This story originally appeared in Mile High Sports Magazine. Read the full digital edition.
I don’t know what this means, but I see Peyton Manning throwing the ball a bit on the sidelines … The Denver Nuggets have shocked the Golden State Warriors … That’s Pugh! Her first international goal … Brady fields the snap from the eight and he’s in trouble; he’s hit hard by Von Miller … Von Miller did it again! He knocked it out of the hands of Newton … This one’s for Pat!
Words. Words. Words. The words above describe just a tiny sliver of what transpired across the 2016 sports landscape (and they all happened within the first five weeks) in what was undoubtedly one of the most memorable years in the Mile High City. It is words that usually occupy these pages – each one carefully investigated, researched, crafted, and edited for your enjoyment and education. It’s words that linger in our minds years after the fact, helping preserve the memory of our teams’ greatest achievements.
Yet, those words can never tell the whole story. They cannot fully illustrate a player’s joy after scoring a goal. They will never capture the physical and emotional pain inflicted by a devastating body blow. They fail to describe the enormity of the scene when a mass of humanity descends on one place to celebrate their team’s victory.
For 15 years Mile High Sports has been delivering the words that describe everything that was, is and may someday be in Colorado sports. Now, we present our first-ever Year in Pictures issue. We hope the pages that follow tell you everything that words could not for the sports year that was.
THE SHERIFF RIDES AGAIN [1.3.16]
With the Broncos trailing 13-7 halfway through the third quarter in the regular season finale, Peyton Manning came off the bench for the first time in his career to lead Denver to a 27-20 victory. The win secured home-field advantage for the playoffs and Denver’s fifth consecutive AFC West title.
Photo: Chris Humphreys
ONE OF NINE [1.13.16]
The Denver Nuggets won just 33 games during the 2015-16 season. The Golden State Warriors lost just nine, setting a new NBA regular-season record in the process. However, one of those losses came in Denver. On January 13, the Nuggets handed Golden State just their third loss of the year, 112-110.
Photo: Isaiah J. Downing
BRADY BATTERED [1.24.16]
The Denver Broncos defense knocked Tom Brady around like a rag doll, registering 20 hits on the Patriots quarterback in a 20-18 win in the AFC Championship Game. Von Miller was a one-man wrecking crew, sacking Brady 2.5 times and grabbing a crucial interception.
Photo: Kevin Jairaj
THIS ONE’S FOR PAT [2.7.16]
John Elway returned the favor to owner Pat Bowlen, who was unable to attend the game because of health reasons, raising the Super Bowl 50 Lombardi Trophy high in the air and shouting “This one’s for Pat!” Bowlen had recognized Elway in the same manner after Denver’s first Super Bowl win in 1998.
Photo: Robert Deutsch
MVP [2.7.16]
One night after Cam Newton had been named NFL MVP, Von Miller quite literally ripped “MVP” status out of his hands with a pair of strip sacks, including this one late in the fourth quarter. Miller became just the 10th defensive player in history to take home the Super Bowl MVP award.
Photo: Richard Mackson
MILLION-FAN MARCH [2.9.16]
An estimated one million fans swarmed downtown Denver to celebrate the Broncos as they returned from Santa Clara as Super Bowl 50 champions. The parade snaked from Union Station through downtown to Civic Center Park where the team met the mayor, the governor and a seemingly endless mass of orange-clad fans.
Photo: Isaiah J. Downing
FIRST AND GOAL [2.13.16]
Seventeen-year-old Highlands Ranch native Mallory Pugh (2) marked her first year with the USWNT in style. She scored a goal in her first national team appearance and later helped the squad qualify (pictured) for a berth in the 2016 Olympic Games.
Photo: Jerome Miron
WILD WIN OVER THE WILDCATS [2.24.16]
The signature win in a season that saw Tad Boyle’s Buffs record 22 of them was the upset of No. 9 Arizona at Coors Event Center. Senior forward Josh Scott scored a season-high 26 points and had three crucial blocks, including this one, to deliver a win and all but guarantee another trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Photo: Ron Chenoy
THE GREAT OUTDOORS [2.27.16]
An old rivalry felt new when members of the great Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings teams of the ’90s and 2000s met on the ice as part of the NHL Stadium Series. The Avs alumni prevailed 5-2, but the current squad fell 5-3 (pictured) as Coors Field was turned into a winter wonderland for the occasion.
Photo: Jerry Lai
LUCKY SEVEN [3.6.16]
For the second year in a row the Denver Nuggets had the guard they were eyeing fall into their lap with the seventh pick of the NBA Draft. Denver reportedly tried to move up to No. 3 to grab Kentucky’s Jamal Murray before he ultimately fell to seven – the same place they selected Emmanuel Mudiay one year prior.
Photo: Brad Penner
SUNSET RIDE [3.7.16]
After 18 spectacular years, Peyton Manning called it a career. The sure-fire Hall of Famer gave a speech for the ages, recounting a life in football that was much more than his NFL best 186 wins and 539 touchdowns. Manning walked away a winner and the only quarterback to lead two different teams to Super Bowl wins.
Photo: Ron Chenoy
TWENTY-EIGHT STRAIGHT [3.11.16]
The Colorado State women’s basketball team won a school record 28 consecutive games en route to a sparkling 31-2 record, spoiled only by an early exit in the NCAA Tournament. The Rams were perfect in the Mountain West, both in the regular season and in the conference tournament (pictured).
Photo: Don Reichert, Colorado State Rams
BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPS [3.12.16]
It was senior De’Ron Davis and his Overland Trailblazers that ultimately triumphed in 5A hoops. Their 66-56 win over Eaglecrest in the state final made it two in a row.
Photo: Matt Mathewes, CHSAA
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH [4.3.16]
By the end of another playoff-less run for the Avs, Patrick Roy’s frustration on the bench was visibly evident, but his resignation as head coach – just one month before the 2016-17 season – stunned everyone, including the organization.
Photo: Isaiah J. Downing
CHAPTER ONE [4.4.16]
Trevor Story set two MLB records in his first week in the big leagues: His seven home runs (including this one, pictured, his first MLB hit) in six games were the most to start a career, as well as the most in through the first six games of a season. He would go on to break the NL rookie record for home runs with 27, despite missing half the season with a thumb injury.
Photo: Mark J. Rebilas
FROZEN FOUR [4.7.16]
After an 11-year absence, the University of Denver returned to the Frozen Four under the leadership of third-year head coach Jim Montgomery. The Pioneers finished 25-10-6, falling in the national semifinal to longtime rival North Dakota 4-2. The Fighting Hawks scored two goals in the game’s final minute.
Photo: Reinhold Matay
BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPS [5.14.16]
In what became one of the great rivalries in rugby, the Glendale Raptors defeated San Francisco Golden Gate for their second consecutive Pacific Rugby Premiership Championship. The two teams met in the finals each of the past three seasons, with Glendale winning twice.
Photo: Seth McConnell, Glendale Raptors
GO FAST. TURN LEFT. DON’T LOOK BACK. [5.29.16]
Martin Truex Jr. drove the No. 78 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Toyota to a record-breaking victory in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, winning the pole and leading 392 of 400 laps in the 600-mile race. He spent 588 of 600 miles at the front of the field, a NASCAR record.
Photo: Jim Dedmon
WHITE HO– USE GOES ORANGE [6.6.16]
President Barack Obama welcomed members of the Denver Broncos to the White House in recognition of their Super Bowl 50 win. The team presented the Commander-in-Chief with a No. 44 Jersey (signifying his number in the Presidential succession), while Obama cracked a few jokes at the team’s expense.
Photo: Geoff Burke
BROCK BOLTS [6.14.16]
Maybe it was getting benched against San Diego. Maybe it was the four-year, $72 million contract the Texans offered him. Maybe it was the fear of having to fill Peyton Manning’s shoes. Maybe it was all of the above. Whatever it was, Brock Osweiler signed with Houston (pictured here in his first minicamp with the Texans), leaving Denver in a QB conundrum.
Photo: Erik Williams
RE-MADE IN THE U.S.A. [7.4.16]
After a 13-year stint in the Premier League, Tim Howard returned to Major League Soccer as the starting goalkeeper for the Colorado Rapids. Fittingly, the keeper for the U.S. Men’s National Team made his debut for Colorado on the 4th of July. Howard made two saves in a 0-0 draw.
Photo: Isaiah J. Downing
SUMMER OF VON [7.8.16]
Von Miller was everywhere during the summer of 2016: TV appearances, awards shows, “Dancing with the Stars,” even throwing out the first pitch in his Texas A&M gear at a Rangers game. Exactly one week after showing off his pitching skills, Miller signed a new contract making him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history.
Photo: Jermoe Miron
SELF-INFLICTED [7.28.16]
One member of the Broncos not present at the White House in June was cornerback Aqib Talib, who just days prior to that visit shot himself in the leg during an incident at a Dallas nightclub. Details of the event were foggy in the days that followed and even after Talib finally met the media when Broncos training camp opened (pictured).
Photo: Ryan Greene, 5280 Sports Network
THE FIRST STEP [7.28.16]
Just two days after Brock Osweiler left the Broncos hanging, John Elway traded a conditional seventh-round draft pick to Philadelphia for Mark Sanchez. A seven-year veteran, Sanchez entered training camp (pictured) as the presumed favorite to win the starting quarterback job. After the trade, John Elway called it “The first step in our process.”
Photo: Ron Chenoy
DAHL HE DOES IS HIT [7.30.16]
Right around the same time Trevor Story was shelved for the season, David Dahl burst onto the scene setting records of his own. Dahl hit safely in 17 consecutive games to start his Major League career, tying a 75-year-old MLB record and breaking the Rockies franchise record.
PHOTO: Andy Marlin
3K THE COORS FIELD WAY [8.7.16]
The human hit machine, Ichiro, recorded his 3,000th Major League hit in style, knocking a triple off the right field wall at Coors Field. He would tally 30 more before season’s end, brining his career total to 4,308 combined between MLB and the Nippon Professional Baseball league in Japan.
Photo: Isaiah J. Downing
COLORADO GOES TO RIO [8.12.16]
The Centennial State had a superb showing at the Summer Games. The Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic powered Serbia to a silver medal in basketball and nearly upset the U.S. in group play (pictured).
Photo: USA Today Sports
COLORADO GOES TO RIO [8.15.16]
Crested Butte native Emma Coburn (pictured) became the first U.S. woman to medal in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Her training partner and another form CU runner, Jenny Simpson, took bronze in the 1500-meter run.
Photo: Kirby Lee
COLORADO GOES TO RIO [8.16.16]
Sarah Hammer of Colorado Springs won the silver medal in the women’s omnium. It was Hammer’s second-consecutive Olympic silver in the event.
Photo: Andrew P. Scott
TWICE AS NICE [8.20.16]
Denver brought home its second pro sports championship of 2016 when the Outlaws staged an epic comeback to claim the Steinfeld Cup. Down 14-7 at halftime, Denver went on an 8-1 run in the third quarter. Eric Law scored the game-winning goal with just 13 seconds remaining to claim the second MLL title in team history.
Photo: Brett Davis, Pretty Instant
THE DARK HORSE WINS [8.27.16]
Two days after helping lead the Broncos to a preseason win over the Rams (pictured), second-year quarterback Trevor Siemian emerged the victor of a quarterback competition many thought would be won by either Mark Sanchez or Paxton Lynch. Siemian had just one regular season NFL snap, a kneeldown at Pittsburgh, to his name before being named the Broncos’ starter in their quest to repeat as Super Bowl champs.
Photo: Ron Chenoy
SHOWDOWN BEATDOWN [9.2.16]
In a preview of what was to come for the rest of their season, Colorado dominated Colorado State in the annual Rocky Mountain Showdown, 44-7. It was the Buffs’ second win in a row over their in-state rival and their seventh in the last 10 meetings between the two schools.
Photo: Ron Chenoy
CAM CAN’T [9.8.16]
Revenge would not be had on opening night of the NFL season as the Broncos handed Cam Newton and the Panthers their second loss in as many meetings. Von Miller recorded a sack, C.J. Anderson found the end zone twice in Denver’s 21-20 victory, and Darian Stewart gave Newton a little something to remember on the Panthers’ final possession.
Photo: Isaiah J. Downing
TAKE A KNEE [9.8.16]
Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall joined 49ers quarterback and former Nevada teammate Colin Kaepernick in protesting oppression of minorities in the U.S. by kneeling during the National Anthem against Carolina. Marshall would maintain the protest through the first eight weeks of the season.
Photo: Ron Chenoy
MOWING THEM DOWN [9.17.16]
Rockies rookie Jon Gray had a breakout season, winning 10 games and striking out 185 batters over 168 innings. A franchise record 16 of those came in a single game against the San Diego Padres (pictured) where Gray pitched a complete game shutout, the first of his career.
Photo: Matt Dirksen, courtesy of Colorado Rockies
GOLD STANDARD [9.19.16]
Nolan Arenado sometime had to rely on his bare hand to help deliver his fourth Gold Glove Award. Arenado became only the second player in MLB history to win the award in each of his first four seasons in the league, joining Ichiro Suzuki.
Photo: Isaiah J. Downing
GOLD ON GOLD [9.24.16]
Avalanche center Matt Duchene was golden twice over in 2016 as team Canada skated to gold medals in both the World Championships in May and the World Cup (pictured) in September. Duchene, a native of Haliburton, Ontario, tallied seven goals and seven assists across both tournaments.
Photo: John E. Sokolowski
THE RISE IS REAL [9.24.16]
Doubters became believers when the Colorado Buffaloes went to Eugene and pulled out a dramatic victory thanks in part to a game-sealing interception by Ahkello Witherspoon.
Photo: Scott Olmos
BACK IN COMMAND [10.1.16]
Victories over Navy (pictured) and Army returned the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy to Colorado Springs and the Air Force Falcons. The win at Army made the Falcons bowl-eligible for the ninth time in head coach Troy Calhoun’s 10 years at the academy.
Photo: Isaiah J. Downing
SO LONG SKIP [10.2.16]
After four seasons failing to lead the club to a .500 or better record, Walt Weiss elected to not pursue continued employment with the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies named his replacement, former Padres skipper Bud Black, in early November. Weiss, pictured here in his last game, was 283-365 in his time as manager.
Photo: Isaiah J. Downing
PAX TO THE FUTURE [10.9.16]
The Denver Broncos invested in the future face of the franchise, selecting quarterback Paxton Lynch out of Memphis with the No. 26 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Lynch made his debut against Tampa Bay in Week 4 in relief of an injured Trevor Siemian. His first start came Week 5 against Atlanta (pictured). His first win came in Week 13 in Jacksonville.
Photo: Ron Chenoy
MOUNT MUTOMBO [10.29.16]
At halftime of the home opener, the Denver Nuggets retired Dikembe Mutombo’s No. 55. The Hall of Fame center and philanthropist spent the first five of his 18 NBA seasons in Denver, where he still holds the franchise record for most blocked shots.
Photo: Isaiah J. Downing
THE RISE CONTINUES [11.3.16]
Cornerback and punt returner Isaiah Oliver helped deliver CU’s first winning season in a decade with a punt return TD against UCLA. The Buffs earned a hard-fought victory on national television, 20-10, on their way to a 10-3 regular season.
Photo: Ron Chenoy
RAPID TURNAROUND [11.6.16]
One year removed from a last-place finish in the Western Conference, the Colorado Rapids set a franchise record for points and fell just two points shy of winning the Supporters’ Shield. Colorado was undefeated at home, led by a slew of new talent including Shkelzen Gashi (pictured), Tim Howard and Jermaine Jones.
Photo: Ron Chenoy
THE RISE IS REALIZED [11.19.16]
Senior quarterback Sefo Liufau rushed for three touchdowns and threw for 345 yards to defeat No. 22 Washington State. The next week Liufau and the Buffs topped Utah, earning their first-ever Pac-12 South title and capping a remarkable season.
Photo: Ron Chenoy