Angela Rae Harris's Blog, page 18

3 takeaways from the first preseason loss for the Avalanche

The dream of a completely undefeated season is dead. Oh well, it all starts fresh next week when the real games begin. Colorado fell to the Vegas Golden Knights by a score of 2-1, handing the Avalanche their first loss of the preseason.

Here are three takeaways from Colorado’s second-to-last preseason game Wednesday.

Anyone expecting sweeping changes on the power play is likely to be disappointed. Dave Hakstol, who was hired this summer to replace Ray Bennett as the power play coach, said last week that you’d see “tweaks” as opposed to large changes. Those tweaks are a little difficult to distinguish at the moment, as it looks largely like the same setup they finished last season with for the top unit. There’s no point in getting too up in arms about how a man advantage performs in meaningless games, as the vets aren’t exactly going 100%, but it’s not going to be a radically different setup when MacKinnon and Makar are on the ice. Everything still runs through those two. The second unit will likely have more of a “shoot first” mentality with Brent Burns at the point and Gabriel Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin in front.When the Avalanche take on the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, it’ll likely be Scott Wedgewood in net as Mackenzie Blackwood makes his way back from injury. Wedgewood was a bright spot for the Avalanche against the Golden Knights, making 30 saves on 32 shots, including a few breakaway stops. He’s more than capable of holding down the fort until Colorado’s No. 1 is healthy.Some Avalanche players have talked about how it’s just normal to see Landeskog on the ice now. That seemed impossible about eight months ago, but he’s back and looks like himself. His goal in the first period, the only goal the Avalanche scored, was a bit of vintage Landeskog. Waits for the screen to develop and beats the goaltender up high. He nearly tied the game up late but it wasn’t meant to be. While it’s normal for the Avalanche players to see Landeskog on the ice, it’s not for the opposition. Late in the third, right before a faceoff, Brett Howden leaned in and said something to Landeskog. It’s a good bet it was something to the effect of “it’s great to see you back.”

Not funny: Future of Denver’s signature comedy festival uncertain

Denver East High celebrates film legacies of Hattie McDaniel, Harold Lloyd and Pam Grier

It was, by all outward appearances, another wildly successful High Plains Comedy Festival, which again gathered more than 100 standups over three days at several venues along South Broadway last month.

This year’s fest also featured an expanded swath of clever comedy programming such as game shows, filmed sketches, podcast recordings and a unique riff on “Mystery Science 3000.” Most fun perhaps was a reverse comedy roast: Competing comedians were charged with killing each other with kindness. One of the matches paired a professional comedian brother against his professional comedian sister. The headlining event was a Kyle Kinane appearance at the Paramount.

All told, it was another triumphant weekend for the festival, launched in 2013 by Adam Cayton-Holland, who has been making his own inroads as a novelist, TV creator and, now screenwriter. (A film called “See You When I See You,” based on his searing family memoir “Tragedy Plus Time,” directed by Jay Duplass and featuring Kaitlyn Dever, David Duchovny and Hope Davis, is in post-production.     

The importance of the High Plains Comedy Festival to neighborhood business was made all the more plain with the disquieting news from July that the Underground Music Showcase – in some ways the model upon which the otherwise unrelated High Plains festival is based – will not return to the Baker neighborhood next July for the first time in 21 years, at least in “in its current form.” That was a big blow to the Broadway Merchants Association, which represents the more than 200 largely independent and locally owned businesses in the neighborhood.

But the future of the 13-year-old festival is now nothing if not uncertain. On its closing day Sept. 21, Cayton-Holland posted a troubling message on Instagram that said  he was broken. “Is this the last year?” he wrote. “Time will tell. Interested, non-whorish larger powers that be: Let’s chat.”

Cayton-Holland is known for not wasting a single word in his comedy routines, and that post was laced with subtext probably only known to his inner circle. But he made the future of the festival clear enough: It’s unclear.

Asked to provide additional context, Cayton-Holland did not walk back his post, but he made clear he would not be further talking about the subject publicly. “Time will tell,” he reiterated.

Whatever’s really going on behind the scenes here isn’t good for anyone, from the comedians Cayton Holland and creative partner Karen Wachtel have amplified over the years, to the local comedy fans who attend in large numbers, to the aforementioned businesses that have greatly benefitted from the twin festivals that, over time, have come to largely define the vibe of the neighborhood. The area has been slowly returning to its former glory as a busy and eclectic transit corridor filled with eclectic antique shops, restaurants, music venues and hip coffee shops. The Broadway Merchants Association is now seeking to create a general improvement district surrounding Broadway from Speer Boulevard to Interstate 25. Its leader, Luke Johnson, did not respond to a request for comment on the fate of the comedy festival.

Whatever that fate is, Cayton-Holland is rightly proud of the legacy he has built.

“High Plains is good for the soul,” Cayton-Holland told The Denver Gazette. “I always come away from the fest blown away and inspired.”

Suzanne Lloyd and her son, Christopher, are directly related to Harold Lloyd. (Not that other Christopher Lloyd.) JOHN MOORE/DENVER GAZETTE

Denver East film legacies

The descendants of two prominent Denver East High School graduates were in Denver over the weekend seeking to preserve and celebrate the legacies of Hattie McDaniel and Harold Lloyd.

Kevin John Goff, McDaniel’s great grand-nephew, has dedicated much of his life to expanding the narrative beyond McDaniel’s place in history as the first Black actor to win an Oscar. She also faced both severe discrimination and hindsight criticism by subsequent leaders of the Black civil-rights movement for a career largely playing servant roles. The quote that echoes long since her death was her assertion that “I would rather play a maid than be one.”

Goff was a guest at a unique festival celebrating the 150th anniversary of Denver East High School, located directly across the street from Denver Film’s Sie Film Center.

Film essayist Lisa Kennedy converses with Hattie McDaniel descendant Kevin John Goff at the Sie Film Center on Sept. 27, 2025. JOHN MOORE/DENVER GAZETTE

After a screening of John Ford’s star-studded but largely forgotten 1942 film “In this Our Life,” Goff told the gathered Sie Film Center audience that even though McDaniel left Denver for Hollywood before graduating, her family remained in Denver, and she considered Denver to be “the only home she ever had.”

In “In This Our Life,” an unsettling precursor to “To Kill a Mockingbird,” McDaniel plays a maid to a rich family whose drunk and spoiled debutante (Bette Davis) runs a woman and her daughter off the road (killing the girl) – only to falsely claim McDaniel’s son was driving.

But in this story, Davis’ sister (Olivia de Havilland) and her principled lawyer right the racial wrong. In real life, Goff said, Davis and McDaniel were good friends. “As a matter of fact, they both served on the Hollywood Victory Committee during World War II and entertained the troops together during the war,” he said in a post-screening conversation moderated by esteemed local film essayist Lisa Kennedy (herself an East grad). In fact, Davis, he added, “was one of the few White performers who would go over and entertain the Black troops.”

Kennedy said the mistake revisionists make regarding McDaniel’s considerable career “is that we tend to view every performance as a domestic as if it’s the same performance, and the same character, when it’s not.”

Goff agreed. “When she had the opportunity to show a little nuance and different layers, it showed what she could have done on an even bigger scale, had she been offered more of that type of material.”

Lloyd, who attended Denver East in 1911, was a silent film giant whose work was significant for

defining the optimistic “everyman” character and pioneering sophisticated, thrill-infused comedy. East FilmFest audiences were treated to his 1925 “The Freshman.”

Granddaughter Suzanne Lloyd says she was largely raised by Harold until his death when she was 19. She was tickled to come to Denver from L.A., where she teaches classes in silent film, to champion Lloyd’s work at this student-centered film festival because of his connection to young audiences.

“My grandfather loved showing his films at high schools and on college campuses,” she told the Denver Gazette. “You know what? It’s so healthy for people just to turn around and laugh and have a moment to get out of their space and go back to a different time. And Harold Lloyd is so American. I mean, he did not come from New York. He came from Nebraska.”

As a teenager, she said, he came with his dad to live in Denver for a short time. “He actually graduated from a high school in San Diego, where he started his film career with Thomas Edison.”

One donor to this East FilmFest was Philip C. Bailey, an East alum and lead singer of Earth Wind & Fire. A planned appearance by Pam Grier (“Jackie Brown,” class of 1967), was scuttled at the last minute.

John Moore is the Denver Gazette’s Senior Arts Journalist. Email him at john.moore@denvergazette.com

Mark Kiszla: Say hello to Nikola Jokic’s ‘little’ friend and big reason to believe in Nuggets’ championship vibe

Goodbye, chaos. Hello, championship?

With heads no longer stuck in their … feelings, the Nuggets again have their eyes on the prize.

“Trying to win another championship,” guard Jamal Murray said.

That’s a refreshing change from a Denver team that wasted too much of last season just trying to get to tomorrow, while hating how one frustrating day melted into the next.

“I hate saying it like I’m a cheerleader, but it’s also the vibe,” said Nuggets coach David Adelman, describing the intangibles that define a champion. “It’s not just the X’s and O’s. Are you happy to be here?”

Change is hard, especially when it requires scrubbing the locker room walls from a culture that had grown stale and moldy.

But don’t take my word for it. Ask three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, whose chest had no choice except to grow enormous to house his caring heart.

After being eliminated from the postseason by Oklahoma City, Joker was  forced to say farewell to a band of dear basketball brothers. Michael Porter Jr., DeAndre Jordan, Russell Westbrook, Dario Saric and Vlatko Cancar. All gone.

“There’s a bunch of my friends who left: DJ, Russ, Vlatko, Dario,” Jokic joked. “So I need to find some new friends.”

Don’t you fret, Big Honey.

After an extreme makeover of Denver’s roster with the additions of Cam Johnson, Jonas Valanciunas, Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr., Jokic is now hanging out with a much higher grade of people to help win him another championship ring.

“Your best players have to demand what the vibe will be daily,” Adelman said. “They can’t go into their shell and only worry about how they’re doing throughout the season. They have to manage the team as much as I do.”

Within moping distance of quick and merciful elimination from the NBA playoffs last spring, the Nuggets abruptly fired Michael Malone, the best coach in franchise history.

Truth be known, what that group needed was a shrink, not a coach.

When Westbrook was good, he conjured misty-colored memories of his former MVP self. But when Captain Chaos was bad, he was horrid. And grumpy.

Aaron Gordon bravely muddled through after the tragic death of his brother, while the family strife in Michael Porter Jr.’s life wrapped his feathery jump shot in a wet blanket.

From November through May, the mostly cloudy weather with a chance of meatballs that swirled around Murray’s up-and-often-down performance never really changed.

Maybe worse of all, the rocky relationship between general manager Calvin Booth and Malone was as cringy as binging back-to-back-to-back episodes of Dr. Phil.

The lesson to be learned from a team that spent too much of last season feeling sorry for itself?

“We can’t let little stuff derail us,” Murray said.

Adelman was more blunt: “The second that things become cliquey in life, things suck. We have to make sure we’re not that group.”

When Hardaway and Brown sat side-by-side in front of microphones at the dais during media day, it was a stark reminder of why the poor work of Booth made Malone mad enough to call a rage timeout while watching the Denver bench blow yet another lead.

Between them, Brown and Hardaway have amassed nearly two full decades of NBA wisdom, not to mention more airline miles than some United Airlines pilots. They will make Adelman’s first full season as a head coach infinitely easier, from the court to the team bus and all points in between.

Brown chased the bag out of Denver after winning a championship in 2023. Two years later, he discovered that the money is nice, but the grass isn’t always green. So he happily took the veteran minimum salary and returned to a city where he feels at home wearing a cowboy hat and has Jokic on his side.

“Perfect fit for me,” Brown said.

A Denver bench that was living on a prayer is now stocked with pros’ pros.

Maybe the biggest addition of all?

A big, burly and furry Lithuanian bear named Valanciunas.

This bear doesn’t dance.

“I never back down from the contact. I never back down from the physical play. … Toughness is probably the most developed skill of me,” said Valanciunas, who has scored more than 12,000 points and inflicted almost as many bruises since entering the league back in 2012.

Yes, Jokic is one of the 10 greatest NBA players of all time.

And Gordon is the team’s ever-lovin’ soul man.

But this Jonas dude, quick with a joke and quicker to smote a defender in the post, has a real shot to be your newest favorite Denver player.

At age 33, Valancuinas still possesses the rebounding and scoring skills that will allow Joker to rest in peace on the bench.

Go ahead and buy his replica Nuggets jersey, provided it’s available in anything less than size XXXXL. Need somebody to vouch to Valancuinas before you fork over the money?

“He’s qualified to be my friend,” Jokic said.

The wise guys from Las Vegas have proclaimed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his young Thunder mates as nearly prohibitive favorites to repeat as NBA champs.

I play the stock market rather than flushing money on sports wagers, because the Vegas Strip was built on fools who don’t know better.

So take this as nothing more than my two cents:

The current odds on the Nuggets winning the championship stand at +850.

There are no guarantees in life or basketball.

But I wouldn’t bet against Denver and OKC squaring off in another steel-cage match next spring.

This time, Joker will be bringing along his new friend Jonas as his tag-team partner.

The Thunder doesn’t want that smoke.

Small plane lands along major Colorado Springs road Wednesday morning

Many commuters were probably surprised when driving over the hill south of Stetson Hills Rd. to see a crashed plane sitting on the shoulder of Powers Blvd. A CSPD officer looks over the scene of a single-engine plane crash that used southbound Powers Blvd. as a landing strip between Stetson Hills Rd. and Barnes Rd. about 4 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. The plane was pushed to the shoulder so that both southbound lanes were still open, but moving very slowly. All on board were uninjured. (The Gazette, Jerilee Bennett)

A small airplane made an emergency crash landing onto Powers Boulevard in Colorado Springs early Wednesday morning, authorities reported.

At least one lane of southbound Powers Boulevard at Barnes Road remained closed at 7 a.m. after a single-engine plane landed there at 4:15 a.m., according to the Colorado Springs Police Department. Three people were on board, but no injuries were reported.

The Colorado Springs Fire Department reported the crash just after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. Since then, crews have been managing the wreck, and have contained a fuel leak coming from the plane.

There are no environmental concerns from the leak, CSPD spokesperson Ira Cronin confirmed.

Courtesy of CSFD.

“Traffic in the area will be affected throughout the morning rush hour and for the foreseeable future. Please avoid the area,” the Police Department said on X around 5:45 a.m.

Traffic is still being let through, but only one lane was open at around 5:15 a.m., Gazette news partner KOAA reported. The closure was expected to last several hours.

The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the crash, a spokesperson confirmed. The National Transportation Safety Board have also been notified.

The plane, a Piper PA-28, is registered to Allison Aviation LLC, the agency’s aircraft registry says. The plane was certified in July 2024. Public records show the business is located in Pueblo at 334 S. Pin High Drive.

Jamal Murray, David Adelman impressed by starters’ progress to start Denver Nuggets’ preseason

LA JOLLA, Calif. – There’s the usual rust that’s often present during preseason, but the Nuggets’ slightly tweaked starting lineup hit its stride on the second day of training camp.

“Just beginning, but what’s beginning looks dangerous and impactful,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said of his starters after Wednesday’s practice at UC San Diego. “(There’s) a lot of chemistry there.”

The chemistry should be about 80% there. Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokic return in their previous roles, while Cam Johnson is in line to replace Michael Porter Jr. after the Nuggets and Nets swapped small forwards in the summer. Johnson’s versatility has been lauded in his short time with his third NBA team.

“He can be anywhere on the floor,” Murray said of his new running mate. “He can be the dunker then space out. He can start with the ball and come off a screen. He’s a guy you have to chase. He can start in the corner, come off a DHO (dribble handoff). He has a quick release. He can catch them by surprise and then just go into his shot with no problem. There’s a lot of different things where it’s like, ‘This will help the whole game unfold for everybody.’”

The Nuggets have two more days of practice before the new starting five make their debut in Denver’s preseason opener against the Timberwolves. Murray said the biggest issue for the team is a common one at this point in the preseason – limiting turnovers.

“We’re good. We’re rusty,” Murray said of the starters. “Our timing is a little off right now, but we’re the same five that we’re used to.”

Denver’s starting point guard received praise for his leadership over the summer, making sure some of the young returners and new veterans like Johnson and Tim Hardaway Jr. were all in the gym together for some pick-up runs in Los Angeles. Murray said the emphasis on team building will continue once the team gets back to Denver and gets into the rhythm of the season. He planned to host a team dinner. For now, the focus is growing together on the court, and his coach said Murray set the tone on both ends Wednesday.

“Jamal was incredible today on both ends,” Adelman said. “Part of leadership is just your approach, not just what you say to your teammates or in the media. It’s how you actually approach each day. They’ve been really good for two days. … The first group was really good, really good defensively. Just another day of chemistry building.”

Murray has maintained the longer offseason allowed him and the others who played heavy minutes – both in the NBA and international competitions – the last couple of years to properly recharge ahead of another season with championship aspirations.

“Everybody came back fresh not only physically but mentally. I think that’s the biggest thing. The body follows the mind, so everybody is in good spirits, and we had a good couple of days,” Murray said.

“Coming off a loss to the champs, having a long offseason I think not just me, but everybody had a chance to recoup and regenerate and come to this training camp with a goal in mind.”

Stanley Cup champion and former Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson retires

After 17 seasons and 1,023 career NHL games, Erik Johnson is hanging up his skates.

The 37-year-old Johnson on Wednesday announced his retirement. He spent more than 13 of his 17 seasons wearing a Colorado Avalanche sweater.

“After 18 incredible years in the NHL, I am retiring with a heart full of gratitude,” Johnson said. “To the St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers and most of all the Colorado Avalanche: thank you for the opportunities and memories, especially the 2022 Stanley Cup. To my teammates, coaches, and staff: your support, camaraderie and dedication shaped my career. To the fans: your passion made every moment unforgettable. To my family and friends: your unconditional love and support carried me through. Hockey has been my life, and I’m grateful for every second. I’m excited for what’s next and will always cherish this journey.”

Johnson was acquired by the Avalanche from the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 19, 2011, and became one of the core players for the franchise. After some down years for the organization, rather than asking out, Johnson decided he wanted to be part of the solution to help the team get back to being a contender. His patience and perseverance paid off as the defenseman helped the Avalanche lift the Stanley Cup in 2022.

Johnson finished his career with the Avalanche when the team reacquired him at the trade deadline last season.

Johnson is one of only 16 defensemen in NHL history to be selected No. 1 overall in the entry draft. For the majority of his career, he was a minute-munching defenseman who could contribute at both ends of the ice. Toward the end of his career, he accepted and embraced a lesser defensive role that included mentoring younger players, something not every player wants to do as they get older, and a sign of Johnson’s character.

Gabriel Landeskog, who was drafted a few months after Johnson came to Colorado, became close friends with him as a teenager, a friendship that’s still going strong.

“He was the first guy that reached out to me when I was drafted in 2011 and we developed a special friendship,” Landeskog said. “He meant a lot to me and was able to help me out throughout my whole career, really.”

One of Johnson’s more memorable images came after Game 6 against Tampa Bay in the 2022 Stanley Cup final. Johnson and Nathan MacKinnon both came off the bench to celebrate, meeting in Colorado’s zone, falling to the ice in a hug.

“Just an awesome guy to be around,” MacKinnon said. “The season is so long, it’s such a grind that you need good people around, fun people, just that you want to hang out with. Just having fun people around like EJ is very important, and obviously he’s an amazing player, too.”

Johnson was picked to represent the United States at the 2010 Olympic Games and took home a silver medal. He finished his career with over 1,000 games, 348 points and one Stanley Cup championship.

That latter matters most to him.

Rocky Mountain National Park open with limited visitor services amid government shutdown

Rocky Mountain National Park in northern Colorado remains open during the federal government shutdown, which started Wednesday, though visitor services are limited.

With prime leaf-peeping season in full swing, the national park’s popular Glacier Gorge Trailhead crawled with visitors on Oct. 1.

A lone park ranger answered visitor questions at the trailhead, many of which were about the government shutdown, and many of which even park rangers weren’t sure how to answer.

Whether the park would remain open through the duration of the shutdown and what visitor services might stay open are not immediately clear.

Officials in Colorado offered to “partner” with the federal government to keep Rocky Mountain National Park, a key driver of tourism in the state, open in case of a shutdown, noting the park is in the middle of the popular leaf-viewing season. 

On Wednesday, Rocky Mountain was working on “skeleton staff,” according to a park ranger conversation overheard Wednesday by The Denver Gazette. A Rocky Mountain National Park spokesperson did not respond to the Denver Gazette’s request for further information about staffing numbers.

Estes Park Mayor Gary Hall also did not know what staff numbers in the park looked like Wednesday, he said, noting that information about park operations was “slow to come by.”

Congress is required to pass a series of 12 appropriations bills every year by Oct. 1 to fund the next fiscal year. The legislative body, however, has not passed any of the 12 bills ahead of that deadline.

On Wednesday, a park ranger told The Denver Gazette the Fall River Visitor Center on US-34 in Estes Park is open, but all other visitor centers are closed.

All park entrances are open, the park ranger said.

Outside of the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, which sits at the entrance to the park coming in from Estes Park, dozens of people tugged at the locked doors before realizing the information center and gift shop were closed.

Glenn Cincala and Nancy Mckenna, who came from the Denver area, said they hadn’t considered that the visitor centers would be closed due to the shutdown. They figured it out when they tugged at the door handles and found them locked.

Mckenna is frustrated at the government shut down, adding that she doesn’t want the park to close, but that it might be for the best to keep visitors from doing things they shouldn’t do while the park isn’t fully-staffed. The parks belong to the public, she said, and having limited services for visitors at the parks due to the shut down is “upsetting,” she said.

“These are our national parks, they belong to us,” Mckenna said. “It’s really important for people to be able to get out in nature and heal ourselves. I’m just very upset.”

If the park has to close, Cincala wouldn’t blame the park service, he said. Last time the government shut down, the park stayed open and there was “a lot of vandalism and trash, restrooms didn’t get cleaned,” he said.

“If they do shut the whole thing down, I’m happy,” he said.

While fee stations are staffed, fees are not being collected, since the National Park Service is not allowed to collect fees during a government shutdown. A fee collection ranger waved cars through Wednesday, stopping each briefly to tell visitors to have a good visit.

Meanwhile, up the Dream and Emerald Lake Trail, visitors blew past a trail closure sign and took photos from a closed restoration area.

In tandem but unrelated to the government shutdown, Dream Lake and Emerald Lake trails are closed through Thursday for a bridge replacement project, according to the park website and signage at the trailhead.

At the trail split where the closure starts, a ranger radioed to fellow staff that “tons of people” were ignoring the closure sign. Other visitors took photos from an area clearly marked with a “stay off, restoration area” sign.

All other trails in the Bear Lake area will remain open, the park website said.

More information about Rocky Mountain National Park, including alerts on trail and park closures, can be found on the National Park Service website.

Broncos captain D.J. Jones impressed with NFL debut of Sai’vion Jones | Broncos notebook

Broncos third-round rookie Sai’vion Jones made his NFL debut on Monday night. 

Jones — 6-foot-5 and 285-pound defensive end from LSU — played sparingly with six defensive snaps and two snaps on special teams. But it was enough to impress a team captain in a 28-3 home victory over the Bengals.  

“He’s relentless,” defensive lineman D.J Jones said about his rookie teammate. “He had a particular rush last night that I just watched on film. He’s very relentless. That one play showed me everything I needed to see. He wasn’t timid (Monday) night. He wanted to get in the game. I was very impressed with what he put on film.” 

Broncos defensive line coach Jamar Cain previously coached Sai’vion Jones during the 2022 college football season at LSU. Jones discussed that familiarity back in May during rookie minicamp at Broncos Park.  

“Being comfortable and trusting,” Jones said. “With a new coach, you have to build that from the ground. Already having the trust established is a whole other thing.” 

Defensive lineman Jordan Jackson was inactive Monday against the Chargers to give Jones his first NFL game appearance. The Broncos (2-2) travel to face the Eagles (4-0) on Sunday in Philadelphia.  

Eagles winning streak 

The Eagles have won 20 of their last 21 games dating back to last season. The defending Super Bowl champions are undefeated this year despite ranking No. 30 in the NFL for total offense (251.5 yards/game). Philadelphia’s defense has also produced just four sacks.  

But there is no overlooking the Eagles on a short week before traveling for the London game against the Jets. Tight end Adam Trautman described Philadelphia’s streak of one loss over 21 games as “pretty insane.” 

“It’s a team that you know is going to show up,” Trautman said. “You have to bring your best. Especially with a team like this, who is always at the top … they play teams every week that want to beat them. Like the saying: ‘You’re getting their best shot’ every week because you are the top dog. To be able to continuously win like they have is obviously super impressive.” 

Injury report

The Broncos did not practice Wednesday but provided an estimated injury report.

Tight end Nate Adkins was listed as a non-participant with a concussion. Two players were limited in outside linebacker Jonah Elliss (ribs) and wide receiver Marvin Mims (hip/ankle).

Outside linebacker Nik Bonitto (wrist) and inside linebacker Alex Singleton (thumb) were full participants.

Briefly 

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni is impressed with Denver’s pass rush. On Wednesday, the Eagles coach told Philadelphia media: “This is a really good defense. A lot of respect for them and the playmakers that they have at every level, especially at the edge position. They’re fast, they’re quick, they’re athletic, and they’re physical. All the things that you would imagine. These guys have it.” … The Eagles are a 3.5-point home favorite over the Broncos on Sunday, per ESPN Bet. … The Broncos did not have media availability on Wednesday. 

Denver area events for Oct. 1

If you have an event taking place in the Denver area, email information to  carlotta.olson@gazette.com  at least two weeks in advance. All events are listed in the calendar on space availability.

Wednesday

The Zach Howarth Trio Honors Roy Haynes — 6:30-7:45 p.m. and 8:45-10 p.m., Nocturne Jazz and Supper Club, 1330 27th St., Denver, go online for prices. Reservations: nocturnejazz.com/music.

Crypta — With Claustrofobia & Among the Bodies, 7 p.m., The Oriental Theater, 4435 W. 44th Ave., Denver, $33.23 and up. Tickets: theorientaltheater.com.

Patriarchy — With Spiritual Poison & Kill You Club DJs, 7 p.m., Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver, $18.85. Tickets: hi-dive.com/events.

Gabriel Santiago Orchestra — 7 p.m., Dazzle at Baur’s, 1080 14th St., Denver, go online for prices. Tickets: dazzledenver.com/#/events.

Sasha Colby — 7 p.m., Summit Music Hall, 1902 Blake St., Denver, $48 and up. Tickets: summitdenver.com.

Liam St. John — 7 p.m., Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St., Denver, $28 and up. Tickets: marquisdenver.com.

The World of Hans Zimmer – A New Dimension — 7:30 p.m., Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver, $78 and up. Tickets: ticketmaster.com.

Bert Kreischer — 7:30 p.m., Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison, $75 and up. Tickets: axs.com.

Steve Vanderploeg — 7:30 p.m., Comedy Works South at the Landmark, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village, $14. Tickets: comedyworks.com.

Autechre — With Mark Broom, 8 p.m., Ogden Theatre, 935 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, $48.92. Tickets: axs.com.

Sun Room — 8 p.m., Lost Lake Lounge, 3602 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, $37.34. Tickets: lost-lake.com.

Jembaa Groove — With Skankin’ Nation, 8 p.m., Cervantes’ Other Side, 2635 Welton St., Denver, $27.90. Tickets: cervantesmasterpiece.com.

Carter Vail — With Creature Canyon, 8 p.m., Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder, $32.69-$34.75. Tickets: axs.com.

“The Mousetrap” — Through Oct. 12, Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada, $58 and up. Tickets: arvadacenter.org.

CARLOTTA OLSON, The Denver Gazette

Government shutdown begins as nation faces new period of uncertainty

WASHINGTON • Plunged into a government shutdown, the U.S. is confronting uncertainty after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to strike an agreement to keep government programs and services running by Wednesday’s deadline.

Roughly 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed, some potentially fired by the Trump administration. Many offices will be shuttered, as Trump vowed to “do things that are irreversible, that are bad.”

The economic fallout is expected to ripple nationwide, including in Colorado, home to four national parks and a large federal center in metro Denver, where thousands of employees work.

“We don’t want it to shut down,” Trump said at the White House before the midnight deadline.

The president met privately with congressional leadership this week, but the parties failed to reach a deal.

This is the third time Trump has presided over a federal funding lapse, the first since his return to the White House this year.

Plenty of blame being thrown around

The Democrats picked this fight, which some said is unusual for the party that prefers to keep government running, but their voters are eager to challenge the president’s second-term agenda. Democrats are demanding funding for health care subsidies that are expiring for millions of people under the Affordable Care Act. That expiration, analysts said, would spike the costs of insurance premiums nationwide.

Republicans have refused to negotiate for now and have encouraged Trump to steer clear of any talks.

What neither side has devised is an easy offramp to prevent what could become a protracted closure. The ramifications are certain to spread beyond the political arena, upending the lives of Americans who rely on the government for benefit payments, work contracts and the various services being thrown into turmoil.

“What the government spends money on is a demonstration of our country’s priorities,” said Rachel Snyderman, a former White House budget official who is the managing director of economic policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center, a think tank in Washington.

Shutdowns, she said, “only inflict economic cost, fear and confusion across the country.”

Economic fallout expected to ripple nationwide

An economic jolt could be felt in a matter of days.

The government is expected Friday to produce its monthly jobs report, which may or may not be delivered.

While the financial markets have generally “shrugged” during past shutdowns, according to a Goldman Sachs analysis, this one could be different partly because there are no signs of broader negotiations.

“There are also few good analogies to this week’s potential shutdown,” the analysis said.

Across the government, preparations have been underway. Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, headed by Russ Vought, directed agencies to execute plans for not just furloughs, as are typical during a federal funding lapse, but mass firings of federal workers. It’s part of the Trump administration’s mission, including its Department of Government Efficiency, to shrink the federal government.

What’s staying open and shutting down

The Medicare and Medicaid health care programs are expected to continue, though staffing shortages could mean delays for some services. The Pentagon would still function. And most employees will stay on the job at the Department of Homeland Security.

Trump has warned that the administration could focus on programs that are important to Democrats, “cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.”

As agencies sort out which workers are essential, or not, Smithsonian museums are expected to stay open at least until Monday. A group of former national park superintendents urged the Trump administration to close the parks to visitors, arguing that poorly staffed parks in a shutdown are a danger to the public and put park resources at risk.

In Colorado, Gov. Jared Polis has asked the federal government to allow the state to pay for the operations at the Rocky Mountain National Park during the shutdown.

No easy exit as health care costs soar

Ahead of Wednesday’s start of the fiscal year, House Republicans had approved a temporary funding bill, over opposition from Democrats, to keep government running into mid-November while broader negotiations continue.

But that bill has failed repeatedly in the Senate, including late Tuesday. It takes a 60-vote threshold for approval, which requires cooperation between the two parties. A Democratic bill also failed. With a 53-47 GOP majority, Democrats are leveraging their votes to demand negotiation.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said Republicans are happy to discuss the health care issue with Democrats — but not as part of talks to keep the government open. More votes are expected Wednesday.

The standoff is a political test for Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who has drawn scorn from a restive base of left-flank voters pushing the party to hold firm in its demands for health care funding.

“Americans are hurting with higher costs,” Schumer said after the failed vote Tuesday.

House Speaker Mike Johnson sent lawmakers home nearly two weeks ago after having passed the GOP bill, blaming Democrats for the shutdown.

“They want to fight Trump,” Johnson said Tuesday on CNBC. “A lot of good people are going to be hurt because of this.”

During Trump’s first term, the nation endured its longest-ever shutdown, 35 days, over his demands for funds Congress refused to provide to build his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall.

In 2013, the government shut down for 16 days during the Obama presidency over GOP demands to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Other closures date back decades.