Grading The Week: Bud Black’s Coming Back? That’s So, So Rockies

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Colorado Avalanche looked tired after one period Friday night, but one of their new goaltenders kept them afloat until the rest of the club found enough energy to grind out a win. That script has been a familiar one during the toughest stretch of schedule the Avs have faced, and these points might prove to be incredibly valuable.

When it looked like the Colorado Rapids were out of cards to deal in the MLS SuperDraft on Friday afternoon, they pulled a few more out of the sleeve. In the first round alone, the club made three trades to turn the No. 8 pick, up to $312,500 in General Allocation Money (GAM) and a 2025 international roster slot into picks Nos.

Colorado’s Frida Formann dribbles past Louisville’s Tajianna Roberts on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, at the CU Events Center in Boulder, Colo. (CU Athletics) One of the trademarks of the Colorado women’s basketball team in the past few years has been its ability to embrace the underdog role and rise to every challenge. The roster this season is vastly different, but fifth-year senior Frida Formann believes that mentality hasn’t changed. “Yeah, I think so,” she said as the Buffaloes prepared this week for Saturday’s Big 12 Conference opener against No.

Throughout a six-year college football career, LaVonta Bentley has seen just about everything. He’s been to the College Football Playoff and endured a six-game losing streak to cap a disappointing season. He’s been a backup and a star. It’s certainly been a roller-coaster ride, but Bentley was all smiles this week knowing his college career will end in a bowl game.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — In the days leading up to Denver’s win-and-in, prime-time tilt against the Chargers on Thursday night, Sean Payton and the Broncos knew several things about the state of their run game. First, they’d lacked consistency this season. Second, they’d need it down the stretch to get where they’re trying to go. And, finally, they’d be operating without Jaleel McLaughlin (quad) when they took on Jim Harbaugh’s team. The numbers coming in weren’t pretty. Over the previous five games, Denver averaged 84.9 rushing yards per game. In that span, Javonte Williams rushed nine times for 59 against Atlanta, but in the other four he totaled 15 yards on 19 carries. The anemic production hadn’t hurt Denver badly — they had every chance to win at Kansas City in Week 10 and then won four straight — but it lurked as a potential problem. Payton put his aim in bold print.

By ANDREW DAMPF ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — How fast can she go on her titanium knee? And how competitive will she be? Those are the big questions surrounding Lindsey Vonn’s comeback to World Cup ski racing this weekend at age 40 after nearly six years of retirement. “It’s a question that’s been going through my head a lot over the last week,” said Chris Knight, Vonn’s personal coach.