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Woodyard’s skills and dedication make him a team leader
Jan 10th
This season, he fought for a Pro Bowl berth as one of the AFC’s most productive linebackers. Through 15 games, Woodyard is one of just four AFC players with at least 100 tackles, a sack and an interception. He’s set career highs in almost every category this season, including his three interceptions and four sacks.
“I’m trying to continue to work on my craft and get better every day,” Woodyard said. “My teammates believe in me, and I’ve just been having fun out there this year. Not worrying about anything, just going out there and playing football.”
He’s already earned some hardware this season, taking home his first career AFC Defensive Player of the Week Award after becoming the first player in team history to post one sack, one interception and one forced fumble in the same game during Denver’s 34-14 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 8.
As he’s gotten more time in the starting lineup, Woodyard’s confidence and comfort level have grown.
“Whenever we step on the field, we expect to win and we know we should win every game we play,” Woodyard said. “That confidence just seeps out of everybody’s pores in the game. You actually smell that confidence in the game. It’s not being overconfident, it’s just having fun and enjoying the game.”
While his season might have caught some people off guard, Woodyard’s teammates knew what he was capable if given an opportunity.
“It was only a matter of time,” cornerback and fellow team captain Champ Bailey said. “It’s all about opportunities. Most guys make the best of them and he’s one of them. I’m happy for him because I’ve seen how much he’s grinded away and worked up to this point.”
Linebacker Von Miller saw first-hand how hard Woodyard worked on the practice field and in their position’s meeting room.
“I’m not surprised at all,” Miller said. “Since I’ve been here, he’s been making big-time plays, doing big-time things, so for him to come out here and have the type of season that he’s having isn’t a surprise at all.”
UNDRAFTED UNDERDOG
In 2008, 253 players had their names called during the NFL draft, but Woodyard wasn’t one of them. Despite earning first-team All-SEC honors during his final two seasons at the University of Kentucky, where he led the conference with 10.6 tackles per game as a senior, Woodyard went undrafted.
He joined the Broncos as a free agent and immediately opened eyes with his work ethic and playmaking ability.
“I came in my rookie year and I just wanted to give them my all and have a shot to play the game that I love to play,” Woodyard said. “It was just exciting. It was a lot of hard work and determination. I just stuck by myself and believed in myself.”
He has played double-digit games in each of his five seasons, but still remembers where he started his career.
“I keep that chip on my shoulder,” Woodyard said. “I never take anything for granted. Always work hard and outwork whoever is out there beside you. It keeps me humble.”
After starting his rookie season as an undrafted free agent, he finished the year as a team captain. Woodyard has held that position ever since to become just the second Bronco in franchise history to serve as a captain in his first five seasons with the club, joining Hall-of-Fame running back Floyd Little with that distinction.
“I just lead by example,” Woodyard said. “I don’t like to talk a lot, I just like to go out there and do it the right way and do it the way I’ve been coached to do it. Do it the way my teammates depend on. That’s going out there and playing hard-nosed football until the end of the whistle every snap.”
Having climbed from the bottom of the depth chart to a starting role, Woodyard serves as a living example for the college free agents that join the team each summer fighting the odds for a spot on the roster.
“It gives me the opportunity to be on that same level and talk to them and tell them what they need to do and what they should do,” he said. “For the most part, they listen to me and they look up to me and they always seek out advice.”
In 2011, cornerback Chris Harris began the year as an undrafted free agent and has emerged as a starter this season.
Harris credits Woodyard’s leadership and example as a factor in his success.
“Just to always continue working,” Harris said about the advice he received from Woodyard. “Any time you see a guy go undrafted it definitely gives you a chance, knowing that you can come from the bottom and start in this league.”
COMMUNITY-DRIVEN CAPTAIN
Woodyard has taken that leadership beyond the playing field and into the community.
Named the Broncos’ recipient of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in each of the previous two seasons, Woodyard said he enjoys using his position as a football player to help people.
“I think that’s what it starts with,” Woodyard said. “It’s important that we give back to the community and help out the community that we’re in. I think that’s what our world is missing. We don’t reach out and we don’t help enough people. That’s something with my status of being a football player in the NFL, I take advantage of every opportunity that I can to help out.”
Woodyard even set up his own foundation, 16Ways, which works with at-risk youth. As a team captain, Woodyard has tried to impress upon the younger players the importance of taking the time to be active in community enrichment programs.
“I love seeing guys sign up for them,” Woodyard said about the team’s community events. “I used to be the first one to sign up, now it’s funny, when I come around the corner, now there’s 10 guys that have already signed up for an event. That’s always good. Now there are more rookies at every event than I’ve ever seen.”
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Boulder OSMP to Open Lower Chapman Drive Trail
Jan 5th
The City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) will open the new Chapman Drive Trail and Trailhead to the public on Jan. 7, 2013. This trail is an extension of the current Chapman Drive Trail that begins at Realization Point on Flagstaff Drive. Visitors will be able to travel from Boulder Canyon Drive (SH 119) at the Red Lion Inn all the way to Flagstaff Drive.
The new trail was made possible by the recent purchase of the Schnell property. The 2005 Visitor Master Plan proposed the use of Chapman Drive as a multi-use trail and the new section was included in the recent West Trail Study Area Plan. There is a small trailhead with parking at the northern end of the trail along SH 119.
“At this time, we are opening the trail to pedestrians, equestrians, telemark skiers and snow shoers,” said Annie McFarland, OSMP Visitor Access Coordinator. “Bikes will also be allowed, going uphill only. Cyclists not able to complete the 2.5 mile ride uphill, must dismount and walk bicycles downhill if they wish to return to the trailhead at SH 119. Cyclists completing the trail have the option of riding down Flagstaff Drive to Canyon back to the trailhead.”
All users must remain on the trail and no dogs are permitted north of the Tenderfoot Trail intersection.
Throughout January OSMP will meet with key stakeholder groups and interested parties to seek feedback on how best to manage visitor use – in particular bike and dog access on the lower part of Chapman Drive. OSMP will conduct an analysis of each alternative and then develop a matrix of possible management options. The department will host a mid-February open house for public feedback. Individuals may also submit comments regarding visitor use by email. Go to www.osmp.org and click on ‘Contact us’ on the bottom right of the home page. In your email, specify ‘Chapman Drive Trail’.
More information including a map of the area can be found at:
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For additional trail updates on OSMP properties, please call 303-441-3440 or visit www.osmp.org.
Buffs Fall To Wildcats In OT After Controversial Call
Jan 4th
The Buffs believed they had won when senior Sabatino Chen banked in a three-pointer at the final buzzer in regulation of their Pac-12 Conference opener. But after conferring with the timekeepers and watching the replay monitor at McKale Arena, officials disallowed Chen’s shot and the game went into OT.
Shown a replay of Chen’s trey before his postgame interview with KOA Radio, CU coach Tad Boyle said, “That just makes me sick to my stomach . . . I’m sick to my stomach because I think our team deserved to win that game. But we didn’t and we have to move on from it.”
Boyle said he was proud of his team and that it “had that game won in a lot of ways.” He also promised the Buffs would move on, but they also would remember: “We’re not going to move on as, ‘Oh, were going to forget about it and move on.’ We’re going to remember this because you have to remember this feeling. If it doesn’t hurt in the pit of your stomach and you’re not a little bit pissed off then something is wrong with you.”
In the overtime, it was all Wildcats, who trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half and 16 in the second. Less than a minute into overtime, they took their first lead since 5-4 on a three-point play by Kevin Parrom to make it 83-82.
The Buffs tied it at 83-83 on one of two free throws by Xavier Johnson, who made his first career start in place of Chen. But CU didn’t score again. Arizona – beaten twice by CU last season, the final time for the Pac-12 tournament title – got nine more points and rolled to its first 13-0 start since 1931-32.
The Buffs (10-3, 0-1) play at Arizona State on Sunday at 6 p.m.
Five CU players scored in double figures, topped by Askia Booker’s 18. Freshman Josh Scott and Chen scored 15 each – a career-high for Chen – while Johnson had 13 and Spencer Dinwiddie 11.
Arizona’s Mark Lyons, who sent the game into overtime with a pair of free throws with 9.2 seconds left in regulation, led all scorers with 24 points. He made all 10 of his free throw attempts, while CU hit 17-of-29. In the final 1:44 of regulation, holding a seven-point lead, the Buffs made only three of eight free throw attempts.
“You have to look at the free throws,” Boyle said. “We shot 58 percent for the game; we got away with that earlier in the year at times but tonight we didn’t get away with it, it cost us the game. And I’m not talking any one guy, I’m talking about as a team. So, you’ve got to look at what you can do better, and that is what we can do.”
CU committed only 11 turnovers, but four of them came in the final 2 minutes when Arizona was catching up. Counting the 5 extra minutes, the Wildcats outscored the Buffs 22-5 in the final 6:44. Boyle said he thought his team “got a little soft defensively at the end. Second half they shot 60 percent from the field and we’re one stop away from that game, we’re one or two free throws away from that game . . .
“I asked our guys to play hard, play smart, and to play together. I thought we played hard, I thought we played together, I thought at times we didn’t play smart and those are the things we have to learn as a young team on the road in an environment like this.”
The Buffs, who led by 10 points with 1:53 remaining in regulation, played the extra period minus Andre Roberson. He fouled out in the final 2 minutes of regulation with nine points and 11 rebounds.
For the first time since the opening game, Boyle changed his starting lineup, inserting the 6-6 freshmen Johnson in the place of the 6-4 senior Chen. And Boyle’s move paid immediate dividends as the Buffs started fast by slowing it down. CU controlled the pace and led by as many as 17 points (30-13) with 4:30 remaining in the first half.
CU pulled away with a 15-1 run, and “XJ” was instrumental in that spurt. After opening the scoring with a layup, he finished the half with 12 points, including a pair of the Buffs’ six three-pointers that tied their season high. They finished 10-of-21 from beyond the arc.
But CU was certain that Arizona would snap to life, and it happened in the half’s final 4:30. After their long drought (three field goals) in the opening 15 minutes, the Wildcats closed the half on a 14-4 run and trailed by only 7 (34-27) at intermission.
Helping Johnson with CU’s first-half scoring load was Booker, who contributed three of the Buffs’ treys and finished the half with 11 points. But a Booker miscue in the final 25 seconds also helped the Wildcats boost their momentum heading into their locker room. At the 3.5 second mark, a Booker turnover and subsequent foul sent Nick Johnson to the foul line.
He hit both free throws with 2.2 seconds showing, cutting the Buffs’ lead to 34-27 and finally awakening the McHale Center crowd. But Arizona’s total tied for its lowest of the season, and it matched its field goal total with seven turnovers.
The Buffs opened the second half with the same intensity as they did the first, outscoring the Wildcats 7-0 on two free throws by Scott, a three-pointer by Roberson from the right corner on an assist by Booker and a Roberson throw-down in transition on a sweet lob by Dinwiddie.
CU was up again by 14 (43-29), but the Buffs knew they couldn’t rest on that margin. And other factors came into play: About 51/2 minutes in, both teams had to sit a star each. Roberson went to his bench with three fouls and Solomon Hill to his with four fouls.
After Arizona pulled to within 10 (45-35), Chen replaced Roberson and promptly contributed a conventional three-point play, then hit a trey from the left corner as the Buffs went back ahead by 16 (56-40).
The Buffs were expecting a Wildcats run, but they withstood this one. Just shy of the 10-minute mark, Chen delivered another trey to push CU up 59-49, and the Buffs held that 10-point margin until Lyons hit a layup and Hill followed with a three-pointer.
Suddenly, Arizona was within six (64-58) with just over 6 minutes left.
No sweat for Chen. He hit consecutive layups – the second on a goal-tending call – to restore a double-digit CU lead (68-58) with 41/2 to play. The Buffs kept that 10-point advantage (73-63) on a trey by Booker from the left wing with 2:47 left.
Booker hit two free throws at the 1:53 mark for another 10-point CU lead (75-65), but a traditional three-point play by Lyons pulled the Wildcats to within 75-68 with 1:49 remaining.
With 1:33 left, Arizona trimmed CU’s lead to 78-73 on a three-pointer by Hill, then to 78-74 on one of two free throws by Johnson as Roberson committed a turnover and fouled out. The Wildcats caught the Buffs at 80-80 on Lyons’ pair of free throws, setting up Chen’s nullified three-pointer at the buzzer.
And if the replay monitor wasn’t kind to the Buffs, neither was overtime.
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