2008 Woodie Awards
Behind the voice of DU hockey
Jay Stickney meshes wit with knowledge during play-by-play
Erin Pahl
Issue date: 2/1/05 Section: Sports
The phone rings. "Hello!" a man says in a cheesy announcer voice.
"This is the mind, body and soul of Pioneer hockey."
He speaks every time as if he is meeting you for the first time.
University of Denver hockey players and coaches know the man on the other end of the line to be none other than Jay Stickney. To fans, Stickney is more widely known as "The Voice of Denver Hockey."
In any other college town, sports fans could see their local college team play on television in nearly every game.
In a city with seven professional sports teams all vying for your attention, even a national championship and an NHL lockout cannot give Pioneer fans any more than half a season of televised games.
But the one thing fans can count on is hearing Denver's radio play-by-play announcer, Stickney, call every game.
In his fifth year at DU, Stickney brings experience, talent and a comic spontaneity that separates him from the average radio personality.
"When I am on the air, I just pretend that I know what I am talking about," said Stickney.
Ask any coach or player to comment on his experiences with Stickney and the response will start with a laugh, smile or shake of the head, every time.
He is referred to by everyone who knows him as the team comic.
"Sometimes my humor will get me in trouble with fans though," said Stickney.
"One time, four or five DU players were called for penalties at the end of a game and a couple guys had to sit on laps in the penalty box because the box only holds about three players at a time. So I made a joke about there being a lap dance going on in the penalty box," said Stickney.
He added, "I got a call from an unhappy listener the next day. That was two years ago and I have not had any upset calls since. Maybe no one is listening to me anymore."
Stickney was the play-by-play announcer in Vail five years ago when he received a call from Mitch Hyder, the voice of Pioneer basketball.
"This is the mind, body and soul of Pioneer hockey."
He speaks every time as if he is meeting you for the first time.
University of Denver hockey players and coaches know the man on the other end of the line to be none other than Jay Stickney. To fans, Stickney is more widely known as "The Voice of Denver Hockey."
In any other college town, sports fans could see their local college team play on television in nearly every game.
In a city with seven professional sports teams all vying for your attention, even a national championship and an NHL lockout cannot give Pioneer fans any more than half a season of televised games.
But the one thing fans can count on is hearing Denver's radio play-by-play announcer, Stickney, call every game.
In his fifth year at DU, Stickney brings experience, talent and a comic spontaneity that separates him from the average radio personality.
"When I am on the air, I just pretend that I know what I am talking about," said Stickney.
Ask any coach or player to comment on his experiences with Stickney and the response will start with a laugh, smile or shake of the head, every time.
He is referred to by everyone who knows him as the team comic.
"Sometimes my humor will get me in trouble with fans though," said Stickney.
"One time, four or five DU players were called for penalties at the end of a game and a couple guys had to sit on laps in the penalty box because the box only holds about three players at a time. So I made a joke about there being a lap dance going on in the penalty box," said Stickney.
He added, "I got a call from an unhappy listener the next day. That was two years ago and I have not had any upset calls since. Maybe no one is listening to me anymore."
Stickney was the play-by-play announcer in Vail five years ago when he received a call from Mitch Hyder, the voice of Pioneer basketball.