John Elway Is Still True to His School

DENVER — He has lived and played in Colorado for more than four years now. But as an alumnus of Stanford and the son of current Stanford Coach Jack Elway, is there any question where John Elway’s loyalties lie?

Asked his preference in Saturday’s Stanford-Colorado game in Boulder, the younger Elway said emphatically, “I’m 100 percent behind Stanford. I may live in the CU area, but all my loyalty goes to my father, and I hope they kick the crap out of CU.”

The Denver Broncos quarterback added, however, “I hope CU wins all the rest of its games, but not this week.”

Stanford and Colorado each have 0-1 records, and Elway said Wednesday the game looms large for both teams. “I’m sure they both want to get back on the right track. It’s going to be a good game.”

Elway said he would prefer to spend Saturday afternoon on the sidelines with his father, but that will be impossible since the Broncos leave Denver on Saturday for Sunday’s NFL game in Milwaukee against the Green Bay Packers.

But he does plan to see his father Friday night after the Stanford team arrives in Colorado.

Elway said he regretted not being able to play for his father. Jack Elway was named the Stanford coach two years after John Elway graduated.

“I would have liked to have played for him,” said the younger Elway. “I think he’s an ideal coach. He’s very down-to-earth. He’s not into the extravagance of being a head coach, and his players respect him.

“Someday in the future, I think I’d like to coach with him. It’s something I’m thinking about, anyway.”

Elway also had some thoughts on the impending NFL players strike.

“We’re off to a good start,” he said of last week’s 40-17 rout of Seattle, “and it would be very frustrating to have a strike now.”

He expressed ambivalence toward a walkout.

“It’s a tough situation to be in,” he said. “I have a lot of loyalty to Mr. Bowlen (Broncos owner Pat Bowlen). I don’t think any players are treated better than ours are. But I know a lot of other players around the league aren’t so well off.”

Asked if he would consider crossing a picket line, he said, “I would think about it, but I don’t think I’d do it. I don’t necessarily agree with the union, but I’m a member of it.”