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.

July 31, 2006

DOVE VALLEY -- Three words might summarize the 2005 season for hulking Broncos defensive lineman Courtney Brown.

No major injuries.

Brown played in 14 games for Denver -- the most games he has played in the NFL since appearing in all 16 during his rookie season (2000) with the Cleveland Browns. "For the first time in a long time I enjoyed the season," Brown said on Sunday. "I was fortunate enough to be healthy, for the most part, and being out there with the guys was great.

"I'm just trying to build off of that."

There were no crutches, casts or arm-slings to deal with this off-season for Brown, who didn’t enjoy being tagged with the “oft-injured” label. Now the question here is, can Brown, who had two sacks last season, be a player who gives Denver eight to 10 sacks this season.

"Everyone who plays the position wants that," Brown said. "At the same time, I want to play my role and do what's best to help the team. In a lot of situations, we're called on to do different things."

NOTEWORTHY

"Today I let (wide receiver) Javon Walker go because I could have really laid him out. He said, 'What happened?', and then I said, '20 million (dollars) and up, I let them go.'" -- Broncos’' Pro Bowl safety John Lynch, who didn't hit his new teammate during practice on Saturday.

The Colorado Rockies' can reach 1000 regular season wins in franchise history with a win tonight at Coors Field against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Rockies pitcher Aaron Cook, who starts tonight against Milwaukee, hasn't won a game at Coors Field since May 19, went he threw 5 1/3 innings in a 8-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. Cook's most recent win overall was June 27 at the Los Angeles Angels.

Former Manual High athlete Stevie Johnston was knocked down four times and battered by Vivian Harris Saturday in a super-lightweight boxing match televised by Home Box Office. Johnston's seventh-round TKO loss did not go unnoticed by World Boxing Association lightweight champion Juan Diaz
, whose camp was giving strong consideration to offering a title shot to Johnston (39-4-1) if he had an impressive performance against Harris.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

July 29, 2006

DOVE VALLEY -- The Broncos' Champ Bailey is the best cornerback in the NFL today. If he's not, there's probably a very small gap between whomever is deemed to be the league's No. 1 corner and the player wearing No. 24 for Denver.

Bailey intercepted eight passes last season and returned two of them for touchdowns. Many observers will say that his pick-and-run for a touchdown against the San Diego Chargers in the second game of 2005 is the play that kick-started the Broncos' season.

So what does Bailey, 28, do for an encore in 2006? The Broncos are hoping to see more of the same, but opposing quarterbacks might not be so willing to throw in his direction. "They might not, but I hope they do -- I'm asking them to do it every week," Bailey said.

"That's the only way you can make plays, is if the ball comes your way. But we've got players out there that can make plays as well as me. (Quarterbacks) are going to run up on someone who's going to give them a problem one way or the other."

One thing fans won't have to question is Bailey's hunger to win in 2006. "One thing about me is, the hunger never stops," Bailey said. "It's constant. You have to stay hungry. One thing I try to do is focus on me, and what I can do to make us a better team.

"I can't control everything around me. If I take care of me, then I can take care of everything else.

"And that's all I'm really focused on because I am pretty hungry."

NOTEWORTHY

FSN's CMI: The Chris Myers Interview series will air the first of 13 new episodes starting on Aug. 6 (3:30 p.m.) with Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens. An interview with Broncos coach Mike Shanahan is scheduled to air Oct. 8.

Did you know? Center Tom Nalen has played in 173 regular-season games for the Broncos -- 10th on the team's all-time list.

Rockies pitcher Byung-Hyun Kim tied a franchise record by striking out five consecutive batters on Friday in a 3-1 win over the San Diego Padres at Coors Field. The major league record for consecutive strikeouts is 10, set by Hall of Famer Tom Seaver when he pitched for the New York Mets in a game against the Padres on April 22, 1970.

Outfielder Matt Holliday had a home run and two runs batted in against San Diego on Friday, showing signs that he might be breaking out of a post-All-Star Game slump. Going into the game, Holliday had gone 11-of-53 from the plate, for a .207 batting average with one home run and three runs batted in.

The Rockies have won the first two games of the series against San Diego -- marking the first time they have won consecutive games against the Padres at Coors Field since June 18-19 of the 2003 seasons.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

ESPN "Sports Reporters" contributor Dan LeBatard looks a bit like the chararacter "Flounder" (played by actor Stephen Furst) from the movie Animal House. Posted by Sam Adams at 12:01 AM

July 28, 2006

It's rise-and-shine time for Tatum Bell.

Bell enters the start of Broncos' training camp today with the knowledge that he rushed for more yards (921) last season than any other running back on the current roster. He knows he scored more touchdowns (eight) than any player on the current roster. And Bell also knows this -- while the Broncos have seen some flashes of brilliance during his first two seasons, he still has to compete to win the starting job in 2006.

Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said on Thursday that he noticed some some signs of maturation in Bell, 25, during the team's off-season workouts. "I could tell there's a sense of urgency about it," Shanahan said. "Not that he wasn’t mature. You see how people grow."

Shanahan didn't wince when asked if Bell has potential to be a Terrell Davis-like back.

"Oh yeah -- he's got a chance to be a big-time back, big-time," Shanahan said. "The key for Tatum to get to the next level are those four- and five-yard runs, keeping his feet and keeping his balance like Terrell did -- when you do get hit after two yards, you get four yards. That usually separates the great backs."

NOTEWORTHY

San Diego Padres catcher Mike Piazza always will have good memories of playing games against the Rockies at Coors Field. When he played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Piazza caught the only no-hitter thrown at Coors Field (Sept. 17, 1996). He also hit the longest home run in Coors Field history (496 feet) on Sept. 26, 1997.

We've "Got Your Number": 692 regular season games played by the Broncos since 1960. No. 700 will be played on Nov. 5 at Pittsburgh.

"Our defense, our front seven . . . are you kidding me? They may be the best in the National Football League -- San Diego Chargers' radio broadcaster (and former NFL player) Hank Bauer, on 950 The Fan's Scott and Al Show.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM | Comments (2)

July 27, 2006

The Rockies have found it hard to win three games in a row this season. For that matter, winning two games in a row is becoming a major accomplishment during these past few weeks.

The Rockies have posted back-to-back wins twice this month, beating the San Francisco Giants July 4-5, and getting consecutive wins against the Arizona Diamondbacks (Sunday) and St. Louis Cardinals (Monday).

If there ever was a team in need of putting together a long winning streak, it would be the Rockies, whose last streak of three consecutive wins occurred in June, with two wins over the Los Angeles Angels and one against the Seattle Mariners -- all on the road. Before that, the Rockies swept the four-game road series against the Washington Nationals (June 12-15).

The most recent time that the Rockies won three straight games at Coors Field was May 19-21 against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Before they think about winning three games in a row, or for that matter, two in a row, tonight the Rockies have to deal with winning the first game of a four-game series against the N.L. West division-leading San Diego Padres.

Sweep the Padres, and the Rockies are two-and-a-half games back of the N.L. West leaders. Get swept, and the Rockies will be down and all-but-out the race.

NOTEWORTHY

The "Heat is On" . . . Mike Shanahan . . . Happy Training Camp Day, coach. No one around here really cares whether the Rockies will finish .500, or if the Nuggets will find some shooters, or if the Avalanche's streak of reaching the postseason is in jeopardy. It's all about the Broncos going to the Super Bowl, period. Good luck with that.

We've "Got Your Number" for today . . . 464 career stolen bases for 39-year-old Padres outfielder Eric Young. The former Rockies infielder needs two stolen bases to move ahead of Jimmy Sheckard into 39th place on baseball's all-time list.

"Did I See" . . . disgruntled Broncos wide receiver Ashley Lelie stepping through Cherry Creek Mall during the lunch hour on Wednesday. Lelie wants out of Denver because he isn't going to be the team's No. 1 receiver. The Broncos keep Lelie, and they have a solid trio of receivers to start the season.

Fairways and fireworks? Try Saturday at Kennedy Golf Course, with the Guinness-sponsored GlowBall Tournament. For registration information call 303-755-0105.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

Hair styles aside, PGA Tour star Ernie Els resembles late-night TV funnyman Conan O'Brien. Posted by Sam Adams at 12:01 AM

July 26, 2006

Tell the dee-jay at Coors Field to switch the music that plays when Rockies first baseman Todd Helton steps in the batter's box. Whatever the song is now, change it to Stevie Wonder's classic "Superstition."

Helton, who admits to being a very superstitious person, has been struggling at the plate in July. And he's starting to freak me out with his constant changes in appearance on the field. On Monday at Coors Field, Helton didn't sport his usual uniform look -- the knee-hi black stockings. And his face was clean-shaven -- a total turnaround from the beard he had been sporting earlier in the month, when he had stretched his streak of consecutive games reaching base to 35 games.

He’s worn beards, goatees, undershirts with the right sleeve longer than the left, black batting gloves, white batting gloves . . .

What's next -- a mullet?

The thing that has made Helton one of baseball's best hitters throughout his career has been consistency at the plate. Maybe if he stays consistent with his appearance for longer than a month's time, Helton will regain his All-Star swing.

NOTEWORTHY

>“Not playing football my senior year in high school . . . I was great. I was like (Terrell Owens) and Randy Moss great.” -- Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James, when asked on FSN's Best Damn Sports Show Period about his biggest regret.

130 career wins (including playoffs) for Broncos coach Mike Shanahan -- 19th on the NFL's all-time list. Shanahan needs 10 wins to become only the 17th coach in league history to win 140 games.

The Converse Elite Prep Invitational girls basketball tournament will be played at the Gold Crown Field House (150 South Harlan Street in Lakewood) on July 29-31. Four of the 20 teams in the field will represent high schools in Colorado - Air Academy, Highlands Ranch, Regis and Thunder Ridge. Tickets cost $5, with three-day passes for $12. Call 303-773-1442 for more information.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM | Comments (1)

July 25, 2006

Going into their series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday at Coors Field, the Rockies had a record of 46-51 -- 12 games better than their record last season after 97 games.

The Rockies posted a record of 33-32 in the final 65 games last year to finish 67-95 on the season. If they win 33 of their final 65 games this season, the Rockies still will finish below .500 for the 11th time in the franchise's 14-year history.

To finish exactly at .500 for the season, the Rockies need 35 wins. They need 36 or more wins to finish above .500 for the first time since 2000 (82-80), having finished the past five seasons (and seven of the past eight) with less than 80 wins.

The Rockies went into Monday's game having won only five of their 18 games played this month. In 2000, the club lost 22 of its 29 games played during the month of July, including seven of its first 10 out of the All Star break.

In 1997 the Rockies tied the franchise record for wins in a season (83), despite going 8-19 during the month of July -- including a 1-9 start following the All-Star break.

Bottom line, if the Rockies want to finish .500 or better, it’s time to get on a roll -- and stay on it for quite a while.

NOTEWORTHY

Quote, unquote: "I think he's the smartest hitter in baseball." -- FOX's Major League Baseball color analyst Steve Lyons, on Boston Red Sox All-Star outfielder Manny Ramirez.

Did I see that . . . Cherry Hills resident David Duval finished tied for 56th at the British Open with a score of 289 -- one over par for the tournament. It might be a wee bit too early to make the call, but don't surprised if Duval makes some noise on the leaderboard next month during The International played at Castle Pines.

The Mile Hi Sandbaggers Club of the Western States Golf Association celebrate their 20th anniversary with a golf tournament July 29-30 at the Legacy Ridge and Heritage at Westmoor courses in Westminster. The tournament includes hole-in-one contests with prize monies totalling $35,000. For more information call Lonnie Dixon at 303-210-7959.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

July 24, 2006

In the August issue of Maxim magazine, former University of Colorado football coach Gary Barnett is mentioned with several current and former college athletics coaches in a not-so-flattering poll.

The magazine's associate editor Sean Cunningham offers his list of "The 10 Worst College Coaches", and Barnett is ranked No. 7. "If ('Do The Right Thing') wristbands don't work, what hope is there?" Cunningham wrote of Barnett.

The list is topped by former Baylor men's basketball coach Dave Bliss, followed by Texas Tech men's basketball coach Bobby Knight and former Temple University men's basketball coach John Chaney.

The list is completed with Jim Harrick (former UCLA men's basketball coach) at No. 4, followed by new Kansas State men's basketball coach Bob Huggins, the late Woody Hayes (Ohio State football), former Mississippi State football coach Jackie Sherrill at No. 8, former Iowa State men's basketball coach Larry Eustachy at No. 9 and former Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne at No. 10.

NOTEWORTHY

The Mutual of Omaha's Drive, Chip and Putt competition, which is sponsored by cable television's Golf Channel network, will be held at Kennedy Golf Course on July 29. The skills competition is free and open to youths ages 7-14. The first 250 registrants will be selected to compete. For more information call 303-755-0105, or go to the Web site www.TheGolfChannel.com.

Quote, unquote: "If you're not using your driver, is there any chance my son can have it?" -- Nick Faldo, telling ABC television viewers what he said to Tiger Woods after the two completed the second round of the British Open.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM | Comments (1)

July 22, 2006

Boxing promoter Bob Arum hopes that a new generation of boxing fans will migrate to cable television's Outdoor Life Network to take notice of the sport's up-and-coming championship prospects.

Whatever happened to the days of watching young boxers grow into stardom on network television?

Arum, who is chief executive officer of Las Vegas-based Top Rank Boxing, and OLN officials have announced a new, 12-fight series that will begin July 27. Noted ring announcer Michael Buffer will host a “legends” series during weeks that a live card is not scheduled.

Undefeated welterweight Mike Alvarado (14-0) -- who is a former Skyview High athlete -- is one of the fighters from Arum's stable that could benefit from exposure on OLN's new series.

"Mike's a terrific young prospect, a really good-looking kid," Arum said. "There are so many, good, good, good young kids who are just starting that we'll be showcasing." Alvarado currently is scheduled to fight Aug. 18 in San Antonio, on a card that is expected to air on Telefura.

NOTEWORTHY

Show-jumping rider Armando Hassey of Mexico City can sweep the Colorado Horse Park Triple Crown series and earn a $25,000 bonus by winning the American Grand Prix of Denver today in Parker. Proceeds from the event will benefit the "Medical Fund for Ariana Samaras", a four-year-old girl from North Carolina who has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. For ticket information call 303-841-5550.

The heat is on Clint Hurdle, based on the poll question posed on this page earlier in the week, which asked fans to choose the player position the Rockies needed to address first to remain in contention for the N.L. West title. The majority response from readers -- remove Hurdle as manager.

Quote, unquote -- "I played in Philly for four years. I got booed when I put on my uniform. We'd be winning and I'd be getting booed." -- Former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete, co-host of FSN's Best Damn Sports Show Period
.

Broncos safety Nick Ferguson co-hosted the Atlanta-based "Two Live Stews" radio talk-show (which airs on 950 The Fan) this week. One of the guests was Ferguson's new teammate, quarterback Jay Cutler, who said he expects to start serious contract negotiations with the team on Monday.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

July 21, 2006

Based on the statistics, clutch is not the word to use in describing the Rockies' hitters this season.

The Rockies are batting .227 when there are two outs and runners in scoring position. Their most recent loss, 6-5 to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday, reflected the club's struggles with the bat when runners are in scoring position.

Trailing by one run with two outs and the bases loaded in the ninth inning, first baseman Ryan Shealy, making his first start since being recalled from Class AAA Colorado Springs, struck out to end the game.

For the season, the Rockies have an overall average of .262 when batting with runners in scoring position, .291 with less than two outs. But the two-out, clutch hits have been much harder to come by.

The Rockies have five regulars in their lineup batting .290 or better for the season -- strong>Matt Holliday, Garrett Atkins, Jamey Carroll, Brad Hawpe and Todd Helton. Of that group, Carroll has the best average (.333) for two-out hitting with runners in scoring position.

The others are as follows -- Helton (.250), Hawpe (.242), Atkins (.239) and Holliday (.229).

NOTEWORTHY

"My sophomore year in high school, I knocked out four guys in one game. Now, I have to prove it every year to keep it." -- San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman, explaining how he got the nickname "Lights Out" during an appearance on FSN's Best Damn Sports Show Period.

9News anchor Adele Arakawa is chairperson for the seventh Tom Arganese M.D. Memorial Golf Tournament, which will be played Aug. 14 at Inverness Golf Club in Englewood. The tournament is a benefit for the Limb Preservation Foundation. For registration information call 303-217-0998.

2006 U.S. Open Mountainboarding Championships are being held today and Saturday in Snowmass Village. Call 303-886-1812 for more information.

I've got your number -- 525 doubles hit by Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Luis Gonzalez -- one shy of passing Hall of Famer Ted Williams for 31st on baseball’s all-time list.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

July 20, 2006

So, did you hear the one about the former Broncos running back whose football career could be up in smoke after losing his job to Ricky Williams?

John Avery, who had a brief stay with the Broncos in 1999 (he was acquired from the Miami Dolphins for Marcus Nash), was the starting running back for the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League. That was before Williams, who is under suspension by the NFL for failing a drug test the fourth time, signed with the club.

While Williams is getting playing the time, Avery has been sitting the bench -- and practicing another career -- in comedy. The Toronto Sun reported this a that camera crew from Canada's Comedy Network is filming a show about Avery, who made his club debut earlier this week. He already has filmed an episode for a series on the network titled "Punched Up."

“When you’re not involved, you’re not playing, it’s easy to go crazy,” Avery told The Sun. "I thank God for giving me some other abilities to kind of vent through, so that's what I do."

NOTEWORTHY

Broncos Pro Bowl safety John Lynch will be an in-studio guest on NFL Network's Total Access show, which airs at 5 p.m. MT today and Friday.

Local unbeaten welterweight prospect Adrian Mora (15-0-1 with eight knockouts) has signed an exclusive promotional contract SIlverhawk Boxing. In doing so, Mora joins former Denver resident Stevie Johnston as a stablemate at the Florida-based boxing club. Mora, who ranked among the top 20 by the United States Boxing Association and North American Boxing Organization, will be trained by Buddy McGirt.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

Nuggets' director of player personnel Mark Warkentien reminds me of vice president Dick Cheney. Posted by Sam Adams at 12:01 AM

July 19, 2006

The August issue of Golf Digest features the magazine's list of "America's Top 250 Golfer-Doctors." Local radiologist Stan Smazal made the cut.

To qualify, doctors currently practicing were required to have a United States Golf Association handicap index of 6.0 or better. Smazal, 59, is tied for 39th on the top 100 list with John Valade (internal medicine) of Toledo, Ohio, both at 2.6. Pulmonary specialist Douglas Hanzel of Savannah, Georgia ranked No. 1 overall with a plus-2.3 index.

Four doctors for professional sports teams also made the list -- Cris Barnthouse (Kansas City Chiefs, ranked No. 2), James Bradley (Pittsburgh Steelers, tied for No. 56), Glenn Perry (Charlotte Bobcats, tied for No. 73) and Mitch Storey (Seattle Mariners, tied for No. 93).
Smazal is a three-time champion at Castle Pines and two-time club champ at Cherry Hills Country Club.

"I've been playing since I was seven years old," he said. "I grew up across the street from a municipal golf course in Davenport, Iowa, where the head professional, of all people, was Jack Fleck. He won the U.S. Open in 1955. He beat Ben Hogan.

"I took my first lessons from (Fleck). And I've played with some good players. That's how you get better, for sure."

NOTEWORTHY

"I get the feeling if the Rockies announced they wanted to move, you'd have legions of fans down at Coors Field -- not begging them to stay, but helping them pack up the Mayflower trucks." -- Marc Moser, co-host of 950 The Fan's Sports Guys show.

The Gayles Foundation's golf tournament to benefit the Children's Diabetes Foundation will be held on Aug. 4 at Denver's Park Hill Golf Club. For more information contact Fred Gayles at 303-901-6586 or 303-872-5774.

The "Heat is On" . . . Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd. The improvement from last year's record isn't enough to satisfy all fans. They see the National League's West Division standings and expect the club to make personnel moves that show a commitment to win now -- not in 2007 or beyond.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

July 18, 2006

Former major league pitcher and current ESPN analyst Jeff Brantley is not swaying from his prediction that the Rockies will win the National League's West Division.

"Part of the reason I really believe they have enough talent to compete is, you look at the 12-game stretch they played against the A.L. West -- they played about as good as you can play," Brantley said.

"The bullpen pitched fine, they got decent starting pitching and they got the hitting that they needed when they needed it. If that's how you can play, then why can't you play that way every day? That's my question. And that should be the question of (general manager) Dan O'Dowd and (manager) Clint Hurdle."

Brantley said the one move he would suggest for the team is not in the form of a trade, but a pep talk from its acknowledged leader -- first baseman Todd Helton.

"I've known Todd a long time," Brantley said. "He's not a guy that's going to go rah-rah and this-and-that. But this probably would be a pretty good time for him to say we've got a better team than this, and we just need to play . . .

"The bottom line for these guys is, they're going to have to take a rapid approach to what's going on right now."

Brantley said the Rockies' bullpen is experiencing a post-All-Star letdown that many other pitchers have faced in the past.

"When you come into the All-Star break, it's a difficult time for guys pitching out of the bullpen. Young guys, old guys . . . it really doesn't matter," Brantley said. "Your arm changes a little bit. A lot of it depends on your mental toughness, to be honest. You'd like to have some rest in the arm, because you pitched so much in the first half. Then you don't throw as much as you should over the break.

"You come back and your arm feels like lead -- I've been there, experienced all of it. They're no different than any other staff, so it's not a built-in excuse, it's just things that happen. You come back, your arm doesn't feel good and you're put in a situation where you're trying to make pitches and they're not where they're supposed to be.

"But I will say this for the guys who have had difficulty -- going into a place like Cincinnati after the break, especially after the moves they made, you had to know they were going to be riding on a high.

"To let Adam Dunn and (Ken Griffey) Junior hit balls the way they did, that's a difficult situation in itself. But you know that if you put guys on base in that ballpark, it gets real ugly late. Colorado's not the only team that has experienced that."

NOTEWORTHY

According to the ledger on the Web site BoxRec.com, former Manual High athlete Stevie Johnston (39-3-1) will fight Vivian Harris (26-2-1) in a junior welterweight bout on July 29 in Santa Ynez, Calif., part of HBO's Boxing After Dark series. Johnston is a former World Boxing Council lightweight champion, while Harris is the former World Boxing Association super lightweight champ.


Ian Stewart and Troy Tulowitzky are the two Rockies prospects fans hear about most, but going into Monday's games, first baseman Joe Koshansky had 23 home runs in 89 games for the Rockies' Class AA team in Tulsa. That's 16 more homers than Stewart and 12 more than Tulowitzky.

The most recent conversation I had with Chicago Bulls swingman J.R. Smith occurred during All-Star weekend in Denver last year, when he was a 19-year-old with the New Orleans Hornets participating in the Slam Dunk competition. He told me he preferred hang-time dunks over power dunks. Why? "It looks better on TV," Smith said.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

July 17, 2006

Home Box Office's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel series resumes on Tuesday (8 p.m.), and one of the subjects is James Hogue, who is serving time at San Miguel County jail near Telluride.

Hogue, 46, is a native of Kansas City, Kansas and former cross-country runner at the University of Wyoming. He is depicted in the story as one of the most successful imposters in modern times who used fake identities to gain admission into a California high school and Princeton University.

Hogue, who once posed as a doctor from Stanford while in Vail during the 1980s, is said to have stolen 5,000 items before being apprehended by law enforcement officials. HBO correspondent Bernard Goldberg collaborates with Sports Illustrated for Hogue's interview from the jail.

Also in the interview are Miami Herald reporter Jason Cole, former Princeton student Jon Luff and San Miguel County police detective Robert Walraven.

NOTEWORTHY

The Colorado Legends baseball game will be played Aug. 18 at Security Service Field in Colorado Springs. Rosters will include former major leaguers Goose Gossage, Mark Knudson, Bob Knepper, Brian Fisher, Greg Brock, Clint Zavaras and Mike Trujillo. Also scheduled to participate are actor John Ashton (of Beverly Hills Cop fame), as well as several former NFL and NBA players and members of the local media. Tickets are available at King Soopers stores and the Sky Sox box office. Proceeds benefit the Autism Society of Colorado.

Quote, unquote: "I'll defend anyone's right to make a living, but if you're banned from the NFL, you should be banned (from pro football), period." -- ESPN Sports Reporters host John Saunders, commenting on suspended Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams playing for the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts.

Your number for today is four -- the number of times in franchise history the Rockies have lost their first four games played after the All-Star break. Colorado lost 6-4 to the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday - marking nine straight losses (and 14 of the past 16) for the Rockies in Cincinnati.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

July 15, 2006

Only nine NBA players attempted 1,500 or more field goals last season. It is rumored that two of them -- Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony -- could be playing for the Denver Nuggets in 2006-07.

Iverson, whose name continues to be mentioned in trade rumors involving the Nuggets, completed his 10th season with the Philadelphia 76ers. He finished third in the league with 1,821 shot attempts, while Anthony was fifth with 1,572.

So, basketball fan might wonder, would there be enough basketballs for 'Melo and "A.I." to stay happy on the court? Maybe. But the question here is, can they win a championship together? It’s hard to find a pair of teammates not named Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen who combined to shoot 3,000 shots in a season and won an NBA championship in recent times.

The Chicago Bulls won four titles (1991-92, '92-'93, '95-'96 and '96-'97) with Jordan and Pippen combining for 3,000 or more shots in those seasons

Last season, the 76ers (Iverson and Chris Webber) and Washington Wizards (Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison) were the only teams with two players who combined to shoot 3,000 or more times. The Detroit Pistons had three players attempt 1,000 or more shots (Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace), with a fourth (Tayshaun Prince) who finished with 999.

NOTEWORTHY

Quote, unquote: "If they sent (Pete) Rose to jail, they're liable to hang (Barry) Bonds." -- 950 The Fan's Joe "Hit Man" Williams.

Broncos players Al Wilson and Domonique Foxworth are scheduled to sign autographs today at the DenverAutographs.com store in Westminster Mall (88th and Sheridan). Foxworth will sign from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., with Wilson following from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Call 303-462-1145 for more information.

Did I see . . . Denver Nuggets free-agent DerMarr Johnson towering over gawking customers in the checkout lane at a downtown King Soopers store earlier this week.

Broncos coach Mike Shanahan shot a minus-nine (in the Stableford scoring system) on Friday at the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe, Nev. Today Shanahan will be paired with U.S. women's soccer hero Brandi Chastain and former college football coach Lou Holtz. Other pairings today of local note include Broncos Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway with future Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, and Colorado Avalanche captain Joe Sakic with former Broncos defensive back Terrell Buckley.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

This reader's choice pairs Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko with actor Dolph Lundgren. Posted by Sam Adams at 12:01 AM

July 14, 2006

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. was supposed to be the guy to break Hank Aaron's all-time record for home runs.

Griffey was the game's premier home run hitter until injuries limited his number of sweet, powerful swings. After the 2000 season, San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds had more career homers (494) in more games played (2,143) than Griffey (438 HRs in 1,680 games). But no one could anticipate Griffey, who is five years younger than Bonds, to encounter so many injuries over the next four seasons -- nor could anyone anticipate Bonds' sudden power burst.

In a four-year period (2001-04) Griffey played in only 317 games. During that same time frame, Bonds added 209 homers to his career total.

In April, 2000, a few days after he hit career homer No. 400 against the Rockies at Coors Field, Griffey told me that 500 homers and 3,000 hits were the milestones that impressed him the most. "It means, No. 1, you're consistent hitting home runs. And 3,000 hits means you've been around a long time."

At the time, Griffey needed to average 45 homers and 160 hits to surpass Aaron's record of 755 homers and reach 3,000 hits -- both in 2007. He went into Thursday night's game against the Rockies needing 46 homers to become just the fifth player in major league history to reach 600, and 634 hits to reach 3,000.

NOTEWORTHY

Quote, unquote: "There's a reason the Broncos drafted a smart quarterback from Vanderbilt. He's a knucklehead." -- ESPN Radio host Colin Cowherd, firing a shot at Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer.

I say the heat is on . . . the Rockies bullpen. The team's strongest unit has been getting drilled lately by opposing hitters. A three-day break might've been what the doctor -- and manager Clint Hurdle -- ordered.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Larry Hughes resembles Ty Law, the free-agent cornerback who remains unsigned for the 2006 season. Posted by Sam Adams at 12:01 AM

July 13, 2006

What did the Rockies do to Major League Baseball's schedule-makers to deserve a 10-game road trip coming out of the All-Star break for the second year in a row? That's a 10-game road trip out of the break that starts in Cincinnati for the second year in a row, no less.

It might be saying too much to call it a make-or-break trip for the Rockies, but a strong showing in these next 10 games will help determine if they are contenders rather than pretenders in the National League's West Division race.

Division title contention talk aside, here are a few numbers the Rockies can shoot for during the remaining 75 games this season.

15 wins to set a club record (37) for road wins in a season.

36 wins to reach 80 wins for first time since 2000.

40 wins to set a club record (84) for wins in a season.

There's one other number to watch out for -- 37. If the Rockies win at least 37 more games, they're guaranteed to finish .500 on the season and I've got to keep my promise to shortstop Clint Barmes by shaving my head completely bald.

NOTEWORTHY

Quote, unquote: "In years past I'd probably say it killed them, but the way they've played on the road now . . . They're guys that bounce back very quickly from losses." -- FSN Rocky Mountain analyst George Frazier, on 950 The Fan's Sports Guys show discussing the Rockies' three-game losing streak going into the All-Star break.

The AGA Rocky Mountain Grand Prix, which offers a $40,000 prize purse, will be held Saturday at Colorado Horse Park in Parker. For more information call 303-841-5550.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

July 12, 2006

The first regular-season telecast of Monday Night Football on ESPN will air on Sept. 11. But network officials already have completed a cross-country road trip to host cities around the NFL, finalizing behind-the-scenes plans for expanded pre- and post-game coverage from the game site.

Last week ESPN personnel met with stadium officials at Invesco Field at Mile High, to discuss details for the MNF broadcast of the Broncos-Baltimore Ravens game on Oct. 9. The network will air two games on Sept. 11 -- the Minnesota Vikings at the Washington Redskins, and San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders.

"Invesco has been one of our easiest sites, partly because we were here last year, and partly because it's a relatively new building and the people we've been dealing with are great," said Mike Leber, who is coordinating producer for ESPN's Monday Night Countdown show.

"And for the Monday night game against Kansas City last year we were here. The studio operation for Monday Night Countdown, we did the show from the set on the field. But that one was one pre-game show. That was pretty limited set-up. This is considerably bigger -- and the fact that we're doing it all across the league, organizing 14 of these . . . It's a function of adding studio presence.

ESPN plans to devote nearly one-half day's worth of programming to its MNF telecasts, starting with a special "kickoff" edition of SportsCenter that will air at 1 p.m. in the Mountain Standard Time zone. The show will originate from the network's home studios in Bristol, Connecticut, but feature MNF pre-game insights from former NFL players Eric Allen, Sean Salisbury, Merrill Hoge and former Denver Broncos offensive lineman Mark Schlereth.

Three shows will air from the game-site, including the NFL Primetime show (with host Stuart Scott and analysts Ron Jaworski and Mike Ditka) and Monday Night Countdown show (hosted by Chris Berman, with analysts Tom Jackson, Michael Irvin, Steve Young and Chris Mortensen.

The network's Pardon the Interruption show (with Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon) also will air from the MNF site. Elements of the pre-game programming will be broadcast from outside the stadium, with tail-gaters in the background.

"We want to make it an experience -- not just for the viewers at home but for the fans at the game,” Leber said. "We're bringing in ESPN the Truck -- which is an interactive area for fans to see different exhibits, get their pictures taken at the SportsCenter desk, things like that."

NOTEWORTHY

Impact Sports, located at 11575 Main Street in Broomfield, will host the Colorado Crush Football Skills Camp on July 15, for youths ages 7-18. For more information call 303-467-2288.

Rockies outfielder Brad Hawpe is on pace to record 21 assists in 2006. The club's single-season record for outfielder assists 17, set by Dante Bichette in 1999.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

No joke -- this reader's choice pairs Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star pitcher (and Colorado Rockies nemesis) Brad Penny with comedian Larry the Cable Guy. Posted by Sam Adams at 12:01 AM

July 11, 2006

Except for the super-sleek, ultra-luxurious ride he drove to Cherry Creek Country Club, Detroit Pistons guard Chauncey Billups hasn't changed much from the kid that starred at George Washington High School and the University of Colorado.

He still plans to work on his game playing in the Joint Effort summer basketball league. He still will host a free basketball clinic four youths next month at the same recreation center where he played as a kid. Except for the hair -- or lack of -- Billups still is same guy that friends have come to know over the years as "Smooth."

On Monday Billups was all smiles at the golf course, shaking hands and exchanging conversation with friends who came to support the Leadership Academy tournament he co-hosted with long-time Regis University coach Lonnie Porter. The two rode in carts while others played 18 holes under clear and sunny skies.

While Billups will be the first to admit his golf game is a work in progress, he might also tell you that he’s glad to take some time away from basketball. The Pistons streaked to the NBA's best regular-season record, but seemed to run out of gas against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals.

"For the first time -- and I'd never felt like that before -- I just got burned out," Billups said. "It was like I hit a wall. It was crazy. Maybe two games into the second round (against Cleveland), it was like my mind was straight but my legs wouldn’t allow me to be me.

"Playing 100-plus games for four years in a row, and this year me, personally, playing more minutes than I usually do because of our backup point guard situation, it came back and bit us. I've seen all kind of stuff like, (the Pistons) aren't together any more, Rasheed (Wallace) and Ben (Wallace) had a beef with one another . . . it wasn't none of that. Man, guys just got tired, burned out.

"I never had felt that before, and I couldn't really say what it was. People thought I was hurt or something. I was good. But I was just beat."

The Pistons will start the 2006-07 season without Ben Wallace, who has agreed to a free-agent contract with the Chicago Bulls. "You know what? It's a huge hit," Billups said. "I knew Chicago was going to throw a lot of money at Ben. I was hurt by it, of course. But I'm happy for Ben. He's been working a long time, underpaid for a long time. So I'm proud of him for that. But for our team, he was the anchor of our defense.

"That's going to hurt us a little bit. But we'll be fine."

For now Billups will try to take his mind of the Pistons and find time for relaxation when and where he can. He and his wife, Piper, recently celebrated the birth of their third child. Billups will participate at the U.S. Senior National Team's training camp next week in Las Vegas, but does not plan to join the team for the World Championships that begin next month in Japan.

"That right there is going to save me," Billups said. "I haven't touched a basketball to this point, so I need to start doing a little something to get ready for the camp. After that camp, I'll probably take another 3-4 weeks off, then start getting ready for the season."

Billups' mountain climb to stardom in the NBA makes it all the more easy to appreciate those days when he slipped and slid while dribbling across the Denver Prep League gym floors, and made acrobatic shots under pressure in state championship games at old McNichols Arena before moving on to CU, where he stood out as one of the premier players in the Big 12 Conference. He chuckles after hearing himself say the words, 'When I was 21.'

In September, Billups will turn 30 years old. The upcoming season will be his 10th in the NBA.

"Physically, nothing really has changed," he said. "I'm still the same weight I was six years ago. Everything is still the same physically, but it's more with my mind. The cerebral part of the game is different.

"It's still kind of surreal because this is always where I wanted to be. This is where I always felt I could get to. The way my career started made me step back and think that maybe it's not my potential -- but I'm going to work toward it. But I always felt like I could do it if given the opportunity."

Billups said he is monitoring the situation with CU's men's basketball program -- in particular, the talk surrounding the future of coach Ricardo Patton.

"Coach Patton is my man," Billups said. "I very tuned in to everything that's going on. Everyone knows our relationship is great -- it's a good chance I wouldn't have gone to CU if it wasn't for coach Patton. (Athletic director) Mike Bohn, everybody up there knows how I feel about coach.

"I think the university needs to get behind the basketball program a little bit more, the way that they do with football. But basketball will never be what football is at CU. It's not going to happen. But with that being said, that doesn't mean a commitment can't be made. We had it going. We got it going my second year, had it cookin', winning games and filling up the place every night.

"If they get behind it, get behind coach Patton, I feel like they can do something special. He's a great recruiter, knows the game, is tough as nails and that's what you need. That's what I needed. I hope they do right by him. I've been committed to the school and will continue to be, but a lot of my commitment and my loyalty is based upon coach Patton."

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM | Comments (1)

July 10, 2006

Home has not been too sweet for the Rockies this season.

The Rockies will enter the All-Star break with a .500 record at home (22-22) after being swept in three games this weekend by the last-place Arizona Diamondbacks.

Remember the parade talk after the Rockies surged into first place last week? Well, stick a mute in those trumpets. Until the Rockies can master the art of beating division opponents at Coors Field, they won’t be marching to the National League's West Division title any time soon.

The division rivals, in particular, are getting the better of the Rockies at Coors Field this season. Colorado has gone 8-13 at home against N.L. West teams -- 1-5 against Arizona, 2-4 against Los Angeles, 1-2 against San Diego and 4-2 against San Francisco.

Colorado already has 22 road wins in 2006, compared to 27 in all of 2005.

NOTEWORTHY

Quote, unquote: "I didn't see any evidence whatsoever that (Jay) Cutler is challenging (Jake) Plummer at this point . . . He really struggled, I thought, even in warm-up drills with no defenders. He really struggled to put the ball where it needed to be. His release is not that decisive. I was not impressed overall . . . I covered the New York Jets' mini-camp about 2-3 weeks ago, and (rookie QB) Kellen Clements from Oregon looked so much better. " -- ESPN reporter Sal Paolantonio, talking about the Broncos' quarterbacks on 850 KOA's Dave and Lois Show.

Do you remember former Cheyenne Mountain athlete Todd Gossage? The son of former Major League Baseball player Rich "Goose" Gossage is an infielder on the roster for the Chico Outlaws in the Golden Baseball League -- the same California-based independent league that former big-leaguer Jose Canseco currently plays in.

Rockies pitcher Aaron Cook is all but starving for a victory at home. Cook hasn't won at Coors Field since May 19, and has only two wins in his past 10 starts in Denver.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

July 08, 2006

Rockies pitcher Josh Fogg probably doesn't mind seeing pop-ups off the bats of opposing hitters. Searching for screensavers under Fogg's name on the Internet is a whole different ballgame.

A survey taken by McAfee SiteAdvisor determined that Fogg's screensaver and desktop wallpaper sites have the highest risk -- 75 percent -- for adware, spyware and other software that might be deemed unrelated and unwanted, which is more than for any other player in Major League Baseball.

Higher than star players the likes of Barry Bonds and Albert Pujols.

"We know that 15 million times a month, people search for screensavers," said Shane Keats, market strategist for McAfee SiteAdvisor. "In the technical, security community we know that the best way for adware is to get through your screensavers.

"We're not saying every Josh Fogg screensaver has problems, but for some reason he's an exception."

NOTEWORTHY

Undefeated welterweight boxer Adrian Mora (15-0-1) of Thornton is scheduled to fight Jose Leo Moreno (12-2) on July 14 at the South Coast Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Mora's brother, Anthony, is scheduled to fight Francisco Figueroa on Aug. 2 in Rochester, N.Y., for the World Boxing Council's Continental Americas light-welterweight championship belt. Anthony Mora has a pro record of 15-1.

Quote, unquote: "We're trying to preserve a great game . . . It's the excessive celebration that we as veterans and we as an organization (National Football League Players Association) felt like we need to make sure didn't get out of hand." -- Buffalo Bills safety Troy Vincent, on NFL Network's Total Access show.

Baltimore Ravens defensive lineman (sounds strange calling him former Broncos lineman) Trevor Pryce on Thursday at Elway's, looking fit and hungry for the NFL season to start.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

Several readers called to point out the photo of Rush Limbaugh that appeared earlier this week in the Rocky Mountain News resembled Nuggets coach George Karl. Posted by Sam Adams at 12:01 AM

July 07, 2006

Fans still might not be able to connect a name with his face, but Rockies' right fielder Brad Hawpe continues to gain recognition with the statistics he has produced this season.

Those statistics --a .313 batting average, with 15 home runs, 48 runs batted in and 11 assists after 81 games played -- have opened eyes around the league and given fans cause to mention Hawpe as a player who merited strong consideration for the upcoming All-Star Game in Pittsburgh.

Hawpe's career numbers entering the 2006 season were 12 homers, 56 runs batted in and a .259 batting average in 143 games.

"Just to be mentioned for (the All-Star Game) is special," Hawpe said. "Coming into the season I was trying to perform at the big-league level and prove that I could be one of the better players in the league at my position. And so, to even get recognition just means that people think highly of me out there."

Hawpe won't spend his time off during the All-Star break thinking of what could have been if he were playing on the National League squad.

"I'm going to hang out with my little girl -- have family dinners, relax, maybe go to water park or the mountains," he said. "We'll enjoy being a family."

NOTEWORTHY

Baseball Hall of Famer Stan Musial is scheduled to appear at the DenverAutographs.com store in Westminster Mall on Saturday, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. For more details call 303-462-1145.

Quote, unquote: "If you're dirty and it comes out that you're dirty, they should get rid of all your records." -- FSN's Best Damn Sports Show Period co-host Rob Dibble, on penalties for steroid users in baseball

Rockies pitcher Josh Fogg has won his past three starts. The franchise record for consecutive wins by a starter is seven, held by Bill Swift (1995) and Jason Jennings.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

July 06, 2006

Rockies pitcher Aaron Cook will make an important pitch during the All-Star Game festivities next week in Pittsburgh.

Cook is scheduled to join several former major-league players who will share their experiences with Deep-Vein Thrombosis blood clots. Two years ago Cook's season ended when blood clots were discovered in both of his lungs.

Paul Blair, Phil Niekro, Tony Gwynn and Jim Fregosi also are scheduled to appear with Cook at the All-Star Game Fan-Fest booth supporting the campaign, DVT Blood Clots: Know The Stats -- Know Your Risk.

"In America, more people are affected by DVT than breast cancer and AIDS combined," Cook said. "We're just trying to raise the awareness level so that people know their risks. It's a serious thing, and people don't know what to look for, the simple things like numbness in your feet, in your legs, or in my case, shortness of breath.

"Baseball is a platform that we have to make people of aware of things. I'm taking advantage of that."

NOTEWORTHY

Quote, unquote: "If he did this at the U.S. Open, he would have been tackled, tasered and thrown in the dungeon where he would have made some special friends overnight." -- ESPN broadcaster (and University of Colorado alum) Chris Fowler, commenting on the streaker that interrupted the Maria Sharapova-Elena Dementieva quarterfinals match at Wimbledon earlier this week.

Rockies pitcher Josh Fogg pitched seven innings against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday en route to his seventh win of the season. He also joined Cook and Jason Jennings in winning three consecutive starts this season. No Rockies starter has won four straight this season.

First baseman Todd Helton, who has reached base at least once in 35 consecutive games (while growing a beard during the process) has 697 career extra-base hits -- including 281 home runs and 391 doubles.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

July 05, 2006

Former Denver Bears manager Felipe Alou won his 1,000th game as a manager in the major leagues on Monday when the San Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 9-6 at Coors Field.

Going into Tuesday night's Fourth of July rematch with the Giants, the Rockies needed nine wins to reach 1,000 in the franchise's 14-year history, having posted 991 victories (against 1,134 losses) since entering the league in 1993. Overcoming a rain delay of almost two hours, the Rockies won 6-1 to claim a share of first place in the National League's West Division.

The Rockies cannot reach the 1,000-win plateau during the current homestand. The club resumes play after the All-Star break (July 13) with a 10-game road trip to Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Arizona. The Florida Marlins, who entered the majors with the Rockies in ‘93, have 998 regular season wins (and two world championships) in the franchise's history.

The Marlins blew a one-run lead in the ninth inning and lost 6-4 to the Washington Nationals on Tuesday.

NOTEWORTHY

Quote, unquote: "It's one of the toughest times in baseball since back in the '70s, '80s, when I was a player -- that umbrella over drugs at the time . . . I think this will pass, too. Guys are going to have to come clean eventually." -- Former Rockies manager Don Baylor, appearing on ESPN's "Quite Frankly" show hosted by Stephen A. Smith.

ESPN2's "Wednesday Night Fights" card is at City Auditorium in Colorado Springs tonight, headlined by super-lightweight boxer strong>Neil Sinclair of North Ireland (28-4 with 23 knockouts), who makes his U.S. debut against Jerome Ellis. The co-main event features David Medina (10-1 6 KOs), who will fight Charles Blake (8-6-1 3 KOs) for the World Boxing Council's youth super-lightweight title. The undercard also features undefeated Marvin Cordova (10-0), Carlos De Leon Jr. (13-1), Olympic alternate Torrence Daniels (5-2-1), female prospect Chantel Cordova (3-0) and Miguel Pasillas (6-2). For ticket information, 928-530-9988 or 719-271-5400.

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Jay Cutler added at least one more collegiate honor to his trophy case, as he was selected as Vanderbilt University's "Male Athlete of the Year."

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

Who would play the role of team president Pierre Lacroix in the "Colorado Avalanche Story"? For now, we'll go with actor Nathan Lane. Posted by Sam Adams at 12:01 AM

July 04, 2006

If he completes the terms of his new contract, Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony will have the longest tenure of any player drafted by the franchise since it joined the NBA in 1976.

Anthony's new five-year, $80 million extension takes effect in 2007-08 and keeps him in a Nuggets uniform until the end of the 2011-12 season -- which would be his ninth with the club that drafted him third overall in 2003. Bryant Stith had the longest tenure (eight seasons, 1992-2000) for a player drafted by the post-ABA Nuggets.

Byron Beck was drafted by the Denver Rockets in 1967 and played 10 seasons -- nine of them in the ABA. Other notable Rockets/Nuggets draft choices with long tenures include Dave Robisch with eight seasons (1971-75 and 1980-84), Ralph Simpson with seven seasons (1970-76 and 1977) and four players with six seasons apiece -- Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (1990-96), Blair Rasmussen (1985-91), Mike Evans (1982-88) and LaPhonso Ellis (1992-98). Evans was drafted, then traded by Denver in 1978, but returned to the club as a free agent during the 1982-83 season.

As for the longest tenure for a Rockets/Nuggets player, Hall of Famer Alex English played 11 seasons in Denver (1979-90) and holds the franchise record with 837 games played. Hall of Famer Dan Issel played 10 seasons in Denver (1975-85), as did T.R. Dunn (1980-88 and 1989-91).

NOTEWORTHY

Looking for a K-Mart discount? Replica Kenyon Martin Nuggets jerseys were being sold at a Loveland sporting goods store -- at 70 percent off the regular price.

Quote, unquote: "I've always said that the male figure that had the greatest influence on my life is my father, and Bobby Cox is second. I think that tells it,” former Atlanta Braves pitching coach Leo Mazzone (now with the Baltimore Orioles) on his former manager.

Colorado Rockies left-hander Jeff Francis opposes the San Francisco Giants tonight at Coors Field. Francis has yet to post a victory against a National League team this season, having gone 0-4 in six starts against division opponents.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 PM | Comments (1)

July 03, 2006

Fourth of July. Fireworks. A winning record. Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants. The Colorado Rockies can expect to play before their biggest crowds of the season this week at Coors Field.

The Rockies have averaged 25,443 fans in 38 home games this season, having gone 20-18 in those games. Crowds have exceeded 25,000 in 20 of the 38 games at Coors, with the Rockies posting a mark of 11-9. The largest crowd for the Rockies this season was Opening Day, when 47,278 fans were at Coors Field -- though most of them had left before the end for Colorado's 3-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Including Opening Day, the Rockies, who haven't averaged 30,000 or more fans in a season since 2002, have drawn 30,000 or more fans 10 times this season. They haven’t shown much in the way of stage fright in those games, having won seven times.

The Fourth of July has been a huge draw for the Rockies -- but it hasn't been a good date, record-wise for the club. Colorado has gone 4-10 in games played on the Fourth of July, 2-3 in home games including last year's 4-3 loss (in 11 innings) to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

NOTEWORTHY

"Quote, unquote: He's clearly the (Alex Rodriguez) of the NFL. We used to say these things about John Elway until Terrell Davis walked into his life.” - Ian O’Connor, discussing Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning on ESPN's "Sports Reporters" show.

Remember former Highland Ranch High athlete Andy Lytle? He is playing for the Cleveland Indians' Class A short-season affiliate (Mahoning Valley) in the New York-Penn League.

Former Cherry Creek High athlete and NBA player Mark Randall will host his annual summer basketball camps at Campus Middle School (4785 South Dayton Street in Greenwood Village), starting with an introductory camp (ages 7-9) to be held July 10-14. Full-day camps (ages 9-14) will be held Aug. 7-11. For registration information call 303-405-1327.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM

July 01, 2006

Question: Is Denver Nuggets power forward/center Nene worthy of a contract averaging $10 million per season? The answer, in this space, is in the form of a question, as well.

How much is potential worth these days in the NBA?

Nene has the size (standing 6-feet-11 and weighing over 260 pounds) and the "potential" to become one of the top low-post players in the Western Conference. And he's really a nice "kid" -- all of 23-years-old -- who seems to have a friendly smile painted on his face.

But $10 million dollars a year? That's a lot of Monopoly dough to pay for smiles -- along with 11 points and six rebounds per game. Add to that, Nene played only three minutes in the Nuggets' season-opener last year before tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
Eleven points plus six rebounds minus three minutes divided by an ACL injury.

The math doesn’t seem to add up to 10 million bucks a year.

NOTEWORTHY

International Female Boxers Association bantamweight champion Teri 'Lil Loca' Cruz successfully defended her title at Denver Coliseum on Friday, winning by unanimous decision over Stephanie Dobbs. Cruz improved her record to 14-4-2.

The news flew under the local sports radar screen this week, but not without notice at the Colorado Crush offices. Offensive coordinator Brian Partlow has left the team to accept the head coaching position with the Austin Wranglers. In doing so, Partlow, who signed a five-year contract, leaves one former Stanford University and Denver Broncos alum (Crush president John Elway) to play for another (Wranglers general manager Glyn Milburn).

The Colorado Rockies improved to 41-38 on the season with a 2-0 win Friday night against the Seattle Mariners. The Rockies now have five hitters ranked among the National League's top 20 in batting average -- Matt Holliday (third at .349), Jamey Carroll (sixth at .327), Garrett Atkins (11th at .314), Brad Hawpe (tied for 14th at .307) and Todd Helton (18th at .303).

Here's your number for the day: 222. That's the total of games played in a Nuggets uniform by 11 of the team's previous 12 draft choices (excluding Carmelo Anthony and this year's draft.) Seven of those 12 picks never played a minute for the Nuggets. The 11 players combined to score 892 points, 455 of them by Nikoloz Tskitishvili and 406 from Vincent Yarbrough.

National Hockey League players -- including Brad Larsen, Marek Svatos, Dan Hinote, Peter Budaj -- are scheduled to provide on- and off-ice hockey specific training during camps for youths ages 6-14 to be held at Velocity Sports Performance-Centennial and Family Sports Center. Call 303-768-8988 for more information.

Quote, unquote: "I have played with quarterbacks like Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning and I tell Philip all the time that he reminds me of that caliber of quarterback." -- San Diego Chargers' Pro Bowl tight end Antonio Gates, talking about quarterback Philip Rivers on NFL Network.

Posted by Sam Adams at 12:05 AM | Comments (1)

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