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Humans have always had a complicated relationship with weather. Ancient cultures prayed and made offerings to gods in hopes of receiving conditions conducive to growing crops. Adverse weather, then, w…
Humans have always h…
Humans have always had a complicated relationship with weather. Ancient cultures prayed and made offerings to gods in hopes of receiving conditions conducive to growing crops. Adverse weather, then, was often interpreted as displeasure on behalf of those same beings—a punishment for failing to observe proper rituals. It doesn’t take a history scholar to understand this impulse. Weather, now as then, is both an enemy and ally. On one hand, it provides everything from the raw material for food—sunlight driving photosynthesis, wind the primary method of plants spreading their seeds—to …
Sometimes, writing about art and theater feels a lot like falling down the proverbial rabbit hole as I try to find the angle to write about wandering through a haunted-theater immersive experience, ge…
Sometimes, writing a…
Sometimes, writing about art and theater feels a lot like falling down the proverbial rabbit hole as I try to find the angle to write about wandering through a haunted-theater immersive experience, getting splashed in a Halloween horror show in the basement of a spaghetti emporium, sweating through a DIY D&D in a comic shop, savoring (har har!) Sweeney Todd’s enraged high notes, and trying to quiet my howling dog in a public house. I’ve found myself in some odd and awkward scenarios. To update the metaphor, writing this column is a lot like drunk-clicking through an endless algorithm o…
Jessie Hanson
January 8, 2020
Back in the day, there used to be a show on television called The Wide World of Sports, hosted by the legendary Jim McKay. Every Saturday, for years, the program would cover relevant sporting events …
Back in the day, the…
Back in the day, there used to be a show on television called The Wide World of Sports, hosted by the legendary Jim McKay. Every Saturday, for years, the program would cover relevant sporting events from around the globe and the stories that went along with them. The Wide World of Sports occasionally highlighted unknown events such as Jai-alai or Mexican Cliff Diving. But the show was better known for its innovation and understanding of the average American sports fan, being the first to televise Wimbledon, The Indianapolis 500, The British Open, and The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament…
Calling it a difficult sports weekend for Colorado fans may be a bit of an understatement. It was bad enough that the Colorado Avalanche were knocked out of the NHL Playoffs on Friday by the Dallas…
Calling it a difficu…
Calling it a difficult sports weekend for Colorado fans may be a bit of an understatement. It was bad enough that the Colorado Avalanche were knocked out of the NHL Playoffs on Friday by the Dallas Stars when former Avs Matt Duchene scored the game-winner in double overtime. But when the Denver Nuggets squandered a 20-point lead, in game seven, at home, just two days later – I was sick. The Nuggets were up 53-38 at halftime, stretched the lead to as many as 20, Nikola Jokic had 34 points and 17 rebounds, Jamal Murray added 35 points, and yet, the Minnesota Timberwolves ended their N…
The last two games against the Minnesota Timberwolves were not pretty. A seven-point loss in game one, followed by a 26-point spanking in game two. But I’m not worried. The Denver Nuggets are t…
The last two games a…
The last two games against the Minnesota Timberwolves were not pretty. A seven-point loss in game one, followed by a 26-point spanking in game two. But I’m not worried. The Denver Nuggets are the defending NBA Champions, and they have Nikola Jokic. Is it a little concerning that Michael Malone undoubtedly made some adjustments after the game one loss, and the team did even worse in game two? Sure. Is it troubling that Jamal Murray is imploding a bit? Yeah. Is it nerve wracking that game three is in a couple of days, on the road, and no playoff team has ever come back from an …
On paper, this year’s NFL Draft seems immensely predictable. The three teams at the top of the draft board are all in desperate need of a quarterback, and there are three projected prospects jus…
On paper, this year…
On paper, this year’s NFL Draft seems immensely predictable. The three teams at the top of the draft board are all in desperate need of a quarterback, and there are three projected prospects just waiting to hear their name called. After the quarterbacks have fallen, the board is left with three dynamic wide receivers, all thought to be true difference makers. While the Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Chargers, and New York Giants all have a specific need for their rosters – a dynamic, difference making, wide receiver. The assumption is that the rest of the top half of the draft i…
With the baseball season upon us, I must admit that I struggled to find the positives when it came to writing about the Colorado Rockies. The team had gotten off to another slow start, the pitchers w…
With the baseball se…
With the baseball season upon us, I must admit that I struggled to find the positives when it came to writing about the Colorado Rockies. The team had gotten off to another slow start, the pitchers were getting shelled, and Kris Bryant was again, a virtual no-show. So, I cheated. I sat down at my computer, then asked ChatGPT to write me an 800-word article about the Colorado Rockies and all that was good. Within minutes, there it was. The words Cold Beer repeated 400 times. So, here it is. My annual story about the Colorado Rockies, written before they become too irrelevant, w…
Entering the Sweet Sixteen, I have to say that my bracket is looking pretty good. It helps that I had Kentucky going out a little early, picked Clemson over Baylor, and primarily went with the favori…
Entering the Sweet S…
Entering the Sweet Sixteen, I have to say that my bracket is looking pretty good. It helps that I had Kentucky going out a little early, picked Clemson over Baylor, and primarily went with the favorites up until this point. And I would like to think that my current success was due to the countless hours of work I have put in preparing for this tournament. Researching rosters to identify upperclassmen, checking player minutes to establish team depth, and scouting free throw percentages as games get tight at the end of March. I prefer strong guard play, note a team’s pace of play, alwa…
Like many Bronco fans, I was struggling to figure out Sean Payton’s quarterback plans after letting go of Russell Wilson, despite still owing him $40 million. The Denver Broncos lacked the cap …
Like many Bronco fan…
Like many Bronco fans, I was struggling to figure out Sean Payton’s quarterback plans after letting go of Russell Wilson, despite still owing him $40 million. The Denver Broncos lacked the cap space for any high-priced free agent, were absent of the draft capital needed to move up for a top-three pick, and obviously, Jarrett Stidham could never be the answer. But it all became clear the other morning as I sat in bed watching the 1987 classic, The Princess Bride. Remember the scene in The Princess Bride, when the man in black (Westley) challenges Vizzini in a Battle of Wits to …
In a Super Bowl that featured celebrities in the stands, clever commercials, and of course, Taylor Swift, it would be easy to lose focus as a sportswriter and simply put together 1100 words that avoid…
In a Super Bowl that…
In a Super Bowl that featured celebrities in the stands, clever commercials, and of course, Taylor Swift, it would be easy to lose focus as a sportswriter and simply put together 1100 words that avoided the game – and just focused on the Swifties, and their clicks. But Super Bowl LVIII wasn’t just about Taylor. It was about heroes like Andy Reid, Travis Kelce, and Pat Mahomes. Not the Anti-Hero. The game deserves an article that treats the play on the field with respect. Not a Blank Space. All that attention on Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Ice Spice, and Usher. I’m just going t…
Spanning over two weekends, Coachella is best known for the biggest names on the biggest of stages. No, I am not talking about Beyonce, Bad Bunny, or Harry Styles. I’m talking about the other Coac…
Spanning over two we…
Spanning over two weekends, Coachella is best known for the biggest names on the biggest of stages. No, I am not talking about Beyonce, Bad Bunny, or Harry Styles. I’m talking about the other Coachella. As in, the big stage of NFL and NCAA coaches that are stealing all the headlines. Nick Saban calling it quits at Alabama, Pete Carroll stepping down in Seattle, and Bill Belichick moving on from New England. The warmup acts had a little star power as well. Kalen DeBoer leaves the Huskies for the Crimson Tide, Jerod Mayo is the man for the Pats, Mike Vrabel no longer a Titan. Co…
With just two games remaining in the Denver Broncos season, Sean Payton made the decision to bench quarterback Russell Wilson. Essentially a move that put an end to Wilson’s future in Denver. …
With just two games …
With just two games remaining in the Denver Broncos season, Sean Payton made the decision to bench quarterback Russell Wilson. Essentially a move that put an end to Wilson’s future in Denver. Moving on from a quarterback that was only 11-18 in his two seasons as a Bronco. That’s football. Replacing a quarterback that doesn’t fit the coach’s scheme, acquired by the previous regime. That’s commonplace. Benching a quarterback as a scapegoat, implying that it wasn’t the coaching, but rather, the execution of the plays. That happens. Preferring a cheap quarterb…
‘Twas the night before Christmas with stars in the heaven. The Broncos were hosting at seven and seven. There was Belichick, the Pats, but no longer Tom Brady. It was now Bailey Zappe, New Engl…
‘Twas the night be…
‘Twas the night before Christmas with stars in the heaven. The Broncos were hosting at seven and seven. There was Belichick, the Pats, but no longer Tom Brady. It was now Bailey Zappe, New England’s hopes were Slim Shady. But the Broncos this season were a bit of a mess. Scaring opponents but still scared of success. Who starts 1-5 and then goes 6-2? Who hopes for the playoffs when the playoffs are through? Miami scores 70 like we’re a cheap set of gnomes. We then beat Josh Allen and the great Pat Mahomes? We choked to the Raiders and that Jets game was foul. …
The College Football Playoff (CFP) committee must have had some tough conversations following Alabama’s 27-24 victory over top-ranked Georgia in last Saturday’s SEC Championship game. If the co…
The College Football…
The College Football Playoff (CFP) committee must have had some tough conversations following Alabama’s 27-24 victory over top-ranked Georgia in last Saturday’s SEC Championship game. If the committee was about fairness, the path seemed clear. Michigan (13-0) was the obvious number one seed after a 26-0 dismantling of Iowa in the Big Ten finale. In the Pac-12, Washington (13-0) had secured the number two seed with a 34-31 nail-biter over Oregon. Florida State (13-0) stayed unbeaten by winning the ACC title, 16-6 over Louisville. Inevitably, leaving just Alabama (12-1) and Texas (12…
The Thanksgiving table can get contentious at times. Generations of family loudly discussing politics, sports, and the proper use of nonbinary pronouns. Grandpa may never understand the difference…
The Thanksgiving tab…
The Thanksgiving table can get contentious at times. Generations of family loudly discussing politics, sports, and the proper use of nonbinary pronouns. Grandpa may never understand the difference between he/him/his and they/them/theirs, but he will go to his deathbed with the belief that Bill Russell with his 11 rings, is the greatest basketball player of all-time. Cousin Logan is a millennial. He listens to 32 podcasts a week, pays $6.50 for his coffee each morning, and swears in his vintage Kobe Bryant signature shoes, that the G.O.A.T. is Kobe Bryant. Aunt Suzy thinks that Kareem…
Welcome back to Jeopardy. Thanks to bad luck, some bad karma, a crappy offensive-line, and a torn ACL, I’m your host, Aaron Rodgers. Our three contestants have breezed through categories that in…
Welcome back to Jeop…
Welcome back to Jeopardy. Thanks to bad luck, some bad karma, a crappy offensive-line, and a torn ACL, I’m your host, Aaron Rodgers. Our three contestants have breezed through categories that include Quantum Physics, Biomechanics, and 14th Century Poetry, but our final category may be the most challenging subject of them all. Robert, you’re up. I’ll take Week Nine NFL Quarterbacks for $400. This Devito probably took a TAXI to the stadium before being SUBBED in for New York Giant’s quarterback Daniel Jones, who tore his ACL. (buzzer sound) Who is Danny DeVito? …
Opening the 2023-24 NBA season against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers would have been big enough news by itself, but tonight there is more. The team will probably come running out onto the…
Opening the 2023-24 …
Opening the 2023-24 NBA season against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers would have been big enough news by itself, but tonight there is more. The team will probably come running out onto the court as the DJ blasts Tobe Nwigwe’s song “Fye Fye.” Flashing lights will shoot across the darkened arena like a European dance club. The Finals MVP, Nikola Jokic, will probably say a few words. And the Championship banner will slowly be hoisted to the rafters to deafening applause. But we are no longer just the Denver Nuggets. We are the reigning World Champion Denver Nuggets – an…
Besides the sugar-buzz from devouring fun-sized Snicker bars all weekend, the best part was watching famous athletes walking arena halls in their Halloween best. The Celtics’ Grant Williams went …
Besides the sugar-bu…
Besides the sugar-buzz from devouring fun-sized Snicker bars all weekend, the best part was watching famous athletes walking arena halls in their Halloween best. The Celtics’ Grant Williams went full Gotham in a Batman costume. Atlanta’s Trae Young dressed as the Black Panther. The Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic was appropriately made up as The Joker. And most everyone else in the sports world showed up as some type of character from Stranger Things. I didn’t happen to catch what quarterback Russell Wilson dressed up as pre-game, but I had a few guesses. • Russell could have dres…
Legendary NFL linebacker Dick Butkus passed away last week in his Malibu home at the age of 80. Butkus played nine seasons for the Chicago Bears and was known for the ferocious, intense, and aggres…
Legendary NFL lineba…
Legendary NFL linebacker Dick Butkus passed away last week in his Malibu home at the age of 80. Butkus played nine seasons for the Chicago Bears and was known for the ferocious, intense, and aggressive way that he attacked the game. Born Richard Marvin Butkus, Butkus grew up the youngest of eight children growing up in a rough, blue-collar area on the south-side of Chicago. Butkus stayed local during his college years and attended the University of Illinois before being drafted third overall by his hometown Bears in 1965. Butkus would go on to make eight Pro Bowls, two NFL All-Decade…
To call the weekend football games disappointing would be an understatement. To call them disheartening wouldn’t quite be enough. To call them a disaster – now we are getting close. The Color…
To call the weekend …
To call the weekend football games disappointing would be an understatement. To call them disheartening wouldn’t quite be enough. To call them a disaster – now we are getting close. The Colorado Buffaloes and Deion’s boys faced off against tenth-ranked Oregon in Eugene. The Buffs showed up with their usual swagger – dancing on the opposing team’s logo and talking trash. But in the end, it would be Oregon dancing in the endzone, and letting their performance do the talking for them. Oregon coach Dan Lanning screamed in his opening speech to the team – “They’re fighting…
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