No shirt, no shoes, no notes …
We interrupt our regularly scheduled teasing of Nebraska football fans for this important message: Husker Nationalists will have a chance to wear all five of the team’s national championship rings over Labor Day weekend.
“They can put them on their hands and take pictures, whatever they want,” Jesse Kosch said. “Just so they don’t walk off with them. That would be a small problem.”
Kosch was a punter on the Huskers’ 1994, 1995 and 1997 national championship teams. Claim to fame: He and his father, Bill, an all-Big 8 defensive back on the 1970 and 1971 teams, have earned rings from all five national titles between them.
The rings will be on display Sept. 2, when Kosch hosts the “Big Red of the Rockies” kickoff party at the Lake Shore Lodge in Estes Park. He bought the Big Red of the Rockies store, an institution in Estes Park since the 1990s, in April, moving it three blocks and tripling its size to 1,000 square feet of wall-to-wall Huskerabilia.
Tickets for the bash are going for $15 and include raffle giveaways, a silent auction, eats and, of course, a viewing of the Huskers’ season opener against Louisiana Tech. For info, call 888-244-7339 or go to www.bigredoftherockies.com. …
Since it’s never too early for my first fearless NFL prediction of the year, here goes: When it’s all said and done, Cedric Cobbs is the Broncos’ starting tailback. … The Broncos need his considerable ability, so Todd Sauerbrun stays. But then this is Mike Shanahan we’re talking about, he of little or no patience. Sauerbrun tests positive again for anything but milk and he’s outta here. …
Why was Broncos wideout Javon Walker slow to establish himself in the Not For Long? For one thing, he couldn’t see his way around the field as a rookie. Doctors attributed his alarming number of drops to poor eyesight, prompting Walker to undergo Lasik surgery. …
Memo to the Circuit Formerly Known as Senior: Red Sox Nation would like to thank you for stopping by. In case you missed it, Da Sawx finished 16-2 in interleague play. …
The all-star break has arrived and not a single manager has been fired. In the immortal words of the Wicked Witch of the West: in time, my pretty, in time. …
Wasn’t it just yesterday the Tigers finished 43-119? The most obvious indication they aren’t about to pack it in down the stretch: They’re 19 games over .500 on the road. …
Why did it take LeBron James so long to agree to that five-year, $80 million deal? Turns out he was in Las Vegas last week. So that explains it. He needed the cash. …
LeBron, needless to say, wants to be involved in the Cavs’ future personnel moves. Here’s hoping you’re a better GM than Isiah Thomas, kid. …
Golf story du jour: 38-year-old Brookfield, Wis., resident Sanjay Kuttemperoor, who hasn’t broken 100 in 25 career rounds, sank two holes-in-one in barely a half-hour. So what does he hope to accomplish next in his storied career? “I still haven’t made a birdie,” he tells the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. …
New Northwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald served as a graduate assistant at CU under Gary Barnett, who coached him in college. …
News: Doping scandal bounces major contenders from Tour de France. Views: As if we needed another reason not to watch that thing without Lance Armstrong riding. …
True story. Post hoops maven Marc Spears will be making his first-ever trip to Las Vegas later this month to cover Team USA. A few words of advice, rookie: Don’t go winning any free $2,000 cheeseburgers. …
Maybe there really is something to this student-athlete business. To wit: According to the National Football Foundation, 39 U of Tennessee football players made the dean’s list for the spring semester with 3.0-plus grade points. …
NASCAR’s Jeff Gordon is ridiculously handsome, filthy rich and engaged to hot-hot-hot Belgian model/actress Ingrid Vandebosch. Did I mention I can sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” better than he can? …
Six years and $60 million for Nene? I know he looks like Karl Malone. I just hope he doesn’t play like Sam Malone. …
And finally, no, I can’t bring myself to do it. Wish O.J. Simpson a happy 59th birthday, that is.
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.
