By Dave Bruning It is very rare for a professional athlete to retire on their own terms. Too often the athlete is holding on for a paycheck while nursing a broken down body. John Elway and Rocky Marciano are notable exceptions to the rule. Champ Bailey of the Denver Broncos is coming home to retire,… read more
Tag Archives: nfl
The Champ Retires in Style
A Lonely Ride into a Bronco Orange Sunset
By Dave Bruning I was terribly saddened by the news of Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen relinquishing all control of his football team. Bowlen has been battling Alzheimer’s disease and can no longer effectively manage the Broncos. Bowlen now begins a lonely journey into what should be a beautiful Bronco orange sunset. Even worse, he… read more
Johnny Football
By Dave Bruning Sports break almost as many hearts as the girl next door. No city has been jilted more than Cleveland, Ohio. The Drive, the Fumble, the Mistake by the Lake, the Decision, Art Modell and LeBron James. That girl next door seems pretty damn nice by comparison. Johnny Manziel, aka Johnny Football, is… read more
I Just Need a Hug
By Dave Bruning I was lying in bed last night scrolling through Facebook. Social media creates such bad habits. Yet, given the opportunity, redemption is just a moment away. A wonderful post by a friend of mine provided redemption and inspired the thought process for this blog. The post, courtesy of Ricky Newman, is as… read more
The Free Agency Savvy of John Elway
By Dave Bruning John Elway is quickly developing a reputation as football’s version of EF Hutton. When he talks to NFL free agents, they listen. Not only that they quickly sign their names on the dotted line of a lucrative NFL contract. Elway’s latest free agent haul includes DeMarcus Ware, Aquib Talib and TJ Ward. … read more
Late Night Television
By Dave Bruning It’s late. These hours are not unusual for me as a bartender. I am fortunate tonight as I got to see my wife and daughter when I got home; they were both up too late for my liking but it made my night to see them. I usually unwind with a bite… read more
The Beauty of Rivalries
By Dave Bruning Sports are defined by rivalries. Ali vs. Frazier, Borg vs. McEnroe, Boston vs. New York and Ohio St. vs. Michigan come to mind. The opportunity to match greatness at the highest level of sports is rare. Great rivalries raise the level of athletic performance. In turn, athletic moments are created that live… read more
The Plague of Bullying
By Dave Bruning Bullying is the use of force, threat or coercion to abuse, intimidate or aggressively impose domination over others. It’s not a pretty word and the actual act is even uglier. Yet the plague of bullying is a common aspect of everyday life, as the NFL has recently reminded us. Johnathan Martin of… read more
Open Mouth, Insert Foot
By Dave Bruning I don’t think there is a single person who hasn’t had a moment where they uttered something they regretted. It’s the classic case of open mouth, insert foot here syndrome. Nobody is more familiar with the ugly ramifications of poorly chosen words than Riley Cooper of the Philadelphia Eagles. Cooper was caught… read more