So long, Rocky Mountain Notes. . . .
Must be the water around here: On the same day the Rocky folds after almost 150 years, the DU men’s hoops team wins its second straight roadie after 43 consecutive losses. . . .
For the record, DU coach Joe Scott came thisclose to predicting the back-to-back dubyas. Said Scott, “When you win one, something happens.” . . .
No more Rocky. If we didn’t know it before, we do now: Times are a-changin’ in this dusty old cyberpost. . . .
Words to live by, from Coach J-Mac’s introductory presser: “We’re going to play tough, we’re going to play smart and we’re going to play well under pressure.” . . .
That’s pressure, as in the list of Broncos opponents in 2009. . . .
Fired? You could argue Mike Shanahan deserved coach-of-the-year votes. The Bronx finished 8-8 despite allowing a ghastly 448 points. Since 1978, the start of the 16-game sked, teams allowing 400-plus have averaged four wins per. . . .
And how many playoff W’s have those teams compiled? That would be three. All by the Cardinals, all after last season. . . .
Tom Brady just married a drop- dead gorgeous model who makes 35 million bucks a year. So it’s official, then. Ben Roethlisberger can have Disneyland. The Stetson Man is going to Fantasy Island. . . .
No joy in Mudville, meet no CU players at the scouting combine. . . .
True, but sad: The Suns offered Shaq around The Association for a Mungo Jerry’s Greatest Hits CD, but couldn’t find any takers. . . .
Which brings us to the Nuggets. They’re on the right track, but the litmus test comes this summer when they can cash in that $10 million trade exemption from the Marcus Camby deal. . . .
Down there, deep in the fine print of Life’s Greatest Mysteries: The Celtics’ interest in Stephon Marbury. . . .
That elk wandering around rural Eagle with the bar stool stuck around her neck? Reminds me of my college days, when players, not newspapers, were listed as day to day. . . .
Big Ten basketball: It’s what’s for everyone else’s dinner. And make no doubt, it will stay that way until Indiana is Indiana again. . . .
Not that the Hoosiers are the only program in search of the good old days. UNLV filled Thomas ‘n’ Mack last weekend, the Rebs’ first sellout since 1993. . . .
Just wondering: What kind of economic stimulus package would NBC have to come up with to make you watch that golf tournament, the one without Tiger in the field this weekend? . . .
So, Michael Vick gets to go home for the final two months (14 in dog months) of his prison hitch. Reminds me. Memo to NFL teams near and far: If you’re interested in signing Vick, feel free to admit it right about the time he picks up the pen. . . .
Citi Field, as in Citibank. Not only do we have to watch Matt Holliday in an A’s uniform, we get to subsidize the Mets. One more time, sports fans: Is this a great country, or what? . . .
Somewhere, Eddie Royal is laughing: DeAngelo Hall, the proud owner of $22.5 million in guarantees from the ‘Skins, one year after pocketing $24 million from the Raiders. . . .
Fear not, Raider Nation. Your punter is in the fold. It’s the other 52 players we need to talk about. . . .
My first inkling that something was amiss in Major League Baseball? Had to be the day I saw ex-Rox catcher Bobby Estalella bench press the federal deficit. . . .
They say it’s your birthday: Mario Andretti (69), Bubba Smith (64) and Nuggets assistant Adrian Dantley (53). . . .
And finally, yeah, you, Eric Young Jr. Please tell your old man he isn’t making any of us feel any younger.
Jim Armstrong: 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com
Five fearless predictions
Ah, spring training. The thwack of the bat, the smell of freshly cut grass, the cries of “Play ball!” and “Quick, somebody hide the needles!” Here are five fearless predictions for the 2009 season:
5. The Cardinals will be so bad, Albert Pujols will say that, unlike Mark McGwire, he only wants to talk about the past.
4. The New York Post will run a picture of Alex Rodriguez walking arm-in-arm with a blond bombshell. When asked to comment, A-Rod will say it’s his cousin.
3. Ryan Howard, will hit his 60th home run at Citizens Bank Bandbox, only to have it nullified by the infield fly rule.
2. Prince Fielder will reveal that he’s adopted, and his real last name is Hitter.
1. Cubs manager Lou Piniella, during a heated argument with an umpire, will pop five buttons on his jersey while attempting to bend over and grab second base.
McGrady MIA
The Rockets just finished a 6-0 homestand. We mention it only because Tracy McGrady, right, didn’t play a minute of it.
Or should we say, the Performer Formerly Known as Tracy McGrady?
Here’s hoping T-Mac’s never-ending physical issues aren’t the beginning of the end of his NBA career. Because while everyone talks about Kobe and LeBron, there have been many nights in the past decade when McGrady belonged in the discussion about the greatest hoopster in the world.
Not that the time has come to wonder about T-Mac, but here are his yearly scoring averages since the 2001-02 season: 32.1, 28.0, 25.7, 24.4, 24.6, 21.6 and 15.6.
