Marc Moser has been a staple in the Denver market for a quarter-century — he arrived in 1996 — and over the years, he's carved out a role as the voice of Colorado hockey, thanks to his combination of insight and passion. Simply put, he knows how to freak out in ways that make fans want to freak out, too. He spent eleven years calling Avalanche games on radio before jumping to the squad's television broadcasts for the past two. And while the ongoing battle between Altitude TV and Comcast offers limited opportunities to hear him celebrate every Nathan MacKinnon goal, Moser also co-hosts the morning-drive program on Altitude Sports Radio 92.5, where he regularly proves that his sports knowledge goes well beyond ice and pucks.

Because of concerns over his health, Michael Porter Jr. fell in the 2018 NBA draft, and the Denver Nuggets — with a front office that seems able to find every diamond in the rough — picked him fourteenth overall. That insight has paid off this season, as the healed 22-year-old MPJ is starting and averaging over 17 points and 7 rebounds per game, all while shooting above 50 percent from the field and above 40 percent from three-point range. Look to Porter to keep getting better as the playoffs come around.

Dinger, the purple triceratops of Coors Field, is the perfect mascot for kiddos. He's gentle, a bit rotund, funny, and more or less Barney reincarnated, with the added themes of Colorado and baseball thrown into his genetic makeup. And that makes sense, because a beautiful baby Dinger was hatched from an egg in 1994 at Coors Field, which was built on ground where diggers once found real dinosaur bones.

If Dinger is the indica of mascots for adults (you can chill while he entertains your kids), Rocky is the cocaine. Watching the insanely gymnastic mascot for the Denver Nuggets is like attending a Cirque du Soleil show — without the annoying drunk tourists of Vegas. Instead, you'll just have to ignore the annoying drunk sports fans of Denver while catching the crazy trick shots that Rocky hits from atop a ladder. This mountain lion roars.

Looking for a classic game of miniature golf, with all the zany bells and whistles, plus holes that are easy enough for kids but still challenging for adults? Try Westminster's Adventure Golf and Raceway. The three eighteen-hole courses — Buccaneer Bay, Adventure Cove and The Lost Continent — boast an array of animatronics, gorgeous landscaping and well-lit fountains. Between chattering deities and exploding volcanoes, you will be amused, unnerved and constantly entertained. Built in 1989, the facility offers plenty of kitschy nostalgia for kids of all ages, along with bumper cars, go-karts, a ropes course and a maze. A day here is sure to be a hole in one.

Denver has an array of first-rate municipal courses, but this year's winner is the re-envisioned eighteen-hole City Park Golf Course. The 135-acre course, originally built in 1913, was shut down for nearly three years as the City of Denver reworked its stormwater drainage system. Although old trees were lost in the process, the course reopened last fall with updated landscaping, new water traps and revamped course elevations that offer both a nod to history and surprising fresh challenges. The pro shop is the talk of the town, with a contemporary design, helpful staff, and a patio with an epic view of downtown and the mountains.

We regular folk weren't always allowed to play Fox Acres — the course was for members only until 2015 — but we all kissed our drivers when it opened to the public. With hole names like Moose Crossing, Sleeping Elephants, Black Bear and Fox Den, as well as fifteen lakes and over a hundred sand traps, this course in Red Feather Lakes is long on high-country appeal and challenges — but smoking one down the middle of a rolling green in the crisp northern Colorado air makes all those lost balls worthwhile. Revel in your +25 score and the beautiful views at a brewery in Fort Collins on the way home, and don't forget your windbreaker, just in case.

Golf is a sport that requires skill in the short, medium and long games, and Family Sports is the place to practice all three. It boasts a double-floor driving range that is both heated and fully lighted, so golfers can practice into the late evening hours, in the winter. The $5 starting price for a bucket of balls is a bargain, while the generous practice facility next to the driving range includes chipping areas, putting greens and even sand traps. It all adds up to unbelievable value. Fore!

With many other sporting options shut down, the popularity of disc golf soared over the past year. And while the region offers plenty of challenging courses for advanced players, few spots are as good for noobs as the Johnny Roberts Disc Golf Course at Memorial Park in Arvada. Although most of the tees are beginner-friendly and relatively short, there are still trees and water obstacles. It's a great spot to practice your putt or introduce newcomers to the sport. Just be prepared to socialize: This course can get crowded.

The 420-acre Westminster Hills Dog Park is a glorious oasis from the ever-rising drama plaguing smaller dog parks. With so much space and plenty of trails, you can hike the hills as Fido roams far from bullying dogs — but there are also opportunities to make new friends of both the two- and four-legged variety. In recent years, parking has become an issue, but between two lots — one at 10499 Simms Street and another at 11610 West 100th Avenue — you can usually find a spot. Once you snag one, both you and your dog can have an unparalleled adventure in an otherworldly landscape.