Sportsget yourSPortS newS at gazette.com

●olymPic logo a coPycat?Creators of the Rio 2016 logo dismiss claims from Brazilian media that they plagiarized from Telluride Foundation. Page 2

MONDAY ❘ January 3, 2011719-636-0250 or SPortS@gazette.comDeliverY questiONs? CAll 1-866-632-NeWs

GAMEDAY WEEK 17 chArGErs 33, broncos 28

end of an error

DENVER • No team could have been happier to see the calendar turn to 2011 than the Denver Broncos.

They couldn’t escape a dark cloud on or off the foot-ball field during a franchise-worst 12-loss season.

The San Diego Chargers (9-7) weren’t that far behind, though. Their four-year reign as AFC West cham-pions ended last week and their season came to a halt Sunday after a 33-28 victory.

Chargers quarterback Phil-ip Rivers was glad to put a disappointing year behind him, and he shared a New Year’s resolution with Ryan Mathews, San Diego’s highly touted running back whose rookie season was bogged down by injuries and incon-

sistency.“I had mentioned to him,

‘Hey, this is the first game for next year. Let’s go. Let’s do something we can build on,’” Rivers said.

Mathews obliged, gaining 120 yards on 26 carries and scoring on runs of 27, 12 and 31 yards.

“I thought it was a great start to this new year,” Riv-ers said. “He’s going to be a great runner for us, a great player for us. When you’re a rookie ... a lot is being asked of you.”

Broncos quarterback Tim

by Arnie StApletonThe Associated Press—

Worst season in franchise history ends with home loss

—

sEE bRoNcos • PagE 5

DENVER • John Elway rode into the sunset after the most thrilling farewell in sports history. Now, he’s riding back to rescue the Broncos.

This is an inspired move by owner Pat Bowlen, who watched his team undergo a rapid, near-complete dis-mantling by Josh McDan-iels. Elway is the right man to undertake this massive rebuilding project.

His timing is perfect as he returns as vice president of football operations. As Elway prepares to direct the same team he carried to five Super Bowls, he can only push them upward.

Sunday, the Broncos completed a spectacularly dreadful 4-12 season with a 33-28 loss to the San Diego

Chargers. If the Broncos don’t reside at the bottom of the NFL, they are extremely close.

But here’s the beauty of Elway’s return:

He delivers hope. Brandon Lloyd looked

over to the sidelines at prac-tice earlier this season and saw Elway standing there. Lloyd is one of the NFL’s top receivers. He’s a grown man.

But his heart started

Elway can fix this, but it’s going to take awhile

—

sEE RaMsEY • PagE 5

MorE insiDE

• �The Packers has ’em Lambeau leaping for joy after beating the Bears to clinch a playoff spot. Page �4 • � The Seahawks dropped the Rams to be the first team with a losing record to win a division title. Page �5 � • � �The Colts get a last-second field goal from Adam Vinatieri to win the AFC South, again. Page �5

PlaYER of thE gaME

ryan Mathews, chargers running back: He carried 26 times for 120 yards. That’s bad enough. But he also scored three touchdowns — of 12, 27 and 31 yards. The Chargers torched the Broncos’ defense for 447 yards.

Broncos quarter-back Tim Tebow got sacked by Chargers defenders Ogemdi Nwagbuo and Antonio Garay, behind, in the third quarter Sunday at Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium.The Broncos completed a 4-12 season with a 33-28 loss.

JerIlee BeNNeTT, THe GAzeTTe

oPiNioN

david �ramseydavid.ramsey@ gazette.com / 476-4895

shoRt DaY foR JacksoNWidefield High School graduate Vincent Jackson sprained his left ankle while hauling in a 26-yard pass on Sunday against the Broncos. He finished the day with three catches for 53 yards and an abbreviated season (5 games after a holdout and suspension) with 14 catches for 248 yards and three touchdowns.

oNliNE > GalleryVisit the website for more photos from the Broncos’

season finale against the Chargers. gazette.com

●

Air Force center Taylor

Broekhuis shot over

Florida A&M’s

Yannick Crowder in

the Falcons’ 81-48 win

Sunday at Clune

Arena. Broekhuis

led the Fal-cons with 15 points

and six rebounds.

MARK REIS, THE GAZETTE

red-hot start powers falcons to easy win

air force 81, florida a&m 48

Through the first seven minutes of Sunday’s game, Air Force was just about perfect.

Air Force led Florida A&M 18-0 to start Sunday’s game at Clune Arena. Flor-ida A&M missed its first 12 shots, including all six from behind the 3-point line. The Falcons won 81-48, the larg-est margin of victory since beating Prairie View A&M 75-41 last season, to improve

to 9-4. They open Mountain West play against Utah on Wednesday.

The Falcons’ defense was sharp in the great start, forcing a lot of misses. Flor-ida A&M also missed a few layups that could have final-

by frank schwabfrank.schwab@gazette.com—

—

see air force • Page 3

NeXTUtah at Air Force, 8 p.m. Wednesday, The

Mnt. 740 AM

hot vancouver edges avs in penalty-filled game

canucks 2, avalanche 1

DENVER • The Vancouver Canucks didn’t need their offensive stars to keep their streak going.

Roberto Luongo made 31 saves, fourth-line forwards Alexandre Bolduc and Ma-son Raymond scored and the streaking Canucks beat the Colorado Avalanche 2-1 in a penalty-filled game Sun-day night.

Bolduc’s goal was the first of his career, and he as-sisted on Raymond’s tally.

Raymond scored in his first game back after missing 10 games with an injured right thumb.

“It’s nice to see. We’ve got guys chipping in every night, it’s not always the same guys producing,” Luongo said. “You need that over the

The Associated Press—

—

sEE aVs • PagE 3

neXTBuffalo at Colorado, 7 p.m. Tuesday, ALT,

1300 AM