Buff back home; Big 12 tournament calls

Daniel Graham comes home.

Of course, that's made easier when you're being plied with a $ 30 million contract, $ 15 million of which is guaranteed.

Where do we sign on?

The former Denver high schooler, CU All-American and first-round draft pick of New England is now a Denver Bronco tight end, continuing the frenzy of the club this offseason.

Graham joins cornerback Dre Bley and defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson as new club additions. Running back Tatum Bell, offensive tackle George Foster and quarterback Jake Plummer have all been FedExed out of town.

Black and Gold Truth: It says here that Graham is going to be, health permitting, an outstanding addition. He is a total team player, by all reports, has significant championship experience and was underutilized as a pass catcher. With second-year player, Tony Scheffler, Denver has two advantage tight ends, who can exploit defenses.

Where Graham really helps is his ability to block, which the running game desperately needs.

All the love above is sincere but know what? Wonder if linebacker Joey Porter, formerly of Pittsburgh and now a Miami Dolphin would have been a smarter move. A physical, playmaking defender on the outside could have been what the Broncos have long lacked.

Sure, he's an ex-CSU Ram but who cares when the man can do the things he can do on the field.

Games on the horizon

The Big 12 tournament is here, beginning Thursday in Oklahoma City. Here is the first BGT postseason preview.

Colorado vs. Texas Tech
---Bob Knight is a lot of things, many of them laughable or intolerable, but he isn't a fool -- he knows CU doesn't play defense and that it will be playing with Richard Roby trying to score 50.

Jarrius Jackson and Martin Zeno will be tough covers again as they scored 52 points combined in mid-February in a 21-point Red Raiders' victory over the Buffs, a contest in which CU shot just under 60 percent from the floor.

Uh-oh.

Can't do it, no matter how much I want to be on the cheerleading squad, ripping off my shirt and throwing it into the stands after the first Buffs' basket, you know, a little Brandi Chastain, a little Dennis Rodman. Have to go with the giant killers in this one. Tech by 9.

Oklahoma vs. Iowa State
---Two teams just not talented enough, not consistent enough to get a read on. Tough to pick either one of them. OU could rough up ISU but picking the team that didn't lose six straight to end the regular season. Cyclones by 6.

Nebraska vs. Oklahoma State
---Two more teams that didn't have a clue at the end of the season although the Cornhuskers did a number on the Cowboys on Monday in Lincoln. On talent alone, OSU is a runaway but they couldn't play together well after a fantastic start. Nebraska's Alexs Maric isn't consistent but he is one of the conference's best interior scorers.

Call me crazy, stupid, whatever but the Huskers are terrible on the road (2-8) so the BGT is going to pick the sloppy, undisciplined, underachieving, all flash, no-cash Pokes. OSU by 4.

Baylor vs. Missouri
---The Bears have talent, more than the Tigers but Mizzou is the better team. Tigers by 7.

Quarterback notes

Being fascinated with the nuances of effective quarterback play, I found the following bits of information from Dan Pompei of the Sporting News interesting.

"The Broncos believe QB Jay Cutler is capable of taking a big step in his second season but maybe not for the reasons you think. Sure, Cutler is immensely gifted...but what really has the Broncos excited is they've discovered Cutler doesn't make the same mistake repeatedly. Tell him something once and he learns it."

And this one...

"The Dolphins dropped 36 passes last season, the fifth-highest total in the NFL, according to Stats LLC. The high number can be attributed to QB Joey Harrington's throwing style. Harrington is a one-speed pitcher--everything he throws is a fastball. He has little touch on his passes, and he rarely hits receivers in stride."

BGT: There are so many things that go into being a productive quarterback and for CU's Bernard Jackson last year, he was so far behind the eight ball, from practicing many positions since hitting campus to a new offensive system, coaches, etc. that expecting him to show much growth may have been too much. This season will show whether the athlete is also a player with true quarterback skills. He will be on a short leash, as a phrase a great friend of mine likes to use, from day numero uno. Juco recruit Nick Nelson and Idaho gunslinger Cody Hawkins are hungry, hungry, yapping for an opportunity to put their hands under the center's butt, which should push Jackson to greater heights.