Mitchell opinion: Honestly, the truth about Rifle football is easy to see

Bruce the Plumber seems like a pretty honest guy.

He owns Brohn Plumbing & Heating Inc. in Rifle, but hat hasnt been his lifelong profession. Bruce the Plumber has even been Bruce the Photographer and, for a brief stint, Bruce the Retailer. For three years in the mid-1980s, he said, he was the head photographer at the Glenwood Post, before it became the Post Independent. Before that, he was a photographer for the Associated Press in Denver and sometimes spent six nights a week covering pro teams at old McNichols Sports Arena, including the Alex English-era Denver Nuggets and the NHLs Colorado Rockies before they relocated to become the New Jersey Devils.

But Bruce the Plumber is now likely known by some people over on the Front Range of Colorado as Bruce the Videographer. Thats because Bruce Harper his real name was on the sideline when Rifle High Schools football team was playing Fort Morgan on Nov. 22 in the Class 3A semifinals at Bears Stadium in Rifle.

Harper was a volunteer videographer for Rifle-based Align Multimedia, which is co-owned by Ryan Mackley and Aron Diaz. Mackley, who has been producing highlight videos of Rifle High football since VHS tapes were cool, had known Harper for years and didnt hesitate to say yes when Harper offered to help take footage for those highlight videos. Harper drove from one end of the state to the other on his own dime to record Rifles football team.

Then, he got footage of an incident unlike any he ever expected while he was on Fort Morgans sideline. It was of Fort Morgan Athletic Director Kyle Bules.

It was the first time that Id seen him, Harper said.

According to documents obtained by the Post Independent through the Colorado Open Records Act, Bules might label Harper as Bruce the Liar, or maybe Bruce the Play Caller. A letter that Bules wrote to the Colorado High School Activities Association dated Nov. 24, 2014, might as well have called the school wearing blue and gold Rifle the Cheaters.

The letter said Bruce the Plumber was calling in our plays from the Mustangs sideline.

Bruce the Plumber feels sick about it.

This has been the biggest rip in my gut, Bruce Harper said. Why do they go after the program and the kids? Ive lost a lot of sleep over this.

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Mitchell opinion: Honestly, the truth about Rifle football is easy to see