Picking a winner in the AFC West is a disaster waiting to happen

Written by Andrew Ottoson Tuesday, 25 August 2009 14:04

Watching film is a big part of a professional coach’s life, but if I were Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels, I’d burn the tape of the preseason opener against San Francisco and bump Twister, Backdraft or The Day After Tomorrow to the top of the Netflix queue.

Through two preseason games, Denver’s pass offense has looked about as shaky as the original Tacoma Narrows bridge. When that run offense lines up against that run defense in practice, every play probably looks like the Hindenburg crashing into the Titanic.

If the people of Denver had got their collective post-game wish, the flight home from San Francisco would have included a South Pacific stopover—some nice place where Kyle Orton could enjoy a sun-bleached...

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Notes from the KCAC media day...

Written by Andrew Ottoson Tuesday, 11 August 2009 14:35

Media day is a great day if you ask me. Here are some of the highlights from the back pages of my notebook, where my thoughts on the non-Tabor KCAC teams usually go to die:

n McPherson will run a spread offense. Judging by the squiggliness of my handwriting, I think it was roughly here that the tryptophan in my turkey sandwich caught up with me. Also: If there were a preseason poll for media people to predict who would bring the best media guide, McPherson’s guide would finish one first-place vote behind Kansas Wesleyan’s guide.

n Saint Mary, upset by loose talk from people outside its program “have something to prove.” Of all the teams picked in the bottom half of the conference, I think Saint Mary is primed to climb should...

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Trivia questions revealed

Written by Andrew Ottoson Tuesday, 14 July 2009 14:29

I owe Gari-Anne Patzwald an apology and a mention in my column. Gari-Anne is the only person who answered one of the trivia questions I asked in my May 5 column.

Here’s the one she nailed: What do Byron "Whizzer" White, Bill Bradley, Alan Page, Jim Bunning, Ken Dryden, Roger Bannister and Jack Kemp have in common?

All of the above are former pro athletes who went into politics.

I didn’t receive an email response to any of the others. Here are the answers:

n Carl Crawford, Eric Young, Eddie Collins and Otis Nixon are the only players in major league history with six steals in one game.

n Barry Bonds, Willie Mays and Walter Johnson are the only players to win a second MVP more than 10 years after winning the first.

n Prior to...

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Host cities getting less from their NBA teams than hoped

Written by Andrew Ottoson Wednesday, 17 June 2009 11:08

Los Angeles sits on 500 square miles of temperate Southern California and, if it were a country, would be the 17th biggest economy in the world. But on account of budget woes brought on by the current recession, Los Angeles can’t afford a parade.

Let me say that again: the Lakers just won an NBA championship, and their city has no room in the budget to celebrate.

City councilwoman Jan Perry explained the problem to the LA Times: “We can't afford to cover the costs...how could we make a decision about people's jobs and then sponsor the parade?”

But sponsor a parade they will, to the tune of $1 million. The costs will be $2 million, and the Lakers will pick up half the tab.

(HALF!? Half? Are you kidding? Very funny, Team Kobe...

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