VALENTI HAS BEEN the Broncos' equipment manager for as long as anybody in the building can remember -- 26 years officially. He's cared for thousands of jerseys over the years, making them like new again every week. To him, numbers are memories, symbols of lives lived, careers made. John Elway's No. 7, Terrell Davis' No. 30, Champ Bailey's No. 24, "some of them, a few, there is that one person that will always jump to the front of your mind when you see it.'' "And 88?'' Valenti said of Thomas. "Him, always. Always.''