Denver Sports Radio Wars

13 - That is the number of cities in the United States that have a sports franchises in all 4 major sports leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL).  Of course, that is including small technicalities like Arlington being close to Dallas, San Jose being included in the "Bay Area", etc.

Denver is one of those cities, and has been since 1995 when the Colorado Avalanche came over from Quebec, formerly known as the Nordiques.

So if you are a Denver Sports fan, consider yourself lucky, we have it pretty damn good.

Without a doubt, the Sports Franchise that claims the Iron Throne for Denver is the Broncos, there is no doubt about that.  The Broncos have the most Championships with 3 and the most recent occurrence of ultimate success with the unforgettable 2015 season which culminated in Peyton Manning, Von Miller, and company winning Super Bowl 50 in February 2016.  The Avalanche have 2 Stanley Cup victories, but the last one came 18 years ago, in 2001.  The Rockies made their only World Series appearance in 2007, and the Nuggets have never made an NBA Finals, #NugsLife.

So it is no wonder, when it comes to a formula of success, 104.3 The Fan has shown, a focus on Broncos Talk will win the Ratings Battle.  Pair that with the fact that 104.3 The Fan has been on the airwaves since the early 1990's and you can see why they have developed such a loyal fan base.

But, are the tides turning?

Coincidentally, shortly after the Broncos won their Super Bowl in February 2016, a new Sports Radio Station launched in April 2016, Altitude 950 AM, now also available on 92.5 FM.

It may be easy to focus on Broncos focus segments when you have Tim Tebow, Peyton Manning, and that team is going to the playoffs every year, all while the Avalanche, Nuggets, and Rockies are for the most part irrelevant in playoff discussions.

But, what happens when the Broncos suddenly find themselves in the cellar?  The Broncos now have the longest playoff drought out of all 4 major sports teams, not to mention the Rockies, Avalanche, and Nuggets have all advanced a round in the playoffs within the calendar year:

Rockies - 2018
Nuggets - 2019
Avalanche - 2019
Broncos -2016

Does the same Broncos-talk formula continue to work?

Here are the Nielsen Audio Ratings, year-over-year;

March 2018:

3.7 The Fan
0.3 Altitude
0.2 Orange & Blue
0.1 Mile High

March 2019:

2.9 The Fan
0.4 Altitude
0.1 Orange & Blue
0.1 Mile High

As you can see, The Fan still dominates.

So while 104.3 The Fan builds their shows around a former NFL Player being on every single one of their 4 weekday shows, Altitude 92.5 only has 1 former NFL Player in Ryan Harris.  Altitude focuses on all 4 major sports teams, including the Broncos, when they are relevant to talk about.

I will not accuse 104.3 The Fan of not talking about the other sports teams besides the Broncos, because they do.  In fact, my guess is The Fan is going to make a push to try and get better content for the other 3 major sports teams, inviting guest speakers to join their shows to talk these sports.  The problem is, the shows just aren't very good at it, with the exception being Zach Bye.  In fact, Zach Bye and former Nuggets player Earl Boykins do a tremendous job talking Nuggets basketball on their Podcast only 'Mile High Hoops Podcast', which I highly recommend checking out.  But it is only 30 minutes and isn't broadcast on the 104.3 airwaves.  The best Avalanche commentary you might get is from Sandy Clough, but he is hidden away in the late hours.  There is an underlining issue when you stray away from football, when your shows personalities were put in their position, because of their knowledge of football.  You have former NFL players trying to breakdown the NBA or NHL, it can be a tough listen, especially is you feel you know more about what is going on than the individual trying to convey their opinion.  The quality of the content, knowledge, and discussion is poor when The Fan shows start to wander away from what they are good at, and that is talking about the Broncos.  Cecil Lammey is a football encyclopedia.  Nobody does a better job at covering The NFL Draft or NFL breaking news than The Fan, but is it enough?  Especially with the Broncos being down, and seemingly the least likely franchise to make a playoff run.

The Fan took a tough blow when Alfred Williams left the station in late February.  Even if The Drive was primarily a football show, Al's opinions on any topic, not even sports related was something to tune in for.  I was a die hard fan of that show.  I listened to The Drive every show, every segment for the past 10 years, some live, but mostly through Podcast.  DMac and Big Al had a chemistry that was one-of-a-kind, and while Tom Nalen is a good hire, it will never be as good as the pairing with Big Al.  Not to mention The Fan fired The Drive Producer, Brian aka "Big Sexy" on his Birthday this past March, not a good look.

But that allowed me to re-think my listening habits, was there something better available?

It is the NFL off-season.  The Nuggets are in a playoff run.  The Avalanche are in a playoff run.  The Rockies are coming off a year in which they advanced past the Cubs and got to play in a playoff series.

I didn't want Broncos talk about Joe Flacco.  I didn't want to hear about Broncos free-agency.  I didn't want to hear mock drafts after mock drafts about who the Broncos would take at number 10.  So 760 Orange and Blue was out of the question.  I respect the guys who do shows at that station, because I imagine even they get tired of talking about the same league every single day, but there is a market for that, which is why they do it.  Perhaps if Big Al, who is going to KOA in late August, does a show on KOA's affiliate, 760 Orange and Blue, then it might be worth checking out full-time.

But, I wanted Avalanche and Nuggets sports talk, and shows that made me laugh.  I craved that.

I have options.  104.7 Mile High Sports and 92.5 Altitude Sports Radio were the ones I tried out.  What I found was both 104.7 and 92.5 had quality shows.  The Afternoon Drive with Goodman and Shapiro was surprisingly good.  Plenty of high quality, well known guest to talk Nuggets and Avalanche, with a sprinkle of Rockies and Broncos.  I always knew Nate Kreckman's show was high quality as well, but never listened to it that much because I was so locked into The Drive with Big Al and Dmac.  But Nate Kreckman was talking Nuggets, and he was talking Avalanche, I had to tune in.  Had to get my fix.

104.3 The Fan as a promo running right now bashing Altitude 92.5, saying listeners can tune into Sandy Clough's show to hear unbiased comments about the Avalanche, Nuggets, and Rockies, because he is not on Monfort's or Kronke's payroll.

Give me a break.  What a joke.

What is disappointing, is this doesn't surprise me at all.  I have heard DMac, who I think is underrated and I respect very much, say numerous times on air that he is proud he works for a station that isn't directly linked to a team, insinuating that these other stations won't provide honest opinions or critiques on the teams they cover because they are "on the teams payroll".  I have heard, on numerous times, Vic Lombardi, Marc Moser, Nate Kreckman, Ryan Harris, speak critically of the Nuggets and Avalanche.  The Fan needs to be better than that.

While I respect all the radio personalities at The Fan, I see the station as a whole growing in arrogance, always gloating about their ratings. Their new program director put it in an e-mail to his staff in reference to March ratings, "Maybe there isn't any season for talking Nuggets" after dominating the airwaves again talking about Joe Flacco instead of a Nuggets and Avalanche playoff run.  Even the calling in or texting experience is better on Altitude.  I was a caller multiple times on The Drive with Big Al & DMac, and it was usually a 30-45 minute wait.  I even called in at 3:45, was on hold for over 2 hours, and never got on the air!

What are we doing here?!

On hold for 2+ hours, loyal listener, and I can't even get 15 seconds?

Meanwhile, I have heard Vic Lombardi apologize to callers who had to wait over 15 minutes.  Also, Altitude consistently goes to the Text Line, they read both sides, praising texts and harsh texts, they just seem to have a better understanding of how to communicate with their listeners.

As Vic would say, "What is going on?!"

Are we that numb as a Denver Sports community?  Do we really have that many Broncos fans compared to Denver Sports fans?  Am I in the minority when it comes to wanting some Nuggets and Avalanche quality content during a playoff run?

I sure hope not.  Let's change this Denver Sports fans.  Turn the dial tomorrow morning to Moser, Lombardi, and Kane on Altitude 92.5, 7:00-10:00.  Have it on your phone, with the Altitude Radio app.  Listen to it in the shower.  Listen as you eat your breakfast or feed your dog.  Listen on your drive to work.  Listen at your desk.

Whatever you do, listen...check it out, see what you think.

I for one think the Moser, Lombardi, and Kane show is the single best Denver Sports Talk Show going right now.  It has risen to #1 in my book, appointment radio, and what I miss, I catch on the Podcast at a later time.  All the content I want, even a sprinkle of Game of Thrones the Monday after.  I find myself crying with laughter, mainly at Moser and Lombardi, and Brett Kane trying to keep some sense of organization.  Vic Lombardi demanding winners of Avalanche/Nuggets tickets to show fake enthusiasm when they win, Moser talking about eating Hot Pockets and petting his dogs ears at 3:00 in the morning as he is overly pumped up about The Stanley Cup Playoffs.  Brett Kane and Vic Lombardi telling Moser he has to do the Ashley Schaeffer from Eastbound and Down - 'Let the boy watch' quote on an Avalanche Broadcast.  The "Drunk Takes" that Marty sets up at the end of the week will have you rolling on the floor laughing, mainly because the stuff Marc Moser says, no sober individual would say in their right mind anyway.

"There is never an off-season for talking Broncos" is The Fan's motto.

Yes there is.

It's called May and June, when nothing is going on in Bronco-land and the Nuggets and Avalanche are making noise in the playoffs.

Ratings Source: https://ratings.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb035

Peyton Manning - Final Chapter

November 15, 2015 - Is that the date that will be synonymous as the last time Peyton Manning plays football in the NFL?

That day Peyton Manning passed Brett Favre's career passing yards record.  However, while it should have been a celebratory day, one that Peyton Manning and Broncos fans could remember with fondness, it was anything but.  On the day Peyton Manning became the all-time leader in passing yards, he also had his worst day as a football player.  He went 5-for-20 for 35 yards and four interceptions with a 0.0 passer rating before being replaced by Brock Osweiler.

That day was simply sad.  Watching one of the best quarterback's in football history struggle so profusely was unfathomable.  The same guy who threw 55 touchdown passes, had a 115.1 passer rating in a season, and led an offense that scored a record 606 points in a season just two years prior, is now struggling to get past the 50 yard line?  How does that happen?

Two things factor into the steep decline.

Age.  Peyton Manning is not only 39 years old, he is a 39 year old who has gone through four neck surgeries.  Think about that for a minute, really understand how much work he would have to put in to compete at the highest level of football competition with those physical conditions.  Very difficult to do.

Injuries.  In order for Peyton Manning to be effective, especially at the age of 39, he needs to be as close to 100% healthy as possible.  It has been noted by Denver media close to the team, that Peyton Manning's foot injury flared up in the Indianapolis Colts game.  Peyton missed Wednesday's practice, which was not unusual, and was limited in practice the rest of the week leading up to the Chiefs game.

Hindsight is 20/20, it is easy to say after the Kansas City game that Peyton Manning should not have been playing.  He simply wasn't healthy enough.  As a 39 year old quarterback, you can't have a torn plantar fascia and expect to perform at a winning level.  Now with that being said, what makes the situation abnormal, is even when Peyton Manning was healthy, he wasn't playing up to his normal standards.  Throwing an interception in every game he has played this year.  It is no secret that Peyton Manning isn't as comfortable in this hybrid offense with Gary Kubiak calling plays as opposed to Adam Gase.

So was Peyton Manning replaced in the Chiefs game because of poor play or injury?  In my opinion, Peyton Manning's injury was much more severe than initially reported.  He went to Dr. Robert Anderson, a highly regarded foot and ankle specialist in North Carolina, and returned with a walking boot.  Is he struggling to mesh with Kubiak?  Yes.  But I also saw Peyton Manning look great against the Green Bay Packers a couple weeks prior, so I know he still has some juice left.

So how does this story end?

To figure out how it ends, lets go to the beginning, at least from a Denver Broncos fan perspective.

March 20, 2012.  One of the best moments in Denver Broncos history.  Peyton Manning decides to sign with the Denver Broncos.  Wow.  The greatest free agent to hit the NFL market decided to come to the Denver Broncos.  Let's not forget where this franchise was before Peyton Manning came here.

The Josh McDaniels debacle had just ended.  Broncos fans usually refer to Josh McDaniels as "Hurricane Josh" because when he had left, the franchise had so much destruction done to itself, that it looked like it would take years to recover.

Then the Tebow year happened.  John Fox's first year as head coach started poorly with Kyle Orton struggling at quarterback, "suck for Luck" was in full effect throughout the league, and the Broncos decided to join the "Luck sweepstakes" by putting in Tim Tebow.

Now let me say this first before I go any further.  I am not a Tim Tebow fan, I am a Denver Broncos fan.  Tim Tebow has fans that became Broncos fans because he was on the Denver Broncos roster.  I think Tim is a quality individual who does great things for many people and I respect that.

With that being said, Tim Tebow is not an NFL caliber quarterback.  If he was, he would still be in the NFL.  The NFL has one rule.  If you are the best person to get the job done, do your part to help the team win football games, you will have a job.  While distractions factor into whether or not to sign a player, there are plenty of examples of "distracting players" who have found a home on an NFL roster because they can get the job done consistently.

Tim Tebow provided one of the most exciting seasons that culminated in probably the single most exciting play in Denver Broncos history.  I get chills every time I recall Tim Tebow throwing a dart to Demaryius Thomas and then DT stiff arming his defender and running all the way to the endzone to end the first playoff game, on the first play of overtime, in dramatic fashion.  I am thankful to Tim Tebow for that season, it was one that had moments I will never forget.

But, what I also remember about Tim Tebow, is the 3 game losing streak to end the regular season, when every single one of those games were big games that mattered.  The playoff game against the New England Patriots, where the Denver Broncos got destroyed and had no chance to win.  Tom Brady punting on 3rd down...UGLY.

That is where this franchise was.  Stuck between a rock and a hard place.  Or stuck with Tim Tebow as your quarterback, which trust me, would not have ended well.

Again, March 20, 2012.  The Denver Broncos go from an average team, to immediate Super Bowl contender by signing Peyton Manning.  In my opinion, Broncos fans who have booed Peyton Manning or cheered when Peyton was benched against Kansas City, have forgotten why this franchise is and has been relevant the past 4 years.

Free agents like Aquib Talib and DeMarcus Ware don't sign with the Denver Broncos unless a quarterback like Peyton Manning is at the helm.  The Denver Broncos don't make the playoffs every year, including a Super Bowl appearance if it isn't for Peyton Manning.

Sure, we all want to win the Super Bowl and that hasn't happened yet in the Peyton Manning era.  But I would much rather be 13-3 or 12-4 than 8-8 or worse every year.  Just ask the Denver Nuggets if they miss George Karl and the one and done playoff appearances or if they are happy being at the bottom of the standings the past 3 years.

Today being Thanksgiving, I am thankful for many things.  One of them being Peyton Manning in a Broncos uniform.

So again, how does this story end?

Does Peyton Manning get another shot to do an "Elway" and win a Super Bowl in his last game?

I think a big part of that story will be written depending on the results of the next 2 games.  Against the 10-0 New England Patriots and the 2-8 San Diego Chargers.  If Brock Osweiler plays well and the Broncos win, then it may be his job, but he must play good if not great to keep Peyton Manning off the field and it starts with the New England Patriots.

The New England Patriots provide a tough test.  However, they are not as dominant as you would expect a 10-0 team to be.  First off, their strength of schedule is one of the weakest in NFL history for a defending champion.  Their schedule rotation this year includes the 2 worst divisions in football, the AFC South and the NFC East (Cowboys without Romo).  Both of those divisions, as it stands right now in week 11, do not have a single team with a winning record.  So there is 8 wins right there.  Next, the AFC East, which has been a weak division for the entirety of the Brady-Belichick era.  While the Jets and Bills are improved, you can't tell me that Ryan Fitzpatrick and 1st year starter Tyrod Taylor provide the Patriots coaches a lot of sleepless nights.  Rack up another 6 wins right there.  So then you just have 2 other opponents, division winners from the past year for the AFC North and AFC West.  That would be the Steelers and Broncos.  The Steelers defense looked like it was still in pre-season form in the opening game of the year, confusion spread throughout the defense and they never got settled down.  Also, the Steelers were without one of their best offensive weapons in LeVeon Bell.

So without question, this Broncos vs Patriots match-up could very easily be the toughest test the Patriots will face all year and may be their only true challenge in preventing them from going undefeated in the regular season.

If Brock Osweiler can play well and beat the New England Patriots, there is a chance Peyton Manning's last game as a starter will be marked by that November 15, 2015 date.  Especially if Osweiler continues that trend into San Diego.

But I don't think the Peyton Manning story will end that way.  A healthy Peyton Manning still gives this team the best chance to win a Super Bowl this year, not Brock Osweiler.  The best game the Broncos have played offensively all year is the Green Bay Packers game.  They dominated from start to finish, mixing in the run game with the pass game and putting up a season high 29 points.  That is how the Broncos offense needs to look if they want to win a Super Bowl.

Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, and Leonardo Da Vinci are all some of the most influential artists of all-time.  Would Da Vinci be as influential if it weren't for The Last Supper or Mona Lisa?

Peyton Manning is a football artist.  No quarterback has changed the way the game is played like Peyton.  His no-huddle offense, reading defensive coverage's is unmatched.  He has painted many masterpieces in his career and his time of painting on the football field is almost over.  The Peyton Manning football story is on it's last chapter, only a few pages left.

Let The Sheriff paint his final masterpiece.

Are the Nuggets regretting a quick trigger finger for firing George Karl?

Did George Karl deserve to be fired as the head coach of the Denver Nuggets last year?  

Simple question, and depending on who you talk to, a very complex answer.

Truthfully, I was stunned and embarrassed to be a Nuggets fan when they cleaned house after a 57 win season, with the NBA coach of the year and the GM of the year in Masai Ujiri.

I was puzzled by Josh Kronke's press conferences, where it seemed he had zero preparation, he stumbled through answering questions from the media and fans alike.  Josh Kronke tried to explain the inexplicable, which is a tall order indeed, how can you fire the reigning NBA coach of the year and let the GM of the year go in the same off-season?

After 3 games, the Nuggets are 0-3 and are 0-2 at Pepsi Center.  They were 38-3 at the Pepsi Center last year.  Is it fair to draw conclusions after 3 games?  Absolutely not.  But I must say, I am very bored when watching this team play basketball.  I don't think I am the only one, Pepsi Center has been DEAD for each of the two games according to the television broadcast crew and other local media.

How much more do Nuggets fans need to see before we can draw conclusions?  

This is an organization that has made a poor decision at the ownership level.  Josh Kronke wants to commit to a style of play, that not only deemphasizes the strengths of this roster, but shines a spotlight on it's weaknesses.  A style of play that diminishes the advantage of altitude, something George Karl always emphasized was a key component of the Nuggets home court advantage.

This team isn't taking the proverbial, "one step back, to move two steps forward".  This team is nose diving into the lower half of the Western Conference.  I'm not sure this team can even get 35 wins this year.

In a way, I feel a record of 25-57 would provide a symmetrical dose of poetic justice that Josh Kronke richly deserves.

Is George Karl a good coach?  No, he is a GREAT coach.  Unfortunately, Karl was ultimately a victim of his own regular season success with highly imperfect rosters.  

In a 4 year span, Karl coached one Nuggets team to the Western Conference Finals, and then an entirely different Nuggets team to 57 wins.  Is that not impressive?  After Birdman left, not one member of the 08-09 Western Conference Finals Nuggets team was with the 12-13 Nuggets at the conclusion of their 57 win season.  Usually that type of turnover is called "rebuilding", but credit Masai Ujiri for getting maximum value for any assets they had, making difficult decisions to unload contracts like Nene, and getting players that would fit into George Karl's system.  

Masai Ujiri and George Karl made this team a fun, fast pace, entertaining team when after the Carmelo trade, Armageddon was supposed to happen to this franchise.  It happened in Cleveland when LeBron left, it happened in New Orleans when Chris Paul left, it happened in Orlando when Dwight Howard left.

But it didn't happen in Denver, something I do think Nuggets fans took for granted.

The story is not about a team that needs more time to adjust to a new coach, it's not about a new GM waiting for the opportunity to reshape the roster to his liking.  Rather it is about a young owner, who may be bright, but not nearly as bright as he thinks he is.

This is about a young owner who grossly overreacted to the Golden State playoff series and came to the highly questionable conclusion that he needed to embrace a new style of play.  And in doing so, diluted the trade value of every player on the roster by committing to this new style before assembling the talent necessary to make it work.

This miscalculation, has transformed a highly entertaining and competitive team into an unsightly poor watch for many Nuggets fans, as we see Faried or McGee trying to post up doing the "Hakeem shake" ending the possession with a solid brick that had no chance at all of going in.

I should make mention that I have no problem with Brian Shaw.  By all accounts he is well deserving of a head coaching opportunity.  Whatever criticism Brian Shaw takes, in my view, will be misdirected.  There is only one person to blame and that is the person who put Brian Shaw in this position.  Shaw is trying to fit a circle peg into a square hole.  The ownership group wants to slow down and play half court, while the personnel assembled does not match that model of play.

The vast majority of NBA teams are trying to play "faster", it is a trend on the upswing.  Now the Nuggets are trying to slow down, when at a time they were the best in the league at running teams out of the gym.

Some Nuggets fans on Twitter tell me they were "tired of losing in the 1st round of the playoffs and that this system is more designed to be successful in the playoffs".  I agree with the playoff loses, I too was tired of always being bounced in the 1st round.  However, I also knew that this team always exceeded it's talent level in wins.  The regular season DOES matter.  The NBA isn't like the NHL, MLB, or NFL where there are surprise championship winners.  The NBA is top heavy by a wide margin and the playoffs are more predictable in the NBA than any of those other sports.  

Did the Nuggets ever have a roster to win an NBA championship?  I don't think so.  But George Karl sure did max out that talent each year and got the best out of them.  And you know what?  It was sure fun watching those regular season games also, fast pace, exciting basketball, the Taco Bell special being met multiple times a week.  

I am going to miss that.  I did not take those years for granted.  I think when people look back on the George Karl era, they will remember it with good memories.  

Is a slower pace game more effective in the playoffs?  Sure.  But who cares?  If you're playing a better slow game, but only getting 35-41 wins, why does it matter?  If you play a better slow game, but get the 7th or 8th seed, it doesn't matter, the result will be the same, a first round exit.  I would atleast like some entertaining basketball in the other 82 games!

Josh Kronke came to the conclusion that he knew more than George Karl about what it takes to win in the NBA.  Atleast in the playoffs.  Let's see if he's right.

Gold Gang: Round 1, Fight!

I just finished the movie, Wreck it Ralph and the classic video game, Street Fighter, makes an appearance.  In that video game I remember the classic line "Round 1, FIGHT!" right before you would begin the high flying karate style action.

Well, the "Gold Gang" aka "Blue and Yellow" aka The Denver Nuggets will certainly have a fight on their hands to begin round 1 of the 2013 NBA playoffs.

The opponent, the Golden State Warriors.  Yes, the team that can't make up it's mind on whether it wants to be called San Francisco or Oakland.  Just make up your mind already, Golden State.

I think this match up favors the Nuggets.  The Golden State Warriors try to play fast, they can't play a lick of defense, and they have no shot blocking threat to contain Denver's dominance in the paint.  With that being said, they are a dangerous 3 point shooting team and they are one of the best free throw shooting percentage teams in the NBA.  But if the Warriors think they can play a fast pace game, they will fail in this series.  No team plays faster than Denver, and the best shot the Warriors have to win this best of 7 series is to slow the game down and decrease the amount of possessions   It is also critical the Warriors take care of the ball and limit their turnovers.  No team is more effective at turning turnovers to quick fast break points than the Denver Nuggets.

If it is going to be a fight in round 1, give me the Golden State Warriors instead of the Memphis Grizzlies any day, all day.  I don't want any piece of those thugs in Memphis...and that is a compliment.

The main concern for Blue and Yellow?

A star in the making, Stephen Curry.  Probably the best pure shooter in the NBA, this guy can light up a score board quickly.  He has a quick release that makes it almost impossible for any defender to guard him.  However, if anyone can slow down Curry it is the Nuggets defensive anchor, Andre Iguodala.  "Iggnition" will be assigned the most difficult task of slowing down Curry coming off screen after screen after screen.  Oh by the way, Curry just set the NBA single season record for 3 point field goals made.

Health, it hasn't been on the Nuggets side lately.  Faried is most likely going to miss the first two games in Denver, but he should return close to 100% in game 3 when the series turns to San Francisco  I mean Oakland....actually "Golden State"....whatever they want to be called over there.  I wonder if the Warriors will wear those TERRIBLE "t-shirt" style yellow jersey's in this series...I sure hope not, they hurt my eyes.

Does missing Faried hurt?  Yes.  But the Nuggets are deep and should be able to win both games at home in Denver, because they really are the better team, even without Gallo or Manimal.

The most important play in this series?  Ty Lawson.  No doubt.  He has become the "star" everyone says Denver doesn't have.  Ty Lawson looked great coming back from the plantar fascia tear and he is primed for a big series, no one can guard him in this series.

Denver is ready, we have been ready since getting a taste of the Western Conference Finals in 2009.  The Round 1 fight will begin Saturday April 20th 2013 at 3:30 PM in the Mile High City.  Nuggets fans will be waiving thousands of gold towels, "Gold Gang" will be sporting their slick retro style yellow jersey's, Scott Hastings will be wearing his best suit, and the crowd will be loud....very loud.  All the while, the boys by the bay will be gasping for air 3 minutes into the game.

Round 1: FIGHT!!

Denver Nuggets will win this series 4-1.

Corey Brewer: Gone next year?

Is Corey Brewer the most underrated player on the Denver Nuggets?

In my opinion, yes.

What does Nuggets management think?

We will find out this off season.

The Denver Nuggets are in a great spot with their roster.  They have a core group of young players that are getting better each year and are growing with each other.  The Nuggets are the 3rd youngest team in the NBA and have a number of players under contract for years to come.  Nuggets management has done a great job of getting their core players contract extensions without overpaying and hurting their salary cap figure.  With the current roster, there are only 5 players that could be elsewhere next year (assuming no trades are done).

Those players are: Andre Igoudala (player option to return), Corey Brewer (free agent), Timofey Mozgov (free agent), Julyan Stone (qualifying offer), and Quincy Miller (free agent).

Of those 5 players, only two are vital pieces to Denver's success, that would be Andre Igoudala and Corey Brewer.  I think Andre Igoudala will pick up his option because he would then make close to $16 million next year (something he probably wouldn't get on the open market).

But will the Nuggets try to bring Corey Brewer back?

I think prior to the Danilo Gallinari injury there was a possibility that Nuggets management would have let Corey Brewer go and stayed away from paying another swing player, something they had an over abundance of with Gallo, Chandler, Igoudala (potentially), Fournier, and I will even sneak Jordan Hamilton's name in there.

Well with Danilo Gallinari most likely out for a large portion or perhaps all of the 2013-2014 season, the reality of Corey Brewer being important for the Nuggets next season is an understatement.  Corey is one of the Nuggets most important bench players.  He provides energy on both sides of the ball, a slasher without the ball on offense, and a turnover provider on defense.  Brewer fits in perfectly with what the Nuggets try to do most, and that is run on offense and try to get as many fast break points as possible.  Brewer has been responsible for a number of wins this season, whether it has been hitting late free throws or grabbing a late offensive rebound, the Nuggets would not have a shot at the 3 seed without him.

Why would Corey want to leave?  He has it made in this Denver Nuggets system right?

Well if Denver doesn't show that they want him back by either not negotiating with him or offering him a deal that is well below his market value, he could easily find a home somewhere else.

Wilson Chandler will be the starting small forward for the Nuggets next year.  That removes an important bench player for the Nuggets' rotation.  Has Evan Fournier shown enough to warrant a bid for an every game player off the bench for either the shooting guard or small forward position?  Maybe, but I trust Corey Brewer more than Evan Fournier at this point.

Plus, the more depth you have the better, you never know who could get injured next year...I won't mention who I am referring to in an effort to not jinx anything.

*crosses fingers and prays to the basketball gods*

With a healthy Danilo Gallinari and an emerging Evan Fournier, I think Nuggets management thought they could perhaps get away with letting Corey Brewer find a new home next year.  However, with Gallinari getting injured, it may be their biggest off season objective to re-sign him.

"C-Brew" might be overlooked on a national level among basketball analysts, however, with Denver Nuggets fans, he is a key ingredient that shouldn't be overlooked.

Denver Nuggets: No Gallo, what now?

On Thursday night, April 4th 2013, all Nuggets fans held their breath as Danilo Gallinari grabbed his left knee and fell to the floor in excruciating pain.  From the moment the first replay was viewed it was apparent he tore his ACL.  All the excitement and joy that had been building for a team with so much promise suddenly left the Pepsi Center silent and the fans watching on TV holding their breath.  It was as quiet as it has ever been this season at the big Pepsi can.

What now?

Is the hope of reaching the NBA Finals for the first time in Nuggets Franchise history over?

Chances at winning an NBA title gone?

The Nuggets are already without leading scorer and best player, Ty Lawson, with a plantar fascia tear in his right heel.  Now they are without their second leading scorer.

Can the Nuggets reach the NBA Finals without a healthy Ty Lawson?  No.  He is the engine that makes it all work.

Can the Nuggets reach the NBA Finals without Danilo Gallinari?  Yes.

Wilson Chandler would be a starting small forward for over half the teams in the NBA, but when you have a talent rich squad like the Denver Nuggets, you can be a "starter" coming off the bench.  The Denver Nuggets are the deepest team in the NBA, so they should be able to fill the void of Gallinari seamlessly.

I am not saying the Nuggets are better without Gallinari, that would be ridiculous, but they are still a very good team that has the ability to make up for an important injured starter perhaps better than any other team in the NBA.  Just look at Saturday night's game against the Houston Rockets, a potential playoff opponent, Blue and Yellow put up 132 points.  That's right, without their top two scorers, the Nuggets pounded the Rockets with their highest point total of the season.

The Nuggets will fill the void of Danilo Gallinari with placing Wilson Chandler in the starting rotation and bringing Corey Brewer off the bench to give Chandler a breather.  With the recent emergence of Evan Fournier, it is possible "Frenchy" will play at the 2 spot to give Igoudala a rest in the playoffs, assuming Lawson is back in the starting rotation.  The real question is who will come in to play the power forward position?  That was usually the position Wilson Chandler would come in for, to replace Kenneth Faried, not Gallinari (that was Brewer).  My best guess is Anthony Randolph.  I believe George Karl trusts Anthony Randolph more than Mozgov, and certainly more than Jordan Hamilton coming in at the 3 and moving Wilson to the 4.

But I may be over analyzing the rotation.

We all know the bench gets shorter in the playoffs, and the Nuggets may keep it only 8-9 deep and expect more minutes out of Faried.  Prior to Gallo's injury the Nuggets would easily go 9 deep in a playoff series, something most teams wouldn't do.  Depending on how Fournier finishes the season or how much size George Karl will want off the bench, it is possible the Nuggets are still a 9 deep rotation in the playoffs.

If the Nuggets are able to hold off the Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies for the 3 seed in the West, they will face either the Golden State Warriors or Houston Rockets in the first round.  Neither team matches up well with Denver and they know it.  The games would be fast pace, high scoring, and nobody does that better than the Denver Nuggets.  The Memphis Grizzlies pose the biggest challenge for a first round opponent due to their top notch defense.  Nobody does defense better than Memphis, they are ranked #1 in the league in points allowed per game (89.7) and let's face it, Denver is not a team that likes to play the slow pace, under 90 points, beat-em-up style games.  That is why these last 5 games are so important to hold onto that 3 seed.

The Nuggets are two wins shy of 55, that would set an all-time franchise record for wins in the regular season.  They also have tied their franchise record for consecutive wins at home, 20.

This team is special.

The opportunity to do something no Nuggets team has done before is still there for the taking.

Broncos Schedule 2013: Old Friends Turned Enemies, Peyton Going Home, Family Feud.

The sheriff is ready, bring it on.

The Denver Broncos have the easiest schedule in the NFL, according to NFL.com.  The Broncos will be playing teams that were a combined 110-146 (.430 win percentage) in 2013.  This is misleading due to the fact the AFC West was so poor last year.  The Chargers, Raiders, and Chiefs were a combined 13-35, double that up and you get 26-70 for division opponents....in 2013.  I think it is safe to say the Chiefs are improved from 2-14 last year with the addition of Andy Reid and Alex Smith.  The Chargers are always a threat, even though their window of opportunity to compete for a championship seems to be closed.  The Raiders.....well yeah....they aren't very good and won't be for a long time.  That is what happens when you trade a first round pick and a second round pick for an aging, "me first guy", never elite Quarterback in Carson Palmer.  I told Raider fans at the time it was a terrible move, I think they may finally agree.

But enough about the division, that is the boring part of the schedule.  This season is filled with old friends turned enemies, all-time great rivalries, returning home, and family feuds.  Let's look at some intriguing match ups:

Let's start where the Broncos left off...

The Baltimore Ravens, here in Denver.  This match-up has some extra sizzle with the recent events.  On December 16th 2012, the Denver Broncos went into M&T Bank Stadium and absolutely embarrassed the Baltimore Ravens.  They not only won the game 34-17 (not as close as the score indicates), they left the Baltimore Ravens questioning whether they could make the playoffs, let alone win the division.  Joe Flacco was intercepted right before halftime by Chris Harris who returned the INT for a 99 yard touchdown and left Joe Flacco laying face down, embarrassed to get up, wondering if the Ravens organization would even re-sign the 28 year old QB.

Well it was a different story on January 12th, 2013 for the Divisional Playoff game.  We all know the Rahim Moore play by now, the debacle that occurred that day will hopefully resonate with every Broncos player just like the Divisional Playoff loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on January 4th 1997 (worst loss in Broncos Franchise history).  The Broncos had a legitimate chance to win the Super Bowl in 1997 and blew it, but they came back next year with a fire to complete the mission and they did by winning Super Bowl 32.

I am getting off topic...my thoughts are wandering...that Ravens loss always does that to me.

So not only will it be a chance at payback, but an old friend will be coming back to Denver, Elvis Dumervil.  In his 6 productive seasons with the Broncos, "Doom" recorded 63.5 sacks and was a fan favorite.  You can find # 92 jersey's all over Sports Authority Field and the streets of Denver.  That's what happens when you become one of the greatest edge pass rushers in Broncos history.  Elvis wanted to be a Denver Bronco...well kind of...but not really...actually no he didn't.  The Broncos asked Elvis to take a pay cut, because his contract was "out of whack" according to John Elway.  Elway was right, the market showed Elvis wasn't worth 12 million a year, but closer to 8 million.  Elvis was hurt that his boss asked him to take a pay cut, I don't blame him, I would be too.  So after waiting to the last minute, and actually beyond the last minute, Elvis decided he wanted to stay in Denver, but it was too late.  Then "Fax-gate" happened, a huge failure on Elvis and his agent, Marty Magid.  So the Ravens took advantage and wound up signing the free agent.  Elvis, we will see you in Denver, be prepared to be schooled by Ryan Clady.

Mike Shanahan will be returning to Denver as an opposing coach for the first time since being fired on December 30, 2008.  Shanahan spent 14 seasons as the Broncos head coach, winning two Super Bowls and returning the franchise to championship expectations.  Now Mike Shanahan will lead RG3 and the Washington Redskins into battle against the Denver Broncos in 2013.  John Elway texted Mike Shanahan, "put in a good word for us" when Peyton Manning was scheduled to have a meeting with Shanahan and the Redskins...maybe he did.  Shanahan no longer lives in Denver, perhaps he was tired of having such a dump of a house in Cherry Hills...

...or not.  Shanny's house was on the market for 2 years before being sold for a cool 7 million, 10 million less than what he purchased it for, ouch.  But have no fear, Shanahan's Steak House is still alive and kickin' in Denver, maybe Mike will drop by before game time for a 24 oz. Prime Porterhouse for an easy $52.

Peyton Manning vs Tom Brady, it doesn't get any better than that.  Oh wait...it does...

Wes Welker vs Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and the Patriots.  Add that to an already great rivalry and this game might set ratings records for the most watched regular season game ever.  I would be shocked if this isn't a prime time game.  Broncos vs Patriots is already huge because these two teams will most likely be the two favorites to represent the AFC in Super Bowl 48.  This game will be played in Foxborough, so it will be a tough match up for the Broncos.  Manning now has Brady's favorite target on his team, I expect Wes Welker to have a monster game against his former team.

Eli vs Peyton in New York.  The two Manning brothers have each said they do not enjoy playing against each other, oh well, everyone else does.  Peyton is 2-0 against his younger brother and that trend should continue in 2013 when the Broncos travel to New York to play the Giants.  Even though Eli Manning has 2 Super Bowl wins compared to Peyton's 1, nobody doubts that Peyton is the better all-time quarterback.  This is most likely the last meeting between the two brothers and Eli's last chance to get a head to head win.

Peyton Manning was supposed to finish his career an Indianapolis Colt.  However, when you have a chance to draft Andrew Luck, the second coming of Peyton Manning, the Colts didn't have a choice but to release Peyton and start over.  What makes this game so interesting is it will be in Indianapolis.  I anticipate the Colts fans to cheer Manning pre-game and to wear their #18 jersey's, but when the game starts it will be a fan base 100% behind Andrew Luck and the Colts.  Don't believe Manning when he says playing in Indianapolis is just another game, this game means more to him then he will let on.  As for Andrew Luck, the kid will be in Peyton's shadow until he wins a Super Bowl.  I am not sure who will be more nervous that game, Manning or Luck?  I expect Peyton to do everything he can to win that game, perhaps a game winning touchdown pass to Jacob Tamme would be the perfect ending.

There is one more game that intrigues me...Gary Kubiak facing the Broncos once again in Houston...no that's not it.  Let's just assume the Jets trade one of their high profile QB's to his home town...in Jacksonville.  Well Jacksonville is on the schedule to play in Denver.  So maybe, just MAYBE...an old face would be coming back to play in Denver...

It should be a great season.