Colorado Snowflakes

“This is a song Charles Manson stole from the Beatles. We’re stealing it back.”

– Bono, U2

I’ve always loved the idea Bono threw forth in that introduction. That just because someone had taken a song or phrase that had once been amazing, lovely, and perfectly acceptable, and associated it with something awful, that it didn’t have to stay forever tainted. So, U2 simply re-appropriated something that had never been Manson’s to lay claim to in the first place.

In that vein, I’d like to take a moment to step forward on behalf of snowflakes.

Snowflakes have gotten a bit of a bad rap of late, with folks on all sides of arguments labeling opponents they think soft, fragile, or easily “melted” as “snowflakes”. Suddenly, the word has a deeply negative connotation in today’s lexicon. So… as much as I don’t have a great Irish accent, nor a power guitar chord roaring behind me… Today, I’m stealing snowflake back.

Snowflakes actually make up some pretty important things, and especially for Coloradoans. Snow is a huge part of Colorado’s economic health and stability, at least when public skiing is allowed again. Snowflakes provide Colorado – and a large part of the rest of civilization – with their fresh water supply. Kind of a big deal, according to most biologists. In addition to such minuscule matters as life-giving and revenue streams (pun intended), there is the long-held assertion that all snowflakes are utterly unique. And while there is a lot of truth and a little fiction to that statement, we’re going to lean especially hard into that uniqueness and spend a little time with some of Colorado’s finest snowflakes.

Oh yeah, snow can also do at least one more pretty impressive thing. It’s thought that about a septillion (1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000) snowflakes fall on earth every year. When a bunch of them gang up, they can…

Avalanches can be pretty scary. What a fitting way to start this list.

Hockey Snowflake: Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche

It’s been seven years and a day or so since Nathan MacKinnon first donned his Avs sweater. Expectations were immediately high for the young center, and he did not come out of the gates living up to those expectations. A mix of power struggles inside and outside the team left Nate with a tough hill to climb, and his performance suffered for it. But after some key trades and changes came into play, MacKinnon’s game blossomed into the All-Star play we’ve seen from him ever since. How big a difference did that shift make? Nate’s points nearly doubled that next year, from 53 to 97. He’s been north of 90 points every season since.

What makes MacKinnon unique: Nathan showed signs of his genius long before all of the pieces came together, but now that he’s fully come alight, he’s probably the most uniquely talented offensive player the Avs have had since Peter Forsberg. MacKinnon has a nose for the puck and the play, and invariably puts himself in the spot where he can best help his team. Although his scoring skills are sublime, Nate is just as happy to throw the right pass, or get into the wall to grind it out with the opposition. His mindset and vision give him the ability to stay ahead of the play, and his ethic and selflessness make all of those superpowers truly dangerous, as he’ll sacrifice his own game for the good of his club. He’s currently one of the most feared players in hockey, and there’s no one quite like him in the league.

Football Snowflake: Von Miller, Denver Broncos

Miller will start his tenth season in predominantly orange this year, and has been an impact player since his arrival. Though his first couple of seasons were marred by youthful errors, his play was immediately impressive, and only continued to grow season over season. By the time Super Bowl 50 rolled around in his fifth season, Miller was one of the dominant players in the game, garnering Super Bowl MVP honors for the two-and-a-half sacks he tallied in the Broncos unexpected championship victory. Miller has continued his exceptional play ever since, and is one of the primary pieces all Denver opponents plan for when playing the Broncos.

What makes Miller unique: Well, aside from being a chicken farmer, a Dancing With The Stars contestant, an Old Spice pitchman, and a roller coaster junkie, Miller is known for the machinations of his mind. Von is always thinking, whether about football, his many hobbies, or any of the many random thoughts and questions that occupy his ever-moving grey matter. With a combination of strength and speed that are rarely seen in the league, Denver opponents had to hope that Miller would be slow in picking up what they were laying down. Instead, Miller has shown himself to be one of the brightest players on the field, and a real student of the game. His physical skills are peerless, but matching that with the brains of a mad scientist has made Miller a monster for anyone not wearing a matching jersey.

Baseball Snowflake: Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies

Although “Chuck Nazty” has been with the Rockies since 2011, he truly burst onto the scene with the team in the 2014 opener. While notching six hits in the game, Charlie also had five RBI, a homer, and three doubles. Blackmon’s feat made him one of five players in history ever to have six hits, five RBI, and four extra base hits in a game, joining the likes of Ty Cobb, Jimmie Foxx, Edgardo Alfonso, and Shawn Green. Since then, Blackmon has been a regular fixture in All-Star games and postseason awards.

What makes Blackmon unique: Charlie is admittedly a “questions” guy, feeling like he has a million in every situation to help him understand what he’s up against. He’s meticulous, fastidious, and driven. Moreover, he doesn’t often care about the trappings that tend to concern many other players. Blackmon was still driving his high school Jeep until just a few years ago, and had zero concerns for the way others perceive his beard, mullet, or oddities. Charlie brings his own sense of purpose, focus, and drive to every contest, and plays at his best under pressure, primarily because he’s often the person not feeling any in situations where everyone else does.

Basketball Snowflake: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

Could there have been any doubt on this one? The Nuggets pulled Jokic from out of the bargain bin in the second round of his NBA draft year. No one was expecting him to be a franchise cornerstone, not even the Nuggets, who made him their third pick of the evening. Since his emergence during his rookie season, Jokic has only continued to pile up accolades and triple-doubles, becoming an All-Star, one of the Nuggets best of all-time, and a constant dark horse in the MVP conversation. His ascendance for the team shifted their planning and timeline, and gave the nuggets their first look at a possible title since Carmelo Anthony left the team.

What makes Jokic unique: The list is long. He’s a point guard in a center’s body. He’s a team leader who only wants to make everyone else shine and happy. He’s a constant joker who has to be prodded to anger. He sees angles on the court that would make Pythagoras blush. He leads the team in almost every category, and would give every bit of those numbers up to win his team a title. He’s the heroic anti-hero, and would simply blush and (Sombor) shuffle at the suggestion of the same.

See? Sometimes it’s good to be a snowflake, DNVR Nation. We in the Mile High City know just how powerful a well-applied snowflake can be, and we have some of the most unique players in each of their sports to prove it. Who else in Colorado sports has an angle that makes them utterly unique in their field? Have a great weekend, celebrate your independence from being like everybody else, and shine on, you crazy snowflakes. Remember, it can be a beautiful thing to be unique in your game.