So, Keyshawn Johnson in Denver?That's what Woody Paige of the Denver Post is stirring up.
You know, when Johnson was released in Carolina, I thought for about a moment that he would be a good fit in Denver before I came out of my fog and reality set in.
Why it won't work is simple -- Johnson might accept Javon Walker as the alpha male amongst receivers but he's not going to respect Brandon Marshall at no. 2 and his personality wouldn't jive with Rod Smith's.
Then you add the fact that Johnson, while still productive, reminds me of all the other over-the-hill receivers coach Mike Shanahan has brought to town in search of a dependable third receiver.
So I'll answer the Johnson-in-Denver question using the words of Randy Holtz of the Rocky Mountain News, when I asked for an interview recently.
"I'll pass."
Just not to Johnson in a Broncos uniform.
If Denver truly wants a veteran pass catcher to push Marshall and replace Smith, here's a better option, if only one idea, if the money can be worked out and the compensation to acquire him is reasonable. Honestly, he should come cheap based on performance.
More Back Yard
Rockies manager Clint Hurdle knows if you aren't part of the solution then you're a part of the problem. Maybe Hurdle's idea of instant replay doesn't work in baseball but why not flesh it out first to see? Yes, baseball is sometimes tediously long and slowing it down further is not desirable but if winning matters then you can't sweep issues under the rug either. We love technology in this country so let's find a way to make it work in areas where we come up short as human beings. If we use technology to market the sport, to run stadiums, and more, then let's use it in the game too.
Last I checked basketball is a team sport but with Dwyane Wade winning a championship and LeBron James winning in the playoffs, Carmelo Anthony, scoring phenom or not, continues to lose ground and stature to his draft classmates. Playoff victories are the only way to get into the country club, Melo.
Paul Forrester waited until the fifth page of his playoff loser analysis (not good) on the Nuggets and then reveals the "dreaded mantra." Denver is going to have to realize its' dead broke and must make something happen with the parts already in house. The WSN thinks only a creative front-office approach will improve this team. Stay pat, even with Kenyon Martin coming back, and the Nuggets don't have enough to get past the second round.
Love how we, as a society, or at least those journalists, assume drugs are the cause of death until proven otherwise and then these journalists act surprised when an athlete like deceased Broncos running back Damien Nash is clean. Seems a guy just can't die unless he overdoses, I guess.
The National Sweep
Steve Nash is John Stockton if Stockton could only score. He is also, as stated here yesterday, one tough hombre. He shredded the Spurs Tuesday to help Phoenix even that playoff series at a game each. Still amazes me Dallas thought Nash was close to being washed up once. The Mavericks are an elite team but what would they be with Nash?
Here's one reason why Houston center Yao Ming continues to become more and more dominant. His head isn't fat like many young stars. His heart is to be great. When he first arrived, his height was as big a pull as his skills but he was no where near the player he is now. Yao has worked to become one of the best bigs in the game. And with his attitude he's not done improving. With a leader like that on the team, the Rockets have a chance each season to be a winner.
So Donovan McNabb was "shocked" that the Philadelphia Eagles used a second-round pick in the NFL draft on quarterback Kevin Kolb? Yeah, while a lot of us were, Donovan. And if you need a therapist for it all, maybe give John Elway a call. Denver did the same to him once, drafting some boy wonder from UCLA when Elway needed someone other than a clipboard holder for his offense. Thing is, Donovan, it all worked out in the end out this way.
Sorry, but while I will acknowledge some dude out West hit another homer and is closing in on Hank Aaron's all-time record for parking balls I'd prefer to talk about Ken Griffey Jr.'s 568 career homer and Alex Rodriguez's 15th of the season. You know how it goes -- sometimes it's good to be the king.
I saw this and wondered what in the world Golden State Warriors coach Don Nelson was thinking. Thing was, he wasn't thinking. No discretion. And in the current climate, and on the heels of a pro athlete dying in an alcohol-related accident and you come to a press conference with beer? I'm shocked that commissioner David Stern, as big a control freak as there is in sports, didn't pop Nelson with a fine.
Georgia Bulldogs coach Mark Richt likely couldn't coach at Nebraska. His character is too strong. He prefers character over allowing bad behavior out on the field. Here, he athletically whacked one of his own. Imagine the Huskers doing the same. No, try imagining. Try harder. Once saw an interview with Richt and was mesmerized at who he was -- he left me impressed.
So Patriots quarterback and chick magnet Tom Brady takes a night off and his talent, Gisele Bundchen, parties like mom and dad are out of town? Maybe it's an open relationship. When you win Super Bowls, you can do that, you know. So wonder if I'm her type?
Scoreboard Grumblings
So is this the way the Rockies are going to be all season long? Punchless? They look like the CU offense of 2006, the Broncos offense of 2006 -- just no juice. Losing 4-1 in St. Louis isn't a crime but this is an ongoing pattern of disappointment. Taylor Buchholz throws six shutout innings, and that's not going to happen often, and his teammates reward him by scoring once. At least Matt Holliday (homered, doubled twice) and Todd Helton (two more hits) are succeeding but where was everyone else? Were they even at the ball park?
The front office has to make a move or show the fans it is willing to accept an 85-90 loss season.
Getting Kaz Matsui healthy would be nice, moving Garrett Atkins up in the batting order might help and sitting Brad Hawpe might be starts. A trade should also be explored.
Post Office
A letter railing against my Chauncy Billups/Denver Nuggets comments of Monday.
"Come on, my man. You know that Billups was not that great while in Denver, so to call that trade horrible is misinformed and a simpleton statement. It took Larry Brown's coaching to turn Billups into the NBA player he is today. Before that, he was struggling. If had stayed in Denver, his career would have never reached these heights."
WSN: I'll give you Billups was not the star in Denver he is in Detroit nor the player we became in Minnesota to earn the big paycheck and transfer to the Motor City. That said, when Smooth was with the Nuggets the team was hardly well run, from top to bottom.
While he moved around often before finding a home and while Brown did have a powerful effect on his career Billups always had the talent. It was just a matter of sculpting it.
It could have happened here.
It didn't but it could have.
Signed,
Simpleton
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