thedenverpost--2020-12-13--Colorado hotel workers relying on unemployment, savings, hope with industry facing long road back fr

Colorado hotel workers relying on unemployment, savings, hope with industry facing long road back from COVID

The American Physical Society ’ s decision to cancel its March meeting in Denver was the first demonstration of how COVID-19 would upend life in the months to follow .
It was also a blaring alarm for Colorado ’ s hotels .
The meeting was expected to bring 11,000 people to the Colorado Convention Center for five days and funnel business to downtown Denver hotels , restaurants and retailers .
The cancellation was the first in a wave of conventions , special events , and group meetings that have been postponed , moved to other states with looser rules or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The disappearance of those bookings has combined with other factors — companies scaling back business travel , a struggling economy cutting into household budgets , people following public health officials ’ advice to stay home — to have a disastrous impact on Colorado ’ s previously thriving hotel industry , especially for full-service hotels that cater to convention business .
“ We ’ re not a restaurant .
I don ’ t just open the doors to pent-up demand .
These meetings take months and months to organize , ” said Tony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ renovated Sheraton Denver Downtown , home to 133,000 square feet of meeting space and 1,238 rooms just off the 16th Street Mall .
“ We ’ re down 80 % in revenue and our owners lost $ 40 million .
That ’ s just one hotel.
” That hurt is rattling through the industry , hitting thousands of industry workers in Colorado who have been furloughed or laid off this year .
The American Hotel and Lodging Association reported that the industry directly employed 98,347 people in Colorado in 2019 , supporting another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurants and ride-share .
Current staffing levels at Colorado ’ s hotels are hard to pin down .
A survey of 53 properties performed by the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association in September found that those hotels had an average of 111 employees on furlough and had laid off 50 workers on average with more permanent job cuts expected .
CHLA executive director Amie Mayhew viewed the survey as a representative sample of the state ’ s more than 1,200 hotels .
Layoffs and furloughs , already running high in the industry after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year , have only increased in recent weeks after the state ’ s most populous areas were placed on Level Red coronavirus restrictions , shutting down indoor dining and putting other limits on businesses .
Randy Luna could see where things were headed in March .
A convention services and event set-up staffer at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center hotel downtown for the last 10 years , Luna opened up an unemployment claim that month when a lack of event bookings left him on the payroll but without any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in June when he was informed he was being furloughed until further notice .
“ I didn ’ t really think it would be something serious , but just something to fall back on , ” said Luna , 30 .
“ Then they never called me back.
” Now , Luna has used all 26 weeks of his state unemployment benefits and been transferred to a federally funded extended benefits program that will stop paying workers in Colorado on Dec. 26 .
His wife ’ s income along with his unemployment benefits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the family ’ s food and energy bills have gone up with Luna and his 12-year-old son home every day .
Luna is considering some gig work jobs , delivering food through Uber Eats or Instacart , but he ’ s holding out hope he ’ ll get to return to the Hyatt where he has worked most of his adult life and had hoped to continue moving up .
“ When they called me to say you ’ re furloughed and said you can look somewhere else ( for work ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these years I was there trying to work my way up and make hospitality my career ?
” he said .
“ What do I do with that ?
” A bartender at the downtown Hyatt for more than a dozen years , 56-year-old Virgil Martinez was furloughed last month for the second time in 2020 .
Even during the three months he was working amid pandemic , a lack of activity at the Colorado Convention Center and a steep drop off in the number of guests at the hotel was costing him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there .
Neither was the late-night business , the Army Reserve veteran said .
Jean Paul Rodriguez , a bartender working at the Westin hotel attached to Denver International Airport , is facing similar struggles despite DIA remaining busier than nearly any other U.S. airport during the pandemic .
He and his wife , who is also a bartender at the hotel , were furloughed from March to July and now are bringing in much less in tips .
They ’ re worried about staying current on their mortgage and the mortgage for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Compared to the last two years , traffic is down dramatically , ” Rodriguez said .
“ And every day that I come to work I worry that we might get shut down.
” Martinez lives with and cares for his mother so he doesn ’ t have the housing cost burden of some of his Hyatt colleagues .
Still , he ’ s slowly eating away at his savings to keep up on all his bills and he ’ s already starting to consider other options , perhaps drawing on his prior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meantime , he ’ s pinching pennies .
“ I wasn ’ t going to send any Christmas cards out ( this year ) , ” Martinez said .
“ I ’ ll just call people .
It ’ s free.
” Both Luna and Martinez are active with the Unite Here labor union and are pushing Hyatt to extend recall rights — which entitle furloughed workers to return to the job with their pay rates , benefits and seniority intact when the company hires again — amid the pandemic , something Hyatt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not just conference center hotels like the Sheraton and the Hyatt Regency hurt by the lack of big events and tight restrictions on indoor gatherings in Colorado .
The Brown Palace Hotel & Spa , a historic property that has hosted presidents and is one of the preeminent destination stays in Colorado , is being squeezed by it too .
The hotel had some momentum in the fall , employing around 130 workers to support demand for rooms , strong business at its seven food and beverage outlets and even some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manager Nick Moschetti said .
When the city shut down indoor dining again last month , Moschetti said he was forced to furlough dozens of employees to drop back down to around 85 workers .
Pre-pandemic , the Brown and its sister hotel across the street combined to employ 340 people .
“ The Brown Palace is known for many things , you know ; weddings , not just the ceremony but receptions , corporate meetings , galas and events , ” Moschetti said .
“ It ’ s critical for viability , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those events bring guest rooms as well.
” The Beaver Run Resort & Conference Center in Breckenridge pivoted to catering to leisure travelers over the summer , a time when it usually counts on conferences to bring people to its 567 rooms , general manager Bob Barto said .
As a condo-hotel where private owners lease out space through management , many rooms have full kitchens which made them extra appealing to people from the Front Range and other states amid COVID lockdowns .
That demand stayed strong into November .
Then Level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s occupancy dropped from 80 % to 55 % , Barto said .
While he calls Level Red “ devastating ” for Summit County , Barto said some of the pain for Beaver Run could be alleviated if he could provide a roadmap to conference clients about when they might be able to book large events again .
“ Meetings have to have clarity farther out , ” he said .
“ Because the bigger meetings are booking three , four , five years out.
” The Sheraton ’ s Dunn , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board chairman this year , has been pushing Gov .
Jared Polis ’ administration for that type of thing for months .
With even a tentative reopening plan , at least when groups call to cancel events hotels can negotiate .
That clarity finally came last week when state officials released an outline of a potential phased return of indoor events .
The outlined predicted events of 25 people could be permitted between February and mid March when more counties move to Level Orange restrictions on the state ’ s color-coded coronavirus dial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permitted from mid March and April if counties can move to the yellow level .
Events of 175 people could be permitted in May under the blue level and events of 500 people could return by June under Level Green .
Those capacities could be even higher for “ certified ” events where organizers can demonstrate they are taking extra precautions , Dunn said .
All of the thresholds are subject to change depending on underlying pandemic trends .
Bigger events could return sooner if the virus situation improves more quickly or slower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concrete step to some sort of normalcy , but he does not see the hotel industry bouncing back soon , and that means more dollars lost and fewer jobs in 2021 and perhaps beyond .
“ We as an industry feel that we ’ re probably not going to get back to 2019 numbers until about 2024 , ” he said .
“ Next year , we ’ re looking at maybe 40 % occupancy so it ’ s still going to be a brutal year .
”

The American Physical Society’s decision to cancel its March meeting in Denver was the first demonstration of how COVID-19 would upend life in the months to follow. It was also a blaring alarm for Colorado’s hotels.
The meeting was expected to bring 11,000 people to the Colorado Convention Center for five days and funnel business to downtown Denver hotels, restaurants and retailers. The cancellation was the first in a wave of conventions, special events, and group meetings that have been postponed, moved to other states with looser rules or shut down entirely by government health orders.
The disappearance of those bookings has combined with other factors — companies scaling back business travel, a struggling economy cutting into household budgets, people following public health officials’ advice to stay home — to have a disastrous impact on Colorado’s previously thriving hotel industry, especially for full-service hotels that cater to convention business.
“We’re not a restaurant. I don’t just open the doors to pent-up demand. These meetings take months and months to organize,” said Tony Dunn, general manager of the freshly renovated Sheraton Denver Downtown, home to 133,000 square feet of meeting space and 1,238 rooms just off the 16th Street Mall. “We’re down 80% in revenue and our owners lost $40 million. That’s just one hotel.”
That hurt is rattling through the industry, hitting thousands of industry workers in Colorado who have been furloughed or laid off this year.
The American Hotel and Lodging Association reported that the industry directly employed 98,347 people in Colorado in 2019, supporting another 78,000 jobs in related industries, including restaurants and ride-share.
Current staffing levels at Colorado’s hotels are hard to pin down. A survey of 53 properties performed by the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association in September found that those hotels had an average of 111 employees on furlough and had laid off 50 workers on average with more permanent job cuts expected. CHLA executive director Amie Mayhew viewed the survey as a representative sample of the state’s more than 1,200 hotels.
Layoffs and furloughs, already running high in the industry after Paycheck Protection Program money ran out earlier this year, have only increased in recent weeks after the state’s most populous areas were placed on Level Red coronavirus restrictions, shutting down indoor dining and putting other limits on businesses.
Randy Luna could see where things were headed in March.
A convention services and event set-up staffer at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center hotel downtown for the last 10 years, Luna opened up an unemployment claim that month when a lack of event bookings left him on the payroll but without any hours. That became a critical crutch in June when he was informed he was being furloughed until further notice.
“I didn’t really think it would be something serious, but just something to fall back on,” said Luna, 30. “Then they never called me back.”
Now, Luna has used all 26 weeks of his state unemployment benefits and been transferred to a federally funded extended benefits program that will stop paying workers in Colorado on Dec. 26.
His wife’s income along with his unemployment benefits are keeping the family afloat, but the family’s food and energy bills have gone up with Luna and his 12-year-old son home every day. Luna is considering some gig work jobs, delivering food through Uber Eats or Instacart, but he’s holding out hope he’ll get to return to the Hyatt where he has worked most of his adult life and had hoped to continue moving up.
“When they called me to say you’re furloughed and said you can look somewhere else (for work), I was like what happened to all these years I was there trying to work my way up and make hospitality my career?” he said. “What do I do with that?”
A bartender at the downtown Hyatt for more than a dozen years, 56-year-old Virgil Martinez was furloughed last month for the second time in 2020.
Even during the three months he was working amid pandemic, a lack of activity at the Colorado Convention Center and a steep drop off in the number of guests at the hotel was costing him. The tips just weren’t there. Neither was the late-night business, the Army Reserve veteran said.
Jean Paul Rodriguez, a bartender working at the Westin hotel attached to Denver International Airport, is facing similar struggles despite DIA remaining busier than nearly any other U.S. airport during the pandemic. He and his wife, who is also a bartender at the hotel, were furloughed from March to July and now are bringing in much less in tips. They’re worried about staying current on their mortgage and the mortgage for a rental house they own.
“Compared to the last two years, traffic is down dramatically,” Rodriguez said. “And every day that I come to work I worry that we might get shut down.”
Martinez lives with and cares for his mother so he doesn’t have the housing cost burden of some of his Hyatt colleagues. Still, he’s slowly eating away at his savings to keep up on all his bills and he’s already starting to consider other options, perhaps drawing on his prior career in financial services. In the meantime, he’s pinching pennies.
“I wasn’t going to send any Christmas cards out (this year),” Martinez said. “I’ll just call people. It’s free.”
Both Luna and Martinez are active with the Unite Here labor union and are pushing Hyatt to extend recall rights — which entitle furloughed workers to return to the job with their pay rates, benefits and seniority intact when the company hires again — amid the pandemic, something Hyatt officials say they are considering.
It’s not just conference center hotels like the Sheraton and the Hyatt Regency hurt by the lack of big events and tight restrictions on indoor gatherings in Colorado.
The Brown Palace Hotel & Spa, a historic property that has hosted presidents and is one of the preeminent destination stays in Colorado, is being squeezed by it too. The hotel had some momentum in the fall, employing around 130 workers to support demand for rooms, strong business at its seven food and beverage outlets and even some small, socially distanced events, general manager Nick Moschetti said. When the city shut down indoor dining again last month, Moschetti said he was forced to furlough dozens of employees to drop back down to around 85 workers. Pre-pandemic, the Brown and its sister hotel across the street combined to employ 340 people.
“The Brown Palace is known for many things, you know; weddings, not just the ceremony but receptions, corporate meetings, galas and events,” Moschetti said. “It’s critical for viability, for our food and beverage staff. Those events bring guest rooms as well.”
The Beaver Run Resort & Conference Center in Breckenridge pivoted to catering to leisure travelers over the summer, a time when it usually counts on conferences to bring people to its 567 rooms, general manager Bob Barto said. As a condo-hotel where private owners lease out space through management, many rooms have full kitchens which made them extra appealing to people from the Front Range and other states amid COVID lockdowns.
That demand stayed strong into November. Then Level Red restrictions hit and the resort’s occupancy dropped from 80% to 55%, Barto said.
While he calls Level Red “devastating” for Summit County, Barto said some of the pain for Beaver Run could be alleviated if he could provide a roadmap to conference clients about when they might be able to book large events again.
“Meetings have to have clarity farther out,” he said. “Because the bigger meetings are booking three, four, five years out.”
The Sheraton’s Dunn, the Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association’s board chairman this year, has been pushing Gov. Jared Polis’ administration for that type of thing for months. With even a tentative reopening plan, at least when groups call to cancel events hotels can negotiate.
That clarity finally came last week when state officials released an outline of a potential phased return of indoor events. The outlined predicted events of 25 people could be permitted between February and mid March when more counties move to Level Orange restrictions on the state’s color-coded coronavirus dial. Events of 100 people could be permitted from mid March and April if counties can move to the yellow level. Events of 175 people could be permitted in May under the blue level and events of 500 people could return by June under Level Green. Those capacities could be even higher for “certified” events where organizers can demonstrate they are taking extra precautions, Dunn said.
All of the thresholds are subject to change depending on underlying pandemic trends. Bigger events could return sooner if the virus situation improves more quickly or slower if it worsens.
Dunn welcomes the concrete step to some sort of normalcy, but he does not see the hotel industry bouncing back soon, and that means more dollars lost and fewer jobs in 2021 and perhaps beyond.
“We as an industry feel that we’re probably not going to get back to 2019 numbers until about 2024,” he said. “Next year, we’re looking at maybe 40% occupancy so it’s still going to be a brutal year.”


thedenverpost--2020-12-14--Hunter Biden subpoena seeks info on Burisma, other entities

WASHINGTON — A subpoena seeking documents from Hunter Biden asked for information related to more than two dozen entities , including Ukraine gas company Burisma , according to a person familiar with a Justice Department tax investigation of President-elect Joe Biden ’ s son .
The breadth of the subpoena , issued Tuesday , underscores the wide-angle lens prosecutors are taking as they examine the younger Biden ’ s finances and international business ventures .
Hunter Biden ’ s ties to Burisma in particular have long dogged the policy work and political aspirations of his father , Joe Biden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s unclear whether Hunter Biden ’ s work at the Ukrainian company is a central part of the federal investigation or whether prosecutors are simply seeking information about all his sources of income in recent years .
The person was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity .
A lawyer for the younger Biden , George Mesires , did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment for this story and a spokesman for the Biden transition team declined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that his taxes are under federal investigation .
The revelation comes at a delicate time for the president-elect , who is building out his Cabinet and will soon decide on his nominee to run the Justice Department , the same department overseeing the investigation into his son .
In addition to the Burisma-related request , the subpoena issued last week also seeks information on Hunter Biden ’ s Chinese business dealings and other financial transactions .
The probe was launched in 2018 , the year before his father announced his candidacy for president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , federal prosecutors were also examining potential money laundering offenses , two people familiar with the matter told the AP .
Hunter Biden said he only learned of the investigation on Tuesday .
The younger Biden joined the board of Burisma in 2014 , around the time his father , then vice president , was helping conduct the Obama administration ’ s foreign policy with Ukraine .
President Donald Trump and his allies have long argued , without evidence , that Hunter Biden ’ s work in Ukraine influenced the Obama administration ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Senate Republicans said in a report earlier this year that the appointment may have posed a conflict of interest but did not provide evidence that any policies were directly affected by Hunter Biden ’ s work .
The president-elect is not believed to be a focus of the investigation .
He has not weighed in on the merits of the investigation , saying only to reporters on Friday that he was “ proud of my son.
” For months , the U.S. attorney ’ s office in Pittsburgh has also been collecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rudy Giuliani , and others as part of the Justice Department ’ s process to receive and analyze information related to Ukraine , including documents Giuliani wanted to present to prosecutors that he had been gathering in Ukraine about Joe and Hunter Biden .
In announcing that process in February , Barr cautioned that the department had to be careful about any information coming from Ukraine , saying : “ There are a lot of agendas in the Ukraine , a lot of cross currents .
And we can ’ t take anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The former New York City mayor was a main character when the House voted to impeach Trump .
The impeachment inquiry centered on Trump ’ s dealings with Ukraine ’ s president and whether he abused his office by seeking the investigation into the Bidens .
Giuliani pressured officials to do the investigations and has been pushing unsubstantiated corruption allegations against the Bidens .
Giuliani himself had also been under federal investigation , with federal prosecutors in Manhattan examining whether he failed to register as a foreign agent , according to people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unclear whether that investigation remains active as Trump has discussed the possibility of preemptive pardons for some of his family members and close associates , including Giuliani .

WASHINGTON — A subpoena seeking documents from Hunter Biden asked for information related to more than two dozen entities, including Ukraine gas company Burisma, according to a person familiar with a Justice Department tax investigation of President-elect Joe Biden’s son.
The breadth of the subpoena, issued Tuesday, underscores the wide-angle lens prosecutors are taking as they examine the younger Biden’s finances and international business ventures.
Hunter Biden’s ties to Burisma in particular have long dogged the policy work and political aspirations of his father, Joe Biden, now the president-elect of the United States. It’s unclear whether Hunter Biden’s work at the Ukrainian company is a central part of the federal investigation or whether prosecutors are simply seeking information about all his sources of income in recent years.
The person was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
A lawyer for the younger Biden, George Mesires, did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment for this story and a spokesman for the Biden transition team declined to comment.
Hunter Biden confirmed Wednesday that his taxes are under federal investigation. The revelation comes at a delicate time for the president-elect, who is building out his Cabinet and will soon decide on his nominee to run the Justice Department, the same department overseeing the investigation into his son.
In addition to the Burisma-related request, the subpoena issued last week also seeks information on Hunter Biden’s Chinese business dealings and other financial transactions.
The probe was launched in 2018, the year before his father announced his candidacy for president. At one point in the investigation, federal prosecutors were also examining potential money laundering offenses, two people familiar with the matter told the AP.
Hunter Biden said he only learned of the investigation on Tuesday.
The younger Biden joined the board of Burisma in 2014, around the time his father, then vice president, was helping conduct the Obama administration’s foreign policy with Ukraine. President Donald Trump and his allies have long argued, without evidence, that Hunter Biden’s work in Ukraine influenced the Obama administration’s policies toward the Eastern European nation.
Senate Republicans said in a report earlier this year that the appointment may have posed a conflict of interest but did not provide evidence that any policies were directly affected by Hunter Biden’s work.
The president-elect is not believed to be a focus of the investigation. He has not weighed in on the merits of the investigation, saying only to reporters on Friday that he was “proud of my son.”
For months, the U.S. attorney’s office in Pittsburgh has also been collecting information from Trump’s attorney, Rudy Giuliani, and others as part of the Justice Department’s process to receive and analyze information related to Ukraine, including documents Giuliani wanted to present to prosecutors that he had been gathering in Ukraine about Joe and Hunter Biden.
In announcing that process in February, Barr cautioned that the department had to be careful about any information coming from Ukraine, saying: “There are a lot of agendas in the Ukraine, a lot of cross currents. And we can’t take anything we received from Ukraine at face value.”
The former New York City mayor was a main character when the House voted to impeach Trump. The impeachment inquiry centered on Trump’s dealings with Ukraine’s president and whether he abused his office by seeking the investigation into the Bidens. Giuliani pressured officials to do the investigations and has been pushing unsubstantiated corruption allegations against the Bidens.
Giuliani himself had also been under federal investigation, with federal prosecutors in Manhattan examining whether he failed to register as a foreign agent, according to people familiar with the matter. It was unclear whether that investigation remains active as Trump has discussed the possibility of preemptive pardons for some of his family members and close associates, including Giuliani.


thedenverpost--2020-12-14--Cleveland’s baseball team will drop its Indians team name

By David Waldstein and Michael S. Schmidt , The New York Times Following years of protests from fans and Native American groups , the Cleveland Indians have decided to change their team name , moving away from a moniker that has long been criticized as racist , three people familiar with the decision said Sunday .
The move follows a decision by the Washington Football Team of the NFL in July to stop using a name long considered a racial slur , and is part of a larger national conversation about race that magnified this year amid protests of systemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announce its plans as soon as this week , according to the three people , who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter .
It is not immediately clear what Cleveland ’ s exact steps will be beyond dropping the Indians name .
The transition to a new name involves many logistical considerations , including work with uniform manufacturers and companies that produce other team equipment and stadium signage .
One of the people said Cleveland planned to keep the Indians name and uniforms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shift as early as 2022 .
Cleveland spent much of the year before the 2019 season phasing out the logos and imagery of the cartoon mascot Chief Wahoo .
One option that the team is considering , two of the people said , is moving forward without a replacement name — similar to how the Washington Football Team proceeded — then coming up with a new name in consultation with the public .
The Cleveland baseball franchise has been known as the Indians since 1915 , but Native American groups and others have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ names , mascots and imagery for sports teams , insisting they are demeaning and racist .
Cleveland ’ s name and Washington ’ s old name were considered among the most high-profile examples and were the targets of widespread campaigns for change .
The Cleveland team did not immediately comment .
Other professional sports teams , including the Atlanta Braves , the Kansas City Chiefs and the Chicago Blackhawks , have said in recent months that they have no plans to change their names .
Many universities and high schools abandoned Native American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to address the names at all levels of sport in the United States have increased in recent months .
For Cleveland , the process began when it announced it would retire its longtime mascot , Chief Wahoo , a cartoonish caricature that was seen as particularly offensive .
Many applauded the decision , but insisted the team name must go , too .
Then in July , just hours after Washington announced it would change its name ( under pressure from key sponsors like FedEx , Pepsi and Nike ) , Cleveland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ review ” of its nickname .
The team has consulted with many Native American groups , both in Ohio and nationally .
“ We are committed to engaging our community and appropriate stakeholders to determine the best path forward with regard to our team name , ” the team said in a statement in July .
Native American groups usually appear at Cleveland ’ s home opener each spring , sometimes in the face of withering verbal abuse from fans as they enter the stadium .
In recent years , the team has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help ensure the safety of demonstrators and their right to free and peaceful expression .
The club has said that the name was originally intended to honor a former player , Louis Sockalexis , who played for the Cleveland Spiders , a major league club , in the 19th century and was a member of the Penobscot Nation .
Some have suggested that Cleveland adopt the name Spiders as a replacement .
Cleveland ’ s name was long accompanied by the Chief Wahoo logo .
Phasing the image out included removing the logo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the stadium .
A block “ C ” was adopted in its place .
“ Our organization fully recognizes our team name is among the most visible ways in which we connect with the community , ” the team ’ s July statement said .

The New York Times News Service Syndicate

By David Waldstein and Michael S. Schmidt, The New York Times
Following years of protests from fans and Native American groups, the Cleveland Indians have decided to change their team name, moving away from a moniker that has long been criticized as racist, three people familiar with the decision said Sunday.
The move follows a decision by the Washington Football Team of the NFL in July to stop using a name long considered a racial slur, and is part of a larger national conversation about race that magnified this year amid protests of systemic racism and police violence.
Cleveland could announce its plans as soon as this week, according to the three people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
It is not immediately clear what Cleveland’s exact steps will be beyond dropping the Indians name. The transition to a new name involves many logistical considerations, including work with uniform manufacturers and companies that produce other team equipment and stadium signage.
One of the people said Cleveland planned to keep the Indians name and uniforms for the 2021 season while working to shift as early as 2022.
Cleveland spent much of the year before the 2019 season phasing out the logos and imagery of the cartoon mascot Chief Wahoo.
One option that the team is considering, two of the people said, is moving forward without a replacement name — similar to how the Washington Football Team proceeded — then coming up with a new name in consultation with the public.
The Cleveland baseball franchise has been known as the Indians since 1915, but Native American groups and others have for decades opposed the use of Indigenous names, mascots and imagery for sports teams, insisting they are demeaning and racist. Cleveland’s name and Washington’s old name were considered among the most high-profile examples and were the targets of widespread campaigns for change.
The Cleveland team did not immediately comment.
Other professional sports teams, including the Atlanta Braves, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Chicago Blackhawks, have said in recent months that they have no plans to change their names. Many universities and high schools abandoned Native American names and mascots long ago, but efforts to address the names at all levels of sport in the United States have increased in recent months.
For Cleveland, the process began when it announced it would retire its longtime mascot, Chief Wahoo, a cartoonish caricature that was seen as particularly offensive. Many applauded the decision, but insisted the team name must go, too.
Then in July, just hours after Washington announced it would change its name (under pressure from key sponsors like FedEx, Pepsi and Nike), Cleveland said it would conduct a “thorough review” of its nickname. The team has consulted with many Native American groups, both in Ohio and nationally.
“We are committed to engaging our community and appropriate stakeholders to determine the best path forward with regard to our team name,” the team said in a statement in July.
Native American groups usually appear at Cleveland’s home opener each spring, sometimes in the face of withering verbal abuse from fans as they enter the stadium. In recent years, the team has worked with the protesters and police to help ensure the safety of demonstrators and their right to free and peaceful expression.
The club has said that the name was originally intended to honor a former player, Louis Sockalexis, who played for the Cleveland Spiders, a major league club, in the 19th century and was a member of the Penobscot Nation. Some have suggested that Cleveland adopt the name Spiders as a replacement.
Cleveland’s name was long accompanied by the Chief Wahoo logo. Phasing the image out included removing the logo from uniforms and from walls and banners in the stadium. A block “C” was adopted in its place.
“Our organization fully recognizes our team name is among the most visible ways in which we connect with the community,” the team’s July statement said.


thedenverpost--2020-12-14--How much COVID-19 vaccine will be shipped in US

NEW YORK — COVID-19 vaccines have begun shipping in the U.S. after getting emergency authorization , setting off the nation ’ s biggest ever vaccination push .
But supplies are expected to be limited for some time .
The first wave of shipments is going to health care workers and nursing home residents .
Officials say vaccines should be available to everyone by the middle of next year .
Trucks with Pfizer ’ s vaccine rolled out Sunday .
They will deliver to 145 distribution centers around the country by Monday , said Army Gen. Gustave Perna of Operation Warp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and distribute COVID-19 vaccines .
An additional 425 sites will get shipments Tuesday , and the remaining 66 on Wednesday .
For now , only Pfizer ’ s vaccine , which the Food and Drug Administration greenlit Friday , is being shipped .
Another vaccine by Moderna will be reviewed by an expert panel this week and could get the go-ahead soon afterward .
Other vaccines also could follow .
HOW MANY SHOTS WILL BE SHIPPED OUT INITIALLY ?
When states were told their first-round allocations earlier this month , the figures were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that were ready for distribution at the time , Perna said .
Since the Pfizer vaccine requires two doses , the government is holding back the second shots to ensure people can get them .
An additional 500,000 doses are being held in reserve for any emergencies , Perna said .
HOW MUCH VACCINE IS EACH STATE GETTING ?
U.S. officials say it ’ s based on a state ’ s population of people 18 and older .
Federal officials haven ’ t released a breakdown , but some states have shared their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , says it ’ s supposed to get 46,800 doses of the Pfizer vaccine in the first round , with more expected in the weeks that follow .
If the Moderna vaccine gets the green light , the initial shipment for that shot would be 95,600 doses , said Kevin Klein , director of the state ’ s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management .
HOW MUCH MORE IS ON THE WAY ?
By the end of December , U.S. officials say they expect to have enough vaccine to give 20 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d have around 40 million shots available .
That ’ s factoring in Moderna ’ s vaccine , which also requires two doses and still has to clear regulatory hurdles .
Officials say they expect to be able to vaccinate an additional 30 million people in January and 50 million more in February .
WHY NOT DISTRIBUTE ALL THE DOSES RIGHT AWAY ?
Even though Pfizer study data indicates people get some level of protection after the first shot , officials say full protection means two doses .
And they need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second dose for people at the right time — three weeks after the first shot .
For Moderna ’ s vaccine , the second shot comes four weeks after the first .
Yet officials say exactly how many additional shots will become available from week to week might vary based on how much can be produced , especially in the beginning , so they don ’ t want to risk anyone not being able to get their second shot .
Officials say they might adjust once they become more confident about the flow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get more experience on quality control on the production , we ’ ll get greater confidence , of course , at the level of supply reserve we hold back for the second dose administration , ” Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a briefing with reporters .
“ But we will not distribute the vaccine knowing that a booster will not be available , either from reserve supplied by us , or from ongoing , expected , predicted production.
” HOW ARE DOSES ALREADY AVAILABLE ?
Even though the Pfizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regulators , shipments can start right away because manufacturing and stockpiling of the doses was underway .
It was a chance officials took to speed up delivery if the vaccines were shown to be safe and effective .
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox .

NEW YORK — COVID-19 vaccines have begun shipping in the U.S. after getting emergency authorization, setting off the nation’s biggest ever vaccination push. But supplies are expected to be limited for some time.
The first wave of shipments is going to health care workers and nursing home residents. Officials say vaccines should be available to everyone by the middle of next year.
Trucks with Pfizer’s vaccine rolled out Sunday. They will deliver to 145 distribution centers around the country by Monday, said Army Gen. Gustave Perna of Operation Warp Speed, the government effort to develop and distribute COVID-19 vaccines. An additional 425 sites will get shipments Tuesday, and the remaining 66 on Wednesday.
For now, only Pfizer’s vaccine, which the Food and Drug Administration greenlit Friday, is being shipped. Another vaccine by Moderna will be reviewed by an expert panel this week and could get the go-ahead soon afterward.
Other vaccines also could follow.
HOW MANY SHOTS WILL BE SHIPPED OUT INITIALLY?
Around 3 million.
When states were told their first-round allocations earlier this month, the figures were based on the 6.4 million Pfizer doses that were ready for distribution at the time, Perna said. Since the Pfizer vaccine requires two doses, the government is holding back the second shots to ensure people can get them.
An additional 500,000 doses are being held in reserve for any emergencies, Perna said.
HOW MUCH VACCINE IS EACH STATE GETTING?
U.S. officials say it’s based on a state’s population of people 18 and older. Federal officials haven’t released a breakdown, but some states have shared their initial allocations.
Colorado, for example, says it’s supposed to get 46,800 doses of the Pfizer vaccine in the first round, with more expected in the weeks that follow. If the Moderna vaccine gets the green light, the initial shipment for that shot would be 95,600 doses, said Kevin Klein, director of the state’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
HOW MUCH MORE IS ON THE WAY?
By the end of December, U.S. officials say they expect to have enough vaccine to give 20 million people their first doses — meaning they’d have around 40 million shots available. That’s factoring in Moderna’s vaccine, which also requires two doses and still has to clear regulatory hurdles.
Officials say they expect to be able to vaccinate an additional 30 million people in January and 50 million more in February.
WHY NOT DISTRIBUTE ALL THE DOSES RIGHT AWAY?
Even though Pfizer study data indicates people get some level of protection after the first shot, officials say full protection means two doses. And they need to be sure they’ll have that second dose for people at the right time — three weeks after the first shot.
For Moderna’s vaccine, the second shot comes four weeks after the first.
Yet officials say exactly how many additional shots will become available from week to week might vary based on how much can be produced, especially in the beginning, so they don’t want to risk anyone not being able to get their second shot.
COULD THE STRATEGY CHANGE?
Officials say they might adjust once they become more confident about the flow of future supplies.
“As we get more experience on quality control on the production, we’ll get greater confidence, of course, at the level of supply reserve we hold back for the second dose administration,” Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a briefing with reporters. “But we will not distribute the vaccine knowing that a booster will not be available, either from reserve supplied by us, or from ongoing, expected, predicted production.”
HOW ARE DOSES ALREADY AVAILABLE?
Even though the Pfizer shots just got the green light from regulators, shipments can start right away because manufacturing and stockpiling of the doses was underway. It was a chance officials took to speed up delivery if the vaccines were shown to be safe and effective.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox.


thedenverpost--2020-12-14--COVID-19 vaccine shipments begin in historic U.S. effort

PORTAGE , Michigan — The first of many freezer-packed COVID-19 vaccine vials made their way to distribution sites across the United States on Sunday , as the nation ’ s pandemic deaths approached the horrifying new milestone of 300,000 .
The rollout of the Pfizer vaccine , the first to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration , ushers in the biggest vaccination effort in U.S. history — one that health officials hope the American public will embrace , even as some have voiced initial skepticism or worry .
Shots are expected to be given to health care workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Quick transport is key for the vaccine , especially since this one must be stored at extremely low temperatures — about 94 degrees below zero .
Early Sunday , workers at Pfizer — dressed in fluorescent yellow clothing , hard hats and gloves — wasted no time as they packed vials into boxes .
They scanned the packages and then placed them into freezer cases with dry ice .
The vaccines were then taken from Pfizer ’ s Portage , Michigan , facility to Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amid what airport officials called a “ jubilant ” mood .
“ This is a historic day , ” said Richard W. Smith , who oversees operations in the Americas for FedEx Express , which is delivering 630-some packages of vaccine to distribution sites across the country .
United Parcel Service also is transporting a share of the vaccine .
Helping with the transport of the vaccine has special meaning to Bruce Smith , a FedEx package handler at the Grand Rapids airport , whose older sister , Queen , died after she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was hospitalized in Georgia one day after he saw her on a video chat , and they never spoke again .
“ I think she would be ecstatic to know that something that has ravaged our family — that a family member is going to be part of such a big project , ” said Smith , 58 , whose nephew , Queen ’ s son , also got sick and is still undergoing therapy for stroke-like symptoms .
“ It is very , very important.
” Tracked with GPS-enabled sensors , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 million doses , with many more to come .
Federal officials say the first shipments of Pfizer ’ s vaccine will be staggered , arriving in 145 distribution centers Monday , with another 425 sites getting shipments Tuesday , and the remaining 66 on Wednesday .
Doses of the vaccine , co-developed by German partner BioNTech , are given out based on each state ’ s adult population .
Then the states decide where they go first .
In California , where health care workers will be among the first to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals that have adequate storage capacity , serve high-risk populations and have the ability to vaccinate people quickly .
Initial surveys have found that even some health care workers don ’ t want to be first in line .
Dr. Graham Snyder , who ’ s led the vaccine task force at Pennsylvania health care giant UPMC , estimates that about half of its employees are willing to get the vaccine as soon as it ’ s offered .
But many health officials expect enthusiasm to grow .
“ There ’ s that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to be so afraid to come to work if they can be vaccinated and be immune , ” said Dr. Sandra Kemmerly , medical director of hospital quality at the 40-hospital Oschner Health System in Louisiana and Mississippi .
Employees approved for the first round are getting texts and emails directing them to schedule their initial injection , she said .
Enough vaccine is being saved so that each person who gets the first dose of vaccine can get a second required shot a few weeks later .
Senior U.S. government officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work in close proximity to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence , are among those who will be offered coronavirus vaccines as soon as this week , two people familiar with the matter confirmed .
A survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about half of Americans want to get the vaccine as soon as possible .
Another quarter aren ’ t sure , while the remaining quarter say they aren ’ t interested .
Some simply oppose vaccines in general .
Others are concerned that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see how the rollout goes .
Dr. Stephen Hahn , commissioner of the FDA , which approved the Pfizer vaccine Friday , has repeatedly insisted that the agency ’ s decision was based on science , not politics , despite a White House threat to fire him if the vaccine wasn ’ t approved before Saturday .
Speaking to Fox News Sunday , Dr. Moncef Slaoui , chief science adviser to Operation Warp Speed , a U.S. effort to get vaccines developed quickly , also said he is “ very concerned ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some circles .
“ Unfortunately … there ’ s been a confusion between how thorough and scientific and factual the work that has been done is , and the perception that people are thinking that we cut corners … , ” Slaoui said .
“ I can guarantee you that no such things have happened , that we follow the science.
” He called the development of vaccines from several pharmaceutical companies , including Moderna and AstraZeneca , “ a remarkable achievement of science , academia , the industry ecosystem and the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine was determined to be safe , regulators in the U.K. are investigating several severe allergic reactions .
The FDA ’ s instructions tell providers not to give it to those with a known history of severe allergic reactions to any of its ingredients .
The Moderna vaccine will be reviewed by an expert panel Thursday and soon afterward could be allowed for public use .
Irvine reported from Chicago .
Associated Press writer Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report .
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight @ @ @ @

PORTAGE, Michigan — The first of many freezer-packed COVID-19 vaccine vials made their way to distribution sites across the United States on Sunday, as the nation’s pandemic deaths approached the horrifying new milestone of 300,000.
The rollout of the Pfizer vaccine, the first to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration, ushers in the biggest vaccination effort in U.S. history — one that health officials hope the American public will embrace, even as some have voiced initial skepticism or worry. Shots are expected to be given to health care workers and nursing home residents beginning Monday.
Quick transport is key for the vaccine, especially since this one must be stored at extremely low temperatures — about 94 degrees below zero. Early Sunday, workers at Pfizer — dressed in fluorescent yellow clothing, hard hats and gloves — wasted no time as they packed vials into boxes. They scanned the packages and then placed them into freezer cases with dry ice. The vaccines were then taken from Pfizer’s Portage, Michigan, facility to Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, where the first cargo plane took off amid what airport officials called a “jubilant” mood.
“This is a historic day,” said Richard W. Smith, who oversees operations in the Americas for FedEx Express, which is delivering 630-some packages of vaccine to distribution sites across the country. United Parcel Service also is transporting a share of the vaccine.
Helping with the transport of the vaccine has special meaning to Bruce Smith, a FedEx package handler at the Grand Rapids airport, whose older sister, Queen, died after she contracted the coronavirus in May. She was hospitalized in Georgia one day after he saw her on a video chat, and they never spoke again.
“I think she would be ecstatic to know that something that has ravaged our family — that a family member is going to be part of such a big project,” said Smith, 58, whose nephew, Queen’s son, also got sick and is still undergoing therapy for stroke-like symptoms. “It is very, very important.”
Tracked with GPS-enabled sensors, the initial shipments were expected to contain about 3 million doses, with many more to come. Federal officials say the first shipments of Pfizer’s vaccine will be staggered, arriving in 145 distribution centers Monday, with another 425 sites getting shipments Tuesday, and the remaining 66 on Wednesday. Doses of the vaccine, co-developed by German partner BioNTech, are given out based on each state’s adult population. Then the states decide where they go first.
In California, where health care workers will be among the first to be vaccinated, state health officials are prioritizing hospitals that have adequate storage capacity, serve high-risk populations and have the ability to vaccinate people quickly.
Initial surveys have found that even some health care workers don’t want to be first in line. Dr. Graham Snyder, who’s led the vaccine task force at Pennsylvania health care giant UPMC, estimates that about half of its employees are willing to get the vaccine as soon as it’s offered.
But many health officials expect enthusiasm to grow.
“There’s that thought that maybe they don’t have to be so afraid to come to work if they can be vaccinated and be immune,” said Dr. Sandra Kemmerly, medical director of hospital quality at the 40-hospital Oschner Health System in Louisiana and Mississippi. Employees approved for the first round are getting texts and emails directing them to schedule their initial injection, she said. Enough vaccine is being saved so that each person who gets the first dose of vaccine can get a second required shot a few weeks later.
Senior U.S. government officials, including some White House officials who work in close proximity to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, are among those who will be offered coronavirus vaccines as soon as this week, two people familiar with the matter confirmed.
A survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about half of Americans want to get the vaccine as soon as possible. Another quarter aren’t sure, while the remaining quarter say they aren’t interested. Some simply oppose vaccines in general. Others are concerned that the vaccines have been rushed and want to see how the rollout goes.
Dr. Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the FDA, which approved the Pfizer vaccine Friday, has repeatedly insisted that the agency’s decision was based on science, not politics, despite a White House threat to fire him if the vaccine wasn’t approved before Saturday.
Speaking to Fox News Sunday, Dr. Moncef Slaoui, chief science adviser to Operation Warp Speed, a U.S. effort to get vaccines developed quickly, also said he is “very concerned” about the skepticism about the vaccine in some circles.
“Unfortunately … there’s been a confusion between how thorough and scientific and factual the work that has been done is, and the perception that people are thinking that we cut corners …,” Slaoui said. “I can guarantee you that no such things have happened, that we follow the science.”
He called the development of vaccines from several pharmaceutical companies, including Moderna and AstraZeneca, “a remarkable achievement of science, academia, the industry ecosystem and the U.S. government, working together.”
While the vaccine was determined to be safe, regulators in the U.K. are investigating several severe allergic reactions. The FDA’s instructions tell providers not to give it to those with a known history of severe allergic reactions to any of its ingredients.
The Moderna vaccine will be reviewed by an expert panel Thursday and soon afterward could be allowed for public use.
Irvine reported from Chicago. Associated Press writer Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox.


thedenverpost--2020-12-14--Couple faces charges including fake meth distribution following Greeley arrest in stolen vehicle

A man and a woman are scheduled to appear in court Wednesday after police pulled them over in a stolen vehicle in a late November arrest .
The couple had been under investigation by the Weld County Drug Task Force since early October , according to arrest records .
A confidential informant contacted 37-year-old Aurora Bourgeois to ask for some meth .
According to messages later reviewed by law enforcement , Bourgeois agreed to sell the informant 5 grams of meth for $ 200 .
She met with the informant outside a store in central Greeley , selling him about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrest records state .
The next day , an undercover investigator contacted Bourgeois on Facebook , and she asked if he needed any drugs , according to records .
The investigator asked for “ clear and blues , ” referring to meth and a fake prescription painkiller containing fentanyl .
They agreed to a drug deal the next week , at which point the investigator asked to buy quarter of an ounce of meth .
Bourgeois sent her boyfriend , Nigel Perrymond , 44 , to meet with the investigator at a fast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Perrymond when he entered the parking lot of the restaurant , finding he had a baggie with a large amount of a white crystalline substance , according to arrest records .
The substance tested negative for meth , and police noticed it was much whiter and less crystalline than meth .
Police determined it was MSM , a supplement available at retail stores .
The baggie weighed nearly 8 grams .
In an interview with police , Perrymond confirmed he knew it was “ not real dope , ” according to arrest records @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into buying the MSM and was trying to make his money back , records state .
He told them he could tell it wasn ’ t real meth by its texture and taste .
Police found Perrymond had previously been charged with distribution of imitation controlled substance .
On Nov. 28 , police pulled over Bourgeois and Perrymond as they were headed east in the 1000 block of U.S. 34 Bypass in Greeley .
Police determined the SUV they were driving had been reported stolen out of Larimer County .
Perrymond initially told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he hadn ’ t paid his portion of it yet , but later admitted he was trying to cover for Bourgeois , according to records .
Police arrested Perrymond and Bourgeois on suspicion of aggravated motor vehicle theft .
Police said they also found about 0.7 grams of presumptive positive meth in one of Perrymond ’ s pockets , adding a drug possession charge to his arrest .
Perrymond also faces a charge for distribution of imitation controlled substance .
Bourgeois faces a charge for conspiracy to distribute imitation controlled substance , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain in jail as of Sunday afternoon .
Bourgeois has a disposition hearing 1:30 p.m. Wednesday , and Perrymond has one 2:30 p.m. Wednesday .
Both are in Weld District Court .

A man and a woman are scheduled to appear in court Wednesday after police pulled them over in a stolen vehicle in a late November arrest.
The couple had been under investigation by the Weld County Drug Task Force since early October, according to arrest records. A confidential informant contacted 37-year-old Aurora Bourgeois to ask for some meth. According to messages later reviewed by law enforcement, Bourgeois agreed to sell the informant 5 grams of meth for $200.
She met with the informant outside a store in central Greeley, selling him about 5 grams of presumptive positive meth, arrest records state.
The next day, an undercover investigator contacted Bourgeois on Facebook, and she asked if he needed any drugs, according to records. The investigator asked for “clear and blues,” referring to meth and a fake prescription painkiller containing fentanyl. They agreed to a drug deal the next week, at which point the investigator asked to buy quarter of an ounce of meth.
Bourgeois sent her boyfriend, Nigel Perrymond, 44, to meet with the investigator at a fast food restaurant. A patrol officer detained Perrymond when he entered the parking lot of the restaurant, finding he had a baggie with a large amount of a white crystalline substance, according to arrest records.
The substance tested negative for meth, and police noticed it was much whiter and less crystalline than meth. Police determined it was MSM, a supplement available at retail stores. The baggie weighed nearly 8 grams.
In an interview with police, Perrymond confirmed he knew it was “not real dope,” according to arrest records. Perrymond told police he was scammed into buying the MSM and was trying to make his money back, records state. He told them he could tell it wasn’t real meth by its texture and taste. Police found Perrymond had previously been charged with distribution of imitation controlled substance.
On Nov. 28, police pulled over Bourgeois and Perrymond as they were headed east in the 1000 block of U.S. 34 Bypass in Greeley. Police determined the SUV they were driving had been reported stolen out of Larimer County. Perrymond initially told police it was his vehicle and that he hadn’t paid his portion of it yet, but later admitted he was trying to cover for Bourgeois, according to records.
Police arrested Perrymond and Bourgeois on suspicion of aggravated motor vehicle theft. Police said they also found about 0.7 grams of presumptive positive meth in one of Perrymond’s pockets, adding a drug possession charge to his arrest. Perrymond also faces a charge for distribution of imitation controlled substance.
Bourgeois faces a charge for conspiracy to distribute imitation controlled substance, as well as drug distribution.
The two remain in jail as of Sunday afternoon. Bourgeois has a disposition hearing 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, and Perrymond has one 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. Both are in Weld District Court.


thedenverpost--2020-12-14--Long-delayed home opener finally on deck for CU Buffs men’s basketball against Northern Colorado

While looking over the Northern Colorado roster , Colorado men ’ s basketball coach Tad Boyle admitted to a bit of a recruiting mistake .
On Monday night , if the Bears ’ visit to CU tips off as planned , UNC ’ s all-Colorado backcourt will offer Boyle and the Buffaloes a small glimpse of what might have been .
Bodie Hume , a junior out of Sterling , is a player Boyle believes could play for any team in the nation .
Sam Masten , from Highlands Ranch , is a heady point guard .
And the Buffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kountz , who was suiting up for CU as recently as March before transferring to Greeley .
After having their first two home dates postponed due to coronavirus issues within the CU program and again within the Washington State program , the Buffs finally are on track to play at home on Monday when UNC , the team Boyle once coached , visits the CU Events Center .
Due to its own coronavirus concerns , UNC was shut down for the bulk of the preseason and finally returned to action last week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Division II foes in Colorado Christian and Regis .
UNC is under the leadership of first-year head coach Steve Smiley , a former Bears assistant who took over after former head coach Jeff Linder left for the same job at Wyoming .
“ ( Smiley ) recruited a lot of those guys .
I ’ ve gotten to know Steve a little bit here during this offseason and the time he ’ s been in Greeley .
He ’ s a quality coach , a quality guy , and they ’ ve got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Bodie Hume , the kid for Sterling , he can play for anybody in the country .
Colorado included .
It ’ s probably a recruiting mistake on my part .
He ’ s a good player .
He can play in any league on any team in country .
He ’ s a quality , quality player .
“ Obviously we know how talented Daylen is .
He started here and transferred there .
They ’ ve got Sam Masten , a point guard who we looked at long and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) high school .
Quality player , tough-minded kid .
So they ’ ve got good players .
You look around the country at some of these scores and upsets — Portland goes into Oregon State and beats them — we ’ ve got to be ready.
” Kountz endured a whirlwind two seasons at CU .
When he was a freshman , Kountz emerged as a potential future star with his stellar play in a stirring stretch run that saw the Buffs reach the Pac-12 tournament semifinals and the NIT quarterfinals .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost traction and seemingly lost confidence , posting a .333 overall field goal percentage while going just 4-for-26 ( .154 ) on 3-pointers .
Kountz was granted immediate eligibility at UNC and has fared well in the Bears ’ first two games , shooting .524 ( 13-for-24 ) while collecting seven rebounds and six assists .
As for the Buffs , CU has yet to play a game at full strength due to COVID-19 issues that have kept D ’ Shawn Schwartz , Keeshawn Barthelemy , Tristan da Silva , Eli Parquet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different times .
Boyle is cautiously optimistic — perhaps the operative phrase for the entire 2020-21 season — the Buffs finally will be at full strength against UNC .
“ I plan on being at full strength on Monday , ” Boyle said .
“ I ’ m keeping the fingers crossed ( until ) then.
” COACHES : Northern Colorado — Steve Smiley , 1st season ( 2-0 at UNC and overall ) ; Colorado — Tad Boyle , 11th season ( 212-135 , 268-201 overall ) .
WHAT TO WATCH : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely will draw the defensive assignment against Kountz .
That pair of off-guards comprised the entire 2018 freshman class for the Buffs , and while Kountz made a bigger impression early , Parquet eventually supplanted him in the rotation .
Parquet missed Tuesday ’ s loss at No .
12 Tennessee due to coronavirus protocols .
NOTES : CU leads the all-time series 21-18 , though all but six of those matchups occurred before 1938 .
The Buffs have gone 3-0 against UNC since Boyle left Greeley to take the job at CU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posting a 66-51 win in Boulder on Nov. 10 , 2017 .
That was the first career game for current Buffs McKinley Wright , D ’ Shawn Schwartz , and Dallas Walton , as well as 2020 NBA draft pick Tyler Bey…After going 10-for-25 ( .400 ) on 3-pointers in the season-opening win against South Dakota , the Buffs have gone just 11-for-43 ( .256 ) from long range in the past two games .
CU has at least balanced those struggles by posting an .875 free throw percentage ( 42-for-48 ) through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Omaha in a rare weekday afternoon game on Wednesday ( 3 p.m. , Pac-12 Networks ) .

While looking over the Northern Colorado roster, Colorado men’s basketball coach Tad Boyle admitted to a bit of a recruiting mistake.
On Monday night, if the Bears’ visit to CU tips off as planned, UNC’s all-Colorado backcourt will offer Boyle and the Buffaloes a small glimpse of what might have been.
Bodie Hume, a junior out of Sterling, is a player Boyle believes could play for any team in the nation. Sam Masten, from Highlands Ranch, is a heady point guard. And the Buffs are quite familiar with Denver native Daylen Kountz, who was suiting up for CU as recently as March before transferring to Greeley.
After having their first two home dates postponed due to coronavirus issues within the CU program and again within the Washington State program, the Buffs finally are on track to play at home on Monday when UNC, the team Boyle once coached, visits the CU Events Center.
Due to its own coronavirus concerns, UNC was shut down for the bulk of the preseason and finally returned to action last week, posting wins against a pair of local Division II foes in Colorado Christian and Regis. UNC is under the leadership of first-year head coach Steve Smiley, a former Bears assistant who took over after former head coach Jeff Linder left for the same job at Wyoming.
“(Smiley) recruited a lot of those guys. I’ve gotten to know Steve a little bit here during this offseason and the time he’s been in Greeley. He’s a quality coach, a quality guy, and they’ve got a quality team,” Boyle said. “Bodie Hume, the kid for Sterling, he can play for anybody in the country. Colorado included. It’s probably a recruiting mistake on my part. He’s a good player. He can play in any league on any team in country. He’s a quality, quality player.
“Obviously we know how talented Daylen is. He started here and transferred there. They’ve got Sam Masten, a point guard who we looked at long and hard coming out of (Rock Canyon) high school. Quality player, tough-minded kid. So they’ve got good players. You look around the country at some of these scores and upsets — Portland goes into Oregon State and beats them — we’ve got to be ready.”
Kountz endured a whirlwind two seasons at CU. When he was a freshman, Kountz emerged as a potential future star with his stellar play in a stirring stretch run that saw the Buffs reach the Pac-12 tournament semifinals and the NIT quarterfinals. But as a sophomore last season he lost traction and seemingly lost confidence, posting a .333 overall field goal percentage while going just 4-for-26 (.154) on 3-pointers.
Kountz was granted immediate eligibility at UNC and has fared well in the Bears’ first two games, shooting .524 (13-for-24) while collecting seven rebounds and six assists.
As for the Buffs, CU has yet to play a game at full strength due to COVID-19 issues that have kept D’Shawn Schwartz, Keeshawn Barthelemy, Tristan da Silva, Eli Parquet, and Luke O’Brien sidelined at different times. Boyle is cautiously optimistic — perhaps the operative phrase for the entire 2020-21 season — the Buffs finally will be at full strength against UNC.
“I plan on being at full strength on Monday,” Boyle said. “I’m keeping the fingers crossed (until) then.”
Northern Colorado Bears at CU Buffs men’s basketball
TIPOFF: Monday, 7 p.m., CU Events Center
BROADCAST: TV — Pac-12 Networks; Radio — 850 AM and 94.1 FM.
RECORDS: Northern Colorado 2-0; Colorado 2-1.
COACHES: Northern Colorado — Steve Smiley, 1st season ( 2-0 at UNC and overall); Colorado — Tad Boyle, 11th season (212-135, 268-201 overall).
KEY PLAYERS: Northern Colorado — G Bodie Hume, Jr., 22.5 ppg, 10.0 rpg; G Daylen Kountz, Jr., 15.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.0 apg; F Kur Jockuch, Jr., 10.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg. Colorado — G McKinley Wright IV, Sr., 17.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.7 apg; F Jeriah Horne, 11.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg; G Keeshawn Barthelemy, R-Fr., 9.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg.
WHAT TO WATCH: If Eli Parquet is available, he likely will draw the defensive assignment against Kountz. That pair of off-guards comprised the entire 2018 freshman class for the Buffs, and while Kountz made a bigger impression early, Parquet eventually supplanted him in the rotation. Parquet missed Tuesday’s loss at No. 12 Tennessee due to coronavirus protocols.
NOTES: CU leads the all-time series 21-18, though all but six of those matchups occurred before 1938. The Buffs have gone 3-0 against UNC since Boyle left Greeley to take the job at CU nearly 11 years ago, most recently posting a 66-51 win in Boulder on Nov. 10, 2017. That was the first career game for current Buffs McKinley Wright, D’Shawn Schwartz, and Dallas Walton, as well as 2020 NBA draft pick Tyler Bey…After going 10-for-25 (.400) on 3-pointers in the season-opening win against South Dakota, the Buffs have gone just 11-for-43 (.256) from long range in the past two games. CU has at least balanced those struggles by posting an .875 free throw percentage (42-for-48) through the first three games…The Buffs will play Omaha in a rare weekday afternoon game on Wednesday (3 p.m., Pac-12 Networks).


thedenverpost--2020-12-14--T.Y. Hilton, Jonathan Taylor lead Colts’ rout of fading Raiders

LAS VEGAS — Frank Reich found himself regularly amazed while he watched everything his Indianapolis Colts accomplished in their first trip to Sin City .
The coach couldn ’ t believe Kenny Moore ’ s one-handed , diving end-zone interception .
He also marveled at the breakaway speed of Jonathan Taylor , who outran the Raiders ’ entire secondary on a 62-yard TD sprint .
At the final whistle on a 44-27 victory Sunday , Reich was still extremely impressed with his team and its potential .
“ I believed that we can be that good , but obviously this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Indianapolis racked up 456 total yards , including a whopping 212 on the ground , in its highest-scoring performance in its three seasons under Reich , and its biggest since 2014 overall .
While the Colts ( 9-4 ) haven ’ t clinched their second playoff berth in Reich ’ s three seasons , they appear to be in elite form as they head down the postseason stretch .
“ It ’ s hard to put up those numbers in this league , but we did it today , and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Reich said .
“ We have the personnel to be dominant in the run game and we have the personnel to be dominant in the pass game.
” T.Y .
Hilton caught two touchdown passes from Philip Rivers , while Taylor rushed for a career-best 150 yards and two scores .
Rivers passed for 244 yards as the Colts scored on seven of their first eight drives in their fourth victory in five games .
“ You hope you ’ re playing your best ball here in the fourth quarter ( of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s what we ’ re going to have to do to give ourselves a chance in the playoffs here , ” Rivers said .
“ We ’ re built to be efficient and dink-and-dunk it and grind out the 4-yard runs , but there ’ s no question what big plays do for you .
It ’ s huge.
” Safety Khari Willis clinched the win with a 53-yard interception return for his first career touchdown with 5:22 to play .
Indianapolis stayed securely in one of the conference ’ s wild-card spots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tennessee , which has a better divisional record for now .
Derek Carr passed for 316 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Raiders ( 7-6 ) , who have lost three of four after a strong start to their relocation season .
Foster Moreau and Nelson Agholor made TD catches in the first half , but the offense couldn ’ t keep up while Indianapolis marched up and down the field to little resistance .
“ When you need a win against a team you ’ re battling with for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t get it , it really rips your heart out , ” Carr said .
• Kiszla : How mad-bomber Drew Lock learned to love the checkdown and made art ( instead of a mess ) for the Broncos • No Noah Fant ?
No problem for Broncos , thanks to Troy Fumagalli and Nick Vannett .
• Broncos have new stars break out in Week 14 victory over Carolina Panthers • Diontae Spencer ’ s punt return TD , Broncos ’ first in a half-decade , provides early momentum in win over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , made his 29th career start against the Raiders and beat them for the 19th time , both the most by any opponent in Raiders history .
Rivers isn ’ t the only quarterback picking apart this Raiders defense down the stretch , however : Las Vegas has given up 150 points in its last four games , with embattled defensive coordinator Paul Guenther ’ s unit yielding an average of 399 yards per game in that stretch .
Only a last-second comeback against the winless Jets has prevented coach Jon Gruden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6-3 start to the season .
“ We were in a situation where we had to score a touchdown every time we had the ball , it seemed , ” Gruden said .
“ You get to the point where you second-guess everything you ’ re doing offensively every time you punt .
It ’ s tough right now , but you have to stay confident that your players are going to put it together.
” Both offenses started superbly at new Allegiant Stadium , where the Raiders are 2-4 .
Moreau eluded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortly before Agholor ’ s 21-yard TD reception put the Raiders up 14-10 early in the second quarter .
Hilton ’ s 41-yard TD catch put Indianapolis back in front moments later .
A touchdown-saving tackle by Vegas ’ Trayvon Mullen with 1 second left in the first half limited the Colts ’ halftime lead to 20-14 .
Taylor surpassed 1,000 yards from scrimmage in his rookie season in the third quarter on his long touchdown run .
“ Getting a bit of fresh air was definitely fulfilling , ” Taylor said with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ fourth defensive touchdown of the season with his interception return .
Moore blew both teams ’ minds with his interception in the second quarter .
The fifth-year defensive back said he was “ just doing what I was supposed to do , ” but everybody else marveled at his hands and body control .
“ I didn ’ t know if Odell Beckham Jr. was playing defense for us there , ” Reich said .
“ I had to stop for a second there and kind of think , ‘ Did he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was really just one of those once-in-a-lifetime chances , a really great play.
” Colts : CB Xavier Rhodes went to the locker room in the second quarter with a knee injury .
… LB Darius Leonard left in the second half with a back injury .
… LT Anthony Castonzo missed last week with a knee ligament injury , and he was on and off the field early before getting comfortable .
Raiders : DE Clelin Ferrell was ruled out after halftime with a shoulder injury .

LAS VEGAS — Frank Reich found himself regularly amazed while he watched everything his Indianapolis Colts accomplished in their first trip to Sin City.
The coach couldn’t believe Kenny Moore’s one-handed, diving end-zone interception. He also marveled at the breakaway speed of Jonathan Taylor, who outran the Raiders’ entire secondary on a 62-yard TD sprint.
At the final whistle on a 44-27 victory Sunday, Reich was still extremely impressed with his team and its potential.
“I believed that we can be that good, but obviously this was a big day,” Reich said.
Indianapolis racked up 456 total yards, including a whopping 212 on the ground, in its highest-scoring performance in its three seasons under Reich, and its biggest since 2014 overall. While the Colts (9-4) haven’t clinched their second playoff berth in Reich’s three seasons, they appear to be in elite form as they head down the postseason stretch.
“It’s hard to put up those numbers in this league, but we did it today, and we have the personnel to do that,” Reich said. “We have the personnel to be dominant in the run game and we have the personnel to be dominant in the pass game.”
T.Y. Hilton caught two touchdown passes from Philip Rivers, while Taylor rushed for a career-best 150 yards and two scores. Rivers passed for 244 yards as the Colts scored on seven of their first eight drives in their fourth victory in five games.
“You hope you’re playing your best ball here in the fourth quarter (of the season), and that’s what we’re going to have to do to give ourselves a chance in the playoffs here,” Rivers said. “We’re built to be efficient and dink-and-dunk it and grind out the 4-yard runs, but there’s no question what big plays do for you. It’s huge.”
Safety Khari Willis clinched the win with a 53-yard interception return for his first career touchdown with 5:22 to play. Indianapolis stayed securely in one of the conference’s wild-card spots and remained atop the AFC South alongside Tennessee, which has a better divisional record for now.
Derek Carr passed for 316 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Raiders (7-6), who have lost three of four after a strong start to their relocation season. Foster Moreau and Nelson Agholor made TD catches in the first half, but the offense couldn’t keep up while Indianapolis marched up and down the field to little resistance.
“When you need a win against a team you’re battling with for a playoff spot and you don’t get it, it really rips your heart out,” Carr said.
Rivers, the longtime Chargers quarterback, made his 29th career start against the Raiders and beat them for the 19th time, both the most by any opponent in Raiders history.
Rivers isn’t the only quarterback picking apart this Raiders defense down the stretch, however: Las Vegas has given up 150 points in its last four games, with embattled defensive coordinator Paul Guenther’s unit yielding an average of 399 yards per game in that stretch.
Only a last-second comeback against the winless Jets has prevented coach Jon Gruden’s team from going 0-4 since its 6-3 start to the season.
“We were in a situation where we had to score a touchdown every time we had the ball, it seemed,” Gruden said. “You get to the point where you second-guess everything you’re doing offensively every time you punt. It’s tough right now, but you have to stay confident that your players are going to put it together.”
Both offenses started superbly at new Allegiant Stadium, where the Raiders are 2-4.
Moreau eluded two defenders on a 47-yard catch-and-run TD shortly before Agholor’s 21-yard TD reception put the Raiders up 14-10 early in the second quarter.
Hilton’s 41-yard TD catch put Indianapolis back in front moments later. A touchdown-saving tackle by Vegas’ Trayvon Mullen with 1 second left in the first half limited the Colts’ halftime lead to 20-14.
Taylor surpassed 1,000 yards from scrimmage in his rookie season in the third quarter on his long touchdown run.
“Getting a bit of fresh air was definitely fulfilling,” Taylor said with a laugh.
Willis scored the Colts’ fourth defensive touchdown of the season with his interception return.
BIG CATCH
Moore blew both teams’ minds with his interception in the second quarter. The fifth-year defensive back said he was “just doing what I was supposed to do,” but everybody else marveled at his hands and body control.
“I didn’t know if Odell Beckham Jr. was playing defense for us there,” Reich said. “I had to stop for a second there and kind of think, ‘Did he actually catch that ball?’ It was really just one of those once-in-a-lifetime chances, a really great play.”
INJURED
Colts: CB Xavier Rhodes went to the locker room in the second quarter with a knee injury. … LB Darius Leonard left in the second half with a back injury. … LT Anthony Castonzo missed last week with a knee ligament injury, and he was on and off the field early before getting comfortable.
Raiders: DE Clelin Ferrell was ruled out after halftime with a shoulder injury.
UP NEXT
Colts: host the Houston Texans on Sunday.
Raiders: host the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday.


thedenverpost--2020-12-14--Kiszla: How mad-bomber Drew Lock learned to love the checkdown and made art (instead of a mess) for

Kiszla: How mad-bomber Drew Lock learned to love the checkdown and made art (instead of a mess) for the Broncos

Let this be a lesson to you , kids .
When Broncos quarterback Drew Lock doesn ’ t try to color with all 64 crayons in the box at the same time , good things happen .
“ That ’ s the toughest thing to learn for me , ” Lock said Sunday .
“ I don ’ t know about others , but that ’ s the toughest thing for me.
” Against Carolina , Lock damped down his tendency to turn dumb risks into a hot mess — “ My bonehead thought process , ” as he put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 32-27 victory .
It was the finest work of art of Lock ’ s young career .
Four touchdown passes .
No ( zero ! )
bonehead interceptions .
A nifty completion rate of 78 percent .
His QB rating ?
A near-perfect 149.5 .
In the history of mankind , every great artist , from Billy Shakespeare to Johnny Elway , has had to learn art without constraint can quickly become a scribbled mess .
Shakespeare had to color within the lines of iambic pentameter .
As a young gunslinger , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ named Dan Reeves taught him a QB can ’ t come out every NFL game with guns blazing .
“ Yes , ( Elway ) has preached to me about just doing your job and not trying to force anything , ” Lock said .
“ Once you force it , those are the ones you want back.
” Welcome to the artist ’ s studio , Mr .
Lock .
The victory improved Denver ’ s record to 5-8 .
Nobody throws a parade for being in third place of the AFC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proud of these players all the same .
“ We don ’ t like our record any more than anybody else does , but this is a great group of guys , ” Fangio said .
There ’ s no way Uncle Vic ’ s Band of Misfits should ’ ve beat Carolina .
I ’ ve seen a better lineup of proven talent between bites of rubber chicken at my neighborhood dinner theater .
Prior to kickoff , the Broncos discovered they would be without emerging all-Pro offensive tackle Garett Bolles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fant also departed for the locker room early in the game with a tummy ache .
While we all are susceptible to COVID-19 paranoia during this crazy year , Fangio believes what sent Bolles and Fant to the sick bay was food poisoning .
At the risk of sounding like an old curmudgeon : Let this be a lesson to you , kids .
Never get anchovies on that pie when ordering for the first time from a new pizza joint .
“ You said bad pizza ?
I haven ’ t heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t wait to get on the plane and start asking , ” said Broncos safety Kareem Jackson , before leaving for the airport in Charlotte .
There were so many new faces in Denver ’ s offensive line and defensive secondary that in addition to the numbers on their uniforms , the Broncos probably should ’ ve been issued “ Hi , my name is … Netane ” stickers before taking the field .
Tight end Troy Fumagalli and cornerback De ’ Vante Bausby have been waived so many times this year it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vu for all the rejection I felt when seeking a date to the high-school prom .
But Fumagalli caught four passes and Bausby made the tackle that forced the Panthers to turn the ball over on downs on their final offensive drive .
Taking the easy ( and smart ) way out , Lock connected with a running back or tight end for 13 of his 21 completions .
If my eyes didn ’ t deceive , the Broncos actually threw a screen pass , a call buried under an inch of dust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But know what was most beautiful ?
After exhibiting uncommon patience for the majority of three quarters , “ Checkdown Drew ” aggressively threw dirt on a furious Panthers ’ comeback with a 49-yard TD pass to KJ Hamler late in the fourth period .
“ I loved it , ” said Lock , who lives to do happy dances on the Denver sideline .
Can you blame him ?
Find fun wherever you can , because who among us has not cursed 2020 ?
If we ’ re talking football calamities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Broncos is full .
“ We hit a few more Bingo !
’ s today , ” Fangio said .
Linebacker Von MIller and receiver Courtland Sutton were lost to injury before this team had a chance to make any playoff noise .
After spending five days in the hospital with COVID , defensive coordinator Ed Donatell gave this opinion of the nasty virus : “ Everybody should be nervous.
” And it might take years to forgive the NFL for forcing Denver to play a game against New Orleans without a quarterback @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the good and bad of sports : There ’ s adversity , ” Fangio said .
“ But how you deal with it gives you an opportunity to overcome it , which makes these wins even sweeter , ” In a season when the Broncos thought of everything that could go wrong , then crowd- sourced a fresh new list of unforeseeable adversities , this victory won ’ t have an impact on the Super Bowl race , but it meant the world to Uncle Vic ’ s Band of Misfits .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Let this be a lesson to you , kids .
Regardless of how many tough defeats have been endured , if you refuse to let 2020 get you down , you ’ ve earned the right to dance like your ’ re undefeated .

Let this be a lesson to you, kids. When Broncos quarterback Drew Lock doesn’t try to color with all 64 crayons in the box at the same time, good things happen.
“That’s the toughest thing to learn for me,” Lock said Sunday. “I don’t know about others, but that’s the toughest thing for me.”
Against Carolina, Lock damped down his tendency to turn dumb risks into a hot mess — “My bonehead thought process,” as he put it — and led the Broncos to a 32-27 victory.
It was the finest work of art of Lock’s young career. Four touchdown passes. No (zero!) bonehead interceptions. A nifty completion rate of 78 percent. His QB rating? A near-perfect 149.5.
In the history of mankind, every great artist, from Billy Shakespeare to Johnny Elway, has had to learn art without constraint can quickly become a scribbled mess.
Shakespeare had to color within the lines of iambic pentameter. As a young gunslinger, Elway bristled when a stubborn old cowboy named Dan Reeves taught him a QB can’t come out every NFL game with guns blazing.
“Yes, (Elway) has preached to me about just doing your job and not trying to force anything,” Lock said. “Once you force it, those are the ones you want back.”
Welcome to the artist’s studio, Mr. Lock.
The victory improved Denver’s record to 5-8. Nobody throws a parade for being in third place of the AFC West. But coach Vic Fangio is proud of these players all the same.
“We don’t like our record any more than anybody else does, but this is a great group of guys,” Fangio said.
There’s no way Uncle Vic’s Band of Misfits should’ve beat Carolina. I’ve seen a better lineup of proven talent between bites of rubber chicken at my neighborhood dinner theater.
Prior to kickoff, the Broncos discovered they would be without emerging all-Pro offensive tackle Garett Bolles, who awoke ill. Tight end Noah Fant also departed for the locker room early in the game with a tummy ache. While we all are susceptible to COVID-19 paranoia during this crazy year, Fangio believes what sent Bolles and Fant to the sick bay was food poisoning.
At the risk of sounding like an old curmudgeon: Let this be a lesson to you, kids.
Never get anchovies on that pie when ordering for the first time from a new pizza joint.
“You said bad pizza? I haven’t heard that one, but I can’t wait to get on the plane and start asking,” said Broncos safety Kareem Jackson, before leaving for the airport in Charlotte.
There were so many new faces in Denver’s offensive line and defensive secondary that in addition to the numbers on their uniforms, the Broncos probably should’ve been issued “Hi, my name is … Netane” stickers before taking the field.
Tight end Troy Fumagalli and cornerback De’Vante Bausby have been waived so many times this year it gives me a creepy feeling of deja vu for all the rejection I felt when seeking a date to the high-school prom. But Fumagalli caught four passes and Bausby made the tackle that forced the Panthers to turn the ball over on downs on their final offensive drive.
Taking the easy (and smart) way out, Lock connected with a running back or tight end for 13 of his 21 completions. If my eyes didn’t deceive, the Broncos actually threw a screen pass, a call buried under an inch of dust in the team’s playbook.
But know what was most beautiful? After exhibiting uncommon patience for the majority of three quarters, “Checkdown Drew” aggressively threw dirt on a furious Panthers’ comeback with a 49-yard TD pass to KJ Hamler late in the fourth period.
“I loved it,” said Lock, who lives to do happy dances on the Denver sideline.
Can you blame him? Find fun wherever you can, because who among us has not cursed 2020?
If we’re talking football calamities, the Bingo! Card held by the Broncos is full.
“We hit a few more Bingo!’s today,” Fangio said.
Linebacker Von MIller and receiver Courtland Sutton were lost to injury before this team had a chance to make any playoff noise. After spending five days in the hospital with COVID, defensive coordinator Ed Donatell gave this opinion of the nasty virus: “Everybody should be nervous.” And it might take years to forgive the NFL for forcing Denver to play a game against New Orleans without a quarterback.
“That’s part of the good and bad of sports: There’s adversity,” Fangio said. “But how you deal with it gives you an opportunity to overcome it, which makes these wins even sweeter,”
In a season when the Broncos thought of everything that could go wrong, then crowd- sourced a fresh new list of unforeseeable adversities, this victory won’t have an impact on the Super Bowl race, but it meant the world to Uncle Vic’s Band of Misfits.
So one more time, with feeling: Let this be a lesson to you, kids.
Regardless of how many tough defeats have been endured, if you refuse to let 2020 get you down, you’ve earned the right to dance like your’re undefeated.


thedenverpost--2020-12-14--Teddy Bridgewater, Panthers still struggling to win close games

CHARLOTTE , N.C. — Thirteen games into the season and the Carolina Panthers are still trying to figure out how to win close games .
The Panthers botched another great opportunity Sunday when they couldn ’ t pick up a first down on their final possession , turning the ball over on downs and losing 32-27 to the Denver Broncos .
It marked the seventh game this season where quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has had the ball in his hands with less than 4 minutes remaining and a chance to help his team tie or take the lead — only to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s going to continue to bother you until you actually excel in that situation , ” Bridgewater said .
“ If we could just become a better situational football team , starting with me , I think we could really do some great things.
” But the great things haven ’ t happened so far , raising some questions about Bridgewater ’ s long-term future as the Panthers starting quarterback .
So far , he ’ s 3-9 as a starter after signing a three-year , $ 63 million contract this offseason .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ support behind Bridgewater , saying he “ absolutely ” believes he can be the guy to help Carolina build a winning program — but he quickly added that the QB can ’ t do it alone .
“ I don ’ t think he is going to be successful in two-minutes if he gets sacked on the first play .
I don ’ t think he is going to be successful if we have drops .
I think that all us have to continue to work together to improve , ” Rhule said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and he brought us back and they scored again .
So really , at the end of the day , he scored a bunch of points in the fourth quarter .
I thought he was fantastic throughout the entire fourth quarter.
” But again , Bridgewater couldn ’ t close the deal .
After scoring on three consecutive drives , the Panthers appeared to be in good shape after getting the ball at their own 27 with 2:48 left in the game and down 32-27 .
But Bridgewater took a 6-yard sack on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inbounds on second down .
That ’ s when a chaotic situation ensued with the Panthers rushed to the line to get a play off before the 2-minute warning — one that resulted in an costly incompletion .
Rhule , who didn ’ t have any timeouts at his disposal , said he never wanted that play run and would have preferred for the clock to run down to 2-minute warning and get reorganized .
After the timeout , Bridgewater faced a fourth-and-8 , was forced out of the pocket and threw underneath @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was tackled for a 1-yard gain , turning the ball over on downs .
“ Maybe he ’ s thinking ( Samuel ) outruns him and it ’ s a first down , ” Rhule said .
“ But those were plays that were not good enough plays to win the game.
” • Kiszla : How mad-bomber Drew Lock learned to love the checkdown and made art ( instead of a mess ) for the Broncos • No Noah Fant ?
No problem for Broncos , thanks to Troy Fumagalli and Nick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ break out in Week 14 victory over Carolina Panthers • Diontae Spencer ’ s punt return TD , Broncos ’ first in a half-decade , provides early momentum in win over Panthers • Broncos game balls and gassers : Rookie KJ Hamler records first two-TD game , Will Parks steps up at nickel back in win over Panthers And those are the type of plays that have resulted in the Panthers ( 4-9 ) losing seven of their last eight games .
“ It comes down to us making the plays when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We just have to execute .
There is not much else to say other than that .
We have to get the job done .
We took a sack .
Just a bunch of mistakes .
We have to play better when it matters .
But Rhule said he ’ s not giving up on this team and building for the future .
“ I ’ m going to keep coming to work and keep fighting , scratching and clawing to get guys to understand that what you do really matters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ‘ Oh , my bad.
’ You can only say that so many times .
… Even when it seems mundane or even when it seems trivial , you have to go do your job for us to win .
That ’ s where we are .
I don ’ t believe in panic .
I don ’ t believe in huge , huge , huge changes in the middle of the season .
I think you go through the season and you try to do what you do better .
”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Thirteen games into the season and the Carolina Panthers are still trying to figure out how to win close games.
The Panthers botched another great opportunity Sunday when they couldn’t pick up a first down on their final possession, turning the ball over on downs and losing 32-27 to the Denver Broncos.
It marked the seventh game this season where quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has had the ball in his hands with less than 4 minutes remaining and a chance to help his team tie or take the lead — only to come up short.
“It’s going to continue to bother you until you actually excel in that situation,” Bridgewater said. “If we could just become a better situational football team, starting with me, I think we could really do some great things.”
But the great things haven’t happened so far, raising some questions about Bridgewater’s long-term future as the Panthers starting quarterback. So far, he’s 3-9 as a starter after signing a three-year, $63 million contract this offseason.
Panthers first-year coach Matt Rhule threw his support behind Bridgewater, saying he “absolutely” believes he can be the guy to help Carolina build a winning program — but he quickly added that the QB can’t do it alone.
“I don’t think he is going to be successful in two-minutes if he gets sacked on the first play. I don’t think he is going to be successful if we have drops. I think that all us have to continue to work together to improve,” Rhule said. “We were down by 15 and he brought us back and they scored again. So really, at the end of the day, he scored a bunch of points in the fourth quarter. I thought he was fantastic throughout the entire fourth quarter.”
But again, Bridgewater couldn’t close the deal.
The final drive was a disaster.
After scoring on three consecutive drives, the Panthers appeared to be in good shape after getting the ball at their own 27 with 2:48 left in the game and down 32-27. But Bridgewater took a 6-yard sack on first down and completed an 8-yard pass inbounds on second down.
That’s when a chaotic situation ensued with the Panthers rushed to the line to get a play off before the 2-minute warning — one that resulted in an costly incompletion.
Rhule, who didn’t have any timeouts at his disposal, said he never wanted that play run and would have preferred for the clock to run down to 2-minute warning and get reorganized.
After the timeout, Bridgewater faced a fourth-and-8, was forced out of the pocket and threw underneath the coverage to Curtis Samuel, who was tackled for a 1-yard gain, turning the ball over on downs.
“Maybe he’s thinking (Samuel) outruns him and it’s a first down,” Rhule said. “But those were plays that were not good enough plays to win the game.”
And those are the type of plays that have resulted in the Panthers (4-9) losing seven of their last eight games.
“It comes down to us making the plays when the plays matter,” Rhule said. “We just have to execute. There is not much else to say other than that. We have to get the job done. We took a sack. Just a bunch of mistakes. We have to play better when it matters.
But Rhule said he’s not giving up on this team and building for the future.
“I’m going to keep coming to work and keep fighting, scratching and clawing to get guys to understand that what you do really matters,” Rhule said, “You say, ‘Oh, my bad.’ You can only say that so many times. … Even when it seems mundane or even when it seems trivial, you have to go do your job for us to win. That’s where we are. I don’t believe in panic. I don’t believe in huge, huge, huge changes in the middle of the season. I think you go through the season and you try to do what you do better.”