Current State of Colorado Sports
Folks… Figured there had been just enough passing time for another one of these blogs. Stories from all 4 major sports teams, and both CU & CSU. There is an MVP in our city, a hero is returning, the Avs are getting healthy (again), and the Rockies…
CSU Rammies
Pain. Nothing but pain. CSU was announced Sunday as one of the first four teams out of the NCAA Tournament, and is the second replacement team, is my understanding, for a team who may test positive for the big Rona. CSU had a spot until Georgetown and Oregon St. won their respective conference tournaments. Truly heartbreaking, losing bids on the Saturday before brackets are released.
CU Buffs
This team is and has been a roller coaster all year. CU goes into the Pac-12 Championship game as 9 point favorites and shoots the worst % from the free throw line (second best FT% in the nation) all year. They lose to Oregon State, practically knocking CSU off the bubble. Funny enough, CU will play Georgetown, the other team who knocked CSU off the bubble, in the first round of the Tournament.
Lot’s of squares are taking Georgetown in their bracket, and I am not here for it. CU to the Sweet 16. Book it.
Denver Broncos
So Shelby Harris is back, Ronald Darby is going to be on the squad, Phil Lindsay will most likely not, and Von got Kareem Jackson’s money as Kareem’s option was not exercised.
George Patton I believe is making the moves that are addressing needs. Had to bring back Shelby Harris, had to address CB, the Von question is answered, and Justin Simmons is franchise tagged. The first moves by Mr. Patton are looking just fine as he maneuvers whatever this period in Broncos football has been.
It also looks as though Deshaun Watson is a pipe dream. So we ride to the draft and I am seeing all kinds of mocks with CB and QB. With great CB prospects I am thinking this is the move with #9. Farley or Surtain (I prefer Surtain). I also like the idea of moving down, accumulating more picks, and drafting a CB in this CB deep draft. But the addition of Darby makes me think, well maybe the Broncos go Trey Lance or Fields if he falls.
Bringing Von back before the draft also means Micah Parsons isn’t an option really if he falls to #9. So I personally would like to see Patrick Surtain in a Bronco uni come next fall, but as Coach Herb Brooks would say, “Options boys. We got options.”
Colorado Rockies
The Rockies are in Spring Training and they are winning games. That is the extent of the Rockies that I will speak about as the Boycott is in nearly full effect.
Trevor Stories cleat/shoe closet is sick.
Denver Nuggets (23–16) 5th in Western Conference
This is a current look at all the NBA people who don’t have the Joker 1st in the MVP race. This man is just casually putting up insane numbers and carrying this team currently. Jamal was heating before the All-Star break, then yesterday it was reported that he hadn’t picked up a basketball the entire break, and it showed when the squad came back.
I mean 5–27 shooting in the first two games back from the break… Dreadful. It is only a matter of time before he heats up like he was before the break. I am not worried about Jamal, and I am seeing way too many people saying we need to trade Jamal. And to that, I say go fk off.
This team is fine, I just think we need a top 4 seed and good matchups with this squad. I am seeing Aaron Gordon trade rumors, and with Will Barton playing good basketball, NOW, let me repeat, NOW IS THE TIME TO TRADE WILL BARTON. Will Barton has to be in a trade package with Gary Harris or Bol Bol truly. Bol Bol is clearly not ready for NBA minutes, and him just riding pine doesn’t help anyone. Free him. Gordon fits this system and is probably prime trade target 1 for the Nuggets at the moment.
Colorado Avalanche (16–8–2) 3rd in West Division
Cale was back and skating today, and that will be massive to have him back. My pops and I were talking today just saying how important it is to have two levels that can score the puck. Currently the Avs are outshooting teams at a pace that is incredible and alarming at the same time…
Okay listen… The Avs are doing this to teams but are not absolutely housing teams. That is the alarming thing. The defense is so good that the need to score is not even a thought. That needs to change. Pucks on net and pucks in the net are not the same. Personally I like pucks in the net more than on net. It is kind of like a square is a rectangle, but a rectangle is not a square. If it goes in, it was on net. If it was on net, doesn’t mean it went in. This team needs to be hitting overs by themselves and covering puckline on a nightly basis.
Two levels of scoring where risks are taken and odd man rushes create backdoor genos. I want aggressive play. I want balanced D pairs. I want a balanced set of 3 dominate lines. That is the roster we have, just have to find the right combo. My personal thoughts on lines.
O1 Val Chooch — Mack — Mikko
O2 Landy — Kadri — Burky
O3 Saad — Jost — Compher (When healthy)
O4 Donskoi — Bellemare —Calvert
D1 Towes — Makar
D2 Girard — Graves
D3 Byram — Macdonald/Patyrn/ Renouf any 1/3.
I just think that Val does similar things as Landy does, which opens Landy up a little bit on line 2. Landy feeding Kadri and Burky only elevates the other two. Mack makes anyone better. No need to overload that line. I debate having Calvert instead of Compher on line 3, but I think Compher is a nice wing pair with Saad. I think any way you align the top 9 it has potential. I am just thinking this may be the best chance of burying pucks.
Makar is absolutely the difference when it comes to the D scoring so when he is back, I expect this team to be flying. They play every other day until the end of the year, so health and burying pucks are of utmost importance.
I like that this team is struggling early on because that proves they can’t just win on talent alone. This team on paper wins every Cup since maybe 2013. LOADED. It is all about execution and health. Whoever is the healthiest team going into and throughout the playoffs will win this cup imo. I don’t see how that isn’t the Avs if healthy. Can’t stress the health part enough.
