I had a blast trying to spot John Fox on the field just so I could analyze his coaching style.

I had a blast watching all the new players and figuring out all the new jersey numbers, all the while scoping new talent.

I had a blast because I was watching football again.

Sideline Report:

• The big news of the day was Kyle Orton hasn’t been traded and he was taking the first team snaps at quarterback this morning, he looked great doing it. Kyle looked like a well oiled machine and hit receivers with precision throughout the session. He doesn’t hang around Tim Tebow, they are not buddies.

• I was surprised and happy to see rookie offensive tackle Orlando Franklin out on the field, I guess he signed his contract shortly before practice. I couldn’t miss Big O, as I like to call him, he’s a monster and I love him already!

• The standout player of the day was undrafted rookie free agent WR Mark Dell from Michigan State. He really caught my attention with his hard cuts and route running. I know it’s early, but he has the looks of another productive undrafted rookie for the Broncos. I love those kind of guys, the hard working Rod Smith type of guys.

• We aren’t going to have to worry about a letdown from Brandon Lloyd after his huge season last year. He looked just the same, wonderful!

• Overall it just looked like a really good practice for a bunch of guys that have been away from the game for some time. There was a little rust here and there but the energy and enthusiasm was awesome. I think John Fox brings an experienced calm to the team as well.

Why he went with defensive minded John Fox…

We’ve struggled in Denver on the defensive side for several years, and so, we really wanted to start anchoring that defense again.

What does John really think about Tim…

If anybody is going to give himself a chance, Tim Tebow is going to give himself a chance to be a great quarterback in the NFL.

I sure love having John lead this organization again.

The Denver Broncos defensive end was married yesterday and the new couple was kind enough to share their special day with Broncos Country.

Looks like two good families coming together!

When things get bad for the Colorado Rockies, they really get bad. Charlie Blackmon fractured his left foot against the Atlanta Braves on Thursday.

Blackmon reached base on a single before advancing to third on Jonathan Herrera’s hit-and-run single to left. Blackmon appeared to stumble slightly while rounding second base before his left foot hit the bag first on his slide into third.

Ty Wigginton replaced Blackmon as a pinch-runner and remained in the game in left field.

The Rockies are already without outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, who suffered a bruised wrist Sunday, and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who left Monday’s game with a strained quadriceps.

Blackmon, a Rockies second-round pick in 2008, entered the game hitting .250 with one home run, eight RBIs and five stolen bases.

The Rockies up-and-coming rookie could miss at least a month while his foot heals. It’s a tough break considering Charlie had been in the starting lineup since being called up June 7.

Look for Cole Garner to be recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs when Blackmon is placed on the disabled list.

In fact one of my favorite things about the NFL is watching all of the off-season movement and activity. Free agency, the draft, and mini-camps. This year all we got was the draft and even that was different this go round.

So I’m a little surprised it’s not me in this video hearing voices telling me to build my own Denver Broncos mini-camp in my living room.

Source: FunnyorDie.com

With injuries to Troy Tulowitzki (right quadriceps tightness) and Carlos Gonzalez (bruised right wrist), Stewart was brought in to protect a suddenly depleted Rockies bench.

Stewart started the season as the Rockies starting third baseman, but he struggled out of the gate and was sent down to AAA early. The team didn’t really want to bring him back up to the big leagues at this point, because he simply isn’t ready, but with a short bench against the Braves their hand was forced.

Stewart is hitting .269 with 14 HR, 41 RBIs and 49 SO in 167 AB during 44 games while with the Sky Sox.

Varlamov was drafted by the Capitals in the 1st round (23rd overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. In 3 seasons he appeared in 59 games and amassed a 30-13-12 record with a .917 SV% and 2.39 GAA.

Last season Semyon appeared in 27 games for the Capitals, with a 11-9-5 record, 2.23 goals-against average, and .924 save percentage.

The Avs are giving up a lot for the 23 year old goaltender, when he hasn’t proven to be a starter in this league yet. The team was in desperate need of goalie help, but let’s hope that giving up 1st and 2nd round picks for him doesn’t come back to bite them.

The Avalanche brass doesn’t seem to be worried.

“In Semyon Varlamov we are acquiring a highly touted NHL goaltender,” said Avalanche general manager Greg Sherman said in a team release. “At 23 years old, he is regarded as a solid and talented netminder by our staff. We definitely feel we have addressed our top priority this offseason and for many years to come.”

Super Joe is excited.

“Semyon is an elite goaltender who is a key part of our future success,” said Avalanche Executive Advisor/Alternate Governor Joe Sakic. “Avalanche fans should be very excited with this acquisition, as we all are.”

He’s a good young goalie, it’s just hard to get excited when you have to give up so much in return.

Hejda, was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the 4th round (106th overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He broke into the league in 2006 with the Edmonton Oilers, and then signed as a free agent by Columbus in 2007 where he’s been the last 4 years.

With Hejda being 6-foot-4 and 237 lbs. the Avs continue to move towards being bigger in the back end.

He has scored 12 goals and 64 assists in 341 career games during five seasons. In 2010-11 he scored a career-high five goals and reached 20 points, the second-best total of his career.

Rangers coach and general manager Steve Spott had to dump the 18-year-old from the roster by Tuesday’s 11 a.m. deadline. Which will enable the team to take another player in Wednesday’s Canadian Hockey League import draft.

The Rangers coach is taking a chance with letting the Swede go, but he believes that Landeskog will make the Avs opening night roster.

If Spott is wrong and Landeskog is sent back down to the juniors by the Avs, he could end up on a different roster other than Kitchener.

I think he’s making a pretty good bet.

But losing Gabriel must really bum out the Swedish Meatballs (pictured above), who sit along the ice in the corner of the rink, wearing long blond wigs, and carrying Swedish flags.

Photo Credit – mike farwell/570 news

Kyle McCarthy signed as a college free agent out of Notre Dame with the Denver Broncos after the 2010 draft, and appeared in eight games last season. He spent the first five weeks on the Broncos’ practice squad before signing to the active roster on Oct. 16, 2010.

Kyle was immediately thrown into the fire on special teams against the New York Jets that week, and eventually worked his way into the dime package, before being placed on injured reserve after he hurt his right knee covering a kickoff in a loss at the Arizona Cardinals in week 14.

This week McCarthy spent time with the kids back at his roots with the Cardinal Mooney Camp of Champions. Hundreds of players in grades three through eight from all over gathered in Kyle’s hometown of Youngstown, OH.

“I learned a lot of things that are important to me right here on this field,” said McCarthy, who led Cardinal Mooney to a state championship in 2004 as a quarterback and defensive back. “Work ethic, team, family are things that people don’t always think spell success, but all that stuff matters – it’s important at Cardinal Mooney, and that’s been a big part of my journey. So I’m here to give back to this school, and see if I can relay those messages to these kids.”

As for the upcoming season and his new Head Coach John Fox.

“I think coach Fox is great – he has a great track record and has had a lot of success in the NFL,” McCarthy said. “Obviously he has a great football mind, and I really can’t wait to learn under him, and win some games.”

I believe McCarthy will be a big contributor to the Broncos in the near future, and it appears he will be in the community as well.

Sources: TribToday.com
TribToday.com