Is it Tebow Time yet?

This is Tim Tebow's team, but is it Tim Tebow's time?

There was only one bright orange jersey at the center of the team huddle at the first day of Broncos training camp. Denver's #15 accepts this role, not as a sign of professional football egotism or everyday quarterback burden, but as the innate self-characteristic of his being on a team.


But the Broncos apparent starting quarterback, the one that is taking the first-team snaps, and is also rumor to be on his way out, is Kyle Orton. 

Tim Tebow is a veteran of the league. He's been apart of the Broncos for 462 whole days and this is undoubtedly his team. And he's now the Napoleon Bonaparte of Broncos Country. 


Tim heard cheers when he connected with Eric Decker on a 5 yard slant pattern. People clapped when he tossed the ball to Lance Ball on a checked down. Broncos fans even were smiling when Tebow spelled his name correctly in the autograph session after camp. 


Kyle Orton, on the other hand, can't buy a vowel other than 'O'. People were unhappy with him over anything he did. Perfect spiral, "B**!" Precise and fundamental 7-step drop, "B**!"

In his first year as head coach John Fox he may have to make the toughest decision of his, what hopes to be, long tenure here in Denver. Kyle Orton is far and away the better choice (this fact is not debatable, no matter how hard you want to fight it) to start for the Broncos and give them a legitimate chance to win. Tim Tebow is far and away the fan favorite, and the Broncos quarterback for many years to come. 


As Napoleon once spoke, "Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide." 
If you're Coach Fox who do you choose. Tim Tebow or Kyle Orton? 

Welcome to Pac-12 Football Colorado

The Buffaloes shouldn’t be waiting for any fresh baked muffins. There aren’t any coming.

The University of Colorado has a legacy in football that stacks up with the top schools of their newest colleagues. They are ‘officially’ in the PAC-12, they have the patches to prove it, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they belong.

PAC-12 media day, hosted in Los Angeles, was as star studded as the Boulder night sky.

The new league, it could be readily debated, was the best conference in America a year ago. “You have to have tons of flexibility and you have to be very creative,” said new head coach Jon Embree, “And that's what's so great about this conference.”

The gauntlet that is Colorado's schedule will test the young team, with the new staff, in the new conference. “So for them, they should be excited about it [the schedule]," said Embree yesterday to the media, "I just told him I was glad he didn’t put the Packers on the schedule.”

From the beginning of September, for 13 straight weeks, to the end of November CU has no room for error. The new staff will have to address the stacks of issues left behind by Dan Hawkins. It’ll be like trying to remove a middle block out of a wobbley Jenga tower.

He won’t be able to change the philosophy overnight. It will take weeks, even months of hard work (the offseason helped jumpstart this transistion) to get Colorado football back to where Jon Embree and the rest of the Buffalo herd know they can be.

“I want to improve the identity of our program,” said Embree, who played three seasons for the Buffs, knows what CU football is all about, “I want when people see us play, I want them to understand we're a physical program, physical team.”

But Colorado won’t, and shouldn’t, be seen as a force coming into the conference. They need to regain the hardnosed, college football reputation.

The only way to get respect, especially in this league will be to earn it on the field when the lights turn on.

http://www.ralphiereport.com/2011/7/26/2295707/pac-12-media-day-jon-embree-and-tyler-hansen-represent-the-buffaloes

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Rockies pitchers

You are what you eat. And it’s looking like the Colorado Rockies starting pitchers are vanilla soft serve.

The Rockies three BEST pitchers (due to injury and lack of production) have 10,9 and 7 losses. Jason Hammel, Ubaldo Jimenez and Jhouyls Chacin all are the disappointing conclusion to the gallon ice-cream carton. They were supposed to be #1, #3 and #4 in the rotation and now even Baskin Robbins would drop them from their 31 flavor lineup.

Colorado has been, and will always be, a hitter friendly environment. What Dan O’Dowd and Rockies faithful need are bats, and just enough pitching to get by.

But they have gotten by like you get by security without getting a wink from the creepy x-ray TSA guy.

The Rockies pitching is the 26^th best in the baseball, only Chicago and Houston are worse in the National League. They are giving up more than 4 runs every game. Of the 54 losses, 39 are on the hands of the starters. And the ace of the staff is rumored to be a possibly trading piece.

Colorado doesn’t have one guy they can put on the mound that they feel confident they will win. When Jim Tracy picks up the bullpen phone he hopes the ‘Help-Line’ is on the other end. And ironically, the relievers are worse than generic Tums, they aren’t providing relief.

And it’s not going to get any better.

The Rockies are 11 games out of first place with very little light at the end of the tunnel. Like the tub that is sitting in the back of any Purple Hearted fan’s mini freezer; the rest of the season is going to be ‘slow churned’.

A Tiger Woods' Memoir

If you have ever touched a club; in putt-putt where your shoe-straps and lime green ball match, or have shot even par at Pebble Beach with your buddies; you have no idea.

At the professional level golf is like trying to be a fighter pilot without actually ever flying anything but coach. (Yet, it always seems to work out in the movies.) It’s like running on molten lava with snowshoes. It’s like putting together a scrapbook in one sitting without going crazy. The ‘average bear’ can’t even begin to know what it’s like.

Tiger Woods is finished. Eighteen is still in his sights, legally, (If you know what I mean) but not on the course.

He has NO shot at overtaking the Jack "Golden Bear" Nicklaus as the best golfer to ever live. A year and a half ago it seemed like a sure thing, but now it’s about as far away as the moon is to a NASA astronaut.

Woods changed the game, he changed culture. Ten years ago the fist pump was outdated, now people do it when they successfully place a stamp perfectly in the corner on their first try. Ten years ago if you wore red on Sunday they’d lock you up (Cold War anti-communism campaign, joke), now the street malls look like the ketchup aisle at the grocery store on Sundays. Ten years ago a bald man with glasses talking golf was only your uncle on stool, now SVP has his own radio talk show. (Interestingly enough, he’s most likely still on a stool.)Ten years ago African Americans were still trying to prove themselves to the golfing world. Ten years and one Tiger Woods later, it’s all changed.

Publicly Woods will be ridiculed for the remainder of his years; his triply reconstructed swing will no longer be dissected and emulated by drones of mediocre golfers; his endorsement deals will coincide with the likes of Kim Kardashian rather than Billie Jean King.

Tiger Woods will not go down in the ‘record books’ as the best golfer of all time. He will not surpass Jack, no way.

But Tiger did something no golfer has ever done; he’s raised the par.

BRONCOS 11 MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FOR 2011

1.       Is Von Miller the right choice?

This may be the furthest thing from the minds of most of in Broncos Country. Von Miller was an unstoppable force for Texas A&M in 2009, but that doesn’t guarantee it will translate to the next level. He’s the prototypical outside linebacker; he has size and most importantly speed off the corner. And a more crucial query than if he can play, is he can play alongside Elvis.

2.       Will Elvis Dumervil be his usual self?

Losing Elvis on the first day of training camp sent the Broncos in a downward spiral that never stopped in 2010. Luckily, that can’t happen again. (Training camp is delayed by the lockout.)

3.       Defensive tackle still a problem spot?

Jamal Williams was supposed to fill the hole in the middle of the defense last year. The only thing he did do was fill the #76 jersey to the brim. Now Williams is no longer in Denver and the staple of the 3-4 defense is up for grabs.

4.       Could John Fox solve the problem?

He came from the only team in the NFL that was worse. He has more issues to fix than Ron Artest’s psychiatrist. But his pedigree is great and he could be just the right guy to turn the franchise back into what it once was.

5.       Can John Elway be a good executive?

We all know Elway cannot throw any touchdowns for the Owners box, but his influence on the team could go either way. He could play puppetmaster, and get away with it, or he could smile and make the occasional move and get the team back on track.

6.       Will Demaryius Thomas rebound?

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea doesn’t know the pressure that Thomas felt getting drafted before ‘The Chosen One’. He was injured a year ago and Denver never really saw his true potential.

7.       Who’s [THE QUARTERBACK] going to throw it to?

Brandon Lloyd snuck up on everyone even though he was leading the league in receiving for much of the year. Don’t expect this to be the case in 2011. And with the departure of Daniel Graham there will need to be more than one player that step ups in the passing game.

8.       Who is going to carry the ball at RB?

Once upon a time the Broncos running backs were as ripe and plentiful as a southern Georgia peach farm.  Now Knowshon Moreno is #1 on the depth charts, but it feels the confidence that Denver fans have in him are as tall as a bonsai bush.

9.       Ryan Clady back is his usual self?

Along with many other Broncos, Clady battled off some nagging injuries last year. He is more than capable of being an All-Pro tackle, but he is now a senior leader on a young Broncos front-five. And a possible change of position could be in store depending on the quarterback leading the team.

10.    Tim Tebow or Kyle Orton?

The ever-present question for a team; Play for the ‘Now’ or the ‘Future’? Kyle Orton was having, statistically, an above par season before his injury. But people are not going to be happy to see #15 in a visor while playing Sudoku on a clipboard. Will cooler heads prevail or is the pressure to play Tebow too much?

11.    Are the fans excited?

Is it time for Todd Helton to go?

Is it time? Like moving away from ‘Puppy Love’ it will not be easy on people. 

Statistically Todd Helton is playing All-Star baseball. He is batting .324 and has 10 dingers just past the midway point of season. This, in part, is due to his good health. Back spasms do get to the 37 year old at times, but not like last year or in 2008. His 14 years in Colorado are nothing, not even close, short of a Hall of Fame career.

Dan O’Dowd must do it like a band-aid “Right off”.

Helton is making $20.275 million in 2011, but only makes $9.9 million over the next two seasons. There are only 6 players that are making more than the Toddfather this year. 

 

The Rockies sit 10 games out of first place in the National League West and 6 games under .500. It would take another Mile High Miracle for Colorado to even get back in the race. I mean it would take something truly special, and I definitely haven’t seen Nuns lining up for Rockpile tickets just yet.

This has all the makings for a potential trade. It makes sense.

Take a cut in team salary. Get some flexibility that’ll give you the potential to go make a move in the future that is crucial for a stretch run. Find some good, professional, players (not pitchers) in return. Get players that will blossom in this system next year and years to come. And finally, trade Todd to a team with a chance to make a run deep into October. Give the man whom you would give anything to trim his beard, shine his cleats and pick the bugs of his sunglasses the chance at a ring to solidify his place in baseball lore.

No other Rockie will ever wear #17 in Colorado, but moving Todd Helton would be in the best interest of both parties.

US Women's Open: Bad Weather, Promising Forecast

The US Women’s Open had more stoppages than an AARP road trip.

What was going to be a great opportunity for professional golf in Colorado got in the way of monsoon season. Five weather warnings forced golfers off the course and spectators under sparsely protectant trees. Rain clouds and lightning strikes seemed to supply the only electricity in the air. Players were forced to play 30-plus holes on Sunday that even carried over into Monday morning.

But even with all that went wrong, it all went right.

The Broadmoor looked spectacular. The course in and of itself challenged players; bogeys took the place of bears as this year’s most memorable sight. Holes were US Open long, but the altitude didn’t make headlines. The fans were enthusiastic even with each passing storm. And the Monday playoff provided just enough drama to give the LPGA a small smirk.

Colorado needs, and wants professional golf, but the ghost of ‘Internationals’ past haunt true Coloradan golf fans.

People need not be reminiscent. The LPGA and Senior Open have just nibbled on what Colorado golf has to offer. They will be back, possibly even the PGA as well.

The weather was a factor (no matter where you go) whether you like it or not in the US Women’s Open. And like the lightning that bothered the tournament like a Carrot top Taco Bell commercial, this golf-stuff in Colorado isn’t just going to strike once.

Nene No Longer a Nugget

Experts think a do-it-yourself napkin centerpiece would be an improvement for the Denver Nuggets. They are the softest team in the league, according to some experts. They lack the inside presence that, experts say, it takes to win a NBA Championship. 

These ‘experts’ can only be described as the greater population of Nuggets Nation.  

Nene leaving only makes for one large hole to fill. The big Brazilian opted out of his nearly $12 million contract earlier this week; Nene departs any semblance of a productive center in Denver.

Nuggets fans found a way to dislike the most proficient scorer in the league. He Big Bad Wolfed (blew) the top off the rest of the league in field goal percentage this year. He has the 11^th best percentage of All-Time. He is more proficient around the basket than a paper shredder. He’s not flashy, he doesn’t make the wrong play, he rebounds and Denver fans don’t like him one bit.

Nuggets fans, like a sad country love song, won’t know what they had until he’s gone. 

Nene may not be the best center in the league, he’s not in the ‘Elite Centers’ category. He may not even be in the top 5, but Nene looks great compared to many others. Zaza Pachulia or Joel Anthony? Or how about Omer Asik or Chuck Hayes?

The Nuggets do have the Russian Timofey Mozgov waiting in the wings. They will have cap room (pending the decision of higher management, and more likely the departure of Kenyon Martin and JR Smith) to go out and get a “quality” big man. 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/1107/nba-top-free-agents/content.1.html

Nene will most likely go get a new, more welcoming home.

Meet @joeyjaws

He’s the most prolific eater ever to walk this planet. He has the most famous jaws since, well, Jaws. His Costco Shoppers card is Platinum. His chompers are little statues of ivory glory.

Joey Chestnut ate 62 hot dogs on Independence Day and he’s not even verified.

Twitter has obviously not taken hold on the MLE (Major League Eating) circuit the way back hair is so popular in NASCAR.

This is a call to arms. It’s a pledge to Americans everywhere. To the ones that laugh at a dime sized mustard stain and don’t consider relish and onions on their calorie counters.  We are people of just causes like a Triple Word Score to beat your mother on Words with Friends. We take pleasure in the nuances of life like, Lord help me, an anti-Bieber hash tag.

We need to rally around Joey Chestnut.

If you have a bumper sticker that says “I <3 the RED, WHITE and BREW” on your Chevy Eco… follow him. If you can admit (internally at least) that you wore your Stars and Stripes boxers for the second day in a row (as I just did)… follow him. If you can’t get that last no-good, rotten, brutal joke out of your head… follow him. If you have an autograph from a mascot of any kind… follow him.

IF YOU’RE AMERICAN…. FOLLOW HIM!

Expect Riots

The NBA and NFL are in sports jail. 

The neighborhood sports bars are putting up particle board to cover the windows. Coors Light is running ‘Sports are for Pansys” commercials. Nike is entering the board game industry. And David Stern and Roger Goodell were seen writing a dramatic romantic comedy screen play at Starbucks.

Expect riots.

People live for sports. They don’t play fantasy football to stimulate their brains. They don’t crop their best friend out of their wedding photos just because he wouldn’t trade Lamar Odom for JJ Redick and beer at next weekend’s BBQ. They don’t go to the YMCA and ride the elliptical to look cool. They don’t buy the same pare of Adidas sneakers to go with their tube socks. They don’t watch football on Sundays or basketball in March to get together with their pals. They most definitely don’t yell at their spouses to ‘Keep it down!’ during the most crucial of moments because they love the game more than them. 

Expect riots!!!

They do it because one day they may get THAT call from Jerry Jones or Jerry Bus asking them to be the interim general manager, backup point guard or assistant to the head coach. And IF, nay, WHEN, they get that call, they better be ready to go. 

EXPECT RIOTS!!!!!!