Sam Adams Sam Adams joined the Rocky Mountain News in 1996, first as the Denver Broncos beat reporter before taking his current role as sports notes columnist. The Colorado Association of Black Journalists voted Adams the Print Journalist of the Year award in 2003.

David Robinson left the Naval Academy and became known "The Admiral" in the NBA. If he is allowed to follow the same career path, Antoine Hood says he wouldn't mind being called "Air Force 1."

Hood, who averaged 14.9 points per game for Air Force Academy last season, has been meeting with military officials in hopes of receiving an early release from a five-year service commitment. Hood wants to pursue a career in pro basketball, and his representative, Denver-based agent Lamont Smith, already has scheduled workouts with the Denver Nuggets (on Sunday) and New York Knicks.

"It's a phenomenal feeling to have the opportunity to be able to get a tryout, compete, put my best foot forward and let the chips fall where they may," said Hood, a 6-foot-4 guard. "Coach (Jeff) Bzdelik has been amazing in this whole process, as far as his knowledge and wisdom. He's done a great job of influencing me and guiding me."

Bzdelik, who completed his first season as coach at Air Force, has served as a head coach in the NBA with the Denver Nuggets, and as an assistant coach and scout for the Miami Heat, New York Knicks and Washington Bullets.

"I would do anything for that young man -- I can't say enough about him, on and off the court," Bzdelik said. "I've done everything I can do, in terms of phone calls, DVD preparation, to make sure teams are aware of the talents he has. Antoine has the total package. From a basketball standpoint he can hit spot-up jumpers with deep range, take people off the dribble and finish at the rim. He can pull up off the dribble, has great tenacity . . . he's in optimum shape, a very intelligent player and he's all about winning.

"Talent alone is not enough. Character does count, and he takes a backseat to no one in terms of character. He's a young man that is very well-deserving of an NBA opportunity, but at the same time he wants to serve his country. Hopefully there's a way he can do both. It's been done in the past. I really think he deserves that opportunity. I don't think you'll meet a finer young man than Antoine."

Smith has represented several former AFA athletes who played in the NFL, including current Seattle Seahawks lineman Bryce Fisher and former Denver Broncos linebacker Steve Russ.

"I think it's a two-track process," Smith said. "The first track is to just put Antoine on their radar, given the traditional view of the academy in terms of them having commitments. A lot of people didn't have him on their radar because they just thought there's no possibility of him playing professional basketball.

"People had seen him and were impressed with what they saw. It just wasn't serious contemplation. So our first objective has been to put him on their radar and say look, we are working through some things and he wants to play professional basketball, and we believe he's been blessed with the ability to where he can play professional basketball, so please take a look at him.

“We’d like him to play (next season) because realistically, if someone is going to draft him they’d have to believe that he’s going to be available in ‘06-‘07,” Smith said. “We’re optimistic and hopeful that we’ll be able to get a good result on this.”

Hood knows that if he does receive a release from his military commitment, the next step would be prove that he has the tools to make an NBA roster. He's played four years in relative obscurity for an Air Force program that always has assumed the underdog role.

"I would put my career in a nutshell this way -- I've been playing half-court, playoff basketball for four years,'' Hood said. "You had to play defense, had to rebound, every possession was important. I think my game, my ability to run the team and set it up at half-court, defend, catch-and-shoot off the dribble, penetrate . . . the label I want to have as a player is winner.

"The fact that I was able to come to Air Force, go through three coaches, still have great teammates and win in a program that people said would never win, I think it speaks to what type of leadership I possess.

"Whatever team I can work out for, if they feel that I have the abilities and skills to fit their franchise, I'm definitely willing to suit up and do what I have to do to make it happen."