Rockies’ Blackmon calls retiring ‘right decision’
DENVER — The Colorado Rockies‘ lineup hung in the clubhouse Tuesday with a familiar name in the leadoff spot: Charlie Blackmon.
The veteran outfielder has batted at or near the top of the order in Colorado for years and will do so as he winds down his All-Star career during the final week of the season. Blackmon announced Monday he will retire following Sunday’s game after 14 seasons, all with the Rockies — a tenure surpassed only by franchise icon and Hall of Fame first baseman Todd Helton.
Blackmon spoke to reporters at Coors Field with his family, most of his current teammates and one former teammate, St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, on hand.
“I feel like I’ve never really worked a day in my life, but I do work really hard,” said Blackmon, with his daughter Josie, 3, and son Wyatt, 1, on his lap. “So, it’s going to be very different on the other side. But at the same time, I think it’s the right decision. The game is being played at such a high level, it really demands a certain amount of time, physical ability, health, strength.”
The 38-year-old Blackmon was clean-shaven back when he made his major league debut on June 7, 2011. He split time between the minors and Colorado before sticking with the Rockies in 2014, and began to grow his signature bushy beard. That was the start of a six-season stretch in which he hit .306 with 163 home runs and 472 RBIs.
He won the 2017 NL batting title with a .331 average, driving in a major league-record 101 runs from the leadoff spot, and helped Colorado reach the postseason in 2017 and 2018.
“For me, the best leadoff hitter I’ve ever gotten a chance to play with,” said Arenado, who played with Blackmon for seven seasons in Colorado before being traded to the Cardinals in 2021. “And one of the smartest players I got to play with, too.”
Blackmon will retire as the franchise leader in triples — he had 67 heading into Tuesday’s game — and second to Helton in hits, doubles, total bases and games played. Blackmon had an injury-plagued 2023 and didn’t know if he would continue, but a strong finish to last season convinced him to play in 2024.
“I was prepared for it last year should things not go my way,” he said. “I broke my hand and was able to come back and play well. It was kind of a blessing, like having the game taken away from me, briefly, and realizing I wasn’t done. I still wanted to play.
“I knew coming back this year was the right decision. I came into this season eyes wide open, knowing this could very well be my last go-round. I knew going into spring training this was probably going to be my last season.”
Blackmon, who entered the final six games hitting .249 with 11 home runs and 48 RBIs, said he wants to be involved with the organization in the future.
“I’ve already had some conversations with some very important people that are going to allow me to be a part of the group,” Blackmon said. “I do still want to very much be part of the Colorado Rockies family, just not [sure] exactly how yet.”
He hasn’t made a decision on his beard.
“My wife, Ashley, has never seen me without it, so I’m a little concerned how that will be received,” he said. “There will be a time when I have to reveal my naked face.”
PASASDENA, Calif. — Nico Iamaleava threw for two touchdowns and ran for three more on Saturday as UCLA notched its first win of the season in stunning fashion, knocking off No. 7 Penn State 42-37 at the Rose Bowl.
The Nittany Lions, who lost to Oregon at home last week for their first loss of the season, have suddenly dropped two straight, and could fall out of the Associated Press Top 25 after a sluggish performance that saw the Bruins (1-4) take a 27-7 lead before holding off the visitors.
Penn State (3-2) allowed more than 400 yards to a team that hadn’t held a lead all season, and is being led by interim coach Tim Skipper after DeShaun Foster was fired Sept. 14.
“It feels great. That is a valiant team and our coaches, we stuck together. Everyone counted us out, we just needed to keep going to work,” Skipper said on the CBS game broadcast. “Every single play counted today. That is a top-notch Penn State team. We kept our minds right and just continued to execute.”
The Bruins became the first 0-4 team to defeat a top-10 team since 1985, when UTEP knocked off BYU.
“Ballers always ball out,” Skipper said of Iamaleava. “He shows up every single week. I’m glad he’s on my team, I will say that.”
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David Hale
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The stands at Kenan Stadium were nearly empty long before halftime, and the fervor that surrounded the hiring of Bill Belichick at North Carolina has, in the span of just five games, devolved into exasperation and frustration after the Tar Heels looked awful yet again in a 38-10 loss to Clemson.
UNC trailed 28-3 after the first quarter, giving up 14 points on Clemson’s first four plays. The Heels are now 0-3 against Power 4 teams, having been outscored by a combined total of 120-33.
Despite the struggles, Belichick shrugged off a need for structural changes so soon into his tenure.
“The main thing we need to do is to keep doing what we’re doing but do them better,” Belichick said. “Fundamentally we’re not doing the wrong things, we’re just not doing them well enough.”
Belichick chalked up Saturday’s defeat to self-inflicted wounds at “two or three critical times” and noted that execution and coaching are to blame.
“It’s a lack of concentration,” he said, “and part of that is coaching, too, so I’ll take my share of the responsibility.”
Saturday’s implosion comes just days after a letter from GM Mike Lombardi to donors was released publicly, in which Lombardi calls this a “rebuilding” campaign for the Tar Heels and explains in detail about a dearth of talent on this year’s team due to exits from past recruiting classes.
After the loss to Clemson, Belichick downplayed the branding of a rebuild, but when asked directly what he’s telling recruits about the status of the program, he appeared to acknowledge a long-term approach.
“We’re honest with them, honest that we’re building, and if you want to be a part of a program that’s being built, then we’re here for you,” Belichick said.
That’s not the notion UNC’s players seemed to embrace after a 2-3 start.
Quarterback Max Johnson, who got his first start Saturday in place of injured Gio Lopez, said he feels UNC has enough talent, and receiver Jordan Shipp strongly pushed back against the notion this program was in need of a rebuild.
“I’m not here to rebuild, I’m here to win football games,” Shipp said. “That’s why I’m here. Whatever they’re doing with the donors, that has nothing to do with me. I’m here to win football games and that’s what 100% of my focus is on.”
Belichick said he won’t make changes in personnel based on a long-term vision of the program, despite the poor results early on.
“The guys who deserve to play are going to play,” he said. “I’m not going to base it on how old they are or whatever. Guys that play the best deserve to play. We’ll see how that goes. My expectations are to come in and have a good week this week and get ready for Cal.”
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