If I were the Monforts, I’d hold a press conference. I’d state that both Dan O’Dowd and Clint Hurdle contracts will not be renewed at the end of the year, but that they will continue in their current positions until the end of the season. The search committee has been formed to find a replacement GM and if possible he would be hired and in place before the end of the year, and Dan O’Dowd has agreed to step down at that time.

Would this placate the fans? Would this be enough along the lines of “We see the standings too, and we feel your pain, and we want something different too”? Or would this seem like throwing in the towel for this season? (granted this season IS over, but maybe the FO/ownership needs to pretend there is still a chance)

Friday (the 27th) will mark the last day the Rocky Mountain News will be published. No news on where Tracy Ringolsby or any of the sports columnists will end up. However Rockies fan Favorite Dave Krieger is coming to the Post! yea us. 

Here's a copy of the email letter I received:

The Denver Post
101 West Colfax Ave., Denver CO 80202

Well, we have the under-classmen declairing for the draft, and a better feel for who's coming and who's going.  So it's no shock to see a VERY early college football ranking is it?

Over at the Sporting News we have one!

Lets look at what we have in the top 5:

1) Florida:  I have no problem with this, as they return all 11 on Defense, and Tebow.  I doubt we will see any preseason ranking that doesn't have UF at #1

2) Texas:  Again, not shocking.  Texas returns much of their team from last year.  I also get the feeling they are the nations sentimental favorite due to getting left out this year.

3) Oklahoma:   I'm a little surprised by this but we return 9 on Defense, as well as the Hiesman winner in Bradford.  

4) Alabama:  Not surprised here either.  Last year was Alabama ahead of schedule for Saben.  One more year with his system, should put 'Bama in the top 20, though they do have a talent gap coming up, from some not so great recruiting years.

5) Ole Miss:   Um HUH?  Underated talent....check, 2nd year coach so better familiarity with system...check...Big bowl win that all the guessperts loved...check...But #5?

This list also had Notre Dame at #11, ahead of Oregon (my pick to win the Pac 10 in 09) and OK St.   This pick alone makes this ranking seem invalid somehow, but looking at the top 5 it looks like the National Championship game next year should be the SEC champ vs the Big 12 Champ again.

Thoughts?

via www.tulsaworld.com

Well, not a whole lot to say, that this article from OKC's Daily Oklahoman doesn't say.  But the Tulsa Drillers will get a new stadium, with a oil/gas company name.  Driller Stadium was about 100 years old, and decrepid.

  Also here's a page of past articles on the new stadium from the World. 

The preliminary artist renderings depict an exterior that evokes the Prairie School architectural style that was made famous by Frank Lloyd Wright and features flat roofs, broad overhanging eaves and horizontal lines.  From a more in-depth article from the Tulsa World.

Looks like the AA Rockies team will have a nicer stadium then it's AAA affiliate, even with the up-dating done in the Springs recently.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-t25-oklahoma-mccoy&prov=ap&type=lgns

Espn and now the AP are reporting that DT Gerald McCoy will return.  We should get a flood of this news in the next few day as Thursday is the final day to declair for the NFL draft.

OU is still waiting on the decisions of sophomore quarterback Sam Bradford, junior tight end Jermaine Gresham and junior offensive tackle Trent Williams, who have all said they're considering leaving early for the NFL (from the Daily Oklahoman)

Also we know DeMarco Murray has applied to find out his draft slot if he went pro, but due to his history of injuries, I don't think that would be too high, but OU's back-filled has the potential to be VERY crowded next year.

Will all the offensive guys stay?  Will they all go?

Individually here's my take:

Bradford:  Gone.  New O-line in 09, top 5 pick, big money. He's a proto-typical NFL QB.  There is a growing thought that underclass QB's don't pan out, and they need the experience to make decisions at the next level,but I predict that Bradford will be wearing a KC Chief jersey next year. 

via theredzonereport.com

Gresham: Gone. Is a dominating match-up in college, with size, speed and hands...just what the NFL wants in TE's  1st round draft pick.  He might stay if Bradford does to improve hands. 

via heismanpundit.com

Williams:  Returns: O-Linemen get better with age, and experience, unlike a lot of football positions. I assume he would return 

via cache.daylife.com

via assets.espn.go.com
Murry: Gone.  He won't go too high (5th round I've heard), but he may lose even more playing time to Calhoun and Madu, and stats due to new offensive line if he stays.  He may go down if he stays.

via www.orangebowl.org

Since we are still in the Festivus season, and I can still air my grievances I really have a big one.  I got to listen to a lot of sports radio today (Jan. 2) and here's what I learned:  NEITHER Oklahoma or Florida should be in the National Championship, and who ever wins it is a false champion.  That's right, we OU fans have heard how we don't deserve to even carry the dirty joke straps of such a mighty team as Florida Gators, but today I found out that even Florida shouldn't be there.

Who should?   Well USC of course, as they blew out a mighty Penn State team in the Rose Bowl, (that I said in the past Penn State couldn't beat Tulsa, and I still don't think they can).  But USC, should be in the National Championship game according to the radio.   OU of course shouldn't be there because the guess-perts think Texas should have been there.  So the National Championship should be USC vs Texas, and only those 2 could be the legit national champion! That's right Florida, if you win you have to put an asterisk by this National Championship, as you didn't play USC or Texas, and since you didn't earn it, you're bonificies will questioned at best and worst, you will be an Illegitimate National Champion!

I realize that "controversy" makes for more interesting programing then does the happy satisfaction of correctness.  I also realize that that they are really pushing for a playoff of some kind, as they will then have more programing.  But it's getting out of hand.  Oklahoma is NUMBER ONE!  That's 1, as in best in the land, according to enough people and computers that put the Sooners there.  Florida is NUMBER TWO!  They won the toughest conference in the country (well, I guess this year the Mtn. West could say they are).  There is a reason that USC and Texas aren't in the national championship. If you thought USC or Texas was that great, you should have voted for them, god knows you media lobbied hard enough for Texas.

Let the National Championship game happen. It's going to be a great one, and I can't wait!  Let the team at the end with the most points be the winner, and then be so nice to actually recognize the winner as the National Championship.....that's what that crystal football means after all. No crying, no lobbing for another team or for a playoff...let the winner of these two deserving squads celebrate!

And while I'm airing grievances I want these two girls to sit next to me at a football game:

Photo Removed (Sorry!)