By John W. Lillpop
John Denver was probably not much of a sports fan, let alone a devotee of Colorado's perennial loser, the Colorado Rockies baseball club in the National League.
But for the better part of the past six weeks, the lyrics from Denver's Rocky Mountain High seemed to symbolize the spirit and enthusiasm of those Colorado Rockies:
And the Colorado Rocky Mountain High,
I've seen it raining fire in the sky
You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply.
Rocky Mountain High, ....in Colorado....
Rocky Mountain High
As recently as mid-September, the Rockies were on track to end the season like so many others: Watching winning teams on television.
Even with high density, viewing the games on the tube does not begin to match the thrill of actually playing in the post season.
Then it started raining fire in the sky, so to speak. Manager Clint Hurdle apparently talked to God and the casual reply lead to a daily miracle and a thrill a minute.
Rocky Mountain High kicked into high gear and the modern day Boys of Summer went on a winning rampage. They won 21 of their next 22 games and found themselves in the World Series of all places!
The Colorado Rockies in the World Series? That is about as probable as President Bush winning the Nobel Peace prize. Or Hillary Clinton proposing an amendment to the Constitution to stiffen the penalty for corrupt fund raising.
No way, Jose!
But those rascals from Colorado did make it to the World Series and instantly became the underdogs against the rich and powerful Sox from Boston.
Relatively unknown figures like Todd Helton, Troy Tulowitzki, Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe were pitted against millionaires named David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Josh Beckett, and Curt Schilling. This was truly a rerun of the biblical "David vs. Goliath" battle.
Unfortunately for fans of the Rockies, the 2007 World Series did not follow the bible script. The big, bad and evil Red Sox vanquished the young and innocent Rockies in a mismatch of historic proportions.
Still, the Colorado Rockies gave baseball fans raining fire in the sky and a wonderful Rocky Mountain High for nigh onto six weeks.
Thanks to each and every one of the Rockies players and Manager Clint Hurdle. It was a great ride while it lasted.
