The city of Denver has seen its name sullied over the past few months during the never-ending controversy surrounding Carmelo Anthony. That sad chapter in Denver sports history has closed with a blockbuster trade sending the now-despised Anthony to the New York Knicks, along with home-town favorite Chauncey Billups. I won't claim to be any kind of expert on the NBA, but I know these two things to be certain. I hated Carmelo Anthony before it was trendy to, and I've always loved Chauncey Billups. That being said, I hate to see a CU Buffalo and former NBA champion leave Denver, especially after hearing him voice his desires to stay in town, but dealing 'Melo was crucial for the future of the Nuggets and the sanity of its fan base.
What bothered me the most about the controversy was the implication that Denver is a second-rate market, incapable of keeping high-profile athletes as franchise players. It was no secret that Carmelo wanted out of Denver, and the storm that grew over our city sent the message to the sporting world that Denver was on par with Cleveland; a statement that induces nausea, headache, and a general sense of helplessness.
My biggest take-away from this whole scenario is that Carmelo doesn't deserve our city. One spoiled, lazy, and overhyped diva doesn't make or break the repuation of any one city. The fact is, there is more evidence disproving the second-rate market implication than there is supporting it.
The Rockies have set a surprising precedent this year by signing their two biggest stars to long-term contracts. Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, two players that would have likely earned more by leaving for a "top-tier" market (Chicago, New York, or LA), decided to commit to spending the prime years of their careers in the Mile High City.
That tells me two things:
1. Both Tulo and CarGo exhibited a rare quality that has all-but vanished from professional sports. The word is "fidelity", but I'd be willing to guess that Carmelo Anthony would have a hard time spelling the word, let alone defining it. One year of college at Syracuse doesn't give me reason to believe that he's any more intelligent than he comes off in interviews.
2: Denver is a city where legitimate superstars can feel comfortable spending the duration of their professional careers. Given the possibility of earning more money elsewhere, they chose to stay put. By doing so, they've earned the respect and admiration of hundreds of thousands of fans, and they can enjoy those benefits for the rest of their career in a city that has a mix of city living, scenic beauty, and a family-friendly quality that New York or LA couldn't touch with a 400 foot pole.
Today was a disappointing day for Denver fans for many reasons. Exchanging Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups for three player's I've never heard of doesn't give me much hope for the Nuggets' immediate future, but after the black eye suffered by this embarassing fiasco, Champ Bailey and the Denver Broncos alleviated a lot of that pain for a city that needed a break.
John Elway announced via twitter that Champ Bailey has signed a four-year extension with the Denver Broncos, news that seemed unlikely at best a week prior. Bailey has been a shining star in a dismal Bronco defense for several years, and his leadership is irreplaceable on the Denver roster. Bailey, still one of the best shut-down cornerbacks in the NFL, has been very vocal about his desires to play for a championship team, and that has led to a lot of speculation that his Denver days were done. Denver fans have been dreading the announcement that Champ had been shipped off to the New England Patriots, or some other team poised for a Super Bowl run in 2011-2012. Thankfully, we managed to hold on this time. You think Champ would have stayed if he were playing for the Cleveland Browns? What about the Detroit Lions?
The truth is, Denver is a great market for players that value the important things in life. Champ, Tulo, CarGo, Sakic and Elway seem to enjoy it...
'Melo, on the other hand, is going to love New York. It's overrated, arrogant, and classless: he should fit right in.
-Sam
Carmelo doesn't know the difference between "cease" and "seize," which I find endlessly funny. I would think it also proves that he wouldn't get fidelity.
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