The Denver Nuggets announced today that Kenyon Martin should be able to return sometime this season. The Nuggets announced "After consulting with physicians this afternoon, it was determined that Kenyon Martin will receive PRP therapy (Platelet Rich Plasma) on his left knee. He began the PRP treatments today and is expected to return during the 2009-10 season."

This comes as good news for Nuggets fans. The season is winding down and the Nuggets need to be as healthy as possible to make a run in the playoffs. Kenyon Martin has a history of knee problems, so it will be a wait and see situation as to when he returns. He's had microfracture surgery on both knees since coming to Denver from New Jersey. One has to wonder how effective Martin will be if he is able to return to the team this season.

Can the Nuggets win in the playoffs without Kenyon?  How effective will he be when he returns?

                                                                   

                                                                         
                                                                           (Photo Courtesy Denver Broncos Football Club)





As most Broncos fans have heard, the Broncos have tendered five restricted free agents. Elvis Dumervil, Brandon Marshall, Kyle Orton, Kris Kuper  and Tony Scheffler were all tendered, meaning if any team wishes to offer them contracts, they must give the Broncos the draft picks associated with the tender for each player. For Dumervil the Broncos would receive a 1st and 3rd round draft choice. For Marshall, Orton and Kuper, the Broncos would receive a 1st round draft choice. For Scheffler, the Broncos would receive a 2nd round draft choice.  Of course, if any team offers these players a contract, the Broncos can match the offer and avoid losing any of these key players.

I really wonder why the Broncos would not tender Marshall a 1st and 3rd as they did Dumervil. You would think the Broncos would do everything they could to keep a valuable player that was arguably the offensive MVP of the team in 2009. The second half of the season the Broncos offense was pretty bad and without Marshall it would have been terrible. Kyle Orton seemed to stare down Marshall nearly every play and looked shaky when Marshall was well covered. Keep in mind the Broncos went from a the #2 offense in 2008, to #15 in 2009…that’s scary. When you think of the Broncos with no Marshall in 2010, it really gets scary.

Josh McDaniels made waves by getting rid of Jay Cutler last year. Broncos fans were angry, but excited to see what could happen with a good decision maker like Kyle Orton. Pretty much what happened was the Broncos offense went from potent and exciting to conservative and painful to watch at times. The big plays from ’08 were traded in for 3 yard passes and 2 yard runs in ’09. I’m being a little harsh here, but the Broncos had a very good offense when McDaniels took the keys from Mike Shanahan. One would think the offense would continue to be a strong point while the defense would slowly improve. WRONG – the defense played great and surprised nearly everyone, while the offense failed to live up to high expectations.

It’s been noted that Josh McDaniels has not kept many players from the Mike Shanahan era. I think it’s safe to say Brandon Marshall will be the next casualty. You can argue that Marshall is immature and a distraction off the field. You can also argue that he’s one of the top 5 wide receivers in the league. Marshall was not in the news last year and did everything he could to deserve a contract from the Broncos. Well, it’s time for the Broncos to pay up…give him a contract that can be voided or at least has stipulations for bad behavior off the field…he’s more than proven his worth on the field!

If the Broncos don’t resign Brandon Marshall, the fan base will be stuck watching an offense with little to no firepower. Josh McDaniels will be under heavy heat and will be gone before his current contract expires (2012). Coach, do the right thing…swallow your pride and keep Marshall for the fans and so that you don’t fired.

What will McDaniels do?   Will the Broncos keep Brandon Marshall?

The Denver Nuggets had a pretty quiet offseason after losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2009 Western Conference Finals. The only moves made were trades, the names involved did not include any big name NBA players. The Nuggets traded for Arron Afflalo and Ty Lawson. Afflalo was a backup guard for the Detroit Pistons with little NBA experience. Ty Lawson was a big-time college player, having run the point for the North Carolina Tar Heels and was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 19th pick in the 2009 NBA draft. Going into the season, most people assumed Lawson would play little this season as coach George Karl doesn't like to play rookies....

Through 18 games of the 2009-10 season, the Nuggets are 13-5. A big reason for this has been the trades the Nuggets pulled off for Afflalo and Lawson. Both have played big roles as Afflalo is a starter and Lawson comes off the bench with tons of speed and energy. The two players bring completely different skill sets, but both are very important to the success of the Nuggets this season. I'm starting to think Afflalo and Lawson may be just what the Nuggets needed to get them to the NBA Finals this year. Here's how they both have contributed so far:

Arron Afflalo - He typically defends the top guard on opposing teams. Afflalo brings a tough defensive attitude to a team with many scorers. He makes up for the loss of defensive specialist Dahntay Jones, but also can shoot very well. Afflalo has shown an ability to make 3 pointers and uses his athleticism to get to the basket.

Ty Lawson - He comes off the bench and brings instant energy. I don't know how many times he's entered a game with the Nuggets losing, and leaves with the Nuggets having a huge lead. Even though he's short, Lawson can get to the basket and uses his body play physically against larger opponents.

Click here to view the Nuggets stats.

Check out this dunk by Ty Lawson against the L.A. Lakers. Who said this guy was too small to play in the NBA?

                                                     

                                      
                      Coach McDaniels talks to an official after a Broncos penalty in their 34-3 loss the the San Diego Chargers
                                                          (Photo courtesy Eric Lars Bakke, Denver Broncos Football Club)




The Denver Broncos lost to  the San Diego Chargers Sunday in a 32-3 blowout. Just one month ago, the Broncos had a 3.5 game lead over the Chargers in the AFC West. After starting 6-0 the Broncos looked to be headed to the playoffs, now making the playoffs looks to be highly unlikely. The loss Sunday puts the Broncos in second place in the west, one game behind San Diego. The Chargers now have a record of 7-3 and the Broncos are 6-4 after losing 4 straight games.

The Broncos have lost games to the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers in consecutive weeks. In these games, the Broncos have been far from the team that started 6-0 to start the season. The Broncos have struggled mightily on offense and the defense appears to be average at best. Injuries have played a big part in the 4-game losing streak, but mistakes and poor play are just as much to blame. Yesterday against the Chargers, the Broncos were penalized 9 times to the Chargers 1 penalty. Also in the last 4 games, the Broncos have made costly turnovers and have failed to score many points (Denver has been outscored 97-37).

As a lifetime fan, I'd like to think the Broncos can turnaround just as quickly as they did a month ago. The problem with this is the schedule going forward is very difficult. The last 6 games are as follows:

• Home vs. New York Giants (6-4)
• @ Kansas City (3-7)
• @ Indianapolis (10-0)
• Home vs. Oakland (3-7)
• @ Philadelphia (6-4)
• Home vs. Kansas City (3-7)

Based on the remaining games, the Broncos should be happy with a 3-3 finish. This would put them at 9-6 for the season. It's still possible the Broncos could catch the Chargers to win the AFCWest, but San Diego is one of the hottest teams in football over thelast month. 9 wins would likely be too few to make the playoffs as a wild card. The teams fighting for a wild card birth are as follows:

• Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) and have tiebreaker because they beat the Broncos.
• Jacksonville Jaguars (6-4)
• Houston Texans (5-4) they play tonight and will either be 6-4 or 5-5.
• Baltimore Ravens (5-5) they also have tiebreaker as they beat the Broncos
• Miami Dolphins (5-5)

Can the Broncos make the playoffs?
What has been the biggest reason for the Broncos 4 game losing streak?

                  
                                      
                           Kyle Orton & Josh McDaniels on the sideline during the Broncos 30-7 loss to the Ravens on Sunday
                                                       (Photo courtesy of Eric Lars Bakke, Denver Broncos Football Club)




The Denver Broncos are 6-1 through the first 7 games of 2009. There’s not really much to complain about, especially considering the offseason they had. Mike Shanahan retired, Jay Cutler was traded and many other familiar faces are gone. The Broncos have surprised many analysts and fans across the country. The 6-1 start has been a big lift for fans that expected the team to be average at best. I did a little research and came up with one major thing the Broncos need to address if they want to be a legitimate playoff team in 2009.

I’m not trying to only look at the negative, but there’s on glaring weakness the Broncos have shown so far in 2009…a lack of  “explosive plays”. An explosive play is any play that gains 20 yards or more. I hate the term "explosive play" but its commonly used by football analysts.  So far the Denver Broncos are among the worst in the league in explosive plays. This may not be a big deal if the Broncos were among the leaders in yards and points per game. As of week 8, they rank 15th in total yards and 20th in points per game. The explosive play, which was a staple under Mike Shanahan, has become nearly non-existent for the Denver Broncos in 2009.

This brings up two questions: 
1) Is the lack of explosive plays due to play calling?
2) Is the lack of explosive plays due to poor execution by the players? 

I think anyone that watched the Baltimore Ravens defense dominate the Broncos offense on Sunday would agree, the play calling was the problem. The Ravens continually blitzed the Broncos all game long. Kyle Orton was hit so many times I could'nt keep count. Instead of trying to open the middle of the field by throwing passes over 10 yards, the Broncos repeatedly ran short crossing routes and screen passes. This approach played right into the hands of the Ravens defense. They were not worried at all about getting beat deep, so they moved up the safeties and kept the blitzes coming. Why not try a fade to Brandon Marshall? The guy is 6’4” and can jump. Tony Scheffler, where was he? Scheffler made an amazing catch on a fade route over a smaller defender against the Chargers, why couldn't he against the Ravens? The Ravens have small corners and they were considered to be the weakness of the Ravens defense. The Broncos did little to take advantage of the size and talent advantage of their receivers vs the Ravens corners.

I don't want to put all the blame on the Broncos coaches for the poor offensive performance on Sunday. There's no doubt in my mind that Kyle Orton had plays where he could have looked for a deep route. For the most part, Orton had no time to throw. I understand pass protection was a major problem for the Broncos this weekend. I still think that with the size of Brandon Marshall and Tony Scheffler, there should have been opportunities to throw deeper passes. You can't forget about Eddie Royal either. He's a very quick, speedy receiver. There should have been opportunities to get him the ball as well. I'm sure after watching film of the game, Broncos coaches and players were disgusted by a lack of plays down field.

The Pittsburgh Steelers come to Denver on Monday night and will undoubtedly bring many blitzes. I'm assuming the Broncos will be taking more chances down the field to slow down the Steelers amazing pass rushers. The game next week will be a big test for the Broncos coaching staff and it's players. Whether or not the Broncos look to play more aggressively on offense may decide the game.

 
                  

Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Thomas Oliver/NBAE via Getty Images) / Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Denver Nuggets are off to a 2-0 start in the 2009 season. Carmelo Anthony has scored 71 points in 2 games (35.5 ppg avg) and has put the team on his back when they needed it the most. The Nuggets first 2 games have been played against tough division rivals, Portland Trailblazers and Utah Jazz. Not only were the matchups tough, the Nuggets were missing J.R. Smith, one of the best shooters and overall scorers in the NBA. Smith is serving a 7 game suspension in response to the accidental death of his friend from a couple years ago (read story here). 

Last season, Chauncey Billups came over from Detroit and brought a team-first attitude to the Nuggets. Chauncey had championships under his belt and a NBA Finals MVP Award. What Chauncey said and did made a real difference with his Nuggets teammates. Chauncey became the team leader, even though it was his first season with the Nuggets. Fans and critics noticed that Carmelo appeared to take a step backwards, at least statistically. His scoring avg. went down and he didn't always get the ball when the game was on the line (see career stats here). In reality, what Carmelo did was put the team first and did whatever it took to help the team win.

It looks like Carmelo Anthony has learned from Billups and has taken even more a leadership role this year. Knowing that J.R. Smith was out, Carmelo has been very aggressive on offense and it has produced big wins for the Nuggets. As Charles Barkley said after the Nuggets win over the Trailblazers, Carmelo is the best pure scorer in the NBA. It appears that Melo has made an effort to be more of a scoring threat, which gives the Nuggets their best chance to win. The great thing about Melo's hot start is that he's not only scoring more, he's getting rebounds and playing championship level defense. This season, Carmelo is putting the team on his back and the team is ready to follow his lead. Although it's only 2 games into the season, Carmelo looks like a legitimate MVP candidate.

                               
                          Knowshon Moreno picks up yardage in Broncos 20-17 win over the Patriots on Sunday
                                      (Photo courtesy Eric Lars Bakke, Denver Broncos Football Club)



The Denver Broncos moved to 5-0 by beating the New England Patriots on Sunday. The win was the biggest yet in the short head coaching career of Josh McDaniels. McDaniels came to Denver after being a successful assistant on 3 Super Bowl Champion New England Patriot teams. When the 32 year old McDaniels was announced as the Broncos new head coach, many fans and critics scratched their heads. To make matters worse, McDaniels traded Jay Cutler and brought in Kyle Orton...the Broncos were headed for their worst season ever! Wow how things have changed as the Broncos and Josh McDaniels have silenced critics across the country.

The Broncos 20-17 win over the New England Patriots showed just how good of a team Josh McDaniels and  his staff put together. Many thought the Broncos were simply fortunate to have an easy schedule after beating Cincinnatti, Cleveland and Oakland. The critics all said, if the the Broncos could beat the mighty Dallas Cowboys, they might be pretty good. Well the Broncos beat the Cowboys and there were still questions about how good the Broncos really were. Well, I think the win over the Patriots is about all I need to see to call the Broncos a legitimate Super Bowl contender. The Broncos had to grind out a tough battle and comeback against a team that has won 3 Super Bowls in less than 10 years.

Key Reasons for the 5-0 start:

Coaching: The offense and defense have looked good so far in 2009. The defense was coming off a terrible season and 8 new starters were brought in as the team switched from the 4-3 to 3-4. Mike Nolan has done an excellent job as the defensive coordinator and has helped make the transition look easy. The offense was coming off a good year in 2008, but there was still room for improvement. Kyle Orton is doing a great job of not turning the ball over (unlike Jay Cutler) and making throws to whoever is open. The running game has been great as Knowhson Moreno and Correll Buckhalter have helped the Broncos average nearly 150 yards per game.

Kyle Orton: He may not have a pretty face like Tom Brady, or have a rocket arm like Jay Cutler, but Kyle Orton is a winner. Orton came to Denver with a ton of criticism about a lack of arm strength and slow feet in the pocket. Orton has done everything the Broncos could have hoped for. Even after a preseason injury to the pointer finger on his throwing hand, Orton has played well. He had to wear a glove on his throwing hand for the first 4 games, yet he still didn't turn the ball over or fail to hit his receivers at key times. Orton has played very well and was chosen as the week 5 AFC Offensive Player of the Week. Season stats: 1236 yards, 7 touchdowns, 1 interception, 63.1% completion percentage, 97.4 quarterback rating.

Brian Dawkins: Dawkins is a living legend in Philadelphia, where he was the heart of the Eagles for many years. When the Broncos signed Dawkins, many around the NFL thought they overpaid for a player with diminishing skills. Dawkins may not be the same player he was ten years ago, but he's pretty darn close. Dawkins stats don't really do justice to the influence he's made on the Broncos defense. He brings a toughness and accountability that the team desperately needed in the transition from the 4-3 to 3-4. Dawkins makes big time hits and seems to have a knack for being at the right place at the right time. Season stats: 25 tackles, 6 passes defensed, 2 fumble recoveries.

Brandon Marshall: If you would have told me a month ago that Brandon Marshall was going to be a huge playmaker, I would have asked what team he was playing for. Marshall had a tumultuous offseason and was suspended for much of the preseason. He was unhappy with his contract and wanted to be paid like the other #1 receivers in the NFL. After the first couple games it looked like Marshall would only be a small part of the Broncos offense. The last two games, he's been much more than that. He caught the winning touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys and added 2 more against the Patriots on Sunday.  Season stats: 24 receptions, 283 yards, 4 touchdowns

Elvis Dumervil: So much for Dumervil being too small. He had to prove himself as a defensive end after being drafted in the 4th round in 2006. All he did was lead the Broncos in sacks each of his first 3 seasons. When the Broncos decided to switch to the 3-4 defense I wasn't sure what Dumervil would bring to the table. In his first 5 games this season, he's racked up 8 sacks. Perhaps the most important thing he brings is the fact that opposing offenses have to double team him to keep the quarterback from getting sacked. Elvis Dumervil has started very well in 2009, and it looks like the sky is the limit for him. Season stats: 8 sacks, 18 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery.


Fan Feedback Questions
Who else has been a key for the Broncos success?
Which player has surprised you the most so far in 2009?
Where do the Broncos rank among NFL teams?

         

                                   



The MLB Playoffs are under way and the Colorado Rockies are matched up with the defending World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies. The series is currently at 1-1 as both teams won day games in Philadelphia last week. Yes, I said day games. These day games are the idea of Major League Baseball and are meant to maximize advertising revenue by having only one game at a time. This means teams like the Colorado Rockies will play at the worst possible time because they're considered a small market team. The mighty teams of New York, Los Angeles, and Boston will play prime time games for all the world to see.

As a Rockies fan, it was very painful to have to listen to the radio while working for the two day games in Philly. I've spent many nights throughout the season watching Rockies games, even when they were playing poorly under Clint Hurdle. Fast forward to the MLB Playoffs and I can't watch the games because they're played on week days...THANKS MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL!!! I understand that Colorado doesn't sell as many jersey as the Yankees, or as many hats as the Dodgers, but give me a break. There has to be a way to schedule all games at night, at least late enough for home fans to watch some of the game.

This situation was bad enough until I heard the whining coming from the Philadelphia Phillies. Players were upset about playing during the day after winning the World Series in 2008. Maybe they forgot that Colorado was two hours behind, so many fans wouldn't even get to watch the game at all. Cole Hamels, the MVP of the 2008 World Series, was so upset that he basically blamed losing the second game on it being a day game. Hey Cole, after your done conditioning that sweet hair of yours, listen up. The Rockies had to play during the day too! The Rockies had to play on the road in Philly and they beat you! Now, being a man that has won many awards, you should be able to accept that for what it is...not make excuses.

Ok, now that's off my chest. The next issue I have with the Phillies is their complaints about the weather in Denver. For those of you that don't already know, the Saturday game between the Rockies and Phillies has been postponed, thanks to the crying from Philly. Manager Charlie Manual was pretty worried about the weather after losing game 2. In fact, it sounded as if he was making excuses for losing...days before the game was even played. Last time I checked, weather conditions affect both teams, not just the road team. I'm pretty sure if you asked any Rockie, they would tell you they would rather play in sunshine and dry weather. The funny thing about that is the weather not something that can be turned on or off. Just play the game and when you lose, don't make excuses.

Thanks to the Phillies whining, Rockies fans should have had two weekend games at home. Now the Rockies will play on Sunday and Monday. The Monday game will most likely be another day game, meaning more fans will be unable to watch. Congratulations Hamels and Manual, you're both officially on my list of crybabies.

Anyone that wants to complain to Major League Baseball about the scheduling, here you go:

Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball: (212) 931-7800

                                              
  Orange Crush defense: DJ Williams, Ryan McBean, Elvis Dumervil and Ronald Fields surround Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo
                                                      (Photo Courtesy Eric Lars Bakke, Denver Broncos Football Club)




The Denver Broncos beat the Dallas Cowboys 17-10 today. The Broncos wore their orange jerseys for the first time this season, just in time for the "Orange Crush" to make an appearance. The Cowboys were supposed to have the #1 run offense in the NFL, and Tony Romo was supposed to make big plays. The Broncos "Orange Crush" defense held the Cowboys to just 10 points by stopping the run and getting pressure on Tony Romo. The Broncos defense came up huge over and over in the win, finishing with 5 sacks, 1 interception and 1 fumble recovery.

Watching the game, I started wonder how many times the defense could stop the Cowboys from scoring. The Broncos offense was struggling to score and the defense needed to come up big. They did just that, and in doing so silenced many critics that said the Broncos hadn't played any good offenses yet. One play really stood out to me and it seemed to give the Broncos the momentum to win the game. In the fourth quarter, with the Broncos down 7-10, Cowboys receiver Roy Williams went up for a catch that would have given Dallas a first down and a chance to at least kick a field goal. As Williams reached up for the ball, DJ Williams hit him hard right in the chest  and sent Roy Williams flying. The hit was devestating and Roy Williams didn't do much afterwords. The Broncos got the ball back and were able to finally score a touchdown and take the lead.

The great thing about the Denver Broncos defense is that they play tough, physical football. They make opposing offenses grind out yards on the ground and can get to the quarterback often. Tony Romo looked totally out of sync most of the game and I think the Broncos physical style had a lot to do with that. Romo was hit often and had to run for his life to avoid sacks. There were a hand full of passes where the Dallas receivers had balls bounce off their hands...maybe hearing footsteps? Defensive Coordinator Mike Nolan deserves a great deal of credit for the defense playing so well. With all the new players in 2009, most critics thought the Broncos would struggle....so far they've surprised everyone. I think It's officially  time for the "Orange Crush" to be used when talking about the Broncos defense.

Tony Romo on Denver's defense - “They’re a good defensive unit and a good team. They’re number one in the league for a reason and you don’t go out there and move the ball like it’s nothing. They came out and showed why they are the number one defense."

Roy Williams on the hit from DJ Williams - “Never in my life have I been hit like that, from Pop Warner through my six years in the league. I’m 5,200 feet above sea level with asthma so I was obviously hurting.”

Keys from the Broncos 17-10 win:

• Elvis Dumervil continued to sack the quarterback, getting 2 more. He now has 8 sacks on the season.
• Brandon Marshall made an amazing catch, then an amazing run on the winning 51 yard touchdown, finished with 4 catches for 94, 1 TD.
• Champ Bailey made his first interception on the season. It came as the Cowboys were in the red zone and looking to score.
• DJ Williams had a 9 tackles, a fumble recovery and a sack. He also made some big time hits.
• Brian Dawkins was all over the field and brought his signature hard hitting.
• 5 sacks for the defense: Dumervil 2, DJ WIlliams 1, Hill 1, Holliday 1
• Kyle Orton went another game with no turnovers and finished 20-29 for 243 yards and 2 TDs

                                                   Renaldo Hill intercepts a pass from JaMarcus Russell                        Brandon Marshall looks for room to run
                                                   (Photos courtesy Eric Lars Bakke, Denver Broncos Football Club)



The Denver Broncos beat the Oakland Raiders Sunday and are off to a 3-0 start. The loss puts the Raiders at 1-2 to start the 2009 season. The matchup between the  AFC West rivals was completely one sided Sunday. The Broncos won in all 3 phases of the game (offense, defense, special teams) on their way to 23-3 win over the Raiders. The Broncos defense continued to play tough, physical football and held the Raiders to just 3 points. The offense didn't exactly light up the scoreboard, but they did move the ball well and were able to score 2 touchdowns. Matt Prater came back from a rough week last week to make 3 field goals.

Offensive Breakdown:
Passing: Orton 13-23 157 yards, 1 TD
Rushing: Buckhalter 14-108 yards, Moreno 21-90 yards 1TD
Receiving: Marshall 5-57 yards 1TD, Gaffney 4-39, Graham 2-33

Total Yards: 372          Time of Possession: 36:15          Turnovers: 1 (Buckhalter fumble)

Defensive Breakdown:
Tackles:  DJ Williams 7, Dumervil 5, Dawkins 3,  Reid 3, J Williams 3
Interceptions: Goodman 1, Hill 1
Fumble Recoveries: Dawkins 1

Total Yards Allowed: 137          Time of Possession (Raiders): 23:45          Turnovers: 3

Sunday was fun for the Broncos and for their fans. The Broncos were able to easily beat the Raiders on the road. Brandon Marshall caught a TD pass from Kyle Orton. Knowshon Moreno scored his first NFL touchdown. The defense dominated the Raiders, and in the process made JaMarcus Russell look like a complete bust. The Broncos are quickly showing critics that they are more than just a rebuilding team. The Broncos defense looks much better than anticipated and the offense continues to get better.


Broncos Fans:
1) What was your favorite play against the Raiders?
2) Is the defense really that good? 
3) Have the Broncos simply beat bad teams?

                                                     




The Colorado Rockies will start a tough series against the St. Louis Cardinals tonight at Coors Field. After their loss last night to the Padres, the Rockies have a 3.5 game lead over the Atlanta Braves in the wild card race. The San Francisco Giants and Florida Marlins are 4 games back. Every game the Rockies play for the rest of the season will be a must win. The Rockes start the series with a record of 86-67. Aaron Cook is back and will be making his first start since going on the disabled list.  Huston Street came back earlier in the week, taking over for Franklin Morales as closer.

The Cardinals on the other hand, are easily in the lead for the NL Central and only need 1 win to clinch the division title. This would sound like good news for the Rockies, but St. Louis can still get home field advantage in the playoffs. For that to happen, they would have to overcome a 3 game lead by the Los Angeles Angels. It looks like the Cardinals will be playing to win every game as each loss makes it tougher to catch the Dodgers. The Cardinals come to Denver with a record of 89-64. Obviously, the have Matt Holliday, Albert Pujols and great starting pitching. The Cardinals will have two Cy Young candidates pitching against the Rockies.

The last time the Rockies and Cardinals played, the Rockies swept the series in St. Louis. That was a long time ago and both teams have changed a lot. The series this weekend will be key for both teams playoff chances. The Rockies are trying to get in and St. Louis wants to get home field advantage. With the pitching matchups, this series could be a very close one. Here's some notes about the playoff race and the Rockies vs Cardinals pitching matchups:

NL West                                                        Wild Card                                                     National League Lead
Los Angeles Dodgers 92-61                    Colorado Rockies 86-67                           Los Angeles Dodgers 92-61
Colorado Rockies 86-67 (6)                     Atlanta Braves 82-70 (3)                            Philadelphia Phillies 89-63 (2.5)
San Francisco Giants  82-71 (10)           San Francisco Giants 82-71 (4)               St. Louis Cardinals 89-64 (3)
San Diego Padres 71-83 (21)                  Florida Marlins 82-71 (4)                           Colorado Rockies 86-67 (6)
Arizona Diamondbacks 66-87 (26)         Chicago Cubs 79-73 (6.5)

Key Matchups: Giants vs Cubs / Dodgers vs Pirates / Marlins vs Mets / Braves vs Nationals

Pitching Matchups:

              Friday, September 25th                                Saturday, September 26th                                  Sunday, September 27th

Aaron Cook	vs	Chris Carpenter		Ubaldo Jimenez	vs	Adam Wainwright	Jorge De La Rosa	vs	Kyle Lohse
10-6		16-4		14-11		18-8	15-9		6-8
4.47 ERA		2.34 ERA		3.47 ERA		2.59 ERA	4.42 ERA		2.59 ERA
75 Strikeouts		136 Strikeouts		181 Strikeouts		193 Strikouts	181 Strikeouts		68 Strikouts

         

                                                            Brian Dawkins hits Josh Cribbs                           Correll Buckhalter on his way to the end zone.
                                                           (Photos courtesy Eric Lars Bakke, Denver Broncos Football Club)

The Denver Broncos beat the Cleveland Browns week two with a final score of 27-6. The Broncos continued to play tough defense and recorded 4 sacks (all by Elvis Dumervil), forced 3 fumbles and intercepted 1 pass. The Browns struggled to move the ball all game. They had to settle for a field goal after Peyton Hillis fumbled the opening kickoff return at the Broncos 20 yard line. Then they put up a whopping 3 points in the remaining 55 minutes. The Broncos offense was decent most of the game, but finished very strong in the fourth quarter against the Browns. Kyle Orton looked much more comfortable and the running game looked very good. So as of week two in the NFL, the Denver Broncos are 2-0 and in 1st place in the AFC West.

Offensive Breakdown:
Passing - Orton 19-37 263 yards, 1 TD
Receiving - Gaffney 3- 82 yards, Stokely 5- 70 yards, Marshall 3- 34 yards, Scheffler 1- 2 yards 1 TD
Rushing - Buckhalter 9- 76 yards 1 TD, Moreno 17- 75 yards

Total Yards: 449             Time of Possession: 32:44            Turnovers: 1

Defensive Breakdown:
Tackles: Davis 8, Dumervil 7, Hill 5, Williams 5
Interceptions: McBath 1
Sacks: Dumervil 4
Fumble Recovery: Dawkins 1, Reid 1

Yards Allowed: 200          Browns time of possession: 27:16          Turnovers: 3

The game between the Broncos and Browns showed exactly what it takes to win. The Broncos controlled the ball and put up 449 yards, while the Browns put up an awful 200 yards. The Broncos won the turnover battle 3-1and lead in time of possession as well. The Broncos clearly outplayed the Browns on Sunday. The win last week over the Bengals was very lucky, the win over the Browns was not. The Broncos looked confident as a team and have come a long way since the 3rd preseason game. If the defense can continue to keep opponents off the score board, the Broncos may be much better than most expected. The offense will definitely get better, there are too many playmakers to not be top ten offense. It's fun to be a Bronco fan right now, 2-0 and going to Oakland to play the Raiders in week 3.

    

                                                             
                                                        Photo courtesy Eric Lars Bakke, Denver Broncos Football Club
                                                                      
The Denver Broncos defensive has been a nice surprise through the first two games of the season. The Broncos held the Cincinnati Bengals to 7 points last week and the Cleveland Browns to 6 points today. Also, the sacks and turnovers are way up from 2008. The switch from the 4-3 to 3-4 appears to be working better than most analysts and fans expected.The biggest reason for the quick turnaround has been the emergence of outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil.

Elvis Dumervil stands 5'11" and weighs 248 lbs, according to the Denver Broncos official roster. When he was drafted in 2006 out of Louisville, many scouts and coaches felt he was too small to play defensive end in the NFL. Dumervil has been the Broncos best pass rusher the last 3 seasons as a defensive end. His best season came in 2007 when he posted 12.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries and 56 tackles.

In 2006, some scouts saw Dumervil having to play outside linebacker to make it in the NFL. The Broncos took a chance on using him at the defensive end position. In 2009, the Broncos coaches again took a chance on Dumervil. This time it was on him the learning how to play outside linebacker. The biggest change for Dumervil is learning how to play in space. Covering backs/receivers and making tackles in the open field will be a much bigger part of his game. So far Dumervil has looked pretty good on open field tackles and in pass coverage…oh and you can’t forget the 4 sacks! I think most would agree that Dumervil has played way better than most people thought he would.

This is where James Harrison, the outstanding outside linebacker of the Pittsburgh Steelers comes in. Harrison stands 6'0" and weighs only 242 lbs, according to the Pittsburgh Steelers official roster. Harrison came from relative obscurity to be arguably the best defensive player in the NFL. Harrison, like Dumervil, had to learn to play outside linebacker as he was a defensive end in college. While learning the position, he was cut by the Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens. Eventually Harrison learned how to use his speed, power and leverage to beat opposing offensive lineman on his way to 24.5 sacks in the last 2 seasons. The amazing thing is that not only does Harrison sack the quarterback, he makes many open-field tackles and plays tough run defense.

The success of the 2009 Denver Broncos defensive unit may depend on how well Elvis Dumervil can continue his transition from defensive end. I see Dumervil making doubters out of many people across the country, just the way James Harrison did with Pittsburgh. Playing outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense will allow Dumervil to continue to make plays in the opponents backfield, as well as overpower running backs and wide receivers in the open field. Don't expect Dumervil to be the Super Bowl MVP or the AFC Defensive Player of the year, but he will be an impact player and maybe even a pro bowler. Elvis Dumervil just might be Denver's version of James Harrison...

            
 Brandon Stokely outruns Dhani Jones for winning TD                      Wesley Woodyard celebrates his Interception
                                                         (Photos Courtesy Eric Lars Bakke, Denver Broncos Football Club)


Luck: Good fortune; advantage or success, considered as the result of chance. Example: The Broncos were really LUCKY to win in week 1.  With 32 seconds to go and down by 1 point, the Broncos came up with one of the most exciting and unlikely plays yesterday. Brandon Stokely came down with a tipped pass in full stride and scored the Broncos only touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals.
 
The Broncos played one of the worst offensive games I can remember yesterday. They struggled running the ball. They couldn't catch passes. The Bengals pass rush was in Kyle Orton's face all game. The offense never came close to scoring a touchdown...until the infamous catch by Brandon Stokely. Overall, the offense had some good moments, but did not play at the level Josh McDaniels envisioned when he overhauled the playbook and got rid of Jay Cutler. Brandon Marshall looked lost and dropped at least 4 passes, including one on the only deep ball of the game.
 
Offensive Leaders:
Passing: Kyle Orton - 17-28 243 yards, 1 touchdown
Receiving: Stokely - 1 catch, 87 yards, 1 touchdown / Graham 3 catches, 40 yards / Sheffler 1 catch, 29 yards / Marshall 4 catches, 27 yards.
Rushing: Buckhalter - 8 rushes 46 yards /  Moreno - 8 rushes, 19 yards. 

The defense played much better than the offense. They held an explosive offense to 7 points while intercepting 2 passes, recording 3 sacks and playing tough run defense. The defensive scheme was great as Defensive Coordinator Mike Nolan called many blitzes and kept Carson Palmer and the Bengals offense on their heels. The only negative for the day was letting the Bengals drive and score what many thought was the winning drive.

Defensive Leaders:
Tackles:  Brian Dawkins - 7 solo, 4 assisted, 11 total
Interceptions:  Wesley Woodyard 1, Tony Scheffler 1
Sacks:  Andra Davis 1, Darrell Reid 1, Mario Haggan 1

For complete box score, click Broncos vs Bengals

Broncos fans, what do you think of the team after week 1? What does the offense need to do to improve?  Can the defense carry the team in 2009?  Who was the MVP of week1?

                                                              
                                                     (Photo Courtesy Lars Bakke, Denver Broncos Football Club)

It's September 1st, summer is winding down and football season is just around the corner. This is the time of year that Broncos fans start getting excited for the new year...at least that's how it used to be. I've been a die hard Broncos fan since I can remember. I remember being so excited I could hardly sleep because I couldn't wait to see the first game of the season. To put it mildly, I'm not excited in the least to see the Broncos play the Bengals week 1 this season...unless something changes. They looked way too simple on offense and didn't take any chances on big plays. Watching the dink and dunk offense Sunday was painful. The Broncos have way too much talent to run short 5-10 yard routes every play. Maybe they were holding back the playbook for the preseason? I hope so.

The Broncos have changed a great deal since the end of the 2008 season. Obviously, Mike Shanahan was fired, Jay Cutler traded, and both the offensive and defensive schemes have changed. But there's a lot more that has changed that really gets me. The Denver Broncos Organization looks like a cheap knockoff of the New England Patriots. Injuries are not disclosed (Kyle Orton hurt his finger and Eddie Royal hurt his shoulder Sunday. Both injuries were listed as "Upper body extremity" injuries). Players no longer have names (McDaniels refers to them as "the player"). The coach (if players don't have names he shouldn't either) wears a hoodie with no sleeves on the sideline. Come on Josh, WAKE UP, you're in Denver. Your quarterback is not named Brady and you can't go to Billy's (Belichek's) to play after practice!

I've been as patient as possible hoping to see all the offseason moves come together. I was really excited to see the starters play last week against Chicago in the matchup of Cutler vs. McDaniels. I thought at least we will finally see this "Patriot" offensive scheme that the coach talks about so often. Well after watching the game on Sunday, I'm not impressed and wonder if other fans feel the same way. I've never watched an offense throw more 5-yard passes. I've never seen a Broncos offense struggle more to run the ball for a positive gain. I've never seen a team (offense) with such talent the year before look completely average in every way (ok in the 2nd half the offense looked pretty good against the Bears backups, but I'm referring to the starters).

As for the defense, there have been many positive signs so far. Elvis Dumervil looks like he will be a game changer at outside linebacker. Brian Dawkins will bring leadership and toughness. Champ Bailey and Andre Goodman will be one of the best corner combos in the league. The Broncos pass rush has looked very good and the run defense solid as well. There are still some question marks on the defensive line, but overall I think the defense will be much better than last year.

I'm hoping that the Broncos are simply holding back for the preseason. They have too many talented players on offense to be much worse than last year. Maybe they'll be better than last year...guess we'll see? The defense will definitely be better. In my opinion, the Broncos defense will decide what their final record will be. The Broncos have had a premier offense for most of the last 15 seasons, it's about time for a dominant defense. Dominant defenses can lead to championships, as the Patriots proved 3 times.

Broncos fans, I want to know how you think the team will do in 09". I've put together a few options for how many games they win this season. Also, what do you think about the coach (McDaniels) and the new Patriot mentality in the Broncos Organization.

Broncos record in 2009:
13-16 wins:   The team will be great and Josh McDaniels will be the coach of the year.
9-12 wins:   It was a good first year and next season will be really exciting.
5-8 wins:   Well it could have been worse, at least there's something to build on.
1-4 wins:   Hey at least we get a top 4 pick next season...oh wait, the Broncos traded their 1st rounder next year to draft Alphonso Smith in the second round this year!!!

           
                      Chris Baker flexes for the crowd in San Francisco (Photo courtesy Lars Bakke, Denver Broncos Football Club)


The Denver Broncos roster changed big time since the end of the 2008 season. For the first time in a long time, they had 2 first round draft picks. They signed 13 free agents in the first week of free agency. The current roster lists 80 players for the Denver Broncos and about half of them are new faces. Soon there will only be 53 on the active roster. With training camp winding down, players will be cut and others added to the practice squad. With all the buzz about the many rookies on the Broncos this season, I'm excited to see the young talent.

Obviously the first round choices, RB Knowshon Moreno and LB/DE Robert Ayers will get the most attention from fans. After them CB Alphonso Smith and  FS Darcel McBath will be expected to contribute because they were second round picks. The one rookie player that I think can be a very good starter from day 1 is NT Chris Baker. Baker is the biggest player on the Broncos defense and he's been turning heads at Dove Valley. He was thought to be very talented before the draft, but had some off the field issues that kept him from being drafted. When they Broncos signed Chris Baker as an undrafted rookie free agent, they may have made the most important move of their offseason.

The switch from 4-3 defense to 3-4 is not an easy one for any team. When you figure in the fact that the Broncos defense was awful last season, it makes the transition even more difficult. The Broncos were an undersized 4-3 defense that relied on speed. Now they're looking to become a more physical and aggressive 3-4. The anchor to any good 3-4 defense is the Nose Tackle, which is where Chris Baker plays. Nose Tackles are supposed to eat up blockers up the middle to allow the inside linebackers to make plays. From what I saw of Baker against the 49ers, he can definitely do that. He's huge 6'2'' 329 lbs and as you can see in the picture above, is not easy to move. The great thing about Baker is that he's not just a big guy that will take up space, he'll get sacks and make plays in the backfield.

As training camp ended today, Baker was listed on the second team. The starter for at nose tackle is Ronald Fields, a veteran that has been primarily a backup. Fields played for defensive coordinator Mike Nolan in San Francisco so he's been given every chance to start. From what I've seen from Fields, he's ok at taking up blockers, but he's not a gifted athlete. Chris Baker will crack the starting lineup because he's more than average. I know it's very early, but I see him having huge potential in the NFL. My prediction is that Baker is named the starter prior to game 1, and will become a key part of the new look 3-4 defense in Denver.

             
                            Brandon Marshall vs Carolina Panthers (Photo courtesy Lars Bakke, Denver Broncos Football Club)



I just want to start by saying I'm happy for Brandon Marshall...it's ok, I'm not on the team so I can say it. I'm sure most people already know the Broncos apologized to Marshall for something a member of the public relations staff said last week. After the first preseason game against the 49ers on Friday, a staff memeber told players to avoid saying they were happy for Marshall. Marshall had been acquitted in a civil lawsuit involving his ex-girlfiend earlier in the day, and didn't play in the game. The Broncos staff member asked players to reply to questions about Marshall by simply saying they were happy for the team.

This is where the media frenzy kicked in. The story became a big one and Marshall was not happy with the situation. The Denver Broncos Chief Operating Officer, Joe Ellis apologized to Marshall in response to the incident. I agree with Marshall that the Broncos should not have instructed players what to say. The problem for me is that Marshall has been publicly calling for a new contract and has made it known he wants to be traded. As of today, Marshall was practicing with the second, third and scout teams. He admitted that he doesn't know the offense well enough to be a starter.

The situation raises some questions for me.

• Did the staff member act on their own? If not who told them to tell players how to answer questions?
• Is Marshall really that upset about it or is he just using it to help get traded?
• If Marshall continues to practice, when will he be a starter?
• Were the Broncos simply trying set a team first atmosphere?
• Will a trade be happening in the near future?
• What do you think the real story is?

 

Last offseason, the Colorado Rockies traded away their best player and fan favorite in Matt Holliday. The trade was not popular among Rockies fans. Many fans looked at the trade as a way to cut salary and continue to build the minor league talent. Things have gone much better than Rockies fans could have ever imagined this season.

When the Rockies traded Holliday, they sent a power hitter with decent speed and decent defensive ability. In return, the Rockies received closer Huston Street and prospects Carlos Gonzalez and Greg Smith. Out of these three, Street was the only proven major leaguer, but was coming off a season in which he lost his closer job. The return for the Rockies looked pretty minimal, at least for the first the near future. If you've been watching the Rockies lately, you know the Matt Holliday trade has turned out very well for the Rockies.

Huston Street - He just earned his 30th save against the Washington Nationals. This brings Streets outstanding streak to 22 saves in a row. Not only has Street saved games, he's helped keep the Rockies bullpen effective even with the loss of some key arms. Maybe the most impressive thing about Huston Street is that he's only 26 years old and should be around for years to come...if the Rockies sign him.

Carlos Gonzalez - He started the year in AAA with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, but quickly was called up after putting up huge numbers at the plate. After coming to the major leagues he showed early promise in the outfield and on the bases, but struggled hitting. Gonzalez has made some great plays in left and center field. He covers a lot of ground and has a strong, accurate arm. Lately though, it's been Gonzalez success at the plate that has Rockies fans excited. He's homered in 3 games in a row and 5 of the last 7. Gonzalez leads the Rockies in batting average since the all-star break and seems to be comfortable playing at the highest level.

Greg Smith - Many thought he would be perhaps the biggest contributor for the Rockies in 2009. He's a young left handed starting pitcher and was highly regarded by the Oakland A's organization. The year was nothing but a disappointment for Reynolds. He never made it to the major league level and is currently on the disabled list.


Do you think the Rockies are better off without Holliday?  Who's the most important player the Rockies received in the trade? 

                                     
                                               Knowshon Moreno (Photo courtesy Lars Bakke, Denver Broncos Football Club)

With the signing of Robert Ayers yesterday, the Denver Broncos have one rookie left to sign. Knowshon Moreno was the 12th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft and is among the 9 first round picks that have still not signed a contract. Moreno is an explosive play maker and will be a force for the Broncos...when he signs and reports to training camp. As of today, he's held out longer than any other Broncos rookie since 1997.

I did some research to see what the Broncos will have to pay Knowshon Moreno. To get my numbers, I used the reported contracts for first round picks on nfl.com, to see the report click here. To come up with an estimated contract I used a few variables to come up with what should be close to the deal Moreno gets.

• Picks 8-12 have not signed
• Pick #7 Darrius Heyward-Bay signed for $38.25 million with $23.5 guaranteed.
• Pick #13 Brian Orakpo signed for $20 million with $12.1 million guaranteed.
• If you take the difference between #7, #13 and divide by 5 (for the 5 spots between them) add this amount to what Orakpo got and you get my projection.

 You might ask, what about other first round running backs? The only other running backs drafted in the first round were Donald Brown at #27 and Chris "Beanie" Wells at #31. Donald Brown signed for $12.8 million with $6.8 million guaranteed. Beanie Wells signed for $11.8 million with $6.34 million guaranteed. You can't really compare Moreno's contract with these two as they were drafted much lower than he was.

So as a fan, not an agent or general manager, I predict Knowshon Moreno will get a contract for 5 years $23.6 million overall and $14.38 guaranteed. This is a pretty good payday for a guy that hasn't done anything in the NFL. As the Broncos and Moreno negotiate his contract, the guaranteed money is most likely the hold up. Because of idiots like Al Davis (he gave $23.5 million guaranteed to Heyward-Bay) signing players for too much money, some agents are not willing to sign their clients for what they know is a fair price. Hopefully Moreno will keep from getting too greedy and will sign quickly...

                                 
                                                   Robert Ayers (Photo courtesy Lars Bakke, Denver Broncos Football Club)

The Denver Broncos officially signed 1st Round draft pick Robert Ayers. Ayers will be an exciting addition for Broncos fans that attend practices at Dove Valley. He'll bring a big body with speed, strength and athleticism. With Mike Nolan coaching the defense, you can expect Ayers to be put in position to make big plays. The Broncos drafted Ayers because of his ability to make plays behind the line of scrimmage, with sacks and tackles for loss. The financial terms of the contracted were not disclosed, but the deal is for 5 years.

WIth Robert Ayers signing, the spotlight will be all over him. Fellow 1st Round draft pick, Knowshon Moreno still has not signed and Broncos fans are anxious to see the players the Broncos drafted so highly this year. If Ayers can turn out to be a big time playmaker, it will be easy for fans to forget that one guy named Jay something...   Ayers was part of the Jay Cutler trade and will be mentioned with Jay Cutler throughout his career. Ayers and rookie cornerback Alphonso Smith were both drafted with picks the Broncos got from the Chicago Bears (the Broncos had to trade a 2010 1st Round pick to move up for Smith). For Broncos fans to forget about Jay Cutler and move on, Robert Ayers better make a huge impact.

The defense will have a completely different look in 2009. As of Monday, the first team defense looks like this:

Defensive End -  Ryan McBean, Kenny Peterson
Nose Tackle - Ronny Fields
Outside Linebacker - Elvis Dumervil, Darrell Reid
Inside Linebacker - Andra Davis, DJ Williams
Cornerback - Champ Bailey, Andre Goodman
Safety - Brian Dawkins, Renaldo Hill

Robert Ayers will have to earn a starting spot, and his holdout may end up costing him. He missed some of the physical practices the Broncos started with. He also missed learning new plays for the defense. Ayers had plenty of time in the offseason to learn the defensive basics, but now is when Mike Nolan will add more exotic packages to the playbook. I'm hopeful that he can step in and quickly earn a spot somewhere on the field. Ayers will be used mostly at outside linebacker, but has the ability to play end or even tackle as well.

Ryan Howard, Joba Chamberlain, Steve Smith, and Shawne Merriman

The Denver Broncos 2009 training camp started today as the quarterbacks, rookies and injured players reported to Dove Valley. Brandon Marshall even made an appearance. Today was a good day for Broncos fans. The veterans will report on Thursday and the first team practice is on Friday morning at 8:30.

I don't want to spoil all the fun, but not all the Broncos rookies showed up today. Knowshon Moreno and Robert Ayers didn't show up at Dove Valley. This might not be a big deal but we'll have wait and see. As of this morning, only four of the thirty two 1st round draft picks have signed. This year teams are not willing to pay as much as the rookies and their agents are trying to get. From what the "experts" are saying, Robert Ayers is more likely to sign a contract. I don't want to make too big a deal about it until they miss team activities, which start Friday.

Brandon Marshall showed up and was reported to be in great shape. He had been working out with Larry Fitzgerald (for anyone the doesn't watch football, the best receiver in the NFL). Marshall has to know that he's better off playing this season and worrying about the field, not the bank. If he has a big year, he'll have plenty of teams looking to sign him. Here's my equation for Brandon Marshall to get paid (Brandon take note this is good stuff).

1 good season + no arrests + team first  =  Brandon Marshall is getting paid

I think Marshall could be the best receiver in the game, but he needs to do some work. He has the talent, there's no doubt about that. I've seen some of the ridiculous plays he's made in his three seasons. It's not what he does on the field that he needs to work on. He can always get better there, but it's off the field that he needs to improve. Marshall has talent and fame in his grasp, but he needs to stay out of legal trouble. I think Marshall will have a big season and will stay out of the headlines. I think he's a good enough business man to know this is his chance.

Kyle Orton and Chris Simms also showed up for the Broncos today. This is not surprising considering they've been here all spring and summer anyway. They spend countless hours with Josh McDaniels learning the offense. Going into training camp, Orton is the starter and should be fairly comfortable running the offense. This is another wait and see situation. I don't think there will be any quarterback controversy this year. Orton will start unless he gets injured.

Which rookie is more important, Knowshon Moreno or Robert Ayers?  Will Brandon Marshall stay with the team and out of trouble?  Will there be a battle for the starting quarterback spot?


 

The Colorado Rockies have officially entered the 2nd of the season. The 2009 MLB All-Star festivities start tonight with the Home Run Derby. Most of the Rockies will be home watching or hanging with their families. Brad Hawpe and Jason Marquis will be front and center this week as they both made the 2009 National League All-Star team. These two helped transform the Rockies from a terrible team to the franchise record holder for wins at the All-Star break. The Rockies will start the second half of the season with a 47-41 record.

Just a couple months ago, the Rockies looked like they might set the franchise record for losses in a season. The team was consistently losing and looked like they had no confidence... but things have changed. The Rockies finally got rid of Clint "Big Ego" Hurdle and replaced him with fan, media and player friendly, Jim Tracy. Tracy instantly brought a new managing style and his players responded in a huge way. The Rockies became a legitimate contender and have recaptured the attention of fans in Denver and across the country. There are many reasons the Rockies have rebounded, here are a few of them:

Brad Hawpe
Hawpe surprised most people this season, myself included. He's taken over the big bat in the lineup the Rockies lost when Matt Holliday signed with Oakland. Hawpe has had good some really good seasons, but he's become a huge threat. He's hitting left handed pitching, hitting with two strikes and driving in runs. Hawpe seemed to put the team on his back at one point. The entire lineup was struggling but somehow he kept driving in runs. He's made a name for himself among the players across MLB. When Raul Ibanez couldn't play due to injury, Brad Hawpe took over the starting RF spot because the players gave him the most votes. If the Rockies can contend for the National League West or get the Wild Card, Hawpe could be in contention for MVP.

Jason Marquis
Maquis was acquired from the Cubs this off season and has made a huge impact for the Rockies. He went into the All-Star break with the most wins in the National League. Pretty good for a guy that couldn't crack the top five for the Cubs. Marquis developed one of the best sinkers in baseball and he has great control. He's not afraid to let the batters make contact, or as Jim Tracy would say, "Pitch to contact.". Marquis relies on the defense behind him to make plays (he's pretty good himself) . He doesn't get tons of strike outs, but he hits his spots and can induce ground balls. A big bonus for Marquis is his athleticism. He's a good hitter, can pinch run and even play outfield (if it was absolutely necessary). Marquis is fun to watch because he loves to win. Can a Rockies pitcher get 20 wins? Can Marquis? Time will tell, but Jason Marquis had a great 1st half.

Todd Helton
He's having the best year he has in the last 3 or 4. It was hard to watch Helton last year. You could tell he wasn't right and he tried to play through it. He had offseason surgery on his back and has responded in a big way. Todd's not going to have a career season, but he's back and a huge part of the lineup. Helton wants to win the big one and should be a huge part of the Rockies success in the 2nd half of the season. When you talk about him, you also have to talk about defense. He's one of the best defensive players in MLB, especially for first basemen (see same description below).

Huston Street
Street's made the Oakland Athletics look like a bunch of fools. He's not even 26 years old and has over 3 seasons as a closer in the major leagues. Last season he lost his spot after he struggled and blew saves. Street's been huge for the Rockies since the changed his wind up. He's converted 22 of 23 save opportunities and has been tough in the late innings. His fastball seems to have come alive and hit 95 mph in his last appearance. Street looks to be at home in Colorado and has become a big part of the clubhouse. Street is a competitor and wants to prove many people wrong. If the Rockies keep giving him save opportunities, Huston Street should be at the top of the leader board at the end of the season.

Troy Tulowitzki
Tulo started off the season slow. His hitting was just off, he had trouble doing anything at the plate. It's funny but after Clint Hurdle was fired, Tulowitzki seemed to start hitting. Jim Tracy suggested a change in Tulo's stance and the rest is history. His average is still low, but he's leading the team in home runs and has started to hit in the middle of the lineup. if he continues to improve, I wouldn't be surprised to see Tulowitzki hit 30+ home runs this season. When you talk about him, you also have to talk about defense. He's one of the best defensive players in MLB, especially for short stops.

The best of the rest:

Clint Barmes - he took over the 2nd spot in the batting order and put up huge numbers. Barmes was in a major slump but responded when Jim Tracy moved him up in the lineup. He's making a name for himself as one of the best hitting second basemen in the league.

Ubaldo Jimenez - if you look at his stats, his numbers are not great. These are deceiving as he's pitched really well this season. I believe Jimenez has the worst run support for all the Rockies starting pitchers. He's lost some really close games where the Rockies just couldn't hit. Jimenez has some of the nastiest stuff in the National League. If he starts getting run support, I think he'll finish the season with at least 15 wins.

Aaron Cook - I put Jimenez first because of his low run support. Cook has pitched well the last couple months, but struggled some at the start. He can make hitters ground into ground ball after ground ball. He's the guy I would consider the "Ace" on the Rockies pitching staff. This has more to do with his experience as a Rockie more than his stuff. He's pitched in some big games and has the guts to pitch when it counts. Cook should also be able to get in the 15-20 win range if he keeps it up.

Dexter Fowler - He's having a good rookie season. Fowler's hitting stats are nothing spectacular, but he's done many things that don't show up in the stats. He works pitchers into long counts, runs the bases well and makes highlight plays in center field. He can cover a ton of ground, which comes in handy at Coors Field. Fowler should improve and be a big part of the Rockies offense.

Starting Pitchers - Jorge De La Rosa, Jason Hammel

Who do you think has had the most impact for the Rockies?  Where do you see the Rockies finishing?  Will Jim Tracy be in the running for the coach of the year? 

           

International soccer legend Zinedine Zidane was in Denver Tuesday to make a surprise visit at the Adidas Elite Soccer Program (ESP), the premier youth development program in the country. Zidane dropped by the afternoon session to lead the top 102 youth players in the nation in drills and sign autographs.  He later joined the players in the ESP All-Star Game. To see a video of Zidane, click this link Zenedine Zidane Video.

With the recent success of the USA Soccer team and the visit from Zidane, Denver soccer fans have had some great experiences this summer. Do you think soccer is gaining popularity in Colorado? Will Denver ever be known for championship level soccer?

Joe Sakic retired Thursday after a spectacular 20 year career in the NHL. Sakic spent his entire career with the Avalanche organization (Quebec Nordiques moved to Denver for the 1995-96 season) and led them to the first major sport championship in Denver. Sakic became the face of the Avalanche and was one of the most popular sports figures in Colorado. Patrick Roy and Peter Forsberg were also popular in Denver, but neither of them played as long as Sakic for the Avs. Losing Sakic will be a big blow to the Avalanche in the coming season...both on the ice and off.

Joe Sakic was best known for his laser wrist shots. He could simply flick his wrists and opposing goalies had to scramble to stop the pinpoint placed pucks. Sakic was such a gifted offensive player that he could score from nearly anywhere on the ice. Sakic was not only a scorer but a team player. He would make an extra pass even if he had a shot. He would get back and help on defense when the opposing team had an odd man rush. Sakic is what you call a team player, whatever the team needed he did. When trying to compare Joe Sakic with other sports names from Denver, the only one that fits is John Elway. Both of these players were great athletes, but they played with a winning attitude and motivated their teammates by playing with great energy. When their team needed them, they put the team on their back and led the way. Needless to say,  losing Joe Sakic is the biggest loss for Colorado sports fans since the retirement of John Elway.

Super Joe was not only super on the ice. He was a great citizen and became a big part of the Denver community. Sakic was one of the classiest and admirable sports figures Denver has ever seen. In a time when players are getting caught with 'performance enhancing drugs', shooting up night clubs, killing pedestrians while driving drunk (and the list goes on and on), Sakic stands out as a true icon. Sakic was a family man, an excellent teammate and an important part of the Denver community. The best word to describe Joe Sakic is CLASS. Sakic had more class than most players will dream of having.

While I want to thank Joe Sakic for the awesome years he spent in Denver, it's now time to look to the future. The Avalanche are coming off their worst season since moving to Denver. They finished last in the western conference and were the 3rd worst team in the entire NHL (giving them the 3rd pick in the 09' draft). The Avs picked Matt Duchene with their first round draft selection. Duchene is highly thought of around NHL circles, many experts thought he could have been the first pick. Duchene will be a key for the future of the Avalanche organization. The future will be filled with young unproven players and Matt Duchene will lead the way. Hopefully Duchene can play 20 years and when he retires, Avs fans can compare him to Joe Sakic, one of the best players to ever play in the NHL.