Broncos can't buck this trend

Republished from ESPN: So that's it, then. It's done. The fix is arranged. It's Game Over and everybody knows the score. The BCS computers TKO Boise State. Why keep punching when it's not a fair fight?

Auburn and Oregon are No. 1 and No. 2 in the country according to Sunday's latest, most fraudulent compilation yet from the BCS rankings. If those two schools win the rest of their games, they'll play in the BCS Championship Game.

And Boise State? Members of football's lowest caste system? It doesn't matter. The BSUntouchables play Louisiana Tech on Tuesday night, but they're just cleaning windows on the Titanic now. If Auburn and Oregon win out, Boise State can wipe out every opponent 50-0 and not make it in now. And the Broncos probably won't even if the Tigers and Ducks don't win out. Yes, we're talking about Auburn. The team that has 13 fewer wins over the past five seasons than Boise State. Yes, we're talking about Oregon. The same team Boise State punched out last season 19-8.

It's the biggest rip-off since the Nigerian prince scam. It makes you wonder why you watch college football at all. What Boise State is being asked to do isn't doable. It's like trying to win a Cuban election. Or break into the Genovese family.

The Broncos are 6-0. They've won 20 straight games, the longest streak in the country. They've beaten two BCS automatic qualifiers -- 6th-ranked Virginia Tech and 24th-ranked Oregon State. Doesn't matter. BSU could whip the 103rd Infantry and it wouldn't get a sniff. The computers are in charge. The pod bay doors won't open.

Boise State is going to get seated at the kids' table again. The Broncos will go to some pointless bowl and beat somebody like they always do -- they've already bested Oklahoma and TCU in bowls like that -- and they'll come home with a win and a hatful of "You kids sure play with a lot of heart up there" put-downs from the BCS blazers.

To read the complete article by Rick Reilly please click on the title link: "Broncos can't buck this trend".

Suicide: Unrecoverable Loss

Few things in this life are sad and destructive as suicide. It breaches every every clime, every tribe, every region. I have watched friends struggle with the death of a loved one, unable to really comprehend that a son or daughter, nephew or niece took their own life. A supervisor that I was very close to years ago committed suicide, and I wept it was so unimaginable, there were no signs at all that I could see. It profoundly affected me.

So with the untimely death of Denver Broncos wide receiver Kenny McKinley at age 23, I am sure his family, friends, and teammates are seriously struggling. They will be asking why this happened, what caused it, and most of all beating themselves up for not recognizing the clues or cues that may have prevented such a disaster. When we lose a young person in the prime of their life, especially in Kenny's situation having the world at his feet so to speak, it is a tragedy. So I offer my heartfelt condolences to Kenny's loved ones. I wish them peace.