No shot, no sympathy for an athlete who gets the coronavirus. Not getting vaccinated is a selfish choice and is hurting both the team and the community at large.
Shane, Pleasant Hill, Iowa
Kiz: As I sat Friday night in a crowded Denver sports tavern, sipping on a juicy IPA, munching tater tots and hoping to duck the Omicron variant, it dawned on me: Anyone who thinks COVID is going away hasn’t been watching hockey, basketball or football. In the grip of the virus, the Avs have shut down their season for a week. Nets guard Kyrie Irving, vocal opponent of the vaccine rejoins his team for road games and goes immediately to the NBA’s health and safety protocols before he can sink a jump shot. Broncos coach Vic Fangio dreads a knock on his door and bad news of an outbreak that could derail a run at the NFL playoffs. Buckle up. The ride’s about to get bumpy. Again.
At my company, you get vaxed or get fired. Perhaps itap different managing sports prima donnas.
T.S., birdwatcher
Kiz: Although we love sports in America, it seems Americans have forgotten the meaning of teamwork.
I read your column because you write in plain English. You generally avoid overuse of sports jargon and I appreciate that, Kiz. I read the newspaper cover-to-cover. But what’s been bugging me for a long time: Why do the editors jump your column from the front page to deep inside the sports section? You have to tell them that’s an injustice to a fine column. Tell them to jump it to no more than Page 2 of the sports section.
Cheryl, loves the paper
Kiz: Great minds must think alike. Over the years, I’ve repeatedly dropped notes in the suggestion box that my column should begin on the front page and be jumped to the bottom of Page 2. We’re all creatures of habit and a newspaper should make reading as easy as possible for the customer.
Broncos aren’t going to win against Cincinnati. A playoff run is the worst thing that could happen and set this Denver team back.
Michael, bah humbug
Kiz: Why do you have to harsh the holiday mellow here at Kickin’ It Headquarters? I figure the Broncos will have to win three of four games remaining on their schedule to make the playoffs. And that’s a very tall task. Difficult? Yes. Unlikely? Yes. But not entirely out of the question. Making the playoffs for the first time since the 2015 NFL season could not only re-establish a winning culture in the locker room, but make Denver a more attractive destination to a veteran quarterback, perhaps a QB looking to move on from Seattle or Green Bay to make another run at a championship in a new NFL city.
And today’s parting shot takes issue with my belief Fangio’s defensive game plan against young Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is a strong reason to believe the Broncos can beat Cincy.
It’s quite obvious you hadn’t taken your lithium when you wrote that column on Fangio. You are as sad as your Uncle Vic.
Jay, Dillon
