Smile High: The Wonderful Weekend That Was for Colorado Sports

Sometimes the planets align, or an eclipse happens, or a beautiful comet streaks by and we get a quick look see. This weekend was like that for Colorado sports fans, as many of their teams took the field and won.

 

Colorado Rockies win two, widen wild card lead

This weekend, the Rockies played the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Colorado clobbered Arizona in Phoenix. During Saturday’s contest, the Rockies got a solid pitching performance from Jason Hammel (9-8) as he went seven innings with three runs given up off of four hits while punching out five.

But the performer of the game was Jason Giambi, as he hit his first home run with the Rockies during a five-run ninth inning that put Colorado up 10-4.

Following the game Manager Jim Tracy said, “With the way things have been going offensively, as frequently as it has of late, you ask yourself the question, ‘Is this going to come back to haunt us?’ Tonight, we followed it up with a terrific ninth inning and did put it away.”

Sunday, the game was much dependent upon the pitching side of the game, as Ubaldo Jimenez whiffed eight batters over seven innings and only gave up one run. Jimenez was his usual hittable self early on, but domineering as he got into the flow of the game.

“That’s what I’ve learned about me; probably in the first two innings, I’m never as sharp as the game gets going,” said Jimenez. But as he got into the heat of a game with playoff implications on the line, Ubaldo sat down an amazing 12 straight batters at one point in the game.

With the wins coupled with a San Francisco loss Sunday, the Rockies lock on the wild card lead is about as solid as the Rocky Mountains themselves at four-and-a-half games over the Giants.

 

Broncos improve to 2-and-Ohio by beating the Browns

After McJaygate, Brandon Marshall’s tirade, and the team being basically overhauled, many Broncos fans were wary to say the least about how the team would fare this season. Well, things have begun well, as Denver’s NFL team is undefeated through two weeks.

In all, the offense looked improved over the first week, but not exactly proficient. Given that, the Broncos gained almost 450 yards on offense, and Kyle Orton played relatively well with 263 yards and threw a touchdown as well.

The Broncos pulled out the win 27-6 and looked solid if not somewhat impressive.

Following the game, Josh McDaniels said, “I think we have had confidence since really we started training camp. I think when you win on the road in this league it is tough, and that certainly can help your confidence level.

“We are not an overconfident football team, and we know we have got a long way to go and a lot of improvements to make.”

 

Colorado State Rams improve to 3-0, Air Force wins and is 2-1, and even CU got a victory

The Colorado State Rams (3-0) won in impressive fashion over the Nevada Wolf Pack (0-2) 35-20 in their second home game of 2009. They reached 3-0 for the first time since 1994 and have received votes in each national poll for the third straight week now.

Against Nevada, CSU moved the ball effectively up and down the field while creating turnovers as well, as they started up 14-0 and led 20-6 at one point.

Next up for the Rams is a tough in-conference opponent in No. 19 BYU in Provo, Utah, on Saturday.

The Air Force Falcons (2-1) won 37-13 versus New Mexico Lobos (0-3) in Colorado Springs on Saturday behind four forced turnovers. Air Force was up as much as 17-0 before New Mexico scored its first offensive touchdown of the season, one that broke a 15 quarter drought.

And finally, even the lowly CU Buffs (1-2) got a victory 24-0 over the Wyoming Cowboys (1-2) this weekend.

CU had been demoralized in their first two games of the season, and this win was much needed for them to at least gain some confidence coming into their Big 12 schedule.

The Buffaloes won behind a strong 127 running yards and two touchdowns behind Rodney Stewart. The Colorado defense only allowed Wyoming three first downs on the day.

 

So, as this wild and wonderful weekend comes to a close, there is nothing like the feeling you get when all your teams have won.

It’s like the planets all aligned for Colorado sports for the past few days, let’s all hope this great play lasts longer than a cosmic anomaly the teams can continue their winning ways.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Broncos-Browns: Denver Goes 2-0 in Commanding Victory over Cleveland

The Denver Broncos had their home opener Sunday, as they drew the Cleveland Browns in the second contest in a row against an Ohio football team, defeating them 27-6.

Mike Nolan’s 3-4 defense seems to be adapting quite well as they all but shut down the Bengals’ potent offense in Week One and much was the same Sunday as Denver basically shut down Cleveland’s offense as well.

But the Browns’ offense is more dilapidated than domineering, as they have been ranked 32nd in the NFL in almost every important offensive category since November of 2008.

The Broncos defense was stellar, but it could just be a house of cards built upon sorry opposition. Sure, Denver only allowed 200 total yards of offense by the Browns (after allowing only 307 to the Bengals), but that was behind an old and fat Jamal Lewis (38 yards) and holding a young and inexperienced Brady Quinn to a paltry 161 yards, picking him off once.

Easily the star of the defense was Elvis Dumervil. The converted lineman to linebacker had a career-high four sacks versus Cleveland and seems to be enjoying it so far.

“Yeah, I guess I’m a linebacker now,” he said. “It’s fun, though. I get to play linebacker and I still get to do what I love—rush the passer. I’ve found my niche. It makes me a complete player.”

The fact of the matter remains that the ’09 Broncos defense is like the new Cowboys’ stadium fire escapes—untested. What will the Broncos do against some of the better offenses in New England, Pittsburgh, or Philly? What is encouraging though is that Denver’s D is ranked fourth in yards per game and second overall in points given up per game as they have only allowed one touchdown.

The offense on the other hand, was anemic at best in Week One, but rather fruitful on Sunday at home. The ground game was good as Correll Buckhalter had 76 yards on nine carries, the biggest an explosive 45-yard touchdown romp in the third quarter.

Josh McDaniels’ play-calling was dynamic with 449 total yards, including 263 passing by Kyle Orton. Denver also racked up 25 first downs compared to Cleveland’s 11, and went 8-15 on third downs. The young coach couldn’t really be happier, but you couldn’t tell from some post-game quotes.

“I think that our guys understand that there are a lot of things that we want to fix and a lot of things we want to improve on, which, I think, is really where most teams in the league are right now. You are never at your peak after Week One. Our players saw that on the film on Monday, and we have got to get better.”

And including his great play-calling, the young coach has a deep desire to improve on a week-to-week basis, which is very promising indeed. The Broncos are (shh!) rebuilding, the word with a million negative connotations in sports. The best ideology to have with a team in the situation is to attempt to cultivate a team-first mentality, and to progress in any and all areas possible.

Really though, in the big picture of things, the Broncos are 2-0 now after winning 27-6 over Cleveland. Also, Denver is leading the AFC West heading into Oakland.

The Raiders have looked surprisingly decent so far in 2009, taking the Chargers down to the wire, and winning a grind-it-out battle against the Chiefs today. So, any writers that predicted Denver would easily sweep the Raiders this year would find himself terribly mistaken.

Well, I know there is a reason this is a rivalry, both teams play each other as hard as possible no matter what the records of either team are. The point is, the Broncos find a difficult opponent in Oakland next week and are likely already preparing for them. Denver plays the Raiders on Sunday the 27th at 2:15 p.m. MDT.

 

Notes

Broncos great Shannon Sharpe was inducted into the Ring of Fame at Invesco Field at Mile High during halftime of today’s game, that was after he parachuted in before kickoff. He is currently a finalist for becoming an NFL Hall-of-Famer with his own bronze bust in Canton, Ohio in 2010…McDaniels beat Eric Mangini today, another Bill Belichick disciple…Knowshon Moreno looked healthy rushing for 75 yards on 17 carries and also caught two passes for 22 yards as well.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Injury Bug Bites Broncos Hard, Early Again, Could Be Denver’s Downfall

Three big-name offensive players were hurt on Sunday, in Kyle Orton, Eddie Royal, and Chris Kuper—OK maybe Kuper isn’t the biggest name on the list, but his production was huge last year as he started all 16 games.

But in Royal, who is currently the No. 1 receiver, and especially Orton, the newly acquired quarterback, the Broncos will suffer if either are out for an extended period of time.

Royal and Kuper seem to be fine, but there is no telling for sure from the Broncos due to Josh McDaniels’ hiding the true nature of the injuries calling them simply “lower” and “upper extremity injuries.” So now, a shroud of mystery cloaks injuries in Denver.

Though, according to Fox 31 Denver, two sources revealed that Kuper “has just a high ankle sprain.” Royal reentered the game, an indication that he should be OK.

As for Orton, while the injury was described as “not fractured” by two league sources, it was severely dislocated and teammates could reportedly hear Orton scream as it was popped back into place. According to Pro Football Talk, Orton’s bone was so badly dislocated it sliced through his flesh, from the inside.

Orton’s injury could be the most serious concern, as he has already been named the starter by McDaniels. And backup QB Chris Simms injured an ankle last week against the Seahawks, and his timetable for return is two to four weeks. Because of his injury, rookie Tom Brandstater was forced into the starter’s role for the entire second half Sunday.

Remarkably, two more Broncos were injured in the past week, fullback Peyton Hillis had his knee banged on the ground hard when he was tackled against the Bears. He didn’t seem too hurt though, and should be fine.

Also, No. 3 receiver Jabbar Gaffney broke the thumb on his left hand last Friday, and his timetable for return is four to six weeks.

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Beyond those big names, there are numerous others injured, or at least hurt as well. First-round draft pick and favorite at starting running back, Knowshon Moreno, injured his knee in the first preseason game. According to Fox 31 again, he returned to practice today, and the team is hopeful he will return in time for the Sept. 13 season opener against Cincinnati.

Big-time free agent signee, Brian Dawkins, broke his hand in training camp, and finally got his first football action this Sunday. Champ Bailey pulled a groin in this preseason, a big scare as he missed seven games last year due to the same injury. Luckily he was OK and continued to play, and was in top shape again Sunday.

Finally, at the end of this huge list, LaMont Jordan has an injury in the metatarsal area of his foot, which sounds familiar to a “turf toe.”

So, after losing a ridiculous seven running backs to the Injured Reserve list in ‘08, Denver’s four best runners are already hurt in ’09. Add in the loss of Ryan Torrain to the IR and cut from the team, and it’s five for the Broncos.

Sad but true, if you look at it this way, with Orton, Royal, Kuper, Moreno, and Hillis hurt, and Brandon Marshall a huge question mark, the Broncos have more starters out of the lineup than in it.

Though, there is a ray of sunshine still creeping over the rocky mountains, as the sun has not set on Denver’s season before it has began, yet. Perhaps the most promising news about almost all of the aforementioned injuries is that most are not too severe and many of the players will be ready for the season opener in two weeks. Although, in some instances, it seems more like well-wishing by the Broncos’ franchise rather than the real facts.

Basically though, the Broncos should be OK, and even if they miss a starter or two in Cincinnati, if they are back in Week Two or Three, then Denver fans will be able to breathe easy again. At receiver, the Broncos are deep, so Marshall and Gaffney don’t necessarily mean downfall for Denver. Likewise, as long as the Broncos can get some production out of two of their four best running backs, they should be fine. But if Orton misses time making Brandstater the starter, and Denver misses Marshall and Gaffney, and Moreno and Hillis, it would almost certainly spell the complete and utter downfall for Denver in 2009.

In all, the Broncos will not be competing for the Super Bowl this year likely, and if there was ever a good time for the injury bug to bite, 2009 seems to be the best one.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Denver Broncos Have Scary Moments During Haunted Dress Rehearsal

The Broncos came out to the third game of the preseason, unarguably the most significant, as it is the precursor to the regular season, the dress rehearsal if you will.

Denver came out to the game, in the team and fan aspects alike, as it was “Jay Day” as reported by Lindsay Jones of The Denver Post reported, the day in which disgruntled Broncos fans gathered in a Golden bar (that is ironically a Chicago themed one) to destroy Jay Cutler jerseys. Denver was represented well in the stands as fans booed and gave some Mile High Thunder during almost all of Cutler’s drives.

On the field, the Broncos showed up strong early, as they forced the Bears into two straight three-and-outs, before holding Chicago to only a field goal on their only decent drive of the first quarter.

Denver too was held to three three-and-outs in their first four drives and the offense was ineffective to say the least early. On the second punt of the second quarter, Devin Hester and the Bears made the Broncos’ special teams unit look silly, as he took the punt down to the Denver three yard line.

Chicago punched it in from there, took the lead 10-3, and never looked back. The Bears won 27-17 when all was said and done.

Likely the best drive of the night for the Bears, and worst for the Broncos offense, came with five minutes left in the first half and Chicago backed up to their own two yard line. Cutler directed an amazing drive, in which he passed for 86 of the 98 yards, including the touchdown that led to the score.

And while the Bears looked decently effective on offense, the Broncos stumbled down the field, and had many scares on the injury front.

Starting guard Chris Kuper, current No. 1 receiver Eddie Royal, Correll Buckhalter, and Peyton Hillis all sustained injuries that were disclosed so cryptically from the Broncos, that it’s hard to say how hurt any really are.

The scariest of the night was Kyle Orton’s lacerated pointer finger on his throwing hand, one that was cut eerily on a rushing defensive lineman’s hand. Denver did at least disclose that the finger was not broken or dislocated, although it was still worrisome to see the starting QB taken out of the game before McDaniels wanted him out.

In all, Orton still had an adequate night, as he went 12-for-16 for 96 yards. But Cutler outshined him in the game, as he passed 15-for-21 with 144 yards and a touchdown. Tom Brandstater, who was called on to play the entire second half, also played well going 8-for-12 with 110 yards.

For the Broncos, Buckhalter looked strong, rushing nine times for 37 yards, and Royal was speedy as usual grabbing five passes for 44 yards. Hillis backed up well at running back, and had seven carries for 24 yards and a touchdown. Also, rookie Eddie McKinley might have earned a spot in Denver’s deep receiving corps with a four catch, 75 yard outing.

In all, Denver played a fierce opponent to Chicago, which is a good sign for the Broncos overall. The Bears look to be playing for a playoff spot, and will be one of the better teams in the NFC North this year. And the biggest question surrounding this game is whether or not all the players that were hurt are injured, or just dinged up.

If any, let alone all will miss a significant amount of time, it will damage the Broncos plans for the current year.

Denver knows it is in the midst of rebuilding and retooling for a new regime, but it can still steal away some games, and will have a solid year even with all the controversy that has surrounded them in this offseason.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Brandon Marshall Loses Trust in Team: Anyone Else Tired of Broncos Sagas?

Just in from the AP, Brandon Marshall has reportedly lost trust with the Denver Broncos, apparently because of how the front office has handled his new acquittal from domestic abuse charges.

Someone in the public relations department told Marshall’s Broncos teammates not to gloat over the acquittal, but instead to say that they are “happy to have it all behind them so the team can move on”—something that has obviously upset the young disgruntled receiver.

Brandon “Baby TO” Marshall is saying in turn, that he believes this move to hush teammates has come from higher up in the organization, and has “fostered distrust between him and the team.”

Does this sound familiar?

Who does this Marshall think he is, Jay Cutler?

As day after day of this saga continues, it bears more and more resemblance to what Cutler did, as a way to leverage his way out of Denver.

Cutler demanded a trade, before Josh McDaniels was hired and Jeremy Bates was fired, then backed down. Then he demanded another trade, lost communication with the team, and continued a long, drawn out media circus that has national media members looking at the Broncos with black and silver tinted glasses.

And here we go again, or have gone again I suppose. As we pass a month of day-in, day-out coverage of everything Marshall, there is nothing to report, besides how he feels mentally from day-to-day.

Marshall now “distrusts” the team, just as Cutler said he did, but “Baby TO’s” distrust is unfounded, illogical, and yet another scheme he’s trying to use to vacate the mile high city.

First he demanded a trade, which was turned down by the Broncos, because “he doesn’t feel comfortable with the medical staff.” Then, after not showing for voluntary workouts, Marshall did show when it was mandatory, only to “injure” his hamstring. I say “injure” because I believe he was faking the injury as a way to legally sit out of practice without hurting his image more.

Now, when someone in the FO tells teammates not to gloat about his acquittal, Marshall loses trust with Denver? Why?

Think about it Brandon, you have been in trouble over a dozen times since 2006, and if you were found guilty you would have lost playing time this year. So, it’s a good move from the franchise’s standpoint to not have lots of their players joking around about a serious situation in domestic abuse.

But that’s the problem with “Baby TO,” he won’t, at this point I’d even venture can’t think about anyone else but himself. He is completely selfish, and it shows again here.

He doesn’t care about the women he’s beaten, doesn’t care what the Broncos want because he wants to be traded, and he doesn’t care if he’s a liability as a player and citizen with all these arrests, Marshall just wants to get paid.

Well, guess what Brandon? You don’t get to get paid. You don’t get to leave Denver, unless this deal the Jets are proposing is tempting enough. You don’t get to gloat after physically and verbally assaulting women.

Are these notions really that hard to understand?

All this makes me think of something I learned in Rhetoric and Civility, a college class I took; Brandon Marshall needs to read Civility, by Stephen L. Carter.

Carter says, “To be civil in our society is to imagine we are a passenger on a train, not in our own car.” When we’re on a train, we must stand for others, move, and squeeze in for them, and we must be let off at stops, which may not be exactly where we want to go.

So, my advice to Brandon Marshall is this: Either get on the train, or the Broncos will send you packing on a plane. By the way, did you see where Cutler is now? Denver did that on purpose, and they could find a team without a QB relatively easily.

Denver Broncos’ Kyle Orton Looks Bad, But Cutler Struggles In Debut Too

The Broncos marched out onto the field and for the first time, they did so under youngest coach in Denver history Josh McDaniels.

Expectations were high. Many fans took McDaniels on his word and morals that the Broncos would be improved from last year, even on the offensive end, while losing a Pro Bowl QB.

The Broncos first drive of the night was decent, shoot, it was pretty darn good. Denver started on their own 27 and marched methodically down the field to the five yard line.

The drive was good for 13 plays and 69 yards and gobbled up 6:57 of game time, but it culminated in an interception. That’s something that happened all too often the last couple of years in Denver.

The second drive saw a ball forced into an unopen receiver for another pick. Then, during the third drive, it only took Orton three plays to get his third interception of the game. In all, Orton finished going 9-16 for 89 yards and three picks.

This performance brought memories of Brian Griese, Jake Plummer, and heaven forbid, even John Elway. People too easily forget that Elway struggled his whole career with interceptions, but he could also recover from them and pull out wins.

Orton’s struggles has likely brought panic to Denver fans, as many want Cutler back, but he was not strong in his opening performance either.

Jay Cutler threw a pick in his second drive with Chicago, and he nearly had another that would have gone for six easily, but the Bills’ defender could not hang onto a ball that Cutler forced into triple coverage. That’s something he did so many times in Denver the past few years.

Cutler though was saved by a fumbled punt by a Bills’ player, which gave the Bears’ offense great field position. He then made a nice pass to an open Clark. Cutler was forced into the third-down situation on the five yard line, and attempted to force a ball into double coverage, that could have been picked as well.

Cutler’s night finished as 5-10 with 64 yards and in interception.

 

What’s interesting is the fact that both second-string QBs played better than their starters—though there is only one quarterback controversy, and it’s in Denver.

Chris Simms came in and played quite well, going 11-17 for 142 yards and two touchdowns. He commanded the offense and the 49ers defense, although it was the second-stringers.

Colorado State University Alumn Caleb Hanie, Chicago’s backup, went 8-11 for 87 yards and a touchdown—which came on a bootleg toss while getting hit.

Following the “nightmareish” performance by Orton though, Denver coach Josh McDaniels backed his starting quarterback.

“I feel very confident where we’re at,” McDaniels said after the game. “He made a few mistakes, but we’re not going to go into this thing after the first preseason game and start tailspinning and doing this and that and making knee-jerk reactions.”

And when asked about losing the starting job, Orton said, “I’m not worried about it, I’ve got a lot of confidence in me, and my team has a lot of confidence in me.”

If he does want to keep the spot, he must have a better performance next week.

And either way, Simms showed he deserves at least a few series with the first string offense.

 

Breaking News: Brandon Marshall Found Not Guilty in Battery Case

This just in from the AP, an Atlanta jury has found the Denver Broncos’ wide receiver Brandon Marshall not guilty of misdemeanor battery.

The jury deliberated for around an hour before coming to the verdict on Marshall’s two accounts of simple battery, and came back with a “not guilty” for the young NFL star.

This is a good sign for a guy that has gotten an extreme amount of flak for on and off the field troubles—now the weight of this particular run-in with the law is not on his shoulders or clouding his mind.

Will this experience finally be the one to wake Marshall up? The one that makes him realize how precious and fragile his NFL career is?

Sure, this would not have ended Marshall’s career, but Roger Goodell affirmed that the Broncos’ 2008 leader in catches, yards, and touchdowns would have been suspended in 2009. It would have likely kept him out of four-to-eight games, but now he is free to play in all 16.

That is, as long as Marshall doesn’t go out and celebrates this verdict with wild partying in a night club, or heaven forbid, a strip club.

Brandon Marshall has expressed that he doesn’t want to be in Denver, and if he wants to stay in the NFL all together, he must keep his nose clean. Marshall can’t expect to continue to get let off the hook. If he continues this misbehavior, he will be found guilty eventually if he doesn’t straighten up.

It’s a shame that Marshall is likely the best player on the Broncos currently and is labeled as one of the “bad guys” of the NFL—one bad apple that spoils the whole bunch.

Marshall is your typical, “I think I’m better than everyone else” type of NFL player, who is out for big money and enjoys taking plays off—which could result into him not making it to Canton one day.

Think about all the times Champ Bailey has been in the news for a run-in with the law. Or how about players like Eddie Royal, DJ Williams, or Brian Dawkins. These are examples of great men in the NFL, people that are humble, yet stars, and some will likely make it to the hallowed hall one day.

If Marshall doesn’t learn from other, better teammates, to just shut up and play, then this will likely be the end of “Baby T.O.” in the Broncos B & O (Blue and Orange).

 

We Loathe Marshall: Does Depth Chart Drop Mean Brandon Marshall’s Denver Exit?

Brandon Marshall, after missing the first two days of full-team practice with a hamstring injury he sustained during his second day in Dove Valley, has been moved on the depth chart.

Marshall is no longer the No. 1 receiver on the Broncos, heck he’s not even on the first team now.

Second year phenom Eddie Royal has taken the No. 1 receiver spot, with veterans Brandon Stokely and Jabar Gaffney following him respectively.

This move may not just be due to injury though, it may act as a precursor, to the very near future.

Foreshadowing in the drama blockbuster that is Brandon Marshall’s playing career, and really, whole life. 

Marshall was moved off the starting string yesterday, which could be seen in a few different ways.

First, he’s just injured, and since he won’t be practicing, it’s a good way to get the other guys comfortable in those spots. Especially if Marshall misses significant time during the season.

Second, Marshall was taken off the roster because he’s hurt and has a court date coming up on Thursday. If Marshall is found guilty, he will likely miss a good part of the season, up to eight games, which again gets the next guys in line playing time at their new positions—and learning the new routes and formations that come with McDaniels’ arrival.

Third, and most intriguing, this move of Marshall from No. 1 overall receiver to second-stringer signifies the Broncos possibly shopping the disgruntled  receiver around. Maybe McDaniels is fed up with Marshall’s “injury,” brashness, and likely inability to learn the multitude of plays put in front of him.

Brandon Marshall is a superb talent, but is he worth it?

Is he worth all this negative media attention, in a year Denver has already been shelled by the national and local media alike? Is he worth the “rockstar” attitude that he and many other prima donna NFL receivers bring with them? Is he worth the fumbles, plays taken off, and weak work ethic?

Perhaps yesterday in Dove Valley McD and CO. finally thought, “no.” Or perhaps Marshall just needs a few days rest.

I may be paranoid, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Marshall is gone in the next few days.

Sorry, Raider Nation, but Here’s How the Denver Broncos Will Win the AFC West

Last night, while sitting with my roommate, I noticed he had a wallet-sized fold-out Broncos schedule, so I made sure to give it the once over.

This schedule is deceivingly difficult, as it starts and ends with relatively easy opponents, but the meat of the regular season is chock full of perennial contenders in the NFL.

For any team this would be an extremely challenging schedule, but for an organization that has had as much turnover as Denver, this lineup of challengers will be demanding to win against to say the least.

Brandon Marshall Injures Hamstring: Another Case of Marshall as Baby TO?

Today, it was reported by ESPN that Brandon Marshall injured his hamstring in the last hour of Broncos’ practice. He was attempting to run a deep sideline route.

Marshall pulled up, limped to the sideline, threw his helmet to the ground, then collapsed to the grass. He stayed on the sideline for a few minutes before being seen hobbling, ironically to the trainer’s room.

I say ironically because one of the reasons Marshall cites in wanting a trade from the Broncos is that he believes Denver’s medical staff misdiagnosed his hip injury last year, something that needed surgery during the off-season.

So, after having to worry about a hip coming off surgery, Marshall now must contend with a hamstring that could end up being a nagging injury.

One thing skill players like receivers and cornerbacks don’t need is a leg injury; see Champ Bailey and his hurt groin last year.

What really happened to Marshall?

Has he been lazy in the off-season, not working hard enough?

Or has he had to take rehab easy as to not strain the hip again?

Or, is it just Brandon Marshall acting up, being his usual “Baby T.O.” self once again?

Marshall showed up for the first day of camp Monday, but it was a move I called selfish, as he was more trying to dodge fines than show he’s a team player.

As he sulked, it was evident he didn’t want to be there, and when asked if he was happy to be with the Broncos, dodged again saying, “I’m just happy to be playing football.”

So, he showed that he’s not being completely hostile by showing up to camp, but could this be his easy way out of working with Denver?

Could he really be faking an injury in order to leverage his trade position even further?

Let’s put it this way, I wouldn’t put it passed him.

I used to think his nickname “Baby T.O.” was exciting; referring to his large size, speed, and playmaking ability. But it seems that this moniker has an ominous side as well.

Terrell Owens is one of the most bold, brash, and big-headed players in the NFL today. He creates enemies with teammates and quarterbacks, (see Donovan McNabb, Jeff Garcia) and coaches alike.

In 2007, Marshall called out Broncos’ fans for leaving early during a very rainy blowout against the Chargers, saying they, “aren’t true fans.”

Though many thought his relationship with Jay Cutler was strong, many times Cutler was seen yelling at Marshall for giving up on routes and going out of games at key moments.

Now Marshall wants a pay raise—even though he’s been doing his best Pacman Jones impersonation, having 13 run-ins with the police in the past two years—and as Denver is hesitant to pay him, Marshall has demanded to be traded.

It seems Marshall is following the route T.O. has been running for years. And if he’s not careful, “Baby T.O.” will catch one too many big hits by coaches and teammates, landing himself on a horrible team with a bad quarterback—basically exiling himself in the NFL.

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