Julie Browman

The Birthday Boy

Happy birthday Paul Stastny!  Paul just turned the ripe old age of 26 on December 27^th.  Initially, you have to feel kind of bad for someone whose birthday comes just two days after Christmas.  I mean, let’s be real.  Most of us are out of money, and a little tired from being jovial all month long.  I really hope the people in Paul’s life have put this all aside, and made his day special.  Speaking of special days, I had a little time before the Avs/Jets game, so I did a little internet search and found out that Paul shares the same birthday as the Raiders' Carson Palmer, movie star Marlene Dietrich, and some woman named Chyna who looks like she could crack me in half.

      I may have had a little too much time on my hands, because I went on to look up Paul’s zodiac sign.  I’m not a big believer in this stuff, but maybe it will help me learn a little bit more about number twenty six.  Boy, did I ever!  This Capricorn is practical, patient, careful, reserved, but can be humorous.  Wait!  According to his sign, there is a dark side to Paul Stastny.  He can also be pessimistic, fatalistic, and holds a grudge.  I had better be careful when I ask him questions on the air.  If I ask the wrong one, he may never forget it!  Can you really believe this stuff?  To find out, I checked my own sign.  As a Sagittarius, apparently I am optimistic, good humored, and intellectual.  Maybe there is something to this zodiac sign stuff.  But my dark side?   It looks like I can also be irresponsible, superficial, and tactless.  These people don’t know what they are talking about!  This is stupid!  I have to go now.  I need to look in the mirror and fix my hair while I blow off writing next week’s blog.

 

Winter Wonderland

I am writing this blog on Thursday the 22nd, the day about ten inches of snow fell on Denver (depending on where you are of course).

In my former life, before Altitude, I lived in sunny San Diego.  I remember one year it was about 70 degrees around Christmas time.  While that may seem like heaven to some, it was kind of depressing to me.  I grew up in Evergreen, Colorado and have lived here most of my life.  While I loved my time in San Diego, after six years I had a decision to make.  I had a very good contact at a radio station in Los Angeles.  Working for him would have been fantastic, and there would have been an abundance of opportunities.  Or do I move home and try and catch on with this new network called “Altitude Sports & Entertainment”?  LA was a sure thing, a move home to try and get work at a new station?  Not so much.  But my heart told me to come home to the mountains and the snow!

Seven years later I couldn't be happier.  Especially when I look outside my window.  It's days like this, I know I made the right decision.  Happy Holidays everyone!  I hope you are enjoying the snow as much as I am.

In the Clutch

No…Colorado may not be exactly where we want them in the standings.  We may have expected a bit better performance at home.  However, Avalanche fans, we have something here in Colorado we can be proud of.
 
When push comes to shove, Colorado shoves back.  When it’s clutch time, the Avalanche seize the opportunity.  With the Avs 4-3 shootout win against the San Jose Sharks, Colorado improved to 5-0 in shootouts.   Now only the Avs and the Red Wings are undefeated in shootouts this season.  The Red Wings are just 1-0…so I am not going to even count that.  Plus they are the Red Wings, so I think that’s the only appropriate thing to do.
 
Think about that 5-0 record, and it’s pretty remarkable.  To me, the shootout is the highest pressure situation there is in sports.  It’s one-on-one.  The goalie against the shooter.  All eyes on that matchup.  Somehow, Colorado has figured out a way to make this pressure cooker their specialty.  When other teams and their fans get to the shootout, it’s nerve-wracking.  When the Avs get to the shootout, it’s like a sense of relief and calmness.  So while we all would like to see this team higher in the standings, let’s enjoy rooting for a team that is undefeated in shootouts.  And Detroit…you don’t count.

Incredible Debuts

I am just amazed when I look back at Stefan Elliott’s NHL debut against the Edmonton Oilers.  Elliott was just called up from Lake Erie the night before to fill in for the injured Erik Johnson.  Talk about debuts!  Elliott scored the game winning goal, logged some major ice time, and earned first star status.

It made me think about my own debut in my profession.  It did not quite go as smoothly.  I was in San Diego the first time I ever anchored a sportscast.  I barely remember anything I said!

If it was supposed to be a five-minute sportscast…I think I did it in one minute and ten seconds I was talking so fast.  This made me curious about other people’s debuts.

Kyle Keefe told me the first time he was live on the air he “was sweating like I just ran a marathon. I was sweating and shaking like I was in the principle’s office.”

Debuts off-the-air can also go south in a hurry.  Matt Krol, our Avalanche pre and post game producer, was working in the sports department in Green Bay.  “The first time I ever had to edit anything for a sportscast, it did not go well. I had to edit a fifteen second sound bite and I didn’t know how to do it, so it ended up being forty five seconds.  That blew up the sportscast!”

Think about the first time you did something difficult at your job.  More often than not, you can relate to our stories, rather than Stefan Elliott’s.

So, congratulations once again kid, you did something absolutely incredible out there.  That debut was something.  Kyle, Matt, and I, salute you.