Tourists lined the streets of LoDo, legends returned to the X Games, and the coronavirus continued to steal the headlines.  A look at the whacky week that was in the world of sports. Coors Field hosted the All-Star Game festivities this past weekend, including Monday’s Homerun Derby, a fan favorite. The balls were flying out in record numbers as the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, Colorado’s Trevor Story, and eventual derby winner Pete Alonso put on a show. Story performed well in the homerun contest but continues to struggle during his regular-season hitting a mere .246 with just 11 homeruns. The... Read More

For a moment it was if sports were all the way back.  Large galleries followed golfers around Torrey Pines at the US Open, NBA playoff games were being played with crowds at full capacity, and UFC Fight Night was no longer at Fight Island off the coast of Dubai, but rather, Treasure Island off the Strip in Las Vegas. At the Kentucky Derby thousands of fans cheered on their horse in most elegant hats, and at the Tour de France thousands more lined cobblestone streets.  Boisterous fans clamored behind home plate at the College World Series, and tennis officials were once again asked to quiet fans... Read More

Late in the third period, the outcome was obvious.  The Colorado Avalanche had just scored their seventh goal of the night and the Las Vegas Golden Knights had no answer.  The Avalanche faithful of more than 10,000 fans pounded on the glass and waved their white pom-poms.  The score was now 7-1 and the first game of the second round of the NHL playoffs was all but over.  The Knights had only one move left. Bring in the Goon Squad. The first line was pulled from the ice to make room for five Las Vegas mercenaries and their mission to make things ugly. The game finished with cheap shots, bloodied... Read More

After a year of isolation, I slowly entered the health club with a gym bag around my shoulder and a mask upon my face.  Regardless of the Peloton bike, exercise ball, and weight bench gathering dust in my living room, I was fully vaccinated, and it was time to get out. It felt like a Saturday, but in the aftermath of quarantine naming days, months, or even years remained a challenge.  The gym was quiet as I reintroduced myself to the various machines, worked out for about an hour, then headed to the jacuzzi to ease a few aches. The confusion began once exiting the locker room as a high school... Read More

The Washington Football Team recently asked for fan input to find a new name for its NFL franchise.  Once known as the Redskins, the franchise abandoned the controversial team name after years of public pressure, eventually settling on calling the team the Washington Football Team until a new name was decided upon.  The organization has asked fans to vote on possible choices such as the Red Wolves, Wild Hogs, Aviators, and more. The organization has even asked for feedback on calling the team the Washington Capitol City Football Club. Hey WFT!  WTF? The conversation had me thinking about team... Read More

Warm weather in April as spectators clammer to their seats.  The sound of laughter echoing off the brick walls of Coors Field.  Thousands of fans singing in unison as Charlie Blackmon strolls to the plate.  Cold beer.  Hot dogs. And losing three-out-of-four to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Baseball is back!  And here are some of the highlights of the opening weekend.   Nolan Arenado was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals and subsequently replaced at third base on Opening Day by his cousin, Josh Fuentes. In other news, the Albuquerque Isotopes, a Colorado Rockies minor league affiliate, signed... Read More

Jeff Bridich has been in a leadership role for the Colorado Rockies organization for more than 14 years.  A graduate of Harvard University and former major league player, Bridich was named Executive Vice President and General Manager back in 2014. Surely a man with an Ivy League education and plethora of experience would know the trade value of a 29-year-old, 5-time All-Star like Nolan Arenado.  Bridich must have had a class or two in negotiation, or at least read a book on deal-making before shopping the 8-time Gold Glove third baseman to the St. Louis Cardinals.  After all, Arenado had averaged... Read More

As congressional leaders continue to work on the latest Coronavirus Relief Bill, a major point of contention between the two parties is how they should handle the expired unemployment benefits.  One side has argued that the $600 a week benefit, which expired on July 31, should be extended by the Federal Government as families continue to struggle in an environment that includes double-digit unemployment, a struggling economy, and a dangerous pandemic. The other side argues that the $600 was too generous as it discouraged Americans from going back to work, often paying the unemployed more than... Read More

As I headed downstairs to make coffee the other morning, I stared at the empty calendar hanging in the kitchen. The quarantine had turned the days and months irrelevant.  My sports-themed, Drew Litton calendar, usually marked up with family activities, summer road trips, and neighborhood barbeques, hung empty. Past July’s had meant trips to the Coast for days on the beach, small town festivals filled with music and food, and visiting family across the states. The highlight of this summer was watching Hamilton on Disney Plus. It was then that I noticed that, according to my calendar, Tuesday,... Read More

While the hungry sports fan has to settle for games of H.O.R.S.E, NBA2K, and replays of March Madness from 1992 as the world quarantines, there has been some optimism recently as many leagues start to brainstorm about returning to their games. The NHL has reported that cities across the country have shown interest in hosting playoff games at neutral-site locations. MLB has reportedly discussed the possibility of the rearrangement of leagues, increased double-headers, and reduction in games.  And the NBA has even toyed with the thought of moving the entire league to the Bahamas until COVID-19... Read More