Well it is official here in the Rocky Mountains, football season has begun again. This morning the Broncos took the field for their first public day of training camp. As your indentured servant for all things Broncos, I set my alarm on my final day of vacation and headed south to see for myself how the new Broncos look.

So, let’s jump right in. Your first outside-the-ropes, back row look at the 2009 Broncos:

• Before the Broncos had even taken the field, the tone was set that this was no longer Mike Shanahan’s Broncos. As the Broncos began to slowly trickle on to the field, Let’s Go by Trick Daddy was blasted out some speakers set up on the sideline. That was followed by the White Stripes. Needless to say, I loved it. I was ready to get out there and take on Brian Dawkins one-on-one myself.

• While it is easy to say that Shanahan would have never blasted music at the start of a practice, I actually think that was a good thing. I can’t imagine Shanahan playing Trick Daddy or the White Stripes. I am guessing he is more of a Bob Seger or Asia kind of guy.

• Speaking of the Shanahan era, a week after declaring we are a Nation Divided, I am now not so sure. Yes, these may have been the devoutest of the devout but I didn’t see or hear any pining for Whiny Jay or Mike. In fact there was even a guy wearing a Cry Baby Jay t-shirt (and, shockingly, he had them for sale out in the parking lot as well). The crowd was excited about Kyle Orton and Josh McDaniels and the direction of this team. There was a lot more optimism and enthusiasm in the crowd than I frankly expected.

• Oh and by the way – if there was ever any concern that the team may not respect McDaniels given his age and youthful appearance, well that was dispelled the first time he blew his whistle to stop an offense on defense drill. Every single person on the field stopped and got quiet to hear what he had to say. Even the crowd stopped talking for a moment. Give him this; the man knows how to carry himself. Maybe the local sportswriters will finally get over that he looks young.

• No, nevermind – that is crazy talk. I got a little carried away there. Must be the sun.

• One of the big questions coming into training camp this year was – whither Brandon Marshall. Would he show? Would he practice? Would he get arrested on the flight to Denver? Would he still be hobbled by a bad hip? Well, every Bronco fan can breathe a sigh of relief because the answers to those questions are: Yes, Yes, No and No.

• Marshall looked great. Quick and strong, making good cuts and even running over some DB in a one-on-one open field tackling drill (which actually also points out how B-Marsh has zero moves, other than the one where he gives up three yards trying to run around a corner after catching a curl route).

• Marshall also made a couple really nice grabs – one high above his head along the sideline and a one-handed grab well behind him on a crossing route. Those catches are great news for B-Marsh. Not so good for the QB who threw the off-target throws (Chris Simms on both occasions if I am not mistaken).

• The other star of the morning session was Ryan Torain. The 2^nd year running back that spent all but one half of one game on the injured list lat year looked the best among the 4 different running backs that saw the ball with the first and second teams (Correl Buckhalter, Lamont Jordan, Torain and Peyton Hillis). Torain was sort of the forgotten man with the drafting of Knowshon Moreno and the free agent signings of Buckhalter and Jordan but he served notice this morning – hitting the hole with confidence and making players miss in the open field. Just enough to dream of him trading off carries with Moreno in a game this fall. If it worked for the Panthers and Titans, why not the Broncos?

• While obviously Marshall and Torain stuck out, it wasn’t any individual plays or players that made the greatest impression on me. More it was more the tone and focus of the practice compared to the Shanahan era.

• There was a focus on the little things that I don’t remember seeing before. A couple examples:

• During a punt team drill, newly signed rookie Alphonso Smith and Eddie Royal were deep shagging the punts. On a short, sideways punt, Smith came charging up but was unable to reach the ball and sort of booted it off the field. McDaniels yelled down from the line of scrimmage to ‘play like it were a game’ – meaning get away and yell ‘PETER’ so that everyone else knows to get away. Remember this was a drill for the punt team – not punt return team – yet the coach reminded the guys shagging punts to act like the professionals they are. That is the little stuff that instills discipline in a team and can’t be anything but a positive in the fourth quarter of a game in November.

• At one point early in the session, each position broke off and did footwork drills. Just working on the agility of moving laterally and front and back while making football plays. This is a little thing but makes such a big difference – no slips in the open field, a quarterback able to shuffle around in the pocket to avoid pressure, etc.

• Speaking of quarterbacks, this drill also really drove home why Orton has been named the starter. Not only are his passes as crisp but his footwork was quicker and more precise than either of the other two QBs (Simms and 6th round draft pick Tom Brandstater)

• That didn’t stop some from in the crowd from focusing on Brandstater. Let’s just say it was noted more than once that the Broncos now have the offensive coordinator from the Patriots and a talented, but unproven QB named Tom B. drafted in the late rounds. Dare to dream to kids, dare to dream.

• While some were excited about Brandstater, there was another rookie I was more excited to see. Former Seminole cornerback Tony Carter, a man who practically single-handedly kept the Seminoles in games a couple years ago during the really dark times in Tallahassee, is an undrafted free agent trying to make the Broncos.

• Poor Tony has a tough hill to climb. With several other corners drafted (Smith) or picked up in free agency (Andre Goodman) or left over from last year (Jack Williams), cornerback is a crowded position in Dove Valley.

• Not sure if it was a positive or negative but Tony was also victimized on two tough luck passes completed in front of him. On both, he was just inches late in breaking up the pass thrown in front of him. On the positive, he was in position and nearly made the play. On the negative, he nearly made the play.

• There is one thing working in Tony’s favor though. It can’t be forgotten that the new Broncos GM, Brian Xanders is a Seminole as well. Seminole nation looks out for its own.

• If the music started out the practice reminding you that this is a new team and organization, then a post-practice autograph session (including the head coach!) for young and old alike, reminded you one last time before heading to the parking lot.

• I am not much for autographs so I didn’t fight any kids to get a ball signed by Chris Simms but I can pretty much guarantee I was the only one scanning the faces to shake hands and speak with Xanders and Carter. Unfortunately I didn’t see them this time.

• Oh well, maybe when I return this evening for session #2.