thedenverpost--2020-04-22--“It’s the virus’s world”: The balancing act of reopening Colorado without widespread testing

Since the novel coronavirus first entered the state last month , Colorado ’ s top health officials have spoken repeatedly about the need for more extensive testing , particularly as a way to measure how the virus is spreading after the statewide stay-at-home eases and people return to businesses and a modified version of normal life .
Gov .
Jared Polis has routinely expressed his frustration at the lack of extensive testing , a problem that has impacted every state in the country as supply chains can ’ t keep up , forcing states to compete with each other for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s stay-at-home mandate was set to end Sunday , he had a calculation to make .
The science is clear , public health experts say : Widespread testing , combined with strategic and targeted isolation and quarantines , is the ideal way to track hot spots and outbreaks before they overwhelm hospitals , while simultaneously allowing others to return , at least partially , to daily life .
That testing simply hasn ’ t come .
And Polis chose not to wait any longer .
“ There ’ s the best way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the way we ’ re gon na have to do this , ” said Daniel Goldberg , an associate professor of epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health .
“ There ’ s not an ideal way .
It ’ s not our world — it ’ s the virus ’ s world.
” The governor ’ s announcement Monday to reopen some businesses next week and allow some offices to return to half-capacity the following week underscores the immensely difficult , life-and-death decisions being made by state executives around the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced them to take calculated risks with both their economies and people ’ s well-being .
Public health experts say 152 tests per 100,000 people each day is the gold standard for community-wide testing in order to safely lift restrictions such as stay-at-home orders .
This number allows public health officials to identify both those who are sick and those who are asymptomatic to avoid outbreaks and isolate the right people so others can continue living their lives .
Colorado is currently testing 26.5 people per 100,000 residents , according to the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Rhode Island was the only state to reach the recommended rates when The New York Times analyzed states ’ data last week .
The ability for public health officials to accurately track the disease is paramount to controlling its effect on a population , experts say .
In South Korea and Germany , between 3 % and 7 % of tests come back positive , meaning officials have a good sense of who has the virus and where they live .
In the United States , 20 % of those tested come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more untested living with COVID-19 .
Nineteen percent of the 1,548 new tests reported to Colorado health officials Monday came back positive , according to state data .
In Colorado , 10,477 people have tested positive — but state officials say they believe as many as 75,000 are infected .
The World Health Organization recommends 10 % as the maximum rate of positive tests .
Officials in Eagle County , meanwhile , say initial testing there likely saved lives , and that has one of Colorado ’ s hardest-hit communities on the upswing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 patient in our hospital right now , ” Will Cook , president and CEO of Vail Health , wrote Monday on the hospital ’ s website .
Doctors have not had to place a patient on a ventilator since March 27 , while positive COVID-19 tests have dropped to 7 % from 35 % , Cook wrote .
Nurses are even being sent to Denver , where there ’ s more need .
“ We ’ ve already tested nearly 5 % of our valley population , which is 2-to-10 times higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Instead of following CDC restricted testing guidance , which limited testing to those who recently traveled to China , we assumed COVID was here early in January due to our international travel .
This decision allowed us to move into action before we were told to .
We continue to test more aggressively and broadly than any community in America.
” As a result of this success , Eagle County officials have petitioned Polis to ease some the stay-at-home restrictions so business in the mountain community can restart .
But for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing is not possible .
And Polis decided he won ’ t wait for that to change .
“ First of all , testing is great , ” Polis said at a news conference Monday , responding to a question about moving forward with easing restrictions despite not having these resources in place .
“ But even if we had all the testing , we wouldn ’ t have ability to follow up from a contact-tracing perspective , a quarantine perspective — or even a fraction of that.
” Polis acknowledged Monday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and move up dates on reopening certain segments of society — but unlike island nations such as Taiwan or New Zealand , the virus would always find its way back .
In recent days , the governor made clear that a lack of widespread testing alone would not stop him from reopening parts of the state .
On Friday , Polis pointedly refuted a comment made the previous day by Scott Bookman , the state ’ s COVID-19 incident commander , who told reporters , “ The state won ’ t reopen until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe.
” “ If any state , if any country , were to wait until we could keep everybody safe , ” Polis said , “ we ’ d have to be closed forever.
” The decision to reopen comes as unemployment filings reached historic numbers in Colorado , and protesters on Sunday descended on the state Capitol , demanding an end to what they called “ draconian ” policies .
The move to ease restrictions despite not having the ideal tracking system in place is like trying to choose between two nightmares @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professor at the Colorado School of Public Health .
“ One nightmare is continuing to have people out of work , more people to file for unemployment benefits and more people suffering because of the stay-at-home requirement , ” Newman said .
“ The other nightmare : Go back to work and your workplace has an outbreak and that affects you , it affects the people you go home to , it affects your coworkers .
And it probably results in a relapse for the community in terms of increased cases and deaths.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ order is not sustainable in the long run , and that people would need to find some semblance of normal life , even as the virus stays in their midst for months to come .
In lieu of widespread testing and tracking , health officials are going to have to watch the virus without the best indicators available — noting that the risks for another COVID-19 spike are very possible .
In a letter to Polis last week , a consortium of local public health officials recommended that in order to safely relax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work , Colorado should be sure that every symptomatic person can be tested for COVID-19 within 24 hours and see test results within 12 to 24 hours .
It also suggests employers be required to screen employees daily for COVID-19 symptoms and that face masks should be encouraged or mandated for some time .
Without widespread testing , health officials have to rely on blunt tools such as stay-at-home measures , social distancing and — later in the illness ’ cycle — ICU beds and ventilators .
“ That ’ s not your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jollon , president of the Colorado Association of Local Public Health Officials , said Tuesday .
“ The first line of defense is controlling a disease , and you control it through adequate testing.
” As social distancing measures are relaxed in the coming weeks , the possibility of a resurgence in the disease can not be discounted , experts say .
If the state keeps social interactions to 65 % less than normal — the level Polis is shooting for — and took no other precautions , the number of people needing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available in late July or August , the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and Colorado School of Public Health predicted in a new modeling report released Monday .
The model predicted the most likely way to avoid overwhelming intensive care units at that lower level of social distancing is if older people continue following the stay-at-home order ; almost everyone wears a mask in public ; and the state develops the ability to quickly test people with symptoms and isolate those who have the virus .
Even then , the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further eased in June , according to the predictions .
“ The more social distancing is relaxed , the sooner we can expect a second peak to occur and hospital capacity approached and possibly exceeded , ” researchers noted .
“ In addition , the more social distancing is relaxed , the greater the hospital demand at the peak.
” Even if older people stay home , people wear masks and testing increases , it won ’ t matter if social distancing drops to 45 % , the health experts warned in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing and tracing , the odds of these rolling reopenings and retightenings goes up substantially , ” said Goldberg , with the Colorado School of Public Health .
“ What the governor is trying to do is buy time , keep as many of us as safe as possible , acknowledging that as safe as we can be isn ’ t as safe as we ’ d like to be.
” Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado .

Since the novel coronavirus first entered the state last month, Colorado’s top health officials have spoken repeatedly about the need for more extensive testing, particularly as a way to measure how the virus is spreading after the statewide stay-at-home eases and people return to businesses and a modified version of normal life.
Gov. Jared Polis has routinely expressed his frustration at the lack of extensive testing, a problem that has impacted every state in the country as supply chains can’t keep up, forcing states to compete with each other for resources.
But as the governor’s stay-at-home mandate was set to end Sunday, he had a calculation to make. The science is clear, public health experts say: Widespread testing, combined with strategic and targeted isolation and quarantines, is the ideal way to track hot spots and outbreaks before they overwhelm hospitals, while simultaneously allowing others to return, at least partially, to daily life.
That testing simply hasn’t come. And Polis chose not to wait any longer.
“There’s the best way to do this and then there’s the way we’re gonna have to do this,” said Daniel Goldberg, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health. “There’s not an ideal way. It’s not our world — it’s the virus’s world.”
The governor’s announcement Monday to reopen some businesses next week and allow some offices to return to half-capacity the following week underscores the immensely difficult, life-and-death decisions being made by state executives around the country, as a lack of resources has forced them to take calculated risks with both their economies and people’s well-being.
Why testing matters
Public health experts say 152 tests per 100,000 people each day is the gold standard for community-wide testing in order to safely lift restrictions such as stay-at-home orders. This number allows public health officials to identify both those who are sick and those who are asymptomatic to avoid outbreaks and isolate the right people so others can continue living their lives.
Colorado is currently testing 26.5 people per 100,000 residents, according to the most recent data from the state health department. Rhode Island was the only state to reach the recommended rates when The New York Times analyzed states’ data last week.
The ability for public health officials to accurately track the disease is paramount to controlling its effect on a population, experts say. In South Korea and Germany, between 3% and 7% of tests come back positive, meaning officials have a good sense of who has the virus and where they live.
In the United States, 20% of those tested come back positive, indicating there are countless more untested living with COVID-19. Nineteen percent of the 1,548 new tests reported to Colorado health officials Monday came back positive, according to state data. In Colorado, 10,477 people have tested positive — but state officials say they believe as many as 75,000 are infected.
The World Health Organization recommends 10% as the maximum rate of positive tests.
Officials in Eagle County, meanwhile, say initial testing there likely saved lives, and that has one of Colorado’s hardest-hit communities on the upswing.
“We literally have one active COVID-19 patient in our hospital right now,” Will Cook, president and CEO of Vail Health, wrote Monday on the hospital’s website.
Doctors have not had to place a patient on a ventilator since March 27, while positive COVID-19 tests have dropped to 7% from 35%, Cook wrote. Nurses are even being sent to Denver, where there’s more need.
“We’ve already tested nearly 5% of our valley population, which is 2-to-10 times higher than most communities,” Cook said. “Instead of following CDC restricted testing guidance, which limited testing to those who recently traveled to China, we assumed COVID was here early in January due to our international travel. This decision allowed us to move into action before we were told to. We continue to test more aggressively and broadly than any community in America.”
As a result of this success, Eagle County officials have petitioned Polis to ease some the stay-at-home restrictions so business in the mountain community can restart.
Moving forward despite lack of testing
But for many Colorado communities, that level of testing is not possible. And Polis decided he won’t wait for that to change.
“First of all, testing is great,” Polis said at a news conference Monday, responding to a question about moving forward with easing restrictions despite not having these resources in place. “But even if we had all the testing, we wouldn’t have ability to follow up from a contact-tracing perspective, a quarantine perspective — or even a fraction of that.”
Polis acknowledged Monday that more testing would help speed things along and move up dates on reopening certain segments of society — but unlike island nations such as Taiwan or New Zealand, the virus would always find its way back.
In recent days, the governor made clear that a lack of widespread testing alone would not stop him from reopening parts of the state.
On Friday, Polis pointedly refuted a comment made the previous day by Scott Bookman, the state’s COVID-19 incident commander, who told reporters, “The state won’t reopen until we have the capacity to make everyone safe.”
“If any state, if any country, were to wait until we could keep everybody safe,” Polis said, “we’d have to be closed forever.”
The decision to reopen comes as unemployment filings reached historic numbers in Colorado, and protesters on Sunday descended on the state Capitol, demanding an end to what they called “draconian” policies.
The move to ease restrictions despite not having the ideal tracking system in place is like trying to choose between two nightmares, said Lee Newman, an epidemiology professor at the Colorado School of Public Health.
“One nightmare is continuing to have people out of work, more people to file for unemployment benefits and more people suffering because of the stay-at-home requirement,” Newman said. “The other nightmare: Go back to work and your workplace has an outbreak and that affects you, it affects the people you go home to, it affects your coworkers. And it probably results in a relapse for the community in terms of increased cases and deaths.”
Polis has reiterated that the stay-at-home order is not sustainable in the long run, and that people would need to find some semblance of normal life, even as the virus stays in their midst for months to come.
Risking another spike
In lieu of widespread testing and tracking, health officials are going to have to watch the virus without the best indicators available — noting that the risks for another COVID-19 spike are very possible.
In a letter to Polis last week, a consortium of local public health officials recommended that in order to safely relax restrictions on people’s movements and work, Colorado should be sure that every symptomatic person can be tested for COVID-19 within 24 hours and see test results within 12 to 24 hours. It also suggests employers be required to screen employees daily for COVID-19 symptoms and that face masks should be encouraged or mandated for some time.
Without widespread testing, health officials have to rely on blunt tools such as stay-at-home measures, social distancing and — later in the illness’ cycle — ICU beds and ventilators.
“That’s not your first line of defense,” Liane Jollon, president of the Colorado Association of Local Public Health Officials, said Tuesday. “The first line of defense is controlling a disease, and you control it through adequate testing.”
As social distancing measures are relaxed in the coming weeks, the possibility of a resurgence in the disease cannot be discounted, experts say.
If the state keeps social interactions to 65% less than normal — the level Polis is shooting for — and took no other precautions, the number of people needing intensive care beds would exceed the number available in late July or August, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and Colorado School of Public Health predicted in a new modeling report released Monday.
The model predicted the most likely way to avoid overwhelming intensive care units at that lower level of social distancing is if older people continue following the stay-at-home order; almost everyone wears a mask in public; and the state develops the ability to quickly test people with symptoms and isolate those who have the virus.
Even then, the virus could come roaring back if restrictions are further eased in June, according to the predictions.
“The more social distancing is relaxed, the sooner we can expect a second peak to occur and hospital capacity approached and possibly exceeded,” researchers noted. “In addition, the more social distancing is relaxed, the greater the hospital demand at the peak.”
Even if older people stay home, people wear masks and testing increases, it won’t matter if social distancing drops to 45%, the health experts warned in the report.
“In the absence of testing and tracing, the odds of these rolling reopenings and retightenings goes up substantially,” said Goldberg, with the Colorado School of Public Health. “What the governor is trying to do is buy time, keep as many of us as safe as possible, acknowledging that as safe as we can be isn’t as safe as we’d like to be.”
Staff writer Meg Wingerter contributed to this report.
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado.


thedenverpost--2020-04-22--Colorado doctor finds hope while battling coronavirus in New York City: “I think we can do this”

Dr. Comilla Sasson didn ’ t tell her husband when she applied for a 30-day placement treating coronavirus patients in New York City .
As an emergency medical physician at several Colorado hospitals and vice president of science and innovation for emergency cardiovascular care at the American Heart Association , Sasson knew it would be risky .
She knew family and friends would disagree with her decision , and that she wouldn ’ t get to hug her kids , ages 3 and 5 , until weeks after she got home because of quarantine protocol .
But Sasson couldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the medical community struggle , or field questions she couldn ’ t answer from loved ones concerned about COVID-19 .
So on April 12 , she boarded a plane bound for the Big Apple .
“ We ’ re in an opinion-rich area and a data-free zone .
It ’ s really , really disconcerting to me as a doctor because I feel like I should know the answer , ” said Sasson , who lives in Lakewood .
“ I don ’ t know how to treat this .
I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t know how to prevent this .
I don ’ t know how to keep everyone else safe.
” Sasson joined the ranks at a temporary hospital built at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens .
It operates more like a military field hospital than a traditional medical facility , she said , where doctors , nurses and technicians often forgo their typical routines to “ do what needs to be done.
” Sometimes that means conducting physical therapy in lieu of a specialist or cleaning the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 30 consecutive days , working 12 or 13 hours each shift .
Though the days ’ tasks may vary , her mission remains the same .
“ Our role is to help when there ’ s the next wave , which I think there will be , ” she said .
New York has been one of the hardest hit areas in the United States , with more than 134,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and an estimated 14,427 attributable deaths , according to the city ’ s Department of Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado Department Public Health and Environment reports nearly 10,500 confirmed cases in the state and 486 deaths .
When she arrived in New York City , Sasson expected to encounter droves of sick residents keeling over on the sidewalks and to be tending to critically ill patients .
The reality has been much quieter , she said , not only because the city has seemingly weathered its surge , but also because treating COVID-19 is unlike managing other diseases .
In an emergency situation , for example , doctors aim to fix or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , limiting their length of stay , Sasson said .
That ’ s not an option with COVID-19 .
“ This is a very , very different disease process in that people may just need oxygen , ” she said .
“ If they get to the hospital stage , they will be here a very long time .
So you have to kind of change your mindset about that .
The best thing I can do for a patient right now is keep them comfortable so they can breathe.
” For 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ hot zone ” — where medical professionals treating coronavirus patients must wear full personal protection equipment — but it ’ s already been an incredible learning experience , full of lessons about optimizing resources and coordinating personnel that she plans to bring home to help deal with any surge that comes in Colorado .
But perhaps the most important thing she ’ s unearthed is something she didn ’ t expect : hope .
“ I came in very anxious , very afraid , very nervous , very kind of down on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ What I ’ ve realized over the course of the last 10 days is I think we can do this.
” Sasson recalls helping an older patient , who had been treated for a month , prepare for discharge .
Thinking back on their reaction to the news they were able to go home almost brings her to tears .
“ People can get better and we have the tools and resources , ” she said .
“ We ’ re in a boxing match right now .
This is round one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might go .
We need to be ready for the next wave because it ’ s coming .
And if we can control how hard we get punched and we don ’ t end up with another TKO , then I think we ’ re going to do OK. ” Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox .

Dr. Comilla Sasson didn’t tell her husband when she applied for a 30-day placement treating coronavirus patients in New York City.
As an emergency medical physician at several Colorado hospitals and vice president of science and innovation for emergency cardiovascular care at the American Heart Association, Sasson knew it would be risky.
She knew family and friends would disagree with her decision, and that she wouldn’t get to hug her kids, ages 3 and 5, until weeks after she got home because of quarantine protocol.
But Sasson couldn’t sit idly watching her colleagues in the medical community struggle, or field questions she couldn’t answer from loved ones concerned about COVID-19. So on April 12, she boarded a plane bound for the Big Apple.
“We’re in an opinion-rich area and a data-free zone. It’s really, really disconcerting to me as a doctor because I feel like I should know the answer,” said Sasson, who lives in Lakewood. “I don’t know how to treat this. I don’t know how to cure this. I don’t know how to prevent this. I don’t know how to keep everyone else safe.”
Sasson joined the ranks at a temporary hospital built at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens. It operates more like a military field hospital than a traditional medical facility, she said, where doctors, nurses and technicians often forgo their typical routines to “do what needs to be done.” Sometimes that means conducting physical therapy in lieu of a specialist or cleaning the floors.
Had a chance to meet with some of the many heroes here in #NYC. I came to NYC afraid of the unknown. Today I finally became hopeful that, if done the right way, we can beat #coronavirus. #HealthcareHeroes #vlog pic.twitter.com/zepoR0eu4k — Dr. Comilla (@comilla_s) April 21, 2020
Sasson is on the clock for 30 consecutive days, working 12 or 13 hours each shift. Though the days’ tasks may vary, her mission remains the same.
“Our role is to help when there’s the next wave, which I think there will be,” she said.
New York has been one of the hardest hit areas in the United States, with more than 134,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and an estimated 14,427 attributable deaths, according to the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Comparatively, the Colorado Department Public Health and Environment reports nearly 10,500 confirmed cases in the state and 486 deaths.
When she arrived in New York City, Sasson expected to encounter droves of sick residents keeling over on the sidewalks and to be tending to critically ill patients. The reality has been much quieter, she said, not only because the city has seemingly weathered its surge, but also because treating COVID-19 is unlike managing other diseases.
In an emergency situation, for example, doctors aim to fix or rehabilitate patients and send them home quickly, limiting their length of stay, Sasson said. That’s not an option with COVID-19.
“This is a very, very different disease process in that people may just need oxygen,” she said. “If they get to the hospital stage, they will be here a very long time. So you have to kind of change your mindset about that. The best thing I can do for a patient right now is keep them comfortable so they can breathe.”
For 10 days, Sasson has been in the “hot zone” — where medical professionals treating coronavirus patients must wear full personal protection equipment — but it’s already been an incredible learning experience, full of lessons about optimizing resources and coordinating personnel that she plans to bring home to help deal with any surge that comes in Colorado.
But perhaps the most important thing she’s unearthed is something she didn’t expect: hope.
“I came in very anxious, very afraid, very nervous, very kind of down on the world,” Sasson said. “What I’ve realized over the course of the last 10 days is I think we can do this.”
Sasson recalls helping an older patient, who had been treated for a month, prepare for discharge. Thinking back on their reaction to the news they were able to go home almost brings her to tears.
“People can get better and we have the tools and resources,” she said. “We’re in a boxing match right now. This is round one. Who knows how many rounds this might go. We need to be ready for the next wave because it’s coming. And if we can control how hard we get punched and we don’t end up with another TKO, then I think we’re going to do OK.”
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox.


thedenverpost--2020-04-22--Laviska Shenault Jr.’s NFL draft position — here’s what some national draftniks are saying

The NFL draft begins on Thursday but will former Colorado star Laviska Shenault Jr. hear his name called on Day 1 ?
When the standout wide receiver declared for the draft last December , he was widely seen as a mid- to late-first-round pick by national media outlets .
But in recent weeks , his name has dropped into the second round in mock drafts .
Here ’ s a look at what some draftniks and an oddsmaker are saying : 32.5 : That ’ s the over-under for where Shenault will land in the draft , according to oddsmaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favored at 1-to-4 odds , as of Monday .
ESPN ’ s Todd McShay has Shenault getting picked in the second round with the 46th overall pick to the Broncos : “ Denver still needs a wide receiver opposite Courtland Sutton , and Shenault would be making a short drive from Boulder , where he played college ball , to do a little bit of everything in this Broncos offense.
” McShay ’ s colleague , Mel Kiper Jr. , doesn ’ t have Shenault going in the first two rounds .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selected with the No .
48 pick and heading to the Jets .
As does Pro Football Focus ’ Michael Renner .
“ Injuries will drop him , but Shenault is still an uber talent , ” Renner writes .
“ His 4.98 yards per route against man coverage over the past two seasons is tops among wideouts in the draft.
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The NFL draft begins on Thursday but will former Colorado star Laviska Shenault Jr. hear his name called on Day 1?
When the standout wide receiver declared for the draft last December, he was widely seen as a mid- to late-first-round pick by national media outlets. But in recent weeks, his name has dropped into the second round in mock drafts. Here’s a look at what some draftniks and an oddsmaker are saying:
32.5: That’s the over-under for where Shenault will land in the draft, according to oddsmaker Bovada. And the over is heavily favored at 1-to-4 odds, as of Monday.
ESPN’s Todd McShay has Shenault getting picked in the second round with the 46th overall pick to the Broncos: “Denver still needs a wide receiver opposite Courtland Sutton, and Shenault would be making a short drive from Boulder, where he played college ball, to do a little bit of everything in this Broncos offense.” McShay’s colleague, Mel Kiper Jr., doesn’t have Shenault going in the first two rounds.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has Shenault selected with the No. 48 pick and heading to the Jets. As does Pro Football Focus’ Michael Renner.
“Injuries will drop him, but Shenault is still an uber talent,” Renner writes. “His 4.98 yards per route against man coverage over the past two seasons is tops among wideouts in the draft.”
— Joe Nguyen, The Denver Post
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thedenverpost--2020-04-22--Michael Malone on Michael Porter Jr.’s rookie season: “He still has a chance to be a great player”

The highly-anticipated rookie season of Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. might be over .
Ask coach Michael Malone for an honest assessment of Porter ’ s performance and the response is mixed .
“ I think of a young man that probably had a very frustrating year individually , ” Malone said Tuesday on a Zoom teleconference video call with reporters .
Porter , the Nuggets ’ 14th overall NBA draft choice ( 2018 ) , twice removed from back surgery , reached what could be the conclusion of his first playing season with pedestrian numbers ( 7.5 points , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ averaging just 14 minutes off the bench .
Porter peaked in January with double-figures scoring in 8-of-15 games played .
His momentum stalled after an ankle injury in Milwaukee .
Porter missed six games after that and was not at full strength upon his return , Malone said , just before NBA ’ s subsequent postponement amid the pandemic .
“ Here ’ s a guy that ’ s always been one of the top-rated players in his class and he comes to a team that won 54 games and has a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Malone said of Porter .
“ He looks around the landscape of the NBA and sees all the players he was rated higher than or other players that maybe he used to give buckets .
Getting a chance to play , and playing well , in his mind he hasn ’ t gotten that same opportunity .
“ I think the greatest challenge for Michael is to understand that he is on a different path from some of those other players .
He still has a chance to be a great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization has not lost confidence in Porter to reach that potential .
“ He ’ s shown all of us what he can do , ” Malone said .
“ Now , the challenge is to help him do that on a more consistent basis.
” Malone endorses Booth as GM .
Among the opening remarks from Malone ’ s virtual Tuesday news conference was his excitement for Arturas Karnisovas , the Nuggets ’ now-former general manager , who last week accepted the top executive position with the Chicago Bulls .
Malone called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remaining upbeat about his reported replacement : Calvin Booth .
Booth , the Nuggets ’ assistant GM since August 2017 , is expected to be promoted as general manager with no specific timeframe for a formal announcement , two league sources told The Post on Saturday .
Malone reiterated Tuesday that nothing is official .
But he essentially confirmed the promotion .
“ Calvin is a remarkable person with a great family , ” Malone said .
“ I got to know Calvin when I was coaching in Cleveland years ago and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the area .
He ’ s professional .
He works his butt off , is very detailed and organized .
“ … Calvin played the game for many years in the NBA and was a helluva player at Penn State .
So , if there is something he sees and wants to pass on to Nikola ( Jokic ) or a young player like Bol Bol … he ’ s done that.
” “ I have complete confidence in Calvin Booth if he ’ s selected .
I would be shocked if he @ @ @ @ @

The highly-anticipated rookie season of Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. might be over.
Ask coach Michael Malone for an honest assessment of Porter’s performance and the response is mixed.
“I think of a young man that probably had a very frustrating year individually,” Malone said Tuesday on a Zoom teleconference video call with reporters.
Porter, the Nuggets’ 14th overall NBA draft choice (2018), twice removed from back surgery, reached what could be the conclusion of his first playing season with pedestrian numbers (7.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 0.7 assists) while averaging just 14 minutes off the bench.
Porter peaked in January with double-figures scoring in 8-of-15 games played. His momentum stalled after an ankle injury in Milwaukee. Porter missed six games after that and was not at full strength upon his return, Malone said, just before NBA’s subsequent postponement amid the pandemic.
“Here’s a guy that’s always been one of the top-rated players in his class and he comes to a team that won 54 games and has a lot of talented players in front of him,” Malone said of Porter. “He looks around the landscape of the NBA and sees all the players he was rated higher than or other players that maybe he used to give buckets. Getting a chance to play, and playing well, in his mind he hasn’t gotten that same opportunity.
“I think the greatest challenge for Michael is to understand that he is on a different path from some of those other players. He still has a chance to be a great player.”
Malone also reiterated that the organization has not lost confidence in Porter to reach that potential.
“He’s shown all of us what he can do,” Malone said. “Now, the challenge is to help him do that on a more consistent basis.”
Malone endorses Booth as GM. Among the opening remarks from Malone’s virtual Tuesday news conference was his excitement for Arturas Karnisovas, the Nuggets’ now-former general manager, who last week accepted the top executive position with the Chicago Bulls.
Malone called it a “big loss” while remaining upbeat about his reported replacement: Calvin Booth.
Booth, the Nuggets’ assistant GM since August 2017, is expected to be promoted as general manager with no specific timeframe for a formal announcement, two league sources told The Post on Saturday. Malone reiterated Tuesday that nothing is official. But he essentially confirmed the promotion.
“Calvin is a remarkable person with a great family,” Malone said. “I got to know Calvin when I was coaching in Cleveland years ago and he was still playing. He lived in the area. He’s professional. He works his butt off, is very detailed and organized.
“… Calvin played the game for many years in the NBA and was a helluva player at Penn State. So, if there is something he sees and wants to pass on to Nikola (Jokic) or a young player like Bol Bol … he’s done that.”
“I have complete confidence in Calvin Booth if he’s selected. I would be shocked if he wasn’t.”


thedenverpost--2020-04-22--McMillin: Coloradans could pledge, for Earth Day, to maintain the coronavirus emissions reduction

Brown clouds have lifted , levels of nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide have measurably shrunk , and public health warnings about poor air quality have declined .
Not just in Denver , but worldwide .
You ’ d think we are finally taking climate change seriously and heeding the theme of this year ’ s 50th annual Earth Day : climate action .
Instead , our suddenly cleaner air is a byproduct of the global pandemic of COVID-19 , a viral respiratory infection that , ironically , may have higher fatality rates in communities with higher levels of air pollution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notice that as people cut back on daily commutes , flights were canceled and some industries shuttered , our once hazy cityscapes suddenly cleared and vistas in places like Los Angeles expanded .
The visual cues are so obvious it should give us pause as we prepare to resume our routines .
Make no mistake , the air pollution reductions are temporary .
Millions of cars will be on the roads again as people return to work and our businesses and industries restart .
It may start slowly , but eventually , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the beat could be a bit different .
We can ’ t unsee the clearer skies , so let ’ s incorporate some of the changes we ’ ve made during the shutdown , such as making fewer trips to the store and for some , perhaps working from home with more regularity .
Recent studies show that about 37 % of the workforce can work from home at least some of the time , although that varies by location and industry .
It ’ s a start , though , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people from commercial office space to home-based jobs , they are not insurmountable .
Earlier this year I wrote about Colorado ’ s poor air quality , especially in Denver and the northern Front Range .
One of the statistics cited : Denverites breathed healthy air just 83 days in 2018 , or about 23 % of the year .
Experts I spoke with then offered ways that everyone can help fight the brown cloud , such as telecommuting when possible or doing all errands in one trip .
These are things we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to continue them and work toward lessening our carbon footprints is a wonderful way to mark this Earth Day and honor those who started the whole thing on April 22 , 1970 to push for environmental changes .
One of the instigations for the movement happened a year earlier , in 1969 , when photographs of a fire on the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland were widely published .
There had been more than a dozen fires on the horribly polluted river , but finally , people saw the problem and demanded change .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ following year coalesced into the modern environmental movement and led to the adoption over the next decade of the Clean Water , Clean Air and Endangered Species acts .
But it ’ s been increasingly difficult to sustain and continue the progress made , despite such examples as the Cuyahoga , in which today the water is cleaner than it ’ s been for 150 years and more than 60 fish species thrive , according to America Rivers , a conservation organization .
The Union of Concerned Scientists has similar positive reports about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says has cut ground-level ozone by more than 25 % and nitrogen dioxide by 46 % since 1980 .
It also reduced the lead content in gasoline , cutting lead air pollution by 92 % .
We aren ’ t always able to immediately see the impacts of our lifestyles , but right now we can .
Side-by-side photos of cities showing their usually polluted skies next to the current clear skies were recently published in The Guardian .
Statistics and graphics abound on the internet .
For those in Denver and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your window .
You ’ re not imagining that the sky is a bit more blue , and you can see a more distant horizon .
We can see , literally see , that we can make a difference .
Sue McMillin is a long-time Colorado reporter and editor who worked for The Gazette and Durango Herald .
Now a regular columnist for The Denver Post and a freelance writer , she lives in Cañon City .
Email her at suemcmillin20 @ gmail.com .
To send a letter to the editor about this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail .

Brown clouds have lifted, levels of nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide have measurably shrunk, and public health warnings about poor air quality have declined.
Not just in Denver, but worldwide.
You’d think we are finally taking climate change seriously and heeding the theme of this year’s 50th annual Earth Day: climate action.
Instead, our suddenly cleaner air is a byproduct of the global pandemic of COVID-19, a viral respiratory infection that, ironically, may have higher fatality rates in communities with higher levels of air pollution.
It’s hard to not notice that as people cut back on daily commutes, flights were canceled and some industries shuttered, our once hazy cityscapes suddenly cleared and vistas in places like Los Angeles expanded. The visual cues are so obvious it should give us pause as we prepare to resume our routines.
Make no mistake, the air pollution reductions are temporary. Millions of cars will be on the roads again as people return to work and our businesses and industries restart. It may start slowly, but eventually, we will get our daily rhythms back.
But the beat could be a bit different.
We can’t unsee the clearer skies, so let’s incorporate some of the changes we’ve made during the shutdown, such as making fewer trips to the store and for some, perhaps working from home with more regularity.
Recent studies show that about 37% of the workforce can work from home at least some of the time, although that varies by location and industry.
It’s a start, though, and while there are economic challenges in moving people from commercial office space to home-based jobs, they are not insurmountable.
Earlier this year I wrote about Colorado’s poor air quality, especially in Denver and the northern Front Range. One of the statistics cited: Denverites breathed healthy air just 83 days in 2018, or about 23% of the year.
Experts I spoke with then offered ways that everyone can help fight the brown cloud, such as telecommuting when possible or doing all errands in one trip. These are things we’ve recently been practicing. Pledging to continue them and work toward lessening our carbon footprints is a wonderful way to mark this Earth Day and honor those who started the whole thing on April 22, 1970 to push for environmental changes.
One of the instigations for the movement happened a year earlier, in 1969, when photographs of a fire on the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland were widely published. There had been more than a dozen fires on the horribly polluted river, but finally, people saw the problem and demanded change.
The Earth Day teach-in and protests the following year coalesced into the modern environmental movement and led to the adoption over the next decade of the Clean Water, Clean Air and Endangered Species acts.
But it’s been increasingly difficult to sustain and continue the progress made, despite such examples as the Cuyahoga, in which today the water is cleaner than it’s been for 150 years and more than 60 fish species thrive, according to America Rivers, a conservation organization.
The Union of Concerned Scientists has similar positive reports about the Clean Air Act, which it says has cut ground-level ozone by more than 25% and nitrogen dioxide by 46% since 1980. It also reduced the lead content in gasoline, cutting lead air pollution by 92%.
We aren’t always able to immediately see the impacts of our lifestyles, but right now we can. Side-by-side photos of cities showing their usually polluted skies next to the current clear skies were recently published in The Guardian.
Statistics and graphics abound on the internet.
For those in Denver and other Front Range cities, just look out your window. You’re not imagining that the sky is a bit more blue, and you can see a more distant horizon.
We can see, literally see, that we can make a difference.
Sue McMillin is a long-time Colorado reporter and editor who worked for The Gazette and Durango Herald. Now a regular columnist for The Denver Post and a freelance writer, she lives in Cañon City. Email her at suemcmillin20@gmail.com.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-04-22--Colorado pandemic simulation exposed communication gaps before coronavirus’s arrival, state records

Colorado pandemic simulation exposed communication gaps before coronavirus’s arrival, state records show

A pandemic simulation by Colorado ’ s public health department in 2017 revealed challenges in communication among state authorities , local officials and the public , including a lack of critical information available to people who don ’ t speak English — a problem some have said still exists during the current coronavirus outbreak .
That exercise , which imagined a novel , highly contagious respiratory illness was spreading throughout the state , is one of two such simulations the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment conducted in the past three years , according to summary reports obtained through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 , a second exercise — named “ Herbie-Fully Loaded , ” after the Lindsay Lohan film — explored what would happen when a patient with Ebola was transported to a Colorado hospital .
Through that exercise , officials discovered “ how quickly the overall system might break in a real world response , ” according to the five-page summary report .
The Department of Public Health and Environment ’ s response to the novel coronavirus pandemic is still underway .
But the documents show how the agency was preparing for such a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues that could arise , before the coronavirus outbreak swept the state .
Though the two reports don ’ t get into the types of supply issues state health officials are encountering currently — shortages in personal protection equipment , test kits and ventilators — they say that was an important lesson learned .
“ The exercises highlighted challenges in obtaining supplies when there is significant nationwide demand , ” said Gabi Johnston , spokeswoman for the health department , in an email .
“ The exercise made it clear that state resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as possible when other states and entities are requesting the same items.
” “ How can we repeat this now in 2020 ?
” During three days in June 2017 , public health officials in Colorado ran through a scenario in which a highly contagious respiratory illness — not explicitly identified as a coronavirus — hospitalized more than 400 people and led to a number of deaths throughout the state .
In this make-believe case , health care workers were told to take antibiotics as a preventive measure and to use the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health officials to order resources from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and distribute them to hospitals and residents .
The objective of the simulation was to look at officials ’ ability to collect and share information between local and state agencies ; their ability to develop a coordinated response strategy and manage a response to a public health incident ; and to distribute and dispense medical material , according to the 21-page summary report .
The report found all exercises were “ performed with some challenges ” and noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials flowed well , the communication from those agencies to the state health department was “ inefficient and disorganized.
” “ There ’ s always some differences in what the local agencies would prefer or even need at that time , ” said Gunnison County Public Health Director Joni Reynolds , who participated in the 2017 simulation .
Public health experts said communication between federal , state and local agencies is critical during a crisis such as a pandemic because it helps officials understand what ’ s happening in a community .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is an essential part of the response to a public health crisis to ensure that people know what steps to take to protect themselves and how to seek help .
“ If there ’ s not coordinated responses in terms of messaging that aren ’ t along the same lines , you have a problem with losing a lot of trust , ” said Tara Kirk Sell , senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security , when asked about the importance of crisis communications .
The 2017 exercise also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get information to Coloradans not fluent in English , an issue advocates say still exists within the Latino population , which is seeing disproportionately high rates of coronavirus infections .
“ How can we repeat this now in 2020 — in a real pandemic ?
” said Crystal Mariscal , a consultant for Mesa County Public Health and a New Castle town council member .
“ How long is it going to take for everybody to understand that information we share to the public is how ( the outbreak ) is going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ If we have a community that is ready and prepared , it is going to suffer less.
” Currently , the Department of Public Health and Environment is offering news releases in both English and Spanish .
There are also translators helping to provide information in multiple languages , including Spanish , Vietnamese and Arabic , on the agency ’ s website and social media , said Johnston , the spokeswoman for the state health department .
“ We are working diligently to ensure we are providing information in a manner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cultural backgrounds , ” she said .
But Mariscal said there are still barriers to people who don ’ t speak English accessing information about the outbreak .
For example , she said , many migrant workers in Mesa County work in agriculture fields and don ’ t have time to read news online or in print or watch a TV news broadcast .
Instead , they are more likely to listen to the radio as they work .
“ The difficulty is they didn ’ t solve those problems beforehand , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communication at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College , of such simulations .
“ They were perfectly set up for success , they did everything right except for the most important step in the process , ” he added .
During the “ Herbie-Fully Loaded ” exercise in September 2019 , public health officials discussed how they would transfer potential Ebola patients in order to determine their preparedness , and found that “ transport capacity broke very quickly ; our resources were completely tapped with the addition of a second patient.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the documents , was supposed to prepare state and local public health officials for a full-scale simulation that had been scheduled for this month .
Instead , they now find themselves in the middle of a real pandemic .
In the real-life scenario , a novel coronavirus has sickened thousands and killed hundreds of Coloradans .
There is a national shortage of ventilators for patients and of protective gear for public health , hospital and other frontline workers .
There is no medication to treat patients with the respiratory disease and no vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical solution , state and local officials have resorted to steps outlined in their pandemic game books , but never implemented on such a scale — at least in recent memory .
“ There ’ s many data points at the beginning of the exercises , ” said Reynolds , the Gunnison County Public Health director .
“ But in this outbreak we have been flying blind.
” Officials have shuttered schools and non-essential businesses .
They have banned large gatherings .
The state ’ s mountain towns have ordered tourists to leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of the new coronavirus by keeping Coloradans home .
There are signs that it is working , but fears of a second wave of infections as state and local officials prepare to begin reopening society .
A second wave “ could be more devastating than the first , ” according to a pandemic plan drafted by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in 2018 .
“ There may be a need for public mourning , psychological support and a slow transition into a new normal.
” Join our Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Colorado .

A pandemic simulation by Colorado’s public health department in 2017 revealed challenges in communication among state authorities, local officials and the public, including a lack of critical information available to people who don’t speak English — a problem some have said still exists during the current coronavirus outbreak.
That exercise, which imagined a novel, highly contagious respiratory illness was spreading throughout the state, is one of two such simulations the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment conducted in the past three years, according to summary reports obtained through the Colorado Open Records Act.
In 2019, a second exercise — named “Herbie-Fully Loaded,” after the Lindsay Lohan film — explored what would happen when a patient with Ebola was transported to a Colorado hospital. Through that exercise, officials discovered “how quickly the overall system might break in a real world response,” according to the five-page summary report.
The Department of Public Health and Environment’s response to the novel coronavirus pandemic is still underway. But the documents show how the agency was preparing for such a severe public health crisis, and potential issues that could arise, before the coronavirus outbreak swept the state.
Though the two reports don’t get into the types of supply issues state health officials are encountering currently — shortages in personal protection equipment, test kits and ventilators — they say that was an important lesson learned.
“The exercises highlighted challenges in obtaining supplies when there is significant nationwide demand,” said Gabi Johnston, spokeswoman for the health department, in an email. “The exercise made it clear that state resources would have to be optimized as best as possible when other states and entities are requesting the same items.”
“How can we repeat this now in 2020?”
During three days in June 2017, public health officials in Colorado ran through a scenario in which a highly contagious respiratory illness — not explicitly identified as a coronavirus — hospitalized more than 400 people and led to a number of deaths throughout the state.
In this make-believe case, health care workers were told to take antibiotics as a preventive measure and to use the same medication to treat the illness, requiring public health officials to order resources from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and distribute them to hospitals and residents.
The objective of the simulation was to look at officials’ ability to collect and share information between local and state agencies; their ability to develop a coordinated response strategy and manage a response to a public health incident; and to distribute and dispense medical material, according to the 21-page summary report.
The report found all exercises were “performed with some challenges” and noted that while information between local and regional officials flowed well, the communication from those agencies to the state health department was “inefficient and disorganized.”
“There’s always some differences in what the local agencies would prefer or even need at that time,” said Gunnison County Public Health Director Joni Reynolds, who participated in the 2017 simulation.
Public health experts said communication between federal, state and local agencies is critical during a crisis such as a pandemic because it helps officials understand what’s happening in a community.
And communication with the public, they said, is an essential part of the response to a public health crisis to ensure that people know what steps to take to protect themselves and how to seek help.
“If there’s not coordinated responses in terms of messaging that aren’t along the same lines, you have a problem with losing a lot of trust,” said Tara Kirk Sell, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, when asked about the importance of crisis communications.
The 2017 exercise also noted problems with agencies’ efforts to get information to Coloradans not fluent in English, an issue advocates say still exists within the Latino population, which is seeing disproportionately high rates of coronavirus infections.
“How can we repeat this now in 2020 — in a real pandemic?” said Crystal Mariscal, a consultant for Mesa County Public Health and a New Castle town council member.
“How long is it going to take for everybody to understand that information we share to the public is how (the outbreak) is going to affect our community,” she said. “If we have a community that is ready and prepared, it is going to suffer less.”
Currently, the Department of Public Health and Environment is offering news releases in both English and Spanish. There are also translators helping to provide information in multiple languages, including Spanish, Vietnamese and Arabic, on the agency’s website and social media, said Johnston, the spokeswoman for the state health department.
“We are working diligently to ensure we are providing information in a manner that resonates with a wide variety of cultural backgrounds,” she said.
But Mariscal said there are still barriers to people who don’t speak English accessing information about the outbreak. For example, she said, many migrant workers in Mesa County work in agriculture fields and don’t have time to read news online or in print or watch a TV news broadcast. Instead, they are more likely to listen to the radio as they work.
“The difficulty is they didn’t solve those problems beforehand,” said Paul Argenti, professor of corporate communication at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, of such simulations.
“They were perfectly set up for success, they did everything right except for the most important step in the process,” he added.
“We have been flying blind”
During the “Herbie-Fully Loaded” exercise in September 2019, public health officials discussed how they would transfer potential Ebola patients in order to determine their preparedness, and found that “transport capacity broke very quickly; our resources were completely tapped with the addition of a second patient.”
The table-top exercise, according to the documents, was supposed to prepare state and local public health officials for a full-scale simulation that had been scheduled for this month.
Instead, they now find themselves in the middle of a real pandemic.
In the real-life scenario, a novel coronavirus has sickened thousands and killed hundreds of Coloradans. There is a national shortage of ventilators for patients and of protective gear for public health, hospital and other frontline workers.
There is no medication to treat patients with the respiratory disease and no vaccine to protect against it. Without a medical solution, state and local officials have resorted to steps outlined in their pandemic game books, but never implemented on such a scale — at least in recent memory.
“There’s many data points at the beginning of the exercises,” said Reynolds, the Gunnison County Public Health director. “But in this outbreak we have been flying blind.”
Officials have shuttered schools and non-essential businesses. They have banned large gatherings. The state’s mountain towns have ordered tourists to leave. All with the purpose of stemming the spread of the new coronavirus by keeping Coloradans home.
There are signs that it is working, but fears of a second wave of infections as state and local officials prepare to begin reopening society.
A second wave “could be more devastating than the first,” according to a pandemic plan drafted by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in 2018. “There may be a need for public mourning, psychological support and a slow transition into a new normal.”
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado.


thedenverpost--2020-04-22--Kickin’ It with Kiz Podcast: Could baseball in a bubble really save the Rockies’ season?

So you ’ re saying there ’ s a chance ?
Although the deadly coronavirus has wreaked havoc with all @ @ @ @ @ there are people who optimistically believe there can be baseball in 2020 , if all @ @ @ @ @ bubble down in Arizona .
Far-fetched ?
Perhaps .
But in this edition of the @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Rand McClain , who practices sports medicine in Los Angeles , sells Mark Kiszla @ @ @ @ @ baseball could indeed work .
Plus in “ The Just One More Thing ” segment @ @ @ @ @ sports documentary on the last championship run by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls has @ @ @ @ @ Scottie Pippen indispensable as a sidekick to Jordan , or was Pippen over-rated ?

So you’re saying there’s a chance? Although the deadly coronavirus has wreaked havoc with all aspects of American life, there are people who optimistically believe there can be baseball in 2020, if all major-league teams play in a bubble down in Arizona. Far-fetched? Perhaps. But in this edition of the Kickin’ It podcast, Dr. Rand McClain, who practices sports medicine in Los Angeles, sells Mark Kiszla on the idea that bubble baseball could indeed work. Plus in “The Just One More Thing” segment, ESPN’s new sports documentary on the last championship run by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls has sparked a debate: Was Scottie Pippen indispensable as a sidekick to Jordan, or was Pippen over-rated?


thedenverpost--2020-04-22--Coronavirus has Denver retailers keeping inventory in their living rooms, providing toys for school

Coronavirus has Denver retailers keeping inventory in their living rooms, providing toys for school lunches

Brick-and-mortar retailers have been fighting a battle for survival against shifting consumer preferences toward online sales and juggernaut competitors like Amazon and Walmart for a decade at least .
For some small-business owners in the Denver area , the key to success in that tough environment has been differentiating themselves by building strong relationships with customers through in-store events , providing expert advice on specialty merchandise , and other things that make their shops destinations , not just places that rely on walk-in traffic .
But the coronavirus pandemic that has forced a huge chunk of stores in Colorado and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and either pivot to shipped and pickup sales or stop selling altogether .
It ’ s a development that makes the oft tossed-about phrase “ the retail apocalypse ” sound less than hyperbolic .
The U.S. Census Bureau reported an 8.7 % drop in retail sales in March compared to February , the worst monthly decline since record-keeping began in 1992 .
The $ 46.2 million drop in consumer spending at bars , restaurants , auto dealerships and stores of all types last month dwarfs the previous record single-month decline of $ 13.6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loss in sales tax revenue promises to thrash municipal budgets in Colorado and beyond .
Store doors may be locked for as long as public safety orders are in place , but like their small-business owner cousins in the restaurant industry , Denver retail owners are finding ways to get their goods into the hands of customers in spite of coronavirus complications .
The big question is how long can they keep it up if life doesn ’ t return to some semblance of normalcy soon ?
Kelly Meeks owns two Denver boutiques @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clothing , home goods and more shop at 39 W. 11th Ave. , and Capsule , a vintage furniture store at 15th E. 11th Ave .
The Meek shop has been open since 2015 but was launched as a brand on Instagram about a year before the physical store came around .
Transitioning to an all-online business after Meeks chose to close her stores to customers on March 13 may have come naturally , but it hasn ’ t been easy .
“ I would say I have moved 70 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incredibly stressful because my living room and dining area is totally taken over by the store , ” Meeks said last week and she packed orders for another big drop off at her local post office .
Beyond keeping her inventory in her home , Meeks and her staff of three full-time managers ( some part-time employees are not working right now , but Meeks hasn ’ t officially laid anyone off ) , are mostly dealing with customers through direct messages sent to the company Instagram account .
It ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have taken minutes in a store to hours .
Meeks shares the load with her managers , which include her daughter , but when messages sometimes start coming in at 6 a.m. and can last into the late evening , it can be stressful .
“ My husband is like , ‘ Why are you talking to a customer ?
It ’ s midnight , ’ and I ’ ll say , ‘ I might be making a sale right now , ’ ” Meeks said .
Meek is offering specialty gift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrapping to help move merchandise during the pandemic .
Meeks is still putting in orders for goods from her small-maker suppliers , something she feels good about amid the economic turmoil .
But the store ’ s sales fell by at least 25 % in March , she said , the first time it ’ s ever missed projections .
Sales at Capsule have been solid — thanks in part to the store ’ s manager delivering some items personally to customer ’ s stoops — but Meeks can ’ t go out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and will eventually run out of things to sell .
She has been able to keep up on rent at both stores and has applied for a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan , but she is apprehensive about the future .
“ The thing is that while , yes , we ’ re still selling , I ’ m still paying my employees , I feel like we ’ re just treading water .
We ’ re just trying to stay alive , ” Meeks said “ We ’ re really tired .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ five times the amount of work for half the return.
” The online selling the comes naturally to Meeks is a major challenge for Sallie Kashiwa , owner of small metro-area toy store chain Timbuk Toys .
“ We ’ ve never been organized to be a strong online company .
We ’ re organized around relationships .
I have always felt that what ’ s important to me is the relationships of being small community-oriented stores , ” Kashiwa said while working from the company ’ s warehouse .
Timbuk ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with its website , so employees — the seven full-timers including Kashiwa still working — have to manually enter sales data for online sales and navigate the state ’ s complicated sales tax collection system .
Not that there have been many sales lately .
One day last week , Timbuk ’ s four stores , in Denver ’ s University Hills and Lowry neighborhoods as well as in Highlands Ranch and Lakewood , combined to do just over $ 550 in business , Kashiwa said .
One location sold just $ 74 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online sales , Timbuk is keeping a single employee in each store ( or two if they are from the same household and already exposed each other ’ s germs ) and offering no-contact curbside pickup .
“ You can call a store and a manager can walk around the store and explain things and maybe even take some pictures .
We ’ re still trying to support our customers and help them get through this very difficult time , ” Kashiwa said , noting that everything Timbuk Toys carries has an educational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from home .
One thing that is helping Kashiwa and Co. keep their spirits up is the support of the nonprofit partners .
Last week , she packaged up a pallet-load of toys ordered by the Denver Public Schools Foundation .
The pallet was destined for Denver International Airport where workers for United Airlines were set to put the toys into free bagged lunches to be handed out to DPS students in need , Kashiwa said .
Kashiwa is negotiating with all of her landlords and has gotten extensions on payments from some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will only last so long .
“ All of those invoices will be coming due in May , ” Kashiwa said .
“ And if we can ’ t be open for business , we don ’ t have any cash flow , and I ’ m absolutely terrified what that ’ s going to mean .
”

Brick-and-mortar retailers have been fighting a battle for survival against shifting consumer preferences toward online sales and juggernaut competitors like Amazon and Walmart for a decade at least.
For some small-business owners in the Denver area, the key to success in that tough environment has been differentiating themselves by building strong relationships with customers through in-store events, providing expert advice on specialty merchandise, and other things that make their shops destinations, not just places that rely on walk-in traffic.
But the coronavirus pandemic that has forced a huge chunk of stores in Colorado and across the nation to close their doors and either pivot to shipped and pickup sales or stop selling altogether. It’s a development that makes the oft tossed-about phrase “the retail apocalypse” sound less than hyperbolic.
The U.S. Census Bureau reported an 8.7% drop in retail sales in March compared to February, the worst monthly decline since record-keeping began in 1992. The $46.2 million drop in consumer spending at bars, restaurants, auto dealerships and stores of all types last month dwarfs the previous record single-month decline of $13.6 million in November 2008.
The resulting loss in sales tax revenue promises to thrash municipal budgets in Colorado and beyond.
Store doors may be locked for as long as public safety orders are in place, but like their small-business owner cousins in the restaurant industry, Denver retail owners are finding ways to get their goods into the hands of customers in spite of coronavirus complications. The big question is how long can they keep it up if life doesn’t return to some semblance of normalcy soon?
Kelly Meeks owns two Denver boutiques, Meek Modern + Vintage, a clothing, home goods and more shop at 39 W. 11th Ave., and Capsule, a vintage furniture store at 15th E. 11th Ave.
The Meek shop has been open since 2015 but was launched as a brand on Instagram about a year before the physical store came around. Transitioning to an all-online business after Meeks chose to close her stores to customers on March 13 may have come naturally, but it hasn’t been easy.
“I would say I have moved 70% of the store to my home, which is incredibly stressful because my living room and dining area is totally taken over by the store,” Meeks said last week and she packed orders for another big drop off at her local post office.
Beyond keeping her inventory in her home, Meeks and her staff of three full-time managers (some part-time employees are not working right now, but Meeks hasn’t officially laid anyone off), are mostly dealing with customers through direct messages sent to the company Instagram account. It’s a mechanism that can stretch out conversations that would have taken minutes in a store to hours. Meeks shares the load with her managers, which include her daughter, but when messages sometimes start coming in at 6 a.m. and can last into the late evening, it can be stressful.
“My husband is like, ‘Why are you talking to a customer? It’s midnight,’ and I’ll say, ‘I might be making a sale right now,’ ” Meeks said.
Meek is offering specialty gift bundles, deep discounts and free gift wrapping to help move merchandise during the pandemic. Meeks is still putting in orders for goods from her small-maker suppliers, something she feels good about amid the economic turmoil. But the store’s sales fell by at least 25% in March, she said, the first time it’s ever missed projections.
Sales at Capsule have been solid — thanks in part to the store’s manager delivering some items personally to customer’s stoops — but Meeks can’t go out to source more vintage inventory right now and will eventually run out of things to sell. She has been able to keep up on rent at both stores and has applied for a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan, but she is apprehensive about the future.
“The thing is that while, yes, we’re still selling, I’m still paying my employees, I feel like we’re just treading water. We’re just trying to stay alive,” Meeks said “We’re really tired. It feels like we’re doing five times the amount of work for half the return.”
The online selling the comes naturally to Meeks is a major challenge for Sallie Kashiwa, owner of small metro-area toy store chain Timbuk Toys.
“We’ve never been organized to be a strong online company. We’re organized around relationships. I have always felt that what’s important to me is the relationships of being small community-oriented stores,” Kashiwa said while working from the company’s warehouse.
Timbuk’s point-of-sale system isn’t fully integrated with its website, so employees — the seven full-timers including Kashiwa still working — have to manually enter sales data for online sales and navigate the state’s complicated sales tax collection system.
Not that there have been many sales lately. One day last week, Timbuk’s four stores, in Denver’s University Hills and Lowry neighborhoods as well as in Highlands Ranch and Lakewood, combined to do just over $550 in business, Kashiwa said. One location sold just $74 worth of merchandise. In addition to online sales, Timbuk is keeping a single employee in each store (or two if they are from the same household and already exposed each other’s germs) and offering no-contact curbside pickup.
“You can call a store and a manager can walk around the store and explain things and maybe even take some pictures. We’re still trying to support our customers and help them get through this very difficult time,” Kashiwa said, noting that everything Timbuk Toys carries has an educational element when all kids are not learning from home.
Kashiwa is negotiating with all of her landlords and has gotten extensions on payments from some of her suppliers, but those extensions will only last so long.
“All of those invoices will be coming due in May,” Kashiwa said. “And if we can’t be open for business, we don’t have any cash flow, and I’m absolutely terrified what that’s going to mean.”
UPDATE: 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. Reference to a partnership among area agencies and businesses to provide toys to underprivileged children was removed because details of the program are still being finalized.


thedenverpost--2020-04-22--Denver weather: Sunny skies on Wednesday, chance of afternoon thunderstorms Thursday

Skies over Denver will be sunny on Wednesday , but a strong weather system is expected to move into northern Colorado on Thursday , bringing showers and thunderstorms to the Eastern Plains and snow to the mountains .
The high temperature in Denver on Wednesday should climb to 69 degrees with winds gusting as high as 17 mph , according to the National Weather Service .
Showers creep into the Denver forecast on Thursday between noon and 3 p.m. , with a chance of late-afternoon thunderstorms , the weather service said .
The high temperature in the city will hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 22 mph .
There ’ s a 40 % chance for precipitation in Denver on Thursday .
The same weather system that brings thunderstorms to Denver late in the day Thursday will bring snow to some of the higher peaks in the northern and central mountains , along with the possibility of rain showers and thunderstorms at some lower elevations .
Rain , showers and thunderstorms are also expected on the Eastern Plains late in the day Thursday .
In Denver on Friday , there ’ s a 60 % chance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the day and thunderstorms in the afternoon , according to the weather service .
Skies will be partly sunny and the high temperature in the city will hit 58 degrees .

Skies over Denver will be sunny on Wednesday, but a strong weather system is expected to move into northern Colorado on Thursday, bringing showers and thunderstorms to the Eastern Plains and snow to the mountains.
The high temperature in Denver on Wednesday should climb to 69 degrees with winds gusting as high as 17 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
Showers creep into the Denver forecast on Thursday between noon and 3 p.m., with a chance of late-afternoon thunderstorms, the weather service said. The high temperature in the city will hit 67 degrees as northwest winds gust to about 22 mph. There’s a 40% chance for precipitation in Denver on Thursday.
The same weather system that brings thunderstorms to Denver late in the day Thursday will bring snow to some of the higher peaks in the northern and central mountains, along with the possibility of rain showers and thunderstorms at some lower elevations. Rain, showers and thunderstorms are also expected on the Eastern Plains late in the day Thursday.
In Denver on Friday, there’s a 60% chance of precipitation with a chance of showers early in the day and thunderstorms in the afternoon, according to the weather service. Skies will be partly sunny and the high temperature in the city will hit 58 degrees.


thedenverpost--2020-04-22--Ask Amy: Father worries about son’s drinking

Dear Amy : You frequently suggest books for people to read on the subject they are worried about .
I have a son who has been drinking for quite a while now , and he is not realistic about his problem .
He is 53 , and otherwise a very nice person .
Could you suggest a book for him that may catch his eye and cause him to think about his drinking ?
I would very much appreciate your input .
Dear Dad : Some books can offer up unforgettable “ ah-ha ” moments , but — when it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs to come first , followed by acceptance , the humility required to desire genuine and lasting change , and the determination to try .
Here I am , staring at a shelf-full of diet books , all of which seemed like a solution when I acquired them , but none of which proved useful until I decided to take responsibility — and be accountable — for my own behavior .
And then — what do you know — I didn ’ t need a book .
So no — although addiction memoirs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t think there is a magic book out there that would inspire your son toward rapid change .
However , if handing your son a book would help YOU to talk to him about his drinking , then you could present him with : “ Recovery : Freedom from Our Addictions , by Russell Brand ( 2018 , Picador ) .
Brand is a British actor , comedian , podcaster , autodidact , and all-around wonderful weirdo who is in recovery for his own multiple addictions .
This book contains some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ book , however , would be your decision to tell your son your own truth about his drinking .
Are you worried ?
Say so .
Do you want to try to help ?
Tell him .
You will feel better if you can learn and practice the art of detachment .
When it comes to your son ’ s drinking , you are , in fact , powerless .
This can be a very challenging truth for a parent to accept .
Al-anon ’ s supportive community would be a source of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Al-anon.org for local meetings and online support .
The Al-anon “ bible ” is “ Courage to Change , ” ( 1992 , Al-anon Family Groups ) .
You might benefit from its daily readings and meditations .
Dear Readers : Our current isolated status has pushed a lot of us to go just a tiny bit bonkers — in a good way .
In addition to the very serious issues raised in this space , I ’ ve received coronavirus poetry , videos of people learning to play the banjo , families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pajamas , and other varieties of delightful silliness .
I love it all .
( You can watch my own homemade , goofball instructional video of how to dye your own hair at home , posted on amydickinson.com . )
I also received the following two questions from a married couple : “ Mrs .
and Mr. Smith.
” Dear Amy : An unexpected effect of coronavirus isolation is that my husband has developed a thirst for the perfect shoe .
He already possesses an impressive collection of casual shoes , sneakers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has acquired shoes to walk to the bottom of the driveway , shoes for the short walks vs. the five-mile walks ( we live way out in the country ) , and he insists he needs more shoes for sunny weather , damp weather , slippery conditions and “ unforeseen situations.
” This quest for the perfect shoe is expensive , of course , but do I need to fear for his mental health ?
I ’ ve started calling him “ Imelda.
” Dear Amy : I ’ m married to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on cleaning up nonstop .
Even when we ’ re having dinner , if she spots a crumb on the floor , she leaps out of her chair with a vacuum cleaner .
She ’ s using a robot vacuum too , so that she can clean in two places at once .
Also , she can be very critical .
If I don ’ t hang up my shirts to suit her , she ’ s very quick to point out the proper technique .
Even my closet is under her constant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afraid to use it , so I ’ m forced to leave my garments on the floor .
Is there a way to solve this problem without ruining the perfect bliss of our marriage ?
Dear Mrs. and Mr. Smith : Let us tread , ever so gently , through this pandemic — but not over each other — and wearing the perfect shoe , if possible .
For now , one of you gets to Roomba , and the other gets to rumba ( in his dancing shoes ) .
Be safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quick wits about you .

Dear Amy: You frequently suggest books for people to read on the subject they are worried about.
I have a son who has been drinking for quite a while now, and he is not realistic about his problem.
He is 53, and otherwise a very nice person.
Could you suggest a book for him that may catch his eye and cause him to think about his drinking? I would very much appreciate your input.
— Dad
Dear Dad: Some books can offer up unforgettable “ah-ha” moments, but — when it comes to addiction, the personal realization needs to come first, followed by acceptance, the humility required to desire genuine and lasting change, and the determination to try.
Here I am, staring at a shelf-full of diet books, all of which seemed like a solution when I acquired them, but none of which proved useful until I decided to take responsibility — and be accountable — for my own behavior. And then — what do you know — I didn’t need a book.
So no — although addiction memoirs and self-help books are abundant, I don’t think there is a magic book out there that would inspire your son toward rapid change.
However, if handing your son a book would help YOU to talk to him about his drinking, then you could present him with: “Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions, by Russell Brand (2018, Picador). Brand is a British actor, comedian, podcaster, autodidact, and all-around wonderful weirdo who is in recovery for his own multiple addictions. This book contains some smart insights.
More important than any book, however, would be your decision to tell your son your own truth about his drinking. Are you worried? Say so. Do you want to try to help? Tell him.
You will feel better if you can learn and practice the art of detachment. When it comes to your son’s drinking, you are, in fact, powerless. This can be a very challenging truth for a parent to accept.
Al-anon’s supportive community would be a source of comfort and knowledge for you — check Al-anon.org for local meetings and online support. The Al-anon “bible” is “Courage to Change,” (1992, Al-anon Family Groups). You might benefit from its daily readings and meditations.
Dear Readers: Our current isolated status has pushed a lot of us to go just a tiny bit bonkers — in a good way.
In addition to the very serious issues raised in this space, I’ve received coronavirus poetry, videos of people learning to play the banjo, families lip syncing to pop songs in their pajamas, and other varieties of delightful silliness. I love it all. (You can watch my own homemade, goofball instructional video of how to dye your own hair at home, posted on amydickinson.com.)
I also received the following two questions from a married couple: “Mrs. and Mr. Smith.”
Dear Amy: An unexpected effect of coronavirus isolation is that my husband has developed a thirst for the perfect shoe. He already possesses an impressive collection of casual shoes, sneakers, and a few dress shoes.
Now he has acquired shoes to walk to the bottom of the driveway, shoes for the short walks vs. the five-mile walks (we live way out in the country), and he insists he needs more shoes for sunny weather, damp weather, slippery conditions and “unforeseen situations.”
This quest for the perfect shoe is expensive, of course, but do I need to fear for his mental health? I’ve started calling him “Imelda.”
— Mrs. Smith
Dear Amy: I’m married to a wonderful woman, but she insists on cleaning up nonstop. Even when we’re having dinner, if she spots a crumb on the floor, she leaps out of her chair with a vacuum cleaner. She’s using a robot vacuum too, so that she can clean in two places at once.
Also, she can be very critical. If I don’t hang up my shirts to suit her, she’s very quick to point out the proper technique. Even my closet is under her constant scrutiny, and I’ve become afraid to use it, so I’m forced to leave my garments on the floor.
Is there a way to solve this problem without ruining the perfect bliss of our marriage?
— Mr. Smith
Dear Mrs. and Mr. Smith: Let us tread, ever so gently, through this pandemic — but not over each other — and wearing the perfect shoe, if possible.
For now, one of you gets to Roomba, and the other gets to rumba (in his dancing shoes).
Be safe, be well, and keep your quick wits about you.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)


thedenverpost--2020-04-23--Kiszla: In most crucial NFL draft for John Elway, here’s what Broncos need to get back in playoffs

After 10 years , has John Elway finally figured out the NFL draft ?
Broncos Country better hope so .
If Denver wants back in the playoffs and Elway wants to keep his job , he needs to win big in this draft , the most crucial talent-selection process during his tenure as director of football operations .
OK , let ’ s define terms .
What would qualify as a big win for Elway and the Broncos in the 2020 draft ?
The team has a shaky offensive line , an iffy situation at cornerback and insufficient firepower at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a playoff contender , Denver needs three rookies that can not only start from Day 1 , but also have staying power as roster cornerstones .
In the first round , Elway moves up in a trade with Cleveland for the 10th overall pick , where Alabama offensive tackle Jedrick Wills is still available .
Health concerns for former Colorado star Laviska Shenault , who possesses first-round skills as a chunk-play receiver , allow him to fall in Denver ’ s lap with the No .
46 overall pick .
Despite trading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wills , Denver has a third-round choice remaining to take Troy Pride Jr. , a cornerback from Notre Dame .
Can dreams come true ?
Are three rookie starters too much to ask from both Elway and Dame Fortune ?
Well , it ’ s going to be extremely difficult .
Drafting three rookies that make a significant impact is something Elway has not done since 2011 , during his first months in the front office .
At the time , Brian Xanders was general manager , so he deserves much credit for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Quinton Carter being starters in that unforgettable 29-23 playoff victory against Pittsburgh .
With kudos to Elway for recruiting free agent Peyton Manning , hiring Gary Kubiak to coach and winning Super Bowl 50 , many of his draft picks could not have been worse if he had crowd-sourced them , allowing a fan from the South Stands to pluck a name from Denver ’ s draft board in any given round .
What has caused the Broncos to suffer through three consecutive losing seasons ?
Start here : With 38 draft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Elway produced only two current starters .
One is safety Justin Simmons , a rising star ( bravo ! )
.
The other is offensive tackle Garett Bolles ( ugh ! )
.
I would argue Elway ’ s most productive draft was back in 2012 , when Derek Wolfe , Brock Osweiler , Malik Jackson and Danny Trevathan came to town .
The Broncos could not have won Super Bowl 50 without them .
Only Wolfe , however , made a major positive impact as a rookie .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gained a better grip on what makes a successful draft class in recent years .
So here ’ s applause for Bradley Chubb and Courtland Sutton being inspired choices in 2018 , as was the free-agent signing of Phillip Lindsay , even if the rest of that draft class appears to be a wash out .
If rookie quarterback Drew Lock had not come off the bench to win four games in December last season , the selections of immediate-starter Dalton Risner and promising tight end Noah Fant would not have prevented the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What has Elway learned about drafting ?
“ I think the misses that we had were people that were character concerns , ” Elway said .
“ The influences that you have in your locker room when things are tough , you need those guys to lead us and lead that locker room through the tough times to be able to get back to the winning ways .
I think we ’ ve suffered a little bit there .
We haven ’ t had the leadership in the locker room that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this hole .
I think that ’ s why we ’ ve concentrated more with character guys.
” Football has always been easy for Elway , with three Super Bowl rings and a gold jacket from the Hall of Fame .
There ’ s nothing in football that doesn ’ t come naturally for Elway .
Nothing it seems , except for the ability to recognize and develop talent .
Elway must win this draft .
There ’ s No Plan B .
Failure is not an option .

After 10 years, has John Elway finally figured out the NFL draft? Broncos Country better hope so.
If Denver wants back in the playoffs and Elway wants to keep his job, he needs to win big in this draft, the most crucial talent-selection process during his tenure as director of football operations.
OK, let’s define terms. What would qualify as a big win for Elway and the Broncos in the 2020 draft?
The team has a shaky offensive line, an iffy situation at cornerback and insufficient firepower at wide receiver. To make serious noise as a playoff contender, Denver needs three rookies that can not only start from Day 1, but also have staying power as roster cornerstones.
Let’s construct a dream scenario:
In the first round, Elway moves up in a trade with Cleveland for the 10th overall pick, where Alabama offensive tackle Jedrick Wills is still available.
Health concerns for former Colorado star Laviska Shenault, who possesses first-round skills as a chunk-play receiver, allow him to fall in Denver’s lap with the No. 46 overall pick.
Despite trading draft capital to move up and grab Wills, Denver has a third-round choice remaining to take Troy Pride Jr., a cornerback from Notre Dame.
Can dreams come true? Are three rookie starters too much to ask from both Elway and Dame Fortune?
Well, it’s going to be extremely difficult. Drafting three rookies that make a significant impact is something Elway has not done since 2011, during his first months in the front office. At the time, Brian Xanders was general manager, so he deserves much credit for first-year players Von Miller, Orlando Franklin and Quinton Carter being starters in that unforgettable 29-23 playoff victory against Pittsburgh.
With kudos to Elway for recruiting free agent Peyton Manning, hiring Gary Kubiak to coach and winning Super Bowl 50, many of his draft picks could not have been worse if he had crowd-sourced them, allowing a fan from the South Stands to pluck a name from Denver’s draft board in any given round.
What has caused the Broncos to suffer through three consecutive losing seasons? Start here: With 38 draft picks during a five-year span from 2013-17, Elway produced only two current starters. One is safety Justin Simmons, a rising star (bravo!). The other is offensive tackle Garett Bolles (ugh!).
I would argue Elway’s most productive draft was back in 2012, when Derek Wolfe, Brock Osweiler, Malik Jackson and Danny Trevathan came to town. The Broncos could not have won Super Bowl 50 without them. Only Wolfe, however, made a major positive impact as a rookie.
It’s definitely encouraging that Elway seems to have gained a better grip on what makes a successful draft class in recent years.
So here’s applause for Bradley Chubb and Courtland Sutton being inspired choices in 2018, as was the free-agent signing of Phillip Lindsay, even if the rest of that draft class appears to be a wash out. If rookie quarterback Drew Lock had not come off the bench to win four games in December last season, the selections of immediate-starter Dalton Risner and promising tight end Noah Fant would not have prevented the heat being turned to broil on Elway.
What has Elway learned about drafting?
“I think the misses that we had were people that were character concerns,” Elway said.
“The influences that you have in your locker room when things are tough, you need those guys to lead us and lead that locker room through the tough times to be able to get back to the winning ways. I think we’ve suffered a little bit there. We haven’t had the leadership in the locker room that has been able to dig us out of this hole. I think that’s why we’ve concentrated more with character guys.”
Football has always been easy for Elway, with three Super Bowl rings and a gold jacket from the Hall of Fame. There’s nothing in football that doesn’t come naturally for Elway. Nothing it seems, except for the ability to recognize and develop talent.
Elway must win this draft. There’s No Plan B. Failure is not an option.
It’s win. Or go home.