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Switch from hoops to NFL no layup
The NFL's AFC West is starting to look more like a sub-division for the NBA.
Tony Gonzalez. Antonio Gates. Wesley Duke. All three are former college basketball players. Two -- Gonzalez of the Kansas City Chiefs, and Gates of the San Diego Chargers -- are Pro Bowl tight ends. Duke, who starts his second season with the Denver Broncos, would love to join that group.
At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Duke, who played hoops at Mercer University, will battle with a former high school hoops star, 6-5, 254-pound rookie Tony Scheffler, for a spot on the Broncos' roster.
The hoops-to-football trend continues to spread around the NFL, as the St. Louis Rams signed former University of Connecticut basketball player Ed Nelson to a free-agent contract this spring, with plans to make him a tight end.
"I think it's becoming more common," Duke said. "Hopefully they'll come in and work just as hard as everybody else and prove that it can be done."
Converting from basketball player to tight end is natural, Duke said, especially in comparing the sport with rebounding because "a lot of times you get a lot of jump balls. And you're going one-on-one with linebackers. Your basketball (instinct) in going to get the ball kind of helps you out. You attack the ball and it makes it real hard on the defense."
Duke is hoping his time spent in NFL Europe this spring will payoff with a spot on the Broncos' roster in the fall. "I'll probably start out (in training camp) backing up, but I don't want to limit myself," Duke said. "If they want me to get out there and play, I want to be ready to do that."
NOTEWORTHY
Khalid Khannouchi, who has run the world’s third-fastest marathon time (2:05:38), is scheduled to appear May 27-28 (1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.) at the 2006 BolderBOULDER Sports Exhibit held on Pearl Street in Boulder. Khannouchi will be at the New Balance/Fleet Feet expo booth.
Broncos kicker Jason Elam doesn't have to spend much time, if any, at the team's passing camp. Elam, who is in his 14th NFL season, ranks 12th on the NFL's all-time scoring list.with 1,557 points.
Count Boston Celtics all-star Paul Pierce as one who believes the Miami Heat will knock off the two-time defending Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons. Pierce told FSN's Best Damn Sports Show Period, "I don't think Detroit has the depth that they've had in the past. They used to have about eight or nine guys they could go with. Now they have only six guys to beat Miami with. I think Miami could go all the way."
Yet another outstanding posting by Sam Adams. I can NoT! get enough football. I need a football fix all year long and you continue to come through for me and many others who have little interest or time to spend on other sports. Keep up the outstanding work on the column and the brew!
R8R H8R
this blog is probably the most boring crap I've read in the last couple of months or so, probably longer. On the positve side, it is different from the type of reporting/writing in the newspaper. Goodluck in your effort to try something new!
Posted by paul on May 25, 2006 05:06 AM