#@iwritenuggets

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Rerun SportsCast 011 - 10-03-12

Head over to www.RerunSportsCast.com to catch Episode 011 of the Rerun SportsCast.

This week we cover the Broncos going to NE, Which ex Denver QB will be the first to get a starting job this year, The Rockies year of the fail and we speak with our Nuggets blogger from wwww.RerunNuggets.com for a bit. All this plus, Voicemails, NFL Power Rankings and our Nuggbowl/ Swagbowl picks of the week.

Hit up www.RerunSportsCast.com to catch up on old shows, read articles and subscribe/listen to the podcast. If you have topics you would like to have us talk about Leave us a voicemail/text at 970-58-RERUN or send us an email at [email protected] or if social media is your thing follow us on twitter www.twitter.com/RerunSportsCast and "like" us on Facebook www.facebook.com/RerunSportsCast

A Rerun Podcast Production

www.rerunpodcasts.net

MP3 File

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ESPN’S 2012 NBA Player Rankings

ESPN’S 2012 NBA Player Rankings (UPDATED 9/18/12) With the NFL season about to kickoff, you might have missed what is going on over at ESPN.com - unless you are a hoops junkie like myself.  They are ranking the top 500 NBA players.  Since you have 30 teams and a max of 15 roster slots per team, that only equates to 450 players.  So the list includes many players that will not be with an NBA team this season.  It also ranks NBA rookies that have yet to play a minute of professional basketball.   ESPN did this feature leading up to last season as well.  Basically, they release a few names each day and assign a number on a 0-to-10 scale which represents the current quality of each player.  If you want to see the whole list, head over to ESPN or you can follow along on Twitter @NBAonESPN or #NBArank.  For those that only care about where the Denver Nuggets are ranked, we have you covered here at Rerun Sportscast. (UPDATE) ESPN now has a feature where you can check the rankings for each team.  Here is Denver’s link  Also of note with how deep in to the list ESPN is, the Nuggets will have 7 players in the top 100 – including all 5 starters.  I’m not sure how many teams can boast those things, but I’m guessing not many.   Denver Nuggets on ESPN’s #NBArank as of 9/18/2012:

48 (↑16): Ty Lawson Current Player Quality: 6.68 2011 Rank: 64 (6.09)

54 (↑14): Danilo Gallinari Current Player Quality: 6.55 2011 Rank: 68 (6.03)

71 (↑260): Kenneth Faried Current Player Quality: 6.13 2011 Rank: 331 (2.96)

77 (↑22): JaVale McGee Current Player Quality: 5.98 2011 Rank: 99 (5.65)

93 (↓18): Wilson Chandler Current Player Quality: 5.58 2011 Rank: 75 (5.98)

94 (↓5): Andre Miller Current Player Quality: 5.55 2011 Rank: 89 (5.76)

203 (↑ 5): Corey Brewer Current Player Quality: 4.30 2011 Rank: 208 (4.26)

220 (↑ 86): Timofey Mozgov Current Player Quality: 4.13 2011 Rank: 306 (3.20)

269 (↓ 49): Anthony Randolph Current Player Quality: 3.60 2011 Rank: 220 (4.18)

274 (↑ 74): Kosta Koufos Current Player Quality: 3.55 2011 Rank: 348 (2.73)

337 (↑ 43): Jordan Hamilton Current Player Quality: 2.97 2011 Rank: 380 (2.54)

395 (-): Quincy Miller Current Player Quality: 2.59 2011 Rank: NR

410 (-): Evan Fournier Current Player Quality: 2.50 2011 Rank: NR

473 (-):  Julyan Stone Current Player Quality: 1.94 2011 Rank: NR

Nuggets Players Yet to Be Ranked (2011 Rankings):

? (?): Andre Iguodala Current Player Quality: ? 2011 Rank: 34 (7.29)

Peter Sherwill is an NBA junkie and blogger, never short on opinions.  Has appeared as a guest on Denver sports talk radio.

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All the Right Moves: Nuggets Personnel

All the Right Moves: Nuggets Personnel

By: Peter Sherwill                                                          

Following this 2012-13 season the Denver Nuggets are faced with an expiring contract for perhaps one of their most valuable pieces.   No, I'm not talking about stud point guard, Ty Lawson, although I have a feeling that one will get done before the season starts.  The person I'm referring to has actually never donned a jersey in the NBA.  The man is a key cog in the front office for the Nuggets.  He is the Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, Masai Ujiri. Kroenke Sports Enterprises has long-believed in putting off extensions for their franchise executives until the conclusion of the current contract.  This has been their standard position with any General Manager or Coach facing the end of their tenure in Denver and it has worked well for them up to this point.  However, I think that it is important in this case for the Kroenkes to put pen to paper with Ujiri as soon as possible.  He has developed a reputation league-wide as being one of the smartest GM's in the game, if not in the entire sports world. Ujiri faced an unenviable position within days of being hired, when his franchise player, Carmelo Anthony, informed him that he wanted out.  Masai tackled this situation with poise and did not cave in negotiations with more experienced GM's.  He did not give into the pressure to deal Anthony any sooner than he did.  The manner in which he handled negotiations and got the best possible deal for Carmelo has been widely praised and considered a surprise for a rookie GM.  The Nuggets ended up finishing their fourth consecutive season with 50 or more wins and continued their playoff streak.  This was considered somewhat surprising by the pundits as the Nuggets were widely speculated to become the Cleveland Cavaliers of the Western Conference.  The array of assets that Masai collected in this trade is now considered the standard for any franchise that is faced with dealing their franchise superstar.   Following the lockout, Ujiri made a shrewd move by trading a future second round draft pick to the Dallas Mavericks for Rudy Fernandez and Corey Brewer.  In addition, he locked up two of the Nuggets starters that were free agents, Nene and Arron Afflalo.  He also selected Kenneth Faried in the 2011 NBA Draft.  Faried ended up finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting.  Because of the emergence of Faried, Nene became expendable and was dealt to the Washington Wizards for JaVale Mcgee.  Afflalo was later dealt in the recent Andre Iguodala trade.  Masai also locked up long-term extensions with Danilo Gallinari, Kosta Koufos, Wilson Chandler and JaVale Mcgee.  With most of the Nuggets core players signed long-term, it is time to secure the brain behind the scenes before another NBA team has the opportunity to steal him. Masai seems to make all of the right moves for this Nuggets team.  Time and time again, he has proven the critics and fans wrong.  His moves are sometimes questioned in knee-jerk fashion by fans and local columnists.  However his track record thus far, speaks for itself.  I was highly critical of the Nene signing and subsequently hashtagged #TradeNene on Twitter up until he was dealt (feel free to check my timeline).  After Ujiri quickly corrected the mistake of re-signing Nene, it became even more apparent to me that he always has a plan and knows exactly what he is doing with this team.  Ujiri is an opportunist and takes advantage of any possibility to upgrade and enhance the Denver Nuggets.   Up to now, the only Ujiri move that could be considered questionable was selecting Evan Fournier in this past June's draft.  However, time has not revealed this to be a bust or another stealthily brilliant move.  We will find out soon enough.  Hopefully, Masai Ujiri has a long-term deal in Denver before we get that answer. “Like” us on Facebook.  Follow me on Twitter @iWriteNuggets.  

Peter Sherwill is an NBA junkie and blogger, never short on opinions.  Has appeared as a guest on Denver sports talk radio.

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Denver Nuggets: Top 5 Players in Franchise History: #1 Alex English

Denver Nuggets: Top 5 Players in Franchise History

By Peter Sherwill

This week at Rerun Sportscast, I will be breaking down the top 5 players in Denver Nuggets history. One player will be revealed and profiled each day this week.

#1 – Alex English:

25.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.4 APG as a Denver Nugget Alex English was a scoring machine for our favorite Mile High hoops team for 11 seasons during the “Rainbow Jersey Era.”  He was one of the most prolific scorers of the 1980's landing in the top 10 scoring for 9 straight seasons.  English scored more points than any other player in the 1980's.  He led the Nuggets to the 1985 Western Conference Finals, falling to the Los Angeles Lakers in 5 games.  This would be the furthest that the Nuggets advanced in the NBA playoffs until the 2009 season.  When he retired, English was the Denver's franchise leader in points, assists, offensive rebounds, games, minutes played, and field goals made and attempted.  There are not too many guys in NBA history to score nearly 22,000 points with the same team.  

Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 1997

#2 Jersey retired by the Nuggets

All-time scoring leader in Nuggets franchise history

Eight-time NBA All-Star – 1982-89

NBA Scoring Champion – 1983

All-NBA Third Team – 1982, 1983, 1986

Peter Sherwill is an NBA junkie and blogger, never short on opinions.  Has appeared as a guest on Denver sports talk radio.

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Denver Nuggets: Top 5 Players in Franchise History: #2 David Thompson

Denver Nuggets: Top 5 Players in Franchise History

By Peter Sherwill

This week at Rerun Sportscast, I will be breaking down the top 5 players in Denver Nuggets history. One player will be revealed and profiled each day this week.

#2 – David Thompson:

24.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.4 APG as a Denver Nugget The thing that will tell you everything you need to know about David Thompson is this: he was Michael Jordan's idol growing up.  In fact Jordan chose Thompson to induct him into the Basketball Hall of Fame.  In The Book of Basketball, Bill Simmons describes Thompson as Jordan before Jordan.  Thompson's nickname was “Skywalker” for crying out loud!  During his rookie season he was a finalist in the first ever Slam Dunk Contest against Julius Erving at McNichols Arena at the 1976 ABA All-Star Game.  He ultimately lost to Dr. J who had the first ever dunk from the foul line.  Skywalker would have to settle for All-Star Game MVP as a consolation prize.  The 1975-76 season was the Nuggets final year before the ABA-NBA merger and Thompson would lead them to the 1976 ABA Finals.  To this date that is the franchise's lone Finals appearance.  In the Nuggets final regular season game of the the 1978 NBA season, Thompson would score 73 points attempting to win the scoring title.  He ultimately lost this to San Antonio Spur, George Gervin who scored 63 later that day.  Following that season, Skywalker signed a record-breaking $4 million, 5 year contract.  That was more money than any basketball player had been paid at that time.  However, it was all down-hill from there for Thompson.  He would struggle with injuries and a cocaine addiction for the rest of his career and he was eventually traded to the Seattle Supersonics after the 1981-82 season.

Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 1996

#33 Jersey retired by the Nuggets

Fourth on the Nuggets All-Time scoring list – 11,992 points

One time ABA All-Star

Three time NBA All-Star

ABA Rookie of the Year – 1976

All-NBA First Team – 1977, 1978

MVP ABA All-Star Game – 1976

MVP NBA All-Star Game – 1979

Only player in history to win both ABA & NBA All-Star MVP

Career-high 73 points in a single game still stands as a Nuggets team record

Was drafted #1 overall in 1975 ABA (Virginia Squires) & NBA (Atlanta Hawks) drafts

Peter Sherwill is an NBA junkie and blogger, never short on opinions.  Has appeared as a guest on Denver sports talk radio.

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Rerun Roundup: Nuggets Notables for 08-23-12

Rerun Roundup: Nuggets Notables Here are some links and tidbits on the Denver Nuggets from around the web over the past week that are worth checking out.

If you are not too familiar with newly acquired Nuggets player Andre Iguodala, here are his top plays from last season. http://www.youtube.com/embed/l6BkB2mTkRE?rel=0?&wmode=transparent

Video of JaVale McGee working with Hakeem Olajuwon.  Note Amar’e Stoudemire’s 1980’s style basketball shorts. http://www.youtube.com/embed/q2YkRm2VjT0?&wmode=transparent

Nuggets GM Masai Ujiri on 104.3 The Fan. http://www.1043thefan.com/Channels/DrewScott/story.aspx?ID=1756192

Hakeem Olajuwon believes Denver Nuggets Center JaVale McGee should dominate NBA http://www.myfoxhouston.com/story/19276127/2012/08/14/hakeem-olajuwon-believes-denver-nuggets-center-javale-mcgee-should-dominate-nba

Iguodala open to ending career as a Nugget. http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_21332786/denvers-dre-stay?source=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dp-sports-nuggets+%28Denver+Post%3A+Sports%3A+Nuggets%29

Iguodala is excited, says all the right things about joining Denver. http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/08/15/iguodala-is-excited-says-all-the-right-things-about-joining-denver/

New Denver Nuggets player Andre Iguodala talks food and fashion. http://www.denverpost.com/lifestyles/ci_21329974/new-denver-nuggets-player-andre-iguodala-talks-food

Nuggets Rookie Photo Shoot with Quincy Miller and Evan Fournier. http://www.nba.com/nuggets/gallery/rookie-photo-shoot

George Karl's Player List: Fastest http://www.nba.com/nuggets/features/george-karls-player-list-fastest

Report: Gallinari tweaked shoulder, likely fine by start of camp. http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/08/14/report-gallinari-tweaked-shoulder-likely-fine-by-start-of-camp/

ESPN Dallas - Sizing up the competition: Denver Nuggets http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/mavericks/post/_/id/4691467/sizing-up-the-competition-denver-nuggets

ESPN LA - How they match up: Denver Nuggets. http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/lakers/post/_/id/32565/how-they-match-up-denver-nuggets

Chris Andersen’s people say Birdman has received offers. http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/08/14/chris-andersens-agent-says-birdman-has-received-offers/

NBA, Ticketmaster to launch one-stop-shop site.  Nuggets may or may not opt in. http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8284251/nba-ticketmaster-launch-one-stop-shop-website

If you are like me and can’t wait for the season to start, you can re-live the 2011-12 Nuggets season online with every episode of “The Associate: Denver Nuggets” http://www.nba.com/the-association/

Colorado Sports Guys #54 Nuggets title window in 2015? http://www.coloradosportsguys.com/2012/08/csg-54-nuggets-title-window-in-2015.html

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Denver Nuggets: Top 5 Players in Franchise History: #3 Carmelo Anthony

Denver Nuggets: Top 5 Players in Franchise History

By Peter Sherwill

This week at Rerun Sportscast, I will be breaking down the top 5 players in Denver Nuggets history. One player will be revealed and profiled each day this week.

#3 – Carmelo Anthony:

24.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.1 APG as a Denver Nugget

Melo made NBA basketball relevant again in the Mile High City to heights that had not been seen for the Nuggets since the 1980's.  When he was drafted #3 overall in 2003, Carmelo immediately made Denver a perennial playoff team.  He was sort of a hoops savior, if you will, for a franchise that was mired in futility for a decade before his arrival.  It's easy to forget all of the good Melo did for the Nuggets due to the way he orchestrated his exit for the brighter lights and bigger stage of Madison Square Garden.  He led the Nuggets to 7 straight postseason appearances beginning with his rookie campaign.  He delighted us with buzzer beating game-winners and gained a reputation of being one of the most clutch players in the NBA.  Some have called Carmelo an evolutionary version of Alex English with his ability to score at ease.  That's somewhat fitting of a comparison as well since Melo led the Nuggets to their first conference finals in 2009 since English did so in 1985.   While most of us despise Melo now and hope that he never gets a chance to win a title, we still are thankful for the seven and a half seasons that he brought our city back to respectability in NBA circles and brought us a winning basketball team, a streak that continues to this day.  If Carmelo had stayed in Denver, he would have possibly gone down as the greatest Nuggets player of all time.

NBA Rookie First Team – 2004

All NBA Second Team – 2010

All NBA Third Team - 2006, 2007, 2009

Third on the Nuggets All-Time Scoring list – 13,970 points

Four-time NBA All-Star – 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011

NBA Rookie Challenge MVP – 2005

14 Game Winning Shots for the Denver Nuggets

Carmelo's Top 10 Game Winning Shots Timeline of all of Carmelo Anthony's Game-winners

Peter Sherwill is an NBA junkie and blogger, never short on opinions.  Has appeared as a guest on Denver sports talk radio.

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Denver Nuggets: Top 5 Players in Franchise History: #4 Dan Issel

Denver Nuggets: Top 5 Players in Franchise History

By Peter Sherwill

This week at Rerun Sportscast, I will be breaking down the top 5 players in Denver Nuggets history.  One player will be revealed and profiled each day this week.

#4 – Dan Issel: 20.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG as a Denver Nugget Dan Issel is old school.  By that, I mean he started in the ABA with the Kentucky Colonels in 1970.  He eventually ended up in Denver for the 1975-76 season.  Issel lived through the ABA-NBA merger in 1976 with the Nuggets.  He had a hard-nosed mentality that he later brought to the Nuggets as a coach.  He was a prolific scorer and rebounder for the Nuggets for ten seasons.  Issel still ranks at #1 and 2, respectively, on the Nuggets all-time rebounding and scoring lists.  When he retired, Issel’s 27,000-plus points in the ABA and NBA combine trailed only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Julius Erving. Some Denver Nuggets career highlights:

Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 1993

#44 jersey retired by the Nuggets

Nuggets career-leader in free throws (made & attempted) and defensive & total rebounds

One-time ABA All-Star - 1976

One-time NBA All-Star - 1977

One-time All-ABA Second Team – 1975-76

Second all-time in field goals made in the ABA

Fourth all-time in free throws made in the ABA

Ninth all-time in free throws made in NBA & ABA combined

Third all-time in field goals attempted in the ABA

Fifth all-time in free throws attempted in the ABA

Fifth all-time in offensive rebounds in the ABA

Sixth all-time in defensive rebounds in the ABA

Sixth all-time in total rebounds in the ABA

Fourth all-time in minutes per game in the ABA

Second all-time in points scored in the ABA

Eighth all-time in points scored in NBA & ABA combined

Peter Sherwill is an NBA junkie and blogger, never short on opinions.  Has appeared as a guest on Denver sports talk radio.

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