Annabel Bowlen Enters Dispute Regarding Broncos' Ownership
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Annabel Bowlen enters dispute regarding Broncos’ ownership By Ryan O’Halloran The Denver Post December 21, 2018 The wife of Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has entered the dispute between her husband’s trustees and his brother, Bill Bowlen. In Arapahoe County District Court on Dec. 12, Annabel Bowlen, through her attorney, filed a motion to intervene in the litigation involving The Pat Bowlen Trust and Bill Bowlen. Annabel Bowlen’s involvement begins nearly six months after Beth Bowlen Wallace declared her desire to be the Broncos’ next controlling owner and nearly two months after Bill Bowlen filed a lawsuit requesting the trustees be removed from power. So what is Annabel’s goal with the request? “Mrs. Bowlen is a beneficiary of the Patrick D. Bowlen Trust and she believes that the trustees have done a good job managing the Trust’s assets,” said Annabel Bowlen’s attorney, Hugh Gottschalk, president of the law firm Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell, in a statement to The Denver Post. “Her goal is to be able to participate in the lawsuit that Bill Bowlen filed that is attempting to remove the trustees.” Bill Bowlen’s contention is that trustees Joe Ellis (the Broncos’ president/CEO), Rich Slivka (team counsel) and Mary Kelly (a Denver attorney) “wield almost total control over the Broncos … with no accountability. … Over the past 15 years, I’ve noticed that the operation of the Broncos has deteriorated while my brother’s health has worsened.” There can be two ways to look at Annabel Bowlen’s motion to intervene. Not a big deal: Since she is not joining legal forces with the trustees, she is merely requesting a seat at the table, which would allow Gottschalk to attend closed-door negotiations and legal proceedings and allow him to have access to the files presented by both sides if the dispute reaches the discovery stage. A semi-big deal: As a beneficiary of trust, Annabel declaring approval for how the trustees have performed their duties since being installed by Pat Bowlen in July 2014 is certainly notable. If Bill Bowlen’s lawyers oppose Annabel Bowlen’s motion, her legal team would respond and Judge Charles Pratt could make a decision next month. In a statement Giovanni Ruscitti, Bill Bowlen’s lawyer said: “If the Court allows her to intervene, we don’t believe it will have any impact on the claims asserted by Bill Bowlen.” Aside from announcing her Alzheimer’s diagnosis on June 27, Annabel Bowlen had stayed out of the dispute. It is unknown if her health would allow her to testify if the Bill Bowlen-Trustees dispute goes to trial. The Bowlen Ownership Saga began May 31 when Bowlen Wallace, 48, one of two children from Pat’s first marriage, said she was “ready right now,” to replace her father and presented the trustees with a transition plan that included Brittany Bowlen, 28, one of Pat and Annabel’s five children. The trustees responded swiftly to Bowlen Wallace’s request, saying she was “not capable or qualified at this time.” Bill Bowlen supports his niece’s candidacy to be the next controlling owner. On Oct. 20, Brittany Bowlen announced that she has “ambitions and goals to one day be the controlling owner,” of the Broncos. She is believed to have the support of the trustees, once she rejoins the organization, to eventually replace her father after a transition period. Since Bill Bowlen filed his lawsuit, his legal team (led by Ruscitti) and the trustees’ lead lawyer (Dan Reilly, who is Kelly’s husband) have traded filings. On Nov. 23, the trustees requested a stay in Bill Bowlen’s lawsuit while requesting that Bowlen Wallace and her sister, Amie Bowlen Klemmer enter into arbitration with the NFL. Bowlen Wallace and Bowlen Klemmer are not a part of their uncle’s lawsuit. Two weeks later, on Dec. 8, Bill Bowlen’s lawyers filed an objection to the stay request, asserting that a stay would “prejudice” his case and that the court should not be compelled to delay his trial while waiting for the NFL to decide if it will serve as an arbitrator. Last Friday, Bill Bowlen’s team filed a request that Ellis, Slivka and Kelly not be compensated or have their legal fees paid for via the trust’s coffers. The trustees responded earlier this week by asking for a 30-day stay to respond to the issue. Bill Bowlen filed an objection to the stay request on Wednesday and Pratt granted an abbreviated extension to Jan. 11. Broncos distribute lifesaving armor to Colorado first responders through Shield 616 By Ryan O’Halloran and Kyle Fredrickson The Denver Post December 21, 2018 Von Miller looked out across the Broncos’ practice field Thursday as nearly 120 Colorado first responders from more than 30 different state agencies lined up to shake hands with every player. It was a thank you for the Broncos’ generosity only made possible through Miller’s initiative. “It’s incredible,” he said. Miller led an effort last month to rally support within the organization to donate more than $200,000 to Shield 616, a Colorado Springs-based nonprofit founded in 2015, to first responders around the state. The group used the Broncos’ donation to provide over 130 advanced protective kits, including a ballistic vest, helmet and wound trauma kit that upgrades protection against automatic weapons and assault rifles. Almost 20 players, CEO Joe Ellis, general manager John Elway and coach Vance Joseph made personal donations to the initiative. The team also pledged continued involvement with volunteer opportunities to build and maintain meaningful relationships between police and the communities they serve. Miller said mass shootings nationwide prompted him to act. “There was a guy here (today) who was shot a year ago and if he would have had this equipment, it would have protected him,” Miller said. “Hearing stories like that, it feels good. I can’t put it into any better words than that. It feels good to help the community.” Elway and Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., joined together to present police and fire units with the new equipment. Running back Phillip Lindsay, who has long dreamed of one day becoming a police officer, had a personal connection to one first responder at Thursday’s event. Andrew Bergner, a Denver police officer, played three football seasons at Colorado (2015-17) as a cornerback, mostly special teams. Lindsay and Bergner locked arms at the UCHealth Training Center. “I jumped on the fact that if I can buy him anything to keep him safe out there,” Lindsay said. “I’m proud that (Bergman) is out here, he’s helping protect the streets and helping our society become a better place to be.” Injury report. Tight end Matt LaCosse (ankle) and cornerback Brendan Langley (concussion protocol did not practice). During the media viewing period, LaCosse was doing conditioning work on the hill connecting the field and the indoor facility. Limited were receiver Courtland Sutton (quad), cornerback Issac Yiadom (shoulder) and linebackers Shaq Barrett (hip) and Brandon Marshall (knee). DaeSean Hamilton is Broncos’ most targeted receiver in absence of Emmanuel Sanders By Kyle Fredrickson The Denver Post December 21, 2018 DaeSean Hamilton began fitting a diamond chain with earrings to match in the Broncos’ postgame locker room last week. But before the fourth-round rookie wide receiver had time to finish his look, the mob of Denver media crowded a half-circle surrounding Hamilton’s locker with cameramen standing on stools in the back row to catch a shot. “All y’all want to talk to me?” Hamilton asked. Absolutely. Because entering Week 16 at Oakland, after two games without veteran wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (Achilles), the Broncos’ passing game focus has shifted to Hamilton, who has had a team-high 21 targets from quarterback Case Keenum the past two weeks. Hamilton trails only Tim Patrick in yards over that span, 150 to 93, but Hamilton has recorded the team’s lone receiving touchdown (from 1-yard out at San Francisco). Sanders established himself as Keenum’s most consistent target. Although Hamilton was likely to assume Sanders’ on-field role, it didn’t guarantee similar usage. “It’s not by design; it’s just by who’s open and who’s first, second or third in Case’s read,” coach Vance Joseph said. “It’s just reading defenses and making the right decision. It’s not about the person, it’s about the position. DaeSean has played well the last couple games, and obviously being a young guy, he’s going to improve each week he plays.” It’s a small sample size with large implications. Sanders turns 32 in March and has a cap hit of $12,937,500, per the industry website Spotrac. The Broncos must decide if Hamilton will follow the same path as rookie teammate Courtland Sutton, whose early star justified the team parting ways with veteran wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. Hamilton still has much to prove. He led the team with 21 targets the past two games, but managed only 14 receptions for a 66- percent catch rate. “With Sanders gone, you’re losing a guy that did a lot of different things; in the slot, coming out of motions, jet sweeps and things of that nature,” said Raiders’ coach Jon Gruden. “The young kid (Hamilton) from Penn State, he’s going to have to step up.” Hamilton, 23, was lauded for exceptional route running through his NFL draft evaluation. Those talents don’t fully translate, though, without confidence. “It’s grown tremendously, just (Hamilton’s) demeanor, just the way he’s talking when he comes back to the huddle — like, ‘Hey, I’m winning.’” Keenum said.