Well, There’s Always Next Year
Trevor Phipps
Now that summer is just around the corner, I find myself upset and little depressed with the climate of sports in the state.
My biggest issue currently is the fact that days will soon be warm, and the sun will be out, but there won’t be anywhere in Southern Colorado to enjoy a baseball game.
My summer days of enjoying a beer and a hot dog while enjoying a Rocky Mountain Vibes game are officially over. Ever since the team folded at the end of last season, I wondered what my summer days and evenings would look like.
No baseball in Colorado Springs means that I guess I will have to spend more time out fishing. Besides, I always preferred watching baseball in the Springs as opposed to dealing with Denver traffic. Let’s be honest who really wants to deal with the hustle and bustle of downtown Denver just to watch the Colorado Rockies lose?
As I was sulking about losing Colorado Springs’ only baseball team I began to think about the situation of professional sports in the state in general. The bottom line is pro athletes in Colorado just can’t seem to catch a break.
Last January things were looking really bright. At one point, many local sports commentators saw a chance at the state winning three championships. The Denver Broncos, Colorado Avalanche and the Denver Nuggets were considered the best teams in their respective leagues.
But then the Colorado slump happened. The Broncos just missed the Super Bowl. The Nuggets dropped in the first round of playoffs. And now, the Avs, regarded as the Stanley Cup favorites, get swept in the Western Conference Finals
The following is a glimpse of how each Colorado team came close but didn’t get their cigar.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos were the talk of the state last season as they won11 games in a row. They earned the number on seed in the AFC and fans thought they would finally be returning to the Big Game.
But then as they earned their right to play in the AFC Championships, star quarterback Bo Nix suffered a season-ending injury. Most NFL experts have even agreed that the Broncos would have gone to the Super Bowl without that expensive ankle injury.
But next year will hopefully be different. The Broncos have loaded up during the off-season, and they seem ready for another successful season. If Bo Nix can stay healthy, the Broncos could make their big Super Bowl return.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets this year were leading the league at one point. However, the team did suffer some key injuries and fell a bit in the ranks.
The Nuggets did though rebound at the end of the regular season and made it to the playoffs which meant they had a chance to give Denver another championship. But they entered the playoffs just to catch the Colorado choke fever and get eliminated by Minnesota in the first round. They looked awful, and just flat.
The Nuggets’ season could have been stellar, especially if they had advanced in the playoffs. But instead, fans got a bitter taste in their mouth with their first-round elimination. It seemed to me that the star Nikola Jokic, the “Joker,” stayed solid, but I think the team relies on him a bit too much. And if he has occasional bad games, like he did in the playoff series with Minnesota, the team appears doomed.
Next year there could be a different story. The team needs to work hard in the offseason to load a better all-around team and take some of the stress off of the “Joker.”
Colorado Avalanche
Out of all the Colorado pro sports teams, the Avs probably had the most disappointing ending. The Avalanche looked good all season and easily earned the best record in the NHL.
They went into the playoffs as the number one seed and kept their momentum. They easily defeated their opponents in the first two rounds, and many thought they were bound for some Stanley Cup action.
But then came the Western Conference Finals. The Avs were favored over the Golden Knights, but fans were worried after seeing the speed and intensity of the Knights during Game One.
The Avs played hard, but postseason injuries of two key players didn’t help. In the end, the unthinkable happened and the Avs ended their 2026 season by getting swept 4-0.
As far as next year goes, the Avs always seem to be in contention for the Stanley Cup. But they just need to come up with a better plan to take on fast skating teams that have top-notch goalies like the Golden Knights. Preliminary media speculation indicates that head coach Jared Bednar may consider packing his bags before he gets canned.
Colorado Rockies
Well, at least the Rockies never really get anyone’s hopes up. One consistent factor in Colorado professional sports is that the Rockies are always going to suck and spend most of the season in the league’s bottom of the barrel.
There was some optimism coming into this season after the team hired new management. Also, the owners of the Denver Broncos may assume a future role in the Rockies’ operation. The team won some key matches at first, but then they started acting like the normal Rockies by losing multiple games.
Now they are right around the bottom of the barrel in the MLB once again. And personally, I don’t expect them to improve anytime soon.
