Man, did Colorado athletics come off greedy and haughty on Wednesday, but you know what? Rick George is a businessman, and intercollegiate sports, to paraphrase Shawn Carter, is a business, man.
The CU athletic director announced, without any minced words or sweet spin: “After the current contract, playing the (CU-Colorado State football) game in Denver is dead. And I’m not sure where our series with CSU goes after that either. Today, we would not extend our agreement (for CU to play CSU in football) past 2020.”
Sports Show:
Sounds like CU and CSU are battling in the boardroom, too, huh?
The annual rivalry game in Denver appears to be a lose-lose for Colorado. CU would make more money, it appears, if the game is played in Boulder every other year (or if the rivalry was absolved, thus giving CU an extra home game each year against Cupcake State). And, as we know, CU (from the mighty Pac-12) got smacked around last season by CSU (Mountain West).
Yes, obviously, thousands of Denver-based CU fans who don’t go to games in Boulder go to the Denver game. But CU would make more money if this game was either in Boulder — or in Boulder against anyone else.
George might not be looking out for the integrity of the rivalry, which began in 1893, LaTroy Hawkins’ rookie season. But he appears to be looking out for his business, his brand and, he claims, the wishes of his fans.
It’s funny, because the Big Bad Buffs, of course, aren’t big or bad these days. Well, bad, yes. So it seems peculiar that this floundering football program can just push around Colorado State, which seems to benefit from the annual game in Denver. But you can’t fault George. The business of kids playing a game is business.
As The Post’s Tom Kensler :
The Pac-12 Conference, which Colorado joined prior to the 2011 season, has a nine-game league schedule for football. That leaves only three nonconference games in a 12-game season.
Generally, athletic departments depend on revenue from home football games to help fund non-revenue or “Olympic” sports. That, George said, requires a minimum of six home games.
Said George: “I think our best interest is to move games under the contract to campus sites and then, after 2020, I’m not sure (the series) is in our best interest, and that’s why at this point I wouldn’t extend it.”
had me laughing Wednesday night with his funny tweets: “So #CUBuffs wanna take their football and go home ASAP, ending the Rky Mtn Showdown vs CSU in 2020. Maybe playing N Col more CU’s speed.”
And:
“As I suggested to #CSURams not long ago, they would be better off finding legit football power to play in Denver.”
Definitely amusing tweets. And that’s definitely what it looks like, right? CU doesn’t want to get slapped around by CSU anymore. But I’ll say this: CU wouldn’t be building these facilities and investing in its coach if it doesn’t think CU can beat a Mountain West team more times than not. Right?
So what if CU comes off sounding like “studio gangstas,” who come off hardcore in the studio than on the streets, so to speak. Sure, CU might get slapped around by CSU on the field, but the Buffs are darn sure they won’t get slapped around by CSU off it.
CHEW ON THIS
• The , but hey, at least it wasn’t a blowout! The Nuggets blew it, in part, because two botched inbounds passes in the final minutes. I liked the line from Altitude broadcaster Chris Marlowe, who said Denver was haunted by a “ghost from the past,” in reference to the two awry inbounds passes in the 2009 Western Conference finals.
• Did you see the on Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday? Forget Lisa and Screech, where was Johnny Dakota??
• This is a cool compilation: The .
• I thought it was interesting the head of the NFL’s PR, Greg Aiello, to a concussion article, saying: “Good read for parents of young athletes. Weighing the childhood risks of contact sports.” .
• And finally, happy birthday to the king and prince of soccer: Cristiano Ronaldo is 30, while Neymar is 23.
Benjamin Hochman: bhochman@denverpost.com or
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