This will be on Monday night the 600th edition of MNF when the Broncos meet the Patriots and there seem

to be almost as many factors to consider when analyzing this game.

The moxie demonstrated by Jacksonville last week, the willingness to anything to win any way, is something

we haven't seen yet from Denver, excepting possibly the Tampa Bay game.  We need to see it on Monday

night.  The discipline to avoid senseless turnovers committed with the lead needs to be in evidence.

Jay Cutler doesn't necessarily need to throw the ball further, or with more accuracy.  He needs to manage

the game, which sometimes involves not trying to do the spectacular.  His statements in recent months

suggest a supremely confident player, but the confidence needs to translate into more efficient, consistently

effective play.  Cutler's yards per pass number has dropped by more than a yard in the last month, but he

can't force things to try to recreate a big-play dynamic.

And the defense has to cut down on allowing 6.2 yards per play.  That's what the Pats averaged on offense

last year!  If the Broncos don't improve, it won't matter how good Cutler and the offense are or aren't.

sandy

Over the last quarter century, it could be plausibly argued that Bill Belichick and Mike Shanahan represent

the apex of achievement when it comes to developing and advancing defensive and offensive football

theory.  The increasing use of the 3-4 defense and its many derivatives owes to the work of Belichick.

The West Coast offense of Shanahan's that relies upon creating confusion and mismatches.

In 1986, they met as primary assistants at the Super Bowl in Pasadena as the Giants pulled away to

win in the second half, 39-20.  Both went on to fail initially as head coaches in Los Angeles and Cleveland,

respectively, having problems with hard-headed bosses Al Davis and Art Modell.  Though not personally

close, they form a monumental mutual admiration society as skilled professional head coaches now.

They relish to chance to match wits, each considering the other to be among the Best and Brightest.

Shanahan clearly believes that Belichick and his staff are the best in the business, and Belichick is

well aware of having lost five out of six this decade to Shanahan's Broncos.

The Broncos have always given the Patriots new and different looks, forcing adjustments that even for

the Patriots seem to take long enough to put Denver firmly into the lead position, and thus more able to

extract errors from New England.  Denver's problem in its two losses this year has been that most of the

game-changing turnovers have come with the lead.  If Denver had even a decent defense, this wouldn't

matter.  But they don't have a decent defense.

Look for the Broncos to try to knock the Pats off balance with a new look on Monday night...admittedly it'll

be harder if Brandon Stokely can't play.  From there, avoidance of error(s) will, if and when the Broncos

take the lead, determine the game's outcome.

sandy

By scoring two goals last night in Calgary to help the Flames decision the Avalanche, Todd Bertuzzi injected

himself back into the Colorado sports conversation this morning.

Some four and a half years have passed since that dreadful night in Vancouver on which Bertuzzi assaulted

Steve Moore, resulting in injuries to Moore that effectively ended his playing career.  Other than Joe Sakic,

John Michael-Liles and Milan Hejduk, along with coach Tony Granato, no one has spent the last several

years playing or coaching exclusively for the Avs and occasionally encountering Bertuzzi.

Vigilante justice has been suggested, but who among those Avs would exact revenge, exactly?  More disturbing

than the absence of a physical, on-ice response has been the collective reaction of the Colorado organization.

No honoring of Moore, not even an acknowledgement that the night was horrific and actually happened.

Among the players, no visible, public signs of support...my sense is that even many of Moore's ex-mates

turned against him once he broke the "hockey code" by suing the Canucks.  Shameful...I'm sorry, but a

shameful reaction.

My guess is that the Avalanche, as a member club, were told by Commissioner Bettman to ignore Moore

once he took his initial legal steps.  With all due respect, the Avs should have told Bettman to stick it up his

ass, that they were going to honor Moore regardless of what anyone thought of it.

Bertuzzi's career has basically disintegrated since that night back in 2004.  I have no interest in retribution against

this stiff anymore.  What should be done, and what has not been done up to now, is recognize, acknowledge,

and honor Steve Moore.  And the players should be united in voicing their belief in the legitimacy of Steve Moore's

lawsuit.

sandy

As clever and as analytical as all of us try to be, at least at times, we need to check ourselves.  Get serious,

and not ignore the obvious about the 4-2 Broncos.

The Broncos after six weeks are 4-2.

Only four NFL teams, Tennessee, the Giants, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh, have better records than Denver

does.

The Broncos are among the five most prolific scoring teams in the league.

The Broncos are among the five most easily scored upon teams in the league.

And through all of our analysis and attempts to be clever, we come to the following conclusion:  Jay Cutler,

Brandon Marshall, and the offense are primarily to blame for both losses and the defense gets most

of the credit for at least one of the wins.

Beautiful...and, of course, comical.

 I understand that the defense is doing the best it can with an undertalented cast.  And I assume that Bob

Slowik is at least a competent defensive coordinator, who is popular with his players.

But last year, weren't we beside ourselves when after six games, a defense guided largely by Jim Bates

had given up 164 points?  This year, when Bates is long gone and Slowik's group yields 154 points, we

say...what...well, it's the offense's fault for turning it over some and not scoring enough?  Denver's scoring

far more than it did last year, and yesterday played without even some of last year's weapons.

Listen, folks, Cutler and Marshall get credit all the time, so they should shoulder some blame, too.  Some

blame.  But when Champ Bailey says yesterday after the game that the defense really hasn't stopped the

run or the pass all year, we have our answer, don't we?

The Broncos are exactly where they should be now.  If they split their last 10 games, the may be in the playoffs...

it would be about 50-50.  If they lose most of their games, they'll miss the playoffs, and if they win six or more

out of 10, they'll likely win the AFC West.

That's where they stand...seriously.

sandy

Already this week we've raised the issue on "The Sports Guys" as to whether Jay Cutler in his third year

is a better quarterback than John Elway was during #7's third season.  I think Cutler is better in most ways,

possibly excepting Elway's capacity to turn a broken play into a 70-yard gain.  As a leader, especially in the

fourth quarter of tight games, Elway took on a different form in the eyes of his teammates, something perhaps

that Cutler has yet to demonstrate.

But Elway put his teams in the hole at times, too.  Some of the messes were of his own making.  And in a technical

sense, when it comes to reading defenses, contributing to the building of the weekly game plan, throwing with

touch and accuracy...well, there isn't really much of a comparison to be made.

Now, in this current edition of "The Sporting News," Cutler tells Steve Greenberg that "I have a stronger

arm than John, hands down.  Elway's reply?  Different than what you'd expect.

"His arm is pretty special, might even be as good as mine when I was his age (25).  Certainly, it's better than

mine was at the end (Elway had arm problems in his last three years)."

My sense is that if Cutler had said this a month ago, he would have been dismissed as a cocky crank.  Now,

the assertion is plausible.  Cutler has thrown deep outs with zip as well as Elway ever did...by the way, Dan Reeves

long contended that during the '80s, Phil Simms threw the best deep out pattern in football.  He has better touch

on the short and intermediate stuff.  Cutler-to-Marshall reminds me of a more refined version of Fran Tarkenton

and Homer Jones from back in the '60s.  Elway's famous Super Bowl connection with Rod Smith against Atlanta

lives on vividly in memory, but it wasn't ever as electrifying as Cutler and Marshall have shown signs of being...

routinely.

More of Cutler's confidence and personality is now coming forth...now all he has to do is back it up.

sandy

What are the ColdPlay lyrics? 

"I used to rule the world...Listen as the crowd would sing...People couldn't believe what I'd become...Sweep

the streets I used to own...I used to roll the dice...feel the fear in my enemies' eyes..."

The crowds now are smaller (though the Revival Meeting sessions resumed for a time last spring) and

they definitely are not singing.  In their last two playoff years, the Avs have been swept out of the playoffs

by Anaheim and Detroit, the teams now ruling the Western World of hockey.  The Avs certainly don't

feel the fear in opponents' eyes anymore.

What have they become?  A somewhat intriguing mix of belligerance, grit, youth, and speed.  An unproven mix,

at that.  David Jones, seemingly a career minor leaguer a year ago, now playing alongside Joe Sakic on the

top line.  Nice prospect with some size, strength, and speed, but six points in 27 games at a -5?  Yeah,

unproven.  Ryan Smyth, a top tier star signed last year to a five-year, $31 million deal, must now find that form

again.  Darcy Tucker got bought out in Toronto and must recapture his old ornery style.

Wolski's an enigma, and we don't know how healthy Svatos can remain...big questions.  For me, it comes

down to Peter Budaj in the nets.  If he's a legitimate 55-game goaltender, the Avs will probably make the playoffs.

If he plays over that stretch in the manner that he did for the final quarter of '06-'07, Colorado could win the

Northwest, guaranteeing at least a third seed.

I see 40 wins, a close race to the finish, third place in the division, and ninth in the conference.   Close, but

no cigar for the playoffs but a decent start in reformulating the new Avs.

sandy

The Rockies dropped 15 games this year from last year and now we are supposed to believe that it was all

Jamie Quirk's fault?  Or Alan Cockrell's fault?  Mike Gallego?  Rick Mathews?  Strength coach Brad Andress?

Thank goodness that Bob Apodaca was around to pick up a portion of the slack along with Glenallen Hill.

What magic must they have weaved in order to survive?

Even those inclined to defend Clint Hurdle, those who believe he has never been given much with which to work,

have to have lost faith now in the manager.  Firing coaches to save yourself.  Saying the pitching coach, who

survived, needs help now from the new bullpen coach, someone who "has a different set of skills (than those)

of Apodaca."  Pure unadulterated scapegoating undertaken by the skipper, whose season this year at 74-88

hits right at his lifetime managerial winning percentage.

But the Rockies fool just enough of the people all the time.  Today, on The Sports Guys, we received an email

from a "fan" claiming that our criticisms, any and all, of the Rockies reflected our imbecilic tendencies.  The

Rockies...they who shall not be criticized.

Here's the deal for the folks so inclined to take up a challenge:  Evans and I have offered hundreds of opinions

across the last decade involving the current ownership and upper managerial regime.  Rockies apologists have

offered hundreds of opinions on the club's behalf in opposition to ours.

Name one instance, just one, in which we've been wrong and they've been right.

sandy

At this point in their respective careers, anyway.  I am certainly not prepared to say that Jay Cutler will have a

career better or nearly as spectacular as Elway's was.

But he is by far the better quarterback now, when compared to Elway at age 25 in his third year, 1985.  And it

really isn't close.

The big point is that Elway regressed during his second year.  He threw eight more interceptions (in fairness,

while attempting 225 more passes), his completion percentage dropped to 54%, and his yards-per-pass

number dipped by half a yard.  John Elway was often wildly erratic in 1985.  At times, he certainly would make

the 60-70 yard crossfield throws for which he would become famous...making plays from no firm foundation.

But I remember that year that the Broncos got outscored 102-39 in the third quarter, at least partially due to

John's careless mistakes.

Cutler is the more polished passer in Year Three.  He's more accurate.  And yesterday, he played a solid, mistake-

free game, dialed it down while clearly preferring a more aggressive approach, and emerged as a calm, mature

leader doing what it took to win.  His progress is obvious for everyone to see.

Cutler is no choir boy and Elway was certainly professional and responsible in his preparation for games.

But my opinion is that Cutler is more studious than Elway was, more coachable.

People tend not to remember, either, that Elway was criticized, both fairly and unfairly, during his third year.

"Richard Todd on a BAD day," was the worst, though in response to my defense of John on postgame shows

at the time, this may have been expressed in frustration.

John Elway was always an amazing play-maker, but until his 11th year, he wasn't much of a passer.  Cutler

is an amazing passer with play-making capacity even now.

sandy

During our Sports Guys program this morning, in the middle of the Tony Granato Show that airs every Thursday

morning at 8a, the USA Hockey Hall of Fame sister of the Avalanche head coach called in.  Cammi Granato,

disguised as "Cindy," had her brother fooled for awhile.  But during the entire exchange, you could sense the

respect, admiration, and affection that Tony had for his kid sister.

Next Friday night at Magness Arena, Cindy...ur...Cammi will be inducted into the USA Hockey Hall of Fame.  The

night before, Tony will begin his second stint as Avalanche head coach when the Boston Bruins come to town to

open the 2008-09 NHL season.  Ten years ago, Cammi helped lead her Team USA to Olympic gold.  Tony had

similarly participated a decade earlier, but continues to place his sister first for achievement.  The warmth that

came across this morning as Tony talked about how Cammi's access to playing hockey as a youngster was

often denied was moving.

Cammi was truly a pioneer when you look back on the development of women's hockey in America and has

overcome innumerable obstacles along the way.  Brother Tony has been dismissed as just another recycled

NHL coach, doomed to fail with an insufficiently talented Avalanche team this year.

Don't be surprised if the brother this year rises surprisingly against seemingly unlikely odds, much as the sister

is celebrated for having done the same.

sandy

This is the one year, the particular failure, that even the Rockies can't easily rationalize.  Down from 90 regular

season wins to 74.  Diminished productivity on the mound, offensively, and defensively.  A record inferior to

the one compiled in 2006.

As Dave Krieger reported the other day, the Rockies remain highly profitable...sixth in MLB in profitability for 2008.

The strong sense remains that while the Rockies would prefer to win as opposed to losing, profitability remains

the chief priority.

Let's say you follow Troy Renck's scenario, laid out this morning with The Sports Guys, and during this offseason

trade Matt Holliday to Boston for Jayson Bay and a young pitching prospect.  In a baseball sense, the deal might

make some sense: Bay's OPS this year of .895 was within shouting distance of Holliday's .947.  Bay made just

six million dollars in '08, less than two-thirds what Holliday earned.  Bay is two years older (so much for the

"Kid Rocks"), but it would give "payroll flexibility" to an organization that prizes this feature above all others.

The Red Sox went 34-19 with Bay after he was acquired in the Manny Ramirez deal, so they'd have that going

for them.  Which is nice.

The Rockies, I suspect, in the coming weeks will fire pitching coach Bob Apodaca, trade Garrett Atkins (who is

clearly in decline), and deal Holliday, too, if they can justify it even slightly in a baseball context.  The Rockies'

credibility is on the line now, so watching how they proceed will be The Final Exam for thoughtful fans.

sandy

My friend Mark Kiszla had a column today about the Nugget vision for the future centering on the idea of

Carmelo Anthony finally assuming the reigns of leadership.

I had to laugh.

Not that Carmelo is irredeemable as a player by any means.  There is room for growth at both ends, particularly

on defense, and I think he will be better, if not transformed, in 2008-09.  But his concept of leadership needs a

little work.

"I don't have to yell to be a leader.  I think I showed it with Team USA, with some of the best players in the

world, that I know how to establish what it takes for a team to win."

Is he kidding?  It was not apparent that Carmelo in the Olympics was doing a lot more than going along

for the ride.  No one thought he was singularly leading Team USA anywhere.  He wasn't a lead player

defensively, as a scorer, or as a playmaker.

And, by the way, he wasn't a leader, though he was the best player, on the Syracuse national championship

team of 2003.  According to Brother Evans, the Syracuse grad, Kueth Duany, Billy Edelin, and Hakim Warrick

were primary leaders acknowledged even by Anthony at the time.

Kiszla makes the outstanding and undeniable point that no coach wins titles without the O'Neals, Duncans,

and Garnetts of the world saying, in effect, that we refuse to lose..

Carmelo, experiencing a lull in his feuding with George Karl, is now singing the players-have-to-do-it-

regardless-of-the-coach tune.  Wonderful.

Let's see some genuine distaste for losing...as opposed to the everybody-quit-except-me line.

sandy

After 3-0 starts, both the Broncos and Buffs faced at least offensively-challenged teams over the weekend.

While neither team put any discernible pressure on the passer, the real culprits were probably the play-

callers, rather than the play-makers.

Jay Cutler, Cody Hawkins, and their receivers largely failed, but they didn't get much help from the sidelines.

Colorado clearly could not protect Hawkins from the outside Florida St. pass rush, and yet Dan Hawkins

elected to throw...even in the first half when the game was close...most of the time.  Rodney Stewart got plenty

of work, but Darrell Scott carried only five times.  Why?  Hawkins missed open receivers, to be sure, but why

not adjust and get some shorter stuff established?

Brandon Marshall's left end run in the second quarter made no sense.  The Broncos had established nothing

at that point in the running game off which to counter.  The old fox, Gunther Cunningham, had the right defense

called, Marshall was snowed under and fumbled, and the game was altered.

Cutler and Hawkins weren't nearly good enough, true enough.  But both need more help from their defensive

teammates and from their coaches than they got this weekend.

sandy

The Chiefs are almost indescribably bad, losers of 12 games in a row now carrying back to last season.

Since backing into the playoffs in '06, Kansas City has gone 4-16, and the wonder is that they've gotten

the four wins.  They are in the process of replacing an aging core of players.  In mid-decade, they had the

best offensive line in the business.  Now, it might be the worst.  Even with QB Brodie Croyle healthy, the

Chiefs do not have any prospects presently on their roster at the position.

The only possible problem: The Broncos get fatheaded and take the game entirely for granted, forgetting

that if they lose the turnover battle, even the Chiefs could win with the Broncos beating themselves.

This is largely why the Broncos haven't won back-to-back regular season games in KC since the late

1970s.

Mike Shanahan loves the position the Broncos are in right now.  The players feel (rightly) slighted-- even

the offensive ones who are averaging 38ppg hear all the "lucky-not-to-be-1-2" stuff.  And resent it, thinking

that there's more to prove.

I'll tell you what...it'll be impressive if Denver goes into Arrowhead with an edge and beats the Chiefs by

four touchdowns, or so.  Unlike the Raiders, Shanahan may feel that there's little reason to run it up on

Kansas City.  But on defense, this is a rare chance to bring a lot of blitzes without fearing the consequences.

The Broncos should be trying to dominate this game for four quarters, which even against the Raiders they

did not do.

sandy

Magnificent reporting by Troy Renck of The Denver Post in recent weeks on the possible ramifications

coming out of the Rockies' Lost Season.

I don't really think that Clint Hurdle will be fired in the next few weeks, though some of Dan O'Dowd's statements

yesterday made to Troy sound ominous.  But I do think that his coaches could be in trouble, particularly hitting

coach Alan Cockrell and pitching coach Bob Apodaca.

We all know that nothing substantial will change until and unless ownership does.  But along the way,

O'Dowd has emerged as a voice of reason and honesty.  He's not perfect, but he's acknowledged his

mistakes, and that's a lot more than anyone else, including any player, has done.

sandy

I confess up front that Tom Nalen stands as one of my favorite people across the last 30 years of covering

Denver sports.  He's got the right mix of cynicism, intelligence, and humor...and I do have an affinity for

those players who are bright, and yet not self-promoters.

Nalen came into the starting lineup 13 years ago with Mark Schlereth and Gary Zimmerman to his left,

and Brian Habib and Broderick Thompson to his right, and goes out, unfortunately not having had the

chance to play with young studs Ryan Clady and Ryan Harris.  He was the center for the winningest three-

season team in NFL history from 1996-1998, and yet in 2000, Denver scored 485 points without Elway,

Atwater, Sharpe, and a healthy Terrell Davis.  And with two pedestrian QBs in Brian Griese and Gus Frerotte.

The Hall of Fame center, along with Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey, carried that team.

As recently as five years ago, Tom Nalen was named as the best offensive lineman in the NFL, at age 32.

The only modern day centers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame are Mike Webster, Frank Gatski, Jim Langer,

Jim Otto, Jim Ringo, and Dwight Stephenson.  Nalen was at least as good as any of them and he has two

Super Bowl rings.

Elway, Zimmerman, and Sharpe have been and will be Canton-bound...and Nalen will most likely be next.

sandy

No, the Broncos aren't a Super Bowl team, even as it appears they have a Super Bowl offense: the best receiver

in the universe, a terrific, bright young passer, and as good an offensive line as we've seen around here in

a decade.

Defensively, they're not quite a disaster, but their limitations seem at times limitless.  Their best defensive

linemen are John Engelberger and Ebenezer Ekuban.  Nothing against these guys-- they're prideful veterans--

but shouldn't your two best come from the group of Dumervil, Moss, Crowder, and Thomas?  Hell, Crowder

didn't even suit up yesterday, and Moss has been inactive in two of the first three games.  Going yesterday to

a 3-4 look tells me that they want Jamie Winborn playing more than a fourth defensive lineman.  Dumervil has

been playing with a fractured finger, so we cut him some slack.

Let's face it, though, folks: Brandon Marshall a physically a freak of nature the likes of which we've never seen

here down through the years from Al Denson to Haven Moses to Steve Watson to Rod Smith.  As great as those

four were, Marshall is bigger, stronger, better in traffic even catching the ball, and more dangerous after the catch.

He can go 16-166 and then 6-155, and you just say, "OK, that's routine...what's next?"

Fact is that in the last 30 years, 78% of the teams that start 3-0 go on to make the playoffs.  It'll be hard for

the Broncos to go less than 7-6 with their remaining schedule.  As one of our callers said today, Denver has

a 15-1 or 14-2 defense.  If Slowik and his fellow defensive assistants can make something halfway decent

out of this defense, the Broncos might even make good on Shanahan's secondary prediction from August.

That once in the playoffs, Denver can make some noise.

sandy

Intriguing game tonight up in Boulder between CU and West Virginia...first time that the Buffs have played in

Boulder on a Thursday night since Doug Moe was fired as Nuggets coach in September of 1990.

Chris Fowler, the magnificent GameDay host on ESPN and CU alum, will be calling the game tonight...

the first game he's seen at Folsom since 1996.

Joel Klatt and Fowler appeared with The Sports Guys this morning and had very different views of CU's

prospects for 2008.  Klatt said that CU should line up and slug it out with the Mountaineers, win the game,

and go on to win three more games before the end of October.  Fowler thinks that the Buffs will be dealing

with a pretty good team tonight coming off a bad game, and that they are a year or so away from realizing their

potential.

I come down on Fowler's side in this instance.  The Colorado defense is not collectively fast enough and may be

exposed tonight by White and Devine.  I like CU to win tonight because they can put 30 up on a young West

Virginia defense.  But if they're counting on winning this way against Florida State, Texas, Kansas, and Missouri,

they're kidding themselves.

Even if Darrell Scott all of a sudden breaks out, perhaps even as early as tonight.  Colorado is not yet a complete

team in the manner that their '94-'96 teams were, though the Buffs are dangerous and will win one or two games

this year unexpectedly.

sandy

Mercury Morris joined Terry Frei and me this morning on The Sports Guys to promote his new website on

the 1972 Miami Dolphins.  And the conversation that ensued centered on Morris' contention that the '72 team

has been denied its rightful historical place.

I understand the basis for his complaint(s), and those made by other '72 Dolphins.  As a 15-year old  growing up

in New York at the time, I remember seeing the Dolphins three times that year, including twice up close.  They

were not regarded as a team flirting with history.  Both the Giants and the Jets were underdogs against them,

but only slight ones.  As Morris points out, the Dolphins at 16-0 were Super Bowl 'dogs that year to the Washington

Redskins.

In all honesty, though, the Dolphins excelled that year in a "weak league," relatively speaking.  The most famous

(or infamous) playoff memory from that year involved "The Immaculate Reception" play that put Pittsburgh, still

years away from being a championship team, into the AFC title game with Miami.  The Redskins were in the Super

Bowl that year largely because an injury had befallen Cowboy star QB, Roger Staubach.  The only winning team

the Dolphs beat during the regular year happened to be the Giants of Norm Snead!!!

Morris and the other Dolphins should argue more often about how great that team was not just for one year, but

for six from 1970-75.  They were in three Super Bowls, won two, and went 73-18-1 (playoffs included) across that

stretch.  In 1972 and '73, Miami went 32-2...43-6 from '72-'74 before World Football League defections decimated

the team.

A decade ago, Bob Griese said about the '98 Broncos (with son Brian backing up John Elway) that he hoped that

they'd lose, that he want the undefeated record for himself and his teammates.  Essentially, he said, this is a record

I DON'T want broken.  At least he was honest.

Maybe all of the Dolphins should just get together and admit that they want to stand alone, and that they do actively

celebrate each year when the last undefeated team falls....whenever that may be.  Yes, we're selfish, proud,

and egotistical.  So what???

sandy

sandy 

Good column today in The Rocky Mountain News by Dave Krieger in which Matt Holliday, in some detail,

describes what might be required in order to keep him in Denver across the long term.

Holliday essentially suggests that when he rejected Colorado's proposal last spring, it had more to do with

the length of the deal than it did with the money offered.  And the fact that the Rockies did not include a

no-trade clause didn't help, either.  Short years, and no no-trade clause.  Give him a six- or seven-year offer

with a no-trade, and he might be persuaded to stay.

I give Holliday some credit for being somewhat explicit (finally) about what he wants.  Now, we see if the Rockies

respond by doing what ownership said it would not do last September: Make an offer that extends to five years,

or maybe beyond...maybe six years and $100 million to start.  If you're not willing to go that far for that long, say

so.  Trade him, move on, and accept the accompanying criticism.

The Rockies have now had 11 years of failure, interrupted by a month of miraculous play late last summer and

early last fall.  It still amazes me that people would view this as a prelude for sustained success rather than

the record for failure that it represents.

sandy

Mike Shanahan in early August one morning decided to declare, in the most unequivocal terms, that the Broncos

would not again miss the playoffs in 2008.  If anyone still felt that there was only bluster behind those words, well...

those folks were disabused of that notion by actions taken yesterday by the coach.

Shanahan has total trust in his quarterback.  He believes that Ryan Clady, even at these early stages, is the best

Bronco offensive lineman since Gary Zimmerman.  That Brandon Marshall will soon emerge clearly as a receiver

stronger and faster than the one to whom he is most frequently compared...Terrell Owens.  As a rookie receiving-

returning sensation, the Broncos haven't seen Eddie Royal's equal since Rick Upchurch in 1975.

But, you know what?  He knows that his defense is not great, or even at times any good, so he was really playing

the percentages yesterday when he went for two.  Rely on that defense?  In overtime, if the Broncos failed to

score on their first possession, or had to stop San Diego first?  You've got to be kidding!  That was the ultimate

no-hoper.  Scoring with the same sort of play Denver had just scored on from the four?  Why not?  The odds

in his mind had to be a lot better than 50-50.

The playoff declaration, much as we've played it up, constituted mere words.  The action yesterday may have

looked like a gamble but it really was nothing more than the best percentage play.  And it inspired the players,

even surprising a few.

Which is really Shanahan at his best.

sandy

The Broncos define themselves this week.  If they win with anything approximating the offensive force they

demonstrated against Oakland, then this is going to be a fun and productive year.  And Denver would have

to be better than a 50-50 proposition to win the AFC West.  If they lose, all you're really likely to be able to say

for sure is that they're an interesting offensive team that may be a year away from coming together as any

kind of threat against any kind of reputable opponent.

San Diego's a strange team.  Last year, they didn't pass protect or pass rush particularly well...most of the time.

The Chargers led the league in sacks characterized as "rusher untouched."  They couldn't play-action pass worth

a crap, and threw less to their WRs than any team in the league.  And yet now, passing is their strength...Rivers

looked magnificent last Sunday and the receivers, especially old friend Vincent Jackson from UNC, are major

threats.  The pass rush is top tier...on first and second downs.  Last year on third down, they were 29th in Adjusted

Sack Rate.  They weren't exactly running Delhomme over last week in key passing situations, either.

Williams is banged up, though he says he'll play.  Same deal with L.T.  Cromartie has a bad hip and there's

talk he may not go.  Many of the San Diego people say that Merriman was not more than, at best, the Chargers'

third most valuable defensive player, next to Williams and Cromartie (10 picks in '07).

I treat all this seriously:  Denver-30, San Diego-26...

sandy

I'm excited about Sunday's game between the Broncos and Chargers for a number of reasons, not the least

of which is the possibility of a shootout of sorts between perhaps two of the fastest emerging QBs in the sport,

Philip Rivers and Jay Cutler.

As opposed to those who believe that to either or both, Sunday's game represents "a chance to prove himself/

themselves," I believe that both have already advanced considerably.  Rivers last year regressed...until the final

month of the season when he all of a sudden found his best form.  Last Sunday, he was the best Charger on

the field, even in defeat.  Cutler took major steps playing for a bad team a year ago, and now has sharpened

his technique (primarily in the sense that he's no longer holding onto the ball forever) and has lengthened the

time spent studying and preparing.

Both are ascending and Sunday's game may be at least slightly reminiscent of a classic September, 1985 dual

between young quarterbacks John Elway and Dan Marino.  The Dolphins won that day, 30-26, and that game

helped to propel what became a 12-4 Miami team into the playoffs a year after the Dolphs had lost in the Super

Bowl to the 49ers.  The Broncos, at 11-5, missed the playoffs entirely.

I see the Broncos winning on Sunday in a similarly high-scoring affair, and unlike 1985, both teams will make

the playoffs come January, 2009.  While we continue to debate how quickly Cutler is progressing, let's remember

that in his third year, Elway's Broncos slipped by two games from the previous year.  John's passer rating dropped

off a bit and he threw for more interceptions than he did touchdowns.  And his supporting cast included a still-

productive, standout receiver in Steve Watson, as well as two premier pass rushers in Karl Mecklenburg (13

sacks) and Rulon Jones (10 sacks).

Cutler can play...let's start more seriously questioning those on the Broncos who really have something to

prove.

sandy

Today on The Sports Guys, Mike and I reacted to the comments made the other day by Rocky OF Brad Hawpe,

who was critical and dismissive of remarks made over the weekend by GM Dan O'Dowd.

Hawpe had suggested that as an "outsider," O'Dowd's views were to be taken less seriously than, say,

the "shortstop's," if in fact Troy Tulowitzki were to have offered similar opinions.  I said that O'Dowd had

every right, as Hawpe's employer, to say what he did, and that Hawpe had some nerve characterizing his

employer as someone whose views didn't much matter.

And I concluded by saying that by not taking O'Dowd's expressions to hard and assuming responsibility for

a failed Rockies season, Hawpe was talking as "a loser" might.

This provoked from a caller the standard response...you depend on Brad Hawpe for your livlihood...you're beholden

to him...you shouldn't criticize if you "never played the game"...and by the way I think the Rockies got lucky last year.

But, I'm tired of hearing your critical views...you should keep quiet.

Apart from the problem of remaining silent for five hours a day, being only left to listen to the opinion(s) of one

caller, it's interesting that the caller would have the same attitude about us that Hawpe has about Dan O'Dowd,

who also "never played the game."

We base our commentary on reading, watching, and listening to those who, in fact, have played the game.

Those who listen either accept that there is value in this, don't accept that there is any value in this, or don't

believe that we have any foundation for what we say and are merely saying things for effect to upset everyone.

If the caller's formulation is correct, who are any of us to vote for either John McCain or Barack Obama in

November?  After all, almost no one has been President of the United States.  What do we know about who's

more qualified?

Shut up, keep your opinions to yourself and, most importantly, don't vote!!!!

sandy

This, I'm sure, is not an impression shared by many in this reason, but I do feel sorry for the former Managing

General Genius of the Raiders.

Mike Shanahan sure doesn't.  He'll run it up on Davis anytime he can.  Last week, he refused to concede that

any of his bitterness toward his old employer has diminished.

But the fact remains that much of pro football's extraordinary growth in the last 45 years never would have

taken place without Al Davis.  He was the lead executive of the American Football League at the end, and

as the great Len Dawson told us this morning on The Sports Guys, Davis moved aggressively to bid for

the services of some of the best NFL quarterbacks, thus forcing the older league to consider the possibility

of merging.

Here in Denver, the Raiders long served as a worthy rival, a standard which the Broncos had to match in order

to be truly taken seriously.  Al Davis was at his best the same kind of competitor Scotty Bowman turned out

to be years later.  He sought information wherever he could find it.  He was always looking for the edge.

Sure, he could meddle excessively, but he knew what he was talking about, knew what he was doing.

Even when he made mistakes.

I miss that Al Davis and I was sorry to see him appear to be doddering last night, looking so old and out of

touch, his organization now a laughingstock, having collapsed around him due to his own incompetence.

I imagine that even Mike Shanahan, deep down, wishes Al were a worthier rival now than he seems to be.

sandy

Two notable observations can be made as the NFL opened its 89th season over the weekend.

One is that this is a Confidence Game.  Carolina appeared to be a different team with a healthy Jake Delhomme

back at quarterback.  Buffalo has wonderful special teams and yesterday used a punt return by Roscoe Parrish

and a touchdown pass delivered by punter Brian Moorman to a defensive end on a fake field goal to demolish

Seattle.

Injuries can radically alter the landscape.  The injury sustained by Tom Brady negates New England's opening win

over Kansas City.  And even if he's not as seriously hurt, Vince Young's ability to function at all with any kind of knee

ailment is highly questionable.

New England can still win some without Brady, but now both the Jets and Bills are fully in play as playoff contenders.

For Denver, this is bad news...a more crowded potential playoff field.  But now, the Broncos have to believe that

the Patriot game in October represents something other than a certain loss, too.

San Diego lost yesterday, which by itself isn't earth-shattering.  But they lost as the less physical team against

Carolina, and as our man Mark Schlereth pointed out this morning, Jamal Williams wasn't a factor at nose tackle.

He's supposed to be the best in the business and you couldn't have noticed him yesterday.  Shawne Merriman

wasn't disruptive on the Panthers' last drive, either.

There's no particular reason to believe that the Chargers still won't easily capture the AFC West, but if the Broncos

win tonight, then next Sunday, against Denver, the Bolts will have to win to avoid going two games in the hole inside

of the first two weeks of the season...not a thrilling prospect.

Quick note tonight for the game with Oakland: The Broncos can lose only if they beat themselves with unforced

errors.  Last year in Oakland, four turnovers doomed Denver, allowing the Raiders to run 69 plays to the Broncos'

62.  If the Broncos run 70 plays or more tonight, they win in a breeze.

sandy

There is little doubt that the 2007 Denver Broncos rank among the most disappointing of all Bronco contingents

going back to 1960.  Bad players, bad guys, a chance as late as Thanksgiving to salvage the season squandered.

But as better things are expected this year, at least in some quarters, I've been thinking about the flip side: the

most underrated and underappreciated team of all time in Denver.  Let's consider the 1976 Broncos, the team

that came right before the miracle workers of 1977.

The '76 Broncos of Rick Upchurch, who took four punts back for touchdowns that year.  The year in which the 3-4

defense came into being, due to an injury sustained by Lyle Alzado.  Setting the stage for "Orange Crush" when

Alzado returned for the '77 season.  Of course, these were the John Ralston Broncos, too.  The coach that year

lost his following when he was unable to coach the Broncos through a game in Houston when his offensive

coordinator got sick on game day.

Without Alzado, the Broncos still ranked sixth in fewest points allowed.  The eventual world champion Raiders

were 12th.  The two games that year with the Raiders ended 17-10, and 19-6.  Why?  Because Denver had

Steve Ramsey at quarterback and it's almost impossible to quantify how bad Ramsey was during that season.

Completed 47% of his passes...threw only for 11 TDs against 13 interceptions.  Even with a 1000-yard runner

in Otis Armstrong.  Riley Odoms was a terrific TE, and of course Haven Moses was on hand.

The Broncos were basically just as good in '76 as they were the following year, except for these factors: Red Miller

replaced Ralston as the coach, and Craig Morton was acquired in a trade to take over at QB. 

If you had put someone of Cutler's calibre on that team 32 years ago...with that defense and great special teams,

that team might have been able to get to the Super Bowl.  The Broncos of this year can only hope to be as good

as that team was...with the real Jay Cutler at QB.

sandy

Watching the Rockies last night out at Coors, there are things both impressive and depressing about them.

The lineup is arguably better than last year's right now.  Iannetta changes everything with his batting eye

and his pop.  Atkins, Stewart, and Tulowitzki at the end of the order?  Not bad, except for Atkins' being in

a big slump right now.

Hurdle manages more skillfully with the additional call-ups after 9/1.  Last night, he used his bench and

bullpen expertly.  Got Hernandez out quickly and when they reached the seventh inning tied, you pretty much

knew it was their ballgame with Corpas, Buchholtz, Fuentes, and Grilli (as it turned out) closing down the Giants.

Hernandez is a joke at this point and Jimenez had a very rough month of August.  The middle relief stinks.

But what is most depressing is the schedule down the stretch...for the Dodgers.  Los Angeles plays 17 of its

remaining 23 against San Diego (seven times), San Francisco (six times) and Pittsburgh (four times). 

Only three remain with both Arizona and Colorado.

If the Dodgers don't win at least 85 games and the division (Colorado and Arizona figure to tie for second at

81-81), then Joe Torre should be fired within seconds of the season's conclusion.

sandy

Last week, I voiced my preference for Ram fans over their CU counterparts, based largely on the notion that they

were generally more realistic in Fort Collins about their team's prospects.

I am tempted now to amend those remarks.

The most powerful reaction Sunday night among those constituting "RamNation" seemed to be centered on

criticism of coach Steve Fairchild's performance in his first head coaching game.  Not on the bare cupboard

left to him from some dry recruiting years.  Not on the clear discrepancy in speed that existed and will continue

to exist between Colorado and Colorado State.  Not even on special team breakdowns unusual even for an

opening game.

Instead, the criticism was applied to Fairchild's play-calling on the assumption that there was considerable

ammunition to unleash.  These same fans reacted strongly to my assertion that this may be the most impotent

CSU team in the last 20 years...1989-2008.  As if you can easily identify at least four games that the 2008 Rams

are likely to win.  Which four?  TCU?  Utah?  BYU?  They're going to win at AFA?  Or at Cal?


Ricky Brewer is a fine linebacker.  CSU needs at least three more defenders just like him.  Gartrell Johnson,

at 6-0, 225 is a better than average Division I back, but how many other offensive difference-makers are there?

Kory Sperry, maybe.

CSU followers need to be patient.  We all thought that it would take awhile for Sonny Lubick to turn things around

15 years ago.  But because he created a program that had never before existed in Fort Collins, and did it virtually

overnight, patience wasn't needed.

It will be needed now, and it'll be interesting to see if it's actually practiced, especially by people who (secretly)

suggested that they would start going to the games again if Lubick were replaced.

sandy 

The former CSU head coach is not speaking with any of us on the air this week for reasons that are perfectly

understandable: He does not wish to detract from those who are involved in the proceedings, and of course,

he never wants to be in any way dishonest about his feelings regarding his dismissal last December.  And he

is still more than uncomfortable with the manner in which he was forced out.

Admiring Lubick as I do without reservation, this is difficult to say but in fairness I believe that there was a certain

stubborness at play on both sides.  Yes, the administration led by the school president was heavy-handed in the

way it handled the final days of the Lubick regime.  There should have been a more determined effort to identify

Sonny's first decade on the job as having been remarkable and inspiring...coupled with the assertion that all good

things must end, that attendance had dropped alarmingly, and that in spite of the coach's optimistic forecasts, the

last two years had gone badly.  But Lubick and his supporters could have been more reasonable, too.  In losing

three of his final four to Colorado, the coach had to know that his coaching hadn't exactly been helpful.  And he was

the one who most ardently predicted a return to glory of sorts for the Rams in 2007.

And was forecasting this as far back as the summer of 2006.

Sonny Lubick did as great a reconstructive coaching job as has ever been done with any team on any level in

these parts from 1993-2003.  The record speaks for itself.

But the time to move on, and hire Steve Fairchild, clearly has come by December, 2007, and CSU was right

to make the move when it did.

And both sides share responsibility for the shoddy way Lubick's exit was handled.

sandy

We have hit a nadir of sorts when it comes to the area's college football Big Four.  I was looking at a reputable

publication recently that ranked 1-119 all of the Division I programs.

CU ranked 42nd.  AFA came in at #75.  Wyoming placed 88th.  And CSU located between Miami (OH) and

Toledo at 90.

We aren't talking about Days of Glory here...for anyone.  And yet, it's apparent that Colorado stands as the

best of a bad lot, and as such, should whip Colorado State on Sunday night at Invesco Field at Mile High.

There's just too much of a talent gap to suggest otherwise.

In the last five years, the cumulative score involving these two schools in head-to-head competition has been

141-129 in the Buffs' favor...an average of 28-26 per game.  But in each of those games, you could plausibly

argue that CSU has had at least the stronger-armed quarterback, whether it was Van Pelt, Holland, or Hanie.

And all had been groomed more thoroughly than has the current QB, Billy Farris.  Assuming that the game

again this year is relatively high-scoring, I like Cody Hawkins' chances of impacting the game more than

Farris can.

A loss to CSU would be catastrophic for CU, setting the stage perhaps for a regression to 5-7 or even 4-8

in '08.  It would also reignite talk that coach Dan Hawkins is unfit to meet the challenge of resurrecting the

Boulder program.  And it would reinforce the view that CU wants to get out of playing CSU in Denver because

it can't beat the Rams there...given that their record here vs. Fort Collins would fall to 4-5.

sandy

I have been watching preseason football for almost 40 years now...I remember growing up in New York in

the 1960s attending Giant exhibitions at the Yale Bowl.  Season ticket holders had the regular season games

and the so-called preseason affairs put tickets on sale separately.  In 1969, the Giants met the newly-crowned

Super Bowl champion Jets in New Haven...a hot ticket and a game that was considered just as important

as any that the two teams would play in the upcoming regular year.  In an electrifying performance, Joe Namath's

Jets crushed the Giants, 37-14.

The starters all played.  Giants coach Allie Sherman knew that he had to win the game in order to survive

the preseason.  He was fired well in advance of the opener.

On Friday night, Mike Shanahan pulled his starters at halftime, for reasons that didn't go much beyond a

determination to keep them healthy.  Elvis Dumervil had already been injured; Marquand Manuel got hurt

on special teams early in the third quarter.  After the game, Shanahan ruefully admitted that he had to use

a few of his frontliners so that Denver could have 11 players on the field.

Even the "dress rehearsal" game has now become a joke around the league.  The Giants, Redskins, and

Jaguars all lost key players over the weekend due to serious injuries.  There are hardly any teams now

contemplating the use of starters later this week in final preseason games.  Of course, fans are still being

charged full price as season-ticket holders to watch.

Cut the preseason back to two games.  Cut the ticket prices for those games and make them available to people

who ordinarily wouldn't be able to go.  And leave the regular season alone by retaining the 16-game schedule.

sandy

We've spent considerable time in the last decade on The Sports Guys in the morning talking about the

deteriorating condition of the American baskeball brand.  No one has written more often or more skillfully

about this subject than Harvey Araton of "The New York Times," and this week he wrote a fascinating column

pertaining to acting like a team as well as playing like one.

If you don't think this matters, you haven't been watching the Nuggets in recent years.

Jerry Colangelo, the executive director of USA Basketball, said this: "Because these are NBA stars, players,

people are always going to be watching them closely...it's about how we deal with it.  It is about us."

And it's about behavior, about assembling a team that won't embarrass itself or its followers.

About having players such as Jason Kidd, who say playing "the right way" has nothing to do with gestures

such as jersey-stretching, look-at-me moves.

This is the smart, classy game the Nuggets played when they represented the ABA in the mid-'70s, and then

first joined the NBA in 1976.  It's what they stood for right throughout the 1980s, as well.  If there were occasionally

malcontents and stooges who appeared on the scene, they didn't last long...Anthony Roberts, Kenny Dennard,

Keith Edmonson.

The example that this team is setting doesn't just relate to winning.  USA Basketball has shown that "regulatory

supervision," as Araton describes it, combined with adults sometimes saying no, sends a message that the

stars and supporting casts will hear...if it's a message sent from the very top of the organization.

sandy

After we touched on this subject earlier today during The Sports Guys program, I happened to come across a letter

from a gentleman who said that has had served in the U.S. Army active reserves and/or the National Guard for

six years and as a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne for three years.  In addition, he votes in every election, has

served on juries and wishes he were still young enough to be engaged in fighting the War on Terror.

Calling Becky Hammon a "traitor," who should "stay in Russia" now that she has appeared for its Olympic

basketball team, he says, is stupid and those who say such things are clueless as to what America represents.

I agree.  The problem lies in the fact that Hammon was not even allowed to try out for the U.S. team, even as she

has finished as a WNBA MVP runner-up (behind an Australian, ironically).  Maybe their selection procedure is as

flawed as the men's system was prior to Jerry Colangelo taking over after the 2004 Olympic debacle.

The Olympic ideal is based on, supposedly, individual participation more than it is on national identification,

anyway.  I'm told that this kind of "crossover" happens all the time in soccer.  Don't we have better, more serious

things to get worked up over?

sandy

As the Broncos get set to effectively close out the preseason on Friday night with a true dress rehearsal against

Green Bay, the so-called evaluation process is coming to a close, as well.

Jay Cutler's performance in two exhibitions to date is merely a reflection of the increased time he spent

in the offseason conditioning both physically and mentally.  He may still have some bad moments but there's

no doubt that he knows now exactly what he's doing.

Ryan Clady at this point needs little help, a notion Daniel Graham expressed on The Sports Guys a couple of

weeks ago.  Clady is already being described by insiders out at Dove Valley as the Broncos best offensive

lineman since Gary Zimmerman last played, and an substantial upgrade over Matt Lepsis, who struggled

mightily in his final season at LT.  Ryan Harris has settled down at RT and will also be an improvement...

in this case over Eric Pears.  Chris Kuper is now entrenched at RG.

Marquand Manuel's rise up the depth chart at strong safety has been the most pleasant defensive surprise

of camp.  His passion is something hard to observe from afar, but it's given the secondary and defense in

general a more energized look.

As Mike Klis indicated in the Post today, Denver will be throwing out of running formations more often, especially

early in the season.  Ryan Torain, they hope, will be ready by the November 2 game with Miami.  The Broncos

in the meantime will have to be creative with the assortment of undrafted free agents who remain at tailback.

sandy

Michael Phelps, out of Baltimore, has been during these Olympics as big a star and certainly as big a winner

as any we have ever seen at this competition.

Carmelo Anthony, out of Baltimore, has been more than pleased to play a secondary role for the U.S. men's

basketball team, the so-called Redeem Team, and watch Phelps excel in his spare time.

Anthony, though a starter, has not always played major minutes in this tournament so far.  He hasn't always

shot well.  After suggesting that he could average some 10 rebounds per game, he hasn't come close to

reaching that figure.

But you know what?  He's been an exceptional team player at the Olympics.  Defending Dirk the other day with

enthusiasm.  Doing the dirty work on the boards...not leaking out or basket-hanging.  Following missed shots

and passing instead of holding the ball to set up a one-on-one move.  Working to get himself back into shape

after arriving in Beijing.

How much of this version of Carmelo do we get this fall?  Good question.  The team around him has been weakened

considerably through the dumping of Marcus Camby.  Even if Anthony improves as a player across the board,

the Nuggets could very well miss the playoffs in 2009.  Will he feel that he has been set up to take the blame,

as his college coach Jim Boeheim seemed to imply recently in speaking to Dave Krieger of the Rocky Mountain

News?

As an occasional critic, I feel compelled here to give #15 some credit.  I wasn't sure that he would deal well with

the notion of sacrificing elements of his game and he has appeared coachable and more accepting of criticism...

not so much from Coach K but from Jerry Colangelo of USA Basketball.

Maybe the lesson here is that Nugget ownership and the front office should stop enabling Carmelo and begin

challenging him more seriously.  Such an approach has paid off for the national team, hasn't it?

sandy

him more seriously.  Such an approach has worked well for our national team, hasn't it?

We've been looking basically at four Bronco storylines this summer: the quarterback's progression, the development

of playmakers around him beyond Brandon Marshall, and the reconstruction of the offensive and defensive lines.

Jay Cutler's numbers in the first two exhibitions largely speak for themselves, but his ability to keep the team moving

in spite of the occasional penalty has been impressive.  He's moving around with greater freedom and purpose,

and seems to be getting rid of the ball faster.

Eddie Royal is a player.  That doesn't mean he should necessarily be penciled in for 70 catches and 1000 yards

quite yet, but it's apparent that Cutler feels almost as comfortable throwing Royal's way as he does throwing to

either Marshall of Scheffler.

The offensive line protected Cutler well for a second straight week, and the tempo was better in the run game.

Clady and Kuper were each called for major infractions, but I can't remember seeing much of any the Cowboy

defensive linemen involved at the point of attack.  A night-and-day difference from the August, 2007 game down

in Dallas.

I wasn't as impressed as the print guys seemed to be with the play of the defensive line.  Moss, Crowder, and

Thomas combined for zero tackles on Saturday night.  Robertson seemed to stand out and Dumervil chased down

Brad Johnson once but the pass rush pressure was otherwise non-existent.

The punters stood out when they weren't punting, but rather tackling and running...not all bad.  Matt Prater's charge

remains the same: convert a bit better than 19 of every 20 from inside 40 yards, and make between two-thirds and

three-quarters of all the other FG attempts.  That's what Jason Elam did during his last five years in Denver.

The Broncos will pass to set up the run much more often in '08.  It simply makes sense to put the ball in the hands

of your best players and play to your strengths.  Selvin Young and Andre Hall are functional, but neither is the sort

of star around whom you build an attack in need of more big plays.

sandy

Now that the so-called two-a-day portion of training camp has closed in advance of tomorrow night's

exhibition with Dallas, how much more do we know about the Broncos?

Enough to say that in spite of Mike Shanahan's declaration that "we will not miss the playoffs this year,"

Denver may be a year away.  The offensive line is a work in progress, even for all its promise.  The two

new tackles are both essentially rookies.  Denver's two best lineman may well be Tom Nalen and

Casey Wiegmann, the two centers.  Ryan Torain's loss was said to be "devastating" to the coaching staff

given that he had been pushing hard to be the starting tailback and seemed to embody all of the best

qualities Denver looks for in a runner and as a receiving threat out of the backfield.  Peyton Hillis, the rookie

fullback, has come on after missing practices early on with a hamstring injury.  Fully intergrating him may

take some time.  Not a day passes on which Brandon Marshall's immense potential is not vividly on display.

But he'll likely miss the first two games serving his suspension, and if the Broncos don't win at least one of those

games in his absence, the season is over by the third week in September.

Defensively, the Broncos can hardly be worse than they were a year ago, but unless Dewayne Robertson

dominates, it's hard to see the defensive line being substantially improved.  The biggest mystery seems

to be Tim Crowder's regression and Jarvis Moss' inability to push for more than a reserve role.  Wesley

Woodyard was their best at LB last Saturday night in Houston.  That was both interesting and somewhat

alarming.  The secondary should be good, and there's depth especially at the corner.  But without a pass

rush from the front four, this cannot be a top third defense...maybe not even one that ranks league-wide in

the top twenty.

I'll stick with 10-6, but 9-7 is probably more realistic.  Something that they can sell as advancement, but clearly

a record that leaves them out of the playoffs for a third straight year.

sandy

We can all agree on the following: the Broncos in 2008 neither belong among the elite (Patriots, Colts, Chargers,

Cowboys, Jags, Giants) nor do they reside amid the dregs (Raiders, Chiefs, Lions, 49ers, Dolphins, Falcons).

Instead, they exist among the 20 remaining teams, eleven of whom went either 8-8 or 7-9 in 2007.

The test for Mike Shanahan and his coaching staff this year is to lift what is essentially a .500 team a couple

of games above that mark.  In order to do that, they need a better pass rush.  More efficiency in the red zone.

More explosiveness in the deep passing game.  A standing somewhere within the top ten when it comes

to turnover-takeaway ratio (Denver has been 13th or worse in five of the last six seasons).

To me, the strongest argument against Shanahan's being regarded as one of the league's premier coaches

pertains to the turnover-takeaway issue.  It explains why the Broncos in five of the last six years have been

15th or better in yardage differential without managing to maintain anything close to this standing when it comes

to points.  And when your team appears inefficient and sloppy, it gives rise to the notion that it's poorly coached.

The reason I think Denver bounces back and returns to the playoffs this year has to do with their schedule being

so soft.  Six games against the aforementioned dregs.  Only four against the top half dozen.  And if you believe

that even a mediocre team should go 6-2 with the Broncos' first-half schedule, than it isn't that hard to visualize

going 10-6 from there.  Teams at 10-6 do occasionally miss the playoffs...Cleveland last year and Kansas City

in 2005 (the only year the Broncos won the AFCW since Elway's retirement).  Nonetheless, it would be hard

to classify such a campaign as a failure...and it would mirror the turnaround from 2003 when Denver went

10-6 and moved back into the playoffs, silencing for a time the coach's most ardent critics.

sandy

Judging by the progression that Dan Hawkins' program has made from two wins in 2006 to six last year,

shouldn't 2008 be a banner year in which the Buffs challenge Missouri and Kansas in the Big 12 North?

Probably not, actually.  Even the normally ebullient Hawkins has been rather subdued in recent weeks.

Last year, he was rather insistent in predicting that the Buffs would be bowl-bound with at least six wins,

but now he is warning people that even eight wins this year might be unrealistic.  This is somewhat

surprising, considering that on offense at least, CU should be stronger and deeper on the offensive line,

not to mention more dangerous at the "skill positions," led by Hawkins, Scott, and McKnight.  Maybe

losing Wheatley and Dizon from a defense that was up-and-down a year ago has the coach wondering

how CU will be favored in more than five of the 12 games on the schedule (CSU, Eastern Washington, Kansas

State, Iowa State, and Oklahoma State).

There may be more pressure now on the coach to get an additional win or two out of this year, more so than

there is on his son, the QB, to throw fewer interceptions (17 along with 22 touchdown passes in '07).  Taking

three games that figure to be close against Florida State, Oklahoma State, and Nebraska, I say Colorado

must take two of the three.  After putting 65 on the Huskers last November, winning in Lincoln this year won't

be easy.  But it probably will be defining.  Put me down for the Buffs going 6-6 again...with 7-5 a possibility

with a win in Jacksonville as well as Lincoln.

sandy

More than at any other time in the last six years, my sense this morning on "The Sports Guys" was that the fans

have lost faith completely in the Nuggets and are tired of having their intelligence insulted.

Shipping Marcus Camby off to the Clippers for almost literally nothing constitues the final straw for those

who have already practiced considerable patience over the last two decades in watching/following this team.

The deal does serve at least one useful purpose: It clearly establishes for any fair-minded and knowledgeable

person proof that George Karl's coaching methods have little or nothing to do with Denver's problems.  He has

no real decision-making authority and his comments about last night's news reflect that.

Stan Kroenke has designed the managerial model that governs Nugget affairs and if you as a fan object

to the way the Nuggets are conducting their business, those objections should be directed at the owner.

As things stand now, more than 5/7ths of the Nugget payroll for '08-'09 is taken up by salaries paid to Allen

Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, and Kenyon Martin.  Who operates successfully this way in the current NBA?

sandy

It's fairly obvious now that by the end of the current calendar year, there will be some resolution regarding Matt

Holliday's status with the Colorado Rockies.  Holliday is well on his way to another outstanding year offensively,

and yet because only 16 days remain before the trading deadline and because only the Yankees and Mets

seem interested (and can truly afford his services beyond next year), he most likely remains a Rockie through

the end of this current season.

Holliday and the Rockies, and even agent Boras, have been civil and respectful across the last 10 months

with one another, at least for public consumption.  But none of the parties involved have been particularly

forthcoming about what would constitute a fair, long-term proposal.  Holliday is playing with a two-year deal

in effect, said to be worth some $23 million, and the Rockies are said to have made "overtures" regarding

an additional $100 million, presumably over five years.  That would be, in total, seven years at almost $125

million.

The Rockies are obliged to authenticate this as either a hard or soft concept.  Is this an actual and official offer?

On the other hand, Holliday should either reject this out of hand, accept it and sign in the next four months,

or pronounce it as a basis for further negotioations, as a representative good-faith attempt on the Rockies' part.

I agree with my friend Terry Frei of The Denver Post that all of these elements should be made public as a matter

of policy set forth by the various major professional sports leagues.  The offers should be known to everyone

once they're officially made, and the player's/agent's reaction should shortly follow.

This is a critical and defining time for both the team and for Holliday, and the fans should have a clear idea

of who stands where.

sandy

Having been out of town in the last 10 days, it occurred to me that the Rockies have become the most

irrelevant World Series participant in recent memory.  While both the Indians and the Diamondbacks

have receded this year and now stand as losing teams, the fact is that neither team made the Series

in 2007, although both won divisions, something the Rockies did not accomplish.

In any case, it's hard to imagine that Clint Hurdle doesn't feel at least awkward about managing the National

League all stars in New York this week, given the Rockies current 39-57 record.  Hell, one of his coaches is

Bud Black, whose team is even worse than Hurdle's.  We all know that the senior circuit has slipped, but

this is getting ridiculous.

If the Rockies finish with more than 95 losses and become the worst of all 16 editions of the team, then

major personnel and philosphical changes must follow.  Their current approach will have at least been proven

to be incomplete, if not completely without merit.  The fact that Hurdle is managing in this year's All-Star Game

again provides evidence of how bad the National League has become and continues to be, by and large.

sandy

It has taken only 83 games (actually less than that) for the Colorado Rockies conclusively to demonstrate

that all along they've been nothing more than some of us advertised them to be: A .500 team that made

itself a national story through a once-in-several-lifetimes winning run for three weeks last September and

October.

At the moment, the Rockies are an awful baseball team with virtually no redeeming qualities beyond being

generally nice guys.  Nice guys...finish last, right Leo?  Although it was interesting to see that Tracy Ringolsby

of The Rocky Mountain News mentioned this morning in his game story from last night that "virtually every key

player in the game had gone into hiding before the clubhouse opened" after the game.  Tracy also spoke of

the idea that losing "could get the Rockies to moving in a remodeling of the roster."

Fascinating only because back this winter, the Rockies spoke of now contending seriously for the next six

years following their extending of Troy Tulowitzki's contract.  Facing the prospect of losing as many as 100

games changes your thinking, I suppose.

We all know that nothing will happen with the GM (who at least has been an honest commentator through

all of this) or the field manager.  Clint Hurdle will have to answer questions about the Rockies of late 2007

when he manages the National League all-stars next month, but he otherwise should be fairly comfortable

through the end of the season.  If only because ownership doesn't want ever to create the impression that

it's responding to public pressure.  Throwing Bob Apodaca, the beleaguered pitching coach, overboard may

have to suffice.

Fuentes will be traded sooner rather than later.  Willie Taveras is also likely to be dealt.  Dan O'Dowd is right

now the man to watch, maybe more than any other executive in Denver sports.  There have been more than

occasional rumblings regarding Holliday and Atkins being moved lately.  The political reality is that if you

deal one, the other will never stay long term, given their close friendship.

The cinderella Rockies have become an utter nightmare.

sandy

Never have the Avs gone into the free agency period with the uncertainty that exists right now.  I don't think

they'll add much up front, and they've already signed Foote and Liles on defense.

The main signing question involves Jose Theodore.  He appears to want three years, while the Avalanche

have hinted that two years represents their limit.  Adrian Dater of The Denver Post mentioned this morning

on "The Sports Guys" that the theory espoused by Ken Holland, the Detroit GM, might be instructive here.

The theory being that there are only three or four premier goaltenders worthy of big-money contracts.

Otherwise, you're better off spending on defense in front of a solid, reliable, reasonably priced man in the nets.

If Theodore can get three years and $15 million, he should take it.  The Avs shouldn't give him that sort of deal.

As for Joe Sakic, the prospects for his retiring seem to be growing, unfortunately, with each passing day.

Remember that Sakic's standards are almost impossibly high for someone a month away from his 39th

birthday.  If he's having doubts and he can't "go all in," then he retires.  There is nothing remotely ceremonial

that would appeal to Sakic at any point.

sandy

Much reaction to Mark Warkentien's appearance this morning on "The Sports Guys" in the wake of Denver's

move out of tonight's NBA Draft.  Some anger, confusion, and disenchantment mixed with resentment.

In all honesty, the current regime does suffer for the sins of past administrations here.  Kiki Vandeweghe

traded Jameer Nelson for a pick later used in the Kenyon Martin deal back in 2004, for example.  But disdain

for the draft does come through, as well as the sense that the Nuggets are overrating, if not entirely deluding

themselves about, their present-day personnel.

The contrast with the Rockies is fascinating.  The Nuggets seem not to have the disposition or perhaps security

to deal with the notion of developing young players patiently.  Make big trades, sign free agents.  The baseball

team is at the other end of the spectrum, believing only in the (less costly?) formula of player development through

the farm system...and virtually nothing else when it comes to team-building.

Rookies rarely help you win championships, apart from the occasional Magic Johnson.  But getting them

involved, as the Avs did years ago with Drury, Hejduk, and Tanguay, pays dividends in creating accelerated

progress.  None of those three were drafted early in the first round.

But relying entirely on a young talent base has its disadvantages, as the Rockies are demonstrating right now.

Say what you will about the Bronco and Avalanche flaws, both seem to have a more well-rounded philosophical

approach.

sandy

My colleague, Thierry Smith, put it well this morning...either trouble follows Brandon Marshall or Marshall follows

trouble.  And that trouble endangers the Broncos prospects for winning in 2008.  That is the issue that Marshall

and the team, at least, should be confronting.

Three teammates took extra time back in January to go out of town to work out on their own. Tony Scheffler

possibly aggravated a previously sustained foot injury.  Jay Cutler discovered that he had contracted diabetes.

Brandon Marshall got arrested and injured himself in an incident either related or unrelated weeks later.  It

isn't hard now to see the basis on which Cutler criticized Marshall once they got back to Denver.  His priorities

started with the idea that he and his teammates do all they could to get ready to win in 2008.  At some point,

Marshall's priorities became less absolutely connected with winning. 

People have become disenchanted with Carmelo Anthony because they believe that he is less committed

to winning than he is to partying.  Brandon Marshall's priorities deserve at least the same amount of attention

and criticism.

Marshall needs to step up now.  Not the Broncos, not even the NFL.  Take some ownership of the problems

he's created and convince us that the team's success is going to define him more than his increasingly

lengthening rap sheet.

sandy

Yesterday, USA Basketball announced its roster for the upcoming Olympics and there were virtually no surprises.

Coach K immediately asserted that this was "not an all-star team-- it's a team."  This is response to the notion

that his colleagues have now seen the light and have re-identified team play as a desirable component.

I still wonder. 

Yes, the presence of Tayshaun Prince for defensive purposes is an encouraging development.  But the truth

is that in Japan two years ago at the world championships, Team USA finished third.  Everyone got along,

Carmelo was terrific and the team still finished third.  Third in the Olympics in Athens in 2004.  Three losses

at the world championships in '02.  Third place in '98 world championships.

The roster is always dynamic, but the main obstacle remains the fact that the best international teams have

played together for years.  Our teams never will have anything approximating that collective experience.

This experience will be helpful to Carmelo Anthony only if the team wins Olympic gold.  Bronze or silver, even,

will not suffice.  One of the little ironies about Carmelo right now is that his game may actually be better

suited to the international game than it is to the NBA game.  On this team, he is very much a secondary

figure.  The featured players, the big stars of greatest renown, are Kobe, LeBron, and Wade.  Paul and

Williams are the leaders of the NBA's "new generation."  Howard is the low-post monster, the most physically

formidable of all produced in recent times here in America.

Losing a shot at gold in '04 hurt Anthony (unfairly) more than his fellow NBA stars.  Only winning now will

help him.

sandy

So now, here comes Carmelo Anthony demanding that the Nuggets "go public" with assurances essentially

already made to him privately that they are not actively seeking to trade him.  Looks as if the maturation process

is still stymied for Denver's most notorious man-child.

As to the question over whether we can blame Carmelo for feeling insulted by the trade rumors, the answer

is...well..."Yes, we can!!!!!"  Almost all of it is his fault since Anthony brought on this talk through his actions

and statements on and off the court in recent months.  Carmelo Anthony wants the Nuggets' love and

approval.  Here's how he gets it:

1) Promise to become more committed to energetic, impactful defensive effort.

2) Be in bed by midnight, at least on game nights, or on nights preceding games.

3) Indicate that he will more often respect the driving laws of a civilized society...stop driving drunk!

4) Express some understanding as to why the Nuggets and the public at large might be at least slightly

disenchanted with him at this point.  Say that he's disappointed in himself, too.  Sorry for the lack of consistent

effort and "me-first-and-only-attitude."  Admit that the Nuggets should listen to offers but that he'd prefer to rectify

things here, if possible.

When I had the chance to spend over an hour on the air with Anthony following the ill-fated 2004 Olympic Games,

he struck me as someone willing to grow but puzzled at how Larry Brown chose to single him out for criticism.

He didn't know everything as a teenager, but he did know that the teenage transgressions of his friend, LeBron

James, had been for some reason ignored.  And that this was unfair.

I agreed with him then and what he said about others being given a pass was confirmed by others on the scene

at the time.  Now, four years later, it's time for Carmelo to grow up and at least meet the Nuggets halfway in order

to close out this latest episode.

sandy

The most perplexing franchise among the four major professional Denver sports teams continues to be the

Nuggets.  They don't use the draft much at all anymore.  They are identified with a lot of trade rumors but don't

seem to be set up in a way that would allow them to execute a major deal.  Mainly because they don't have

a GM, or even anyone empowered to organize and create a consensus view.

Carmelo Anthony is either untouchable or he's not.  Clearly opinion is just as divided within the organization

as it is within the fan base and in media circles.  Some sort of organizational declaration has to be made on

this subject.  The only person who has commented for the record on the rumors is Anthony's agent, Calvin

Andrews.  Shouldn't the Nuggets be at least a bit sheepish about Andrews commenting on their behalf?

The Anthony business captures the weakness(es) of this approach.  If you like the Nugget style of play,

generally agree with the way the team has been built, and believe that there is nothing troubling about

the team's attitude and effort, you would have no reason to advocate moving Anthony.

If you recommend an overhaul, it might have to start, though, not necessarily end with dealing Anthony.

Where do the Nuggets stand?  It's anyone's guess.

sandy

John Hollinger from ESPN came on with us this morning on "The Sports Guys" and we got to talking about

the distinctive difference between the Celtics and the Lakers in the recently concluded N.B.A. Finals.

John had made the point that while the Lakers wanted to win, the Celtics were obsessed with it.

Boston had injuries inside of this series to Pierce, Rondo, and Perkins...three starters.  Made no never

mind.  Allen got banged up in Game 6, and the Celtics never hesitated while he was out.  They had a long

trip back from Los Angeles, arriving back in Boston much later than the Lakers did on Monday night.

Their obsession centered on playing suffocating defense, and the most enthusiastic advocates became

not so much the coaches, but the players, most especially Kevin Garnett.

Go back through the years and tell me that the 1960s Celtics, led by Bill Russell, weren't obsessed with

winning.  Wilt wanted to win but was hardly obsessed with it, and said so on several occasions.  Magic

and Larry forged a rivalry and a friendship through their shared obsession with winning.  Barkley was always

like Wilt in wanting to win but having other priorities.  Isiah, Dumars, and the Pistons were obsessed and

with Thomas that obsession had some unpleasant side-effects.  But the obsession was definitely there.

No one was ever more obsessed about winning, even in practice, than Michael Jordan was.

Garnett, Allen, and Pierce all wanted to win throughout their careers but this year there was a "perfect storm"

that brought them together at exactly the time when winning it all had become a consuming passion, an

obsession.  Rob Blake and Ray Bourque gave this to the Avalanche back in 2001, two great players who had

never won a Stanley Cup.

Until the Nuggets go beyond just wanting to win on the players' terms, and become obsessed with winning

and unconcerned about the way they're guided, they'll be the also-rans they've always been.  I agree with my

friend Scott Hastings' assertion this morning that in the last 30-plus years, the N.B.A. Nuggets have had but one

player who fit the bill this way: the estimable Lafayette Lever.  Don't you think it's high time they found another?

sandy

One firm conclusion could surely be drawn from last night's Celtic win over the Lakers in Game 6 of the

N.B.A. Finals: Kobe Bryant is no second coming of Michael Jordan.  Hell, LeBron James would never

have allowed, and a few weeks ago didn't allow, his team to go down as the Kobe-led Lakers did last night.

And one of Kobe's heroes, the great Jerry West, a far better player than Bryant likely ever will be, never allowed

it this way in any of the many series his Lakers played against the Bill Russell Celtics of the 1960s, which

included three glorious Game 7 efforts by "Mr. Clutch."

I believed that Kobe was a perfectly legitimate MVP choice this year, and have defended him against charges

that the leadership gap is all that separates him from Jordan.  Wrong.  He's not nearly the player that Jordan

was...that's the difference. 

Paul Pierce was the unanimous choice as MVP of the Finals, and rightly so.  He outplayed everyone, including

Bryant, with a brilliant mix of old-fashioned drives to the hoop and new-age distance shooting.  His defense

on Bryant in Game 4 turned the series.  And he stepped aside last night as Rajon Rondo took the statistical

spotlight.

Kobe's no fraud, but he ain't Jordan, either.  And now the question is whether he truly measures up to any

one of several players currently operating.

sandy

Willie Randolph was fired by the Mets earlier this morning as manager and I couldn't help but take note of

the similarities that would seem to link the Mets with one of our own major professional sports organizations.

No chain of command and as a result, lots of backbiting and politicking.  Players complaining to the front office

about the manager.  The manager's private feeling about players getting "leaked" to those players.  A team

badly constructed through a "quick-fix-now" mentality.  A star feeling that he's being "singled out" for criticism

that could be justifiably applied to others on the team just as easily...but never is applied.

Substitute George Karl for Willie Randolph, Nuggets for Mets, and Carmelo Anthony for Jose Reyes.  Aren't

you talking about many of the same factors and forces?  Willie Randolph may not have been the best manager

possible at this point for the Mets, just as Karl might not be the best basketball coach in the universe.

But the absence of support that clearly existed with Randolph, I think, mirrors the Nuggets' unwillingness

to get behind Karl.  The Mets should have fired Randolph long ago if they didn't believe in his methods and/or

leadership qualities, as they apparently didn't after last September.

If the Nuggets have lost faith in Karl the same way, they should sit down with him now and work out a settlement

for the remaining years on his contract.  Otherwise, let him coach in the manner he chooses with the kind of

player he feels most comfortable coaching.

sandy

Didn't most of us have some degree of awareness, if not a complete understanding, of Tiger Woods'

knee surgery well before the U.S. Open began?  NBC and ESPN at times acted as if we were all in need

of an update on all aspects of his condition.  And then severely overplayed its impact on his performance.

Rocco Mediate's ongoing problem with his back over the years was scarcely mentioned.  Woods was clearly

in pain at times but wasn't rendered powerless off the tee.  He drove it pretty much as far as anyone else in

the field, even as Mediate was averaging about 265 yards from the same spots.

Tiger Woods' mental toughness is off the charts, and it was demonstrated time after time this past weekend.

The final putt on Sunday was one I dare say no one in the world could have made under remotely similar

circumstances.  That's what should have been talked about to the exclusion of all of the declarations about

unsurpassing physical courage.  Johnny Miller, thankfully, is there to make the point that Tiger's pressure putts

are routine, while we get very excited when someone else ever converts.

Miller's comment about Mediate looking more like someone who "might be cleaning Tiger's swimming pool"

were gratuitous and even possibly offensive, but I suspect he may have been simply trying to counteract the

obsessive commentary regarding Tiger's supposed physical disadvantages.

The coverage of the playoff was more even-handed, but on the weekend no one would have been any less

admiring or curious had the telecasters dialed down the hype a bit.

sandy

I think the world of Phil Jackson as a coach, having watched him as a player with the old Knicks of the late

'60s and early '70s, and admired his dues-paying efforts in working his way up the coaching food chain.

But when his Lakers blew a 20-point lead with 18 minutes left in last night's playoff game, you had to wonder

why he seemed to be several tactical steps behind coaching counterpart Doc Rivers of Boston.  Rivers isn't

particularly celebrated as an even decent bench coach and yet last night his use of a "small lineup" seemed

to confound Jackson and his Laker staff.  Lamar Odom couldn't get touches down the stretch and finished the

game on the bench.  Kobe Bryant was denied by Paul Pierce in the post, and the famed Laker triangle got pushed

outside of reasonable shooting range.  The Lakers, staff included, froze up.  They choked.  The choke was greater

than the comeback...with all due respect to Boston's "Big Three" and the energetic efforts from reserves Eddie

House and old friend James Posey.

Everyone wanted to fire Doc Rivers a year ago, but last night Jackson was the one who couldn't nurse what

was at one point a 24-point lead to a successful conclusion.  Shouldn't a great coach in these circumstances

be able to accomplish this?  Not to metion Kobe Bryant's falling ridiculously short and the soft, softer, softest

Laker bench.

Hey, the Celtics have now outscored the Lakers, 116-73 in four third quarters now in this series.  That's when

adjustments kick in, coaching adjustments, right?  The Lakers being a plus-27 in the other three quarters

cumulatively makes little difference by comparison.

The Lakers have not only been exposed, they've been embarrassed in this series.

sandy

Tiger Woods has won at Torrey Pines before coming off left knee surgery.  Happened back in 2002, and he's

won there five other times, as well.  But not under U.S. Open conditions, of course.

In watching the early action today, Tiger's first three long holes have been played without a fairway being hit.

If you believe that the only conceivable weakness in Tiger's game involves his driving accuracy, then you'd

conclude that any rust would affect his driving first and foremost.  Driving accuracy in general usually

determines who will win the Open, and maybe that's why, of all the majors, the U.S. Open has been the

hardest for Woods to win...no titles since 2002 at Bethpage.

Having said all of that, I can't imagine that Woods would miss the cut, and I would even be surprised if

he were not in contention on Sunday.  Playing with Phil Mickelson for at least the first two days ought to

be enough to keep him engaged.  Tiger will have trouble reading the putts maybe at first, but he'll adjust

and the speed of the greens are unlikely to bother him for four days.

After three years of watching winners come from areas other than the upper tier of the sport at the Open,

I'm guessing that will see more of a battle of titans this weekend.  The groupings are set up with the top

players looking at one another in the first two rounds.  It would be shocking to see all of them play badly.

My dark horse pick is Justin Rose, who finished in the top 12 of all four majors a year ago, and seems

bound for a breakthrough win soon.

sandy

This morning on "The Sports Guys," Evans and I were talking about how officiating drama and accusations

of "game-manipulation" or even "game-fixing" constantly permeates on seemingly a daily basis.  No other

sport allows this sort of commentary from its coaches, players, and administrators.  Commissioner David

Stern can blame the media all he wants for publicizing Tim Donaghy's latest charges, but the league hasn't

moved against Phil Jackson in recent days for making some very suggestive statements on the zebras.

Asked about Donaghy and his charge that Game 6 of the '02 WCFs was called in a way designed to insure

a Laker win over Sacramento, Jackson said, "Was that after the fifth game (was) stolen away from us after

a bad call (gave them) a three-point shot?  There's a lot of things going on in these games and they're suspicious,

but I don't want to throw it back to there."

Wow!  Using words such as "stolen" and "suspicious" passes without a fine being assessed?  NBA commentator

Tim Legler told us this morning that Stern has to act when people in credible, public positions say these things.

It's easy to question Donaghy's credibility, as Stern routinely has done.  How about going after Jackson?  Even

Gregg Popovich, who hinted that there was funny business going on when Pau Gasol got traded to the Lakers

back in January?

Game 6 of that infamous Lakers-Kings series is regarded by even media people who love the NBA as one of

the worst-officiated games in modern memory (Michael Wilbon of The Washington Post said that while he

admires all three officials assigned to that game, it was the worst he's seen in 28 years of covering the game).

Stern had better deal with a growing perception that the game results are "massaged" or "manipulated,"

a perception that exists even among those who don't particularly believe Tim Donaghy.

Last night's game did nothing to eradicate that impression.  No wonder "Easy Dave" looked more like

"Angry Dave" during the proceedings.

sandy

Dealing Carmelo to, let's say, the Nets as a favor to Kiki Vandeweghe would, of course, be silly and the rumor

was taken as such when it materialized several weeks ago.

The notion of dealing with Detroit is different.  Trading Anthony, along with Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin,

and Chucky Atkins in exchange for Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, and Detroit's

first-round pick is all but a no-brainer.

Billups remains a premier orchestrator; Prince an outstanding defender; and Wallace has a contract that

expires next year.  And wouldn't be nice to see the Nuggets get back into the draft with a couple of firsts

in 2008?

The Nuggets may reasonably conclude that either they can do a better deal for Anthony, or that he is essentially

an untouchable.  I don't believe they'll find a better trading partner than Detroit would be right now.  Joe Dumars

has concluded not that his team is dysfunctional, but that they're as good now as they're likely to get and that's

not good enough.  If he's in love with Melo and regrets not having drafted him when the chance was there five

years ago, great.  Smart organizations take advantage of this kind of thinking.  And Anthony shouldn't be un-

touchable.  There are too many holes in his game, too much immaturity.  Detroit's core has won 57 games

a year for five years, reached at least the Eastern Conference Finals five times, won a title, and gone to the

Finals one other time.  The Nuggets have won 46 games a year along with four total playoff wins, and have

never been a top-five Western Conference team.

I'd take Detroit's core, at least for next year, as the better bet to win more games and maybe even a playoff

series or two.  The jig is up with Denver's current core.

sandy

My broadcasting mentor, Hall of Famer Bob Wolff, always used to tell me that there was no such thing as

the best announcer.  I'd say, "What about Bob Costas?"  Wolff would answer with a question.  "Is he the best

on hockey?  On basketball, or even football?"  He'd make the same point about Keith Jackson and Al Michaels,

and, of course, my hero, Marv Albert.  I'll bet I could have stumped him, though, if I'd had the wisdom to suggest

and submit for consideration one Jim McKay.

McKay never hosted a Super Bowl, never broadcast from a World Series, Stanley Cup Final, or from the NBA

Finals, either.  And yet, the so-called minor stuff he did on ABC's "Wide World of Sports" seemed major when

McKay did them, and the big events...the Indianapolis 500 or the Olympics...were brought across in a literate

and humane way.  McKay perused the "side streets" for stories and stayed often away from the obvious, "main

street" angles.

McKay was not really a play-by-play man and he wasn't really an editorialist, either.  Instead, he perfected the role

of host.  If a sports event turned into major international news, you trusted McKay to get the story right and bring

the best out of those (at Munich in '72 they were Peter Jennings and Howard Cosell) reporting at the scene.

He had no ego but was enormously skilled and qualified, a great composer of words operating in an era when

that meant something more than it seems to mean today.  He had no gimmicks, no signature phrases, so he'd

have trouble breaking into the business today.  If you don't think he'll be missed, you weren't watching ABC struggle

to capture the essence of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday afternoon.  Horse racing was always McKay's favorite

sport, his true passion.

McKay was the best because he understood that the Munich Massacre in September of 1972 represented "the

loss of whatever innocence there was in the world."  And he also knew how to communicate what was romantic,

pure, and truly great about athletic competition.

sandy

As a basketball fan growing up on the east coast, I missed many, if not all, of the wonderful Los Angeles-Boston

playoff games from the 1960s.  Even by 1969, at 11 years old, on a school night I wasn't allowed to stay up late

enough to even see the start of what would be Bill Russell's final game: Game 7 against the Lakers for the title,

the Lakers of West, Baylor, and at that point Wilt Chamberlain, too.

Yesterday, via YouTube, I was able to go back and watch the entire fourth quarter of that game, as called on ABC

by Chris Schenkel and Jack Twyman.  The Celtics led 91-76, and were trying to hang on.  Russell, the player-coach,

had put his brilliant guard Sam Jones back into the game with five fouls in the final eight minutes.  About a minute

later, Jones fouled out.  Twyman criticized the move and was seemingly proved right.  What a gaffe!!  Jerry West,

who had been fouled by Jones, went nuts from the field and the Lakers were closing fast.  Then Chamberlain

banged his knee and went hobbling off with a little more than five minutes left.  The Lakers seemed faster and

better without Wilt in there slowing them down and at 103-102 were poised to steal the game and the title.

But there was something about the Celtic mystique (and of course John Havlicek, Russell, and Don Nelson's

clutch shot in the final 75 seconds).  Boston won, 108-106.

When George Karl was talking this morning about how basketball is a "game of team" when played at its best,

I realized why Boston had won back in 1969, even as they seemed clearly the inferior group.  The individual talent

for this current series is fairly equally divided.  The winner will be the team that trusts and helps most, and believes,

as Russell did in 1969, that it can't lose when all is on the line.

sandy

I don't believe that "messages" that mean anything get sent in hockey by teams getting blitzed, and I

certainly can't imagine last night's fracas in Los Angeles doing much to turn the Rockies' dismal fortunes

around.

Yorvit Torrealba had every right to react to Matt Kemp's special brand of idiocy but I thought last night was

more important for the fact that Jeff Francis found his form for the first time in 2008, appearing to be some

semblance of the pitcher we saw last October in the playoffs.  Still, there's the notion about a good fight

"galvanizing" a team, so let's check out two examples we all can recall.

When the Red Wings brawled with (and finally beat) the Avalanche on March 26, 1997, at Joe Louis Arena,

it was felt that they not only had exacted revenge on Claude Lemieux but had changed the tone of the rivalry.

The Red Wings went on to win the Stanley Cup, knocking off the Avs along the way in the playoffs, and at that

point, the game's impact was cited as a prime influence.  Except that in the nine games that followed for Detroit

 ending the regular season, the "inspired" Wings won three games.  The "beaten up" Avs won 3 of their remaining

seven, including a 2-1 win at Dallas to clinch the President's Trophy.  In the first two rounds of the playoffs, the

Wings went 8-2 and the Avs were 8-3.  And after Game One of the WCFs, the Avs were 9-3, while the Wings

had slipped to 8-3, and no one was talking about how "Fight Night at the Joe" had changed everything.

The 2004 baseball fight involving Boston's Jason Varitek and NY's Alex Rodriguez arguably helped at least

to trigger Boston's 45-19 finish that year.  But the Yankees still held on to first place in the AL East, closing

at 39-26 before infamously blowing a 3-0 ALCS lead to the Red Sox.

The Rockies have a nice clubhouse that even in recent weeks hasn't appeared particularly divided.

The fight was an appropriate response to an immature reaction by Kemp.  Competitively, it will make

no difference.

sandy

The Travis Henry episode both reflects the best and worst of Mike Shanahan, which makes the story more

fascinating than it is critical to the Broncos' competitive fortunes.

The best of Shanahan came through his support of Henry last fall.  It is often forgotten that Henry was injured

during the period in question and there was no assurance that he would be physically capable of playing

in any case.  It would have been easy to "feed him to the wolves" and lean on the combination of Selvin Young

and Andre Hall.  Shanahan knew that the league's case against Henry was weak if would fall apart if challenged.

Henry let his teammates and Shanahan down by failing to play hard after he was acquitted and cleared to return

to the lineup.

The worst of Shanahan came through not realizing, or acknowledging before signing Henry that he was personally

unreliable.  At least nine women could have testified to that.  If he in fact had "no idea" about this at the time

Henry was signed here, he should have.  Just as he should have known that if Jim Bates' system failed to

produce the desired results, Bates was incapable of teaching anything else.

Henry's willingness to compete apparently had vanished.  And a con man is always the most reviled of

locker room figures.  I was wrong about Henry in this regard...he wasn't resilient and he blew a second

chance when it was handed to him.

Shanahan was right to cut him, and wrong not to have known or taken seriously enough his self-serving

con man act.

sandy

The reaction to the prospect that Doug Collins, formerly the coach of the Bulls, Pistons, and Wizards,

wants back in now as coach of the Bulls again has been fascinating.  Just weeks after denying interest

in another coaching run, and apparently turning down both Phoenix and Milwaukee, Collins has apparently

changed his mind.  Larry Brown is returning to the sidelines, so is Rick Carlisle (at least he's still relatively

speaking a younger man), and now Collins, it seems...coaching junkies looking for another fix.

Even while knowing that many, if not all, of the players won't listen to them.  Knowing of this reality, I often

wonder why George Karl continues, too.  Get a load of what Collins said earlier this month, talking about

his interest in coming back to the NBA: "I've probably given up the competitive side of myself, but it's such

a tough ride and tough grind unless you have the (clout) of someone like Phil Jackson or Gregg Popovich

or Jerry Sloan."  He goes on to discuss "the headaches you have to put up with today."

Amen.  Listen, all these guys he mention