Friday Buff Bites

Berry Tramel ranks Big 12 football games from 1-96 | NewsOK.com
This is an unenviable task but I disagree with the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Missouri Tigers game being higher than the Kansas Jayhawks- Nebraska game. Their is a lot of Missouri hype going on this offseason.The Colorado Buffaloes didn't check in until #16 against the Huskers and the reason it checked in there: "Nebraska could be playing for the North crown. The West Virgina game was also noted at #23. He thinks the Buffs will be over matched: "Seems a mismatch, but Buffs won last year in Boulder." Yeah, big mismatch with Pat White gone. Obviously this guy doesn't like the Buffs. He still must be mad that they beat the Sooners a couple years ago. He has more comments like this: "Don’t laugh, but CU could contend for the North. The three North favorites all come to Boulder."

CFB Fantasy: Top 200 Big Board - AthlonSports.com
Rodney Stewart makes the list at 186, the only Colorado Buffalo on their big board. Can we send this to Darrell Scott for motivation?

CU calls timeout on practice facility - Boulder Daily Camera
The University of Colorado will not meet this summer's deadline to break ground on a basketball and volleyball practice facility at the Coors Events Center according to Kyle Ringo of the BDC. It is obvious the economic downturn has impacted the construction of the athletic facilities that the University had planned. This may impact many things from recruiting to Jeff Bzdelik's future. Coach Bz has a clause in his contract that states if the University doesn't break ground on the new practice facilities by April of next year, he is able to walk away from the job without paying a penny to a buyout clause. I don't think he is going anywhere considering the last couple of years at Colorado might not make him a hot commodity as a head coach for other elite college programs. Bzdelik does have NBA options as well.

Bzdelik optimistic despite team's youth - Boulder Daily Camera
The Buffs continue to add a multitude of youth to the formula with five newcomers, four of which will be freshman, but that doesn't stop Bzdelik from being optimistic about the future. He feels strongly (obviously) about G Cory Higgins and senior G Dwight Thorne. Those two players provide more experience than the Buffs had last year. JUCO transfer, G/F Marcus Relphorde also has Bzdelik thinking improvement. Relphorde adds a strong, versatile athlete to the rotation that has had division one experience and played last year for a top JUCO school after he decided to transfer from St. Louis University.

The Ralphie Report Live: Interview With Basketball Commit, Marcus Relphorde - The Ralphie Report
In case you missed it the first time around and haven't heard much about Marcus Relphorde, who we discussed above, check out the interview we did with at the beginning of May. I am excited to see him on the hardwood.

Putzier big backer of CU coach - The Denver Post
Former Boise State and current Denver Broncos tight end, Jeb Putzier, played for Dan Hawkins during his college career. He is a big fan of Hawkins and "thinks *Hawkins" is doing a great job."

"I had four head coaches in Division I sports. And not every coach is in the sports business for the same reason," Putzier said. "Unfortunately, everyone is judged on wins and losses. To me, I see it differently because of the different coaches I had. "They weren't always good, or did the right things. But the type of people he's producing, to me that's more winning than say, NFL players. "And I understand he's getting paid a lot of money, it's a big school, they expect to win. But to me I see a different aspect. And, personally, I think he's doing a great job. Hopefully, those type of guys he's bringing in are going to transcend from doing things right off the field to doing it right on the field."