El Presidente has posted video of the Denver Tax Day Tea Party, but the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel has the video coverage of Colorado’s largest Western Slope gathering.
The apparent highlight of the event was the rousing speech of Ryan Frazier, who also announced a formal step toward a U.S. Senate campaign (watch the video below the fold): (more…)
“Breaking” news from the Dead Governors: Marc Holtzman won’t be running for governor.
Hey, don’t yawn at me like that. — Oh, I see … you’re yawning at their headline? — So what you’re trying to say is the Dead Guvs aren’t exactly the source of breaking news for things happening on the Republican side of the aisle here in Colorado? — Okay, okay, call me Captain Obvious. But I’m not the only one around here….
Sources also have shared with Mt. Virtus a sneak peek at some possible upcoming headlines from the Democrat Pols blog:
Breaking: Bill Owens Says He Doesn’t Want Governor’s Job Again
Breaking: Jane Norton ‘Not in the Mix’ to Take On Ritter
Breaking: Bruce Benson to Stay at CU, Won’t Vie for Governor’s Chair
Breaking: Ward Churchill NOT a GOP Candidate to Replace Ritter
Breaking: Tim Gill Rules Out Controversial Republican Run for Governor
Breaking: Lindsey Vonn Rumored to Pass on Gubernatorial Campaign
Breaking: Carmelo Anthony Opts for Playoffs Over Ritter Challenge
Breaking: Fray Duo Slade and King Reject Statewide Campaign Rumors
Breaking: Amazing Race Star Mom Says 2010 ‘Not Right’ for High Office
Hey — By the way, did you hear Jay Cutler won’t be the Broncos’ starting quarterback next season?
Snow is on the ground, but the Major League Baseball regular season is here. Hopes are renewed. Leading up to the season, Michael at Best Destiny has featured his takes on the best baseball movies ever. I largely concur with his opinions.
As a Detroit Tigers fan, I consider myself sufficiently humbled after last year’s crash from the plateau of high expectations — a crash of epic proportions. This year the team looks somewhat different, definitely younger, and based on significant uncertainty in the bullpen could finish almost anywhere in the division.
But it’s April 6, and I’m hoping for the best.
As for the hometown Colorado Rockies (my National League team), they likewise are relieved of the burden of high expectations. In a weak National League West, almost anything is possible.
For both teams, playing meaningful games in playoff contention come September would be signs of a successful season. Anything more than that would be icing on the cake. For now, though, it’s just time to step back and holler: “Play Ball!”
I was looking forward to visiting my parents this summer near Grand Rapids, Michigan — maybe catching some minor league baseball action. Now I know there’s a genuinely tempting challenge involved, I’ll have to make a point of going to Fifth Third Ballpark.
4,800 calories? Methinks it’s not on the Weight Watchers plan. But a reason to miss the state of my birth? Perhaps.
After a so-so 12-4 showing in my first day selections, here are the picks for Friday’s scheduled first round games with my projected winners in bold: (more…)
I’ve decided to do something a little different with this year’s NCAA Tournament and the blog. I’ll be posting my picks on a day-by-day basis. Below are a list of tomorrow’s scheduled first round games with my projected winners in bold: (more…)
A mildly disturbing story that makes me wish sometimes we could keep the world of sports / entertainment separate from the larger political world. From an ESPN article about my favorite baseball team’s All-Star right fielder and a loathsome, repressive dictator:
President Hugo Chavez came to the defense of Magglio Ordonez on Sunday, slamming Venezuelan baseball fans who booed the major leaguer at the World Baseball Classic.
Chavez lamented that his friendship with Ordonez prompted catcalls from the mostly Venezuelan crowd during the team’s 3-1 victory over the Netherlands in Miami on Saturday, saying the fans who booed the Detroit Tigers slugger “have no shame.”…
Ordonez, one of Venezuela’s biggest baseball stars, appeared in a television ad last month supporting a proposal by Chavez to eliminate term limits for the president and other elected officials through a constitutional amendment. Voters approved the proposal in a Feb. 15 referendum.
The outfielder also joined the socialist for a friendly softball game ahead of the vote….
Say it ain’t so, Magglio.
I could have gone on never reading that story, living instead in ignorant bliss. Three weeks ’till Opening Day.
Following up on last year’s colossal mistake, here is my pick for tomorrow’s big game:
Super Bowl XLIII (Feb 1, 2009 – Tampa, FL):
Pittsburgh Steelers (15-4) 21
Arizona Cardinals (12-8) 17
MVP: Troy Polamalu
Here’s hoping I’m colossally wrong again, and not just because of the President’s leanings.
Say what you will, the 0-16 Detroit Lions at least are doing something to alleviate complaints that too many top-flight college athletes are jumping ship early and skipping out on finishing their degrees. From today’s Detroit Free Press:
There has been speculation that the fear of becoming a Lion was one of the variables Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford considered when he opted to remain at Oklahoma. It was also a consideration for Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, who’ll return to the Longhorns….
The deadline for declaring for the draft came Thursday. There were surprises along with Sanchez. Mississippi junior defensive end Greg Hardy, who had 8 1/2 sacks and 9 1/2 tackles for loss last season, opted to remain at Ole Miss. He could’ve become this draft’s Mario Williams, who rose up the rankings through the combine and became the No. 1 overall pick three years ago.
But now Hardy is not an option for the Lions.
Who’s next? Apparently, with a few exceptions, the word is getting through the grapevine to the cream of college football talent: Stay in school. It beats having to play for a demoralizing, career-killing, amateur-quality franchise.
But what happens in the very likely event the Detroit Lions also have the Number 1 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft? Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, and company might be pushing and shoving each other around, saying: “No, take him. He’s really the best.” It might be the closest to modesty we ever see from a lot of this nation’s best young football players.
I can feel the pain of my home state of Michigan (and no, I’m not referring to the bitter cold temperatures we’re experiencing here along the Front Range).
The angst coming from the Motor City and its environs is palpable. One of the most poignant examples, at least from my perspective, relates to a scheduled weekend appearance by Kentucky’s U.S. Senator (and former Detroit Tigers pitcher) Jim Bunning. Detroit Free Press columnist Brian Dickerson ripped Bunning a new one after the Republican Senator voted against the UAW’s federal government bailout deal.
Dickerson wrote:
He may be losing his marbles, but U.S. senator and ex-Tiger pitching great Jim Bunning still has big brass cojones.
After all, most of the GOP senators conspiring to kill a House rescue package for Detroit’s auto companies wouldn’t have the guts to set foot in Michigan this week, much less hawk their autographs to beleaguered Michiganders at $55 a pop.
But Hall of Famer Bunning — a vocal opponent of the auto loans — will do both of those things Sunday when he journeys to the deepest heart of UAW country.
He’ll sign baseballs ($35), posters ($45) and jerseys or gloves ($55) from noon to 2 p.m. at the Gibraltar Trade Center in Taylor, then head over to Solidarity House to knock back a few cold ones with UAW President Ron Gettelfinger.
I’m kidding about the Gettelfinger part, of course; Bunning more likely will be wheels-up before the sun sets on Metro Airport. I just hope he has the good sense to make the round-trip to Taylor in a Detroit-manufactured vehicle — even if it does cheese off Toyota, whose largest American plant is in Bunning’s home state of Kentucky.
The next morning, Gibraltar Trade Center ownership ended up pulling the plug on the event. (Good thing Al Kaline, Alan Trammell, and Ernie Harwell aren’t in the Senate.) (more…)
When people learn that I grew up in Michigan, occasionally I hear the question of whether my sports fan loyalties still lie in the land of my childhood. “That depends,” I say. “Detroit Tigers? Detroit Red Wings? Yes.”
“What about the Lions?”
“Uh, check please….” I’m pretty sure I’ve been cured of that disease. How do I know? Well, reading through DJ Gallo’s ESPN Page 2 column this evening, I found myself laughing out loud at this segment: (more…)
This is one in a series of daily posts I conceived of writing many weeks ago while the election still raged on, as I looked for something to write about of more lasting value. The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving seemed perfectly appropriate for it. Just in case you wondered, the topics introduced are not necessarily in any particular order. I hope the series is of some small encouragement to you, even as my site traffic takes a dive.
America’s pastime. Come November, the crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd seem distant memories. But hope springs eternal in the heart of the baseball fan.
For the 19th and penultimate edition of this thankfulness series, I want to express my gratitude for a game – yes, but not just any game. And I want to do so by cheating, perhaps … quoting a couple excerpts from a column I penned for the Hillsdale Daily News on April 2, 2002, titled “Ernie Harwell reminds us what baseball is about”: (more…)
This is one in a series of daily posts I conceived of writing many weeks ago while the election still raged on, as I looked for something to write about of more lasting value. The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving seemed perfectly appropriate for it. Just in case you wondered, the topics introduced are not necessarily in any particular order. I hope the series is of some small encouragement to you, even as my site traffic takes a dive.
This is an easier kind of surprise to write about than “the surprises God sends my way”. And it’s quite a surprise that I’m even writing about it.
Yesterday, out of the blue and completely unexpected, a co-worker gave me a very thoughtful gift: a baseball autographed by future Hall-of-Fame relief pitcher and all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman (it doesn’t hurt to know that my own Detroit Tigers may be courting the free agent this offseason). I was quite taken aback by the thoughtfulness and generosity behind it.
This co-worker had invited me and the lovely Mrs. Virtus to attend the Denver Rotary’s Branch Rickey Award ceremony – which has a great story behind it, as well. Unfortunately, we were unable to attend. Diehard baseball fan that I am, it wasn’t easy to give the regrets while knowing that Trevor Hoffman would be there in person. But alas, I gave it very little further thought.
Then this morning, I learned of a sudden that this co-worker had gone out of her way and waited in line to get the baseball personally autographed for me. Kind of humbling, really. It’s that kind of unexpected generosity that should evoke not only gratitude and appreciation but also the desire to replicate it to others around us. Thanks again, Nancy!
The Denver Post this morning gives a sneak peek of the Democratic National Convention podium inside the Pepsi Center (H/T Complete Colorado). My first reactions to what the podium looks like: An acid trip back to the 1970s (can you imagine Jimmy Carter giving a speech there opening night)? The set of a cheesy Fox TV reality show (Bill Clinton might just fit in onstage)? …
Or how about the movie Tron?
Whatever it is, the podium may be another piece of the poor planning that may threaten a Barack Obama post-Convention bounce. Or maybe he can just get bounce from a Lightbike ride…
The DNC craziness has just barely begun. Keep up with coverage you won’t find anywhere else at the Peoples Press Collective.
Watching hot air balloons might never have been so much fun as this: Americans for Prosperity’s Hot Air Tour is coming to Colorado, starting tomorrow (Wednesday) morning at Broomfield County Commons Park (13200 Sheridan Blvd).
What am I talking about?
Climate alarmists have bombarded citizens with apocalyptic scenarios and pressured them into environmental political correctness. It’s time to tell the other side of the story.
Americans for Prosperity is working hard to bring you the missing half of the global warming debate. What will the impacts of reactionary legislation be for you, your family and our economy?
Be among the first 50 to pre-register online for the Broomfield event tomorrow – or for events later this week in Fort Collins, Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction, or Denver – … and get a free T-shirt.
It’s the hot air balloon tour Al Gore tried – and failed – to ground.
And I’m told, all the Colorado stops on the Hot Air Tour will also be calling out Mark Udall for his energy record. Fun, information, and future savings for the whole family!
For more information, contact Jim Pfaff at jpfaff@afphq.org or (303) 957- 8600.
