Fred Long

Colorado Native. Denver sports fanatic. Zag for life.

[PurelyFootball ℗ @PurelyFootball]

The talent in Barcelona’s youth system is ridiculous.🔥

These kids are 11/12 years old.🤯🔵🔴

[Fred Long @08ChelseaO8]

This is 100% spot on. As a Colorado native it has been tragic to see the State’s decline over the past decade+

[Sean Paige @SeanPaige]

The @denverpost just spent 1,200 words trying to solve an alleged mystery I can solve in just 3 words.

The question? How did Colorado lose its competitive edge? Why is the state in such steep decline?

The Post wastes 1,200 words diplomatically dancing around one elephant in the room -- an elephant named Jared Polis https://t.co/kroXE2LZ46
But I can solve the mystery of Colorado's business climate decline in just three words: One. Party. Rule.

The piece wrings its hands over job losses, plunging business rankings, and fleeing startups, while performing Olympic-level gymnastics to avoid naming the obvious culprit: one-party Democratic rule, complete with a billionaire “business wiz” governor who’s been at the helm for eight long years.

Instead of confronting reality, the Post treats us to the usual ritual: quotes from concerned business leaders, vague nods to “headwinds,” and glowing coverage of Gov. Jared Polis bravely announcing . . . another task force and listening tour (as if we don't know what's really gone wrong in Colorado).

Because nothing says “decisive leadership” like waiting until the final months of your term -- after the state shed 6,200 payroll jobs in just 18 months, ranked 12th-worst nationally in total job losses and 14th-worst in percentage terms, and watched its startup ecosystem suffer the largest numeric decline in the country -- to finally ask businesses what’s wrong.

The numbers paint a brutal picture: Colorado has tumbled to 25th in CNBC’s “America’s Top States for Business” (from perennial top-10 darling, including #1 in 2011), dragged down by a pathetic 49th in cost of living, 38th in cost of doing business, and 32nd in infrastructure. The ALEC “Rich States, Poor States” index has it at a dismal 29th, a sharp fall from recent years and a far cry from its second-place ranking in 2008. Companies are bolting for greener pastures, talent recruitment has become a nightmare amid sky-high housing costs, and even the departure of big names like Palantir barely scratches the surface of the quiet erosion in entrepreneurial energy.

Yet the Post frames this as some mysterious fog that rolled in, rather than the predictable result of years of accumulating mandates, regulatory piling-on, and a political culture that vilifies the private sector, decries the profit motive, and treats business as an ATM for funding pet "progressive" priorities.

The Post does note, almost in passing, that Colorado has shifted from purple to solidly blue since 2011. But heaven forbid they connect the dots. Polis, the polished entrepreneur-turned-governor, gets portrayed as the thoughtful reformer riding to the rescue, not the architect of (or willing participant in) the very policy environment -- workplace mandates, housing strangulation, infrastructure neglect, a business-bashing legislature -- that made the state less competitive. Eight years of solid Democratic majorities in the legislature, a steady barrage of "progressive" meddling, and a general attitude that innovative companies should just be grateful to locate in this beautiful people’s republic -- and the Post acts shocked, shocked, that the state is now hanging out “under the bleachers” with the also-rans.

The elephant isn’t just in the room -- it’s been trampling the state’s business climate for nearly a decade, passing bills, ballooning budgets, and appointing rogue regulators to runaway commissions, while the media politely averts its gaze. Colorado didn’t suddenly become expensive, regulated, and complacent by accident. It chose this path, repeatedly, at the ballot box and in the State House. The Post’s greatest contribution here is providing cover: acknowledge the decline just enough to seem serious, then pivot to process theater and hope readers forget who’s been in charge.

#copolitics #coleg @GovofCO

[Fred Long @08ChelseaO8]

@DMacSportsCO exactly right here with this take. #Rockies

[Fred Long @08ChelseaO8]

@DMacSportsCO @YouTube @AltitudeSR Lol instant classic

[Fred Long @08ChelseaO8]

@InvResDynamics @RadioMoser @VicLombardi @kan Tell me you don’t listen to the show without telling me you don’t listen to the show. Lol

[Fred Long @08ChelseaO8]

Hunter Goodman!!! Huge go ahead homer B8. Awesome!! Love this guy!! #Rockies #HereForTheClimb

[Freddy🇩🇪 @FreddyLA7]

Ending the trip in the nations capital🇺🇸

[United Soccer America @reformussoccer]

After an amazing home World Cup, what comes next for the U.S. men?

🇺🇸 Nov. 2026: Nations League quarterfinals

🏆 March 2027: Nations League Finals
🏆 Summer 2027: Gold Cup
🌎 Sept.–Oct. 2027: World Cup qualifying
🌎 Nov. 2027: World Cup qualifying

🌎 March 2028: World Cup qualifying
🌎 June 2028: Final qualifying round begins
🏆 Summer 2028: Possible Copa América
🥇 July 2028: LA Olympics, U-23 team
🏆 Fall 2028–March 2029: Nations League

🏆 Summer 2029: Gold Cup
🌎 Summer 2029: Possible Club World Cup
🌎 Sept.–Oct. 2029: Final World Cup qualifying matches

🌎 Summer 2030: World Cup

The next cycle starts almost immediately.

Who’s in?

[Freddy🇩🇪 @FreddyLA7]

This was such a cool moment during the show. God Bless the USA.🇺🇸❤️

[Freddy🇩🇪 @FreddyLA7]

We’re at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville tonight, which we’ve been told is the most historic and legendary country music venue in the world. There are many different artists here who each perform a couple of songs. It feels like the ultimate country music experience.

[Fred Long @08ChelseaO8]

Everyone in the World knew that parking the bus against that Argentina team for 30+ minutes was a terrible idea except for the one guy who #Engalnd trusted to make the decision. #Tuchel #WorldCup

[Fred Long @08ChelseaO8]

@big_business_

[Maximiliano Bretos @MaxBretosSports]

Egypt and Switzerland parked the 🚌 and lost late Vs Argentina 🇦🇷.
Thomas Tuchel saw that tape with his own eyes, ignored it thinking it would be different for England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
This is an all time managerial miss.

[Fred Long @08ChelseaO8]

England deserved to lose that game. You can’t decide to park the bus against Argentina. They are too dangerous. You’ve got to keep the pressure on and keep them on a back foot. Classic Tuchel, the loss falls squarely on his shoulders. #FifaWorldCup #ENGvsARG

[Fred Long @08ChelseaO8]

@DMacSportsCO @AltitudeSR Followed you from the Fan and never looked back. Your podcasts before joining KSE were awesome. All of the KSE programming and personalities are a MILLION times better than the garbage being peddled by the Fan now. Congrats to you and the rest of the folks at KSE.

[Freddy🇩🇪 @FreddyLA7]

Tennessee❤️

When people told us at the beginning of our road trip that people in the South are different, we didn’t really know what they meant. But after spending several weeks here, we finally understand.

The hospitality here is just something else. Everyone knows everyone, and it feels like people are living one big shared life. Someone is always stopping by, doors are always open, and everyone is welcome.

One guy told us he hasn’t locked his house in 23 years. When we were out on the lake, we met some people who immediately invited us to their lake house to hang out. They offered us drinks, chicken wings, and made us feel completely at home. It’s a kind of hospitality I’ve never experienced before.

When we got back to the dock late that night, one of the guys on the boat said something that really stuck with me:

“You don’t have to live in some big, exciting city. What matters is the people who live there. That’s what makes you happy. I’ve lived in many places around the world, but nothing comes close to Ocoee, Tennessee. And you know the best part about living here? We’re going to do the exact same thing again tomorrow.”

We will be back.

[Freddy🇩🇪 @FreddyLA7]

A short recap of what we did over the last two weeks. Our route was Boston to Savannah, GA, down the coast and then back up to Clemson:

- Swam in a lot of lakes in Pennsylvania because of the heatwave
- Watched a pie eating contest in Virginia
- Celebrated 4th of July in Washington DC
- Relaxed at the beaches in Delaware
- Saw wild horses in Chincoteague, VA
- Went to the Outer Banks in North Carolina
- Had a baby bear block our road in North Carolina
- Tried many new fast food chains like Bojangles and Sonic
- Ate a lot (probably too much) at Taco Bell
- Played minigolf in Myrtle Beach
- Visited beautiful cities like Charleston and Savannah
- Saw an alligator and a lot more cool wildlife

[Fred Long @08ChelseaO8]

@starsnstripesfc @VicLombardi @AltitudeSR

[Fred Long @08ChelseaO8]

@DMacSportsCO How TF does that happen?