Notes from the war room. …
If you can’t beat ’em, copy ’em.
The Steelers team that beat the Broncos in the AFC championship game was littered with middle-round draft picks who turned into impact players. Now it’s the Broncos’ turn to see if they can find those types of players.
The Broncos obviously view this as a deep draft, having dealt away one of their No. 1s, the 22nd overall, in exchange for the 49ers’ second- and third-rounders. In the aftermath of the trade, they own a league-high seven selections in the first four rounds.
It remains to be seen who they’ll pick, but we already know one thing: Several players taken in the middle rounds will have better careers than several others taken in Round 1.
But don’t take my word for it. Check out the list of the last 10 Super Bowl MVPs. The list includes a second-rounder (Deion Branch), a third-rounder (Hines Ward), a fourth-rounder (Dexter Jackson), two sixth-rounders (Tom Brady and Terrell Davis) and an undrafted free agent (Kurt Warner). …
Dolphins coach Nick Saban, whose team owns the 16th pick in the draft, when asked by Florida Today why he bothered to work out Vince Young: “Just because you’re on a diet doesn’t mean you can’t look at the menu.” …
Carmelo Anthony finished the season at 26.5 points a game. His preseason goal? “Probably 23-24.” …
The Melo Man, when asked if he could carry the Nuggets on his shoulders in the playoffs: “I think I can. At one point we had about seven players suited up for a couple of games. I had to go out there and show everybody that, regardless of how many people we had, I could keep us in the game. It’s tough, but at the same time, it was great experience for me. If I get in that situation again where I have to carry the team, I’ll be used to it.” …
Not that Melo remotely resembles a complete player. Kobe Bryant, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists a game. Melo, 4.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists. …
Why, with Barry Bonds in town and all, didn’t the Rockies have Big Head Todd sing the national anthem? …
OK, so I’m piling on like everyone else is. But I have to admit, it bothers me that one player, even one as unpopular as Bonds, is being singled out as the poster child for baseball’s steroid scandal. Why doesn’t ESPN have a reporter tailing Mark McGwire every moment? OK, so we’re angry and we want to blame someone. Blame them all, not just Bonds. …
Ex-Rockie Eric Young on the Rox: “I like this club they have now, and I’m not just saying that. They have four guys who can hit 20-30 home runs.” …
If it’s all the same to E.Y., I’d like two of them to hit 20 before we go making bold predictions. That would be one more than last season. …
My short-and-sweet scouting report on the Avs’ playoff hopes: Oh, for a healthy Marek Svatos and Steve Konowalchuk. Even without them, they can beat the Stars. …
It won’t be easy, since the Clippers have the home-ref, er, home-court advantage, but the Nuggets can win this series. For that matter, if the Marcus Camby of November and December shows up, they can beat any team in the West without a Desperate Househusband in the backcourt. …
Who says crime doesn’t pay? After being courted by the NFL Network, Michael Irvin has decided to stay put at ESPN. My spies tell me there were a million-plus reasons why. …
How much do I admire 47-year-old Julio Franco, who last week became the oldest big-leaguer to hit a home run? Let’s put it this way. I retired 10 years ago after hitting .284 for The Post’s slow-pitch team. …
Memo to the Rockies’ marketing dept.: How about Josh Fogg Sideburns Night at the old ballyard? …
For a team that, according to its coach, doesn’t run enough, the Nuggets sure get a lot of fast-break hoops. They led the league with 20.2 fast-break points a game, 4.2 more than Phoenix, which was second. The Clippers led the league in fewest fast-break points allowed, 9.79. …
And finally, the headline of the day, courtesy of sportspickle.com: “Brett Favre tells waitress he needs another 45 minutes to look over the menu.”
Catch Jim Armstrong from 6-9 a.m. during “The Press Box” on ESPN radio 560 AM. He can be reached at 303-820-5452 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
