In Memoriam, Pat Bowlen, Denver Broncos Majority Owner
I had the pleasure of joining the Denver Broncos in March, 1995. Broncos Majority Owner, Pat Bowlen (and the Broncos General Manager/Vice President of Football Operations, at the time, John Beake,) brought me on board. This was a segment of my life I will never forget, and for the next 11 years, had my life enriched more and in more ways than any chapter of my life.
Just some highlights during my time with the Broncos, under Pat Bowlen's stewardship, the team won two Super Bowls, (XXXII and XXXIII) and led the way to build a new world class venue to replace the aging, but historic Mile High Stadium. The Broncos, also year after year, worked in the community to build a better place for Denver and all of Colorado. During that time, and well before, Pat established himself as a leader among leaders of NFL owners. His personal contributions to the NFL and his team was culminiated by Pat Bowlen being named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year. His induction is scheduled for later this summer.
I have so many positive memories of my time with the Broncos, and time with Pat and the management team he assembled, and directed to individually and collectively be the best we could be. His leadership was decisive, strong, on target, bold, visionary, good common sense, consensus building and more. He always knew just how to handle any situation. But the things I will always remember in conjunction with those qualities, were his quiet strength, laugh, kindness, generousity and genuine appreciation for all of us on his team.
I am now living in Phoenix, AZ, and miss the connection to say good by to Mr. B, so today, I am going to put on my Super Bowl XXXII ring in his memory and to honor his life. I will wear my ring all weekend, to remind myself of "Mr. B" as he was affectionally known and called. And when the inevitable questions come from those that notice that Super Bowl XXXII ring, I look forward to telling them what a great man Pat Bowlen was and his legacy of greatness was felt by all who worked with him.
I know there are many former Broncos coaches, players and staff, around the country, as well as current Broncos coaches, players and staff. May I suggest you join me in donning that Broncos AFC Championship Ring, or that Super Bowl Ring, or your Broncos Ring of Fame Ring or even your Hall of Fame Ring, and think of "Mr. B". Then tell those that ask about the ring, the reason we have one!
Godspeed Pat Bowlen. My condolences to Annabel and the entire Bowlen family.
Associate Professor, Coordinator of Field Experiences and Community Relations, Sports Management, American Public University System
5yThanks for sharing your thoughts Rick, and thank you for providing me with the opportunity to be part of the Denver Broncos. The experiences we shared together are the foundation of my current career as a sport management educator. I still get asked by our students on a regular basis about our time in Denver, and I'm always able to honestly provide positive feedback. Thanks to Mr. Bowlen, Mr. Beake, Coach Shanahan, yourself, and many others, it was the most exciting time of my professional life. I don't need much to be satisfied as an employee. I just need to feel my contribution is appreciated. I felt appreciated every minute of my time with the Broncos, and as we all know, that starts at the top. Thank you Mr. Bowlen, for your leadership, and for providing such a great organization to work for. I'm eternally grateful.
Well done, Rick. Those were fun times. Condolences to the entire Bronco family.
Dynamic Water Technologies, where we focus on new, sustainable ways to treat water.
5yPat helped create a very successful family. We...the fans...feel part of the organization. God bless and rest in peace. You will be missed.