ENGLEWOOD, Colo. --There is a saying that I have often used, to the effect that "the dining room is where you serve your guests, but the meal is prepared in the kitchen."

That is what the Broncos are doing right now.

Prepare for the draft, conduct the draft, sign undrafted college free agents, keep sniffing around in the veteran free agent market, conduct minicamps and OTAs.

All of these things, and more, make up the offseason.

And they all happen in the kitchen.

The Broncos are an exciting, well-coached team getting ready for the coming-out party that the NFL season represents.

And this is fine, but most fans are not thinking too much about the season right now.

Certainly, they are excited by the schedule and players, but every one is immersed in summer activities and other sports right now.

But the Broncos stay in the kitchen.

This is as it should be.

Not many people want to buy tickets to watch someone study a playbook or repeat the same drill over and over.

But that tedious work is what sets up the performance.

Just like live theater (as opposed to the movies, where they can keep shooting until it is deemed perfect), pro sports are live.

No retakes.

All you can do is slap hands and move on to the next play.

But the execution of every one of those plays was rehearsed on a practice field, in the weight room, and on many late nights with the lights down and video illuminating the room.

I have been fortunate to know John Elway since the beginning, and no one is any more competitive.

When you add the ingredients of John Fox and an intense staff, the über competitive Peyton Manning and a dynamic team, there is a very special prep period taking place right now.

But it is pretty much behind the scenes.

We look forward to the curtain going up, to moving it from the kitchen to the dining room!

By July, our fans will be banging their spoons on the proverbial table, ready for some NFL football.

At the highest level, which is the only level for which the Broncos prepare.