Opinion: Bold predictions for 2018 Colorado sports scene

Here are my predictions for 2018:

Jan. 10, Denver: The Denver Broncos shock the football world by firing head coach Vance Joseph and replacing him with veteran Jeff Fisher. At his introductory press conference, Fisher thanks General Manager John Elway and promises to lift the underachieving Broncos back to the .500 level in the upcoming season. The Broncos also announce former quarterback Peyton Manning has accepted a job as a player personnel consultant as well as director of commercial endorsements.

Feb. 3, Minneapolis: The Denver Broncos are left out in the cold again in NFL Hall of Fame selections. Owner Pat Bowlen was passed over during the initial selection process last summer, and when the votes are tallied, former Broncos players Steve Atwater, Karl Mecklenberg, John Lynch and Brian Dawkins all come up short. First-time nominees Ray Lewis and Randy Moss gain selection, along with Boulder native Tony Boselli, Terrell Owens and Brian Urlacher. A spokesman for the Bowlen family quips, “Pat should have gotten himself on TV more often.”     

Feb. 27, Scottsdale, Arizona: Freshly minted Colorado Rockies closer Wade Davis makes his first appearance of spring training, tossing a scoreless ninth inning in Colorado’s 9-6 win over the Los Angeles Angels. Davis, who left the Chicago Cubs to sign a three-year, $52 million dollar deal with the Rockies, tells the media afterwards, “I wouldn’t have come here if I didn’t believe this team had a great chance to win the World Series…and no, I’m not afraid of Coors Field or the Dodgers.”

March 14, Dayton, Ohio: The University of Northern Colorado, participating in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament for the first time since 2011, defeat Nebraska 67-65 in a first four play-in game to advance to the opening round of the East Regional — where its reward is a match up against top-seeded Duke in Charlotte.

It’s the school’s first NCAA tourney win ever and it keeps the Huskers, led by former Colorado State coach Tim Miles, winless in NCAA tournament games. After the contest, outgoing UNC President Kay Norton, set to retire at the end of June, is asked about facing the Blue Devils. “Who cares? At least we get to keep the proceeds from the tournament appearance this time.” Duke ends UNC’s season 106-82.

March 16, Dove Valley: The Broncos announce they have acquired quarterback Eli Manning from the New York Giants in exchange for cornerback Bradley Roby, safety Will Parks and the Broncos' second round pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Head coach Jeff Fisher tells the media that Eli, who will be rejoining his brother Peyton as a member of the Broncos' organization, “Still has several great years left on the field. He’s a proven winner. And like his brother, he will also be a great mentor for our younger quarterbacks.”

April 9, Denver: The Denver Nuggets take down the Portland Trailblazers 106-101 to clinch the Western Conference's sixth seed for the NBA playoffs. All-Star Nikola Jokic leads the way with his sixth triple-double of the season, putting up 22 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. The Nuggets will be returning to the postseason for the first time since 2013 when third-seeded Denver lost to sixth-seeded Golden State. This year’s Nuggets will face old nemesis San Antonio in the first round. Nuggets' coach Michael Malone tells his team, “Tim Duncan isn’t suiting up. We can play with these guys.” Denver falls to the Spurs in six games.  

Aug. 4, Dove Valley: New Broncos coach Jeff Fisher announces quarterback Eli Manning will not play in the preseason. The Broncos say quarterbacks Paxton Lynch and Chad Kelly will get the bulk of game reps. Brock Osweiler, on the roster and competing for a back-up job, will play sparingly as well.

Sept. 1, Denver: CSU ends a three-game drought against in-state rival Colorado with a 37-27 win in the Rocky Mountain Showdown. Quarterback Colin Hill, back as the Rams starter after missing the 2017 season recovering from knee surgery, throws for 345 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Rams' attack. Frustrated CU fans call for the immediate firing of head coach Mike MacIntyre.

Sept. 8, Lincoln, Nebraska: The match-up features college football’s past two national coach of the year award winners, yet also two schools who didn’t make a bowl game the previous season. Colorado falls to 0-2 to start the season, dropping a sloppy 31-27 decision to Nebraska in the two former conference rivals' first meeting since 2010.

The Huskers — incorporating the new offense of head coach Scott Frost — fumble four times but intercept four passes from CU quarterback Steven Montez to break even in the turnover department. Running back Tre Bryant scores on a 46-yard option run midway through the fourth quarter to clinch the win and send Frost, the 2017 coach of the year at Central Florida, to his second straight win as Huskers head coach. Mike MacIntyre, the 2016 coach of the year — and the Buffs fall to 0-2.

Dec. 23, Denver: Quarterback Eli Manning throws for two touchdowns to lead the Denver Broncos to a 27-16 win over the Oakland Raiders, securing Denver’s ninth win of the season and with it, a wild card playoff spot in the AFC playoffs. Fisher, who pledged to get the Broncos back to the .500 mark when he was hired in January, smiles as he tells the media, “It’s always great when you can exceed expectations.”   

Happy New Year!

Mark Knudson is a Denver-based sports columnist and sports talk show radio personality.