Now the Rockies know what the Broncos feel like.
The Rox, after their September to Remember, followed by Rocktober, received a grand total of zero love from the Baseball Writers Association of America. They won 21 out of 22 games, won the National League pennant, swept through the N.L. playoffs and … nothing. Nothing to show for the most memorable season in franchise history.
No Gold Glove despite finishing with the highest fielding percentage in Major League Baseball history. No manager of the year, no rookie of the year, no MVP. Nada. Zip. Maybe next year.
While this is new territory for the Rockies, the Broncos have felt the cold from the writers for decades. They’ve played in six Super Bowls, second only to the Cowboys in NFL history, and won two. They’ve sent countless players to the Pro Bowl. They’ve been an elite franchise, by most people’s accounts, for the better part of 30 years.
And they have one player in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That would be John Elway. While Elway has campaigned for others, the writers who vote haven’t listened.
They have refused to enshrine Randy Gradishar and Gary Zimmerman and Floyd Little. And – no really, I’m not making this up – don’t be surprised if Shannon Sharpe doesn’t get in on the first ballot.
Sharpe had every receiving record in the book for tight ends when he retired, not to mention three Super Bowl rings. But you watch, some of those crusty old writers writers will argue that he was a wide receiver playing tight end, and that his records should be diminished.
It’s become a way of life for the voters. If they’re talking about a former Bronco, they have to diminish him. Maybe it’s that Rocky Mountain water they use to brew beer. Or maybe it’s the Broncos’ wretched vertically striped socks from back in the day, the ones that stamped them as a laughingstock franchise.
Or maybe, just maybe, the writers need to wake up and get a clue.
Follow Jim Armstrong’s daily Broncos commentaries on The Jimmy Page at 7 a.m. and noon, and read his columns on Sundays and the day after Broncos games at .
He can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
