My Eulogy to Mark Haines

Even in death, Mark Haines gave CNBC its finest hour.

We, the audience, stood transfixed by the informative, warm and heart-rending retrospective this morning on CNBC's Squawk on the Street..

We little home gamers have lost a giant from our lives. Mark Haines was the Johnny Carson and the Walter Cronkite and the Lou Rukeyser combined of financial television. He was unflappable, he seemed indestructiible, in the face of catastrophe in the markets, and even the world. He alone called the top of the bubble and the bottom of the crash. He brought an air of calm to sometimes-roiled market reporting.We trusted him like a protective older brother. This was a brilliant, wise and complex man. He mixed self – effacement with healthy skepticism. Humility with assertiveness . Gruffness with kindness. He could be viciously incisive and witty. Subtle and aggressive. And graciously charitable and reasonable. He was a crusader against bravado and BS. He always kept the big picture in view.

And from this precious hour we learned about the charming often quirky personal private side of this man.

Which only adds to our sorrow.

But contained in that grief is a sense of wonder, of admiration, of appreciation that in some small remote way -- we knew a truly unique and talented individual.

We are sure Mark is looking down on this scene, removing his glasses and, uttering, “Will you guys pu-lease knock it off?" With a grin on his face and tears in his eyes. Which are on, and in, ours as well.