One could physically see the lightbulb click over the second-year quarterback in mid-December, as CBS’ Tracy Wolfson held a microphone to his lips in front of millions of Americans. The Broncos had just downed the Packers 34-26, a game in which odds favored Green Bay on Denver’s home turf despite the Packers entering with a worse record. Nix had just played the best game of his short NFL career, throwing for 302 yards and four touchdowns. On the postgame broadcast, Wolfson prefaced a question by telling Nix “you were the underdogs.”

A young lifetime of media training, and princedom from Alabama to Oregon, kicked in.

“We’re the overdogs,” Nix grinned, his eyebrows twitching up.

The quote hit Broncos Twitter like wildfire. Mere hours later, with Nix’s name trending on Twitter for around four straight hours, the quarterback texted marketing rep Doug Young with an idea.

“We need to put Overdogs on a T-shirt and start selling those things for a good cause,” Nix wrote.

It was the 25-year-old Nix firing off something on the run again, just another Sunday. Two days later, Nix’s team connected a few channels quickly enough to launch a line of “Overdogs” merchandise on Nix’s website, promising all proceeds would go directly to longtime local nonprofit Denver Rescue Mission.

“I wish I could say this was like, some premeditated strategy,” Young chuckled, the chief marketing officer for agency QB Reps. “It would’ve made us look great.”

Two weeks later, Nix’s “Overdogs” gear — according to Athlete Studio CEO Nicholas Lemieux, the platform that organizes Nix’s merchandise — has raised over $25,000 and counting for the mission.

“We were floored,” said Brad Jessen, the Rescue Mission’s vice president of development. “We were absolutely thrilled. And I think it����ap a pretty incredible boost for our staff and our staff morale to know that a player – right now, he’s the starting quarterback for the best team in the NFL … is also cheering for us and finding unique ways to support the work that we do at the mission.”

This was such an on-the-fly idea from Nix, in fact, that many members of the Rescue Mission had little idea this was happening until it was actually happening. When Nix posted the merchandise to his Twitter on Dec. 16, DVR public relations manager Stephen Hinkel forwarded the drop to Jessen.

“Do you know anything about this?” Hinkel asked Jessen.

He did not.

“In many ways — a gift to us from Bo and his team during the holiday season,” Jessen said. “Which is, it����ap a critical month for us in terms of fundraising and just awareness of what����ap happening in our community.”

Nix and his wife Izzy, though, were made aware of the foundation when they first arrived in Denver in 2024 and were introduced to a variety of potential philanthropic ventures around the Colorado area. The Denver Rescue Mission, a Christian organization founded in 1892 and dedicated to supporting, housing and rehabilitating the homeless in Denver, has been on the pair’s “radar” for a while, Young said. In fact, Young said the Nixes have plans to visit one of DRM’s shelters in spring 2026.

There was precedent for such a quick-turnaround venture, too, after Nix created a line of “Bolieve” merchandise earlier this year , an organization providing research and support for those living with ALS in Colorado. Lemieux said his team at Athlete Studio had already mocked up some more general sample designs that were ready within a few hours of Nix’s text to Young.

Homelessness and family homelessness, Young said, is one of Nix’s pinpointed causes for philanthropic emphasis.

“Denver’s home for them,” Young said. “And (Bo’s) lived in a lot of places, he’s called a lot of places home, and they really feel at home in Denver.

“I sometimes say to him, ‘Hey, you headed back home to Alabama?’ And he’s like, ‘Well, home is Denver.’ ”

Jessen said Denver Rescue Mission will use the proceeds for basic necessities, counseling and job coaching for people staying in the organization’s shelters, and also potentially put money toward a pilot program supporting families who are at imminent risk of eviction. Nix’s team has not yet actually collected the money — actually over $100,000 in gross income before product costs and the Athlete Studio’s fee — and distributed it to the DRM. That’ll come after the Broncos’ run is done.

“There’s plenty of time here with another regular-season game, hopefully a long run through playoffs,” Jessen said. “Hopefully this ‘Overdog’ concept will continue to last.”

announced his death on Sunday. Burrow spent his entire career at the English rugby league club and helped them win eight Super League titles.

He retired in 2017 and two years later it was revealed Burrow had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as motor neurone disease (MND). He went on to raise millions of pounds (dollars) to help build a new care center for ALS patients alongside former teammate Kevin Sinfield.

“It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of our beloved son, husband, father, brother and friend,” Leeds said in a statement.

“Rob has always been a true inspiration throughout his life whether that was on the rugby league field or during his battle with MND … For those who knew Rob throughout his life, his determination and spirit in the face of MND over the last 4 1/2 years came as no surprise.

“Rob never accepted that he couldn’t do something. He just found his way of doing it better than anyone else.”

Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver’s teams.

A University of Colorado Boulder a new protein believed to play a role in causing ALS, giving researchers a new direction for potential treatments.

The research suggests that the protein, known as PEG10, changes cell behavior in ways that lead to ALS when it����ap present at high levels in nerve tissue.

The protein is ancient and virus-like, known for its role in aiding the development of the placenta and preventing cancer progression. However, when it����ap overly abundant in the wrong places, it may also cause disease.

“The fact that PEG10 is likely contributing to this disease means we may have a new target for treating ALS,” said Alexandra Whiteley, senior author of the study and assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry, in a news release. “For a terrible disease in which there are no effective therapeutics that lengthen lifespan more than a couple of months, that could be huge.”

More than 5,000 people are diagnosed annually with ALS, also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Lou Gehrig’s Disease. It is a neurological disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control movement.

Over time, the disease gradually inhibits people’s ability to speak, move, eat and breathe. Drugs exist to slow the progression of the disease, but there is no cure.

Whiteley’s research found that PEG10 is present in high levels in the spinal cord tissue of ALS patients, where it likely interferes with communication between the brain and nerve cells.

With funding from the ALS Association and the National Institutes of Health, CU Boulder researchers in Whiteley’s lab are continuing their work to find a way to inhibit the protein and find possible new treatments.

The research is still in its “early days,” Whiteley said in a statement, “But the hope is this could potentially lead to an entirely new class of potential therapeutics to get at the root cause of this disease.”

Get more Colorado news by signing up for our Mile High Roundup email newsletter.

The progressive disease “has made it impossible to sing and not easy to speak,” Flack’s manager Suzanne Koga said in a release. “But it will take a lot more than ALS to silence this icon.”

The announcement of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis diagnosis comes just ahead of the premiere of “Roberta,” a feature-length documentary debuting Thursday at the DOCNYC film festival.

Flack is known for hits like “Killing Me Softly With His Song” and “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” the latter of which catapulted her into stardom after Clint Eastwood used it as the soundtrack for a love scene in his 1971 movie “Play Misty for Me.”

The release says that the Grammy-winning singer and pianist, now 85, “plans to stay active in her musical and creative pursuits” through her eponymous foundation and other avenues.

The Antonino D’Ambrosio-directed documentary will be in competition at the festival and available via DOCNYC’s website for a week after, before airing on television Jan. 24 as part of PBS’ “American Masters” series.

Flack also plans to publish a children’s book co-written with Tonya Bolden, “The Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music,” that month. The North Carolina-born, Virginia-raised Flack is the daughter of pianists and classically trained herself — her talent won her a full ride to Howard University at just 15.

“I have long dreamed of telling my story to children about that first green piano that my father got for me from the junkyard in the hope that they would be inspired to reach for their dreams,” Flack was quoted in the release. “I want them to know that dreams can come true with persistence, encouragement from family and friends, and most of all belief in yourself.”

The documentary’s television debut and book’s publication kick off 2023, which also will see the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of her fourth album, “Killing Me Softly,” with a reissue. Her label for the first three decades of her career, Atlantic Records, is also celebrating its 75th anniversary.

Flack had a stroke in 2016 and spoke to The Associated Press a little over two years later about returning to performing. When asked if she’d sing one of her old hits at a then-upcoming event, she quickly retorted: “There’s no such thing as an old hit,” preferring the term “classic” instead.

“I could sing any number of songs that I’ve recorded through the years, easily, I could sing them, but I’m going to pick those songs that move me,” Flack said. “Now that����ap hard to do. To be moved, to be moved constantly by your own songs.”

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, In The Know, to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox.

The Food and Drug Administration advisers voted 7-2 that data from Amylyx Pharma warranted approval, despite ongoing concerns about the strength and reliability of the company’s lone study. The vote is not binding and the FDA will make its final decision by the end of the month.

Despite a negative review published by FDA’s internal scientists ahead of the meeting, a majority of the outside panelists said Amylyx had presented enough evidence to suggest the drug is probably helping patients live longer.

“To deprive ALS patients of a drug that might work, it����ap probably not something I would feel terribly comfortable with,” said Dr. Liana Apostolova of Indiana University’s School of Medicine, who voted for approval. “At the previous meeting it wasn’t that clear and it����ap still questionable.”

Amylyx also appeared to benefit from an unusual exchange in which a company executive — at the FDA’s request — committed to pull the drug from the market if its benefits aren’t confirmed by a large, ongoing study.

“I’m somewhat assured that if an approval is issued it can be withdrawn in the future,” Apostolova noted.

Wednesday’s vote concluded a rare second meeting to review several new statistical analyses submitted by Amylyx in support of the treatment����ap benefit in slowing disease and extending life. The same group of neurology experts narrowly voted against the drug in March, due to concerns about missing data and implementation errors in the company’s study.

The FDA has approved only two therapies for the disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, which destroys nerve cells needed for basic functions like walking, talking and swallowing.

ALS patients and their families have rallied behind Amylyx’s drug, launching an aggressive lobbying campaign and enlisting members of Congress to push the FDA to grant approval.

The ALS drug review is being closely watched as an indicator of FDA’s flexibility in reviewing experimental medications for the terminally ill and its ability to withstand outside pressure.

Dr. Billy Dunn, FDA’s neurology review chief, opened the meeting by detailing the “concerns and limitations” with Amylyx’s data, while emphasizing the need for new treatment options.

“We are highly sensitive to the urgent need for the development of new treatments for ALS,” Dunn said.

Dunn also noted that a larger Amylyx study being conducted in the U.S. and Europe could provide “more definitive results” by 2024.

In a highly unusual move, Dunn suggested the agency might be more willing to approve the drug if Amylyx would commit to withdrawing its medication if the ongoing 600-patient trial fails to show a benefit. He then called on the company’s co-founders to publicly commit to that step, and Amylyx co-CEO Justin Klee said the company would voluntarily withdraw its drug in that scenario.

The FDA has the power to force companies to pull drugs from the market, though it����ap generally faster if drugmakers voluntarily take that step. In cases where companies resist removal the regulatory process can drag on for years.

“I think the FDA — with all due respect — significantly understates the complexity and likelihood of their pulling the product from the market,” said Dr. Caleb Alexander of Johns Hopkins University, one of the two panelists who voted against the drug.

Amylyx conducted one small, mid-stage trial of its drug that showed some benefit in slowing the disease, but it was plagued by missing data and other problems, according to FDA reviewers.

“The final result — for a single study — is borderline and not very statistically persuasive,” FDA statistician Tristan Massie told panelists.

The Cambridge, Massachusetts, company says follow-up data gathered after the study concluded showed the drug extended life. Patients who continued taking the drug survived about 10 months longer than patients who never took the drug, according to a new company analysis.

Panelists favoring the drug cited that data, along with the drug’s mild side effects, to suggest there would be little downside for patients even if it doesn’t ultimately slow ALS.

“The drug is not harmful — it seems like it has a benefit — there’s no safety signal here,” said Dean Follmann, a biostatistician with the National Institutes of Health.

Earlier Wednesday, more than 20 ALS researchers, patients and family members told the advisers they supported approval. The agency has also received more than 1,200 written comments, largely from ALS patient advocates.

“I’m asking you to approve it because I know it works. It����ap extending my life and I want that for others,” said Greg Canter, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2018 and participated in Amylyx’s study. He credits the drug with improving his lung capacity and slowing his functional decline.

Amylyx’s medication comes as a powder that combines two older drugs: one prescription medication for liver disorders and a dietary supplement used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Hanging over the review is FDA’s controversial approval of the Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm last year, which was reviewed by the same agency scientists and outside advisers.

In that case, the FDA disregarded the overwhelmingly negative vote by its outside advisers, three of whom resigned over the decision. The agency’s approval — which followed irregular meetings with drugmaker Biogen — is under investigation by Congress and federal inspectors.

“3, 2, 1, go,” the 11-year-old says as he removes the tube. His mom slips a padded neck brace on her husband and lifts him into a sitting position on their bed.

Ronan’s 9-year-old brother, Keaton, waits nearby, ready to connect their dad, Rupesh Kotiya, to a portable ventilator.

“Ronan, do you want to suction daddy’s mouth and then get ready to go?” Siobhan Pandya asks after her son steers dad’s power wheelchair into the living room of the family’s Plano, Texas, home.

“Thanks buddy, good job,” a robotic voice crackles from a tablet Kotiya uses to speak.

So begins another weekend for the brothers — two Harry Potter fans with mouths full of braces, a knack for building with Legos and some heavy caregiving responsibilities.

Their 46-year-old father has Lou Gehrig’s disease, a fatal illness that has taken his ability to speak and walk. A ventilator helps him breathe. He uses eye-tracking software on the tablet to say things, blinks to indicate yes or moves his mouth side to side for no.

As many as 10 million children in the U.S. may provide some form of care at home, according to researcher Melinda Kavanaugh. Some kids are the only caregivers patients have, while others fill in when visiting nurses or other help is not available.

These children help cancer patients, military veterans, grandparents with heart disease or autistic siblings. They’re often too young to drive, and their work frequently goes unnoticed outside the home.

“They exist in the shadows,” said Kavanaugh, an associate professor of social work at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Kavanaugh and other researchers say the number of young caregivers is growing, and they need support. Caregiving is a task that children like Ronan and Keaton take seriously and something that their mom hopes will shape them into empathetic, strong young men.

But getting there first involves a daily struggle to balance being a kid with living in a very grown-up world.

Ronan grabs a handful of toy cars and kneels on a clinic floor at Texas Neurology in Dallas.

His opponent, a freckle-faced boy named Charlie, waits a few feet away, ready to smash cars together. First to tip over loses.

“Y’all are savages,” says Evie, a skinny 9-year-old prone to spontaneous dance.

The children have gathered in the clinic on a sunny Saturday afternoon to learn more about caring for people with Lou Gehrig’s disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. These seven children — ages 8 to 12 — help care for a parent or grandparent with ALS, an illness that destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control muscle movement.

Kavanaugh lined up several specialists to teach as part of a program called YCare that she has taken to several cities. A dietitian showed the kids how to make food the right consistency so patients don’t choke. A respiratory therapist explained the important parts of a device that helps people cough to clear mucus.

In one training session, speech therapist Heather Gallas discusses eye tracking technology that allows patients to spell out words and communicate with a tablet.

She holds up a laminated letter board and asks the kids to try. Evie silently points to every letter in her name.

Then Keaton takes a turn.

S-U-C-T-I-O-N.

Gallas pauses, “Is that something your dad needs a lot?”

Keaton nods.

Aside from providing training, one of Kavanaugh’s main goals was to simply let the young caregivers meet. Loneliness is a problem, one that grew worse during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“A 10-year-old at school is not going to talk about toileting or bathing their parent, but they are going to talk about it here,” Kavanaugh said.

In the afternoon, the kids trade email addresses and phone numbers, and The ALS Association’s Texas chapter starts making plans for a pizza party reunion this summer.

Doctors diagnosed Rupesh Kotiya with ALS in October 2014, a month before his boys turned 4 and 2. Ronan and Keaton have no memories of him without the illness.

They started pitching in with care a few years ago, first by wiping away their dad’s tears or propping up his head during car rides.

Then they started helping Pandya move their father in and out of bed or onto the toilet. They pull down his shorts and underwear while she lifts him to the seat.

They also put on his socks and shoes, help change his shorts, crush medicines or mix mouthwash with water.

Pandya, a senior director with the skin care and cosmetics company Mary Kay, has daytime and evening caregivers for her husband during the week. But she has no paid assistance overnight or on the weekends, so the boys have had to step up.

“To be honest, they’re doing tasks some adults don’t want to do,” Pandya said.

Pandya tries to balance the boys’ caregiving with activities that offer some normalcy. Keaton takes tennis lessons and coding classes. Ronan plays striker on a youth soccer team.

Soccer balls, frisbees and basketballs lay scattered around the Kotiyas’ small suburban backyard.

Both boys play piano, and Keaton paints prolifically. Stacks of his work fill shelves in their upstairs playroom.

Ronan, who wrote a short book about his dad, sees his father’s fight against ALS as a superhero battle. He and his brother are among the many weapons used.

Keaton shows his frustration sometimes, especially with the amount of care his dad needs.

“He’s been having a few accidents these last few days,” Keaton said. “One time he went three times that day, and I was really looking forward to doing something that day, but I couldn’t do it because … yeah.”

In the end, Pandya sees the boys’ caregiving as a positive. She hopes Ronan and Keaton eventually look back and recognize how much they gained by helping someone they love.

“If you’re caring for somebody that … has a clock ticking, then you don’t want to take that time away,” she said. “Being able to wipe their tears or wipe their mouth or hold their hand, those are some of the memories that they’re going to cherish.”

The boys know their dad is getting worse.

Keaton says it is getting harder for his dad to blink. He remembers one recent night when Rupesh slept for over 12 hours and then took a long nap the next afternoon.

“I’m like, should I be worried?” he said.

Frustration, devotion and heartbreak all swirl around in their still-developing brains.

Therapist Sarah Sutton recently had the boys draw up bucket lists of things they want to do with their dad.

Keaton shares a love of food with Rupesh, so he asked for a trip to Italy. The family found a more practical alternative: a drive to an Italian food market and restaurants in nearby Dallas.

Sutton has seen the boys regularly for a few years. She’s been trying to get them to recognize and understand all the emotions hitting them so they don’t keep everything bottled up.

When they visit, she also tries to give them a fun activity they can control. Play — kids being kids — is crucial for development.

“We play out conflict. We play out resolution. We play out the stories that are going on inside us,” Sutton says.

During a recent visit, Sutton breaks out the board game Candy Land. She tells the boys that each colored card in the game will represent an emotion, and they get to decide which ones.

Then they draw cards with the idea of discussing whatever feeling comes up.

Sutton also tries to nudge the boys into talking about their dad. They deflect, focusing instead on a painting on her wall. Then the singer Rick Astley comes up.

Keaton pretends to be a therapist. “Do you have a girlfriend?” he asks.

“No, you’re an awful therapist,” Ronan replies.

Ronan only allows at one point that his dad is “doing good.”

Sutton draws double green in their game. That represents disgust or unfairness.

“I think it����ap unfair that terrible things happen to people,” she says.

The boys avoid the bait. They eat Hershey’s Kisses. They trade scribbles on an Etch A Sketch. Someone farts. The session devolves into fits of giggles.

“Have you guys been laughing like this all day?” Sutton says. “Laughter without any anger or fighting is so wonderful.”

When the session ends, Sutton’s floor is strewn with candy wrappers.

The boys head for their mom’s waiting van so they can return home and set up a living room campout.

Pandya started letting Ronan and Keaton roll out sleeping bags on their living room rug each weekend during the pandemic. It began as a treat when they couldn’t go anywhere else.

Rupesh started using a ventilator just before the pandemic hit. The boys stayed home from school for 17 months as Pandya tried to keep everyone from catching the virus.

She also has an ulterior motive in allowing the campouts: Having the boys sleep next to their parents’ bedroom instead of upstairs in their shared room makes it easier to summon their help.

The boys may have to get trash bags and gloves if their dad has an accident during the night.

Before they set up camp, the boys change into pajamas, and the family settles in the living room to watch the kids’ show “Legends of the Hidden Temple.”

Ronan and Keaton curl up on a couch and loveseat while Pandya changes her husband’s shirt and pours medicine into his feeding tube. The ventilator hums.

The show ends, and Keaton takes his turn to steer dad back to the bedroom, where Pandya lifts him onto the mattress.

Keaton uses a long wand to suction saliva pooling in his dad’s mouth.

Ronan then holds his father on his side as Pandya straightens her husband’s shirt and shorts.

After that, the boy pats his dad softly on his back and lays him flat.

Pandya finishes getting her husband ready for bed while Ronan and Keaton scamper back to the living room.

There, they sprawl on top of sleeping bags, munching chips and candy as they squeeze in a little more TV before crawling inside to sleep.

AP video journalist Shelby Lum contributed to this report.

Hilliard, 21, had recently been selected by the Rockies in the 15th round of the annual amateur draft out of Wichita State. Rodgers, a baby-faced 18-year-old, was the club’s first-round draft selection, the third overall pick and the recipient of a $5.5 million signing bonus.

The two rookies were just getting to know each other. Rodgers, fresh out of Florida’s Lake Mary High School, didn’t even know how to do his own laundry.

“So, the waiter comes over and asks the boys what they want to drink,” recalled Shannon Sneddon. “Sam says, ‘I’ll have a beer.’ Then he points at Brendan and says, ‘And he’ll have a chocolate milk.’ ”

And so began the give-and-take, close-as-brothers friendship between Hilliard and Rodgers. Their lockers sit side-by-side in the clubhouse at Coors Field, allowing them plenty of time to talk, goof, needle and commiserate.

Sneddon, along with her husband, Mike, hosted Rockies newbie professional players for nine years in their rural home that sits on 10 acres of land in Fruita. They’ve had a lot of players live under their roof during the Grand Junction Rockies’ summer seasons, but the friendship that blossomed between Hilliard and Rodgers immediately struck Shannon as something special.

“You have to remember that they were still just kids, or young men, still finding out who they were,” Shannon said. “Sam had been to college, but really, that was Brendan’s first time living away from home. Sam was older and had seen more of the world, but you could just see them bond so fast.”

Rodgers and Hilliard, who used to ride ATVs around the Sneddon’s property in Fruita and marvel at the bright stars visible in Colorado’s western skies, were roommates every step up the minor-league ladder, from low-A Asheville to Double-A Hartford to Triple-A Albuquerque.

They have been there for each other through slumps, triumphs, injuries, great expectations, and self-doubts.

And Rodgers was there, day or night, when Hilliard’s father, Jim, battled amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) before succumbing to the disease late last summer.

“Sam didn’t talk about his dad a lot,” Rodgers said. “Those were such tough times for him and he always knew that I was there for him. To talk or to just listen. Or know when not to say anything.

“It hurt me to see what he was going through, and I was so proud of how he handled it.”

Added Hilliard, “I always knew that Brendan has had my back, whether it was with baseball or my dad or whatever. He really is like a brother to me.”

Rodgers made his big-league debut on May 17, 2019 and played in 25 games before the pain in his right shoulder would not allow him to play anymore. That July, he underwent labrum repair surgery. For more than a month he couldn’t lift his arm above his head.

“It was a crazy surgery,” he recalled. “I was in a bad place but Sam texted me all of the time. Like twice a week. When you’re out with an injury like that it’s really hard, but Sam made me feel like I was still part of the team.”

Both players have endured confidence-sucking slumps in their major league careers. Over the 2020-21 seasons, Hilliard struck out in 36% of his plate appearances, a high K-rate that he knew he had to fix in order to stay in the big leagues. This April, Rodgers hit .078 (4-for-51) with no home runs and one RBI before he finally started banging out hits.

“We talked to each other about baseball and how were doing,” Hilliard said. “But we don’t spend all of our time trying to fix our swings or whatever. A lot of times we talk about things to get us away from baseball. You need that.

“We are a lot alike in that way. We’re kind of laid back and quiet. I think that’s one of the reasons we became friends.”

Rodgers and Hilliard have established a tradition where they go duck hunting in Texas every fall.

“I bet that’s something we are going to keep going for a long time,” Hilliard said.

Except that they might have to take a break this autumn. Hilliard and his wife, Katalin, are expecting their first child about the same time as the annual duck hunt is scheduled.

“I hope we can still go, we’ll see,” Rodgers said. “But Sam’s got something important coming up.”

Rodgers, of course, won’t be related to Hilliard’s new son or daughter by blood, but there’s a good chance he’ll soon be called Uncle Brendan.

Center field.

In the best-case scenario, Sam Hilliard, owner of a sweet, left-handed swing, wins the job, deftly patrols the vast expanses of Coors Field and plants homers into the right-field seats.

“Sam has speed and he has power. Those are the two sexiest tools for a player to have,” veteran right fielder Charlie Blackmon said. “And Sam’s got the most power on the team.”

Hilliard displayed that power Wednesday afternoon in the fourth inning of the Rockies’ Cactus League game against the Royals, crushing a two-run, opposite-field homer to left.

The candidates to play center are Garrett Hampson, Raimel Tapia, Yonathan Daza and Hilliard. Manager Bud Black said the club could mix and match there, depending on who’s hot or what the pitching matchup is for a particular game.

But Hilliard, 28, believes he can win the job outright, and run with it.

“Absolutely, I do feel that way,” he said, adding that if he gets adequate playing time, he’ll thrive.

“That’s 100% true,” he said. “The way I look at it, it����ap (my job) to lose. If I can do what I know I can do for this team, then I think that’s where I’ll be.”

Hilliard is gifted with a 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame and above-average speed. But he also has a long swing that he’s had to fiddle with in order to cut down on his high strikeout totals. Over his last two major league seasons, he’s struck out in 36% of his plate appearances, which is much higher than the 24% MLB average.

“The challenge for Sam is to cut the strikeouts down and put the ball in play,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Because if he does that, he’s going to get hits. He’s a very intriguing talent, with the speed, the power, and defense. But the inconsistency of the offense has been the challenge for him.”

That’s why, after opening last season on the big-league roster, Hilliard was demoted to Triple-A Albuquerque, where he played in 53 games and hit 14 home runs. In 238 plate appearances with the Rockies in 2021, he hit 14 homers but whiffed 87 times. Hilliard’s career numbers at the big-league level are .225/.301/.492.

In order to jumpstart his career — he made his big-league debut back in 2019 — Hilliard agreed to play in the Dominican Republic over the winter. He got 50-plus at-bats in game situations, but he also caught a nasty stomach illness that put him in bed over Christmas and caused him to lose 20 pounds.

“It wasn’t glamorous in the Dominican, but it was good baseball, and that’s why I went down there,” he said.

Hilliard is acutely aware of what he needs to do in order to be the Rockies’ main man in center.

“Cutting down (on strikeouts) is something I always work on,” he said. “A lot of it’s mental for me. The more I worry about it and think about it, the harder it is for me, and harder it is to overcome. So I’m just going to go out there and play my game and not worry about it too much.”

Hilliard arrived at spring training with a mighty weight lifted from his shoulders. His father, Jim, lost his long, brave battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) last September.

“No doubt that was extremely hard to deal with,” Hilliard said. “The worst part was that I wanted to be home and he wanted me to keep playing. That was hard to deal with every day, but I would never blame my numbers on that.

“But things certainly feel a lot better now for me and my family. The fact that my dad is no longer suffering is a blessing. We are a Christian family and a faith-based family and believe in heaven. That’s where we believe he is. That gives us a lot of peace and comfort.”

Pose a Rockies — or MLB — related question for the Rockies Mailbag.

I’m so confused by this team. We trade away Nolan Arenado and a load of money for some prospects. We let Trevor Story go for nothing. Then we sign Kris Bryant for a boatload of money. And then the Rockies re-sign Ryan McMahon — who flashes brilliance at times but goes long periods where he struggles — for more money than I think he’s worth. Explain this logic, please. We’re not a contender for a playoff spot let alone the division. Why not try a Generation R 2.0?

— Ron, Parker

Ron, let me attempt to answer your questions and address your opinions, point by point.

1. Keep in mind that Nolan Arenado did not want to be in Colorado, for reasons that have been rehashed many times. The same is true of Story, and in retrospect, the Rockies should have traded him last July.

2. As for the seven-year, $182 million deal the Rockies gave Bryant, it didn’t shock me. I had predicted six years at $175 million. But I understand why fans and the media were surprised. That’s a lot of money for a 30-year-old player.

The Rockies signed him, I believe, for a few reasons. One, owner Dick Monfort wants a star to draw fans to Coors Field. Two, the Rockies have coveted Bryant for a long time. Three, he’s the kind of player they want to build around. Still, the move carries risk.

3. I disagree with you. I think signing McMahon for six years, $70 million was a solid, proactive move. He has a chance to be a star player — if he can boost his offensive production to about a .265-.270 batting average and avoid prolonged slumps. I think he’s capable of hitting 30-35 homers. He’s already an excellent fielder.

4. Generation-R 2.0 simply doesn’t play well in this day and age. When the Rockies were in the midst of Gen-R in 2005, they averaged 23,930 fans per game at Coors Field, the worst attendance in franchise history. They improved only slightly, to 25,980, in 2006. I don’t believe the Rockies want to go through that again.

5. Right or wrong, the Rockies believe they are close to contending. Perhaps as soon as this season. I don’t agree. I’m thinking they are at least a season away. But their belief is why they are spending big money.

Where does the Kris Bryant signing fit in with the timing of Scott Van Lenten’s firing? While Kris is a good player, I can only assume the analytical models were screaming “OVERPAY!” at the magnitude of money on this deal. Considering other reports that Dick Monfort had coveted Bryant for a long time, it’s not hard to connect the dots and think that the owner ignored the advice of the analytics department in order to meddle and make the deal happen. Van Lenten objects and Monfort fires someone who would dare question Monfort’s power as a meddling owner. Meanwhile, the Rockies win nothing of consequence for the life of the contract, but hey, Coors is a nice place to watch a game and, oh look, it’s former World Series champion Kris Bryant and did you hear we have a party deck? Does my line of thinking hold merit?

— Kevin, Denver

Kevin, your theory has about as much merit as those who believe that the moon landing was a hoax. I can understand the argument that the Rockies overpaid for Bryant, but there is no connection to the firing of Van Lenten as the Rockies head of research and development. But I’m sure there are those who will buy into your theory.

Patrick, hello again. A few questions and an observation. Seems to me the player hurt the most by the training/instruction interruptions due to COVID was Sam Hilliard. Appeared to be poised for a breakout 2020 after his solid September of 2019. But 2020 and 2021 were disasters for him. Can Hilliard regain control of the strike zone and be the player the Rockies need him to be or will he end up making the all-star team for another organization?

Also, please explain to me why Raimel Tapia holds such fascination with the fans and the Rockies? I don’t get it. Brief flashes of talent followed by weeks of nothing. Is it time to move on from the Tapia Experience? Thanks.

— Jim Noland, Westminster

Jim, let’s start with Hilliard. We all know that he has enormous potential. He’s big, strong and fast. If he could fulfill his promise, the Rockies would have the center fielder they need. Right now, however, he has a lot to prove as a big-leaguer. He absolutely must cut down on his high strikeout rate (36.6% last season) and put the ball in play more.

Hilliard has been through a lot, including the death of his father last year after a long battle with ALS. The pandemic hurt his development, but no more than other players. To his credit, Hilliard made the commitment to play winter ball in the Dominican Republic this winter. I’m rooting for Hilliard, but until he cleans up the empty at-bats, he’s not going to be an all-star.

In regard to Tapia, manager Bud Black said he’s in the mix to play in center field. The Rockies’ signing of Kris Bryant and Colorado’s decision to play Bryant in left field bumped Tapia from his starting spot.

I understand why a lot of fans like Tapia. He plays hard and plays with a flair. But you’re right, he is inconsistent. Black and the front office are aware of that, which is why I would not be shocked to see him traded. Tapia might be a better fit for another team. He’s got talent.

As a Rockies fan, I’ve only witnessed them trade away stars instead of acquiring them, which made me EXCITED to see them sign Kris Bryant. Did they mishandle Arenado and Story? Yes. Was letting Jon Gray go for nothing frustrating? Very. But since they cannot go back in time and fix their past mistakes, I’d rather see them move forward in a competitive fashion. I was disappointed by how many national sportswriters and local fans have lambasted the team for Bryant’s signing (many of whom would also mock the Rockies for doing nothing or doing a Reds/A’s like teardown to the studs). What do the Rockies have to do to regain national and local respect so that every move they make is not lampooned?

— Isaac Bowen, Wellington

Colorado’s front office was harshly criticized over the last few years, and for good reasons. The team lacked direction and identity. Big mistakes were made. Until the team starts winning again, the critics aren’t going away. That’s a natural part of sports. I understand why fans were turned off, but if the Rockies turn things around, the fans will forgive and forget.

Hey Patrick, are there any prospects who could be a pleasant surprise for us this year? I’m especially curious about Ezequiel Tovar — he’s shown some pop and speed in the minors and seems nifty with the glove from what I can tell.

— Mark, Arvada

Mark, I watched a number of top prospects play in Monday’s game in Peoria against the Padres. Tovar is the real deal and he’s bigger than I thought. He lined a two-run, line-drive home run that left the ballpark in a hurry. If any of the young prospects are on the fast track to the majors I think it’s Tovar. But we won’t see him this year.

I was also impressed by catcher Drew Romo. He moves well behind the plate and has a strong arm. He’s also a switch hitter, which is a bonus. But he’s a couple of years away, too.

Last year, at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, Ryan made food deliveries to homes across the Denver region as president and CEO of Project Angel Heart. The local nonprofit provides nutritious meals to individuals suffering from severe illnesses — such as cancer, HIV/AIDS and kidney/heart/lung disease — with especially compromised immune systems if exposed to COVID-19.

“If you ever want a shot of joy to your heart, deliver a meal to someone who hasn’t had people reaching out to them or the support they needed,” Ryan said. “In the early phase of the pandemic, every time I did a delivery, someone came to the door with tears in their eyes. There was a woman who said: ‘I just thought everybody would forget me. I didn’t know how I was going to figure this out.’ ”

Project Angel Heart delivered more than 550,000 meals to over 4,000 people this year. It doesn’t happen without the help of 40 staff members and about 6,000 annual volunteers. The nonprofit, founded in 1991, receives support through The Denver Post Community Foundation’s Season to Share program.

“We’ve seen growth unlike what we had experienced ever before,” Ryan said. “Within the first three months of the pandemic, we were serving about 50% more meals than we have previously. It made us really confront the essential nature of what we do.”

Project Angel Heart has clients across the Front Range with service in metro Denver, parts of Boulder and Weld counties, and the Colorado Springs area. Client appreciation is palpable through identity-protected testimonials.

“I wanted to let you all know how much I appreciate the meals,” said Sharon, the wife of a Project Angel Heart client. “My husband has ALS and now there is always something in the freezer for him to eat. The food is really good, my husband enjoys it, and can chew and swallow it with no problem. If I had a million dollars, I would give it to you. You have taken about 75% of the stress off my back and now I have more time to take care of myself.”

It all begins in the nonprofit����ap Denver kitchen, 4950 Washington St., where executive chef Brett Newman oversees the creation of 1,500-plus meals every day. Recipes start from scratch with locally sourced ingredients in a kitchen that spans roughly 10,000 square feet. A team of several professional chefs and local volunteers work tirelessly to keep Colorado’s most vulnerable residents well-fed.

“This is not easy work that we’re doing,” Newman said. “We’re lifting 50-pound containers all day, every day. We’re cutting up 500 to 600 pounds of carrots and 1,000 pounds of onions per week. Without this volunteer structure and following that we have, it would not be possible. … I don’t necessarily need someone who is the most skilled. I want someone who is here specifically for the mission.”

Project Angel Heart is accepting donations and volunteers for help in its kitchen, in addition to packaging and delivering meals throughout the Front Range. The nonprofit also needs help decorating meal bags given to clients that are available for pickup at its Denver kitchen. Visit projectangelheart.org for details on how to get involved or make a donation.

The nonprofit aims to expand its coverage area from Fort Collins to Pueblo by 2025.

“The generosity of the Colorado community to make this happen is unbelievable,” Ryan said.

Name of organization: Project Angel Heart
Address: 4950 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216
In operation since:��1991
Number of employees:��40
Annual budget: $5.4 million