Super Silly Us

Probably the main reason that I wanted the Denver Broncos to win Super Bowl XII (Twelve) was that I wanted the Dallas Cowboys to lose. I came by my Broncos fanaticism fair and square. I watched my local AFL franchise limp into the NFL and hang around the bottom of the league for a dozen years or so before finally developing something that every fan dreams of: A Nickname. In 1977, the Denver Broncos became "The Orange Crush" - the most vaunted and opportunistic defense of its day. They finished the season with twelve wins and just two losses. Craig Morton came off the New York Giants' scrap heap to lead this "Cinderella" team to the biggest game the Broncos had ever played.
Across the field was a team with more than its share of nicknames: "Doomsday Defense", "America's Team", and their quarterback was "Roger the Dodger", with some rookie named Tony Dorsett - later "TD". All this would have been fine and I would have still been happy to root for my team, but the real reason for me to loathe The Dallas Cowboys was Glen. This smirking sycophant had been a thorn in my side since seventh grade. With his helmet of precisely combed hair and obsequious manner, he was the golden boy of the crowd I hung around with. Parents and teachers loved him. He was so polite. He was so bright. He was a Dallas Cowboys fan.
That Sunday afternoon, January 15, 1978, a little piece of me died as I watched the ball bounce all the wrong ways. I watched the first of what would become a string of ignominious losses by the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl. The party in my parents' living room was a pretty quiet affair by halftime, with a thirteen point lead for America's team - Glen's team. When Craig Morton was yanked after his fifth interception, my hopes rested on the narrow shoulders of backup Norris Weese.
It didn't happen. Not that day. It took another four tries to get it right, setting new marks for futility along the way. Twenty years and ten days after that first ill-fated attempt, the Denver Broncos were Super Bowl Champions. I have no idea where Glen was that day, but I want to believe that stupid grin tilted just a little. The party in my living room went on a good long time.