thedenverpost--2020-11-15--Dustin Johnson plays like No. 1 and seizes control at the Masters

AUGUSTA , Ga. — Dustin Johnson began his assault on Augusta National with a 5-iron for a tap-in eagle , and he never relented until he matched the 54-hole record at the Masters and built a four-shot lead to put himself in prime position for another major .
Johnson has been in this position before , and he plans to lean on his experience .
Not from the 82 he shot at Pebble Beach in the 2010 U.S. Open .
Not the three-putt from 12 feet on a bumpy 18th green that cost him at Chambers Bay .
Not even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago at Harding Park .
They were among four times he had at least a share of the 54-hole lead in a major without converting .
He ’ s talking about the last three days at Augusta National .
It ’ s been a masterful performance .
“ If I can play like I did today , I think it will break that streak , ” Johnson said Saturday .
“ Tomorrow , it ’ s just 18 holes of golf .
I need to go out and play solid .
I feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If I can just continue to give myself a lot of looks at birdie , I think I ’ ll have a good day.
” A third round that began with 10 players separated by one shot turned into a one-man show .
The No .
1 player in the world looked every bit the part with a 7-under 65 , pulling away with the eagle and two birdies in the opening four holes , nearly holing a wedge from the seventh fairway , handling the par 5s on the back nine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 holes without a bogey .
He was at 16-under 200 , matching the 54-hole record Jordan Spieth set in 2015 when he won the Masters by four shots over Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose .
The cast of challengers are not nearly as experienced .
Two of them are Masters rookies .
Sungjae Im , the supreme ball-striker from South Korea who won his first PGA Tour title two weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down golf in the spring , birdied the last hole for 68 .
Abraham Ancer of Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 69 .
Joining them at 12-under 204 was Cameron Smith of Australia , who had 12 straight pars before running off three straight birdies and then closing with three scrambling pars for a 69 .
“ He ’ s been there before multiple times , and No .
1 in the world , ” Ancer said .
“ I think he ’ s right where he wants to be .
We know that we have to go low , and that ’ s it .
It ’ s very simple .
If DJ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like today , it ’ s going to be pretty much impossible to catch him .
Whatever has to be done out there has to be pretty special.
” Still , there is enormous pressure on Johnson because of his history .
He has not converted two 54-hole leads , nor has he won at two majors where he shared the 54-hole lead .
His only major was the 2016 U.S. Open when he rallied from four shots behind at Oakmont .
“ Anyone with a four-shot lead is expected to win , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s going to be plenty of boys firing tomorrow.
” Attacking flags is what Augusta National has allowed in November , with rain earlier in the week and warm , calm conditions that have kept the turf soft and vulnerable .
Johnson , who had to sit out two tournaments after testing positive for the coronavirus a month ago , still came into the Masters having won twice , finishing runner-up three times and tying for sixth in the U.S. Open .
“ I ’ m very comfortable with having the lead going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this situation a lot of times , ” Johnson said .
“ I ’ m looking forward to the challenge .
It ’ s still going to be a tough day .
I ’ m going to have to play well if I want to get it done.
” Justin Thomas and Jon Rahm had their chances only to make untimely mistakes .
Rahm nearly topped his second shot on the par-5 eighth , which he attributed to mud on his golf ball , and hit his next one off a tree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a double bogey .
Thomas sailed his second shot over the 15th green and into the water , making bogey on a par 5 where he was hoping to make up ground .
Both bogeyed the 18th hole .
Thomas shot 71 , Rahm had a 72 .
“ Seriously ?
How would I describe ?
Pretty awful , ” he said .
Starting times for the final round have been moved up to finish by 3 p.m. so CBS can honor its NFL contract , and it will be threesomes off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , and all year , there will be no roars to add to the pressure .
“ Unfortunately for all of us chasing DJ is there ’ s no fans or nothing to make that moment even harder , to have the buzz , to have the adrenaline , to have a little bit more pressure put on him that won ’ t be there this year , ” Thomas said .
Defending champion Tiger Woods will stick around Sunday to present the green jacket , and he ’ ll have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returns .
Woods was 4 under through 10 holes to start the Masters , and he picked up only one more shot over the next 44 holes .
He finished off a 71 in the second round Saturday morning , had a 72 in the third round and was 11 shots behind .
U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau was more dizzy than sore .
He felt so odd on Thursday night that he had another COVID-19 test to be sure — it came back negative — and the betting favorite of this Masters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 13 shots behind .
The scoring has been low all week .
The 36-hole cut Saturday morning was at even-par 144 , the lowest in Masters history , another update to the club ’ s record book .
Still in front of Johnson is a chance to set the 72-hole record .
All he cares about is a green jacket , and given his past experience , he knows better than to look ahead .

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Dustin Johnson began his assault on Augusta National with a 5-iron for a tap-in eagle, and he never relented until he matched the 54-hole record at the Masters and built a four-shot lead to put himself in prime position for another major.
Johnson has been in this position before, and he plans to lean on his experience.
Not from the 82 he shot at Pebble Beach in the 2010 U.S. Open. Not the three-putt from 12 feet on a bumpy 18th green that cost him at Chambers Bay. Not even the one-shot lead he lost three months ago at Harding Park. They were among four times he had at least a share of the 54-hole lead in a major without converting.
He’s talking about the last three days at Augusta National. It’s been a masterful performance.
“If I can play like I did today, I think it will break that streak,” Johnson said Saturday. “Tomorrow, it’s just 18 holes of golf. I need to go out and play solid. I feel like I’m swinging really well. If I can just continue to give myself a lot of looks at birdie, I think I’ll have a good day.”
A third round that began with 10 players separated by one shot turned into a one-man show.
The No. 1 player in the world looked every bit the part with a 7-under 65, pulling away with the eagle and two birdies in the opening four holes, nearly holing a wedge from the seventh fairway, handling the par 5s on the back nine with two-putt birdies and going the last 30 holes without a bogey.
He was at 16-under 200, matching the 54-hole record Jordan Spieth set in 2015 when he won the Masters by four shots over Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose.
The cast of challengers are not nearly as experienced.
Two of them are Masters rookies. Sungjae Im, the supreme ball-striker from South Korea who won his first PGA Tour title two weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down golf in the spring, birdied the last hole for 68. Abraham Ancer of Mexico saved par on the 18th for a 69.
Joining them at 12-under 204 was Cameron Smith of Australia, who had 12 straight pars before running off three straight birdies and then closing with three scrambling pars for a 69.
“He’s been there before multiple times, and No. 1 in the world,” Ancer said. “I think he’s right where he wants to be. We know that we have to go low, and that’s it. It’s very simple. If DJ goes out there and plays really solid like today, it’s going to be pretty much impossible to catch him. Whatever has to be done out there has to be pretty special.”
Still, there is enormous pressure on Johnson because of his history. He has not converted two 54-hole leads, nor has he won at two majors where he shared the 54-hole lead. His only major was the 2016 U.S. Open when he rallied from four shots behind at Oakmont.
“Anyone with a four-shot lead is expected to win,” Smith said. “There’s going to be plenty of boys firing tomorrow.”
Attacking flags is what Augusta National has allowed in November, with rain earlier in the week and warm, calm conditions that have kept the turf soft and vulnerable.
Johnson, who had to sit out two tournaments after testing positive for the coronavirus a month ago, still came into the Masters having won twice, finishing runner-up three times and tying for sixth in the U.S. Open.
“I’m very comfortable with having the lead going into tomorrow. I’ve been in this situation a lot of times,” Johnson said. “I’m looking forward to the challenge. It’s still going to be a tough day. I’m going to have to play well if I want to get it done.”
Justin Thomas and Jon Rahm had their chances only to make untimely mistakes. Rahm nearly topped his second shot on the par-5 eighth, which he attributed to mud on his golf ball, and hit his next one off a tree and into the bushes on his way to a double bogey.
Thomas sailed his second shot over the 15th green and into the water, making bogey on a par 5 where he was hoping to make up ground. Both bogeyed the 18th hole. Thomas shot 71, Rahm had a 72.
Asked to describe his day, Rahm didn’t mince words.
“Seriously? How would I describe? Pretty awful,” he said.
Starting times for the final round have been moved up to finish by 3 p.m. so CBS can honor its NFL contract, and it will be threesomes off both tees. And just like all week, and all year, there will be no roars to add to the pressure.
“Unfortunately for all of us chasing DJ is there’s no fans or nothing to make that moment even harder, to have the buzz, to have the adrenaline, to have a little bit more pressure put on him that won’t be there this year,” Thomas said.
Defending champion Tiger Woods will stick around Sunday to present the green jacket, and he’ll have to leave his at Augusta National until he returns.
Woods was 4 under through 10 holes to start the Masters, and he picked up only one more shot over the next 44 holes. He finished off a 71 in the second round Saturday morning, had a 72 in the third round and was 11 shots behind.
U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau was more dizzy than sore. He felt so odd on Thursday night that he had another COVID-19 test to be sure — it came back negative — and the betting favorite of this Masters was in the middle of the pack, 13 shots behind.
The scoring has been low all week. The 36-hole cut Saturday morning was at even-par 144, the lowest in Masters history, another update to the club’s record book.
Still in front of Johnson is a chance to set the 72-hole record. All he cares about is a green jacket, and given his past experience, he knows better than to look ahead.


thedenverpost--2020-11-15--CU Buffs hold off Stanford behind Noyer’s big day

Why not the Buffs ?
USC needed a touchdown with 25 seconds left to rally past Arizona in Tucson .
Arizona State and Utah can ’ t shake the COVID bugs .
The next stop UCLA makes on defense will be the Bruins ’ first .
It ’ s 2020 .
Everything , including logic , went out the window months ago .
In a bonkers year , the Pac-12 South needs a bonkers sleeper .
Why not the Buffs ?
“ We ’ re going to keep going , ” CU quarterback Sam Noyer said after leading the Buffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and 2-0 in the Pac-12 , with a 35-32 win at Stanford early Saturday evening .
“ Two-and-oh is a great feeling .
We want to get to 3-0 .
“ And we ’ ve got to go back and watch the film and correct those mistakes .
But we ’ ve got something going here .
Something great going here .
We ’ re building something special with coach ( Karl ) Dorrell and this team.
” How special remains to be seen .
For the second straight weekend , CU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life to preserve a lead late .
Still : 2-0 is 2-0 .
Why not the Buffs ?
“ They ’ ve learned how to win .
They ’ ve learned how to win ugly , ” Dorrell said .
“ And that ’ s a good sign .
It ’ s a good trait to have in games like we had ( Saturday ) .
” They ’ re also building an identity , leading with a run game that ’ s alternated power and misdirection like the great option attacks of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 121 rushing yards on 27 carries ) brought the lightning , classmate Jaren Mangham ( 18 rushing yards , one touchdown ) added North-South thunder and Noyer ( 255 passing yards , 36 rushing yards , four total TDs ) kept the opposition honest .
A defense led by linebacker Nate Landman ( 14 tackles , 11 solo ) harassed Stanford quarterback Davis Mills all day , limited the Cardinal to 70 rushing yards and forced the hosts , down 35-16 at the start of the final quarter , to have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flip side , we haven ’ t seen how a Noyer-led CU attack fares when forced to play from behind .
But the grad student was yet again decisive , physical and cool in helping to build a massive lead .
The dual threat of Noyer and Broussard on the ground forced Stanford to try a corner blitz with 8:55 left in the third quarter as the Buffs lined up for a second-and-5 at the Cardinal 34 .
That left freshman wideout Brenden Rice , son of NFL legend Jerry Rice , running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Noyer hit him with an easy rainbow that had CU up 27-9 before the extra point .
After giving up 42 points at home to UCLA , including 28 in the second half , in Dorell ’ s debut , CU ’ s defense racked up timely stop after timely stop over the first two quarters on the Farm .
Stanford was turned away on seven of its first eight third-down tries , and two straight long drives by the Cardinal offense stalled at the CU 15 and the CU 5 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five red-zone drives for the day , but were 0-for-2 in the first half .
“ If they can ’ t score , they can ’ t win , ” said Buffs linebacker Carson Wells , who finished with six stops , a sack and two pass break-ups .
“ That ’ s our mentality .
We don ’ t want to let them in the red zone , but once we do let them in the red zone , just hold them to field goals.
” The Cardinal made no secret about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pressure Noyer early and often until he made the hosts pay for it .
For the Buffs ’ first two drives , the gambit worked like a charm , forcing CU into a three-and-out punt , then a Hail Mary pick snared at the Stanford 10 .
But Noyer continued to chip away and got his own back on the Buffs ’ fourth drive , firing a quick slant to Dimitri Stanley that seemed to catch the Cardinal defense completely flat-footed .
Stanley , jets burning , outran the entire Stanford defense for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up 6-3 with 3:20 left in the first quarter .
Noyer looked even sharper on the Buffs ’ next drive .
With CU nursing a 7-6 cushion , the Buffs offense converted three third downs while marching 75 yards on 10 plays , capped by Noyer ’ s zone-read keeper for a 7-yard touchdown gallop .
Why not the Buffs ?
Why not now ?
“ Everybody ’ s buying in , guys are having fun out there playing , ” Noyer said .
“ It ’ s good to see that again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t seen that in a couple years .
And guys are really enjoying being out there on the sidelines .
Obviously , we want to win , but you see it from the fourth string all the way up to the first string .
And that ’ s a good feeling .
”

Why not the Buffs?
USC needed a touchdown with 25 seconds left to rally past Arizona in Tucson. Arizona State and Utah can’t shake the COVID bugs. The next stop UCLA makes on defense will be the Bruins’ first.
It’s 2020. Everything, including logic, went out the window months ago. In a bonkers year, the Pac-12 South needs a bonkers sleeper.
Why not the Buffs?
“We’re going to keep going,” CU quarterback Sam Noyer said after leading the Buffs to a 2-0 start to the season, and 2-0 in the Pac-12, with a 35-32 win at Stanford early Saturday evening. “Two-and-oh is a great feeling. We want to get to 3-0.
“And we’ve got to go back and watch the film and correct those mistakes. But we’ve got something going here. Something great going here. We’re building something special with coach (Karl) Dorrell and this team.”
How special remains to be seen. For the second straight weekend, CU started fast and had cling for dear life to preserve a lead late. Still: 2-0 is 2-0.
Why not the Buffs?
“They’ve learned how to win. They’ve learned how to win ugly,” Dorrell said. “And that’s a good sign. It’s a good trait to have in games like we had (Saturday).”
They’re also building an identity, leading with a run game that’s alternated power and misdirection like the great option attacks of CU lore. Sophomore tailback Jarek Broussard (121 rushing yards on 27 carries) brought the lightning, classmate Jaren Mangham (18 rushing yards, one touchdown) added North-South thunder and Noyer (255 passing yards, 36 rushing yards, four total TDs) kept the opposition honest.
A defense led by linebacker Nate Landman (14 tackles, 11 solo) harassed Stanford quarterback Davis Mills all day, limited the Cardinal to 70 rushing yards and forced the hosts, down 35-16 at the start of the final quarter, to have to air it out late.
On the flip side, we haven’t seen how a Noyer-led CU attack fares when forced to play from behind. But the grad student was yet again decisive, physical and cool in helping to build a massive lead.
The dual threat of Noyer and Broussard on the ground forced Stanford to try a corner blitz with 8:55 left in the third quarter as the Buffs lined up for a second-and-5 at the Cardinal 34. That left freshman wideout Brenden Rice, son of NFL legend Jerry Rice, running wide open up the left boundary, and Noyer hit him with an easy rainbow that had CU up 27-9 before the extra point.
After giving up 42 points at home to UCLA, including 28 in the second half, in Dorell’s debut, CU’s defense racked up timely stop after timely stop over the first two quarters on the Farm. Stanford was turned away on seven of its first eight third-down tries, and two straight long drives by the Cardinal offense stalled at the CU 15 and the CU 5, respectively.
Stanford managed three touchdowns on five red-zone drives for the day, but were 0-for-2 in the first half.
“If they can’t score, they can’t win,” said Buffs linebacker Carson Wells, who finished with six stops, a sack and two pass break-ups. “That’s our mentality. We don’t want to let them in the red zone, but once we do let them in the red zone, just hold them to field goals.”
The Cardinal made no secret about its plan in the early going: Pressure Noyer early and often until he made the hosts pay for it. For the Buffs’ first two drives, the gambit worked like a charm, forcing CU into a three-and-out punt, then a Hail Mary pick snared at the Stanford 10.
But Noyer continued to chip away and got his own back on the Buffs’ fourth drive, firing a quick slant to Dimitri Stanley that seemed to catch the Cardinal defense completely flat-footed. Stanley, jets burning, outran the entire Stanford defense for a 55-yard score that put the Buffs up 6-3 with 3:20 left in the first quarter.
Noyer looked even sharper on the Buffs’ next drive. With CU nursing a 7-6 cushion, the Buffs offense converted three third downs while marching 75 yards on 10 plays, capped by Noyer’s zone-read keeper for a 7-yard touchdown gallop.
Why not the Buffs?
Why not now?
“Everybody’s buying in, guys are having fun out there playing,” Noyer said. “It’s good to see that again. You know, I haven’t seen that in a couple years. And guys are really enjoying being out there on the sidelines. Obviously, we want to win, but you see it from the fourth string all the way up to the first string. And that’s a good feeling.”


thedenverpost--2020-11-15--Westminster Public Schools reverses course, opts to keep remote learning through winter break as COV

Westminster Public Schools reverses course, opts to keep remote learning through winter break as COVID cases surge

Westminster Public Schools will suspend in-person learning through winter break due to “ dangerously high COVID-19 levels in Adams County ” — an about-face from the district ’ s stance earlier this week to allow students to return on Monday .
“ In conversations with local leaders on Friday , we have learned now that new stay-at-home type restrictions are going to be issued , ” school Superintendent Pam Swanson said Saturday in a recorded video posted to the district ’ s website .
“ It ’ s thought that 1 in 58 Adams County residents now have COVID.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a benchmark for switching to remote learning , said Ryan McCoy , president of the Westminster Public Schools Board of Education .
The rising number of positive cases among staff and students , Swanson said , would have led to a situation where hundreds of students and staff on Monday would be forced to quarantine .
Westminster ’ s decision comes after its neighboring districts — Adams 12 Five Star Schools and Boulder Valley School District — elected this week to move all students to online learning through the end of the fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its roughly 8,500 students would return to school as planned on Nov. 16 , following a two-week remote-learning period as cases surged throughout the metro area and across Colorado .
That surge , however , has done anything but abate .
The school district announced that drive-thru meal distribution would continue to be available Monday through Friday next week .
The hours and locations can be found on the district website .
“ We are aware that the return to full-time remote learning is not the ideal solution for staff or students , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a very responsible step , ” the district said in a statement .
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado .

Westminster Public Schools will suspend in-person learning through winter break due to “dangerously high COVID-19 levels in Adams County” — an about-face from the district’s stance earlier this week to allow students to return on Monday.
“In conversations with local leaders on Friday, we have learned now that new stay-at-home type restrictions are going to be issued,” school Superintendent Pam Swanson said Saturday in a recorded video posted to the district’s website. “It’s thought that 1 in 58 Adams County residents now have COVID.”
That level of restriction has always been a benchmark for switching to remote learning, said Ryan McCoy, president of the Westminster Public Schools Board of Education.
The rising number of positive cases among staff and students, Swanson said, would have led to a situation where hundreds of students and staff on Monday would be forced to quarantine.
Westminster’s decision comes after its neighboring districts — Adams 12 Five Star Schools and Boulder Valley School District — elected this week to move all students to online learning through the end of the fall semester.
On Wednesday, Westminster announced its roughly 8,500 students would return to school as planned on Nov. 16, following a two-week remote-learning period as cases surged throughout the metro area and across Colorado.
That surge, however, has done anything but abate.
The school district announced that drive-thru meal distribution would continue to be available Monday through Friday next week. The hours and locations can be found on the district website.
“We are aware that the return to full-time remote learning is not the ideal solution for staff or students, but given the circumstances, this is a very responsible step,” the district said in a statement.
Because of dangerously high COVID-19 levels in Adams County and a new round of restrictions to slow the spread of the virus, WPS has made the difficult decision to suspend in-person learning thru the winter break. Video: https://t.co/MvHuDtoizM More info https://t.co/LNmbK1T7uJ — Westminster Public Schools (@WPSNewsNow) November 14, 2020
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado.


thedenverpost--2020-11-14--Jackson: Broncos’ slow starts begins with ineffective run game

The Broncos offense has been coming out flatter than a pancake .
Whether that ’ s just Drew Lock or the entire offense , they seem unsure of themselves .
In fairness , this offense is one of the youngest in the NFL and has had minimal time together , with offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur estimating they missed upwards of 1,400 reps in the offseason .
But right now , it ’ s almost as if we are watching them practice on Sundays , working out the kinks .
They start to gel as the game wears on , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but by then it is too late .
Like many “ West Coast Offense ” coaches , Shurmur scripts the first 15 plays of the game .
Bill Walsh started the practice in San Francisco , which was later used by Mike Shanahan and many other successful NFL coaches .
The theory is you want to mix in everything you ’ ve been working on all week .
Everything you hope will be effective in the game .
You want to try it all out in the first quarter .
The plays that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ones that don ’ t , you scrap .
Sometimes the situation calls for a different play than what ’ s on the script .
For example , it could be third-and-8 but the next play on the script is a run .
So you go off the script for a play , then you come back to it .
Walsh ’ s teams usually came out hot .
So did Shanahan ’ s .
Scripting the first 15 has worked in the past , so why isn ’ t it working with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants to see the Broncos establish the run , I find myself scratching my head when they line up in three-receiver , shotgun formations and hand the ball off .
They are relying on two unimposing rookie receivers and a tight end in motion to make crucial blocks in bunch formations to help spring the running back .
The result is that the Broncos are averaging 3.7 yards a carry on first down .
( By comparison , the league average is 4.3 . )
Thus , when the Broncos run play-action off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t fear the run .
In my mind , the most effective personnel group for the Broncos run game is two tight ends on the line of scrimmage , two receivers and one running back .
This is called “ Tiger.
” Tiger personnel puts bigger men out on the field and on the line of scrimmage next to the tackles .
This creates a more effective push and stretches running lanes laterally , giving ball carriers bigger holes to run through .
Establishing the run in “ Tiger ” would also free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crossing routes when they run play-action .
But this would require Lock to go under center , and that may be what ’ s holding them back .
It is clear that Lock feels more comfortable in the shotgun formation .
But shotgun limits what you can do as an offense and allows the quarterback to fall back on bad habits like floating around in the pocket and throwing off his back foot .
Lock wants to be great .
Fans want him to be great .
But you can ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And good means doing the normal stuff right .
Nate Jackson is a former wide receiver/tight end for the Broncos who lives in Denver .
He works part-time for 104.3 FM The Fan .

Slow start is an understatement.
The Broncos offense has been coming out flatter than a pancake. Whether that’s just Drew Lock or the entire offense, they seem unsure of themselves. In fairness, this offense is one of the youngest in the NFL and has had minimal time together, with offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur estimating they missed upwards of 1,400 reps in the offseason.
But right now, it’s almost as if we are watching them practice on Sundays, working out the kinks. They start to gel as the game wears on, and it’s great to see, but by then it is too late.
Like many “West Coast Offense” coaches, Shurmur scripts the first 15 plays of the game. Bill Walsh started the practice in San Francisco, which was later used by Mike Shanahan and many other successful NFL coaches. The theory is you want to mix in everything you’ve been working on all week. Everything you hope will be effective in the game. You want to try it all out in the first quarter.
The plays that work, you keep running. The ones that don’t, you scrap. Sometimes the situation calls for a different play than what’s on the script. For example, it could be third-and-8 but the next play on the script is a run. So you go off the script for a play, then you come back to it.
Walsh’s teams usually came out hot. So did Shanahan’s. Scripting the first 15 has worked in the past, so why isn’t it working with the Broncos now?
As someone who wants to see the Broncos establish the run, I find myself scratching my head when they line up in three-receiver, shotgun formations and hand the ball off. They are relying on two unimposing rookie receivers and a tight end in motion to make crucial blocks in bunch formations to help spring the running back. The result is that the Broncos are averaging 3.7 yards a carry on first down. (By comparison, the league average is 4.3.) Thus, when the Broncos run play-action off the same formation, defenses don’t fear the run.
In my mind, the most effective personnel group for the Broncos run game is two tight ends on the line of scrimmage, two receivers and one running back. This is called “Tiger.” Tiger personnel puts bigger men out on the field and on the line of scrimmage next to the tackles. This creates a more effective push and stretches running lanes laterally, giving ball carriers bigger holes to run through.
Establishing the run in “Tiger” would also free up tight end Noah Fant on deep crossing routes when they run play-action. But this would require Lock to go under center, and that may be what’s holding them back.
It is clear that Lock feels more comfortable in the shotgun formation. But shotgun limits what you can do as an offense and allows the quarterback to fall back on bad habits like floating around in the pocket and throwing off his back foot.
Lock wants to be great. Fans want him to be great. But you can’t be great before you’re good.
And good means doing the normal stuff right.
Nate Jackson is a former wide receiver/tight end for the Broncos who lives in Denver. He works part-time for 104.3 FM The Fan.


thedenverpost--2020-11-14--CU researchers link prehistoric wildfires to climate change

University of Colorado Boulder researchers have found that climate change spurred wildfires across much of the planet millions of years ago , with implications that human-caused climate change could have similar impacts in the future .
Former doctoral student Garrett Boudinot and Assistant Professor Julio Sepulveda studied marine rocks deposited in Utah 94 million years ago , focusing on what the “ molecular fossils ” left behind could tell them about the state of the planet .
To their surprise , they found evidence of burning wood and specific molecules that are used to trace forest fires .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fires , ” Boudinot said .
“ We went out to look at marine ecology.
” Boudinot and Sepulveda hypothesized that because the world was experiencing climate change 94 million years ago , the cycle of carbon and oxygen in the atmosphere was disrupted .
An excess of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from volcanic activity led to warmer temperatures , increased photosynthesis in the oceans and thus oxygen-deprived oceans .
More carbon was being stored in marine sediment and not being released into the atmosphere as the planet attempted to right itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the atmosphere and fueling forest fires that burned up to 40 % of the planet ’ s forests over the course of tens of thousands of years .
“ This is something folks had hypothesized and modeled since the ’ 80s , but it was very fringe because there was not much evidence to support it , ” Boudinot said .
“ We now have multiple lines of evidence to support this hypothesis.
” In a research paper published in the journal “ Nature Geoscience ” in September , Boudinot and Sepulveda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and plant type didn ’ t see big changes at the time , indicating that fires burned even in wet forest ecosystems , aided by the increased oxygen in the atmosphere .
That long-ago climate change resulted in species extinction and toxic oceans , Boudinot said .
It also was not as severe as climate change today .
“ The rate of input is much faster than what was occurring 94 million years ago , ” he said .
“ It ’ s incredibly relevant in that it suggests that ( carbon dioxide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impacts for thousands of years , and that they don ’ t just impact the ocean but fundamentally impact how ecosystems behave.
” Science journalist Peter Brannen , an affiliate with the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at CU Boulder , said the study is an example of times when the planet has gone through climate change all on its own , similar to what the world is experiencing with human-caused climate change now .
“ As the study shows , things can really go haywire when you push on this lever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brannen wrote a book about catastrophes in earth history , “ The Ends of the World , ” which echoes Boudinot and Sepulveda ’ s research — that catastrophes are often associated with massive injections of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere .
The difference between now and then , Boudinot said , is that we can have a hand in preventing further damage to the climate with action .
“ If we change our actions and come up with ways of living that don ’ t require combustion of fossil fuels and carbon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can mitigate the impact of climate change , ” he said .

University of Colorado Boulder researchers have found that climate change spurred wildfires across much of the planet millions of years ago, with implications that human-caused climate change could have similar impacts in the future.
Former doctoral student Garrett Boudinot and Assistant Professor Julio Sepulveda studied marine rocks deposited in Utah 94 million years ago, focusing on what the “molecular fossils” left behind could tell them about the state of the planet.
To their surprise, they found evidence of burning wood and specific molecules that are used to trace forest fires.
“We did not set out to study forest fires,” Boudinot said. “We went out to look at marine ecology.”
Boudinot and Sepulveda hypothesized that because the world was experiencing climate change 94 million years ago, the cycle of carbon and oxygen in the atmosphere was disrupted. An excess of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from volcanic activity led to warmer temperatures, increased photosynthesis in the oceans and thus oxygen-deprived oceans.
More carbon was being stored in marine sediment and not being released into the atmosphere as the planet attempted to right itself, leading to an excess of oxygen in the atmosphere and fueling forest fires that burned up to 40% of the planet’s forests over the course of tens of thousands of years.
“This is something folks had hypothesized and modeled since the ’80s, but it was very fringe because there was not much evidence to support it,” Boudinot said. “We now have multiple lines of evidence to support this hypothesis.”
In a research paper published in the journal “Nature Geoscience” in September, Boudinot and Sepulveda wrote that evidence also suggests that precipitation and plant type didn’t see big changes at the time, indicating that fires burned even in wet forest ecosystems, aided by the increased oxygen in the atmosphere.
That long-ago climate change resulted in species extinction and toxic oceans, Boudinot said. It also was not as severe as climate change today.
“The rate of input is much faster than what was occurring 94 million years ago,” he said. “It’s incredibly relevant in that it suggests that (carbon dioxide) and climate change will have long-lasting impacts for thousands of years, and that they don’t just impact the ocean but fundamentally impact how ecosystems behave.”
Science journalist Peter Brannen, an affiliate with the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at CU Boulder, said the study is an example of times when the planet has gone through climate change all on its own, similar to what the world is experiencing with human-caused climate change now.
“As the study shows, things can really go haywire when you push on this lever of CO2,” he said. Brannen wrote a book about catastrophes in earth history, “The Ends of the World,” which echoes Boudinot and Sepulveda’s research — that catastrophes are often associated with massive injections of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The difference between now and then, Boudinot said, is that we can have a hand in preventing further damage to the climate with action.
“If we change our actions and come up with ways of living that don’t require combustion of fossil fuels and carbon dioxide input to the atmosphere, we can mitigate the impact of climate change,” he said.


thedenverpost--2020-11-14--One killed after single-vehicle rollover on I-70

One person died after a single-car rollover crash Friday night at Interstate 70 and North Peoria Street .
Denver police @ @ @ @ @ before midnight on Friday , and on Saturday afternoon said the crash was fatal .
@ @ @ @ @ available about the circumstances surrounding the fatality .

One person died after a single-car rollover crash Friday night at Interstate 70 and North Peoria Street.
Denver police tweeted about the crash just before midnight on Friday, and on Saturday afternoon said the crash was fatal.
No other details were immediately available about the circumstances surrounding the fatality.


thedenverpost--2020-11-14--No longer mirror of U.S., Ohio’s electoral bellwether quiets

CINCINNATI — As Ohio goes , so goes the nation .
That ’ s the way it had been in presidential elections for more than half a century , until this year , when Republican Donald Trump won a decisive victory in the state while losing the presidency to Democrat Joe Biden .
Biden becomes the first president elected without carrying Ohio since fellow Democrat John F. Kennedy in 1960 .
Trump ’ s statewide victory — his second , after carrying Ohio in 2016 — brings an end to Ohio ’ s role as a presidential bellwether and even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in doubt .
“ The bellwether has been unrung , ” Mark Weaver , a veteran Republican strategist , says .
“ Ohio , like most states , changes over time , and those changes have political impacts.
” Ohio ’ s population no longer mirrors the nation .
It ’ s whiter , slightly older and less educated than the U.S. on whole .
Roughly two-thirds of the state ’ s voters in this year ’ s election were ages 45 and older , including about a quarter who were 65 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a broad survey of the electorate .
A majority of those older voters , 56 % , supported Trump .
Heather Miller , 49 , a registered Democrat who lives near Toledo , agonized over her decision .
She liked how the economy was humming along during Trump ’ s first three years and was worried about taxes going up under a Biden administration .
“ Part of me was so conflicted I almost didn ’ t come out and vote , ” she said , later adding she decided at the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Master , 64 , a Columbus pipefitter , had no such hesitation .
He said he would have voted this fall for Trump “ twice if I could.
” Not only are Ohio ’ s voters getting older , those who stayed home on Election Day were predominantly young voters .
Among registered voters who chose not to cast a ballot , 70 % were under 45 , according to VoteCast .
The survey also showed the vast majority of Ohio voters were white .
About two-thirds of white voters without a college @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kondik , the author of a political history titled “ The Bellwether : Why Ohio Picks the President , ” is skeptical about Ohio being either a predictor or even a swing state that Democrats that stand a chance of winning back in the 2024 presidential campaign .
Trump won Ohio each time by a margin of around 8 percentage points .
“ It ’ s definitely moving off of the really competitive presidential playing field , ” said Kondik , a political analyst at the University of Virginia Center for Politics who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ohio ’ s demographics were going to make it redder .
Although Biden made a late push into Ohio after polling gave his campaign some hope , he wound up winning only in six counties — those with the state ’ s biggest cities and one with a college .
Trump , meanwhile , showed even more strength this time in the working-class Mahoning Valley counties in northeast Ohio .
“ The president ’ s a really good salesman , ” said third-term Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown .
Brown had expected more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General Motors last year idled and then sold its Lordstown plant .
Trump had visited the region earlier and told people not to sell their homes because jobs were coming .
“ He ’ s found really fertile ears in places like the Mahoning Valley , but really all over the state and in many parts of the country , ” Brown said , nonetheless .
Even within the erstwhile bellwether state , certain counties have been more prescient than others .
The three Ohio counties with the longest streaks of voting for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump this year , including Sandusky County , where the president won by a whopping 2-to-1 margin .
Assuming they seek reelection , Ohio ’ s GOP incumbents , including Gov .
Mike DeWine and U.S. Sen .
Rob Portman , will likely begin the 2022 election season as strong favorites .
“ The Democrats have really had four terrible elections in a row in Ohio , ” Kondik said .
“ You can ’ t really sugarcoat it.
” Brown , the only Democrat ever to defeat DeWine — when he unseated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he ’ s looking ahead to 2024 .
“ Well , I hope to stay healthy and stay in the Senate , ” Brown said in an interview .
“ I don ’ t want any Cabinet position , I don ’ t want an administration job , I don ’ t want to run for governor .
I love the Senate .
So jump to whatever conclusion.
” Kondik said he doesn ’ t see an Ohio-like bellwether on the map currently .
He says in upcoming presidential elections , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Blue Wall ” states of Pennsylvania , Wisconsin and Michigan and the Sun Belt states of Arizona , Georgia and North Carolina .
Ohioans could thus at least take solace in four years from reduced barrages of the negative campaign ads they would normally expect in the weeks before an election .
“ The losers from this last election are Ohio radio and television station owners , which will be seeing much less revenue from political ads , ” Weaver summarized .
But Brown said while Ohio has become a tough challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be considered a swing state .
He himself is a prime example of how Democrats still can win statewide .
“ It ’ s a more difficult one than Pennsylvania , it ’ s a more difficult one maybe even than Georgia now , but things change , ” Brown said .
Seewer reported from Toledo .
Associated Press writer Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus contributed to this report .

CINCINNATI — As Ohio goes, so goes the nation. That’s the way it had been in presidential elections for more than half a century, until this year, when Republican Donald Trump won a decisive victory in the state while losing the presidency to Democrat Joe Biden.
Biden becomes the first president elected without carrying Ohio since fellow Democrat John F. Kennedy in 1960. Trump’s statewide victory — his second, after carrying Ohio in 2016 — brings an end to Ohio’s role as a presidential bellwether and even puts its future as a battleground state in doubt.
“The bellwether has been unrung,” Mark Weaver, a veteran Republican strategist, says. “Ohio, like most states, changes over time, and those changes have political impacts.”
Ohio’s population no longer mirrors the nation. It’s whiter, slightly older and less educated than the U.S. on whole.
Roughly two-thirds of the state’s voters in this year’s election were ages 45 and older, including about a quarter who were 65 and up, according to AP VoteCast, a broad survey of the electorate. A majority of those older voters, 56%, supported Trump.
Heather Miller, 49, a registered Democrat who lives near Toledo, agonized over her decision. She liked how the economy was humming along during Trump’s first three years and was worried about taxes going up under a Biden administration.
“Part of me was so conflicted I almost didn’t come out and vote,” she said, later adding she decided at the last moment to vote for Biden.
Mike Master, 64, a Columbus pipefitter, had no such hesitation. He said he would have voted this fall for Trump “twice if I could.”
Not only are Ohio’s voters getting older, those who stayed home on Election Day were predominantly young voters. Among registered voters who chose not to cast a ballot, 70% were under 45, according to VoteCast.
The survey also showed the vast majority of Ohio voters were white. About two-thirds of white voters without a college degree voted for Trump.
Even Kyle Kondik, the author of a political history titled “The Bellwether: Why Ohio Picks the President,” is skeptical about Ohio being either a predictor or even a swing state that Democrats that stand a chance of winning back in the 2024 presidential campaign. Trump won Ohio each time by a margin of around 8 percentage points.
“It’s definitely moving off of the really competitive presidential playing field,” said Kondik, a political analyst at the University of Virginia Center for Politics who had said even before this election that Ohio’s demographics were going to make it redder.
Although Biden made a late push into Ohio after polling gave his campaign some hope, he wound up winning only in six counties — those with the state’s biggest cities and one with a college. Trump, meanwhile, showed even more strength this time in the working-class Mahoning Valley counties in northeast Ohio.
“The president’s a really good salesman,” said third-term Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown. Brown had expected more backlash from workers against Trump, after General Motors last year idled and then sold its Lordstown plant. Trump had visited the region earlier and told people not to sell their homes because jobs were coming.
“He’s found really fertile ears in places like the Mahoning Valley, but really all over the state and in many parts of the country,” Brown said, nonetheless.
Even within the erstwhile bellwether state, certain counties have been more prescient than others. The three Ohio counties with the longest streaks of voting for the winning presidential candidate all went for Trump this year, including Sandusky County, where the president won by a whopping 2-to-1 margin.
Assuming they seek reelection, Ohio’s GOP incumbents, including Gov. Mike DeWine and U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, will likely begin the 2022 election season as strong favorites.
“The Democrats have really had four terrible elections in a row in Ohio,” Kondik said. “You can’t really sugarcoat it.”
Brown, the only Democrat ever to defeat DeWine — when he unseated him as U.S. senator in 2006 — said he’s looking ahead to 2024.
“Well, I hope to stay healthy and stay in the Senate,” Brown said in an interview. “I don’t want any Cabinet position, I don’t want an administration job, I don’t want to run for governor. I love the Senate. So jump to whatever conclusion.”
Kondik said he doesn’t see an Ohio-like bellwether on the map currently. He says in upcoming presidential elections, the focus will likely be on the so-called “Blue Wall” states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan and the Sun Belt states of Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina.
Ohioans could thus at least take solace in four years from reduced barrages of the negative campaign ads they would normally expect in the weeks before an election.
“The losers from this last election are Ohio radio and television station owners, which will be seeing much less revenue from political ads,” Weaver summarized.
But Brown said while Ohio has become a tough challenge for Democrats, he still thinks it should be considered a swing state. He himself is a prime example of how Democrats still can win statewide.
“It’s a more difficult one than Pennsylvania, it’s a more difficult one maybe even than Georgia now, but things change,” Brown said.
Seewer reported from Toledo. Associated Press writer Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus contributed to this report.


thedenverpost--2020-11-14--Biden likely to break barriers, pick woman to lead Pentagon

WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden is expected to take a historic step and select a woman to head the Pentagon for the first time , shattering one of the few remaining barriers to women in the department and the presidential Cabinet .
Michele Flournoy , a politically moderate Pentagon veteran , is regarded by U.S. officials and political insiders as a top choice for the position .
Her selection would come on the heels of a tumultuous Pentagon period that has seen five men hold the top job under President Donald Trump .
The most recent defense secretary to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Trump on Monday after pushing back on issues including troop withdrawals and the use of the military to quell civilian unrest .
If confirmed , Flournoy would face a future that is expected to involve shrinking Pentagon budgets and potential military involvement in the distribution of a coronavirus vaccine .
Democrats have long sought to name a woman to the top post in a department that didn ’ t open all combat jobs to female service members until about five years ago .
Flournoy had been the expected choice of Hillary Clinton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Her name surfaced early as a front-runner for Biden ’ s Cabinet , said officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters .
Seen as a steady hand who favors strong military cooperation abroad , Flournoy , 59 , has served multiple times in the Pentagon , starting in the 1990s and most recently as the undersecretary of defense for policy from 2009 to 2012 .
She serves on the board of Booz Allen Hamilton , a defense contractor , which could raise concerns from some lawmakers .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bipartisan support in a position that requires Senate confirmation .
Few other names have been mentioned , though former Department of Homeland Security chief Jeh Johnson was listed as a possible choice at one point .
Choosing a woman would be consistent with Biden ’ s pledge to have a diverse Cabinet .
She has been outspoken on American foreign and defense policy , particularly over the past year .
She favors closer international cooperation after four years of a Trump White House that touted an “ America First ” policy and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Whoever the next president is , ” she said in March , “ whether it ’ s a second Trump term or Vice President Biden or whoever it is , one of the top agenda items is going to try to , I think , repair some of that perception ” that America may no longer be a reliable partner .
“ But I don ’ t think it ’ s going to be easy or happen overnight .
I think it ’ s going to take a lot of work over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trust and that standing.
” She has also cautioned against drastic , immediate changes .
“ One of the most dangerous tendencies is for — after a change of administration , particularly when there ’ s a change of party — for the new team to come in and use the term ‘ repudiation.
’ But to come in and assume that everything their predecessors did was wrong , you know , they throw the baby out with the bathwater , basically , and they overcorrect in another direction , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Punaro , a retired Marine two-star general and former staff director of the Senate Armed Services Committee under then-Democratic Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia , said recently that he regards Flournoy as “ incredibly well-qualified ” to lead the Pentagon .
The Defense Department is one of three Cabinet agencies — the others being Treasury and Veterans Affairs — that have never been led by a woman .
Some of the 28 men who have held the top defense job since it was created in 1947 , including three who served in Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Esper and current acting Secretary Christopher Miller — have been military veterans .
Flournoy did not serve in the military .
Like Mattis and Esper , Flournoy views China as the most significant long-term challenge to American predominance on the world stage .
In July , she said the United States is losing its military technological advantage over key competitors like China and that reversing this trend must be the Pentagon ’ s top priority .
She has , however , also warned against abandoning the Middle East and instead advocates “ more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As an example , she has backed a limited role in Afghanistan that focuses more on countering the terror threat and less on rebuilding the country .
“ We want to reduce our commitment , but we want to do it in a way that ’ s smart and that safeguards our interests in the process , ” she said in March about Afghanistan , adding that she hopes “ we don ’ t just cut and run.
” Trump has pushed for a full troop withdrawal from Afghanistan by the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Pentagon has no orders to do that .
On North Korea , she said in an October online forum that while nuclear disarmament should remain the ultimate goal , she finds it “ hard to see ” Kim Jong Un agreeing to give up all his nuclear weapons , which she said he sees as his regime ’ s “ survival card.
” On Iran , Flournoy has argued for a revised approach of deterring the Islamic Republic by breaking the familiar pattern of sending more American forces to the Gulf in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration did in May 2019 after what it called credible threats to U.S. interests in the region .
Flournoy is a co-founder of Westexec Advisors , a consulting firm that provides advice and geopolitical risk analysis to corporate clients .
She works with a mixture of former senior government officials — including Antony Blinken , a former deputy secretary of state and currently Biden ’ s top foreign policy adviser — and military experts such as retired Army Gen. Vincent Brooks , who led U.S. forces in Korea until 2019 .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tank , the Center for a New American Security .

WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden is expected to take a historic step and select a woman to head the Pentagon for the first time, shattering one of the few remaining barriers to women in the department and the presidential Cabinet.
Michele Flournoy, a politically moderate Pentagon veteran, is regarded by U.S. officials and political insiders as a top choice for the position.
Her selection would come on the heels of a tumultuous Pentagon period that has seen five men hold the top job under President Donald Trump. The most recent defense secretary to go was Mark Esper, who was fired by Trump on Monday after pushing back on issues including troop withdrawals and the use of the military to quell civilian unrest.
If confirmed, Flournoy would face a future that is expected to involve shrinking Pentagon budgets and potential military involvement in the distribution of a coronavirus vaccine.
Democrats have long sought to name a woman to the top post in a department that didn’t open all combat jobs to female service members until about five years ago. Flournoy had been the expected choice of Hillary Clinton if she had won the 2016 election. Her name surfaced early as a front-runner for Biden’s Cabinet, said officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters.
Seen as a steady hand who favors strong military cooperation abroad, Flournoy, 59, has served multiple times in the Pentagon, starting in the 1990s and most recently as the undersecretary of defense for policy from 2009 to 2012. She serves on the board of Booz Allen Hamilton, a defense contractor, which could raise concerns from some lawmakers. But her moderate views would likely ensure wide bipartisan support in a position that requires Senate confirmation.
Few other names have been mentioned, though former Department of Homeland Security chief Jeh Johnson was listed as a possible choice at one point. Choosing a woman would be consistent with Biden’s pledge to have a diverse Cabinet.
She has been outspoken on American foreign and defense policy, particularly over the past year. She favors closer international cooperation after four years of a Trump White House that touted an “America First” policy and was more distrustful and critical of allies.
“Whoever the next president is,” she said in March, “whether it’s a second Trump term or Vice President Biden or whoever it is, one of the top agenda items is going to try to, I think, repair some of that perception” that America may no longer be a reliable partner. “But I don’t think it’s going to be easy or happen overnight. I think it’s going to take a lot of work over a number of years to recover that trust and that standing.”
She has also cautioned against drastic, immediate changes.
“One of the most dangerous tendencies is for — after a change of administration, particularly when there’s a change of party — for the new team to come in and use the term ‘repudiation.’ But to come in and assume that everything their predecessors did was wrong, you know, they throw the baby out with the bathwater, basically, and they overcorrect in another direction,” she said in a Hudson Institute forum.
Arnold Punaro, a retired Marine two-star general and former staff director of the Senate Armed Services Committee under then-Democratic Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia, said recently that he regards Flournoy as “incredibly well-qualified” to lead the Pentagon.
The Defense Department is one of three Cabinet agencies — the others being Treasury and Veterans Affairs — that have never been led by a woman. Some of the 28 men who have held the top defense job since it was created in 1947, including three who served in Trump’s administration — Jim Mattis, Esper and current acting Secretary Christopher Miller — have been military veterans. Flournoy did not serve in the military.
Like Mattis and Esper, Flournoy views China as the most significant long-term challenge to American predominance on the world stage. In July, she said the United States is losing its military technological advantage over key competitors like China and that reversing this trend must be the Pentagon’s top priority.
She has, however, also warned against abandoning the Middle East and instead advocates “more modest levels of continuous presence” there. As an example, she has backed a limited role in Afghanistan that focuses more on countering the terror threat and less on rebuilding the country.
“We want to reduce our commitment, but we want to do it in a way that’s smart and that safeguards our interests in the process,” she said in March about Afghanistan, adding that she hopes “we don’t just cut and run.” Trump has pushed for a full troop withdrawal from Afghanistan by the end of the year, but so far the Pentagon has no orders to do that.
On North Korea, she said in an October online forum that while nuclear disarmament should remain the ultimate goal, she finds it “hard to see” Kim Jong Un agreeing to give up all his nuclear weapons, which she said he sees as his regime’s “survival card.”
On Iran, Flournoy has argued for a revised approach of deterring the Islamic Republic by breaking the familiar pattern of sending more American forces to the Gulf in response to Iranian provocations, as the Trump administration did in May 2019 after what it called credible threats to U.S. interests in the region.
Flournoy is a co-founder of Westexec Advisors, a consulting firm that provides advice and geopolitical risk analysis to corporate clients. She works with a mixture of former senior government officials — including Antony Blinken, a former deputy secretary of state and currently Biden’s top foreign policy adviser — and military experts such as retired Army Gen. Vincent Brooks, who led U.S. forces in Korea until 2019.
In 2007, Flournoy helped create a think tank, the Center for a New American Security.


thedenverpost--2020-11-15--Fear of economic ruin makes Colorado leaders hesitant to issue stay-at-home order as COVID-19 spread

Fear of economic ruin makes Colorado leaders hesitant to issue stay-at-home order as COVID-19 spreads uncontrolled

When Gov .
Jared Polis issued a statewide stay-at-home order in March , he did so with the knowledge that federal coronavirus relief — including $ 1,200 checks , $ 600 weekly unemployment benefits and small business loans — would buoy a wide range of Coloradans facing economic ruin and all that can come with it : hunger , housing instability , mental health crises , joblessness .
Things are even worse today , virus-wise , than they were when he issued that order , which shut down the majority of retail business in the state for more than a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 curve in Colorado .
But this time , there ’ s no federal financial safety net , since Congress has failed to agree on a new stimulus package .
In interviews with The Denver Post , Polis , Denver Mayor Michael Hancock , Congressman Ed Perlmutter and several top state budget officials acknowledged that it would be easier for Colorado leaders to pull the trigger on stay-at-home orders they know could save lives if that safety net were still there .
“ We really could not have taken the steps that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March and April without knowing that people would be receiving $ 1,200 ( checks ) , and rental assistance , and small businesses got ( loans ) .
That was a big part of it , ” Polis said .
“ The federal government was paying you to stay home .
… It worked .
It was a one-time intervention.
” He added , of today ’ s outlook , “ It ’ s unfair to ask people not to be able to pay rent and put food on the table .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coloradans.
” Millions of Coloradans are staring down those very problems .
A survey this month by the U.S. Census Bureau found that more than a quarter of people here belong to households struggling to meet basic expenses .
The survey found two in five households are behind on rent or mortgage payments , and that nearly one in 10 households doesn ’ t have enough to eat .
“ I ’ ve handed out boxes of food at some of our events on Fridays , where we give away food baskets , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are people coming through there who ’ ve said to me , ‘ Mayor , I ’ ve never imagined myself — I ’ ve never been in this situation before . '
” Tara Padilla knows what that feels like .
She ’ s a bartender at the Denver Central Market inside Denver International Airport , and she lost her job for about three months earlier this year , between late March and midsummer .
At that time , even with $ 600 per week in federal unemployment money — a benefit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July — she fell way behind on bills and maxed out her credit cards .
She said she might ’ ve fallen into homelessness without the support of her partner .
In the absence of federal benefits , Padilla said another shutdown “ would seriously financially ruin so many families that I know.
” She ’ s one of many thousands of workers who are having to make the impossible choice between risking infection at work and risking poverty or outright destitution .
“ It ’ s disheartening knowing I ’ m having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk just to stay employed , ” she said .
“ That ’ s a sacrifice I have to make , if I want to keep my car , keep my house.
” Economic ruin in a shutdown scenario can take many forms .
The teetering state budget would be further decimated , likely harming programs and services across state government .
A November survey of 170 members of the Colorado Restaurant Association found that 79 % would have to consider closing permanently within six months if in-person dining is banned , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People are very , very nervous about the winter .
I can not underscore that enough , ” Sonia Riggs , president and CEO of the Restaurant Association , told The Post .
But perhaps no one stands to be as negatively impacted by another stay-at-home order as people earning low wages , who generally can not telecommute and who have been disproportionately harmed throughout the pandemic .
( The danger is even more pronounced among communities of color . )
In September , the governor ’ s office reported that unemployment has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , been worse for the bottom third of earners than for the mid- or high-level tiers .
In April , mid-shutdown , the bottom third faced roughly 25 % unemployment — five times worse than for the top tier , at that time .
It is that population that still has the most to lose .
“ The hesitancy around issuing another stay-at-home order does have a lot to do with the economic devastation that would occur , ” said state Sen. Dominick Moreno , a Commerce City Democrat who chairs the legislative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : if something like that was ordered , could the state afford to float the economy ?
Generally , the answer to that is no .
The state budget is not in that place.
” Moreno , Polis and other state-level Democrats late last month announced a state stimulus program , with $ 375 one-time checks for some 435,000 Coloradans who earn less than $ 52,000 annually .
Though those Democrats celebrated the announcement as an indication of their commitment to provide real relief to people in need , Moreno said last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for what it didn ’ t include .
“ It ’ s not going to sustain people , honestly .
It just isn ’ t , ” he said .
“ It ’ s what we could afford to do.
” Colorado can not deficit-spend , unlike the federal government , which is why state leaders are so desperately hopeful for a new round of stimulus from Congress .
Perlmutter , an Arvada Democrat , told The Post he predicts that new round will arrive “ in the next month or so.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , “ Their hesitation to add more restrictions is legitimate , because we haven ’ t been able to pass ( new relief ) .
” The governor said in the spring and still today that a stay-at-home order is a last resort , a “ blunt tool ” that should be avoided in favor of more precise , scalpel-like measures .
But the public health crisis today is even greater than it was in March and April , with the state setting new records for hospitalizations and new COVID-19 cases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decrease on the immediate horizon .
The scalpels aren ’ t working , and as of Friday the state ’ s color-coded dial system showed nearly half of Colorado ’ s 64 counties at Level Orange — one step away from a lockdown Polis and local leaders have tried in countless press conferences and ad campaigns to persuade people to wear masks , avoid gatherings and maintain social distance .
The governor has tried to scare people straight in his messaging , stating repeatedly that “ the grim reaper ” is the ultimate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he compared someone attending an unsafe family Thanksgiving gathering to putting “ a loaded pistol to grandma ’ s head.
” He and other leaders have tried futilely to foist the responsibility to slow the spread of the virus on citizens .
“ It ’ s about personal responsibility .
It ’ s about recognizing that the things that I do impact people around me , and their health and wellbeing , ” Hancock told The Post .
But he knows that message isn ’ t getting through to enough people .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hancock said .
“ That ’ s our next — really , the thing we want to avoid the most.
” Some county-level officials have already pressed Polis to take action .
Though Hancock has not called for a stay-at-home order yet , he did tell The Post he thinks that if Denver gets to that point , the order should come from the state and not from his office .
In March , Hancock pressed Polis behind the scenes to issue a statewide stay-at-home order .
Polis initially resisted , and Hancock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before Polis relented and issued a statewide mandate .
Polis has lately tried not to entertain the idea of a stay-at-home order , answering questions about such a step by continuing to preach personal responsibility .
The virus , meanwhile , is spreading uncontrolled through the state , possibly overwhelming hospital capacity here before year ’ s end .
State Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg , who like Polis is a Democrat from Boulder , said his talks with the governor give him the impression Polis “ absolutely gets it ” that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many other state leaders are worried , however , about whether a stay-at-home order would even work this time around .
People have grown accustomed to certain freedoms since the spring , and already there are some in the population resistant even to the least oppressive rules , such as wearing masks .
“ They don ’ t want to have restrictive orders that people just entirely ignore , ” Fenberg said .
“ Once you cross that line , that seriously , then it really starts to unravel , when people completely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hancock has this worry himself .
“ People have gotten used to how you live with this , ” he said .
“ And the reality is we like our freedom.
” Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado .

When Gov. Jared Polis issued a statewide stay-at-home order in March, he did so with the knowledge that federal coronavirus relief — including $1,200 checks, $600 weekly unemployment benefits and small business loans — would buoy a wide range of Coloradans facing economic ruin and all that can come with it: hunger, housing instability, mental health crises, joblessness.
Things are even worse today, virus-wise, than they were when he issued that order, which shut down the majority of retail business in the state for more than a month and preceded a temporary flattening of the COVID-19 curve in Colorado. But this time, there’s no federal financial safety net, since Congress has failed to agree on a new stimulus package.
In interviews with The Denver Post, Polis, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, Congressman Ed Perlmutter and several top state budget officials acknowledged that it would be easier for Colorado leaders to pull the trigger on stay-at-home orders they know could save lives if that safety net were still there.
“We really could not have taken the steps that we did to contain the virus in March and April without knowing that people would be receiving $1,200 (checks), and rental assistance, and small businesses got (loans). That was a big part of it,” Polis said. “The federal government was paying you to stay home. … It worked. It was a one-time intervention.”
He added, of today’s outlook, “It’s unfair to ask people not to be able to pay rent and put food on the table. That’s not a reasonable ask of Coloradans.”
Millions of Coloradans are staring down those very problems. A survey this month by the U.S. Census Bureau found that more than a quarter of people here belong to households struggling to meet basic expenses. The survey found two in five households are behind on rent or mortgage payments, and that nearly one in 10 households doesn’t have enough to eat.
“I’ve handed out boxes of food at some of our events on Fridays, where we give away food baskets,” Hancock said, “and there are people coming through there who’ve said to me, ‘Mayor, I’ve never imagined myself — I’ve never been in this situation before.'”
Tara Padilla knows what that feels like. She’s a bartender at the Denver Central Market inside Denver International Airport, and she lost her job for about three months earlier this year, between late March and midsummer. At that time, even with $600 per week in federal unemployment money — a benefit that hasn’t been available since July — she fell way behind on bills and maxed out her credit cards. She said she might’ve fallen into homelessness without the support of her partner.
In the absence of federal benefits, Padilla said another shutdown “would seriously financially ruin so many families that I know.”
She’s one of many thousands of workers who are having to make the impossible choice between risking infection at work and risking poverty or outright destitution.
“It’s disheartening knowing I’m having to put myself and my family at risk just to stay employed,” she said. “That’s a sacrifice I have to make, if I want to keep my car, keep my house.”
Low-wage workers face greatest risk
Economic ruin in a shutdown scenario can take many forms.
The teetering state budget would be further decimated, likely harming programs and services across state government.
A November survey of 170 members of the Colorado Restaurant Association found that 79% would have to consider closing permanently within six months if in-person dining is banned, as it was in the spring.
“People are very, very nervous about the winter. I cannot underscore that enough,” Sonia Riggs, president and CEO of the Restaurant Association, told The Post.
But perhaps no one stands to be as negatively impacted by another stay-at-home order as people earning low wages, who generally cannot telecommute and who have been disproportionately harmed throughout the pandemic. (The danger is even more pronounced among communities of color.)
In September, the governor’s office reported that unemployment has, at every point throughout the pandemic, been worse for the bottom third of earners than for the mid- or high-level tiers. In April, mid-shutdown, the bottom third faced roughly 25% unemployment — five times worse than for the top tier, at that time.
It is that population that still has the most to lose.
“The hesitancy around issuing another stay-at-home order does have a lot to do with the economic devastation that would occur,” said state Sen. Dominick Moreno, a Commerce City Democrat who chairs the legislative budget committee.
“The question is: if something like that was ordered, could the state afford to float the economy? Generally, the answer to that is no. The state budget is not in that place.”
Moreno, Polis and other state-level Democrats late last month announced a state stimulus program, with $375 one-time checks for some 435,000 Coloradans who earn less than $52,000 annually. Though those Democrats celebrated the announcement as an indication of their commitment to provide real relief to people in need, Moreno said last week that the announcement was really more notable for what it didn’t include.
“It’s not going to sustain people, honestly. It just isn’t,” he said. “It’s what we could afford to do.”
Colorado cannot deficit-spend, unlike the federal government, which is why state leaders are so desperately hopeful for a new round of stimulus from Congress.
Perlmutter, an Arvada Democrat, told The Post he predicts that new round will arrive “in the next month or so.”
Of state leaders’ dilemma, he said, “Their hesitation to add more restrictions is legitimate, because we haven’t been able to pass (new relief).”
Failed messaging
The governor said in the spring and still today that a stay-at-home order is a last resort, a “blunt tool” that should be avoided in favor of more precise, scalpel-like measures. But the public health crisis today is even greater than it was in March and April, with the state setting new records for hospitalizations and new COVID-19 cases, and no sign of a plateau or decrease on the immediate horizon.
The scalpels aren’t working, and as of Friday the state’s color-coded dial system showed nearly half of Colorado’s 64 counties at Level Orange — one step away from a lockdown
Polis and local leaders have tried in countless press conferences and ad campaigns to persuade people to wear masks, avoid gatherings and maintain social distance. The governor has tried to scare people straight in his messaging, stating repeatedly that “the grim reaper” is the ultimate enforcer of coronavirus-related restrictions. On Friday he compared someone attending an unsafe family Thanksgiving gathering to putting “a loaded pistol to grandma’s head.”
He and other leaders have tried futilely to foist the responsibility to slow the spread of the virus on citizens.
“It’s about personal responsibility. It’s about recognizing that the things that I do impact people around me, and their health and wellbeing,” Hancock told The Post.
But he knows that message isn’t getting through to enough people.
“We can send people home,” Hancock said. “That’s our next — really, the thing we want to avoid the most.”
Some county-level officials have already pressed Polis to take action. Though Hancock has not called for a stay-at-home order yet, he did tell The Post he thinks that if Denver gets to that point, the order should come from the state and not from his office.
In March, Hancock pressed Polis behind the scenes to issue a statewide stay-at-home order. Polis initially resisted, and Hancock eventually placed Denver under lockdown two days before Polis relented and issued a statewide mandate.
Polis has lately tried not to entertain the idea of a stay-at-home order, answering questions about such a step by continuing to preach personal responsibility. The virus, meanwhile, is spreading uncontrolled through the state, possibly overwhelming hospital capacity here before year’s end.
State Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg, who like Polis is a Democrat from Boulder, said his talks with the governor give him the impression Polis “absolutely gets it” that the messaging is falling flat.
Fenberg and many other state leaders are worried, however, about whether a stay-at-home order would even work this time around. People have grown accustomed to certain freedoms since the spring, and already there are some in the population resistant even to the least oppressive rules, such as wearing masks.
“They don’t want to have restrictive orders that people just entirely ignore,” Fenberg said. “Once you cross that line, that seriously, then it really starts to unravel, when people completely check out from following the orders.”
Hancock has this worry himself.
“People have gotten used to how you live with this,” he said. “And the reality is we like our freedom.”
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado.