The outcome wasn’t what we hoped for, but glad I got to fly out to Colorado from NC to meet my dad for some needed father-son time.

Bubba Wallace wasn’t the target of a hate crime. Now he’s going to be the target of ignorant people blaming him for this. And absolutely none of this, not even the discovery of the noose that he never saw, was his fault.

Watching @sesamestreet with my daughter and I can confirm this is actually how negotiations for journalist salaries/benefits work. #partylikeajournalist

CSU played better Saturday in Boulder. Now it’s time to be better. We deserve that from Colorado State. CSU was the laughing stock of college football a week ago. Everyone outside of Fort Collins thought Jay Norvell was a joke. ESPN did a lazy week of coverage, and a somehow lazier GameDay where all they did was talk about hats and glasses. Turns out, Jay Norvell can coach. He showed he could coach so well, he out-coached Deion Sanders for most of the game (except, unfortunately, the most critical junctures), and no one in the national media has muttered CSU’s coach’s name since. The national narrative around CSU football has shifted. No longer is this program a joke. Now it’s worse. “CSU it’s dirty.” And after what we witnessed Saturday night in Boulder, can you blame anyone who views CSU that way? CSU played dirty. There’s no way around it. It’s been two days. I’ve slept on this a lot and tried to see it any other way, but I can’t. Even as a graduate. Even as someone who stayed up until almost 3 a.m. hoping to see his alma mater finally beat its rival. It’s not subjective to say CSU played dirty on defense. I’m not talking about Mo Kamara’s two late hits on Shedeur Sanders — those were reckless, not dirty. But the barrage of unsportsmanlikes, the pushing of CU players’ helmets into the dirt after the whistle (and the list goes on …), that was dirty. And Henry Blackburn? He was head hunting. There’s no defending the threats Blackburn and his family have reportedly received in the aftermath. There’s also no defending the hit he hospitalized Travis Hunter with. He could have had an easy interception and helped his team but he aimed for pain instead. That’s not football. No one outside of Colorado is going to remember next week that CSU almost knocked off Coach Prime and the Buffs. They will remember that hit LeBron James was tweeting about, the one that’s circulating all over X, Instagram and TikTok. And for CSU, that’s worse than being laughed at for a week on ESPN. Joe Parker has told me before that social media isn’t real life, and fans shouldn’t pay too much attention to it. He’s not entirely wrong. But what Parker, Norvell and CSU need to understand is that for most high school and college kids — the people you want to reach in recruiting and the portal to build this program — nothing feels more real than social media. That video clip is not going away. Nor is the discourse. Norvell was wrong to deflect when asked about it Saturday. If they don’t address it this week, that will only strengthen the narrative. CSU should suspend Henry Blackburn for at least one game. Don’t end the senior’s career, but there needs to be a message sent that this kind of play won’t be tolerated, and let it be a teaching opportunity. The leap CSU made from Game 1 to 2 was outstanding and should give any fan hope for the rest of the season. But we should also hope for our university to be represented in a way we can be proud of, win or lose. We need to be better.

Easily my favorite #SuperBowl photo of the night. (📸Getty Images)

Garden of the Gods, famously in Laramie, Wyoming. Well done, @CBSSportsNet

RIP Nicolas Cage. 🙏

GTA San Andreas is trending and fans are wishing it was about a remake. I'd settle for just one more track from OG Loc.

There's a lot to say about Cam Newton's play this season, good and bad, and both sides have valid points to make. But what I've come to love about Cam is how much he means to people, and this photo today in Buffalo from @jsiner nails it. #KeepPounding

"The fact of the matter is this: The Rams' propensity for questionable violence in the Showdown was coached, not accidental." If you have evidence, please share it. I said my piece yesterday; I haven't been a fan of how Jay Norvell has handled this. BUT for a media member to suggest that Colorado State's coach told his players to try and injure CU players crosses a line. (And that line is not thin.) I get fans saying that. That is what it is. I even understand the condone argument by Shannon Sharpe and inferring that based off Norvell's comments yesterday. But as a journalist to state this as fact without sharing evidence to back up those claims is absolutely out of line. This Channel 7 anchor is a CU graduate. Some of you may point to me, a CSU graduate, and my time at The Denver Post and Coloradoan when I wrote critical columns about CU or Rick George (a fraction of the count that I ripped CSU for doing something stupid 😉), and you wouldn't be wrong. But I can't remember a single time during my more than a decade as a journalist in Colorado that I or any other sports media member made criminal accusations against someone without hard evidence. I understand the hype around Coach Prime. As someone who didn't think this was going to work, I've actually gained a lot of respect for Deion Sanders the more I do my own research into him and watch what he does week to week and how he handles himself. I don't necessarily agree with everything he says or does, but I also don't have to to appreciate it. And let's face it (as much as it pains me to say as a CSU grad), the Buffs are fun to watch! There are stories for media outlets to play up, ratings to increase, page views and subscriptions to capitalize on. I've lived that life. I get understand. But if you are a reporter, anchor or sports director at a local TV station, there are journalistic ethics you must do your best to follow. You have a responsibility. We're never going to be perfect, but we should constantly aim for that. Channel 7 and Channel 4 in Denver have significant influence over the state of Colorado. Unfortunately, we're seeing repeatedly the lack of standards they show in sports and how dangerous that can be.

LaMelo Ball winning NBA Rookie of Year makes me extremely happy, because it means we get to run one final story by @rick_bonnell. Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is NBA Rookie of the Year. Why voters stuck with him after he broke his wrist charlotteobserver.com/sports…

Slow-motion video of James Webb III's 3-pointer to beat Colorado State that was later called off.

I stayed up until 2 a.m. to watch my Alma mater beat Boise State for the first time in history … on a Hail Mary … after being down 17-0. It’s a GREAT day to be a Colorado State Ram!

Putting Colorado State, Boise State and CU together in the First Four makes you question whether the selection committee watches anything out West. Perhaps consistently tipping after 10 p.m. ET isn’t doing your conference any favors?

You’re not being unfair. My wife has a friend who can’t go out in the evenings for the same reason. Her husband claims he isn’t capable of getting the kids down himself, but he can have nights out alone. It’s complete BS and no way to be a partner in marriage or parenting.

This quote in The Denver Post about the King Soopers shooting in Boulder is so tragic and so incredibly real. denverpost.com/2021/03/22/po…

Shouldn’t Coach Prime take the blame? Deion Sanders ran off CU’s starting offensive line that allowed 23 sacks last year. He brings in G5, FCS and JUCO transfers to replace them, and now they’ve allowed 42 sacks thru 8 games. The line wasn’t why the Buffs went 1-11.

Cam Newton surprised shoppers at a Charlotte Walmart while supporting a teammate Tuesday night. #KeepPounding charlotteobserver.com/sports…

A special moment: Former #CUBuffs teammates Phillip Lindsay and Tedric Thompson swap jerseys following the Broncos' 27-24 win over the Seahawks. (📸 @JoeAmonDP)

I spent this week behind the scenes of the Colorado State basketball program and was genuinely blown away by Niko Medved's approach to motivating and building culture. It's incredible. Please take the time to read and share. Here, everyone matters. dpo.st/2OD432u

Two seriously powerful photos of Colorado State's Emmanuel Omogbo by Ron Chenoy of USATSI following E's game-winning shot against SDSU.

Superman Returns Friday’s 1A and sports covers of The Charlotte Observer as Cam Newton rejoins the Carolina Panthers.

A Zack Snyder zombie flick featuring Tig Notaro and Dave Bautista? What the heck??? I AM SO IN.

I raise anyone criticizing that box this extra car seat that’s been sitting directly in the entry for at least two months.

Jay taking the Boot to Lucky Joe’s is pretty stinkin’ cool.

Broncos rookie running back, Denver native and former #CUBuffs star Phillip Lindsay has been named 2018's Vizio Top Value Performer, recognizing the player whose performance best exceeds his contract value.

I wrote about Harry Styles. newsobserver.com/sports/nhl/…

Missed opportunity to form the TEC-9

The Bank of America Stadium crowd singing the entire national anthem at Charlotte FC games is such a heart-warming instant tradition. What started as a mic malfunction has become a staple. I love it.

I just walked into my 3-year-old's room and she was singing along (quite well) to Camila Cabello's Havanna. Apparently, she tried to tell Alexa to play "How Far I'll Go" from the Moana soundtrack, but ... ooh na-na.

Bank of America Stadium is not showing the N.C. State in the press box ahead of hosting North Carolina vs. South Carolina. Why? Because Bank of America Stadium, home of the ACC Championship game, does not have access to the ACC Network via Charlotte's primary cable provider.

Jay Norvell’s feet have to be held to the fire in this postgame press conference. This is the worst performance by Colorado State in a long time.

Colorado State students throwing bottles onto the field in protest of the officiating. It's been epically awful.

From Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan on the passing of our colleague and friend Rick Bonnell:

It appears Colorado State has decided to not suspend Henry Blackburn for his hit on Travis Hunter. According to CSU coach Jay Norvell, he reviewed it and said “it’s a play that happens sometimes.” He also addressed the disgusting death threats Blackburn and his family, who have been doxxed, are receiving. More from Norvell via @Kevin_Lytle: coloradoan.com/story/sports/…

The biggest shocker from Colorado's 56-14 loss at Washington State wasn't the score. The surprise comes from how poorly prepared Deion Sanders' team was ... Again. For a university that's gone all-in branding its institution as PRIME, right now, the only thing at CU that isn't appears to be its football coach. The Buffs have absolutely zero depth at QB behind Shedeur Sanders. There is no excuse for Coach Prime and staff to not have a backup quarterback ready in case the worst pass protection unit in college football allows your star to suffer a game-ending blow. Ryan Staub and Gavin Kuld were hard to watch last night, and while they're nowhere near as talented as Shedeur (when given time to make a play, he's one of the most explosive players in college football), what we witnessed wasn't a testament of their skills. Those were two guys who had not been properly prepared to play in a Division I football game. Neither looked like they knew the offense, much less had ever taken a snap with the 1s in practice. The lone scoring drive was a result of Travis Hunter bailing CU out with a circus catch against his leg on a ball thrown into double coverage. When Deion Sanders says after the game that the team had a great week of practice, I have to wonder which players he was talking about. That result wasn't a matter of the Buffs being out-coached on game day in Pullman; that was a team that wasn't adequately coached during the week. I haven't seen a college football season collapse this drastically since, well, the Colorado Buffaloes in 2018. That one cost the Pac-12 Coach of the Year from two seasons prior his job. Deion Sanders isn't on the hot seat. He took a team that won one game a year ago to likely 4-8. That's progress and he may end up being a great coach. But before we start thinking he's a candidate at Texas A&M or whatever the next big opening is, CU needs to have some kind of success, because since the first week of October, any progress for this team has been hard to gage: Sanders has threatened his offensive line with replacing them instead of putting responsibility on the staff; demoted his OC for no clear reason which cost CU a win against Oregon State; and instead of building off a near upset of a top-25 team a week ago, the Buffs lose by 42 to 4-6 Wazzu. I admit, I bought into the hype after the TCU and Nebraska games. Perhaps we'll see real progress in 2024. This CU team has elite talent at some skill positions, but at this level, you need more than that.

The majority of CSU students have not seen the Rams win a football or men’s basketball championship in their lifetime. Let’s change that tonight.

Curious to see who in the Denver media steps up and holds Deion accountable on a regular basis.

Can we get some #SCTop10 love for Charlotte’s Victor Tucker? Incredible catch on fourth-and-10 as his helmet gets ripped off to make @CharlotteFTBL bowl-eligible for the first time ever.

I love this from Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi: As soon as CSU won and the team flooded the field for handshakes, he went the opposite way, running along the stands thanking all of the Rams fans for coming and cheering them on.

Life update: I’m going to be taking a couple of weeks off of work. Say hello to Holden Jeffrey Stephens, born at 12:04 on 12/4.

I can’t imagine being a CU fan today. That must be miserable. Thank goodness there are smart people out there like Nique Clifford who wise up and leave Boulder for a better life. Great win, Colorado State. #ProudToBe

Eye poke was uncalled for and a retaliation. It didn’t land someone in the hospital or even to leave the field. I’ve watched the punch. Doesn’t look good, doesn’t look like he’s punching the ball but you can’t be 100% sure from the angle. But if we’re saying “what about that thing they did,” then we’ve already lost.

The Charlotte 49ers had more players selected in the 2020 NFL draft than N.C. State or Duke, and as many as UNC, Wake Forest and Appalachian State. This young football program is already a proving ground for NFL talent. (via @davidscott14) charlotteobserver.com/sports…

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The NHL shoulder order a DNA test to confirm that Nathan MacKinnon is human.

Friendly reminder that Colorado State is undefeated this season on days I wear CSU shirts from 2007.

To mark the debut of Biff Poggi as the Charlotte 49ers' football coach this evening, here's the cover of "Undoubtable Biff" Issue No. 1. #GoldStandard

Colorado State becomes the highest ranked team in the RPI ever left out of the NCAA tournament's 68-team field. Unbelievable.

Last night was not a dream. #ProudToBe

Colorado State’s last bowl was the final time the now-retired Michael Gallup suited up for the Rams. The drought is ending as they move to 6-3 with their fourth straight win to remain undefeated in the Mountain West. I gotta give credit to Jay Norvell. Things are turning around

Colorado State is about to have a scary good basketball program. Two freshmen and a sophomore just put the team on their backs for a comeback win vs. Nevada, including a buzzer-beater. You make shots like that, with players like that, it's a sign the tide is turning.

It’s fair to debate whether UNC deserves to be in the NCAA tournament, but we also need to recognize San Diego State has no business being here, especially over Boise State.

He only played for two seasons, but Michael Gallup was arguably the most skilled wide receiver to ever play at Colorado State. He was fun to watch.

From former Colorado State athletic director Jack Graham on Larry Eustachy resigning.

Hats off to Nique Clifford.

Say hello to my son. We learned today that we’re having a boy!!!

National media: Colorado is unbelievable! The Buffs are clearly a team to beat in the Pac-12. Can anyone stop them? Also national media: Well duh CU lost to Oregon. They went 1-11 last year. What do you expect? Please just pick a lane.

Can’t remember CU ever doing that against a program it believes is a class below. 🤔

CSU had four delay of games and spent seven timeouts to avoid delay of game. You cannot tell me your team had good focus and execution, coach.

COLORADO STATE IS 8-0! No Nique Clifford. No Jalen Lake. Isaiah Stevens had to sit much of the first with foul trouble. Beating Washington 86-81 in Las Vegas in that fashion impresses me about as much as the blowout of Creighton. And 100 wins for @coachNikoMedved at CSU. Wow.

Monday's sports cover of The Charlotte Observer. "I'M BACK!"

If CU finds a way to beat Nebraska next week, can we get College GameDay in Fort Collins?

This CSU graduate will never forget this night. Hope this future Ram won’t, either.

Thanks for adding value to the discussion! I hope Weston and Marlee are doing well!

In fairness, this was the size of CU’s fan base, too, before Prime.

(Adding this to this thread) More on who’s to blame for all of this. And it’s not Bubba Wallace. charlotteobserver.com/sports…

I just want a well coached CSU team. Just one. Had that in almost a decade.

ICE WATER IN HER VEINS! @vangytenbeek with the game-winning shot with 4.3 seconds left to lift Cherry Creek to the 5A state title over Grandview, 51-49. #COPreps.

Crushed to hear about the passing of former @DenverPost sports reporter Natalie Meisler. When I was a student journalist at CSU, she'd go out of her way to support me and tell me I asked a good question at a presser. She even got me freelance jobs before I graduated. #RIP

LaMelo Ball has hit 7 3-pointers today. Seven. That's a Hornets rookie record.

Adam Thistlewood is going to be a great player. From Golden. Think Pierce Hornung, but a better shooter. True freshman. He’ll start at the 3 tonight for Colorado State. Will be an everyday starter this year.

The nation tuned in to watch CU and Coach Prime. They stayed because what CSU was doing. The Rocky Mountain Showdown has always been an amazing rivalry. It's refreshing to see so much of the country introduced to it.

Notre Dame stud Trey Wertz, son of @TheObserver star scribe @langstonwertzjr, hits the game-winner at the buzzer to knock off Wake Forest in the ACC tournament!!!

Colorado State, Nevada and Boise State had more Quad 1 wins than Duke, Clemson and Virginia, and only one more combined Quad 3/4 loss (2).

We received this email from a reader regarding our sports coverage at the Observer and N&O during a time when there are no live sports. Not going to lie, it made my day. So proud of our team and the great sports coverage they continue to pump out. And grateful for our readers!

Ref at Folsom just asked fans not to throw snowballs on the field. 🤣

Not going to pretend I know John well, but I sincerely appreciate the commitment he and Amy are making to CSU athletics and the fans so far, and rebuilding trust. I tweeted at them asking them to stop by, then a bus rolls up and there they are. Love my city and my Alma mater.

If you’re a CSU fan and you try to spin this as a positive, you’re out of your mind. This staff doesn’t have it.

If Colorado State is anything worse than a 7 seed in the NCAA tournament, it will be criminal. What a win.

You wait your whole life to hear your name called in the #NFLdraft, then Vince Young walks to the mic and calls you "Honor Landry."

I’m hearing that Netflix officials are concerned about viewership numbers for tonight’s fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson. They’re upset streaming competitor Paramount decided to put tonight’s CSU-Wyoming game in the same time slot on CBS Sports Network.

The best season of basketball in CSU history. Glad we were able to witness it.

Maria Sharapova is playing Tatjana Maria right now in the #AusOpen, but it just looks like the scoreboard is biased.

Message to @pac12: This isn't offensive pass interference. It's just a damn good catch by Colorado State (again).

Can we talk for a moment about how Colorado State has become America’s darling?

Colorado State fires Mike Bobo, then, with arguably the most attractive G5 job opening in college football, decides to make a significant downgrade at head coach by hiring Steve Addazio. Meanwhile, Bobo lands a great job at South Carolina and collects a buyout from CSU.

I’m all for some trash talking. I laughed so hard and clapped when Louis Brown did the Deion dance and flashed his watch. That’s rivalry. Football is a contact sport, hitting people as hard as you can within the rules is fine. But intentionally hurting someone is not.

Last team in, my ass.

Matt Wells deserves to win coach of the year, but Craig Bohl is the best coach in the Mountain West and it’s not even close.

Colorado State may be the worst team in college football, and until the Rams part ways with Jay Norvell, they’re making a statement that they’re OK being seen as a joke. It’s time CSU starts taking football seriously.

Eleven years apart ... almost to the day. #Rockies

Drove through UNC Charlotte today for the first time. That’s a beautiful campus with some really nice sports facilities. Loved the football and baseball stadiums. Seemed like the perfect size and the perfect setting.

To me, that’s the best Colorado State has looked for a full 40 minutes since beating Creighton by 21 in November. What a win over Nevada. And tip of the cap to Kenan Blackshear. So much respect for him. He looked like he was going to collapse yet kept pushing himself through.

A little job update to share: I’m now the Senior Sports Editor for the entire @mcclatchy Southeast region. I’ll still lead the day-to-day ops at The Charlotte Observer, in addition to overseeing the big-picture with our talented team of editors and reporters in NC, SC, GA and MS.

Breaking news: Colorado State will do the same thing it has done every year since 2010.

Shedeur Sanders decided to peace out to the locker room and skip the final two minutes of this game. Cool.

Some good news for local college football fans this morning... I've learned that Colorado State and CU will extend football rivalry another 4 games. #CSURams #CUBuffs dpo.st/2Xqc2p0

Don’t worry, y’all. I’m wearing the shirt. #MMSelfie

Brady Manek was ejected against Baylor for a lesser elbow than what he just received from David McCormack.

Allowing Jay Norvell to coach another game at Colorado State would be the first notable mistake made by AD John Weber. When CSU is booed by its own crowd for 3 quarters, they’re never coming back.