Note early and note often. …
CSU’s coaching staff believes in three things – blocking, tackling and, from the looks of things, good genes. First, the Rams signed Klint Kubiak, Gary’s oldest son, to play free safety. That move worked out, what with Klint Kubiak listed on some preseason all-conference teams. Then the Rams successfully recruited middle brother Klay Kubiak. And now comes word that CSU has offered a scholarship to Jack Elway, joining Oregon and LSU on the list of those officially in pursuit of the chip-off-the-old-Hall of Famer. …
That downward spiral CSU has endured in recent years? Don’t count on it continuing, not with a veteran quarterback, Caleb Hanie, around and – count ’em – nine returning starters on defense, including the entire D-line. …
So much for CU having a commitment out of Texas. recently reported that wideout Chance Blackmon, Rivals’ 81st-ranked player in the state, was having second thoughts about his oral commitment to the Buffs. Now Blackmon tells the website that he has “fully decommitted” from Colorado. “Basically, I talked to my dad about it and he didn’t like the fact that Colorado is so far away from home,” he said. …
George Steinbrenner is getting enough bang for his buck. What he needs is more outs. The Yankees’ team ERA was 4.40, 16th in the major leagues as of Tuesday afternoon. The Rockies, whose rotation ($12,181,000) makes less than part-timer Roger Clemens, were 19th at 4.47. …
Swings and misses will be about as rare as two-buck beers in LoDo this week. To wit: Rox pitchers, next-to- last in the bigs with 375 strikeouts, ahead of only the Yankees at 363. …
Money can’t buy you love, just power: A-Rod, 27 homers going into Coors Field. Rox club leaders Matt Holliday and Brad Hawpe, on pace to finish the season with 28. …
Not that the Yankees are a stable franchise, but their starting rotation for the Rockies series – Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte and Clemens, in order – is the same as it was in 2002 for their previous visit to Our Town. …
For the record, I got a nice e-mail from Rox owner Charlie Monfort the other day. Unfortunately, it was to say thanks, but no to an interview request. …
Derrek Lee received a five-game suspension after taking a swing at Padres pitcher Chris Young. Imagine that, the Cubs fighting the other team for a change. …
Twins center fielder Torii Hunter, when asked by reporters about the bruise on his hand after being plunked Sunday by Jeff Suppan: “It was scary. It seemed like it was growing as I was looking at it. It was like a ‘Tom and Jerry’ cartoon.” …
Is Tiger Woods losing his mystique in the majors? Please. The Las Vegas Hilton has established the Tiger Man as a 5-2 favorite to win the British Open. The next-shortest odds belong to Phil Mickelson (15-1), Ernie Els (18-1), Jim Furyk (20-1), and Retief Goosen and Padraig Harrington (25-1). …
Square peg, meet round hole: 30 NBA teams, 46 underclassmen who’ve declared for the draft in hopes of getting guaranteed first-round money. …
Wondering whether CSU 7-footer Jason Smith made the right decision by staying in the draft? Don’t. Truth is, sticking around for your senior season usually hurts your draft stock. From 2000-05, when high-schoolers were eligible, 13 high school seniors were lottery picks, compared with 11 college seniors. …
NBAdraft.net has Smith going No. 15 to Detroit, a far cry from two or three months ago, when he teetered between the end of the first round and the beginning of the second. …
And finally, memo to Pacman Jones: It’s not too late to get it together, dude. Today is the first day of the rest of your table dance.
Staff writer Jim Armstrong can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
