner writes:

    RockyV is right. Who else could measure up to Shanahan? He's had a few bad years and every Bronco fan wants his head because we haven't won another Super Bowl since '99. The true Bronco fans know that things will turn around. And hey, at least we're not Oakland!

    Go Broncos! Let's get another good receiver. javon was a bust at best. The Offense needs to actually get into the end zone this year!

  • March 18, 2008

    10:18 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    T1anda writes:

    I remember all the moaning and groaning in 1997 and 1998 about the Bronco's...The defense would let them down, The play calling was all wrong blah,blah, blah...even back to back Superbowls didn't quiet the skeptics... so what's new?? Shanahan is A-OK with me! Shanahan will turn this team into a contender once more!! I would love to see how you anti-Shanahan people would manage and coach an NFL team!! lol GO BRONCO'S!!! GO SHANNY!!!

  • March 18, 2008

    12:29 p.m.

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    OrangeCrush_77 writes:

    Who could measure up to Shanahan? Hmmmmm . . . let's see. How about any coach who has won more than ONE playoff game in the last ten years.

  • March 18, 2008

    12:32 p.m.

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    broncoinSeattle writes:

    Right on RockyV! Everyone needs to chill! Who else is out there to be our head coach???? TWO, thats TWO losing seasons out of 10+!!!!!!!!! Man we act like spoiled little children! Everyone needs to close'em and be true fans. We've had some good free agents come in as solid players. Don't understand all the flack everyone gives the Broncos for getting the D-lineman from the Browns. Brown, Lang, Ekuban, Warren were all solid players and did well with us, Shanny can't control injury. Bailey, Lynch, Bly, Alvin, Stockly, Holland, have all been good freeA pickups for us. Rice, Adams and a few others didn't pan out but we didn't give up much for them and they were great players in the past, how was shanny supposed to know what was going to happen. Walker worked for a year, he's a sweet athlete and he was worth the risk!!!!!!!!!!!! The last three drafts have been solid drafts. We have a sweet franchise quarterback, great number one receiver, great slot, good TE's and RB's. We shouldn’t have traded Warren or cut Lange, but that was Bates deal that Shanny made the mistake of letting him do it…for his system that didn’t work out!

    The one thing that I would say is that there has been players that we haven't utilized properly like DJ at LB [which is b/c Shanny has given is coordinators too long of a leash and aloud them to misuse some of our more gifted players] and have not been as patient as we should be with some of our younger players. Everyone stop whinning! The Meyers trade isn't that bad, we have a descent o-line and will draft more guys! By the way, all the people feeling sorry for Sunquist and screaming at Shannhan need to think a little bit about some of the FA's that we've overpaid and that didn't work out...who do you think was the brainchild behind those?????? Some of them were great, some not so great! We were just in the AFC championship game people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • March 18, 2008

    1:42 p.m.

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    jmacjo writes:

    Wow, you guys talk a lot of smack. How about a little gratitude for having an owner who gives a damn and who has been largely responsible for providing one of the most successful sports franchises of all time to our little podunk city? The last poster has it right to point out that our current troubles form a small valley among some very high peaks. Obviously, last year's free-agent moves did not work out, but how many of you were not excited when the signings occurred? Luck and inexplicable chemistry play a huge role in NFL teams' success. Just look at the Giants this year. Everything we did last year made good football sense, it just did not translate to the field. Likewise, what we have done so far this off-season makes perfect sense, but there are no guarantees.

  • March 18, 2008

    2:35 p.m.

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    OrangeCrush53 writes:

    I’m still looking for the post RockyV is replying too where someone asked for a new coach. Then several of you give him props for stating the obvious (that Shanny is a good coach), when in fact nobody is asking for Shanahan’s head, at least not in this thread.

    And let’s not forget Sundquist worked under Shanahan, and all free agent signings and trades went through Shanahan. So don’t blame Sundquist for the bad moves and give Shanahan credit for the good ones. Do you think Sundquist pulled the trigger on a single move without Shanahan’s approval?

    I’m just keeping it real people; Shanahan controls everything from player personnel (coaches and GM’s included) to coaching the team. So if Bowlen is going to take a more active roll can you tell me why and whose toes he’ll be stepping on? If Shanny is doing such a bang up job why is it necessary for Bowlen to step in? Especially now that Sundquist is gone.

    Maybe I’m wrong but wasn’t it Bowlen that promoted Sunquist in the first place?

  • March 18, 2008

    4:23 p.m.

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    mmurphypci writes:

    As a long time season ticket holder I find the Broncos' situation similar to what it was in the late 1960's.

  • March 18, 2008

    5:18 p.m.

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    Broncos4Life writes:

    No one has called for Shanahan's resignation. Most fans are calling for some accountability from someone within the organization at a higher level instead of constantly blaming the coordinators. Maybe we're calling for a diversified offense instead of the same predictable game plan every week. The defense needs help, the offense needs alot of help. The final decisions on the gameplans are the responsibility of the HEAD COACH. Last time I checked that was Shanahan!

  • March 18, 2008

    5:51 p.m.

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    Civility writes:

    There are no bruises on my body from jumping on and off the bandwagon. Thank God Bowlen doesn't listen to all the negativity on this blog. I like all of the coaches that are now in Denver and I enjoy watching them all play.

  • March 18, 2008

    7:23 p.m.

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    SFBronco writes:

    R&R- long line of failures and blunders? LOL. Man, what team do you root for? I would put Bowlens record as an owner up against just about anyone in the NFL. In the 24 years since he has been here, 13 playoff appearances, 7 AFC Championship Games, 5 Super Bowls and 2 Super Bowl wins. Not to mention a top 5 record overall and the best home record over that time. I would say he knows a thing or two about winning football games and is qualified to be a "check".

    A lot of crying on this board. You would think the Broncos were the Cardinals or Raiders or something. We were 7-9 guys with a 2nd year QB and a horrid D, not 3-13 or 4-12. The sky isn't falling and the Broncos are not that far away.

  • March 19, 2008

    6:17 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    BroncoFanForLife writes:

    I think Shanahan knows what he is doing. He's adding linebackers through free agency. Lets not forget how horrible the linebackers played last year. They couldn't tackle or defend the pass even if they knew the play before the snap.
    Last year before NY won the SB42 with a strong defensive line, he drafted almost all d-linemen and he will probably do it again this year.
    Shanahan has always been a step ahead of the rest "zone-blocking" for example. Let the man do his job.

  • March 21, 2008

    1:09 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    FireShanahan writes:

    Chaos Is Reigning at Dove Valley!!!
    Consider the facts:
    * Mike Shanahan has won ONE playoff game in the last 10 years.
    * The Broncos have gone two straight seasons without making the playoffs
    * Since John Elway retired, the Broncos have only had four seasons with 10-or –more wins
    How do the Broncos respond?
    - First, let’s fire the GM and promote Shanahan to oversee his position
    - Second, let’s fire eight non-football related positions, including a 13-year employee in PR man Paul Kirk, 20+ year employee Pamela Krotchko and website manager Andrew Mason.
    Contrary to a local newspaper writer’s opinion, money is not tight at Dove Valley. While most fans could careless about the front office folks, as winning is their only concern, I can guarantee you that the franchise is not hurting for money. To publically say the recent staff reductions were budget cuts is ludicrous. On the very high-end, these eight employees made $900,000 total, for all eight employees combined annually -- a far cry from bankrupting a multiple million dollar entity. Consider the sell-outs, the television money and the licensee deals; this franchise does not have financial issues, PERIOD.
    Who do I blame? Mike Shanahan. He certainly is not pinching pennies to help the loyal employees within the organization, who have personally sacrificed.
    * Shanahan recently sold his Cherry Hills home for $16 million and recently broke ground on a new home rumored to be 30,000 square foot mansion. What could he possibly need this big of house for, perhaps his ego?
    * Shanahan elects to stand behind a multiple drug offender in rookie defensive tackle Marcus Thomas, versus loyal and dedicated employees. The shady Shanahan has a proven track record of trying to win at all costs (circumventing the salary cap is just one example) and is no different than the Patriots recent video taping scandal.
    Questions to consider………..
    * Is Shanahan turning into a Dan Reeves, a coach who wanted all the power?

    * Is it time for Shanahan’s free pass to expire? How long can a Super Bowl win that occurred 10 years ago continue to offer job security?

    If I’m in charge, I’d have Bill Cowher on my speed dial immediately. In Cowher’s last 10 seasons, he had eight playoffs wins…. Wake up Broncos, you’ve released the wrong employees!

  • March 24, 2008

    12:24 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Disgusted_in_Denver writes:

    You're not going to sit still? What have you been doing over the past 10 years Bowlen? How about over the past two seasons? Your franchise is a joke! The captain of this ship Joseph Hazelwood...errrrr...Mike Shanny has taken this ship into incredibly shallow waters and the locals are feeling a little nervous about the end result of his careless guidance. This is a first but, gulp, I am actually contemplating getting a Raiders hat today. I am so overly disgusted by this franchises direction that I want to show my distain for it and this is the ultimate way. As bad as the Raiders suck, they have at least two wins in their schedule next year...