Senior leaves school early to pursue career in NFL

For all those “athlete-students” out there, this note’s for you.

…

It’s not uncommon for well-known athletes with the talent to

make it to the next level to leave school early: they’re called

juniors. For those unaware, CSU senior quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt

decided to withdraw from school while lacking a mere 12 credits to

fulfill his graduation requirements, in order to concentrate on the

NFL’s scouting combine. Makes sense, after all, BVP stands a good

chance at re-injuring his right hand taking notes in all those

classes. Best of luck BVP, you’ll always be the best

‘athlete-student’ to grace our campus. …

This was supposed to be the year for men’s basketball head coach

Dale Layer and his talented band of ballers. Unfortunately, fate

reared its ugly head and inflicted CSU’s wincing wonders with more

aches, sprains and pulls than your local nursing home. Matt Nelson,

CSU’s version of the Big Hurt, has, in his two-plus seasons with

CSU, averaged more injuries per season than rebounds, and when

you’re 7-feet tall that is not a good thing. …

Head basketball trainer Mike Biggs’ take on the sore center: “We

have to prepare knowing he is going to miss about a month of action

during a season.” If the injuries were limited to Nelson that would

be one thing, but they involve close to the entire roster. First

guard Derrick Stevens misses extensive action. Then the team’s

leaping legend, Micheal Morris, goes down with a strained hamstring

right after guard Shelton Johnson returns to action following

urinary tract surgery (now we know what happens when we’re forced

to stop once we’ve started). Layer is optimistic that the team will

get healthy and bounce back in time to defend its 2003 MWC

Tournament Championship at the Pepsi Center. That’s all the

confidence we need: break a leg boys. …

It’s finally become a fact: my grandpa is cooler than I. Once

upon a time that fishnet trucker hat the old man wore 3 feet above

his head was the center of childish mockery; now, however, it

symbolizes hip. If receding hairlines ever make it to the runway,

the man could make Ralph Lauren obsolete. …

Rockies’ general manager Dan O’Dowd seems to have lost the book

on how to rebuild a baseball team. Most GM’s will say it’s down

with youth at key positions, yet O’Dowd has thrown that theory into

the wind. As of now, O’Dowd has signed starter Jeff Fassero (41),

reliever Turk Wendell (37), shortstop Royce Clayton (34) and

utility fielders Denny Hocking (34) and Damien Jackson (30) to

minor league contracts. I know Colorado Springs is a haven for

retirees, but this is ridiculous. …

Even the Rockies’ rookies are old. In case you missed it the

Rockies traded 24-year-old shortstop Juan Uribe to Chicago for

27-year-old second baseman Aaron Miles, who has yet to play full

time in the majors. …

Ivan (Pudge) Rodriguez, coming off a six-game World Series

victory with the Florida Marlins is mulling a 4-year $40 million

contract with the Detroit Tigers. Now before we jump to conclusions

saying it’s all for the money, let’s give Pudge some credit. It’s

obvious he feels pressured by the win-at-all-cost attitude employed

by Marlins fans in Miami and would rather play for the relaxed,

ever-optimistic fans of Detroit. After all, besides beautiful,

bronzed blondes, year-round summer temperatures, an abundance of

superstar athletes and entertainers and some of the most popular

clubs in the nation, what does South Beach have that the Motor City

doesn’t?