Tradition Tuesday: Why I Hate the Homer Pick, Version Denver
The rough focus of this blog is the rivalry between the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs, but you hopefully already knew that. Tradition Tuesday is our weekly state-of-the-rivalry address, and you might've already known that, too, but since we overlooked the feature last week, I thought I'd throw out a friendly reminder.
With the draft a few weeks behind us, it occurred to me that we might have a look at the local drafting tendencies of our two clubs over the years, and after the jump, we'll look at Denver's.
What follow is a list of players that have been on the Denver roster that attended a Colorado college. The list does not imply that the Broncos drafted these guys, but in some cases, it might. Those italicized appear so because they logged at least three seasons in a Denver uniform, somehow deeming their contribution(s) to the franchise meaningful. I've stated my opinion on drafting locally in the past, so we'll open up the comments to our large audiences. But just this once.
Anderson, Robert, Colorado University: played for Denver from 1970-73, wore #11, HB
Bernardi, Frank, CU: played for Denver in 1960, wore #63, DB
Bradford, Ronnie, CU: played for Denver from 1993-95, wore #23, DB
Brunelli, Sam, Colorado State University: played for Denver from 1966-71, wore #s 64,68, 72, G
Brunson, Larry, CU: played for Denver in 1980, wore # 82, WR
Campbell, Jeff, CU: played for Denver in 1994, wore #86, WR
Dennison, Rick, CSU: played for Denver from 1982-90, wore #55, LB
Denvir, John, CU: played for Denver in 1962, wore #65, G
Elfrid, Jim, CSU: played for Denver in 1961, wore #62, LB
Goodman, Harvey, CU: played for Denver in 1976, wore #64, G
Haggerty, Steve, CU: played for Denver in 1975, wore #22, DB
Haynes, Mark, CU: played for Denver from 1986-89, wore #36, CB
Henson, Gary, CU: played for Denver in 1964, wore #89, TE
Holland, Darius, CU: played for Denver in 2003, wore #90, DT
Keyworth, Jon, CU: played for Denver from 1974-80, wore #32, RB
Knapple, Jeff, University of Northern Colorado: played for Denver in 1980, wore #16, QB
Larson, Bill, CSU: played for Denver in 1980, wore #87, TE
Lepsis, Matt, CU, played for Denver from 1997-2007, wore #78, T
Logan, Dave, CU: played for Denver in 1984, wore #89, WR
McCullough, Robert V., CU: played for Denver from 1962-65, wore #67, G
McCutcheon, Lawrence, CSU: played for Denver in 1980, wore #33, RB
McGreger, Keli, CSU: played for Denver in 1985, wore #89, TE
McMillin, James R., CSU: played for Denver from 1960-62, '64-65, wore #45, DB
Montler, Mike, CU: played for Denver in 1977, wore #52, C
Moorehead, Emery, CU: played for Denver in 1980, wore #86, WR/RB
Norman, Ben, CSU: played for Denver in 1980, wore #38, RB
Perkins, James W., CU: played for Denver from 1962-64, wore #71, T
Pickens, Lyle, CU: played for Denver in 1987, wore #26, DB
Pritchard, Mike, CU: played for Denver from 1994-95, wore #81, WR
Reed, Leo T., CSU: played for Denver in 1961, apparently didn't have a #, T
Reed, Tony, CU: played for Denver in 1981, wore #32, RB
Rouen, Tom, CU: played for Denver from 1993-2001, wore #16, P
Sapp, Cecil, CSU: played for Denver from 2003-07, wore #37, RB
Schnitker, Mike, CU: played for Denver from 1969-74, wore #64, G
Short, Laval, CU: played for Denver in 1980, wore #63, DT
Smith, Ed, Colorado College: played for Denver from 1973-75, wore #75, DE
Smith, Perry, CSU: played for Denver from 1980-81, wore #45, DDB
Stransky, Robert J., CU: played for Denver in 1960, wore #22, HB
Stuber, Tim, CSU: played (?) for Denver in 2004, wore #63, G
Sykes, Jashon, CU: played for Denver from 2003-04, wore # 57, LB
White, Jim, CSU: played for Denver in 1976, wore #78, DE
Williams, Alfred, CU: played for Denver from 1996-99, wore #91, DE
Work, Jack, Denver University: played for Denver in 1960, wore #58, DB
Wright, Lonnie, CSU: played for Denver from 1966-67, wore #42, DB
**miscellaneous debris**
Graham, Daniel, CU: played for Denver for the past two seasons, but drafted by New England, wears #89, TE
McChesney, Matt, CU: is currently on the Denver roster, but drafted by the Jets, wears #60, DT
Polumbus, Tyler, CU: is currently on the Denver roster wearing #76, T
Pears, Erik, CSU: played for Denver from 2006-07, wore #64, T
Oldenburg, Clint, CSU: is currently on the Denver roster wearing #71, T
Save, Bryan, CSU: maybe was on the Denver roster in 2006 wearing #79, DT
Van Pelt, Bradlee, CSU: was apparently only on the Denver roster in 2005, wore #11, QB
Ultimately, there are 51 past and present Denver Bronco players that attended a Colorado institution of higher learning. Thirteen logged significant time with the club, and, in my humble opinion, the important ones total four: Sam Brunelli, Rick Dennison, Matt Lepsis, and Tom Rouen. The argument could be made for Robert Anderson, and I know that Cecil Sapp is sort of a favorite, and a few labii swolled over the BVP, but going with my 4/51 suggestion -- and yes, that's all that it is, a suggestion -- a seven percent success ratio isn't doing anyone any favors.
7 comments:
Hmm. I don't know how this reflects on anyone's drafting ability--most of these guys were either drafted by another team or signed as free agents.
But you should add to the list of positive contributors: Alfred Williams, who was a high first-round pick and played on two Super Bowl champions, John Keyworth, who was a contributor during the first SB and recorded the "Make Those Miracles Happen" song, Ronnie Bradford, who was a solid special teamer and Perry Smith, who used to live next door to me in Fort Collins.
It's true, you're including a lot of riff-raff that skews your numbers. Every team signs lots and lots of players for camps and practice squads--most of these gents get cut without ever sniffing a 53-man roster or a regular-season game.
My guess is that if you took the total number of players signed by any given team over a stretch of time, then filtered it down to see who made "important" contributions or had lengthy stints with the club, you'd end up at about...seven per cent.
It doesn't reflect on anyone's drafting ability, thus "Pick," as in, we pick you to play for our team. And obviously, there are thousands of guys that get signed to teams and are cut before the regular season, or are practice-squad lifers, but it always seems that clubs will squeeze in someone that went to school locally, and it almost never pans out, especially with the Chiefs, who'll we look at next year. Just trying to compare the two histories, not really making any bold or staggering statements.
*next week
Not even one Skyhawk?
Interesting notion--has a Skyhawk/Raider ever actually stuck in the league?
I remember a few old pictures of dudes from the early '80s in the gym who had made it as free agents (I think). But has anyone from THE FLC ever made a career in the NFL?
http://www.databasefootball.com/players/bycollege.htm?sch=Fort+Lewis+College
Four guys.
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