👋 Good Morning!

It’s good to get a good reset every now and then. The month of July is basically that for me when it comes to sports consumption. With not as many games to keep up with, it’s a chance to check out some of the other media that I’ve missed over the course of the season and theoretically get some projects done (hasn’t happened…).

Having said that, the quiet is starting to get a little bit deafening, and all it took was about 15 minutes of Summer League action for me to be excited for the fall. I’m not sure if there’s ever been a point in my life where the Avs, Nuggets and Broncos could all be considered potential contenders going into the year.

2025-26 is going to be a fun one. I’m excited to write about it all.

— Justin Michael

The New York Times recently released a list of the top 100 rivalries in college football and sitting all the way at No. 91 was the Rocky Mountain Showdown. The Border War (69) got a little bit more respect in the rankings, as did the CU-Nebraska rivalry at No. 33. But thanks to the list, the debate of whether CSU and CU should play annually has once again become a popular topic.

I’m sure you could have guessed where I stand on the subject. But I’m not trying to be antagonistic here to anyone that disagrees. I really just think it’s as simple as all of those games should be played as frequently as possible.

Conferences change, coaches and players change, but the energy locally for those regional rivalries stays the same. As things stand for 2026 and beyond, CU will be in the Big-12, Nebraska will be in the Big 10, CSU will be in the Pac-12 and Wyoming will be in the Mountain West. That means you don’t just get any of these great rivalries slated in for you every year. It has to be a choice made by both sides.

We’ve lost a lot of tradition and we’re likely going to lose even more as the game evolves down the line. But CSU and CU not playing for the next four seasons is just dumb. And at the moment there are no games scheduled in the future for the Buffs and Huskers either. Who wins in this scenario? Definitely not the fans who fill the stands every week.

These game have always been the matchups that generate the most buzz and bring out the most passion. By the way, an average of about 6 million people tuned into the last two Rocky Mountain Showdowns. So it seems like it might be good business to play the game too.

It takes two to tango. I hope common sense prevails one of these days and these schools agree to play the games that the majority of us want to see.

The Buffs have a new commit for the 2026 cycle. 3-star linebacker Carson Crawford recently flipped his allegiance from Texas State to CU after taking an official visit to Boulder.

READ: CU football commit Carson Crawford wants to help the Buffs win it all | by Scott Procter

Multiple teams have their eyes on trading for third baseman Ryan McMahon.

The Avalanche and Josh Manson have agreed to terms on a two-year contract extension. The 33 year-old defender has had some durability struggles since the 2022 Stanley Cup but has been a standout performer in the postseason.

Check out what AJ Haefele had to say about the pros and cons of the new deal for Manson.