thedenverpost--2020-12-01--COVID-19 deaths in Colorado are shooting up. Here’s how officials track the numbers.

For months , confusion — and in many cases misinformation — has swirled about how deaths from the novel coronavirus are tallied .
COVID-19 deaths have become a political flashpoint as people , including politicians , have questioned whether the counts were overblown — much to the frustration of those responding to the crisis .
“ Somehow you ’ ve trusted me for more than a decade to offer you the truth about why people are dying and now suddenly , me , the hospitals , the doctors , the nurses , the public health officials , all of us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about this ?
” said Dr. Leon Kelly , the El Paso County coroner .
The coronavirus pandemic is a mass casualty event .
More than 260,000 Americans , including more than 3,000 people in Colorado , have died with COVID-19 in less than a year .
Now , the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment estimates that the number of people to die with COVID-19 in Colorado could range between 4,900 deaths to 7,400 deaths by the end of December , depending on the level of transmission of the disease .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are increasing at a rapid pace , but that the state ’ s third wave of infections is poised to become more deadly than the spring surge .
Colorado recorded 2,000 deaths among people with COVID-19 in September and over the weekend — just two months later — that number surpassed 3,000 fatalities .
In the spring , it took the state two months to record 1,000 deaths .
“ The amount of disease transmission that we ’ ve seen in Colorado in the last several days is really the highest it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , ” said Dr. Rachel Herlihy , the state epidemiologist during news briefing last week .
“ At that high rate of disease transmission we are unfortunately going to see an increasing number of deaths occur.
” Understanding the death toll of the pandemic is complex and can be confusing .
This is because when we talk about COVID-19 deaths , it ’ s not just about who died from the disease versus those who died with the disease .
It also involves looking at deaths indirectly caused by the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ charged because different people have different motivations , ” said Dr. Matthew Wynia , director of the Center for Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Colorado .
“ But it has played out in spades with the COVID pandemic because there is such a lot of political motivation to say , ‘ Oh , it ’ s not that many people .
It ’ s not so dangerous.
’ ” How do we know a death is from the novel coronavirus ?
The first thing to understand with COVID-19 data is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death information because of the progression of the disease .
When someone becomes sick with the novel coronavirus , it can take up to two weeks for symptoms to become severe enough that they are hospitalized .
That ’ s why after a spike in new coronavirus cases statewide , there isn ’ t an immediate increase in hospitalizations .
It also takes time for a COVID-19 death to be recorded by the state health department , creating a lag between new cases and fatalities that ranges from about three weeks to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know that the process of investigating , determining and reporting a death has not changed during the pandemic .
State and local officials said they are recording COVID-19 fatalities as they would any other death .
The cause of death written on a death certificate is determined by one of three people : a coroner , a medical examiner or a doctor .
When one of these three people fill out a death certificate , they are making a medical judgment on why they think a person has died , Kelly said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ so in a hospital .
Autopsies aren ’ t often performed on the patients after they die because by the time of the death they have already been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus .
And not everybody who is autopsied is tested for the disease .
“ ( Physicians ) have a very good idea based on their experience and their expertise about giving primary diagnoses about why patients passed and the comorbidities that play a role in that , ” said Dr. Vernon Naake , chief medical officer at North Suburban Medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a death , medical professionals use what they call the “ but for ” principle : if “ but for ( a certain event ) , ” a person would not have died at this specific time and place .
There are multiple ways this could unfold when someone dies from COVID-19 .
Take a case in which the cause of death listed is septic shock , but the death certificate also says that the septic shock was caused by another condition that came from acute respiratory distress syndrome , or ARDS .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ respiratory distress syndrome was caused by the novel coronavirus .
All of these conditions are written on a death certificate .
But the reason a death is ruled as a COVID-19 fatality in such a scenario is because “ but for COVID-19 , none of these other things happen , ” Kelly said .
Other conditions that the person may have had , such as obesity or diabetes , are not direct complications of COVID-19 .
However , they do put a person at an increased risk for severe symptoms , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised about the accuracy of how the state health department tracks deaths when the novel coronavirus is not related to the cause of death .
This scrutiny led to the state Department of Public Health and Environment changing the way it publicly reports COVID-19 deaths in May .
The department now reports both the total number of deaths due to the novel coronavirus and the number of fatalities among people who had COVID-19 at the time of their death , including when the disease was not the leading cause .
While they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the deaths in the latter count are fatalities caused directly by the disease .
That is why there is often a narrow gap between the tally of those who died with COVID-19 and those who died from the disease .
As of Monday , the state health department has recorded 3,037 deaths among those with COVID-19 and 2,656 deaths due to the disease .
The reason for the discrepancy in the two numbers is due to how the data is collected by the state health department .
The “ deaths due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certificate data , which has a lag of several weeks , so the count is expected to increase .
The “ deaths among cases ” category is more of a real-time count of fatalities that comes from hospitals or through contact tracing , case investigations and other methods .
At times , this data is collected before a death certificate is registered and processed .
This category of death data helps the state health department “ to really understand the severity of the disease and if it is changing over time , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Ultimately , these two different systems of counting deaths line up very closely.
” Kelly , the coroner , said he reviews a spreadsheet created by public health officials of people that have been reported to have died from COVID-19 in his area .
He goes through each death certificate and checks that it matches the cause of death and any other contributing factors that are listed on the spreadsheet .
If it doesn ’ t match , then the death is removed from the spreadsheet .
“ We ’ re doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Kelly said .
“ And so what happens is a lot of times , we ’ re trying to balance getting as much information out as quickly as we can because it ’ s relevant to people but also making sure what ’ s going on is correct , clear , concise and usable information.
” There are various reasons why deaths have initially been flagged as due to the novel coronavirus and then removed .
For example , if a person dies while in a nursing home where there is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials could label it a probable COVID-19 fatality during their investigation into the outbreak .
But the death certificate may not list COVID-19 when it makes its way to the county coroner .
Instead , it lists similar symptoms , such as shortness of breath or respiratory failure — both of which could come from another illness .
One of the challenges with the novel coronavirus is that it affects people differently .
While the lungs are often the first organs affected by COVID-19 , it can also damage kidneys and cause blood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end up with cases that aren ’ t on the list , ” Kelly said .
“ It kind of works both ways.
” Calculating the true toll of the pandemic Many medical and public health experts believe the number of deaths from COVID-19 is undercounted because it ’ s likely that limited testing at the start of the pandemic led to missed diagnoses .
This is often the case with other diseases , including influenza , because not everyone gets tested or diagnosed before they die , Herlihy said .
“ Every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wynia , with the Center for Bioethics and Humanities .
“ Every number is an estimation because even if you are counting individuals you are going to end up missing some.
” Or vice versa , he said .
Public health experts believe that the true toll of the pandemic extends beyond just tracking who died from the disease .
It is also important to look at deaths indirectly caused by the pandemic .
Public health experts will ultimately look at whether and how deaths could have been mitigated by the government response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the total impact of a disaster , that total impact includes the response to the disaster , ” Wynia said .
Overall , deaths from all causes increased 20 % in Colorado during the first six months of the pandemic .
This is largely due to COVID-19 , but other causes — from Alzheimer ’ s to overdoses — also saw significant spikes .
Tracking deaths indirectly caused by the pandemic is complex .
There are multiple reasons that deaths are up , but one that has concerned physicians is that people may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting COVID-19 .

For months, confusion — and in many cases misinformation — has swirled about how deaths from the novel coronavirus are tallied.
COVID-19 deaths have become a political flashpoint as people, including politicians, have questioned whether the counts were overblown — much to the frustration of those responding to the crisis.
“Somehow you’ve trusted me for more than a decade to offer you the truth about why people are dying and now suddenly, me, the hospitals, the doctors, the nurses, the public health officials, all of us are in cahoots and lying to you about this?” said Dr. Leon Kelly, the El Paso County coroner.
The coronavirus pandemic is a mass casualty event. More than 260,000 Americans, including more than 3,000 people in Colorado, have died with COVID-19 in less than a year.
Now, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment estimates that the number of people to die with COVID-19 in Colorado could range between 4,900 deaths to 7,400 deaths by the end of December, depending on the level of transmission of the disease.
Not only does this mean that deaths are increasing at a rapid pace, but that the state’s third wave of infections is poised to become more deadly than the spring surge. Colorado recorded 2,000 deaths among people with COVID-19 in September and over the weekend — just two months later — that number surpassed 3,000 fatalities. In the spring, it took the state two months to record 1,000 deaths.
“The amount of disease transmission that we’ve seen in Colorado in the last several days is really the highest it’s been since the beginning of the pandemic,” said Dr. Rachel Herlihy, the state epidemiologist during news briefing last week. “At that high rate of disease transmission we are unfortunately going to see an increasing number of deaths occur.”
Understanding the death toll of the pandemic is complex and can be confusing. This is because when we talk about COVID-19 deaths, it’s not just about who died from the disease versus those who died with the disease. It also involves looking at deaths indirectly caused by the pandemic.
“It is always a bit politically charged because different people have different motivations,” said Dr. Matthew Wynia, director of the Center for Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Colorado. “But it has played out in spades with the COVID pandemic because there is such a lot of political motivation to say, ‘Oh, it’s not that many people. It’s not so dangerous.’”
How do we know a death is from the novel coronavirus?
The first thing to understand with COVID-19 data is that there is a lag in hospitalization and death information because of the progression of the disease. When someone becomes sick with the novel coronavirus, it can take up to two weeks for symptoms to become severe enough that they are hospitalized.
That’s why after a spike in new coronavirus cases statewide, there isn’t an immediate increase in hospitalizations.
It also takes time for a COVID-19 death to be recorded by the state health department, creating a lag between new cases and fatalities that ranges from about three weeks to a month.
It is also important to know that the process of investigating, determining and reporting a death has not changed during the pandemic. State and local officials said they are recording COVID-19 fatalities as they would any other death.
The cause of death written on a death certificate is determined by one of three people: a coroner, a medical examiner or a doctor.
When one of these three people fill out a death certificate, they are making a medical judgment on why they think a person has died, Kelly said.
Many people who die from COVID-19 do so in a hospital. Autopsies aren’t often performed on the patients after they die because by the time of the death they have already been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus. And not everybody who is autopsied is tested for the disease.
“(Physicians) have a very good idea based on their experience and their expertise about giving primary diagnoses about why patients passed and the comorbidities that play a role in that,” said Dr. Vernon Naake, chief medical officer at North Suburban Medical Center.
In determining the cause of a death, medical professionals use what they call the “but for” principle: if “but for (a certain event),” a person would not have died at this specific time and place.
There are multiple ways this could unfold when someone dies from COVID-19. Take a case in which the cause of death listed is septic shock, but the death certificate also says that the septic shock was caused by another condition that came from acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS. And in this case, the acute respiratory distress syndrome was caused by the novel coronavirus.
All of these conditions are written on a death certificate. But the reason a death is ruled as a COVID-19 fatality in such a scenario is because “but for COVID-19, none of these other things happen,” Kelly said.
Other conditions that the person may have had, such as obesity or diabetes, are not direct complications of COVID-19. However, they do put a person at an increased risk for severe symptoms, he said.
How the state health department reports COVID-19 deaths
Earlier this year, questions were raised about the accuracy of how the state health department tracks deaths when the novel coronavirus is not related to the cause of death. This scrutiny led to the state Department of Public Health and Environment changing the way it publicly reports COVID-19 deaths in May.
The department now reports both the total number of deaths due to the novel coronavirus and the number of fatalities among people who had COVID-19 at the time of their death, including when the disease was not the leading cause.
While they are broken up into two categories, most of the deaths in the latter count are fatalities caused directly by the disease. That is why there is often a narrow gap between the tally of those who died with COVID-19 and those who died from the disease.
As of Monday, the state health department has recorded 3,037 deaths among those with COVID-19 and 2,656 deaths due to the disease.
The reason for the discrepancy in the two numbers is due to how the data is collected by the state health department. The “deaths due to COVID-19” category comes solely from death certificate data, which has a lag of several weeks, so the count is expected to increase.
The “deaths among cases” category is more of a real-time count of fatalities that comes from hospitals or through contact tracing, case investigations and other methods. At times, this data is collected before a death certificate is registered and processed.
This category of death data helps the state health department “to really understand the severity of the disease and if it is changing over time,” said Herlihy, the state epidemiologist. “Ultimately, these two different systems of counting deaths line up very closely.”
Kelly, the coroner, said he reviews a spreadsheet created by public health officials of people that have been reported to have died from COVID-19 in his area. He goes through each death certificate and checks that it matches the cause of death and any other contributing factors that are listed on the spreadsheet. If it doesn’t match, then the death is removed from the spreadsheet.
“We’re doing all of this in real time,” Kelly said. “And so what happens is a lot of times, we’re trying to balance getting as much information out as quickly as we can because it’s relevant to people but also making sure what’s going on is correct, clear, concise and usable information.”
There are various reasons why deaths have initially been flagged as due to the novel coronavirus and then removed. For example, if a person dies while in a nursing home where there is an outbreak of the disease, health department officials could label it a probable COVID-19 fatality during their investigation into the outbreak.
But the death certificate may not list COVID-19 when it makes its way to the county coroner. Instead, it lists similar symptoms, such as shortness of breath or respiratory failure — both of which could come from another illness.
One of the challenges with the novel coronavirus is that it affects people differently. While the lungs are often the first organs affected by COVID-19, it can also damage kidneys and cause blood clots.
“Far more often I end up with cases that aren’t on the list,” Kelly said. “It kind of works both ways.”
Calculating the true toll of the pandemic
Many medical and public health experts believe the number of deaths from COVID-19 is undercounted because it’s likely that limited testing at the start of the pandemic led to missed diagnoses. This is often the case with other diseases, including influenza, because not everyone gets tested or diagnosed before they die, Herlihy said.
“Every number is an estimation,” said Wynia, with the Center for Bioethics and Humanities. “Every number is an estimation because even if you are counting individuals you are going to end up missing some.”
Or vice versa, he said.
Public health experts believe that the true toll of the pandemic extends beyond just tracking who died from the disease. It is also important to look at deaths indirectly caused by the pandemic. Public health experts will ultimately look at whether and how deaths could have been mitigated by the government response.
“If you want to understand the total impact of a disaster, that total impact includes the response to the disaster,” Wynia said.
Overall, deaths from all causes increased 20% in Colorado during the first six months of the pandemic. This is largely due to COVID-19, but other causes — from Alzheimer’s to overdoses — also saw significant spikes.
Tracking deaths indirectly caused by the pandemic is complex. There are multiple reasons that deaths are up, but one that has concerned physicians is that people may have delayed getting care because they feared getting COVID-19.


thedenverpost--2020-12-01--Lauren Boebert leads Colorado Republicans in pushing Trump’s baseless election claims

Among Colorado Republicans , Congresswoman-elect Lauren Boebert has emerged as the most ardent and outspoken advocate of President Donald Trump ’ s unproven claims of widespread election fraud .
At a time when congressional Republicans from Colorado are shying away and remaining mum on election results — neither acknowledging President-elect Joe Biden ’ s victory nor endorsing Trump ’ s accusations — Boebert has unabashedly claimed that America ’ s presidential election was fraudulent .
“ There is no way that anyone can call the 2020 presidential election fair .
We have to make this right , ” Boebert told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ During a brief interview Monday afternoon , conducted during a break in Boebert ’ s freshman orientation , the congresswoman-elect was asked whether she is convinced Trump beat Biden .
She stopped short of making that claim .
“ This is a contested election .
I ’ m convinced that President Trump should not stop fighting to prove the results to be fair and just and legal , ” she replied .
“ This isn ’ t a radical position to take , to question whether all legal votes are accounted for , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So , I think we should be going through every measure possible to make sure that we get there , ” she added .
Boebert , a 33-year-old Rifle Republican , will take office in early January and represent much of Colorado ’ s western half , along with large swaths of southern Colorado .
She defeated Diane Mitsch Bush , a Democrat , by about 27,000 votes , or 6 percentage points .
Boebert says her own election was fair and accurate .
“ I said from the onset that Colorado has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You could recount my election results all day long and I ’ d win , ” she said .
“ But I think it ’ s fair game to allow the president to exhaust his legal means to challenge election results , especially when you consider he performed at historic levels.
” On Saturday and again Monday , Boebert claimed it was “ fake news ” that Joe Biden received more votes than former President Barack Obama received in 2008 , echoing a popular theory among Trump supporters .
But Biden did , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters this year than in 2008 , and because turnout was higher this year than in 2008 — or in any other election in the past century .
On Monday , Boebert also questioned how Biden could have received a record 80 million votes — she refers to them as “ his alleged 80 million votes ” — in a year when Republicans gained seats in the U.S. House .
But House results do not always mirror presidential results ; Republicans won the presidency in 2000 and 2016 , but Democrats gained congressional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , meanwhile , has failed to provide evidence of widespread voter fraud , losing repeatedly in courts across the country .
Election officials from both major political parties have certified election results in nearly all key battleground states and the Electoral College is scheduled to certify Biden ’ s victory in two weeks , on Dec. 14 .
David Pourshoushtari , a spokesman for the Colorado Democratic Party , accused Boebert of peddling conspiracy theories and said she should instead focus on crafting legislation for the next Congress .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the people of Congressional District 3 , ” he said of her election fraud claims .

Among Colorado Republicans, Congresswoman-elect Lauren Boebert has emerged as the most ardent and outspoken advocate of President Donald Trump’s unproven claims of widespread election fraud.
At a time when congressional Republicans from Colorado are shying away and remaining mum on election results — neither acknowledging President-elect Joe Biden’s victory nor endorsing Trump’s accusations — Boebert has unabashedly claimed that America’s presidential election was fraudulent.
“There is no way that anyone can call the 2020 presidential election fair. We have to make this right,” Boebert told her massive social media following Sunday.
During a brief interview Monday afternoon, conducted during a break in Boebert’s freshman orientation, the congresswoman-elect was asked whether she is convinced Trump beat Biden. She stopped short of making that claim.
“This is a contested election. I’m convinced that President Trump should not stop fighting to prove the results to be fair and just and legal,” she replied.
“This isn’t a radical position to take, to question whether all legal votes are accounted for, and we should always want that. So, I think we should be going through every measure possible to make sure that we get there,” she added.
Boebert, a 33-year-old Rifle Republican, will take office in early January and represent much of Colorado’s western half, along with large swaths of southern Colorado. She defeated Diane Mitsch Bush, a Democrat, by about 27,000 votes, or 6 percentage points. Boebert says her own election was fair and accurate.
“I said from the onset that Colorado has a better history of mail-in security. You could recount my election results all day long and I’d win,” she said. “But I think it’s fair game to allow the president to exhaust his legal means to challenge election results, especially when you consider he performed at historic levels.”
On Saturday and again Monday, Boebert claimed it was “fake news” that Joe Biden received more votes than former President Barack Obama received in 2008, echoing a popular theory among Trump supporters. But Biden did, because there were 25 million more eligible voters this year than in 2008, and because turnout was higher this year than in 2008 — or in any other election in the past century.
On Monday, Boebert also questioned how Biden could have received a record 80 million votes — she refers to them as “his alleged 80 million votes” — in a year when Republicans gained seats in the U.S. House. But House results do not always mirror presidential results; Republicans won the presidency in 2000 and 2016, but Democrats gained congressional seats those years, for example.
Trump, meanwhile, has failed to provide evidence of widespread voter fraud, losing repeatedly in courts across the country. Election officials from both major political parties have certified election results in nearly all key battleground states and the Electoral College is scheduled to certify Biden’s victory in two weeks, on Dec. 14.
David Pourshoushtari, a spokesman for the Colorado Democratic Party, accused Boebert of peddling conspiracy theories and said she should instead focus on crafting legislation for the next Congress.
“It’s an embarrassment and a disservice to the people of Congressional District 3,” he said of her election fraud claims.


thedenverpost--2020-12-01--Get Cooking: Italians take the cake when talking about cooking and eating

I ’ m forever fascinated how different people talk about the way they cook and eat .
To express satiety , for instance , an American will push away from the table and say , “ I ’ m stuffed.
” The pleasure of eating is somatic , belly-bursting .
It ’ s about corporeal real estate .
The French , on the other hand , consider such body talk rude .
A French person invariably will cut off further servings of food with a comment on quality , not quantity , and say something such as , “ That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Surprisingly , the French at table do not discuss food the way we might assume .
( It is we who go on about French food more than they do . )
For the French , meal-speak is about wit , turns of phrase on subjects that Americans consider table taboos : sex , politics , religion .
Yet , for some funny reason , the French use food talk to refer to most everything off the table .
A loved one is a “ petit chou ” ( a little cabbage ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grand fromage ” ( a big cheese ) .
When all hope is lost , “ Les carottes sont cuites.
” ( “ The carrots are cooked.
” ) Those who have the shakes “ sucrer les fraises ” ( sugar the strawberries ) .
There are many more French sayings that use food and eating to talk about much else beyond food and eating .
Like French , Spanish eat-speaks when it doesn ’ t .
The main way to express liking most anything — sunsets , a sweater , a sweetheart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” via the Latin , the base of our English “ gustatory.
” Spaniards have at their disposal all sorts of proverbs about daily life that relate to food : for example , “ Al pan pan y al vino vino ” ( Bread is bread and wine is wine ) or “ Call a spade a spade.
” However , in the years that I ’ ve been paying attention to people speak about food and cooking , it is the Italians who , um , take the cake .
I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — all men — converse with each other for more than an hour about whether polenta is best as a freestanding meal or prepared as a leftover for the next day ’ s meals ; about whether the great cheese Parmigiano-Reggiano is more properly eaten grated on other foods or eaten whole , after a meal chunked into small bites ; and about which type of rice to use for which sort of rice preparation ( i.e.
, risotto , cool rice salad , soup ) .
It ’ s said that Italians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three things only : what they ate at their last meal , what they are eating now , and what they will eat next .
So many Italian proverbs pass down wisdom in the form of food-talk .
“ A tavola no si invecchia.
” ( “ You don ’ t get old at the table , ” meaning that eating and drinking at the table is life at its finest , so slow down and enjoy it , everything you need in life is right there . )
“ La cucina piccola @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The small kitchen makes the house big , ” meaning that the kitchen and what comes from it is the true center and foundation of the home and family . )
Italian food sayings are legion and use everything in the pantry to talk about everything in life .
A good example is “ Tutto fa brodo.
” ( “ Everything makes soup , ” or the little things are important , too . )
Because the Italian culture is so centered on foodways of all forms — growing and shopping for only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lovingly , dining at the table with gusto and much conviviality — it ’ s no surprise that eat-speak even describes Italian history or politics .
One of my favorite Italian food proverbs illustrates the pain of a centuries-old system of agriculture that did not die out until well after World War II .
It was called the “ mezzadria ” and refers to the feudal-like manner by which many farmers and peasants , especially those in central and southern Italy , rendered half of that which they raised or produced back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rent .
Peasant farmers were poor and decisions about what to eat scraped the bottoms of many a figurative barrel , because eating something often deducted from what could go toward payment of rent .
This saying tells that story : “ Quando il contadino mangia un pollo o il contadino è malado o il pollo.
” ( “ Whenever a peasant eats a chicken , either the peasant is sick or the chicken is.
” ) • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , of which 1 tablespoon set aside • 1 pound fresh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1-inch pieces on the bias , the tips kept separate In a large bowl or pot , rinse the rice for 5 minutes in the stock , swirling it around well with your fingers .
Scoop it from the liquid ( or strain it , keeping in mind not to lose or discard the stock ) and set aside .
Over medium-high heat , in a large , heavy , low pan or skillet ( not a tall saucepot ) , melt the 3 tablespoons butter , add the strained rice and sauté @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rice is well coated with the butter and beginning to sizzle and smell nutty .
Add the shallots and cook the mix for another minute .
Add the wine or juice and all but 1/2 cup of the reserved stock ( keep aside the 1/2 cup for finishing the risotto ) , stir the pot well , cover , and lower the heat as far as possible .
Cook for 10 minutes , then add the asparagus pieces except for the tips , stir in well , scraping the bottom and sides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pan ’ s cover .
Cook for another 10 minutes , until the rice is cooked nearly through but still resistant to the bite .
Remove the cover and stir in the asparagus tips .
The risotto should now be just underdone .
Raise the heat substantially and stir in the reserved 1/2 cup of stock , incorporating it and getting the risotto to bubble vigorously and become thick and creamy .
Remove the pan from the heat and add the grated cheese and reserved 1 tablespoon butter .
Season with salt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plates , garnished with the chopped parsley .

I’m forever fascinated how different people talk about the way they cook and eat. To express satiety, for instance, an American will push away from the table and say, “I’m stuffed.” The pleasure of eating is somatic, belly-bursting. It’s about corporeal real estate.
The French, on the other hand, consider such body talk rude. A French person invariably will cut off further servings of food with a comment on quality, not quantity, and say something such as, “That was very good, thank you.”
Surprisingly, the French at table do not discuss food the way we might assume. (It is we who go on about French food more than they do.) For the French, meal-speak is about wit, turns of phrase on subjects that Americans consider table taboos: sex, politics, religion.
Yet, for some funny reason, the French use food talk to refer to most everything off the table. A loved one is a “petit chou” (a little cabbage). A heavy hitter is “un grand fromage” (a big cheese). When all hope is lost, “Les carottes sont cuites.” (“The carrots are cooked.”) Those who have the shakes “sucrer les fraises” (sugar the strawberries). There are many more French sayings that use food and eating to talk about much else beyond food and eating.
Like French, Spanish eat-speaks when it doesn’t. The main way to express liking most anything — sunsets, a sweater, a sweetheart — is the verb “gustar,” via the Latin, the base of our English “gustatory.”
Spaniards have at their disposal all sorts of proverbs about daily life that relate to food: for example, “Al pan pan y al vino vino” (Bread is bread and wine is wine) or “Call a spade a spade.”
However, in the years that I’ve been paying attention to people speak about food and cooking, it is the Italians who, um, take the cake.
I have listened to a group of six Italians — all men — converse with each other for more than an hour about whether polenta is best as a freestanding meal or prepared as a leftover for the next day’s meals; about whether the great cheese Parmigiano-Reggiano is more properly eaten grated on other foods or eaten whole, after a meal chunked into small bites; and about which type of rice to use for which sort of rice preparation (i.e., risotto, cool rice salad, soup).
It’s said that Italians (especially Italian men) talk about three things only: what they ate at their last meal, what they are eating now, and what they will eat next.
So many Italian proverbs pass down wisdom in the form of food-talk. “A tavola no si invecchia.” (“You don’t get old at the table,” meaning that eating and drinking at the table is life at its finest, so slow down and enjoy it, everything you need in life is right there.) “La cucina piccola fa la casa grande.” (“The small kitchen makes the house big,” meaning that the kitchen and what comes from it is the true center and foundation of the home and family.)
Italian food sayings are legion and use everything in the pantry to talk about everything in life. A good example is “Tutto fa brodo.” (“Everything makes soup,” or the little things are important, too.)
Because the Italian culture is so centered on foodways of all forms — growing and shopping for only the best, preparing food carefully and lovingly, dining at the table with gusto and much conviviality — it’s no surprise that eat-speak even describes Italian history or politics.
One of my favorite Italian food proverbs illustrates the pain of a centuries-old system of agriculture that did not die out until well after World War II. It was called the “mezzadria” and refers to the feudal-like manner by which many farmers and peasants, especially those in central and southern Italy, rendered half of that which they raised or produced back to the landowner, as a form of rent.
Peasant farmers were poor and decisions about what to eat scraped the bottoms of many a figurative barrel, because eating something often deducted from what could go toward payment of rent.
This saying tells that story: “Quando il contadino mangia un pollo o il contadino è malado o il pollo.” (“Whenever a peasant eats a chicken, either the peasant is sick or the chicken is.”)
Risotto with Asparagus
Serves 6 as a starter course.
Ingredients
1 pound risotto rice (arborio, carnaroli or vialone nano), about 1 1/2 cups
4 cups chicken (or turkey) stock
2 small or medium shallots, peeled and minced
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, of which 1 tablespoon set aside
1 cup dry white wine or “light” apple juice
1 pound fresh asparagus stalks, well-cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces on the bias, the tips kept separate
3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (a 2-3 ounce chunk to begin)
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions
In a large bowl or pot, rinse the rice for 5 minutes in the stock, swirling it around well with your fingers. Scoop it from the liquid (or strain it, keeping in mind not to lose or discard the stock) and set aside.
Over medium-high heat, in a large, heavy, low pan or skillet (not a tall saucepot), melt the 3 tablespoons butter, add the strained rice and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring, until the rice is well coated with the butter and beginning to sizzle and smell nutty. Add the shallots and cook the mix for another minute. Add the wine or juice and all but 1/2 cup of the reserved stock (keep aside the 1/2 cup for finishing the risotto), stir the pot well, cover, and lower the heat as far as possible.
Cook for 10 minutes, then add the asparagus pieces except for the tips, stir in well, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan, and put back the pan’s cover. Cook for another 10 minutes, until the rice is cooked nearly through but still resistant to the bite.
Remove the cover and stir in the asparagus tips. The risotto should now be just underdone. Raise the heat substantially and stir in the reserved 1/2 cup of stock, incorporating it and getting the risotto to bubble vigorously and become thick and creamy.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the grated cheese and reserved 1 tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve on warmed flat plates, garnished with the chopped parsley.


thedenverpost--2020-12-01--Will Rockies non-tender Jon Gray in midst of budget crunch?

The roster decisions due Wednesday could provide an indication of just how tight the Rockies ’ purse strings will be this offseason .
Is it possible that right-handed starter Jon Gray , whose 2021 contract is projected to be close to $ 6 million , will be non-tendered and become a free agent ?
Wednesday is the deadline for teams to tender their arbitration-eligible players a contract offer for next season .
Players who do not receive a contract offer are considered “ non-tendered ” and become free agents .
The number of non-tendered players has grown in recent years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 53 in 2019 .
In the wake of lost revenues due to the coronavirus pandemic and a 60-game season , the expectation is that a record number of players will be non-tendered this offseason in an effort to save teams money .
Gray , 29 , the third overall pick in the 2013 draft , is in his third and final year of arbitration .
He ’ s scheduled to become a free agent after the 2021 season .
He ’ s flashed brilliance during his six seasons but he ’ s also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projected to earn $ 5.9 million through the arbitration process , according to MLB Trade Rumors .
That would make him the most expensive of Colorado ’ s 13 arbitration-eligible players .
A shoulder injury — the first arm issue of Gray ’ s career — led to reduced pitch velocity and a poor performance in 2020 ( 2-4 , 6.69 ERA in eight starts ) .
The Rockies , however , have said that Gray ’ s arm simply needed rest and some rehabilitation .
• Keeler : Jeff Bridich is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fans still care .
Because he ’ s losing them by the day .
• David Dahl could boost Rockies ’ stalled offense — if he stays healthy • Rockies add Colton Welker to 40-man roster ; Riley Pint not protected from Rule 5 Draft The Rockies must decide if Gray will join German Marquez , Kyle Freeland and Antonio Senzatela as part of the starting rotation ’ s core next season , or if it ’ s time to move on .
The Rockies also might want to explore the non-tender list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than Gray .
Another option would be for Colorado to gamble by non-tendering Gray with the hope of re-signing him as a free agent by outbidding other teams .
Or , Colorado could explore signing Gray to a multi-year deal , with the idea of saving money in 2021 , then paying Gray more the next season .
Other Rockies who might be non-tendered include catchers Tony Wolters and Elias Diaz , right-handed starter Chi Chi Gonzalez and right-handed relievers Carlos Estevez and Jairo Diaz .
Following is the full list of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ salaries , according to MLB Trade Rumors :

The roster decisions due Wednesday could provide an indication of just how tight the Rockies’ purse strings will be this offseason.
Is it possible that right-handed starter Jon Gray, whose 2021 contract is projected to be close to $6 million, will be non-tendered and become a free agent?
Wednesday is the deadline for teams to tender their arbitration-eligible players a contract offer for next season. Players who do not receive a contract offer are considered “non-tendered” and become free agents.
The number of non-tendered players has grown in recent years, jumping from 36 in 2015 to 53 in 2019. In the wake of lost revenues due to the coronavirus pandemic and a 60-game season, the expectation is that a record number of players will be non-tendered this offseason in an effort to save teams money.
Gray, 29, the third overall pick in the 2013 draft, is in his third and final year of arbitration. He’s scheduled to become a free agent after the 2021 season. He’s flashed brilliance during his six seasons but he’s also disappointed and been injured. He is projected to earn $5.9 million through the arbitration process, according to MLB Trade Rumors. That would make him the most expensive of Colorado’s 13 arbitration-eligible players.
A shoulder injury — the first arm issue of Gray’s career — led to reduced pitch velocity and a poor performance in 2020 (2-4, 6.69 ERA in eight starts). The Rockies, however, have said that Gray’s arm simply needed rest and some rehabilitation.
The Rockies must decide if Gray will join German Marquez, Kyle Freeland and Antonio Senzatela as part of the starting rotation’s core next season, or if it’s time to move on. The Rockies also might want to explore the non-tender list for a starter who would cost less than Gray. Another option would be for Colorado to gamble by non-tendering Gray with the hope of re-signing him as a free agent by outbidding other teams. Or, Colorado could explore signing Gray to a multi-year deal, with the idea of saving money in 2021, then paying Gray more the next season.
Other Rockies who might be non-tendered include catchers Tony Wolters and Elias Diaz, right-handed starter Chi Chi Gonzalez and right-handed relievers Carlos Estevez and Jairo Diaz.
Following is the full list of the Rockies’ arbitration-eligible players, with projected salaries, according to MLB Trade Rumors:


thedenverpost--2020-12-01--Broncos Mailbag: Why doesn’t the offense run more screen passes?

Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O ’ Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag weekly during the season .
Submit questions to Ryan here .
I assume you ’ ll get this question a lot in similar forms : Why was the Broncos-Patriots game earlier in the season postponed and the Steelers game on Thanksgiving postponed ( twice ) causing a domino effect in the coming weeks , yet the Broncos — with literally no quarterback — were still required to play against the Saints ?
What is the matrix that is used by the NFL to postpone or not to postpone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ sour grapes , ” “ poor me , ” “ no fair , ” attitude , but in this case it does seem very random and arbitrary .
Here ’ s what I ’ ve been able to gather : The Broncos-Patriots game was postponed because the league felt the New England situation was not contained ; they deemed the Broncos clear of having any outbreak so they kept the game on Sunday and benched the quarterbacks .
The same reason was stated for moving Ravens-Steelers and not Saints-Broncos .
I disagree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was presented .
My consistent comment on the quarterbacks being benched is the punishment didn ’ t fit the crime and because the league office hasn ’ t commented , we don ’ t know the specifics other than the quarterbacks were lax in wearing their masks last week .
How can the NFL justify putting such a dreadful product on the field on Sunday ?
I don ’ t blame the Broncos .
They tried under impossible circumstances .
But why wasn ’ t this game postponed like the Patriots game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ravens/Steelers ?
Seems like the NFL brings those guys slippers and crumpets until full strength but the Broncos have to find emergency players .
A simply dreadful product on Sunday and the NFL should worry about that .
The NFL office should be embarrassed by what happened on Sunday .
But it won ’ t show regret because the Broncos ’ organization in their current state is way down on the list of teams the league wants to please .
That tends to happen with no owner .
I had low expectations for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weren ’ t met .
At least the game was completed in only two hours , 40 minutes .
We all see the weekly calls from fans wanting to send the coaches , specifically offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur , packing .
However , it remains likely Vic Fangio will get another year and Drew Lock still has a chance to be the frontrunner to be the starter going into next year .
If those two things hold true do you think it better serves the Broncos to give Shurmur another season as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our homegrown players on offense have played with the same offensive coordinator in consecutive seasons since joining the league and Lock has played for five coordinators in six years dating back to Missouri .
• Garett Bolles ’ comeback from maligned lineman to highly-paid left tackle sweet for him , Broncos Country • Kiszla vs. O ’ Halloran : Will linebacker Von Miller ever play another game for the Broncos ?
• Keeler : The Drew Lock Era celebrates its 1st birthday this week .
It hasn ’ t aged well for John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Broncos are 4-7 and have three of their next four on the road .
If they lose all three and aren ’ t competitive in the process , does the heat on Vic ’ s seat get turned up ?
It might .
Same with Shurmur and Lock .
I get the call for continuity but what if general manager John Elway feels the Fangio/Shurmur/Lock combination won ’ t work ?
Including Sunday ’ s game , the Broncos have lost four games this year by at least 18 points .
That said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would benefit from being in the same system … if the system is the right fit to fuel their development and performance .
Hi Ryan , was that botched snap to Philip Lindsay scored as Lindsay ’ s first NFL fumble lost ?
If so , I think that ’ s the worst thing to come out of the no-QB debacle .
Any way we can put an asterisk next to that one ?
The worst thing out of the no-quarterback debacle was Lindsay sustaining a knee injury while serving as the wildcat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fumble was credited to center Lloyd Cushenberry .
Ryan , any word on what the plan is for this week ?
Let ’ s say it ’ s the worst-case scenario and all of Denver ’ s quarterbacks test positive .
Who do we get ?
Does anyone fit this offense ?
Get a former Pat Shurmur quarterback like Sam Bradford ?
Sign his son , Kyle ?
How about , dare I say , Colin Kaepernick ?
What would you do in that situation ?
On Monday , Fangio said Drew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the facility if they test negative on Tuesday .
What I would do in this situation is get the players cleared to return , tell Bortles he will need to stay in isolation , take part in all of the virtual meetings and work out on his own .
Are the Broncos horrible at setting up screen passes ?
It seems to be a nice wrinkle that lots of other teams throw in , but every time the Broncos try it , it gets blown up !
I ’ ve been pounding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Broncos to run more screens .
Tight end Noah Fant gained 13 yards on Sunday , one of the few positive offensive plays and the only pass completion .
The screen game should suit Lindsay , Gordon , Fant and , before he was injured , tight end Albert Okwuegbunam .
More screens , Pat Shurmur , more screens please !
Hi Ryan .
For most of the year the Broncos ’ offense has been as stagnant as the cow pond behind my implement shed ( probably smells like it , too ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play-calling and how much is poor quarterback play ?
It ’ s hard to tell on TV if receivers are open and an inexperienced quarterback just doesn ’ t see them .
Would this be a high-powered offense with more skill behind center ?
Thanks , and happy Thanksgiving from the highest point in Kansas !
Hey Matt , I had to Google Mt .
Sunflower , Kan. , to see a ) if it existed ( it does ) and b ) where it was located ( along the Kansas-Colorado border ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had never heard of it .
Dividing the blame for the Broncos ’ year-long offensive struggles is not easy .
Shurmur didn ’ t have a preseason to learn his players and that may still be ongoing .
Receiver Courtland Sutton tore his ACL in Week 2 .
Phillip Lindsay/Melvin Gordon have rarely been healthy at the same time .
And Lock has 11 interceptions .
I don ’ t think this offense would be lighting up the scoreboard if they had an experienced quarterback .
I was not expecting the Broncos to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have come up with a better offensive game plan .
Shurmur seems like a coach who can not adapt his scheme to fit the talent of his personnel .
His play-calling does not show very much imagination for a coach that came from the Andy Reid coaching tree .
Did he think that the Saints were going to honor the threat of a pass with four receivers and Phillip Lindsay or Royce Freeman in the shotgun ?
Why was he having Kendall Hinton throw 15- or 20-yard throws instead of screen passes ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the second half , and he only attempted one screen pass .
Why didn ’ t he try a heavy package with an extra offensive lineman and Lindsay , Freeman and Melvin Gordon in a wishbone ?
Do you think that Shurmur is an upgrade over Rich Scangarello ?
Shurmur an upgrade over Scangarello ?
No idea .
The Broncos are 4-7 this year and struggling to score points , just like last year when they struggled to win and score .
No way should Hinton been asked to throw the long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hamilton that was underthrown and intercepted .
As previously noted , the screen game should have been used more .
What was surprising is the Broncos didn ’ t really get wild with their play-calling .
Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O ’ Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag weekly during the season .
Submit questions to Ryan here .

Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O’Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag weekly during the season. Submit questions to Ryan here.
I assume you’ll get this question a lot in similar forms: Why was the Broncos-Patriots game earlier in the season postponed and the Steelers game on Thanksgiving postponed (twice) causing a domino effect in the coming weeks, yet the Broncos — with literally no quarterback — were still required to play against the Saints? What is the matrix that is used by the NFL to postpone or not to postpone? I am very much against the “sour grapes,” “poor me,” “no fair,” attitude, but in this case it does seem very random and arbitrary.
— Michael Hert, Durango
Here’s what I’ve been able to gather: The Broncos-Patriots game was postponed because the league felt the New England situation was not contained; they deemed the Broncos clear of having any outbreak so they kept the game on Sunday and benched the quarterbacks. The same reason was stated for moving Ravens-Steelers and not Saints-Broncos. I disagree, but that’s the information I was presented.
My consistent comment on the quarterbacks being benched is the punishment didn’t fit the crime and because the league office hasn’t commented, we don’t know the specifics other than the quarterbacks were lax in wearing their masks last week.
How can the NFL justify putting such a dreadful product on the field on Sunday? I don’t blame the Broncos. They tried under impossible circumstances. But why wasn’t this game postponed like the Patriots game earlier in the season? Or the Ravens/Steelers? Seems like the NFL brings those guys slippers and crumpets until full strength but the Broncos have to find emergency players. A simply dreadful product on Sunday and the NFL should worry about that.
— Matthew, Colorado Springs
The NFL office should be embarrassed by what happened on Sunday. But it won’t show regret because the Broncos’ organization in their current state is way down on the list of teams the league wants to please. That tends to happen with no owner.
I had low expectations for Sunday’s game … and they weren’t met. At least the game was completed in only two hours, 40 minutes.
We all see the weekly calls from fans wanting to send the coaches, specifically offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, packing. However, it remains likely Vic Fangio will get another year and Drew Lock still has a chance to be the frontrunner to be the starter going into next year. If those two things hold true do you think it better serves the Broncos to give Shurmur another season as well, despite the struggles? None of our homegrown players on offense have played with the same offensive coordinator in consecutive seasons since joining the league and Lock has played for five coordinators in six years dating back to Missouri.
— Steve, Forks, Wash.
The Broncos are 4-7 and have three of their next four on the road. If they lose all three and aren’t competitive in the process, does the heat on Vic’s seat get turned up? It might. Same with Shurmur and Lock.
I get the call for continuity but what if general manager John Elway feels the Fangio/Shurmur/Lock combination won’t work? Including Sunday’s game, the Broncos have lost four games this year by at least 18 points.
That said, the Broncos’ young offensive players would benefit from being in the same system … if the system is the right fit to fuel their development and performance.
Hi Ryan, was that botched snap to Philip Lindsay scored as Lindsay’s first NFL fumble lost? If so, I think that’s the worst thing to come out of the no-QB debacle. Any way we can put an asterisk next to that one?
— Patrick, Denver
The worst thing out of the no-quarterback debacle was Lindsay sustaining a knee injury while serving as the wildcat quarterback.
Good news, Patrick, the fumble was credited to center Lloyd Cushenberry.
Ryan, any word on what the plan is for this week? Let’s say it’s the worst-case scenario and all of Denver’s quarterbacks test positive. Who do we get? Does anyone fit this offense? Get a former Pat Shurmur quarterback like Sam Bradford? Sign his son, Kyle? How about, dare I say, Colin Kaepernick? What would you do in that situation?
— Mike S., Fort Collins
On Monday, Fangio said Drew Lock/Brett Rypien/Blake Bortles would be allowed back in the facility if they test negative on Tuesday.
What I would do in this situation is get the players cleared to return, tell Bortles he will need to stay in isolation, take part in all of the virtual meetings and work out on his own.
Are the Broncos horrible at setting up screen passes? It seems to be a nice wrinkle that lots of other teams throw in, but every time the Broncos try it, it gets blown up!
— Will, Centennial
I’ve been pounding the figurative drum all year for the Broncos to run more screens. Tight end Noah Fant gained 13 yards on Sunday, one of the few positive offensive plays and the only pass completion.
The screen game should suit Lindsay, Gordon, Fant and, before he was injured, tight end Albert Okwuegbunam.
More screens, Pat Shurmur, more screens please!
Hi Ryan. For most of the year the Broncos’ offense has been as stagnant as the cow pond behind my implement shed (probably smells like it, too). How much of this ineptitude is play-calling and how much is poor quarterback play? It’s hard to tell on TV if receivers are open and an inexperienced quarterback just doesn’t see them. Would this be a high-powered offense with more skill behind center? Thanks, and happy Thanksgiving from the highest point in Kansas!
— Matt, Mt. Sunflower, Kan.
Hey Matt, I had to Google Mt. Sunflower, Kan., to see a) if it existed (it does) and b) where it was located (along the Kansas-Colorado border). I graduated from Kansas State and had never heard of it.
Dividing the blame for the Broncos’ year-long offensive struggles is not easy. Shurmur didn’t have a preseason to learn his players and that may still be ongoing. Receiver Courtland Sutton tore his ACL in Week 2. Phillip Lindsay/Melvin Gordon have rarely been healthy at the same time. And Lock has 11 interceptions.
I don’t think this offense would be lighting up the scoreboard if they had an experienced quarterback.
I was not expecting the Broncos to win Sunday, but they certainly could have come up with a better offensive game plan. Shurmur seems like a coach who cannot adapt his scheme to fit the talent of his personnel. His play-calling does not show very much imagination for a coach that came from the Andy Reid coaching tree. Did he think that the Saints were going to honor the threat of a pass with four receivers and Phillip Lindsay or Royce Freeman in the shotgun? Why was he having Kendall Hinton throw 15- or 20-yard throws instead of screen passes? His only completed pass was a screen in the second half, and he only attempted one screen pass. Why didn’t he try a heavy package with an extra offensive lineman and Lindsay, Freeman and Melvin Gordon in a wishbone? Do you think that Shurmur is an upgrade over Rich Scangarello?
— Chris, Cedaredge
Shurmur an upgrade over Scangarello? No idea. The Broncos are 4-7 this year and struggling to score points, just like last year when they struggled to win and score.
No way should Hinton been asked to throw the long pass down the right sideline to DaeSean Hamilton that was underthrown and intercepted. As previously noted, the screen game should have been used more.
What was surprising is the Broncos didn’t really get wild with their play-calling.
Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O’Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag weekly during the season. Submit questions to Ryan here.


thedenverpost--2020-12-01--Ask Amy: Friend wants to weigh in on troubled teen

Dear Amy : My friend and co-worker has a teenage son ( age 15 ) who has unfortunately been in trouble for most of his life .
This has gotten worse the older he gets .
( I am not talking about small incidents either .
There has been racism , violence , and other problems that are serious . )
He has been disciplined several times already at school , and now is currently attending the “ alternative ” school and has been kicked off both band and athletics , in which he excelled .
She seems to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to understand the severity of his actions , nor the recourse for them .
She is also extremely hard-headed and must always be right ( *sigh* ) .
She has asked my opinion several times and I have generally deferred , knowing it will upset her .
Should I tell her what I think , or simply let it go ?
I confess it is hard to watch because no good can come from the path he is currently traveling down .
Your advice would be greatly appreciated .
Dear A : If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with an extremely challenging teenager , then you should weigh in ( when invited ) supportively and share every ounce of expertise and commiseration you can .
In short , can you actually help her ?
If so , you should .
Merely stating your opinion about how badly her son is messing up ( or highlighting the severity of his offenses so she ’ ll pay closer attention ) might make you feel righteous — and right — but wouldn ’ t offer a pathway toward change .
The way you present @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could imagine that there are ways her own temperament might have contributed to her son ’ s behavior .
Again , offering an indictment of her personality or parenting style isn ’ t likely to inspire change .
If you lack expertise and experience , you might gain traction by asking questions : Has she been offered professional help ?
Has he ?
Has she been following professional recommendations ?
Listen to her answers with compassion , and if she asks you what she should do , say , “ Every child is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say what YOU should do , but I can tell you what I would try to do.
” If she responds defensively , you ’ ll know that she isn ’ t ready or able to listen .
There is no one answer in how to parent a troubled child .
It is a very long and lonely road .
Be extremely judicious in doling out advice , while offering support in abundance .
Dear Amy : My mother passed away earlier this year .
Shortly afterward , my father started seeing someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
Before I knew about his new romantic partner , my wife and I were planning to have Christmas dinner at his home since they are part of our small quarantine bubble of four .
We were also planning on doing a Zoom dinner with my mom ’ s side of the family .
They have no clue about this relationship , and I imagine there ’ s going to be a lot of awkwardness if we do this .
What do you think I should do to reduce this awkwardness ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ father to try to be more transparent .
He hasn ’ t given me many details about his new partner , and she is not very talkative , so I don ’ t know much about her .
I don ’ t even know her last name .
I know it would be easier NOT to participate in a Zoom , but maintaining my relationship with Mom ’ s family is extra important to me now that she is no longer with us .
Dear Awkward : Please accept my condolences .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tough for you this year – for many reasons .
I can understand why you are anxious about this particular episode .
You don ’ t say whether your father wants to do a Zoom gathering from his house .
Please remember , as you worry about this , that it is up to HIM to manage introducing his new partner to other people , and that includes managing the awkwardness .
You should try to detach from your own expectations about how he will handle this and focus on your own connection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ About to Blow ” didn ’ t like to be asked how much money they paid for things .
My mother always said , “ There are three things I do not discuss : My age ; my weight ; and my money – in that order.
” Hope this helps .
She lived to 99-1/2 .
Dear Smart : I may be borrowing her wisdom .

Dear Amy: My friend and co-worker has a teenage son (age 15) who has unfortunately been in trouble for most of his life. This has gotten worse the older he gets. (I am not talking about small incidents either. There has been racism, violence, and other problems that are serious.)
He has been disciplined several times already at school, and now is currently attending the “alternative” school and has been kicked off both band and athletics, in which he excelled.
She seems to have rose-colored glasses on and does not seem to understand the severity of his actions, nor the recourse for them. She is also extremely hard-headed and must always be right (*sigh*).
She has asked my opinion several times and I have generally deferred, knowing it will upset her. Should I tell her what I think, or simply let it go? I confess it is hard to watch because no good can come from the path he is currently traveling down.
Your advice would be greatly appreciated.
— A Friend
Dear A: If you have personal or professional experience dealing with an extremely challenging teenager, then you should weigh in (when invited) supportively and share every ounce of expertise and commiseration you can.
In short, can you actually help her? If so, you should.
Merely stating your opinion about how badly her son is messing up (or highlighting the severity of his offenses so she’ll pay closer attention) might make you feel righteous — and right — but wouldn’t offer a pathway toward change.
The way you present your friend’s personality, I could imagine that there are ways her own temperament might have contributed to her son’s behavior. Again, offering an indictment of her personality or parenting style isn’t likely to inspire change.
If you lack expertise and experience, you might gain traction by asking questions: Has she been offered professional help? Has he? Has she been following professional recommendations?
Listen to her answers with compassion, and if she asks you what she should do, say, “Every child is different. I can’t really say what YOU should do, but I can tell you what I would try to do.” If she responds defensively, you’ll know that she isn’t ready or able to listen.
There is no one answer in how to parent a troubled child. It is a very long and lonely road. Be extremely judicious in doling out advice, while offering support in abundance.
Dear Amy: My mother passed away earlier this year.
Shortly afterward, my father started seeing someone. She has basically moved in with him.
Before I knew about his new romantic partner, my wife and I were planning to have Christmas dinner at his home since they are part of our small quarantine bubble of four.
We were also planning on doing a Zoom dinner with my mom’s side of the family.
They have no clue about this relationship, and I imagine there’s going to be a lot of awkwardness if we do this. What do you think I should do to reduce this awkwardness?
My wife thinks I should ask my father to try to be more transparent. He hasn’t given me many details about his new partner, and she is not very talkative, so I don’t know much about her. I don’t even know her last name.
I know it would be easier NOT to participate in a Zoom, but maintaining my relationship with Mom’s family is extra important to me now that she is no longer with us.
— Feeling Awkward
Dear Awkward: Please accept my condolences. The entire holiday season will likely be quite tough for you this year – for many reasons. I can understand why you are anxious about this particular episode.
You don’t say whether your father wants to do a Zoom gathering from his house. Please remember, as you worry about this, that it is up to HIM to manage introducing his new partner to other people, and that includes managing the awkwardness. You should try to detach from your own expectations about how he will handle this and focus on your own connection to these family members.
Dear Amy: “About to Blow” didn’t like to be asked how much money they paid for things.
My mother always said, “There are three things I do not discuss: My age; my weight; and my money – in that order.”
That shut up nosy people pretty quickly.
Hope this helps. She lived to 99-1/2.
— Smart Mom
Dear Smart: I may be borrowing her wisdom.
(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--2020-12-01--City of Aurora asks judge to dismiss Elijah McClain wrongful death case

The City of Aurora , paramedics and officers listed as defendants in a Elijah McClain wrongful death case have asked a federal judge to dismiss the case .
The motion to dismiss the case was filed in Sunday in the U.S. District Court of Colorado .
The defendants claim , among other reasons , in the motion to dismiss that there is no underlying constitutional violation and the complaint fails to adequately allege facts to support municipal liability .
The attorney for the family of Elijah McClain filed the federal civil rights lawsuit back in August .
The 106-page lawsuit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies led to Aurora Police Department officers and Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics violating McClain ’ s constitutional rights , leading to his death .
The autopsy found his manner and cause of death were undetermined .
The city claims in the motion that the complaint “ makes only conclusory allegations regarding the alleged failure to train .
It does not point to any specific deficiency in the City ’ s “ overall training , ” but rather alleges facts that may suggest “ shortcomings in individual officers ’ training and supervision .
”

The City of Aurora, paramedics and officers listed as defendants in a Elijah McClain wrongful death case have asked a federal judge to dismiss the case.
The motion to dismiss the case was filed in Sunday in the U.S. District Court of Colorado.
The defendants claim, among other reasons, in the motion to dismiss that there is no underlying constitutional violation and the complaint fails to adequately allege facts to support municipal liability.
The attorney for the family of Elijah McClain filed the federal civil rights lawsuit back in August. The 106-page lawsuit claims that Aurora’s customs and policies led to Aurora Police Department officers and Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics violating McClain’s constitutional rights, leading to his death. The autopsy found his manner and cause of death were undetermined.
The city claims in the motion that the complaint “makes only conclusory allegations regarding the alleged failure to train. It does not point to any specific deficiency in the City’s “overall training,” but rather alleges facts that may suggest “shortcomings in individual officers’ training and supervision.”
Read the full story here.


thedenverpost--2020-12-01--Firestone sports bar reopens indoor dining despite state enforcement

A Firestone sports bar reopened to indoor dining Sunday after temporarily shutting down because state Department of Revenue officials threatened to suspend its liquor license for defying state public health orders .
For Parrott ’ s Sports Grille owner and manager Chase Bonner , it was a simple , if agonizing , decision .
If he closes down again it will be permanent , because Parrott ’ s can ’ t make it through another shutdown .
The bar at 6050 Firestone Blvd .
has been on the brink of insolvency for a month , and closing its doors now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There will be no comeback from us closing again , ” Bonner said .
“ Do we simply lay down and die or do we take a stand and fight as long as humanly possible for the life I ’ ve built for myself and my employees ?
” Parrott ’ s employs 12 people , Bonner said .
Before the pandemic and its accompanying financial strain , Parrott ’ s had 24 people on the payroll .
“ We have no way out other than to stand up and break the order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Polis refers to them , laws , ” Bonner said .
“ And when it comes to your livelihood and the livelihood of your employees , I don ’ t think there ’ s any choice in what we have to do.
” Parrott ’ s has operated with reduced capacity and distanced indoor seating for months and is barely breaking even as a result , Bonner said .
There have not been any outbreaks of COVID-19 at Parrott ’ s , according to Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases on Monday and has a 15.73 % two-week case positivity rate .
When Polis announced that Weld County would be among the Colorado counties moving to “ level red ” restrictions — which include no inside dining — but that enforcement would be up to local authorities , Bonner was relieved .
Though coronavirus cases are surging and available intensive care beds are dwindling , Weld County is not enforcing state public health mandates , instead leaving it up to individuals to decide what ’ s best .
But on Nov. 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Enforcement Division in the Department of Revenue .
Someone had driven by and had seen customers inside , and officials told Bonner that if the bar didn ’ t close down , the division would suspend Parrott ’ s liquor license and hold a hearing , at which officials would either suspend the license indefinitely or revoke it altogether .
It was the only time Bonner has been contacted by state officials about public health orders .
Parrott ’ s closed Nov. 24 , but after talking with other local businesses and attorneys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a post on its Facebook page Saturday , the bar wrote that staff were organizing a phone tree “ for if/when enforcement agencies show up in order to hopefully be able to get support on site quickly , ” and that patrons could sign up to be notified if they wanted to be able to come show support .
The Department of Revenue declined to comment on the Parrott ’ s case because the Liquor Enforcement Division “ is in an active administrative action at this time , ” spokesperson Suzanne Karrer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Division is assisting local public health officials and the Governor ’ s office in supporting the mission of public safety and is suspending liquor licenses that choose not to comply with the statewide orders to keep the public safe , ” Karrer said .
“ The Division has worked tirelessly to educate our licensees with the changing circumstances , in hopes of keeping businesses open and in compliance with public health orders.
” At least one other Weld County business has already lost its liquor license because of state enforcement .
Bulldog Pub @ @ @ @ @ @ @ license last week because it remained open to indoor dining with the blessing of county officials , according to The Denver Channel .
Bonner said he thinks the state ’ s enforcement goes above and beyond what the law allows .
He ’ s communicated with Department of Revenue officials in the past week and was told it ’ s his job to make sure he knows what the rules are .
He has left four voicemails for Polis , some while he was in tears , but has not gotten a call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A spokesperson for Polis did not immediately respond to a request for comment , though Polis has previously said that the state can enforce public health orders in restaurants the same way it enforces rules that prevent the spread of salmonella .
“ I understand the pandemic is serious and has to be taken seriously , but we have to be looking ahead to the future , ” Bonner said .
“ If we don ’ t , there might not be one .
”

A Firestone sports bar reopened to indoor dining Sunday after temporarily shutting down because state Department of Revenue officials threatened to suspend its liquor license for defying state public health orders.
For Parrott’s Sports Grille owner and manager Chase Bonner, it was a simple, if agonizing, decision. If he closes down again it will be permanent, because Parrott’s can’t make it through another shutdown. The bar at 6050 Firestone Blvd. has been on the brink of insolvency for a month, and closing its doors now would be a death knell.
“There will be no comeback from us closing again,” Bonner said. “Do we simply lay down and die or do we take a stand and fight as long as humanly possible for the life I’ve built for myself and my employees?”
Parrott’s employs 12 people, Bonner said. Before the pandemic and its accompanying financial strain, Parrott’s had 24 people on the payroll.
“We have no way out other than to stand up and break the order or, as Gov. (Jared) Polis refers to them, laws,” Bonner said. “And when it comes to your livelihood and the livelihood of your employees, I don’t think there’s any choice in what we have to do.”
Parrott’s has operated with reduced capacity and distanced indoor seating for months and is barely breaking even as a result, Bonner said. There have not been any outbreaks of COVID-19 at Parrott’s, according to Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment data. Weld County recorded 662 new coronavirus cases on Monday and has a 15.73% two-week case positivity rate.
When Polis announced that Weld County would be among the Colorado counties moving to “level red” restrictions — which include no inside dining — but that enforcement would be up to local authorities, Bonner was relieved. Though coronavirus cases are surging and available intensive care beds are dwindling, Weld County is not enforcing state public health mandates, instead leaving it up to individuals to decide what’s best.
But on Nov. 23, Bonner was contacted by the Liquor Enforcement Division in the Department of Revenue. Someone had driven by and had seen customers inside, and officials told Bonner that if the bar didn’t close down, the division would suspend Parrott’s liquor license and hold a hearing, at which officials would either suspend the license indefinitely or revoke it altogether.
It was the only time Bonner has been contacted by state officials about public health orders.
Parrott’s closed Nov. 24, but after talking with other local businesses and attorneys, Bonner chose to reopen Sunday. In a post on its Facebook page Saturday, the bar wrote that staff were organizing a phone tree “for if/when enforcement agencies show up in order to hopefully be able to get support on site quickly,” and that patrons could sign up to be notified if they wanted to be able to come show support.
The Department of Revenue declined to comment on the Parrott’s case because the Liquor Enforcement Division “is in an active administrative action at this time,” spokesperson Suzanne Karrer said in a statement.
“The Division is assisting local public health officials and the Governor’s office in supporting the mission of public safety and is suspending liquor licenses that choose not to comply with the statewide orders to keep the public safe,” Karrer said. “The Division has worked tirelessly to educate our licensees with the changing circumstances, in hopes of keeping businesses open and in compliance with public health orders.”
At least one other Weld County business has already lost its liquor license because of state enforcement. Bulldog Pub & Grub in Greeley lost its liquor license last week because it remained open to indoor dining with the blessing of county officials, according to The Denver Channel.
Bonner said he thinks the state’s enforcement goes above and beyond what the law allows. He’s communicated with Department of Revenue officials in the past week and was told it’s his job to make sure he knows what the rules are. He has left four voicemails for Polis, some while he was in tears, but has not gotten a call back from the governor’s office. A spokesperson for Polis did not immediately respond to a request for comment, though Polis has previously said that the state can enforce public health orders in restaurants the same way it enforces rules that prevent the spread of salmonella.
“I understand the pandemic is serious and has to be taken seriously, but we have to be looking ahead to the future,” Bonner said. “If we don’t, there might not be one.”


thedenverpost--2020-12-02--Flights delayed at Denver airport after air traffic controller tests positive for COVID-19

Flights to and from Denver were briefly halted then delayed for several hours on Tuesday after an air traffic controller tested positive for COVID-19 .
About 250 flights in and out of Denver International Airport were delayed and more than 40 canceled on Tuesday , according to FlightAware.com , although it was not clear how many were due to air traffic control issues .
The Federal Aviation Administration said flight-control work slowed down at the airport after workers were moved to a training room .
That led the FAA to hold up flights in and out of the region for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flights resumed , delays continued and affected Denver-bound flights at airports throughout the country , the FAA said .
An airport spokeswoman said operations were expected to return to normal by early evening .
The facility was cleaned later Tuesday , according to FAA .
The FAA did not identify the controller or provide information about their condition .
It was the fourth time that someone tested positive at the same facility , which handles planes approaching or leaving nearby airports or flying through the area .
A similar facility nearby in Longmont @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nine times .
Nearly 250 FAA facilities including air traffic control towers have had workers test positive during the pandemic .
In some cases , remaining controllers are shifted to a backup facility , and at other times entire facilities have closed .
Most of those closures have been brief , according to information on the agency ’ s website .

Flights to and from Denver were briefly halted then delayed for several hours on Tuesday after an air traffic controller tested positive for COVID-19.
About 250 flights in and out of Denver International Airport were delayed and more than 40 canceled on Tuesday, according to FlightAware.com, although it was not clear how many were due to air traffic control issues.
The Federal Aviation Administration said flight-control work slowed down at the airport after workers were moved to a training room. That led the FAA to hold up flights in and out of the region for nearly an hour Tuesday afternoon.
After flights resumed, delays continued and affected Denver-bound flights at airports throughout the country, the FAA said.
An airport spokeswoman said operations were expected to return to normal by early evening.
The facility was cleaned later Tuesday, according to FAA. The FAA did not identify the controller or provide information about their condition. It was the fourth time that someone tested positive at the same facility, which handles planes approaching or leaving nearby airports or flying through the area.
A similar facility nearby in Longmont has had employees test positive for COVID-19 nine times.
Nearly 250 FAA facilities including air traffic control towers have had workers test positive during the pandemic. In some cases, remaining controllers are shifted to a backup facility, and at other times entire facilities have closed. Most of those closures have been brief, according to information on the agency’s website.


thedenverpost--2020-12-02--Rockies agree to terms with catcher Elias Díaz and RHP Jairo Díaz to one-year deals

The Rockies announced Tuesday that they have agreed to terms on one-year contracts to avoid arbitration with catcher Elias Díaz and right-handed reliever Jairo Díaz .
Elias Díaz will make $ 1.2 million with $ 300,000 available through incentives , according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today .
Jairo Díaz agreed to a one-year , $ 1.1 million deal , according to a source .
Elias Díaz , 30 , saw more playing time behind the plate as the 2020 season closed out .
He appeared in 26 games , batting .235 with two home runs ( the only two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drove in nine runs .
In six seasons with Pittsburgh ( 2015-19 ) and the Rockies , Díaz hit .248 with 15 home runs and 91 RBIs .
Jairo Díaz , 29 , began the 2020 season strong and worked as a part-time closer .
He held opponents scoreless in his first five appearances but surrendered runs in seven of his next 11 appearances , posting a 14.00 ERA in those games .
He finished the season with a 7.65 ERA in 24 appearances .
Diaz struggled against right-handed batters , who hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the deadline for teams to tender their arbitration-eligible players a contract offer for next season .
Players who do not receive a contract offer are considered “ non-tendered ” and become free agents .

The Rockies announced Tuesday that they have agreed to terms on one-year contracts to avoid arbitration with catcher Elias Díaz and right-handed reliever Jairo Díaz.
Elias Díaz will make $1.2 million with $300,000 available through incentives, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Jairo Díaz agreed to a one-year, $1.1 million deal, according to a source.
Elias Díaz, 30, saw more playing time behind the plate as the 2020 season closed out. He appeared in 26 games, batting .235 with two home runs (the only two homers hit by Rockies catchers) and drove in nine runs.
In six seasons with Pittsburgh (2015-19) and the Rockies, Díaz hit .248 with 15 home runs and 91 RBIs.
Jairo Díaz, 29, began the 2020 season strong and worked as a part-time closer. He held opponents scoreless in his first five appearances but surrendered runs in seven of his next 11 appearances, posting a 14.00 ERA in those games. He finished the season with a 7.65 ERA in 24 appearances. Diaz struggled against right-handed batters, who hit him at a .409 clip.
Wednesday is the deadline for teams to tender their arbitration-eligible players a contract offer for next season. Players who do not receive a contract offer are considered “non-tendered” and become free agents.


thedenverpost--2020-12-02--Funeral homes owned by Colorado coroner are shut down by state order

Several funeral homes and crematories owned by the Lake County coroner , Shannon Kent , have been shut down and Kent has agreed to cease any such operations in Colorado , according to state order issued on Monday .
Authorities in October found an unrefrigerated body , bags of unlabeled cremains and an abandoned stillborn infant at funeral homes in Leadville and Gypsum , according to case documents .
Investigators also found at least one instance in which a family received cremains for their stillborn child mixed with bits of adult body parts and metal fragments .
Kent owned and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Everett Family Funeral Home and Crematory in Gypsum ; Hegmann Funeral Service in Idaho Springs ; and Runyan-Kent Mortuary in Fairplay .
On Monday , the Department of Regulatory Agencies issued a final order , revoking the registration of Kent ’ s funeral homes and crematories .
Kent , a respondent to the order , relinquished registrations to perform funeral and crematory services in Colorado .
He also agreed to never file or submit an application to perform such services in the state .
The nine-page order was signed by Attorney General Phil @ @

Several funeral homes and crematories owned by the Lake County coroner, Shannon Kent, have been shut down and Kent has agreed to cease any such operations in Colorado, according to state order issued on Monday.
Authorities in October found an unrefrigerated body, bags of unlabeled cremains and an abandoned stillborn infant at funeral homes in Leadville and Gypsum, according to case documents. Investigators also found at least one instance in which a family received cremains for their stillborn child mixed with bits of adult body parts and metal fragments.
Kent owned and operated Bailey-Kent Funeral Home in Leadville; Everett Family Funeral Home and Crematory in Gypsum; Hegmann Funeral Service in Idaho Springs; and Runyan-Kent Mortuary in Fairplay.
On Monday, the Department of Regulatory Agencies issued a final order, revoking the registration of Kent’s funeral homes and crematories.
Kent, a respondent to the order, relinquished registrations to perform funeral and crematory services in Colorado. He also agreed to never file or submit an application to perform such services in the state.
The nine-page order was signed by Attorney General Phil Weiser.


thedenverpost--2020-12-02--Keeler: Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic are two pieces of Nuggets’ NBA championship puzzle. They need

Keeler: Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic are two pieces of Nuggets’ NBA championship puzzle. They need to find out if Michael Porter Jr. is the third.

If the Broncos ’ season is/was/shoulda been a referendum on Drew Lock , then the 2020-21 campaign for the Nuggets should more or less serve the same function for Michael Porter Jr .
Here ya go , kid .
Keys .
Title .
Bill of sale .
Temporary tags .
It ’ s all there .
Car ’ s in the lot .
Just don ’ t drive us into a ditch .
“ I think the future is extremely bright , ” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said of MPJ , the franchise ’ s 22-year-old scratch ticket .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good chance to start for us if he continues to do the right things .
But nothing is going to be given to him , or anyone else .
They ’ re going to have to work for it.
” Malone ’ s staggered — sorry , tiered — preseason camp opened Tuesday .
In his initial state-of-the team address , he touched on the general weirdness of a short offseason ; the unusual roster turnover for a locker room rooted in continuity and chemistry ; Will Barton ’ s health , physical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) ; and a starting lineup that , besides Jamal Murray at the point and Nikola Jokic at center , remains in flux .
He also admitted — given the absolute carnage at Dove Valley over this past weekend — being at least a little freaked , and justifiably , about what COVID-19 could do to an NBA roster outside the protection of an Orlando bubble .
“ If we have a case or two , or we have to shut down during the season , ” Malone warned , “ that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where your season is done.
” In the best-case scenario , basketball and not the pandemic , drives the narrative for the next seven months .
In the best-case scenario , the 6-foot-10 Porter , who teased his ceiling at Disney World , averaging 11.4 points , 6.7 rebounds , 1.8 treys and 23.7 minutes over 19 playoff appearances , is the perfect complement to the two-headed monster of Murray and Jokic , and not a third wheel .
We already know the double act works .
That you can ride the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Western Conference final .
That this is the core , the foundation , the backbone — postseason-tested , postseason tough — that you can build a title-contender around .
Now we need to see if the trio gels , too .
If the Murray-Jokic-MPJ supergroup , like all good bands , can play well together under the brightest lights and the biggest stages .
No more training wheels .
No more kid gloves .
No more head games .
Jerami Grant walked .
Barton is a wait-and-see .
There ’ s no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s job to lose .
Just don ’ t drive us into a ditch .
Confidence shouldn ’ t be an issue .
Lord knows talent won ’ t be .
The millstones for the kid are largely on two fronts : First , consistency .
Especially over a regular season that ’ s almost certain to get stopped , started and generally yanked around by the coronavirus .
Second , defense .
It ’ s not fair to expect a 22-year-old to be able to clamp down the likes of Kawhi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ routine basis .
Not yet .
But that ’ s the bar .
That ’ s who ’ s on the fight card .
Porter is a stretch-4 with wing-guard range , wing-guard hops .
The Nuggets don ’ t have a lot of bodies that combine that much reach with that kind of quickness .
MPJ doesn ’ t have to be Scottie Pippen .
But he ’ s got to try .
More importantly , he ’ s got to show the coaching staff that he ’ s trying .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the gaffes and the brain cramps .
Riding out the inevitable roller-coaster weeks , given an increase of the kid ’ s minutes and responsibilities .
• Injured Nuggets wing Will Barton in a “ much better place , ” according to coach Michael Malone • Zeke Nnaji knows his Nuggets role : “ I want to be a lockdown defender ” The playoffs are a different beast , granted .
But until then , it behooves everyone in the organization to spend the games leading up to it trying to find out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Or don ’ t .
And to act on that intel .
Malone on Tuesday professed every starting job is open on the Nuggets but two , and they ’ re the obvious two .
Then , unprompted , he shifted gears to this : “ I will say Michael Porter really showed himself well in those 19 playoff games he had a chance to play in Orlando .
And I think Michael Porter has the chance to be an all-league talent .
And I ’ m excited to see what he can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Because we learned this from the last 12 months of Lock , too : If MPJ doesn ’ t take the next step , the Nuggets probably won ’ t , either .

If the Broncos’ season is/was/shoulda been a referendum on Drew Lock, then the 2020-21 campaign for the Nuggets should more or less serve the same function for Michael Porter Jr.
Here ya go, kid. Keys. Title. Bill of sale. Temporary tags. It’s all there. Car’s in the lot.
Just don’t drive us into a ditch.
“I think the future is extremely bright,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said of MPJ, the franchise’s 22-year-old scratch ticket. “And I think he will have a good chance to start for us if he continues to do the right things. But nothing is going to be given to him, or anyone else. They’re going to have to work for it.”
Malone’s staggered — sorry, tiered — preseason camp opened Tuesday. In his initial state-of-the team address, he touched on the general weirdness of a short offseason; the unusual roster turnover for a locker room rooted in continuity and chemistry; Will Barton’s health, physical and mental (improving on both counts); and a starting lineup that, besides Jamal Murray at the point and Nikola Jokic at center, remains in flux.
He also admitted — given the absolute carnage at Dove Valley over this past weekend — being at least a little freaked, and justifiably, about what COVID-19 could do to an NBA roster outside the protection of an Orlando bubble.
“If we have a case or two, or we have to shut down during the season,” Malone warned, “that could be a decisive week, two-week period, where your season is done.”
In the best-case scenario, basketball and not the pandemic, drives the narrative for the next seven months. In the best-case scenario, the 6-foot-10 Porter, who teased his ceiling at Disney World, averaging 11.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.8 treys and 23.7 minutes over 19 playoff appearances, is the perfect complement to the two-headed monster of Murray and Jokic, and not a third wheel.
We already know the double act works. That you can ride the Blue Arrow/Joker Express all the way to a Western Conference final. That this is the core, the foundation, the backbone — postseason-tested, postseason tough — that you can build a title-contender around.
Now we need to see if the trio gels, too. If the Murray-Jokic-MPJ supergroup, like all good bands, can play well together under the brightest lights and the biggest stages.
No more training wheels. No more kid gloves. No more head games. Jerami Grant walked. Barton is a wait-and-see. There’s no security blanket. This puppy is MPJ’s job to lose.
Just don’t drive us into a ditch.
Confidence shouldn’t be an issue. Lord knows talent won’t be. The millstones for the kid are largely on two fronts:
First, consistency. Especially over a regular season that’s almost certain to get stopped, started and generally yanked around by the coronavirus.
Second, defense. It’s not fair to expect a 22-year-old to be able to clamp down the likes of Kawhi, LeBron and Anthony Davis on a routine basis. Not yet. But that’s the bar. That’s who’s on the fight card.
Porter is a stretch-4 with wing-guard range, wing-guard hops. The Nuggets don’t have a lot of bodies that combine that much reach with that kind of quickness. MPJ doesn’t have to be Scottie Pippen. But he’s got to try. More importantly, he’s got to show the coaching staff that he’s trying.
For Malone, that means putting up with the gaffes and the brain cramps. Riding out the inevitable roller-coaster weeks, given an increase of the kid’s minutes and responsibilities.
The playoffs are a different beast, granted. But until then, it behooves everyone in the organization to spend the games leading up to it trying to find out exactly what they have in Porter. Or don’t. And to act on that intel.
Malone on Tuesday professed every starting job is open on the Nuggets but two, and they’re the obvious two. Then, unprompted, he shifted gears to this:
“I will say Michael Porter really showed himself well in those 19 playoff games he had a chance to play in Orlando. And I think Michael Porter has the chance to be an all-league talent. And I’m excited to see what he can do this year.”
Join the club. Because we learned this from the last 12 months of Lock, too: If MPJ doesn’t take the next step, the Nuggets probably won’t, either.