(via ProFootballTalk)

It takes some nerve to play quarterback at a high level in the NFL and, even though he almost had a career year in 2012, Broncos QB Peyton Manning says he will be even better in 2013.

Manning told a TV station in Tennessee: “When you’re dealing with nerves, I’ve learned it’s a patience deal. They kind of say it could be a year or two, or it may never come back, so I’m kind of hopeful. I kind of wish certain things would come back a little bit more, but I have learned to adjust and compensate in the state that I am. I still would like to make some more improvement. I still work at it. Obviously, I still can perform kind of status quo, but I still have hopes and (am) determined to try to seek some more improvement. But, yeah, I’m certainly better than I was last year. But I’m still not quite where I was before I was injured.”

In Manning’s case “better” could mean a 5,000 yard season. With Wes Welker now on board the Broncos offense is going to be all about throwing, throwing and throwing. Assuming number 18 is returning to his old self, Broncos fans should have a lot to look forward to.

"How bad are the Rockies? Not as bad as San Diego apparently. How good are they? Not as good as the Giants. From the looks of things they are somewhere in the middle - which is better than folks though they would be."

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So many times it was us that bit our fingernails to nubs at Rockies relief pitcher Huston Street loaded up the bases in the eighth.

Now he’s Padres relief pitcher Huston Street and last night Rox fans were delighted to see him post an ERA of 18 while walking one batter and allowing both Jeremy Rutledge and Dexter Fowler to belt baseballs out of San Diego’s ballpark in one sad inning of work.

There couldn’t have been anything sweeter than knowing that the Rockies earned their fourth straight win over the Padres thanks to the inadequacy of the very same guy who made our baseball lives a living hell from 2009-2011.

Folks say that Street is a super nice guy, and many were bummed out when he left. But nice guys finish last. So far, the Rockies are well ahead of the Padres and the fact that they have Huston Street on the mound is part of that equation.

Let's hope they trot his ass out there again tonight.

"There’s a certain sense of impending doom that always starts to grow about now. With only four games left in the regular season I can’t help but feel like the good times are about to stop rolling."

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"The feeling was all-too familiar. Yesterday’s loss had “road to 100” written all over it. Now the Rockies have a day off to regroup before facing the Padres again, a team they’ve swept once already. "

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Fifteen minutes, twenty minutes, any minutes is too many minutes for George Karl to play Ty Lawson tonight. The Nuggets will just have to beat the Spurs without him.

Whatever production Denver can squeeze out of their ailing point guard will be inconsequential compared to toiling in the playoffs with Ty at less than his best. Pepsi Center tonight is neither the time nor the place to put him back on the floor.

If you’ve never experienced the paint of plantar fasciitas, it sucks. What Ty is dealing with is an injury that can only heal with rest and time. You can’t put a cast on it or stitch it up. The fascia just has to heal on its own. And the pain is brutal.

Third seed, fourth seed, fifth seed … it won’t matter one bit if Ty’s not ready when the playoffs begin. The Nuggets are already going to be without Gallo regardless of what happens. They can’t afford not to have Lawson – not one bit.

Please, please, please don’t play Ty tonight, George. Please?

"The Rockies aren’t supposed to be good enough to snag a series from the Giants on their home turf. The fact is, Colorado has played better than most folks expected and, if we focus on the small victories, there remains plenty of cause to be upbeat" 

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Some people have a way with words; others are handier with numbers. Based on a blurb that appears today at the Denver Posts “First and Orange” blog, columnist Mike Klis is in the former category.

In lauding Peyton Manning’s generosity for donating a half million dollars to the Pat Summit Foundation, which fights Alzheimer’s Disease, Klis wrote this:

“But let’s compare decimal point to decimal point. Manning drew an $18 million salary from the Broncos last year. His $500,000 donation from $18 million would be like a person drawing $180,000 a year donating $50,000. Or to draw in a larger percentage of American workers, it would be like a person making $90,000 writing a check for $25,000.”

Really Mike?

Manning’s $500,000 donation was altruistic to be sure but it represents 1/36^th or 2.7% of his earnings in 2012. It’s also tax deductible. A person earning $180,000 who donated $50,000 would be surrendering almost a third of his annual income, 27%. For that person to make an equivalent donation to Manning’s he would be giving $5,000 – not $50,000. The same is true for the person making $90,000. His equivalent donation would be $2,500 – not $25,000.

It’s one thing to misplace a decimal. It’s another to whiff altogether. Klis’ error is so blatant that it jumped right off the screen when I scanned his blog post. It’s pretty obvious that an editor did not impede its posting.

Klis went on to point out: “I don’t know about you but I have a tough time putting a $20 bill in the church basket. Make no mistake, the Manning’s gift was no small sacrifice. Too, Manning is the co-chairman of the Pat Summitt Foundation’s advisory board so he does more than just write a check — he puts in time for the cause.”