Brethren, If your favorite football team did not make the Super Bowl, like my Bengals didnt, and you need a team to root for, then root for a Brother of our craft. Taken in part from Wikipedia with the exception of the Masonic affiliation. Did U Know? John Albert Elway, Jr. was born June 28, 1960 and is a former American football quarterback and is now the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos. Elway recorded the most victories by a starting quarterback at the time of his retirement. He retired in 1999 and statistically was the second most prolific passer in NFL history. Elway led his teams to six AFC Championship games and five Super Bowls, winning his last two. Elway set several career records for passing attempts and completions while at Stanford. He also received All-American honors. Elway was drafted #1 overall in the 1983 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts before being traded to the Denver Broncos. In 1987, he embarked on what is considered to be one of the most clutch and iconic performances in sports and in NFL history, helping engineer the Broncos on a 98-yard, game-tying touchdown drive in the AFC Championship game against the Cleveland Browns. The moment is known in National Football League lore as The Drive. Following the AFC Championship Game, Elway and the Broncos lost in Super Bowl XXI to the New York Giants. It would be the first of a record five Super Bowl starts at quarterback in Elways career, a record that he solely held until 2012 when Tom Brady of the New England Patriots earned his fifth Super Bowl start. After two more Super Bowl losses, the Broncos entered a period of decline; however, that would end during the 1997 season, as Elway and Denver won their first Super Bowl title by defeating the Green Bay Packers 31–24 in Super Bowl XXXII. The Broncos repeated as champions the following season in Super Bowl XXXIII by defeating the Atlanta Falcons 34–19. Elway was voted MVP of that Super Bowl, which would prove to be the last game of his career. Since his retirement, Elway has owned several businesses, including being a co-owner of the inactive Colorado Crush, an arena football team. Elway and his twin sister were born in Port Angeles, Washington, to Janet (Jordan) and Jack Elway, then a high school head coach at Port Angeles High School on the Olympic Peninsula. The following year, the family of five which included sister Lee Ann, a year older than the twins, moved to southwestern Washington where Jack was the junior college football coach at Grays Harbor Community College in Aberdeen for five seasons. As a youth he lived primarily in Missoula, Montana and Pullman, Washington when his father was an assistant coach at Montana and Washington State, respectively. His father became the head coach at Cal State-Northridge in March 1976, and the Elways moved from Pullman to the San Fernando Valley in southern California, where John played his final three years of football at Granada Hills High School in Granada Hills. He ended his high school career with 5,711 passing yards and 49 passing touchdowns, and was named to the PARADE All America High School Football Team. Known as a dual-threat quarterback, meaning he was accomplished at running and escaping pressure and had impressive passing ability, he was the number-one recruited high school player in the country, receiving over 60 scholarship offers. (One of those offers was from his father, who became the head coach at San Jose State following the 1978 season.) Also an accomplished baseball player, Elway was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 18th round of the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft. In 1987, Elway was selected to start in the American Football Conferences (AFC) Pro Bowl team and won the Most Valuable Player Award. During the 1997 preseason American Bowl game in Mexico City, Elway ruptured his right (throwing arm) biceps tendon. It was treated non-surgically, and he returned to play 19 days later, going on that season to play in his fourth Super Bowl. In 1999, the Broncos repeated in the Super Bowl this feat and Elway was awarded the MVP of Super Bowl XXXIII, throwing for 336 yards and one touchdown with one interception, while also scoring a rushing touchdown in Denvers 34–19 win over the Atlanta Falcons. It was his last game, other than the 1999 Pro Bowl. On May 2, 1999, at the age of 38, Elway announced his retirement from pro football. Elway is regarded as one of the top quarterbacks ever to play the game. He has one of the best winning percentages in league history (148–82–1), and is tied for second most Pro Bowl selections for a quarterback (nine). He is fourth to Brett Favre, Dan Marino and Peyton Manning in career passing attempts, passing yards and completions. His four total rushing touchdowns in his Super Bowl games are the most ever by a quarterback. As of 2012, Elway and Tom Brady are the only quarterbacks to start in 5 Super Bowls. He is also the second player ever to score a rushing touchdown in four different Super Bowls (running back Thurman Thomas was the first). On September 13, 1999, Elways number 7 jersey was retired by the Denver Broncos during halftime of a Monday Night Football game against the Miami Dolphins; that same night he was inducted into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame. (Craig Morton, his direct predecessor in Denver, also wore number 7 and is in the Ring of Fame alongside Elway). He was the first Broncos player to have the five-year waiting period waived. Also in 1999 he was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. Also in 1999, Elway was ranked number 16 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. In 2005, TSN published another special feature honoring the 50 Greatest Quarterbacks. Elway was ranked third behind Johnny Unitas and Joe Montana. Elway was named the greatest athlete wearing the #7 by Sports Illustrated. Elway is the oldest quarterback to win a Super Bowl, winning his last at the age of 38. On August 8, 2004, Elway was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was elected in his first year of eligibility. He was presented by his eldest daughter Jessica. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000. John Elways Masonic membership dates from February 22 and 23, 2002, when he was part of a Grand Lodge of Colorado two-day class. He passed his proficiency on June 28, 2002. He is described as a perpetual member of South Denver Lodge No. 93, a status which is usually termed a life member in most grand jurisdictions. He has apparently not joined other Masonic bodies or otherwise been particularly active, but he does maintain a busy schedule. Masons should not only be proud of Brother Elway but be honored that he took the time to join our fraternity. This Masonic Did U Know list is strictly voluntary. If you received this message in error or you wish to be removed, please reply to the author only and you will be removed, no questions asked. If you know of a Brother who would like to be added to our list, reply to author with the Brothers e mail address and it will be added immediately. May We Meet Upon The _|_ Act By The ! And Part Upon The |_ W. Bro. Dwight D. Seals Camden Lodge #159 Camden, Ohio
Posted on: Sat, 25 Jan 2014 19:53:40 +0000
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