Denver Versus Seattle: Comparing Super Bowl Cities' Stats

Their geographic locations could not be more different.  Denver is located 5,280 feet above sea level on high rolling plains at the base of the Colorado Rocky Mountains.  Seattle is located in one of the most spectacular natural harbors of the world. But despite these physical differences, Denver and Seattle actually share much in common.

Denver                                                                        Seattle

•Founded in 1858 as gold mining camp            • Founded in 1851 as logging and fishing

                                                                                    center

•2012 population:   634,264, 23^rd largest in                 •2012 population:  634,535, 22^nd largest in

U.S.                                                                                    U.S.

•When bypassed by the transcontinental railroad,            •When bypassed by the transcontinental

Denver built its own connecting railroad                        railroad, Seattle forced its own connecting

in 1869                                                                        railroad in 1883

•Was rescued from a deep depression by                        •Was rescued from a deep depression by

the discovery of gold nearby in Cripple                        the discovery of gold nearby along the

Creek in 1890                                                                        Klondike River in Canada in 1897

•Has a history of boom & bust economies                         •Has a history of boom & bust economies

and is currently booming with eight new                         and is currently booming with aerospace,

downtown skyscrapers, 1,500 hotel rooms                         computer software, biotech, e-commerce,

and a rail line from downtown to Denver                        and international trade

International Airport all under construction

                                                  

 

•From the late 19^th to mid 20^th Century,                         •From the late 19^th to mid 20^th Century

Denver was known as “The Queen City                        Seattle was known as “The Queen City”

of the Plains”

•Has a skyline view of mountains, including                        •Has a skyline view of mountains, including

three 14,000-foot peaks (Pikes, Evans and                        one 14,000-foot peak (Rainier)

Longs)

•Has a national reputation for beer, including                        •Has a national reputation for beer, including

Coors, Great Divide, Breckenridge, Wynkoop            Red Hook, Pike and Pyramid

Has spawned many national musicians and                         Has spawned many national music groups

groups including Judy Collins, the Lumineers,              including Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, Pearl Jam

The Fray, One Republic, and the Flobots            and Macklemore

•Has an REI Flagship store and is known as                        •Has an REI Flagship store and is known as

an outdoor center for hiking, biking, fishing                        an outdoor center for hiking, biking, fishing,

kayaking, climbing and camping                                    kayaking, climbing and camping

•The cartoon South Park takes place near                        •The comic strip Doonesbury takes place

Denver and frequently features Denver                        in Seattle and frequently features Seattle

landmarks                                                                        landmarks

•Denver is home to first Chipotle and the             •Seattle is home to the first Starbucks,

first Quiznos, both of which started here            Nordstrom, Boeing and Amazon.com, which started here

                                                                                   

•Favorite city movie titles:                                                •Favorite city movie titles:

Things To Do In Denver When You’re Dead                        Sleepless in Seattle

•Actors from Denver:                                                            •Actors from Seattle

Amy Adams, Don Cheadle, Keri Russell,                        Anna Farris, Raine Wilson, Tom Skerritt,

AnnaSophia Robb, Matt Stone, Trey Parker                        Bruce Lee 

                                   

•Seattle and Denver Both Placed in the Top 10 cities

in the Travel + Leisure 2013 Survey of Cities for:

Athletic/active

Intelligent

Tech-savvy

Pet-friendly

Wine bars

Micro-brew beer

Environmentally friendly

Public Parks

Denver Broncos Fever Dreams: Matching the Broncos With Their Pop Culture Counterparts

By Todd Craig

My father, as avid an athlete and sports fan as there has ever been, raised his boys with sports in the backyard and sports on TV.  And while I never mastered any specific athletic endeavor with any degree of proficiency, I did grow up with a passion for sports, athletes, and their stories.

More specifically, I grew up a fan of the Denver Broncos.

I was six the first time Denver went to a Super Bowl and lost.  I was a college freshman the last time they went to a Super Bowl and lost.  Broncos fans suffered for their cause. We were mocked. We were seen as lesser.  It was not cool to be a Broncos fan.

And then, just as time was running out on the career of the greatest Bronco of them all - John Elway - the Denver Broncos went and won two Super Bowls in a row, sending their fans into the stratosphere and sending Elway into immortality.

But success doesn’t last forever, and for the last dozen years or so, the Broncos have returned to their also-ran status.

Until now.

You may not have noticed, but Denver is again crazy for their Broncos.  The signing of thoroughbred quarterback Peyton Manning has brought the team back to the top in the NFL, and as a lifelong Broncos fan, I’m thrilled.

My husband, who doesn’t give a shit for anything that involves balls (well, almost anything),  just rolls his eyes whenever I dial up the NFL on Sunday afternoons.  But with the playoffs fast approaching and a Broncos team that is clicking like Dorothy’s ruby red shoes, now seems like the perfect time to get my husband to watch and appreciate them the way I do. This season has been so magical, so filled with great stories, that I should be able to find a way to translate them to fit his gay lexicon.

And that got me thinking, if these Broncos were famous figures from pop-culture, who would they be?  Let me know what you think about these, and if you have further ones, make them in the comments section below.

John Elway is Cher.  In the gay world, no one is bigger or lasted longer than Cher, and for those reasons alone, she and Elway make a good pairing.  But there are other reasons for this comparison as well.  Cher started off a skinny teenager with a big talent – just like Elway.  She had early success and her career spanned decades – just like Elway.  She was dead and buried and written off as washed up – just like Elway.  She’s known for her comebacks – just like Elway.  The Broncos were a mess just two years ago, and when Elway reinvented himself one more time in the role as the team’s highest executive and brought forth one more renaissance, well, the results proved almost Cher-like.   He’s ba-a-a-ck!

Peyton Manning is Tony Bennett.  Who is that old guy singing with Lady Gaga and Michael Buble, you ask?  The timeless Bennett, who like Manning, has surrounded himself with a new team of talent and brought his timeless class back to the forefront.   My husband likes to say that Peyton Manning has cat-daddy swagger, which he’s picked up on from any of the three-million commercials he’s featured in.  But there’s something special going on with this old guy Manning this year.  Given up for dead and cast aside like yesterday’s news by the Indianapolis Colts, Manning has teamed up with a bunch of youngsters in Denver’s receiving corps to make some pretty sweet music that spans the generations and is as timeless as it is classic.  Bennett, like Manning, may not be a gay icon, but a little cat-daddy swagger appeals to us all.

Champ Bailey is Beyonce.   Isn’t Beyonce like the perfect songstress ever?  Well, the same goes for Champ Bailey as an NFL cornerback.  They’re both thoroughbreds in style and performance.  They’ve both been around forever and have constantly delivered the goods year in and year out.   Beyonce’s Destiny’s Child years can be compared with Bailey’s years as playing for Washington.  But stepping out from those early successes carried both risk and reward, and neither has disappointed in the years since, pumping out hit after hit and classic performance after classic performance.  Both Bailey and Beyonce are the gold standard at what they do.

Elvis Dumervil is Lil’ Kim and Von Miller is Nicki Minaj.  Denver’s pass rushing defensive end and tornado of a linebacker have been wreaking havoc on the Broncos’ opponents all year long.  Dumervil has long been a beast to contain, and like Lil’ Kim, has had a scrape with the law in his recent past.  Miller is the fresh, younger version that’s seemingly everywhere, much like Nicki Minaj.  Sure, there’s a bit of a rivalry as to who is Denver’s top blitzer, but as with any rivalry, we fans are the winners after every rap they make.

Eric Decker is Channing Tatum.  Denver’s young wide receiver from the University of Minnesota equates nicely with Tatum.  He’s fap-fap-fapulous.   Seriously, google image search Eric Decker, take four to five minutes for yourself, and thank me later. 

Honorable Mentions:

Willis McGahee is Madonna.  Probably washed up, and there’s a fumble here and there, but still producing better than most.

Demaryius Thomas is Adele.  Holy shit!  If this is how you start off, we’re looking forward to many, many more years of amazing!

Dishonorable Mentions:

Tim Tebow is PSY.  Wow!  That was an insanely catchy tune that made no sense and was as improbable as it was addictive.  Yet even as it was happening, it was obvious that this was a one-hit-wonder to everyone.  The same goes for PSY.

Josh McDaniels is Milli Vanilli.  A greater fraud has never been perpetrated.

Jay Cutler is Rupert Everett.  So much talent.  So much potential.  So much whining.  So much a douche.  I’m embarrassed that I ever had anything to do with you.

Denver Broncos QBs Quinn and Tebow make Gay.com's list of sexiest men in the NFL

The title is the story! Read more at Gay.com.

Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels gets his walking papers

Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen has relieved Josh McDaniels, one of the youngest coaches in the history of the NFL, of his head coaching duties.

Details to follow on DenverBroncos.com.

Enter to win season tickets to the Broncos

Win a trip to London from Bud Light and the Denver Broncos

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Broncos add three to practice squad

The Broncos on Monday added three more players to the practice squad -- running back Bruce Hall, offensive lineman Jeff Byers and defensive lineman Lionel Dotson -- filling the eight-player roster.
Hall spent the preseason with the Broncos, leading the team with 30 carries.

Byers, a Colorado native, was signed as a college free agent by the Seattle Seahawks before his move to the Broncos. He played in three preseason games with Seattle.

Dotson has played in four games in his two seasons in the league, and the defensive lineman made three tackles as a reserve with the Dolphins.

Read more about the practice squad additions here.

Take part in the Denver Broncos HealthOne Challenge

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Bronco's host free training camp this Saturday

The Denver Broncos will hold a training camp practice on Saturday, Aug. 7, at 6 p.m. at INVESCO Field at Mile High that is free and open to the public.

"The stadium practice will be a great opportunity for the team and coaches to get re-acclimated with our stadium," Head Coach Josh McDaniels said. "We'll get a chance to run through all of the elements of a live game experience, including sideline communication and the setup of the coaches' booth. It also provides us the opportunity to have an energetic practice in front of our great fans, which always excites the players and the staff in training camp."

For more information, click here.

Enter to win a trip to London from the Denver Broncos

Win a VIP Package for Two to see the Broncos in London. Winner will receive airfare, ground transportation, five star accommodations, and passes to the Floyd Little Induction Party with John Elway. Enter up to three times by liking the John Atencio, The Denver Post and the Denver Broncos Facebook pages and clicking on the Contest tab!

Denver Broncos Anthem Search

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2010 Denver Broncos Ultimate Draft Challenge

Do you think you have what it takes to be an NFL Scout? Prove it and enter the 2010 Broncos Ultimate Draft Challenge. Predict who the Broncos will take with their first pick in the 2010 NFL Draft for your chance to win a VIP draft experience at the Broncos training facility.

Denver Broncos Ultimate Draft Challenge

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Denver Broncos: The Complete Illustrated History

For half a century, the Denver Broncos have provided countless thrills, and a few spills, for their devoted fans. The full story of the Broncos's wild ride—from a decade of losing seasons to mighty dynastic heights—unfolds in all its guts-and-glory drama in 'Denver Broncos: The Complete Illustrated History'.

Enter to win lift tickets ... and so much more

Click the link to enter yourself to win some lift tickets to Vail and other cool stuff. Must be 21.

Broncos' comeback effort falls short

Despite a valiant comeback effort, the Broncos fell just short of a victory on Sunday night in Philadelphia.

After the Broncos scored 17 unanswered points to tie the game, David Akers connected on a 28-yard field goal with four seconds left to go in regulation -- sending the Eagles to a 30-27 victory over the Broncos at Lincoln Financial Field.

Kyle Orton completed 27-of-41 passes for 189 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Two of those touchdown passes went the way of Jabar Gaffney, who finished the game with seven receptions for 69 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, Elvis Dumervil notched two sacks and a forced fumble, while Champ Bailey recorded an interception.

To track all of Sunday's action from Lincoln Financial Field click here to access the game center.

Argh! Broncos edged by Raiders

Into the 60th minute of Sunday's game with the Raiders, the Broncos had control of the scoreboard with a 19-13 lead. But with 35 seconds left in the fourth quarter, JaMarcus Russell found Chaz Schilens for a 10-yard touchdown, leading Oakland to a 20-19 victory at INVESCO Field at Mile High.

For a look back at the key plays in the 20-19 loss, visit the official blog of the Denver Broncos.

Knowshon Moreno in running for Rookie of the Week

After his performance on the ground in Week 12, Knowshon Moreno has once again been nominated for the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week award, the NFL announced on Tuesday.

Moreno gained 88 yards on 19 carries, bursting into the end zone for a touchdown on the ground as well. He also added 19 yards receiving on two catches in the team's 26-6 win against the New York Giants on Thanksgiving night.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Paul Kruger and Arizona Cardinals kick returner LaRod Stephens-Howling are the other finalists for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week honors.

For the full story, click here.

Broncos v. Chargers

The Broncos are back home for two in-a-row after falling in Washington in Week 10. This week, the San Diego Chargers are in town for the Broncos' first AFC West matchup at INVESCO Field at Mile High this season. The Chargers have won four straight since falling to the Broncos in Week 6, and now both teams sit at 6-3.

"I wouldn't say it is a must-win, but it is definitely a game of high importance because it is a division opponent," Champ Bailey said. "It will help in the long run, but we've got to take care of business right now."

Head to www.DenverBroncos.com for continuing coverage throughout the contest and come before the game to Lot C at noon to join the debate, as for the first time ever, the Pro Football Hall of Fame will provide a dedicated fan forum to debate, vote, and voice your choice for the Inductee Class of 2010. There will be a live panel discussion led by legendary Hall of Famers John Elway, Gary Zimmerman and Kellen Winslow. Join the debate as the Hall of Famers interact with fans on who should be inducted. Then cast your ballot for a chance to win autographed items and other prizes.

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