I appreciate everyone's thoughts.
Jatax: I appreciate it - I also know there's no such thing as a f2 18-200. Just wishing.
As for what I think would be an appropriate range, I'm usually on the track next to the field (think about 7 or 8 lanes) and the cheerleaders use the whole width from stunting to just line chants. Those distances are usually from 10' out to about 100' by the time I stand on the end of the end zone and look down to about the 50 yard line.
When indoors, I'm usually sitting near the judges table, and the team uses the back 2/3rds of their mat which usually is the width of a full gym. That's why I don't think I'll need to go much past a 300mm on a "c" sensor. So would there really be much of a difference between a sigma 18-250 and Pentax 18-135 in terms of quality? If not, I would think I'd want the extra power. I don't want to get too strong on either end of the zoom range, but I can't loose wide angle (the 70-200 would be good for indoors as it gives me up to equivalent of a 300 in normal 35mm range). Plus I think the lighting should be bright enough that I don't think I'd need to use much faster than a 6400 ISO, I did 'ok' with my other camera which only went up to 3200 w/ its f4 lens.
(thanks for the thoughts DMS, but I'm not a beginner, just have had too many other things in the past to keep up with DSLR cameras - I enjoyed photography for over 30 years, have a Nikkormat, a Canon AE1 with winder/multiple zooms, filters etc) and for a while started going down the Minolta digital line up. I'm just getting embarrassed with all in one 35mm-400 non-interchangeable lens camera of late). Hopefully they'll see on ebay and give me a little more operating range!
What appeals to me about the upcoming K3 is (1) it does have an extended operating range over the 7100 (down to about 14 degrees) and (b) the in-camera stabilizer helps keep the lens costs down. Plus it looks like it might be stronger and better sealed for those rainy and cold football games that I 'suffer' through.
Interested-Observer those are great suggestions, I've looked at all of them of course. Which leads me to ask, How good would it be to get a used lenses? Think there might be something really good (I don't think at AF on a lens is a must if the view finder is good for the indoors). Will this only take the KAF mounts? I am starting to see that Pentax has some relationships with other vendors, but does the parent company possible extend some lens options without the Pentax name?
True to photography is a skill, not a mechanical process - but better equipment can lead to better results!
(this is all part of my research of course! - I figure what ever I start with is going to last a long time, many camera bodies and lens systems, and flash systems to go through over time!)
Thanks folks!