ENGLEWOOD—What a castle is to a king, a running game is to a quarterback, a bike is to a kid.
“When you’re a kid there’s nothing more important than your bike,’’ said Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe. “That’s how you get around. That’s everything. I know what it’s like not to have one and have to go find your own. I won’t tell you how I find my own, but I got it done.’’
Let that be a lesson to the 110 kids at a local elementary school who will receive shiny new green Huffy bicycles Thursday from Broncos head coach Vance Joseph: Don’t leave ‘em out in the yard overnight. Bring them inside or lock them up, or both.
Should have seen the Broncos' team-bonding moment inside the Pat Bowlen Fieldhouse on Wednesday afternoon. Joseph and his entire coaching staff -- many of them new to the Broncos -- plus a few players and employees, put their film and paperwork assignments aside and picked up a wrench to help aid the Wish for Wheels program.
In groups of two or three, the Broncos assembled the 110 bicycles – one for every kid grades K-2nd grade at the school – in about 45 minutes.
Joseph was smart to team up with Chris Valenti, who as the Broncos’ equipment manager is accustomed to repairing facemasks, cleats, shoulder pads, hot tubs - you name it.
“My wife is the fixer of the family,’’ Joseph said. “I am not. I give the muscle. I use the tools a little bit but as far as fixing things for the kids, that’s my wife’s job.’’
Linebackers’ coach Reggie Herring and defensive assistant Jordan Dizon assembled their bikes like they do it for a living. Broncos’ general counsel Rich Slivka – one of three trustees to the Pat Bowlen Trust – public relations boss Patrick Smyth and his staff, and players Kyle Peko, Will Parks, Brandon McManus, Cody Latimer and Wolfe all pitched in to put the bikes together “in record time,’’ according to the team’s community director, Allie Pisching.
“That just shows you what kind of environment we have around here,’’ Wolfe said. “It’s a family environment. We all care about each other.
“Even (John) Elway. He’s a GM and everybody thinks GMs are evil and they’re always trying to take money from you and stuff, but he cares about the guys who are on this team. That’s why you see him stick by guys. He sticks it out with guys because he wants to see everybody succeed.''
Joseph will deliver the bikes to the school – it’s a surprise to the kids – on Thursday.
“It’s always fun to give back to the community,’’ Joseph said. “It’s been a long year. We just got past the holidays and being thankful for what we have in life. It was a team effort. It was fun and it’s good to give back.’’
