An open letter to the 2008 Broncos

Dear 2008 Broncos,

Thank you for everything. Well, everything except for the Q formation. That was just weird.

What an incredible ride you've taken us on these last few months. It has been kind of like Space Mountain at Disneyland, except without the Aerosmith music and the guy blowing Mickey waffles afterward. So maybe it's been more like the Matterhorn, with John Gott playing the role of yeti. Yeah, we like that one. We'll go with that.

At any rate, it sure has been fun. And it has really been unexpected. At the beginning of the season, we picked you to go undefeated because that's what we always do. We are blindly loyal in a way that not even blind people can understand, but underneath our haughty veneer, there was a little part of us that could see a 9-3 or 10-2 season coming.

Can you blame us? Look at your 2007 selves and ask if we had any reason to believe anything special was in store for '08. We went from Fiesta Bowl high to Hawaii Bowl low in just under a year, and we weren't really sure what to expect with our team breaking in a new quarterback, overhauling a tired defense, and making do in what seemed to everyone else like a rebuilding year.

Now look at you.

To say you exceeded expectations wouldn't be putting it strong enough. You were sensational, immaculate, wonderful, and any other number of synonyms that we can conjure. You survived with a redshirt freshman quarterback. You pulled out one of the greatest defenses in Boise State history. You dominated opponents in ways that Bronco fans have never seen opponents dominated before (save Idaho).

Going undefeated in 2008 was just plain not supposed to happen, but it did. And we cannot thank you enough for the experience.

There have been a lot of emotions from Bronco Nation as the Poinsettia Bowl draws near. We've been anxious about a highly regarded opponent. We've been upset at the injustices of the BCS. But one thing that we don't feel we've been enough of is appreciative.

Thanks to your performance this season, we readily brag about your talent and ability to line up across from anyone, yet we forget that, in all likelihood, we should be planning for the Humanitarian Bowl right about now. You have overcome so many odds this season to put together what some feel could be the greatest Bronco team of all, and we fear this gets lost too often in the conversation.

We cringe to mention it, but here's what might happen if you lose: Bronco fans are going to be bummed out, they'll take some time off to recoup before the preseason hype starts building, and they'll forever look back on this season as a stepping stone to the future or, worse, a missed opportunity.

Well not us. We're writing to let you know that, win or lose tonight against TCU, you have already earned a spot among the best seasons of all time. No matter what happens in the Poinsettia Bowl, you will always hold a special place in our hearts. One game can't take that away, especially when we should be feeling lucky to even be in this position.

So go out there and do your best tonight. We'll be rooting hard for you from the comfort of our comfy couch, slapping five with our friends, and fist pumping for no reason in particular. And why not? We'll be enjoying one of the greatest Bronco stories in school history.

You have brought us farther than we ever thought possible. And we will never forget that.

Sincerely,
OBNUG