Just another day in the notes column. …
Memo to new NFL commissioner Roger Goodell: Speaking on behalf of every sports writer out there, I love you, man.
Goodell isn’t just trying to clean up the NFL’s image by suspending all those serial bad boys. He’s engendering improved relations between teams and the media. And why is he doing it?
“He wants to make sure the game is great,” said Greg Aiello, the NFL’s vice president of public relations, a.k.a. spokesman for the commissioner. “He wants wide access to the players and coaches, through the media, to the fans. He understands the importance of media coverage to the NFL’s business.”
Goodell, who once worked in the Jets’ PR department, has initiated several innovations since succeeding Paul Tagliabue. Among them: Mandatory predraft press conferences for coaches and mandatory weekly player access to the media during the season.
“Nothing has changed, really, other than to say it’s not permissible for any group of players to boycott the media,” Aiello said. “We’re going to be less tolerant of any sort of group-boycott situation.”
A group-boycott situation, huh? Goodell wouldn’t have had the Broncos’ offensive line in mind, would he? No, says Aiello. Goodell simply wants to set reasonable standards for every team to follow in hopes of making the game better for fans.
Players violating the media-access mandate won’t be suspended, but could have several thousand dollars suspended from their wallets. …
Matt Holliday on the state of the NL West: “Every team has three No. 1s (starters), guys who are No. 1s now or have been at one point in their careers. It isn’t going to be easy. … Our pitching has pitched really well, too. When our pitching doesn’t pitch, we have to pick them up with the bats. That’s just how it’s going to have to be. We have no choice but to win, or else we’re going to fall fast.” …
In case his agent, Scott Boras, hasn’t noticed – trust me, he has – Holliday has racked up 11 three-hit games, tying him with Detroit’s Placido Polanco for the big-league lead. …
See it, don’t believe it. Garrett Atkins, hitting .200 and slugging .300 on the road. Last season, he was .313 and .531 sans humidor. …
Da Rox were 11-6 through Friday since Kaz Matsui’s return from the DL. Coincidence? If you’ve seen the guy hit, you wouldn’t even ask. …
Historical footnote from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Clint Hurdle is the first manager in major-league history to compile five consecutive losing seasons without a previous winning season. …
Sam Kaufman, longtime proprietor of Kaufman’s Tall & Big on Broadway, on the Broncos picking up Sam Adams and Jimmy Kennedy: “It’s about time we got a couple more big guys. I just love it when the Broncos draft customers for me. Hopefully they’ll help the team, too.” …
How big is Adams? Twenty years ago, the Broncos’ starting nose tackle was Greg Kragen, all 245 pounds of him. Adams goes 345. …
Go ahead and laugh, but it’s true. Adams is light on his feet. That explains Mike Shanahan’s amazement last week upon seeing Adams in a workout. It also explains Adams’ ability to stay healthy. He has missed 13 games in 13 seasons. …
Michael Vick’s cousin, Davon Boddie, in his first TV interview since the cops discovered an alleged dogfighting operation on Vick’s property: “I got a little French poodle, man. That’s all I know.” …
A righteous dude, Teemu Selanne. If only his timing were a little better. Selanne’s 2003-04 stats as an Av, including playoffs: 16 goals, 19 assists. Selanne in 2006-07 with the Ducks: 50 goals, 56 assists. …
LeBron James had 14 points and four assists in his first NBA Finals game. Michael Jordan? He had 15 points and five assists in his first Finals game – in the first quarter. …
Can you say contract year? According to ESPN’s number crunchers, A-Rod last season hit .143 in the ninth inning, with three homers, five RBIs and 13 strikeouts. This season, he’s at .529 with six bombs, 16 ribbies and no K’s.
Staff writer Jim Armstrong can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
