Athletic Department on the move

Rick George sent out his periodical “Athletic Department Update” this morning, with the headline being that the athletic department staff has begun their move into their new home, The Champions Center.

Here’s what George had to say:

“If you have visited the campus in the last month or completed the Bolder Boulder 10K, you have seen our CU Athletics Champions Center get closer to completion every day. Much of the outer brickwork has been completed, and the insides are coming together. Our equipment staff began moving into the building the second week of June, which occurred by design, as they have a lot of physical work to do ahead of football season.

Practice starts on August 5, only seven weeks from now, and it will be upon us before you know it. Our facilities staff, headed by Jason DePaepe, has developed a timeline for moving over two dozen different departments into the Champions Center. The sports medicine and strength and conditioning staffs will be the next to move in (both by the second week in July) and in concert with our building’s tenant, the CU Sports Medicine and Performance Center, which is set to open on Monday, July 15.

As it stands now, all departments will be housed in our new “digs” by August 21.”

The timeline on this project was crazy from the beginning, but all things considered, they have been able to stay on, or very close to their goals. The faster all this is completed, the faster CU can begin to reap the benefits. Impressive stuff.

You can read the full update here.

Vegas, Baby

Basketball in Las Vegas, it’s becoming a staple for Colorado Basketball fans, first it was the IBN Sports Classic at the Orleans Arena in 2010, then, of course the Buffs began their yearly stop in Sin City with the Pac-12 tournament making the move to the MGM Grand in 2012. In 2013-14 the Buffs doubled-down by adding a neutral site game against Oklahoma State at the MGM in december.

This year the Buffs will double up again, as the program announced today that they will be participating in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic, once again at the Orleans Arena.

Colorado MBB Headed To Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic http://t.co/qd9YzCnok2 @cubuffs @CUBoulder #gobuffs pic.twitter.com/vkKp4acoe7

— Colorado Men's Basketball (@CUBuffsMBB) June 18, 2015

The field includes SMU, Penn State, Kent State, Canisius, Hampton, Louisiana Monroe, and Nicholls State, but only the semis and the finals will be played in Vegas. It’s very likely the Buffs will face Kent State or Penn State in the semis and, if they win, SMU in the finals.

The overall field here isn’t anything special, but if the Buffs can get the matchup with SMU, that gives them two strong opponents already in the non-con with Iowa Sate on the schedule already.

Strictly business.

Silver linings

In case you needed a reminder how awesome Colorado’s new uniforms are going to be, and the awesome combinations they will have at their disposal, cornerbacks coach Charles Clark tweeted out a picture of the possible options involving white jerseys and silver pants.

Which do YOU like the best?!?! pic.twitter.com/fdVbfsQnkp

— Charles Clark (@CoachClark3) June 18, 2015

To me, it’s a no brainer that the silver helmet is the best. This is actually one of my favorite combos of any of the new possible options, mage just with different socks/cleats.

I get the feeling you will be seeing that combo in either the Hawaii or Colorado State game.

Tweet of the day

Tweet of the day/week month just goes to everything defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt has been doing on twitter lately, he just always sounds so excited, and you can tell it’s genuine.

Some examples:

Sun coming up over the mountains! Awesome. Player meetings this morning. They are the best. Heading to All Poly in Utah then Houston Friday!

— Jim Leavitt (@CoachJimLeavitt) June 18, 2015

Recruiting on fire. Why not as I look at the backdrop of mountains over the stadium. Great University, awesome facilities, PAC 12! Go Buffs!

— Jim Leavitt (@CoachJimLeavitt) June 17, 2015

3:30 am and can't sleep. Meetings with players this morning. Our players a so much fun to be around. That's why I coach. To be around them!

— Jim Leavitt (@CoachJimLeavitt) June 16, 2015

That is just a small sample, I could embed his entire timeline, or you can just go check it out for yourself.

@CoachJimLeavitt