thedenverpost--2020-04-16--Broncos LB Von Miller tests positive for COVID-19

Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller revealed Thursday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 .
In a statement , the Broncos confirmed Miller ’ s positive test “ after experiencing flu-like symptoms .
… Von is doing well and recovering at home in self-isolation .
He remains under the care of team doctors , who are following all coronavirus treatment procedures to ensure a safe environment for Von and our community .
“ Von is the first member of the Broncos ’ organization known to have tested positive for COVID-19.
” The Broncos said Miller “ elected to share his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be afflicted with coronavirus.
” A source said Miller experienced a cough earlier this week and reported his symptoms to the Broncos ’ medical staff .
Miller was never admitted to the hospital and he was informed of his test results Thursday .
On Wednesday , Fox Sports reported that Los Angeles Rams center Brian Allen was the first known NFL player to test positive .
During a conference call with the Denver media last week , Miller said he was in training in San Francisco until shelter-at-home guidelines in California ended his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denver area .
Miller is the first Broncos player to announce a positive test .
Three Avalanche players , none identified , had positive tests over the last month .
The Broncos were scheduled to start their voluntary offseason program on April 20 ( Monday ) , but the league has shuttered the doors of each NFL facility because of the pandemic .

Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller revealed Thursday that he had tested positive for COVID-19.
In a statement, the Broncos confirmed Miller’s positive test “after experiencing flu-like symptoms. … Von is doing well and recovering at home in self-isolation. He remains under the care of team doctors, who are following all coronavirus treatment procedures to ensure a safe environment for Von and our community.
“Von is the first member of the Broncos’ organization known to have tested positive for COVID-19.”
The Broncos said Miller “elected to share his diagnosis publicly to emphasize that anyone can be afflicted with coronavirus.”
A source said Miller experienced a cough earlier this week and reported his symptoms to the Broncos’ medical staff. Miller was never admitted to the hospital and he was informed of his test results Thursday.
Miller made the national media circuit Friday, beginning with NBC’s “Third Hour Of Today.”
“I’m feeling better,” Miller said. “It all started with just a simple cough. … My assistant said, ‘Why don’t you get tested? There’s no harm in getting tested.’ I went down the street (to get tested). Two days later, (a) positive result.”
Miller said he was “shocked” by the test result.
“In four weeks, I probably left the house four times … and those four times, I never got out of the car,” he said.
On Wednesday, Fox Sports reported that Los Angeles Rams center Brian Allen was the first known NFL player to test positive.
During a conference call with the Denver media last week, Miller said he was in training in San Francisco until shelter-at-home guidelines in California ended his workouts and sent him back to the Denver area.
Miller is the first Broncos player to announce a positive test. Three Avalanche players, none identified, had positive tests over the last month.
The Broncos were scheduled to start their voluntary offseason program on April 20 (Monday), but the league has shuttered the doors of each NFL facility because of the pandemic.


thedenverpost--2020-04-16--CU Buffs AD Rick George: Department not planning on cutting sports or staff in wake of coronavirus c

CU Buffs AD Rick George: Department not planning on cutting sports or staff in wake of coronavirus crisis

If Rick George can help it , the CU Buffs won ’ t be cutting sports .
Or coaches .
“ We ’ re looking at a lot of different scenarios , ” George , the Buffs ’ athletic director , said on a media conference call Thursday .
“ Eliminating sports is not at the top of my list .
Right now , we don ’ t have any sports that we would cut.
” Belt-tightening nationally across college athletic departments has been a recurring theme in the wake of the economic downturn caused by concerns over the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced Tuesday that it was discontinuing men ’ s soccer , while Old Dominion earlier this month ended its wrestling program .
Earlier this week , Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott told The Post that eliminating sports and staff remains a “ possibility ” for member schools such as CU given the uncertainty over timetables for a return of students , staff , and , ultimately , football to campuses .
“ Again , we ’ re planning a variety of different scenarios , based on what ’ s ahead of us , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this call can predict what ’ s ahead of us.
” George ’ s peer athletic directors and coaches across the Pac-12 have been announcing financial sacrifices because of shortfalls related to COVID-19 cancellations and postponements .
University of Oregon president Michael Schill is taking a 12 % salary reduction , and senior staff such as athletic director Rob Mullens are reducing their salary at least 10 % for the next six months .
Washington State football coach Nick Rolovich , athletic director Pat Chun and president Kirk Schultz are taking 5 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and forgoing any bonuses and incentives through that time period .
When asked if he would take a similar cut , or had been asked to , George replied : “ I would say again , everything ’ s on the table .
And I would absolutely be the first one to take a pay cut.
” George received approval last June from the Board of Regents for a base salary of $ 850,000 — not including supplemental benefits and incentives — through June 30 , 2024 .
The CU administrator said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ salary cuts for coaches and high-earners on staff might look like , but didn ’ t expect any changes to go into effect before June 30 , the end of the 2019-20 fiscal year .
“ We should be in the black ( for 2019-20 ) , ” George said .
The Buffs athletic director said he ’ ll have a clearer financial outlook for the department , especially projecting out for 2020-21 , in May .
But like many Division I programs , that outlook depends largely on the status of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 revenue-driving sport for the department .
And that outlook remains entirely in pencil .
“ Could the ( 2020 ) season be pushed back ( to 2021 ) ?
That ’ s a scenario , ” George said .
“ Could it start on time ?
That ’ s a scenario.
” On Wednesday , CU announced the suspension of all on-campus events through July 31 .
That decision eliminates summer sports camps , including those for football , and pushes back the popular Dead & Company concert series , a Folsom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those summer events are expected to leave a projected shortfall of at least $ 500,000 on the department , depending on whether the concerts can be rescheduled .

If Rick George can help it, the CU Buffs won’t be cutting sports. Or coaches.
“We’re looking at a lot of different scenarios,” George, the Buffs’ athletic director, said on a media conference call Thursday. “Eliminating sports is not at the top of my list. Right now, we don’t have any sports that we would cut.”
Belt-tightening nationally across college athletic departments has been a recurring theme in the wake of the economic downturn caused by concerns over the spread of coronavirus.
The University of Cincinnati announced Tuesday that it was discontinuing men’s soccer, while Old Dominion earlier this month ended its wrestling program.
Earlier this week, Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott told The Post that eliminating sports and staff remains a “possibility” for member schools such as CU given the uncertainty over timetables for a return of students, staff, and, ultimately, football to campuses.
“Again, we’re planning a variety of different scenarios, based on what’s ahead of us,” George continued. “And nobody on this call can predict what’s ahead of us.”
George’s peer athletic directors and coaches across the Pac-12 have been announcing financial sacrifices because of shortfalls related to COVID-19 cancellations and postponements.
University of Oregon president Michael Schill is taking a 12% salary reduction, and senior staff such as athletic director Rob Mullens are reducing their salary at least 10% for the next six months.
Washington State football coach Nick Rolovich, athletic director Pat Chun and president Kirk Schultz are taking 5% salary reductions through the 2020-21 school year and forgoing any bonuses and incentives through that time period.
When asked if he would take a similar cut, or had been asked to, George replied: “I would say again, everything’s on the table. And I would absolutely be the first one to take a pay cut.”
George received approval last June from the Board of Regents for a base salary of $850,000 — not including supplemental benefits and incentives — through June 30, 2024.
The CU administrator said the department was “talking through” what salary cuts for coaches and high-earners on staff might look like, but didn’t expect any changes to go into effect before June 30, the end of the 2019-20 fiscal year.
“We should be in the black (for 2019-20),” George said.
The Buffs athletic director said he’ll have a clearer financial outlook for the department, especially projecting out for 2020-21, in May. But like many Division I programs, that outlook depends largely on the status of the upcoming football season, the No. 1 revenue-driving sport for the department. And that outlook remains entirely in pencil.
“Could the (2020) season be pushed back (to 2021)? That’s a scenario,” George said. “Could it start on time? That’s a scenario.”
On Wednesday, CU announced the suspension of all on-campus events through July 31. That decision eliminates summer sports camps, including those for football, and pushes back the popular Dead & Company concert series, a Folsom Field staple since 2016. The loss of those summer events are expected to leave a projected shortfall of at least $500,000 on the department, depending on whether the concerts can be rescheduled.


thedenverpost--2020-04-16--Jerry Schemmel, longtime Rockies broadcaster, joining 104.3 The Fan

Jerry Schemmel , the longtime voice of the Rockies and Nuggets , has found a new radio home in Denver .
Bonneville Denver announced Thursday that Schemmel has been hired by Sports Radio 104.3 The Fan ( KKFN-FM ) as an on-air talent .
The station will also begin airing Schemmel ’ s program “ Amazing Americans ” on Sundays at 7:30 a.m. starting April 26 .
“ It ’ s great to be back in the saddle again and I ’ m really excited , ” Schemmel said .
“ It ’ s not play-by-play , which was always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me a chance to get back into broadcasting .
“ I was at The Fan for many years when I was doing Nuggets games and I still know a lot of the principal people there .
I ’ ve always thought the station was a class act , and they are a ratings champion.
” Raj Sharan , The Fan ’ s program director , is thrilled to get Schemmel back behind the microphone .
“ There is no more respected figure in Denver media than Jerry .
He ’ s a man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Sharan said .
“ Jerry has served as the soundtrack of so many great Denver sports moments .
It ’ s only fitting that in the year of our 25th anniversary , we welcome back one of the legendary voices in the history of our radio station.
” In mid-January , Schemmel was laid off from KOA Radio after calling Rockies games for 10 seasons .
He lost his job as part of iHeartMedia ’ s massive job cuts around the country .
KOA is part of iHeartMedia , the largest radio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he wanted to hire Schemmel immediately after KOA dropped him but had to wait until the non-compete clause in Schemmel ’ s contract had expired .
While Schemmel was working as a play-by-play man at KOA , he played things close to the vest and kept many opinions about the Rockies to himself .
Now he ’ ll be free to voice his educated opinions , Sharan said .
“ Jerry brings such an interesting and unique perspective because he ’ s been calling the action for more than 30 years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can give us his opinions on so many things.
” In addition to his “ Amazing Americans ” show , which features stories about inspiring athletes , Schemmel will provide his insights into the Rockies , Nuggets and other teams .
Prior to his stint with the Rockies , Schemmel was the radio and television voice of the Nuggets for 18 years .
Schemmel spent the 2009 season as head baseball coach at Metropolitan State University of Denver and has authored two books — “ Chosen to Live ” and “ The Extravagant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rode across the country twice to raise funds for Colorado Children ’ s Hospital and HaitiChildren .

Jerry Schemmel, the longtime voice of the Rockies and Nuggets, has found a new radio home in Denver.
Bonneville Denver announced Thursday that Schemmel has been hired by Sports Radio 104.3 The Fan (KKFN-FM) as an on-air talent. The station will also begin airing Schemmel’s program “Amazing Americans” on Sundays at 7:30 a.m. starting April 26.
“It’s great to be back in the saddle again and I’m really excited,” Schemmel said. “It’s not play-by-play, which was always my dream job, but it gives me a chance to get back into broadcasting.
“I was at The Fan for many years when I was doing Nuggets games and I still know a lot of the principal people there. I’ve always thought the station was a class act, and they are a ratings champion.”
Raj Sharan, The Fan’s program director, is thrilled to get Schemmel back behind the microphone.
“There is no more respected figure in Denver media than Jerry. He’s a man of the highest integrity and professionalism,” Sharan said. “Jerry has served as the soundtrack of so many great Denver sports moments. It’s only fitting that in the year of our 25th anniversary, we welcome back one of the legendary voices in the history of our radio station.”
In mid-January, Schemmel was laid off from KOA Radio after calling Rockies games for 10 seasons. He lost his job as part of iHeartMedia’s massive job cuts around the country. KOA is part of iHeartMedia, the largest radio conglomerate in the United States.
Sharan said he wanted to hire Schemmel immediately after KOA dropped him but had to wait until the non-compete clause in Schemmel’s contract had expired.
While Schemmel was working as a play-by-play man at KOA, he played things close to the vest and kept many opinions about the Rockies to himself. Now he’ll be free to voice his educated opinions, Sharan said.
“Jerry brings such an interesting and unique perspective because he’s been calling the action for more than 30 years,” Sharan said. “Now he can give us his opinions on so many things.”
In addition to his “Amazing Americans” show, which features stories about inspiring athletes, Schemmel will provide his insights into the Rockies, Nuggets and other teams.
Prior to his stint with the Rockies, Schemmel was the radio and television voice of the Nuggets for 18 years.
Schemmel spent the 2009 season as head baseball coach at Metropolitan State University of Denver and has authored two books — “Chosen to Live” and “The Extravagant Gift.” An avid cyclist, he rode across the country twice to raise funds for Colorado Children’s Hospital and HaitiChildren.


thedenverpost--2020-04-17--NFL Journal: Several Broncos could see roles changed (eliminated?) during draft

Players are generally universal when asked if they watch the NFL Draft : No .
Oh , they ’ ll pay attention to who their team selects , but it won ’ t be appointment television .
It should be this week for several Broncos .
General manager John Elway enters Draft Week with 10 picks , including five in the opening three rounds .
And even with an active month of March , there are needs to be addressed .
These players could see their roles change during the draft : Garett Bolles .
If the Broncos trade up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take a left tackle , it may not equal an instant demotion for the embattled and maligned Bolles … but it should be , right ?
If Elway drafts a first-round left tackle , he should name him the starter immediately and quickly decide if Bolles can handle being a backup .
If not , cut ties with him .
DaeSean Hamilton/Juwann Winfree .
Taking a receiver in the first two rounds makes too much sense .
The Broncos need to find a reliable option to play opposite Courtland Sutton .
Hamilton and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Hamilton would move down a peg on the depth chart and Winfree ’ s roster status would be in doubt entering camp .
Todd Davis .
Would the Broncos move on from their leading tackler in three of the last four years ?
If they draft an athletic inside linebacker in the first three rounds , it may end Davis ’ time as an every-down player .
The rookie could play on third down and other sub-package situations while being groomed for full-time duty in 2021 .
Every backup cornerback .
A.J @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Bryce Callahan ( foot health permitting ) is the No .
2 .
The Broncos would be smart to add a can-play-right-away cornerback .
That wouldn ’ t be good news for Isaac Yiadom , De ’ Vante Bausby , Duke Dawson and Davontae Harris , two of whom may not make the team .
The Broncos were scheduled to open their voluntary offseason program Monday , but they have tentatively pushed that back to April 27 and it will be a virtual operation through May 15 .
Per an agreement between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can hold a three-week program that includes classroom instruction , guided workouts and non-football educational programs .
It remains voluntary for players .
Teams are prohibited from conducting any business from their headquarters so long as government regulations do not allow it .
The Broncos ’ media relations department sent out a 21-page draft preview and it was filled with a ton of useful information .
Five quick-hitters : 1 .
In the last eight drafts , since Elway joined the front office , the Broncos have went defense with five first-round picks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and three on offense ( including Noah Fant last year ) .
2 .
The Broncos are scheduled to draft No .
15 for the fifth time : The previous 15th overall picks were guard Tom Glassic ( 1976 , 111 regular season/playoff games ) , safety Dennis Smith ( 1981 , 196 games ) , linebacker John Mobley ( 1996 , 114 games ) and cornerback Deltha O ’ Neal ( 2000 , 62 games ) .
3 .
Florida leads the way with 19 of its players drafted by the Broncos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 .
Georgia and Colorado are tied for second at 15 .
The Broncos have drafted only five Alabama players ( only first-round running back Bobby Humphrey was selected before the fourth round ) and they haven ’ t selected a Nick Saban-coached Crimson Tide player .
4 .
If the Broncos make 10 draft picks , it will be tied with 2000 , ’ 03-04 , ’ 09 and ’ 18 as their most since drafting 12 in 1999 .
The fewest they ’ ve had in a draft is three in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t taken a cornerback in the top two rounds since 2014 ( Bradley Roby at No .
31 ) and he ’ s the only first-round corner since 2005 .
BetOnline has posted the line for every NFL game .
The Broncos ’ breakdown … Home favorite ( four ) : Las Vegas ( minus-3 1/2 ) , L.A. Chargers ( minus-2 1/ 2 ) , Tennessee ( minus-1 ) and Miami ( minus-5 ) .
I was a little surprised to see the Broncos as a home favorite against the Titans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year .
Home underdog ( three ) : Kansas City ( plus-5 1/2 ) , New Orleans ( plus-3 ) and Tampa Bay ( plus-1 ) .
The Broncos a home dog to Patrick Mahomes , Drew Brees and Tom Brady ?
Expected .
Road favorite ( one ) : Carolina ( minus 1 1/2 ) .
The Panthers are favored in only one game ( home against Detroit ) .
Road underdog ( six ) : Atlanta ( plus-2 1/2 ) , Kansas City ( plus-11 1/2 ) , Las Vegas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( plus-2 1/2 ) , New England ( plus-5 ) and Pittsburgh ( plus-5 1/2 ) .
If home-field is worth three points , the odds-makers see the Broncos as better than the Falcons and Chargers .
Pick ’ em ( two ) : at New York Jets and vs. Buffalo .
Baltimore is favored and Jacksonville is the underdog in each of their 16 games , respectively .
Waiting on receiver .
If the Broncos wait until round 2 to address receiver , the names listed by ESPN ’ s Mel Kiper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Chase Claypool , TCU ’ s Jalen Reagor , USC ’ s Michael Pittman and Penn State ’ s KJ Hamler as possibilities with the 46th pick .
“ Claypool has to be more consistent catching the ball , ” Kiper said .
“ He has a ton of talent , but he ’ s had too many drops and that ’ s the reason why he ’ s a second-round pick and not a first-round pick.
” Belichick on quarterbacks .
New England , which has 12 picks , should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even if it ’ s not in the first round .
“ Interesting group and probably one that has decent depth to it , ” Patriots coach Bill Belichick told reporters .
“ There are always a variety of things you have to try to put together and look at , but certainly there ’ s a lot of interesting players and guys who have really good arms , can really throw the ball and some very athletic players.
” Jaguars ’ huge draft .
Jacksonville also has 12 picks , led by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General manager Dave Caldwell was matter of fact during a Thursday media call .
“ We need to hit on all 12 and that ’ s our philosophy and our thought process , ” he said .
“ We want to make every one of them count .
If we can use one of those to trade up and get a guy that we want in a selected round , we ’ ll do that , too .
”

Players are generally universal when asked if they watch the NFL Draft: No.
Oh, they’ll pay attention to who their team selects, but it won’t be appointment television. It should be this week for several Broncos.
General manager John Elway enters Draft Week with 10 picks, including five in the opening three rounds. And even with an active month of March, there are needs to be addressed.
These players could see their roles change during the draft:
Garett Bolles. If the Broncos trade up or stay at No. 15 to take a left tackle, it may not equal an instant demotion for the embattled and maligned Bolles … but it should be, right? If Elway drafts a first-round left tackle, he should name him the starter immediately and quickly decide if Bolles can handle being a backup. If not, cut ties with him.
DaeSean Hamilton/Juwann Winfree. Taking a receiver in the first two rounds makes too much sense. The Broncos need to find a reliable option to play opposite Courtland Sutton. Hamilton and Winfree would be the most directly impacted — Hamilton would move down a peg on the depth chart and Winfree’s roster status would be in doubt entering camp.
Todd Davis. Would the Broncos move on from their leading tackler in three of the last four years? If they draft an athletic inside linebacker in the first three rounds, it may end Davis’ time as an every-down player. The rookie could play on third down and other sub-package situations while being groomed for full-time duty in 2021.
Every backup cornerback. A.J. Bouye is the No. 1 and Bryce Callahan (foot health permitting) is the No. 2. The Broncos would be smart to add a can-play-right-away cornerback. That wouldn’t be good news for Isaac Yiadom, De’Vante Bausby, Duke Dawson and Davontae Harris, two of whom may not make the team.
Delayed offseason program
The Broncos were scheduled to open their voluntary offseason program Monday, but they have tentatively pushed that back to April 27 and it will be a virtual operation through May 15.
Per an agreement between the league and players union, teams can hold a three-week program that includes classroom instruction, guided workouts and non-football educational programs. It remains voluntary for players.
Teams are prohibited from conducting any business from their headquarters so long as government regulations do not allow it.
Draft nuggets
The Broncos’ media relations department sent out a 21-page draft preview and it was filled with a ton of useful information. Five quick-hitters:
1. In the last eight drafts, since Elway joined the front office, the Broncos have went defense with five first-round picks (including Von Miller in 2011) and three on offense (including Noah Fant last year).
2. The Broncos are scheduled to draft No. 15 for the fifth time: The previous 15th overall picks were guard Tom Glassic (1976, 111 regular season/playoff games), safety Dennis Smith (1981, 196 games), linebacker John Mobley (1996, 114 games) and cornerback Deltha O’Neal (2000, 62 games).
3. Florida leads the way with 19 of its players drafted by the Broncos, but none since Max Garcia in 2015. Georgia and Colorado are tied for second at 15. The Broncos have drafted only five Alabama players (only first-round running back Bobby Humphrey was selected before the fourth round) and they haven’t selected a Nick Saban-coached Crimson Tide player.
4. If the Broncos make 10 draft picks, it will be tied with 2000, ’03-04, ’09 and ’18 as their most since drafting 12 in 1999. The fewest they’ve had in a draft is three in 1997.
5. The Broncos haven’t taken a cornerback in the top two rounds since 2014 (Bradley Roby at No. 31) and he’s the only first-round corner since 2005.
Odds-makers speak
BetOnline has posted the line for every NFL game. The Broncos’ breakdown …
Home favorite (four): Las Vegas (minus-3 1/2), L.A. Chargers (minus-2 1/ 2), Tennessee (minus-1) and Miami (minus-5). I was a little surprised to see the Broncos as a home favorite against the Titans, who reached the AFC title game last year.
Home underdog (three): Kansas City (plus-5 1/2), New Orleans (plus-3) and Tampa Bay (plus-1). The Broncos a home dog to Patrick Mahomes, Drew Brees and Tom Brady? Expected.
Road favorite (one): Carolina (minus 1 1/2). The Panthers are favored in only one game (home against Detroit).
Road underdog (six): Atlanta (plus-2 1/2), Kansas City (plus-11 1/2), Las Vegas (plus-3 1/2), L.A. Chargers (plus-2 1/2), New England (plus-5) and Pittsburgh (plus-5 1/2). If home-field is worth three points, the odds-makers see the Broncos as better than the Falcons and Chargers.
Pick’em (two): at New York Jets and vs. Buffalo.
Baltimore is favored and Jacksonville is the underdog in each of their 16 games, respectively.
Around the league
Waiting on receiver. If the Broncos wait until round 2 to address receiver, the names listed by ESPN’s Mel Kiper during his conference call included Notre Dame’s Chase Claypool, TCU’s Jalen Reagor, USC’s Michael Pittman and Penn State’s KJ Hamler as possibilities with the 46th pick.
“Claypool has to be more consistent catching the ball,” Kiper said. “He has a ton of talent, but he’s had too many drops and that’s the reason why he’s a second-round pick and not a first-round pick.”
Belichick on quarterbacks. New England, which has 12 picks, should be in the market for a quarterback even if it’s not in the first round.
“Interesting group and probably one that has decent depth to it,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick told reporters. “There are always a variety of things you have to try to put together and look at, but certainly there’s a lot of interesting players and guys who have really good arms, can really throw the ball and some very athletic players.”
Jaguars’ huge draft. Jacksonville also has 12 picks, led by Nos. 9 and 20 overall. General manager Dave Caldwell was matter of fact during a Thursday media call. “We need to hit on all 12 and that’s our philosophy and our thought process,” he said. “We want to make every one of them count. If we can use one of those to trade up and get a guy that we want in a selected round, we’ll do that, too.”


thedenverpost--2020-04-17--The 10 worst uniforms in Colorado sports history, as chosen by The Post

There have been a whole lot of good and bad uniforms in the history of Colorado sports .
We polled The Post ’ s sports department to select the all-time 10 best and worst .
Here are the ones our staff loathed : Briefly : In their first year as an AFL franchise and on a shoestring budget , the Broncos bought used uniforms from the Copper Bowl , a defunct college football all-star game in Tucson .
The team rocked that nasty look for two seasons before the uniforms were burned in a public bonfire .
The Broncos brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple of games in 2009 , and the vertical striped socks still looked utterly ridiculous .
— Kyle Newman Briefly : Yes , Bears can dance .
But they should never disco .
With a hideous lower-case “ D ” underscored by a screaming-red Dairy Queen swirl , these duds definitely evoke the 1970s .
In all the wrong ways .
Donna “ Last Dance ” Summer could elevate disco to an art form .
But every time I look at the threads of these Disco Bears , the song stuck in my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Duck.
” — Mark Kiszla Briefly : One of the most original ideas in North American jersey history — and one of the most epic fails .
In a move straight out of the Charlie Finley/Bill Veeck playbook , the NASL franchise wore a shirt that featured cowboy-style fringe draped across the midsection , like something out of an old Western .
( Or something stolen from Roger Daltrey ’ s closet , circa 1970 . )
It was the brainchild of co-owner and music impresario Jim Guercio , founder of the Caribou @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slew of iconic classic rock tracks , most notably Joe Walsh ’ s “ Rocky Mountain Way , ” were originally laid down .
The fringes even made for a great ( and viral ) April Fools ’ Day gag in 2014 , when the Rapids announced that they would revive the legendary look for a throwback night .
Serious points for creativity .
And a red card for execution .
— Sean Keeler Briefly : CU ’ s official school colors have long been silver and gold .
But because they didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Buffs made black the dominant color to go with gold .
But blue ?
Sky blue ?
UCLA east ?
That scheme entered play in 1980 , coach Chuck Fairbanks ’ second season , which finished 1-10 .
“ The color of the Colorado sky at 9,000 feet ” was the way CU regent Jack Kent Anderson described it .
The Buffs ’ blues ( in more ways than one ) lasted into Year 3 of the Bill McCartney era .
But in the turnaround season of 1985 , black and gold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , awkward blue stripe for a couple more years — and it has been that way ever since .
In retrospect , the blues didn ’ t look that terrible , but the losing times they represent still stick in the craw of CU fans .
— Mike Judson Briefly : The Rapids ’ first uniforms , designed by Puma , feature some of the most awkward vertical striping you ’ ll ever see on a soccer kit .
They also slapped red Budweiser advertisements on the sleeves and back .
The rushing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ logo has a cool retro vibe , but the overall mismatching of colors and design creates a serious uniform eyesore .
Thankfully , the Rapids ditched this look and switched to Reebok the following year .
— Kyle Fredrickson Briefly : Throughout the 1999 season , 15 big-league games were scheduled as a promotional “ Turn Ahead the Clock ” events that were supposed to provide a glimpse into baseball ’ s future .
The resulting uniforms supposedly represented the year 2021 .
Why ?
Because MLB ’ s sponsoring partner for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real estate company Century 21 .
The Rockies ’ uni was awful but not as bad as some other teams ’ futuristic versions .
Colorado wore the outfits only twice , and in the second game Larry Walker hit a walk-off homer off the Braves ’ John Rocker .
— Patrick Saunders Description : Orange gone wild , with only a blue helmet to save us .
Briefly : Almost across the board , the NFL color rush jerseys are among the most cynical and obscene cash grabs in league history .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t the worst of the bunch — that clearly belongs to the Seattle Seahawks ’ “ Action Green ” abominations — it ’ s still one of the most hideous uniforms to ever grace the Front Range .
Say what you will about the nod to the old-school Broncos helmets of the ’ 80s and early ’ 90s , that ’ s not enough to save the senses from the ocular assault that is all that orange .
— Matt Schubert Description : What happens if a s ’ more comes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take the Rocky Mountain Vibes seriously ?
Sure , minor-league baseball is supposed to be goofy , but this is next level .
The Brewers ’ rookie level affiliate opted for the Vibes over the Rocky Mountain Oysters when they re-branded prior to the 2019 season .
That ’ s a big fail .
Second , their mascot is a flaming s ’ more tossing up a “ Peace ” sign .
If you squint hard enough , you might mistake him for Guy Fieri .
The jerseys , blue and red with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are bland and boring .
Besides , what are the vibes for a team that went 32-43 last summer ?
— Miike Singer Briefly : The jerseys were leaked before the NHL or Avalanche wanted them announced , and thus the entire event at the Air Force Academy ’ s Falcon Stadium began on a bad note .
When pictures were released , some fans couldn ’ t fathom this was real .
The helmets were just as confusing as the bizarre A-frame logo , and the various breezer ( pant ) manufacturers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each other .
Plus , the Avs ’ primary colors , burgundy and blue , were significantly lighter .
Everything was “ off ” for this event , which resulted in thousands of fans demanding refunds due to poor customer service and massive traffic jams to and from the event .
— Mike Chambers Briefly : The Rockies have had the same home jersey from the start .
While the purple pinstripes are solid , the “ Rockies ” font across the chest just screams little league .
The Rox have had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the classic has been nothing but a failure .
Fans in LoDo have been asking for change down at 20th and Blake , and maybe it ’ s time Monfort and Co. give them an updated home look .
The CR logo used on the white cutoff tops added to the classic purple pinstripe would be an improvement .
— Jeff Bailey

There have been a whole lot of good and bad uniforms in the history of Colorado sports.
We polled The Post’s sports department to select the all-time 10 best and worst. Here are the ones our staff loathed:
Denver Broncos’ yellow and brown (1960-61)
Description: Mustard yellow and brown with vertical striped socks.
Briefly: In their first year as an AFL franchise and on a shoestring budget, the Broncos bought used uniforms from the Copper Bowl, a defunct college football all-star game in Tucson. The team rocked that nasty look for two seasons before the uniforms were burned in a public bonfire. The Broncos brought the unis back as throwbacks for a couple of games in 2009, and the vertical striped socks still looked utterly ridiculous. — Kyle Newman
Denver Bears disco duds
Description: Disco Stu meets Yogi Bear.
Briefly: Yes, Bears can dance. But they should never disco. With a hideous lower-case “D” underscored by a screaming-red Dairy Queen swirl, these duds definitely evoke the 1970s. In all the wrong ways. Donna “Last Dance” Summer could elevate disco to an art form. But every time I look at the threads of these Disco Bears, the song stuck in my head is Rick Dees quacking “Disco Duck.” — Mark Kiszla
Caribous of Colorado (1978)
Description: One word — fringe.
Briefly: One of the most original ideas in North American jersey history — and one of the most epic fails. In a move straight out of the Charlie Finley/Bill Veeck playbook, the NASL franchise wore a shirt that featured cowboy-style fringe draped across the midsection, like something out of an old Western. (Or something stolen from Roger Daltrey’s closet, circa 1970.) It was the brainchild of co-owner and music impresario Jim Guercio, founder of the Caribou Ranch recording studio near Nederland where a slew of iconic classic rock tracks, most notably Joe Walsh’s “Rocky Mountain Way,” were originally laid down. The fringes even made for a great (and viral) April Fools’ Day gag in 2014, when the Rapids announced that they would revive the legendary look for a throwback night. Serious points for creativity. And a red card for execution. — Sean Keeler
CU football (1980-84)
Description: Primary color, secondary idea.
Briefly: CU’s official school colors have long been silver and gold. But because they didn’t look that great together, the Buffs made black the dominant color to go with gold. But blue? Sky blue? UCLA east? That scheme entered play in 1980, coach Chuck Fairbanks’ second season, which finished 1-10. “The color of the Colorado sky at 9,000 feet” was the way CU regent Jack Kent Anderson described it. The Buffs’ blues (in more ways than one) lasted into Year 3 of the Bill McCartney era. But in the turnaround season of 1985, black and gold ruled the day — with an unfortunate, awkward blue stripe for a couple more years — and it has been that way ever since. In retrospect, the blues didn’t look that terrible, but the losing times they represent still stick in the craw of CU fans. — Mike Judson
Colorado Rapids’ original unis (1996)
Description: Inaugural jerseys with green/yellow/white stripes and team’s original crest.
Briefly: The Rapids’ first uniforms, designed by Puma, feature some of the most awkward vertical striping you’ll ever see on a soccer kit. They also slapped red Budweiser advertisements on the sleeves and back. The rushing blue water on the team’s logo has a cool retro vibe, but the overall mismatching of colors and design creates a serious uniform eyesore. Thankfully, the Rapids ditched this look and switched to Reebok the following year. — Kyle Fredrickson
Colorado Rockies’ “Turn Around The Clock” (1999)
Description: The Rockies’ team logo gone wild, strongly resembling kids’ pajamas.
Briefly: Throughout the 1999 season, 15 big-league games were scheduled as a promotional “Turn Ahead the Clock” events that were supposed to provide a glimpse into baseball’s future. The resulting uniforms supposedly represented the year 2021. Why? Because MLB’s sponsoring partner for the “Turn Ahead” promotion was the real estate company Century 21. The Rockies’ uni was awful but not as bad as some other teams’ futuristic versions. Colorado wore the outfits only twice, and in the second game Larry Walker hit a walk-off homer off the Braves’ John Rocker. — Patrick Saunders
Denver Broncos’ Color Rush (2016-present)
Description: Orange gone wild, with only a blue helmet to save us.
Briefly: Almost across the board, the NFL color rush jerseys are among the most cynical and obscene cash grabs in league history. And while the Broncos’ all-orange offering isn’t the worst of the bunch — that clearly belongs to the Seattle Seahawks’ “Action Green” abominations — it’s still one of the most hideous uniforms to ever grace the Front Range. Say what you will about the nod to the old-school Broncos helmets of the ’80s and early ’90s, that’s not enough to save the senses from the ocular assault that is all that orange. — Matt Schubert
Rocky Mountain Vibes (2019)
Description: What happens if a s’more comes to life.
Briefly: Can anyone honestly take the Rocky Mountain Vibes seriously? Sure, minor-league baseball is supposed to be goofy, but this is next level. The Brewers’ rookie level affiliate opted for the Vibes over the Rocky Mountain Oysters when they re-branded prior to the 2019 season. That’s a big fail. Second, their mascot is a flaming s’more tossing up a “Peace” sign. If you squint hard enough, you might mistake him for Guy Fieri. The jerseys, blue and red with a fiery “Vibes” font, are bland and boring. Besides, what are the vibes for a team that went 32-43 last summer? — Mike Singer
Colorado Avalanche (2020)
Description: NHL Stadium Series jerseys — A-frame house or a bib?
Briefly: The jerseys were leaked before the NHL or Avalanche wanted them announced, and thus the entire event at the Air Force Academy’s Falcon Stadium began on a bad note. When pictures were released, some fans couldn’t fathom this was real. The helmets were just as confusing as the bizarre A-frame logo, and the various breezer (pant) manufacturers failed to match their PMS colors with each other. Plus, the Avs’ primary colors, burgundy and blue, were significantly lighter. Everything was “off” for this event, which resulted in thousands of fans demanding refunds due to poor customer service and massive traffic jams to and from the event. — Mike Chambers
Colorado Rockies (1993-present)
Description: Colorado Rockies home white tops with purple pinstripes.
Briefly: The Rockies have had the same home jersey from the start. While the purple pinstripes are solid, the “Rockies” font across the chest just screams little league. The Rox have had a number of alternate uniforms over the years, but the classic has been nothing but a failure. Fans in LoDo have been asking for change down at 20th and Blake, and maybe it’s time Monfort and Co. give them an updated home look. The CR logo used on the white cutoff tops added to the classic purple pinstripe would be an improvement. — Jeff Bailey


thedenverpost--2020-04-17--Bear market could make dreams of retirement more distant

Retirement plan investors didn ’ t panic as global stock markets suffered their swiftest descent on record , and it doesn ’ t appear they jumped out after a historic rebound .
They have held on tight in the face of who knows what comes next .
“ As we move out of a period of unprecedented volatility we saw that , for the most part , retirement investors did not give over to emotional selling .
The American retirement investor has shown great fortitude and tremendous resolve in the face of historic market volatility , ” Edmund Murphy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greenwood Village , said in an email .
Empower studied how the 9.5 million participants in the retirement plans and IRAs it manages reacted after U.S. stock indices went from record highs in mid-February to wiping out more than three years of gains by March 23 .
Of that group , 99.3 % had made no changes to their retirement investments as of March 30 and only 16 % even logged in to check on balances .
About 2.1 % boosted their contribution rate , while 1.4 % lowered it .
Maybe things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have time to react or maybe they were much more worried about protecting their health and preserving their jobs and businesses that any concerns about the 401 ( k ) balance took a back seat .
“ We have to be fairly honest .
Retirement plans are not the top priority at the moment .
The No .
1 priority is all about health , ” said Neil Lloyd , head of U.S. DC & Financial Wellness Research at Mercer , during a webinar hosted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to assess the damage done to their retirement portfolios and recalibrate how much they need to set aside to achieve their goals .
EBRI has a database of 27 million retirement plans and regularly looks at how likely participants are to fund their retirement needs under a variety of scenarios .
At the start of the year , about six in 10 of plans held by households age 35 to 64 were on track to adequately fund retirement , but four in 10 were behind to the tune of $ 3.68 trillion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at EBRI .
Market declines through March add about $ 136.4 billion to the deficit retirement investors face , according to the simulation .
That ’ s about 3.5 % of the existing shortfall , VanDerhei said .
That isn ’ t huge , but the drop in the market has also cut into the surplus that investors on track had , especially those with larger balances in their retirement plans .
Several other trends are in play that could hurt the retirement readiness of workers , especially younger ones .
Business failures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , meaning fewer employees covered .
Some employers , in an effort to conserve cash , will likely eliminate matching contributions in the short-term , which reduces a key incentive to participate .
Workers who have lost income are also more likely to borrow against their plans or spend some of the balances outright , something that the CARES Act makes easier to do without penalties .
Money used to cover living expenses won ’ t be around to compound .
“ We believe that difficult economic circumstances will likely lead to increased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of some participants , ” Murphy said .
“ Empower recently announced that we are waiving fees on all new retirement plan loans and hardship withdrawals .
We believe that there will be high interest in loans and hardships.
” Lloyd also expects some employers may shift more of their benefits focus to an area known as financial wellness , in particular helping employees develop emergency savings , which the crisis has exposed as woefully inadequate .
Data on the flows in and out of mutual funds and exchange-traded funds reveals investors at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but in some surprising ways , according to numbers from Morningstar .
Fixed income investments are usually considered a haven when equities are falling in value , but that wasn ’ t the case this time around .
Taxable-bond funds suffered record outflows of $ 240 billion , dwarfing the prior outflow record of $ 54 billion set in June 2013 .
Investors also pulled a record $ 45 billion out of municipal bond funds , fearful that state and local governments would default because of reduced tax revenues , Morningstar said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into U.S. equity funds last month , although they pulled $ 12.6 billion out of international equity funds .
And the big winner was cash .
Money market funds added a record $ 684.6 billion in March .
Joe Vietri , branch network leader at Charles Schwab , said the current downturn is often compared to the dot-com bubble bursting in 2000 and the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009 .
But he said an external shock , a health crisis , caused this downturn , rather than excesses and imbalances that built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a result , are behaving differently .
“ They aren ’ t reacting as much to the volatility as in the past .
Health and wealth are both being impacted .
Health issues are more front and center , ” he said .
Some people are spending the long hours at home reviewing their financial situation and deciding they need to save more and plan better .
Schwab has seen an uptick in new accounts , especially from young investors , which wasn ’ t the case during the last bear market , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advisers suggest retirees or those nearing retirement keep at least a year in living expenses in easily accessible savings .
They should also keep another two to four years of expenses in more stable investments such as money market funds and short-term bonds .
The “ bucketing ” approach , as it is called , keeps investors from selling stock positions while they are depressed in value .
A young investor can afford to wait for a portfolio to recover , but those near or in retirement will be hard-pressed to restore what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet income needs .
“ That has made a lot of our clients feel more comfortable with a market downturn , ” said Rob Williams , vice president of financial planning at the Schwab Center for Financial Research .
For older investors who haven ’ t built a cash cushion to draw on until the market recovers , Williams suggests clearing out investments that they would no longer buy now , or the “ garbage.
” But clear out just enough to provide the cash reserves that should have been there in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not in a panic .
Some forecasts predict the economy will zoom back quickly once stay-at-home orders lift and the massive stimulus money takes hold .
That seems to be the scenario investors have considered most likely in the past few weeks , judging by how much they have pushed up equity prices .
“ The only thing I have a strong conviction about right now is that nobody should have a strong conviction about anything right now , ” tweeted Walter Deemer , a Wall Street veteran and technical analyst .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Stanford Graduate School of Business , has studied economic shocks and urges caution regarding an easy rebound .
Bloom , in a blog post , doesn ’ t disagree with forecasts that predict the U.S. economy will be off to the races by the end of the year , given all the pent-up demand .
But he predicts it could take five years before U.S. GDP is back to where it was in 2019 , because of a series of what he calls “ second moment ” shocks .
The U.S. has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he warns .
Jobless claims in the U.S. have topped 22 million in just one month .
Households and businesses alike will have a strong incentive to build financial reserves , meaning less spending and more savings .
Banks are preparing to write-off huge amounts of bad loans , making them less inclined to lend .
Supply chains will need to be rebuilt and businesses will be less productive as they bring back workers and retrain new ones .
Innovation won ’ t be as robust .
Also , the bill will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollars spent on stimulus .
That likely means higher taxes in the years ahead , especially on corporations and high net worth households .
“ As recently as the middle of March , I thought we would probably experience a V-shaped recovery and bounce back relatively quickly , ” Bloom wrote .
“ I don ’ t think that now .
”

Retirement plan investors didn’t panic as global stock markets suffered their swiftest descent on record, and it doesn’t appear they jumped out after a historic rebound. They have held on tight in the face of who knows what comes next.
“As we move out of a period of unprecedented volatility we saw that, for the most part, retirement investors did not give over to emotional selling. The American retirement investor has shown great fortitude and tremendous resolve in the face of historic market volatility,” Edmund Murphy, president and CEO of Empower Retirement in Greenwood Village, said in an email.
Empower studied how the 9.5 million participants in the retirement plans and IRAs it manages reacted after U.S. stock indices went from record highs in mid-February to wiping out more than three years of gains by March 23.
Of that group, 99.3% had made no changes to their retirement investments as of March 30 and only 16% even logged in to check on balances. About 2.1% boosted their contribution rate, while 1.4% lowered it.
Maybe things happened so fast retirement investors didn’t have time to react or maybe they were much more worried about protecting their health and preserving their jobs and businesses that any concerns about the 401(k) balance took a back seat.
“We have to be fairly honest. Retirement plans are not the top priority at the moment. The No. 1 priority is all about health,” said Neil Lloyd, head of U.S. DC & Financial Wellness Research at Mercer, during a webinar hosted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute on Tuesday.
Once things settle people will need to assess the damage done to their retirement portfolios and recalibrate how much they need to set aside to achieve their goals.
EBRI has a database of 27 million retirement plans and regularly looks at how likely participants are to fund their retirement needs under a variety of scenarios. At the start of the year, about six in 10 of plans held by households age 35 to 64 were on track to adequately fund retirement, but four in 10 were behind to the tune of $3.68 trillion, said Jack VanDerhei, research director at EBRI.
Market declines through March add about $136.4 billion to the deficit retirement investors face, according to the simulation. That’s about 3.5% of the existing shortfall, VanDerhei said. That isn’t huge, but the drop in the market has also cut into the surplus that investors on track had, especially those with larger balances in their retirement plans.
Several other trends are in play that could hurt the retirement readiness of workers, especially younger ones. Business failures will result in fewer small retirement plans, meaning fewer employees covered. Some employers, in an effort to conserve cash, will likely eliminate matching contributions in the short-term, which reduces a key incentive to participate.
Workers who have lost income are also more likely to borrow against their plans or spend some of the balances outright, something that the CARES Act makes easier to do without penalties. Money used to cover living expenses won’t be around to compound.
“We believe that difficult economic circumstances will likely lead to increased demand for short-term cash on the part of some participants,” Murphy said. “Empower recently announced that we are waiving fees on all new retirement plan loans and hardship withdrawals. We believe that there will be high interest in loans and hardships.”
Lloyd also expects some employers may shift more of their benefits focus to an area known as financial wellness, in particular helping employees develop emergency savings, which the crisis has exposed as woefully inadequate.
A different downturn
Data on the flows in and out of mutual funds and exchange-traded funds reveals investors at large were on the move in March, but in some surprising ways, according to numbers from Morningstar.
Fixed income investments are usually considered a haven when equities are falling in value, but that wasn’t the case this time around. Taxable-bond funds suffered record outflows of $240 billion, dwarfing the prior outflow record of $54 billion set in June 2013. Investors also pulled a record $45 billion out of municipal bond funds, fearful that state and local governments would default because of reduced tax revenues, Morningstar said.
Investors actually poured $10.4 billion into U.S. equity funds last month, although they pulled $12.6 billion out of international equity funds. And the big winner was cash. Money market funds added a record $684.6 billion in March.
Joe Vietri, branch network leader at Charles Schwab, said the current downturn is often compared to the dot-com bubble bursting in 2000 and the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009.
But he said an external shock, a health crisis, caused this downturn, rather than excesses and imbalances that built up over years. Clients, as a result, are behaving differently.
“They aren’t reacting as much to the volatility as in the past. Health and wealth are both being impacted. Health issues are more front and center,” he said.
Some people are spending the long hours at home reviewing their financial situation and deciding they need to save more and plan better. Schwab has seen an uptick in new accounts, especially from young investors, which wasn’t the case during the last bear market, Vietri said.
Schwab and other financial advisers suggest retirees or those nearing retirement keep at least a year in living expenses in easily accessible savings. They should also keep another two to four years of expenses in more stable investments such as money market funds and short-term bonds.
The “bucketing” approach, as it is called, keeps investors from selling stock positions while they are depressed in value. A young investor can afford to wait for a portfolio to recover, but those near or in retirement will be hard-pressed to restore what was lost if they sell holdings to meet income needs.
“That has made a lot of our clients feel more comfortable with a market downturn,” said Rob Williams, vice president of financial planning at the Schwab Center for Financial Research.
For older investors who haven’t built a cash cushion to draw on until the market recovers, Williams suggests clearing out investments that they would no longer buy now, or the “garbage.” But clear out just enough to provide the cash reserves that should have been there in the first place, and do so strategically, not in a panic.
Prepare for anything
Some forecasts predict the economy will zoom back quickly once stay-at-home orders lift and the massive stimulus money takes hold. That seems to be the scenario investors have considered most likely in the past few weeks, judging by how much they have pushed up equity prices.
“The only thing I have a strong conviction about right now is that nobody should have a strong conviction about anything right now,” tweeted Walter Deemer, a Wall Street veteran and technical analyst.
Nicholas Bloom, a professor of economics at Stanford Graduate School of Business, has studied economic shocks and urges caution regarding an easy rebound. Bloom, in a blog post, doesn’t disagree with forecasts that predict the U.S. economy will be off to the races by the end of the year, given all the pent-up demand.
But he predicts it could take five years before U.S. GDP is back to where it was in 2019, because of a series of what he calls “second moment” shocks. The U.S. has entered a depression, not a recession, he warns.
Jobless claims in the U.S. have topped 22 million in just one month. Households and businesses alike will have a strong incentive to build financial reserves, meaning less spending and more savings. Banks are preparing to write-off huge amounts of bad loans, making them less inclined to lend.
Supply chains will need to be rebuilt and businesses will be less productive as they bring back workers and retrain new ones. Innovation won’t be as robust. Also, the bill will eventually come due for the trillions of dollars spent on stimulus. That likely means higher taxes in the years ahead, especially on corporations and high net worth households.
“As recently as the middle of March, I thought we would probably experience a V-shaped recovery and bounce back relatively quickly,” Bloom wrote. “I don’t think that now.”


thedenverpost--2020-04-17--Broncos draft film study: Edge rushers John Elway could target in mid-to-late rounds

It was almost as if Tennessee edge rusher Darrell Taylor could hear the television commentary .
As Mississippi State ’ s offense lined up for third-and-5 on its opening possession last October , the SEC Network ’ s Taylor Zarzour commented on how the Volunteers had struggled on third down .
And he was correct .
Georgia State converted 10-of-17 attempts to pull off a season-opening stunner .
Then , BYU went 5-of-13 , Chattanooga 6-of-17 , Florida 4-of-11 and Georgia 5-of-11 .
No doubt , a reason for Tennessee ’ s pitiful 1-4 start was allowing its opponents to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , a rate that would have placed the unit outside of the top 100 for the entire 2019 college football season .
Standing up at the snap , the redshirt senior planted his right hand into the chest of right tackle Greg Eiland and drove him into the backfield .
Taylor got to quarterback Tommy Stevens in 2.7 seconds for a sack that got his defense off the field .
It was exactly what the Volunteers needed and the type of play Taylor produced consistently during his last two seasons , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tackles for loss and four forced fumbles .
That production makes Taylor , who looks the part of a 3-4 outside linebacker at 6-foot-4 and 267 pounds , an attractive option for teams , such as the Broncos , that might prefer to wait until the second or third day of the draft to add an edge rusher .
The Broncos have other needs ( receiver , cornerback and center ) that are more pressing , but they also have three third-round picks and a fourth-round selection .
One of those could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Miller and Bradley Chubb and bring in competition for reserves Malik Reed , Justin Hollins and Jeremiah Attaochu .
Taylor is among about a half-dozen edge rushers expected to be drafted between the third and fourth rounds , and he has traits that could eventually make him an NFL starter .
What stood out most in games against Mississippi State ( 20-10 win on Oct. 12 ) and South Carolina ( 41-21 win on Oct. 26 ) was how effectively he used his quick first step and burst to get around the corner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eiland on the first drive .
In the fourth quarter , he beat left tackle Tyre Phillips with another speed move to sack and strip the quarterback in 2.2 seconds .
Against South Carolina , Taylor notched two more sacks when he dusted tight end Kyle Markway around the corner ( 2.6 seconds ) and later used a head bob to get inside right tackle Jaylen Nichols ( 3.0 seconds ) .
Speed moves are Taylor ’ s strength , but he also showed other skills .
In both games , he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third-and-1 play against South Carolina when he flattened Markway and then helped make a tackle short of the first-down marker .
He also batted down a pair of passes against the Gamecocks .
More plays like that and Taylor would likely be an early Day 2 pick , but he has his limitations .
That includes a need to add additional pass-rushing moves to avoid being a one-trick pony .
While he did show the ability to play standing up or with his hand in the ground , Taylor didn ’ t drop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Carolina .
That might not limit him too much if teams see him as a third-down pass-rushing specialist , but he ’ ll need to sharpen those skills to become a full-time player .
Taylor also served a two-game suspension as a sophomore for reportedly getting into an altercation with a teammate , though it ’ s worth noting he was named a team captain last season .
Taylor is not nearly the same level of prospect as Ohio State ’ s Chase Young and LSU ’ s K ’ Lavon Chaisson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Alabama ’ s Terrell Lewis .
But for the Broncos , he doesn ’ t need to be .
If general manager John Elway is interested , he can address other needs and then circle back .
Given Taylor ’ s college production , he could be a nice supplemental piece to a quality draft .
Three other players to watch : Stat line : Three tackles ( all solo ) and one sack Breakdown : A former walk-on , Highsmith recorded 4 1/2 sacks against Old Dominion in late November on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 14 .
Dominating lesser talent is important in getting noticed , but Highsmith ’ s game against Clemson is probably a better indication of what he could be in the NFL .
The game got out of hand quickly , but Highsmith flashed some intriguing potential .
His sack of backup quarterback Chase Brice was the result of his motor more than an outstanding move .
As the Charlotte secondary forced Brice to abort an attempted screen pass , Highsmith fought threw a chip from the running back and beat left tackle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seconds .
More impressive was a spin move Highsmith used earlier in the game to get inside Carman and hit Brice in 2.6 seconds .
Highsmith ( 6-3/248 ) lined up at left and right defensive end .
He wasn ’ t asked to drop into coverage , and he needs to more consistently set the edge and hold up against the run .
Early in his career , Highsmith will likely be pass-rush focused , using his terrific first step , athleticism and solid array of moves to pressure quarterbacks .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developing Highsmith , he could be available at No .
95 or possibly No .
118 .
Stat line : Six tackles ( three solo ) , one blocked field goal attempt and a half-sack .
Breakdown : Spending most of the afternoon squaring off against Georgia left tackle Andrew Thomas , Wonnum contributed more with dirty work than splash plays .
Thomas won most of their pass-rushing battles , but Wonnum did a nice job getting physical and setting the edge on running plays as the South Carolina defense stood tall in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wonnum split a sack with Kobe Smith when he cleaned up quarterback Jake Fromm in the backfield in 4.8 seconds , and later drew a holding call on Thomas that was declined because of an incomplete pass on third down .
Playing the “ Buck ” position ( hybrid DE/OLB ) in Will Muschamp ’ s defense , Wonnum dropped into coverage and lined up over the outside and slot receivers at various points .
Wonnum also slid inside on several third downs and used his quickness to beat Georgia ’ s guards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a field goal at the end of the first half .
Wonnum ( 6-5/258 ) needs to add counter moves to his attack to be more consistent , but his length and powerful hands are plus traits .
The Broncos could target Wonnum at No .
118 or consider using Nos .
178 and 181 to move up in the fifth round , if he remains available .
Stat line : Eight tackles ( four solo ) and one sack Breakdown : A durable ( 38 straight starts to end college career ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) player , Coughlin has an urgent style that contains some creativity .
Against Penn State , he stood up on each of his 60-plus defensive snaps , lining up at left and right defensive end and sliding inside on several third-down passing situations .
He also dropped into coverage on three snaps .
Two of Coughlin ’ s best plays came in space when he got to the sideline to stop speedy running back Journey Brown for a short gain , and he later snuffed out a jet sweep by receiver KJ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dip around right tackle Will Fries and sack quarterback Sean Clifford in 3.9 seconds .
On several plays , he used a head fake to get into the backfield .
That was good to see because his game otherwise lacked explosion and seemed to be played at one speed .
Coughlin ( 6-3/236 ) is a tad undersized but generally was strong enough to muscle up with tight ends in run support .
He held his own against Penn State ’ s tackles and was rarely washed out of a play .
Coughlin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , looks to be as a rotational player who contributes on special teams .
The Broncos could use a core player like that , so spending a Day 3 pick would be justifiable .

It was almost as if Tennessee edge rusher Darrell Taylor could hear the television commentary.
As Mississippi State’s offense lined up for third-and-5 on its opening possession last October, the SEC Network’s Taylor Zarzour commented on how the Volunteers had struggled on third down. And he was correct.
Georgia State converted 10-of-17 attempts to pull off a season-opening stunner. Then, BYU went 5-of-13, Chattanooga 6-of-17, Florida 4-of-11 and Georgia 5-of-11. No doubt, a reason for Tennessee’s pitiful 1-4 start was allowing its opponents to convert 30-of-69 third downs (43.5%), a rate that would have placed the unit outside of the top 100 for the entire 2019 college football season.
Enter Taylor.
Standing up at the snap, the redshirt senior planted his right hand into the chest of right tackle Greg Eiland and drove him into the backfield. Taylor got to quarterback Tommy Stevens in 2.7 seconds for a sack that got his defense off the field. It was exactly what the Volunteers needed and the type of play Taylor produced consistently during his last two seasons, when he totaled 16 1/2 sacks, 21 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles.
That production makes Taylor, who looks the part of a 3-4 outside linebacker at 6-foot-4 and 267 pounds, an attractive option for teams, such as the Broncos, that might prefer to wait until the second or third day of the draft to add an edge rusher. The Broncos have other needs (receiver, cornerback and center) that are more pressing, but they also have three third-round picks and a fourth-round selection. One of those could be used to add depth behind starters Von Miller and Bradley Chubb and bring in competition for reserves Malik Reed, Justin Hollins and Jeremiah Attaochu.
Taylor is among about a half-dozen edge rushers expected to be drafted between the third and fourth rounds, and he has traits that could eventually make him an NFL starter. What stood out most in games against Mississippi State (20-10 win on Oct. 12) and South Carolina (41-21 win on Oct. 26) was how effectively he used his quick first step and burst to get around the corner and impact the quarterback.
Taylor beat Eiland on the first drive. In the fourth quarter, he beat left tackle Tyre Phillips with another speed move to sack and strip the quarterback in 2.2 seconds. Against South Carolina, Taylor notched two more sacks when he dusted tight end Kyle Markway around the corner (2.6 seconds) and later used a head bob to get inside right tackle Jaylen Nichols (3.0 seconds).
Speed moves are Taylor’s strength, but he also showed other skills. In both games, he was useful against the run, including a third-and-1 play against South Carolina when he flattened Markway and then helped make a tackle short of the first-down marker. He also batted down a pair of passes against the Gamecocks.
More plays like that and Taylor would likely be an early Day 2 pick, but he has his limitations. That includes a need to add additional pass-rushing moves to avoid being a one-trick pony. While he did show the ability to play standing up or with his hand in the ground, Taylor didn’t drop into coverage often against Mississippi State or South Carolina. That might not limit him too much if teams see him as a third-down pass-rushing specialist, but he’ll need to sharpen those skills to become a full-time player.
Taylor also served a two-game suspension as a sophomore for reportedly getting into an altercation with a teammate, though it’s worth noting he was named a team captain last season.
Taylor is not nearly the same level of prospect as Ohio State’s Chase Young and LSU’s K’Lavon Chaisson or even Michigan’s Josh Uche and Alabama’s Terrell Lewis. But for the Broncos, he doesn’t need to be.
If general manager John Elway is interested, he can address other needs and then circle back. Given Taylor’s college production, he could be a nice supplemental piece to a quality draft.
Three other players to watch:
Alex Highsmith, Charlotte
Game watched: 52-10 loss at Clemson on Sept. 21
Stat line: Three tackles (all solo) and one sack
Breakdown: A former walk-on, Highsmith recorded 4 1/2 sacks against Old Dominion in late November on his way to a single-season program record of 14. Dominating lesser talent is important in getting noticed, but Highsmith’s game against Clemson is probably a better indication of what he could be in the NFL. The game got out of hand quickly, but Highsmith flashed some intriguing potential. His sack of backup quarterback Chase Brice was the result of his motor more than an outstanding move. As the Charlotte secondary forced Brice to abort an attempted screen pass, Highsmith fought threw a chip from the running back and beat left tackle Jackson Carman for a sack in 3.8 seconds. More impressive was a spin move Highsmith used earlier in the game to get inside Carman and hit Brice in 2.6 seconds. Highsmith (6-3/248) lined up at left and right defensive end. He wasn’t asked to drop into coverage, and he needs to more consistently set the edge and hold up against the run. Early in his career, Highsmith will likely be pass-rush focused, using his terrific first step, athleticism and solid array of moves to pressure quarterbacks. If the Broncos are interested in drafting and developing Highsmith, he could be available at No. 95 or possibly No. 118.
D.J. Wonnum, South Carolina
Game watched: 20-17 win (2 OT) over Georgia on Oct. 12
Stat line: Six tackles (three solo), one blocked field goal attempt and a half-sack.
Breakdown: Spending most of the afternoon squaring off against Georgia left tackle Andrew Thomas, Wonnum contributed more with dirty work than splash plays. Thomas won most of their pass-rushing battles, but Wonnum did a nice job getting physical and setting the edge on running plays as the South Carolina defense stood tall in the second half and both overtimes. Wonnum split a sack with Kobe Smith when he cleaned up quarterback Jake Fromm in the backfield in 4.8 seconds, and later drew a holding call on Thomas that was declined because of an incomplete pass on third down. Playing the “Buck” position (hybrid DE/OLB) in Will Muschamp’s defense, Wonnum dropped into coverage and lined up over the outside and slot receivers at various points. Wonnum also slid inside on several third downs and used his quickness to beat Georgia’s guards and impact Fromm. He also blocked a field goal at the end of the first half. Wonnum (6-5/258) needs to add counter moves to his attack to be more consistent, but his length and powerful hands are plus traits. The Broncos could target Wonnum at No. 118 or consider using Nos. 178 and 181 to move up in the fifth round, if he remains available.
Carter Coughlin, Minnesota
Game watched: 31-26 win over Penn State on Nov. 9
Stat line: Eight tackles (four solo) and one sack
Breakdown: A durable (38 straight starts to end college career) and productive (22 1/2 career sacks) player, Coughlin has an urgent style that contains some creativity. Against Penn State, he stood up on each of his 60-plus defensive snaps, lining up at left and right defensive end and sliding inside on several third-down passing situations. He also dropped into coverage on three snaps. Two of Coughlin’s best plays came in space when he got to the sideline to stop speedy running back Journey Brown for a short gain, and he later snuffed out a jet sweep by receiver KJ Hamler. Coughlin showed good flexibility to dip around right tackle Will Fries and sack quarterback Sean Clifford in 3.9 seconds. On several plays, he used a head fake to get into the backfield. That was good to see because his game otherwise lacked explosion and seemed to be played at one speed. Coughlin (6-3/236) is a tad undersized but generally was strong enough to muscle up with tight ends in run support. He held his own against Penn State’s tackles and was rarely washed out of a play. Coughlin’s future, at least initially, looks to be as a rotational player who contributes on special teams. The Broncos could use a core player like that, so spending a Day 3 pick would be justifiable.


thedenverpost--2020-04-17--What’s next for trucking industry? Many truckers not only looking for freight to haul, but masks and

What’s next for trucking industry? Many truckers not only looking for freight to haul, but masks and even lunch

Julio Diaz was filling up at an Aurora truck stop when he got a lunchtime surprise : a boxed lunch , a face mask and a thank you for keeping the country ’ s food and other items rolling during the coronavirus pandemic .
Over the weekend , Diaz was one of 30 drivers at the Pilot Flying J travel center who received a box from employees of Kavkaz Express , a Denver-based trucking company .
Diaz , who lives in Pembroke Pines , Fla. , is glad for the increased awareness of the role truckers play in keeping the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Everywhere people are saying thank you for your service .
Sometimes , on the bridges , you see people with flags and saying thank you .
We feel appreciated , finally , ” said Diaz , raising his fist .
However , the focus on the folks who deliver the toilet paper , milk , meat and other items in demand since the coronavirus outbreak escalated hasn ’ t made life on the road any easier .
It ’ s actually gotten bumpier .
With most restaurants closed to dine-in service , truckers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from home are as limited as their ability to maneuver an 18-wheeler thru a drive-thru .
Some franchise restaurants are working with trucking associations to get food to drivers , either by carry-out or curbside delivery .
And like other people , drivers are struggling to find masks and hand sanitizer .
Another effect of the economic slowdown is that while some drivers are busy hauling food to grocery stores , others are finding it tough to line up loads .
Closures of restaurants , car dealerships and factories mean less work for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ myself when I started the company so I know what hard work it is .
But nowadays , when it ’ s COVID-19 , it ’ s much harder , ” said Kavkaz CEO Ruslan Shamanov , “ .
To show support for truck drivers and other essential workers , Kavkaz has been handing out boxed meals : a hot sandwich , fruit , bottled drink , protein bar and a mask .
The company distributed 1,000 meals to health care workers in Chicago a couple of weeks ago .
Employees handed out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week .
In Denver , Kavkaz worked with Pudge Brothers Pizza , which gave the company a discount on the sandwiches .
Shamanov said the company has received emails and thanks from truck drivers and first responders .
He said he ’ s glad to see other companies and organizations make similar gestures .
Kavkaz employees Rollan Daniyar and Bakhytzhan Tokkozhin , both wearing masks , carried stacks of boxes through the truck stop lot in Aurora , checking to see who wanted lunch .
“ It feels good , especially at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very challenging time , ” Shamanov said .
“ It ’ s time to show humanity to each other.
” Lisa Schmitt said she hopes the recent attention on truck drivers ’ jobs will extend beyond the health crisis and lead to changes , such as more flexible hours and local regulations .
Schmitt and her husband , Lee , recently featured the plight of a fellow driver as part of their online show , “ Trucking with the Schmitts.
” The driver told the Schmitts that he had to leave a laundromat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in violation of a local ordinance that allows the parking of commercial trucks only during deliveries .
The particular challenges of making a living by hauling freight across the country have been heightened during the coronavirus pandemic , said Schmitt .
“ There are a lot of struggles going on : finding food , finding rooms , finding showers , laundry facilities.
” She noted that the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association sent a letter Tuesday to grocery and drug store chains seeking help for truck drivers who can ’ t find hand sanitizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ association also asked that drivers be allowed to use restrooms in the stores , a problem Schmitt said has become more prevalent during the virus outbreak .
“ Basic items like paper towels , hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes are nearly impossible to find right now .
The irony is that truckers are hauling these supplies , but they are unable to actually buy them , ” Lewie Pugh , executive vice president of the drivers ’ association , wrote in the letter .
Schmitt , who lives in Turtle Creek , Wis. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep safe , they ’ re also trying to keep busy .
She and her husband left Phoenix on Monday , where they dropped off drilling equipment , and were looking for more freight to carry .
The pictures painted of truckers barreling down the highways to deliver the paper products and food that shoppers are clamoring for don ’ t include visions of drivers who usually carry heavy equipment and other goods sitting with empty trucks .
“ There are literally eight trucks for every load on the load board , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matching systems that drivers use .
Rates have also dropped , Schmitt added .
“ Rates are averaging about 97 cents a mile .
You need to average about $ 1.69 a mile to make it worthwhile.
” Dave Legate was sitting in the cab of his truck in the lot of the Pilot Flying J , contemplating the drive back to his hometown of Norfolk , Neb .
He usually delivers cooked eggs to restaurants , but restaurants have scaled way back as their business has dropped .
“ There are very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are , shippers are taking advantage because they put the prices down so low you can ’ t make any money , ” Legate said .
Shamanov of Kavkaz Express said Amazon is keeping about a hundred of his company ’ s 400 trucks on the road , but so many other businesses are closed “ For example , we haul cars but the dealers are closed now , so no work for them , ” he said .
“ So , 20 to 30 trucks switched to ( refrigerated units ) @ @ @ @ @ @

Julio Diaz was filling up at an Aurora truck stop when he got a lunchtime surprise: a boxed lunch, a face mask and a thank you for keeping the country’s food and other items rolling during the coronavirus pandemic.
Over the weekend, Diaz was one of 30 drivers at the Pilot Flying J travel center who received a box from employees of Kavkaz Express, a Denver-based trucking company. Diaz, who lives in Pembroke Pines, Fla., is glad for the increased awareness of the role truckers play in keeping the nation’s stores stocked.
“Everywhere people are saying thank you for your service. Sometimes, on the bridges, you see people with flags and saying thank you. We feel appreciated, finally,” said Diaz, raising his fist.
However, the focus on the folks who deliver the toilet paper, milk, meat and other items in demand since the coronavirus outbreak escalated hasn’t made life on the road any easier. It’s actually gotten bumpier.
With most restaurants closed to dine-in service, truckers’ options for a hot meal away from home are as limited as their ability to maneuver an 18-wheeler thru a drive-thru. Some franchise restaurants are working with trucking associations to get food to drivers, either by carry-out or curbside delivery. And like other people, drivers are struggling to find masks and hand sanitizer.
Another effect of the economic slowdown is that while some drivers are busy hauling food to grocery stores, others are finding it tough to line up loads. Closures of restaurants, car dealerships and factories mean less work for many truckers.
“I drove trucks myself when I started the company so I know what hard work it is. But nowadays, when it’s COVID-19, it’s much harder,” said Kavkaz CEO Ruslan Shamanov,“.
To show support for truck drivers and other essential workers, Kavkaz has been handing out boxed meals: a hot sandwich, fruit, bottled drink, protein bar and a mask. The company distributed 1,000 meals to health care workers in Chicago a couple of weeks ago. Employees handed out boxes at about 10 Denver-area truck stops last week.
In Denver, Kavkaz worked with Pudge Brothers Pizza, which gave the company a discount on the sandwiches. Shamanov said the company has received emails and thanks from truck drivers and first responders. He said he’s glad to see other companies and organizations make similar gestures.
Kavkaz employees Rollan Daniyar and Bakhytzhan Tokkozhin, both wearing masks, carried stacks of boxes through the truck stop lot in Aurora, checking to see who wanted lunch.
“It feels good, especially at this time. It’s a very challenging time,” Shamanov said. “It’s time to show humanity to each other.”
Lisa Schmitt said she hopes the recent attention on truck drivers’ jobs will extend beyond the health crisis and lead to changes, such as more flexible hours and local regulations. Schmitt and her husband, Lee, recently featured the plight of a fellow driver as part of their online show, “Trucking with the Schmitts.” The driver told the Schmitts that he had to leave a laundromat in a Maryland town because he was in violation of a local ordinance that allows the parking of commercial trucks only during deliveries.
The particular challenges of making a living by hauling freight across the country have been heightened during the coronavirus pandemic, said Schmitt. “There are a lot of struggles going on: finding food, finding rooms, finding showers, laundry facilities.”
She noted that the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association sent a letter Tuesday to grocery and drug store chains seeking help for truck drivers who can’t find hand sanitizer and face masks to buy. The association also asked that drivers be allowed to use restrooms in the stores, a problem Schmitt said has become more prevalent during the virus outbreak.
“Basic items like paper towels, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes are nearly impossible to find right now. The irony is that truckers are hauling these supplies, but they are unable to actually buy them,” Lewie Pugh, executive vice president of the drivers’ association, wrote in the letter.
Schmitt, who lives in Turtle Creek, Wis., said while truck drivers are trying to keep safe, they’re also trying to keep busy. She and her husband left Phoenix on Monday, where they dropped off drilling equipment, and were looking for more freight to carry. The pictures painted of truckers barreling down the highways to deliver the paper products and food that shoppers are clamoring for don’t include visions of drivers who usually carry heavy equipment and other goods sitting with empty trucks.
“There are literally eight trucks for every load on the load board,” said Schmitt, talking about online matching systems that drivers use.
Rates have also dropped, Schmitt added. “Rates are averaging about 97 cents a mile. You need to average about $1.69 a mile to make it worthwhile.”
Dave Legate was sitting in the cab of his truck in the lot of the Pilot Flying J, contemplating the drive back to his hometown of Norfolk, Neb. He usually delivers cooked eggs to restaurants, but restaurants have scaled way back as their business has dropped.
“There are very few loads out here and what loads there are, shippers are taking advantage because they put the prices down so low you can’t make any money,” Legate said.
Shamanov of Kavkaz Express said Amazon is keeping about a hundred of his company’s 400 trucks on the road, but so many other businesses are closed
“For example, we haul cars but the dealers are closed now, so no work for them,” he said. “So, 20 to 30 trucks switched to (refrigerated units) and started hauling food.”


thedenverpost--2020-04-17--Tri-State, Delta-Montrose cooperative agree to end contract in $62.5 million deal

The divorce between the Delta-Montrose Electric Association and its wholesale power provider , Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association , is nearly final .
All that ’ s left is getting the OK from federal regulators .
That and a $ 62.5 million exit fee .
The electric cooperative has a new partner ready to go .
Denver-based Guzman Energy has signed a 12.5-year agreement to replace Tri-State as the cooperative ’ s power supplier .
Guzman and DMEA announced the deal earlier this week .
“ It ’ s a relief to finally get to the point where you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Jasen Bronec , CEO of the Montrose-based electric cooperative .
Relief comes with a price : $ 62.5 million .
That ’ s what DMEA has to pay to get out of its contract with Tri-State .
The cooperative will also have to pay $ 26 million to buy back transmission facilities from Tri-State .
As part of its agreement with DMEA , Guzman Energy will pay the $ 62.5 million to Tri-State in exchange for becoming the cooperative ’ s wholesale electricity provider .
It ’ s the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Electric Cooperative in Taos , N.M. , which paid $ 37 million in 2016 to break its contract with Tri-State .
The 12.5-year agreement between DMEA and Guzman Energy locks in the rate the cooperative will pay for electricity .
It also allows the cooperative to produce up to 20 % of its own electricity , a four-fold increase from what DMEA was allowed under its contract with Tri-State .
“ For us , this is a really exciting opportunity to show that there ’ s a different way to be a wholesale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CEO of Guzman Energy .
“ We ’ re heavily focused on the relationship between us and DMEA , heavily focused on creating mutual incentives to find ways to lower costs and find ways to take advantage of future technology.
” The agreement ending the contract between Tri-State and DMEA caps more than a year of conflict that saw the two file complaints and counter complaints with state regulators and lawsuits .
In a complaint with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission , DMEA said the exit fee originally proposed by Tri-State was unreasonable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s complaints about Tri-State echoed those of Kit Carson ’ s , including rising rates and frustration with the cap of 5 % on the amount of electricity an association could generate on its own .
Other members , including United Power of Brighton and the La Plata Electric Association in Durango , have complained about the limit as well as electricity rates .
Tri-State , which has a total of 46 members in Colorado and three other states , said last week that its board approved changes to allow member cooperatives to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electricity .
The utility , based in Westminster , said the board also came up with a way to calculate payments for early termination of contracts .
Tri-State CEO Duane Highley said in a statement that the provisions are intended to protect the interests of all members by not unfairly shifting costs to remaining cooperatives .
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will consider the rule changes and the withdrawal agreement with DMEA .
Tri-State has been criticized for getting too much of its power from coal , but has increasingly added more renewable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January , the power supplier released a plan to boost its renewable energy sources to 50 % by 2024 and cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 90 % by 2030 from Colorado facilities it owns or operates .

The divorce between the Delta-Montrose Electric Association and its wholesale power provider, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, is nearly final. All that’s left is getting the OK from federal regulators. That and a $62.5 million exit fee.
The electric cooperative has a new partner ready to go. Denver-based Guzman Energy has signed a 12.5-year agreement to replace Tri-State as the cooperative’s power supplier. Guzman and DMEA announced the deal earlier this week.
“It’s a relief to finally get to the point where you can see light at the end of tunnel,” said Jasen Bronec, CEO of the Montrose-based electric cooperative.
Relief comes with a price: $62.5 million. That’s what DMEA has to pay to get out of its contract with Tri-State. The cooperative will also have to pay $26 million to buy back transmission facilities from Tri-State.
Tri-State said in a news release that DMEA is also forfeiting $48 million in patronage capital, “which represents each member’s ownership” in the generation and transmission association.
Virginia Harman, DMEA’s chief operating officer, said the amount cited by Tri-State would have been gradually disbursed over the next several years if the Tri-State board approved doing so. The DMEA board, for example, hasn’t distributed capital credits to members since 2015.
“DMEA did not want to continue to invest and grow equity in Tri-State,” Harman said.
As part of its agreement with DMEA, Guzman Energy will pay the $62.5 million to Tri-State in exchange for becoming the cooperative’s wholesale electricity provider. It’s the same arrangement Guzman has with the Kit Carson Electric Cooperative in Taos, N.M., which paid $37 million in 2016 to break its contract with Tri-State.
The 12.5-year agreement between DMEA and Guzman Energy locks in the rate the cooperative will pay for electricity. It also allows the cooperative to produce up to 20% of its own electricity, a four-fold increase from what DMEA was allowed under its contract with Tri-State.
“For us, this is a really exciting opportunity to show that there’s a different way to be a wholesale provider,” said Chris Riley,CEO of Guzman Energy. “We’re heavily focused on the relationship between us and DMEA, heavily focused on creating mutual incentives to find ways to lower costs and find ways to take advantage of future technology.”
The agreement ending the contract between Tri-State and DMEA caps more than a year of conflict that saw the two file complaints and counter complaints with state regulators and lawsuits. In a complaint with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, DMEA said the exit fee originally proposed by Tri-State was unreasonable and discriminatory.
The Montrose-based cooperative’s complaints about Tri-State echoed those of Kit Carson’s, including rising rates and frustration with the cap of 5% on the amount of electricity an association could generate on its own. Other members, including United Power of Brighton and the La Plata Electric Association in Durango, have complained about the limit as well as electricity rates.
Tri-State, which has a total of 46 members in Colorado and three other states, said last week that its board approved changes to allow member cooperatives to produce a greater amount of their own electricity. The utility, based in Westminster, said the board also came up with a way to calculate payments for early termination of contracts.
Tri-State CEO Duane Highley said in a statement that the provisions are intended to protect the interests of all members by not unfairly shifting costs to remaining cooperatives.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will consider the rule changes and the withdrawal agreement with DMEA.
Tri-State has been criticized for getting too much of its power from coal, but has increasingly added more renewable energy in its fuel mix. In January, the power supplier released a plan to boost its renewable energy sources to 50% by 2024 and cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 90% by 2030 from Colorado facilities it owns or operates.


thedenverpost--2020-04-17--Peyton Manning accepts All-In Challenge with golf, dinner while raising money to help families in ne

Peyton Manning accepts All-In Challenge with golf, dinner while raising money to help families in need

Former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning has been know to be generous with his time and money .
Manning has continued to live up to that reputation during the coronavirus pandemic , whether it ’ s popping in on a University of Tennessee online class , giving blood or donating meals to local hospitals .
PFM is now at it again , giving back and helping raise money for families in need .
Manning has accepted the All-In Challenge , with a round of golf and dinner being auctioned off for charity .
The winner and two friends will play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ champion , followed by dinner with 10 of their closest friends and , of course , PFM himself .
In his excitement in accepting the All-In Challenge , Manning forgot to challenge some friends and has nominated his brother Eli Manning , country music star Brad Paisley and University of Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt .
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Former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning has been know to be generous with his time and money.
Manning has continued to live up to that reputation during the coronavirus pandemic, whether it’s popping in on a University of Tennessee online class, giving blood or donating meals to local hospitals.
PFM is now at it again, giving back and helping raise money for families in need. Manning has accepted the All-In Challenge, with a round of golf and dinner being auctioned off for charity. The winner and two friends will play a round with the two-time Super Bowl champion, followed by dinner with 10 of their closest friends and, of course, PFM himself.
In his excitement in accepting the All-In Challenge, Manning forgot to challenge some friends and has nominated his brother Eli Manning, country music star Brad Paisley and University of Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt.
— Jeff Bailey, The Denver Post
A special offer for Sports Omelette readers! Subscribe to The Denver Post’s sports coverage for just 99¢ for the first month and only $6.99/month thereafter. Cancel anytime.
Ask The Experts
+ Broncos Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Ryan O’Halloran here.
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