A MIle High Five Tuesday

It is another glorious day here along the Front Range of Denver.  An interesting night of both national and local things to get to, so let’s go…..

UP HIGH!

5. So, as is the case with the NBA as a whole, “league sources” continue to dictate the “MELO”-drama going on the Denver Nuggets.  This past Sunday, with the team in NYC (Carmelo’s long-purported trade destination), a “source” reported that Melo would only sign the Nuggets’ 3 year-$65 million offer if he was then traded to the Knicks.  Back in Denver on Monday, Melo, of course, denied the assertion.  Melo even went as far as to claim that he could see himself in Denver, ripping off this gem, “I’ve been here for seven years and this is my 8^th season.  I don’t mind calling this thing home.”   

Nor do we, Melo.  Nor do we.  This ‘thing.’

4. For the third straight game, the Colorado Avalanche seemed a bit undermanned (both talent and health-wise) but overcame a late deficit (on a questionable allowed goal) by scoring 3 goals in the last 2:30 for a dramatic 7-5 win over the Cup champs from Chicago.  It was an amazing comeback win for the Avs, who were without 7 (!) regulars from their starting line-up.  19-year-old wünderkid, Matty Duchene slotted home 2 goals, including the game-winner with 1:30 left.  His celebration was in way an indicator of his youthful age, right?.  Paul Stasny and Tomas Fleishman were great, as well, with Stasny setting the tempo with a 1G/2A first period and “Flash” scoring the equalizer before setting up the last two goals in the game’s waning minutes.

UNWAR the multitude of Blackhawks fans in attendance last night.  For those Avs faithful at the Pepsi Center, it must have felt like a Steeler/Bronco game at Invesco.

3. The Broken Record Department reports that it is still pretty quiet around the NCAA basketball landscape.  San Diego State (hate those guys…) played without their best players, but pulled out a gutsy win over Cal-Poly (holla San Luis!)  The Wisconsin Badgers completed the “cheese-head sweep” by beating Green Bay, Marquette and UW-Milwaukee in a 5-day span.  The Badgers are not currently ranked (WHICH DOES NOT MATTER) but Bo Ryan’s team will definitely pose a threat this March. Remember, be taking notes all year and you’re bound to improve your bracket with the gems embedded within.

Two underachieving local teams (DU and Wyoming) meet tonight up in Laramie.  As a side note, that arena was actually the site of my very first successful dunk attempt during a summer team camp practice.  I was such a beast.   All 135 gangly pounds of me.

2. As if I had to have more reason to loath the Philadelphia Phillies!   Now with the Cliff Lee signing, they have the 1^st and 2^nd best pitchers in baseball?!?  Sorry, Ubaldo, I meant 2^nd and 3^rd.  While I don’t look forward to facing the Phils in the postseason with their now-historical 1-2 punch, I do get a bit of satisfaction knowing that the Yankees or Red Sox (who have already spent more this summer on two contracts than half the league payrolls) weren’t able to land Lee.

1. So it looks like Kyle “The Neckbeard” Orton will get the start at quarterback again this week in Oakland.  Honestly, I would never utter the words ‘Tim’ or ‘Tebow’ if it weren’t for the really sub-par performance that Orton has put forth these past two weeks.  He has been great this year, but he has looked especially slow in the pocket and utterly inaccurate.  Not a good combination. 

PS- I haven’t yet really discussed Dancing with the Stars’ second-cousin, once-removed, Skating with the Stars.  I missed last night’s show. For some reason my DVR was only interested in hockey and CBS sitcoms.  SWTS is pretty money.  It’s really no different than ABC’s cash-cow, DWTS, but it adds the enticing element of “falling on your ass”-ness.  Wouldn’t that make it better and therefore more popular?  It’s also surely a harder skill to learn and more respectable in my mind.  It just sucks that Mötley Crüe’s Vince Neil got eliminated.