thedenverpost--2020-02-03--Sidney crushes Brush in blowout win

Sidney crushes Brush in blowout win

Sidney easily handled the Brush Beetdiggers by a score of 54-33 on Saturday .
Brush was lead in scoring by @ @ @ @ @ nine points , while also collecting seven rebounds and one assist .
Dalayna Tadolini helped @ @ @ @ @ eight points and two rebounds .
Sidney has not reported any team or player statistics @ @ @ @ @ story was created with technology provided by Data Skrive .
Information accurate as of publication @ @ @ @ @ data is available .

Sidney easily handled the Brush Beetdiggers by a score of 54-33 on Saturday, Feb. 1.
Brush was paced in scoring by Kenzie Kraich who scored nine points, while also collecting seven rebounds and one assist. Dalayna Tadolini helped by chipping in eight points and two rebounds.
Sidney has not reported any team or player statistics from this contest.
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thedenverpost--2020-02-03--Perry’s double-double lifts Burlington over Byers in 38-28 win

The Burlington Cougars earned a win when they defeated the Byers Bulldogs 38-28 on Saturday .
Trinity Perry lead Burlington @ @ @ @ @ also grabbing 12 rebounds .
Audrey Grinnan had a notable night , recording 12 points @ @ @ @ @ assists .
Byers will stay home and play Kiowa , while Burlington will travel to @ @ @ @ @ not reported any team or player statistics from this contest .
This story was created @ @ @ @ @ Skrive .
Information accurate as of publication and will update as more data is available @

The Burlington Cougars defeated the Byers Bulldogs by a score of 38-28 on Saturday, Feb. 1.
Trinity Perry lead Burlington with 13 points scored while also collecting 12 rebounds. Audrey Grinnan had a productive night, recording 12 points, six rebounds and three assists.
Byers was lead in scoring by Sam Linnebur who put up nine points while grabbing five rebounds. Gillian Sickendick helped the effort by chipping in six points and six rebounds.
Byers will play host to Kiowa, while Burlington will travel to play Goodland.
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This story was created with technology provided by Data Skrive. Information accurate as of publication and will update as more data is available.


thedenverpost--2020-02-04--Tuesday morning commute in Denver will be icy and snow-packed in spots

Snow and freezing temperatures overnight will hamper the Tuesday morning commute , as Denver area drivers and travelers should see between 4 to 8 inches of snow and be prepared for wintry road conditions .
Snow , heavy at times , fell in northeastern Colorado for much of the day Monday , spreading from the mountains and foothills onto the plains .
The National Weather Service posted a winter weather advisory for northeastern Colorado — including Fort Collins , Greeley , Denver and Colorado Springs — through 2 p.m. Tuesday .
The advisory extended south along the Rockies to include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ p.m. Monday in Denver , light snow continued to fall as the temperature dropped to 15 degrees , from an earlier high temp of 30 degrees , and the humidity was 93 % , according to the weather service .
Visibility in Denver was limited to about 1 mile .
From 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday , the Denver Police Department fielded 169 traffic crash reports .
Snow accumulations on Monday , according to the weather service , included : 8 inches , Kenosha Pass , as of 5 p.m. ; 8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : 30 p.m. ; 7.3 inches , Genesee , 7:05 p.m. ; 5.3 inches , Golden , 6:38 p.m. ; 0.9 inches , Denver International Airport , 5:06 p.m. At DIA on Monday , 554 flights were delayed and 176 flights canceled through 9:45 p.m. because of adverse weather conditions , according to flightaware.com .
Some local governments , courts and businesses could be delayed or closed on Tuesday .
Officials advised people to check openings before leaving home .
On Tuesday , the early morning low temperature in Denver is expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 20 mph .
The chance for precipitation is 100 % , with snow likely before 8 a.m. , and new morning snow accumulations in the city should be between 1 to 3 inches , according to the weather service .
Snow is expected to linger in Denver into the afternoon , with a 60 % chance of precipitation and an additional inch of accumulation , the weather service said .
Snow is expected to lighten up as the day progresses and the system moves to the east .
Overnight Tuesday , clearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the low in Denver will drop to minus 1 degree , with a wind chill factor of about minus 10 degrees , according to the weather service .
Skies over Denver will be sunny on Wednesday and the high temperature will be near 31 degrees .

Snow and freezing temperatures overnight will hamper the Tuesday morning commute, as Denver area drivers and travelers should see between 4 to 8 inches of snow and be prepared for wintry road conditions.
Snow, heavy at times, fell in northeastern Colorado for much of the day Monday, spreading from the mountains and foothills onto the plains.
The National Weather Service posted a winter weather advisory for northeastern Colorado — including Fort Collins, Greeley, Denver and Colorado Springs — through 2 p.m. Tuesday. The advisory extended south along the Rockies to include Pueblo and Trinidad.
At about 8:30 p.m. Monday in Denver, light snow continued to fall as the temperature dropped to 15 degrees, from an earlier high temp of 30 degrees, and the humidity was 93%, according to the weather service. Visibility in Denver was limited to about 1 mile.
From 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, the Denver Police Department fielded 169 traffic crash reports.
Snow accumulations on Monday, according to the weather service, included: 8 inches, Kenosha Pass, as of 5 p.m.; 8 inches, west of Boulder, 8: 30 p.m.; 7.3 inches, Genesee, 7:05 p.m.; 5.3 inches, Golden, 6:38 p.m.; 0.9 inches, Denver International Airport, 5:06 p.m.
At DIA on Monday, 554 flights were delayed and 176 flights canceled through 9:45 p.m. because of adverse weather conditions, according to flightaware.com.
Some local governments, courts and businesses could be delayed or closed on Tuesday. Officials advised people to check openings before leaving home.
All DPS schools will be delayed two hours Tuesday, Feb. 4 due to severe weather. All school-related events and activities are also delayed two hours for the safety of our students and staff members. — Denver Public Schools (@DPSNewsNow) February 4, 2020
On Tuesday, the early morning low temperature in Denver is expected to be about 10 degrees with winds gusting to 20 mph. The chance for precipitation is 100%, with snow likely before 8 a.m., and new morning snow accumulations in the city should be between 1 to 3 inches, according to the weather service.
Snow is expected to linger in Denver into the afternoon, with a 60% chance of precipitation and an additional inch of accumulation, the weather service said. Snow is expected to lighten up as the day progresses and the system moves to the east.
Overnight Tuesday, clearing skies will push temperatures to plummet and the low in Denver will drop to minus 1 degree, with a wind chill factor of about minus 10 degrees, according to the weather service.
Skies over Denver will be sunny on Wednesday and the high temperature will be near 31 degrees.


thedenverpost--2020-02-04--Ask Amy: Couple faces a big city problem

Dear Amy : My boyfriend and I have been together for seven years , and we are still going strong .
We have talked about marriage and want to marry one day .
I believe that we will be married soon .
I will graduate from medical school this year .
It was always my plan to live in a small town or very small city closer to beautiful nature , as soon as I graduate .
I despise life in the big city and have always looked forward to the day when I would escape it .
My boyfriend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a small town — ever .
His career relies on him living in a city .
He loves city life .
This is the biggest of several differences between us .
I ’ m ready to give up my dreams to be with him , and even though I love him deeply , I think I ’ ll be miserable .
I don ’ t want to lose him .
Will this doom us ?
What can we do ?
Dear Desperate : A doomed relationship could be your liberation .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States is projected to have a shortfall of up to 121,300 physicians by 2030 , owing to older doctors retiring , and the increased needs of a rising number of elders requiring more doctors .
The physician shortage is most acute in rural areas .
In small towns and small cities , your ability to provide health care will quite literally be a lifesaver .
You will get to know your patients and their families .
The fact that you are seeking a small-town lifestyle means that you will be personally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right spot .
Over a decade ago , I left the big city and moved back to my rural hometown .
Unlike you , I enjoyed life in the city — but this morning I walked through the snowy woods as the sun came up .
Life in the country , and being around others who also embrace this ( sometimes challenging ) lifestyle , is a daily tonic .
Marrying someone you love while believing that you will be miserable is not a rational , healthy , or adult choice .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
Marriage will not magically transform your personal preferences or your life ’ s goals .
Perhaps you two could agree to a year of a long-distance relationship , where you each live where you want to live .
You could also research cities with outdoorsy reputations ( like Boston , Portland , Seattle , Vancouver , and Denver ) that might give you each the lifestyle you want .
Dear Amy : When our niece was a young , single mother of two , we took her and her young children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the understanding that it was a loan — helped her financially .
She has made no effort to repay the near $ 20,000 she owes ( for car repairs , etc. )
.
She ’ s now engaged to a wonderful man ( and pregnant again ) .
We want to warn her betrothed of her debts owed , but at the same time , we feel it ’ s not our place to “ rat ” on her .
So , WWAD ( What Would Amy Do ? )
.
Dear Conflicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t do : I wouldn ’ t “ warn ” a fiance of a debt unless I had tried mightily to collect from the person who owes it .
Your loan “ understanding ” might not even be a loan .
Was this acknowledged in writing , or did you — out of the goodness of your hearts — take in a needy relative and her children and help this family to survive , with a vague understanding that you would be repaid some day ?
You should communicate with your niece @ @ @ @ @ @ @ valid agreement in place , review it with her and tell her that you expect to be repaid .
Depending on what state the couple lives in , her debt will carry over into her new marriage and become the couple ’ s debt , and , yes , her fiancé should be told .
Communicate respectfully and attempt to negotiate a reasonable repayment schedule for this substantial amount .
There are online services that could help you to formalize this loan , with promissory notes and repayment tracking .
Dear Amy : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the neighbors feeding local squirrels , resulting in a large amount of empty peanut shells on their property .
You should have suggested that the neighbors feed the squirrels shelled peanuts .
Why didn ’ t you ?
Dear Wondering : Mainly , I didn ’ t think of it .
Feeding the squirrels at all was the true “ nut ” of the problem , but I agree that offering them peanuts out of the shell would have eliminated some of the mess .

Dear Amy: My boyfriend and I have been together for seven years, and we are still going strong. We have talked about marriage and want to marry one day. I believe that we will be married soon.
I will graduate from medical school this year. It was always my plan to live in a small town or very small city closer to beautiful nature, as soon as I graduate. I despise life in the big city and have always looked forward to the day when I would escape it.
My boyfriend doesn’t want to live in a small town — ever. His career relies on him living in a city. He loves city life.
This is the biggest of several differences between us.
I’m ready to give up my dreams to be with him, and even though I love him deeply, I think I’ll be miserable.
I don’t want to lose him.
Will this doom us? What can we do?
— Desperate
Dear Desperate: A doomed relationship could be your liberation.
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the United States is projected to have a shortfall of up to 121,300 physicians by 2030, owing to older doctors retiring, and the increased needs of a rising number of elders requiring more doctors.
The physician shortage is most acute in rural areas. In small towns and small cities, your ability to provide health care will quite literally be a lifesaver. You will get to know your patients and their families. The fact that you are seeking a small-town lifestyle means that you will be personally happier, once you land in the right spot.
Over a decade ago, I left the big city and moved back to my rural hometown. Unlike you, I enjoyed life in the city — but this morning I walked through the snowy woods as the sun came up. Life in the country, and being around others who also embrace this (sometimes challenging) lifestyle, is a daily tonic.
Marrying someone you love while believing that you will be miserable is not a rational, healthy, or adult choice. You’ve already been together for seven years. Marriage will not magically transform your personal preferences or your life’s goals. Perhaps you two could agree to a year of a long-distance relationship, where you each live where you want to live. You could also research cities with outdoorsy reputations (like Boston, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, and Denver) that might give you each the lifestyle you want.
Dear Amy: When our niece was a young, single mother of two, we took her and her young children into our home, and — with the understanding that it was a loan — helped her financially. She has made no effort to repay the near $20,000 she owes (for car repairs, etc.).
She’s now engaged to a wonderful man (and pregnant again).
We want to warn her betrothed of her debts owed, but at the same time, we feel it’s not our place to “rat” on her. So, WWAD (What Would Amy Do?).
— Conflicted in CA
Dear Conflicted: Here’s what I wouldn’t do: I wouldn’t “warn” a fiance of a debt unless I had tried mightily to collect from the person who owes it.
Your loan “understanding” might not even be a loan. Was this acknowledged in writing, or did you — out of the goodness of your hearts — take in a needy relative and her children and help this family to survive, with a vague understanding that you would be repaid some day?
You should communicate with your niece about this. If you have a valid agreement in place, review it with her and tell her that you expect to be repaid. Depending on what state the couple lives in, her debt will carry over into her new marriage and become the couple’s debt, and, yes, her fiancé should be told.
Communicate respectfully and attempt to negotiate a reasonable repayment schedule for this substantial amount. There are online services that could help you to formalize this loan, with promissory notes and repayment tracking.
Dear Amy: “Going Nuts in Niagara” complained about the neighbors feeding local squirrels, resulting in a large amount of empty peanut shells on their property.
You should have suggested that the neighbors feed the squirrels shelled peanuts. Why didn’t you?
— Wondering
Dear Wondering: Mainly, I didn’t think of it. Feeding the squirrels at all was the true “nut” of the problem, but I agree that offering them peanuts out of the shell would have eliminated some of the mess.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)


thedenverpost--2020-02-04--CU basketball’s McKinley Wright IV named a finalist for Bob Cousy Award

A veteran point guard typically is a key component of any deep run through March in college basketball .
The Colorado Buffaloes certainly have that in junior McKinley Wright IV , and he arguably has played some of the best basketball of his collegiate career in recent weeks .
It is a run that has drawn the attention of the folks who manage the Bob Cousy Award .
On Monday , Colorado ’ s floor general was named one of 10 midseason finalists for the honor , which is presented to the top point guard in the nation .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bounce-back win at USC on Saturday to salvage a split on a trip through Los Angeles , Wright and the Buffaloes will attempt to continue protecting their home floor when they open a home series on Thursday against Cal ( 6 p.m. , Pac-12 Network ) .
“ The thing I like about this group as a coach is you can keep it real with them , ” CU head coach Tad Boyle said .
“ They don ’ t take offense when you get on them .
You show them film and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players do that , you got a chance .
Then they respond the way they responded tonight , you feel like as a coach you ’ ve got a chance .
I told them after the UCLA ( loss ) I love you guys , I love coaching you guys , I don ’ t feel any differently about you than I did before the UCLA loss .
But it seems like I love them a little more after we win.
” The Buffs ’ stumble at UCLA last week cost them a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AP Top 25 , as the Buffs tumbled four spots to No .
24 .
Yet it remains the fifth consecutive week the Buffs have been ranked , and it extends the program record for number of weeks ranked within a single season to 10 .
Of more importance to CU is that through Sunday ’ s play across the nation , the Buffs began the week at No .
17 in both the NET rankings and at KenPom.com .
For Wright , getting named as one of the 10 finalists for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game he has authored over the past 10 contests .
Over the first 12 games of the season , culminating with the Buffs ’ win against Dayton in Chicago on Dec. 21 , Wright posted an assist-to-turnover rate of 1.25 ( 45 assists , 30 turnovers ) .
While his turnover rate has remained exactly the same in the 10 games , since , his assist total has skyrocketed , with 71 during that span for an assist-to-turnover rate of 2.37 .
Wright ’ s eight assists Saturday in a win against USC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game .
That total includes an average of 6.8 assists per game in nine Pac-12 Conference games , which leads the league .
Wright has compiled six games with at least eight assists over CU ’ s past 10 contests , and he sports an overall assist-to-turnover rate of 1.76 .
Wright ’ s assist-to-turnover rate of 2.1 in league games also leads all Pac-12 point guards .
He will go into Thursday ’ s game with an .838 free throw percentage in Pac-12 games , and he is 17-for-17 over the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pritchard also was named one of the 10 finalists for award , as was another CU foe from this earlier season , Kansas ’ Devon Dotson .
The remainder of the list includes Baylor ’ s Jared Butler ; Duke ’ s Tre Jones ; Iowa State ’ s Tyrese Haliburton ; Ashton Hagans of Kentucky ; Markus Howard of Marquette ; Michigan ’ s Cassius Winston ; and San Diego State ’ s Malachi Flynn , who faced the Buffs during his time at Washington State .
The 10 finalists will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the winner announced on April 10 .

A veteran point guard typically is a key component of any deep run through March in college basketball.
The Colorado Buffaloes certainly have that in junior McKinley Wright IV, and he arguably has played some of the best basketball of his collegiate career in recent weeks. It is a run that has drawn the attention of the folks who manage the Bob Cousy Award.
On Monday, Colorado’s floor general was named one of 10 midseason finalists for the honor, which is presented to the top point guard in the nation. After helping to lead CU’s key bounce-back win at USC on Saturday to salvage a split on a trip through Los Angeles, Wright and the Buffaloes will attempt to continue protecting their home floor when they open a home series on Thursday against Cal (6 p.m., Pac-12 Network).
“The thing I like about this group as a coach is you can keep it real with them,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said. “They don’t take offense when you get on them. You show them film and they accept ownership. And when your players do that, you got a chance. Then they respond the way they responded tonight, you feel like as a coach you’ve got a chance. I told them after the UCLA (loss) I love you guys, I love coaching you guys, I don’t feel any differently about you than I did before the UCLA loss. But it seems like I love them a little more after we win.”
The Buffs’ stumble at UCLA last week cost them a little bit in this week’s AP Top 25, as the Buffs tumbled four spots to No. 24. Yet it remains the fifth consecutive week the Buffs have been ranked, and it extends the program record for number of weeks ranked within a single season to 10.
Of more importance to CU is that through Sunday’s play across the nation, the Buffs began the week at No. 17 in both the NET rankings and at KenPom.com.
For Wright, getting named as one of the 10 finalists for the Cousy Award recognizes the turnaround in his game he has authored over the past 10 contests.
Over the first 12 games of the season, culminating with the Buffs’ win against Dayton in Chicago on Dec. 21, Wright posted an assist-to-turnover rate of 1.25 (45 assists, 30 turnovers). While his turnover rate has remained exactly the same in the 10 games, since, his assist total has skyrocketed, with 71 during that span for an assist-to-turnover rate of 2.37.
Wright’s eight assists Saturday in a win against USC increased his season average to 5.3 per game. That total includes an average of 6.8 assists per game in nine Pac-12 Conference games, which leads the league.
Wright has compiled six games with at least eight assists over CU’s past 10 contests, and he sports an overall assist-to-turnover rate of 1.76. Wright’s assist-to-turnover rate of 2.1 in league games also leads all Pac-12 point guards. He will go into Thursday’s game with an .838 free throw percentage in Pac-12 games, and he is 17-for-17 over the past five games.
Oregon point guard Payton Pritchard also was named one of the 10 finalists for award, as was another CU foe from this earlier season, Kansas’ Devon Dotson. The remainder of the list includes Baylor’s Jared Butler; Duke’s Tre Jones; Iowa State’s Tyrese Haliburton; Ashton Hagans of Kentucky; Markus Howard of Marquette; Michigan’s Cassius Winston; and San Diego State’s Malachi Flynn, who faced the Buffs during his time at Washington State.
The 10 finalists will be whittled to five in early March, with the winner announced on April 10.


thedenverpost--2020-02-04--Colorado State men’s basketball team flips page to Fresno State

All eyes are on the Colorado State men ’ s basketball team as head coach Niko Medved ’ s inspired squad continues toward the top of the Mountain West standings .
Upon restoring a compelling buzz around Moby Arena , CSU ( 16-8 , 7-4 ) hits the road for a clash with Fresno State ( 8-14 , 4-7 ) on Tuesday as it looks to keep the ball rolling following a perfect homestand in which the Rams seized back-to-back victories against Nevada and UNLV .
Having won seven of its last eight games overall , CSU meets an opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bulldogs for the first time since the 2014-2015 season .
Despite beginning their conference slate with three consecutive defeats , the Rams are evidently clicking more and more as the year progresses amid a resurgent stretch .
As a result , the once-inexperienced roster heads into Fresno boasting admirable poise –– exemplified when CSU seamlessly erased a first-half deficit en route to a dominant victory over the Rebels last Saturday .
“ I hope everything we are doing continues to be a confidence booster for our team , ” Medved said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time .
We were down eight there with four minutes to go in the half , and there was no panic whatsoever.
” Amounting to the Rams ’ steady success , virtually every player within Medved ’ s deep rotation is firing on all cylinders .
Highlighted by versatile forward David Roddy and guard Isaiah Stevens –– the latter who has thoroughly emerged as both a reliable shooter and late-game hero –– CSU ’ s promising freshman class is already taking the program to new heights .
Simultaneous to the impacts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thistlewood and Kendle Moore are genuinely coming into their own –– particularly offensively , where both are shooting better than 45 percent .
Vital contributions even extend to the bench .
The Rams ’ reserves totaled 27 points against UNLV while veterans Hyron Edwards and Kris Martin provided stellar defensive intensity .
“ You just kind of have to take it game by game , ” Stevens said .
“ Every game is different .
Sometimes we need them ( reserves ) to come in and give us a spark on the defensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and time again.
” Everyone is truly doing their part , and no one in the locker room expects that to change when facing the Bulldogs , who CSU convincingly knocked off 86-68 at Moby in January behind 47 combined points from Roddy and Stevens .
Though the prosperity is surely a product of the team as a whole , Carvacho ’ s current trend is certainly worth noting .
Coupled with serving as an exemplary mentor behind the scenes , the big man has adequately responded from prior offensive struggles by scoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent shooting .
After recording his 45th career double-double versus UNLV to tie the Mountain West record , Carvacho aims to make history on Tuesday .
“ It started on the road at Utah State , ” Meved said .
“ He really played with a lot of juice in that game .
I think it ’ s just him kind of finding his stride that way .
He ’ s always played hard .
But there ’ s been another level he ’ s cranked it up to here with his energy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game-changer.
” As fans witnessed when the programs previously met , the Rams match up well with the Bulldogs .
Fresno State struggles offensively –– converting just 41.7 percent of its field goals compared to a 47.6 percent clip for the Rams , which ranks second in the conference .
However , ranking inside the conference ’ s top third in both rebounds ( 37 per game ) and scoring defense ( 68.1 points allowed on average ) , the Bulldogs often pose a legitimate threat .
They ’ ve surely made that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and New Mexico .
Limiting star senior Nate Grimes –– who enters the bout averaging 12.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game –– undoubtedly represents one of CSU ’ s primary goals as Tuesday night approaches .
“ In my mind , what stood out was Grimes made some threes , ” Medved said .
“ He ’ s shooting the ball from three which he hadn ’ t been doing in his career .
So , that ’ s a little bit of a game-changer.
” Though the forward ’ s 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Fort Collins didn ’ t prove detrimental , Medved and company are wisely straying away from guaranteeing a positive outcome simply because the ball bounced their way last time .
The red-hot Rams continue taking things one game at a time , which means treating each opponent with respect as they gun for their third win in a row .
Picking up the victory could potentially grant CSU sole possession of second place in the Mountain West .
Regardless , the Rams are focusing on the task at hand rather than stressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game is different , ” Medved said .
“ You can ’ t go in and say well this happened two weeks ago .
It ’ ll be a completely different set of circumstances….I ’ ve never talked about the standings one time .
It sounds like a cliche , but it ’ s really a next-game mentality.
” Following a pair of highly efficient performances , Stevens appropriately earned Mountain West Player of the Week honors on Monday .
Marking the first Ram to warrant the distinction , the freshman knocked down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nevada and UNLV for 33 combined points –– including a 21-point outing against the Rebels in which Stevens went 5-for-5 from the 3-point line .
The multifaceted guard totaled 11 rebounds and nine assists , as well , during the homestand .
Beyond the statistics , Stevens miraculously answered the Rams ’ prayers in the clutch last week .
The Texas native delivered a step-back jumper to defeat the Wolfpack 92-91 at the buzzer before hitting a triple at the first-half horn in CSU ’ s victory over the Rebels .
A conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ 13.4 points and 4.3 assists per contest both lead the Rams .

All eyes are on the Colorado State men’s basketball team as head coach Niko Medved’s inspired squad continues toward the top of the Mountain West standings.
Upon restoring a compelling buzz around Moby Arena, CSU (16-8, 7-4) hits the road for a clash with Fresno State (8-14, 4-7) on Tuesday as it looks to keep the ball rolling following a perfect homestand in which the Rams seized back-to-back victories against Nevada and UNLV.
Having won seven of its last eight games overall, CSU meets an opportunity to obtain a regular-season sweep over the Bulldogs for the first time since the 2014-2015 season.
Despite beginning their conference slate with three consecutive defeats, the Rams are evidently clicking more and more as the year progresses amid a resurgent stretch.
As a result, the once-inexperienced roster heads into Fresno boasting admirable poise –– exemplified when CSU seamlessly erased a first-half deficit en route to a dominant victory over the Rebels last Saturday.
“I hope everything we are doing continues to be a confidence booster for our team,” Medved said. “I’m noticing more maturity all the time. We were down eight there with four minutes to go in the half, and there was no panic whatsoever.”
Amounting to the Rams’ steady success, virtually every player within Medved’s deep rotation is firing on all cylinders.
Highlighted by versatile forward David Roddy and guard Isaiah Stevens –– the latter who has thoroughly emerged as both a reliable shooter and late-game hero –– CSU’s promising freshman class is already taking the program to new heights.
Simultaneous to the impacts of the Rams’ newcomers, sophomores Adam Thistlewood and Kendle Moore are genuinely coming into their own –– particularly offensively, where both are shooting better than 45 percent.
Vital contributions even extend to the bench. The Rams’ reserves totaled 27 points against UNLV while veterans Hyron Edwards and Kris Martin provided stellar defensive intensity.
“You just kind of have to take it game by game,” Stevens said. “Every game is different. Sometimes we need them (reserves) to come in and give us a spark on the defensive end like we’ve seen time and time again.”
Everyone is truly doing their part, and no one in the locker room expects that to change when facing the Bulldogs, who CSU convincingly knocked off 86-68 at Moby in January behind 47 combined points from Roddy and Stevens.
Though the prosperity is surely a product of the team as a whole, Carvacho’s current trend is certainly worth noting. Coupled with serving as an exemplary mentor behind the scenes, the big man has adequately responded from prior offensive struggles by scoring 16 points in back-to-back outings off 65 percent shooting.
After recording his 45th career double-double versus UNLV to tie the Mountain West record, Carvacho aims to make history on Tuesday.
“It started on the road at Utah State,” Meved said. “He really played with a lot of juice in that game. I think it’s just him kind of finding his stride that way. He’s always played hard. But there’s been another level he’s cranked it up to here with his energy, and it’s been a game-changer.”
As fans witnessed when the programs previously met, the Rams match up well with the Bulldogs. Fresno State struggles offensively –– converting just 41.7 percent of its field goals compared to a 47.6 percent clip for the Rams, which ranks second in the conference.
However, ranking inside the conference’s top third in both rebounds (37 per game) and scoring defense (68.1 points allowed on average), the Bulldogs often pose a legitimate threat. They’ve surely made that clear lately upon consecutively besting Air Force and New Mexico.
Limiting star senior Nate Grimes –– who enters the bout averaging 12.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game –– undoubtedly represents one of CSU’s primary goals as Tuesday night approaches.
“In my mind, what stood out was Grimes made some threes,” Medved said. “He’s shooting the ball from three which he hadn’t been doing in his career. So, that’s a little bit of a game-changer.”
Though the forward’s 23 points and nine rebounds two weeks ago in Fort Collins didn’t prove detrimental, Medved and company are wisely straying away from guaranteeing a positive outcome simply because the ball bounced their way last time.
The red-hot Rams continue taking things one game at a time, which means treating each opponent with respect as they gun for their third win in a row.
Picking up the victory could potentially grant CSU sole possession of second place in the Mountain West. Regardless, the Rams are focusing on the task at hand rather than stressing about the bigger picture.
“Every game is different,” Medved said. “You can’t go in and say well this happened two weeks ago. It’ll be a completely different set of circumstances….I’ve never talked about the standings one time. It sounds like a cliche, but it’s really a next-game mentality.”
Notable
Following a pair of highly efficient performances, Stevens appropriately earned Mountain West Player of the Week honors on Monday.
Marking the first Ram to warrant the distinction, the freshman knocked down 11 of 16 field goal attempts versus Nevada and UNLV for 33 combined points –– including a 21-point outing against the Rebels in which Stevens went 5-for-5 from the 3-point line. The multifaceted guard totaled 11 rebounds and nine assists, as well, during the homestand.
Beyond the statistics, Stevens miraculously answered the Rams’ prayers in the clutch last week. The Texas native delivered a step-back jumper to defeat the Wolfpack 92-91 at the buzzer before hitting a triple at the first-half horn in CSU’s victory over the Rebels.
A conference newcomer of the year candidate, Stevens’ 13.4 points and 4.3 assists per contest both lead the Rams.


thedenverpost--2020-02-04--Michael Bennet gave up on Iowa — now New Hampshire is make-or-break for him

Michael Bennet gave up on the Iowa caucus in recent months , and he spent the last few days 1,000 miles away from the event that kicks off Democratic presidential voting .
So it was little surprise that the U.S. senator from Colorado — yes , he ’ s still running — attracted scant support in Monday ’ s caucus .
Bennet has all his chips on the table in New Hampshire , where he had events in recent days .
His campaign acknowledges it needs to show some sign of life in that state ’ s Feb. 11 primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one thing that I would say he has in his corner is that expectations for him are absolutely zero , ” said Seth Masket , a political science professor at the University of Denver .
“ Iowa and New Hampshire , a lot of their political effect — aside from the number of delegates you get — is how much you ’ re able to defeat expectations .
Almost anything would be more than anyone ’ s expecting.
” Bennet has struggled to stand out in crowded field that now stands at 11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a televised debate since last summer .
Even in New Hampshire , recent polls of likely primary voters have him stuck between zero and 2 % .
Money ’ s been drying up , too .
In a campaign finance report filed Friday , Bennet ’ s campaign revealed that it took in $ 1.2 million during the last quarter of 2019 , about $ 900,000 less than it raised the prior quarter .
The campaign spent more than twice what it pocketed , leaving it with a spartan $ 517,558 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s campaign had a small team on the ground in Iowa , and his supporters worked precincts Monday .
As of 10 p.m. , with the release of caucus results still stalled in the early stages amid technical problems , he ’ d received support from just eight voters spread across 34 precincts .
“ We ’ re hoping to propel Michael from New Hampshire into Super Tuesday , ” said campaign spokesperson Shannon Beckham , citing the March 3 contests in several states , including Colorado .
“ We ’ ve seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Hampshire ) — several more local endorsers , larger crowds , great events.
” Bennet , who has been constrained by the need to attend President Donald Trump ’ s Senate impeachment trial , had good reason to shift attention from Iowa .
Its in-person caucuses require extensive organization and have viability thresholds — most precincts require at least 15 % support — that are cruel to low-polling candidates .
Unlike Iowa , New Hampshire allows unaffiliated voters to participate , potentially offering more opportunity to moderates like Bennet .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He has held nearly 50 town halls there since early December .

Michael Bennet gave up on the Iowa caucus in recent months, and he spent the last few days 1,000 miles away from the event that kicks off Democratic presidential voting.
So it was little surprise that the U.S. senator from Colorado — yes, he’s still running — attracted scant support in Monday’s caucus. Bennet has all his chips on the table in New Hampshire, where he had events in recent days.
His campaign acknowledges it needs to show some sign of life in that state’s Feb. 11 primary in order to continue.
“The one thing that I would say he has in his corner is that expectations for him are absolutely zero,” said Seth Masket, a political science professor at the University of Denver. “Iowa and New Hampshire, a lot of their political effect — aside from the number of delegates you get — is how much you’re able to defeat expectations. Almost anything would be more than anyone’s expecting.”
Bennet has struggled to stand out in crowded field that now stands at 11 Democrats. He hasn’t qualified for a televised debate since last summer. Even in New Hampshire, recent polls of likely primary voters have him stuck between zero and 2%.
Money’s been drying up, too. In a campaign finance report filed Friday, Bennet’s campaign revealed that it took in $1.2 million during the last quarter of 2019, about $900,000 less than it raised the prior quarter. The campaign spent more than twice what it pocketed, leaving it with a spartan $517,558 to start the election year.
One die hard Bennet fan here in Marshalltown. Jeff Harris, substitute teacher. His wife's with Klobuchar. "Only need 19 more now!" Gotta respect it. pic.twitter.com/28T73H2RGk — Jada Yuan (@jadabird) February 4, 2020
Bennet’s campaign had a small team on the ground in Iowa, and his supporters worked precincts Monday. As of 3:20 p.m. Tuesday, after the delayed release of caucus results from 62% of precincts, he’d received support from just 96 voters spread across 1,099 precincts.
“We’re hoping to propel Michael from New Hampshire into Super Tuesday,” said campaign spokesperson Shannon Beckham, citing the March 3 contests in several states, including Colorado. “We’ve seen increased momentum in recent weeks (in New Hampshire) — several more local endorsers, larger crowds, great events.”
Bennet, who has been constrained by the need to attend President Donald Trump’s Senate impeachment trial, had good reason to shift attention from Iowa. Its in-person caucuses require extensive organization and have viability thresholds — most precincts require at least 15% support — that are cruel to low-polling candidates.
Unlike Iowa, New Hampshire allows unaffiliated voters to participate, potentially offering more opportunity to moderates like Bennet. It’s also a compact state to barnstorm. He has held nearly 50 town halls there since early December.


thedenverpost--2020-02-04--Colorado Humane Pet Act fails in House committee

Despite introducing a number of amendments to the proposed Humane Pet Act , the House Rural Affairs and Agriculture Committee failed to pass the bill to the next phase , with a vote of 6-5 against the legislation .
On Monday , Rep. Monica Duran , the bill ’ s sponsor , softened on some of the initial stances in the proposed legislation , including the ban on commercial pet stores from selling dogs and cats .
Instead , pet stores would be required to get their animals from licensed breeders , get an affidavit from the breeder saying that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breeder ’ s information on each animal ’ s enclosure .
“ I am disappointed and heartbroken by what we gave up , ” Duran said .
“ I ’ ve lost a lot of supporters by presenting these amendments , but giving up because we did not get what we want is not how you legislate .
Doing nothing is not a solution.
” The amendment also removed the restriction on breeding cats or dogs more than once per year and the ban non-solid floored enclosures for animals .
For those opposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but some people who originally advocated for the bill could not support it as amended .
Pet advocates , breeders , kennel clubs and pet store owners showed up to voice their opposition to many measures of the bill .
Witnesses challenged the scientific basis of the 25 animal cap for breeders and restricting animals to breeding no more than six times per lifetime , arguing that the quality of the breeder is a much clearer determinant of an animal ’ s welfare .
Ultimately , lawmakers didn ’ t feel comfortable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an impact on local businesses .
“ We can not be anti-business , ” said Rep. Richard Holtorf , who sits on the House Rural Affairs and Agriculture Committee .
“ This industry has so many hardworking people and I am not gon na sit here and jeopardize the business models of these pet stores.
” The bill has been postponed indefinitely .

Despite introducing a number of amendments to the proposed Humane Pet Act, the Colorado House Rural Affairs and Agriculture Committee failed to pass the bill to the next phase, with a vote of 6-5 against the legislation.
On Monday, Rep. Monica Duran , the bill’s sponsor, softened on some of the initial stances in the proposed legislation, including the ban on commercial pet stores selling dogs and cats. Instead, pet stores would be required to get their animals from licensed breeders, get an affidavit from the breeder saying that their practices meets requirements and display the breeder’s information on each animal’s enclosure.
“I am disappointed and heartbroken by what we gave up,” Duran said. “I’ve lost a lot of supporters by presenting these amendments, but giving up because we did not get what we want is not how you legislate. Doing nothing is not a solution.”
The amendment also removed the restriction on breeding cats or dogs more than once per year and the ban non-solid floored enclosures for animals.
But the changes weren’t enough for those opposed to a tougher law, and they went too far for some of the supporters of the bill’s original provisions.
Pet advocates, breeders, kennel clubs and pet store owners showed up to voice their opposition to many measures of the bill. Witnesses challenged the scientific basis of the 25-animal cap for breeders and restricting animals to breeding no more than six times per lifetime, arguing that the quality of the breeder is a much clearer determinant of an animal’s welfare.
Ultimately, lawmakers said they didn’t feel comfortable supporting a bill that could have such an impact on local businesses.
“We cannot be anti-business,” said Rep. Richard Holtorf, a Republican committee member. “This industry has so many hard-working people, and I am not going to sit here and jeopardize the business models of these pet stores.”
The bill has been postponed indefinitely.


thedenverpost--2020-02-04--Denver metro area school closures and delays for Feb. 4, 2020

On days with severe weather , school closures and government office closures will be updated throughout the day .
A @ @ @ @ @ means there is an early closing or some cancellations — check the website by clicking @ @ @ @ @ .

On days with severe weather, school closures and government office closures will be updated throughout the day.
A status of “Other” means there is an early closing or some cancellations — check the website by clicking the name in the list.


thedenverpost--2020-02-04--Denver weather: Heaviest snow expected overnight into Tuesday morning

Heavy snow is expected to last across the Denver area most of Monday night and into Tuesday morning , potentially hampering Tuesday morning ’ s commute .
After ice and snow slowed commuters on Monday morning , snow re-intensified Monday afternoon and into the early evening hours , with the highest accumulations across the metro area still likely to come overnight Monday and into Tuesday morning .
Snowfall rates across the metro area could be on the order of 1-2 inches per hour between 7 p.m. and midnight on Monday .
The snow will lighten Tuesday morning .
Light snow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s commute across the metro area , leading to added slick spots and patchy ice through the morning hours .
The snow should end by midday Tuesday , though most of the accumulation should be finished by late morning .
High temperatures will only top out in the upper teens on Tuesday in Denver .
As of mid-afternoon Monday , only a dusting to an inch of snow and ice had fallen across most of the immediate metro Denver area .
Boulder , however , had 4.6 inches of snow , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to preliminary reports from the National Weather Service .
Still , black ice made for treacherous travel with wrecks temporarily closing portions of Interstate 70 and Interstate 25 on Monday .
Airlines also cancelled and delayed hundreds of flights on Monday because of dangerous weather conditions .
Most of the immediate Denver metro area , including the city of Denver , will likely end up with six to eight inches of snow by the time the storm ends around midday on Tuesday .
Amounts may vary widely between the east and west sides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Denver International Airport closer to 5 or 6 inches , and west Denver closer to eight or nine inches .
Highest overall amounts are expected to remain in the foothills just west of Denver , and along the Palmer Divide just south of the city .
Boulder , Conifer and Castle Rock ( western Jefferson and Boulder Counties , along with Elbert and Douglas Counties ) could be among places where close to a foot of snow could fall .
Following Tuesday ’ s snow , temperatures will plummet below zero @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with overnight lows dropping as low as -5 degrees .
A -5 degree reading would mark Denver ’ s coldest temperature so far this winter .
Temperatures will gradually moderate behind Tuesday ’ s snow , with highs back in the 40s by the end of the week .
Another chance for snow could be in the forecast for the Front Range on Thursday and Friday , but at this point it appears to be a less significant storm system than the current one .
• First major snowstorm of the year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ snow to Denver area

Heavy snow is expected to last across the Denver area most of Monday night and into Tuesday morning, potentially hampering Tuesday morning’s commute.
After ice and snow slowed commuters on Monday morning, snow re-intensified Monday afternoon and into the early evening hours, with the highest accumulations across the metro area still likely to come overnight Monday and into Tuesday morning.
Snowfall rates across the metro area could be on the order of 1-2 inches per hour between 7 p.m. and midnight on Monday. The snow will lighten Tuesday morning.
Light snow and flurries will linger through Tuesday morning’s commute across the metro area, leading to added slick spots and patchy ice through the morning hours.
The snow should end by midday Tuesday, though most of the accumulation should be finished by late morning. High temperatures will only top out in the upper teens on Tuesday in Denver.
As of mid-afternoon Monday, only a dusting to an inch of snow and ice had fallen across most of the immediate metro Denver area. Boulder, however, had 4.6 inches of snow, and west Arvada had 2 inches, according to preliminary reports from the National Weather Service.
Still, black ice made for treacherous travel with wrecks temporarily closing portions of Interstate 70 and Interstate 25 on Monday. Airlines also cancelled and delayed hundreds of flights on Monday because of dangerous weather conditions.
Most of the immediate Denver metro area, including the city of Denver, will likely end up with six to eight inches of snow by the time the storm ends around midday on Tuesday. Amounts may vary widely between the east and west sides of the city, with east Denver and the Denver International Airport closer to 5 or 6 inches, and west Denver closer to eight or nine inches.
Freezing drizzle across the plains this morning will change over to snow later this morning & persist into the evening. Snow, heavy at times, mountains & foothills thru Tuesday morning. Plan for slow & difficult travel across northern Colorado thru midday Tuesday. #COwx pic.twitter.com/lhVkYKNeze — NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) February 3, 2020
Highest overall amounts are expected to remain in the foothills just west of Denver, and along the Palmer Divide just south of the city. Boulder, Conifer and Castle Rock (western Jefferson and Boulder Counties, along with Elbert and Douglas Counties) could be among places where close to a foot of snow could fall.
Following Tuesday’s snow, temperatures will plummet below zero on Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, with overnight lows dropping as low as -5 degrees. A -5 degree reading would mark Denver’s coldest temperature so far this winter.
Temperatures will gradually moderate behind Tuesday’s snow, with highs back in the 40s by the end of the week. Another chance for snow could be in the forecast for the Front Range on Thursday and Friday, but at this point it appears to be a less significant storm system than the current one.


thedenverpost--2020-02-04--Victim in alleged Westminster domestic violence case dies at hospital

The victim in a Westminster domestic violence case has died at a local hospital and police continue to search for her ex-husband who allegedly beat and strangled her .
James Arthur Naulls Jr. , 30 , is wanted in connection to the death of 33-year-old Yasmin Usama Dahabreh , according to police .
On Friday , police received a 911 “ medical call ” about a woman who had fallen , but officers “ quickly uncovered suspicious circumstances that led to an arrest warrant ” for Naulls , police said in a news release .
Investigators said Naulls beat and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his ex-wife .
On Friday , Dahabreh was taken by emergency responders to a local hospital with serious and life-threatening injuries .
Police announced her death on Monday evening .
Naulls had been charged with aggravated assault from a domestic violence incident in Denver on Nov. 14 , Westminster police said .
He is awaiting trial and was free on bond with an ankle monitor .
He has shed the monitor and is on the run , police said .
Naulls , who has distinctive facial and neck tattoos , is 5 feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with brown eyes and a shaved head .
Naulls is considered violent and dangerous , people should not approach him or try to apprehend him , but instead call police immediately , the news release said .
Westminster police on Monday said Crime Stoppers has a reward for up to $ 5,000 for information that lead to Naulls ’ arrest .
Police said several sightings have been shared on social media , but the quickest way to generate police response is to call 911 .
Anyone with information on Naulls ’ whereabouts can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867 ( STOP ) .

The victim in a Westminster domestic violence case has died at a local hospital and police continue to search for her ex-husband who allegedly beat and strangled her.
James Arthur Naulls Jr., 30, is wanted in connection to the death of 33-year-old Yasmin Usama Dahabreh, according to police.
On Friday, police received a 911 “medical call” about a woman who had fallen, but officers “quickly uncovered suspicious circumstances that led to an arrest warrant” for Naulls, police said in a news release. Investigators said Naulls beat and strangled Dahabreh, who is described as his ex-wife.
DV victim passes away at hospital, renewing our need for the public to help locate James Arthur Naulls Jr. #CrimeStoppers @CrimeStoppersCO https://t.co/BSLKcGHf9Q pic.twitter.com/vRog3VOvEa — Westminster Police (@WestminsterPD) February 4, 2020
On Friday, Dahabreh was taken by emergency responders to a local hospital with serious and life-threatening injuries. Police announced her death on Monday evening.
Naulls had been charged with aggravated assault from a domestic violence incident in Denver on Nov. 14, Westminster police said. He is awaiting trial and was free on bond with an ankle monitor.
He has shed the monitor and is on the run, police said. Naulls, who has distinctive facial and neck tattoos, is 5 feet, 7 inches tall and 190 pounds with brown eyes and a shaved head. Naulls is considered violent and dangerous, people should not approach him or try to apprehend him, but instead call police immediately, the news release said.
Westminster police on Monday said Crime Stoppers has a reward for up to $5,000 for information that lead to Naulls’ arrest.
Police said several sightings have been shared on social media, but the quickest way to generate police response is to call 911. Anyone with information on Naulls’ whereabouts can also call police at 303-658-4360, or Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867 (STOP).


thedenverpost--2020-02-04--Donnie Yantis, new Valor Christian football coach, eager to add to Eagles’ championship resume

After spending six years in the college ranks , Donnie Yantis is taking over the highest-profile high school coaching job in Colorado at Valor Christian .
The hire , officially announced by the school last Friday , comes after Yantis spent two years as head coach at Arizona Christian in NAIA and then four years on the staff at Arizona State , where he served as assistant athletic director/football recruiting coordinator as well as tight ends coach .
“ What I ’ ve learned throughout this process over the last six years is that I feel I can make more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the high school level , ” said Yantis , 49 .
“ It ’ s pure at that level — not as much politics , and you get to really work on your faith , your family , the education there .
This is where I want to be long-term.
” Yantis didn ’ t have his contract renewed by ASU after the Sun Devils ’ regular season concluded .
The Phoenix native ’ s previous prep head coaching stops in Arizona were at his alma mater Paradise Valley High School ( where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history over 13 seasons ) and a rebuilding project at his first job at Glendale High School .
Valor Christian has won eight state titles in its brief 12-year history .
“ That championship culture is something that ’ s big for me , because when I was at Paradise Valley , it was a middle-of-the-road program , ” Yantis said .
“ Every 10 years you ’ re going to have a great team , but most of the time you ’ re fighting to win seven , eight games .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re not necessarily going to win state championships that way.
” Yantis is scheduled to meet the Valor Christian players and families Thursday night in Highlands Ranch , with plans to move to the area in about a month .
He knows the spotlight he ’ ll be stepping into .
“ I ’ m one of those guys who does it the right way , ” he said .
“ I ’ ve heard that everybody thinks that private schools recruit and all that , but I ’ ve never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m certainly not going to start now.
” He ’ ll be the fourth head coach in Valor Christian history , following Ed McCaffrey , who departed after two seasons to take the head coaching job at Northern Colorado .
Valor Christian was 24-2 under McCaffrey and won the 2018 5A title .
“ I ’ m not going to stick my toes in the water — I ’ m jumping in head first , ” Yantis said .
“ Winning a championship is a priority , but right when I get there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men know I ’ m there for the long haul and I want to build trust with them.
” Self-described as a “ no excuses ” type of coach , one former player said Yantis will bring strict accountability .
“ He helped me build a love for the preparation and the hard work behind the game , ” said Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ryan Finley , who played for Yantis at Paradise Valley .
“ It was important for me and a lot of the guys I grew up with to have someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and who helped them be accountable .
It helped on the field , it helped us grow as young men .
I ’ m sure it will be the same case at Valor Christian .
”

After spending six years in the college ranks, Donnie Yantis is taking over the highest-profile high school coaching job in Colorado at Valor Christian.
The hire, officially announced by the school last Friday, comes after Yantis spent two years as head coach at Arizona Christian in NAIA and then four years on the staff at Arizona State, where he served as assistant athletic director/football recruiting coordinator as well as tight ends coach.
“What I’ve learned throughout this process over the last six years is that I feel I can make more of a difference with young people at the high school level,” said Yantis, 49. “It’s pure at that level — not as much politics, and you get to really work on your faith, your family, the education there. This is where I want to be long-term.”
Yantis didn’t have his contract renewed by ASU after the Sun Devils’ regular season concluded.
The Phoenix native’s previous prep head coaching stops in Arizona were at his alma mater Paradise Valley High School (where he became the winningest coach in school history over 13 seasons) and a rebuilding project at his first job at Glendale High School. Valor Christian has won eight state titles in its brief 12-year history.
“That championship culture is something that’s big for me, because when I was at Paradise Valley, it was a middle-of-the-road program,” Yantis said. “Every 10 years you’re going to have a great team, but most of the time you’re fighting to win seven, eight games. I treasured that (grind), but you’re not necessarily going to win state championships that way.”
Yantis is scheduled to meet the Valor Christian players and families Thursday night in Highlands Ranch, with plans to move to the area in about a month. He knows the spotlight he’ll be stepping into.
“I’m one of those guys who does it the right way,” he said. “I’ve heard that everybody thinks that private schools recruit and all that, but I’ve never cheated in my life and I’m certainly not going to start now.”
He’ll be the fourth head coach in Valor Christian history, following Ed McCaffrey, who departed after two seasons to take the head coaching job at Northern Colorado.
Valor Christian was 24-2 under McCaffrey and won the 2018 5A title.
“I’m not going to stick my toes in the water — I’m jumping in head first,” Yantis said. “Winning a championship is a priority, but right when I get there, I want to let those young men know I’m there for the long haul and I want to build trust with them.”
Self-described as a “no excuses” type of coach, one former player said Yantis will bring strict accountability.
“He helped me build a love for the preparation and the hard work behind the game,” said Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ryan Finley, who played for Yantis at Paradise Valley. “It was important for me and a lot of the guys I grew up with to have someone who was hard on them at times and who helped them be accountable. It helped on the field, it helped us grow as young men. I’m sure it will be the same case at Valor Christian.”


thedenverpost--2020-02-05--Colorado residents attending 2020 State of the Union include Columbine victim’s dad, in return appea

Colorado residents attending 2020 State of the Union include Columbine victim’s dad, in return appearance

Twenty years ago , Tom Mauser was sitting in a congressional gallery , two seats down from the first lady , and watching President Bill Clinton describe his son , Daniel , as “ an amazing kid , a straight-A student , a good skier.
” Daniel had , in the president ’ s words , been “ gunned down at Columbine ” the year before .
On Tuesday night , Tom Mauser will return to Congress for another State of the Union address as the guest of Rep. Joe Neguse , a Lafayette Democrat who is 35 years old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daniel Mauser would be if he were alive today .
“ Here we are 20 years later , and we are basically in the same situation , ” Mauser said Tuesday .
“ We can ’ t get something as basic as a universal background check bill passed .
In Colorado , the year after Columbine , we closed the gun-show loophole because it was something that played a role in the Columbine shooting.
” “ It seems to me that I can be the sort of messenger that says , ‘ Remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learned from this ?
And yet , we can ’ t get something as basic as a universal background check bill even heard in the Senate ?
’ We have gotten nowhere , ” Mauser added .
Neguse is frustrated that HR 8 , requiring background checks for all gun sales , has stalled in the Senate after passing the House .
He called the Senate a “ legislative graveyard ” and its refusal to hold hearings on HR 8 “ a perversion of our democracy.
” Mauser ’ s presence , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that millions of Americans are awaiting action on gun prevention measures .
Presidents and members of Congress are allowed to bring guests to the State of the Union address , granting them an opportunity to honor a constituent or make a political point .
Below are some other guests invited by Coloradans on Tuesday .
Christy was named the 2018 Air Force Spouse of the Year for her advocacy work on suicide prevention following the death of her first husband .
Gardner has led efforts to create a three-digit suicide prevention hotline .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christy said in a video message Tuesday .
“ We are at war against suicide .
We are at war against depression and anxiety , and there is no room for strangers on this battlefield.
” Democratic Rep. Jason Crow invited fellow Aurora resident Sue Way , a retired nurse and diabetic who saw the cost of her insulin increase by more than 500 % last year .
“ The stress , the financial burden , and the uncertainty resulted in me having to ration my medication , only creating more health issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday .
“ I believe we need to hold Big Pharma and the insurance companies accountable and I ’ m honored to join Congressman Crow.
” Rep. Ed Perlmutter , an Arvada Democrat , also chose a guest to highlight flaws in the health care system : Kim Parfitt , a retired public school teacher from Lakewood .
Parfitt received a $ 5,000 hospital bill after undergoing basic care for a virus last October , according to Perlmutter ’ s office .
Sen. Michael Bennet , a Denver Democrat , invited Jay Seaton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sentinel , to show his support for journalism .
Trump is an outspoken critic of the press .
Rep. Doug Lamborn , a Colorado Springs Republican , is taking his wife , Jeanie , as his guest , according to a spokesperson for the congressman .
Rep. Ken Buck , a Windsor Republican and chair of the Colorado Republican Party , will be accompanied by Eric O ’ Keefe , who has worked on conservative causes for several decades .
He attracted Buck ’ s attention for opposing the methods of an investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ties to political groups .
“ Eric O ’ Keefe was instrumental in shutting down Wisconsin ’ s infamous ‘ John Doe ’ investigations in which courts concluded the FBI ’ s coordination to illegally hack into thousands of private emails of conservatives was politically motivated , ” Buck said .
“ I ’ m honored to have Eric join me at the State of the Union this year and shed light on this important issue .
”

Twenty years ago, Tom Mauser was sitting in a congressional gallery, two seats down from the first lady, and watching President Bill Clinton describe his son, Daniel, as “an amazing kid, a straight-A student, a good skier.” Daniel had, in the president’s words, been “gunned down at Columbine” the year before.
On Tuesday night, Tom Mauser will return to Congress for another State of the Union address as the guest of Rep. Joe Neguse, a Lafayette Democrat who is 35 years old. It’s the same age Daniel Mauser would be if he were alive today.
“Here we are 20 years later, and we are basically in the same situation,” Mauser said Tuesday. “We can’t get something as basic as a universal background check bill passed. In Colorado, the year after Columbine, we closed the gun-show loophole because it was something that played a role in the Columbine shooting.”
“It seems to me that I can be the sort of messenger that says, ‘Remember Columbine? Remember the lessons that we learned from this? And yet, we can’t get something as basic as a universal background check bill even heard in the Senate?’ We have gotten nowhere,” Mauser added.
Neguse is frustrated that HR 8, requiring background checks for all gun sales, has stalled in the Senate after passing the House. He called the Senate a “legislative graveyard” and its refusal to hold hearings on HR 8 “a perversion of our democracy.” Mauser’s presence, he says, will hopefully remind the president that millions of Americans are awaiting action on gun prevention measures.
Presidents and members of Congress are allowed to bring guests to the State of the Union address, granting them an opportunity to honor a constituent or make a political point. Below are some other guests invited by Coloradans on Tuesday.
Kristen Christy, suicide prevention advocate
Sen. Cory Gardner, a Yuma Republican, is bringing Colorado Springs resident Kristen Christy to Tuesday night’s speech.
Christy was named the 2018 Air Force Spouse of the Year for her advocacy work on suicide prevention following the death of her first husband. Gardner has led efforts to create a three-digit suicide prevention hotline.
“We are at war,” Christy said in a video message Tuesday. “We are at war against suicide. We are at war against depression and anxiety, and there is no room for strangers on this battlefield.”
Sue Way, retired nurse
Democratic Rep. Jason Crow invited fellow Aurora resident Sue Way, a retired nurse and diabetic who saw the cost of her insulin increase by more than 500% last year.
“The stress, the financial burden, and the uncertainty resulted in me having to ration my medication, only creating more health issues,” Way said in a statement Monday. “I believe we need to hold Big Pharma and the insurance companies accountable and I’m honored to join Congressman Crow.”
Kim Parfitt, retired teacher
Rep. Ed Perlmutter, an Arvada Democrat, also chose a guest to highlight flaws in the health care system: Kim Parfitt, a retired public school teacher from Lakewood.
Parfitt received a $5,000 hospital bill after undergoing basic care for a virus last October, according to Perlmutter’s office.
Jay Seaton, newspaper publisher
Sen. Michael Bennet, a Denver Democrat, invited Jay Seaton, publisher of the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, to show his support for journalism. Trump is an outspoken critic of the press.
Jeanie Lamborn, congressman’s wife
Rep. Doug Lamborn, a Colorado Springs Republican, is taking his wife, Jeanie, as his guest, according to a spokesperson for the congressman.
Eric O’Keefe, a Wisconsin activist
Rep. Ken Buck, a Windsor Republican and chair of the Colorado Republican Party, will be accompanied by Eric O’Keefe, who has worked on conservative causes for several decades. He attracted Buck’s attention for opposing the methods of an investigation into former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s ties to political groups.
“Eric O’Keefe was instrumental in shutting down Wisconsin’s infamous ‘John Doe’ investigations in which courts concluded the FBI’s coordination to illegally hack into thousands of private emails of conservatives was politically motivated,” Buck said. “I’m honored to have Eric join me at the State of the Union this year and shed light on this important issue.”


thedenverpost--2020-02-04--Newman: If Rockies are to rebound, their unestablished bullpen arms must rise to an enormous task

Amid the purple-tinted takes by Rockies players at the team ’ s recent fan fest , and in light of owner Dick Monfort ‘ s bold prediction of 94 wins , there ’ s a small cast of unheralded players who just might be able to make Colorado ’ s unlikely turnaround occur .
It ’ s an octet of relievers who , while very much looking to still firmly establish themselves as big-leaguers , could make the difference between contention and implosion for the Rockies in 2020 .
Four of those pitchers — right-handers Jairo Diaz , Carlos Estevez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are familiar faces from last year ’ s roster .
Three of them — James Pazos , Phillip Diehl and Tyler Kinley — were acquired within the last calendar year .
And one , the “ wild card , ” is a pitcher with promising potential he ’ s not yet reached as a starter — potential starter-turned-reliever Jeff Hoffman .
Obviously , to put the onus of a turnaround on this group is a lot to ask of largely unproven arms considering the beleaguered bullpen was rocked for a 5.14 ERA last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But when looking at the career trajectories of the veteran arms in the bullpen , three of the four are trending in the wrong direction entering 2020 .
The Rockies need Wade Davis , in the final guaranteed year of his $ 52 million contract , to find his stuff again after a disastrous 2019 which featured a 11.10 home ERA and 13.50 second-half ERA .
They need Bryan Shaw ( 5.38 ERA in 2019 ) and Jake McGee ( 4.35 ERA ) to finally , fully live up to their billings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deals .
So while Scott Oberg seems like a smart bet to begin the season as closer and build off his impressive 2019 , this baseball pundit believes it ’ s much more plausible that the team ’ s younger bullpen arms break out than the other three veterans re-discover late-career magic .
If that means the Rockies have $ 35.5 million in bullpen salary ( Davis $ 17 million , McGee $ 9.5 million , Shaw $ 9 million ) that ’ s mainly used in low-leverage situations , then so be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the starting pitching , because it could be argued Kyle Freeland , German Marquez and Jon Gray bear the greatest weight of all this season as Colorado is out to prove last year ’ s 91-loss disaster was an anomaly .
But Marquez ’ s ability is sky-high , and Gray posted the strongest season of any Colorado starter last year with a 3.84 ERA .
If Freeland can post even a moderate bounce-back year –and if the back end of the rotation can deliver surprise consistency from Antonio Senzatela , Peter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — then the rotation could be decent… and the onus again shifts to the bullpen .
There , Diaz is a feel-good story who has bounced back from Tommy John surgery and the death of his wife .
His potential is huge , especially after he showed flashes of dominance last year with his 97 mph fastball while getting a taste of the closer role .
Alongside him , Estevez can bring it at 98 mph , making for a hard-throwing tandem in addition to promising arms in Tinoco and Almonte .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) and Diehl ( traded from the Yankees last March ) , the Rockies have potential to shore up their southpaw needs .
Pazos looked solid with a 1.74 ERA in 10 games last September , while Diehl might need some more seasoning in Triple-A considering his 7.36 ERA in the same sample size as Pazos .
And Kinley , a right-hander claimed off waivers from the Marlins in December , is the most intriguing of the three newer faces , having put up a 3.65 ERA in 52 appearances for the Marlins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Finally , let ’ s not forget about Hoffman , who had a 6.56 ERA in 15 starts in 2019 .
After batters barreled 12.9 % of his pitches last year , ranking him in the bottom 1 % of the league , it ’ s time for a change of scenery to the bullpen .
There , the 6-foot-5 right-hander just might start to live up to his potential as a former first-round pick .
The rise of “ Hoffman , dominant reliever ” could be seeing things through purple-tinted glasses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Rockies won ’ t sniff anywhere near 94 wins without more than a few pleasant bullpen surprises like that .

Amid the purple-tinted takes by Rockies players at the team’s recent fan fest, and in light of owner Dick Monfort‘s bold prediction of 94 wins, there’s a small cast of unheralded players who just might be able to make Colorado’s unlikely turnaround occur.
It’s an octet of relievers who, while very much looking to still firmly establish themselves as big-leaguers, could make the difference between contention and implosion for the Rockies in 2020.
Four of those pitchers — right-handers Jairo Diaz, Carlos Estevez, Yency Almonte and Jesus Tinoco — are familiar faces from last year’s roster. Three of them — James Pazos, Phillip Diehl and Tyler Kinley — were acquired within the last calendar year. And one, the “wild card,” is a pitcher with promising potential he’s not yet reached as a starter — potential starter-turned-reliever Jeff Hoffman.
Obviously, to put the onus of a turnaround on this group is a lot to ask of largely unproven arms considering the beleaguered bullpen was rocked for a 5.14 ERA last year, second-worst in the National League.
But when looking at the career trajectories of the veteran arms in the bullpen, three of the four are trending in the wrong direction entering 2020.
The Rockies need Wade Davis, in the final guaranteed year of his $52 million contract, to find his stuff again after a disastrous 2019 which featured a 11.10 home ERA and 13.50 second-half ERA. They need Bryan Shaw (5.38 ERA in 2019) and Jake McGee (4.35 ERA) to finally, fully live up to their billings in the final guaranteed years of expensive deals.
So while Scott Oberg seems like a smart bet to begin the season as closer and build off his impressive 2019, this baseball pundit believes it’s much more plausible that the team’s younger bullpen arms break out than the other three veterans re-discover late-career magic. If that means the Rockies have $35.5 million in bullpen salary (Davis $17 million, McGee $9.5 million, Shaw $9 million) that’s mainly used in low-leverage situations, then so be it.
Let’s not forget about the starting pitching, because it could be argued Kyle Freeland, German Marquez and Jon Gray bear the greatest weight of all this season as Colorado is out to prove last year’s 91-loss disaster was an anomaly.
But Marquez’s ability is sky-high, and Gray posted the strongest season of any Colorado starter last year with a 3.84 ERA. If Freeland can post even a moderate bounce-back year –and if the back end of the rotation can deliver surprise consistency from Antonio Senzatela, Peter Lambert and possibly even Chi Chi Gonzalez — then the rotation could be decent… and the onus again shifts to the bullpen.
There, Diaz is a feel-good story who has bounced back from Tommy John surgery and the death of his wife. His potential is huge, especially after he showed flashes of dominance last year with his 97 mph fastball while getting a taste of the closer role. Alongside him, Estevez can bring it at 98 mph, making for a hard-throwing tandem in addition to promising arms in Tinoco and Almonte.
In Pazos (traded from Philadelphia last April) and Diehl (traded from the Yankees last March), the Rockies have potential to shore up their southpaw needs. Pazos looked solid with a 1.74 ERA in 10 games last September, while Diehl might need some more seasoning in Triple-A considering his 7.36 ERA in the same sample size as Pazos.
And Kinley, a right-hander claimed off waivers from the Marlins in December, is the most intriguing of the three newer faces, having put up a 3.65 ERA in 52 appearances for the Marlins in his second big-league season last year.
Finally, let’s not forget about Hoffman, who had a 6.56 ERA in 15 starts in 2019. After batters barreled 12.9% of his pitches last year, ranking him in the bottom 1% of the league, it’s time for a change of scenery to the bullpen. There, the 6-foot-5 right-hander just might start to live up to his potential as a former first-round pick.
The rise of “Hoffman, dominant reliever” could be seeing things through purple-tinted glasses, but all LoDo dreaming aside, the Rockies won’t sniff anywhere near 94 wins without more than a few pleasant bullpen surprises like that.
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thedenverpost--2020-02-04--Service set for members of family who died with Kobe Bryant

LOS ANGELES — A public memorial has been announced for three members of a family who died along with Kobe Bryant and others when a helicopter crashed in foggy weather last month outside Los Angeles .
The service for Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli , his wife Keri , and daughter Alyssa will be held Feb. 10 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim .
“ Needless to say … there will be plenty of room so if you ’ d like to be a part of this , we ’ d love to have you !
” Altobelli ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a Facebook post .
Bryant , daughter Gianna and seven other people died Jan. 26 when the helicopter crashed into a hillside outside Los Angeles .
A public memorial for the former Lakers superstar and his daughter is expected , but plans have not been announced .
The remains of all the victims have been released by the Los Angeles County coroner , online records show .
Also killed in the crash were Bryant friends Christina Mauser , Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton , and the helicopter pilot , Ara Zobayan @

LOS ANGELES — A public memorial has been announced for three members of a family who died along with Kobe Bryant and others when a helicopter crashed in foggy weather last month outside Los Angeles.
The service for Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri, and daughter Alyssa will be held Feb. 10 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.
“Needless to say … there will be plenty of room so if you’d like to be a part of this, we’d love to have you!” Altobelli’s brother, Tony, wrote Monday in a Facebook post.
Bryant, daughter Gianna and seven other people died Jan. 26 when the helicopter crashed into a hillside outside Los Angeles.
A public memorial for the former Lakers superstar and his daughter is expected, but plans have not been announced.
The remains of all the victims have been released by the Los Angeles County coroner, online records show.
Also killed in the crash were Bryant friends Christina Mauser, Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton, and the helicopter pilot, Ara Zobayan.


thedenverpost--2020-02-04--College football signing day: Undecided blue chips, finish strong, best class

The February signing period in college football is now about tying up loose ends .
Most of the scholarships throughout the Bowl Subdivision are accounted for .
Almost all the blue-chip players are off the board and the super-power programs have few openings left in their classes .
But there are still questions to be answered when the traditional signing period opens Wednesday : The-6-foot-5 , 275-pound Burch is a potential immediate-impact player out of Columbia , South Carolina , home of the Gamecocks .
When the early signing period opened in December , he announced he would stay close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t actually sign , leaving open the possibility LSU could be his final destination .
For South Carolina coach Will Muschamp , coming off his worst season in four with the Gamecocks , landing Burch would be a welcome offseason victory .
Where will Zachary Evans land and when will that happen ?
The talented running back from Houston quietly signed with Georgia in December , but was later released from his national letter of intent by the Bulldogs .
Exactly what went down is unknown , but Evans apologized to his college @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Januarym , where he was the offensive MVP .
He is now free to pick another school and play right away , but rules prohibit him from signing another NLI .
Evans could announce his intention Wednesday — or not .
Texas A & M , Tennessee and Mississippi have been in pursuit .
They are all likely to hold a spot as long as it takes the five-star to make up his mind .
Who else is undecided ?
There are very few true undecideds among highly rated players .
Most have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ verbally committed .
• Avalanche outdoor game : Tickets still available as ice rink setup begins at Air Force • The Pac-12 and BYU : An ideal football schedule partnership Among the uncommitted , the most notable seems to be defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson from Mississippi .
The 320-pounder is being recruited by all the usual SEC suspects , with Alabama considered the front-runner .
Jackson could be stellar fallback option for the Crimson Tide if four-star defensive tackle Jayson Jones flips and signs with Oregon .
Even without Jayson Jones , coach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be on its way to securing the top class in the Pac-12 for the second straight year , according to 247 Sports ’ composite rankings .
The Ducks are taking advantage of Cristobal ’ s connections and USC ’ s issues to clean up .
Oregon is building the foundation of perennial playoff contender .
How are the new coaches doing ?
Most notable among the 21 coaches hired in the recent cycle is Mike Norvell of Florida State .
Norvell is trying to salvage a top-20 class Seminoles fans hope is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Clemson in the ACC ’ s Atlantic Division .
Jimmy Lake was promoted to head coach at Washington after Chris Petersen stepped down in December , a smooth transition that set up the Huskies to land a top 20 class .
Four Southeastern Conference schools changed coaches , and heading into signing day Mississippi State ’ s Mike Leach seems best positioned to crack the top 30 .
Behind Lane Kiffin , Ole Miss is in on Zachary Evans and McKinnley Jackson and could finish with a splash .
Clemson ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the majority of this recruiting cycle with good reason .
The Tigers have locked up the best class of the Dabo Swinney era , which already includes two national titles and five playoff appearances .
Still , it appears either Georgia or Alabama will finish with the top-ranked class nationally , according to 247 Sports .
If the Crimson Tide ends up on top it will be the ninth time in 10 years .
If the Bulldogs are No .
1 , it will be the second time in three seasons .

The February signing period in college football is now about tying up loose ends.
Most of the scholarships throughout the Bowl Subdivision are accounted for. Almost all the blue-chip players are off the board and the super-power programs have few openings left in their classes.
But there are still questions to be answered when the traditional signing period opens Wednesday:
Will five-star defensive tackle Jordan Burch sign with South Carolina?
The-6-foot-5, 275-pound Burch is a potential immediate-impact player out of Columbia, South Carolina, home of the Gamecocks. When the early signing period opened in December, he announced he would stay close to home. But he didn’t actually sign, leaving open the possibility LSU could be his final destination.
For South Carolina coach Will Muschamp, coming off his worst season in four with the Gamecocks, landing Burch would be a welcome offseason victory.
Where will Zachary Evans land and when will that happen?
The talented running back from Houston quietly signed with Georgia in December, but was later released from his national letter of intent by the Bulldogs. Exactly what went down is unknown, but Evans apologized to his college coaches during the UnderArmour All-America game in Januarym, where he was the offensive MVP.
He is now free to pick another school and play right away, but rules prohibit him from signing another NLI. Evans could announce his intention Wednesday — or not. Texas A&M, Tennessee and Mississippi have been in pursuit. They are all likely to hold a spot as long as it takes the five-star to make up his mind.
Who else is undecided?
There are very few true undecideds among highly rated players. Most have signed and most who have not are verbally committed.
Among the uncommitted, the most notable seems to be defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson from Mississippi. The 320-pounder is being recruited by all the usual SEC suspects, with Alabama considered the front-runner. Jackson could be stellar fallback option for the Crimson Tide if four-star defensive tackle Jayson Jones flips and signs with Oregon.
Is Oregon prepping for a repeat?
Even without Jayson Jones, coach Mario Cristobal’s team appears to be on its way to securing the top class in the Pac-12 for the second straight year, according to 247 Sports’ composite rankings.
The Ducks are taking advantage of Cristobal’s connections and USC’s issues to clean up. Oregon is building the foundation of perennial playoff contender.
How are the new coaches doing?
Most notable among the 21 coaches hired in the recent cycle is Mike Norvell of Florida State. Norvell is trying to salvage a top-20 class Seminoles fans hope is the first step toward presenting a serious challenge to Clemson in the ACC’s Atlantic Division.
Jimmy Lake was promoted to head coach at Washington after Chris Petersen stepped down in December, a smooth transition that set up the Huskies to land a top 20 class.
Four Southeastern Conference schools changed coaches, and heading into signing day Mississippi State’s Mike Leach seems best positioned to crack the top 30. Behind Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss is in on Zachary Evans and McKinnley Jackson and could finish with a splash.
Who’s No. 1?
Clemson’s class has gotten the most attention for the majority of this recruiting cycle with good reason. The Tigers have locked up the best class of the Dabo Swinney era, which already includes two national titles and five playoff appearances.
Still, it appears either Georgia or Alabama will finish with the top-ranked class nationally, according to 247 Sports. If the Crimson Tide ends up on top it will be the ninth time in 10 years. If the Bulldogs are No. 1, it will be the second time in three seasons.


thedenverpost--2020-02-04--Steamboat Springs School District hires former FBI agent for sexual assault inquiry

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — A Colorado school district hired a former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent to conduct an investigation into @ @ @ @ @ culture related to student claims of sexual harassment or sexual assault .
The Steamboat Springs @ @ @ @ @ of Quimby and Associates in Grand Junction to investigate complaints that female students were not @ @ @ @ @ administrators , The Steamboat Pilot & Today reported Monday .
District officials also announced Steamboat @ @ @ @ @ Taulman has been placed on paid administrative leave during the investigation .
Quimby served as @ @ @ @ @ 20 years and is an attorney and a former high school and college teacher , @ @ @ @ @ report to the school district ’ s attorneys , Caplan & Earnest , and not @ @ @ @ @ order to strengthen the integrity of the investigation , officials said .
Steamboat Springs Middle @ @ @ @ @ serve as interim high school principal in addition to her current role , officials said @

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — A Colorado school district hired a former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent to conduct an investigation into a high school’s culture related to student claims of sexual harassment or sexual assault.
The Steamboat Springs School District hired Jane Quimby of Quimby and Associates in Grand Junction to investigate complaints that female students were not being heard or protected by administrators, The Steamboat Pilot & Today reported Monday.
District officials also announced Steamboat Springs High School Principal Kevin Taulman has been placed on paid administrative leave during the investigation.
Quimby served as a FBI special agent for 20 years and is an attorney and a former high school and college teacher, officials said.
Quimby will report to the school district’s attorneys, Caplan & Earnest, and not to Superintendent Brad Meeks in order to strengthen the integrity of the investigation, officials said.
Steamboat Springs Middle School Principal Heidi Chapman-Hoy will serve as interim high school principal in addition to her current role, officials said.


thedenverpost--2020-02-04--Seattle’s scouts studying NHL with focus on expansion draft

SEATTLE — John Goodwin had the honor of being the first and it was a bit unnerving .
He was a pro scout representing a franchise without a nickname and nearly two years away from having a roster — with an arena still under construction — and walking into an NHL arena for the first time on behalf of Seattle ’ s expansion team was daunting .
“ I got there about two hours before .
They weren ’ t even open yet , so I waited , ” Goodwin recalled .
By now seeing the Seattle scouts show up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dallas , or Vancouver is no longer a novelty .
They are part of the NHL landscape .
But when Goodwin or any of his counterparts show up , they are scouting a different game than their colleagues around the league .
While scouts from the other 31 franchises may be looking at another team ’ s power-play or they way it rotates its lines , Seattle ’ s scouts are specifically looking at the players .
How they play with the puck on their stick .
How they interact with teammates on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both ends of the ice .
Ultimately , they will use that information to make projections about how the players may fit on a team in less than two years .
“ With what you ’ re doing for an existing franchise , you ’ re looking for perhaps a specific player in a specific role .
Whereas now we ’ re looking , I wouldn ’ t say for specific players , but players with skills and abilities and characteristics that we want , ” said Dave Hunter , who is based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to looking for a third line left wing who is aggressive and can kill penalties , we ’ re looking for a player that can skate , be creative , has a good hockey sense .
It ’ s not a specific role .
Whereas I think with an existing franchise , a lot of times , not all the time , but a lot of times you ’ re looking for specific players that will fill a role.
” Last week , Seattle ’ s five pro scouts — who estimate they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AHL games combined already — gathered just a couple blocks away from where their team will drop the puck for the first time in 20 months .
Less than a week later they were down to four after Ulf Samuelsson left to take a head coaching position in Sweden .
But he was part of the group that met in Seattle along with Goodwin , Hunter , Stu Barnes and Cammi Granato .
They reviewed players .
They talked about their reports and the kind of data being sought by a front office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistant GM Ricky Olczyk and director of hockey strategy and research Alexandra Mandrycky .
They also conducted a mock draft of the players they would like to see on the ice when Seattle plays that first game in October 2021 .
Realistic ?
Absolutely not .
But the exercise was a small reward for the work being done toward that expansion draft .
“ It ’ s going to be a really good learning curve for the guys that are kind of new to this and how everything works , ” Goodwin said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first year is building the database of information that existing franchises already have in hand .
Some of that info is readily available , but there are specific things Seattle is looking to build into its player profiles tied in with Mandrycky ’ s focus on analytics .
“ We have a base of nothing right now when you talk about compiling data of NHL players , AHL players , amateur players , ” Mandrycky said in a September interview with the AP .
“ So a lot of the two years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the right infrastructure in place so as we get to making decisions on the expansion draft and free agency , we can do that with as much education about the players as possible.
” While most of the focus is on the NHL product , the scouts have also been tasked with watching AHL games .
That reason is two-fold : there are plenty of younger players looking for a shot at the AHL level who could fit into Seattle ’ s plans , and Seattle will have its own AHL franchise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2021 .
The goal by the time the expansion draft arrives is for the scouts to have seen more than 2,000 games combined , with reports from each one .
“ How many people get a chance to be from almost not day one , but from the first group ?
” Goodwin said .
“ You don ’ t get that opportunity very often in any sport .
”

SEATTLE — John Goodwin had the honor of being the first and it was a bit unnerving.
He was a pro scout representing a franchise without a nickname and nearly two years away from having a roster — with an arena still under construction — and walking into an NHL arena for the first time on behalf of Seattle’s expansion team was daunting.
“I got there about two hours before. They weren’t even open yet, so I waited,” Goodwin recalled.
By now seeing the Seattle scouts show up in places like Toronto, Boston, Dallas, or Vancouver is no longer a novelty. They are part of the NHL landscape. But when Goodwin or any of his counterparts show up, they are scouting a different game than their colleagues around the league.
While scouts from the other 31 franchises may be looking at another team’s power-play or they way it rotates its lines, Seattle’s scouts are specifically looking at the players. How they play with the puck on their stick. How they interact with teammates on the bench. How they work on both ends of the ice.
Ultimately, they will use that information to make projections about how the players may fit on a team in less than two years.
“With what you’re doing for an existing franchise, you’re looking for perhaps a specific player in a specific role. Whereas now we’re looking, I wouldn’t say for specific players, but players with skills and abilities and characteristics that we want,” said Dave Hunter, who is based in Boston.
“So as opposed to looking for a third line left wing who is aggressive and can kill penalties, we’re looking for a player that can skate, be creative, has a good hockey sense. It’s not a specific role. Whereas I think with an existing franchise, a lot of times, not all the time, but a lot of times you’re looking for specific players that will fill a role.”
Last week, Seattle’s five pro scouts — who estimate they’ve seen hundreds of NHL and AHL games combined already — gathered just a couple blocks away from where their team will drop the puck for the first time in 20 months.
Less than a week later they were down to four after Ulf Samuelsson left to take a head coaching position in Sweden. But he was part of the group that met in Seattle along with Goodwin, Hunter, Stu Barnes and Cammi Granato.
They reviewed players. They talked about their reports and the kind of data being sought by a front office made up of GM Ron Francis, assistant GM Ricky Olczyk and director of hockey strategy and research Alexandra Mandrycky.
They also conducted a mock draft of the players they would like to see on the ice when Seattle plays that first game in October 2021.
Realistic? Absolutely not. But the exercise was a small reward for the work being done toward that expansion draft.
“It’s going to be a really good learning curve for the guys that are kind of new to this and how everything works,” Goodwin said.
Seattle’s primary goal for the first year is building the database of information that existing franchises already have in hand. Some of that info is readily available, but there are specific things Seattle is looking to build into its player profiles tied in with Mandrycky’s focus on analytics.
“We have a base of nothing right now when you talk about compiling data of NHL players, AHL players, amateur players,” Mandrycky said in a September interview with the AP. “So a lot of the two years has to be spent making sure you have the right infrastructure in place so as we get to making decisions on the expansion draft and free agency, we can do that with as much education about the players as possible.”
While most of the focus is on the NHL product, the scouts have also been tasked with watching AHL games. That reason is two-fold: there are plenty of younger players looking for a shot at the AHL level who could fit into Seattle’s plans, and Seattle will have its own AHL franchise in Palm Springs, also beginning in 2021.
The goal by the time the expansion draft arrives is for the scouts to have seen more than 2,000 games combined, with reports from each one.
“How many people get a chance to be from almost not day one, but from the first group?” Goodwin said. “You don’t get that opportunity very often in any sport.”