During the off-season, we've been getting to know you a bit more and have had awesome discussions because of this. Continuing today, you can learn more about the MHH staff through a series of questions.
I cannot guarantee that Arby's sandwiches weren't harmed in the writing of this "get to know".
What attracted you to hockey? Does your family have a passion for it, was it always the Avalanche that you liked?
Not sure really. I wasn't particularly exposed to it growing up in the wastelands of Wyoming or the racelands of south Mississippi. I somehow became enamored with the few games I did see on TV and based on a box of hockey cards I got a discount store, I had decided to be a Joe Sakic fan sometime around 1994. Then the Avs arrived in Denver, and as a lifelong Broncos fan (who else is there to root for in Wyoming?), I was thrilled that my favorite player was now a "hometown" player. The Cup in '96 pretty much sealed the deal.
What about MHH? How'd you find it, what kept you here? How'd you become part of the staff? What is your favorite part of MHH?
Not sure how I'd stumbled on to the blog. If I had to guess it was a result of following Joe's old site and becoming one of the first members of MHH after he started it up. There were quite a few game threads where it was just me talking to myself. Not too long into the site's history, Joe approached me about joining MHH's then minuscule staff after sampling a whopping two articles that I'd written for the now defunct Blanc, Bleu, et Rouge as their Avalanche correspondent. He made some noise about minimum articles per week or other such nonsense, but nobody is gonna tell me what to do...
What are you looking forward to the most about this up-coming season?
Not watching a team on the marching down the path of historical sucktude like the 2nd half of last year. My expectations are so friggin' low for this team that mediocre is acceptable just so long as I don't have to sit through the shiiiiiiiiite I witnessed last season (and paid good money via Center Ice no less)
Who is your "sleeper" pick for the 2012 season?
For the Avs? Probably Galiardi or Elliott. For the NHL? Not sure. Everybody has some warts and nobody is really a sleeper. Maybe Carolina? I think they were a couple of pieces and a couple of bounces from being a very tough out in last year's playoffs.
What are some nicknames you go by?
Goalie. I hear they have my photo up at local Arby's with the nom de guerre: The Reckoning.
Your favorite player? Is there one guy that you could just watch for hours and not get bored?
I enjoy watching Pekka Rinne and Tomas Vokoun play net. I enjoy watching Ovechkin immensely.
All Star weekend yay or nay?
Skills Comp and Young Stars Pick-up Game are good, the game itself is a clown show aside from the occasional funny interview.
Your favorite hockey book?
Dryden's The Game
Outside of MHH, what's your favorite website?
Probably Comics Alliance
During the offseason what is your favorite thing to do?
Disc Golf and hanging with my sons.
What is your favorite hockey movie?
Slap Shot.
The thing you want to know most about another staff member?
What the fuck is up with the hyphen, Dave?
This is just a reminder, Mike wants you to send him your new MHH logo! Enter the contest, you know you want to.