Klee’s Corner

Denver Gazette sports editor Paul Klee dishes on the local sports scene every Sunday:

Here’s the signage you see outside the practice rink of the Avalanche:

“Players ejected from Lazertron will not receive a refund. Sorry.”

Lazertron! The Stanley Cup champs practice next to laser tag.

So hold off on the tears after a survey suggested the Broncos work in a sub-par facility.

Sorry.

In case you missed it, here were the grades awarded to the Broncos’ workplace in a NFLPA survey of players:

—Treatment of families: D-plus

—Locker room: D-plus

—Nutrition: D

—Weight room: B-plus

—Strength staff: A-minus (ironic, since strength guru Loren Landow has been released)

—Training room: C-plus

—Training staff: B

—Travel: B-plus

If the Broncos think they have it rough, drive the 90 seconds over to the Avs’ facility. Friday afternoon, I swung through “Family Sports” and a 12-and-under pee wee game had broken out on the Avs’ rink. Girls skated with boys. Parents sipped Coors Lights. It was beautiful sports.

And it showed the NFL’s second-longest playoff drought has no business complaining.

What’s fun and comforting about the Broncos grading low in facilities and family relations is that Sean Payton is the coach now, and Payton doesn’t strike me as a man who rewards failure.

Payton strikes me as an “earn it” guy.

For example, the video games already have been unplugged from the Broncos’ players lounge. No “Chuck E. Cheese” here.

After seven straight seasons without a playoff berth, the Broncos should earn better digs.

The one category that irked the Broncos was a ‘D-minus’ earned in “treatment of families.” It was a peculiar grade, considering the Broncos last season hired someone dedicated to family hospitality, as well as the debut of a private entrance for players’ families at Empower Field.

And I’ve seen Ciara’s parking spot. It’s front row. So it wasn’t the pop star awarding a D-plus.

There are some real beefs in NFL workplaces. The Jaguars had rats in the laundry hampers. The Commanders’ showers had hot water issues. The Chiefs have Jackson Mahomes.

The NFLPA survey seemed a bit quirky, but I guess most surveys are quirky. NFL folks believe Kansas City, for example, employs one of the premier training staffs in pro sports. But the Chiefs’ training staff was dinged with a D-minus, odd for the super-healthy Super Bowl champs.

If the NFL and NFLPA desire a fairer and more comprehensive analysis of 32 workplaces, hire a neutral third party. Get an objective look.

But the Broncos don’t need a new locker room, uniforms, players lounge, new anything.

The Broncos need to win more games.

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Speaking of Broncos upgrades, meet Zach Strief.

The first upgrade on the offensive line is the new position coach.

Strief played 12 seasons for Payton with the Saints. Before that, the 320-pound right tackle started 40 straight games at Northwestern, where is he included in the school’s hall of fame.

Strief coached two seasons with the Saints.

Here’s an early prediction for his offensive line in Denver: it will take a leap. Strief is sharp, detailed and has the trust of a demanding coach in Payton. Plus, he owns a brewery in New Orleans, so he’ll fit right in here in Denver.

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Ignore ESPN hot-takers Richard Jefferson (“Jokic never gets a hockey assist)” and Kendrick Perkins, who claimed the Joker is the two-time NBA MVP because he’s a white guy.

The Nikola Jokic praise of late far outnumbers the hate.

Paul George on JJ Redick’s podcast: “We tried everything. … We had no answer for him.”

Cavs guard Caris LeVert to reporters: “It’s tough, because he doesn’t have any weaknesses.”

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla to reporters: “You can’t prepare for every situation because you don’t know where he’s going to be.”

Cavs star Donovan Mitchell to reporters: “I can’t lie. I don’t know if you guys have been watching what Jokic has been doing. It’s (expletive) outrageous.”

Athletes always know the score.

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Colorado stud of the week: Dalton Knecht, Northern Colorado basketball

Round of applause for UNC scoring machine Dalton Knecht, a Thornton product who led the Big Sky in scoring at 20.1 points per game.

“When people ask me about Dalton, the one thing I can say with 100% certainty is he is one of the rare players who absolutely lives basketball,” UNC coach Steve Smiley told me Friday. “Some like it, some love it, very few live it. Dalton is one of those players who is absolutely obsessed with the game and finding ways to get better every single day.”

Knecht has another season of eligibility left. Return for another go-round, and the 2024 Big Sky player of the year list begins in Greeley.

“I believe his best days are still ahead of him,” Smiley said. “That’s a scary thought, because he’s already a very special player.”

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On Tap

Coming this week in Denver Gazette sports:

Monday: Kyle Fredrickson brings an exhaustive analysis on the future of the Avs’ facilities.

Tuesday: Danielle Allentuck’s weekly “MLB Insider” checks in with Rockies spring training.

Wednesday: Tyler King profiles a new member of Coach Prime’s CU Buffs coaching staff.

Thursday: Chris Schmaedeke debuts our weekly “Golf Insider” with the best 18 holes in Denver Metro Area.

Friday-Sunday: Full coverage from title week at the CHSAA state basketball tournament.

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One question

Should Deion Sanders, who hit .385 vs. the Rockies during his MLB career, throw out the first pitch at Coors Field’s Opening Day?