WTF: What Has Happened to the Denver Broncos?

I have been a Denver Broncos fan since 1985. I was 7 years old, and I used to watch football with my dad every Sunday. One Sunday in 1985, the NBC late game was the Los Angeles Raiders at the Denver Broncos. The Broncos had a cool stadium name, Mile High Stadium, a young All-Pro QB, some guy named Elway, and they wore awesome looking orange jerseys. Throw in the fact that it was snowing, and I was hooked. I became a Bronco fan. From 1986-1998, the Broncos went to 5 Super Bowls, and won back to back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998. They also went to the AFC Championship Game against Buffalo in 1991. Led by Head Coach Mike Shanahan, Denver reached the playoffs in 2000, 2003, 2004, and 2005. They even handed Bill Belichick and Tom Brady their first playoff loss in 2005. They hosted the 2005 AFC Championship Game. At this point all that success would seem like 100 years ago. At this point, the Broncos franchise looks and feels like the Cincinnati Bengals. Look at what has happened to this franchise since that loss to Pittsburgh in the '05 AFC Title game:
1) In 2006, Denver starts 7-2, but they lose 5 out of their last 7 games (Including a brutal 26-23 loss at home to 6-9 SF to end the season) and miss the playoffs at 9-7.
2) Starting Cornerback Darrent Williams gets shot and killed on Dec 31, 2007.
3) Reserve RB Damien Nash collapses and dies of a heart attack in March of 2007.
4) Denver starts 2-0 in 2007, but finishes the season 7-9 (Only Shanahan's 2nd losing season in Denver). That season included losses to San Diego 41-3 and 23-3, a 41-7 loss to Detroit, a 31-13 loss to Houston, and a 34-20 loss to Oakland.
5) Starting Receiver Javon Walker asks for and his granted his release.
6) Brandon Marshall gets suspended for 3 games to start 2008. He actually only serves a 1 game suspension because of good behavior.
7) Denver starts off 3-0, and the team sits at 8-5, while San Diego is 5-8 with only three games left. Denver loses their next two (Including at home to a 6-8 Buffalo team), while SD wins their next two games to set up 8-7 Denver vs. 7-8 SD for the AFC West Title in Week 17.
8) Denver loses to SD 52-21 to lose the division title and miss the playoffs.
9) Pat Bowlen fires Mike Shanahan after 14 seasons as Head coach.
10) Bowlen's new coach, Josh McDaniels, tries to trade franchise QB Jay Cutler for Matt Cassel. The Broncos can't get the deal done, and Cutler eventually demands a trade.
11) Denver trades Pro Bowl QB Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears.
12) Pro Bowl WR Brandon Marshall skips mandatory mini-camp in June of 2009 and demands a trade from Denver.


So as you can tell, things are not so good for Bronco fans in recent memory. The only thought that pops into my mind right now when I think about the Broncos is a line that Johnny Drama always says on HBO's Entourage: "We're so fucked."