Colorado Rockies Should Host Tim Allen Night

Now that the All-Star Game is over, it’s time to set our sights on the second half of the season. One way the Colorado Rockies might make things interesting for fans is to host a game in honor of a famous Denverite.

Recently, the St. Louis Cardinals held a John Goodman night, featuring the Roseanne and Big Lebowski star in both live and bobblehead form. Goodman threw out the first pitch, and it looks as though it was a fun experience for everyone. It got us thinking: whom might the Rockies honor in similar fashion?

Goodman was born in St. Louis, so being a Denver native is the primary criteria applied here. There are more famous ones that you might think. Below are three possibilities.

1. Tim Allen

Who doesn’t love Home Improvement? Certainly not someone who grew up in the 90’s as I did, when there was no Netflix and your best option for family entertainment was gathering around the TV at a set time every week to watch your favorite shows.

Allen entertained a generation with his clueless yet well-meaning approach to family and the spectacular way he botched just about every home project you can think of, despite the fact that he hosted the show Tool Time for a living.

Allen is a great comedian, and his humor has lived on in movies like Toy Story and The Santa Clause, as well as his current television show, Last Man Standing. But of course, his bobblehead would feature that almost-mullet and ever-present tool belt. And maybe he could throw out the first pitch with a “more power” leaf blower?

2. Chauncey Billups

Billups is beloved in Colorado because he chose to stay here for college when he had his pick of quality D-1 schools. His years as a Buffalo at CU are memorable because he made first team All State in every one, and he also led the Buffs to their first NCAA tournament in 28 years.

From there, Billups played for several NBA teams, including the Denver Nuggets from 1998-2000 and 2008-2011. He was unceremoniously shipped out of Denver in the Carmelo Anthony trade, and if for no other reason than that, we owe Billups as much hometown love as we can give him.

Most recently, he turned down an offer to be an assistant coach under Frank Vogel of the Orlando Magic, so he’s probably free. Perhaps the in-game contests could be basketball instead of baseball-oriented, with fans competing to dunk over the left field fence or install a basketball hoop below the out-of-town scoreboard.

3. Madeleine Albright

You can’t exactly call Albright a native of Denver – she’s not even a native of the United States – but she did spend her teen years here not long after her family emigrated. She graduated from Kent Denver High School in Cherry Hills Village and was the founding president of its international relations club. She also interned at the Denver Post briefly while home from college.

As you already know, Albright served as the first female Secretary of State during Bill Clinton’s second term. This accomplishment has given Albright quite the legacy already, but imagine what a special night at Coors Field could do! They could make a bobblehead of her in a Rockies uniform, complete with briefcase as she heads off on an important state visit.

Next: Colorado Rockies: 3 Hypothetical Trade Scenarios

Okay, now it’s up to you Rockies fans. Fill out those comment cards at Coors Field and let Dick Monfort know it’s time we honored one of our hometown heroes!