thedenverpost--2020-08-07--Rockies Insider: How Trevor Story is making an early case for National League MVP

The Rockies have had just one MVP in the team ’ s 28 seasons , when Hall of Fame electee Larry Walker slashed .366/.452/.720 with a 1.172 OPS and 49 homers in 1997 to win the National League ’ s award in a landslide .
This year , Colorado has one player looking like an MVP a dozen games into the season , and somewhat surprisingly it ’ s not perennial all-star Nolan Arenado .
Instead , Trevor Story is the one looking like a bona fide star , slashing .295/.404/.636 with five homers and a 1.040 OPS through Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up web gems .
Story finished 8th in the NL MVP voting in 2018 , largely thanks to a monster September , and 12th last year .
Arenado , by comparison , was 6th in the voting last year and has averaged a top five finish in voting in the award over the last five seasons .
But the 27-year-old shortstop could very well be coming into the exact prime of his career .
Story remains one of the fastest shortstops in baseball at 29.3 feet/second on the basepaths , and that translates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Plus , he continues to flex historic power at the plate , as this year he passed Cleveland ’ s Francisco Lindor for the most homers hit by a shortstop in his first five seasons .
Obviously , Story will have to go on to have a consistently mammoth season to overcome the likely bias he will face in the end-of-season voting , as BBWAA writers will surely consider Coors Field when looking at his batting stats .
But if he can keep it up in the box , and limit the K @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game is a lock : A third silver slugger , a Gold Glove , contention for the MVP .
Nothing is out of Story ’ s reach now .
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Try the first month for just 99¢ Kiszla : Only one question remains for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parade be held virtually or at safe social distance ?
While Colorado has played only a dozen games in this crazy , abbreviated major league season in America ’ s year of the pandemic , only one question remains about these Rockies : When they beat the New York Yankees in the World Series , will the victory parade through downtown Denver streets be held virtually or at a safe social distance ?
Read more… Rockies get rowdy with five-run seventh , rally past Giants to move to 9-3 The Rockies have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ veer into a ditch .
Read more… Rockies get rowdy with five-run seventh , rally past Giants to move to 9-3 The soundtrack told the story of the Rockies ’ 6-4 win over San Francisco Thursday afternoon at Coors Field .
Read more… + Keeler : On Rockies ’ opening day 2020 , LoDo felt like loneliest place on Earth .
“ It ’ s never a ghost town.
” + Rockies Mailbag : Is Matt Kemp key for a Colorado run to the playoffs ?
+ Rockies ’ Scott Oberg suffers blood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season + Here are the Rockies ’ 2020 walk-up songs If you see something that ’ s cause for question or have a comment , thought or suggestion , email me at jbailey @ denverpost.com or tweet me @ beetbailey .

The Rockies have had just one MVP in the team’s 28 seasons, when Hall of Fame electee Larry Walker slashed .366/.452/.720 with a 1.172 OPS and 49 homers in 1997 to win the National League’s award in a landslide.
This year, Colorado has one player looking like an MVP a dozen games into the season, and somewhat surprisingly it’s not perennial all-star Nolan Arenado. Instead, Trevor Story is the one looking like a bona fide star, slashing .295/.404/.636 with five homers and a 1.040 OPS through Thursday while continuing to steal bases and rack up web gems.
Story finished 8th in the NL MVP voting in 2018, largely thanks to a monster September, and 12th last year. Arenado, by comparison, was 6th in the voting last year and has averaged a top five finish in voting in the award over the last five seasons.
But the 27-year-old shortstop could very well be coming into the exact prime of his career. Story remains one of the fastest shortstops in baseball at 29.3 feet/second on the basepaths, and that translates to extended range in the field. Plus, he continues to flex historic power at the plate, as this year he passed Cleveland’s Francisco Lindor for the most homers hit by a shortstop in his first five seasons.
Obviously, Story will have to go on to have a consistently mammoth season to overcome the likely bias he will face in the end-of-season voting, as BBWAA writers will surely consider Coors Field when looking at his batting stats.
But if he can keep it up in the box, and limit the K’s, the rest of his game is a lock: A third silver slugger, a Gold Glove, contention for the MVP. Nothing is out of Story’s reach now.
— Kyle Newman, The Denver Post
Like what you’re reading? Share this with a friend and tell them it’s easy to sign up for the Rockies Insider here.
NEW 💥 If you enjoy The Denver Post’s sports coverage, we have a new subscription offer for you! Try the first month for just 99¢
Must-Read
While Colorado has played only a dozen games in this crazy, abbreviated major league season in America’s year of the pandemic, only one question remains about these Rockies:
When they beat the New York Yankees in the World Series, will the victory parade through downtown Denver streets be held virtually or at a safe social distance? Read more…
The Rockies have been down this road before, only to veer into a ditch. Read more…
The soundtrack told the story of the Rockies’ 6-4 win over San Francisco Thursday afternoon at Coors Field. Read more…
Quick Hits
+ Keeler: On Rockies’ opening day 2020, LoDo felt like loneliest place on Earth. “It’s never a ghost town.”
+ Rockies’ Charlie Blackmon hits hot streak after returning from COVID-19
+ Rockies Mailbag: Is Matt Kemp key for a Colorado run to the playoffs?
+ Rockies’ Nolan Arenado continues playing Giants killer
+ MLB tightening virus protocols, including masks in dugouts
+ Rockies option Josh Fuentes but Bud Black sees bright future
+ Rockies’ Scott Oberg suffers blood clots in arm, likely done for season
+ Here are the Rockies’ 2020 walk-up songs
Get in Touch
If you see something that’s cause for question or have a comment, thought or suggestion, email me at jbailey@denverpost.com or tweet me @beetbailey.


thedenverpost--2020-08-07--The Spot: A weird August for critical Senate race, and Polis’ confusing messaging on a eviction mora

The Spot: A weird August for critical Senate race, and Polis’ confusing messaging on a eviction moratorium

What ’ s The Spot ?
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On Tuesday morning , Sen. Cory Gardner stood in the East Room of the White House while President Donald Trump signed a public lands bill of his into law .
“ In the midst of acrimony , in the midst of partisanship , in the midst of times when the American people probably look out and wonder if they can get anything done , Congress came together to pass the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … in over 50 years , ” Gardner said .
Meanwhile , over in the Capitol , there was plenty of that acrimony and partisanship , as Republicans and Democrats remain at loggerheads over coronavirus response legislation .
Around that same time Tuesday , John Hickenlooper was in his usual seat at home , peering into his usual webcam and talking about Congress ’ s failures , which fit neatly into a central premise of his campaign : Congress isn ’ t working , and Coloradans should send him there to make it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crises of epic proportions , ” Hickenlooper said on a Zoom call , “ and week after week , the U.S. Senate finds a way to fail Americans .
They resort to finger-pointing and bickering.
” A short time later , he added , “ Senator Gardner really doesn ’ t seem to care.
” Tuesday was a perfect encapsulation of the subdued Senate race as it stands with 90 days to go .
Largely relegated to online campaign events , Hickenlooper can only watch and react to what happens in Washington .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ when a Gardner bill is being signed into law but great news for him when Congress is tripping over its own feet .
Gardner , meanwhile , may be forced to stay in Washington through August — a typically campaign-centric month — as Congress searches for a compromise .
That is good news when there is legislative progress he can tout , and bad news when Congress appears inept .
“ There ’ s an advantage to being an incumbent , but the disadvantage to being an incumbent is that you have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican Rep. Scott McInnis told me recently .
“ While you ’ re in D.C. , sitting there hour after hour while a lot of worthless speeches are going on , all you can think about is that while I ’ m here , my opponent is out in the battlefield moving on me and I can ’ t do a thing about it , ” he added .
( We were talking about Scott Tipton at the time ) .
But the battlefield is different this year .
This is not the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not the August that Gardner expected , and it ’ s not the August you or I expected .
To support the important journalism we do , you can become a Denver Post subscriber here .
You can send tips , comments and questions to me at jwingerter @ denverpost.com .
Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis admitted he has only ever played two full rounds of golf in his life , and missed the ball entirely during a ceremonial tee shot in 2013 .
Nevertheless , he found himself back on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School Activities Association ’ s first event of the 2020-21 school year , the DPS Invite at Wellshire Golf Course , The Denver Post ’ s Andy Yamashita reports .
The good news is that , so far , evictions aren ’ t happening in huge numbers in Colorado .
Data from the courts show only a few hundred were processed in July — well below the pre-pandemic monthly average — and millions of dollars in rental assistance are still available at both the state and local levels .
Eviction defense advocates have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado could be vulnerable to eviction , and so the numbers have the housing industry boasting that , actually , things are going pretty well .
“ The 458 evictions filed in a state with 5.8 million people is not a crisis , ” said Andrew Hamrick , a vice president with the Colorado Apartment Association .
I ’ m not convinced things will stay this way , in large part because federal unemployment benefits — which put $ 2,400 a month in individuals ’ pockets — just expired .
Expecting and fearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the eviction defense folks have kept vigilant , holding protests in Denver and pressing the governor to reinstate the eviction moratorium he let lapse a few weeks ago .
It ’ s been an interesting week for Gov .
Polis on evictions .
On Monday , he wrote me on Twitter that he wants more federal action , and that he had hoped the state legislature would extend the moratorium until November .
What didn ’ t explain : Since lawmakers didn ’ t do it , why hasn ’ t he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Polis went on Univision for a Spanish-language town hall about the coronvirus and the state ’ s response .
He was asked by one viewer what he ’ ll do for people facing evictions , and speaking in Spanish , the very first policy the governor mentioned was his eviction moratorium — only he declined to note that it expired a while ago .
As he spoke , the TV station ran a chyron that read , translated : “ Executive order establishes a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures.
” It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to correct the record on air the next day .
Polis ’ spokesman told me , “ We realize that the Governor ’ s response could be misinterpreted , so our office proactively contacted the station to ensure that clarification was provided.
” The governor ’ s stance of late has been , basically : Things are generally back to normal economically , and so people should be able to work and thus to pay the rent , and if they need help they should simply turn to various funds designed to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would he tweet about how he wanted the moratorium to run through November , and tout the moratorium on TV with no mention of the fact that he let it die ?
• … And here ’ s news on two much more legitimate ballot efforts .
John Hickenlooper unveiled his health care plan Thursday , a nine-page document that looks the way you would expect if you have listened to him for the past year .
The centerpiece is a public option for health insurance .
Americans could keep their current health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or sign up for a government-run insurance plan .
“ Not only could it make benefits more portable — enabling people to maintain their policy when switching jobs or starting a small business — but it could increase marketplace competition , lower costs across the system , and close gaps in coverage , ” Hickenlooper ’ s policy paper states .
The Democrat wants to bolster the Affordable Care Act by fixing what is sometimes called the “ family glitch ” and end surprise billing , which Colorado has taken steps to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cover a higher share of Medicaid costs , promises to send more money to community health centers , and seeks better oversight of coronavirus relief dollars .
Gardner ’ s campaign declined to comment on the Hickenlooper plan Thursday .
Democratic candidates across the country expected health care to be the top issue this year , and Hickenlooper has tried to make it so .
He rolled out a new health care-focused ad Thursday .
“ There ’ s a simple rule I learned in business : When you buy in bulk , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Hickenlooper says in the ad .
“ So , Medicare should get amazingly low prices for prescription drugs , because no one buys more of them .
But in Washington , they actually made it illegal for Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices .
It ’ s unbelievable.
” • Rep. Doug Lamborn has asked a U.S. Treasury inspector general to investigate Hickenlooper ’ s spending from a federal fund .
A state senator made the same request .
• Strange but true : Kanye West makes the presidential ballot in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and said its volunteers will work to elect him .
• In the 3rd District , Lauren Boebert continues to campaign in person and draw some significant crowds , the Ouray County Plaindealer reports .
• Much of the federal data about Paycheck Protection Program loans in the Denver suburbs was grossly inaccurate , The Sentinel reports .
Forward this newsletter to your colleagues and encourage them to subscribe .

For people, policy and Colorado politics
What’s The Spot? You’re reading an installment of our weekly politics newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered straight in your inbox.
On Tuesday morning, Sen. Cory Gardner stood in the East Room of the White House while President Donald Trump signed a public lands bill of his into law.
“In the midst of acrimony, in the midst of partisanship, in the midst of times when the American people probably look out and wonder if they can get anything done, Congress came together to pass the most significant (public lands) bill … in over 50 years,” Gardner said.
Meanwhile, over in the Capitol, there was plenty of that acrimony and partisanship, as Republicans and Democrats remain at loggerheads over coronavirus response legislation.
Around that same time Tuesday, John Hickenlooper was in his usual seat at home, peering into his usual webcam and talking about Congress’s failures, which fit neatly into a central premise of his campaign: Congress isn’t working, and Coloradans should send him there to make it work.
“Our nation is facing crises of epic proportions,” Hickenlooper said on a Zoom call, “and week after week, the U.S. Senate finds a way to fail Americans. They resort to finger-pointing and bickering.” A short time later, he added, “Senator Gardner really doesn’t seem to care.”
Tuesday was a perfect encapsulation of the subdued Senate race as it stands with 90 days to go. Largely relegated to online campaign events, Hickenlooper can only watch and react to what happens in Washington. That’s bad news for him when a Gardner bill is being signed into law but great news for him when Congress is tripping over its own feet.
Gardner, meanwhile, may be forced to stay in Washington through August — a typically campaign-centric month — as Congress searches for a compromise. That is good news when there is legislative progress he can tout, and bad news when Congress appears inept.
“There’s an advantage to being an incumbent, but the disadvantage to being an incumbent is that you have to work back in D.C.,” former Republican Rep. Scott McInnis told me recently.
“While you’re in D.C., sitting there hour after hour while a lot of worthless speeches are going on, all you can think about is that while I’m here, my opponent is out in the battlefield moving on me and I can’t do a thing about it,” he added. (We were talking about Scott Tipton at the time).
But the battlefield is different this year. This is not the August that Hickenlooper expected, it’s not the August that Gardner expected, and it’s not the August you or I expected.
So, stay tuned.
To support the important journalism we do, you can become a Denver Post subscriber here.
You can send tips, comments and questions to me at jwingerter@denverpost.com.
Top Line
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis admitted he has only ever played two full rounds of golf in his life, and missed the ball entirely during a ceremonial tee shot in 2013. Nevertheless, he found himself back on the green Thursday to oversee the Colorado High School Activities Association’s first event of the 2020-21 school year, the DPS Invite at Wellshire Golf Course, The Denver Post’s Andy Yamashita reports.
Capitol Diary • By Alex Burness
The latest on evictions
The good news is that, so far, evictions aren’t happening in huge numbers in Colorado. Data from the courts show only a few hundred were processed in July — well below the pre-pandemic monthly average — and millions of dollars in rental assistance are still available at both the state and local levels.
Eviction defense advocates have warned that up to 400,000 people in Colorado could be vulnerable to eviction, and so the numbers have the housing industry boasting that, actually, things are going pretty well.
“The 458 evictions filed in a state with 5.8 million people is not a crisis,” said Andrew Hamrick, a vice president with the Colorado Apartment Association.
I’m not convinced things will stay this way, in large part because federal unemployment benefits — which put $2,400 a month in individuals’ pockets — just expired.
Expecting and fearing the situation will worsen, perhaps dramatically, the eviction defense folks have kept vigilant, holding protests in Denver and pressing the governor to reinstate the eviction moratorium he let lapse a few weeks ago.
It’s been an interesting week for Gov. Polis on evictions. On Monday, he wrote me on Twitter that he wants more federal action, and that he had hoped the state legislature would extend the moratorium until November. What didn’t explain: Since lawmakers didn’t do it, why hasn’t he just done it himself?
On Tuesday, Polis went on Univision for a Spanish-language town hall about the coronvirus and the state’s response. He was asked by one viewer what he’ll do for people facing evictions, and speaking in Spanish, the very first policy the governor mentioned was his eviction moratorium — only he declined to note that it expired a while ago. As he spoke, the TV station ran a chyron that read, translated: “Executive order establishes a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures.”
It was misleading enough that the station felt compelled to correct the record on air the next day. Polis’ spokesman told me, “We realize that the Governor’s response could be misinterpreted, so our office proactively contacted the station to ensure that clarification was provided.”
The governor’s stance of late has been, basically: Things are generally back to normal economically, and so people should be able to work and thus to pay the rent, and if they need help they should simply turn to various funds designed to help them.
So why, then, would he tweet about how he wanted the moratorium to run through November, and tout the moratorium on TV with no mention of the fact that he let it die?
More Colorado political news
A proposed Colorado ballot measure comes up waaaaay short.
… And here’s news on two much more legitimate ballot efforts.
#COSen 2020 • By Justin Wingerter
The Hick health plan
John Hickenlooper unveiled his health care plan Thursday, a nine-page document that looks the way you would expect if you have listened to him for the past year.
The centerpiece is a public option for health insurance. Americans could keep their current health insurance plans if they prefer them, or sign up for a government-run insurance plan.
“Not only could it make benefits more portable — enabling people to maintain their policy when switching jobs or starting a small business — but it could increase marketplace competition, lower costs across the system, and close gaps in coverage,” Hickenlooper’s policy paper states.
The Democrat wants to bolster the Affordable Care Act by fixing what is sometimes called the “family glitch” and end surprise billing, which Colorado has taken steps to do. He wants the federal government to cover a higher share of Medicaid costs, promises to send more money to community health centers, and seeks better oversight of coronavirus relief dollars.
Gardner’s campaign declined to comment on the Hickenlooper plan Thursday. Democratic candidates across the country expected health care to be the top issue this year, and Hickenlooper has tried to make it so. He rolled out a new health care-focused ad Thursday.
“There’s a simple rule I learned in business: When you buy in bulk, you can insist on a better price,” Hickenlooper says in the ad. “So, Medicare should get amazingly low prices for prescription drugs, because no one buys more of them. But in Washington, they actually made it illegal for Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. It’s unbelievable.”
More federal election news
Forward this newsletter to your colleagues and encourage them to subscribe.


thedenverpost--2020-08-07--Guest Commentary: Meet the demands of college athletes before the seasons start

Time has almost run out for colleges and universities to decide whether or not football can be safely played this fall .
They have to quit moving the goal posts .
As of July 29 , college campuses nationwide had a total of more than 6,600 coronavirus cases .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted Aug. 2 that another 19,000 Americans would die from COVID-19 within 20 days .
The NCAA has failed to lead , placing the nation ’ s college football programs in untenable positions .
And now , student-athletes are rebelling against the powerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it doesn ’ t meet their demands .
Two of those demands are having a third party to enforce player-approved health and safety standards , and medical insurance for sports-related issues , including for COVID-19 , for six years after their NCAA eligibility ends .
If there is to be a football season , the NCAA must find a way to balance player safety with the playing of the games , which generate revenue to cover almost all other sports .
Generally , the only profitable college teams are football and/or men ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ football season before it begins in order to reduce the potential spread of the COVID-19 virus ?
ESPN said a lost season would wipe out $ 4.2 billion in revenue .
If that happens , the implications would go far beyond the football field .
It would threaten the economic models of the NCAA , colleges and universities , forcing administrators to scramble to make ends meet .
For example , Stanford University announced it would have to cut 11 varsity sports to balance its athletics budget .
Or should the NCAA roll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , risking the entire season ?
The Colorado state auditor ’ s office released an 87-page report on July 27 , based on budget analysis of all the state ’ s college athletic programs between 2013 and 2019 .
Among its findings : The state ’ s three Division I sports programs ( CU , Colorado State University and University of Northern Colorado ) in 2019 spent a combined $ 170 million on their athletic programs .
But combined revenue was only a little over $ 120 million , meaning a combined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pre-pandemic , CU ’ s varsity teams lost increasing amounts of money mainly because of high salaries for administrators and coaches , and for recruiting expenses .
The average salary of a PAC-12 head football coach is well over $ 3 million .
The PAC-12 commissioner makes over $ 4 million .
According to the auditor ’ s report , in 2019 at CU , the football team made a profit of $ 13.3 million based on $ 43 million in revenue and $ 29.6 million in expenses .
But the entire athletic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million and expenses of more than $ 98.4 million , incurred a whopping $ 15.7 million deficit .
The football program generates revenue primarily from media rights , ticket sales , contributions/in kind and royalties .
I ’ ve seen all this from the inside .
I taught “ Sports and the Law ” for many years at the University of Denver plus one year at CU .
I also served as chair of CU ’ s Intercollegiate Athletics Subcommittee for about eight years , during which the full athletics budget shortfall was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Thus the athletic department needed additional institutional support .
The college football system is fragile .
For example , if just one of the Power 5 ( ACC , Pac 12 , Big Ten , SEC , Big 12 ) conferences drops out this fall , that would further shorten the season , and prevent the Division I playoffs and the crowning of a national champion .
It also could end the entire season .
Colleges may not be telling athletes the full story about the risk that COVID-19 poses to them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can make an informed decision about whether or not to play this season .
College athletes should be able to skip this season without fear of reduction or cancellation of their scholarships , or retaliation from coaches .
In the bigger picture , a long-overdue shakeup should come to the NCAA , which has run college sports with all the compassion of Vlad the Impaler for many years .
Pandemic or not , major changes are coming to college football and other sports .
It all began in recent years when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demanded the right to earn money from the use of their names , images and likenesses ( NIL ) on things such as jerseys , endorsements and stipends .
That may have begun the NCAA ’ s downfall .
Today , college football players are demanding more protection from the coronavirus , and other major financial and equity concessions from their schools .
The season should not start until player demands are reasonably met and there ’ s a more predictable way to safely play during a pandemic .
Jim Martin is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado Board of Regents who has lived in Boulder since 1961 , was a small-business owner for 40 years , an adjunct law professor and a public trustee .
You can reach him via email at jimmartinesq @ gmail.com .
To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail .

Time has almost run out for colleges and universities to decide whether or not football can be safely played this fall. They have to quit moving the goal posts.
As of July 29, college campuses nationwide had a total of more than 6,600 coronavirus cases. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted Aug. 2 that another 19,000 Americans would die from COVID-19 within 20 days.
The NCAA has failed to lead, placing the nation’s college football programs in untenable positions. And now, student-athletes are rebelling against the powerful organization, threatening to boycott games if it doesn’t meet their demands.
Two of those demands are having a third party to enforce player-approved health and safety standards, and medical insurance for sports-related issues, including for COVID-19, for six years after their NCAA eligibility ends.
If there is to be a football season, the NCAA must find a way to balance player safety with the playing of the games, which generate revenue to cover almost all other sports. Generally, the only profitable college teams are football and/or men’s basketball.
Should they end the football season before it begins in order to reduce the potential spread of the COVID-19 virus? ESPN said a lost season would wipe out $4.2 billion in revenue. If that happens, the implications would go far beyond the football field. It would threaten the economic models of the NCAA, colleges and universities, forcing administrators to scramble to make ends meet.
For example, Stanford University announced it would have to cut 11 varsity sports to balance its athletics budget.
Or should the NCAA roll the dice on the future of the pandemic, risking the entire season?
The Colorado state auditor’s office released an 87-page report on July 27, based on budget analysis of all the state’s college athletic programs between 2013 and 2019.
Among its findings: The state’s three Division I sports programs (CU, Colorado State University and University of Northern Colorado) in 2019 spent a combined $170 million on their athletic programs. But combined revenue was only a little over $120 million, meaning a combined loss of nearly $50 million.
Pre-pandemic, CU’s varsity teams lost increasing amounts of money mainly because of high salaries for administrators and coaches, and for recruiting expenses. The average salary of a PAC-12 head football coach is well over $3 million. The PAC-12 commissioner makes over $4 million.
According to the auditor’s report, in 2019 at CU, the football team made a profit of $13.3 million based on $43 million in revenue and $29.6 million in expenses. But the entire athletic budget, with revenue of $82.7 million and expenses of more than $98.4 million, incurred a whopping $15.7 million deficit.
The football program generates revenue primarily from media rights, ticket sales, contributions/in kind and royalties.
I’ve seen all this from the inside. I taught “Sports and the Law” for many years at the University of Denver plus one year at CU. I also served as chair of CU’s Intercollegiate Athletics Subcommittee for about eight years, during which the full athletics budget shortfall was less than $2 million a year. Thus the athletic department needed additional institutional support.
The college football system is fragile. For example, if just one of the Power 5 (ACC, Pac 12, Big Ten, SEC, Big 12) conferences drops out this fall, that would further shorten the season, and prevent the Division I playoffs and the crowning of a national champion. It also could end the entire season.
Colleges may not be telling athletes the full story about the risk that COVID-19 poses to them, their families and their communities so they can make an informed decision about whether or not to play this season.
College athletes should be able to skip this season without fear of reduction or cancellation of their scholarships, or retaliation from coaches.
In the bigger picture, a long-overdue shakeup should come to the NCAA, which has run college sports with all the compassion of Vlad the Impaler for many years. Pandemic or not, major changes are coming to college football and other sports.
It all began in recent years when the courts sided with college athletes, who demanded the right to earn money from the use of their names, images and likenesses (NIL) on things such as jerseys, endorsements and stipends.
That may have begun the NCAA’s downfall. Today, college football players are demanding more protection from the coronavirus, and other major financial and equity concessions from their schools.
The season should not start until player demands are reasonably met and there’s a more predictable way to safely play during a pandemic.
Jim Martin is a past statewide member of the University of Colorado Board of Regents who has lived in Boulder since 1961, was a small-business owner for 40 years, an adjunct law professor and a public trustee. You can reach him via email at jimmartinesq@gmail.com.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-08-07--Fraudulent claims plague Colorado’s Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program

A relentless stream of fraudulent claims is swamping Colorado ’ s Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program , which provides federal unemployment benefits to self-employed and contractor workers who have lost income .
On a good day , the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment ( CDLE ) may only have to block 30 % of initial claims for PUA , but on a bad day , as many as half of the claims coming in are flagged as suspicious and rejected , said Jeff Fitzgerald , director of the state ’ s unemployment insurance program , during a news conference on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that may sound , Colorado is actually doing better than others in catching bogus applications for benefits , Fitzgerald said , noting almost every state is wrestling with the problem .
PUA launched in late April to help self-employed workers , who were excluded from receiving benefits in the past because they don ’ t pay unemployment insurance premiums .
The program , however , lacks the safeguards available in the traditional unemployment system , where the relationship between workers and employers serves a check on fraud .
The state can see what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were paid .
Employers , who are on the hook for premiums , also contest claims they don ’ t agree with .
But the PUA is based on self-attestation .
Some self-employed workers might puff their incomes , a form of fraud .
But scammers take it to another level , spinning claims out of thin air in an effort to capture the extra $ 600 a week the CARES Act provided for income losses from February through the end of July .
Initially , a scammer could make one big claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raking in thousands of dollars if successful .
The state limited payouts to one week at a time and screened out-of-state claims more closely .
In recent weeks , the fraud has shifted to using the stolen identities of Colorado residents .
A growing number of people who never filed an unemployment claim are now receiving multiple ReliaCards , the debit cards loaded with unemployment insurance benefits .
“ We have seen a greater reporting of people who are not receiving one or two , but several ReliaCards in the mail , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CDLE .
Someone who receives an unrequested ReliaCard has had their personal information compromised , likely in one of the multiple large security breaches in the past , and needs to take action immediately , Haavind said .
First , they should call the number on the back of the card to have it deactivated and report the fraud on a form available on the CDLE ’ s website .
They should then notify all three credit reporting agencies that their identity has been compromised , file a report with local law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trade Commissions website identifytheft.gov .
Haavind said it is important that everything gets documented .
Crime rings are filing claims in multiple states , looking for weak spots .
Colorado this week will be able to put data directly into the Suspicious Actor Repository , a national database workforce agencies across the country use to catch fraud .
Before , the state had to enter the information on suspicious applications manually .
“ It will provide us real-time hits .
That will help us to take action quickly or deny a claim from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That state has also hired more fraud investigators to deal with the problem , Haavind said .
Of the 310,912 continuing unemployment claims in the state in the week ending July 25 , 74,905 involved PUA , according to the CDLE .
That works out to a ratio of one PUA claim for every four traditional claims .
But of the initial claims filed last week , 7,138 were regular unemployment claims , while 7,585 were PUA , not including the claims flagged as fraudulent and stopped .

A relentless stream of fraudulent claims is swamping Colorado’s Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which provides federal unemployment benefits to self-employed and contractor workers who have lost income.
On a good day, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) may only have to block 30% of initial claims for PUA, but on a bad day, as many as half of the claims coming in are flagged as suspicious and rejected, said Jeff Fitzgerald, director of the state’s unemployment insurance program, during a news conference on Thursday morning.
And as bad as that may sound, Colorado is actually doing better than others in catching bogus applications for benefits, Fitzgerald said, noting almost every state is wrestling with the problem.
PUA launched in late April to help self-employed workers, who were excluded from receiving benefits in the past because they don’t pay unemployment insurance premiums. The program, however, lacks the safeguards available in the traditional unemployment system, where the relationship between workers and employers serves a check on fraud. The state can see what wages an employee earned and when they were paid. Employers, who are on the hook for premiums, also contest claims they don’t agree with.
But the PUA is based on self-attestation. Some self-employed workers might puff their incomes, a form of fraud. But scammers take it to another level, spinning claims out of thin air in an effort to capture the extra $600 a week the CARES Act provided for income losses from February through the end of July.
Initially, a scammer could make one big claim for several weeks of backdated income, raking in thousands of dollars if successful. The state limited payouts to one week at a time and screened out-of-state claims more closely. In recent weeks, the fraud has shifted to using the stolen identities of Colorado residents.
A growing number of people who never filed an unemployment claim are now receiving multiple ReliaCards, the debit cards loaded with unemployment insurance benefits.
“We have seen a greater reporting of people who are not receiving one or two, but several ReliaCards in the mail,” said Cher Haavind, deputy director of the CDLE.
Someone who receives an unrequested ReliaCard has had their personal information compromised, likely in one of the multiple large security breaches in the past, and needs to take action immediately, Haavind said.
First, they should call the number on the back of the card to have it deactivated and report the fraud on a form available on the CDLE’s website.
They should then notify all three credit reporting agencies that their identity has been compromised, file a report with local law enforcement. and register with the Federal Trade Commissions website identifytheft.gov. Haavind said it is important that everything gets documented.
Crime rings are filing claims in multiple states, looking for weak spots. Colorado this week will be able to put data directly into the Suspicious Actor Repository, a national database workforce agencies across the country use to catch fraud. Before, the state had to enter the information on suspicious applications manually.
“It will provide us real-time hits. That will help us to take action quickly or deny a claim from going through,” Fitzgerald said. That state has also hired more fraud investigators to deal with the problem, Haavind said.
Of the 310,912 continuing unemployment claims in the state in the week ending July 25, 74,905 involved PUA, according to the CDLE. That works out to a ratio of one PUA claim for every four traditional claims. But of the initial claims filed last week, 7,138 were regular unemployment claims, while 7,585 were PUA, not including the claims flagged as fraudulent and stopped.


thedenverpost--2020-08-07--For first time in 8 years, 100% of Colorado is under drought or abnormally dry conditions

Hot and dry conditions are hammering Colorado , intensifying a 20-year shift toward aridity .
On Thursday , federal officials designated 100 % of the state abnormally dry or in drought for the first time in eight years — “ extreme ” or “ severe ” in many areas — consistent with a broader transformation of the Southwest amid climate warming .
A combination in Colorado of paltry spring snow , warmer temperatures that triggered earlier melting of winter mountain snowpack , feeble rain through summer , and parched soil from previous dry years led to this formal label .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ forests primed to burn , often uncontrollably due to past suppression of wildfires .
It means shrinking water flows in streams and rivers .
It means people in crowded cities competing for shady open space .
Gov .
Jared Polis has activated Colorado ’ s traditional “ drought plan ” to track impacts , save water , coordinate local responses and help hard-hit farmers .
“ We take it seriously , ” said Conor Cahill , Polis ’ s press secretary .
“ Our goal is to work with our federal partners to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” But the increasingly hot and relatively rain-less conditions over the past six weeks are bolstering an emerging consensus among climate scientists that , beyond a temporary drought with an end , Colorado and much of the West are mired in a multi-decade shift .
“ We know that temperatures in Colorado and the world will continue to increase so long as we emit vast quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere every year , ” said Colorado State University water center senior scientist Brad Udall , who has researched a 13 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ aridification ” because “ drought ” implies an eventual return to normal .
“ Temperatures , for hundreds of years , are not going to return to 20th century averages .
We need to be thinking in terms of more frequent periods of very hot and dry — unlike anything we ’ ve experienced before , ” Udall said .
The hot and dry conditions have caused “ reduced wheat yields this summer , reduced pasture forage and probably reduced corn yields as well , ” said Peter Goble , climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s climatology office .
“ The Eastern Plains of Colorado missed out on timely rains in May and June .
It was a punch in the gut for farmers and ranchers at the worst time of the year .
In recent weeks , this has spread to the Front Range urban corridor .
We haven ’ t had any good , statewide , drought-busting rains for a long time , ” Goble said .
“ Our temperatures are warming without an increase in precipitation to counteract that .
Soil moisture available to crops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is dried up more quickly , ” he said .
“ Given the warming temperatures , we need to be prepared as a state.
” Colorado mountain snowpack , near normal on April 1 and once a predictor of sufficient water through fall , may not be as reliable .
Now in the West “ things can change quickly , ” U.S. Department of Agriculture snow survey director Brian Domonkos said .
“ We had a dry fall .
We had a pretty good snowpack , near average .
Then spring was dry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer.
” This week ’ s U.S. Drought Monitor assessment designated all of Colorado , and much of the West , in some stage of drought , which can trigger federal payments for agricultural producers .
It shows most of southern Colorado in extreme drought , much of the rest of the state including the northeastern plains in severe drought , with moderate drought elsewhere and a few patches of western Colorado abnormally dry .
It ’ s the fourth time in two decades — following 2002 , 2006 and 2012 — that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dry or in drought .
During those decades , people across the Southwest have endured hotter , drier conditions that scientists link to climate change caused by burning fossil fuels .
Some scientists compare the shift to aridity to historic “ mega-droughts ” confirmed in tree-ring and other studies that show periodic shifts over the past 1,200 years to hot-and-dry conditions lasting 40 years or longer .
Dry times are hitting Colorado and the Southwest amid tumultuous climate conditions nationwide .
The tropical storm Isaias has been raking the East Coast .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coast near Los Angeles .
In July , Phoenix registered record-high heat with an average temperature of 98.9 degrees .
In Sitka , Alaska , temperatures hit a record-tying 88 degrees on July 31 , and in Richland , Washington , the temperatures on July 30 topped 113 degrees .
For the next 10 days , National Weather Service forecasts anticipate the West will remain dry with light rain over parts of New Mexico and southeast Arizona .
Temperatures in the Rocky Mountain region are expected to hover 3 to 6 degrees above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plains east of the mountains , where the most people live in Denver and other dense cities .
Hardest hit so far are farmers and ranchers in the Colorado River Basin and the Rio Grande River Basin as water flows , from tributary streams down to main stems , diminish .
“ Farming in this environment has become… this realization we ’ ve had to live with since 2002 that , in the Rio Grande Basin , more often than not , the years are average or below average .
We have this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the gaps .
But the gaps are so big , and we have stressed the aquifer probably beyond its capacity , ” said Rio Grande Water Conservation District manager Cleave Simpson , an alfalfa grower in the San Luis Valley , where farmers have been trying to reduce groundwater pumping for eight years .
“ We will lose ground this summer .
We ’ ve got to figure out how to farm with less water , or farm less acres , ” Simpson said .
“ You hear about people selling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I mean , in Alamosa , 11 out of 13 days in a row were record highs for us — just bizarre .
And in one day in June , in 12 hours , we set both a new record low and a record high .
”

Hot and dry conditions are hammering Colorado, intensifying a 20-year shift toward aridity.
On Thursday, federal officials designated 100% of the state abnormally dry or in drought for the first time in eight years — “extreme” or “severe” in many areas — consistent with a broader transformation of the Southwest amid climate warming.
A combination in Colorado of paltry spring snow, warmer temperatures that triggered earlier melting of winter mountain snowpack, feeble rain through summer, and parched soil from previous dry years led to this formal label.
It means shriveling crops — and dying forests primed to burn, often uncontrollably due to past suppression of wildfires.
It means shrinking water flows in streams and rivers.
It means people in crowded cities competing for shady open space.
Gov. Jared Polis has activated Colorado’s traditional “drought plan” to track impacts, save water, coordinate local responses and help hard-hit farmers.
“We take it seriously,” said Conor Cahill, Polis’s press secretary. “Our goal is to work with our federal partners to get assistance and resources to impacted communities.”
But the increasingly hot and relatively rain-less conditions over the past six weeks are bolstering an emerging consensus among climate scientists that, beyond a temporary drought with an end, Colorado and much of the West are mired in a multi-decade shift.
“We know that temperatures in Colorado and the world will continue to increase so long as we emit vast quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere every year,” said Colorado State University water center senior scientist Brad Udall, who has researched a 13% depletion of Colorado River water and refers to “aridification” because “drought” implies an eventual return to normal.
“Temperatures, for hundreds of years, are not going to return to 20th century averages. We need to be thinking in terms of more frequent periods of very hot and dry — unlike anything we’ve experienced before,” Udall said.
The hot and dry conditions have caused “reduced wheat yields this summer, reduced pasture forage and probably reduced corn yields as well,” said Peter Goble, climate and drought specialist in the state’s climatology office.
“The Eastern Plains of Colorado missed out on timely rains in May and June. It was a punch in the gut for farmers and ranchers at the worst time of the year. In recent weeks, this has spread to the Front Range urban corridor. We haven’t had any good, statewide, drought-busting rains for a long time,” Goble said.
“Our temperatures are warming without an increase in precipitation to counteract that. Soil moisture available to crops, grasses, trees and other plants is dried up more quickly,” he said. “Given the warming temperatures, we need to be prepared as a state.”
Colorado mountain snowpack, near normal on April 1 and once a predictor of sufficient water through fall, may not be as reliable. Now in the West “things can change quickly,” U.S. Department of Agriculture snow survey director Brian Domonkos said. “We had a dry fall. We had a pretty good snowpack, near average. Then spring was dry. And we had a mostly dry summer.”
This week’s U.S. Drought Monitor assessment designated all of Colorado, and much of the West, in some stage of drought, which can trigger federal payments for agricultural producers. It shows most of southern Colorado in extreme drought, much of the rest of the state including the northeastern plains in severe drought, with moderate drought elsewhere and a few patches of western Colorado abnormally dry.
It’s the fourth time in two decades — following 2002, 2006 and 2012 — that all of Colorado was designed as abnormally dry or in drought.
During those decades, people across the Southwest have endured hotter, drier conditions that scientists link to climate change caused by burning fossil fuels. Some scientists compare the shift to aridity to historic “mega-droughts” confirmed in tree-ring and other studies that show periodic shifts over the past 1,200 years to hot-and-dry conditions lasting 40 years or longer.
Dry times are hitting Colorado and the Southwest amid tumultuous climate conditions nationwide. The tropical storm Isaias has been raking the East Coast. A wildfire has forced evacuations on the West Coast near Los Angeles. In July, Phoenix registered record-high heat with an average temperature of 98.9 degrees. In Sitka, Alaska, temperatures hit a record-tying 88 degrees on July 31, and in Richland, Washington, the temperatures on July 30 topped 113 degrees.
For the next 10 days, National Weather Service forecasts anticipate the West will remain dry with light rain over parts of New Mexico and southeast Arizona. Temperatures in the Rocky Mountain region are expected to hover 3 to 6 degrees above average, especially on the semi-arid high plains east of the mountains, where the most people live in Denver and other dense cities.
Hardest hit so far are farmers and ranchers in the Colorado River Basin and the Rio Grande River Basin as water flows, from tributary streams down to main stems, diminish.
“Farming in this environment has become… this realization we’ve had to live with since 2002 that, in the Rio Grande Basin, more often than not, the years are average or below average. We have this unique underground aquifer that helps us bridge some of the gaps. But the gaps are so big, and we have stressed the aquifer probably beyond its capacity,” said Rio Grande Water Conservation District manager Cleave Simpson, an alfalfa grower in the San Luis Valley, where farmers have been trying to reduce groundwater pumping for eight years.
“We will lose ground this summer. We’ve got to figure out how to farm with less water, or farm less acres,” Simpson said. “You hear about people selling cows. You just feel it. I mean, in Alamosa, 11 out of 13 days in a row were record highs for us — just bizarre. And in one day in June, in 12 hours, we set both a new record low and a record high.”
Wildfire map
Click markers for details, use buttons to change what wildfires are shown. Map data is automatically updated by government agencies and could lag real-time events. Incident types are numbered 1-5 — a type 1 incident is a large, complex wildfire affecting people and critical infrastructure, a type 5 incident is a small wildfire with few personnel involved. Find more information about incident types at the bottom of this page.


thedenverpost--2020-08-07--PGA Championship: Live updates, tweets, photos, analysis and more from Harding Park

Fans around the country woke up Thursday morning and were excited to watch the best players in the world tee it up in Round 1 at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco .
Many fans , including myself , were in for a surprise when they went looking for it on TV and came up empty .
ESPN made the decision to move early round coverage to its streaming service ESPN+ .
Fans were in for a surprise as the service comes at an additional cost to stream .
For those who decide to wait for afternoon coverage to start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blog here .
Live TV coverage starts at 2 p.m. on ESPN .
If you enjoy the Denver Sports Omelette , tell a friend it ’ s easy to sign up here for our daily sports roundup .
If you have any questions or suggestions , hit me up on Twitter @ joenguyen or by email .
Sports are back .
Never miss a story .
Subscribe to The Denver Post .
Get started for 99¢ .
+ Broncos Mailbag : Have a question about the team ?
Ask Ryan O ’ Halloran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a question about the team ?
Ask Mike Singer here .
+ Avs Mailbag : Have a question about the team ?
Ask Mike Chambers here .
+ Rockies Mailbag : Have a question about the team ?
Ask Patrick Saunders here .

Hello friends, major championship golf is finally back.
Fans around the country woke up Thursday morning and were excited to watch the best players in the world tee it up in Round 1 at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. Many fans, including myself, were in for a surprise when they went looking for it on TV and came up empty.
ESPN made the decision to move early round coverage to its streaming service ESPN+. Fans were in for a surprise as the service comes at an additional cost to stream. For those who decide to wait for afternoon coverage to start you can follow along with our live blog here. Live TV coverage starts at 2 p.m. on ESPN.
Mobile users, if you can’t see the live blog, tap here.
— Jeff Bailey, The Denver Post
If you enjoy the Denver Sports Omelette, tell a friend it’s easy to sign up here for our daily sports roundup. If you have any questions or suggestions, hit me up on Twitter @joenguyen or by email.
Sports are back. Never miss a story.
Subscribe to The Denver Post.
Get started for 99¢.
Ask The Experts
+ Broncos Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Ryan O’Halloran here.
+ Nuggets Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Mike Singer here.
+ Avs Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Mike Chambers here.
+ Rockies Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Patrick Saunders here.


thedenverpost--2020-08-07--Even in loss, Nuggets rookies Michael Porter Jr., Bol Bol gain “valuable” lessons

Nuggets rookie Michael Porter Jr. is about to get a crash course in NBA scouting reports .
The more sparkling nights he turns in across these seeding games , the more teams are going to fixate on him .
And what Porter did on Thursday , even in a loss to Portland , did nothing to diminish how much attention he ’ s going to mandate .
On the heels of back-to-back 30-plus point games , Porter again caught fire early against Portland before the Trail Blazers adjusted .
Instead of checking the surging rookie with former Nuggets star Carmelo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more physical option .
They switched Gary Trent Jr. on him , and the move momentarily took him out of the game .
Porter still finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds , but he couldn ’ t ignore the impact Trent had on him .
“ They did a good job , ” said Porter , who ’ s now logged three consecutive double-doubles in Orlando while averaging 31.3 points and 13 rebounds .
“ Me and Gary go way back .
We played on the same AAU team growing up .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in like 4th or 5th grade .
We ’ ve always had great battles.
” Maybe the familiarity helped , but Trent lived on Porter ’ s hip .
He was physical with him coming around screens , pestered him on the ball , and tried to steer him into a crowd .
It wasn ’ t a full-proof defense , but Trent succeeded in making him uncomfortable .
For now , that might be the book on slowing down the silky 6-foot-10 shooter .
“ They shadowed him and he had 27 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Malone said matter-of-factly .
“ … Michael ’ s got ta get stronger and also understand how to create separation .
I really feel , if you wanted to simplify the NBA game , it ’ s good teams and great players create separation , and really good defensive teams and defensive players are able to negate that separation .
So Michael ’ s got ta figure out ways to create separation when somebody ’ s trying to get up in him.
” The luxury , of course , is his size and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge target as an off-ball cutter and very few small forwards in the NBA have the reach to impede his shooting window .
With regular starter Will Barton out due to knee soreness , Porter deserves credit for seizing his chance .
“ You can ’ t learn , and I ’ m a prime example , you can ’ t really learn the NBA game and have it slow down unless you get that time on the court , ” he said .
“ So to be in those situations , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got ta cherish those and try to learn .
… I definitely learned a lot tonight just from the way they were trying to guard me.
” Due to the nature of the game , Denver ’ s other intriguing rookie , Bol Bol , played a career-high 25 minutes and finished with nine points and five boards .
His best moment came in the fourth quarter when he bounded through the lane and finished with a dunk , exacting some measure of revenge after he ’ d gotten dunked on earlier in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was terrific tonight , ” Malone said , before reiterating how both he and Porter benefit from these games .
“ I think the more they play , the more they ’ re going to find their rhythm and start feeling the nuances of the game .
Whether it ’ s learning the league , personnel , game-plan discipline , how to play off the ball , pick-and-roll defense .
There ’ s so many things coming at them right now .
I think every opportunity they get to play is going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunity .
These are such valuable minutes for both of them .
”

Nuggets rookie Michael Porter Jr. is about to get a crash course in NBA scouting reports.
The more sparkling nights he turns in across these seeding games, the more teams are going to fixate on him. And what Porter did on Thursday, even in a loss to Portland, did nothing to diminish how much attention he’s going to mandate.
On the heels of back-to-back 30-plus point games, Porter again caught fire early against Portland before the Trail Blazers adjusted. Instead of checking the surging rookie with former Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony, the Trail Blazers took the more physical option. They switched Gary Trent Jr. on him, and the move momentarily took him out of the game.
Porter still finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds, but he couldn’t ignore the impact Trent had on him.
“They did a good job,” said Porter, who’s now logged three consecutive double-doubles in Orlando while averaging 31.3 points and 13 rebounds. “Me and Gary go way back. We played on the same AAU team growing up. We actually won an AAU championship together in like 4th or 5th grade. We’ve always had great battles.”
Maybe the familiarity helped, but Trent lived on Porter’s hip. He was physical with him coming around screens, pestered him on the ball, and tried to steer him into a crowd. It wasn’t a full-proof defense, but Trent succeeded in making him uncomfortable. For now, that might be the book on slowing down the silky 6-foot-10 shooter.
“They shadowed him and he had 27 and 12,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said matter-of-factly. “… Michael’s gotta get stronger and also understand how to create separation. I really feel, if you wanted to simplify the NBA game, it’s good teams and great players create separation, and really good defensive teams and defensive players are able to negate that separation. So Michael’s gotta figure out ways to create separation when somebody’s trying to get up in him.”
His luxury, of course, is his size and high release. He’s a huge target as an off-ball cutter and very few small forwards in the NBA have the reach to impede his shooting window.
With regular starter Will Barton out due to knee soreness, Porter deserves credit for seizing his chance.
“You can’t learn, and I’m a prime example, you can’t really learn the NBA game and have it slow down unless you get that time on the court,” he said. “So to be in those situations, there’s nothing like it. You gotta cherish those and try to learn. … I definitely learned a lot tonight just from the way they were trying to guard me.”
Due to the nature of the game, Denver’s other intriguing rookie, Bol Bol, played a career-high 25 minutes and finished with nine points and five boards. His best moment came in the fourth quarter when he bounded through the lane and finished with a dunk, exacting some measure of revenge after he’d gotten dunked on earlier in the game.
“I thought Bol was terrific tonight,” Malone said, before reiterating how both he and Porter benefit from these games. “I think the more they play, the more they’re going to find their rhythm and start feeling the nuances of the game. Whether it’s learning the league, personnel, game-plan discipline, how to play off the ball, pick-and-roll defense. There’s so many things coming at them right now. I think every opportunity they get to play is going to be a learning opportunity and a growing opportunity. These are such valuable minutes for both of them.”


thedenverpost--2020-08-07--I-70 expansion at 2 years: Mounting delays on Denver project push back big milestones

Two years after state and local officials broke ground on the expansion of Interstate 70 through northeast Denver , significant progress is evident — and a lot more work remains to be done .
The $ 1.2 billion Central 70 project should have made it past the 50-yard line by now but has faced mounting delays .
Kiewit-Meridiam Partners , the contracting team , projected 10 months of delays to the official schedule in its most recent monthly progress report , with major work set to finish up in July 2023 .
That ’ s a full 16 months past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was revised last year .
Both Kiewit Infrastructure Co. and the Colorado Department of Transportation affiliate overseeing the project say they ’ re optimistic they ’ ll find ways to rein in some delays , ideally reeling completion back to late 2022 , by rethinking project sequencing and making other changes .
Here is where the project stands two years in — and what drivers should expect to see in coming months and years .
The groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 3 , 2018 , kicked off CDOT ’ s largest urban freeway project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is expanding a 10-mile corridor between Interstate 25 in Denver and Chambers Road in Aurora to add a tolled express lane in each direction — with a second one possible in a future project .
Its partners will operate and maintain the stretch for three decades under a public-private partnership deal that will cost CDOT an estimated $ 2.2 billion .
Besides widening , notable work so far includes : • Contractors have excavated nearly 1.3 million cubic yards of dirt , most of it in the west segment , the most intensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where crews are digging between Brighton and Colorado boulevards to make room for a sunken section of freeway that will replace a crumbling viaduct that runs for nearly 2 miles .
Also making progress is the westbound side of a tunnel that will carry traffic beneath a parkland cover next to Swansea Elementary School , along with construction of Union Pacific Railroad ’ s major railroad crossing , which has driven some of the project delays .
• In the central segment , crews have built one new span of the Colorado Boulevard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other .
• The east segment is nearly finished , with restriping of newly laid pavement planned soon .
Crews also built a new flyover ramp from Interstate 270 to eastbound I-70 .
Throughout the project corridor , crews have placed 275,000 tons of asphalt , according to the CDOT project office .
They ’ ve rebuilt or moved frontage roads , reconstructed 13 highway ramps , and rebuilt two bridges while getting started on 16 more .
Kiewit will return to the Denver Board of Public Health and Environment on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ renew its variance on nighttime noise limits , potentially through December 2022 .
It has faced several restrictions to reduce the impact of the project on the highway ’ s neighbors in Elyria-Swansea .
What to watch for Several big milestones are ahead — though much later than expected — according to Kiewit-Meridiam Partners ’ monthly report : • Late spring : Opening of the new Union Pacific crossing is expected in June , or possibly sooner .
It was supposed to be done this fall under the official schedule and is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August 2021 : Completion of repaving in the central segment , between Colorado and Quebec Street , will happen about two months after traffic is placed in its final configuration .
• September 2021 : The first major traffic switch in the west segment will move both directions of travel into the new westbound sunken section between Brighton and Colorado , with enough room for three lanes in each direction .
This move , which had been expected about now in the original schedule , will allow for demolition of the viaduct and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trench .
• September 2022 : The second major traffic switch will move eastbound traffic into its permanent position .
More work will happen through July 2023 , when KMP expects to reach the “ substantial completion milestone , ” including final paving , completion of the parkland cover and preparations to open the new express lanes .
For now , the project ’ s budget has changed little .
CDOT ’ s High Performance Transportation Enterprise , which oversees the contract , has held off on extending the official schedule to incorporate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently asked a dispute resolution panel to sort out Kiewit ’ s claims for more time and money — exceeding $ 10 million — to compensate for difficulties it experienced working out the railroad crossing with Union Pacific .
So far , Kiewit has earned just one of seven contractual milestone payments , but it ’ s likely to earn a few more next year .
Keith Stefanik , the Central 70 project director , says no alarm bells have gone off , and the two sides are working well together .
Kiewit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDOT ’ s overall optimism and has worked to identify delays early so that there ’ s time to make adjustments that might reduce them .
Still , the project office expressed some concern to Kiewit in a recent scheduling document : “ If past performance is a predictor of future events , it is reasonable to conclude that the Project will continue to have construction productivity issues , nonconforming work , and changes in design during construction that will cumulatively result in additional future delays.
” “ Right now , on paper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2023 , but our goal coming into this was to reach substantial completion at the end of 2022 , ” he said , adding : “ We are really confident that we can , over the next two and a half years or so , find innovative ways to mitigate this schedule .
”

Two years after state and local officials broke ground on the expansion of Interstate 70 through northeast Denver, significant progress is evident — and a lot more work remains to be done.
The $1.2 billion Central 70 project should have made it past the 50-yard line by now but has faced mounting delays. Kiewit-Meridiam Partners, the contracting team, projected 10 months of delays to the official schedule in its most recent monthly progress report, with major work set to finish up in July 2023. That’s a full 16 months past the deadline in the schedule before it was revised last year.
Both Kiewit Infrastructure Co. and the Colorado Department of Transportation affiliate overseeing the project say they’re optimistic they’ll find ways to rein in some delays, ideally reeling completion back to late 2022, by rethinking project sequencing and making other changes.
Here is where the project stands two years in — and what drivers should expect to see in coming months and years.
What’s been done
The groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 3, 2018, kicked off CDOT’s largest urban freeway project in more than a decade. Kiewit is expanding a 10-mile corridor between Interstate 25 in Denver and Chambers Road in Aurora to add a tolled express lane in each direction — with a second one possible in a future project. Its partners will operate and maintain the stretch for three decades under a public-private partnership deal that will cost CDOT an estimated $2.2 billion.
Besides widening, notable work so far includes:
Contractors have excavated nearly 1.3 million cubic yards of dirt, most of it in the west segment, the most intensive of three sections. That’s where crews are digging between Brighton and Colorado boulevards to make room for a sunken section of freeway that will replace a crumbling viaduct that runs for nearly 2 miles. Also making progress is the westbound side of a tunnel that will carry traffic beneath a parkland cover next to Swansea Elementary School, along with construction of Union Pacific Railroad’s major railroad crossing, which has driven some of the project delays.
In the central segment, crews have built one new span of the Colorado Boulevard bridge over the highway and started on the other.
The east segment is nearly finished, with restriping of newly laid pavement planned soon. Crews also built a new flyover ramp from Interstate 270 to eastbound I-70.
Throughout the project corridor, crews have placed 275,000 tons of asphalt, according to the CDOT project office. They’ve rebuilt or moved frontage roads, reconstructed 13 highway ramps, and rebuilt two bridges while getting started on 16 more.
Kiewit will return to the Denver Board of Public Health and Environment on Thursday for a 5:30 p.m. remote hearing to renew its variance on nighttime noise limits, potentially through December 2022. It has faced several restrictions to reduce the impact of the project on the highway’s neighbors in Elyria-Swansea.
What to watch for
Several big milestones are ahead — though much later than expected — according to Kiewit-Meridiam Partners’ monthly report:
Late spring: Opening of the new Union Pacific crossing is expected in June, or possibly sooner. It was supposed to be done this fall under the official schedule and is a linchpin for other key milestones.
Opening of the new Union Pacific crossing is expected in June, or possibly sooner. It was supposed to be done this fall under the official schedule and is a linchpin for other key milestones. August 2021: Completion of repaving in the central segment, between Colorado and Quebec Street, will happen about two months after traffic is placed in its final configuration.
Completion of repaving in the central segment, between Colorado and Quebec Street, will happen about two months after traffic is placed in its final configuration. September 2021: The first major traffic switch in the west segment will move both directions of travel into the new westbound sunken section between Brighton and Colorado, with enough room for three lanes in each direction. This move, which had been expected about now in the original schedule, will allow for demolition of the viaduct and excavation of the eastbound side of the trench.
The first major traffic switch in the west segment will move both directions of travel into the new westbound sunken section between Brighton and Colorado, with enough room for three lanes in each direction. This move, which had been expected about now in the original schedule, will allow for demolition of the viaduct and excavation of the eastbound side of the trench. September 2022: The second major traffic switch will move eastbound traffic into its permanent position.
More work will happen through July 2023, when KMP expects to reach the “substantial completion milestone,” including final paving, completion of the parkland cover and preparations to open the new express lanes.
Disputes over timing and budget
For now, the project’s budget has changed little. CDOT’s High Performance Transportation Enterprise, which oversees the contract, has held off on extending the official schedule to incorporate further delays. But the two sides recently asked a dispute resolution panel to sort out Kiewit’s claims for more time and money — exceeding $10 million — to compensate for difficulties it experienced working out the railroad crossing with Union Pacific.
So far, Kiewit has earned just one of seven contractual milestone payments, but it’s likely to earn a few more next year.
Keith Stefanik, the Central 70 project director, says no alarm bells have gone off, and the two sides are working well together. Kiewit spokesperson Matt Sanman says the company shares CDOT’s overall optimism and has worked to identify delays early so that there’s time to make adjustments that might reduce them.
Still, the project office expressed some concern to Kiewit in a recent scheduling document: “If past performance is a predictor of future events, it is reasonable to conclude that the Project will continue to have construction productivity issues, nonconforming work, and changes in design during construction that will cumulatively result in additional future delays.”
Stefanik says he’s hopeful that won’t happen.
“Right now, on paper, our schedule is pushing out into 2023, but our goal coming into this was to reach substantial completion at the end of 2022,” he said, adding: “We are really confident that we can, over the next two and a half years or so, find innovative ways to mitigate this schedule.”


thedenverpost--2020-08-08--Avs Mailbag: Will Nathan MacKinnon win the Hart Trophy?

Denver Post sports writer Mike Chambers responds to questions in the Avs Mailbag every other week during the regular season .
Pose an Avalanche- or NHL-related question for the Avs Mailbag .
How are you planning on filling out your Hart Trophy ballot , Mike ?
Do you think Nathan MacKinnon will end up winning it ?
— Matt , East Colfax I do think MacKinnon will win it , based on how he carried the injury-plagued team and his points separation from No .
2 scorer Cale Makar , a defenseman .
I didn ’ t get a vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Association this year .
I ’ m still a member but not everyone gets a vote .
You guys credit Cale Makar for his offense , but I feel you don ’ t credit him enough for his play in the defensive zone .
How do you feel about his play on that side of the puck ?
— Erik Friesen , Winnipeg He ’ s got a mean poke-check , for sure , and his elite skating ability definitely helps him defend .
I do think he will continue to improve in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his own zone .
Why is it that the Broncos , Rockies and I think the Nuggets , are played on regular TV stations and the Avalanche are not ?
They are “ blacked out ” now even on NBCSN .
They play just as good , if not better , than the other pro teams !
Thank you , Anita .
— Anita Muscat , Castle Rock The Avalanche ’ s exclusive regional carrier is team-owned Altitude , along with the Nuggets .
But the NBA had different television rules while the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like NBC to broadcast games if Altitude carries them .
The Broncos and Nuggets have different TV deals .
Bottom line : We have a problem !
How are players ’ injuries being treated whilst they are in the bubble ?
— Karen Cherrett , Lakewood Good question , because if a player is hospitalized he ’ s outside the bubble .
The NHL and each team have medical staffs in the bubble .
Most injuries and sicknesses can be handled in that environment .
Feels really good to have hockey back .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on home ice advantage by playing all games inside the bubble in Canada ?
— Adam , Wash Park I think we ’ re all missing out on having fans — even sportswriters who get to “ cover ” games from home .
But , indeed , being a top seed this year doesn ’ t offer the same advantages without actually playing in front of your own fans .
If the Avs take a knee…I ’ m done watching .
— Dan Nye , Pecos Denver Post sports writer Mike Chambers responds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other week during the regular season .
Pose an Avalanche- or NHL-related question for the Avs Mailbag .

Denver Post sports writer Mike Chambers responds to questions in the Avs Mailbag every other week during the regular season.
Pose an Avalanche- or NHL-related question for the Avs Mailbag.
How are you planning on filling out your Hart Trophy ballot, Mike? Do you think Nathan MacKinnon will end up winning it?
— Matt, East Colfax
I do think MacKinnon will win it, based on how he carried the injury-plagued team and his points separation from No. 2 scorer Cale Makar, a defenseman. I didn’t get a vote from the Professional Hockey Writer’s Association this year. I’m still a member but not everyone gets a vote.
You guys credit Cale Makar for his offense, but I feel you don’t credit him enough for his play in the defensive zone. How do you feel about his play on that side of the puck?
— Erik Friesen, Winnipeg
He’s got a mean poke-check, for sure, and his elite skating ability definitely helps him defend. I do think he will continue to improve in all facets of his game, including his own zone.
Why is it that the Broncos, Rockies and I think the Nuggets, are played on regular TV stations and the Avalanche are not? They are “blacked out” now even on NBCSN. They play just as good, if not better, than the other pro teams! Thank you, Anita.
— Anita Muscat, Castle Rock
The Avalanche’s exclusive regional carrier is team-owned Altitude, along with the Nuggets. But the NBA had different television rules while the NHL does not allow a national network like NBC to broadcast games if Altitude carries them. The Broncos and Nuggets have different TV deals. Bottom line: We have a problem!
How are players’ injuries being treated whilst they are in the bubble?
— Karen Cherrett, Lakewood
Good question, because if a player is hospitalized he’s outside the bubble. The NHL and each team have medical staffs in the bubble. Most injuries and sicknesses can be handled in that environment.
Feels really good to have hockey back. Do you see the Avs missing out on home ice advantage by playing all games inside the bubble in Canada?
— Adam, Wash Park
I think we’re all missing out on having fans — even sportswriters who get to “cover” games from home. But, indeed, being a top seed this year doesn’t offer the same advantages without actually playing in front of your own fans.
If the Avs take a knee…I’m done watching.
— Dan Nye, Pecos
Well, that’s a statement, not a question.
Denver Post sports writer Mike Chambers responds to questions in the Avs Mailbag every other week during the regular season.
Pose an Avalanche- or NHL-related question for the Avs Mailbag.


thedenverpost--2020-08-08--Edgewater man sentenced to 38 years in prison for gunfire during standoff

An Edgewater man has been sentenced to 38 years in prison for a 17-hour police standoff in which he fired gunshots at police officers and neighboring homes , according to a news release .
Cruz appeared in district court Friday for his sentencing hearing .
On July 12 , 2019 , Edgewater police responded to a report of shots fired and determined the gunfire was coming from inside 2571 Fenton St. , according to the news release .
Police were able to evacuate two people from the home but were unable to make contact with Cruz .
Police evacuated neighbors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and multiple shots were exchanged during the ordeal .
Seven law enforcement agencies were called to assist police in the long standoff , which ended with the arrest of Cruz .
No one was injured in the incident .
Investigators seized eight guns from inside the home .
“ It is only by the grace of God that no citizens or members of law enforcement were injured or killed that day , ” said District Attorney Pete Weir in the release .
“ Mr .
Cruz deserves every minute of the sentence imposed @ @

An Edgewater man has been sentenced to 38 years in prison for a 17-hour police standoff in which he fired gunshots at police officers and neighboring homes, according to a news release.
John Alfonso Cruz Jr., 41, pleaded guilty Feb. 18 to attempted first-degree murder, attempted first-degree assault and a violent crime sentence enhancer.
Cruz appeared in district court Friday for his sentencing hearing.
On July 12, 2019, Edgewater police responded to a report of shots fired and determined the gunfire was coming from inside 2571 Fenton St., according to the news release. Police were able to evacuate two people from the home but were unable to make contact with Cruz.
Police evacuated neighbors from a half-mile perimeter around the home and multiple shots were exchanged during the ordeal. Seven law enforcement agencies were called to assist police in the long standoff, which ended with the arrest of Cruz. No one was injured in the incident. Investigators seized eight guns from inside the home.
“It is only by the grace of God that no citizens or members of law enforcement were injured or killed that day,” said District Attorney Pete Weir in the release. “Mr. Cruz deserves every minute of the sentence imposed.”


thedenverpost--2020-08-08--CSU Rams pause all football activities amid allegations of racism, verbal abuse

The future of CSU ’ s football program , and its leadership under Steve Addazio , took another turn early Friday evening .
Rams athletic director Joe Parker announced via a news release that CSU football has been “ paused ” immediately due to allegations of “ racism and verbal abuse from CSU ’ s athletic administration generally and in the football program specifically.
” Parker said the just-launched investigation by president Joyce McConnell into possible improprieties involving reporting and protocols related to COVID-19 will now also include a probe into the aforementioned allegations of racism and verbal abuse .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ coaches , staff or players were targets or practitioners of the said abuse .
Nor was a timetable for this new investigation immediately available .
McConnell announced via an email to student-athletes and department staffers Thursday that the investigation into allegations over mishandling of coronavirus protocols would be led by Husch Blackwell , a Kansas City-based legal firm .
“ While we have been working hard towards playing football this fall , the holistic well-being of our student-athletes is our unequivocal top priority , ” Parker said in the statement .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we focus on playing football.
” Below is the full statement from Parker : “ Today , we learned of some extremely troubling allegations of racism and verbal abuse from CSU ’ s athletic administration generally and in the football program specifically .
Colorado State University is committed to being an anti-racist university , and we will not tolerate any behavior or climate that goes against that core value .
Moreover , CSU Athletics is committed to the health and well-being of student-athletes above all other priorities , and this includes their mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsibility to make sure that all student-athletes feel welcomed and valued as members of an inclusive athletics community .
I have consulted with President McConnell about these new allegations , which obviously deeply concern her as well .
Effective immediately , and for the best interests of our student-athletes , I am pausing all football-related activities indefinitely .
This includes practices , workouts , and team meetings .
I have also asked President McConnell to expand the independent investigation she announced on Tuesday to include a comprehensive review of our athletic department and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racism and verbal abuse .
While we have been working hard towards playing football this fall , the holistic well-being of our student-athletes is our unequivocal top priority .
We must and will address these allegations before we focus on playing football.
” This is a developing story .
Check back later for updates .

The drama surrounding CSU’s football program, and its leadership under first-year coach Steve Addazio, took another turn Friday evening.
Rams athletic director Joe Parker announced via a news release that CSU football has been “paused” immediately due to allegations of “racism and verbal abuse from CSU’s athletic administration generally and in the football program specifically.”
Parker said the just-launched investigation by president Joyce McConnell into possible improprieties involving protocols related to COVID-19 will now also include a probe into the aforementioned allegations of racism and verbal abuse.
Seniors and upperclassmen on the Rams football team, a group of roughly 20, met in person Friday night, a source told The Post, to discuss the most recent charges. The group also discussed drafting a teamwide petition of support for Addazio, who was hired to replace Mike Bobo last December, and for the current staff.
The petition would attest that the coaches had not acted in any racially insensitive way and treated players with respect.
CSU players plan to meet Saturday morning on campus, in person, to discuss Parker’s announcement, lingering concerns over COVID-19 protocol and to gather signatures on the petition before its release, the source said.
The Rams were informed of the new facet of the investigation earlier Friday via a Zoom call with Parker, several CSU players said.
Parker’s initial statements did not specify which football coaches, staff or players were targets or practitioners of the alleged abuse. Nor was a timetable for this new investigation made immediately available.
ESPN reported that the latest concerns could be tied to a letter Parker received from former CSU quarterback and assistant coach Anthoney Hill.
In the letter, which was reportedly sent to Parker in January after Hill was not retained by Addazio, the Rams’ former director of player development and community/alumni relations told the CSU athletic director that he had concerns “about your conduct in allowing CSU Athletics to become an environment where coaches can exhibit toxic masculinity as well as make racially insensitive comments to black players on your watch.
“Also, bringing in a new head football coach who tells the graduate assistants within days of knowing them that he ‘doesn’t give a (expletive) about their feelings’ is contradictory to being ‘committed to the holistic development of student-athletes … and of crafting a culture where students thrive.'”
McConnell announced via an email to student-athletes and department staffers on Thursday that the investigation into allegations over mishandling of coronavirus protocols would be led by Husch Blackwell, a Kansas City-based legal firm. Husch Blackwell was hired earlier this summer by the University of Iowa to lead an independent investigation into allegations of racial insensitivity and abuse by football coach Kirk Ferentz and his staff.
“While we have been working hard towards playing football this fall, the holistic well-being of our student-athletes is our unequivocal top priority,” Parker said in the statement. “We must and will address these allegations before we focus on playing football.”
Below is the full statement from Parker:
“Today, we learned of some extremely troubling allegations of racism and verbal abuse from CSU’s athletic administration generally and in the football program specifically.
Colorado State University is committed to being an anti-racist university, and we will not tolerate any behavior or climate that goes against that core value. Moreover, CSU Athletics is committed to the health and well-being of student-athletes above all other priorities, and this includes their mental health. We believe it is our responsibility to make sure that all student-athletes feel welcomed and valued as members of an inclusive athletics community.
I have consulted with President McConnell about these new allegations, which obviously deeply concern her as well. Effective immediately, and for the best interests of our student-athletes, I am pausing all football-related activities indefinitely. This includes practices, workouts, and team meetings. I have also asked President McConnell to expand the independent investigation she announced on Tuesday to include a comprehensive review of our athletic department and football program specifically related to allegations of racism and verbal abuse. While we have been working hard towards playing football this fall, the holistic well-being of our student-athletes is our unequivocal top priority. We must and will address these allegations before we focus on playing football.”


thedenverpost--2020-08-08--Keeler: Furious about spring football? Your beef’s with Gov. Jared Polis, not CHSAA

Here ’ s the thing about spring on the Plains : It blows .
On March 6 , 2017 , NOAA charted a 50-mile-per-hour wind gust at Fort Morgan Municipal airport .
The average maximum wind speed since 2012 around Fort Morgan checks in at 22.1 miles per hour in April , higher than any single month .
March and May ’ s max gusts average out at 20.2 and 20.8 , respectively .
“ Mitch doesn ’ t like to punt anyway , ” Wiggins superintendent Trent Kerr laughed , referencing Tigers football coach Mitch Risner , father of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He ’ ll ) tell you , ‘ We ’ re not punting out here.
’ The wind in March , we ’ re punting backward if we ’ re going into it .
There are going to be some different experiences , I guess , for all of us as ( the dates ) come forward.
” Kerr and his rural peers outside the Front Range — a bunch of whom met via a Zoom call with CHSAA executive director Rhonda Blanford-Green this past Thursday — are not wild , and understandably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one , the schools in the east have to wrestle that wind ; the programs out west , the snow .
For another , Kerr , whose son who plays quarterback for Risner , worries about the lack of game experience — and footage — kids can put on tape before college football ’ s December and February signing periods .
But they also concede that miserably cold and windy football is a heck of a lot better than no football at all .
Or no playoffs .
Or standings that start to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Central divisions , where COVID is running away with the pennant .
“ I think it ’ s important that we reflect back on March and April and realize that we ’ re at a place now where we can provide opportunities across the board for the diversity of sports and activities that we offer , ” Blanford-Green said .
“ With a better opportunity of not only starting a season , but having a culminating season event.
” CHSAA didn ’ t do the right thing .
Right left the building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It did the prudent thing for the majority of its membership , given a raging landscape of hypotheticals and unknowns .
It did the prudent thing within the confines of an academic calendar , fiscal realities and the boundaries established by state authorities .
Your beefs about spring football are with Gov .
Jared Polis , not Blanford-Green .
“ We ’ re in uncharted waters , ” Meeker superintendent Chris Selle said .
“ I don ’ t think anybody knows exactly what various paths forward may look like.
” Except @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Let ’ s make a few things clear .
One , masks are scientific suggestions , not political ones .
Second , in a pandemic , every option comes with varying degrees of crapola .
There are no clean , traditional , familiar paths of comfort , no assurances .
Third , when you make solutions provincial , no one is ever going to land on the same page at every turn .
Rural schools have a lower population density and fewer positive cases of coronavirus .
Why should we have to upset @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll contend , because the Front Range is a hot mess ?
It ’ s a fair point .
This is about goals , and end games , that don ’ t always mesh in a crisis .
All parents want the best , safest experience possible for their teens .
Many parents also want an experience that maximizes scholarship opportunities at the next level , whatever that level is .
Families and towns are in it for the micro , CHSAA for the macro .
A season it doesn ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start — and , more importantly , finish .
Prep football doesn ’ t have the luxury of NFL flex weeks .
Or the budget to test kids , coaches and support staff as frequently as the experts would prefer in order to prevent a surge spawning from under the Friday night lights .
“ ( That ’ s ) one thing we might have to get creative with , ” Kerr said .
“ You might not even have a Friday night kick.
” Wiggins is exploring Saturday afternoon or Thursday kickoffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Kerr , too .
All of this does .
“ The thing that I hope and I ’ m really hopeful for is that we ’ re still able to play , ” Kerr noted .
“ That we ’ re not just pushing this back to say , ‘ Nope , it ’ s canceled altogether.
’ I think if we did that , that would absolutely crush these kids.
” Before you rage about Colorado ’ s high school football calendar , ask a girls basketball player , a sprinter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or April felt .
And ask Blanford-Green why she never wants to have to make that call ever again .

Here’s the thing about spring on the Plains: It blows.
On March 6, 2017, NOAA charted a 50-mile-per-hour wind gust at Fort Morgan Municipal airport. The average maximum wind speed since 2012 around Fort Morgan checks in at 22.1 miles per hour in April, higher than any single month. March and May’s max gusts average out at 20.2 and 20.8, respectively.
“Mitch doesn’t like to punt anyway,” Wiggins superintendent Trent Kerr laughed, referencing Tigers football coach Mitch Risner, father of Broncos guard Dalton Risner.
“(He’ll) tell you, ‘We’re not punting out here.’ The wind in March, we’re punting backward if we’re going into it. There are going to be some different experiences, I guess, for all of us as (the dates) come forward.”
Kerr and his rural peers outside the Front Range — a bunch of whom met via a Zoom call with CHSAA executive director Rhonda Blanford-Green this past Thursday — are not wild, and understandably, about football in March.
For one, the schools in the east have to wrestle that wind; the programs out west, the snow. For another, Kerr, whose son who plays quarterback for Risner, worries about the lack of game experience — and footage — kids can put on tape before college football’s December and February signing periods.
But they also concede that miserably cold and windy football is a heck of a lot better than no football at all. Or no playoffs. Or standings that start to resemble the National League’s East and Central divisions, where COVID is running away with the pennant.
“I think it’s important that we reflect back on March and April and realize that we’re at a place now where we can provide opportunities across the board for the diversity of sports and activities that we offer,” Blanford-Green said. “With a better opportunity of not only starting a season, but having a culminating season event.”
CHSAA didn’t do the right thing. Right left the building, arm-in-arm with Elvis, ages ago. It did the prudent thing for the majority of its membership, given a raging hellscape of hypotheticals and unknowns.
It did the prudent thing within the confines of an academic calendar, fiscal realities and the boundaries established by state authorities. Your beefs about spring football are with Gov. Jared Polis, not Blanford-Green.
“We’re in uncharted waters,” Meeker superintendent Chris Selle said. “I don’t think anybody knows exactly what various paths forward may look like.”
Except that none of them are ideal. Let’s make a few things clear, right from the jump. One, masks are scientific suggestions, not political ones. Second, in a pandemic, every option comes with varying degrees of crapola. There are no clean, traditional, familiar paths of comfort, no assurances.
Third, when you make solutions provincial, no one is ever going to land on the same page at every turn. Rural schools have a lower population density and fewer positive cases of coronavirus. Why should we have to upset decades of community tradition, they’ll contend, because the Front Range is a hot mess? It’s a fair point.
This is about goals, and end games, that don’t always mesh in a crisis. All parents want the best, safest experience possible for their teens. Many parents also want an experience that maximizes scholarship opportunities at the next level, whatever that level is.
Families and towns are in it for the micro, CHSAA for the macro. A season it doesn’t have to stop. A postseason it can start — and, more importantly, finish.
Prep football doesn’t have the luxury of NFL flex weeks. Or the budget to test kids, coaches and support staff as frequently as the experts would prefer in order to prevent a surge spawning from under the Friday night lights.
“(That’s) one thing we might have to get creative with,” Kerr said. “You might not even have a Friday night kick.”
Wiggins is exploring Saturday afternoon or Thursday kickoffs. Yes, that sounds crazy weird to Kerr, too. All of this does.
“The thing that I hope and I’m really hopeful for is that we’re still able to play,” Kerr noted. “That we’re not just pushing this back to say, ‘Nope, it’s canceled altogether.’ I think if we did that, that would absolutely crush these kids.”
Before you rage about Colorado’s high school football calendar, ask a girls basketball player, a sprinter or a pitcher how this past March or April felt. And ask Blanford-Green why she never wants to have to make that call, Lord willing, ever again.