If you’re looking for delusion, there’s no better place to find it than inside the world of college football.
This is the sport of , Ի, after all. Unreasonable expectations and unhinged fanaticism are as much a part of the game as marching bands and pregame tailgates.
It’s just a little unnerving when you hear it come out of an athletic director’s mouth. They’re supposed to be the grown-ups; the ones firmly tethered to reality. Yet all too often you find them selling the same sort of fantastical fever dreams you find in the darkest, most deranged corners of college football’s online universe.
A year ago, it was Arizona State AD Ray Anderson suggesting the Sun Devils should be a — despite the fact that’s never happened in Tempe.
This past weekend, it was Colorado AD Rick George proclaiming that, “There’s not a better job in America than here in Colorado.”
Uh, Rick, I hate to break it to you, but there are several.
Throw a dart at a map of the United States and there’s a decent chance you’ll hit a football program that has more resources and fan support than Colorado. That’s nothing against CU or its football team. Boulder is a fantastic college town. Those gold helmets are iconic. And who doesn’t love watching Ralphie run up and down Folsom Field on game days?
There’s just more going on in Colorado than, say, Alabama, Nebraska or Michigan.
There are very few empty seats in those schools’ 90,000-plus stadiums on Saturdays, . And their coaches are paid accordingly.
It’s been 13 years since the Buffs had back-to-back winning seasons. They have won 10 games only twice since the turn of the century. The guy responsible for one of those years just got a pink slip because, “We need to be the talk of the country.”
It’s an admirable goal, Rick. Always good to shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars. Isn’t that what they say?
There was a time when the Buffs were relevant nationally: between the second half of the Bill McCartney era and the start of Rick Neuheisel’s regime. Unfortunately, that eight-year period was more the exception than the rule. Just take a look at the school’s . You’ll find eight AP top-10 finishes in the history of the program — five of which came during that incredible run from 1989 to 1997.
And all those national titles? That’s happened once in Boulder, Rick. .
Why? Because winning a national title at “one of the great jobs in all of sports” is really, really hard.
So you better back up the Brink’s truck and find one hell of a head coach, Rick. Because it keeps getting harder every time you show another one the door.
—, The Denver Post
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What’s on Tap?
- Nuggets: at Minnesota Timberwolves, 6 p.m. Wednesday, ALT2 |
- Avalanche: at Los Angeles Kings, 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, ALT |
TV/RADIO: Here’s what sports are airing today
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Scoreboard
NBA: Bucks 104, Nuggets 98
Full story |
Must-Read
Broncos QB Case Keenum has been at his best when “chaos” reigned
Broncos quarterback Case Keenum’s success in two-minute situations has reached the stage that he and teammates talk about to amuse themselves. Read more…
Rockies’ Todd Helton, on Hall of Fame ballot for first time, likely faces uphill climb to Cooperstown
If recent history is any indication, Helton likely faces an uphill climb to become the first Colorado player inducted into Cooperstown because of the bias that BBWAA voters tend to hold against hitters who spent their careers playing home games at elevation. Read more…
Kiszla vs. O’Halloran: Can Phillip Lindsay win Offensive Rookie of the Year?
Could Lindsay not only be the best member of this strong rookie class in Denver, but also the most outstanding offensive rookie in the entire league? Read more…
Quick Hits
+ Nuggets coach Michael Malone on Jamal Murray’s shooting: “He’s thinking too much.”
+ Broncos beat writer Ryan O’Halloran digs into the game film for 10 takeaways from Denver’s win over the Chargers.
+ Vance Joseph explained the decision-making behind not challenging the Broncos’ failed two-point conversion.
+ WATCH: 5 key plays from the Broncos’ victory at the Chargers.
+ Michael Gallup, the Cowboys rookie and former CSU star, is away from team after his brother’s suicide.
+ There was a “new edge” at CU’s first football practice post-Mike MacIntyre.
+ Buffs players did not see MacIntyre’s ouster coming.
+ Interim head coach Kurt Roper has one week to get the Buffs ready for California and one last shot at a bowl bid.
+ In putting together a game plan to stop Air Force’s triple option, CSU football coach Mike Bobo is turning to a familiar face.
+ If you had the under in Monday night’s Rams-Chiefs game, my apologies.
+ John Clayton predicts the NFL’s closest playoff races.
+ Look who’s got an NFL job again: The Sanchize.
+ Mariano Rivera, Roy Halladay are top newcomers on Baseball Hall of Fame ballot.
Post Mailbag forms
+ Broncos Mailbag: Have a question about the team? .
+ Avs Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Mike Chambers here.
+ Nuggets Mailbag: Have a question about the team? .
+ Rockies Mailbag: Have a question about the team? .
By The Numbers
.426
Rockies prospect Tyler Nevin’s batting average at the Arizona Fall League. Nevin won the batting title and finished second in the MVP voting. Read more…
Parting Shot
So long, Sky Sox: Brewers’ new rookie-level team in Colorado Springs dubbed “Rocky Mountain Vibes”
The inspiration for the nickname came from “the outdoors, the sunshine, that feeling you get when you live here in Colorado.” Read more…
Get in Touch
If you see something thatap cause for question or have a comment, thought or suggestion, email me at dboniface@denverpost.com or tweet me .
