thedenverpost--2020-09-26--Portland fears violence as ‘Proud Boys’ group descends on city

PORTLAND , Ore. — Members of the right-wing Proud Boys and their supporters arrived in a Portland , Oregon , park Saturday as leftist activists prepared their own counterrallies , raising the temperature of a city already on edge as officials pleaded for the ralliers to refrain from violence .
Gov .
Kate Brown declared a state of emergency in advance of the arrival of the Proud Boys , an all-male group whose members — many of whom support President Donald Trump — often engage in provocations , threats or fighting with opponents at their events .
Brown ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law enforcement presence in hopes of keeping the dueling groups apart , but there were fears that people traveling to the park with violent intentions would nonetheless find a way to sow chaos .
Downtown Portland has been rocked by protests this summer , first over the police killings of Black people and later over the Trump administration ’ s move to send federal agents to the city in an attempt to quell the demonstrations .
And demonstrations across the United States kicked up again this week after a grand jury in Kentucky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two Louisville police officers who shot Breonna Taylor , a Black emergency room technician , in her own apartment .
Protesters in Louisville faced off with police again Friday , with police firing flash-bang grenades and arresting 22 people ; more protests were planned for Saturday .
In New York , hundreds of demonstrators held a sit-in for more than an hour on the Brooklyn Bridge , where many took a knee in honor of Taylor .
People also took to the streets in Oakland , California ; Seattle ; Boston ; and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motorist reportedly tried to drive a car through the crowd , though no one was reported injured .
In Philadelphia on Saturday , dozens of Proud Boys marched through downtown city streets , followed by police officers on bikes .
Some carried American flags and Trump 2020 flags while chanting derogatory comments about antifa , videos on social media showed .
Some onlookers heckled them , mocking their appearance and clothing .
In Portland , the Proud Boys have described the event Saturday in the city ’ s Delta Park as a rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they say is being carried out in Portland and other cities by left-wing demonstrators , including supporters of antifa , the loose group of activists who sometimes use violence to stop people from promoting views they deem fascist or racist .
But many in Portland saw it as a thinly veiled excuse by the right-wing group to brawl with their ideological opposites .
Among the roughly 200 Proud Boys members who were gathered Saturday , hours before the main event , some were carrying guns .
Others had bulletproof vests and other tactical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particular groups is clear : to intimidate , instigate and inflame , ” Brown said Friday .
A coalition of left-wing groups gathered for a demonstration in an area of the city known as Vanport , just down the street from the Proud Boys event , and officials worried that members of the two groups could try to confront one another .
State police have promised a “ massive influx ” of troopers to keep them apart .
Another event promoted by Portland residents — promising crafts and other activities — was also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park .
Alex Sundine , a member of Black Unity PDX , an activist group in Portland , said the organizers of the counterrally , which began assembling Saturday about a half-mile away from the Proud Boys demonstration , planned to focus on their own event and ignore any efforts by the Proud Boys members to engage them .
Among other things , organizers there said they would discuss the history of the Vanport neighborhood , a former home to many Black shipbuilders who were kept out of Portland by discriminatory housing practices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Columbia River flooded it in 1948 , and part of it was later turned into Delta Park , the site the Proud Boys members chose for their rally .
“ It ’ s a history lesson almost to make people aware of what that land was and what it means — and a reminder of how our society treats Black people , ” Sundine said .
Even as he publicly condemned anyone hoping for violence , Enrique Tarrio , the leader of the Proud Boys , acknowledged in an interview Friday that skirmishes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ d be stupid to say that I don ’ t expect someone to come in with some type of nefarious motives , ” he said , pledging to report any such person to police .
Earlier in the month , Tarrio posted online that “ antifa is in for a bad time ” if law enforcement was not present for the event .
The group has strongly criticized Mayor Ted Wheeler of Portland for not taking a stronger line against the protesters who clashed with agents outside of a federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks .
The Proud Boys welcomed Brown ’ s emergency order , which also allowed state and local police to use tear gas , which the mayor had banned city police officers from using .
In a statement this week , Wheeler , a Democrat , said he feared the arrival of Saturday ’ s demonstrators more than the ongoing demonstrations against racial injustice in his city .
“ I categorically condemn violence of all kinds by all people , ” Wheeler said in a statement .
“ But let me be clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizing to come to Portland on Saturday present the greatest threat we ’ ve faced so far.
” The Proud Boys have held similar events , including last summer in Portland and Washington , D.C. , both of which included violent skirmishes .

The New York Times News Service Syndicate

PORTLAND, Ore. — Members of the right-wing Proud Boys and their supporters arrived in a Portland, Oregon, park Saturday as leftist activists prepared their own counterrallies, raising the temperature of a city already on edge as officials pleaded for the ralliers to refrain from violence.
Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of emergency in advance of the arrival of the Proud Boys, an all-male group whose members — many of whom support President Donald Trump — often engage in provocations, threats or fighting with opponents at their events. Brown’s declaration cleared the way for a major law enforcement presence in hopes of keeping the dueling groups apart, but there were fears that people traveling to the park with violent intentions would nonetheless find a way to sow chaos.
Downtown Portland has been rocked by protests this summer, first over the police killings of Black people and later over the Trump administration’s move to send federal agents to the city in an attempt to quell the demonstrations. And demonstrations across the United States kicked up again this week after a grand jury in Kentucky decided not to indict either of the two Louisville police officers who shot Breonna Taylor, a Black emergency room technician, in her own apartment.
Protesters in Louisville faced off with police again Friday, with police firing flash-bang grenades and arresting 22 people; more protests were planned for Saturday. In New York, hundreds of demonstrators held a sit-in for more than an hour on the Brooklyn Bridge, where many took a knee in honor of Taylor. People also took to the streets in Oakland, California; Seattle; Boston; and Albuquerque, New Mexico, where a motorist reportedly tried to drive a car through the crowd, though no one was reported injured.
In Philadelphia on Saturday, dozens of Proud Boys marched through downtown city streets, followed by police officers on bikes. Some carried American flags and Trump 2020 flags while chanting derogatory comments about antifa, videos on social media showed. Some onlookers heckled them, mocking their appearance and clothing.
In Portland, the Proud Boys have described the event Saturday in the city’s Delta Park as a rally to “end domestic terrorism” that they say is being carried out in Portland and other cities by left-wing demonstrators, including supporters of antifa, the loose group of activists who sometimes use violence to stop people from promoting views they deem fascist or racist.
But many in Portland saw it as a thinly veiled excuse by the right-wing group to brawl with their ideological opposites. Among the roughly 200 Proud Boys members who were gathered Saturday, hours before the main event, some were carrying guns. Others had bulletproof vests and other tactical gear.
“The pattern of these particular groups is clear: to intimidate, instigate and inflame,” Brown said Friday.
A coalition of left-wing groups gathered for a demonstration in an area of the city known as Vanport, just down the street from the Proud Boys event, and officials worried that members of the two groups could try to confront one another. State police have promised a “massive influx” of troopers to keep them apart. Another event promoted by Portland residents — promising crafts and other activities — was also getting underway downtown, miles from Delta Park.
Alex Sundine, a member of Black Unity PDX, an activist group in Portland, said the organizers of the counterrally, which began assembling Saturday about a half-mile away from the Proud Boys demonstration, planned to focus on their own event and ignore any efforts by the Proud Boys members to engage them.
Among other things, organizers there said they would discuss the history of the Vanport neighborhood, a former home to many Black shipbuilders who were kept out of Portland by discriminatory housing practices. The city was destroyed when the Columbia River flooded it in 1948, and part of it was later turned into Delta Park, the site the Proud Boys members chose for their rally.
“It’s a history lesson almost to make people aware of what that land was and what it means — and a reminder of how our society treats Black people,” Sundine said.
Even as he publicly condemned anyone hoping for violence, Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys, acknowledged in an interview Friday that skirmishes were possible, if not likely.
“I’d be stupid to say that I don’t expect someone to come in with some type of nefarious motives,” he said, pledging to report any such person to police.
Earlier in the month, Tarrio posted online that “antifa is in for a bad time” if law enforcement was not present for the event.
The group has strongly criticized Mayor Ted Wheeler of Portland for not taking a stronger line against the protesters who clashed with agents outside of a federal courthouse downtown in nightly confrontations over several weeks. The Proud Boys welcomed Brown’s emergency order, which also allowed state and local police to use tear gas, which the mayor had banned city police officers from using.
In a statement this week, Wheeler, a Democrat, said he feared the arrival of Saturday’s demonstrators more than the ongoing demonstrations against racial injustice in his city.
“I categorically condemn violence of all kinds by all people,” Wheeler said in a statement. “But let me be clear: The alt-right and white supremacist groups organizing to come to Portland on Saturday present the greatest threat we’ve faced so far.”
The Proud Boys have held similar events, including last summer in Portland and Washington, D.C., both of which included violent skirmishes.


thedenverpost--2020-09-26--UFC 253 live blog: Real-time updates from fight night

Stipe Miocic defeated Daniel Cormier by unanimous decision in a five-round bout Saturday night to win the rubber match in @ @ @ @ @ fighters and retain his heavyweight championship at UFC 252 .

The Denver Post is a nine-time Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper that has covered the Rocky Mountain Empire since 1892.


thedenverpost--2020-09-27--Test of Colorado mail finds delivery is timely — most of the time

Reports of slower mail delivery times nationally and across Colorado since mid-summer are causing concern as more voters than ever plan to vote by mail in the Nov. 3 election , to avoid coronavirus exposure .
But an unscientific experiment by the Colorado News Collaborative over the past month found little to be concerned about in the Centennial State .
Of 120 letters or padded envelopes sent from 24 cities and towns to 26 cities and towns , most arrived at their destination within two to four days .
More than half arrived within two days , and another 31 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Postal Service acknowledged nationwide delivery slowdowns in a report to Congress late last month .
Those slowdowns came after new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy , a former trucking company owner and Republican megadonor , ordered limits on overtime for postal workers and removal of some mail-sorting machines .
The Postal Service “ is committed to delivering Election Mail in a timely manner , ” a spokesman for the agency emailed .
An Associated Press examination of delivery data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request , however , indicated that no region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 95 % of first-class mail arriving within five days .
The USPS did better in the experiment conducted by Colorado newsrooms .
What we did On the last day of August , 96 pieces of mail were sent out to 26 cities around the state , including to Yuma , Wiggins and Holyoke on the Eastern Plains ; to Grand Junction , Eagle , Montrose and Steamboat Springs in the west ; and to Salida , Pagosa Springs and Coaldale in the south of the state .
Along the Front Range @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Fort Collins , Pueblo and Boulder also were included .
More than half the mailings originated in Denver , Lafayette and Lakewood .
Another set of 24 mailings were sent back to Denver from cities and towns around the state between Sept. 2 and Sept. 8 .
The average delivery time for the Aug. 31 mailings was about 2.7 days .
The average delivery time for other mailing dates was 2.6 days , excluding Sunday and Labor Day .
That ’ s within the Postal Service ’ s target of virtually all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A padded envelope mailed from Meeker to Salida didn ’ t arrive , and a letter mailed to Salida was returned to the sender in Centennial as undeliverable , even though the address was correct and four other mailings to the same address arrived within three to four days .
Over the summer , the Colorado Attorney General ’ s Office decided to ask Coloradans on social media how they had been affected by U.S .
Postal Service slowdowns , with the expectation it would receive maybe a few dozen stories .
Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman in Littleton named Haley did not receive her bipolar disorder medication , causing anxiety attacks .
Zoe , an independent contractor in Denver , received payments from her clients two weeks late , leading to overdraft fees and a damaged credit score .
A Telluride resident named Amanda who suffers from Lyme disease went three days without her treatment .
“ The response we got was pretty substantial because we literally just made a few social media posts and then ended up getting all of these people telling their stories , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But I think we only got a fraction of the complaints that are out there.
” Weiser ’ s office cobbled four of the stories into a multistate lawsuit filed in eastern Washington .
Its goal was to force USPS to roll back reforms — the removal of sorting equipment , limitations on overtime — that slowed the distribution of mail in July and August .
USPS had already pledged to delay its reforms until after the election , but Weiser wanted a binding court order .
And he got one .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preliminary injunction forcing the USPS to end “ implementation or enforcement of policy changes … that have slowed mail delivery ” and to continue prioritizing all election mail , such as ballots , between now and November .
In the month between Aug. 18 , when DeJoy announced he would suspend his reforms , and Sept. 17 , when a judge required him to , mail delivery times rollercoastered , according to a massive study by a company called SnailWorks published in the New York Times .
After improvements in late August , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of September .
A spokesman for SnailWorks said in an email that Colorado was in line with the rest of the nation .
With ballots set to be mailed in two weeks , that ’ s worrisome for some election watchers .
Colorado began all-mail elections in 2013 , though several counties conducted elections by mail before then .
Only 7 % of voters cast ballots in person in 2016 , and 4 % did so in 2018 .
While the ballots go out to voters via the Postal Service , only one-quarter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a stamp on the envelope to return it .
The other 75 % return their ballots via dropboxes around the state .
And there have occasionally been problems .
Two years ago , a truck with 61,000 Adams County ballots went missing after it was turned away by the Postal Service for not having the proper paperwork .
The ballots were delivered after the foul-up was discovered .
About 100 voters in Coaldale in western Fremont County did not receive ballots in the June 30 primary election .
Mark Gully , who owns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t receive his ballot until after the primary was over .
He wasn ’ t a fan of all-mail elections in the first place .
“ I would rather have everybody go and place their vote in a box in a balloting place , ” Gully said .
“ To me this is an example of what can happen in mail ballots.
” Fremont County Clerk Justin Grantham said the Coaldale confusion was the result of ballots not being routed properly from Denver , and people using post office boxes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s name isn ’ t specifically listed on the PO box , the ballot is returned to the clerk ’ s office .
“ We didn ’ t have that problem in the presidential primary election before that ; we didn ’ t have it in the coordinated election in 2019 , ” Grantham said .
“ We didn ’ t have that problem in Howard ; we didn ’ t have that problem in Hillsdale , in Cotopaxi , ” three other towns in the western part of the county .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot tracking system and said his office will be alert for similar problems preceding the Nov. 3 general election .
A recent USPS report on mail ballot preparedness cited Colorado ’ s system of tracking mail ballots among its best practices .
Meanwhile , at the attorney general ’ s office , employees have stopped counting and collecting stories about USPS slowdowns and the problems those slowdowns have caused .
Weiser , a Democrat , says he has been assuaged and comforted by the Sept. 17 injunction , although he will be keeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the weeks and months ahead .
“ We ’ re going to remain vigilant , ” he said , “ and stay on top of this.
” This story is brought to you by COLab , the Colorado News Collaborative , a nonprofit coalition of more than 50 newsrooms across Colorado working together to better serve the public .
Learn more at https : //colabnews.co .

Reports of slower mail delivery times nationally and across Colorado since mid-summer are causing concern as more voters than ever plan to vote by mail in the Nov. 3 election, to avoid coronavirus exposure.
But an unscientific experiment by the Colorado News Collaborative over the past month found little to be concerned about in the Centennial State.
Of 120 letters or padded envelopes sent from 24 cities and towns to 26 cities and towns, most arrived at their destination within two to four days. More than half arrived within two days, and another 31% arrived within three days.
The Postal Service acknowledged nationwide delivery slowdowns in a report to Congress late last month. Those slowdowns came after new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a former trucking company owner and Republican megadonor, ordered limits on overtime for postal workers and removal of some mail-sorting machines.
The Postal Service “is committed to delivering Election Mail in a timely manner,” a spokesman for the agency emailed. An Associated Press examination of delivery data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, however, indicated that no region of the country meets the target of more than 95% of first-class mail arriving within five days.
The USPS did better in the experiment conducted by Colorado newsrooms.
What we did
On the last day of August, 96 pieces of mail were sent out to 26 cities around the state, including to Yuma, Wiggins and Holyoke on the Eastern Plains; to Grand Junction, Eagle, Montrose and Steamboat Springs in the west; and to Salida, Pagosa Springs and Coaldale in the south of the state. Along the Front Range, Denver, Greeley, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Pueblo and Boulder also were included.
More than half the mailings originated in Denver, Lafayette and Lakewood. Another set of 24 mailings were sent back to Denver from cities and towns around the state between Sept. 2 and Sept. 8.
The average delivery time for the Aug. 31 mailings was about 2.7 days. The average delivery time for other mailing dates was 2.6 days, excluding Sunday and Labor Day. That’s within the Postal Service’s target of virtually all such mailings arriving within five days.
A padded envelope mailed from Meeker to Salida didn’t arrive, and a letter mailed to Salida was returned to the sender in Centennial as undeliverable, even though the address was correct and four other mailings to the same address arrived within three to four days.
A summer of discontent
Over the summer, the Colorado Attorney General’s Office decided to ask Coloradans on social media how they had been affected by U.S. Postal Service slowdowns, with the expectation it would receive maybe a few dozen stories. Instead, there were nearly 200.
A woman in Littleton named Haley did not receive her bipolar disorder medication, causing anxiety attacks. Zoe, an independent contractor in Denver, received payments from her clients two weeks late, leading to overdraft fees and a damaged credit score. A Telluride resident named Amanda who suffers from Lyme disease went three days without her treatment.
“The response we got was pretty substantial because we literally just made a few social media posts and then ended up getting all of these people telling their stories,” said Attorney General Phil Weiser.
“But I think we only got a fraction of the complaints that are out there.”
Weiser’s office cobbled four of the stories into a multistate lawsuit filed in eastern Washington. Its goal was to force USPS to roll back reforms — the removal of sorting equipment, limitations on overtime — that slowed the distribution of mail in July and August. USPS had already pledged to delay its reforms until after the election, but Weiser wanted a binding court order.
And he got one. On Sept. 17, a judge issued a preliminary injunction forcing the USPS to end “implementation or enforcement of policy changes … that have slowed mail delivery” and to continue prioritizing all election mail, such as ballots, between now and November.
In the month between Aug. 18, when DeJoy announced he would suspend his reforms, and Sept. 17, when a judge required him to, mail delivery times rollercoastered, according to a massive study by a company called SnailWorks published in the New York Times. After improvements in late August, delivery times slowed in the first half of September. A spokesman for SnailWorks said in an email that Colorado was in line with the rest of the nation.
With ballots set to be mailed in two weeks, that’s worrisome for some election watchers.
How mail-in ballots work in Colorado
Colorado began all-mail elections in 2013, though several counties conducted elections by mail before then. Only 7% of voters cast ballots in person in 2016, and 4% did so in 2018.
While the ballots go out to voters via the Postal Service, only one-quarter of voters who vote by mail put a stamp on the envelope to return it. The other 75% return their ballots via dropboxes around the state.
And there have occasionally been problems.
Two years ago, a truck with 61,000 Adams County ballots went missing after it was turned away by the Postal Service for not having the proper paperwork. The ballots were delivered after the foul-up was discovered.
About 100 voters in Coaldale in western Fremont County did not receive ballots in the June 30 primary election. Mark Gully, who owns Outback Fibers in Coaldale, said he didn’t receive his ballot until after the primary was over.
He wasn’t a fan of all-mail elections in the first place.
“I would rather have everybody go and place their vote in a box in a balloting place,” Gully said. “To me this is an example of what can happen in mail ballots.”
Fremont County Clerk Justin Grantham said the Coaldale confusion was the result of ballots not being routed properly from Denver, and people using post office boxes to receive their ballots. If a person’s name isn’t specifically listed on the PO box, the ballot is returned to the clerk’s office.
“We didn’t have that problem in the presidential primary election before that; we didn’t have it in the coordinated election in 2019,” Grantham said. “We didn’t have that problem in Howard; we didn’t have that problem in Hillsdale, in Cotopaxi,” three other towns in the western part of the county.
Grantham noted Fremont is using a new ballot tracking system and said his office will be alert for similar problems preceding the Nov. 3 general election. A recent USPS report on mail ballot preparedness cited Colorado’s system of tracking mail ballots among its best practices.
Meanwhile, at the attorney general’s office, employees have stopped counting and collecting stories about USPS slowdowns and the problems those slowdowns have caused. Weiser, a Democrat, says he has been assuaged and comforted by the Sept. 17 injunction, although he will be keeping an eye on DeJoy and USPS in the weeks and months ahead.
“We’re going to remain vigilant,” he said, “and stay on top of this.”
This story is brought to you by COLab, the Colorado News Collaborative, a nonprofit coalition of more than 50 newsrooms across Colorado working together to better serve the public. Learn more at colabnews.co.


thedenverpost--2020-09-27--How Colorado law enforcement quietly expanded its use of facial recognition

When Aurora police wanted to know the identity of two armed men protesting outside a police station , they sent a screenshot from a video to the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles and asked investigators there to run the image through facial recognition software .
Investigators with the DMV were able to match one of the men against the agency ’ s database of driver ’ s license photos and detectives identified him .
The other man couldn ’ t be identified .
The case in Aurora is one of hundreds of times Colorado law enforcement in the past few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the DMV or by using a program more than 80 Colorado agencies paid for that has become increasingly common across the state .
Few of the agencies that adopted the software made public announcements about what investigators say is a key instrument in fighting crime .
“ Facial recognition is an incredible tool that helps us identify a lot of serious suspects out there , ” Lakewood police Cmdr .
John Pickard said .
But civil rights leaders and tech experts say there are serious concerns about the use of such technology , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know it ’ s being used .
Research has shown some facial recognition programs are prone to error when images of people with darker skin are submitted .
Critics worry that without proper oversight and strict regulation , such programs could result in an invasion of privacy or , worse , the arrest of an innocent person .
Colorado has no laws regarding facial recognition software , though law enforcement officials say they are willing to work with policy makers on guardrails to the programs .
“ As always , our technology has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Steve Beaty , a computer science professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver .
Aurora police investigators asked the DMV to use its facial recognition software on the men at the protest because officers inside the surrounded station feared they could be shot if they tried to leave , according to the arrest affidavit for one of the protest organizers arrested Sept. 17 .
Police believe the men were acting as security to the crowd of several hundred .
“ Those two people who were armed caused a lot of fear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a good effort to identify who that person is , ” Aurora police spokeswoman Faith Goodrich said .
But even with the successful identification , neither of the men were arrested in connection with the July 3 protest in Aurora , Goodrich said .
Aurora police ’ s query to the DMV about the armed men is one of dozens such requests the department receives every year from law enforcement .
The DMV added facial recognition software to its programs in 2011 , department spokeswoman Julie Brooks said .
Data from the Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 , local and state law enforcement agencies in Colorado have made 227 requests that the department use its facial recognition to help in an investigation .
Federal agencies made 94 requests in that time , as did two out-of-state agencies .
The data does not say which local and state agencies filed those requests and a DMV spokeswoman said the agency does not track that information .
Since July 2016 , the DMV has denied 22 of 323 requests from law enforcement .
The DMV ’ s policy states that it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law enforcement for alleged felonies as well as identity theft and fraud cases that the department ’ s investigative unit is also working .
The policy says comparisons for other types of cases can also be approved by a supervisor on a case-by-case basis .
Data from the department shows the comparisons were requested for a wide range of alleged crimes .
Some of the most common reasons listed were homicide , passport fraud and sex crimes against children .
Other searches were given more vague reasons , including “ intelligence ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In three-quarters of cases , the DMV was unable to locate photos that matched images provided by outside law enforcement agencies .
The department ’ s policy specifies that only “ high probable ” matches be provided to law enforcement .
The cooperation between the DMV and law enforcement is permitted under state statutes that say criminal justice agencies can access DMV records in connection to the agencies ’ “ official duties and functions.
” There are no memorandums of understanding or agreements between agencies about the information sharing , Brooks said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ACLU of Colorado , said she didn ’ t know that this information sharing existed and she was surprised to learn of it .
“ Why is there this cozy relationship between law enforcement and the DMV — I don ’ t think there ought to be , ” Maes said .
One of the problems with such a program is that many people posing for a driver ’ s license photo don ’ t know that image will be used in such a program and compared to suspected criminals , Beaty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of mistaken identity , it could cause police to start looking into the life of a person who isn ’ t connected to any crime .
“ We need to ask ourselves : How surveilled do we want to be as a society ?
” he said .
But the driver ’ s license photo database is not the only way Colorado police have used facial recognition software .
Up until July , Lakewood police officers could snap a picture of a suspect on the street , enter the photo into an app @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would compare the submitted photo to a database of mug shots collected by a group of Colorado law enforcement agencies .
It was an useful tool , Pickard , the police commander , said .
It helped police officers identify people who refused to give their real identity , though officers are trained to find other evidence to confirm any identity matches suggested by the software .
“ The one thing that we preach is that you never identify anyone with facial recognition , it is only an investigative lead , ” Pickard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong it can lead to problems.
” In July , however , Lakewood police and the 84 other Colorado law enforcement agencies that had access to the software lost facial recognition capabilities when the vendor , LexisNexis , disabled that part of one of its programs , called Lumen .
“ We made the decision to disable the image matching feature until legislation and policies outlining usage of the tool are in place , ” LexisNexis spokeswoman Sara Herrmann said in a statement .
“ The image matching feature will resume once clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for law enforcement are in place.
” Colorado law enforcement agencies have been using Lumen since 2016 to collect and share data on arrestees and wanted persons .
The program added facial recognition capabilities in 2017 .
All 84 agencies participating in the Colorado Information Sharing Consortium had access to Lumen and about 80 % of those agencies used it on a regular basis , said David Shipley , executive director of the consortium .
The Lumen program compared a photo submitted by an investigator — including those from security cameras , social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken on scene — to the database of more than 8 million jail booking photos compiled by the consortium .
The photos in the database are not removed if a person is acquitted or charges are dropped unless that person successfully petitions to have those records expunged or sealed , Shipley said .
That ’ s concerning , said Beaty , the Metro State professor , because it ignores a person ’ s right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty and also keeps people in the database even after they ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need to ask the question , what do we mean by someone who paid their debt to society ?
” he said .
Investigators , patrol deputies and crime analysts at the Arapahoe County Sheriff ’ s Office started accessing Lumen ’ s facial recognition in 2018 , Capt .
Jared Rowlison said .
The agency didn ’ t track how often deputies were using the software or how many cases the software helped solve , but Rowlison said it has been crucial in cracking many , particularly thefts .
One case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexually assault her .
She met the man through a dating website and didn ’ t have much information beyond a first name and a photo after he deleted his profile .
Investigators were able to run that photo through the Lumen system and narrow down possible suspects before eventually arresting the man .
Testimonies about the facial recognition program posted on the Colorado Information Sharing Consortium ’ s website state the software has been used to help solve frauds , hit-and-run cases , armed robberies and sex crimes against children .
Opting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like the Denver Police Department , have opted not to use facial recognition .
An effort to ask voters to put a ban on facial recognition in the city failed to collect enough signatures to put the question on the ballot , though other municipalities like San Francisco have enacted such restrictions .
“ The ACLU has been adamantly opposing facial recognition on the grounds that it ’ s a threat to privacy when it does work and it ’ s a racist threat to everyone when it doesn ’ t work , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as the federal government have shown that facial recognition software is less accurate when trying to identify women or someone with darker skin .
Although the Arapahoe County Sheriff ’ s Office has no particular policy about the use of facial recognition , Rowlison said his deputies are bound by the same rules that limit their use of other law enforcement databases .
Any possible identifications suggested by facial recognition need to be confirmed through more investigation , he said .
“ We take those concerns to heart and still use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pursuit of an investigation , ” he said .
The public should be informed any time a law enforcement agency is using a new surveillance tool , especially facial recognition , Maes said .
Agencies should be required to appear before city councils or other governing bodies to explain any new surveillance tool they ’ re using , she said .
“ The only way to get a handle on it is to let the public know , ” she said .
Neither Lakewood police nor the Arapahoe County Sheriff ’ s Office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they started using the technology .
“ We ’ ve had plenty of people ask us about it and we ’ re very open to the conversation and how we ’ ve used it , ” Rowlison said .
“ It ’ s not something we ’ ve tried to hide.
” Both Pickard and Rowlison said they ’ ve explored other facial recognition software vendors while Lumen is disabled .
“ Really , I ’ m just biding my time until LexisNexis allows us to have access again , ” Rowlison said @

When Aurora police wanted to know the identity of two armed men protesting outside a police station, they sent a screenshot from a video to the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles and asked investigators there to run the image through facial recognition software.
Investigators with the DMV were able to match one of the men against the agency’s database of driver’s license photos and detectives identified him. The other man couldn’t be identified.
The case in Aurora is one of hundreds of times Colorado law enforcement in the past few years have accessed facial recognition software through the DMV or by using a program more than 80 Colorado agencies paid for that has become increasingly common across the state.
Few of the agencies that adopted the software made public announcements about what investigators say is a key instrument in fighting crime.
“Facial recognition is an incredible tool that helps us identify a lot of serious suspects out there,” Lakewood police Cmdr. John Pickard said.
But civil rights leaders and tech experts say there are serious concerns about the use of such technology, especially when the public doesn’t know it’s being used. Research has shown some facial recognition programs are prone to error when images of people with darker skin are submitted. Critics worry that without proper oversight and strict regulation, such programs could result in an invasion of privacy or, worse, the arrest of an innocent person.
Colorado has no laws regarding facial recognition software, though law enforcement officials say they are willing to work with policy makers on guardrails to the programs.
“As always, our technology has outstripped our laws and our morals,” said Steve Beaty, a computer science professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver.
Driver’s license comparisons
Aurora police investigators asked the DMV to use its facial recognition software on the men at the protest because officers inside the surrounded station feared they could be shot if they tried to leave, according to the arrest affidavit for one of the protest organizers arrested Sept. 17. Police believe the men were acting as security to the crowd of several hundred.
“Those two people who were armed caused a lot of fear and concern and we have to give a good effort to identify who that person is,” Aurora police spokeswoman Faith Goodrich said.
But even with the successful identification, neither of the men were arrested in connection with the July 3 protest in Aurora, Goodrich said.
Aurora police’s query to the DMV about the armed men is one of dozens such requests the department receives every year from law enforcement. The DMV added facial recognition software to its programs in 2011, department spokeswoman Julie Brooks said.
Data from the Department of Motor Vehicles shows that since July 2016, local and state law enforcement agencies in Colorado have made 227 requests that the department use its facial recognition to help in an investigation. Federal agencies made 94 requests in that time, as did two out-of-state agencies. The data does not say which local and state agencies filed those requests and a DMV spokeswoman said the agency does not track that information.
Since July 2016, the DMV has denied 22 of 323 requests from law enforcement.
The DMV’s policy states that it will only complete facial recognition comparisons for outside law enforcement for alleged felonies as well as identity theft and fraud cases that the department’s investigative unit is also working. The policy says comparisons for other types of cases can also be approved by a supervisor on a case-by-case basis.
Data from the department shows the comparisons were requested for a wide range of alleged crimes. Some of the most common reasons listed were homicide, passport fraud and sex crimes against children. Other searches were given more vague reasons, including “intelligence” and 55 cases listed as “unknown.”
In three-quarters of cases, the DMV was unable to locate photos that matched images provided by outside law enforcement agencies. The department’s policy specifies that only “high probable” matches be provided to law enforcement.
The cooperation between the DMV and law enforcement is permitted under state statutes that say criminal justice agencies can access DMV records in connection to the agencies’ “official duties and functions.” There are no memorandums of understanding or agreements between agencies about the information sharing, Brooks said.
Denise Maes, public policy director at the ACLU of Colorado, said she didn’t know that this information sharing existed and she was surprised to learn of it.
“Why is there this cozy relationship between law enforcement and the DMV — I don’t think there ought to be,” Maes said.
One of the problems with such a program is that many people posing for a driver’s license photo don’t know that image will be used in such a program and compared to suspected criminals, Beaty said. If there is a case of mistaken identity, it could cause police to start looking into the life of a person who isn’t connected to any crime.
“We need to ask ourselves: How surveilled do we want to be as a society?” he said.
But the driver’s license photo database is not the only way Colorado police have used facial recognition software.
Growing use of facial recognition
Up until July, Lakewood police officers could snap a picture of a suspect on the street, enter the photo into an app on their phones and use software that would compare the submitted photo to a database of mug shots collected by a group of Colorado law enforcement agencies.
It was an useful tool, Pickard, the police commander, said. It helped police officers identify people who refused to give their real identity, though officers are trained to find other evidence to confirm any identity matches suggested by the software.
“The one thing that we preach is that you never identify anyone with facial recognition, it is only an investigative lead,” Pickard said. “If you do it wrong it can lead to problems.”
In July, however, Lakewood police and the 84 other Colorado law enforcement agencies that had access to the software lost facial recognition capabilities when the vendor, LexisNexis, disabled that part of one of its programs, called Lumen.
“We made the decision to disable the image matching feature until legislation and policies outlining usage of the tool are in place,” LexisNexis spokeswoman Sara Herrmann said in a statement. “The image matching feature will resume once clear guidelines on the use of facial recognition for law enforcement are in place.”
Colorado law enforcement agencies have been using Lumen since 2016 to collect and share data on arrestees and wanted persons. The program added facial recognition capabilities in 2017.
All 84 agencies participating in the Colorado Information Sharing Consortium had access to Lumen and about 80% of those agencies used it on a regular basis, said David Shipley, executive director of the consortium.
The Lumen program compared a photo submitted by an investigator — including those from security cameras, social media profiles, dating websites and photos taken on scene — to the database of more than 8 million jail booking photos compiled by the consortium.
The photos in the database are not removed if a person is acquitted or charges are dropped unless that person successfully petitions to have those records expunged or sealed, Shipley said.
That’s concerning, said Beaty, the Metro State professor, because it ignores a person’s right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty and also keeps people in the database even after they’ve served their sentence.
“I think we need to ask the question, what do we mean by someone who paid their debt to society?” he said.
Investigators, patrol deputies and crime analysts at the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office started accessing Lumen’s facial recognition in 2018, Capt. Jared Rowlison said. The agency didn’t track how often deputies were using the software or how many cases the software helped solve, but Rowlison said it has been crucial in cracking many, particularly thefts.
One case involved a woman whose date attempted to sexually assault her. She met the man through a dating website and didn’t have much information beyond a first name and a photo after he deleted his profile. Investigators were able to run that photo through the Lumen system and narrow down possible suspects before eventually arresting the man.
Testimonies about the facial recognition program posted on the Colorado Information Sharing Consortium’s website state the software has been used to help solve frauds, hit-and-run cases, armed robberies and sex crimes against children.
Opting out of new tech
Some agencies, like the Denver Police Department, have opted not to use facial recognition. An effort to ask voters to put a ban on facial recognition in the city failed to collect enough signatures to put the question on the ballot, though other municipalities like San Francisco have enacted such restrictions.
“The ACLU has been adamantly opposing facial recognition on the grounds that it’s a threat to privacy when it does work and it’s a racist threat to everyone when it doesn’t work,” Maes said.
Studies by academics as well as the federal government have shown that facial recognition software is less accurate when trying to identify women or someone with darker skin.
Although the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office has no particular policy about the use of facial recognition, Rowlison said his deputies are bound by the same rules that limit their use of other law enforcement databases. Any possible identifications suggested by facial recognition need to be confirmed through more investigation, he said.
“We take those concerns to heart and still use the information at our hands appropriately in pursuit of an investigation,” he said.
The public should be informed any time a law enforcement agency is using a new surveillance tool, especially facial recognition, Maes said. Agencies should be required to appear before city councils or other governing bodies to explain any new surveillance tool they’re using, she said.
“The only way to get a handle on it is to let the public know,” she said.
Neither Lakewood police nor the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office made any notification to the public when they started using the technology.
“We’ve had plenty of people ask us about it and we’re very open to the conversation and how we’ve used it,” Rowlison said. “It’s not something we’ve tried to hide.”
Both Pickard and Rowlison said they’ve explored other facial recognition software vendors while Lumen is disabled.
“Really, I’m just biding my time until LexisNexis allows us to have access again,” Rowlison said.


thedenverpost--2020-09-27--Gary Miller: A needless recipe for disaster

Bill and his wife Elaine had just arrived at the airport to depart for a week-long trip to the Caribbean for his company ’ s annual planning meeting .
Bill had five other partners , each owning 12 % of the company .
As founder , Bill , owned the remaining 40 % .
Each year all of the partners and their wives gather at a resort for both business planning and pleasure .
The fiscal year ended June 30 , so it was time to update the strategic business plan and re-examine growth strategies for the following year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ crossed the $ 18 million mark with pre-tax earnings of $ 3.2 million .
It had been a record-breaking year for the company .
When Bill entered the airport terminal , he noticed that he had a little indigestion .
After approaching the ticket counter to check-in , Bill started to feel a little nausea as well .
After he and Elaine checked in , he drank some water and began to feel better .
At the gate , when the boarding call came , Bill and Elaine entered the jetway .
Suddenly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few moments he collapsed .
Bill passed away in the jetway from a massive heart attack .
Needless to say , upon hearing the news , Bill ’ s partners returned home immediately .
After the funeral , Bill ’ s partners met to determine their course of action .
Their primary focus centered on how to buy-out Bill ’ s membership interest ; how to structure a settlement with Elaine ; and how to continue company operations successfully .
They turned to their legal counsel to review the company ’ s operating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
An operating agreement is a contract among LLC members , and it spells out provisions relating to : • Restrictions on transfer of membership interests ( assignability of interests ; veto/approval rights ; right of first refusal ; permitted transfers ; buyout provisions ; tag-along and drag-along rights ) Many buy-sell agreements include other provisions as well : • “ Call-rights ” where the firm , at any time , can elect to purchase an owner ’ s interest for a premium , i.e.
, 125 % to 150 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” where an owner can demand the firm purchase his/her interest at a loss , i.e .
50 % to 75 % of fair market value .
• Deadlock provisions where the owner can part ways or dissolve the firm .
• Right of first refusal that allows the owner to sell his interest to a third party provided that the other existing owners refuse or waive their first right to purchase the owners interest .
After careful review , it became evident that many of the provisions listed above had been ignored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems .
First , the operating agreement specified a valuation of the company be completed every two years from an independent third-party valuation firm .
The company had been in business for 13 years .
No valuation had ever been conducted .
Second , the operating agreement called for the company to fund key-man life insurance for each partner .
The purpose of the insurance was to have adequate capital to fund a buyout in case of certain events such as death , disability , bankruptcy , and/or termination of employment .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the partners .
Third , the operating agreement required that the company create a buy-sell agreement specifying the process and procedures of how the buyout should take place .
For example , should a buyout be necessary , will it be paid in all cash as a lump sum , paid overtime , and at what price .
No buy-out agreement was ever created .
Needless to say , the partners were in a quandary .
They all agreed that a valuation of the company , from an independent valuation firm , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fairly compensated for Bill ’ s ownership portion of the company .
They realized that the company did not have the cash to pay Elaine a lump sum for Bill ’ s ownership interest .
Long before Bill ’ s passing , the partners had agreed to distribute all of the profits annually after retaining enough capital to fund the company ’ s operations .
Facing these problems , the partners agreed that a buy-sell agreement should be developed in case another life-changing event occurred .
According to The CPA Journal , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should accomplish several objectives : “ It provides a mechanism for an orderly business succession should an owner decide to transfer his interest due to a voluntarily event , such as retirement , or an involuntary event , such as death , disability , or bankruptcy.
” Should an event occur , “ … the buy-sell agreement is a triggering event.
” In Elaine ’ s case , the partners were all amical and worked out a buyout arrangement so that Elaine would be fairly compensated .
They paid her 136 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over a five-year period .
In this case , all of the partners did what was “ right.
” This case study is clear .
If an operating agreement is not executed according to its terms and provisions , and a life-changing event occurs , more often than not , an environment is created for partner disputes .
Even the most cordial business relationships can fall apart in the face of a crisis because of a “ needless recipe for disaster.
” Gary Miller is CEO of GEM Strategy Management , Inc. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advises small and medium sized businesses throughout the U.S .
He represents business owners throughout the transaction process from preparing them to go to market , selling their companies , acquiring companies and raising capital .
He has been a frequent keynote speaker at conferences and workshops on mergers and acquisitions .
Reach Gary at 303.409.7740 or gmiller @ gemstrategymanagement.com .

Bill and his wife Elaine had just arrived at the airport to depart for a week-long trip to the Caribbean for his company’s annual planning meeting. Bill had five other partners, each owning 12% of the company. As founder, Bill, owned the remaining 40%. Each year all of the partners and their wives gather at a resort for both business planning and pleasure.
The fiscal year ended June 30, so it was time to update the strategic business plan and re-examine growth strategies for the following year. The company’s revenues had just crossed the $18 million mark with pre-tax earnings of $3.2 million. It had been a record-breaking year for the company.
When Bill entered the airport terminal, he noticed that he had a little indigestion. After approaching the ticket counter to check-in, Bill started to feel a little nausea as well. After he and Elaine checked in, he drank some water and began to feel better. At the gate, when the boarding call came, Bill and Elaine entered the jetway. Suddenly Bill could hardly breath and in a few moments he collapsed. Bill passed away in the jetway from a massive heart attack.
Needless to say, upon hearing the news, Bill’s partners returned home immediately. After the funeral, Bill’s partners met to determine their course of action. Their primary focus centered on how to buy-out Bill’s membership interest; how to structure a settlement with Elaine; and how to continue company operations successfully. They turned to their legal counsel to review the company’s operating agreement and help them understand its provisions.
An operating agreement is a contract among LLC members, and it spells out provisions relating to:
Equity structure Management formation and duties Voting rights Liability and indemnification limitations Books and records Anti-dilutions protections Restrictions on transfer of membership interests (assignability of interests; veto/approval rights; right of first refusal; permitted transfers; buyout provisions; tag-along and drag-along rights) Confidentiality and restrictive covenants Liquidation and dissolutions General provisions
Many buy-sell agreements include other provisions as well:
“Call-rights” where the firm, at any time, can elect to purchase an owner’s interest for a premium, i.e., 125% to 150% of the fair market value. “Put-rights” where an owner can demand the firm purchase his/her interest at a loss, i.e. 50% to 75% of fair market value. Deadlock provisions where the owner can part ways or dissolve the firm. Right of first refusal that allows the owner to sell his interest to a third party provided that the other existing owners refuse or waive their first right to purchase the owners interest.
After careful review, it became evident that many of the provisions listed above had been ignored by the partners, presenting potentially major problems.
First, the operating agreement specified a valuation of the company be completed every two years from an independent third-party valuation firm. The company had been in business for 13 years. No valuation had ever been conducted.
Second, the operating agreement called for the company to fund key-man life insurance for each partner. The purpose of the insurance was to have adequate capital to fund a buyout in case of certain events such as death, disability, bankruptcy, and/or termination of employment. The company had no life insurance on any of the partners.
Third, the operating agreement required that the company create a buy-sell agreement specifying the process and procedures of how the buyout should take place. For example, should a buyout be necessary, will it be paid in all cash as a lump sum, paid overtime, and at what price. No buy-out agreement was ever created.
Needless to say, the partners were in a quandary. They all agreed that a valuation of the company, from an independent valuation firm, was needed to ensure that Elaine was fairly compensated for Bill’s ownership portion of the company. They realized that the company did not have the cash to pay Elaine a lump sum for Bill’s ownership interest. Long before Bill’s passing, the partners had agreed to distribute all of the profits annually after retaining enough capital to fund the company’s operations.
Facing these problems, the partners agreed that a buy-sell agreement should be developed in case another life-changing event occurred. According to The CPA Journal, “… a (strong) buy-sell agreement should accomplish several objectives:
“It provides a mechanism for an orderly business succession should an owner decide to transfer his interest due to a voluntarily event, such as retirement, or an involuntary event, such as death, disability, or bankruptcy.” Should an event occur, “… the buy-sell agreement is a triggering event.”
In Elaine’s case, the partners were all amical and worked out a buyout arrangement so that Elaine would be fairly compensated. They paid her 136% of the fair market value of the company over a five-year period. In this case, all of the partners did what was “right.”
This case study is clear. If an operating agreement is not executed according to its terms and provisions, and a life-changing event occurs, more often than not, an environment is created for partner disputes. Even the most cordial business relationships can fall apart in the face of a crisis because of a “needless recipe for disaster.”
Gary Miller is CEO of GEM Strategy Management, Inc., a M&A consulting firm that advises small and medium sized businesses throughout the U.S. He represents business owners throughout the transaction process from preparing them to go to market, selling their companies, acquiring companies and raising capital. He has been a frequent keynote speaker at conferences and workshops on mergers and acquisitions. Reach Gary at 303.409.7740 or gmiller@gemstrategymanagement.com.


thedenverpost--2020-09-27--Nuggets’ magical “bubble” run sets stage for next season: “We have something special brewing”

LAKE BUENA VISTA , Fla. – The pain on Jamal Murray ’ s face as he sat for his postgame news conference was unmistakable .
It had nothing to do with the bone bruise in his leg that hobbled him throughout Game 5 or the bruised foot that forced him to change his shoes .
The quiet , somber hurt was apparent in his voice .
After 82 days inside the “ bubble , ” where the Nuggets extended their stay far longer than anyone outside of their traveling party thought was possible , Murray wasn ’ t ready to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a good run , but I don ’ t want to be in the position of losing , ” Murray said .
“ I just hate to lose and nothing else really matters to me.
” If you were to distill what took over the Nuggets ever since they faced their first 3-1 deficit of the playoffs against Utah in the first round , that might be it .
More than winning , Murray hates losing .
It ’ s why he and Nuggets coach Michael Malone are so close .
They both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get from winning .
And until Saturday night , and even through Saturday night , the Nuggets took on Murray ’ s dogged persona .
They trailed by 16 points with eight minutes remaining in the third quarter only to stage another improbable rally .
Over eight minutes , the Nuggets sawed into Los Angeles ’ lead , eventually tying it at 84 .
But LeBron James , with an eye on his 10th Finals appearance , quickly snuffed out the chances of another historic comeback .
His 16 points in the fourth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Murray gutted out another 43-minute game on his ailing legs .
“ I mean , he ’ s amazing , ” Nikola Jokic said of Murray ’ s spirit .
“ He was our leader .
His energy through the whole playoffs .
He was banged up .
… But he ’ s a dog .
He ’ s a fighter .
He ’ s a competitor.
” The Nuggets take immense pride in their culture and makeup .
Built organically and sustainably , most of the players on the Nuggets roster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s a trait Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly actively covets .
He and Malone love players who ’ ve had to work for everything they ’ ve attained .
They believe it manifests in moments like the six elimination games they faced over the first two rounds .
“ Maybe that ’ s why we didn ’ t quit in the Utah series , maybe that ’ s why we didn ’ t quit in the Clippers series , you know , because we are nobody , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone who ’ ve worked to be here .
… We know what the feeling of working hard for something.
” Through 19 playoff games inside the bubble , following the 14 they accrued last year , the Nuggets have expedited a franchise and built a foundation for years to come .
Next season , when Michael Porter Jr. becomes a fixture in the rotation , it ’ s not inconceivable that they take yet another step toward an NBA championship .
Denver entered this campaign with the burden of heavy expectations after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finals last season .
And with two 3-1 comebacks , not to mention resolve in the face of unprecedented circumstances , the Nuggets far surpassed even the loftiest expectations of most NBA experts .
“ I think we have something special brewing , ” Malone said .
“ And I think most importantly , I think people around this country , around the world , who were watching the playoffs , this group of guys , you would be hard pressed to find a better story coming out of this bubble .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looked it in the face and just kept on surviving and advancing.
” Just as last year ’ s heartbreaking Game 7 against Portland ushered in those expectations , this year ’ s magical run will foster an even higher level of scrutiny .
It ’ s a welcome pressure for a franchise with realistic championship aspirations .
“ I think all great teams and champions have to go through the pains of losing , ” Malone said .
“ And nothing is handed to you in this business .
And we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving in the right direction with a great group of guys .
I wouldn ’ t want to be with any other group .
I love our team .
I really do.
” The final 4-1 margin does not accurately represent just how competitive the Western Conference Finals really was .
After Game 1 , the Lakers outscored the Nuggets just 442-432 .
Anthony Davis ’ Game 2 dagger ripped one from the Nuggets they felt they should ’ ve won .
And even bouncing back to win Game 3 was a testament @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Murray and even Will Barton , who never played a minute in the postseason , left the Nuggets without enough answers to combat the intensity of James and Davis .
What they did gain , though , was a deeper understanding of who they are as a team and the direction they plan to go next season .
“ We fought for one another , ” Murray said .
“ We trust one another more than we did during the regular season .
We ’ re just on the same page with everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s only our second year in the playoffs .
I wish things went differently , but I ’ m just proud of our guys , proud of everything we have done , everything we have accomplished .
It ’ s not the end goal , but to make it this far and surprise as many people as we did , it ’ s a good feeling .
So just try to come back next year and try to come back stronger .
”

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The pain on Jamal Murray’s face as he sat for his postgame news conference was unmistakable.
It had nothing to do with the bone bruise in his leg that hobbled him throughout Game 5 or the bruised foot that forced him to change his shoes. The quiet, somber hurt was apparent in his voice. After 82 days inside the “bubble,” where the Nuggets extended their stay far longer than anyone outside of their traveling party thought was possible, Murray wasn’t ready to go home yet.
“It was a good run, but I don’t want to be in the position of losing,” Murray said. “I just hate to lose and nothing else really matters to me.”
If you were to distill what took over the Nuggets ever since they faced their first 3-1 deficit of the playoffs against Utah in the first round, that might be it. More than winning, Murray hates losing. It’s why he and Nuggets coach Michael Malone are so close. They both hate losing more than any satisfaction they get from winning.
And until Saturday night, and even through Saturday night, the Nuggets took on Murray’s dogged persona. They trailed by 16 points with eight minutes remaining in the third quarter only to stage another improbable rally. Over eight minutes, the Nuggets sawed into Los Angeles’ lead, eventually tying it at 84. But LeBron James, with an eye on his 10th Finals appearance, quickly snuffed out the chances of another historic comeback. His 16 points in the fourth quarter sent the Nuggets home, even as Murray gutted out another 43-minute game on his ailing legs.
“I mean, he’s amazing,” Nikola Jokic said of Murray’s spirit. “He was our leader. His energy through the whole playoffs. He was banged up. … But he’s a dog. He’s a fighter. He’s a competitor.”
The Nuggets take immense pride in their culture and makeup. Built organically and sustainably, most of the players on the Nuggets roster have some sort of edge to them. It’s a trait Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly actively covets. He and Malone love players who’ve had to work for everything they’ve attained. They believe it manifests in moments like the six elimination games they faced over the first two rounds.
“Maybe that’s why we didn’t quit in the Utah series, maybe that’s why we didn’t quit in the Clippers series, you know, because we are nobody,” Jokic said. “We are just someone who’ve worked to be here. … We know what the feeling of working hard for something.”
Through 19 playoff games inside the bubble, following the 14 they accrued last year, the Nuggets have expedited a franchise and built a foundation for years to come. Next season, when Michael Porter Jr. becomes a fixture in the rotation, it’s not inconceivable that they take yet another step toward an NBA championship. Denver entered this campaign with the burden of heavy expectations after knocking on the doorstep of the conference finals last season. And with two 3-1 comebacks, not to mention resolve in the face of unprecedented circumstances, the Nuggets far surpassed even the loftiest expectations of most NBA experts.
“I think we have something special brewing,” Malone said. “And I think most importantly, I think people around this country, around the world, who were watching the playoffs, this group of guys, you would be hard pressed to find a better story coming out of this bubble. A bunch of young kids faced elimination, looked it in the face and just kept on surviving and advancing.”
Just as last year’s heartbreaking Game 7 against Portland ushered in those expectations, this year’s magical run will foster an even higher level of scrutiny. It’s a welcome pressure for a franchise with realistic championship aspirations.
“I think all great teams and champions have to go through the pains of losing,” Malone said. “And nothing is handed to you in this business. And we’re making steps. We’re moving in the right direction with a great group of guys. I wouldn’t want to be with any other group. I love our team. I really do.”
The final 4-1 margin does not accurately represent just how competitive the Western Conference Finals really was. After Game 1, the Lakers outscored the Nuggets just 442-432. Anthony Davis’ Game 2 dagger ripped one from the Nuggets they felt they should’ve won. And even bouncing back to win Game 3 was a testament to their tenacity. But injuries to Murray and even Will Barton, who never played a minute in the postseason, left the Nuggets without enough answers to combat the intensity of James and Davis.
What they did gain, though, was a deeper understanding of who they are as a team and the direction they plan to go next season.
“We fought for one another,” Murray said. “We trust one another more than we did during the regular season. We’re just on the same page with everything we’re doing. … And it’s only our second year in the playoffs. I wish things went differently, but I’m just proud of our guys, proud of everything we have done, everything we have accomplished. It’s not the end goal, but to make it this far and surprise as many people as we did, it’s a good feeling. So just try to come back next year and try to come back stronger.”


thedenverpost--2020-09-27--Broncos Journal: Helping offensive line against Tampa Bay could take on many forms

Eleven things entering Sunday ’ s Tampa Bay-Broncos game , one for each of Tom Brady ’ s visits to Mile High : 1 .
The Broncos have never started consecutive years 0-3 .
Gets your attention doesn ’ t it ?
The franchise started 0-3 in 1964 , ’ 66 , ’ 68 , ’ 94 , ’ 99 and last year .
2 .
Injured quarterback Drew Lock ( right shoulder ) was a practice-field observer throughout the week .
Asked how critical it is for Lock to stay engaged , quarterbacks coach Mike Shula said : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking a lot of questions just about the team we ’ re playing and we keep communicating on how he can continue to improve.
” 3 .
Broncos coach Vic Fangio took the high road Wednesday when asked about his $ 100,000 Mask-Gate fine … because he didn ’ t want to give more money to the league coffers .
Talk about the most ridiculous fine in the history of ridiculous fines .
But it ’ s typical over-the-top behavior by the NFL office .
My rub is Fangio is tested every day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( home to work to home ) .
And on game-day , he ’ s around players who aren ’ t wearing masks .
If I ’ m Vic , I pay my fine in pennies and have somebody drop it off at the league headquarters .
4 .
There isn ’ t a ton of Fangio-vs.-Brady history , as Vic pointed out during the week .
In 2001 , Brady ’ s first NFL start came against Fangio ’ s Indianapolis defense ; the Patriots won 44-13 ( Brady was 13-of-23 for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fangio in 2003 ( Patriots 23 , Houston 20 ) , ‘ 12 ( San Francisco 46 , Patriots 34 ) and ’ 18 ( Patriots 38 , Bears 31 ) .
Brady threw five interceptions in those four games .
5 .
The Buccaneers held steady throughout the week as a six-point favorite .
If that holds or the line goes up , it will be only the 11th time since 1987 the Broncos have been a home underdog of at least six points .
They are 2-8 straight-up in those games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replacement game ( 30-14 as a 10 1/2-point dog ) and the Jets in 2011 ( 17-13 as a 6 1/2-point dog ) .
The Buccaneers have been a road favorite of at least six points just once in the last 11 years — a 38-17 win at Detroit last year .
6 .
On Thursday , coach Vic Fangio hinted at giving some “ help ” to the Broncos ’ offensive line in pass protection .
That can take on multiple meanings — screen game and quick passes , but also having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Last week at Pittsburgh , the Broncos used a six-man protection on 13 drop-backs and a seven-man protection on five drop-backs .
Generally , a seven-man pass pro is used to set up a downfield shot .
7 .
The narrative about how the Broncos can ’ t finish games is alive and well after they couldn ’ t hold a one-point lead over Tennessee in Week 1 .
At Pittsburgh , they simply didn ’ t finish their final drive .
But most of this roster has experience in close games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Broncos were 4-2 in one-possession games .
8 .
The Broncos ’ two sacks entering Week 3 ranked tied for 24th in the league , ahead of only Las Vegas ( one ) and Carolina ( none ) .
According to my charting , the Broncos , in addition to two sacks ( Jeremiah Attaochu and Mike Purcell ) , have six knockdowns and three pressures for 11 total “ disruptions.
” 9 .
So what gives ?
“ A lot of these ( passes ) were coming out quick in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coordinator Ed Donatell said .
To that point , Tennessee had nine passes which didn ’ t cross the line of scrimmage and Pittsburgh had 12 such attempts .
The Broncos should send more bodies at Brady to see how the Buccaneers line reacts .
Carolina didn ’ t bother last week , rushing five or more players on just three drop-backs ; the Panthers rushed three on 10 drop-backs .
10 .
Broncos cornerback Michael Ojemudia will be under a microscope after his tough Week 2 , when he was targeted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completions for 146 yards , including touchdowns of 84 and 18 yards .
“ We want to fix those ( long plays ) , ” Donatell said .
“ It really comes down to his preparation .
His attitude has been fantastic.
” 11 .
The word on Broncos receiver Jerry Jeudy is that he ’ s all about football and is a harsh self-critic … both good things .
“ I feel like the first game was on me , ” he said , referring to two drops .
“ I felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have done a lot better than I played .
I feel like I haven ’ t been playing my best football .
I ’ m just working week-by-week to improve that and get better each and every day .
”

Eleven things entering Sunday’s Tampa Bay-Broncos game, one for each of Tom Brady’s visits to Mile High:
1. The Broncos have never started consecutive years 0-3. Gets your attention doesn’t it? The franchise started 0-3 in 1964, ’66, ’68, ’94, ’99 and last year.
2. Injured quarterback Drew Lock (right shoulder) was a practice-field observer throughout the week. Asked how critical it is for Lock to stay engaged, quarterbacks coach Mike Shula said: “Extremely important. He’s been asking a lot of questions just about the team we’re playing and we keep communicating on how he can continue to improve.”
3. Broncos coach Vic Fangio took the high road Wednesday when asked about his $100,000 Mask-Gate fine … because he didn’t want to give more money to the league coffers. Talk about the most ridiculous fine in the history of ridiculous fines. But it’s typical over-the-top behavior by the NFL office. My rub is Fangio is tested every day. He basically works in a bubble (home to work to home). And on game-day, he’s around players who aren’t wearing masks. If I’m Vic, I pay my fine in pennies and have somebody drop it off at the league headquarters.
4. There isn’t a ton of Fangio-vs.-Brady history, as Vic pointed out during the week. In 2001, Brady’s first NFL start came against Fangio’s Indianapolis defense; the Patriots won 44-13 (Brady was 13-of-23 for 168 yards). He also bested Fangio in 2003 (Patriots 23, Houston 20), ‘12 (San Francisco 46, Patriots 34) and ’18 (Patriots 38, Bears 31). Brady threw five interceptions in those four games.
5. The Buccaneers held steady throughout the week as a six-point favorite. If that holds or the line goes up, it will be only the 11th time since 1987 the Broncos have been a home underdog of at least six points. They are 2-8 straight-up in those games, beating the Raiders in a 1987 replacement game (30-14 as a 10 1/2-point dog) and the Jets in 2011 (17-13 as a 6 1/2-point dog). The Buccaneers have been a road favorite of at least six points just once in the last 11 years — a 38-17 win at Detroit last year.
6. On Thursday, coach Vic Fangio hinted at giving some “help” to the Broncos’ offensive line in pass protection. That can take on multiple meanings — screen game and quick passes, but also having a tight end or running back help. Last week at Pittsburgh, the Broncos used a six-man protection on 13 drop-backs and a seven-man protection on five drop-backs. Generally, a seven-man pass pro is used to set up a downfield shot.
7. The narrative about how the Broncos can’t finish games is alive and well after they couldn’t hold a one-point lead over Tennessee in Week 1. At Pittsburgh, they simply didn’t finish their final drive. But most of this roster has experience in close games. Starting in Week 5 last year, the Broncos were 4-2 in one-possession games.
8. The Broncos’ two sacks entering Week 3 ranked tied for 24th in the league, ahead of only Las Vegas (one) and Carolina (none). According to my charting, the Broncos, in addition to two sacks (Jeremiah Attaochu and Mike Purcell), have six knockdowns and three pressures for 11 total “disruptions.”
9. So what gives? “A lot of these (passes) were coming out quick in the first couple weeks,” defensive coordinator Ed Donatell said. To that point, Tennessee had nine passes which didn’t cross the line of scrimmage and Pittsburgh had 12 such attempts. The Broncos should send more bodies at Brady to see how the Buccaneers line reacts. Carolina didn’t bother last week, rushing five or more players on just three drop-backs; the Panthers rushed three on 10 drop-backs.
10. Broncos cornerback Michael Ojemudia will be under a microscope after his tough Week 2, when he was targeted in man coverage 11 times and allowed seven completions for 146 yards, including touchdowns of 84 and 18 yards. “We want to fix those (long plays),” Donatell said. “It really comes down to his preparation. His attitude has been fantastic.”
11. The word on Broncos receiver Jerry Jeudy is that he’s all about football and is a harsh self-critic … both good things. “I feel like the first game was on me,” he said, referring to two drops. “I felt like the second game, I could have done a lot better than I played. I feel like I haven’t been playing my best football. I’m just working week-by-week to improve that and get better each and every day.”


thedenverpost--2020-09-27--Join us on Oct. 5 for a conversation on youth mental health in the time of coronavirus

Following our investigation , Crisis Point , on the rising youth suicide rate in Colorado , we are hosting a @ @ @ @ @ mental health with experts in the field .
We ’ ll be talking about the @ @ @ @ @ in Colorado and how teens can better care for their mental health during the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ , the health reporter at The Denver Post Join us on Oct. 5 at 6 @ @ @ @ @ a question for the event or about our Crisis Point investigation ?
Submit it here @ @ @ @ @ during our event .

Following our investigation, Crisis Point, on the rising youth suicide rate in Colorado, The Denver Post and The Denver Press Club are co-hosting a virtual conversation about teens’ mental health with experts in the field.
We’ll be talking about the elevated rate of youth suicides in Colorado and how teens can better care for their mental health during the coronavirus pandemic.
Panelists include:


thedenverpost--2020-09-27--What’s next for Rockies after another disappointing season and failure to make the playoffs?

About this time last year — Oct. 1 to be precise — owner Dick Monfort talked in glowing terms about the Rockies ’ future , despite the fact that the team was coming off a 71-91 season .
“ When some teams don ’ t play good over a long period of time , they choose to do a ( rebuild ) , but our goal is to play better and to win , ” Monfort said .
“ I also hear — what is the phrase ?
‘ You have a window of time ’ — I think we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A year later , that window has slammed shut after the Rockies exhibited multiple issues during a disappointing 2020 season , which comes to an end Sunday at Arizona .
The Rockies ( 25-33 entering Saturday ) failed to make the playoffs for the second consecutive season — a reality made harsher by the fact the postseason was expanded to include eight of 15 National League teams in this strange , 60-game season cut short by COVID-19 .
“ Eight teams make the playoffs and if we ’ re not one of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very good sign , ” star third baseman Nolan Arenado said before his season was ended last week by a lingering left shoulder injury .
The fact that the Rockies opened the season with an 11-3 record only to dramatically plummet out of contention adds salt to the wound .
Their .431 winning percentage is worse than last season ’ s .438 .
Monfort , general manager Jeff Bridich and manager Bud Black all insisted the pieces were in place for the Rockies to be a contender in 2020 .
Clearly , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Despite playing at hitter-friendly Coors Field , where Colorado finished 12-18 , the Rockies posted an OPS of .715 entering Saturday , ranking 18th in the majors .
With runners in scoring position , they hit .245 , tied for the worst in history with the 2011 club .
Colorado ’ s 61 home runs ranked 22rd in the majors , while its .312 on-base percentage was 24th and the worst in franchise history .
The bullpen was a disaster , with a 6.81 ERA and .300 batting average against , both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Despite relatively solid seasons from its top-three starters — Kyle Freeland , Antonio Senzatela and German Marquez — lack of depth in the rotation hurt the team , especially when right-hander Jon Gray slumped and was placed on the injured list Sept. 4 with a strained shoulder .
Still , the rotation ’ s 4.80 ERA ( 20th best ) and 311 innings pitched ( third-most ) shows a bit of promise .
But the question must be asked : is the team squandering the best years of Freeland , Márquez and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , affordable starters ?
So , where do the Rockies go from here ?
It ’ s a difficult question to answer because the pandemic has changed the financial landscape of the game .
“ Rebuild ” is not in the team ’ s vocabulary or philosophy , but change is needed , especially with the Dodgers winning their eighth consecutive NL West title and San Diego ’ s aggressive moves turning it into a powerhouse .
The elephant in the front office remains Arenado , who signed an eight-year , $ 260-million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but can opt out of the deal after the 2021 season .
An ugly rift with Bridich had made the third baseman ’ s departure seem likely .
But the situation is muddier now .
The Rockies , and most other teams , won ’ t have a lot of money to spend this offseason .
Arenado will make $ 35 million in 2021 , and that ’ s a hefty salary for any team to pick up .
Plus , he ’ s owed $ 161 million from 2022-26 , so it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out and leaving that kind of money on the table .
Keep in mind Arenado ’ s 2020 season was a huge disappointment .
He tried to play through shoulder pain and the result was a .738 OPS , far below his career .890 OPS .
He hit only eight homers in 182 at-bats .
Usually , one of the best clutch hitters in the game , his average with runners in scoring position was .175 , way down from his career average ( .323 ) in such situations .
According to FanGraphs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 87.8 mph was his lowest mark of the Statcast era ( since 2015 ) and 1.6 mph below last year ’ s mark .
According to a number of agents , the Rockies ’ most-coveted position player in a trade could well be star shortstop Trevor Story .
He ’ s owed $ 17.5 million next season and is scheduled to become a free agent after 2021 .
Monfort has previously said he would like to sign Story to a long-term deal , but the financial reality and the need to add @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t like to trade fan favorites such as Story , but he ’ s signed off on it before , most notably in November 2008 when the Rockies , unable to come to contract terms with outfielder Matt Holliday , shipped the all-star slugger to Oakland for closer Huston Street , left-handed starter Greg Smith and an uber-talented 23-year-old outfielder named Carlos Gonzalez .
Colorado ’ s other big contract on the books is outfielder Charlie Blackmon , who ’ ll make $ 21 million in 2021 .
That means the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season to their three biggest stars — Blackmon , Arenado and Story .
The Rockies , however , will be rid of the big money-contracts paid to three relievers no longer with the team — Wade Davis , Bryan Shaw and Jake McGee — who collectively signed three-year deals worth $ 106 million prior to the 2018 season .
But other questionable contracts still linger .
Outfielder Ian Desmond , who opted out of this season because of the pandemic , will be owed $ 8 million in 2021 unless he decides to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who lost his job to up-and-coming rookie Josh Fuentes , made $ 8 million this season .
Even though he won ’ t be with the team next season , Murphy is owed a $ 6 million buyout .
Plus , several other key players — including starting pitchers Freeland , Senzatela and Gray , reliever Carlos Estevez , outfielders David Dahl and Raimel Tapia , and second baseman Ryan McMahon — are due raises through arbitration .
The Rockies do have a new television deal with AT & T SportsNet that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the question is whether that will offset money lost to a season played without fans during the pandemic .
The Rockies , of course , always need pitching , but given their lack of power at the plate , acquiring a slugger would seem to be a top priority , especially given the struggles of McMahon and Dahl ( who ’ s battling a shoulder injury ) and the power that never came from the soon-to-be-departed Murphy .
Black , however , isn ’ t sure a home run hitter is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Power is great .
Love power , love the ball going out of the ballpark , ” he said .
“ But I think it ’ s about scoring runs .
That ’ s the thing that stands out to me .
We have to do a better job of getting on base .
“ The big culprit this year has been our average with runners in scoring position .
When we have runners on , it ’ s been our inability to get that one big hit to change the complexion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s something that has to change for next year.
” Whether or not Colorado has the money or desire to dramatically reshape 2021 remains to be seen .
History says it ’ s unlikely .
Since Bridich assumed command after the 2014 season , the Rockies have signed only eight free agents to guarantees worth $ 10 million or more .
Most of those deals did not significantly improve the Rockies : • In the 2015-16 offseason , they signed outfielder Gerardo Parra for three years at $ 27.5 million and reliever Jason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million .
Parra was reasonably productive and a positive presence in the clubhouse .
Motte , rarely healthy , was a bust .
• The next year , Bridich signed Desmond for five years , $ 70 million .
That move did not pay off .
They also signed lefty reliever Mike Dunn for three years , $ 19 million .
Injuries limited Dunn to just under 35 combined innings over his final two seasons .
• The 2017-18 offseason produced the disappointing bullpen trio of Davis , Shaw and McGee .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signing Murphy to a two-year , $ 24 contract — which came after not attempting to re-sign all-star second baseman DJ LeMahieu , who inked a two-year , $ 24 million deal with the Yankees , for whom he ’ s become one of the American League ’ s best players .
• Last offseason , Colorado signed only one major league free agent , right-hander Jose Mujica , for $ 563,000 .
Last year at this time , Bridich said he was comfortable with the basic makeup of his team .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing is to say , ‘ Let ’ s just move on , get rid ( of players ) , get new faces in here and sweep in changes , ' ” he said .
“ But that ’ s not realistic for us .
That ’ s not who we are .
And sometimes the patience pays off.
” It didn ’ t pay off in the truncated 2020 season .
Whether or not the Rockies follow that same patient blueprint in 2021 remains to be seen .

About this time last year — Oct. 1 to be precise — owner Dick Monfort talked in glowing terms about the Rockies’ future, despite the fact that the team was coming off a 71-91 season.
“When some teams don’t play good over a long period of time, they choose to do a (rebuild), but our goal is to play better and to win,” Monfort said. “I also hear — what is the phrase? ‘You have a window of time’ — I think we have a huge window of time.”
A year later, that window has slammed shut after the Rockies exhibited multiple issues during a disappointing 2020 season, which comes to an end Sunday at Arizona.
The Rockies (25-33 entering Saturday) failed to make the playoffs for the second consecutive season — a reality made harsher by the fact the postseason was expanded to include eight of 15 National League teams in this strange, 60-game season cut short by COVID-19.
“Eight teams make the playoffs and if we’re not one of those eight teams that’s not a very good sign,” star third baseman Nolan Arenado said before his season was ended last week by a lingering left shoulder injury.
The fact that the Rockies opened the season with an 11-3 record only to dramatically plummet out of contention adds salt to the wound. Their .431 winning percentage is worse than last season’s .438.
Monfort, general manager Jeff Bridich and manager Bud Black all insisted the pieces were in place for the Rockies to be a contender in 2020. Clearly, they miscalculated.
The offense needs an upgrade. Despite playing at hitter-friendly Coors Field, where Colorado finished 12-18, the Rockies posted an OPS of .715 entering Saturday, ranking 18th in the majors. With runners in scoring position, they hit .245, tied for the worst in history with the 2011 club. Colorado’s 61 home runs ranked 22rd in the majors, while its .312 on-base percentage was 24th and the worst in franchise history.
The bullpen was a disaster, with a 6.81 ERA and .300 batting average against, both of which ranked second-worst in the majors.
Despite relatively solid seasons from its top-three starters — Kyle Freeland, Antonio Senzatela and German Marquez — lack of depth in the rotation hurt the team, especially when right-hander Jon Gray slumped and was placed on the injured list Sept. 4 with a strained shoulder.
Still, the rotation’s 4.80 ERA (20th best) and 311 innings pitched (third-most) shows a bit of promise. But the question must be asked: is the team squandering the best years of Freeland, Márquez and Senzatela, all of whom are young, affordable starters?
So, where do the Rockies go from here? It’s a difficult question to answer because the pandemic has changed the financial landscape of the game. “Rebuild” is not in the team’s vocabulary or philosophy, but change is needed, especially with the Dodgers winning their eighth consecutive NL West title and San Diego’s aggressive moves turning it into a powerhouse.
The elephant in the front office remains Arenado, who signed an eight-year, $260-million contract prior to the 2019 season, but can opt out of the deal after the 2021 season. An ugly rift with Bridich had made the third baseman’s departure seem likely.
But the situation is muddier now. The Rockies, and most other teams, won’t have a lot of money to spend this offseason. Arenado will make $35 million in 2021, and that’s a hefty salary for any team to pick up. Plus, he’s owed $161 million from 2022-26, so it’s difficult to see him opting out and leaving that kind of money on the table.
Keep in mind Arenado’s 2020 season was a huge disappointment. He tried to play through shoulder pain and the result was a .738 OPS, far below his career .890 OPS. He hit only eight homers in 182 at-bats. Usually, one of the best clutch hitters in the game, his average with runners in scoring position was .175, way down from his career average (.323) in such situations.
According to FanGraphs, Arenado’s average exit velocity of 87.8 mph was his lowest mark of the Statcast era (since 2015) and 1.6 mph below last year’s mark.
According to a number of agents, the Rockies’ most-coveted position player in a trade could well be star shortstop Trevor Story. He’s owed $17.5 million next season and is scheduled to become a free agent after 2021. Monfort has previously said he would like to sign Story to a long-term deal, but the financial reality and the need to add impactful players could change that.
Monfort doesn’t like to trade fan favorites such as Story, but he’s signed off on it before, most notably in November 2008 when the Rockies, unable to come to contract terms with outfielder Matt Holliday, shipped the all-star slugger to Oakland for closer Huston Street, left-handed starter Greg Smith and an uber-talented 23-year-old outfielder named Carlos Gonzalez.
Colorado’s other big contract on the books is outfielder Charlie Blackmon, who’ll make $21 million in 2021. That means the Rockies have committed $74.5 million next season to their three biggest stars — Blackmon, Arenado and Story.
The Rockies, however, will be rid of the big money-contracts paid to three relievers no longer with the team — Wade Davis, Bryan Shaw and Jake McGee — who collectively signed three-year deals worth $106 million prior to the 2018 season.
But other questionable contracts still linger. Outfielder Ian Desmond, who opted out of this season because of the pandemic, will be owed $8 million in 2021 unless he decides to retire. Underperforming first baseman Daniel Murphy, who lost his job to up-and-coming rookie Josh Fuentes, made $8 million this season. Even though he won’t be with the team next season, Murphy is owed a $6 million buyout.
Plus, several other key players — including starting pitchers Freeland, Senzatela and Gray, reliever Carlos Estevez, outfielders David Dahl and Raimel Tapia, and second baseman Ryan McMahon — are due raises through arbitration.
The Rockies do have a new television deal with AT&T SportsNet that will add more money to the coffers, but the question is whether that will offset money lost to a season played without fans during the pandemic.
The Rockies, of course, always need pitching, but given their lack of power at the plate, acquiring a slugger would seem to be a top priority, especially given the struggles of McMahon and Dahl (who’s battling a shoulder injury) and the power that never came from the soon-to-be-departed Murphy.
Black, however, isn’t sure a home run hitter is the team’s top priority.
“Power is great. Love power, love the ball going out of the ballpark,” he said. “But I think it’s about scoring runs. That’s the thing that stands out to me. We have to do a better job of getting on base.
“The big culprit this year has been our average with runners in scoring position. When we have runners on, it’s been our inability to get that one big hit to change the complexion of the game. So that’s something that has to change for next year.”
Whether or not Colorado has the money or desire to dramatically reshape 2021 remains to be seen. History says it’s unlikely.
Since Bridich assumed command after the 2014 season, the Rockies have signed only eight free agents to guarantees worth $10 million or more. Most of those deals did not significantly improve the Rockies:
In the 2015-16 offseason, they signed outfielder Gerardo Parra for three years at $27.5 million and reliever Jason Motte for two years, $10 million. Parra was reasonably productive and a positive presence in the clubhouse. Motte, rarely healthy, was a bust.
The next year, Bridich signed Desmond for five years, $70 million. That move did not pay off. They also signed lefty reliever Mike Dunn for three years, $19 million. Injuries limited Dunn to just under 35 combined innings over his final two seasons.
The 2017-18 offseason produced the disappointing bullpen trio of Davis, Shaw and McGee.
The lone big-money move of 2018-19 was signing Murphy to a two-year, $24 contract — which came after not attempting to re-sign all-star second baseman DJ LeMahieu, who inked a two-year, $24 million deal with the Yankees, for whom he’s become one of the American League’s best players.
Last offseason, Colorado signed only one major league free agent, right-hander Jose Mujica, for $563,000.
Last year at this time, Bridich said he was comfortable with the basic makeup of his team.
“A lot of times, the easy thing is to say, ‘Let’s just move on, get rid (of players), get new faces in here and sweep in changes,'” he said. “But that’s not realistic for us. That’s not who we are. And sometimes the patience pays off.”
It didn’t pay off in the truncated 2020 season. Whether or not the Rockies follow that same patient blueprint in 2021 remains to be seen.