Tag: Mark Kiszla
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Mark Kiszla: Why Mikaela Shiffrin won’t be a klutz in the clutch at the Olympics this time
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – Mikaela Shiffrin showed up at the Olympics, rocking and ready for her close-up in front of the whole wide world, then promptly got rudely photobombed by a total klutz. Damn, girl. Can you say em-bar-rass-ing? The 30-year-old Colorado native is the greatest skier since the invention of snow … except when…
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Mark Kiszla: Olympic siblings Birk and Svea Irving get love letters from an American literary giant
MILAN – Before freestyle skier Birk Irving leaps into the ravenous jaws of the beast, he routinely smiles like a hero in a paperback novel. Oh, what a tale his thoughts could tell. Irving competes in the cold and unforgiving halfpipe, where Olympic dreams go to die. “A 22-foot tall monster,” as Irving likes to…
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Mark Kiszla: How little hug between U.S. hockey hero and toddler gave Olympics its first big goosebumps moment
MILAN — The big, beautiful, goosebump-inducing noise of the Olympics can be as quiet as the rhythmic breathing of a toddler napping on a hockey hero’s shoulder. Unable to wait until the Opening Ceremony, the Winter Games got a 24-hour head start at becoming a rip-roaring party, as the U.S. women’s team rocked Czechia 5-1…
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Mark Kiszla: In a nation divided, can Olympics give love for the U-S-A a chance?
MILAN, Italy — Is it hopelessly naive to think five Olympic rings can bind 345 million American hearts in our bickering nation? When we stand to shout U-S-A! during the Winter Games, can it unite us in red, white and blue pride, or does the chant now ring hollow? “I’m incredibly proud to be here…
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Mark Kiszla: Lindsey Vonn’s idea of fun? Skiing 80 mph at Olympics on a shredded knee
MILAN, Italy — With a ghost in her ear and no fear in her heart, Lindsey Vonn is hellbent on fulfilling a dream that would sound like an absolute nightmare to most any other 41-year-old woman on the planet. Skiing down a mountain at 80 mph? That’s crazy. But doing it on a trashed knee…
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Mark Kiszla: Broncos as Super Bowl champs next season? NFL history says: It’s dang near impossible.
After traveling the long road back to Super Bowl contention, the Broncos’ next step is the steepest climb. It’s not a hop, skip and a jump to a championship. It’s more like a giant, don’t-look-down leap of faith and fortitude. “I will not use that (phrase): ‘Take the next step.’ You go back to the…
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Kickin’ It with Kiz: How Bo Nix pushed ahead of Sean Payton as the most powerful man in Broncos Country
Worried about a history of ankle injuries to Broncos quarterback Bo Nix? There’s another pro athlete with notoriously bad ankles. Goes by the name of Stephen Curry. If Nix turns out to be the NFL’s version of Curry, I think Broncos Country would be OK with it. – E.N., sitting by dock of the bay…
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Mark Kiszla: First big move to get Broncos to Super Bowl will require Sean Payton to swallow his enormous pride
Sean Payton considers himself a funny guy, but this ain’t no joke. Are the Broncos truly serious about winning the Super Bowl? Of course. Will Payton let nothing stand in the way of bringing a championship to Denver? Let’s hope so. If a championship ring is the thing, Payton needs to put aside his ego…
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Mark Kiszla: Take the points, knucklehead. Worst call of Sean Payton’s career cost Broncos a trip to Super Bowl.
When the going gets tough, Broncos coach Sean Payton gets cute. And football is a game where cute gets you beat. This 10-7 loss to New England will forever be haunted by words as bitter as the snow that swirled around Payton on a wintry Sunday afternoon. Take the points, knucklehead. The Broncos won’t be…
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Mark Kiszla: These DU Pioneers can look like champs or chumps, all in span of 24 hours
Here’s the $64,000 question for a talented DU hockey team that sometimes isn’t worth two bits: Why can’t these Pioneers kick butt and take names every night, the way they did Saturday in a 6-0 rout of St. Cloud State? “Why is it a $64,000 question?” DU coach David Carle, playfully turning the question back…