The 1977 Denver Broncos: The Real Orange Crush
Recently, there was a show on cable recounting the top Colorado sports stories. It was an enjoyable program, and an excellent list, but there are many in Denver who would put a different story in the number one position. If you were a Bronco fan in the 60's and 70's, few experiences will ever rival the "Orange Crush" season of fall 1977, 30 years ago. Despite lacking the perfect ending, the season was so special because it was 16 years in the making, lasted over four months, and filled the city with magic and excitement.
January 1, 1978, was sunny, but cold. Thanks to my Uncle Al Strong, my Aunt Helen Strong, (now Helen Anderson of Westminster), and their unbelievable generosity, I stood at the 35 yard line just 15 yards behind the Oakland Raider bench and "The Snake", Ken Stabler. I could see the faces of the opposition. My toes were cold as I ate spoonful after spoonful of black-eyed peas, (a family, and New Year's Day tradition). I watched as the teams warmed up down on the field and I gazed at the wild crowd around me. This was something special. It was difficult to believe the Broncos were in their first ever AFC Championship game, it was at Mile High Stadium, and I was a witness. It was Denver's wildest New Year's party ever.
In their first ten years, the Broncos won just 39 games while losing 100 and tying three. The AFL had some good teams and three of them were in the Western Division with the Broncos. San Diego had Jack Kemp, Lance Alworth and John Hadl. Kansas City, (Dallas Texans), had Otis Taylor, Len Dawson, Willie Lanier and a cast of many. Oakland had Tom Flores, Daryle Lamonica and Clem Daniels, to name a few. The Broncos had some very good players too, the most notable of whom were perennial Pro-Bowl selections Floyd Little and Rich Jackson. The Broncos just didn't have the "magic", and they didn't have a consistent quarterback. Do you remember the "Quarterback Carousel" in Denver? They were always looking for that elusive talent. Things got a little better in the 70's.
By 1972, John Ralston was the coach and, although many people don't remember it, he actually posted a winning record in his five years as coach. The Ralston led Broncos posted 34 wins, 33 losses and 3 ties in 70 games. He even posted a number of second place finishes within the division, but never a playoff berth. Fans just could not forgive the "hand-holding" defensive huddles we all found offensive, and "the half-loaf" games. Yet, the team that took the field in the fall of 1977 was due largely to the work of John Ralston, and what a team it was.
With Ralston gone and new coach "Red" Miller at the helm, most experts expected only mild success again for the Broncos and their new quarterback project, Craig Morton. Morton became expendable when Roger Stauback joined Dallas, and the Broncos worked the deal that sent Steve Ramsey to the Giants and Morton to the thin air of Mile High. One of the best trades that year involved sending Bobby Howfield to the New York Jets for aging veteran, Jim Turner and his black, high-topped football cleats. I guess fans half-expected things to work, but their enthusiasm was tainted by 16 years of disappointment. Who knew? In the end, who cared? The Broncos started winning and the fans loved it.
People talk about the great "Orange Crush" defense that year, and they were worthy of all accolades, but it surprises me how many people forget the many nay-sayers who cried "foul" at every victory and called the Broncos the "luckiest team in football". Few people remember all the magic, all the miracles, and all the "unusual" events that went into the miracle season. Those Broncos could have just as easily finished seven up and seven down, if not for the hand of fate.
Call it luck if you choose, but how many times did they call just the right play at just the right time to win a game? How many times did Randy Gradishar jump at just the right place in the line to stuff a leaping fullback for no gain? How many times did that team produce an interception, a fumble recovery or a return for a touchdown when they needed it? Rick Upchurch set a league record for returning four punts for touchdowns in a single season. Jim Turner laced his high-tops just tight enough to catch a touchdown pass on a fake field goal attempt in a victory over the Oakland Raiders. The "coup de grace" was Rob Lytle's fumble at just the right time to score the winning touchdown in the AFC Championship game and send the Broncos to New Orleans to face the Cowboys. The only teams to defeat the Broncos that year were the Oakland Raiders, who did it one time, and the Dallas Cowboys, who, unfortunately, did it twice. The second loss hurt the most.
Sure, the Broncos lost in Super Bowl XII, and every Bronco fan was disappointed. They were used to disappointment. They had 16 years of specialized training. All good things must end, and even a Super Bowl victory would have ended that season. What fans really wanted then was the season to last forever, and, in a way, it did. Many still smile when driving by the parking lot that used to be Mile High Stadium. They think to themselves, "That's where I was standing when Rob Lytle scored his touchdown. He went over the goal line right over there". It was a different age, a different time and a different team, but all Bronco fans remember the magic of that special season.
The game ended and my black-eyed peas were gone. I watched fans tear up pieces of turf for souvenirs and then bring the goal posts down. In my short life, I never before witnessed such a scene of pandemonium. In the time since, few things have even come close. At the time, no one knew the Broncos' season would have a "less-than-happy" ending. All they knew was that 16 years of frustration ended with four months of magic and excitement. To many, the ride was worth the pain. I put my ticket stub in my pocket and walked my cold feet toward the exit knowing there is no better way to learn about history than to live it. Those of us who lived the Orange Crush season of 1977 know it remains Colorado's number one sports story since 1960.