FOR THE
CLIMBING EVEREST & EVERYWHERE ELSE WITH COLORADO’S DR. JON KEDROWSKI
CHEFS OF COLORADO REFLECT ON ANTHONY BOURDAIN
COLORADO GENTLEMAN
IN THE RING WITH DENVER KICKBOXER
CHRIS CAMOZZI
ON THE ROAD WITH AN NFL SCOUT
ROLLS-ROYCE'S NEW SUV
KEITH BISHOP'S JOURNEY WITH THE DEA & THE DENVER BRONCOS FALL | WINTER 2018-2019
BIG BAD DENVER BRONCO DEREK WOLFE TACKLES HIS OWN LIFESTYLE BRAND
Brittany Pillard - The Cashmere Gypsy Brittany Pillard - The Cashmere Gypsy @brittanypillard @brittanypillard
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MM AA CC Y ’YS’ S• •NN EE IM IM AA NNMM AA RR CC UU S S• •NN OO RR DD ST SR TR OO MM • O 160 160AMAZ AMAZ ING INGS TO S TO RES RES• O VER VER4040EXEX C LCUL S UIVE S IVETO TODEN DEN VER VER
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SHOPCHERRYCREEK.COM SHOPCHERRYCREEK.COM
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/CHERRYCREEKSHOPPINGCENTER /CHERRYCREEKSHOPPINGCENTER
@CHERRYCREEKSHOPPINGCENTER @CHERRYCREEKSHOPPINGCENTER
[ ON THE ] COVER
54 HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLFE DENVER BRONCO DERKE WOLFE TACKLES HIS OWN LIFESTYLE BRAND
COVER PHOTO BY JENSEN SUTTA DEREK WOLFE’S OWN WARDROBE, STYLED BY ABIGAIL WOLFE
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F E AT U R E S [46]
A MANOR OF SPEAKING
A PALATIAL ESTATE PLAYS HOST TO STUNNING FASHIONS
[60]
ALIVE & KICKING
MEET KICKBOXER CHRIS CAMOZZI
[66]
GROWING UP STONE
SEAN STONE FOLLOWS IN FATHER OLIVER’S FOOTSTEPS
[70]
THE BOURDAIN EFFECT
DENVER’S TOP CHEFS REFLECT ON THE LATE CULINARY SUPERSTAR
[78]
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MOUNTAIN MAN
DR. JON KEDROWSKI CAPTURES THE HIGHEST PEAKS ON THE PLANET
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[82]
THE EYE OF THE BISHOP
KEITH BISHOP’S JOURNEY WITH THE DEA AND THE DENVER BRONCOS
[88]
THE SCOUT
ON THE ROAD WITH AN NFL SCOUT
[97]
A CAD’S GUIDE TO FLIRTING
SIR AND SPORT’S BRIAN ABBEY WEIGHS IN ON AN OF-THE-MOMENT ISSUE
SIRANDSP ORT.COM
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[ ON THE ] INSIDE
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[14] FROM THE EDITOR [15] THE PROS [16] MAKING A COVER BEHIND THE SCENES WITH SIR AND SPORT
[18] THE RUNDOWN HAUNTS AND HAPPENINGS FOR THE MAN ABOUT TOWN
[21] BIB & TUCKER ISAAC STROOPE OF SUITSUPPLY SHARES HIS STYLE SECRETS
[22] CALL ME SIR
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MEET DELROY GILL
[24] VIEW MASTER THE FILMS, BOOKS AND SITES INSPIRING US NOW
[28] BACK NINE GET TO KNOW BRYSON HOTCHKISS
[32] CRIB NOTES A STUNNING CHERRY HILLS ESTATE
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[39] OUT OF OFFICE REPLY EXPLORING FOUR SEASONS RESORT, HUALALAI
[42] THE BOARDROOM MAKING BUSINESS OUR BUSINESS
[100] WHEELMAN EASE THE SEAT BACK WITH THESE NEW RIDES
[102] SCENE SNAPSHOTS FOR THE HOTTEST TICKETS IN TOWN
[104] CUTTING ROOM FLOOR QUOTABLE NOTIONS THAT DIDN’T MAKE THE CUT
[105] FUNNY BONE GETTING THE LAST LAUGH
[106] MEMORY LANE THE KIDNAPPING OF FRANK SINATRA, JR.
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D E PA R T M E N T S
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The Shining Star of Sunset Drive
2017 CUSTOM BUILD IN CHERRY HILLS FARM 4 Cherry Hills Farm Court | Cherry Hills Village Offered at $3,850,000
Located in the Cherry Hills Farm community, on a private cul-de-sac is a very unique opportunity to own this one of a kind home. Denver’s own ‘Hampton’s inspired English Manor.’ On a generous acre site with extraordinary finishe\s you’ll find this remarkable home with approximately 9000 finished square feet. Thought out and designed by the Cornerstone Custom Home design team-nothing has been overlooked. From the Chef’s kitchen to the walk-out basement this grand home is light, bright and spacious.
GATED GEORGIAN REVIVAL ON 5.88 ACRES OF PRIVATE GROUNDS The 2-story configuration is family friendly with 6 bedrooms and 9 baths including a multi-level great room, plus main-level den, OFFERED $11,900,000 executive study and an un-compromised private guest suite. AT Once you’ve entered the home you are welcomed by a full wall of retractable doors opening to a large deck overlooking the estate grounds an excellent design for the ‘must-have’ Colorado 7 BedsExuding I 12 Baths I 17,544 SF home I 5.88 Lifestyle of indoor to outdoor entertaining. comfort and warmth this hasAcres a 4-car garage, wide plank wood flooring and a multitude of personalization options. New to the market, this stunning manor sits on 5.88 acres of private, perfectly manicured grounds. A pool, tennis court and
entertaining the most landwith in allgenerous of Cherry hallways Hills Village, one of its most after, tucked Thelarge glorious designerpavilion detailsoverlook of this home are exquisite unparalleled andinstairways, large sought dining room, ship-lap siding, kitchen lighting fixtures plus design elements often seenininthis Denver the Villages. Come see this awayunique enclaves. Enjoyand generous living spaces with recent designernot appointments most or detailed floor plan. Twoand saltwater beautiful home for yourself. Meet with the professional on-site designer, who has chosen exquisite finishes but if you prefer aquariums with exotic species and coral reefs provide an extremely unique touch. The main level guest apartment has a livingthe buyer can have full design review and choose their own lighting, countertops, plumbing fixtures and custom colors throughout the room, bedroom and full bath while the East Wing includes His and Hers Studies and multiple family gathering spaces. The second home. Delivery is scheduled for late fall, so please contact me soon for premier design accessibility and preview. floor includes a Master with two baths and three additional en suite bedrooms plus a second laundry room. The third level includes two more enatsuite rooms cost and large game room while the hasthe a full gym and home theatre with all equipment The Landscaping plan, additional is completely approved andbasement in place with architectural review board. Though approved, landscaping can still can be customized by buyer. includes. What’s more, it walks out to the lavish rose garden. This is the most complete estate and value in the Village and must be seen to be fully appreciated. For more information, contact Rochelle McNaughton 303.929.9001 rochelle.macnaughton@sothebysrealty.com livsothebysrealty.com 303.929.9001 rochelle.mcnaughton@sothebysrealty.com
EDITOR IN CHIEF KEVIN MARR
PUBLISHER BETSY MARR
ART DIRECTOR CRAIG KORN
C O N T R I B U T I N G FA S H I O N E D I T O R CHELSEA MAGNESS
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS BRIAN ABBEY KEVIN HOLT PETER SCHAFFER
PHOTOGRAPHERS PHIL LAMBERT FRANCES MARRON JENSEN SUTTA
REIGN MEDIA, LLC 2443 SOUTH UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD, SUITE 171 DENVER, COLORADO 80210 303.997.9749
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Copyright 2018-2019 by Reign Media, LLC, All rights reserved. Sir and Sport Magazine is published semi-annually. Reproduction without permission of the Publisher is prohibited. Reign Media, LLC and its affiliates, employees, contributors, writers, editor (Publisher) accepts no responsibility for inaccuracies, errors or omissions with information and/or advertisements contained herein. The Publisher has neither investigated nor endorsed companies and/or products that advertise in the publication or that are mentioned editorially. The Publisher assumes no responsibly for the claims made by the Advertisers or the merits of their respective products or services advertised or promoted in Sir and Sport. Publisher neither expressly nor implicitly endorses such Advertiser product, services or claims. Publisher expressly assumes no liability for any damages whatsoever that may be suffered by any purchaser or user for any products or services advertised or mentioned editorially herein. Opinions expressed in the magazine and/or its advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Publisher.
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[ FROM THE ] EDITOR
PHOTO BY JENSEN SUTTA
T
he most rewarding aspect of what I get to do for a living is meeting people with whom I wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity of crossing paths. The remarkably talented collection that I’ve had the privilege of interviewing over the years has become an unexpected network of friends, connections and, as corny as it may sound, a few personal heroes as well. This issue is no different. The exceptional range of subjects that we play storyteller to in this installment is yet another grateful reminder of the phenomenal skill, relentless drive and unmatched courage that accompany theses admirable personalities. Look no further than Dr. Jon Kedrowski (page 78), whose life of scaling and skiing the highest mountains in the world require nothing less than the ultimate discipline. We were floored to hear about his brushes with death, his penchant for sleeping on mountain summits and the breathtaking pictures he captures from the highest points on Earth. Derek Wolfe (page 54) is known for his fearlessness on the football field, however we showcase the Denver Bronco defensive end’s commitment and fortitude off the gridiron with a flourishing business venture. Sean Stone could have easily become another child of a Hollywood legend headed in the wrong direction (page 66), instead he learned from father Oliver and has created his own impressive career in filmmaking.
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Chris Camozzi gets hit and kicked for a living (page 60), but his journey in the ring for GLORY kickboxing and MMA has yielded an experience of a lifetime for the Colorado native. We sat ringside for one of his recent fights. Meanwhile, some of the top chefs in Colorado reflect on the sudden passing of Anthony Bourdain (page 70) in one of the finest assemblies of insight and analysis on the fallen food icon. Keith Bishop has been the transcendent protector for decades (page 82), whether it’s been with the Denver Broncos as an offensive lineman or the current VP of Security, or as a DEA agent for 20 years. This man’s story, which is still in progress, will blow your mind the same way it did mine. With another year winding down, it’s been another chapter in the books of learning more lessons about myself, people, this magazine and the business industry as a whole. More changes are coming to our brand, and that’s a wonderful announcement to make. Keep an eye out for yet another platform that will be launching soon that we expect to shake up the landscape and make for a fun and entertaining connection with the world of Sir and Sport. As always, I’m forever grateful for your support.
Kevin Marr Editor-in-Chief
[ THE ] PROS PETER SCHAFFER Peter Schaffer is a sports attorney and agent who has practiced for over 32 years. He is considered one of the Deans of NFL Agents. In his career, he has negotiated over $1 billion in contracts, represented three Hall of Fame greats, numerous players, NFL coaches, general managers and national sports media members, while being named “Top 10 Agents in the NFL” by Street and Smith’s Business Journal. Born and raised in Cortland, New York, Schaffer graduated from Franklin & Marshall University and was top of his class from the Brooklyn Law School. He is President of his own company, Authentic Athletix, a firm whose focus is individualized attention, carefully negotiated contracts, and the best connections in the sports world. Schaffer has been highly regarded as an expert on the business of sports, appearing on ABC Nightly News, ESPN, Fox Sports, The Dan Patrick Show, HBO Real Sports, NBC Sports, Altitude Network and 60 Minutes. Schaffer wrote a weekly column on the NFL for the Washington Post’s “Inside the League,” is an Adjunct Professor of Sports Law at the University of Denver Law, and has lectured at Tulane Law School, University of Colorado Business and Law School, Johnson and Wales, Oklahoma State, University of Denver, Metropolitan State University and the State University of New York, among others. He resides in beautiful Denver, Colorado, with his wife, Alison, and two children, Lilian and Gavin. Read his work in The Scout (page 88).
Phil Lambert
Peter Schaffer
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PHIL LAMBERT Phil Lambert is a seasoned sports and commercial photographer located in Denver, Colorado, who has spent most of his career shooting indoor/outdoor action sports including Motocross and FMX as well as MMA, kickboxing and boxing. Lambert started seriously shooting in 2007 when he found himself motivated by his friend and mentor James Law, a sports and commercial photographer. Raised in southern California by his photographer parents, Lambert’s clients have included Bud Light, Ultimate Fighting Championship, GLORY kickboxing, Legacy Fighting Alliance and myriad motorsport publications. See his work in Alive & Kicking (page 60).
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Jensen Sutta
JENSEN SUTTA If there was one phrase to sum up Jensen Sutta’s life motto it would have to be you only live once. After nearly dying in a car crash during his senior year of college, Sutta decided to lay his Bachelor’s degree in Biology aside and head back to school to pursue photography, his passion. Over the next two decades, Sutta rose through the photography ranks, becoming one of the most accomplished celebrity, music and corporate event photographers in the industry. Some of his career highlights include covering the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, capturing glamourous get-togethers like Elton John’s Oscar Party and photographing the cover of Sarah Palin’s book America by Heart. He’s also photographed four U.S. presidents, Oprah Winfrey, the Dalai Lama and numerous other influential people. In 2018, he was recognized as the Top Photographer of the Year by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) and as one of the Top 25 Young Professionals by the Colorado Biz Magazine. Sutta is especially involved with “Believe in Haiti,” serving on the board of directors and traveling to Haiti six times to capture the organization’s work. He is a frequent contributor to Sir and Sport. See his photos in Hungry Like the Wolfe (page 54) and on our cover. SIRANDSP ORT.COM
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[ THE ] COVER
THE INSPIRATION “In full disclosure, we didn’t go into this project with the intention of putting Derek Wolfe on the cover. However, after sitting down with him and hearing his story – both about DEFWU and who he is as a person – I realized that he embodied Sir and Sport’s mission more so than I anticipated. He is certainly both Sir and Sport – a man who appreciates style, fashion and great suits while also leading his team with integrity on the playing field. He’s well liked and well respected by teammates and fans. We knew after meeting Derek that this was the perfect opportunity and that he was the perfect personality to choose for our first celebrity athlete driven cover. He’ll be a tough act to follow.” -KEVIN MARR, EDITOR IN CHIEF
THE FASHION The Watch Derek’s watch is an Audemar Piguet and the custom-jeweled Swiss timepiece is very special to him. It’s a constant reminder of all the hard work and commitment that he’s put into football since he began in the NFL. It’s a sign of all of his achievements.
THE Photographer
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“For the cover, I set up a backdrop at night in Derek’s backyard. I used a Profoto flash with a large strip to light his large 6’5 frame and detailed suit. Outside gave me the option of raising the backdrop to 8 feet but presented the problem of high winds. Good thing Kevin was there to help make sure nothing blew over!” SIR AND SP ORT • FALL | WINTER 2017
-JENSEN SUTTA, PHOTOGRAPHER
“DEREK’S SUIT COMPLEMENTS HIS BEAUTIFUL EYES. I LIKE HIM WITH POPS OF BLUE AND STRONGER, BOLD, DARK COLORS. THIS PARTICULAR SUIT FITS HIM SO NICELY AND WITH THAT LUXURIOUSLOOKING FEEL TO IT, THE MOMENT HE PUT IT ON, IT REMINDED ME OF HIS TUXEDO AS HE WALKED DOWN THE AISLE LAST YEAR. DEREK ISN’T YOUR TYPICAL COVER MODEL. HE CLEANS UP WELL. THE SHOES HE WAS WEARING FOR THE SIR AND SPORT SHOOT WERE MAGNANNIS AND WERE THE SAME SHOES HE WORE ON OUR WEDDING DAY.”
-Abigail Wolfe, Derek’s wife and cover stylist
[ THE ] RUNDOWN
B O ND . JA M E S B O ND . Aston Martin is building 25 authentic reproductions of the iconic DB5 made famous in Goldfinger, complete with Q-worthy gadgets, including a rotating license plate. Expected to be delivered in 2020, the DB5 will feature a straight-six, 3,995cc motor capable 282 horsepower and a top speed of 148 mph, going zero-to-60 in 7.1 seconds. The price for owning one of these Silver Birch beauties is $3.5 million. “The connection between Aston Martin and James Bond is something of which we are very proud,” said Aston Martin president and CEO Andy Martin in a statement, “and it is remarkable that the DB5 remains the definitive James Bond car after so many years. To own an Aston Martin has long been an aspiration for James Bond fans, but to own a Silver Birch DB5, complete with gadgets and built to the highest standards in the very same factory as the original James Bond cars? Well, that is surely the ultimate collectors’ fantasy. The skilled craftspeople at Aston Martin Works and the expert special effects team from the James Bond films are about to make this fantasy real for 25 very lucky customers.” According to Aston Martin, the new Goldfinger DB5 isn’t street legal, but we’re guessing the owners will risk the ticket to drive like 007 in their local neighborhood. ›› MORE AT GLOBAL.ASTONMARTIN.COM
WINE NOT? Blanchard Family Wines is bringing an early Christmas present to downtown Denver with the December 2018 opening of their new urban winery and tasting room that features their award-winning brand from Sonoma County, California. After an extensive search, the ideal location opened up in the activated alleyway of the cutting-edge Dairy Block development in the LoDo district. Co-owner James Blanchard explains, “The first minute I walked through The Maven hotel lobby and out into the activated Dairy Block alleyway, I knew we had found our home.” In collaboration with their head winemaker, Jene Chapanar, the tasting room will operate 7 days a week, 365 days a year, offering a full selection of their California wines, paired with Colorado and California sourced charcuterie, cheese, desserts, and other small bites. In addition to tasting flights and wine by the glass, you can also get bottles and growlers of wine to take home, as well as a wine club and special event space. Locals and out-of-town visitors alike, will have the opportunity to experience what it’s like to visit a Sonoma or Napa winery without getting on a plane. And guests of the on-site Maven Hotel, whether traveling in-state or from out-of-state, will have access to a high-quality wine experience while staying on the property as well. Blanchard Family Wines’ support for local Colorado charities over the past decade has been a cornerstone of their work, and will continue to be as they grow. Dedicated charity weeks at the winery and hosted events throughout the year, will bring the community together to support and strengthen it. ›› MORE AT BLANCHARDFAMILYWINES.COM
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S PA S AV V Y We’ve been to spas across the country and in other countries as well, and we still put the Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch in Beaver Creek, Colorado, as one of the premiere experiences anywhere on the planet. In particular, the grotto stands out as a luxury feature that we haven’t witnessed anywhere else. It is truly one-of-a-kind (unless you were friends with Hugh Hefner and a Playboy Mansion guest), and it needs to be seen to be believed. The grotto space was designed to stay true to the Bachelor Gulch heritage with a mine feel. The original Bachelor’s that founded the area originally moved to Colorado to work in a Leadville mine. That didn’t last long and they settled the area now known as Bachelor Gulch. The rocks are in line with the entire resort, honoring a true mountain feel using rocks and wood throughout the resort.
RITZ-CARLTON, BACHELOR GULCH
With prime spa season here, we sat down with Spa Manager Adam Montgomery for some key tips on what men must always do at a spa, whether it’s at Bachelor Gulch or somewhere else. • Show up early for your treatment and plan to stay after. At the Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch spa, men can access the “circuit” in the men’s lounge, going from cold plunge to steam to sauna and hot tub for a relaxing experience before or after your treatment. The men’s lounge also offers TVs and a very private relaxing space. • Be aware of your gender preference for your treatments and make those requests when you set your appointment. • Keep an open mind. Try a new treatment or one you’ve never enjoyed before and open yourself up to new opportunities. • Look for treatments and product lines specifically for men. Bachelor Gulch offers a tailored men’s specific spa menu and a men’s product line is used in the treatments. • Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Drink water before and after your spa visit. Treatments will flush the toxins through your body and with the dry Colorado weather and elevation of Bachelor Gulch it’s important to be as hydrated as possible. • The men’s massage includes three complimentary enhancements (add-on treatments) a little something for those “in the know.” • The most popular men’s treatments at Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch are the men’s facial and massage. • Men spend more time in the spa space than the ladies. The spa staff recommends planning for at least a ½ hour before and up to an hour after – to extend the relaxation. • Guests don’t need to bring anything to the spa and can enjoy the full-service experience with sandals, robes and products. Just come as you are. • Men should shave before a facial. ›› MORE AT AT RITZCARLTON.COM/BACHELORGULCH
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SAVOR THE FLAVOR As Colorado continues to create buzz and build its reputation as one of the great foodie cities in the country, Savor Denver Food Tours hosts locals and visitors alike in presenting an array of some of the tastiest dishes that downtown has to offer. Owner and founder Jessica Baumgart has the number one rated food tour on TripAdvisor, while striving to provide amazing food experiences for guests while supporting local Denver restaurants and sharing stories about Denver’s rich history and architecture. One tour package includes six unique tastings at the likes of Marco’s Coal Fired Pizzeria, Butcher’s Bistro, Biker Jim’s, Kachina Southwestern Grill, Mercantile Dining & Provisions and Ultreia. Another package samples the best craft cocktails in the city on a roving Happy Hour adventure through downtown, while customized private tours make for great team building, corporate outings or family celebrations. ›› MOREAT SAVORDENVERFOODTOURS.COM
RANCH HANDS A world-class fly fishing paradise has recently opened in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where its residences are privy to premiere luxury ranch life on more than two miles of private waters on Colorado’s renowned Elk River. Marabou Ranch owners can also enjoy 10 still-water fisheries known for trophy trout fishing and access to more than 100 miles of private and public Northwestern Colorado water. “Our home waters are teeming with a variety of rainbow trout, brown trout and cut bows,” said Pat Stefanek, Marabou Ranch’s Master Fly Fishing Guide. “Marabou Ranch is the perfect place for a family to learn how to fly fish because the conditions are so incredible and the views are so gorgeous.” The Marabou Ranch Outfitters Cabin provides all of the gear necessary for fishermen to get on the river and a staff of four local Master Guides to share their expert insights and guarantee an incredible experience. Celebrating the authentic Western lifestyle, Marabou Ranch offers 1,717 acres of incredible ranch land located just five miles from the Colorado mountain town of Steamboat Springs. Priced starting at $1.5 million, each home site at Marabou Ranch is its own private refuge of at least five acres, all offering sweeping panoramas of Colorado’s Yampa Valley, with views of rolling mountain meadows of sage and oak brush and the Elk River. Owners can design their dream mountain getaway, while other amenities include the Downstream Spa, the zero-entry kid-friendly Rivers Edge Pool with two hot tubs and a Fitness Center with cardio machines, kinesis strength equipment and free weights. Marabou Ranch offers a wide variety of additional Steamboat Springs recreational opportunities, including 20 miles of equestrian, mountain biking and hiking trails. For hunters, Marabou Ranch is home to deer, elk, pronghorn antelope, waterfowl, sharp-tailed grouse and many other species of wildlife. ›› MORE AT MARABOURANCHTOURS.COM
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[ BIB + ]
ISAAC STROOPE, SUITSUPPLY
TUCKER
Best dressed celebrity past? Steve McQueen is my greatest of all-time. When you see a picture of ‘The King of Cool,’ he looks so confident and so comfortable. Best dressed celebrity present? One of the all-time great dressers, David Beckham. He’s a fashion icon who continues to put a modern twist on the classic look. I’m equally impressed with how he pulls off such an incredible wardrobe while being a dad. Your earliest men’s fashion inspiration? Without question, my passion comes from my mom. I can remember matching my Abercrombie polos and always needing the newest cleats in rugby. Favorite designers? I love Brunello Cucinelli and his philosophy and the lifestyle of the brand. Louis Vuitton is another one - always innovative, while never leaving the classic style. Their hire of Virgil Abloh proved that they are listening to what is happening. I also like what Kanye West is doing. Keep in mind, I’m still young but I have to keep a “dad” sneaker in my rotation.
Bib & Tucker: A phrase dating back to the mid1700s meaning one’s finest clothes.
One look at Isaac Stroope and we had to know more about his passion for style. The store manager at Denver’s Suitsupply certainly finds himself surrounded by fashion explosions, be they pops of colors, gorgeous textures, delicious layers, seasonal patterns or countless accessories. He’s a kid in a candy store and it’s abundantly clear that he’s been taking notes and showcasing ensembles that would turn heads anywhere, let alone a mile above sea level. We sat down for our Bib & Tucker talk to learn what makes this bearded Denver gent tick.
Besides fit, what is the most important element that a man needs to consider when buying clothes? The right color is a big deal. A man should know when and where to don certain colors. I’ve always felt that clothes give us the opportunity to speak without words, and the properly chosen color profile can speak volumes.
Dressed up, as in “the men were told to put on their best bib and tucker for the dinner dance.”
What looks are you particularly excited about for fall and winter? For me, this time of year is all about drawstring trousers and boots. The seasons and the weather just call for it and, with my boots on, I like to feel that I can kick down a door at any time, literally and figuratively. Three must-have items that every man should have in his closet? My big three are a nice variety of boots, at least one pair of well-tailored trousers and a well-tailored white dress shirt that can be worn with unlimited looks and occasions.
What is your philosophy on how shoes can make the man? A man’s shoes and the thought that he puts into them are integral to the entire look. I always say, ‘Build from the base. Your structure is everything.’ The color and style on your feet should blend and build going upwards to everything else. Fashion trend to love? I have to go back to the drawstring trousers. The idea of sartorial flavor while combining the drawstrings adds a casual touch. It gives you room through the waist and the hip while giving a modern fit! To leave? Whether it’s a trend or not, I’ve never been a fan of following others when it comes to how to dress. Be yourself. What works for you? I feel that if you’re not confident in your look, then ultimately you don’t look good. Do you already know what you’re wearing tomorrow? I do. I’m ready for a grey suit, a white dress shirt with a navy-blue tie and brown boots. I also always wear a gold chain given to me by my mom and I’ll wear a watch made specifically for me by watchmaker Igor Bodin. Five dream party guests? Jesus, Brunello Cucinelli, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Marcus Aurelius, however I already have a dream table with my wife and my two little princesses!
More at suitsupply.com SIRANDSP ORT.COM
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DELROY GILL I FELT UNDERDRESSED. And I was wearing a stylish jacket, button-down collar shirt, trousers and dress shoes. But this guy looked like he just stepped off the runway in Milan and now it’s feeling like a bad dream where I show up for a black-tie gala in my underwear. Then there’s his undeniably charming British accent by way of South London that has accompanied him on his culture shocking move to Colorado 20 years ago. So, on a Friday afternoon during a summer heat wave in Denver, the only thing cooler than the air conditioning in the shadowy bar of Del Frisco’s Grille is this dapper cat standing in front of me, impeccably dressed and looking like Daniel Craig’s replacement as the next James Bond. I first came across the man named Delroy Gill through Denver Gents, the men’s organization that he launched with co-founder Stuart Crowell this past February. In a region that has been painfully dehydrated for a congruous homage to men’s fine clothing, our attention was immediately fixated on these gentlemen who celebrate style while giving back to the community. Even his name is cause for pause – Delroy Gill - this slick, unforgettable, exceptionally original moniker that you’d expect to be attached to a badass character in a Tarantino film. Life for this 37-year old modern day renaissance man is an absorbing mélange of a successful and burgeoning career at LIV Sotheby’s where he showcases luxury properties across the Denver region, his leadership role with Crowell at the aforementioned Denver Gents, and a promising ascension in the social media world with various Instagram endorsement deals through his authentic glimpses into his day-to-day activities. He’s a man with one very impressive plan and the big picture is crystal clear, “My goal is to share every single piece of my knowledge that I have before I leave this planet,” Gill says with the utmost conviction. “That’s just one of my ultimate goals.” It’s a mindset that’s unequivocally refreshing in this day and age. Gill’s mantra of giving back, helping others and being the best husband, father, friend, colleague, real estate agent, business partner and human being that he can possibly be stems from life lessons that he sought out early on in his career.
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[ CALL ME ] SIR
“Starting out in real estate, you don’t know what you don’t know,” Gill admits after taking a sip from his glass of ice water. “I was trying to figure it all out and I realized that I needed a mentor who knew more than I. My mentor was in the mortgage industry but he understood business as a whole extremely well. He coached me. He gave me all of these formulas and the right mindset and approach that I needed for my business. The growth that all of this gave me in business completely shifted my outlook and it was then that I decided to be one of those people who was willing to share information and ideas to others.” Gill’s intentions were further cemented during a chance meeting with a fellow attendee at a business conference who commented that ‘the only thing we can take with us when we die is our knowledge.’ It further inspired Gill to the path that he’s on, “I don’t want to be a closed book or hide ideas,” he concedes. “There’s enough for everyone. Hiding it just harbors yourself from getting to a whole other level of success.” Gill’s level of success, like most, is a continuous work in progress, however the pace at which he has strategically constructed his brand on Instagram is nothing short of remarkable. “I only started really pushing my social media content about a year ago,” he reveals. “Prior to that, I wasn’t on Instagram. Anything I research or learn or do, I make it a part of my routine to share on Instagram. When I wake up, I meditate, go to the gym, do my morning rituals and then I post something online that is positive. We all know that there are real life problems. I want to share something positive and help people in a different way. That’s my philosophy.” While his social media branding serves as a direct extension of Gill’s lifestyle, he has worked tirelessly in creating a platform that could never be mistaken for a guy taking selfies. It’s a professional page that he views as an online magazine, encompassing all facets of his lifestyle including his real estate properties, where he eats, the books he reads, the events he attends, the trips he takes and, of course, his boundless passion for fashion and style. The overall content has opened the door for partnerships with the likes of Suitsupply, The Macallan, Shinola Watches and Signet Jewelers, to name just a few.
Growing up in London, there was no escape from fashion. It’s everywhere, and since England schools are renowned for their uniforms – a tie, blazer, slacks – it was already ingrained in Delroy. With the city’s competitive nature in how one dresses and wanting to stand out, Gill’s stance on the subject was equally competitive – be creative and make your look your own so that you don’t look like everyone else. So, imagine all of this style intel in a place like Denver, Colorado, ten years ago, 4,683 miles from a fashion icon like London.
CUE DENVER GENTS. With over 14,000 current followers on his Instagram page, it’s abundantly clear that people with the same interests have gravitated to Gill. So, he reached out to some people he knew with like-minded interests and mindsets, planned a get-together that snowballed into nearly 100 guys showing up and it was then and there when he and Stuart Crowell realized that they had something special in their midst. Soon thereafter, Denver Gents was established to raise money for various charities and organizations around Denver, all while its members are dressed to impress donning some of the most dapper outfits. Is it any surprise that it takes Gill anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour every night to assemble his wardrobe for the next day? It’s a fascinating system. He checks the weather forecast, which affects what fabrics and materials he’ll choose. He assesses his next-day schedule – a more real estate-laden day with meetings and property showings translates to an ensemble more toned down and less flamboyant whereas a day with photos shoots and meetings with friends means more color schemes. Then he picks a suit. Eighty percent of the time, he goes with a plain white shirt. Ties and pocket squares take the most time to select, and this is after he narrows down his tie choices to three. His belt needs to be matching in fabric to the jacket and, sometimes, even the shoes. This is next-level-of-style status. Gill has done heavy research on sartorialism – fabrics, when to wear suspenders, why there are single and double vents in the back of a jacket. To hear him tell it, “The entire process is very enjoyable to me.” And then Delroy Gill will gladly pass along everything he’s learned to anyone who’s interested.
BECAUSE THAT’S HIS STYLE. ›› MORE AT DENVERGENTS.COM
[ VIEW ]
W
e are constantly buried in books, Instagram, TV and movies for our information, inspiration and entertainment. Here’s a look at the sights and sounds that have left a mark or two on us lately.
MASTER
BOOKS CARS & CURVES: 70 YEARS OF PORSCHE – STEFAN BOGNER & BEN WINTER Created in collaboration between two passionate Porsche drivers -- celebrated photographer, Stefan Bogner and writer Ben Winter - this book examines the extraordinary legacy of the world’s most storied car brand. Available from Delius Klasing Publishers, the book is bilingual (English and German) and features over 250 breathtaking images.
THE MAN I NEVER MET – ADAM SCHEFTER From the author himself, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter: “On the 15th anniversary of 9/11, ESPN did a feature on the loss of my wife’s late husband, Joe Maio. It was done to honor his memory and pay tribute to my wife, Sharri, and her strength and courage. The reaction to the piece was so strong that there were people who thought it should be turned into a book. And so that is what we did. Instead of a 6-plus minute TV feature, we now have a 200-page book that continues to pay tribute to Joe and Sharri. It is a way to honor his memory, salute my wife, and give people who have confronted dark days to find a reason to believe.”
Green Book – November 21st The range of Viggo Mortensen (A History of Violence, Captain Fantastic) never ceases to amaze. His latest role is a working-class ItalianAmerican bouncer who becomes the driver of an African-American classical pianist on a tour of venues through the 1960s American South. Oscar winner Mahershala Ali (Moonlight) plays American jazz pianist and composer Don Shirley in this road film that reminds of past classics with dueling personalities like Midnight Run, Tommy Boy and Planes, Trains and Automobiles, but with a much more poignant message about opposites attracting and unifying as one. Welcome to Marwen – December 21st This highly anticipated film has had the industry buzzing for months with its stunning portrayal of Steve Carell as a victim of a brutal attack who finds a unique and beautiful therapeutic outlet to help him through his recovery process. With legendary director Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, Castaway) at the controls, this comedy/drama is inspired by a true story, impressing an artistic creation of awesome proportion while featuring themes of good versus evil, love, family, courage and resilience. We’re expecting The Academy to take notice come February. True Detective – January 2019 Season One of True Detective with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson ranks as some of the best television you’ll ever see. Season Two with Vince Vaughn, Colin Farrell and Rachel McAdams was a forgettable mess that had loyal viewers looking for parachutes. For Season Three, we’re betting that creator Nic Pizzolatto has righted the ship and it will be one of 2019’s finest installments. The story takes place in the Ozarks over three separate time periods, as partner detectives investigate a macabre crime involving two missing children. Mahershala Ali will play the lead role of detective Wayne Hays, while Stephen Dorff will play his partner, detective Roland West. The season marks Pizzolatto’s directorial debut, with the series creator dividing up directing assignments with Jeremy Saulnier and Daniel Sackheim. Pizzolatto also serves as the showrunner and sole writer of the season, with the exception of the fourth episode, which he co-wrote with David Milch.
JOIN THE C O N V E R S AT I O N PLAZALASVEGAS WE’VE NEVER STAYED THERE SO WE CAN’T VOUCH FOR MUCH, HOWEVER THEIR INSTAGRAM PAGE IS A FUN, BEAUTIFUL AND NOSTALGIC MIX OF OLD SCHOOL VEGAS, STYLE, FASHION, CELEBRITY AND DESIGN. THE NEXT TIME WE’RE IN SIN CITY, WE’LL CHECK OUT THE PROPERTY BECAUSE THEY’VE HOOKED US WITH THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA
SIRANDSPORT.COM
@SIRANDSPORT
DAILYBESTPIC THEIR DOMAIN NAME IS APROPOS BECAUSE THE SHOTS THEY FEATURE ARE INCREDIBLE. THINK EARTH, NATURE AND TRAVEL AND THANK US LATER.
@SIRANDSPORT
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EXPLORINGOURGLOBE SO, THINK EARTH, NATURE AND TRAVEL…AGAIN. THAT’S OUR JAM THESE DAYS. IT’S ALL-YOUCAN-VIEW FREE THERAPY AND IT MAKES US BELIEVE IN THE BEAUTY OF EVERYTHING.
MUSTANGSFAMILY WE’RE ON A MUSTANG KICK THESE DAYS, PARTICULARLY THE BEEFY MUSTANG BOSS, BUT WE’RE ALSO PARTIAL TO ELEANOR (THE 1967 SHELBY GT500E) AND ALL OF THE OTHER STUNNING, CUSTOMIZED MACHINES ON THIS PAGE. THE STILL SHOTS ARE GORGEOUS AND THE VIDEOS GIVE US GOOSEBUMPS.
@DenverGents
Has your tax professional prepared you for the tax season? Cornbelt Financial shares five ways they’ve been able to proactively prepare their clients for every tax season...
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
W
hile the rest of the industry is stuck in the old reactionary way of doing your taxes, there are five levels of service Cornbelt Financial proactively provides our individual and small business clients to make tax preparation a value-added service. 1. Mid-Year & Year-End Follow-Ups Working with you to avoid unwelcomed surprises such as providing interest-free loans to the IRS (i.e. large refunds) and/or having large balances due as a result of your tax professional not proactively planning with you and leaving you with the bill (i.e. underpayment penalty). 2. Mid-Year & Year-End Tax Analyses We’re increasing tax efficiency and adding value that is often resulting in tax savings that often exceeds the cost of our services. Don’t believe us? We provide complimentary initial tax analyses to show you our value. 3. Tax Law Reform Discussions This past year has had many new tax laws introduced and you should know how these tax law changes may affect you. 4. 21st Century Technology & Workflows Tired of sitting in traffic on your way to the tax office, or snail mailing items back and forth to sign? Cornbelt Financial has implemented a remote operations business model with online & cloud-based solutions to make the tax season easy.
5. Flat-Rate and Subscription-Based Pricing Models Leveraging technology has allowed for increased efficiency preparing tax returns (hence why more and more people attempt to DIY); therefore, regardless of your revenues, income, expenses, deductions and/or forms filed there should not be much fluctuation with pricing and how much you’re paying. Cornbelt Financial will work with you proactively during the months of May – December to ensure you are not only tax compliant but also efficient. If your existing tax team is working with you reactively during the months of January – April and telling you what you should have done when it’s too late, it is time to get started with a new approach. Cornbelt Financial is owned and operated by Adam Carr, an IRS Enrolled Agent who has also earned a MBA from Ashford University, a BS in Finance from Iowa State University, and has become Series 65 and Colorado Life Insurance licensed. Adam has previously worked as a Senior Valuations Analyst and as a Financial Analyst within the Mutual Fund Administration industry all while building a business. Email adam.carr@cornbeltfinancial.com or text 563.249.7418 to get started with a complimentary initial tax analysis.
Adam Carr adam.carr@cornbeltfinancial.com 563.249.7418
[ BACK ] NINE What’s the strangest thing you’ve witnessed on a golf course? We had some DEA agents come out and arrest someone of the golf course one time. That was pretty interesting. Course at the top of your bucket list? If I could play one more round of golf, it would be at Augusta National. I think that is probably right up there for every golfer. Favorite golfer growing up and now? David Duval was my favorite golfer growing up. He was a beast back in the day and as good as anyone has ever been for a couple of years. I loved how he worked the golf ball around the golf course. And I loved the shades. I’ve been wearing Oakleys since I was 14. Now my favorite golfer is Ricki Fowler. I think he is a great ambassador for our game. He plays it the right way and carries himself the right way. He is a great role model for our youth. What PGA golfer should the world keep its eye on in 2019? I think Cameron Champ could be a real good player someday. He won his first ever tour event at Silverado Golf Resort in October. His game has a lot of upside to it. I like his game a lot.
BRYSON HOTCHKISS T H E R I D G E AT CASTLE PINES NORTH As the Head Golf Pro at The Ridge at Castle Pines North, Bryson Hotchkiss knows his way around this Troon Golf property south of Denver like no one else. This highly regarded public course is no stranger to winning awards from the likes of GOLFWEEK, Golf Magazine and Golf Digest, so Sir and Sport took to the fairways with Hotchkiss and made him use every club in his bag to answer our questions on The Back Nine.
What’s the most important club in your bag? The putter. You can make up for some errant shots if you roll in a couple putts during your round. The putter changes average rounds to good rounds and good rounds to great rounds when you are making putts.
Best dressed golfer past and present? My past might be a little different than some, but I’m going to go with Payne Stewart. With the present, Billy Horschel. I like color and he wears a lot of it! A little color has never hurt anyone. I don’t own a pair of khaki golf slacks. I might be one of the only golf professionals in the world who can say that! What’s your favorite major and why? The Open is my favorite major. I love how creative you can be or have to be in certain situations. You can play a shot two, three or sometimes even four different ways. You get to really see how imaginative the golfers are when they play golf over there and it’s a lot of fun to watch as well! What’s your favorite golf movie? Caddyshack hands down is one of my favorite all-time movies, let alone golf movies. The characters in that movie come into our golf shops all the time. It’s classic! All of the little things in the background of that movie are great. You have to watch it more than once to catch all of them and, when you see them, you can’t help but laugh. I can’t even begin to guess how many times I’ve watched it. More at playtheridge.com
What’s your favorite hole at your course? Hole number 18 is probably my favorite hole here at The Ridge. The tee shot from the back tee is one of the coolest tee shots and views you will ever see on a golf course. Favorite course you’ve ever played? Vidanta Golf Club in Puerto Penasco, Sonora, Mexico. It’s a great layout that is right on the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez). There are probably a half dozen holes right on the water. It reminds me of Bandon Dunes in Oregon.
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Cameron Champ
Vidanta Golf Club
David Duval
Payne Stewart
Ricki Fowler
Dustin Miller PGA Teaching Instructor
720.982.4714 DustinMiller@pga.com
Black Bear Golf Club | Blackstone Country Club
The Four Seasons
DENVER
KEY FEATURES $6,245,000 3 Beds 4 Baths 5,092 Square Feet 900 Square Feet of Outdoor Terraces 270-Degree Views of the City and Mountains Exquisite Custom Finishes Original Art Throughout
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
A Rare Opportunity in the Four Seasons Denver 1132 14TH STREET, PENTHOUSE 4100 DENVER, COLORADO THE FOUR SEASONS DENVER’S FINEST A privileged few own an exquisite piece of art. Fewer live in one. Much more than a perfect setting for the display of one’s fine art, with gallery walls and lighting and complementary design elements, Four Seasons Residences Number 4100, high above downtown Denver, is one such place. Masterfully crafted utilizing only the finest materials and accoutrements, and conceived as a combination of practicality and artistic sensibility, this beautiful one-of-a-kind living space is nothing short of world-class. The highest quality finishes have been selected from around the world, and include luxurious fabrics, imported natural stone, and the finest walnut. There are state-of-the-art entertainment systems, and custom fixtures, ceiling and wall treatments throughout the residence. Outside, over 900 sq. ft. of outdoor terraces provide commanding views of city and mountains. The 5,092 sq. ft. residence was purchased as a “white box”, which offered complete flexibility for the architect and interior design team. A floor plan was created to maximize the space for entertaining and enjoyment of the incredible 270-degree city and mountain views. Completed in late 2014, the residence provides a spacious great room ideal for entertaining with multiple gathering areas, a fireplace with an artistic finished cold rolled steel mantel. A walk-in wine cave leads to a gourmet kitchen with hidden pantry which opens up to a dining room and access to two outdoor terraces - all with breathtaking views. It also features a media room, corner office, master suite, guest suite and guest master with separate entry. The finishes selected from around the world are the highest quality available. They include luxurious fabrics, imported natural stone, walnut hardwood floors, extensive LED and mood lighting controlled through an iPad, and state-of-the-art entertainment systems. What’s more, the residence features notable original art and sculptures as well as commissioned pieces designed exclusively for the home. + More at annkerr.com +
PENTHOUSE 4100 IS PRESENTED BY
ANNKERR AnnKerr.com
303.818.8668 AKerr@Kentwood.com annkerr.com
[ CRIB ] NOTES
A CHERRY HILLS MASTERPIECE When a Denver couple purchased the property at 10 Cherry Hills Park Drive in 2012, they realized that, while beautiful, it did not exude the modernity that they so desired in a home. However, the incredible (and sweeping) mountain views, matched with the five stunningly manicured acres on which it sat, were too perfect to pass up. With that, they began a top to bottom renovation that would take the home, originally built in 2000, nearly down to the studs. Under the direction of general contractor John Bondarewicz, the transitional French style estate was completely reimagined into a breathtaking home brimming with exquisite details that are equal parts classic and contemporary. Inside, much of the 20,000-square-foot layout was altered to accommodate a relatively open concept, spacious main level. The shining star is a custom designed Clive Christian chef’s kitchen where walnut countertops, one-of-a-kind cabinetry and only the most elite appliances and appointments would do. Adjacent to the kitchen, a large butler’s pantry, dining room, living room, reading nook and enclave for a grand piano are all ideal for entertaining. What’s more, a 2,950-square-foot indoor swimming pool and pool house with its own kitchenette were entirely refinished to include chic, modern touches. At the opposite end of the floor sits a true gentleman’s study, replete with floor to ceiling lacquer bookcases, a traditional fireplace and even a hidden powder room tucked away inside one of the custom shelves. Throughout the home, exquisite walnut floors and fine woodwork handcrafted by Bill Wright can be found at nearly every turn. In fact, no detail was overlooked, particularly in the master retreat where his and hers marble bathroom suites, a sauna, sizable his and hers master closets with every custom feature imaginable – including a laundry room separate from that of the main floor – were all added. In the home’s subterranean level, a gentleman’s (and entertainer’s) paradise was built. A basketball court and gym is both beautiful and functional, while a custom bar rivals any well-appointed pub. Also in the basement, which features walkout access, is a spacious yet decidedly comfortable theatre room for private screenings and movie nights in. The estate’s outdoor spaces are as impressive – if not more so – than its grand interiors. An all-weather garage would wow any collector and above it, guest or staff quarters add additional living space to the already expansive abode. Yet the undoubted crown jewel is the outdoor entertaining area. A large fireplace, kitchen and multiple seating lounges surround the home, offering its owners ample vantage points to indulge in the opulent grounds and unmatched views.
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Words By Betsy Marr Photos courtesy LIV Sotheby's
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Much of the 20,000-square-foot layout was altered to accommodate a relatively open concept, spacious main level. SIRANDSP ORT.COM
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10 Cherry Hills Park Drive is currently listed with Rochelle McNaughton, LIV Sotheby's International Realty. Visit 10cherryhillsparkdrive.com
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♦♦♦♦♦
SEE
more at
SIRANDSPORT.COM ♦♦♦♦♦
SIRANDSP ORT.COM
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Live Beautifully
Four Seasons Penthouse 4100 Your home should be a reflection of your life and your style. A place that’s more than four walls and an address. A place that speaks to your passions and pursuits. Ann Kerr knows and appreciates the intangibles of a life well lived and the beauty of homes that exude quiet elegance and thoughtful details. Whether you’re buying or selling, count on Ann Kerr as your partner in luxury real estate.
ANNKERR AnnKerr.com
303.818.8668 AKerr@Kentwood.com
Out of Office Reply:
Four Seasons Resort, Hualalai Kona,Hawaii BY KEVIN MARR
I
t is, without question, the most spectacular image ever taken of Hawaii in the picturesque history of the chain of paradise islands. And I took it.
I wish that I could say that I did more than just point and shoot, but that’s exactly what happened. However, I did recognize the photo opportunity to begin with, so that’s worth something, and I did put down my vodka pineapple on the perfectly manicured lawn so that I could truly focus on this vision at hand. But the real credit goes to a magnificent sunset, an incomparable color layer of sky, the calming rolling surf, a strategically placed Hitachi tree, and Four Seasons Resort Hualalai for its impeccable location on the Big Island just north of Kona. This otherworldly tropical Eden is brimming with the magical and the unforgettable. A tee time and day on the links at Hualalai Golf Course will undoubtedly go down as an outing for the ages. How do you finish playing an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus signature championship masterpiece in Hawaii and not feel like you’ve witnessed something out of this world? There’s a nine-acre driving range that includes a chipping and short-game practice area, two sand bunkers and a putting green. Now you’re ready for over 7,100 yards that the Mitsubishi Electric Championship calls home every January, with holes featuring everything from lush oasis, black lava rock and the brilliant Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile, your personal caddie carries your clubs while walking or riding the course, giving insider advice on how to play each hole. So, there’s a day working on your tan and your golf handicap, and then there’s a day at the spa working out the knots, harnessing your chi energy and getting in a much needed 80-minute nap with a waft of lavender in the air. Four Seasons wouldn’t dare compromise those famous ocean Hawaiian breezes by putting
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its spa guests indoors, hence our first introduction to the hale – a traditional Hawaiian thatched-roof dwelling which, in this case, was mingled within the stunning spa gardens. There’s nothing that isn’t offered when it comes to body scrubs, wraps, treatments, manicures and pedicures, skincare, massage therapy, yoga, Pilates, acupuncture, sleep therapy and meditation. Throw in the steam room, sauna, hot tub, private men’s and women’s spa lounges, workout center, tennis courts and swimming pool, and it must be time to fuel that body with something to eat. ‘Ulu Ocean Grill could not be more appropriately named, with its award-winning cuisine served less than 20 yards from the surf and where 75 percent of the food comes fresh from the ocean and local farms. Signature dishes from Executive Chef Thomas Bellec include Hawaiian Ahi Poke with ogu, Maui onions, white shoyu and sesame oil; Local Snapper and Black Pepper Prime New York Steak with Kiawe Smoked Potatoes, Fennel Creamed Kekala Swiss Chard and Edamame. Beach Tree is another can’t-miss. Described as the essence of “barefoot elegance,” this oceanside restaurant brings the feel of a Hawaiian beach house, where you can dine on the sand or in the open-air dining room as you savor Californian cuisine with an Italian twist. It’s also the setting of where the most jaw-dropping photo of a tree at sunset was ever captured. Favorites include Kanpachi Crudi with avocado, jalapeno, toasted corn and cilantro; Gnocchi with Keahole lobster, chili pepper, oven-cured tomato and basil; and Roasted Beet Salad with candied citrus, macadamia-nut crumble, whipped Gorgonzola and sherry vinaigrette. Our personal favorite? We still reminisce about the Residents’ Beach House. Of course it’s on the water, and the casual lanai dining evokes a vibe of an out-of-
Through the
Editor's Eye Four SEasons resort Hualalai
the-way patio and bar with a delectable menu, including the best tuna melt we’ve ever had – and we don’t even really eat tuna melts, but ‘When in Rome.’ Signature “Big Daddy” drinks make for an incomparable afternoon or evening companion while gazing out onto the ocean, while your taste buds are thoroughly satisfied from cornmeal crusted calamari, Pacific yellowfin ahi sashimi, crab cake sliders, honey tamarind glazed pork ribs, buttermilk battered fried chicken and desserts like chocolate cake, mud pie and skillet cookies. Not only do you have Four Seasons’ luxury accommodations for a place to put your head down at night, but the Hualalai neighborhood that surrounds the resort is also a worthy alternative as a home away from home. In particular, Denver-based luxury travel brand Cuvee has a jewel of a residence in their collection, overlooking Hualalai Golf Course’s second tee, that any traveler would be privileged to have access to. The 6,300-square foot villa features an open-concept layout with four master suites, a children’s suite, an infinity pool and custom hot tub, media room, chef’s-style kitchen, office, den, and gorgeous indoor and outdoor living areas. Hawaii is such an entrancing land. Its seclusion makes it all the more extraordinary and breathtaking. The people, the history, the culture and the unmitigated magic of this part of the world made this experience arguably the best that we’ve been on through all of our travels. Thank goodness for cameras so that we can retain the astounding beauty that is the Big Island and its ambassadors like Hualalai. And, speaking of photographs, have you heard about the one with the tree at sunset at Four Seasons?
More at fourseasons.com/hualalai To book Cuveé's Hualalai estate, please visit cuvee.com or call 720.833.4533
Photos by Kevin Marr Photos by Kevin Marr
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[ THE ] BOARDROOM
FORTUNE 250 TO DENVER Fortune 250 company VF Corporation, the holding company of outdoor brands including The North Face, JanSport and Smartwool, is moving its global headquarters to Denver with a staff of 800 employees and an average salary of $185,721 after receiving $27 million in job growth incentive tax credits. “This project is strong validation of the state’s role as a leading attractor of industry and it is especially heartening that it comes with VF – a company whose brands and culture align with Colorado’s core values,” said Colorado Office of Economic Development and international trade executive director Stephanie Copeland. The company will move to Denver in the spring. Several of its outdoor brands, including The North Face, JanSport, Smartwool, Eagle Creek and Altra will also move to Colorado’s capital. VF employs nearly 70,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 170 countries. It also includes brands Vans, Timberland, Dickies and other work-wear brands that will not relocate to Denver. “We are grateful to Colorado for the job growth tax credits that represent a long-term commitment to our company and we want to make a long-term commitment to the people of Colorado,” VF chairman, president and CEO Steve Rendle said.
THE LEXUS YACHT Lexus has entered the private yacht game with the reveal of the LY 650, a 65-foot luxury yacht billed as the automaker’s fourth flagship. The others are the LC coupe, LS sedan and LX SUV. The LY 650 exists only as a series of computer-generated renderings at present but Lexus has confirmed plans for production, with the first to be unveiled late in 2019. The move is part of Lexus boss Shigeki Tomoyama’s desire to, “present a dream-like vision of the luxury lifestyle; one where the Lexus yacht expands the potential of Lexus mobility to the ocean.” Lexus has teamed up with boat builder Marquis-Larson of Pulaski, Wisconsin, to develop its yacht, which the automaker says is the first production-bound boat to feature the L-finesse design language. It isn’t the first L-finesse-inspired boat, however. The powertrain for the LY 650 will be sourced from marine engines expert Volvo Penta, part of the Volvo trucking group. The standard setup is a pair of 12.8-liter inline-6 IPS 1200 diesel engines, each good for about 900 horsepower. Those seeking greater performance will be able to opt for the IPS 1350 version of the engine which ups the power to 1,000 hp.
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FERRARI SETS WORLD RECORD FOR AUCTION PRICE Ferrari continues to be Ferrari, turning heads and blowing minds at the RM Sotheby’s auction at Monterey Car Week where one of their fabled masterpieces set the world record for the most valuable car ever sold at auction. Renowned car collector Dr. Gregory Whitten’s legendary 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, chassis 3413 GT, garnered an unbelievable $48.4 million. Long considered to be the holy grail of the collector car world and under Whitten’s care since 2000, this work of art was regularly exhibited and driven around the world, including four appearances at the Cavallino Classic between 2001 and 2008, four seasons in the Shell Ferrari Historic Challenge between 2001 and 2009, and the GTO 50th and 55th Anniversary tours. In order to earn the title of the most expensive car ever sold at auction, 3413 needed to surpass the $38,115,000 paid for a Ferrari GTO back in 2014.
EX-NBA STAR SUES FOR $77 MILLION Former NBA star Kevin Garnett is suing his former accountant and firm, accusing them of doing nothing to stop a former wealth manager from stealing $77 million of Garnett’s money. Garnett’s lawsuit alleges Michael Wertheim of Kentucky and the Welenken CPAs firm “possessed actual knowledge” that the advisor, Charles Banks, was committing fraud. Wertheim reportedly worked closely with Banks on financial transactions, including spending budgets, “and for some reason chose to have virtually no contact with Garnett. Banks intentionally ... looted Garnett of his earnings and assets for many years, including the many years that Welenken and Wertheim provided accounting services to Garnett and his business interests,” the lawsuit said. Banks pleaded guilty to a wire fraud charge in April 2017, acknowledging that he had defrauded another former NBA star, longtime San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan, of millions of dollars. He was sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to repay Duncan $7.5 million in restitution.
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NFL’S MOST VALUABLE TEAMS The Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable team in the NFL for the 12th straight year, according to the franchise value rankings published by Forbes Magazine. The publication said the Cowboys are worth $5 billion, $1.2 billion more than the second most-valuable team, the New England Patriots ($3.8 billion). Cowboys owner Jerry Jones bought the team, the most valuable in all of sports, according to Forbes, on a valuation of $63 million in 1989. The New York Giants ($3.3 billion), Los Angeles Rams ($3.2 billion) and Washington Redskins ($3.2 billion) round out the top five. The average franchise value for a team in the league is now $2.57 billion, but Forbes notes the two percent increase from last year is the smallest year-overyear increase since 2010. The magazine says it’s because the values are now so high that there are fewer people who could create a bidding war. The Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles came in at No. 10 with a franchise value of $2.75 billion.
MCDONALD’S SCAM TO BECOME MOVIE Ben Affleck is attached to direct and Matt Damon to star in a true-crime story written by Jeff Maysh and published in The Daily Beast about an ex-cop who rigged the McDonald’s Monopoly game, allegedly stealing over $24 million and sharing it with an unsavory group of co-conspirators who offered kickbacks to the mastermind. Sources said that bidding was ferocious for Maysh’s How An ExCop Rigged McDonald’s Monopoly Game And Stole Millions, with FOX coming out victorious. The article opens in 2001 in Rhode Island, as a million-dollar check is delivered to a man who said he’d won the $1 million grand prize after collecting Monopoly pieces attached to food products, defying the 1-in-250 million odds. A camera crew was dispatched to hear how the man won, and they chronicled his series of lies. There were FBI agents closing in on a sting that began with a tip about an “Uncle Jerry,” who’d sell stolen game pieces. Solid detective work unearthed Jerry Jacobson, head of security for the Los Angeles company responsible for generating the game pieces. It led to a wide conspiracy that involved mobsters, psychics, strip-club owners, drug traffickers and a family of Mormons who falsely claimed to have won more than $24 million in cash and prizes.
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BILLIONAIRE TO THE MOON Yusaku Maezawa, the founder of Japanese e-commerce giant Zozo, has signed up to fly a round-themoon mission aboard Elon Musk’s SpaceX’s BFR spaceship-rocket combo. Maezawa and a group of artists will visit the moon as early as 2023, becoming the first private citizens ever to fly beyond low Earth orbit. The mission, which will loop around but not land on the moon, will be documented by attending painters, sculptors, fashion designers and architects. The artwork that results from this weeklong mission “will inspire the dreamer inside all of us,” said Maezawa, who is an avid art collector. Maezawa has also invited Musk to come along, and the SpaceX chief didn’t exactly shoot down the possibility. “Maybe we’ll both be on it,” Musk said. Neither Musk nor Maezawa would disclose how much the flight costs. But both said that Maezawa has already made a substantial down payment, and that he’s buying the entire flight (meaning the artists will fly for free). While humanity has maintained a continuous presence aboard the International Space Station since November 2000, no person has ventured beyond Earth orbit since the Apollo 17 moon mission ended in December 1972.
MOVADO ACQUIRES MVMT The Movado Group, which owns Movado and a host of licensed watch brands, has announced its agreement to purchase MVMT Watches Inc., the five-year-old lifestyle brand that creates watches, sunglasses and accessories in the affordable price range. The Los Angeles-based company has a global community of more than 1.5 million MVMT owners, so it offers strong expansion for Movado Group into a millennial brand and satisfies the Group’s new digital strategy. According to the Movado Group’s announcement, the purchase price consists of an initial $100 million payment and two additional payments of $100 million in total. MVMT has expanded into more than 160 countries via a direct-to-customers business philosophy, selling predominantly through its e-commerce site. The brand’s digital program across all social media channels yields an impressive 4.5 million followers. The brand’s Los Angeles founders, Jacob Kassan, 27, and Kramer LaPlante, 26, were named to Forbes’ “30 under 30” list in 2017. Both are expected to continue leading the company and its 40 employees in Los Angeles.
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MANOR OF SPEAKING A regal home plays host to a stunning couple. Elegant and alluring, their palatial estate is the perfect backdrop for the season’s most stunning fashions. Photos by Frances Marron Styling by Betsy Marr and Chelsea Magness Hair and Makeup by Mariafe McGregor Shot on location at 10 Cherry Hills Park Drive
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PREVIOUS PAGES Hugo Boss Medium Grey Windowpane Suit, $1,695; Hugo Boss Crew-Neck Sweater, $158 THIS PAGE Hugo Boss Slim-Fit Micro-Patterned Dobby Cotton Shirt, $128; Hugo Boss Italian-Made Tie, $168
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ON THE LADY: Tara LaTour via Anna Bé Wallis Gown, $8,690; Bloom Strawberry Quartz and Garnet Tassel Earrings, $159 ON THE GENTLEMAN: Hugo Boss Slim-Fit Tuxedo with Silk Collar, $895; Hugo Boss Easy-Iron Tuxedo Shirt, $198; Hugo Boss Italian Patent Leather Evening Shoe, $398; Hugo Boss Italian Silk Bow Tie, $98
OPPOSITE PAGE 15-107 Gown by Berta via Anna Bé; Bloom Diamond Necklace, 5 Tier $1,067 THIS PAGE ON THE LADY: Betsy & Adam Ruffled Back Off the Shoulder Gown, $278 ON THE GENTLEMAN: Hugo Boss Slim-Fit Tuxedo with Silk Trims, $995; Hugo Boss Easy-Iron Tuxedo Shirt, $198; Hugo Boss Italian Patent Leather Evening Shoe, $398; Hugo Boss Italian Silk Bow Tie, $98 SIRANDSP ORT.COM
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THIS PAGE ON THE LADY: Betsy & Adam Strapless Satin Ball Gown, $298; Bloom Jewelry Pave Diamond Earrings, $493 ON THE GENTLEMAN: Hugo Boss White Nemir Slim-Fit Tuxedo Jacket, $745; Hugo Boss Easy-Iron Tuxedo Shirt, $198; Hugo Boss Italian Patent Leather Evening Shoe, $398; Hugo Boss Italian Silk Bow Tie, $98
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OPPOSITE PAGE Hugo Boss Slim-Fit Cotton Blend Blazer, $595; Hugo Boss Slim-Fit Henley Sweater, $178
[ SEE MORE ] AT SIRANDSPORT.COM
FASHIONS VIA Hugo Boss Cherry Creek 720.945.1101 hugoboss.com Anna Bé 720.855.1111 anna-be.com Dillard’s Park Meadows 303.790.0100 dillards.com Special Thanks To Tré Tallman Jill Lineback Roger Castro Kelsie Black 10 Cherry Hills Park Drive is currently listed with Rochelle McNaughton of LIV Sotheby’s estatesofdenver.com 1937 Chevrolet 5 Window Coupe Street Rod courtesy of Mango Motors mangomotorsales.com
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H U NGRY L I K E T H E
From beating guys up on the field to dressing them up off of it, the Denver Broncos’ Derek Wolfe has entered entrepreneurship with his signature force. We sat down with the man behind the world of DEFWU and left as a believer. Words by Kevin Marr // Photos by Jensen Sutta Lifestyle Photos by Johnathan Martinez and Johnny O’ Dell
The hulking pickup truck rumbles past me onto the faded brick driveway at the end of the cul-de-sac and I think to myself, “Now that’s a rig built for a beast of a driver.” Sure enough, the 6’6, 300-pound wheelman, who anchors one side of the Denver Broncos’ defensive line every Sunday, emerges from the behemoth, four-wheeled Goliath and I’m face-to-face with the unmistakable mass that is Derek Wolfe. Oddly, we’re not here to talk football. The Ohio native is more than merely a bruising tank whom you don’t want to get cornered by while trying to run with the football. He’s become an entrepreneur in the apparel industry, and so this is the story that has brought us together on a Saturday summer afternoon at his home in Denver. As we enter the Wolfe den, the questions are all about DEFWU, Wolfe’s flourishing lifestyle brand that is turning heads nationwide with its straightforward message about life, happiness and perseverance.
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HE DID BOTH.
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As we adjourned to the basement, we’re surrounded by a stunning, spacious subterranean retreat replete with a big screen, pool table, lounge, bar, an adjoining weight room and a wall lined with a row of framed NFL jerseys of fellow teammates and opponents. Derek explains that DEFWU originated in 2009 during his playing days at the University of Cincinnati with a change in head football coaches, “Brian Kelly left for Notre Dame and he was replaced by Butch Jones,” he begins. “Kelly’s system had been a lot more lax and we had a lot more freedom. Anyone who has played a college sport knows that they treat you like a child and they work you to death. So, Coach Jones came in and was like, ‘We’re going to squat as heavy as we can and do as many reps as we can with every single set.’ Everything was maximum reps with him and we ended up working until we couldn’t work anymore. It took a year-and-a-half to really get it but, as a team, we started to develop this mentality that no one could fuck with us. No one. It didn’t matter who they were. They could be a better team, but they were going to know that they played us,” he finishes with a grin. From that point on, the slogan DEFWU - ‘Don’t Ever F$%K With Us’ - ran rampant with the Bearcats football squad. In 2012, when Wolfe was selected 36th overall in the second round of the NFL Draft by the Broncos, he knew better than to immediately impress the DEFWU way onto his new teammates. “Coming into the NFL, you can’t bring something like that with you,” admits Wolfe. However, during the team’s Super Bowl championship run in 2015, the competitive mindset was contagious and the proverbial temperature in the room was ideal for an attitude infusion. Wolfe was a respected and popular leader with three years under his belt and the defense was playing so well that it just struck him, “I just started saying, ‘DEFWU,’ all the time. I began breaking our defensive line huddles that way. DEFWU – if you have a problem with us then we’re going to solve it. That’s just how it is.” And that’s just how it went. Peyton Manning and Denver raised the Lombardi Trophy and the rest of the league learned that, when it came to the Broncos, DEFWU. While the phrase stemmed from Wolfe’s college football experience, DEFWU wouldn’t be a brand without Wolfe’s business partner and longtime friend, Brent Ellis, who had the idea to put it on a hat to simply get a feel for the aesthetics of it all. “My wife makes shirts and she has this vinyl printer, so I put the DEFWU letters on there, the printer cuts them out and you just iron them on to a hat,” Ellis reveals. “I ordered these blank hats off Amazon, sent Derek a picture and he told me that we’ve got something here. I said to him, ‘Yeah? You want to do this?’ and Derek replied, ‘Let’s do it, dude.” Sometimes it’s that simple in discovering an idea and pulling the trigger on it. Ellis would create a logo that was unanimously agreed upon and then filed for a trademark. Meanwhile, Wolfe was wearing a hat around Denver, stirring up public curiosity about what DEFWU meant and where merchandise could be purchased.
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Because the brand’s author and co-creator earns his paycheck in such a violent and formidable manner, one could surmise that the DEFWU message is cut from a similar cloth. Wolfe, however, sets the record straight, “I don’t want DEFWU to be misconstrued,” he cautions while leaning back in one of his lounge’s brown leather chairs. “That’s why I always say, ‘Humble but hostile.’ None of it is about picking a fight with someone because you don’t want to be messed with. I know this is an overused term, but it’s ‘work hard, play hard.’ You grind and bust your ass and do the right thing so that you can enjoy your life. It’s about having fun and not letting anyone get in the way of your happiness, your success and your well-being. Everybody is the target audience for DEFWU. It’s for anyone who feels that way. You can live the lifestyle on and off the field. You can be a construction worker, a doctor, a teacher – it doesn’t matter what your job is. When you’re at work, that’s your mentality. When you come home, you’re a family man and you’re trying to be a good person and do the right thing every day,” he explains. The mutual appreciation that Wolfe and Ellis have for fashion also factored in to the company’s launch. Imagine being Wolfe’s size. He always wants to look good and keep up with style, but options are scarce unless he goes the couture route, and that gets pricey in a hurry. So why not create a line of your own where the shirts fit just right? It just made sense.
Wolfe and DEFWU business partner Brent Ellis
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What also made sense was to team up with a former Denver Bronco who’s been in the lifestyle apparel business for the past seven years and knows firsthand the pitfalls that can come with the territory. D.J. Williams, the former linebacker and first round pick of the Broncos back in 2004 who played 11 seasons in the NFL, sought DEFWU out with his services from his newly established company, Player Culture. Williams initially reached out to Wolfe on Instagram. He knew the obstacles that Wolfe and Ellis were about to face from his own experiences with his brand, Dyme Lyfe, and he didn’t want to see others make the same mistakes, “I realized that a lot of athletes and guys in the apparel business don’t have the knowledge to understand it,” Williams confides. “It’s a difficult industry to be successful in, and it’s really tough when you’re currently playing like Derek is. He doesn’t have time to do it, so Player Culture and I serve as the eyes and ears of the DEFWU brand and get their message out there. I do whatever needs to be done in promoting and growing Derek and Brent’s brand, whether it’s placing orders, shipping, customer service, advertising, product launches or social media.” Williams could have used a source like Player Culture when he started out. He got cheated by several companies, including one for over $100,000. His cautionary tale and outreach to Wolfe could not have come at a better time, “It was tough because Brent has a full-time job and I have a full-time job. I had no clue what we were doing, but Brent was making calls and figuring out what the margins were, how much the shirts and hats cost and he’d be up until 2am packing up orders and taking them to the post office before going to work,” Wolfe reveals.
I TRAVELED A LOT THIS SUMMER. I SAW HOW PRIVILEGED WE ARE AS AMERICANS. YOU CAN CREATE SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING. Player Culture’s D. J . Williams and Wolfe
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Nothing that Wolfe has in life is taken for granted by the 28-year-old. Whether it’s seven years and counting in the NFL, the steady climb of DEFWU and the recent partnership with Williams and Player Culture, or the friends and family that he’s surrounded by – most notably the true loves of his life, wife Abigail and her daughter Tatum, the man has earned it all. He’s battle-tested from a life that’s been arduous and stocked with adversity, but he was reminded by recent experiences how fortunate he is, “I traveled a lot this summer – Egypt, Greece, Rome, Paris, London – and I saw how privileged we are as Americans and how many opportunities there are for us here. It’s pretty impressive. You can create something out of nothing.” Wolfe pauses and then adds, “I always knew that I’d be an entrepreneur because I like to create things and make things happen out of nothing.” All of this has been an eye-opening learning process for Wolfe, and he’s grateful for the ones in the business trenches with him like Ellis, Abigail, Williams, Player Culture, Eric Bradley in marketing, D4 in shipping and MMA fighter and DEFWU ambassador Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. It’s a family first and foremost, and that’s what will remain crucial to this union. Ellis couldn’t agree more, “One of the first things that I told Derek when this started is that if this ever interferes with our friendship, then I walk. I value his friendship more than anything. It’s bigger than this business, so that set the tone. We’re going to have fun with this and not let it get in the way of what we’ve already built.” Currently, fun is being had by all. The DEFWU website and online store feature all the fruits of the team’s labor including hats, shirts, hoodies and tank tops for men and women, with more surprises and product releases slated for the future. Wolfe confides, “I came from nothing. We’re lucky enough to live in a country where it’s not how you start, but how you finish. It’s not what you don’t have, but what you do have and you use those strengths.” Derek Wolfe gets it. And since it’s all about using one’s strengths to succeed in life, we’d bet the house that he’ll be parked at the finish line with that stunner of a truck full of the people he loves, wearing a DEFWU hat, a ‘Humble But Hostile’ shirt, and enjoying this beautiful world uninterupted. Because, whatever you do, DEFWU.
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WORDS BY KEVIN MARR P H OTO S B Y P H I L L A M B E R T
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lood was caked onto the right eye to the degree that it became the third attraction in the ring, along with the two light heavyweight
kickboxers battling it out on this steamy Friday night in August. Perhaps the only onlooker at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, Colorado, who wasn’t concerned about this ocular wreckage was the owner, Chris Camozzi. “The cut is normal for me,” Camozzi says with a hearty laugh. “I think I get cut almost every single fight. I almost always get stitches. It could be from a build-up of scar tissue or weak skin, but my family and friends are used to it by now.”
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ompliments of one John King out of Amarillo, Texas, Camozzi had his hands full this night at the GLORY 56 Superfight Series Denver. The battle was non-stop. It’s a combative blur of punching, kicking, kneeing, jumping, lunging and spinning where, if either gladiator blinks, someone is kissing the canvas. In this case, the first of three scheduled rounds did not go as planned for Camozzi, the crowd favorite hailing from the Denver suburb of Lakewood. His research on King revealed a lot of power from a fighter who swings for the fences with big punches, so Camozzi would need to stay tight defensively, counter King back, stay in his face and push the pace because the Colorado altitude would eventually get to King. It was a solid fight plan that was initially easier said than done. King came out swinging early and often, and accomplished something that no other kickboxer or MMA fighter had done in more than 40 fights with Camozzi… John King caught Chris Camozzi hard with a quick straightaway punch, stunning the 209 pounder in front of an equally stunned, raucous crowd that was there to see the local boy bring home a win. “He caught me really hard right off the bat,” Camozzi begins. “I’ve never been rocked like that. That put me in the fight even more. After that, I felt like I was recovering for a second, but I’m trying to stay in the fight and move forward. Anytime you see a fighter get hurt and back up, the opponent knows they’re hurt and they put it on even more. It’s a mental thing for me. If I get hurt, I keep moving forward and make the guy think I’m not hurt.” Camozzi would make it through the round, bloody eye and all, and then the balance shifted. Looking across at King between rounds, he could tell that the Texan was gassed. Camozzi’s
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corner didn’t think their opponent would last due to the altitude and his marginal cardio. Camozzi’s intended game plan was making sure he stayed safe in the first round, which didn’t happen. However, he felt good after Round 1. He knew King was tired so now it’s Camozzi’s turn to pick up the pace, crowd him and dole out a heavy diet of body shots, which really suck it out of an opponent when they’re exhausted.
Camozzi’s penchant for contact and action sports dates back to high school and college with wrestling and rugby. Then came the boredom. After college, he was looking for something to stay in shape and a local mixed martial arts gym was the cure, “I had no ambition to fight when I started out,” he admits. “I didn’t know that there was a circuit or that I could train and fight locally. Then I got hooked.”
And it worked.
Twelve years as an MMA fighter has seen Camozzi travel the world and compete in famous stadiums across the globe while disciplined in Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu. Instead of training out of Las Vegas or New York, he’s seen the advantage of staying in Colorado, like the Olympic athletes in Colorado Springs, where the difference in building up higher cardio is substancial. Kickboxing in GLORY has only recently become a reality for Camozzi, who began the sport in December 2017, “It seemed like a fun challenge to go against the best strikers in the world with GLORY,” he explains. “It’s a good time for me and I’ve always enjoyed striking – kicking, punching, kneeing – and most of my fights, even in the UFC, resulted in five or six takedowns from striking in 20 fights.”
King was a giant punching bag in Round 2, having exhausted his arsenal in the prior round on a guy who would not relent. Knees to the face and head were blended with Camozzi haymakers and, with just 15 seconds left, Chris Camozzi was your winner via TKO. There was a new monarch crowned this evening. The King is dead. Long live Camozzi. Just another night in GLORY. And while the skirmish is over, there’s still cleanup for Camozzi. Since his profession with GLORY kickboxing and MMA can obviously come with serious risks, Chris has partnered with neurologist Dr. Chad Prusmack at Resilience Code, who also serves as the team neurosurgeon consultant for the Denver Broncos. He undergoes brain testing before and after every fight to diagnose any concussions or necessary therapy, “I’m making sure that I’m always safe brain-wise,” the 32-year old explains. “Dr. Prusmack offered to take me on as a study. He wants the research on it because not many sports outside of football conduct these studies. In fact, the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) has approached Prusmack about taking over the concussion protocol, which currently doesn’t exist for MMA.”
GLORY CEO Marshall Zelaznik sees a bright future for Chris, a fighter who is definitely on the league’s radar for big things to come, “Chris Camozzi is an incredibly game fighter, having competed at the highest levels of MMA and now competing at the highest levels of kickboxing. There are no cakewalks in GLORY, so the grit and determination he’s been known for will serve him well.” Zelaznik adds, “He’s coming into this sport and this weight class with notoriety based on his career to this point. That also means he’s coming in with elevated expectations and pressure. Thus far, he has represented himself well and is on the road to being a future contender for GLORY.”
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Training for an MMA fight versus a kickboxing match has its differences as well. MMA requires Camozzi to put all of his skills together for training, which means jiu-jitsu, kickboxing and wrestling. With kickboxing, he can just focus on one discipline so he’s able to build up muscle endurance, power, speed, cardio and running every day for his four to five hours of training, “There’s a little more downtime with kickboxing training than with MMA, but I can come in every day and push what I need to push rather than doing four things a day.” When he’s not training at Factory X in Englewood, Camozzi is training at Landow Performance, owned and operated by Denver Broncos Strength and Conditioning Coach Lauren Landow. “Moving forward with kickboxing, it’s about becoming a better striker and if I’m on that night, then I’m winning for sure. As long as I fight my fight and worry about me, I don’t need to concern myself with my opponent.” Just ask John King down in Amarillo, Texas.
*In addition to his fighting career, Camozzi and his wife own PERFORMANCE MMA, the only brick-and-mortar MMA apparel store in Colorado. They ship worldwide and also are online at performancemma.com.
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Growing
UP STONE Like Father Like Son, Sean Stone Follows in Oliver’s Footsteps in the World of Filmmaking By Kevin Marr
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“How do you establish yourself when everyone is looking at you as the son of Oliver Stone? For me, it’s just a question of dealing with it and moving forward to build my own resume’ so that people can see me as I am.” Sean Stone’s voice is so eerily identical to that of his three-time Oscar award-winning father’s that, if he had stopped the phone interview at any point to inform me that I was being pranked and he was really Oliver, I would have believed it. Stone is as well-spoken as they come, which assuredly served him well at higher learning heavyweights like Princeton and Oxford, and, at the enviable age of 34, there seems to be zero confusion as to who he is, the path that he’s on and the beliefs to which he creates the long list of documentaries and films in his portfolio. Considering the endless tales of tragedy that befall children growing up in Hollywood royalty, it’s refreshing to encounter offspring that didn’t tumble into the Tinsel Town abyss.
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While he navigates traffic along a New York City expressway during our call, our conversation begins with the project that he just completed, Fury of the Fist and the Golden Fleece. As writer, producer and lead actor of the film, Stone is understandably exhausted. However, the mere thought of his tribute to a childhood favorite genre placed an infectiously cheerful vibe to his tone. “I grew up watching a lot of action hero cinema with your Jean Claude Van Dammes and Arnold Schwarzeneggers and I absolutely loved it as a kid,” he begins. “With Fury of the Fist, we wanted to do our own version, but why reinvent the wheel and do something dated and possibly tacky if we approached it with the same style? With the films from the 70s and the 80s having a lot of campy to them, the whole idea of a guy fighting off 50 people with his fists is ridiculous. So, what better way than to have a sense of humor about it and satirize it than to take ourselves too seriously, especially in the low budget range, which is where we’re at? Let’s embrace the errors and gaffes and really make it a spoof.” True to his roots, the film is full of political symbolism. You don’t call Oliver Stone “Dad” and not adopt at least a few opinions on government tactics, conspiracies and strategies, “There’s no way I couldn’t be influenced by my father’s work,” Sean states without an ounce of hesitation. “Being a part of JFK (he played the role of Jasper Garrison) and watching that film as a kid over and over in high school, I realized that there was so much political chicanery involved and not just a fascination in understanding the interest groups that were aligned together whom Kennedy was pissing off. You start to understand the nature of power that is multifaceted including the military, oil and other natural resource interests, the Federal Reserve system and big banks who really rule things.”
True to his roots, the film is full of political symbolism. You don’t call Oliver Stone “Dad” and not adopt at least a few opinions on government tactics, conspiracies and strategies.
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Stone’s film provides plenty of social commentary and satire amongst the laughs and all the high-flying action, covering everything from the rent being too high, the government agenda putting chemicals, poisons and toxins in our food and the nature of inoculating men, all in a tongue-and-cheek manner. He attributes companies like Google and Facebook serving as halls of mirrors for society, where we only see what we want to see and we’re missing other people’s points of view or opinions that might be offensive. In a nutshell, Fury of the Fist and the Golden Fleece is the anti-politically correct movie that will offend everyone, but he hopes in a manner that is productive in engaging dialogue through comedy. The way Sean sees it, it’s his duty to raise awareness to various injustices that might be otherwise dismissed or go unnoticed, while challenging people to think more about what’s right and
wrong with certain systems currently in place, “I feel that if you’re engaged in the world and are generally aware, then you have some level of political bend, not in the sense of Democrats and Republicans, but I see a world that is highly manipulated and controlled to serve certain economic interests that are often times global and monopolistic. So, I make people aware and hopefully shift our paradigm as humans to wake us up out of the serfdom and the slavery that often times we find ourselves in, especially in modern America where we feel free but where most people are debt slaves. To me, it’s a question of feeling empowered and that we actually have abilities to change and shift things by organizing in different ways than are expected of us.” The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Oliver Stone has been a consummate lightning rod with one project after another, and it’s a fact that is hardly lost on his son who spoke about the verbal beatings his dad took after JFK and Natural Born Killers. Oliver continues to work on the outskirts by doing things that are still very controversial like his interviews with the late Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez and, more recently, Vladimir Putin. He has embraced his rebel role, but Sean wishes our society was a little more open-minded. Sean, himself, flirts with what could be considered provocative and controversial while cohosting a news show, Watching the Hawks, for the RT network, which is a Russian international television network funded by the Russian government. It operates cable and satellite television channels directed to audiences outside of Russia, as well as providing Internet content in English, Spanish, French, German, Arabic and Russian. To hear him tell it, he’d like to see society embrace controversy more instead of stigmatizing and going back to the Cold War era where everything outside the box was considered communistic and un-American. He feels that the most patriotic people are often the ones who are just trying to challenge the system and keep us questioning things and reassess the oppositions. It’s all about opening up dialogue with Sean, and it’s a recurring term that he extends in explaining his penchant for pointing out that, sometimes, the Emperor has no clothes. Shifting gears with scrutiny on the current state of Hollywood and the delicate issue that is the Me Too movement, who better to weigh in on the situation than Stone, whose release of Fury of the Fist and the Golden Fleece features a storyline that’s the epitome of the macho male who’s fighting against witches who basically emasculate men? “There is a confusion about what it is to be a man and an alpha and, at the same time, to be respectful of women,” he begins. “We have to recognize a certain balance where we still need aggressive, assertive males
because I feel we need that energy, but not stepping over the line with it. We also need strong women. I think that my film is a nice balance of the two. It presents a real dialogue with what the role is of men and women. Can’t we respect that there is a difference between us and that we don’t have to blend into some trans-human monoculture where men and women are all chemically, biologically and emotionally the same? There is an argument being made by some that everything is equal, not just on the payroll which is fine, but on the level of our biological distinctions, and I worry about that.” In addition to Watching the Hawks on RT America, Stone has also hosted three seasons of the interview program Buzzsaw on Gaia, which investigates the real world’s ‘X-Files’, taking an unflinching look at the esoteric and hidden agendas behind world politics, popular culture and news events. This past September, Gravitas distributed Stone’s four-part documentary, A Century of War, which seeks to answer what led to the collapse of America’s industrial and manufacturing sector, and what steps could be taken to revive it in a postindustrial society. He also directed a television special for RT America called Hollywood, D.C., featuring interviews with his father and author and journalist Greg Palast, about the relationship between politics and cinema. Most recently, Stone wrote and directed the short film Anaarkali, on location in Mumbai, for release date in 2019. It’s one thought provoking project after another, creating discussion around every corner, and that’s the only way worth living for this perpetual rolling Stone.
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stock_photo_world / Shutterstock.com
The Bourdain Effect WORDS BY KEVIN MARR
“As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life – and travel – leaves marks on you. Most of the time, those marks – on your body or on your heart – are beautiful. Often, though, they hurt.” -Anthony Bourdain
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A
haunting realization from a fallen genius in his field. It was a field that ran parallel to a road less traveled by a guide who unexpectedly transformed the manner in which we view food, its origins and its culture like never before. He was an unabashedly blunt and authentic
narrator the likes of which will never replicate an equal. The sudden and tragic passing of Anthony Bourdain sent shockwaves through the food and restaurant industry worldwide, and it still stings in some circles. The breakthrough author of the acclaimed Kitchen Confidential and wildly popular television host of food and travel fame left an untouchable impression on his audience and fans through his unrivaled perspective and discoveries. In Colorado and beyond, a host of the region’s most accomplished chefs took time to reflect on one of their own, a culinary icon who revolutionized the dining game inside the kitchen, on the table and outside the lines.
Chef John Tesar
// Executive Chef of Knife and Knife Burger
I think what you’re going to find out when you look retroactively at the life of Anthony Bourdain is that, at the very essence of it, you have an extremely insecure and tortured soul who was searching for himself. That’s the guy I met because we were in the same place at the same time. He always believed in his writing and he’d figure out a way to spend time doing it. He always seemed to float across the top and land somewhere. He was one of the best social climbers that I’ve ever met in my entire life, and I mean that in a good way. We met at Formerly Joe’s in New York’s West Village, and then I was at 13 Barrow Street and he also worked for me at the Supper Club. I introduced him to Scott Bryan and Scott Bryan introduced him to Eric Ripert – so you see the progression. Before Anthony passed away, he didn’t have much contact with me or Scott Bryan. It was all about Eric Ripert. He always knew how to position himself, and I’m not saying that in a negative or accusatory way. He was very charismatic and I enjoyed hanging out with him. It was a pleasure to get to know him and he also validated me. He had very strong opinions and, as much as it didn’t mean anything when he was doing it, it made it all the more worthwhile when he was famous and talking about me. The words he always spoke of me were always complimentary. I look at it this way, I understand mental health and I have empathy for people with demons and problems, but I have no sympathy for someone who kills himself who has a family and children. All of these people who adulated him in his passing maybe should have spent a little more time paying attention and understanding why this happened. CNN, for me, went totally overboard when Bourdain passed away. They spent more time on him than they did on the passing of Senator John McCain. I think that the entertainment world has skewed this
generation’s mind because we’ve all grown up on television and they think that, if you’re on TV, then you’re somebody, when it’s really just an hour or 30 minutes to occupy your time with hopefully some interesting information and opinions. Bourdain was a seeker of information and opinions. He was fearless. He liked going to all of those places. He liked to wander. He always had that nomadic feel. When I met him, he had that leather jacket on, those tight skinny jeans and cowboy boots while smoking Luckys without filters and wandered around the West Village. He was a character and an interesting human being and very, very talented. He had the calling for TV. All those shows he had were all about his voice and the voiceover. When he got to CNN, it became more specific about the people he was interviewing and the foreign lands that he went to. I only have fond memories of the guy. There are things, because of our friendship and 40 years of knowing each other, where we had annoyances and heard utterings of what we were saying about each other. So, I had a different relationship with him and I’m looking at it all from a different perspective than anyone else. I didn’t care how famous he was. I knew how talented he was and I enjoyed listening to him, and I had pangs of jealousy at times because I wanted to do TV and stuff like that, but it’s not really my calling. His calling was not to be a chef. It was to be a writer and an orator. Those two things he excelled at. He was a genius and one of the best ever. When I read Anthony’s work, I think that if Ernest Hemingway had a talking television show, it would have been No Reservations. He made this thing called Portugese Stew and Beef Bourguignon all the time. Those were his go-to items. The fact that everyone thought of him as a chef is something I think is ludicrous. He did it for a while to pay the bills, but he was never successful at it, certainly not compared to his other career. SIRANDSP ORT.COM
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The Bourdain Effect
Chef Matthew Vawter
// Chef de Cuisine/Proprietor, MERCANTILE dining & provision
His passing made a lot of people think about the impact he had and what he’s done for our industry. He helped give cooks a voice and really showed the general public how hard it is to be a cook and what we go through on a daily basis to be able to put food on a plate. He showed what the lifestyle is like and how challenging it can be for young cooks who are on this quest to become a chef. I was 18 or 19 when I read Kitchen Confidential. He was the voice of the cooks. I always knew that there was a community of people who understood what I was going through and the challenges that I was faced with. I think more so now, the diners know the same story, which maybe they didn’t before. With him passing, it definitely brought forward a different conversation in kitchens about mental health and the challenges that kitchens and being a chef can cause. It will be interesting to see where things head in the future because I think it has brought to light an issue of ‘Push. Push. Push.’ You work really hard and long hours in a stressful environment where there’s
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a lot of pressure to be successful and for young cooks to do a good job. I think that there’s been a macho attitude in the past that we push hard and we don’t complain about it, and that has been our mentality. Bourdain’s death has prompted, ‘If you’re having some challenges then you need to speak up about it and be comfortable talking to others about it.’ We’re all here as a team to support each other and so I hope it causes change in our industry for the better. With his later career in television, it’s been a continuing feat to make restaurants and food popular from watching a guy who was a former cook and a former chef travel the world and experience life through food. It all put it out there to the general public how cool food can be and how you can experience culture and what a place in the world truly has to offer based on a simple thing like sitting down for a meal and talking to the person who you’re enjoying the meal with. As a cook, a chef, an author and a TV host, Anthony made a huge impact for the better.
Chef Josh Niernberg // Chef/Co-Owner at Bin 707 Foodbar New cooks and culinary students have never experienced the kitchens that Bourdain wrote about in Kitchen Confidential and probably never will. In the 70s, 80s and 90s, kitchens were a far more difficult place where people got away with a lot more stuff than they should have. Bourdain’s popularity came from being the first person who put that on paper and explained the way those kitchens worked and that there’s a different kind of person who works in those types of environments, creating a different beast altogether. I came from kitchens where I had to duck from objects flying towards me on more than one occasion. I think that school of thought changed around the time of the recession in 2006 and 2007. Everything at that time changed in the restaurant business because the really expensive places could no longer be really expensive places. When the real estate market crashed, it offered up huge opportunities for line cooks and sous chefs to open up their own places. Most of them, myself included, wanted to create an environment that wasn’t hostile and confrontational, unlike the previous industry.
With that all said, when I reflect back on Bourdain’s career, there’s almost the pre and the post, where his notoriety that came from his book writing was about one world, but I think that his popularity and ultimate success and how he’ll be remembered is something much bigger and greater than that. It’s really inspiring to look past the color of the table cloth and who’s working in the kitchen to more about why that restaurant is there and what that restaurant does for the community, that state or that country and attach the tourism piece and hospitality aspect to it, which I don’t think had previously been done. I think he carried a significant amount of guilt about how he portrayed the industry in his writing before he changed his ways and became the television host. As an inspiration and a storyteller, he’s one of the best of my generation. I think his success is far greater than anyone realized while he was alive because I don’t think a whole lot of people thought that much about it while he was alive. Now that we’ve lost him, there is nobody else like him. The part of him that I’ll miss the most is what he was able to achieve after he left the kitchen and how well he was able to tell stories with food and how he was able to attach the tourism piece to the restaurant piece to the food piece to the culture piece so eloquently.
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The Bourdain Effect Chef Justin Brunson // Chef/Proprietor, Justin Brunson of Brunson Concepts Back in the day, we talked about working conditions, behavior and attitudes in the kitchen all the time, but Bourdain’s writing was the catalyst in bringing it all public. He made it cool to be a line cook. He opened up so many minds and was a beautiful and inspirational chef who let people know what was going on. He opened the door to the kitchen with his amazing writing. I remember the first time I read Kitchen Confidential in culinary school. The book inspired me to fight through it all even more because Bourdain was going through the same thing.
Chef Matt Zubrod // Executive Chef, Element 47 at The Little Nell I wasn’t a huge fan at first. This guy just wrote a book about what we do and he’s getting wealthy from it! I wish I had thought of it first because I’ve got a lot of stories like that too, I just never wrote it down. Time changed my opinion of him. I read Kitchen Confidential when it first came out and thought, ‘This guy is really smart. He’s writing what most of us are living. He’s a genius.’ We always have trouble qualifying people as chefs who choose different paths to leave the kitchen. As I watched some of his travel shows and his insight, I began to like him more. He was smart. He had it figured it out. He had good insight and was exposing a lot of chefs to the media, which is always good. He featured chefs in some of the rural areas that don’t get any exposure. I thought that the work he was doing at the end of his life was pretty awesome. Moving forward, we need to pay attention to what’s going on with our co-workers. Bourdain’s death brought chefs together to mourn what turned out to be a chef-turned-rock star celebrity.
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Chef Elliot Jones // Executive Chef, Shanahan’s Steakhouse I was working at a neighborhood grocery store and market when one of the cooks there told me that I needed to read Kitchen Confidential. At the time, I really didn’t have any motivation to stay in the restaurant or food industry. I had this job because I needed one and I ended up reading the book almost straight through. It exposed this whole world of culinary that I really didn’t know existed and inspired me in that maybe this was something that I could consider doing. I ended up working at one restaurant that was exactly how Bourdain described – a dark underbelly of cooks with burnt forearms and tattoos where a crazy French pastry chef burned a puff pastry, threw it on the ground, stomped all over it and made me clean it up. It takes a rare breed to endure and strive in this industry. No Reservations was just his travels around the world exposing people to true cultures that were unheard of. As far as now is concerned, a pop culture food phenomenon in a place like Denver was only out in East Aurora in primarily Vietnamese neighborhoods 10 years ago. I think that his whole career was really inspirational in getting people to think outside of their culinary norms as well as exposing that the culture in the kitchen can be detrimental. It’s rough hours, you work holidays and abuse can be rampant in all forms. I also think he was a good advocate in trying to change a lot of those cultures. When you start out, you make some horrible mistakes – you burn yourself, you drop something, you get yelled at, but then the next day you come back in because you can’t fail. That was Bourdain’s mindset. Failure was not an option. You work your way up through the ranks – salads, then a fish station, the grill, the broiler. Then you’re offered a sous chef position. Then
Executive Chef. You’re running the line. The first time that message hit me was when I got a chef’s coat with my name on it. When you put that on, it changes you. You’re more intense. More focused. I’m making it happen and conducting the orchestra in full form. At the end of the night, I hang up my coat and I go back to being more quiet and mellow. It’s almost like a superhero persona. The best thing Bourdain ever filmed was when he returned to Les Halles with Eric Ripert and worked a double shift. To watch him go back to his roots and get his ass kicked and then watch Eric Ripert, one of the greatest French chefs of all-time, work the grill station and nail it was amazing. Bourdain just had that gift for telling stories and being witty. Recently, a lot of us didn’t have benefits and insurance. If you were sick, you still showed up to work. If you accidentally cut off your finger in the kitchen then you seared it on the flattop and got back to work. Bourdain was a great advocate for changing some of those things. His passing really hit home for me and my sous chef here. It was a sad day. I flunked out of college. I got kicked out of my parents’ house. It was a shitty time in my life. Food had always given me solace. It reminded me of family. On another level, it’s something to prepare to make someone else happy. That’s part of it too. I would like to think that every piece of food that is under my control is going to make someone’s day better. That’s where we strive for excellence and that’s where our passion comes from – making people happy.
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The Bourdain Effect Chef Chris Medved // Executive Chef, Nomad Taqueria and Beer Garden Before I read Kitchen Confidential, I identified as someone who just worked hard in a kitchen for a paycheck. My best friend and kitchen cohort gave me a copy and said I had to read it. Afterwards, I realized that I was a part of something much bigger. I learned that there were others out there who thought like me, acted like me (the good and the bad), worked like me and gave a shit about the same things as I did. Anthony Bourdain helped me identify as a chef. His book gave me a sense of feeling at home, and let me know that a rock and roll party boy who didn’t care about the finer things in life and had a sick sense of humor was par for the course in most kitchens. His words encouraged me to have a ‘sorry, not sorry’ attitude about my style of cooking, while still maintaining a high standard in the kitchen. Kitchen Confidential was a true a-ha moment for me that solidified my place behind the stoves, and gave me something to truly aspire to. It taught me to be a free-thinking chef who cares about cooking and experiences above all else. For me, Bourdain hammered in the idea of economy of movement, which has inspired the way that I have chosen to live as a professional chef. Being able to reduce fatigue and refine processes so that I can better focus on flavors and experiences is crucial to my success and, ultimately, to my happiness.
Chef Troy Guard // Chef/CEO, TAG Restaurant Group I got to meet him way back in 1999 when Kitchen Confidential came out and, at the time, who would have guessed that it would get as big as it did or where his career was going to go? He was obviously younger and greener back then. He had only been a chef at that point and was just a normal cool dude who was loud and a little bit crazy, but in a good way. I was working in New York at the time at Tao and was doing a lot of charity events. I had heard about him through a couple of other chefs and they said, ‘Can you believe this guy wrote this book? He’s claiming this crazy stuff.’ At first, in my opinion, a lot of people in the restaurant business weren’t respecting that. It was made to look like, ‘Oh! Look at us. Look at this lifestyle. This is glamourous and cool, but I’ll take you behind the curtain and show you everything.’ A lot of people were turned off by that, but then he came into his own. He was very real. He was authentic. He was genuine. The book was a little bit of fluff but, at the same time, he did pull back the curtain. What I really liked was his genuine perspectives on people and food. To me, his show is one of the best ever made on that topic because it’s not fake or altered. He toured different cities and countries and broke bread with people you wouldn’t normally see. To me, that’s really what it was all about. It was Bourdain taking us on this culinary journey that we’d never experience otherwise. He broke the mold of Food Network, and showed real people cooking real great food naturally. Some of the places he went to in Asia, Europe and Africa blow my mind. He showed authentic peoples sharing 100-year-old recipes and where the food was coming from like farms, families and generations of people.
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He wasn’t going to bullshit you or lie to you. He’s a guy you could have a drink with. I think he was doing a lot of good for a lot of people – a lot of people who had been down the wrong path like he had, whether it was in the food industry or not. More and more, you hear about chefs expressing concern about the stress level and other challenges that come with this career. His passing brings a lot to the forefront in that we’ve got to do more to help the people in this business. It’s not glamorous. It’s a lot of hours. There’s a lot of stress, not a lot of money and a lot of crazy things can happen.
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Chef Curtis Bell // Private Chef to the Denver Broncos’ Von Miller It never struck me what he meant to me and the entire industry until after he was gone. For me, I’ve always aspired to travel the world and see food, speak food and share the ideas of food and I realize that the way he went about it was different than anyone else who had done it before. For me, it’s been interesting because I’ve started to follow in those footsteps a little bit. It began for me in 2015, while starting my pho documentary and traveling to Vietnam – his self-stated favorite place in the world. My thought was that this was my first step in my journey to becoming like Anthony Bourdain and becoming the next Bourdain, in a sense. That was huge for me to be there, to be in the shadow of his steps, chasing stories and also doing a bit of food writing. I never saw him as an inspiration as far as cooking goes. He had a troubled past and fell into the kitchen because he felt, ‘I’m a social reject. A former drug addict. Where the hell do I fit? I got kicked out of Vassar. Hey, CIA (The Culinary Institute of America) is down the street. Why don’t I just go there and be a chef?’ It just sort of fell in place for him like it does for a lot of chefs, but then you could see that he started to reach out for other things. The New York Times article that made him famous was his true passion, sharing his ideas and thoughts and that’s what he was good at. As much as he inspired me, I know I’ll never be able to speak and write with the voice that he had. The way he narrated food and experiences was truly unique, raw and unlike any delivery that anybody else had within the editorial arena. We didn’t realize how valuable he was until he wasn’t with us anymore. For me, it was really tough to see him go. I followed him on Instagram a lot and I’d see his stories. There was always music in the background and he’d show a landscape outside his apartment in New York or whatever hotel room he was in, but there was somewhat of a depressing note to it, especially towards the end. He always had a bit of a morbid way, so I think he was struggling for a while. People have asked me why I thought he committed suicide and my best reasoning is that he’d been everywhere and, behind all of that, he was just a normal guy and a New Yorker who’s jaded and has an attitude and he couldn’t live the normal life. He had that celebrity and expectations. I think that there were a lot of other pieces including his ex-wife, his daughter, potential issues with his girlfriend, and he had no substances in him at the time. He made a sober decision to end his life and I think that speaks volumes to the place where he was. It’s interesting, especially with my career and where I’m at right now and the recognition it’s given me. It can feel empty. The higher the highs, the lower the lows, so for someone like him who had really deep lows before he even had his highs, I could see him having an even harder time with such highs because
they probably felt very empty and undeserved to him. He might have had a feeling of ‘imposter syndrome.’ ‘Why am I at this dignitary’s home in Tokyo? Why am I here?’ I don’t think it was because he was just depressed. He had a lot more troubles than what you saw on the surface. Some of the thoughts I had while trying to cope with his death was that if he could succeed at what I’m trying to become and end up there, then that’s kind of scary. I thought, ‘Is this really the life that I’d want to have? Maybe I shouldn’t go in that direction.’ But then I realized that he had his own troubles, which is why I thought deeper about his reasons. For me, this now opens up awareness and I think that I can go out and potentially do what he’s done and do it in a more impactful way for the world that makes a difference and doesn’t destroy my life in the process. Not doing better than he did, just doing it differently and embracing life every day. I’m at this point in my career and I think, ‘Ok. So what’s next?’ And it’s the scariest fucking thought possible because I have no idea where I could go from here. Have I reached the ceiling? This is always what I thought the ceiling was – a ceiling I thought I’d never touch and, yet, here I am. Now where do I go? Nobody wants to peak. When you reach the peak in your mind and you’re at the top of the mountain, what do you look up at? After his passing, I happened to be in New York and I decided to sit in Bourdain’s shoes a little bit and have a moment to say ‘Good-bye’ and feel connected to him. I went and got a famous New York bacon, egg and cheese and sat in front of Les Halles and ate one of his favorite breakfast sandwiches in front of the restaurant that he spent countless hours at. I’m on the sidewalk at eight in the morning, eating my breakfast, looking at some of the messages written on the windows and I had my rest in peace moment with Tony. Les Halles is being remodeled and turned into another business so that restaurant doesn’t exist anymore. If I hadn’t gone, that would have been lost forever and I wouldn’t have had that closure moment.”
“Maybe that’s enlightenment enough: to know that there is no final resting place of the mind; no moment of smug clarity. Perhaps wisdom...is realizing how small I am, and unwise, and how far I have yet to go.” -Anthony Bourdain SIRANDSP ORT.COM
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It’s lonely at the top, but it’s also one hell of a view. Jon Kedrowski climbs, skis, hikes and photographs the highest peaks on the planet.
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WORDS BY KEVIN MARR
he suddenly violent frozen turf shook the monster of all mountains and, when the boom was over, at least 22 people who were looking to find themselves ascending to glory were forever gone. The earthquake registered a terrifying magnitude of 7.9, triggering the deadly avalanche onto the basecamp of Mount Everest on April 25, 2015. The unsuspecting lives lost on that nightmare of an afternoon marked the deadliest day on the most notorious peak in the world. And Dr. Jon Kedrowksi saw it all go down. The renowned mountaineer, author and geographer from Vail, Colorado, was 100 yards away from where nearly two dozen fellow climbers were camped…until they weren’t, swallowed up by another Everest element of evil. “I’m desensitized by seeing death in the mountains,” Kedrowski begins in a tone that’s remarkably candid considering the frighteningly macabre subject matter. “When you’re signing up for an exhibition like that, you have to already understand that people are going to die. That’s the reality of Everest or with any mountain.”
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This is the kind of straightforward answer from a man who has seen it all, falling in love with all things mountains over 30 years ago. Hiking at the age of eight with his parents in what was essentially his backyard, the Rocky Mountains, Kedrowski decided at an early age that mountain climbing was going to be a calling. When you grow up in Vail, this sort of epiphany isn’t uncommon, nor was his affinity for skiing. So, how could he parlay a life of being a skier and an outdoorsman? The obvious resolve was an education, leading to a Bachelor’s degree, a Master’s in Environmental Geography and a PhD in Environmental Geography. From there, it was time to hit the trails, the slopes and even create some routes off the beaten path. In 2007 and 2008, Kedrowski would do a research study on Mount Ranier in Washington state, which would open the door to countless opportunities in leading his own trips as well as accompanying other guides on theirs. His dedicated commitment to all of those years in the classroom had now translated into getting outside 200 days out of the year with a vocation that blended that of a skier, a ski mountaineer, a pro ski instructor and a mountain guide overseas. So, is Kedrowski a bona fide thrill-seeking daredevil who isn’t content unless he’s flirting with danger and skiing at 90 degree angles or climbing Everest? Hardly. In fact, his approach to it all embodies a much more cerebral mission, “I’m more of a risk manager,” he says with a grin. “I don’t seek out risk. My number one goal in climbing, mountaineering and ski mountaineering is more to seek out the views, take on new challenges and to problem solve.”
PROBLEM SOLVING? For example, after summiting all of Colorado’s 58 Fourteeners (a mountain peak with an elevation of at least 14,000 feet) between 1996 and 1999, Kedrowski was credited with becoming the first person to then summit, camp and spend the night on all 58 peaks over the course of 95 days in 2011. The problem solving in an adventure like this is omnipresent – battling weather, having the right equipment and making sure that you don’t get struck by lightning. It’s all about managing risk. The spectacular feat was the premise for his first book, Sleeping on the Summits: Colorado Fourteener High Bivys. In addition to that fatal day in 2015 with the avalanche, Kedrowski has been challenged at other segments throughout his career, with his problem solving and ingrained instincts warding off a dire fate that others weren’t as fortunate in eluding. You know it’s a nightmare scenario when NBC’s Dateline produces a feature on it for the world to experience. It was May 19, 2012. Kedrowski, once again, would bear witness to sheer horror. The place? Mount Everest…again. Overcrowding had led to hundreds of climbers, single file, delayed on the mountain, battling inclement weather, fleeting daylight and waning oxygen as they slowly made their way to the summit. Kedrowski and a team of climbers saw the jam and opted to delay their ascent for another day. What would ensue would make the wrong kind of history. “There were people waiting in line, running out of oxygen and descending in the middle of the night much too late,” he begins. “You see that and your first thought is, ‘Don’t let that be you.’ To a certain degree, when you’re above 26,000 feet and you see people who are falling and collapsing, there’s not much that you can do. If they’ve been too long in the death zone (high altitude where there is not enough available oxygen for humans to breathe), you’re risking your own life to try and even move anybody.”
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE THAT ONLY FOUR PEOPLE DIED THAT DAY.
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Everest is an unsanctioned graveyard. Climbing the world’s largest beast is always a game of weather, decision making and crowd management. Kedrowski’s simple rules for survival for a climb are to start early, move efficiently and take the right equipment and gear. Now that he’s later in his career with a greater respect for life, he has no plans to perish in the mountains because of reckless behavior, “I think a lot of people get sucked in to ‘summit fever’ and ‘summit glory.’ If you only make the mission about reaching the summit then I don’t think you’re going to be successful. Some people are out there to do it at all costs as opposed to saying, ‘Well, the mountain is always going to be there and you can always come back.’ Some of the best trips I’ve ever been on are ones when the group didn’t even make it to the top and so it was more about settling in, being safe, having fun and enjoying a new place for all that it’s worth. That’s what these trips are all about for me.”
AND DON'T FORGET THE CAMERA. The celestial images that Kedrowski captures time and time again are unrivaled. Whether he’s hiking, climbing or skiing the Fourteener, his goal is to showcase photography that no one else is getting. He’s the only one up there who’s turned the summit into an overnight stay. Sunrise climbs and subsequent photography are somewhat common. However, because afternoon summer thunderstorms are extremely challenging to climb in order to reach the summit by dark, rarely are people there at sunset. Rarely…unless you’re Jon Kedrowski. He cites that mountains are metaphors for a lot of people, so his artistic and spiritual side kicks in while on top of the world in trying to inspire his audiences, unlocking human potential and motivating people to go after their dreams. His keynote speaking engagements reflect this same message, while his books are written for stewardship and a pay-itforward mentality to teach lifesaving subjects like avalanche safety and weather assessment. With the recent Colorado population spike that has witnessed over one million new residents over the past several years, Kedrowski wants to see safer activity in the mountains with less calls to search and rescue. Ironically, safer activity wouldn’t be the premier description for Kedrowski’s exploits in 2014. He followed up the 58 peaks in 95 days with a series of engagements in the Pacific Northwest where he was ascending volcanoes, shooting some photos, spending the night in a crater, documenting the science and activity of the volcano and then clicking on his Kaestles and skiing out of there because, as he notes, volcanoes get twice as much snow as peaks in Colorado. He skied 20 Cascade Volcanoes in 30 days, camping on the summits of seven of the more notable volcanoes such as Mount Shasta, Mount Hood, Mount Adams, Mount Baker and Mount Rainier. The book he wrote on the mind-blowing experience was Skiing and Sleeping on the Summits: Cascade Volcanoes of the Pacific Northwest. With a resume as jaw-dropping as his, it’s of little shock that the television networks across the country have the good doctor in their rolodex. In particular, the PhD establishes the kind of validity that makes him an automatic contact with news producers. In addition to his
Dateline commentary on the 2012 death zone casualties, Jon has been creating content and interviews for the likes of CBS, NBC and CNN for the past seven years. You can’t do any of what Jon Kedrowski does without the same kind of discipline and commitment to health that he exhibits on the mountain. That means training like a world-class athlete, which he is. The diet is a solid balance of fruits, vegetables, proteins and recovery shakes with his workouts. An average week includes yoga three-to-four times, core workouts, stretching, cryotherapy (cold tubs) and pick-up basketball, which he played in college at Valparaiso University.
HOWEVER, A FEW YEARS AGO, EVERYTHING ALMOST ENDED. He was skiing down Little Bear Peak in southern Colorado when he caught an edge on a steep couloir. His skis popped off, he flipped and tumbled over backwards 500 feet. To put 500 feet into perspective, that’s 166.6 yards, or over a football field-and-a-half of free falling down what was at least a 45 degree angle. Kedrowski would miraculously walk away with only bumps, bruises and skinned-up knees and elbows. “That was the scariest moment of my career, for sure,” he shares. “That incident made me respect what I do that much more.” What he’s done lately is the ultimate ski guide that showcases 300 ski descents on 70 separate peak entries on Fourteeners, Thirteeners, as well as easily accessible mountain passes and locales with routes that range from peaks with gentle terrain, to tree glades, endless powder, ridge lines, steep faces, and couloirs. The book, Classic Colorado Ski Descents, includes skiable vertical, elevation gain, and roundtrip mileage, as well as easy-to-follow directions to the trailhead. If anyone knows his way around rarified air, it’s the man who calls it home away from home. From the United States and South America to Africa and Nepal, Dr. Jon Kedrowski continues to medicate his audience with the ultimate cure - stunning inspiration and beauty that’s been masterfully assembled from the world’s top shelf. He’s undeniable proof that it’s alright for the king of the mountain to have his head in the clouds.
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Words By Kevin Marr Photos By Jensen Sutta
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I was in
the heart of the Denver Broncos’ headquarters in an upstairs office overlooking the practice field on a perfect June afternoon. Sitting across his desk from me was one of the most fascinating people I will ever have the distinct honor of meeting when, without warning during our interview, he says, “Turn that thing off for a second.” “He” is Keith Bishop, the VP of Security for the Broncos for the past seven years. “That thing” was my recorder. I was about to be privy to some information that you’ll never know about, and I couldn’t have felt more privileged to be included on the confidential intel. You see, Bishop played guard for the Broncos for 10 years and used to block for John Elway, but he wasn’t going off the record to tell me about a play against the Raiders back in 1985 or that Elway isn’t a big fan of broccoli. The fact that he is the only vested player who is in security for an NFL team makes for impressive trivia, however, in between his two tenures with the Broncos, Bishop was a DEA agent for 20 years. Let that sink in for a moment. The man has seen some shit.
This good ol’ boy from Midland, Texas, who can handle a gun the way most of us can handle a fork, is a living, breathing American history class. He went from protecting Elway from Reggie White, Keith Millard and Howie Long, to protecting you, me and everyone else in the United States of America from pure evil. A week after the Broncos’ loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIV back in 1990, Bishop was retired from football and in a Baylor University classroom finishing up his degree so he could enter an entirely different training camp in Quantico, Virginia, with the DEA. But why? Who, at the age of 33, goes from fighting the Kansas City Chiefs and the Seattle Seahawks to hunting down drug cartels? To know Keith Bishop is to understand the values and character that his parents instilled in him at an early age, “My dad was very conservative,” Bishop begins in his slow Texas drawl. “He was one of General Douglas MacArthur’s sergeants who was based in the United States’ German headquarters during World War II, and was responsible for drawing up bombardment plans as directed for the Philippines and Japan. He was very progressive socially and he always told me to stay away from dope. Back when I was playing, we had to do three community service appearances a year and I always
Bishop (#54) has been protecting John Elway on and off the field for
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talked to kids and schools. The DEA got wind of this and they started flying me around to talk to other schools. The DEA recruiter told me that I should consider joining them when I was done with football. I had already planned to go into coaching or law enforcement after the NFL, and the DEA appealed to me because of my dad’s stance on drugs and I wanted to honor that when my parents passed away in 1986.” With his Baylor degree completed, Bishop was headed to Quantico for training and, little did he know, the DEA was waiting for him. It would have been nice if the government agency had their facts straight about who Bishop was and why he was headed their way. He explains with a laugh, “The rumblings at Quantico were that I was this big black millionaire and former NFL player who was flying his own private jet to Virginia, and then I get there and they see I’m this country boy from Midland, Texas, who drove his Ford Taurus station wagon.” Unfortunately, the slight mistake in the agency’s identity of who Bishop was did nothing to call off the dogs on the 6’3, 260 pound, two-time Pro Bowl guard, “There was a perception that this was going to be a hobby for me, so I was targeted by all of the instructors,” he explains. “There was a lot of classroom training, role playing, surveillance and the gun range. Sometimes instructors would give me a hard time. Sometimes
they wouldn’t talk to me at all. If I wasn’t studying as hard as I was then it would have been embarrassing because they’d call me out all the time, but I was trying to be a DEA agent full blast.” About a month into the three-and-a-halfmonth training, the DEA finally came around, “The instructors pulled me aside and said, ‘We’ve been hard on you and we’ve been picking on you and it was all because we thought you were doing this as a hobby, plus the intel we had on you starting off was that you were a millionaire with your own plane. We can tell that you’re sincere about this.” Having cleared the air, now they were wanting Bishop’s opinion on all sorts of topics. How did their training compare to the NFL’s? Were they too hard on the students? Having survived 10 years of unrelenting conditioning with the Broncos, Bishop conceded that the DEA’s methods were nowhere close to what he’d gone through with Denver, “The DEA was difficult, but it wasn’t training camp,” he begins with a smirk. “The length of training camp, the multiple practices a day in pads and then, when Dan Reeves became coach, the running was brutal. You’ve been hitting for two or three hours before the running began in the summer heat. And when we had training camp for a few years in Greeley...that heat and being downwind from the rendering plant…camp was tough. Physically, you got beat up.” Bishop got through DEA training, lost 45 pounds from his days in the NFL, and was hired on by the Dallas office in his home state. He had the great fortune of having DEA legend Marty Pracht as his first supervisor, who was a renowned wiretap agent. With that kind of tutelage, Bishop would end up with a specialized skillset focused on long, complex investigations aimed at Target 3 intercepts, emails, video communications, wiretapping and the like. He was also a firearms instructor at one point, which should have been no surprise to those ill-fated jackrabbits and prairie dogs that Bishop would hunt durring his high school days back in Texas, “That’s how I learned to shoot,” he says matter-of-factly. “I’m a good shot.” One remarkable incident that was featured in The Dallas Observer back in 2000 involved a DEA raid on a North Texas meth lab in Navarro County. One of the detained chemists was able to grab a rag and set it on fire in an attempt to blow everybody up in the trailer. Bishop sprang into action. From there, let’s just say that the suspect was subdued and was no longer an active participant for the rest of the proceedings. Crisis averted courtesy of one Mr. Bishop. In December of 2008, Bishop would need everything in his playbook
for a mission of a lifetime. After the September 11th attacks, two laws were put in place for the DEA to enforce that involved bringing those to justice who were selling, producing and trafficking drugs and then using the money to facilitate terrorist activities in the United States. As the number one opium-producing country in the world, Afghanistan was the epicenter where Bishop and his team would stare death in the face around every corner from Kabul and Kandahar to Farah and Helmand. It was an assignment that would last 38 months. While mentoring judicial intercepts and wiretaps for the administrative interior of the Afghan government, Bishop and his boys were challenged from the beginning, “We had a counter-narcotics unit that was vetted called S.I.U. and we were intercepting a bunch of extortionists, kidnappers and some of the big bombings. We had been there only two months before the huge Kabul bombings on February 11, 2009. We caught the guys four days later,” he says proudly. Keith Bishop has seen things that he can’t un-see. There were fallen comrades that didn’t come home, and he very well could have been another casualty through the hell that he and his unit endured. One incident, in particular, stands out to Bishop, “It was leaked that we were in the area. I’m very fortunate to be here, let’s just put it that way,” he begins with a solemn tone. “I was driving a Level Three Armored Land Cruiser with a team member sitting next to me and an engineer with the equipment sitting in the back seat. Our vehicle was outfitted to stop the equivalent of a 30-caliber round, but not multiple rounds,” he continues with a dead stare. “We had five RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) shot at us. Two went over the hood. One went over the roof. One hit behind us. One hit below us. They all missed or we would have blown up.” Bishop would spend a little over three years with a target on his back all across the region, when a debilitating injury ended up shifting the next chapter of this extraordinary life, “I had been in a couple of TICs (troops in contact) and suffered a bad lower abdomen hernia, to the extent that I had become a safety threat to my guys because I was limited in what I could do.” Once back in the states, a subsequent stop in Denver reunited Bishop with an old friend, getting the ball rolling on a new beginning of sorts, “I asked John Elway if I could see the team doctor about getting my hernia fixed. Elway told me to come see him while I was in town because there might be a way that he could bring me back with the Broncos,” Bishop details. An offer from Elway to become the organization’s Vice President of Security was presented around
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Thanksgiving in 2011. January of 2012 marked Bishop’s goal of 20 years with the DEA. Soon thereafter, he was at Broncos headquarters in a full-time position, protecting the team in every imaginable facet.
Bringing Bishop on board seven years ago was a no-brainer for Elway, who knew the kind of guardian the franchise was getting with the hire, “Keith has been a great teammate of mine for many years as a player, and now currently working together in the front office,” lauds the Broncos’ President of Operations and General Manager. “He’s a loyal, trusted friend and we are fortunate to have him leading our security efforts.”
Serving as the liaison with local, state and federal law enforcement, Bishop oversees the safety of the ownership, executives, staff and players at Dove Valley headquarters as well as everyone on game day at Broncos Stadium at Mile High where Elway’s instincts were spot on with the man known as “Bish.” Present day in Colorado sees he leads security personnel of current and former the Broncos in good hands, all under the watchful, law enforcement. The specialties that he was highly trained eye of a protector like no other. They known for in the DEA have translated well with Bishop, wife Dee and dog Ma Frisco want him on that wall. They need him on that wall. the Broncos, including new camera surveillance systems and his execution of over 500 background checks on all of So, who looks after the guy who looks after everyone else? Bishop the Broncos’ draft choices and free agents that accompany each new has his beautiful wife Jarunee or “Dee” for short, and his beloved season. “Since I played the game, I’ve got a different perspective with this position and I think that helps me with the players and our dog, Ma Frisco, by his side as much as possible. Pepper in some relationship,” he admits. “It’s professional and not buddy-buddy, and fishing and camping trips for good measure, and life is beautiful, safe and secure. it can’t be, but I’m very protective of our players. But when something happens – and shit does happen – the players need to be upfront with And that’s just the way the Bishop of Denver likes it. me, our PR team, our coach and the league when it does.”
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On the road in search of the NFL’s next star By Peter Schaffer
THE SCOUT Steam billows as he works the old hotel iron over the suitcase-created wrinkles in his familiar team-branded golf shirt. SportsCenter blares in the background. The clock reads 5:00 A.M. It’s the beginning of another long day for the veteran NFL scout. His shirt now pressed, he’ll head down to the hotel exercise room for his obligatory 45 minutes of cardio and pushups. The hotel is like so many others he’s stayed in over his two-decade plus career: full of cookie-cutter basic rooms with so little character that you’d never know if you were in Tuscaloosa, Stillwater or Corvallis unless you took a good look out the window. In whatever college town he finds himself today, he may drive by more Waffle Houses than Dunkin Donuts, more firework stands than five star restaurants. But, regardless, the day will follow the same familiar pattern of so many during the college football season: iron one of his many team-issued golf shirts (a scout’s official motto, after all, is “If it’s free, it’s for me and if it has the team’s logos on it, then give me two!”), get in his exercise and then head to the university football facility to watch game film, study body types, dig for information and write reports, all before driving another 250 miles to do it all over again tomorrow in yet another godforsaken college town. The NFL is a sixteen billion dollar industry where winning is the only source of job security. Winning is impossible without talent and so every NFL team needs its scouts. It’s their job to find the next Tom Brady, Barry Sanders or Julien Edelman, in whatever corner of the country (or even the world) he may be, all so their team can win. In many ways, the scout represents the lifeblood of the NFL. His eighteen hour days exemplify the work ethic of so many team and league employees. His willingness to drive miles and miles to find that “hidden gem” is demonstrative of their shared passion and urgency to win football games. His loyalty to Marriott Hotels is only matched by that of the Buffalo Bills Mafia or the cheese heads lining Lambeau Field in a blizzard. And yet, while the NFL remains one of the most watched shows on television, the scout will spend most of his time toiling in anonymity (save for the few moments the camera may catch him timing a prospect at the NFL Combine). He’ll spend more time alone than a sentry, and almost as much time driving as a long-haul trucker. He’ll spend more nights in a Marriott hotel bed than his own (and will accordingly drive thirty miles out of the way to stay at a Marriott and accumulate points) and is usually an authority on restaurant deals from coast to coast. Who are these road warriors? These grinders who are more likely to achieve Marriott Platinum Premium status than receive a post-Super Bowl victory Gatorade shower? What does it really take to find the next Jerry Rice? To weed out the future Pro Bowlers from eventual also-rans? This is the story of the scout.
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WHO IS A SCOUT?
Back in the day, every scout walked with the distinctive limp of a retired NFL player, his hips, knees and fingers mangled by years of contact and barbaric medical science. It was a natural transition and a long, distinguished NFL career used to be something like scouting’s prerequisite course. Nowadays, there is no such “one size fits all” description. Sure, some are former NFL players, but some may have only played football in high school or college, some may never have played at all. Others are burnt out coaches, tired of the pressure and long hours. Still others come from elsewhere: they’re math majors, MBAs, baseball players, ex-teachers and lawyers. What they all have in common, though, is their insatiable passion for the game. To be a scout may be one of the most challenging jobs to get in America, and it’s a job that is even more challenging to keep. The stakes are high, the hours long and the rewards far and few between.
In the NFL, personnel decisions are always subjective and, for the scout, this subjectivity is twofold. First, the subjectivity in evaluating how a scout evaluates talent. As a scout, one general manager might like the way you evaluate talent, while another may prefer a scout who pays attention to just slightly different details or even writes reports in just a slightly different format. Those differences often have to do with who trained the scout. Scouts and general managers that came up under former Green Bay Packer GM Ron Wolf, for example, all employ similar styles and, in some circles, are affectionately known as the “Ron Wolf Mafia.” But if the team has a bad season and decides to bring in a new general manager, the entire scouting staff could find themselves on the way out as well. Still, even if a general manager may value a scout’s work ethic and instinct, the inherent uncertainty of talent evaluation looms large. Herein lies the second area of subjectivity in the scouting profession: sometimes a scout thinks a player will be a Hall of Famer, but the SIRANDSP ORT.COM
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player just ends up not panning out. It doesn’t matter why. Whether for character reasons or for an inability to adjust to the pro game, what matters is that somehow, someway, the scout made some sort of mistake. At some point in his career, chances are that every pro scout will find himself in a similar situation. And every time the question is will the general manager cut him some slack or will he blame him for wasting a draft pick and send him packing? In this way, all scouts know their profession is somewhat of a daily gamble. There is no question though that a good scouting department is invaluable to any football team. Scouts, more so than deep pockets, fancy facilities or creative marketing teams, can keep a great team great and can turn a losing team into a contender. Winning in the NFL is increasingly challenging but there remains one constant: winning games starts with talent and finding talent starts with good scouts.
THE COLLEGE VISIT
The scout weaves his rental car through swarms of twentysomethings, all groggily trudging to their morning classes. He’s on his way to the football office and has a box of fresh doughnuts to deliver. He’ll greet everyone from the strength coach to the secretary to the academic adviser by name and offer them a sugary confection. It’s all part of the job: food and kindness go a long way to helping him gather information. He parks in the football-only lot and, armed with his iPad and fresh baker’s dozen, heads inside. Student-athletes laser in on his team-issue polo, intrigued by the NFL insignia. Who is this guy? The scout just gives each a passing nod and a smile. The iPad is one of the scout’s best tools. With it, a WIFI connection and a subscription to a Cloud-based film database, he can watch any game, any player, anywhere. It’s a far cry from the days where a college visit meant sharing a projector with whatever other scouts may be there that day, squabbling over when to push pause. The football staff is happy to see him. The scout’s earnestness in greeting each by name and asking about their families is rewarded with smiles and, hopefully later, with candid conversation. Next on his agenda is gathering background information on all the school’s prospects. A prospect’s character profile is just as important as his game film and, in a way, a scout takes a similar approach to both of his evaluations. Just as he needs to know what sort of quarterback works best in the offensive scheme, he needs to know what sort of personality will work best in the locker room. He needs to know what sort of players the front office wants to represent the franchise and what sort of players the coaches want to coach. Only then can he start to gather his information. In doing this sort of gathering, everyone in the athletic department is like another play on the game film. They’re a possible source of information that may be important to the scout’s evaluation. So, building relationships is crucial. Bringing doughnuts is a start, but the scout must do more than pastries and free team apparel. He also must understand the sort of conflicted position a college football staff finds themselves in.
On one hand, colleges want their former student-athletes to succeed in the NFL. It’s a motive as noble as it is practical. While a college coach may be attached to a certain player after his college days, he also wants him to succeed to bring publicity (and therefore more five-star recruits and more money) to his program. But at the same time, they want to have a good relationship with the NFL. Whoever comes through their doors with that beacon-like insignia represents an opportunity, whether it be for the coach to advance himself or to advance his players, and so he has great incentive to be truthful in his reports. The rub then is that sometimes being truthful may come at a cost. If a coach tells the truth and admits to the scout that a prospect has had a few brushes with the law, then he risks jeopardizing the prospect’s NFL future. A coach may only tell a few scouts this sort of information, and so their relationship is of that much importance. Nevertheless, the words “close the door” are music to a scout’s ears. It means he is about to get some “real” information. The conversation sometimes proceeds in code. Just as lawyers have their legalese, scouts have their own cryptic, sometimes difficultto-understand language. He’s a “high rep guy” means the player needs a lot of repetitions to figure out what is going on (read: he may not be very smart and may have a hard time adjusting to the demands of an NFL playbook). Similarly, “single digit Wunderlik guy” is a slow learner, a “great motor” is an effort guy who isn’t very athletic, “coachable” means a great kid with marginal talent who performs well on special teams and “a great kid but lacks focus” means he’s probably a guy more concerned about marijuana than football. After the scout talks to the football coaches, he’ll seek out the strength coaches. Here again there’s a duality to be understood. While the strength coach spends a lot of time with the players, and so he may know them fairly well, the scout has to take his opinion with a grain of salt because he’ll probably be partial to the “workout warriors”, who, while admirable in work ethic, may not be the most talented athletes on the field. His last character reconnaissance stop is with the team’s academic advisors and a player’s professors. Both have a strong track record for being truthful and see the players in a different sort of environment than any of the coaches, so they can speak to things like how they treat people who aren’t their teammates, how they learn, how they self-motivate, all of which are important factors to consider in player evaluation. Once that sort of information gathering is done (at least for the time being), it’s on to film study. While scouts now rely primarily on their iPads and database subscriptions, they still will often watch film at the football facility. The scout’s study always begins the same way: choose the film, get out the spiral scouting notebook, pull the Copenhagen tin out of his pocket (it’s hard to tell if it’s a habit from watching tape or just addiction, but every time the tape starts, his hand reaches back almost involuntarily), and press “Play.”
SCOUTS, MORE SO THAN D E E P P O C K E T S , FA N C Y F A C I L I T I E S O R C R E AT I V E MARKETING TEAMS, CAN KEEP A G R E AT T E A M G R E AT A N D CAN TURN A LOSING TEAM INTO A CONTENDER.
He can choose to watch full games or what’s called “cut-ups,” which are all the clips of a particular player doing a particular thing (all of a defensive lineman’s third down rushes, for example). A good scout will watch both, but will focus more on full games. This way he can see how a player may change throughout a game and get a better wholistic sense of his abilities. He’s looking for things like how he uses his hands, how he changes directions, the bend in his hips, what happens the play after he gets hit and how his production changes from the first quarter to the fourth quarter, from September to November. A guy may “flash” a little something on tape that piques a scout’s interest. Why didn’t the guy play more? Was he played at the wrong position? Film study can sometimes lead to more questions than answers. It’s difficult, a hybrid of instinct and science that is best learned, not taught. After film, it’s off to observe practice. The crisp fall air provides the sort of pick-me-up he needs after hours of film study and conversation. Watching practice is a critical component of his evaluation because on the practice field, the scout gets to see everything. He’ll pay close attention to coachability, effort, their attitude towards water persons and athletic trainers. He’ll get an up-close look at their body types. Are they lean, thick, muscle up, tall or squatty? All the while, he’s scribbling away notes in his notebook, an array of symbols and shorthand hopelessly confusing to anyone else. Practice ends and so begins the scout’s trip to his next stop. Another four hours across the heartland, the Florida Panhandle or wherever it may be. On an eerie level, scouts are analogous to truck drivers in that they also focus on knowing where the speed traps are and the rough highways. His hope is that he can get to his next Marriott early enough to grab dinner before typing up his daily reports and previewing tomorrow’s schedule. Tomorrow he’s supposed to watch an intra-squad scrimmage, which is a great opportunity to get an up-close look at his prospects, but in the college football world everything is subject to change (you are dealing with teenagers and sometimes egotistical coaches, after all). A glimpse at his phone shows a text from the school’s pro liaison director and the scrimmage will now be in the late afternoon, not in the morning.
Now he and the 22 other scouts there have to scramble to change their hotel and flight reservations. While the change in plans certainly isn’t welcome, the scout had a feeling this may happen. This particular coach has a reputation for being dismissive towards scouts and making a point to show “the league” who really runs the show. A few clicks on his Marriott and Travelocity apps and a harried call home to say he’ll be late getting back, and he’s all set.
A L L- S T A R G A M E S
A scout’s calendar is of little resemblance to that of a normal American citizen. It isn’t punctuated by holidays and birthdays, but rather by scrimmages, bowl games, pro days and combines. From late August through February, he’ll be on the road evaluating players. Most of his days in the fall are filled with college visits and Saturday gamedays, but come January, the scout will turn his attention to January’s senior showcases. SIRANDSP ORT.COM
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MOBILE, ALABAMA, HAS HOSTED THE SENIOR BOWL SINCE 1951
There’s the NFLPA All Star Game in Los Angeles, the East West Shrine Game in Tampa and, finally, the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. For the players, it’s one more chance to show off their talent and to make their first impressions. For the scouts, it’s a chance to not only confirm their own reports and add any missing details, but also to catch up with friends from across the industry.
Post-run, the first order of business is retrieving his credentials. He’ll grab those and a few of the customary Krispy Kremes on his way to start player interviews. He has a list of 30 or so players he has to get to today. In each conversation, his goal is to peel back layers that another scout may have missed. He’ll ask things like “Who’s your favorite player?,” “Who had the most influence on your career?,” “What is your favorite color?,” and maybe even few curve balls to see how the prospect may react.
THE SENIOR BOWL
Then comes the coveted weigh-in that the scouts call “The Underwear Olympics.” All 100 players dressed in matching shorts and Senior Bowl t-shirts parade in front of an audience of coaches, scouts and general managers to the Mobile Convention Center’s stage. Up on stage, in front of everyone, players are weighed, measured and analyzed for body type and composition.
Going to the Senior Bowl means going to Mobile, and going to Mobile really means flying into New Orleans. Why? Because in his years of making this sort of annual pilgrimage, he knows that driving that 140 miles from New Orleans to Mobile is easier than having to change planes in Dallas or Atlanta and ending up stuck on a small puddle jumper to Mobile. Cruising down I-10, he decides to stop at a Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, for some food, a Diet Coke and, most importantly, to watch his team play in the NFC Championship. He isn’t there in person because that’s just not his job. His job is to be here, on the road, evaluating talent. So, he watches alone, in hopeful solidarity. No one in the bar knows that he helped put those players on that field, but watching the lineman he had been so high on a few years ago get a crucial third-down sack fills him with quiet satisfaction. He continues on to Mobile and the next morning finds himself in another box of a hotel room, distinguishable only because of the murky, humid smell of the Gulf permeating the air. He decides to do his 45 minutes of cardio outside since he knows he’ll need to get in a good sweat to compensate for the pounds of butter, creole seasoning and lite beers he’ll consume later. He runs up and down Mobile’s historic main drag, again unnoticed among the shuffles of the morning commute. This is a sleepy southern town and the Senior Bowl circus is almost laughably out of place among Mobile’s antebellum era mansions and Spanish moss. Besides the scouts, the NFL’s “Who’s Who” are all here like Belichick, Gruden and Jerry Jones, who are all wanting to get a better glimpse at this year’s top seniors.
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Despite its laughable nickname, the Underwear Olympics is important for the scouts. There’s a famous story among NFL circles that reflects this importance where an offensive lineman from an SEC school removed his shirt to show 390 pounds of unadulterated skin and fat, evidencing a clear lack of knowledge of nutrition and a lack of effort in the weight room. His height and weight were announced, along with the designation of “no agent at this time.” The sarcastic response from the audience was collectively, “no agent, no nutritionist, no trainer and no chance in the NFL.” At 1pm sharp, the entire NFL circus races from downtown to the legendary Ladd-Peebles Stadium to watch the teams practice. Scouts and coaches alike sit in packs, sharing sunflower seeds and dip, talking and evaluating players at the same time. As one esteemed general manager once said, “You can tell how good our scouts are because they can engage in multiple conversations on any number of topics and, at the same time, be scouting 50 or so football players. It takes a unique person to multitask like that!” Scouts watch the practices for four straight days. They’ll watch the North and the South team, individual drills, group drills and all team drills. Players rise or fall, set themselves apart or fade into the pack. Through it all, the players try to appear calm and collected, but they know that the people in the stands hold the keys to their future.
Likewise, for four straight nights, the scouts will make the trip to the infamous bar, Veets. A run-down, Southern establishment looking more like the original home to Lynyrd Skynard than the choice watering hole of football royalty, scouts are drawn as much by the proximity as to the cheap beer and liquor. The male-tofemale ratio is almost 99-to-1, and scouts spend their time swapping stories from the fall months spent on the road. Veets holds a special place in every scout’s heart.
FEBRUARY DRAFT MEETINGS
After the booze-filled insanity of bowl season comes the disciplined rigor of February draft meetings. Scouts report back to their team facilities and meet for 21 straight days. Days are long, sometimes 14 hours or more, and the demands are high: watch film, debate and come to a consensus on every single draftable player. No breakfast pastries this time around. February draft meetings are more of a venue for sunflower seeds and chewing tobacco than for pink frosting and sprinkles. It’s the first time that the scouting department will have met since last April, and it’s the first time the scouts get to share their reports. Perhaps more importantly, it will be the last time they meet as a full department before the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, so it’s important that they’re all on the same page, or close to it, before then. They go through film position group-by-position group, players A through Z. This is another reason why being an NFL scout is so challenging because, unlike other sports, the NFL scout assesses every position and that’s not limited to the standard 11 on the field. You have quarterbacks, running backs, (but then there’s also halfbacks, fullbacks, and third down backs), tight ends (and also H-backs), wide receivers (and also slot players), and offensive lineman (and also left tackles, right tackles, guards, and centers). Then there are defensive tackles (and also 3 techs and nose tackles), defensive ends, linebackers (inside, outside, rush and cover), cornerbacks (outside and slot), and safeties (free and strong). Then you have special teams, which includes the punters, kickers, and long snappers. To know each well enough to evaluate it effectively is a major undertaking. How a player is discussed also depends on how the GM (or Director of Scouting) wants to run his meetings. He may have the area scout who went and visited that player share his report first and then invite other scouts to chime in with what they see on film. He may just roll the tape and have everyone say their piece. There may be ruckus discussion or a more structured debate of strengths and weaknesses. Regardless, the information the area scout worked so hard to gather is most important and, while the area scout won’t necessarily have the final say on where a player falls on the board, he’ll certainly be the one that the department looks to for his impressions and for answers to any of their questions. By the same means, if the team president ducks in to watch a player and asks the area scout a question that he can’t answer, that spells trouble. As the days tick by, the draft board starts to take shape. Row after row of players, organized by position and numerical grade (their view of where he should be drafted, if at all), are color-coded and marked with other symbols. If a player’s name is upside down, then that may mean he has talent, but is a character risk. If a player’s name is in green, he probably smokes too much marijuana. If his name is in red or has a red cross around it, then he’s a medical risk. It can look almost as cryptic as a scout’s post-practice notes and similarly, when done well, can be beautiful in only a way they can appreciate. There’s a front board and a back board. The front has the team’s top 100-to-150 players, while the back board lists non-draftable priority free agents, or “PFAs.” Scouts will eventually target these players to fill their rosters and, while a PFA seems a lowly distinction, the team needs them to fill their training camp rosters. The Sunday post-draft frenzy that ensues in the race for the best PFAs means that this back board must be done well. A scout can earn his salary for the year by finding a hidden gem who ends up making the 53-man roster and signing. Think of Kurt Warner, Warren Moon, Dick “Night Train” Lane and Wes Welker. All of them were undrafted free agents, and all were found by a good scout doing his job. Hopefully the meetings will end with just enough time for everyone to race home for a few days before heading off to Indianapolis and the Combine, known affectionately to scouts as the NFL’s Meat Market.
ALL 100 P L AY E R S DRESSED IN M AT C H I N G SHORTS AND SENIOR BOWL T- S H I R T S PA R A D E I N FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE OF COACHES, SCOUTS AND GENERAL MANAGERS.
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COMBINE AND INTERVIEWS
Walking off the plane in Indianapolis in late February, you’re hit by “The Hawk,” a cold blast of arctic air and frozen humidity that feels like a frozen baseball bat. It takes the air out of your lungs and seems to sting your eyes. The scout longs for the warmth of Florida and Alabama’s Gulf Shores, and to be able to wear his teamissued golf shirts instead of shivering in his team-issued beanie and hooded sweatshirt. The Combine is about all teams pooling their resources and inviting the top 300 draft-eligible prospects for a weekend of testing, prodding, quizzing, examining, dissecting and interviewing. For league personnel, scouts, coaches, agents, media and financial planners, it is also a week of networking, scouting and drinking. It all begins with a quick Uber ride downtown to the Crowne Plaza, the “Player Hotel” to any scout. This is where he and the staff will conduct player interviews. Given the layout, a small hotel room devoid of beds and replaced with folding chairs, it feels more like 15-minute interrogations. While a scout may have already interviewed a player at the Senior Bowl, this is the player’s shot to answer questions in front of more team personnel. General managers, coaches, team presidents and scouting directors, may all sit in on an interview and ask questions. This, plus the fact that the draft is now less than three months away, gives the Combine interviews a different sort of air. The player is dressed in his Under Armor Combine issued attire with his player number and position and sits in the front of the team’s entourage. Because of the area scout, the team’s personnel all have good background on the player and are prepared to ask rapid fire questions. “Who did you look up to as the ideal role model?” “Tell us about your parents.” “What comes to mind when you think about your home town?” What does it take to be successful?” The player will try to respond to each question as calmly as possible. It’s likely the eighth or ninth such interview he has sat through that evening, and it’s a lot of bright lights for any young man. But those lights will only get brighter, and that pressure becomes more intense once he gets into the league, so the scouts watch his body language, demeanor and eyes, trying to read the player and glean whatever other information they can. Interviews run back-to-back-to-back from 7pm to 10:45pm every night. Every so often, the scout sneaks off to the bar to grab a beer or two to ease his thirst and relax his mind. It has, after all, been a long seven months of football.
D R A F T D AY F I N A L LY ARRIVES, AND THE SCOUTS PA C K I N T O THE TEAM’S DRAFT ROOM.
LUCAS OIL STADIUM, INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
Once the interviews end, just as they left together en masse from the Mobile Convention Center to the practice field, the scouts head off to the downtown watering holes. At infamous establishments like Ike and Jonesy’s, Champions Sports Bar and RAM Restaurant and Brewery, they’ll take the edge off another 18-hour day and reunite with old friends. The alarm breaks the chill of the Indianapolis morning at 6am. It’s too early, especially after last night’s festivities, but it’s time for the scout’s obligatory 45-minute sweat at the Marriott gym. Unlike in the fall, this time he’s joined by every other scout, all wearing some form of team-issued workout apparel. Then everyone flocks to the hotel’s “Concierge Room” for free breakfasts (access afforded by Marriott points), followed by a quick shower, and then off to Lucas Oil Stadium to “time” the players in their workouts. Each team scout will have an assigned seat in an assigned row somewhere above the finish for the 40-yard dash. Like so much of this industry, there’s both a science and a comedy to having each scout for each team time every player. Does a time change if ten people time a player? Is it different then the official electronic time provided by the Combine organizers? Probably not, but science may say it might. So, there stands every scout, armed with a stop watch and eyes glued to the player’s movement. Then it’s time for skill position drills. Again, the scout takes notes, cataloging flexibility, change of direction, ease of movement, coachability, ability to catch a ball and reaction time, just as he’s done so many times before. He’ll do this every day for every position group. Offensive linemen are on Friday. Saturday is for running backs, receivers and quarterbacks, Sunday is for defensive linemen and linebackers with Monday for defensive backs. Unlike most common fans, the scout isn’t fooled by numbers or shorts and t-shirt workouts. The scout knows what he saw on film is the best show of how a player will perform in the league. Sure, a slow 40-time, a number of dropped balls and a bad interview may send a player sliding down a draft board, but to the scout, film is king. After seven days of interviews, testing and nightly reveling, the Combine concludes in a rush to the airport. The scouts are off to their next assignment - following the Pro Day Circuit.
THE PRO DAYS
The Pro Day Circuit will take the scout crisscrossing the country once again. He’ll visit a few perennial top five programs, conference champions, small schools, maybe even a few JUCOs (junior colleges). Unlike the invite-only Combine, the Pro Day is a great opportunity for the scout to uncover a hidden gem. At Pro Day, prospects will run the 40 and do agility and strength testing. They’ll be weighed, measured and put through position-specific drills, sometimes led by NFL personnel. There’s a risk here that a prospect may get hurt doing drills (and lose millions of dollars) but, for some, a Pro Day is the chance of a lifetime. A team may be looking to complete their evaluation of a player who was suspended or injured. For some, it’s the first time they’ll have the opportunity to perform in front of an NFL scout. This particular trip finds the scout hearing from a friend about an amazing prospect playing at a junior college out in the middle of nowhere in Missouri. Angry that there’s no Marriott around, but still hoping to be pleasantly surprised, the trip is made to see the player. Then, it starts pouring. That’s one hardship with small school scouting - no indoor football facility means no place to run a 40 but in a relic of a basketball gym. But sure enough,
the player moved as advertised, even on the slippery old wooden floor. The scout watched in amazement at the change of direction, soft, quick feet and explosive hands of the 22-year-old. The scout knew the player had a reputation for missing class and smoking marijuana. Was he worth the risk? He then took out the team’s standard questionnaire form to fill in some more blanks. Then, on a whim, he gave him the “Wunderlik” test, the standard 12-minute intelligence exam given by all NFL teams. His suspicions were correct. The results hovered high on the single digit chart, labeling the player as barely literate. The scout was unpersuaded, and so he took time to talk to the young man. He realized the player was highly intelligent, just not highly motivated in the classroom. As he wrapped up the interview, he told the player to keep the existence of the workout a secret and that he would call him before the draft to see how he was doing. The scout then innocently inquired as to whether any other teams had come through. To his delight, he found out that he was the only one. As opposed to including the low test results in his report, which would make the player undraftable to his boss, the test found its way into the school’s trash dumpster. Some things are just not worth reporting. He had found a gem and had to keep him a secret until the draft. Maybe the front office would be willing to take him in a lateround or sign him as an UFA. Now on to the next Pro Day, which was the last one of a long spring. So many months on the road were taking their toll and the scout missed his family. But maybe this small school’s all-time touchdown rushing leader might just make the scout look smart. After a few minutes, the scout noticed something - the player’s ability to back pedal, put his feet down and turn his hips was uncanny. It looked almost too natural. His reaction time was quick, his ability to grasp defensive concepts was even quicker. As the scout left Pro Day, he joked with the player about turning him into an NFL defensive back.
THE DRAFT
The last stretch of the scout’s marathon year are final pre-draft meetings. Scouts call every player they’ve scouted to make sure they’re healthy and training, and to see if they can get the player to share who their competition might come Draft Day. Are you healthy? What teams have called? What have teams said? Players may lie, but at least the scouts are doing their due diligence. In these final weeks, secrecy is paramount. A scout may not even know what the final draft board looks like. While there probably won’t be too many changes from February’s board, it’s an unwelcome feeling since their hard work built the board in the first place. However for a front office weary of leaks, it’s something of a necessary evil. Draft Day finally arrives, and the scouts pack into the team’s draft room. While there’s always an air of nervous excitement, the reality is that even though teams are graded contemporaneously with the draft, just how well a team did in any particular year can’t be known until three or four years later. And just like that, over a period of three intense days of tracking the board, giving opinions and praying that their favorites are taken, the scout’s summer vacation begins. It’s time to unwind and catch up with family before the cycle begins all over again. But, even though he’s happy for the time now to spend with his family, part of him is already itching to get back on the road and find that next hidden gem. SIRANDSP ORT.COM
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A CAD’S GUIDE TO
G N I T R FLI By Brian Abbey
A twinkle in the eye, a wry grin, a spike in pulse - flirting began in that very first magical moment when one person found another attractive. For lads, it’s the ancient act of letting a lass know you think she’s bonnie, but is flirtation in danger of extinction? Breaking news chronicles a full continuum of libidinous entitlement, ranging from Aziz Ansari’s seemingly benign but contentiously awkward date to the ‘I will never look at Jello Pudding again’ horror of Cosby. So, young Romeo, can you woo fair Juliet without risking ye old social media outrage and all that Shakespearean tragedy? First, this is a stupid question. Here’s my advice: don’t be a creepy idiot and if you have any question as to whether you might be acting like a creepy idiot, cease and desist immediately. But wait, there’s more. Don’t whine about what used to be permissible. Times change. Adjust. Waxing nostalgic over catcalling is as appealing as a flat-earther putting pineapple on a pizza while explaining how the moon landing was faked. This isn’t coming from a man who calls himself a feminist. No, I spent the greater portion of my adult life as a cad, a rogue, a rake, a lothario, a slut, and a woman-eater, to borrow a term. But seeing a near daily parade of ladies coming forward to tell their story, I took a long look at my own past. Like most men, I wasn’t a rapey Weinstein, a watch-me-wank Louis C.K., a pussy-grabbing president, or a sex-for-promotion corporate executive. In fact, sleeping with me was less a stepping stone to a career and more a millstone around your neck. However, I noted some sexist and even misogynistic moments in my past. Despite my rallying and voting for gender equalizing causes and candidates, my personal behavior was less enlightened. SIRANDSP ORT.COM
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Make eye contact and don’t sneak peeks at what lies below. When we make eye contact we listen more and l istening facilitates stimulating conversation.
Can one be a male-slut and support gender equality, you ask? Of course, and we begin by dropping the male hyphen from ‘slut’ because promiscuity has no gender. I regret the Neanderthal moments I referenced above but not my profligacy. People should enjoy as much boudoir bingo as their consensual loins desire as long as they are safe and honest. During my self-audit, I found patterns of nuance and implicit behavior that incorrectly set expectations. Rarely did I explicitly state my disdain for relationships, assuming it was understood despite my occasional romantic gesture. But Qui tacet consentire videtur, as the Romans say. If you only want to knock boots, put your boots on and tell her. If your jam is 30-day relationships, then lay it on the table Day One. Casual is fantastic if everyone understands it’s casual.
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Example - when I lived in Los Angeles, I was the lone male in a small circle of women. They employed me as a relationship sounding board. If you want to build a tight cyber security system, hire a hacker. If you want to understand the inner-workings of emotionally stunted men in L.A., invite me to drinks. One of the ladies shared a story of her recent date. The man had a real job, not an actor, and seemed mature - a rare combination. The night ended with a chaste peck on the cheek. The next day he called to thank her for a lovely evening and said, while he enjoyed their date, he wasn’t looking for anything serious. However, if she were interested in fun sans attachments then he was down. She. Was. Aghast. If relationships were cupcakes, this cretin wanted to lick off the frosting and waltz away. The women all agreed. He was immature, possibly broken. Then they turned to me. “In a city full of men with strong opinions on where their coffee is grown and how long it’s brewed, but with no life goals beyond a vague desire to be famous, this guy clearly articulated what he expects from you and what you can expect from him. He may not be the hero you want but he’s undeniably the hero L.A. deserves.” My little diatribe went over as well as casual socialism on Fox and Friends, but he actually did a grown-ass man thing. Respect. Flirting without offending isn’t difficult but with generations of us raised under the romantic example of Pepe Le Pew, we sometimes have flawed ideas of courtship. Pepe’s go-to move of grabbing a female, kissing her, and muttering Frenchy nonsense isn’t so much flirting as it is toon-on-toon sexual assault. Separate yourself from the skunk and be non-handsy, more conversational. As an almost-handsome, perpetually broke cad, conversation was key to opening doors. I’m biased but perhaps try this Slim Shady line, ’Hi – my name is…’
I’m biased but perhaps try this Slim Shady line, ’Hi – my name is…’ Make eye contact and don’t sneak peeks at
what lies below. When we make eye contact we listen more and listening facilitates stimulating conversation. Do avoid serial killer eye contact though. Strive for non-stabby normalcy, like when George W. Bush looked into Putin’s eyes and saw his soul.
Speaking of which, unless you’ve mastered subtle, ironic delivery, lines are ancient relics. Why not trot out some polyester pants and patent leather boots with that pickup schtick? Okay, it might work in a hyper-specific situation. Maybe you’re on an arctic tour and say, “How much does a polar bear weigh? Just enough to break the ice.” Otherwise, be normal. My philosophy was a modified Notting Hill: “I’m just a boy. Standing in front of a lot of girls, asking them to like me.” Don’t literally ask but fill your gray matter with ideas. Read a fucking book and have something to say. Give her reasons to like you beyond the bicep you surreptitiously flex in front of her. Spend time alone in your head and ask yourself, ‘What makes me interesting?’ Then find ways to work that into conversation, assuming your hobbies and interests are fit for public consumption. Avoid commenting on her clothing or appearance. If it’s a date, sure tell her she looks pretty, stunning even. If you’re merely flirting, forgo fawning chat up lines, unless you’re complimenting her recent Tedtalk on cleaning up the oceans.
Before flirting, stop and think. Are you capable of executing workplace appropriate flirtation? Is a unisex toilet an acceptable venue? How can you tell Lucy she has eyes like magical fairy pools without sounding like a Tolkien jackass? And what about the times you meet someone spontaneously and haven’t had time to think? Here’s a decent guide, gravitate to Han over Lando. Sorry to wax Empire Strikes Back on you, but the two scoundrels had different approaches. Han was a cocky smuggler, but he also had a vulnerable, scruffy Nerf herder side. Lando is one of the most charming bastards ever to grace the silver screen. In Cloud City, he looked at Leia the way Tom Brady looks at a second half Atlanta Falcons defense, and only Han was uncomfortable. One in a million men are that charming. One in ten million if you take Billy D. Williams out of consideration. Hedge your bets with Han. He got the girl, sort of. Everything that came after ‘don’t be a creepy idiot’ is minutiae. Romance isn’t dead but the days of pounding on the table and howling into the air at the sight of a beautiful woman are. So, Casanova, you can still have NC-17 ideals but initiate your flirt like a PG-rated Tom Hanks. Hanks is probably a good guy. Stay tuned for breaking news on Pepe le Pew.
Brian Abbey is an expat, writer and aspiring restaurateur living in Romania. Follow him in the Twitterverse via @brianabbey. SIRANDSP ORT.COM
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Wheelman BY KEVIN HOLT
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Leave it to Bugatti to one-up their own legendary Chiron with a supercar that has already sold-out and has the automobile industry in utter disbelief over its stunning design and specs. Our resident wheelman, Kevin Holt, also kicks the tires on three 2019 entries from Jaguar, Rolls Royce and Lamborghini that are sure to make the roadways a more beautiful place, while steering the car world to new heights with their respective advancements.
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Who: Jaguar What: I-PACE When: 2019 How: $69,500
Who: Rolls-Royce What: Cullinan When: 2019 How: $350,000
The auto industry continues to move to alternative fuel sources and, in the luxury segment, electric vehicles are leading the way. Known for the instant-torque experience and the ability to change brand perceptions overnight, Jaguar brings its first fully-electric drivetrain option to market with the I-PACE. Jaguar places two electric motors and all-wheel drive in the new arrival. The quick acceleration and solid handling makes this feel a lot smaller and dynamic than your eyes tell you. Priced at $69,500, the four-door I-PACE has a solid 240-mile range on a full charge producing 394 horsepower and 512 pounds per feet of torque. Underneath is a 90.0-kWh lithium-ion battery storing all that power, translating to zero-to-60 in 4.5 seconds and zero-to-100 in 13 seconds, which is not too shabby for an SUV. It’s another wake-up call to an ever-growing segment and should find a nice share of the market among the segment leaders. You’ll notice certain subtle design cues from the prototype Jaguar C-X75 coupe, but overall the interior stacks up nicely with the level of European detail. I predict this will be a hit for Jaguar and not bad for a first-time, all-electric offering.
Rolls-Royce, the ultimate in massive luxury automobiles, has entered the SUV segment and they’re doing so in true Rolls-Royce fashion. They aren’t going to be fastest luxury SUV or the bestselling luxury SUV, but the Cullinan will be the most luxurious SUV you’ve ever come upon. This $350K-ish product built on a Rolls Phantom VIII platform has all the makings of the most luxurious SUV ride ever. The eight-speed, 6.75 liter, twinturbo V12 sounds massive. And it is. But then that’s what makes it odd – the sound. There is little to none. Every person that drives it comments how silent the experience is. Whether rolling down the driveway or hauling down the freeway full throttle open, it has little to no sound. The Cullinan is the quietest and most Rolls-Royce-ish SUV. Named after the largest gem-quality diamond ever found, RollsRoyce made the SUV they wanted. The market is prime for them to capture that ultra-high end SUV segment as limited in quantity as that segment is. But by playing straight into their customers’ sweet spot, I think this one hits the mark.
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Whether rolling down the driveway or hauling down the freeway full throttle open, it has little to no sound. The Cullinan is the quietest and most Rolls Royce-ish SUV.”
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Who: Buggati What: Divo When: 2019 How: $5.8 million
Who: Lamborghini What: Aventador SVJ When: 2019 How: Starting at $500,000
Bugatti has already brought words like “a W16 engine” into the modern lexicon and made a mockery of the horsepower wars with 1,000+ horsepower supercars that only an oil-rich prince or Floyd Mayweather Jr. can afford. But then they go off and take a perfectly good Chiron and develop the Divo for Pebble Beach to drool over. This showstopper took the Monterey Peninsula by storm. How could it not, with the amazing design and specs that include an 8.0L quad-turbo charged W16, producing 1,479 horsepower with a 7-speed dual clutch? But don’t fret, this already sold-out $5.8M rocket ship has total of 40 units being produced. Exclusivity is key in the world of hyper cars. The Divo comes with a 23 percent wider rear wing than your regular Chiron and massive air intakes and a front chin spoiler to make the most of the airflow around the chassis. With redesigned head lamps and tail lamps just for Divo, this is a one-of-a-kind in several ways. There is also a vent in the bonnet for improved radiator cooling and additional vents on the front-wheel wells to cool down the massive brakes. Long live Bugatti as they remain a rare breed still using W16 engines as the rest of the industry looks to get more compression and efficiency from 8-cyclinders. These machines will always have a special place in the automotive galaxy even if they’ll never find a place in my garage.
We all know a Lamborghini when we see it and when we hear it. Lamborghini stands on its own – the aggressive angles, the massive engine outputs, the iconic scissor doors. But they also have a way of upping the ante and extending the lifecycle of their models with unique offerings and they are at again with the final Aventador model. Lamborghini is releasing the Aventador SVJ (Superveloce Jota) with a naturally-aspirated, 7-speed, V12 throwing out 752 horsepower. With a top speed of 217 mph, Lamborghini gave the SVJ the newest ALA system, Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva, which engineers have developed to redirect airflow across the body to maximize downforce where needed. The SVJ also benefits from small weight reductions to be listed by the manufacturer as 3,362 lbs. dry weight and you’ll also find ample uses of carbon across the body and integration of the exhaust system into the rear. Nothing on this vehicle is practical, but that’s never been a reason to own a Lamborghini. This is a passion purchase – and with 900 being built according to Peter Vinnicombe, ultra-exotic expert, it’ll be a collector’s jewel for future Concourses well into the next decades. As the Aventadors lifecycle comes to an end, the SVJ might be the perfect swan song. For north of $500,000 – how can you say “no” to the final naturally aspirated V12 from Lamborghini?
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FLIGHT TO LUXURY
PHOTOS BY JENSEN SUTTA
A stellar crowd descended on Centennial Airport’s Signature Flight and XJet Hangars for the 8th Annual Flight to Luxury event. The sell-out soirée, produced by Denver-based Cuvée, benefited PIVOT, the newly launched foundation that addressed the needs of the “whole child” in Colorado. Founding Trustees include Larry Mueller, George Solich, John Elway, James Iacino and Walker Rakowich. The evening began with a decadent cocktail hour featuring the city’s finest restaurants and the world’s most esteemed spirits, followed by a live auction and stunning fashion show. Both Sir and Sport and Reign Magazine served as media sponsors. 1. Loni Peterson, Daniel Lamp, Elisa Berzins, Ryan Molloy 2. Ajay and Sippi Khurana, Virginia and Scott Reiman, and Carol and George Solich 3. Guests celebrated at an after party replete with a silent disco 4. NFL superstar Peyton Manning 5. Cuvée Founder and PIVOT Founding Trustee Larry Mueller welcomes the crowd 6. Shelbi Robinson catches a pass from Bronco Emmanuel Sanders 7. Niki Collier, Olivia Merril, Jill Hodges and Emily Watson 8. Jason Brest, Denver Bronco Emmanuel Sanders, Dustin Miller 9. An impressive display of exotic cars and private jets wows the crowd
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PHOTOS BY LEMAR GRIFFIN
The 2nd Annual Ray’s Awareness Dinner was held on November 12th at Cherry Creek Shopping Center’s 801 Chophouse and saw a well-dressed crowd of more than 225 attendees. A benefit for the Shane Ray Foundation – spearheaded by the Denver Broncos’ outside linebacker and his mother, Sebrina – the event featured a silent auction, cocktails, and an incredible four course meal and raised more than $75K for children in underserved areas of Denver and Ray’s hometown of Kansas City. Top sponsors included Sir and Sport Magazine, Walter and Christie Isenberg of Sage Hospitality, Stephanie Sodden, Luke and Renda Beard of Great Way Real Estate and John & Jennifer Mark.
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1. Denver Broncos Todd Davis, Courtland Sutton, Shane Ray and Bradley Chubb 2. Emcee Mark Schlereth greets the crowd 3. Shane Ray with Renda Beard, Tonya Esparza and Valerie Pelletier 4. 8-1’s iconic steers donned number 56 for the evening 5. Denver Bronco Todd Davis and his girlfriend, Zaire Gregory 6. Shane and his beautiful mother, Sebrina Johnson 7. Denver Bronco Dymonte Thomas 8. Shane Ray celebrated with even the youngest partygoers, including “Little M” 9. 801 Chophouse served as the perfect venue for the perfect evening 10. A bevy of impressive silent auction items were generously donated, including a bespoke suit from custom clothier, BALANI
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[CUTTING ROOM] FLOOR
“ “When I was at RE/MAX, I was crushing it. I was the number one or number two agent at my office every month, every quarter and year and it was boring to me. There is 100 percent more to know. There’s more business to be had and there’s more to what I’m
“I beat everybody who lined up in front of me. I don’t think I gave up 10 sacks in my career, but you can get beat. If you get out on the field then you’re going to get knocked on your ass or else you haven’t played. I was never graded below 90 at my position. That meant a lot to me.”
seeing in front of me.” – Delroy Gill – Call Me Sir – Page 22
“You have to have a
– Keith Bishop – The Eye Of The Bishop – Page 82
split personality to play this game and you
There’s something about a stately closet that speaks so eloquently to the modern man. The his and hers master closets at 10 Cherry Hills Park Drive are the best we’ve seen and could certainly house a wardrobe for even the most dapper gent. – Crib Notes, 10 Cherry Hills Park Drive – Page 32
Cuvée’s Hualalai estate is one of the most impressive in the brand’s esteemed portfolio. In particular, details like outdoor showers celebrate Hawaiian authenticity. Coupled with incredible golf course views, this home is one for the record books. – Out of Office Reply, Four Seasons Resort Hualalai – Page 39
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have to live a double life because you have one life that’s in the locker room and you have another life at home. I have to turn that switch off because you can’t be a football player all the time.” - Derek Wolfe – Hungry Like The Wolfe – Page 54
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[ MEMORY ] LANE
The Kidnapping of Frank Sinatra Jr. Fifty-five years ago marks the harrowing and traumatic experience for Frank Sinatra and his son when Frank Sinatra Jr. was kidnapped at the age of 19, on December 8, 1963, at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe in Nevada. The kidnappers demanded that all communication be conducted by payphone. During these conversations, Frank Sr. became concerned he would not have enough coins, which prompted him to carry 10 dimes with him at all times for the rest of his life. He was even buried with 10 dimes in his pocket. At the time of the kidnapping, Frank Sr. and the Rat Pack were filming Robin and the 7 Hoods. The stress of the kidnapping, in addition to the assassination of Sinatra’s close friend John F. Kennedy just a few weeks prior to the kidnapping, caused the crooner to seriously consider shutting down production completely, although the film was ultimately completed. Sinatra, Jr. was released two days later after his father paid the $240,000 ransom demanded by the kidnappers (equivalent to $1,920,000 in 2018). Barry Keenan, Johnny Irwin, and Joe Amsler were soon captured, prosecuted for kidnapping, convicted, and sentenced to long prison terms, of which they served only small portions. Mastermind Keenan was later adjudged to have been legally insane at the time of the crime and hence not legally responsible for his actions. Famed attorney Gladys Root represented Johnny Irwin. A rumor at the time was that Frank Sr. arranged this to gain publicity for his son’s fledgling singing career, but this was proven to be false.
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