The Broncos 2008 schedule including game times and television stations that will be airing the game. Download it, study it, and start getting excited for Aug. 9th when the Broncos take the field again.

There’s not much going on in Broncos country this week. Former Pro Bowl guard Mark Schlereth (a.k.a. Stinky) now endorses the state of Colorado’s staple food, green chile. His “Stinkin Good Green Chili” hit shelves today in 120 supermarkets around the state.

The cocaine possession charge against DT Marcus Thomas was dropped by Florida prosecutors. 

Toby Peterson of the Dallas Stars feels for Jay Cutler. Peterson also has Type I diabetes and says that Cutler will be able to play through it. He says that Cutler will be able to handle it better now than if he had found out about his condition when he was a child.

 “He’s more mature and maybe he’s able to adapt a little quicker because of the life knowledge he has…When you’re a kid, you’re still learning about life in general and that was just one more thing for me to have to get over, learn about.”

 Cutler is a busy man these days trying to boost his marketing appeal and raise money for many notable charities like Dedicated to Diabetes and Mount Saint Vincent Home. He recently appeared on the Today Show, and will be playing in a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe.

The Angry T compiled a list of “The Top Hilarious Bad Athlete Commercials,” and John Elway’s Wsyi Wyg commercial came in at the #9 spot. Next to the clip, Angry T says, “I watched this commercial several times and I still don’t know if this entire commercial was about John Elway’s wiener.”

You be the judge:

 Mike Shanahan’s son, Kyle Shanahan, 28, has a good sense of humor. As we know, Mike was fired by Al Davis and the Raiders four games into his second coaching season, but Kyle said that he would consider a head coaching job with the Raiders should the opportunity arise. “Well, that might be fun. Then, I might be able to do something my father couldn’t–get along with Al.”  

Kyle is the youngest offensive coordinator in the league today. As a coach with the Houston Texans, and a guy that as a kid, used to run fly patterns next to Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey in the summer, he knows how hard it is to be a head coach in the NFL. To land a stable job in the NFL requires time, effort, and most of all, patience. Kyle learned that lesson as a youngster because his father’s job forced him to move six times by the age of 15. 

Like Mike, Kyle started working in the league at a young age. He was just 24 years old when he became an offensive assistant with Tampa Bay in 2004. Mike jumped into the league at 32 years old with a job as an offensive coordinator with the Broncos. Kyle’s parents urged him to pursue a different career when he was younger. His mother, Peggy, says “He’s a real good arguer, so when he was real young, we started saying, ‘lawyer,’ and pushing in that direction.” However, Kyle always knew what his calling was.

Mike says that he was 38 before he had the knowledge that Kyle has right now. Kyle is not worried about his age either. He says, “people make a big deal about it, but personally, I feel my age is my No. 1 asset. If you don’t know what you’re doing and players realize that, it doesn’t matter how old you are, it’s going to be miserable for you.”

I have a feeling that we will be seeing a Shanahan on the sidelines for many years to come.

H/T: Rocky Mountain News

Check out this interview with OT Ryan Clady, the Broncos #1 pick in this year’s draft. Clady doesn’t think he’s going to the Broncos (the interview was conducted before the draft), and he claims that he is a choir boy. Let’s hope he speaks the truth, so that he doesn’t get swallowed up by Denver’s nightlife scene which has been harmful to several Broncos players in the past.  

Jay Cutler’s recent diabetes diagnosis has made headlines across Broncos country this week. Cutler reported to training camp last year weighing 238 lbs, but finished the season at 203 lbs. Cutler says that he doesn’t like doctors or trainers and tries to stay away from them as much as possible, which made his condition difficult to diagnose. He even admits that some of his throws didn’t have as much pop as they should have. Now, that he is being treated with insulin injections, his performance should improve dramatically next season.  This could be a good thing for Cutler and the Broncos.

It is almost like being born into royalty. You didn’t have a choice in it, but luck found you anyway. That’s the way the Broncos 5th round pick, Torain Train, must feel. You can’t help but succeed in the Broncos running scheme if your a descent back. The only thing Train must do is stay healthy. The former Arizona State tailback averaged 6.8 yards per carry during his first season in Tempe, but was hampered by injuries his entire collegiate career. He fell in the draft for that reason, but people seem to think that he has first round talent. Mike Shanahan has decided to take a chance on the guy, which is a smart move. Shanahan has taken a chance on many backs including Terrell Davis, Mike Anderson (6th round picks), and Olandis Gary (4th round).

Ryan Clady claims that he is now somewhere between 318 and 320 lbs, and he will still dunk on you. However, thankfully, basketball is not his sport. Clady turned to football at the age of 13 when his mother suffered a massive heart attack and died. He quit playing football at the age of 10 because he was tired of being forced to cut weight, but with the passing of his mother he took it up again in high school. It’s a good thing he did because he was the 2nd OT picked in this year’s draft, and the first ever player from Boise State to be drafted in the first round.

Eddie Royal is a bright guy. He has been studying tape of the Bears’ Devin Hester ever since Hester played in college at Miami. Hopefully, that time in front of the tube pays dividends for our new punt/kick returner (DenverPost.com). Last year at Virginia Tech, he racked up 33 catches for 496 yards and 4 TDs. His numbers at receiver are not all that impressive, but his speed is. Like Shanahan said, “anytime you take a kickoff and punt returner, you really don’t have to teach that.”

For a look at the other seven players that the Broncos took in the draft, click here.

The Good

- Roger Goodell’s decision to speed up the draft. It was nice getting the first round over with in 3.5 hours instead of the 6 hour marathon that we had to endure last year.

- Mike Shanahan’s proclamation that Ryan Clady “will start at left tackle the day he comes in” (Denver Post). That’s confidence in a rookie that Shanahan doesn’t usually show.

- No one had to suffer from Brady Quinn/Aaron Rodgers syndrome. All six players that were invited to New York were the top six picks in the draft.

The Bad

- The Chiefs just got a whole lot better. With the additions of Glenn Dorsey, Branden Albert, and Brandon Flowers, they could give the Broncos some problems this season.

- Teams were moving all over the board with eight trades in the first round. Go to the bathroom and to the fridge for a beer and you could miss your team’s pick.

The Ugly

- Jets’ fans reacting to drafting TE Dustin Keller in the first round:

The Weird

- Jonathan Stewart’s quote on his running ability: “I’m explosive, a power runner, North and South - more North” (Yahoo Sports). The Panthers are screwed.

Broncos Breakdown

The Broncos have only made two selections thus far, and I’ve already covered Ryan Clady, so let’s talk about their 2nd round (42nd overall) pick. They went with WR Eddie Royal from Virginia Tech. At 5′9”, 184 lbs, Royal is not the typical big receiver that most teams are after these days, but don’t underestimate his guy. He put up 24 reps on the bench press at the combine which was most out of any receiver invited. He also clocked a 4.39 in the 40 yard dash and leaped 36 inches while at the vertical jump station. The Broncos brought him in as a punt returner and a backup WR anyway, so don’t get too down on this pick. He should put on a good show in 2008.

OT Ryan Clady will stay a Bronco. He comes from Boise State and at 6′6”, 310 lbs he will use his size to protect Jay Cutler’s blindside.  This pick will result in a happy QB and some big numbers from our receivers. A quick look at Clady: