👋 Good Morning!

The Colorado high school football season is just around the corner and I encourage you to go out in your communities and catch a game this fall.

While I initially was going to use this section to talk about my issues with the way the divisions are currently constructed — so many regional rivalries have been killed by realignment and it only hurts local support — I want to keep things positive this time of year.

High school football might not be the prettiest version of the sport but it’s probably the purest at this point. There’s something really cool about playing for passion and community pride. And I can’t help but romanticize a Friday night under the lights, with the band in the stands and the smell of hot dogs and popcorn in the air, there’s nothing quite like it.

Go check out a game this fall. I promise you’ll have far more fun than you might think.

— Justin Michael

It took the threat of being the worst team in MLB history to do it but the Colorado Rockies, dare I say, are red hot right now.

After taking two of three from St. Louis and then sweeping Arizona in dramatic fashion with a couple of comeback wins, the Rox walked off the Dodgers in the first of a four-game home series Monday night (4-3). Warming Bernabel delivered the game-winning RBI with a single to score Ezequiel Tovar from second. With the win, the Rox have now won out six of seven overall.

The Rockies still need to win seven more to avoid Chicago’s embarrassing record, but with 36 games still to play, they should be able to to that. The team is 14-15 since the All-Star Game and actually playing competitive games of late. It feels like they’ve turned a corner since embracing a couple of the younger players in the organization.

Don’t get me wrong here. They’re still going to lose 100+ games for the third straight year and lack the kind of quality pitching it takes to be even remotely relevant. But I’d rather watch these young guys play their hearts out every night than a bunch of players who are either past their prime or disinterested in being here.

I’m not saying everything is fixed. But there’s a different energy with the Rockies that feels refreshing. They landed a legitimate star prospect in the draft, they operated soundly at the deadline and now they’re at the very least playing fun games again. It’s baby steps but it’s been a while since you could say anything like that.

The Erik Johnson trade tree is one of the most fascinating things I’ve ever seen. You’re not going to want to miss Rudo’s incredible breakdown.

WATCH: How the Erik Johnson trade tree helped three teams win Stanley Cups

CU has four new starters in the trenches this fall. Scott Procter explains why the group is far more tight knit than you might expect though.

READ: CU Football’s new offensive line is anchored by a Mississippi connection “I feel at home”

CSU has found their own version of Taysom Hill. Maybe Sean Payton will want to catch a game in FoCo this fall.

READ: Meet Tahj Bullock: ‘Mr. Do-it-all’ for the CSU Rams