Kroenke must show Avs a little love – get a goalie
“It is painful to watch the demise of the Avalanche. In the four-year period since a salary cap was introduced, the talent pool has been greatly diminished but ticket prices have remained constant or gone up. A record sellout streak came to a sliding halt without much effort to put a competitive product on the ice. The decisions of general manager Francois Giguere are not those of a hockey man. The Avs’ plight will not improve until spending control of the team is freed from owner Stan Kroenke’s other personal passions. Until the team puts a true hockey person in control, I’m resigned to a future of poor coaching-selection, poor drafting and terrible decisions relating to free agents and player retention.”
John, Littleton
Kiz: It does appear the purse strings have been pulled so tight on the Avs that the competitive spirit is being choked from this proud hockey franchise. Kroenke has been a good friend to Denver sports. But it’s time to show suffering Avs fans a little love. Buying us a real-life, big-time goalie would be a good start.
Real men go to fisticuffs.
“You will be happy to know I have figured out how to fix the “J’s of Our Lives” drama. A friend and I were talking about how guys deal with conflict. Jay Cutler and Josh Mc-Daniels don’t need to text more. They don’t need to sit down face to face. They need to duke it out and then hug. Maybe we would have to tie Jay-C’s Elway-like right arm behind his back to make the fight fair, though. Can you use your considerable influence to make this happen, Kiz?”
Chad, peacemaker
Kiz: Sounds like too big a job for me. Better call the bloodthirsty honchos at UFC. There’s only one place to settle “J’s of Our Lives” — the octagon.
Hey, Jay, get a real helmet.
“Cutler will never be the great QB he could be because of the most ill-fitting helmet in the NFL. The way his helmet fits, Cutler can’t see much more upfield than the guy he is throwing to, and that allows defenders to close in for the interception without being detected. It happens far too frequently when Cutler has 80 yards to go, one timeout and less than a minute left. With all the money he makes, you would think he could have a custom helmet made to get that crossbar above his eyebrow ridge.”
Ross, Colorado Springs
Kiz: So this is an equipment problem. But is it the helmet on Jay-C’s head? Or the new coach on his back?
Taking Romo is a step back.
“Replacing Cutler with Dallas quarterback Tony Romo would be taking another misstep. Why? Because Romo also wears his baseball cap backwards. My 9-year-old grandson knows doing so shows everyone you’re dumb and rebellious.”
John, Westminster
Kiz: Then I won’t share info sure to flip your lid: Barack Obama somehow got elected president despite the fact he has been known to wear his beloved White Sox hat backward.
Kiz — You’re a joke.
“The average fan knows the moves the four major sports teams in Denver should make more than you do. You’re a total joke, and your opinion on the Cutler situation proves how ignorant you are. Even Woody Paige understands trading Cutler would be a tragedy. Having less knowledge than Woody makes you pathetic. Go die of a heart attack already.”
Russell, Denver
Kiz: Only the good die young. I have it on the authority of a Billy Joel song.
A trip down memory lane
And today’s parting shot is a blast from the past, plus a gentle reminder that long before the invention of ESPN, sports were more about fun and less about fame.
“Mark! Your column regarding UConn basketball coach Jim Calhoun and Chip Hilton brought back many fond memories. In 1948, when I was 12 years old, I began reading Clair Bee’s Hilton sports series from a small northern Ohio farm town. In those years, my life revolved around radio, reading and sports. Today, three or four of Bee’s works are on the bookshelves of my two grandsons.”
John, retired history professor
