He’s done more than 1,000 hockey games and can’t wait to go again.
Mike Haynes, Altitude’s voice of the Colorado Avalanche, and his in-booth sidekick, Peter McNab, make their 2006 debut tonight when the Avs play Minnesota (6:30, Altitude).
It’s his home away from home. “I have zero skills, none,” said Haynes on the eve of the Avs’ season. “The only thing God ever gave me, I can look at a sheet of paper with names and numbers and they’re in my head. That’s the only gift I have.”
That’s not quite true. He also has the famous Irish gift of gab. Haynes did the Avs on radio for 9 1/2 years before partnering with McNab on TV last season. As far Haynes is concerned it’s a match made in hockey heaven. “We were friends before we did anything on the air together. In all seriousness, you don’t always like the people you work with. I really like Peter.”
Besides being married in real life, Haynes is wed to the Avs. “I’ve done every (Avs) game since day one in 1995. I could do a game every night. Last year, besides the Avalanche, I did 60 other events on Altitude. I wish I could do play-by-play of some game every night. I’m in my 27th year of play-by-play broadcasting. I’ve been very fortunate.”
What kind of season will it be? Naturally, Haynes is upbeat. “It’s a season I’m excited about. I know there are fans who miss their favorite players. But Elway wasn’t going to play forever. You’re going to have change. Give these kids a chance.”
One change for this year’s telecasts: Haynes and McNab plan to spend more time (when there is any) talking about the influx of young players. “We have an obligation to introduce these new kids, to tell people who these kids are.”
Whatever the in-game moment, Haynes is happy to be there.
Rockies, once more
It wasn’t all bad news for the Rockies’ woeful season, and I’m sure we’ll see the highest of the highlights tonight when Keith Bleyer and Charissa Thompson relive it all on the last edition of “Rockies Weekly” (9:30, FSN Rocky Mountain).
They’ll also replay the best of the players mic’d this season.
Around the dial
Talk about your doubleheaders: Commentator Joe Morgan worked both the Yankees and Mets playoff games in New York for ESPN on Wednesday … Nikolai Valuev and Monte Barrett box for some heavyweight championship belt with Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant and Emanuel Steward ringside (8 p.m. Saturday, HBO) … College game of the week: Texas (7) is a 5 1/2-point favorite over Oklahoma (12) in the Red River Shootout in Dallas (1:30 p.m. Saturday, KMGH-Channel 7) … Ex-CU coach Gary Barnett makes his debut on “BCS Breakdown” tonight (6 o’clock, FSNRM). … Quotable: “How would you like a job where, every time you make a mistake, a big red light goes on and 18,000 people boo?” Jacques Plante
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-954-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com.
