There are many obvious reasons why I should love the Rockies. Last October, as I endured a bleak and daunting freshman year of college over a thousand miles away, my hometown team managed to give me something to hope for, as well as a lively and authentic connection to home. Or I could say I love them because there really is nothing more perfect than Coors Field on a summer night for good conversation with old friends and a glimpse of my real-life heroes. I could love them because they are something me and my brother agree on, a love that bridges age and gender and sibling tension. But I believe it is simpler than that. I love the Rockies because they embody what a baseball team should be: a team that functions like a family, built upon support, values, and hope.

I have never read a word about tension on the team. Even when vying for positions in the starting lineup, Taveras and Spilborghs never comment on anyone but themselves. If one is doing well, the other simply acknowledges that he needs to step up his game. The competition doesn't tear them apart; it encourages them to push themselves. They use it to build each other up and essentially build up the team as a whole. Cook will never comment on how much better he is doing than the other pitchers. He has too much class.

Can you name a current Rockie who has been issued a DUI, gotten through a messy and public divorce, or admitted to abusing substances? I'm here to tell you, Google's got nothing. These guys not only play fair on the field, but that's how they live their lives. The attitude with which they walk through life is truly something to admire. Whether or not they consider themselves role models, they could easily handle the job. Do you know what Cook wants to do when his baseball career is over? He wants to be a pastor. And he admits it with pride. What kind of fabulous team has star pitchers like that?

Hands down, these guys know what it means to hope against hope. I could wax on about the death defying streak of last fall, but I'll leave that to YouTube and the ticket office's "on hold" recording. Whenever we get into a slump, no one points fingers or complains. Each player takes it upon himself to do better and contribute more. That is how family unity works.

Because of the undeniable support for one another, the staunch value each player places on leading a life of integrity, and the sheer unadulterated hope with which the Rockies approach each game, it is impossible not to love them. They are pure, they are dignified, they are classy and they love the game. And when you get down to it, watching them is just pure fun.