Avalanche of a bad deal.
I’m a big fan of the Avalanche organization since Peter and Anton Stastny played for Quebec. The trade that sent Chris Stewart and Kevin Shattenkirk to St. Louis for Erik Johnson and Jay McClement looks like a bad deal. It might look worse in a few years. Stewart is the real deal. Shattenkirk has just scratched the surface. What a debacle in Denver.
Mike, Toronto
Kiz: Can Joe Sakic joining the front office re-energize the Avs the way John Elway’s return to the Broncos has put a jolt of hope into the local NFL franchise? After the farewell fete for defenseman Adam Foote, I asked Sakic why in the world he would want to jump back into the game as a front-office executive and have to deal with the criticism from clowns like me.
“I miss bozos like you,” Sakic replied, with a grin that revealed a mischievous sense of humor hidden beneath his quiet exterior.
On a more serious note, Sakic said, “I’m looking forward to learning the business from (general manager) Greg Sherman.”
Hmm. Will Sakic serve more as an apprentice than the boss? That sounds significantly less bold than Elway coming to the rescue of the Broncos.
Injuries one of many problems.
Mr. Kiszla, I disagree with some of the things you said in your column criticizing the Avalanche. You sound like a good drinking buddy of Peter Stastny. I track the decline of the Avs to 1) Ray Bourque’s retirement, and 2) Patrick Roy’s retirement. For a few years after the lockout, I was constantly asking the question: Who’s minding the store here? Hiring Sherman and Joe Sacco was (a breath of) fresh air.
We weren’t whining about the Avs back in December. I believe the problem is a combination of 1) franchise owner Stan Kroenke pulling the money, 2) there’s no idea what Pierre Lacroix does these days (or years), and 3) player injuries mounted to where they buried the team. I hold no one accountable for that. No one should lose his job. It’s simply a lost season.
Kevin, La Junta
Kiz: Now there are old-time, Canadian fuddy-duddies who would dis a fan from La Junta and huff, “You know nothing about hockey.” But we at Kickin’ It Headquarters are more enlightened. Smart hockey insight can come from anywhere. So let me throw out one statistic for everyone to ponder. Carmelo Anthony, often decried as a loser by angry Nuggets fans after he departed for New York, won two playoff series for Denver since his rookie season of 2003-04. In the same time frame, the Avs won three playoff series.
Bare-chested boasting.
Nice piece dissing Tim Tebow (‘Tebow on a streak as salesman, not QB’). Why do you want him to fail so much? He won’t. He will prevail and be a great NFL quarterback. No one else questions other players with endorsements. How do you look without a shirt? Go buy some of Tebow’s underwear. You are just jealous he is so popular. Kyle Orton is a pouty wuss. So are you, you ego-filled jerk.
Diana, Tallahassee, Fla.
Kiz: Owning the same cool undies as Tebow would be the fulfillment of a lifetime dream for any man. But kindly refrain from any references to Yours Truly without a shirt. The mere thought of that image causes convulsions of uncontrollable laughter by my family and friends.
Rolling Thunder needs to be heard
And today’s parting shot is fired with the force of a dust storm roaring across the Oklahoma plains.
“Mr. Kiszla, you mention that only the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls have looked better lately than the Nuggets. Did you notice the Oklahoma City Thunder had a 14-2 record in March? But you are right about the upcoming series between Denver and Oklahoma City. It will be bloody.”
Steve, Norman, Okla.
