Still Keeping Score

So one of the coolest moments in my existence was also the most awkward. I met one of my childhood sports heroes.  And I met him in the underwear sales section of a department store. Wait. We’re going to need some context. And maybe a robe or something. First, the who. The best pitcher in the history of baseball is Jim Palmer.  He had 268 career wins, a lifetime ERA 0f 2.86, first ballot Hall-of-Famer with 92.6 percent of the vote, 6-time American League All-Star, four Gold Gloves, eight 20-game winning seasons,  THREE time CY Young Award winner (finished second in the voting twice and third once as well), and THREE times a World Champion with the Baltimore Orioles. The other who in this is me, of course. Born in Maryland wearing an Orioles T-Shirt.  It is a medical miracle to jump out of the womb wearing clothes.  Superman had that famous red blanket he turned into his cape.  My superpower was fandom.  A gift of Orioles fandom handed down from my grandfather.  I use my powe

Troy Tulowitzki is gone, and it may be in part because he simply lacked the patience of his former teammate Todd Helton. The five time All-Star shortstop who won a pair of Gold Gloves and Silver Sluggers, and helped the Colorado Rockies to their only National League pennant has been shoved out the door. He said he was shocked, and I take him at his word, but when the dust settles, I don't know that he will always feel the same way.  And this next sentence is not a critique in any manner, merely an observation. While Troy Tulowitzki is the very best at his position in all the game, he is no Todd Helton. If he stays healthy, Tulo will be one of the best to ever play the position.  He may yet obtain the championship rings he desires, and pile up many more silver and gold plated trophies.  However, some guys can only be at their very best when in contention.  The Rox have been unable to get themselves back into a title hunt, and that was wearing out the incredible talents of Tulo

Be careful what we wish for, especially in this case, since it came true. Half of Broncos Country was in shock at the sudden "mutual parting" of former head football coach John Fox and Denver's VP of Football Operations John Elway less than 24-hours after the team was eliminated from the SuperBowl tournament.  The other half of Broncos Country was thinking maybe Coach Fox had taken the team as far as he was able and were ready for a substantive change. As quick as the Broncos' season ended, Fox was gone and nearly as fast, John Elway knew exactly who he wanted to lead his team.  Gary Kubiak, Denver's favorite back-up plan.  The former quarterback was drafted the same year as Elway, before the blockbuster deal that brought the Hall-of-Famer from the then Baltimore Colts.  Kubiak made the roster and became a better than average understudy who competently took the field the few moments Elway wasn't able to play over the years. A lot of talk about how attent

     As Broncos Country gathers around the legion of media coverage at Dove Valley, all waiting to see what color smoke lifts into the rarified air of the Mile High City, it still feels weird that we're talking about a new face to coach the team.  In this instance, the odds are the face will be pretty familiar among the initial three candidates interviewed since the team mutually parted ways with John Fox.      When is good not good enough?      Apparently after another game with an incredibly talented roster falling short in a critical game.  The loss to the Colts was not enough in and of itself for Vice President of Football Operations, John Elway to send a coach packing.  Four consecutive AFC West division titles sounds pretty good to most NFL teams.      But it was an itch no one could quite scratch.  How could the Broncos not show up in New England?  How could they miss out on a very winnable contest in St. Louis that would have helped the team back into the race for home f