Well before Coach Prime brought his Louis to Boulder, it was readily apparent Colorado’s best sports moment of 2022 had already come to pass.
It happened at the intersection of Colfax and Broadway, where Avs head coach Jared Bednar was tossed a frothy beverage from the crowd, which he subsequently pounded before the adoring masses that descended upon downtown Denver for the Avalanche’s Stanley Cup victory parade.
Avs’ victory parade — A+
The Grading the Week staff said it then, and we’ll say it again to start our year in review: Nothing could match that delightful morning in downtown Denver, when Stanley Cup euphoria turned our fair city into a large-scale frat party.
It all crested with a swell of day drinkers — and more than a few Avs — stumbling around Civic Center Park with the Stanley Cup in tow.
Cale Makar — A
Things hoisted by the Avs defenseman last summer: The Norris Trophy (NHL’s top defenseman), the Conn Smythe Trophy (NHL playoff MVP) and the Stanley Cup (no explanation necessary). Enough said.
Jokic’s MVP coronation — A-
The best way to celebrate a second consecutive NBA MVP? With Serbian song and dance at a surprise coronation in Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic’s native Sombor. (Assuming, of course, that he actually wants you there.)
Nazem Kadri — B+
The heart and soul of the Avs’ Stanley Cup Playoff run gets dinged for one thing and one thing only: We no longer get to watch him in burgundy and blue. (Not that we blame him one bit for taking Calgary’s cash.)
Rick George — B
As bad as his late September letter was — you know, the one the CU athletic director wrote begging Buff fans to keep attending home games coached by Karl Dorrell — George’s hiring of Coach Prime was a master stroke.
To paraphrase Harry Dunne from ““: Just when we thought things couldn’t get any worse for the CU football program, you go and do something like this… and totally redeem yourself.
KSE — C+
On the one hand, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment is responsible for the two best major pro sports franchises on the Front Range (Avs and Nuggets). On the other hand, a significant portion of the people who live here still can’t watch their games on TV.
Jay Norvell — C
It was always going to take Norvell some time to refashion the CSU football program in his image. Adding the Mountain West’s top recruiting class should help.
Kris Bryant — C-
We learned a long time ago not to hold injury issues against an athlete. That being said, it sure would be nice if a guy earning roughly $26 million a year were occasionally present.
Russell Wilson — D
Maybe Kris and Russ can confab about the high knees?
We’ll say this for the Broncos quarterback with wolverine blood: He’ll do whatever it takes to get on the field on Sundays. Sadly, his best moment on any field in 2022 came on the same one Bryant now calls home: Russ’ opening day first pitch at Coors.
George Paton — D-
The Broncos’ GM’s first major trade (Russell Wilson) has thus far been a flop. His first head coaching hire (Nathaniel Hackett) was somehow even worse. But, hey, we’ll always have Pat Surtain II.
LIV golfers — F
The checks were large. The golf was adequate. And the mealy mouthed justifications for taking large bags of cash from an oppressive Saudi Arabian regime were abhorrent.
USC & UCLA — F-
But, hey, at least those guys didn’t join the Big Ten.
