The fall of the Roman notes column. …
Tom Nalen on the Broncos’ new-look defensive line: “All four of those guys can play. Gerard Warren is a big, strong man and Michael Myers is a good player. No one really talks about him, but he can play. I don’t know what happened in Cleveland, but they’re going to help us. That’s the bottom line.” …
Memo to the offensive line’s kangaroo court: Don’t be trying to take Nalen’s cash. That quote came late in training camp, when the linemen were allowed to talk to their friends in the media. …
Talk about yesterday’s news. According to French newspaper L’Equipe, Lance Armstrong used a performance-enhancing drug before his first Tour de France victory in 1999. In a related story, the newspaper claims Germany got ripped off in World War II. …
I’d vote for Chris Carpenter for the National League Cy Young Award, but this has to enter into the argument: The Astros have failed to score a run seven times while Roger Clemens was on the mound. …
Finally, some good news for the Rockies’ front office. After paying $2.82 a gallon for gas the other day, I hereby vow not to grumble about the beer prices at Coors Canaveral for at least a week. …
By the numbers: A win over CSU and Gary Barnett would even his record at 78-78-1 as a Division I-A coach. …
Funny how these things work. Nineteen I-A programs hired coaches before the 1999 season. Kirk Ferentz has compiled a 42-31 record at Iowa, where the locals consider him a genius and worry that he’ll take the next train to the NFL. Meanwhile, in Boulder, Barnett has gone 42-33 and is trying to hold off the 40-some percent of the people who want him gone. …
Just wondering: Which organization has more clues, the NCAA, which spends its time worrying about schools’ nicknames, or the International Olympic Committee, which voted softball out of the Games after several committee members admitted they thought it was baseball? …
Why the chants of “We want Griffey!” at U.S. Cellular Field? The White Sox averaged 5.64 runs a game in June, 5.30 per in July and 3.00 in August. …
A little love for the Phillies, last seen leading the wild-card chase without Jim Thome, the 21st century Harmon Killebrew, in the middle of their lineup. …
Scott Ostler of MSNBC.com on Phil Mickelson’s expanding waistline: “If he puts on 10 more pounds and gets paired with John Daly, they’ll have to walk the fairways single-file.” …
Frank Robinson says Rafael Palmeiro’s stats should be erased from the record books. If so, would it mean the deal that sent Palmeiro to Texas wouldn’t be one of the worst trades in Cubs history? …
Let the record show that, if Southern Cal doesn’t run the table, it won’t be for a lack of speed. To wit: Heisman co-favorite Reggie Bush clocked a 4.25 40 the other day. …
So Lawrence Phillips has contacted his old coach, Tom Osborne, to help him get back into pro football. Makes you wonder, do Cal Penal League stats count in fantasy- league football? …
Yeah, you, Bears holdout Cedric Benson. Sign the deal, kid. They’re not going to throw in the Sears Tower. …
Let me see if I’ve got this straight. The Chargers give Antonio Gates a six-year deal a couple of days after suspending him for three games? In Colorado, we’ve got a term for that. It’s called cutting off your nose to spite your face. …
Talk about movin’ on up to the East Side. Gates received $9.2 million in guarantees. Two years ago, he signed a free-agent deal out of college that included a signing bonus of $7,000.
Catch Jim Armstrong from 6-9 a.m. during “The Press Box” ESPN 560 AM, and on Fox Sports Net’s “Insider Edition.” He can be reached at 303-820-5452 or jarmstrong@denverpost.com.
