Hog interested, Graham and Lewis looking

Five-time NBA All-Star Sidney Moncrief is interested in the coaching vacancy at Colorado.

His name, thanks to that impressive pedigree, looks good in lights as he was a tremendous player in college at Arkansas and at the professional level with Milwaukee but all that means what?

Nothing.

Exciting to hear Moncrief is interested in replacing Ricardo Patton but so are many others -- with superior experience and success.

Thanks for dropping by, Sidney. You have a good trip back to Texas now, ya' hear?

No tight end for you

Former CU All-American tight end and current New England Patriot Daniel Graham is a NFL free agent and that has many hungry for the Buff to return home and play in a Denver Broncos' uniform.

While Graham might be open to such a thought, the money is going to decide the deal, as it usually does and the truth likely is Denver can't or is not willing to show its' love to that extent to convince the powerful-blocking underused-receiving big-game experienced Graham to make Denver his in-season home.

Nice daydream though, isn't it?

Graham may not Antonio Gates or Tony Gonzalez but it says here is has been seriously underutilized in the passing game as a Patriot. Only speculation here but the Black and Gold Truth thinks Graham wants to be included in the game plan again along with stuffing his bank account.

Lewis leaving

Michael Lewis, the former Buffs' standout safety, lost his starting job last season and is now reportedly on his way out of Philadelphia, according to a report in the Sporting News.

Lewis never had great speed and is not the ball-hawking difference maker most teams covet. He is, however, a thumper in the run game and will make a few token plays a year on the ball.

He can still play and is not done doing good things in the League. Lewis is hard-nosed, tough, plays with passion and if he is smart enough to realize his next stop should be more about the right fit than money, he will show he can make an impact on games.

Recruiting thoughts

As I was reading CU sports information director Dave Plati's profiles on the 2007 football recruiting class I was struck by how intelligent and academically accomplished this group is and how big a dreamers they are when it comes to their post-football future.

Impressive collection of young men.

Coach Dan Hawkins is bringing in character, stressing it, demanding it. Add up that character, desire and athletic ability and there is no doubt that there is teachable talent that can be groomed and developed.

This class must further define the program. Hawkins is fond of saying he is looking for "our kind of guys." He thinks he found an boat load full of them. If he and his staff identified that personnel correctly and if CU can coach 'em up -- it will go places real soon. The launch should be this season and 2008 should be the first signs of Return to Dominance.

Or something like that.

Rumor has it

The word is no secret -- CU is in on talented quarterback recruit Landry Jones out of the state of New Mexico.

A big, strong, productive talent, Jones signing would be yet another giant step forward for coach Dan Hawkins and the Buffs' program, especially considering the significant importance of the position Jones play.

One slight thing to mention though, a warning shot, as it were -- it is still too early in the recruiting process to get overly excited about Jones in a CU uniform, marching the Buffs on scoring drives and up the national rankings.

If he continues to improve, if he keeps producing at the high school level, he is going to get bull rushed, speed rushed by much more accomplished programs around the land. He is going to have numerous attractive choices.

Now, if Hawkins can keep building a relationship with Jones and his family while also leading a stunning on-field improvement of his own team, then the odds might go up that Jones would consider signing on. If Hawkins and offensive coordinator and quarterbacks' coach Mark Helfrich can incorporate and showcase more of their offense this season, that too would likely entice a quarterback, who wants to see tangible signs of success to imagine how he could fit in and star himself.

So, for the time being, Jones coming to Boulder, call me warm about the whole soap opera.

Going back in time

The BGT has a Friday one-on-one with a former Buffs' star to talk about what he's up to these days, his experience in Boulder and some other thoughts. Look for that conversation next week.

Will say this, CU is still looking for players like him to do the things he did and did so very well.

For-dead Cowboys poke Wildcats

Oklahoma State, who has fallen apart in conference play having lost six of its' last seven games took a bite out of Kansas State, 84-70, in Stillwater Tuesday.

Sure, Cartier Martin and David Hoskins played well for the Wildcats, combining for 45 points but the Cowboys could not be stopped, scoring with ease on KSU all night long, hitting 55 percent of their shots from the field and 53 percent from 3-point territory.

Guards JamesOn Curry and Terrel Harris each had their best game in a month, totaling 44 points between them. Mario Boggan added 17 more and Byron Eaton and David Monds scored 10 apiece.

BGT: OSU is dangerous but had completely lost its' way during its' losing streak, becoming monumental underachievers. The Wildcats may have peaked too soon. After winning seven-straight conference games they are now riding that roller coaster of mediocrity, losing four of their last seven. Both teams could do damage in the Big-12 postseason tournament but are also so schizophrenic they could bow out in their first game.