Author: Woody Paige
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Woody Paige: Making sense of Broncos’ web of ownership
The Broncos and Denver met their new public trustees Wednesday. The franchise’s principal owner, and the richest owner in the NFL, told me he never has seen his team play in person, and he will miss all three exhibitions against the Cowboys, the Bills and the Vikings. Samuel Robson Walton, who turns 78 on Oct.…
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Woody Paige: Walton family should be so fortunate to be getting Broncos from the Bowlens
The price of football on the old city dump west of downtown Denver has risen exponentially over 63 years. In August 1959, the Howsam family paid $25,000 for the Denver professional football franchise. In August 2022, the Walton family is paying $4.65 billion for the franchise. In between, a group of five Denver businessmen paid…
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Woody Paige: Patrick injury reminds Broncos of stakes involved
Tim Patrick didn’t deserve his misfortune, especially when his wife is about to have a baby. And the Broncos certainly can’t suffer more injury adversity, particularly at a critical position such as wide receiver, if they are to be relevant in the NFL this season. Patrick, who suffered a knee injury earlier this week, has…
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Woody Paige: Hackett makes a memorable first-timer impression
The coach in the hat is omnipresent at Broncos training camp. And he has introduced the Hackett Hat — a floppy camouflage bald-head covering with a Broncos logo, often referred to as a bucket, a boonie or a bush cap. I asked him off to the side if somebody paid him to wear it. “I really like…
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Woody Paige: Broncos’ first day has wonders, big and small
The opening day of Broncos training camp was spectacular, although the crowd at Dove Valley was smallish. Montrell Washington was both. Advertised generously as 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, the Broncos’ rookie slot receiver caught a touchdown pass on a crossing pattern from “Backup Brett”’ Rypien, then later caught a compliment from starting quarterback Russell Wilson. Wilson…
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Woody Paige: Broncos join NFL teams with women in ownership roles
Pat Bowlen anticipated 13 years ago that a woman would succeed him. He believed middle daughter (of five) Brittany Bowlen, then 19 and a student-athlete at Notre Dame, someday would be the Broncos’ primary owner. In a May 1, 2009, state-of-the-franchise exclusive interview, Bowlen told me: “My health is excellent for a guy my age…
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Woody Paige: Are princely pitchers the Rockies’ magic spell?
In the tradition of frogs and princes, the Rockies drafted 223 pitchers from 2010 to 2019 and found seven semi-quality major league starters. The odds of ending up with a Kyle Freeland (44-47), a Jon Gray (53-49), a Chad Bettis (31-31) or even an Eddie Butler (6-16 over three seasons with the Rox) or a…
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Woody Paige: This season will be George Paton’s chance to shine as GM for the Denver Broncos
The Waltons Et al. will own the franchise, but the Broncos are George Paton’s team. Nobody will be giving Paton football marching orders. Not Joe Ellis or the other two Broncos trustees. Never again will former president of football operations John Elway rule over Paton. No chance of Brittany Bowlen or any other members of…
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Woody Paige: Broncos’ ownership group member Condoleezza Rice, Ring of Famer Rick Upchurch now share another bond
Condoleezza Rice added to new Broncos ownership group9News The new illustrious associate of the Broncos’ ownership collaborative ensemble once was engaged to the team’s greatest combination returner-receiver-running back. He was selected to four Pro Bowls and two NFL All-Decade teams in the 1970s and ’80s. She was United States national security advisor from 2001-2005, then…
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Woody Paige: Former Bronco Randy Gradishar, as well as Dan Reeves and Mike Shanahan, deserve to be Hall of Famers
Indubitably, Randy Gradishar, Dan Reeves and Mike Shanahan deserve Canton canonization. But, despite being selected as 2023 semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the three Broncos icons will be busted again. Unless a hard-charging Broncos’ Canton can-do taskforce reacts. When the 54 players, coaches and contributors candidates were announced Thursday, the Hall’s senior…