Here’s when I knew Colorado is adjusting to life as a college basketball state (at least from Broncos-season-is-over through the end of March):

A half-dozen Buffs gave me the business for covering No. 24 CSU’s big win against San Diego State on Wednesday — and not covering CU’s big win against Arizona on Thursday. Fair enough. Trust me, I desperately wanted to be at Coors Events Center when CU avenged the bad-call loss in Tucson. But there were other duties (a different column) to care for.

(On a related note, since I haven’t written this elsewhere, here’s what Yahoo! Sports bracketologist Brad Evans said when I asked him how the NCAA tournament committee will view CU’s bad-call loss at Arizona: “If Colorado truly emerges as a bubble team, it will be weighed, and likely heavily. CU had a clear ‘W’ against an uber-quality opponent on the road snatched away.”)

It is refreshing to see our state embrace its college basketball programs. If their fans are mad at me, they care. Two are in the RPI top 20 (CU, CSU) and another features one of the nation’s great scorers (AFA, Michael Lyons). They should care.

My responsibilities as the Denver sports columnist are primarily with the Broncos and Rockies, as well as the Nuggets and Avs. But when there is an opportunity to commentate on college basketball… that’s where I hope to be, since that’s where my sports heart always will be. And there’s not a hotter topic right now than Tad Boyle, Larry Eustachy and Dave Pilipovich’s teams.

As for this blog, I’m hoping it becomes an interactive place where we can share a good back-and-forth. And if you’re not one for the comments section, feel free to email (paul.klee@gazette) or on Twitter (@Klee_Gazette). I will respond quickly.

Coming in Wednesday’s Gazette: The post-All-Star-break state of the Nuggets, who host the Celtics at Pepsi Center tonight.

Klee