“Take Interstate 70 east. Don’t stop at Limon. Go about another 500 miles. You can see Arrowhead Stadium on the right. It’s not quarterback Jake Plummer’s fault that coach Mike Shanahan cannot get the Broncos to the stadium for a game against the Kansas City Chiefs. It is Mike’s fault, and it’s about time team owner Pat Bowlen woke up to that fact.”
Tom, Denver
Kiz: Hate to break the tough news to you, buddy. But Mr. B is fixin’ to bestow your favorite football coach with another contract extension, loaded with enough dollars to buy us all a rack of ribs at Arthur Bryant’s the next time we need to be reminded of one good reason the Broncos ever take a road trip to Kansas City.
No faith in Jake
“The loss to the Kansas City Chiefs was not all down to Plummer. Don’t you think we have thrown in the towel on the season with Jay Cutler the starting quarterback? Also, don’t you think the decision to make him the starter against Seattle before the K.C. game affected the way the team played, by showing no faith in Plummer’s ability?”
Dougie, Glasgow, Scotland
Kiz: Hey, mukker! Hou’s it gaun? Sairy, ma Scots is bad. But, from across the Atlantic Ocean, your perception is extremely keen. You saw the truth through all the blabber, Dougie. Plummer played like a condemned man against the Chiefs. For the team to leak his imminent demise as starting quarterback before kickoff in K.C. hurt the Broncos. Big time. But is the Donkeys’ downfall really the talk of the football crowd in Glasgow? I thought you and Harry Potter would be raising a pint to toast that smashin’ win by Celtic over Manchester United in the Champions League.
Cutler for 007
“Any chance you are going to stop writing about my Broncos? Is there a petition I can sign to get you moved to obits, or the Lifestyle section? I heard that movie reviews are pretty fun. Why don’t you take a shot at those?”
Timothy, representing area code 703
Kiz: OK. Move over, Roger Ebert. Here’s everything you need to know about the new James Bond flick, in 50 words or less. “Casino Royale” deserves to be royally flushed. Shaken? Stirred? Does it make any difference? The Bond franchise is broken, and actor Daniel Craig, despite his hunky six-pack abs, makes for such a humorless, belly-button-gazing 007 that no thinking woman would forgive herself in the morning. Bench Craig. Put in Cutler.
Unbearable times for UNC
“I’m a graduate of Northern Colorado with two degrees. I used to love to watch the Bears play football. No more. I, along with many in Colorado, could not understand the motivation of moving up to Division I-AA. It is sad when politics take over and change the mission of higher education. It was an incredibly stupid move, and one that has ruined the sports of Northern Colorado, not only in football, but basketball, as well. It is sad.”
Bill, Briggsdale
Kiz: Greeley is a great town. But it ain’t big enough to support the expensive business of big-time college sports. Is losing to Northern Arizona 54-3 really better than winning the D-2 national title?
Lumps today, then gravy
“Northern Colorado football is my life. My brother played on both national championship teams. I wear the same number and play the same position. The upgrade to Division I-AA brought $16 million in new facilities for the recreation programs. To say we should ‘scrap’ this transition is what a quitter would say. We are the first sacrificial lambs to the Big Sky Conference, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Vinny, Greeley
Kiz: I admire your spunk. Prove me wrong, and I will gladly wear a UNC Bears hat on Nottingham Field as you raise the league championship trophy in 2007.
Parting shot
And today’s parting shot is taken by one Broncos observer brave enough to look at the team without orange-tinted glasses. In an NFL world where content is increasingly controlled by teams and the league, not everybody wants spin to be passed off as football news.
“It is most refreshing to see a sports writer who is not afraid to be honest about the ‘beloved’ Broncos. Too often, the writers in this town pull their punches when it comes time to talk football. Your insightful and honest appraisal of what is wrong with this team is a breath of fresh air. Hopefully, this will be the last season in Denver for Jake the Flake.”
Mo, Arvada
