Welcome to Bizarro Colorado, where up is down, black is white, left is right. And Mike Shanahan is tall, pale and totally likable.
Here it is, late September, and the Rockies are soaking up headlines while the Broncos are stuck inside on page 7 above the colon cleanse ad.
Is it possible the Rockies contend for a championship and the Broncos go .500?
Anything’s possible. Just ask rookie Franklin Morales, a late season call-up from Triple-A Colorado Springs who, in his first seven starts, blazed his way to a 3.15 ERA. It was the 21-year-old Morales who burned Cy Young favorite Jake Peavy in the Rockies’ 2-1 win over the Padres last week.
And that was just the start of the weirdness. In the past seven days: the Broncos rushed for 47 yards in a loss to Jacksonville, the team’s fourth-lowest rushing total in 12 years; and the Rockies won every game they played through Wednesday, including ace Jeff Francis’ victory over sure-Hall of Famer Greg Maddux.
Oh, and Wyoming has the best local college football team.
What if this isn’t a fluke? What if the Rockies sweep this weekend’s series with the Diamondbacks to win an NL West division title? What if the Broncos are 2-2 after a loss to the Colts on Sunday? What if the Rockies cruise into the baseball playoffs and into the World Series? What if the Broncos end up with a top-15 pick in the 2008 NFL draft?
The only thing that seems normal in this town anymore is Ian Laperriere’s black eye.
WHAT WE’D LIKE TO SEE
This wouldn’t have been an issue 15 years ago when baseball was still king. But on Sunday, the final and most exciting day of baseball’s regular season, with division titles and playoff spots likely still up for grabs, it would be nice to see some crucial games on TV. Only the Rockies-Diamondbacks and Chicago- and Atlanta-area games will be on TV. Lots of football to be had this weekend though.
WEAK IN REVIEW
Last week, “Don’t tase me, bro” entered the popular lexicon. This week, it’s “I’m a man, I’m 40!” Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy ranted on about somethingerother and almost instantly became a YouTube star. But while the Cowboys aren’t on Colorado’s schedule this season, the Buffs scored a victory nonetheless. CU coach Dan Hawkins’ “This is Division I football!” rant last season still tops Gundy’s.
ON THE COUCH
In the high school ranks, homecomings are for cupcakes, with games scheduled for the best possible chance at victory. Colorado, on the other hand, tabbed No. 3-ranked Oklahoma for its homecoming game this season, airing Saturday on FSN at 11:30 a.m. Tough draw to say the least. But all time, CU is an impressive 60-27-5 in 92 homecoming games. Unfortunately, the Sooners have won three of four games on CU’s homecoming, including a 34-20 win in 2003. All these records are worthless, though, when compared to one that matters: Oklahoma is outscoring opponents this season 61.5 to 11.8.
OFF THE COUCH
There’s a running race in Boulder this weekend. A novel concept, we know. But there’s a reason Boulder is the footracing mecca that it is. Racers fill the city streets year-round. On Saturday and Sunday, the Boulder Backroads Marathon will give racers a chance to compete away from those streets, in a 5K, marathon, half-marathon or four-person marathon relay. Last year, Olympian Nuta Olaru of Romania won the marathon in 2 hours, 43 minutes, 10 seconds. Saturday starts with the 5K; the marathons go Sunday. All starting at 7 a.m. at Boulder Reservoir (boulderbackroads.com).
AROUND THE STATE
The Rapids, winless since Aug. 26, have dropped like lead in the MLS standings. But they aren’t sunk yet. Despite going 0-2-2 in their past four games, the Rapids are three points behind Chicago for the eighth and final playoff spot with four games remaining. The first chance to earn crucial points comes Saturday, with a 5:30 p.m. MDT game at New England. The Revolution, in second place in the Eastern Conference with MLS’s third-best record, were trounced by the Rapids 3-0 earlier this season. Saturday’s game airs on Altitude.
