The football preseason — with seemingly endless training camps and two-a-days and drills and depth charts and whistles and film sessions — is a time for players to become a team. Enter as numbers on a roster, exit as a unit.
For fans, the preseason is a time to build steam, gather hope and learn new faces. This too takes practice.
This weekend should give area gridiron fans a chance to get into game shape. The Broncos, Buffaloes, Rams and Bears all will be in action, with preseason camps open to the public. Grab your binoculars and sunscreen, because it’s time to learn a playbook from the stands.
The Broncos, for starters, move their training camp from Dove Valley to Invesco Field on Saturday, with a night practice free and open to the public.
“Last year, we had over 13,000 fans at our practice, which represented the most fans ever to watch the Broncos practice,” Broncos spokesman Patrick Smyth said. “So hopefully we can exceed that on Saturday night. It’s going to be a great night.”
With Tim Tebow and new addition LenDale White in Broncos jerseys, attendance likely will be high.
“It’s just the excitement surrounding the Broncos,” Smyth said. “It’s not one player. It’s the collection of guys, plus our coach entering his second season. It’s going to be a special night.
• Dan Hawkins’ Colorado squad will drill at its practice field twice Saturday, with newcomers from 8:15-10:15 a.m. and veterans from 4:30-6:30 p.m.
• Colorado State and Steve Fairchild will get going Saturday and Sunday from 7:45-9:45 a.m.
• And Northern Colorado, behind coach Scott Downing, will go Saturday from 2-4:30 p.m.
With the college teams and the Broncos, fans should have plenty to spot.
“I don’t want to put a number on it. We’ve been very pleased with the training camp attendance. We’re on a great pace with the attendance at our facility, and we expect that to continue at the stadium,” Smyth said of the Broncos.
Invesco practice
Fan information for the Broncos’ practice Saturday at Invesco Field at Mile High:
Gates: Open at 5 p.m.
Practice: 6-8 p.m.
After: Floyd Little’s Hall of Fame induction speech will be shown on the main scoreboard after practice.
Admission: Free, as is parking
AROUND TOWN
It’s time for the Rapids to make a move.
The Rapids finished 10-10-10 in 2009, a perfectly symmetrical season, even on all sides like an equilateral triangle. But less than perfect for a team striving to be better than average.
This season, the symmetry nearly continues. Nearing the two- thirds point of the season, the Rapids are 6-5-6 — not bad, not good, within the playoff cutoff, but on the bubble. The Colorado XI haven’t won a game since June 5, but they have five ties for five points in that span.
If the season ended today, the Rapids, with 24 points, would qualify for the postseason. But they’re within a crowded table of teams on the cusp. One of them, the San Jose Earthquakes, are right behind and chasing, with 23 points.
If the Rapids are to begin creating separation with the teams on the outs, they need to start this weekend. San Jose visits Commerce City for a 7 p.m. game Saturday at DSG Park.
Keep an eye on San Jose’s Bobby Convey, one of the best playmakers in the MLS this season. He has eight assists.
STAY ON THE COUCH
Are you ready for some football?
Fans looking forward to Sunday night baseball for a unique matchup can forget it. ESPN will broadcast — surprise! — the Yankees-Red Sox game.
For something fresh, check out ESPN’s coverage of the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony, airing from 5-8 p.m. Saturday.
The 2010 class is a strong one, with Emmitt Smith, Jerry Rice, John Randle, Dick LeBeau, Rickey Jackson and Russ Grimm. And it’s capped by Broncos legend Floyd Little, who has enough stories — and a vivid enough perspective — to make for good TV.
To cap the festivities, watch the Hall of Fame game Sunday night, kicking off the NFL’s preseason. The Cincinnati Bengals play the Dallas Cowboys on KUSA-9 at 6 p.m.
GET OFF THE COUCH
Ironman alternatives.
Ironmans aren’t just for Hawaii. And serious, long-distance, top-notch triathlons can be found right in our backyard.
On Sunday in Boulder, the Ironman 70.3 will race from Boulder Reservoir, with a 1.2-mile swim, a 13.1-mile run and a 56-mile bike ride. Sanctioned by USA Triathlon, Boulder’s race serves as a qualifier for the Ironman World Championship 70.3 in Clearwater, Fla.
It’s too late to register — let alone get in shape for — the 70.3. In it’s stead, find these two races:
• Run for Rwanda 5K on Saturday in Colorado Springs. It races through Cottonwood Park starting at 8 a.m. ().
• Steamboat Springs Ride 4 Yellow on Sunday. The cycling race — scheduled to include Lance Armstrong and Gov. Bill Ritter — starts at 7 a.m. ().
WHAT WE’D LIKE TO SEE
CWGA race down to wire.
There are 14 point-gathering tournaments this year on the Colorado Women’s Golf Association schedule.
Normally, winners of the biggest individual tournaments — most notably the Match Play and Stroke Play championships — are the golfers remembered. But this season, the CWGA competition is so varied, and so fierce, the season points title should be telling.
After Alison Whitaker won the Match Play title Thursday, the standings were bunched at the top, with five golfers in striking distance.
The Stableford Championship is next up Aug. 24 at Rio Grande Club in South Fork. The Brassie Championship on Oct. 2 at Heritage Todd Creek in Thornton could be the decider.
