The USMNT’s 4-1 rout of Paraguay in the World Cup opener reminded me of quarterback Peyton Manning’s glory days running the Broncos offense.

– R., football/futbol nut

Kiz: A U.S. soccer star was born Friday night. Striker Folarin Balogun became the first American player to score twice in a World Cup match in nearly a century. But that’s not the most amazing part of the story. This 24-year-old man known as “Flo,” who’s crucial to making the USMNT offense flow, is an American by happy accident. Back in 2001, only months before Balogun was born, his Nigerian mother was visiting the USA as a tourist, and when she got ready to leave, she was so pregnant that her access to the departing flight was denied. After being born in Brooklyn, Balogun grew up playing soccer in England. But after being heavily recruited by the USMNT, he chose to live the American dream on the pitch.  

There’s no reason the Nuggets can’t be next year’s Knicks with a couple upgrades.

– Steve, ever hopeful

Kiz: The NBA draft is just around the corner on June 23. If Boston pulls off a blockbuster trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, while the Denver front-office  brass sits on their hands, would that be considered a sign of complacency that Josh Kroenke cited after the Nuggets got bounced from the playoffs? 

The flopping by NBA players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of those things that would never fly at Sunday pick-up games, but pros get away with it.

– Greg, Fort Collins

Kiz: The day (or decade) is coming when robots and artificial intelligence replace referees in all sports. But until that technological breakthrough, the knuckleheads here at Kickin’ It Headquarters believe there would be less flopping to draw a foul and griping about calls if the NBA left it to the players to call their own fouls and police the game themselves. You think I’m kidding? 

Warren Schaeffer isn’t the guy for the Rockies. This team needs a manager with experience, not somebody learning as he goes.

– Andy, Denver

Kiz: After opening the season looking like something resembling a competent major league team with a 16-19 record through April, the team that Paul DePodesta built has looked more like the pitiful Pet Rocks that we’ve been forced to endure for far too long. While the wins and inevitable 100 losses count in the standings, this team remains so thin on talent that maybe it doesn’t really matter who fills out the lineup card. Schaeffer brings energy and enthusiasm to the job. But he’s basically a babysitter for young players learning the major-league ropes, while keeping a seat in the dugout warm for a top-flight manager when the Rockies grow up and become a legit playoff contender. 

And today’s parting shot wonders why the Nuggets’ first big personnel decision of the offseason was to dump longtime TV broadcasters Chris Marlowe and Scott Hastings.

Dumb decision. Both these guys will be missed during Nuggets telecasts.

– Steve, hogs the TV remote