Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Of course, it is opening day today for the Colorado
Rockies at home. They're going to be facing the A's
the Athletics here at coors Field, and of course our
game first pitch at two ten. I can't think of
a better person to bring on. And you all will
know who she is, and right now she happens to
be historic. She hates when I say that, though she
is the TV voice for the Athletics. It's our dear
(00:20):
friend and proud fellow CSU E Lum. It's Jenny Kavnar,
my friend. I guess I should say welcome home, thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Oh my gosh, I got to sleep in my bed,
I get drive to the ballpark. I have three home
games on the calendar this year and I'm so excited.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Yeah, and you get to drop your kids off at school, right.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yes, Yes, we're getting breakfast. We're watching highlights. That's what
we do in the morning. We watch all the baseball
highlights from the night before, and then I'll drop them
off at school and I'll head down to Corsfield.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Jenny, what is it going to be like being back
for the Rockies home opener? But also the play by
play for the opposing team is it a little bit
of bittersweet here.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Yeah, it's surreal really. I mean, I have been to
so many opening days at Corsfield, whether it was a
fan when I was a kid or obviously for the
twelve years that I covered the Rockies, and to go
to opening Day at Corsfield and be on the other
side is definitely going to be a little bit strange.
But it's also just really humbling the fact that this
is where I really cut my teeth. This is where
I was given an opportunity to do something in my
(01:16):
career that I could have never even dreamed of as
a kid and have imagined doing play by play. And
so to get to sit in the booth next to
Drew Goodman and Jeff Houston and Ryan Spolborg and Corey Sullivan,
all my old co workers and really dear friends, it's
going to be pretty special today.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Tell me what it's like when you come to opening
day at an opposing team's ballpark, when you're that team
coming in for that, is it a different atmosphere. Do
you get a sense from the team, the A's or
anybody like that that they come and say this is
their opening date. It's a little more special it's a
little more juiced, yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
I think so, you know, it's interesting on the calendar
this year, the A's typically open in California, and this
is this is a rare year where they actually opened
on the road in Seattle. So this will be our
opening day experience. So I see Seattle's opener, and then
obviously the opener in Sacramento, which was unique in and
of itself as the A's have moved to a temporary
(02:09):
ballpark for the next three years before their Vegas home
is officially built in twenty twenty eight, and then now
the Rockies opening day. And so I think players understand
the importance and the significance of what an opening day is.
I don't think it falls short on them. I think
it's special no matter what if you're a visitor obviously,
or if you're the home crowd. And I'm really excited
(02:29):
because for a lot of these players, this is just
their first or second opening day roster and they'll get
to experience what course field is for opening day, and
I just this is one of the most special places
in the league. I've obviously am a little biased to
it because this is what I knew growing up, but
I've been to a lot of opening days in Major
League Baseball around the country, and the Rockies really really
(02:52):
do it up special And obviously that has a lot
to do with the heart and soul of Denver and
all the people that come out and rocket out and
Loto even and it's in the thirties and forties right.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Absolutely, Jenny, we spoke to you last year when you
really marked a milestone being the first woman to serve
as an MLB team's primary play by play announcer. Looking
at it now, has it had its challenges?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Absolutely, There's no question. I think anytime you have change
in your life, it's really hard and you can map
out on paper the things that will be challenging. Not
only was it challenging for me to go into this
role as play by play for the full time for
the first time in my career, but also doing it
as the first woman. It came with a lot of responsibility,
It came with a lot of recognition, It came with
(03:37):
a lot of publicity that really is, you know, extra
to doing your job, and it took a lot of
mental wear and tear to get through that. All of
that being very important, but there was a lot of
time spent on things that I wish I could have
just dove into the actual job more. I also changed
I changed teams, I changed cities, I changed leagues, all
while trying to maintain my family in Colorado, supporting my
(04:00):
husband who's a Denver firefighter, and my children who are
very young, and so I think as a working mom,
that task just becomes, you know, the mental challenge of
trying to get everyone logistics those things. So really it
was a whirlwind last year. I'm not going to lie.
There was just it really took a toll on me mentally, physically, emotionally,
and going into this year, in year two, it's it's
(04:21):
just been so exciting to see not only the growth
that I've had, but also what a difference a year makes,
it really does, and just built relationship building with coaches, manager, players,
you know, front office people. I had to get to
know everyone from the bottom up. And again, being sheer
in Colorado for a decade with the Rockies and having
a history that was locked in a history I grew
(04:43):
up with, I was now getting to know a history
that dated back to nineteen oh one, and this is
a team that's now in their fourth city, of their
franchise history, and so there's just a lot of information
and a lot to kind of, you know, go back
and research on. And in all honesty, I think it
was just getting that first year under my belt to
really feel like, Okay, I can do this. I know
(05:04):
I can do this. There were ups and downs, there
were struggles. You question yourself all the time, but I
had a lot of support from a lot of amazing people,
including people that I worked with with the Rocky television crew.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
You're a unique person and you touched on it. You're
in a very unique situation. How with the A's they're
a little bit of transitory, as you have acknowledged waiting
for that stadium to be built in Vegas. How have
they been embraced in Sacramento? Its the town I'm familiar with.
The Rivercats used to do Greate as a minor league
ball club there. How is the city of Sacramento embrace
the A's knowing it's only temporary.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Yeah, the river Cats are still doing fantastic. Which is
so crazy that you think about this ballpark at Center
Health Park, where not only the river Caps are playing
their Triple A season under the Giants umbrella, but the Athletics.
They're coming in and playing a major league schedule there.
So you have a baseball game for almost one hundred
and fifty dates a year, which is pretty incredible. But
(05:56):
I think it speaks volumes of what a sports town
Sacramento is is. They have done a fantastic job over
the years of supporting the Kings through their ups and
downs in the NBA. They got a new stadium built downtown.
There's a lot of cool things happening around the capital
city there in California, and then to all of a
sudden have a major league team and my in laws
are forty five minutes south, and I will just laugh
(06:19):
because my father in law is always like, I can't believe.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
The Cubs are coming to town.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
I can't believe the Yankees will be playing in our backyard,
Like it is a really big deal. I think they're
baseball hungry. If you look at the history of major leaguers,
there's a lot of major leaguers that came from that
area in the game, and so it's just it's really
neat to see and walking downtown in Sacramento, staying in
a hotel there. For our first home stand, there was
green and Gold everywhere. People were already embracing the A's
(06:45):
they were excited for the opening day. Opening Day was
sold out. It is an intimate ballpark, there's no question.
I mean, they're going to get about twelve to fourteen
thousand fans any given night. But it is full, and
it is loud, and it is a really unique experience
I think for families to major league based ball again
in the city that's really craved, having more sports than
just one in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Jenny, it is so nice to have you back here
in Denver at Course Field. We're looking forward to it.
A play by play announcer for the Athletics and CSU Alum,
I'm surprised did not mention that when mentions you did.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Okay, I'm all Green and Gold. Let's go. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Thank you so much for taking some time this morning.
We appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Thanks Jenny, you got it.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Thanks all right,
Of course, it is opening day today for the Colorado
Rockies at home. They're going to be facing the A's
the Athletics here at coors Field, and of course our
game first pitch at two ten. I can't think of
a better person to bring on. And you all will
know who she is, and right now she happens to
be historic. She hates when I say that, though she
is the TV voice for the Athletics. It's our dear
(00:20):
friend and proud fellow CSU E Lum. It's Jenny Kavnar,
my friend. I guess I should say welcome home, thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Oh my gosh, I got to sleep in my bed,
I get drive to the ballpark. I have three home
games on the calendar this year and I'm so excited.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Yeah, and you get to drop your kids off at school, right.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yes, Yes, we're getting breakfast. We're watching highlights. That's what
we do in the morning. We watch all the baseball
highlights from the night before, and then I'll drop them
off at school and I'll head down to Corsfield.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Jenny, what is it going to be like being back
for the Rockies home opener? But also the play by
play for the opposing team is it a little bit
of bittersweet here.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Yeah, it's surreal really. I mean, I have been to
so many opening days at Corsfield, whether it was a
fan when I was a kid or obviously for the
twelve years that I covered the Rockies, and to go
to opening Day at Corsfield and be on the other
side is definitely going to be a little bit strange.
But it's also just really humbling the fact that this
is where I really cut my teeth. This is where
I was given an opportunity to do something in my
(01:16):
career that I could have never even dreamed of as
a kid and have imagined doing play by play. And
so to get to sit in the booth next to
Drew Goodman and Jeff Houston and Ryan Spolborg and Corey Sullivan,
all my old co workers and really dear friends, it's
going to be pretty special today.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Tell me what it's like when you come to opening
day at an opposing team's ballpark, when you're that team
coming in for that, is it a different atmosphere. Do
you get a sense from the team, the A's or
anybody like that that they come and say this is
their opening date. It's a little more special it's a
little more juiced, yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
I think so, you know, it's interesting on the calendar
this year, the A's typically open in California, and this
is this is a rare year where they actually opened
on the road in Seattle. So this will be our
opening day experience. So I see Seattle's opener, and then
obviously the opener in Sacramento, which was unique in and
of itself as the A's have moved to a temporary
(02:09):
ballpark for the next three years before their Vegas home
is officially built in twenty twenty eight, and then now
the Rockies opening day. And so I think players understand
the importance and the significance of what an opening day is.
I don't think it falls short on them. I think
it's special no matter what if you're a visitor obviously,
or if you're the home crowd. And I'm really excited
(02:29):
because for a lot of these players, this is just
their first or second opening day roster and they'll get
to experience what course field is for opening day, and
I just this is one of the most special places
in the league. I've obviously am a little biased to
it because this is what I knew growing up, but
I've been to a lot of opening days in Major
League Baseball around the country, and the Rockies really really
(02:52):
do it up special And obviously that has a lot
to do with the heart and soul of Denver and
all the people that come out and rocket out and
Loto even and it's in the thirties and forties right.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Absolutely, Jenny, we spoke to you last year when you
really marked a milestone being the first woman to serve
as an MLB team's primary play by play announcer. Looking
at it now, has it had its challenges?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Absolutely, There's no question. I think anytime you have change
in your life, it's really hard and you can map
out on paper the things that will be challenging. Not
only was it challenging for me to go into this
role as play by play for the full time for
the first time in my career, but also doing it
as the first woman. It came with a lot of responsibility,
It came with a lot of recognition, It came with
(03:37):
a lot of publicity that really is, you know, extra
to doing your job, and it took a lot of
mental wear and tear to get through that. All of
that being very important, but there was a lot of
time spent on things that I wish I could have
just dove into the actual job more. I also changed
I changed teams, I changed cities, I changed leagues, all
while trying to maintain my family in Colorado, supporting my
(04:00):
husband who's a Denver firefighter, and my children who are
very young, and so I think as a working mom,
that task just becomes, you know, the mental challenge of
trying to get everyone logistics those things. So really it
was a whirlwind last year. I'm not going to lie.
There was just it really took a toll on me mentally, physically, emotionally,
and going into this year, in year two, it's it's
(04:21):
just been so exciting to see not only the growth
that I've had, but also what a difference a year makes,
it really does, and just built relationship building with coaches, manager, players,
you know, front office people. I had to get to
know everyone from the bottom up. And again, being sheer
in Colorado for a decade with the Rockies and having
a history that was locked in a history I grew
(04:43):
up with, I was now getting to know a history
that dated back to nineteen oh one, and this is
a team that's now in their fourth city, of their
franchise history, and so there's just a lot of information
and a lot to kind of, you know, go back
and research on. And in all honesty, I think it
was just getting that first year under my belt to
really feel like, Okay, I can do this. I know
(05:04):
I can do this. There were ups and downs, there
were struggles. You question yourself all the time, but I
had a lot of support from a lot of amazing people,
including people that I worked with with the Rocky television crew.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
You're a unique person and you touched on it. You're
in a very unique situation. How with the A's they're
a little bit of transitory, as you have acknowledged waiting
for that stadium to be built in Vegas. How have
they been embraced in Sacramento? Its the town I'm familiar with.
The Rivercats used to do Greate as a minor league
ball club there. How is the city of Sacramento embrace
the A's knowing it's only temporary.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Yeah, the river Cats are still doing fantastic. Which is
so crazy that you think about this ballpark at Center
Health Park, where not only the river Caps are playing
their Triple A season under the Giants umbrella, but the Athletics.
They're coming in and playing a major league schedule there.
So you have a baseball game for almost one hundred
and fifty dates a year, which is pretty incredible. But
(05:56):
I think it speaks volumes of what a sports town
Sacramento is is. They have done a fantastic job over
the years of supporting the Kings through their ups and
downs in the NBA. They got a new stadium built downtown.
There's a lot of cool things happening around the capital
city there in California, and then to all of a
sudden have a major league team and my in laws
are forty five minutes south, and I will just laugh
(06:19):
because my father in law is always like, I can't believe.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
The Cubs are coming to town.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
I can't believe the Yankees will be playing in our backyard,
Like it is a really big deal. I think they're
baseball hungry. If you look at the history of major leaguers,
there's a lot of major leaguers that came from that
area in the game, and so it's just it's really
neat to see and walking downtown in Sacramento, staying in
a hotel there. For our first home stand, there was
green and Gold everywhere. People were already embracing the A's
(06:45):
they were excited for the opening day. Opening Day was
sold out. It is an intimate ballpark, there's no question.
I mean, they're going to get about twelve to fourteen
thousand fans any given night. But it is full, and
it is loud, and it is a really unique experience
I think for families to major league based ball again
in the city that's really craved, having more sports than
just one in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Jenny, it is so nice to have you back here
in Denver at Course Field. We're looking forward to it.
A play by play announcer for the Athletics and CSU Alum,
I'm surprised did not mention that when mentions you did.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Okay, I'm all Green and Gold. Let's go. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Thank you so much for taking some time this morning.
We appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Thanks Jenny, you got it.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Thanks all right,
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