Expect good run from Clarett
Congratulations to Broncos coach Mike Shanahan and team owner Pat Bowlen for having the guts to take Maurice Clarett in the third round of the NFL draft. I live in Columbus, Ohio, and know, as does every true Ohio State Buckeyes fan, that without Clarett, Ohio State would not have made it to the national championship game. And without him in the game, Miami would have won the national championship, without a doubt.
You want determination, look at his overtime touchdown in the championship game. You want a winner, look at him run from the end zone to the 35-yard line faster than anyone else and rip the interception away from the Miami defender.
Clarett was a 19-year-old kid when he had his run-in with the police, the NCAA and the OSU sports machine. He took bad advice from bad advisers, but he was just a college freshman thrust into the limelight of a college program that is the focus of the entire state of Ohio.
You got a winner, lucky number 13!
Bill Mattes, Columbus, Ohio
Another O’Dowd dud
Well, another Dan O’Dowd experiment has failed. The Rockies have tried loading the team with “bombers,” veteran players, speed in the outfield, high-priced pitchers and now, Triple-A caliber players. The only difference between this and the other experiments is the season is lost before the end of April. This year’s team may be a bunch of good, hard-working guys, but they are not ready to be major-league players. The games are like watching Cherry Creek High School play Arizona State. I can’t blame the players; I’m sure they are giving it all they have. O’Dowd has just brought them up to the majors too quickly.
The Nuggets were on the road to nowhere early in the season, and a change in coaching made a huge difference. If we can’t get rid of Rockies ownership, perhaps a change in management and coaching is needed before it really is too late.
Janice Dutton, Pueblo West
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