Sunday’s Arena Football League divisional playoff pitting the defending champion Colorado Crush against the Chicago Rush will have all the surrounding hoopla of a miniature Super Bowl.
The Crush is one of eight playoff teams in the 19-team league and at 11-5, the AFL’s second-best record, and has everything going for it as the top seed in the American Conference.
Behind offensive specialist Damian Harrell, an all-world scorer who set a league record this season with 61 touchdowns and led the league with 152 receptions and 366 points, the Crush would be the heavy favorite to down the Rush (7-9) – if Las Vegas bothered to fix a line. Colorado swept the two-game season series with Chicago and recorded three straight wins against the Rush, including a conference championship triumph last season.
Even in defeat, the Crush can’t be held down. It has lost consecutive games only twice in three years.
There is no whine associated with this Crush team. But there is plenty of cheese in the form of “American Idol” reject Ace Young, who is scheduled to sing the national anthem and perform at halftime Sunday at the Pepsi Center. A Fairview High School grad, Young – who’s real name is Brett (named after Royals great George Brett) – is the son of a former minor-league baseball player. Looking like an Old Navy version of Glen from the second season of “The Real World,” Ace has nothing to do with football. But neither does Justin Timberlake, and that didn’t stop him from performing at the Super Bowl.
More importantly, and with less face makeup, Crush coach Mike Dailey is looking for his 100th career victory. He could become the fourth AFL coach to reach that mark, joining, among others, Chicago’s Mike Hohensee.
The Crush takes on the Rush at 1:30 p.m. on NBC (KUSA-9).
WEAK IN REVIEW
Jake Plummer is knee-deep in a he said, he said with another driver over some kind of altercation, and unfortunately for the Broncos lame-duck QB, his flipping off of the south stands at Invesco Field at Mile High is being used as evidence against him in a public trial. Tough luck for the Snake. Even worse, this city full of overzealous fans now knows Plummer drives a Honda Element – one more thing to compare unfavorably to John Elway. (Biff used to drive a Viper, by the way.)
WHAT WE’D LIKE TO SEE …
The New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer stop weaseling around and go through with signing Brazilian star Ronaldo from Real Madrid of Spain’s Primera Division. It would be the biggest stateside soccer signing since Pele joined the New York Cosmos.
THE COUCH
ON: Except for the World War I and II years, the Indianapolis 500 has run every year since 1911. But the 90th running of the brickyard race Sunday will reach more people worldwide than ever. Airing on ABC (KMGH-7) at 11 a.m. Sunday – and syndicated on ESPN in Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, the Pacific Rim, parts of Europe, and to military personnel in 176 countries and territories via the American Forces Network – the Indy 500 will be seen in more than 340 million households worldwide. An interesting driver lineup, including defending champ and tough-guy Dan Wheldon, Madison Avenue star Danica Patrick, first-row fave Helio Castroneves and Carmelo Anthony team driver P.J. Chesson, highlights the race.
OFF: With the rest of the recreation crowd laying low until Monday’s race in Boulder, the bike enthusiasts have plenty going this weekend. Start with the Pedal the Platte 10- and 30-mile bike rides Saturday in Denver. Starting at the REI flagship store (1416 Platte St.), pedalers of all ages will follow the South Platte River Trail. The ride supports the Beckwourth Mountain Club Outdoor Education Center, named after freed slave turned explorer, trapper and Army scout James P. Beckwourth, a Western legend.
AROUND TOWN
When the Bolder Boulder debuted in 1979, some 2,200 runners finished the 10K course, highlighted by Frank Shorter, men’s winner Ric Rojas, who clocked 29 minutes and 44 seconds, and Sandy Simmons, who won the women’s race in 39:56. Winning times have dropped in the 27 years since the first race – last year, Ethiopia’s Gudisa Shentama won the men’s race in 29:21 and Durango’s Elva Dryer won in 32:51) – but the crowds sure haven’t. Expect more than 50,000 finishers Monday. In addition, more than 600 runners from 29 countries of the Multinational Force will race at Camp Victory in Baghdad in a Bolder Boulder extension race Sunday.
