08 Plate: Top CO Sports Moments

1-Coming Home Again- With the Nugs stuck at 1-3 and looking like another fight for the eight seed, the brass pulled the trigger on a monumental trade. Not only did they trade a future Hall of Famer in Allen Iverson, but they brought home arguably the state's most popular hoops' player ever: Chauncey Billups. Experts agreed that it was win-win for both teams, but the Nuggets went on a post-Smooth tear, residing atop the Northwest Division since the deal. Billups posted modest numbers, but it is his 'team first' mantra that has made the otherwise stagnant Nugs look poised to perhaps go deep in the postseason.


2-Blackout- The Colorado Buffaloes had circled their early season Thursday ESPN game with West Virginia as their "Blackout" Game since earlier in the year. With a national audience, a rabid crowd draped in Black, and a power running game, the Buffs got their best win of the year 17-14 over the Mountaineers. Kicker Aric Goodman provided the winning margin in OT. The 21st ranked WVU squad came into the game with playmakers in QB Pat White and RB Noel Devine, but it was diminutive Buff ball carrier Rodney Stewart who chewed up the big yards at Folsom. WVU coach Bill Stewart had some questionable clock management late in the game, but the Buffs' staunch defense kept his two stars in check for most of the contest.

3-Going Going Gold- Carmelo Anthony's three summer expedition with Team USA ended exactly where they wanted: atop the gold medal stand. Melo expanded his game throughout his three years, playing a team style defense and resigning himself to a complimentary role at times. Most impressive had to be his commitment to Coach K's defensive approach and absolute stingy guarding on some of the world's top small and even power forwards. One can see that Melo's game has grown since the Beijing experience, as he has surrendered PPG averages for the Nugs' winning approach.

4-Hockey Gone Wild- For a while it looked like the early decade all over again, as the Avs took on the Minnesota Wild in a 1st round NHL series. The Avs handled them with flashy play, some rugged play, OT heroics, and huge goalie play. That was Adam Foote out there, having a huge series, crushing the opposition, and even Joe Sakic and the late season addition of Peter Forsberg made us think it was the olden days. Alas, as the Avs took the Wild series, they met the top dog Detroit Red Wings in round two and were promptly dispatched.


5-Great Scott!- Dan Hawkins had come off a season in which he took Alabama to the wire in the Independence Bowl, but his greatest target was ahead of him in signing top schoolboy RB Darrell Scott. The Venture, CA product narrowed his choices to CU and Texas, and some fiece and ugly competition for his letter of intent intent. Ultimately, his uncle, Buff WR Josh Smith and the rugged work of chief recruiter Darian Hagan sealed the deal for Scott to move onto the Black and Gold. The banquet circuit and hype didn't do him any favors, as he reported overweight and batled injuries throughout his frosh year, although he did show some flashes.


6-.22 Caliber- In an other wise hugely disappointing season, the Rockies had a memorable 22 inning marathon in San Diego in the season's early going. The game lasted until past closing time in the Pacific time zone when Troy Tulowitzki's double gave the Purp the 2-1 win. The game featured an abundance of pitchers, 13 full scoreless innings, an impromptu sprinkler watering, and 37 combined strikeouts. It was the longest MLB game in 15 season's, but what excitement the win created the next morning eroded over the remainder of April and May as the Rox slipped from contention.

7-Hochuli Hanky Toss- Of the early NFL schedule, no game had more fireworks and contorversary than the Week Two Broncos-Chargers tilt. The Donks got off to a 21-3 lead on Jay Cutler's pinpoint passing and Mike Shannahan's play calling. However, the Chargers rebounded and made it a tight game, ultimately taking a TD lead late in the game. The Donks regrouped and mounted a drive before an apparent fumble by Cutler was overturned by a Hochuli whistle. Shanny's brass balls came out as he went for win with a 2pt conversion and was successful, further adding to the growing rivalry between the two teams.

8-Eight Seed is Enough- The NBA's Western Conference's #8 seed was up for grabs as the Nugs visited the Warriors in early April. The two teams went in tied, but the Nuggets had a series lead over the Baron Davis-lead squad. A hostile crowd awaited AI and crew in the Bay Area, and the home team raced to big first quarter lead. The Nugs showed poise and regrouped in the 2nd quarter and cruised in the 2nd Half to emerge with a key win. A 50% FG clip coupled with 40% from behind the arc helped propel the Powder Ble Patrol into the postseason, where they were soundly trounced by the Lakers.

9-Dirty Bird Bash- The Broncos went into a late season game in Atlanta versus with upstart Falcons as heavy underdogs. With all-Rookie stud Matt Ryan leading his charges versus a depleted and suspect Denver defensive backfield, the game looked like a mismatch. However, the Broncos came to the Georgia Dome with a solid gameplan, controlled the game on the ground with solid running and through the air with short to medium passes, including a laser game winner to TE Daniel Graham to give the Donks a 24-21 win.

Not so top moments: The Rockies trade Matt Holliday...Brandon Marshall getting suspended...the Buffs lose bowl eligibility on Nebraska's 57 yard FG...Travis Henry...the Colorado Crush cease operations...former Donks' WR canoodling with Hef's chick and getting roughed up in Vegas...the Broncos lose seven RBs over the course of the year...Joe Sakic loses a battle with a snowblower...Marcus Camby is traded...Broncos lose key home games to miserable Oakland and Jacksonville...the Buffs have a tough stretch in November...the Rockies blow a 9-1 lead at Wrigley Field...John Lynch and Rod Smith retire...CU tells the Goats that they can use the bubble on CU Campus...CU Hoops completes a dismal season, then loses to Montana State...Todd Helton is out most of the year...the Rapids miss the playoffs...the Denver PD takes care of Kenyon Martin...and finally, the complete, total, embarrassing, unexcusable choke job that were the Denver Broncos in the last three weeks of the season, going down in the history of the NFL as the biggest meltdown (NOTE: Hence, the nine spots in this countdown, as one was reserved for the Donks' playoff appearance that wasn't)

RELATED: 2007 Top CO Sports Moments and 2006 Top CO Sports Moments