Denver Post sports columnist Woody Paige posts Woody’s Mailbag on Thursdays at DenverPost.com. The next installment is slated for Feb. 12
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Woody – Edgerrin James and Tim Hightower are gonna have to combine for at least 150 yards rushing for the Cardinals to have a chance to win the Super Bowl. As dynamic as their receivers are, they won’t beat Pittsburgh’s No. 1 defense being one-dimensional? You agree or disagree?
— Steve Moore, North Carolina
I agree, and I disagree, Steve. As I told a radio station here in Tampa yesterday, the Cardinals, to have a chance to win, must score 30 points, must have a successful running game, must keep the Steelers from being successful with the blitz against Kurt Warner, who must (and does) get his passes off quickly, must have Larry Fitzgerald have a big game and must not let the game get away early. So I agree with you on what the Cardinals must do to win, but I don’t think it would take 150 yards, just some sort of consistency.
But, Pittsburgh will win.
As a photographer here reminded me, I told him on the bus going to last year’s game that there was no way — “not a chance in (hades)” — that the Giants would win, and I was wrong. I’ve been to 30-something Super Bowls, stopped counting, and I’ve probably been wrong half the time. I’d have a better record if I hadn’t picked the Broncos all those times. When I told that to Tom Jackson, the old Broncos linebacker, yesterday, he said he picked the Broncos all those times, and he was wrong. And he said Chris Berman guaranteed him last year the Patriots would win. It’s not an exact science.
The Cardinals have a legitimate, puncher’s chance. A guy from Georgia told me at media day the game will go into overtime. I’d accept that.
Hi, Woody. Why do the Steelers have their logo on just one side of their helmet? Thanks.
— Joe Francis, Chicago
Joe – When teams first put logos on helmets — Fred Gehrke, formerly the Broncos’ GM when they went to the Super Bowl the first time, drew horns on the Rams helmet when he was a player and an artist — the Steelers used the U.S. Steel emblem, may have been another corporation, and they put it on one side. The Broncos had no emblem. The Bears put a “C” on their helmet. It’s a tradition thing. I think, without looking it up, the Steelers changed it a couple of times, but always on one side. Maybe they changed the side at halftime. Kidding.
Can the Nuggets go back to that ’80s rainbow look? It might finally scare somebody besides the Clippers.
— M.D., Washington
M.D. – I like the dark blue uniforms they occasionally wear. Powder blue? Looks like a baby just crawled out of a crib in his blanket.
I’ve been around the Rockets/Nuggets since they wore orange and had a trucking company’s emblem on the uni. I would go for the rainbow over the mountains if they wear dark blue. Kiki Vandeweghe had a thing for UCLA and, apparently, North Carolina. Lose the colors, lose the uniforms, but don’t lose the first round of the playoffs.
Hey, Woody. What is the deal with the BCS? Fans hate it. Coaches and players seem to hate it. So what’s the deal? Who in the heck has the say-so that this disaster continues year after year. Thanks! Love you on “Around the Horn.”
— Andrew, Houston
Andrew – The BCS is a product of the major bowls. The former assistant sports information director at Colorado became the Orange Bowl executive director. Smart guy. Would do anything to keep the Orange Bowl and the other major bowls relevant. So he came up with the original BCS, which has been tweaked three or four times.
One major bowl executive director told me something that’s never brought up. They want the teams in town for a week so they can have festivities, parties and all that stuff. If there’s a playoff system, a team will come in a couple of days before the game and is not going to parties and the French Quarter, because you’d have to play another game next week. So the bowls fight and holler and scream.
On the other side, you’ve got the college presidents who say over and over they don’t want the season to last longer because of “academics.” Bullhockey. All the other sports, and all the other divisions in college football, have championships. No other sport decides its champion mythically, if you will. So Division II players can forget athletics, but football players at Florida State are supposed to be math wizards because there’s no national championship?
Only eight teams would be involved. The games would be played during Christmas break, for the most part, and colleges all over America could divide, say, $250 million for libraries or whatever. It makes no sense. But it won’t change probably while I’m alive. My last words on my deathbed will be: “Get rid of the BCS. Have a national championship. And have a nice day.”
Hi, Woody. Don’t you think that a running back should be a draft issue, or do you think Peyton Hillis and Ryan Torain are the answer to our “McOffensive” problems. I am sure Tatum Bell will return to the Aurora Mall.
— Lysias Boaventura, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil
Lysias – I’m wild about Brazilian steakhouses. I love the beaches in Brazil. I’m all about Gauchos, and Groucho, but I have little, if any, faith in the Broncos’ RBs. And I’m quite certain coach Josh McDaniels (boy, does that sound funny) feels the same way.
Torain has proven he can’t stay healthy. Hillis is not a true, 30-carry-a-game guy, and the system helped him briefly this past season. Bell better see if his old job is open, although I know that Mike Shanahan intended to give him another try in camp.
With Rick Dennison back, the Broncos will have the same offensive blocking schemes, although McDaniels will tweak them some. I’m sure the Broncos will draft a running back (second round?) or sign a name free agent. Got to.
No, I’m not wild about these guys, and the Broncos shouldn’t and won’t be either. Hillis is a nice backup. Torain has some possibilities. But you can’t go into another season with them and the others.
Hey, Woody. What do you think the Broncos have their heart set on in the first round of the NFL draft? Personally, I like Rey Maualuga. Is there any chance he’ll drop down to them?
— Jimmy, Endicott, N.Y.
The Broncos should consider Maualuga. I talked with a big-time draft expert, and he said Maualuga would be perfect for the Broncos’ new system and should be right there at No. 12, depending on how the combine goes. And if he shows up there, he might slide a little higher. He’s tough, makes reads, has lateral moves, the right guy unless someone takes him right before the Broncos or forces them to do a deal to move up a slot or two. You’re right on it, Jimmy.
You have mentioned Channing Crowder a couple of times and he would be a plus. How about a special teams demon in Chris Reis from the Saints? I could work on a package deal as they were youth-league and high-school teammates with my son in suburban Atlanta. No agent fees for that!
— Dennis, Destin, Fla.
Take 15 percent, Dennis. I like Channing Crowder; I like clam chowder. Honestly, I wouldn’t know Chris Reis if he walked into my hotel room here at the Super Bowl. I’ll take your word for it. But the Broncos already squandered a fortune on Niko The Wonder Horse, a special teams demon, who can’t play as a starter, a backup and isn’t that special on special teams. You got to bring me meat on Reis.
Just heard you on “Around the Horn” talking about “Pistol” Pete Maravich. I could not agree more. He was super to watch and he worked his magic in a time when traveling and carrying the ball were called with much greater frequency. Enjoy you on the show and keep up the good work.
— Rick Fortmann, Oconomowoc, Wis.
Rick – Pete was the most entertaining player I ever watched (very up close), the best shooter I ever saw (his fadeaway jumper at the corner of the baseline was amazing), the best dribbler of all time, and he wore the same pair of socks for every game from when he was kid into the pros, until they evaporated.
I saw him play in college, and I saw him play against the Nuggets in the Superdome, and, of course, dozens of other times when he was with the Jazz and the Celtics, when he was no longer used much. He couldn’t play defense a lick, but he could have played for the Harlem Globetrotters and been sensational. A good guy. He should have been an ABA guy. He would have averaged 50, and if there’d been a 3-point line then …
Enjoy the Super Bowl. Eat guacamole.
Woody Paige first joined The Denver Post in 1981 as a sports columnist. To drop a question into Woody’s Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
