Make it a great day with family or friends. See you back here Monday morning.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
A couple of musings
• Since when did it become impossible to determine what advertisers were trying to sell the general public on TV?
• NBA coverage on Turner Network Television is far superior to anything offered on ABC/ESPN. Why? One reason. The TNT folks pay some attention to the game. The ESPN people are far more interested in self-promotion.
• NBA coverage on Turner Network Television is far superior to anything offered on ABC/ESPN. Why? One reason. The TNT folks pay some attention to the game. The ESPN people are far more interested in self-promotion.
Monday, November 24, 2008
7-9 could win the AFC West
There's a parallel forming between the AFC West and the NL West.
It's a division no one should be forced to belong to.
It's entirely possible that someone will win the AFC West with a record that is below .500. Denver took a step in that direction by not showing up for its game with Oakland yesterday. San Diego stayed two games behind by losing to Indianapolis last night.
Denver coach Mike Shanahan may have been right when he guaranteed his team would be in the playoffs. But at 7-9, that's nothing on which to hang a hat.
It's a division no one should be forced to belong to.
It's entirely possible that someone will win the AFC West with a record that is below .500. Denver took a step in that direction by not showing up for its game with Oakland yesterday. San Diego stayed two games behind by losing to Indianapolis last night.
Denver coach Mike Shanahan may have been right when he guaranteed his team would be in the playoffs. But at 7-9, that's nothing on which to hang a hat.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Sad news
Former Jefferson County sheriff and Golden police chief Russ Cook was found dead in his South Jeffco home today. He was 59.
His troubles with alcohol were well-known. They cost him the sheriff's job in 2003 after just six months on the job.
I worked around Cook for many years. He was a good man, hired in Golden at a time when the city needed some leadership stability and accountability in the department. He was as open, as accessible and as pleasant a police chief as a press person or member of the public could ever hope to see. He also offered a certain reporter his resources to find family members who hadn't been heard from following a huge earthquake in the L.A. area in 1994.
Cook's heart was in the right place. But the bottle wasn't too far away, and that's the saddest part of all.
His troubles with alcohol were well-known. They cost him the sheriff's job in 2003 after just six months on the job.
I worked around Cook for many years. He was a good man, hired in Golden at a time when the city needed some leadership stability and accountability in the department. He was as open, as accessible and as pleasant a police chief as a press person or member of the public could ever hope to see. He also offered a certain reporter his resources to find family members who hadn't been heard from following a huge earthquake in the L.A. area in 1994.
Cook's heart was in the right place. But the bottle wasn't too far away, and that's the saddest part of all.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Greenberg movie opens eyes
Watched an interesting movie the other night on Detroit Tigers' slugger Hank Greenberg. He was the first Jewish player of note in the majors, and he played in the 1930s and 1940s.
The biographical information and his career stats are fairly common knowledge. What opened my eyes was a comparison between the amount of abuse he took because he was Jewish and the amount of abuse Jackie Robinson took because he was a Negro. Greenberg's career finished the same year that Robinson broke the color barrier.
The biographical information and his career stats are fairly common knowledge. What opened my eyes was a comparison between the amount of abuse he took because he was Jewish and the amount of abuse Jackie Robinson took because he was a Negro. Greenberg's career finished the same year that Robinson broke the color barrier.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Super Bowl? Not a chance
Two straight wins do not make a Super Bowl champion.
In the eyes of the Denver talkers and TV stations, the Broncos are unbeatable.
True, the defense showed up the last two weeks.
It's also true that half the offense – the runners – can't show up for a while because of injuries. And as good as Jay Cutler seems to be, he can't carry the troops alone.
It's also true the defense is quite suspect, despite the last two games.
Hooray for the two wins. But let's put a cap on Super Bowl talk.
In the eyes of the Denver talkers and TV stations, the Broncos are unbeatable.
True, the defense showed up the last two weeks.
It's also true that half the offense – the runners – can't show up for a while because of injuries. And as good as Jay Cutler seems to be, he can't carry the troops alone.
It's also true the defense is quite suspect, despite the last two games.
Hooray for the two wins. But let's put a cap on Super Bowl talk.
Friday, November 14, 2008
A change in the NBA
No, it's not the Denver Nuggets. Yes, they changed people (Chancey Billups is here and Allen Iverson, Eduardo Najera and Marcus Camby aren't, and the Nuggets didn't get anything in return for Najera and Camby). But they don't figure to be a lot better than before .. at least until Carmelo Anthony takes full control of the team on the floor.
The major change of note is the Detroit Pistons. Yes, the same Pistons with the advanced degree in half-court offense. Now it's the Pistons who run the floor when the chance is available.
Times change. So do good teams. It'll be interesting to see what Detroit does this year.
The major change of note is the Detroit Pistons. Yes, the same Pistons with the advanced degree in half-court offense. Now it's the Pistons who run the floor when the chance is available.
Times change. So do good teams. It'll be interesting to see what Detroit does this year.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Community rallies once again
Ten thousand dollars.
That's what organizers say is the total from a fundraising effort Friday night for Zach Canaday. He's the 9-year-old Brighton youth football player who has brain cancer, diagnosed just before his most recent birthday.
Those who want to help out should e-mail raedward@jeffco.k12.co.us.
That's what organizers say is the total from a fundraising effort Friday night for Zach Canaday. He's the 9-year-old Brighton youth football player who has brain cancer, diagnosed just before his most recent birthday.
Those who want to help out should e-mail raedward@jeffco.k12.co.us.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Odd trade
Not because the Rockies traded Matt Holliday to Oakland.
It's what they got in return .. not very much.
Huston Street might help the Rockies pitching staff. The other pitcher in the deal has an ERA of 7, which is in line with pre-humidor Rockies pitching.
The idea was to trade Holliday before the Rockies got nothing for him when he hit the free-agent market in a year.
I hope the Rockies didn't get their share of the nothing a year too early.
It's what they got in return .. not very much.
Huston Street might help the Rockies pitching staff. The other pitcher in the deal has an ERA of 7, which is in line with pre-humidor Rockies pitching.
The idea was to trade Holliday before the Rockies got nothing for him when he hit the free-agent market in a year.
I hope the Rockies didn't get their share of the nothing a year too early.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Stop the speed-ups
Anyone else noticing the increased speed of TV replays of scoring plays in football?
If you're looking for something that looks pretty childish, then watch your favorite player run for a touchdown at warp speed.
Thanks but no. If it's an effort to save time, then find a scoring play that doesn't take so much of it.
If you're looking for something that looks pretty childish, then watch your favorite player run for a touchdown at warp speed.
Thanks but no. If it's an effort to save time, then find a scoring play that doesn't take so much of it.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Misplaced uproar
The folks in South Jefferson County are coming unglued at the seams.
A number of Columbine football players will miss their team's playoff game this weekend because they went to a post-playoff party last week at which alcohol was served. As they used to say in my day, that's a Bozo no-no. And it's not up for debate.
What is amazing to the sports editor for that group of papers is the uproar it is causing, that apparently nothing like this happens in Utopia or that their team is so perfect that nothing goes wrong.
Lest we forget. These are young boys under the microscope for this discussion. And young boys – girls too – tend to explore things that are best left alone.
Something got lost in translation, that's for sure.
A number of Columbine football players will miss their team's playoff game this weekend because they went to a post-playoff party last week at which alcohol was served. As they used to say in my day, that's a Bozo no-no. And it's not up for debate.
What is amazing to the sports editor for that group of papers is the uproar it is causing, that apparently nothing like this happens in Utopia or that their team is so perfect that nothing goes wrong.
Lest we forget. These are young boys under the microscope for this discussion. And young boys – girls too – tend to explore things that are best left alone.
Something got lost in translation, that's for sure.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
'One small step for man ...'
Before all the political backbiting starts, I hope we can take a few days to realize just exactly what happened yesterday.
We elected a black man as president of the United States .. no small feat for a country that featured blatant and not so blatant segregationist moments .. some of which were rather recent.
It's a truly wonderful moment in our nation's history. The next chapter comes Jan. 20 at the inauguration takes place.
We elected a black man as president of the United States .. no small feat for a country that featured blatant and not so blatant segregationist moments .. some of which were rather recent.
It's a truly wonderful moment in our nation's history. The next chapter comes Jan. 20 at the inauguration takes place.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Nov. 5 will be a good day, too
It's come to our attention at the sports desk that Nov. 5 may be just as significant a day as today.
Voters will elect either the first black man to the office of president of the United States or they will elect the oldest man to serve a first term as president of the United States. And at some point later on tonight/tomorrow morning, we'll know more.
But come Nov. 5, the voters will not have to listen to any more political commercials, at least for two years or so.
I'm Steve Smith, and I approved that concept.
Voters will elect either the first black man to the office of president of the United States or they will elect the oldest man to serve a first term as president of the United States. And at some point later on tonight/tomorrow morning, we'll know more.
But come Nov. 5, the voters will not have to listen to any more political commercials, at least for two years or so.
I'm Steve Smith, and I approved that concept.
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