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December 26, 2022 By: Mark Knudson

New coaches, new champs and the pitch clock: The Year in Preview, Part 1

2022 was yet another year of unpredictable twists and turns – in sports as well as real life. That means it’s now time to turn to the slightly cracked crystal ball for more fuzzy predictions for what lies ahead in 2023…in sports.

January 16^th, Denver. After finishing the season with a dubious 4-13 record and having already fired head coach Nathaniel Hackett before the season ended, the Denver Broncos new ownership decides to keep General Manager George Paton – also a holdover from the team’s previous ownership – while they seek a new head coach.

Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is reportedly interviewed for the full time job during exit interviews after the final game. However, after the Dallas Cowboys lose their opening round playoff game and having otherwise skipped the interviewing process, the Broncos hire former Atlanta head coach and current Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, reuniting him with his former quarterback in Seattle, Russell Wilson.

On his YouTube channel, new University of Colorado Head Coach Deion Sanders says he was approached about the job. A spokesman for the Broncos denies it. Sanders gains 25,000 new followers.

February 12^th, Glendale, AZ. The Buffalo Bills and the Minnesota Vikings meet in Super Bowl LVII. It’s an historical meeting, given that the two franchises have combined to go 0-8 in their previous Super Bowl appearances. The Vikings lost Super Bowls following the 1969, ’74, ’75 and ’77 seasons, while the Bills lost four consecutive title games in the 1990’s.

Only one curse can be broken of course, and with game MVP Josh Allen leading the way, the Bills finally capture the Lombardi Trophy with a 29-20 victory, sending the Vikings to their fifth Super Bowl defeat. Eighty two year old Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton, who was the signal caller for the three Vikings defeats in the mid 1970’s, phones the team’s post game radio show and criticizes his former team’s play calling.

March 30^th, Miami. Opening Day in Major League Baseball is marred by three separate incidents involving a star pitcher, star hitter and veteran manager, each of whom is ejected after arguing moments that involved violations of MLB’s new pitch clock rule. In Miami, Max Scherzer of the Met’s steps off the rubber to wipe sweat from his forehead and violates the rule, leading to a walk that forces in the tying run in what would become a Mets’ 2-1 loss to the Marlins. In Oakland, Anaheim Angels star Mike Trout is ejected after an argument centered on Trout stepping out of the batter’s box while he appeared to be swiping at a flying insect. An automatic strike three was called. And in Houston, Manager Dusty Baker is tossed after strike three is called on Alex Bregman, who accidently moved both feet out of the box while looking at the third base coach with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning. Like the Angels, the Astros dropped a 5-4 decision.

April 6^th, Denver. Behind seven solid innings from starter Kyle Freeland and two home runs from rookie shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, the Colorado Rockies win their home opener 5-3 over the Washington Nationals. Colorado’s Kris Bryant, who pulled a muscle in his back the previous weekend in San Diego, misses the game.

Freeland goes six innings before giving way to the new-look Colorado bullpen, which holds the lead and preserves the Rockies second win of the season against five west coast defeats to open the new year.

On his YouTube Channel, new University of Colorado football coach Deion Sanders announces that the Rockies had invited him to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, but that he declined. The Rockies have no comment. Sanders gains 40,000 more followers.

April 27^th, Kansas City. With the second overall pick in the first round of the NFL Draft – the pick they got from the Denver Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade – the Seattle Seahawks select defensive tackle Jalen Carter from Georgia. With their own pick at 17, the Seahawks grab running back Bijon Robinson from Texas.

Later in the day, the Broncos select offensive tackle Jaelyn Duncan from Maryland with the 29^th overall pick. General Manager George Paton tells the media that Duncan was the guy they wanted all along, regardless of where they were picking.

June 15^th, Milwaukee. Behind another standout performance from NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, The Denver Nuggets beat the Milwaukee Bucks 122-117 in Game Six of the NBA Finals to win the franchises’ first ever championship. Jokic puts up his fourth triple-double of the series with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 14 assists. Finals MVP Aaron Gordon leads Denver with 32 points and adds nine rebounds.

After the game, Jokic, who won his third consecutive MVP award earlier in the month, tells reporters that he would have given the award to Dallas star Luka Dončić just so he didn’t have to answer any more questions about it.