Broncos Q&A: Dave “Softy” Mahler
Dave Mahler has been a Seattle sports-talk pillar at KJR-950 AM for 30 years. In our weekly Broncos GameDay Q&A, "Softy" spoke with The Denver Gazette to preview the Broncos’ season opener against his beloved Seahawks:
The Denver Gazette: You predicted the Russell Wilson deal would blow up in Denver’s face. Ready for your victory lap?
Softy: “It’s amazing, isn’t it? I told you! I told you guys what to expect from Russell Wilson and no one down there bought it. They thought we were being stubborn and crying over spilled milk. Now look what happened! It’s a little satisfying. We were laughed at when we called him a coach killer, a bad leader, a phony. Then (he) got Nathaniel Hackett fired and now Denver’s where it is. I guess all the Broncos fans should go back and listen to what we said. The guy tried to get Pete freaking Carroll fired, for crying out loud! That was the final straw for when this whole thing (in Seattle) blew up. What a disaster for Denver fans. But it was great for us. We got all the draft picks and everything.”
DG: How would you describe life after Pete Carroll for the Seahawks?
Softy: “So far, so good. But the new guy (coach Mike MacDonald) hasn’t coached a game yet. For the first time in a long time people are fired up for the coaching staff. Ryan Grubb (Seattle’s new offensive coordinator and the former University of Washington coordinator) comes over from across the street. He was awesome for the Huskies. And we have maybe the best defensive mind on the planet in Mike MacDonald. Yeah, people are fired up. Pete Carroll was the genius — then everybody caught up to him. It was time (for change).”
DG: The Seahawks’ win total is 7.5. Over or under?
Softy: “Totally over. Completely over. One-thousand-percent over. The NFC is wide open. Geno Smith, at minimum, is an upper-tier quarterback in the NFC. The secondary is as good as it’s been since the LOB (“Legion of Boom”), no question about it. MacDonald is on board as a master technician. And look at the schedule. They’re facing a rookie quarterback (Bo Nix) in Week 1. New England’s bad (in Week 2). Tua (Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins) are coming 3,000 miles to Seattle in Week 3. I’ll be surprised if they win less than eight games. They’ll be firmly in the playoff hunt in November.”
DG: As a Washington Husky super-fan, are you more fired up for the Big Ten game at Iowa or Rutgers?
Softy (laughs): “Probably the Iowa game. I’ve never been to Iowa. We've heard great things about football at Iowa. That’s one of the cool things about going to the Big Ten — going to play at Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Maryland. I’m actually just as excited about the basketball part — playing at Indiana, playing at Michigan.”
DG: How are UW fans reacting to the Big Ten move?
Softy: “I think right now people are confused with what Husky football is (after Kalen DeBoer left for Alabama). You thought you had the next Don James. Kalen goes 25-3, beats Oregon three times, goes to the national championship, highest-finisher ever in the Heisman (Michael Penix Jr.). Then he left us behind for Alabama. He left us for the prettier girl. Plus, Kalen is a tremendous guy, the most media-friendly coach I’ve ever been around. Alabama will love him.”
DG: Seattle knows Bo Nix from the Washington-Oregon rivalry. What is your expectation of Bo Nix, NFL quarterback?
Softy: “This will surprise you. You know I hate the Ducks. But I love Bo Nix. I love the kid, the guy. I can put aside my disdain because he’s a Duck. I was super impressed with how he handles himself off the field, on the field. He never skipped out on a bowl game, and he could have. Oregon was on the brink of the playoff, then all the sudden they're playing Liberty in the Fiesta Bowl. And Bo Nix didn't skip the bowl game.
"He’s not going to make a lot of mistakes. He can run a little bit. Oregon never asked him to push the ball down the field. He’s a leader, through and through. He’s almost the anti-Russ in a lot of ways. No social media posts, no self-promotion. He’s going to be a guy that people will rally around. Despite the fact he’s a Duck, he’s a good guy, good leader.”
DG: What will be Seattle’s reception for Nix’s return to Husky Land?
Softy: “It’s going to be loud as hell. Period. And I mean loud. There’s some renewed energy here. And he’s a Duck. He’s a guy who was 0-3 against the Huskies. They’re calling him ‘Bo-and-3.’ Now they’ll have to reprint the T-shirts to make them ‘Bo-and-4.’”
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