Kiszla duking it out with Jake's Brother

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_4415059

Don't write off Jake, says his bro
By Mark Kiszla
Denver Post Staff Columnist

A big brother defends his younger sibling, no matter what. Who cares if both fellows are grown men, long past the age of fisticuffs on the playground? Even if little bro is an NFL quarterback paid millions of dollars, the big guy has his back.

Forever.

After a passionate defense of Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer, an angry e-mail sent to me arrived at a loud conclusion, punctuated with these fighting words: "Disgusted that I dignified your existence."

No surprise there. In addition to a great seat at all the big games, one of the many perks of being a sports columnist is the opportunity to be called an idiot by total strangers on a regular basis.

But the signature to this particular angry e-mail raised an eyebrow.

Tapping on a computer keyboard in Idaho, Eric Plummer was looking to settle a score with a smart-aleck newspaper hack.

Eric Plummer is the oldest brother of Denver's quarterback, who wears No. 16 on the football field, but walks around town with a bull's-eye on his back.

"I am Jake's brother," Eric Plummer said Thursday, shocked to hear my voice on the telephone. "And I did write you."

Guess blood is thicker than Broncomania.

"When a QB plays good and his team loses, it's always 'You're judged by wins and losses.' Seems hypocritical that when a QB doesn't play well, but does enough to get a win, he still gets lambasted. Maybe this is only true in Denver," Eric Plummer had written last week, with words so intense his e-mail hummed like electricity running through high-voltage wires.

But know what's crazy?

It's what Eric Plummer does for a job.

Oh, you're gonna love this.

The big brother of Denver's often-lambasted quarterback is a sportswriter.

He works for the Bonner County Daily Bee, which is at least 2,000 miles from The New York Times.

Maybe his paycheck cannot compare to salaries in the Big Apple, but for anybody who loves fresh air, Eric Plummer lives a lot closer to heaven in Sandpoint, Idaho.

"I do the whole kit and caboodle," said Plummer, who reports stories, snaps photographs and designs the sports pages. He does everything except toss the newspaper on doorsteps.

But of all vocations, why, oh why, did the quarterback's brother have to become an ink-stained wretch?

In the eyes of Jake the Snake, sportswriters rank somewhere on the evolutionary scale between a slimy amoeba and a slobbering linebacker. Jake Plummer would like them all exiled to Jupiter.

"Writing is something I love to do. I've been a roofer. I've been a coach. I don't think my brother cares what I do, one way or another," said Eric Plummer, at 34 three years older than his famous baby brother.

Jake Plummer often gives props to his two elder siblings, Eric and Brett, for being the most influential people in his athletic career.

Survive the humiliation and bloody noses guaranteed during childhood pick-up games in the driveway, and a little brother earns the eternal devotion of those same raw-boned kids who taught him sports at the school of hard knocks.

"Instead of ripping Jake, have you ever asked why he's asked to play like Trent Green (of Kansas City)?" Eric suggested when he fired the e-mail between his brother's inept performance against the Chiefs and superb showing versus New England.

"Jake is one of the best athletes playing quarterback today, and perhaps reining him in and making him afraid to make a mistake is robbing him of the very things that made him a good QB to begin with. (Brett) Favre has thrown a ton of picks his whole career. Why hasn't (Jake) bootlegged once this year?"

To which I say: Right on, dude.

But you think Mike Shanahan's ears are burning?

Um, the coach would like to see you in his office, Eric.

And better bring your earplugs. Shanny does not always take kindly to wretches who dare to question his football IQ.

I know. I've been there, and have the scars to prove it.

When covering a prep soccer match, Eric Plummer writes it straight, in a no-nonsense, inverted pyramid style. "My mantra is to shed a positive light on local sports," he said.

In his role as big brother, however, Eric Plummer talks smack, boldly taking on all challengers, and goes so far as to diss my photograph in the The Denver Post.

"You're not even an ex-jock," Eric Plummer protested in his correspondence, "and judging from your mug shot, kind of a dorky little guy."

Hey, he got that right.

Sometimes, the truth hurts.

Maybe Jake Plummer's big bro has a future in the sportswriting business, after all.

[Rulon Velvet Jones]

Not cool, Kiszla.

[sirhcyennek81]

I wonder if we can start a movement to have Kiszla removed and replace him with Eric Plummer.

[Raidersbane]

Sign me up......Kiszla must go.

[defenseman]

Never been a fan of Kizla. Maybe the post will fire kizla and bring jakes brother down to CO...dman

[Mile High Shack]

this is the first Kizla colum I have read in over 2 years
I feel dirty, but yet somewhat satisfied, guess kinda like having sex in a mud bath or something

Kizla is a moron

[epicSocialism4tw]

Originally Posted by Rulon Velvet Jones

Not cool, Kiszla.

Yeah, that was a nice professional move.

[Taco John]

What the heck was the point of that? To laugh at the kid for being some hick in Idaho, as where Kiszla has NY Times aspirations? Screw you Kiszla. I wouldn't have minded if it was informative, and there was some worthwhile debate... you know? Content? But there was barely enough of that included in the piece to even have a football discussion around it.

This is the kind of self-important crap I stopped reading Kiszla for in the first place.

[Bronx33]

Who is Kiszla?

[Rascal]

We need to write a letter to the editor of the DP saying they need to fire Kizla and hire Eric.

[Rock Chalk]

Eric's fault. He shoulda known Kiszla was a slimy piece of Taco.

[fido]

why is kiszla even in denver? way not cool

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Originally Posted by Big Guy

He works for the Bonner County Daily Bee, which is at least 2,000 miles from The New York Times.

and you're about 1800 miles away you dip-****. But that's irrelevant since so few people in Idaho or Colorado care about the New York Times, especially their sports pages.

[watermock]

Fire Kiszla and hire the Shwab.

[Taco John]

Originally Posted by Rascal

We need to write a letter to the editor of the DP saying they need to fire Kizla and hire Eric.

The editor had to approve the piece...

[Master___Pain]

I'd like to find Eric Plummer's email and give him a pat on the back. Kizla is a worthless POS. I ran into him at the AFA/Navy game a few years back in the men's room. He was walking in as I was walking out. I stopped him and said "You Mark Kizla right?" The dumbass, thinking I was a fan responded proudly "Yes, I sure am!" I then told him the letter's in Penthouse Forum were better pieces of journalism than his garbage. He had no smarmy reply. It made me smile.

[Rascal]

Originally Posted by Taco John

The editor had to approve the piece...

Yeah I just realized that.

[Taco John]

Originally Posted by Rascal

Yeah I just realized that.

It probably wouldn't be a bad idea anyways... Isn't that how Mariotti got run out of town?

[Master___Pain]

Eric Plummer's email

TJ edit: not sure this is a hot idea.

[Taco John]

Sorry Pain, but just out of policy, I try to keep people's emails out of these pages. One of the top reasons is the spam bots that float around the internet looking for them... But the other has to do with privacy. Go ahead and post a link to his column or something... But let's not broadcast his email addy here.

[epicSocialism4tw]

Originally Posted by Master___Pain

I'd like to find Eric Plummer's email and give him a pat on the back. Kizla is a worthless POS. I ran into him at the AFA/Navy game a few years back in the men's room. He was walking in as I was walking out. I stopped him and said "You Mark Kizla right?" The dumbass, thinking I was a fan responded proudly "Yes, I sure am!" I then told him the letter's in Penthouse Forum were better pieces of journalism than his garbage. He had no smarmy reply. It made me smile.

If that's true, that's some bold stuff. Pain bringin' the pain. Ouch.

[12th man]

Kiszla is an asswhipe.

[bronco militia]

"....Why hasn't (Jake) bootlegged once this year?"

huh?

[Rock Chalk]

Originally Posted by Taco John

Sorry Pain, but just out of policy, I try to keep people's emails out of these pages. One of the top reasons is the spam bots that float around the internet looking for them... But the other has to do with privacy. Go ahead and post a link to his column or something... But let's not broadcast his email addy here.

Actually, email addresses posted at the end of columns are public domain and spam bots will get them harder at the column page. Its not an issue of privacy, though if you have a personal issue with it thats entirely different.

[Master___Pain]

Originally Posted by Alec

Actually, email addresses posted at the end of columns are public domain and spam bots will get them harder at the column page. Its not an issue of privacy, though if you have a personal issue with it thats entirely different.

yeah. it's not a privacy issue Taco. It took me all of 5 seconds to go to the paper's site and get his email address. I sent him a very complimentary email for calling out Kizla. Again, if it's a personal reason, then it's your board and I can respect that decision.