No-frills notes …
Terrible thing, a pulled hamstring. But the news isn’t all bad on the Champ Bailey front.
Bailey’s absence from the Broncos’ lineup during the preseason provided extensive playing time for rookie cornerbacks Darrent Williams and Domonique Foxworth, enabling them to shorten the learning curve at one of the game’s most difficult positions.
Anquan Boldin, Marvin Harrison, Andre Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald. Instead of watching Bailey line up against them, Williams and Foxworth faced them and more than held their own. The experience, to say the least, has proven invaluable.
“Definitely,” Foxworth said. “Corner is probably one of the tougher positions in the league. There’s no substitute for experience, no matter how much speed or athleticism you have. It’s one of the more valuable tools you can have.”
It isn’t bad having Bailey around to coach you, either.
“He’ll go down as one of the greatest corners ever to play this game,” Williams said. “He’s the best since Deion (Sanders). It means a lot to a young guy, him telling us we can play this game. It helps us go out there and be fearless, knowing no matter who lines up across from us, that we can compete. You know they’re going to make some plays, but we can make plays, too.” …
The parity party continues. Eleven of the 14 NFL games opened at a three-point spread or landed there during the week. Said Jeff Sherman, assistant manager of the Las Vegas Hilton’s race & sports book, “I’ve worked in this business for 12 years, and I’ve seen some peculiar weeks. But I’ve never seen anything like this. I can’t ever recall so many games on the board at these numbers.” …
Must be that confounded new math: Corey Dillon, 3.1 yards a carry; Jamal Lewis, 2.5; Ahman Green, 3.4; Curtis Martin, 2.8; Stephen Davis, 3.4; Fred Taylor, 3.3. …
You’ll just have to trust me on this one: Gus Frerotte, bye week and all, five touchdown passes, one more than Tom Brady. …
It deserves bigger play than the middle of a notes column, but here goes anyway. The Dolphins controlled the ball for 32 minutes, 18 seconds compared with 27:42 for the Broncos. Since then, the Bronx have won the time-of-possession game 101:18-78:42. What does it all mean? Fresh legs for their defensive players. …
George Karl on the local pro hoops squad: “Playoff teams are teams that win playoff games, playoff series. Eight (conference) teams a year make the playoffs, but I really don’t think they’re playoff teams. In that sense, I don’t think we’re a playoff team. Our next step is to become a playoff team for the next three, four, five years.” …
From the where-are-they-now file: Former Mullen High and U of Miami QB Ryan Clement has graduated from Miami law school and hopes to launch a career as an NFL player agent. …
How dedicated to his craft is Our Town’s Own Chauncey Billups? He recently hosted a charity golf tournament in Detroit but didn’t break out his sticks. “This game is 4 1/2 hours,” Billups said. “If I could be doing this, I could be working on basketball.” …
Let’s see, now. Chone Figgins, Shawn Chacon, Juan Uribe, Jorge Sosa. … If the Dallas Cowboys are America’s Team, does that make the Rockies America’s Farm Team? …
Oh, and before I forget, repeat after me, Red Sox Nation: The White Sox are my Papi. …
That’s not a hot seat in Norv Turner’s office. An electric chair is more like it. Fact: Al Davis canned Mike Shanahan in 1989 after Shanny won eight out of 20 games. Turner is 6-14 through his first 20. …
Gerard Warren on the Broncos’ revamped and revitalized D line: “We’re not dominating yet. We pretty much go out and do our job. We put on our hard hats, go out on the field and play football.” …
Not that Warren is laughing last, but his two sacks are one more than the Browns’ entire defensive line. …
Former Broncos tight end Justin Armour and Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry entering the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame on Nov. 9. Tickets and info: 719-634-7333, ext. 1009. …
So much for Urban Meyer’s honeymoon in Gainesville. After last week’s debacle at Alabama, Meyer’s spread offense has been dubbed the Urban Myth.
Catch Jim Armstrong from 6-9 a.m. during “The Press Box” on ESPN 560 AM. He can be reached at 303-820-5452 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.