There's always someone out there training for your spot. For my scholarship at the University of Florida, for my job with the Denver Broncos, for my position with the New York Jets. And that's the reason to get up earlier or stay up later.
At 11, I went to Misha's school for two summers. So when I wasn't in that school, I was taking classes at David Howard or Robert Denver's studios - kind of legendary places - and there was one summer where Alexander Godunov sort of took me under his wing; the memory's a little murky, but I felt as if I was his project for those weeks.
I'm so absolutely pro-Denver. I wrote a fake hip-hop song about Denver. I've been claiming Denver. Part of the joke of the song is nobody was really claiming Denver - no rappers, no comedians.
'Grateful' is the word that comes to my mind when thinking of the Denver Broncos.
We were living in Denver, Colorado, and I was teaching high school. I asked the kids to write a short story, so I thought I should write some myself.
I got 'Smooth' when I was growing up. I got 'Bigshot' playing in Detroit. People who know me from Denver call me 'Smooth.'
I think one of the things I really learned in Denver is the value of being a good listener.
When I'm answering questions from the Denver media, I'm not worried about what the Broncos' people are going to think. I'm worried about what Belichick will think. Isn't that crazy?
Denver and Boulder are good record-buying cities. I don't know why.
Study after study affirms what I saw in the classroom every day as superintendent of Denver Public Schools: Nothing makes a bigger difference for student learning than great teaching.
I'm from Denver, and basketball there isn't near what it is out in Chicago or Detroit or L.A. There weren't that many great players to come out of the area; I was the best player in high school. I was Player of the Year four straight years for the state. As a freshman, I was State Player of the Year; I was Mr. Everything, so I was a phenom.
What's Denver's feel? I know there're mountains, and people in western hats, but I never got a good sense of the city.
I played with the Lust-Cats once in Denver. I've seen Happy Jawbone a bunch of times, but I can't remember if I played those shows or not.
Denver has smart and energetic crowds that appreciate good comedy and don't take themselves too seriously.
I speak with a Northern Irish accent with a tinge of New York. My wife has a bit of a Boston accent; my oldest daughter talks with a Denver accent, and my youngest has a true blue Aussie accent. It's complicated.
