Rick Langenberg
The grand season begins this Sunday with a bang, and then another bang.
The Denver Broncos square off against the hated, Dark Side Evil Empire, the Las Vegas Raiders, formerly known as the LA Raiders, and actually more recognized as the Oakland Raiders (do you get the opinion we don’t like the Raiders). Whatever city they hail from, they are despised in Bronco nation. (This is a team so hated that former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan once directed one of his players to hurl a ball at the head of the late Al Davis, former Raiders owner, during a pre-game warm-up session for the sake of football ethics.) In reality, this is one of the great football rivalries in the West, an event that even was celebrated locally for a number of years by two elite members of the Green Mountain Falls/Chipita Park Fire Department betting their scalps on the outcome. The loser had his head completely shaved with a barber at the premises with doors locked and no escape route permitted, at one of our infamous water holes. No names will be provided to protect the guilty.
On the upside, this rivalry will serve as an excuse to hit the mute button on local and national politics, and to kick off Fall madness in style. That is a definite relief.
Game time is 2:25 Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver. Tensions are riding high as Bronco fans are anxious to see the Sean Payton version of the Broncs and whether we will see a revived Russell Wilson as our top quarterback, or an ugly disguise of the great Russ.
If you are looking for a great and fun place to check out the action, don’t forget McGinty’s Wood Oven Pub in Divide, the “The Center of the Known Universe,” the sponsor of our fine NFL Football page and Bronco previews and a slew of predictions.
McGinty’s, with its sports bar setup and winner of many Best Of awards in the High Country, offers a prime opportunity to view nearly all of the NFL games and partake in some great game food and drink specials.
From personal experience, their award-winning Blood Mary’s and special drafts are quite a treat.
Enjoy and Go Broncos
