thedenverpost--2020-11-09--“Terrible” first half defensively against Falcons sends Broncos to 3-5 at halfway point

ATLANTA — Next year , Broncos cornerbacks A.J .
Bouye and Bryce Callahan have salary-cap charges of $ 13.375 million and $ 8.715 million , respectively .
They may be underpaid .
After watching their secondary get chewed up by Atlanta in Sunday ’ s 34-27 loss , Bouye and Callahan need to call Broncos general manager John Elway and ask for contract extensions … that include hefty raises … and maybe even induction to the team ’ s Ring of Fame .
The value of Bouye and Callahan has never been more apparent or higher after Falcons quarterback Matt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pass defense wasn ’ t good enough and that includes the pass rush , that includes me making the calls , ” coach Vic Fangio said .
“ We have to do better.
” Each time this year we think the Broncos are ascending , they take a step back .
Consecutive wins over the Patriots and Jets ?
The Broncos were routed by Kansas City .
An improbable win over the Chargers ?
The Broncos didn ’ t put that momentum on the charter flight to Georgia .
The Falcons never trailed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Cornerback Replacements — rookies Michael Ojemudia and Essang Bassey and veterans Davontae Harris and Kevin Toliver .
Ojemudia and Bassey are experiencing on-the-job training and Harris/Toliver entered without a defensive snap to their ledger in the first seven games .
In reality , the results were expected and may have been worse had Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley been active .
“ We knew it was going to be a big game for us ( defensively ) and we didn ’ t compete nearly as much as we should have and could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The offense didn ’ t do much competing early , either , and the Broncos hit the season ’ s halfway point at 3-5 , and , really , that ’ s where they probably should be .
Seventeen teams , including nine in the AFC , have more wins .
Good enough to beat below .
500 teams ( Patriots , Jets , Chargers ) .
Not good enough to beat the elite teams ( Titans , Steelers , Buccaneers , Chiefs ) .
And if they ’ re not on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and/or banged up at one position group , uh-oh .
But the Broncos need to be on their game to beat anybody .
Two things don ’ t work in the NFL : Putting Band-Aids on the depth chart and thinking the previous week will repeat itself .
Last Sunday , the Broncos spotted the Chargers a 24-3 third-quarter lead and rallied for a 31-30 win .
This Sunday , the Broncos spotted the Falcons leads of 10-0 ( first quarter ) , 20-3 ( halftime ) and 27-6 ( late third quarter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the deficit via touchdowns by receivers Jerry Jeudy ( 20 yards ) and Tim Patrick ( nine yards ) and a 10-yard scramble by quarterback Drew Lock .
Their final chance came with 44 seconds left , but they weren ’ t able to gain a yard from their own 20 .
The empty calories of the fourth quarter shouldn ’ t gloss over the wreckage of the first three quarters .
If Atlanta needed five yards , it got six .
If the Broncos needed seven yards , they got three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Broncos punted .
But that first half ?
Inefficient and unsuccessful .
“ We definitely have to get it remedied , that ’ s for sure , ” Fangio said .
Said Lock : “ We have to change something during the week .
Not just myself , but everybody — an extra 10 minutes of film , an extra 10 minutes on the field .
We ’ re going to go back and watch it and do some brainstorming .
We ’ ll figure it out.
” Find the solution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ script .
Lead early .
Lead big in the middle .
And hold on at the end .
The more often the Broncos fall behind by a fistful of points , the more often running backs Phillip Lindsay and Melvin Gordon will be neutralized ( combined 14 carries for 41 yards ) and Lock will need to carry the attack ( 48 attempts ; his previous career high was 41 ) .
It ’ s not unfair to criticize the defense for their first-half showing even though they were without Bouye , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( on COVID-19 reserve list ) .
It was going to be a struggle , but it shouldn ’ t have been a sleepwalk .
“ We just didn ’ t make enough plays especially in the first half — not even close to enough , ” Simmons said .
“ That ’ s on us .
That first half was just terrible by us.
” Atlanta ’ s second drive ( touchdown ) : Eleven plays for 85 yards , capped by Davontae Harris getting beat for a 51-yard score by receiver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drive ( touchdown ) : Nine plays for 75 yards , capped by Simmons losing track of receiver Brandon Powell on a nine-yard score .
Atlanta ’ s fourth drive ( field goal ) : Twelve plays for 67 yards .
Toliver , having replaced Harris , was beat for a 21-yard play on second-and-12 .
See the pattern ?
The Falcons stayed on schedule , a product of a missing-in-action pass rush .
Where was Bradley Chubb ?
What about Malik Reed ?
This was the game for the edge rushers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Instead , the two sacks were by defensive ends Dre ’ Mont Jones and DeMarcus Walker .
“ It was a struggle , obviously , ” Fangio said .
“ I never did find the right combination there in the first half .
We had some good pressures , but when we were rushing four , our pass rush wasn ’ t good enough .
At times , when we pressured , the coverage wasn ’ t good enough.
” Ojemudia will be a good player and Bassey knows how to stick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a running back .
But this was a tough ask .
With Bouye and Callahan , Fangio can pretty much run his stuff .
Minus both and the Broncos are in trouble .
Trouble is on the horizon if the Broncos can ’ t win at Las Vegas next Sunday because that would put them three games under .500 and even with a seventh playoff team , it will require 8-9 wins to qualify .
“ I do think we ’ re getting better , although it ’ s hard to see that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday ) , ” Fangio said .
“ We just need to become a more consistent , efficient team , particularly on offense and we need to cover better and rush the passer better on defense .
And I need to be a better job of calling the defense .
”

ATLANTA — Next year, Broncos cornerbacks A.J. Bouye and Bryce Callahan have salary-cap charges of $13.375 million and $8.715 million, respectively. They may be underpaid.
After watching their secondary get chewed up by Atlanta in Sunday’s 34-27 loss, Bouye and Callahan need to call Broncos general manager John Elway and ask for contract extensions … that include hefty raises … and maybe even induction to the team’s Ring of Fame.
The value of Bouye and Callahan has never been more apparent or higher after Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan dissected the Broncos.
“Our pass defense wasn’t good enough and that includes the pass rush, that includes me making the calls,” coach Vic Fangio said. “We have to do better.”
Each time this year we think the Broncos are ascending, they take a step back. Consecutive wins over the Patriots and Jets? The Broncos were routed by Kansas City. An improbable win over the Chargers? The Broncos didn’t put that momentum on the charter flight to Georgia.
The Falcons never trailed and spent the first half working over The Cornerback Replacements — rookies Michael Ojemudia and Essang Bassey and veterans Davontae Harris and Kevin Toliver. Ojemudia and Bassey are experiencing on-the-job training and Harris/Toliver entered without a defensive snap to their ledger in the first seven games. In reality, the results were expected and may have been worse had Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley been active.
“We knew it was going to be a big game for us (defensively) and we didn’t compete nearly as much as we should have and could have,” safety Justin Simmons said.
The offense didn’t do much competing early, either, and the Broncos hit the season’s halfway point at 3-5, and, really, that’s where they probably should be. Seventeen teams, including nine in the AFC, have more wins.
Good enough to beat below. 500 teams (Patriots, Jets, Chargers). Not good enough to beat the elite teams (Titans, Steelers, Buccaneers, Chiefs). And if they’re not on their P’s and Q’s and/or banged up at one position group, uh-oh.
But the Broncos need to be on their game to beat anybody. Two things don’t work in the NFL: Putting Band-Aids on the depth chart and thinking the previous week will repeat itself.
Last Sunday, the Broncos spotted the Chargers a 24-3 third-quarter lead and rallied for a 31-30 win.
This Sunday, the Broncos spotted the Falcons leads of 10-0 (first quarter), 20-3 (halftime) and 27-6 (late third quarter).
The Broncos started chipping away at the deficit via touchdowns by receivers Jerry Jeudy (20 yards) and Tim Patrick (nine yards) and a 10-yard scramble by quarterback Drew Lock. Their final chance came with 44 seconds left, but they weren’t able to gain a yard from their own 20.
The empty calories of the fourth quarter shouldn’t gloss over the wreckage of the first three quarters. If Atlanta needed five yards, it got six. If the Broncos needed seven yards, they got three. The Falcons marched down the field and the Broncos punted.
But that first half? Inefficient and unsuccessful.
“We definitely have to get it remedied, that’s for sure,” Fangio said.
Said Lock: “We have to change something during the week. Not just myself, but everybody — an extra 10 minutes of film, an extra 10 minutes on the field. We’re going to go back and watch it and do some brainstorming. We’ll figure it out.”
Find the solution or more games will follow the Falcons’ script. Lead early. Lead big in the middle. And hold on at the end.
The more often the Broncos fall behind by a fistful of points, the more often running backs Phillip Lindsay and Melvin Gordon will be neutralized (combined 14 carries for 41 yards) and Lock will need to carry the attack (48 attempts; his previous career high was 41).
It’s not unfair to criticize the defense for their first-half showing even though they were without Bouye, Callahan and starting defensive end Shelby Harris (on COVID-19 reserve list). It was going to be a struggle, but it shouldn’t have been a sleepwalk.
“We just didn’t make enough plays especially in the first half — not even close to enough,” Simmons said. “That’s on us. That first half was just terrible by us.”
Atlanta’s first drive (field goal): Ten plays for 41 yards.
Atlanta’s second drive (touchdown): Eleven plays for 85 yards, capped by Davontae Harris getting beat for a 51-yard score by receiver Olamide Zaccheaus.
Atlanta’s third drive (touchdown): Nine plays for 75 yards, capped by Simmons losing track of receiver Brandon Powell on a nine-yard score.
Atlanta’s fourth drive (field goal): Twelve plays for 67 yards. Toliver, having replaced Harris, was beat for a 21-yard play on second-and-12.
As Simmons said, terrible.
See the pattern? The Falcons stayed on schedule, a product of a missing-in-action pass rush. Where was Bradley Chubb? What about Malik Reed? This was the game for the edge rushers to rise up and help the inexperienced cornerbacks. Instead, the two sacks were by defensive ends Dre’Mont Jones and DeMarcus Walker.
“It was a struggle, obviously,” Fangio said. “I never did find the right combination there in the first half. We had some good pressures, but when we were rushing four, our pass rush wasn’t good enough. At times, when we pressured, the coverage wasn’t good enough.”
Ojemudia will be a good player and Bassey knows how to stick his nose into the mix to stop a running back. But this was a tough ask. With Bouye and Callahan, Fangio can pretty much run his stuff. Minus both and the Broncos are in trouble.
Trouble is on the horizon if the Broncos can’t win at Las Vegas next Sunday because that would put them three games under .500 and even with a seventh playoff team, it will require 8-9 wins to qualify.
“I do think we’re getting better, although it’s hard to see that when you have a game like (Sunday),” Fangio said. “We just need to become a more consistent, efficient team, particularly on offense and we need to cover better and rush the passer better on defense. And I need to be a better job of calling the defense.”


thedenverpost--2020-11-09--Letters: Campaign advertising money could be better spent (11/9/20)

Campaign advertising money could be better spent After seeing the obscene amount of money spent on political campaigns nationwide , I have the same thought I ’ m sure many others have had : what if we spent that money to feed people ?
Instead of wasting it all on TV commercials , imagine how much good we could do .
Fentanyl is the strongest opiate on the streets right now and it ’ s estimated to be 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin .
Not only is fentanyl sold on the streets “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s also mixed into other drugs by dealers who have no regard for human life ; all they care about is taking the addict ’ s money .
Fentanyl has recently been found not only in heroin supplies , but it ’ s also been found in other illicit drugs like cocaine and marijuana .
Unsuspecting addicts consume the drug in the amounts they ’ re used to , completely oblivious to the fact that they are about to ingest a lethal dose of fentanyl .
Fentanyl affects the opiate receptors of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and creates an intense euphoria and addiction in the user much like heroin .
Fentanyl was originally only supposed to be indicated for cancer patients and for “ end-of-life ” pain .
Now fentanyl is widely available throughout the country .
In order to get a grip on the growing opiate epidemic , doctors need to stop over-prescribing opiates so as not to create new addicts , and effective drug rehab needs to be made available to anyone who needs it .
Addiction doesn ’ t care who you are , how you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re from ; it can affect anyone .
For more information on fentanyl , go to narconon-colorado.org/blog/sadly-illicit -fentanyl-is-not-going-away-anytime-soon.html .
If you are in need of a referral to a treatment center , call Nhttps : //www.narconon-colorado.org/blog/sadly-illicit % 20-fentanyl-is-not-going-away-anytime-soon.htmlarconon at 877-841-5509 .
OK , Congress , back to work on stimulus The coronavirus has created a terrible economic situation for small businesses with a heavy emphasis on restaurants .
Social distancing and the need for masks are very real issues to these businesses .
For the sake of our country ‘ s economic recovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gathering places engender we need to keep a good number of them alive .
With the political pressure of the election ending I would hope that the Congress will move ahead now with how desperately needed stimulus is .
To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail .

Campaign advertising money could be better spent
After seeing the obscene amount of money spent on political campaigns nationwide, I have the same thought I’m sure many others have had: what if we spent that money to feed people?
Instead of wasting it all on TV commercials, imagine how much good we could do.
David Costantino, Denver
Addicts face hidden danger from fentanyl-laced drugs
Fentanyl is the strongest opiate on the streets right now and it’s estimated to be 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin.
Not only is fentanyl sold on the streets “as is,” but it’s also mixed into other drugs by dealers who have no regard for human life; all they care about is taking the addict’s money.
Fentanyl has recently been found not only in heroin supplies, but it’s also been found in other illicit drugs like cocaine and marijuana.
Unsuspecting addicts consume the drug in the amounts they’re used to, completely oblivious to the fact that they are about to ingest a lethal dose of fentanyl. Fentanyl affects the opiate receptors of the brain and crosses through the blood-brain barrier and creates an intense euphoria and addiction in the user much like heroin.
Fentanyl was originally only supposed to be indicated for cancer patients and for “end-of-life” pain. Now fentanyl is widely available throughout the country.
In order to get a grip on the growing opiate epidemic, doctors need to stop over-prescribing opiates so as not to create new addicts, and effective drug rehab needs to be made available to anyone who needs it.
Addiction doesn’t care who you are, how you were raised, or where you’re from; it can affect anyone.
For more information on fentanyl, go to narconon-colorado.org/blog/sadly-illicit -fentanyl-is-not-going-away-anytime-soon.html.
If you are in need of a referral to a treatment center, call Nhttps://www.narconon-colorado.org/blog/sadly-illicit%20-fentanyl-is-not-going-away-anytime-soon.htmlarconon at 877-841-5509.
Jason Good, Fort Collins
Editor’s note: Good is deputy executive director of Narconon Colorado.
OK, Congress, back to work on stimulus
Re: “Bonds may create 1,800 jobs,” Nov. 2 news story
The coronavirus has created a terrible economic situation for small businesses with a heavy emphasis on restaurants. Social distancing and the need for masks are very real issues to these businesses.
For the sake of our country‘s economic recovery and for the mental health
which these gathering places engender we need to keep a good number of them alive.
With the political pressure of the election ending I would hope that the Congress will move ahead now with how desperately needed stimulus is.
Sol Shapiro, Aurora
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-11-09--Trump lost the race. But Republicans know it’s still his party.

The election of 2020 ended for Republican Party leaders a lot like the election of 2016 began : As much as they may want to move on from Donald Trump , he won ’ t let them — and neither will the voters .
After losing the White House to Joe Biden and the popular vote for the seventh time since 1980 , and facing the possibility of once-unthinkable defeat in Arizona and Georgia , Republicans were grappling with how to untangle the man from a movement that is likely to dictate party politics for years .
Even in defeat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enduring power of Trump-style populism .
By the time Biden gave his victory speech Saturday evening , Trump had received 7.4 million more votes than he did in 2016 — 1 million more in the battleground of Florida alone .
Republicans cut into the Democratic majority in the House with wins in several swing districts from Iowa to New York , where they followed Trump ’ s slash-and-burn playbook of branding his opponents as far-left hysterics .
No one seems to be under the illusion that Trump will fade quietly .
All week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ baseless attack on the integrity of the election , few in his party challenged claims that he was being cheated of a victory .
Privately , some began discussing the possibility that he may not concede , which would put them in the awkward position of having to choose whether to defend him until Biden ’ s inauguration in 2 1/2 months .
This dynamic presents a problem for the Republicans who will run for office after Trump is no longer the leader of the party — on paper , at least .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 40s see a road map to the bigger and more diverse coalition that the party has tried to build for two decades , if they can salvage the more popular aspects of the president ’ s appeal to middle-class Americans while jettisoning the racial grievances he fanned .
From Senate offices , think tanks and off-the-record salons , the conversations about what ’ s next have grown in urgency now that the final months of the Trump presidency are at hand .
“ He is sort of the king with no heirs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of American Compass , a group that hosts monthly online happy hours of Capitol Hill staff and policy experts to debate the successes and failures of the Trump agenda .
Cass said Trump ’ s defeat sets up a clash between more conventional Republicans who , on one hand , took the attitude of “ This too shall pass , and we can go back to doing to what we were doing before , ” and those who think the president “ called attention to a certain set of issues and voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paying enough attention to.
” Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida , who said he has tried to reimagine Trumpism with “ a mute button ” for the president , expressed a view that had taken hold among conservatives — one that would seem to rule out any reflective , autopsy-style self-assessment of how they lost .
The fact that Trump ’ s defeat was not the blowout critics had hoped , Rubio said , means that the anticipated repudiation of Trumpian politics was wrong .
“ Trump was going to get wiped out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wiped out , ” he said , running through often-repeated predictions .
“ Meanwhile , Republicans are going to probably hold the Senate and make up to a 10-seat gain in the House.
” While Rubio said he can not imagine a scenario in which Trump was not in the picture — “ He ’ s not going to just vanish into a building ” — the president ’ s strong support among Latino voters in Florida ( 47 % ) and Texas ( 40 % ) showed how the party could expand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that did not fit neatly inside the left-right paradigm .
Navigating the unavoidable , disruptive force that is Trump complicates an already difficult job for conservatives like Rubio , 49 .
First , Republicans need to persuade more voters of color that they are welcoming , despite embracing Trump and his divisive rhetoric .
They also need to demonstrate that Republicans can be the party for Americans who are struggling economically — many of whom were won over by Trump ’ s message — not just the party that cuts taxes for corporations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OPTIONAL TRIM . )
A “ pro-worker ” Republican Party , as described by the likes of Sen. Josh Hawley , 40 , of Missouri , would require a sea change in the way its members tend to balk at spending when there is a Democratic president .
Hawley , like Rubio , has been vocal about the need to pass a second coronavirus relief package , breaking with Republicans who have expressed concerns about growing deficits .
Some conservatives have proposed less conventional ways of appealing to voters on the party ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid family leave and child tax credits .
( END OPTIONAL TRIM . )
Yuval Levin , a scholar with the American Enterprise Institute who has been convening discussions with leading conservatives about the post-Trump landscape , said it would be unwise for Republicans not to embrace the pro-middle-class parts of the Trump agenda that he campaigned on in 2016 but then largely abandoned .
“ It ’ s not really even Trump ’ s message , ” Levin said .
“ He ’ s been president for four years , and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax cut bill.
” If Trump did anything , Levin said , it was to shatter the notion that voters want Republicans to talk about smaller government .
“ A lot of people have been instinctively , reflexively saying , ‘ We can ’ t be spending this kind of money right now.
’ And I ’ m thinking , what voters want that ?
Who ’ s saying don ’ t give us money ?
” he said .
For starters , Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas .
He , Nikki Haley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role in the party ’ s post-Trump reboot have revived Tea Party-like critiques of government stimulus .
Earlier this year , Haley resigned from the board of Boeing after the company asked for federal aid to help weather the pandemic-induced recession .
She cited her “ strong convictions that this is not the role of government.
” Other conservatives say that Republicans need to accept that Trump realigned the party ’ s coalition away from wealthy , well-educated people in the suburbs and that they should not obsess over winning those voters back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large , no longer the party of white-college graduates , ” said Rachel Bovard , senior director of policy at the Conservative Partnership Institute .
“ That was the Reagan coalition , and the Reagan coalition doesn ’ t exist anymore.
” Florida provided a model for what the future could look like .
Trump easily won there , two Democratic members of Congress lost their seats , and voters approved a measure to increase the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour by 2026 — with 61 % support .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how its improvement over 2016 came not from suburban or rural counties but “ from larger , more urban counties.
” Gov .
Larry Hogan of Maryland , a Republican elected twice in a heavily Democratic state , is credited with showing how his party can appeal in Black communities and with other traditionally left-leaning constituents by focusing on a middle-class message .
He has one of the highest approval ratings of any governor in the country , with equal support from white and Black voters .
Unlike other Republicans , Hogan has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president and said he cast a write-in vote for Ronald Reagan .
Reflecting on 2020 , he argued that when Republicans look at how they lost , the answer won ’ t be voter fraud but rather a president who insisted on making his reelection about resentment and blame instead of how he would make the U.S. economy work for everyone .
“ One , he didn ’ t focus on the things that he ran on the first time .
And he didn ’ t accomplish a lot for those folks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tone of anger and division turned off voters who might have been receptive to that message.
” Still , Hogan said , the election was neither a total repudiation of Trump or an embrace of Democrats .
“ It wasn ’ t a rejection of the Republican Party , ” he said .
“ It was not an acceptance of the far-left.
” Republicans disagree on how deeply Trump has changed the party .
In their most hopeful assessment , they argued that his influence was most noticeable in matters of style @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permanent .
Dwindling are the days , some said , of Republican candidates bringing cardboard cutouts of Trump to campaign events , cursing in their ads and competing for the honor to claim they first embodied his belligerent style as someone who was “ Trump before Trump.
” “ We ’ ve got to figure out again how to be happy warriors like Reagan , ” said Scott Walker , the former governor of Wisconsin who lost his seat in the Democratic rebound of 2018 .
He is now chief executive of Young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is focused on college students , a group that has recoiled from the Republican Party under Trump .
Republicans , he said , need to do a better job of settling on a message that is more inclusive and begins “ with the premise that even those you disagree can be inherently good .
”

The New York Times News Service Syndicate

The election of 2020 ended for Republican Party leaders a lot like the election of 2016 began: As much as they may want to move on from Donald Trump, he won’t let them — and neither will the voters.
After losing the White House to Joe Biden and the popular vote for the seventh time since 1980, and facing the possibility of once-unthinkable defeat in Arizona and Georgia, Republicans were grappling with how to untangle the man from a movement that is likely to dictate party politics for years.
Even in defeat, Republicans saw clear indicators of the enduring power of Trump-style populism. By the time Biden gave his victory speech Saturday evening, Trump had received 7.4 million more votes than he did in 2016 — 1 million more in the battleground of Florida alone. Republicans cut into the Democratic majority in the House with wins in several swing districts from Iowa to New York, where they followed Trump’s slash-and-burn playbook of branding his opponents as far-left hysterics.
No one seems to be under the illusion that Trump will fade quietly. All week, as he launched an extraordinary, baseless attack on the integrity of the election, few in his party challenged claims that he was being cheated of a victory. Privately, some began discussing the possibility that he may not concede, which would put them in the awkward position of having to choose whether to defend him until Biden’s inauguration in 2 1/2 months.
This dynamic presents a problem for the Republicans who will run for office after Trump is no longer the leader of the party — on paper, at least. In particular, Republicans in their 30s and 40s see a road map to the bigger and more diverse coalition that the party has tried to build for two decades, if they can salvage the more popular aspects of the president’s appeal to middle-class Americans while jettisoning the racial grievances he fanned.
From Senate offices, think tanks and off-the-record salons, the conversations about what’s next have grown in urgency now that the final months of the Trump presidency are at hand.
“He is sort of the king with no heirs,” said Oren Cass, executive director of American Compass, a group that hosts monthly online happy hours of Capitol Hill staff and policy experts to debate the successes and failures of the Trump agenda. Cass said Trump’s defeat sets up a clash between more conventional Republicans who, on one hand, took the attitude of “This too shall pass, and we can go back to doing to what we were doing before,” and those who think the president “called attention to a certain set of issues and voters that certainly the center-right wasn’t paying enough attention to.”
Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who said he has tried to reimagine Trumpism with “a mute button” for the president, expressed a view that had taken hold among conservatives — one that would seem to rule out any reflective, autopsy-style self-assessment of how they lost.
The fact that Trump’s defeat was not the blowout critics had hoped, Rubio said, means that the anticipated repudiation of Trumpian politics was wrong. “Trump was going to get wiped out. The GOP was going to get wiped out,” he said, running through often-repeated predictions. “Meanwhile, Republicans are going to probably hold the Senate and make up to a 10-seat gain in the House.”
While Rubio said he cannot imagine a scenario in which Trump was not in the picture — “He’s not going to just vanish into a building” — the president’s strong support among Latino voters in Florida (47%) and Texas (40%) showed how the party could expand a “multiethnic, working-class coalition” that did not fit neatly inside the left-right paradigm.
Navigating the unavoidable, disruptive force that is Trump complicates an already difficult job for conservatives like Rubio, 49. First, Republicans need to persuade more voters of color that they are welcoming, despite embracing Trump and his divisive rhetoric.
They also need to demonstrate that Republicans can be the party for Americans who are struggling economically — many of whom were won over by Trump’s message — not just the party that cuts taxes for corporations and dismantles government regulations.(BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.)A “pro-worker” Republican Party, as described by the likes of Sen. Josh Hawley, 40, of Missouri, would require a sea change in the way its members tend to balk at spending when there is a Democratic president.
Hawley, like Rubio, has been vocal about the need to pass a second coronavirus relief package, breaking with Republicans who have expressed concerns about growing deficits. Some conservatives have proposed less conventional ways of appealing to voters on the party’s traditional issues like family values, paid family leave and child tax credits.
(END OPTIONAL TRIM.)Yuval Levin, a scholar with the American Enterprise Institute who has been convening discussions with leading conservatives about the post-Trump landscape, said it would be unwise for Republicans not to embrace the pro-middle-class parts of the Trump agenda that he campaigned on in 2016 but then largely abandoned. “It’s not really even Trump’s message,” Levin said. “He’s been president for four years, and his only legislative accomplishment is a perfectly traditional tax cut bill.”
If Trump did anything, Levin said, it was to shatter the notion that voters want Republicans to talk about smaller government. “A lot of people have been instinctively, reflexively saying, ‘We can’t be spending this kind of money right now.’ And I’m thinking, what voters want that? Who’s saying don’t give us money?” he said.
For starters, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. He, Nikki Haley and other Republicans who want a starring role in the party’s post-Trump reboot have revived Tea Party-like critiques of government stimulus. Earlier this year, Haley resigned from the board of Boeing after the company asked for federal aid to help weather the pandemic-induced recession. She cited her “strong convictions that this is not the role of government.”
Other conservatives say that Republicans need to accept that Trump realigned the party’s coalition away from wealthy, well-educated people in the suburbs and that they should not obsess over winning those voters back.
“We are, by and large, no longer the party of white-college graduates,” said Rachel Bovard, senior director of policy at the Conservative Partnership Institute. “That was the Reagan coalition, and the Reagan coalition doesn’t exist anymore.”
Florida provided a model for what the future could look like. Trump easily won there, two Democratic members of Congress lost their seats, and voters approved a measure to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026 — with 61% support. In a postelection memo, the Trump campaign noted how its improvement over 2016 came not from suburban or rural counties but “from larger, more urban counties.”
Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland, a Republican elected twice in a heavily Democratic state, is credited with showing how his party can appeal in Black communities and with other traditionally left-leaning constituents by focusing on a middle-class message. He has one of the highest approval ratings of any governor in the country, with equal support from white and Black voters.
Unlike other Republicans, Hogan has been public in his criticism of the president and said he cast a write-in vote for Ronald Reagan. Reflecting on 2020, he argued that when Republicans look at how they lost, the answer won’t be voter fraud but rather a president who insisted on making his reelection about resentment and blame instead of how he would make the U.S. economy work for everyone. “One, he didn’t focus on the things that he ran on the first time. And he didn’t accomplish a lot for those folks,” Hogan said. “Two, the tone of anger and division turned off voters who might have been receptive to that message.”
Still, Hogan said, the election was neither a total repudiation of Trump or an embrace of Democrats. “It wasn’t a rejection of the Republican Party,” he said. “It was not an acceptance of the far-left.”
Republicans disagree on how deeply Trump has changed the party. In their most hopeful assessment, they argued that his influence was most noticeable in matters of style and tone, and that was not permanent. Dwindling are the days, some said, of Republican candidates bringing cardboard cutouts of Trump to campaign events, cursing in their ads and competing for the honor to claim they first embodied his belligerent style as someone who was “Trump before Trump.”
“We’ve got to figure out again how to be happy warriors like Reagan,” said Scott Walker, the former governor of Wisconsin who lost his seat in the Democratic rebound of 2018. He is now chief executive of Young America’s Foundation, where he is focused on college students, a group that has recoiled from the Republican Party under Trump.
Republicans, he said, need to do a better job of settling on a message that is more inclusive and begins “with the premise that even those you disagree can be inherently good.”


thedenverpost--2020-11-09--Democrats will control CU’s Board of Regents for the first time in 41 years. What do they hope to ac

Democrats will control CU’s Board of Regents for the first time in 41 years. What do they hope to accomplish?

When Nolbert Chavez and a group of fellow Colorado legislators of color made the trek to the University of Colorado ’ s Boulder campus on a snowy night 20 years ago to talk diversity , equity and inclusion , the crew was met by faculty and students — but there was no leadership in sight .
“ It was a striking message to all of us that you can talk about it all you want , but unless it ’ s a priority for us internally , then nothing is going to change , ” Chavez said in an interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ District 7 seat on CU ’ s Board of Regents in an uncontested race .
“ And with good reason .
The chancellor was not getting pressure from the president and the president wasn ’ t getting pressure from the board .
Diversity wasn ’ t a priority .
“ Today I hope to advance those conversations so that they ’ re given the serious consideration that they deserve and a heck of a lot more consideration than they did then.
” Chavez , who will be sworn in come January alongside fellow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , already can feel the tides changing on the Board of Regents .
The nine-member body , selected through a partisan election process that ’ s rare for university governing boards , next year will be controlled by a Democratic majority for the first time in 41 years .
With Spiegel ’ s win over Republican opponent Richard Murray in District 6 on Tuesday , CU ’ s governing body lost its distinction as the last statewide board with a Republican majority .
For decades , the board that governs the four-campus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state , generating an annual statewide economic impact of $ 14.2 billion — has been criticized for its fierce partisan nature and dysfunction .
“ I would hope that as the new members get on , they appreciate the role of being a member of a governing board rather than being in a position where they ’ re going to serve as a mini legislature to get an agenda through , ” said Aims McGuinness , a consultant with the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems who has worked with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1990s .
“ If they really function as a governing board , I think that the new regents could make a big difference , ” he said .
“ To the extent that it continues to function as driven by partisan difference , it could have the same problems as it had historically.
” The incoming Democrats ran on platforms pledging to uphold transparency , tackle college affordability and commit to diversity and inclusion efforts .
Whether hindering partisan divides prevail on the board remains to be seen , but current , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that three fresh members and a new majority are sure to shake up a board ripe for rehabilitation .
The Post also reached out to each current Republican regent to discuss the significance of the shift in political power .
Of those board members , only Glen Gallegos , a Grand Junction resident who has been a regent since 2013 and currently serves as board chair , responded to the inquiry .
Gallegos , like his colleagues , is unfamiliar with a board on which he ’ s now in the minority party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t change his mindset about his mission .
“ I would hope that we can do maybe a better job than we ’ ve done in the past to really serve our constituents , which are the University of Colorado students and faculty , ” Gallegos said .
“ I ’ m not naïve to think there won ’ t be some fallout , but I ’ m not sure where .
I don ’ t know the people that have been elected very well , but I know they have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heart and God knows we have our share of challenges with COVID and dollars .
“ I don ’ t feel threatened .
I ’ m not sitting here thinking , ‘ Woe is me.
’ We have a mission , and that ’ s the University of Colorado .
I ’ m looking forward to it.
” Getting up from the sidelines What Spiegel ’ s historic win lacked in pomp and circumstance — thanks to COVID-19 restrictions — was made up for by her family ’ s contributions to an election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , complete with Sonic tater tots and cherry limeade .
Spiegel , who has led a career in education from teaching to advocacy to policy work , looks forward to digging into the university ’ s budget to understand what ’ s driving up college costs — health care , Spiegel offers as an example — and figure out what to do to lower it .
At a time when COVID-19 has exacerbated Colorado ’ s butchered higher-education budgets , Spiegel said the board must endeavor to make CU accessible to all .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at CU is the ability to enroll low-income students , first-generation students and students of color , and that ’ s going to require help at the federal level , ” Spiegel said .
Spiegel expects the board to work more efficiently with the government , at least on the local level , due to the new Democratic majority riding Colorado ’ s blue wave .
“ You ’ ve seen the electorate change in Colorado , the community change , and we now have a board that ’ s in better alignment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and really work for those , ” Spiegel said .
Regent Jack Kroll , a Denver Democrat who has been on the board since 2017 , echoed Spiegel ’ s thoughts on improved relations with local decision-makers whose work impacts higher education .
“ For the past half century we ’ ve been on the sidelines of some really important issues — Proposition CC , for example , ” said Kroll , referring to the failed 2019 ballot initiative CU President Mark Kennedy and Colorado higher education experts said would financially benefit local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not supported by the GOP-controlled Board of Regents as Republican Regent Heidi Ganahl chaired a committee against Proposition CC .
“ I look forward to partnering with the legislature and governor ’ s office , given we have alignment there with respect to party majority , ” Kroll said .
“ We can now lead in a way we haven ’ t been able to in the past on issues that can support not just CU but all of higher education — pushing initiatives , raising awareness around the importance of higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s office .
I ’ m excited.
” Outgoing Regent Irene Griego , a Lakewood Democrat , said too much of the board ’ s time during her tenure was focused on a Republican agenda rather than on serving the students , faculty and staff of the largest university system in the state .
“ We weren ’ t even able to draft a resolution to support our DACA students because we didn ’ t have the votes to support them , ” Griego said .
“ Board members should not be using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political personal agenda and advancement .
This is about our students ’ lives , our society.
” Michael Carrigan , who served as a Democrat on the CU Board of Regents from 2005 to 2017 and chaired the board for three years , said there were times when proposals in the best interest of the university system were turned down because the Republicans weren ’ t interested .
“ My last act as a regent was to create a vice president of diversity and inclusion position , ” Carrigan said .
“ Unfortunately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filled that position and Republican regents did not force him to do so.
” The position was filled by Kennedy , Benson ’ s successor , earlier this year .
“ I strongly encourage the Democrat majority to revisit and reinvest in the bipartisan participation that the board practiced more than 20 years ago , ” Carrigan said , noting that most of his time on the board was spent working across the aisle .
“ CU is at its best when the regents are not acting in a partisan manner.
” McGuinness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado board along with many other university governing boards across the country , said the new board will need to function as a cohesive unit to be successful .
“ To have the greatest impact , they must develop policies that come out of the board with consensus developed in an open , transparent way in which the public can see how the points of view are expressed and that will make it considerably more effective for the president and others to hold the campuses accountable , ” he said .
Presidential effectiveness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will have to decide how to navigate .
Kennedy , a former Republican lawmaker who was opposed by large factions of the CU community , was hired last year on a 5-4 party-line vote .
With the new voting majority , will the Democrats push to oust their conservative leader ?
The incoming regents offered varying takes .
Chavez said it would unfair to make that call now , and that he ’ d prefer to have transparent conversations with his new colleagues .
Rennison and Spiegel noted that evaluating the president was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and one that they will take seriously .
“ It ’ s part of our responsibility to oversee him , and if he ’ s not doing things in alignment with the values of our system , it ’ s our job to reassess if he ’ s president or not , ” Rennison said .
Kroll said the board will have to wait to see how the three new regents feel about Kennedy .
“ If the board wants to be successful… it needs to be working with a president that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Kroll said .
“ If the board doesn ’ t have that , it ’ s going to severely limit the board effectiveness as well as the president ’ s effectiveness.
” Ken McConnellogue , CU system spokesman , said Kennedy has no intention of leaving his post over a changing of the political guard .
“ One of the most important things a board does is evaluate the president , and the current board gave President Kennedy high marks because he ’ s doing a great job , ” McConnellogue said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there should be any concerns whatsoever about President Kennedy ’ s commitment to the university .
He is all in .
”

When Nolbert Chavez and a group of fellow Colorado legislators of color made the trek to the University of Colorado’s Boulder campus on a snowy night 20 years ago to talk diversity, equity and inclusion, the crew was met by faculty and students — but there was no leadership in sight.
“It was a striking message to all of us that you can talk about it all you want, but unless it’s a priority for us internally, then nothing is going to change,” Chavez said in an interview with The Denver Post after winning the District 7 seat on CU’s Board of Regents in an uncontested race. “And with good reason. The chancellor was not getting pressure from the president and the president wasn’t getting pressure from the board. Diversity wasn’t a priority.
“Today I hope to advance those conversations so that they’re given the serious consideration that they deserve and a heck of a lot more consideration than they did then.”
Chavez, who will be sworn in come January alongside fellow Democratic newcomers Ilana Spiegel and Callie Rennison, already can feel the tides changing on the Board of Regents.
The nine-member body, selected through a partisan election process that’s rare for university governing boards, next year will be controlled by a Democratic majority for the first time in 41 years.
With Spiegel’s win over Republican opponent Richard Murray in District 6 on Tuesday, CU’s governing body lost its distinction as the last statewide board with a Republican majority.
For decades, the board that governs the four-campus, multibillion-dollar CU system — the third-largest employer in the state, generating an annual statewide economic impact of $14.2 billion — has been criticized for its fierce partisan nature and dysfunction.
“I would hope that as the new members get on, they appreciate the role of being a member of a governing board rather than being in a position where they’re going to serve as a mini legislature to get an agenda through,” said Aims McGuinness, a consultant with the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems who has worked with CU’s Board of Regents since the 1990s.
“If they really function as a governing board, I think that the new regents could make a big difference,” he said. “To the extent that it continues to function as driven by partisan difference, it could have the same problems as it had historically.”
The incoming Democrats ran on platforms pledging to uphold transparency, tackle college affordability and commit to diversity and inclusion efforts. Whether hindering partisan divides prevail on the board remains to be seen, but current, incoming and former Democratic regents all agree that three fresh members and a new majority are sure to shake up a board ripe for rehabilitation.
The Post also reached out to each current Republican regent to discuss the significance of the shift in political power. Of those board members, only Glen Gallegos, a Grand Junction resident who has been a regent since 2013 and currently serves as board chair, responded to the inquiry.
Gallegos, like his colleagues, is unfamiliar with a board on which he’s now in the minority party. But he said the flip doesn’t change his mindset about his mission.
“I would hope that we can do maybe a better job than we’ve done in the past to really serve our constituents, which are the University of Colorado students and faculty,” Gallegos said. “I’m not naïve to think there won’t be some fallout, but I’m not sure where. I don’t know the people that have been elected very well, but I know they have the interest of the University of Colorado at heart and God knows we have our share of challenges with COVID and dollars.
“I don’t feel threatened. I’m not sitting here thinking, ‘Woe is me.’ We have a mission, and that’s the University of Colorado. I’m looking forward to it.”
Getting up from the sidelines
What Spiegel’s historic win lacked in pomp and circumstance — thanks to COVID-19 restrictions — was made up for by her family’s contributions to an election night headquarters in their Englewood living room, complete with Sonic tater tots and cherry limeade.
Spiegel, who has led a career in education from teaching to advocacy to policy work, looks forward to digging into the university’s budget to understand what’s driving up college costs — health care, Spiegel offers as an example — and figure out what to do to lower it.
At a time when COVID-19 has exacerbated Colorado’s butchered higher-education budgets, Spiegel said the board must endeavor to make CU accessible to all.
“The key to future financial stability at CU is the ability to enroll low-income students, first-generation students and students of color, and that’s going to require help at the federal level,” Spiegel said.
Spiegel expects the board to work more efficiently with the government, at least on the local level, due to the new Democratic majority riding Colorado’s blue wave.
“You’ve seen the electorate change in Colorado, the community change, and we now have a board that’s in better alignment and can reflect those needs and values and really work for those,” Spiegel said.
Regent Jack Kroll, a Denver Democrat who has been on the board since 2017, echoed Spiegel’s thoughts on improved relations with local decision-makers whose work impacts higher education.
“For the past half century we’ve been on the sidelines of some really important issues — Proposition CC, for example,” said Kroll, referring to the failed 2019 ballot initiative CU President Mark Kennedy and Colorado higher education experts said would financially benefit local universities. The initiative was, ultimately, not supported by the GOP-controlled Board of Regents as Republican Regent Heidi Ganahl chaired a committee against Proposition CC.
“I look forward to partnering with the legislature and governor’s office, given we have alignment there with respect to party majority,” Kroll said. “We can now lead in a way we haven’t been able to in the past on issues that can support not just CU but all of higher education — pushing initiatives, raising awareness around the importance of higher ed, working with the governor’s office. I’m excited.”
Partisan politics at play
Outgoing Regent Irene Griego, a Lakewood Democrat, said too much of the board’s time during her tenure was focused on a Republican agenda rather than on serving the students, faculty and staff of the largest university system in the state.
“We weren’t even able to draft a resolution to support our DACA students because we didn’t have the votes to support them,” Griego said. “Board members should not be using the Board of Regents… for their own political personal agenda and advancement. This is about our students’ lives, our society.”
Michael Carrigan, who served as a Democrat on the CU Board of Regents from 2005 to 2017 and chaired the board for three years, said there were times when proposals in the best interest of the university system were turned down because the Republicans weren’t interested.
“My last act as a regent was to create a vice president of diversity and inclusion position,” Carrigan said. “Unfortunately, President (Bruce) Benson never filled that position and Republican regents did not force him to do so.”
The position was filled by Kennedy, Benson’s successor, earlier this year.
“I strongly encourage the Democrat majority to revisit and reinvest in the bipartisan participation that the board practiced more than 20 years ago,” Carrigan said, noting that most of his time on the board was spent working across the aisle. “CU is at its best when the regents are not acting in a partisan manner.”
McGuinness, who has observed the often inhibited Colorado board along with many other university governing boards across the country, said the new board will need to function as a cohesive unit to be successful.
“To have the greatest impact, they must develop policies that come out of the board with consensus developed in an open, transparent way in which the public can see how the points of view are expressed and that will make it considerably more effective for the president and others to hold the campuses accountable,” he said.
Presidential evaluation
Presidential effectiveness is one area the new Democratic majority will have to decide how to navigate.
Kennedy, a former Republican lawmaker who was opposed by large factions of the CU community, was hired last year on a 5-4 party-line vote.
With the new voting majority, will the Democrats push to oust their conservative leader? The incoming regents offered varying takes.
Chavez said it would unfair to make that call now, and that he’d prefer to have transparent conversations with his new colleagues.
Rennison and Spiegel noted that evaluating the president was a major responsibility of the regents, and one that they will take seriously.
“It’s part of our responsibility to oversee him, and if he’s not doing things in alignment with the values of our system, it’s our job to reassess if he’s president or not,” Rennison said.
Kroll said the board will have to wait to see how the three new regents feel about Kennedy.
“If the board wants to be successful… it needs to be working with a president that has the board’s full support,” Kroll said. “If the board doesn’t have that, it’s going to severely limit the board effectiveness as well as the president’s effectiveness.”
Ken McConnellogue, CU system spokesman, said Kennedy has no intention of leaving his post over a changing of the political guard.
“One of the most important things a board does is evaluate the president, and the current board gave President Kennedy high marks because he’s doing a great job,” McConnellogue said. “I don’t think there should be any concerns whatsoever about President Kennedy’s commitment to the university. He is all in.”


thedenverpost--2020-11-09--Colorado to receive 1.7 million rapid COVID-19 tests, though their accuracy for screening is uncerta

Colorado to receive 1.7 million rapid COVID-19 tests, though their accuracy for screening is uncertain

Colorado will receive 1.7 million rapid tests for COVID-19 , but it ’ s not clear how accurate their results are for the screening the state intends to do .
In late October , the White House announced Colorado ’ s allotment as part of a plan to distribute 150 million of Abbott Laboratories ’ BinaxNOW tests to the states .
An additional 11 million rapid tests , from various manufacturers , are being shipped to nursing homes .
A spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said 25,000 tests have gone to screen firefighters and people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent wildfires , and 18,000 went to groups serving people experiencing homelessness and the Colorado Department of Human Services ’ youth detention and treatment facilities .
As more tests arrive , they will be distributed to local health departments , which could use them to screen first responders , and possibly K-12 students and staff , she said .
The rapid tests look for a protein , or antigen , on the surface of the new coronavirus and can return results in as little as 15 minutes .
That makes them considerably faster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s genetic material , which can take hours , not counting the time required to transport the samples to a laboratory equipped to test them .
The downside , however , is that rapid antigen tests are more vulnerable to both false negatives and false positives than tests that look for the virus ’ s genetic material .
BinaxNOW also hasn ’ t been widely studied in people without symptoms , who would likely make up a significant portion of those tested in schools , homeless shelters and juvenile justice facilities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Quidel , which is being distributed to nursing homes , correctly identified more than 80 % of people with symptoms , but only about one-third of those without .
There is disagreement about the importance of that finding , however , because it ’ s not clear if all of the asymptomatic people were contagious , according to The New York Times .
The Food and Drug Administration has only authorized the tests for people who are in their first seven days of symptoms , but issued guidance in August that they could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asymptomatic people , if it ’ s not possible to get timely results from a more-accurate test .
“ For congregate care settings – like nursing homes or similar settings – repeated use of rapid ( point-of-care ) testing may be superior for overall infection control compared to less frequent , highly sensitive tests with prolonged turnaround times , ” a fact sheet explaining how the tests were to be used said .
The state health department spokeswoman acknowledged the rapid tests may be less reliable in people without symptoms , but said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where people are tested frequently .
“ These tests are just one more tool in our toolbox , ” she said .
“ As cases increase , these tests can help diversify our testing strategies.
” Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox .

Colorado will receive 1.7 million rapid tests for COVID-19, but it’s not clear how accurate their results are for the screening the state intends to do.
In late October, the White House announced Colorado’s allotment as part of a plan to distribute 150 million of Abbott Laboratories’ BinaxNOW tests to the states. An additional 11 million rapid tests, from various manufacturers, are being shipped to nursing homes.
A spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said 25,000 tests have gone to screen firefighters and people forced to flee their homes because of recent wildfires, and 18,000 went to groups serving people experiencing homelessness and the Colorado Department of Human Services’ youth detention and treatment facilities.
As more tests arrive, they will be distributed to local health departments, which could use them to screen first responders, and possibly K-12 students and staff, she said.
The rapid tests look for a protein, or antigen, on the surface of the new coronavirus and can return results in as little as 15 minutes. That makes them considerably faster than tests that look for the virus’s genetic material, which can take hours, not counting the time required to transport the samples to a laboratory equipped to test them.
The downside, however, is that rapid antigen tests are more vulnerable to both false negatives and false positives than tests that look for the virus’s genetic material. BinaxNOW also hasn’t been widely studied in people without symptoms, who would likely make up a significant portion of those tested in schools, homeless shelters and juvenile justice facilities.
A different brand of antigen test, Quidel, which is being distributed to nursing homes, correctly identified more than 80% of people with symptoms, but only about one-third of those without. There is disagreement about the importance of that finding, however, because it’s not clear if all of the asymptomatic people were contagious, according to The New York Times.
The Food and Drug Administration has only authorized the tests for people who are in their first seven days of symptoms, but issued guidance in August that they could be used “off-label” for screening asymptomatic people, if it’s not possible to get timely results from a more-accurate test.
“For congregate care settings – like nursing homes or similar settings – repeated use of rapid (point-of-care) testing may be superior for overall infection control compared to less frequent, highly sensitive tests with prolonged turnaround times,” a fact sheet explaining how the tests were to be used said.
Representatives for Abbott Laboratories didn’t respond to questions.
The state health department spokeswoman acknowledged the rapid tests may be less reliable in people without symptoms, but said they can still be useful in settings where people are tested frequently.
“These tests are just one more tool in our toolbox,” she said. “As cases increase, these tests can help diversify our testing strategies.”
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox.


thedenverpost--2020-11-09--Denver weather: Snow and cold temperatures expected in metro area

It ’ s going to be a chilly one in the Denver metro area .
Temperatures will reach a high @ @ @ @ @ a 10 % chance of snow in the morning that will increase to 60 % @ @ @ @ @ to the National Weather Service .
About half an inch of snow is possible .
@ @ @ @ @ between 9-13 mph but could gust as high as 20 mph .
The low will @ @ @ @ @ with snow possible before 11 p.m. Monday .
It will start warming up again on @ @ @ @ @ and a high of 46 .
But it will be another cold night as the @ @ @ @ @ to 24 .
Wednesday will see sunny skies and a high of 47 before dropping @ @ @ @ @ .

It’s going to be a chilly one in the Denver metro area.
Temperatures will reach a high of 36 on Monday with a 10% chance of snow in the morning that will increase to 60% after 1 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. About half an inch of snow is possible. Winds are expected to blow between 9-13 mph but could gust as high as 20 mph.
The low will drop to 23 at night with snow possible before 11 p.m. Monday.
It will start warming up again on Tuesday with mostly sunny skies and a high of 46. But it will be another cold night as the low is expected to drop to 24.
Wednesday will see sunny skies and a high of 47 before dropping to a low of 22.


thedenverpost--2020-11-09--Masters week is finally here and the hype videos haven’t disappointed

Hello friends , Masters week is finally here and golf fans around the world are ready for the best players @ @ @ @ @ what is considered by many , golf ’ s hallowed grounds .
Augusta National Golf @ @ @ @ @ in April , but do to the coronavirus pandemic the club postponed the event and @ @ @ @ @ .
The grounds at Augusta National are always in pristine condition , and patrons have @ @ @ @ @ brings .
Leading up to the fall tournament , the golf club has been releasing @ @ @ @ @ the mood for a unique Masters experience .
Tournament dates are Nov. 9-15 .
Below @ @ @ @ @ sure to get you in the Masters spirit .

Hello friends, Masters week is finally here and golf fans around the world are ready for the best players to tee it up at what is considered by many, golf’s hallowed grounds.
Augusta National Golf Club normally hosts its tournament in April, but do to the coronavirus pandemic the club postponed the event and rescheduled for a fall classic.
The grounds at Augusta National are always in pristine condition, and patrons have always enjoyed the beauty it brings. Leading up to the fall tournament, the golf club has been releasing videos to get patrons in the mood for a unique Masters experience. Tournament dates are Nov. 9-15.
Below are hype videos that are sure to get you in the Masters spirit.


thedenverpost--2020-11-09--Broncos Q-and-A: Does Vic Fangio have any other options at cornerback?

Question : Safety Justin Simmons said the Broncos ’ first-half defense was “ terrible.
” What was particularly awful ?
Answer : Just about everything .
In the first half , Atlanta had eight plays that gained at least 10 yards and built a 20-3 lead .
On the first play , cornerback Michael Ojemudia slipped , freeing up tight end Hayden Hurst for 11 yards .
On the second drive , cornerback Davontae Harris was beaten on a go route for a 51-yard touchdown .
On the third drive , Harris kept his eyes on a scrambling Matt Ryan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
And on the third drive , cornerback Kevin Toliver , subbing for Harris , allowed a 21-yard pass .
The pass rush had only five disruptions ( one sack , two knockdowns and two pressures ) in the first half .
Q : The Broncos tried every cornerback available .
What ’ s next on Vic Fangio ’ s drawing board ?
A : If A.J .
Bouye ( concussion ) and Bryce Callahan ( ankle ) aren ’ t available Sunday at Las Vegas , Fangio really has no choice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as his base package starters .
But in the nickel , giving Duke Dawson a shot should be explored ; he ’ s been limited to dime personnel work as the sixth defensive back this year .
And if the slot receivers are really giving the Broncos problems , moving safety Kareem Jackson down to cover should be considered .
Overall , though , help isn ’ t on the way .
Q : What were the takeaways from quarterback Drew Lock ’ s postgame press conference ?
A : Just that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frustrated by a season slipping away at 3-5 .
Lock is usually the symbol of confidence , but even he couldn ’ t hide his disappointment with another first-half no-show by the offense .
We ’ d rather see that kind of passion than an attitude that everybody gets orange slices and juice boxes regardless of the result .
The worst statistic : The Broncos had 13 plays in the first half that gained three or fewer yards compared with only two explosive plays — 32-yard catch by tight end Noah Fant and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Q : Did it seem like the Broncos ’ offense ran a lot on second-and-long ?
If so , what ’ s the point ?
A : The Broncos had a whopping 19 second-down plays in which they needed seven or more yards .
They ran seven times for a combined 41 yards .
For as long as there ’ s been pro football , play-callers have adopted second-and-long as a run down , the theory being it would produce a positive gain to set up a shorter third down .
KJ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end-around .
But that was pretty much it for successful second-down rushes .
What it also points out : The Broncos ’ first-down offense is inconsistent at best and broken at worst .
Q : Just when the Broncos threw to tight end Albert Okwuegbunam , he sustained a right knee injury .
Who ’ s left at tight end ?
A : Noah Fant and Nick Vannett .
That ’ s it .
Okwuegbunam was seeing regular work in one- and two-tight end personnel , but didn ’ t have a catch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third-and-6 in the third quarter .
Minus Albert O , all the Broncos had active was Fant and Vannett .
Jake Butt and Andrew Beck were recently placed on injured reserve .
A strength of the Broncos ’ — their tight end depth — is now a concern .

Question: Safety Justin Simmons said the Broncos’ first-half defense was “terrible.” What was particularly awful?
Answer: Just about everything. In the first half, Atlanta had eight plays that gained at least 10 yards and built a 20-3 lead.
On the first play, cornerback Michael Ojemudia slipped, freeing up tight end Hayden Hurst for 11 yards. On the second drive, cornerback Davontae Harris was beaten on a go route for a 51-yard touchdown. On the third drive, Harris kept his eyes on a scrambling Matt Ryan instead of his assignment (42-yard completion). And on the third drive, cornerback Kevin Toliver, subbing for Harris, allowed a 21-yard pass.
The pass rush had only five disruptions (one sack, two knockdowns and two pressures) in the first half.
Q: The Broncos tried every cornerback available. What’s next on Vic Fangio’s drawing board?
A: If A.J. Bouye (concussion) and Bryce Callahan (ankle) aren’t available Sunday at Las Vegas, Fangio really has no choice but to stick with Ojemudia and Bassey as his base package starters.
But in the nickel, giving Duke Dawson a shot should be explored; he’s been limited to dime personnel work as the sixth defensive back this season.
And if the slot receivers are really giving the Broncos problems, moving safety Kareem Jackson down to cover should be considered.
Overall, though, help isn’t on the way.
Q: What were the takeaways from quarterback Drew Lock’s postgame news conference?
A: He’s a young player who is frustrated by a season slipping away at 3-5.
Lock is usually the symbol of confidence, but even he couldn’t hide his disappointment with another first-half no-show by the offense. We’d rather see that kind of passion than an attitude that everybody gets orange slices and juice boxes regardless of the result. The worst statistic: The Broncos had 13 plays in the first half that gained three or fewer yards compared with only two explosive plays — a 32-yard catch by tight end Noah Fant and an 18-yard catch by receiver Jerry Jeudy.
Q: Did it seem like the Broncos’ offense ran a lot on second-and-long? If so, what’s the point?
A: The Broncos had a whopping 19 second-down plays in which they needed seven or more yards. They ran seven times for a combined 41 yards.
For as long as there’s been pro football, play-callers have adopted second-and-long as a run down, the theory being it would produce a positive gain to set up a shorter third down.
KJ Hamler gained 15 yards on a second-and-8 end-around. But that was pretty much it for successful second-down rushes. What it also points out: The Broncos’ first-down offense is inconsistent at best and broken at worst.


thedenverpost--2020-11-09--NBA draft: Do the Nuggets have room for another small forward?

Editor ’ s note : One of a series previewing the NBA draft for the Denver Nuggets .
Today : small forward By the strictest definition of a small forward , the upcoming NBA draft isn ’ t deep .
There ’ s Deni Avdija ( Israel ) and Isaac Okoro ( Auburn ) at the top of the draft , and beyond that , the talent pool falls off dramatically .
If the Nuggets want to get in on the second tier of wings , it will in all likelihood take a trade up .
Or , they could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No .
22 .
Denver ’ s vantage point is slightly different from most teams .
While all NBA teams covet rangy wings , able to scale up or slide down in their defensive coverages , the Nuggets can be fine without adding another small forward .
They ’ re already deep at the position , but that ’ s not to say they haven ’ t scouted their options extensively .
For most of this past season , Will Barton held a vice grip on the starting small forward job .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ played so well coach Michael Malone even floated his name for All-Star consideration .
Barton was legitimately the Nuggets ’ third-best player last season , and arguably their best two-way player .
That ’ s why team officials can ’ t help but wonder what would ’ ve happened against the Lakers had Barton not left the “ Bubble ” at the start of the playoffs as a result of ongoing knee discomfort .
After the season , general manager Calvin Booth projected confidence that Barton ’ s injury wasn ’ t “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen what form he ’ s in when training camps open in early December .
It ’ s fair to consider how the shortened offseason will impact his recovery .
And then there ’ s the matter of Michael Porter Jr. , who seized his opportunity in Barton ’ s absence .
Porter played the best basketball of his life across seven seeding games when he averaged 22 points in 33.3 minutes , shot 55 % from the field , including 42 % from 3 , and grabbed 8.6 rebounds per game .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rebounds during that stretch : Luka Doncic , James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo .
Not only did Porter provide ample evidence of his budding star power , he then got the benefit of a postseason indoctrination .
The perspective he gained from being humbled on defense will be invaluable heading into his second season .
Whatever the Nuggets do at No .
22 – particularly if they take a wing – there ’ s no simple path to playing time .
But that ’ s where the dated definitions of small forward clash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Nuggets had no less than five players ( Barton , Porter , Torrey Craig , Jerami Grant , Bol Bol ) play some small forward last season .
Like all teams , Denver values positional versatility rather than any rigid position classification .
If they take a so-called small forward , expect that prospect to be able to play some shooting guard ( like Barton ) , or power forward ( like Porter ) , or maybe even center ( like Bol ) .
If Denver replenishes their perimeter depth , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sophomore Aaron Nesmith : It might take some jockeying up from No .
22 , but Nesmith is the type of shooter that could warrant such a move .
Nesmith , perhaps the best marksman in the draft , singed the nets with a 52 % 3-point shooting clip .
A foot injury limited him to just 14 games last season .
At 6-foot-6 , 215 pounds , Nesmith has intriguing size , an effortless jumper and the profile to be a plus-defender .
His quick release and range would translate seamlessly to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no one better as a potential floor-spacer for Nikola Jokic .
The knock on him is that he ’ s not much of a creator and doesn ’ t excel off the dribble .
If the Nuggets want an immediate injection of outside shooting , he ’ s their guy .
Mississippi State sophomore Robert Woodard : The 6-foot-7 , 235-pound wing already has an NBA body and the defensive profile to step on the court from Day 1 .
A switchable , physical defender , Woodard does a lot of the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The upgrade , though , would be on offense .
Woodard shot 43 % from 3-point range last season , albeit on just 2.3 attempts per game .
There ’ s also the question of his free-throw shooting , which topped out at 64 % last season .
His mechanics are fluid , suggesting that number could get ironed out with NBA development .
• NBA Journal : The swing piece that could land Jrue Holiday in Denver • Nuggets ’ Monte Morris : “ I would love to get an extension @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nuggets need a shooting guard .
Fortunately , this draft is full of them .
• NBA draft : Why Nuggets can ’ t rule out drafting a PG at No .
22 • Why NBA players have different election energy : “ 2020 was a wake-up call for the world ” At No .
22 , Woodard ’ s probably not the right fit for the Nuggets .
But if they trade back , he might be a good choice .
Colorado junior Tyler Bey : Pegging the 6-foot-7 , 216-pound Bey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exercise .
He played inside because of his bounce and rebounding chops , but his lithe frame won ’ t give him that liberty in the NBA .
Still , Bey , the Pac-12 defensive player of the year , has value .
He shot nearly 42 % from 3-point range ( on a very limited sample size ) , averaging nearly 14 points and nine rebounds per game .
To find staying power in the NBA , he ’ ll need to up his 3-point production significantly .
His defense should translate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trade down , it ’ s tough to see a fit for the local prospect .

Editor’s note: One of a series previewing the NBA draft for the Denver Nuggets. Today: small forward
By the strictest definition of a small forward, the upcoming NBA draft isn’t deep.
There’s Deni Avdija (Israel) and Isaac Okoro (Auburn) at the top of the draft, and beyond that, the talent pool falls off dramatically. If the Nuggets want to get in on the second tier of wings, it will in all likelihood take a trade up. Or, they could always settle for a sleeper prospect at No. 22.
Denver’s vantage point is slightly different from most teams. While all NBA teams covet rangy wings, able to scale up or slide down in their defensive coverages, the Nuggets can be fine without adding another small forward. They’re already deep at the position, but that’s not to say they haven’t scouted their options extensively.
For most of this past season, Will Barton held a vice grip on the starting small forward job. He won it out of training camp then played so well coach Michael Malone even floated his name for All-Star consideration. Barton was legitimately the Nuggets’ third-best player last season, and arguably their best two-way player. That’s why team officials can’t help but wonder what would’ve happened against the Lakers had Barton not left the “Bubble” at the start of the playoffs as a result of ongoing knee discomfort.
After the season, general manager Calvin Booth projected confidence that Barton’s injury wasn’t “anything major.” It remains to be seen what form he’s in when training camps open in early December. It’s fair to consider how the shortened offseason will impact his recovery.
And then there’s the matter of Michael Porter Jr., who seized his opportunity in Barton’s absence. Porter played the best basketball of his life across seven seeding games when he averaged 22 points in 33.3 minutes, shot 55% from the field, including 42% from 3, and grabbed 8.6 rebounds per game. Only three players registered more points and rebounds during that stretch: Luka Doncic, James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Not only did Porter provide ample evidence of his budding star power, he then got the benefit of a postseason indoctrination. The perspective he gained from being humbled on defense will be invaluable heading into his second season.
Whatever the Nuggets do at No. 22 – particularly if they take a wing – there’s no simple path to playing time. But that’s where the dated definitions of small forward clash with the realities of the modern game. The Nuggets had no less than five players (Barton, Porter, Torrey Craig, Jerami Grant, Bol Bol) play some small forward last season. Like all teams, Denver values positional versatility rather than any rigid position classification. If they take a so-called small forward, expect that prospect to be able to play some shooting guard (like Barton), or power forward (like Porter), or maybe even center (like Bol).
If Denver replenishes their perimeter depth, here are its best options.
Vanderbilt sophomore Aaron Nesmith: It might take some jockeying up from No. 22, but Nesmith is the type of shooter that could warrant such a move. Nesmith, perhaps the best marksman in the draft, singed the nets with a 52% 3-point shooting clip. A foot injury limited him to just 14 games last season.
At 6-foot-6, 215 pounds, Nesmith has intriguing size, an effortless jumper and the profile to be a plus-defender. His quick release and range would translate seamlessly to the NBA. The Nuggets could find no one better as a potential floor-spacer for Nikola Jokic. The knock on him is that he’s not much of a creator and doesn’t excel off the dribble. If the Nuggets want an immediate injection of outside shooting, he’s their guy.
Mississippi State sophomore Robert Woodard: The 6-foot-7, 235-pound wing already has an NBA body and the defensive profile to step on the court from Day 1. A switchable, physical defender, Woodard does a lot of the same things restricted free agent Torrey Craig does. The upgrade, though, would be on offense.
Woodard shot 43% from 3-point range last season, albeit on just 2.3 attempts per game. There’s also the question of his free-throw shooting, which topped out at 64% last season. His mechanics are fluid, suggesting that number could get ironed out with NBA development.
At No. 22, Woodard’s probably not the right fit for the Nuggets. But if they trade back, he might be an ideal sleeper candidate.
Colorado junior Tyler Bey: Pegging the 6-foot-7, 216-pound Bey into a single position is a fruitless exercise. He played inside because of his bounce and rebounding chops, but his lithe frame won’t give him that liberty in the NBA.
Still, Bey, the Pac-12 defensive player of the year, has value. He shot nearly 42% from 3-point range (on a very limited sample size), averaging nearly 14 points and nine rebounds per game.
To find staying power in the NBA, he’ll need to up his 3-point production significantly. His defense should translate immediately, though. Unless the Nuggets trade down, it’s tough to see a fit for the local prospect.


thedenverpost--2020-11-09--Ask Amy: Thanksgivings past are this year’s repast

Dear Amy : As Thanksgiving approaches and we are setting the table for three instead of 14 , I took a moment for a reality check .
I remembered when my daughters were in college and clued me into the Wednesday night tradition of going to a bar to fortify oneself for the strain of being with all those relatives .
I remembered those disastrous Thanksgivings , with the barbecued turkey that meant no gravy for Grandpa ’ s mashed potatoes .
Or the year the dining room table , extended with all its leaves , started to sag in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to support it while yelling for C-clamps .
I remembered the horrendous travel problems , like when my sister was five hours late because of traffic in the pre-cellphone days and my mother suggested calling the state police every 10 minutes for accident reports .
Perhaps , it will be a good year to quietly laugh at those Thanksgivings past and accept the pause in the tradition this year .
Perhaps , reflecting with gratitude about each person you are missing will be like a palate-cleansing course in the meal of life .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bigger turkey next year .
And thank you , Amy , for all the wisdom and compassion you dish out !
Dear Thankful : Your beautiful note perfectly conveys the complicated feelings many Americans are having this Thanksgiving .
Your email also arrived on the morning of my Aunt Jean ’ s death .
Because of the pandemic , her daughters could only visit her through a window until hospice care liberated them and they could be with her in person at the very end .
Aunt Jean was the last of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” four fierce and funny women whose influence shows up in this column regularly .
And Aunt Jean always made the gravy .
Yes , the groaning feast table will be much lighter this year .
But I hope your message will inspire families to count our many blessings , remember with joy those who can ’ t be with us , and promise to put aside our differences when we finally feast together in person .
This year , as I do every year , I will be at the little church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Thanksgiving meal to people who would not have one , otherwise .
We ’ re doing a “ take out ” service , and I ’ ll be making the gravy .
Dear Amy : I live in a very small community .
In my circle of friends , we ’ ve agreed to not discuss politics .
It has kept the peace and preserved our good relationships .
However , the fact that one of our friends insists on flying a large Confederate flag is becoming impossible to ignore .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the significance and have been lectured with monologues about Southern history and being a proud American .
My husband told the couple that flying the flag would be akin to my flying the Nazi Swastika flag to “ honor ” my mother ’ s German heritage ( she was in a concentration camp as a young teen ) .
This reasoning was dismissed .
Neighbors have emailed and asked for the flag to be removed , and the emails are proudly displayed in the couple ’ s home as “ Joke of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moved within the last month .
What can we say or do ?
It seems that they are firmly entrenched , and we should just give it up and lose the friendship .
Your wisdom ?
Dear Fair and Balanced : Backyard bullhorns usually lose their volume when people start ignoring their cries for attention .
Flying their Confederate flag is one thing .
Lecturing you on its “ heritage ” interpretation is another thing .
Posting emails questioning their choice in order to deride the people writing them is the last thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Yes , you should give up trying to communicate with them about this , and yes , if their lives are now all about this flag , then your friendship will die .
You might also want to exercise your own First Amendment right and fly the good old Stars and Stripes ( if you don ’ t already ) , and post a Black Lives Matter sign if you want to , demonstrating that this country is supposed to be big enough , and broad enough , for everyone .
Dear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spring , MD ” wondered why people consume alcohol , noting that it is a dangerous drug .
Thank you for standing up for legal-age people ’ s right to consume alcohol , safely .
Dear Drinker : Alcohol is indeed a dangerous drug , causing untold damage to people around the world .
But yes , it can be consumed safely .

Dear Amy: As Thanksgiving approaches and we are setting the table for three instead of 14, I took a moment for a reality check.
I remembered when my daughters were in college and clued me into the Wednesday night tradition of going to a bar to fortify oneself for the strain of being with all those relatives.
I remembered those disastrous Thanksgivings, with the barbecued turkey that meant no gravy for Grandpa’s mashed potatoes.
Or the year the dining room table, extended with all its leaves, started to sag in the middle and my brother dove underneath to support it while yelling for C-clamps.
I remembered the horrendous travel problems, like when my sister was five hours late because of traffic in the pre-cellphone days and my mother suggested calling the state police every 10 minutes for accident reports.
Perhaps, it will be a good year to quietly laugh at those Thanksgivings past and accept the pause in the tradition this year.
Perhaps, reflecting with gratitude about each person you are missing will be like a palate-cleansing course in the meal of life. Keep trusting that there will be a bigger turkey next year.
And thank you, Amy, for all the wisdom and compassion you dish out!
— Thankful
Dear Thankful: Your beautiful note perfectly conveys the complicated feelings many Americans are having this Thanksgiving.
Your email also arrived on the morning of my Aunt Jean’s death. Because of the pandemic, her daughters could only visit her through a window until hospice care liberated them and they could be with her in person at the very end.
Aunt Jean was the last of the legendary “Mighty Queens of Freeville,” four fierce and funny women whose influence shows up in this column regularly.
And Aunt Jean always made the gravy.
Yes, the groaning feast table will be much lighter this year. But I hope your message will inspire families to count our many blessings, remember with joy those who can’t be with us, and promise to put aside our differences when we finally feast together in person.
This year, as I do every year, I will be at the little church in my hometown, cooking and serving a Thanksgiving meal to people who would not have one, otherwise. We’re doing a “take out” service, and I’ll be making the gravy.
Dear Amy: I live in a very small community. In my circle of friends, we’ve agreed to not discuss politics. It has kept the peace and preserved our good relationships.
However, the fact that one of our friends insists on flying a large Confederate flag is becoming impossible to ignore.
A couple of brave folks have asked about the significance and have been lectured with monologues about Southern history and being a proud American.
My husband told the couple that flying the flag would be akin to my flying the Nazi Swastika flag to “honor” my mother’s German heritage (she was in a concentration camp as a young teen). This reasoning was dismissed.
Neighbors have emailed and asked for the flag to be removed, and the emails are proudly displayed in the couple’s home as “Joke of the Week.”
Neighbors on both sides have moved within the last month.
What can we say or do? It seems that they are firmly entrenched, and we should just give it up and lose the friendship. Your wisdom?
— Fair and Balanced
Dear Fair and Balanced: Backyard bullhorns usually lose their volume when people start ignoring their cries for attention. Flying their Confederate flag is one thing. Lecturing you on its “heritage” interpretation is another thing. Posting emails questioning their choice in order to deride the people writing them is the last thing.
Yes, they are firmly entrenched. Yes, you should give up trying to communicate with them about this, and yes, if their lives are now all about this flag, then your friendship will die.
You might also want to exercise your own First Amendment right and fly the good old Stars and Stripes (if you don’t already), and post a Black Lives Matter sign if you want to, demonstrating that this country is supposed to be big enough, and broad enough, for everyone.
Dear Amy: “Curious, in Silver Spring, MD” wondered why people consume alcohol, noting that it is a dangerous drug.
Thank you for standing up for legal-age people’s right to consume alcohol, safely.
— Safe Drinker
Dear Drinker: Alcohol is indeed a dangerous drug, causing untold damage to people around the world. But yes, it can be consumed safely.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)


thedenverpost--2020-11-09--Three Points: Rapids nab third straight win, improve playoff seeding

The final kick of the Rapids ’ regular season was a Diego Rubio game-winning goal .
The stoppage-time stunner lifted Colorado to their third straight win , 3-1 in Houston , and drastically improved the club ’ s seeding in the MLS playoffs .
Rubio ’ s efforts came with some help from Cole Bassett , as the Rapids ’ homegrown talent continues to excel .
Here are three points from the Rapids three-point effort in Texas : The Rapids have won three matches in eight days , defeating Seattle and Portland , who finished second and third in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Two of those wins came on the road , which pushed Colorado into a tie for most road wins in MLS this season with five .
Coach Robin Fraser had to be careful with player management with the Rapids playing five games in the last 15 days after a month-long layoff caused by a team-wide COVID-19 outbreak .
In Sunday ’ s match , the Rapids were forced to use some of their depth , and in doing so they started the youngest lineup of the season across MLS with an average age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our best performance , but the ability to keep ourselves in it and give ourselves a chance is something that I think the team can certainly take pride in , ” Fraser said .
“ We recognize that things don ’ t have to go perfectly to be able to get results… Once you get into the playoffs , it really is about the results .
You ’ re not gon na be good every single night and can you find ways to win on the nights when you ’ re not good.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ off a terrific year in style by setting up Rubio ’ s game-winner .
The 19-year-old played the full game and had 62 touches .
Putting one shot on and connecting on 79 percent of his passes , Bassett once again looked like one of the best players on the field .
“ Cole is incredibly determined , and he wants to influence every game somehow , ” Fraser said .
“ It ’ s almost like pulling the reins back so that he can understand that at times his contribution might not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the game goes .
But he doesn ’ t want to hear that , he wants to hear about goals and assists ” Goals and assists are certainly a way he left his mark on games .
His five goals and five assists are each team-highs , as he made a clear jump in his development this year .
“ I ’ m really proud of what he ’ s done this year because as a young player when you get opportunities you ’ re not really sure when you ’ re going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fraser said .
“ He got a few opportunities early in the year and really earned the rest of them .
What he ’ s done is through his intelligent play and movement , he ’ s certainly helped us a great deal.
” Bassett is a candidate to win the MLS Young Player of the Year Award .
Before this season it was known as the rookie of the year , but it is now open to any player under the age of 22 .
• Rapids down Dynamo late behind Diego @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for third straight win on Decision Day , chance to improving playoff seeding • Three Points : With wins over Seattle and Portland , Rapids prove they belong in MLS playoffs • Three Points : Rapids slice Sounders , on verge of playoff berth “ His confidence continues to grow , he ’ s only going to get better , ” Fraser said .
“ There are things that he needs to work on obviously .
He ’ s a young player and we talk about those things as well , but overall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what he ’ s done so far.
” Fellow homegrown Sam Vines finished his ironman campaign off with his 18th start of the season , becoming the only Rapids player to start every match .
Vines played all 1,620 minutes in 2020 .
The 21-year-old Colorado Springs native notched one goal and three assists at left back .
The Rapids have two weeks off for an international break .
When they return , they will take on Minnesota United FC in the first round of the MLS playoffs .
Before what will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history , Colorado drastically improved its seeding by wining in Houston .
The Burgundy Boys jumped from seventh place to fifth , which helps them avoid the clear best three teams in the west .
Meanwhile , Minnesota is unbeaten in its last eight matches but each of its efforts against Colorado in 2020–a Loons win and a draw—were somewhat flukey .
“ They are a talented team and they have experienced players in key positions and guys that don ’ t make a lot of mistakes , ” Fraser said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the playoffs , so part of our job is going to be trying to find ways to unbalance them .
”

The final kick of the Rapids’ regular season was a Diego Rubio game-winning goal.
The stoppage-time stunner lifted Colorado to its third consecutive win, 3-1 in Houston, and drastically improved the club’s seeding in the MLS playoffs. Rubio’s efforts came with some help from Cole Bassett, as the Rapids’ homegrown talent continues to excel.
Here are three points from the Rapids three-point effort in Texas:
Hot rock
The Rapids have won three matches in eight days, defeating Seattle and Portland, who finished second and third in the Western Conference, and the Dynamo. Two of those wins came on the road, which pushed Colorado into a tie for most road wins in MLS this season with five.
Coach Robin Fraser had to be careful with player management with the Rapids playing five games in the last 15 days after a month-long layoff caused by a team-wide COVID-19 outbreak. In Sunday’s match, the Rapids were forced to use some of their depth, and in doing so they started the youngest lineup of the season across MLS with an average age of 23.6.
“This was not our best performance, but the ability to keep ourselves in it and give ourselves a chance is something that I think the team can certainly take pride in,” Fraser said. “We recognize that things don’t have to go perfectly to be able to get results… Once you get into the playoffs, it really is about the results. You’re not gonna be good every single night and can you find ways to win on the nights when you’re not good.”
The future is here
Bassett finished off a terrific year in style by setting up Rubio’s game-winner. The 19-year-old played the full game and had 62 touches. Putting one shot on and connecting on 79 percent of his passes, Bassett once again looked like one of the best players on the field.
“Cole is incredibly determined, and he wants to influence every game somehow,” Fraser said. “It’s almost like pulling the reins back so that he can understand that at times his contribution might not be a statistical contribution depending on how the game goes. But he doesn’t want to hear that, he wants to hear about goals and assists ”
Goals and assists are certainly a way he left his mark on games. His five goals and five assists are each team-highs, as he made a clear jump in his development this year.
“I’m really proud of what he’s done this year because as a young player when you get opportunities you’re not really sure when you’re going to get those opportunities again,” Fraser said. “He got a few opportunities early in the year and really earned the rest of them. What he’s done is through his intelligent play and movement, he’s certainly helped us a great deal.”
Bassett is a candidate to win the MLS Young Player of the Year Award. Before this season it was known as the rookie of the year, but it is now open to any player under the age of 22.
“His confidence continues to grow, he’s only going to get better,” Fraser said. “There are things that he needs to work on obviously. He’s a young player and we talk about those things as well, but overall, you have to be really proud of what he’s done so far.”
Fellow homegrown Sam Vines finished his ironman season off with his 18th start, becoming the only Rapids player to start every match. Vines played all 1,620 minutes in 2020. The 21-year-old Colorado Springs native notched one goal and three assists at left back.
One more hour
The Rapids have two weeks off for an international break. When they return, they will take on Minnesota United FC in the first round of the MLS playoffs.
Before what will be the 14th postseason appearance in franchise history, Colorado drastically improved its seeding by winning in Houston. The Burgundy Boys jumped from seventh place to fifth, which helps them avoid the clear best three teams in the west. Meanwhile, Minnesota is unbeaten in its last eight matches but each of its efforts against Colorado in 2020–a Loons win and a draw—were somewhat flukey.
“They are a talented team and they have experienced players in key positions and guys that don’t make a lot of mistakes,” Fraser said. “Teams like them can go really far into the playoffs, so part of our job is going to be trying to find ways to unbalance them.”


thedenverpost--2020-11-10--Colorado snow totals for Nov. 9, 2020

Colorado snow totals for Nov. 9, 2020

The following Colorado snow totals have been reported by the National Weather Service for Nov. 9 , 2020 , as @ @ @ @ @

Digital sports strategist for The Denver Post. Previously he was the online prep sports editor. Prior to that, he covered Adams County and Aurora in the YourHub section. He also writes about beer, professional wrestling and video games.