Anthony Cotton

he Denver Summit FC (football club) begins play Saturday in San Jose, California against Bay FC. The newest franchise in the National Women’s Soccer League, the Summit, led by international sensation Lindsay Heaps, who attended Golden High School, thinks it can contend for a championship in its inaugural season. It’s already proven a winner at the box office — more than 50,000 tickets have been sold for it’s March 28 home opener against the Washington Spirit at Empower Field at Mile High, a league record.

Last month, the Trump administration revoked the endangerment finding, the federal determination that greenhouse gases are a threat to public health and requiring government to regulate them. Last week, one of the architects behind that decision, unexpectedly resigned. Chris Winter, an environmental law professor at the University of Colorado, talks about the impact of the revocation on the state, as well the long-term implications of world events like the war in Iran and the military takeover in Venezuela.

There’s a long history of Presidents saying a war will be quick, only to see it drag on. Think Vietnam. Think Iraq and “Mission Accomplished.” President Trump wants out of the Iran melee in a matter of weeks, but that timeline may have to be adjusted as the war approaches the end of its first week. Micheline Ishay, the director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Denver offers some perspective on what led the U.S.

As evidenced by the many unaffiliated voters in Colorado, political parties aren’t the most popular groups in America. But that doesn’t stop Democrats and Republicans from demonizing each other in the hopes of swaying opinions and winning over voters.

Colorado sports lost one of its most treasured coaches this week. Former Denver Nuggets coach Doug Moe passed away Tuesday at the age of 87. Moe was Denver’s head coach for 10 seasons in the 1980; his 432 victories set a franchise record that was only recently broken.

With his pairs figure skaters Danny O’Shea and Ellie Cam under pressure in the Olympic team competition, the duo delivered what their coach, Drew Meekins, called a “perfect skate” to help win a gold medal.

The influence of classical music can be found in some presumably unexpected places, like tracks from Lizzo and Alicia Keys.

A seemingly innocuous play turned euphoria into angst — Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix broke his ankle falling to the turf at Empower Field at Mile High at the end of a short run. Scheduled to have surgery on Tuesday, his season is over, days before Denver meets the New England Patriots, also at Mile High, with a berth in the Super Bowl on the line. Now the team turns to backup QB Jarett Stidham, who has been largely unknown since entering the NFL in 2019; with all eyes upon him, former Bronco Ryan Harris discusses what happens on Sunday and whether Denver will make it to Santa Clara, California, site of Super Bowl XL, on February 8.

From a preseason trip to Levi’s Stadium in California, Denver Broncos’ coach Sean Payton has embraced a series of lofty goals for his team. Now, Denver stands two home victories away from reaching Super Bowl LX — which will be played back in Santa Clara. Former Bronco offensive lineman Ryan Harris talks about Saturday’s NFL playoff opener against the Buffalo Bills and whether a raucous crowd at Empower Field at Mile High can help Denver overcome former most valuable player Josh Allen.

Donald Trump returned to the White House a year ago. Since then, his administration has consolidated executive-branch power. Colorado Matters’ series “If You Can Keep It”— based on that famous utterance from Benjamin Franklin in 1787— continues into the new year. Our guide through unprecedented politics is University of Denver political scientist Seth Masket.

There were almost 800 people in Colorado hospitalized with influenza at year’s end. Dr. Ken Lyn-Kew, a critical care pulmonologist at National Jewish Health in Denver, spoke about what’s behind the spike. This year’s vaccine isn’t ideal, but it’s better than not being inoculated.

President Trump has made good on his campaign promise to exact retribution against his perceived enemies, which include members of Congress, prosecutors, universities and media outlets. “If You Can Keep It” returns, Colorado Matters’ occasional series on unprecedented politics with University of Denver political scientist Seth Masket.