Timeline 25: Remembering the biggest Colorado sports stories of 1997

Larry Walker started making his case for Cooperstown, the Avs come oh-so-close to repeating, the Broncos make a run and the Nuggets falter

BY JAMES MERILATT

May 12, 2020, 6:31 AM Updated: 8:23 pm

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On March 6, 1995, The Fan was born. In the 25 years since, a lot has transpired on the fields, courts and ice in Colorado, giving the hosts and listeners who’ve been part of the station during that time plenty to talk about and debate.

During the course of the next few weeks, we’ll take a look back at that history, remembering the good times and the bad, the winners and the losers, the successes and the failures. It’s a series we’re calling “Timeline 25” and it continues today with a look back at an up-and-down year in Colorado sports – 1997:

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M-V-P, M-V-P, M-V-P!

Prior to 1997, Larry Walker had only been an All-Star once during his eight-year career. And at the age of 30, most would’ve predicted that trend would continue. But that season, the Rockies outfielder would begin a five-year run of excellence that would ultimately lead to Cooperstown.

While Walker would post some gaudy numbers during that time, earning four All-Star nods in the process, it was the 1997 campaign that was his finest. He led the National League in home runs, belting a career-high 49. He also led the NL in on-base percentage, slugging percentage and total basses. Oh, and he won a Gold Glove for his outstanding defensive play.

As a result, Walker was able to beat out Mike Piazza, Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio and Barry Bonds for the National League’s Most Valuable Player award. That’s who’s who of 1990s baseball, with the Rockies outfielder besting them all in 1997.

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A New Look

For 35 years, the Broncos had worn orange jerseys. It was part of their identity, as the color became connected to the franchise. On Sunday afternoons in the fall, Mile High Stadium was a sea of orange.

That’s why it was such a shock on March 31, 1997 when the team rolled out new uniforms that featured navy blue jerseys as part of their home look. The franchise that once featured the Orange Crush defense had drastically altered its look.

Not surprisingly, the change didn’t go over well. In a town where people painted their houses orange to show their dedication to the local football team, a shift to blue wasn’t a popular decision.

The outrage was so loud that Pat Bowlen tried to defuse the situation by saying that the new uniforms were still “predominantly orange.” No one was buying it.

Not only did the Broncos alter their color palette, they also transformed their logo. A collaboration with Nike led to the familiar D helmet decal being replaced by the horse head that is still used today.

It all added up to a nearly universal thumbs down from fans in the Mile High City. And only winning would get people to come around on the new look.

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Nearly an Encore

There was no Stanley Cup hangover in Colorado. After winning a championship during their first season in the Mile High City, the Avalanche came out ready to defend their title.

During the regular season, they were the best team in hockey. Colorado’s mark of 49-24-9 was good for 107 points, tops in the NHL, earning the franchise the President’s Trophy. The Avs were able to accomplish this feat despite two of their biggest stars, Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg, each missing 17 games during the season.

In the playoffs, Marc Crawford’s team looked like they were destined to repeat. Just like the previous season, they dispatched of the Blackhawks in six games. Then, they got past the Oilers in five. That set up a showdown with the Red Wings, adding another chapter to what was quickly becoming one of the best rivalries in all of sports.

This time around, however, it was Detroit that was able to advance past the Western Conference Finals. They stole Game 2 at McNichols Arena and then held serve on home ice the rest of the series, ultimately winning in six games.

The Red Wings would go on to sweep the Flyers in the Stanley Cup Finals, so it’s reasonable to assume that the Avalanche could’ve bested Philadelphia, as well. That would’ve meant back-to-back titles during their first two seasons in Colorado, which would’ve been a remarkable accomplishment.

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A Late-Season Swoon

After losing to the Jaguars in the Divisional Playoffs the year before, the Broncos appeared to be on a mission in 1997. They were determined to avenge the defeat and give John Elway another chance at an elusive championship.

The mission started off well. Through 10 games, the Broncos were 9-1 and appeared well on their way to the No. 1 seed in the AFC once again.

Then, the wheels came off.

Denver headed into Arrowhead Stadium in Week 12 with a two-game lead over Kansas City. If they could’ve knocked off the Chiefs, the Broncos would’ve coasted to the AFC West title. Instead, they lost 24-22 when Pete Stoyanovich made a 54-yard field goal as time expired, a kick that tightened the division race.

Ultimately, losses at Pittsburgh and San Francisco in Weeks 15 and 16 dropped the Broncos to a wild card spot. Instead of having a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the playoffs, Denver would have to win three games to get to the Super Bowl, two of which would be on the road.

And that wasn’t all they’d have to overcome. During their loss to the 49ers, TV cameras caught Bill Romanowski spitting in the face of J.J. Stokes, an ugly incident that garnered national attention and threatened to divide the locker room.

The Broncos finished the season with a 12-4 record, but they were stumbling down the stretch. It set the stage for a “Revenge Tour” in the postseason, which began on Dec. 27, 1997, with a 42-17 beatdown of the Jaguars.

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From Bad to Worse

At the end the 1994-95 season, the Nuggets were coming off of back-to-back playoff seasons, had the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year in Dikembe Mutombo and boasted a young, talented roster. A little more than two years later, Denver was the laughingstock of the league.

They missed the playoffs in 1996, Mutombo left for Atlanta via free agency, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was traded, Bernie Bickerstaff was broomed in favor of Dick Motta and things unraveled. In 1996-97, Denver fell to 21-61, a low-water mark that was just the beginning.

After that season, Antonio McDyess was traded and the Nuggets hired Bill Hanzlik as their head coach. Neither move paid off.

Denver would start the 1997-98 season by losing their first 12 games. By New Year’s Eve, they were 2-26, capping a stretch where the franchise won just 15 times during a calendar year. It was the start of what would become the worst season in Nuggets history.