Jake Plummer didn't need any more bad press -- but he sure as hell got some anyway. His alleged role in what's been characterized as a road rage incident filled news pages and airwaves yesterday; thus far, the coverage shows no sign of waning. It does appear to be getting weirder, though. This morning, for instance, KOA morning-show host Steffan Tubbs said that the next time a public figure like Plummer considers leaving his car to confront a motorist, he should simply flip the guy off instead.
Plummer, of course, has been down that particular road before. This 2005 article from the Colorado Springs Gazette provides a handy history of Jake's previous off-the-field headline-making, including the middle-finger salute he gave local fans at a December 2004 game. Meanwhile, the latest accusations leveled against him are garnering yuks nationwide. Yesterday, for instance, ESPN Radio host Erik Kuselias jokingly accused Plummer of having lousy facial hair (hard to argue with that) and a crummy ride (he was driving a Honda when the automotive bumping took place). Then, after noting that the Broncos drafted someone at the Snake's position in the first round of the recent NFL draft (Jay Cutler, from Vanderbilt), Kuselias concluded, "It's been a bad year for Jake Plummer."
And it's probably going to get worse before it gets better. Indeed, even Channel 4, the self-proclaimed "Broncos Station," which typically gushes about anything related to the team, is currently running a poll on its home page that asks, "Do you think Jake Plummer is a good role model?" At this writing, the "no" voters are outdistancing those giving him a thumbs-up by a margin of 56 percent to 14 percent.
Hope Plummer doesn't see the results before driving somewhere. -- Michael Roberts