Inquiring minds want to note. …
Just so you know, I’m sick and tired of writing about alleged charges against NFL problem children. From now on, I’m turning my attention to our alleged Major League Baseball team. … OK, I’m done. How ’bout them Rapids! …
On second thought, Clint Hurdle didn’t really use the P word the other day, did he? Every time the Rockies start struggling – a.k.a. days of the week ending in y – they ask for patience. Sorry, but they can’t have it both ways. Pleas for patience don’t fly when beers are $6.50 and four Yankees tickets cost a car payment. …
Sadly, one of the most popular rationalizations at Coors Field is to blame The Denver Post for the Rockies’ problems. Even sadder is that Rockies officials can’t seem to grasp how ridiculous that notion is. Or how pathetic they look in their fans’ eyes for clinging to it. …
I’ll say it one more time: You can’t fool sports fans in this city. The Rockies tried and two-thirds of their season-ticket base went away. And those people aren’t coming back until certain changes are made. Certain changes. As in, everything but the logo. …
For the record, I’d love to be writing this morning about the first-place Rockies. In fact, I’m going to do it anyway just to see what it feels like: “Sports Illustrated coverboy Chris Iannetta homered again Tuesday night to lead the red-hot Rox to their ninth straight victory, improving their lead in the National League West to seven games. Next up on Hurdle’s Heroes’ endless list of victims? The lowly Dodgers.” …
And now back to Tech Center traffic jams, overpriced hot dogs and the real NL West standings. …
It’s days like these when I wander back to Mike Hampton’s introductory news conference in 2000. It was then, on the club level at Coors Field, when the question was posed to then-Rox owner Jerry McMorris: Was Hampton’s signing the move that would turn around the Rockies? Said McMorris, “It better be.” …
It wasn’t, not even close, and the Rox haven’t recovered to this day. …
Hampton, Denny Neagle, Darryl Kile, Mike Lansing, Bill Swift, Jeff Cirillo. … It’s not that ownership has refused to spend money through the years. The Rockies’ problem is they’ve spent it on the wrong players. …
Mike Shanahan on the Chargers’ decision to dump Marty Schottenheimer: “I don’t know what they think. I’m just happy he’s not in our division. Marty is a great football coach. … People always stereotype if you don’t win the big one. It’s not easy. But he’s one heck of a football coach. You don’t win as many games as he has without being great.” …
CSU’s Jason Smith seems heck-bent on staying in the NBA draft. Good thing, according to NBAdraft.net, which projects Smith to go No. 21 to the Sixers. Then there’s Our Town’s own Nick Fazekas, projected to go 43rd to New Orleans. …
Rick Majerus, to SI.com, on taking the U of Saint Louis job: “You’re not inheriting Kentucky or UCLA here. I always tell people, ‘If you take those jobs, recruiting a player is like recruiting an alcoholic to a New Year’s Eve party.”‘…
According to the numbers crunchers at the Elias Sports Bureau, Derek Jeter is 13 for his last 17 with two out and runners in scoring position. Alas, the news is not all good on the Jeter front. Dude can’t pitch a lick. …
Although former East High hoops star Sean Ogirri didn’t return my phone call, it’s official – he is transferring from Wichita State to play for Wyoming, Cowboys coach Heath Schroyer announced Tuesday. Ogirri, a 6-foot-2 guard who averaged 7.5, 12.0 and 9.5 points a game in three years with the Shockers, will have to sit out next season because of the transfer rule. …
And finally, happy birthday to Marvin Hagler, still marvelous at 53.
Jim Armstrong can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
