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Sept. 4th, 2022.

On a sunny and warm 85 Degree day at Denver Stadium a parse crowed of only 52,198 showed up for the Opening Day of the MFN 2022 Season. When less than 70% of a Capacity show up, it can only be for one reason. Fans will travel through rain, snow, sleet and hail... but they won't travel through year after year of continued losing.

The impact is evident as over 30% of the Stadium is empty. Yet on this sunny day, something feels... different.

As Chicago drove for an Opening Drive Field Goal you could hear the crowd groan. "Here we go again." "Already?" And "Same ol', same ol'". Another loss coming, for sure, to bury our hopes and dreams for yet another season, as we questioned the Staff, the Owner, the Players and their commitment to bringing a Winner to Denver.

But it's now how you start, so I'm told... but how you finish.

Even as our Offense sputtered out of the gate, our Defense suddenly took hold shutting down everything. Then, on our 3rd Drive... from the mouth of Gabe Glenn, Announcer for Denver, "Benny rolling right, buying time... a lot of attention being paid to 1st Round Pick Leon Arana, despite not even having a catch... but wait, on the outside a double move, and coming clean is #81! Benny sees, Benny throws, deep and outside as Donald Richmond adjusts, all the Defenders to the inside and it's a footrace! To the 10, 5, and the End Zone is found! There it is, boys! There it is, boys! There it is!"

Suddenly up 7-3, but Chicago mounting a move. 40 Yards on 4 Plays, just to see the FG fail. Carlos Humphry proves why he earned the #1 Jersey, connecting from 30 to make it 10-3 then from 22 making it 13-3. But the game was still in reach late in the 4th Quarter when RB sensation Louis Havens broke a run for 16 Yards finding the End Zone to make it 20-3 and practically a done deal.

We can talk about Benny Worrell and his 94.94 Rating, but Benny has been here before and played well before.

We can talk about Louis Havens and his dominating day of 131 Yards at 5.24 a Carry and a TD, and how McMaster is a bang-up change of pace adding 5.25 YPC on his 8 Touches. But they've been here, and they've played well.

We can talk about Donald Richmond making the play early, stealing back the momentum.

We can talk about the Defense standing firm, guys like Jacob Earnest picking off a pass. Guys like Emmett Daniels and Gabriel Sexton securing sacks. Guys like Crowell, Fletcher and Jones flying all over the field.

But what we should really talk about is the new Owner, Bradley Kell, and the infusion he has given this team.

Donald Richmond told me "He believes in us, and it's easier to believe in yourself when others believe in you."

Benny Worrell said "He simply doesn't accept excuses. Failures happen, but you find out WHY they happen, and you fix it. We've been fixing things all Pre-Season, things we've been doing wrong here for years. It's time to stop finding excuses to lose, and start finding ways to win. That all started with Mr. Kell."

Head Coach Martin Futrell told me "Every where I've went, I've been an outsider. A place hold. Every where has told me I'm not the guy, I'm not the man, and I'm only here until they can get the 'right guy'. I've never been the 'right guy', at least in the eyes of other teams. Mr. Kell didn't say that. He said he expects one thing and one thing only. Today, our best. Tomorrow, better. He said as long as I can get that out of the Staff and the Players, it's MY Team. I'm the guy. Today, our best. Tomorrow, better. Every single day. We do that, the only possible outcomes is us becoming Champions. One day at a time. It's completely different here this year, than it was in 2021."

Maybe the Kool-Aid is just more refreshing when it's 85 and Sunny... or maybe there really is a change coming. It doesn't stay Summer forever, but for today we can at least hold on to our hope and rejoice. At least for today Denver Fans can believe they are Winners!