Back in the black

“Back in black

I hit the sack

I’ve been too long

I’m glad to be back”

– AC/DC, possibly channeling Von Miller

I was sitting in a college accounting class, running a ledger for a faux business. I had chosen to be both accountant and CEO of my imaginary fledgling firm, having started with a sizable nest egg in my opening ledger, but having gone through a very bad fiscal year. My professor was throwing several new wrinkles into my already-bad year, and my overspending was about to cost the business. I had spent every dime, and no revenue inbound from my debtors for a few imaginary weeks. My professor made sure the whole class could hear him when he called out, “YOU’RE IN THE RED.”

I’d fallen beyond my means. A high-interest loan from an imaginary bank secured me enough financing to keep my employees on and things afloat, but the end of my year saw me barely eke out a profit. I’d spent most of my “year” in the red, and would have been better off in a minimum wage job.

Ouch. It hurts to be in the red that long. Like a semester long. Like an imaginary fiscal year long.

Geez, imagine 1,078 days not being on the positive side of the only ledger that matters in your chosen field. The Denver Broncos sure can.

Last Sunday, Denver’s most popular sports team saw themselves back above .500 for the first time since an October 1st, 2018 loss put them at 2-2 under then-coach Vance Joseph. while everyone was asking head coach Vic Fangio about his relief in getting off the September schneid, no one asked him about being above .500 for his first time as a head coach. But his energy seemed palpable as he complimented his squad and relished how a few fourth-down gambles had paid off handsomely. Fangio couldn’t help but relish his moment a little bit, having faced the glare of being on the other side of the coin over his first two seasons. He commented on avoiding another bad start:

“That would have been the story here all week. Now you guys have to throw away those stories and write a new one,” Fangio said through a clear grin.

Each of the team’s game ball recipients and leaders – quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, linebacker Miller, and GM George Paton were effusive in their team’s efforts and complimentary of the play on the both sides of the ball. Bridgewater praised their entire organization, naming Paton and the coaching staff before calling out his organization as a whole throughout the process:

“To see all of our hard work from OTA’s, training camp, and preseason on display tonight, and it paying off with us getting a victory, I congratulate our guys, and everyone in the organization for helping us get this win tonight.”

When Miller was asked about adding to his sack total, in a game he vaulted into the Top 25 and also 24th place on the All-Time sack leaders list, Miller focused instead on how it felt – as a team – to win:

“It felt great. Not only the game, but the process leading up to the game. Traveling with the guys, preparing this week with the guys, being on the bus with the guys. Being in the locker room. Being involved. Being a part of the team again, it’s super dope, man. Sure, it’s good to get sacks, but it’s good to get wins as well. I got both today, so it’s a good day.”

It’s no wonder the postgame locker room was both loose and buzzing with energy. They were playing for a winning team for the first time in nearly three years. For players like Miller, it’s reminiscent of days when winning was the norm, not something a thousand days old. For Von, it was also in the way they made the win decisive:

“It’s good to get the win, and get the win in September, but it’s great to win the way we did, man. It’s great for confidence, for morale, and motivation. It’s a great day for Broncos Country.”

When asked one more time to talk about any personal victory in proving naysayers wrong, Miller was having none of it, turning things back to the team:

“It’s just another day at the office, man. Especially in the NFL, it’s a lot of ups and downs. We had a great team win today. A great team win.”

From the leaders of every edge of the organization, you can feel the relief. Hell, even Broncos Country seemed a little less on edge this week. Things might be pointed in a slightly different direction this season, and it shows. The team doesn’t seem to be taking anything for granted, but is happy to be out of the red for the first time in quite a while.

The Denver Broncos are finally back in the black. Von’s got the sack(s). It’s been too long. Aren’t you glad to be back?