My Perfect Timing: Boulder Floods

Boulder Creek Flood. The 500-year mark is mid-way up.

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***Note*** Flood relief effort information listed below!

  I recently ventured out to Colorado for my annual visit to friends, former college teammates and coaches, and one of my favorite cities, Boulder.

  And as luck would have it, my visit perfectly coincided with the One Hundred Year Flood (or 500 Year Flood, or 1000 Year Event, depending on who you talk to).

  Needless to say, plans were changed. Everything that had been penciled in for my four-day visit was quickly thrown out the window.

The view from Folsom Field on Saturday afternoon.

A Fall Visit
  In previous years, I usually visit Colorado mid-summer. But since I wouldn't be headed overseas this fall, I delayed my visit to the Rockies so I could see the Buffs (and Ralphie) in person on the gridiron. So I had yet to see my 'Colorado people', nor get my thin air fix this year.

  College football has always been my favorite sporting event to watch in person, and nothing beats a fall afternoon at Folsom Field watching the Buffs play. Game day Saturdays in Boulder were always a favorite of mine when I was a student at CU, and hopefully will become a more common occurrence for me as an alum.

Weather was clearer south of Denver.

  I was slated to touchdown in Denver Thursday night, the 12th.

And Then Came The Rain
  The rain started early in the week, and by Wednesday, it had become a continuous downpour. Thursday I awoke to news of flooding hitting the Boulder area.

  I spent the morning and afternoon trying to decide if I still was going to make the trip. Rains had hit Boulder hard, and flooding was already widespread, with a lot more rain on the way. The University of Colorado campus was already to be closed on Thursday and Friday.

Saturday afternoon at Folsom.

  I doubted that people dealing with flooding would be up for visitors, nor was I too confident there would be a football game to go to on Saturday. Not to mention heading into an already-declared disaster area was a major cause for concern.

  I weighed the pros and cons, and decided to make the trip anyways. It would be worth it to see some friends I hadn't seen in a while, disaster area or not.

Boulder Creek Path.

One Extreme to Another
  So I spent more time in Denver than I typically do. Boulder and Denver are only a mere 30 miles apart from each other. But in this case, those 30 miles represented a vast discrepancy in rain totals (19-20 inches for Boulder, versus 4-6 inches in Denver over a three day span).

  Those not familiar with Colorado, 20 inches of rain is the equivalent of two years worth of rain for the Boulder area. All coming in three days. And it has seemed that Colorado has been in a perpetual drought in recent memory, with wild fires being a constant summertime concern.

  20 inches of rain; dry, arid ground with limited vegetation. No wonder there was flooding.

  So I steered clear of Boulder until Saturday afternoon.

Boulder Creek, and the Boulder Creek Path become one.

  The skies lightened, rain had stopped, and there was even a little blue sky behind the Flatirons.

  The football game between Colorado and Fresno State had been cancelled. But there was to be an event at Folsom Field hosting and feeding displaced families by the athletic department and its student athletes. A great way to turn a negative into a positive. A friend and I stopped by to see if we could be of any help, but there were already many helping hands.

What Boulder Creek usually looks like. With Flood Marker.

Boulder Creek

  We then visited the flooded area below CU's campus, Boulder Creek. Boulder Creek has a long history of flooding. I remember spring time always being the most-susceptible because of the fast snow melt turning into runoff from the mountains looming over campus. Waters rise quickly. 

  The bike path that runs alongside the creek always seemed to be a flood danger. 

  I had never seen the waters so high, and so fast (more pictures here). And this was after the water had receded quite a bit. But the effect was evident. Mud and debris were scattered throughout the usually clean streets.

Short video at Boulder Creek.

  Coincidentally we came upon a giant teal marker (made from recycled glass, of course) that stands near the creek at Arapahoe and Broadway -- the flood level marker -- marking the 100 year flood level (5 feet), the 500 year flood level (7.5 feet), and the Big Thompson flood level (10 feet). 

Flooding below Broadway.

  The flood waters surpassed the 500 year level Thursday night/Friday morning.

The Damage and the Clean Up

  The rain hit again Sunday, and people in Boulder, Longmont, Aurora, and Lyons were again struggling with flooding. At best, homeowners had a little water in their basements or crawl spaces. At worst, they had to evacuate and didn't know the extent of their home's damage.

Mean looking skies Sunday afternoon.

There have been 10 deaths reported, and 200 people remain unaccounted for (as of Thursday, September 19th). Property losses for residential property alone are estimated at $900 million. And now there is concern of oil spills and fracking fluid contamination.

  The cleanup will be a long, expensive effort.

  There are several relief organizations aiding the effort -- listed below -- if you are interested in volunteering, or donating supplies or funds.

By Monday, there were blue skies.

  The good news is this: the Colorado skies are blue once again, and the ground is drying out. Relief is coming, and Coloradans will bounce back, just like they've always done.

  Until then, I look forward to my next visit to the Rocky Mountain Region. Here's hoping I'm able to see Ralphie and the Buffs in action!

WAYS TO HELP:
United Way Foothills Flood Relief Fund -- Allows you to donate or volunteer in Boulder and Broomfield Counties. 100% of funds raised through their effort will be used toward health and human services to those affected by the recent flooding in the area.

CU Flood Fund -- For those who want to give directly to people affected related to the University of Colorado.

Boulder Flood Relief Website -- Donate supplies, volunteer if you are in the area.

Another video at Boulder Creek.

Boulder Creek is to the right of the picture, below campus.

Flood damage in Boulder. The Flatirons in the distance.

Below Broadway.

Roped off area.

Flood waters extend out into the park.

The Great Amateurism Debate

Colorado days.

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  I'm always game for a good debate. All the better if it's sports related -- I'll be that much better-equipped.

  One night last week, I flipped on ESPN and tuned into Keith Olbermann's new talk show. It's been a while since we've seen Olbermann strictly talking sports, so I wanted to check out his new digs.

  Tony Kornheiser, from PTI fame, was a guest on this particular night talking amateurism and college athletics.

  Many of us know collegiate sports have become a booming business. A lot of people make are making a lot of money. But the valued commodity, the athlete, doesn't see a dime of that money.

The Amateurism Debate
  At the forefront of the Kornheiser/Olbermann conversation was Johnny Manziel (and the recent autograph-gate), and whether or not college athletes should be paid.

  Both Olbermann and Kornheiser were arguing that enough was enough. That it was time for college athletes to be paid. The NCAA and major college sports are such a money-maker, for everyone but the athletes. That it's time to share a little of the enormous pie with those athletes.

  From coaches earning multi-million dollar contracts, to university licensing deals, to jersey sales and video games, to rich television agreements (CBS and Turner Sport's March Madness contract with the NCAA is worth $770 million a year) -- everyone seems to be making money off of college sports and more importantly, the athletes.

Kornheiser and Olbermann.

  Everyone that is, except the athlete.

  Kornheiser and Olbermann argued that. And then they took it a little further.

  They made the point that, at that moment, they both were being paid to talk about Manziel and other top collegiate athletes. TV personalities are paid to talk about college athletes and analyze college sports. Yet that same athlete, can't sell his own autograph for some cash (before you jump down my back for autograph-gate, I know nothing in regard to Manziel was proven) without jeopardizing his status as an amateur (and thus, his college eligibility).

  The pros and cons of paying athletes have been argued for years. The old argument was always: 'they are being paid, in the form of a (free) college education.'

  Speaking from experience, that is a definite bonus, but it's hardly free. Not having a college loan to repay is an amazing benefit. However being a full-time student while competing at the highest level of collegiate sports, is a balancing act, and a full-time job in and of itself.

  It most definitely is not a free education. So I don't buy the 'they're already being paid argument'.

Manziel's signature has been a source of controversy.

Paying Your Dues
  But I am against outwardly paying collegiate athletes, for several reasons.

  I hear and understand the arguments for paying them. They're being exploited for big time money; they should see a little of that money -- it's only fair.

  And I do agree. But flat out paying them isn't  the solution.

  To those who argue they should be paid, how do we decide who gets paid what? Does every athlete get paid? Equally?

  It's a complicated mess, but that isn't a good enough excuse to keep things as they are.

  Another argument Kornheiser and Olbermann were making, 'because everyone else is making money' isn't a good one either.

  People make money off of high school athletes these days too. Should we pay them as well? In all honesty, if we open that can of worms, where would it stop? There is already a sense of entitlement, we don't need to make that beast even more dangerous.

  I'm of the belief that being an unpaid college athlete is part of the process. Maybe that's somewhat of a fairy tale viewpoint to have. But that's what I believe. There's something about being an amateur, paying your dues, and earning the title of professional athlete. That title shouldn't be a given.

  Paying collegiate athletes would essentially make them professionals. Or at the very least, semi-professional. And I don't know about you, but I'm not interested in seeing college sports turn into a semi-pro venture.

Jersey sales could be one source of post-eligibility compensation.

  Many, however, already look at college athletics as a minor league farm system for pro leagues. That is due, in large part, to the system we have allowed to develop.

  Money is king. And the NCAA has turned into an enormous business. The athletes want to prepare for their professional careers as best, and as quickly as they can; reap the riches while the opportunity is there.

  I don't blame them. And I don't think you do either. Professional sports careers are short.

Stakes is High
  Obviously the stakes are highest for football players and male basketball players. Those are the highest-profile, biggest money making sports in the college ranks.

  It's their jerseys being sold. Their likeness on display in video games. And their faces closing out CBS's infamous 'One Shining Moment' montage. They're being exploited to a greater extent than any other athlete -- male or female.

  But directly cutting them a check still isn't the solution.

  Enough will never be enough. Once we head down that road, there would be no coming back.

  The current system we have in place doesn't work either. So what's the solution?

Fair Compensation
  What about payment after eligibility is exhausted? Or extending stipends? Or graduate school offerings?

NCAA Tournament vs. UNC.

  Take jersey sales for example. The university could easily set aside earnings for individual athletes based on accumulated jersey sales. Put it into an account, and the athlete will have a nice little start when his/her eligibility expires.

  Or with video game licensing: each athlete represented should receive 'X' amount of dollars.

  Obviously, any kind of payment would change the rules of the game. And the difficulty becomes deciphering what is fair.

  Changes lead to new challenges to overcome -- which undoubtedly, there would be many. But these changes would benefit everyone involved in college athletics, namely the athlete. The integrity of the game and universities would remain intact as well.

  There are countless ways to fairly compensate the athletes without simply writing them a check. What might happen though, is those coaches, those analysts, those advertisers, those athletic directors, might have to take a smaller piece of the pie.

  But that's probably the way it should be anyway.

  It's an interesting conversation. The current state of affairs where money rules all, where everything is deemed as cheating, and where the game and education is sacrificed, isn't a beneficial, or fair, system.

  There is a fair solution. What do you think it is?

Football Season! Sans the Anxiety

Always fun to see Ralphie up close and personal.

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  For the first time in a long time, the dawn of football season isn't bringing up bittersweet, anxious feelings in my gut.

  Don't get me wrong, I love football season just as much as the next person. In fact, it's my favorite season to participate in as a fan.

  So what's to be anxious about? Dating back to my freshman year in college ('99 for those of you keeping track), football season meant it was time to hit the road.

  First as a teenager from Lake Oswego, heading to Colorado to start college. Then as a professional basketball player heading to Europe to begin every season anew. From my freshman year onward, as the football season got closer and closer to kicking off, the knot in my stomach grew larger by the day.

Here comes Ralphie...!

  Big changes and difficult goodbyes were looming on the horizon.

  On one hand, I grew accustomed to the drastic changes and the adjustment period I would encounter. So I was able to get comfortable fairly quickly. But on the other hand, it began to wear on me after a while. I guess you can say novelty eventually wore off.

Knowing vs. Doing
  Yet I always knew it was time to go. I admit, after a summer of being home, working out for 3-4 months, and doing not-much-of-anything else, it was time to go. Even so, I never liked to see the sunsets coming on earlier and earlier in the evening.

  Knowing you needed to do something, didn't make doing it any easier. I knew I needed to be overseas. It was my job after all. But I'd still always want to squeak out a few more days stateside. Put off the uncomfortable adjustment period, the long day of travel, and the tough goodbyes.

Not going back overseas will be a change.

  There were years when I was lucky enough to see a college football Saturday or two before I head out to cross the pond. And I always was entirely too excited if I got to see just one game on USA-time -- on TV. And if it was in person? I was ecstatic.

This Football Season
  As August quickly comes to a close, and football season knocks on the door, I'm finding that knot in my stomach isn't there.

  There still are bittersweet feelings, just of a different kind this time around. The fact that I don't get to hop on a plane and change lives is a big change for me. Knowing I won't be on a basketball team for the first time since I was eight: enormous change.

CU vs. Georgia in 2010.

  So there are still changes. But none of the anxiety and knot-inducing variety.

  There are things I enjoyed about being able to up and move overseas. Obviously -- if I continued to do it year after year. Things were always fresh and new. They were exciting. There was always something on the horizon to look forward to.

  But this time around, I look forward to enjoying college football Saturdays and NFL Sundays on the couch, or in the stands, in the good ol' US of A.

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European Super Bowls

European Super Bowls

Getting settled in to watch the big game in Germany.

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  Last Sunday, many of you had a big bash to watch the Super Bowl.

  I watched the big game too, but I can hardly call my watch-party a 'bash'. See, it was the middle of the night.

  Just like celebrating Thanksgiving in Europe, the people around me dictate what kind of Super Bowl party I'm going to have. And not too many people want to destroy their Monday, and possibly their week, just for the sake of an American Football game.

  Schedulers don't have the European NFL fan in mind when slating the biggest game of the season to kick off at 12:30 in the morning. I know, I know, Europe is hardly a hotbed for American Football fans. And definitely not in the target group. But as an American overseas, there's no way I'm missing the Super Bowl!

My Super Bowl XLVII 'party'!

  So I stay up all night, and watch the big game.

  I've always tried to find a way to watch, no matter where in Europe I was. Either with a group of friends who were just as excited to watch the football extravaganza, or by myself. It doesn't matter. I always want to watch!

  As of a couple years ago, it got a lot easier when I found ways to watch a live broadcast online. Before then, it was hit or miss. You either had to have a satellite package with a channel that carried the game, or you had to find a place in town that would stay open all night, and show the game.

  Here are a few memorable Super Bowl moments from my Euro days:

  Italy -- My second year in Como, in 2005, some friends and I made an Irish Pub in Cantù stay open through the night so we could watch the game. This was the Janet Jackson 'wardrobe malfunction' Super Bowl, and the European crowd hardly bat an eye. It was fun to watch the game with people from all over the world. There were a few other Americans in the crowd, but our watch-party definitely had an international flavor!

New Orleans vs. Indianapolis -- on the big screen!

  In between Italy in 2005, and when I played in Sweden in 2009, I don't remember getting to watch the big game. Unfortunately, that was before people started streaming live channels/sporting events online. I wasn't in an area where I had a place to watch it (or others around me who wanted to watch). And I never had a satellite package with a channel that aired the game live.

  I was so deprived!

  Germany -- In 2010 we watched the New Orleans/Indianapolis Super Bowl at the local movie theatre. It was probably the coolest way I'll ever watch the big game (unless I somehow get to watch it in-person in the future!). 

  The local movie theatre in Wolfenbüttel was one of our team sponsors (we actually watched game film on the big screen on a regular basis there too. THAT was scary occurrence sometimes! Imagine yourself making errors on the gigantic screen.)

This is the last I saw of Super Bowl XLVII -- lights out for me too!

Some teammates and I, and some of the men's team, had the entire theatre to ourselves. And we got to go get some popcorn too! (In Germany, the 'common' popcorn is kettle corn -- there's some trivia for you!) The only downfall was that we had to listen to German commentary. But not a bad trade-off!

  More often than not however, I watch the Super Bowl on my computer, in bed. If it's not a good game, as was the case this year, I can go to sleep right away! Though, if there hadn't been a 35-minute blackout, I may have stayed up for the whole thing.

Beyonce Halftime show.

  Obviously, I always prefer that it's a good game. If I'm going to put my sleep schedule out of whack, it might as well be for a competitive game! The downside of watching the entire thing, obviously, is that I'll be up til four or five in the morning.

  No one, outside of myself, in Dunkerque or Sweden, the most-recent stops in my playing career, has been too interested in watching an American football game into the wee hours of the morning. So being the sports junkie that I am, I watch it solo.

  It's not quite the same, but I enjoy it regardless. I couldn't exactly call myself a football fan if I didn't tune into the Super Bowl! What's the most memorable way you've watched the big game?