So, as I was tooling around the house this morning, I heard the news that Kobe Bryant wants to be traded from the Lakers. I guess he wants out of L.A. after toiling around for three seasons since Shaq left. And I didn't give it any thought, since I'm really not one for off-season basketball talk. A lot of it is just worthless blathering about what impossible trades that the Lakers should make.

But then, I heard the most chilling words ever spoken by KLAC's Steve Hartman on the Loose Cannons Wednesday afternoon:

"The Buss family might as well sell the Lakers to Anschutz if they trade Kobe."

So, as I was tooling around the house this morning, I heard the news that Kobe Bryant wants to be traded from the Lakers. I guess he wants out of L.A. after toiling around for three seasons since Shaq left. And I didn't give it any thought, since I'm really not one for off-season basketball talk. A lot of it is just worthless blathering about what impossible trades that the Lakers should make.

But then, I heard the most chilling words ever spoken by KLAC's Steve Hartman on the Loose Cannons Wednesday afternoon:

"The Buss family might as well sell the Lakers to Anschutz if they trade Kobe."

Needless to say, I became a whole bunch more interested in this story. I looked it up, and it appears as of 2001, AEG has a 27+ percent stake in the Lakers. That's was considerably more than I recently thought.

As I listened to Kobe go on every talk show he could to "clear his name," it became clear that something is brewing in LakerLand, and there's a serious possibility that Bryant could be dealt. And if that's the case, what's to keep the Buss family, Phil Jackson, or anyone else around to watch this team get dismantled? Pride? Love for the game. It's a business, after all.

I could see Anschutz offering to buy the belabored team from the Buss family. He'd be stupid not to at least put an offer out there. How many chances do you get to buy a storied franchise like the Lakers? And if that's the case, that will push the Kings franchise further down the depth chart on interest from AEG.

In fact, if AEG buys the Lakers, there's a good chance they might turn around and put the Kings for sale in order to pay for it. So not only may our cross-town rivals raise the Stanley Cup, but we may be in the midst of a shakeup within the team's ownership.

So, long-suffering Kings fan, pay attention to how this plays out. Be afraid, be very afraid if Kobe leaves the Lakers. For the ripple effect will be felt throughout the sports universe. The second Bryant is dealt to another team, the luster will be immediately off the Lakers. And the wheels could be be in motion for the current Lakers regime to abandon ship and a new owner brought in. And there isn't another suitor in a better position than Phil and AEG.

Posted by Matt Murray at 2:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With the Ducks victory in Game One over the Ottawa Senators, I knew what to expect heading into today.

Being a die-hard Kings fan, I understand I am going to reap what I've sown over the past 14 years. Since the Ducks entered the league back in 1993, I have firmly stood on the side of the Kings. Nearly everyone who knows me on a personal level knows that I'm a hockey fan and my team is the Kings. I was one of the lucky fans to be selected for those custom "Kings Rule" decals decals for the back window of my car when the league came back from lockout. I have been to more Kings/Ducks games than any other series combined. I have "invaded the Pond" and hung a duck from the Wild Wing statue
at the Arena after a Kings victory. I have taught my daughter that "Kings Rule" and that ducks are meant to be eaten. I have even toyed with the idea of getting a tattoo, but have decided against it, since I'm such a nancy boy.

However, now that the Ducks are in the Stanley Cup Finals, it's going to be a long two weeks. The day started for me when they opened the Ch. 5 Morning News talking about the Ducks opening game win. As I drove my daughter to school, it was the talk on all the sports talk stations. The biggest offender was KLAC, whose tagline "So L.A., It's In Our Name" and actually claims to be the "home" of Kings hockey. They even have a Kings logo on their homepage. Today, they unveiled that not only are they "so L.A." but apparently they are all about Orange County! They even added a flash opening to their home page with "Orange County" splashed across the page!

When I went to go get coffee at It's A Grind, I was asked by the barista behind the counter: "How About Them Ducks?" Afraid he might hock a loogie in my drink, I just shrugged and waited for my drink. Another barista joined in, asking if I was rooting for the Ducks. I just shot him a look and said flatly "No." I got my drink and walked calmly out. In the newstand was a newspaper rack with several rack cards pronouncing other newspaper's coverage of the Ducks.

I know exactly what to expect when I head into work today as well. Joe, our fearless internet techie dude, is a huge Ducks fan. He even had season tickets to the Ducks last season. (He had to give them up "regretably" when he started working the night shift this season.) We have had a friendly rivalry going ever since we found out we are "mortal enemies." Over the past two years, he has found his Ducks ball cap mysteriously turned inside out in his cubicle, and I've found a Mighty Ducks wallpaper on my computer when I got back from vacation. I'm sure Joe will make it a point to come over and gloat a bit tonight.

I also get no love from the Sports Department either, especially on the copy desk. My long-time friend, Fausto, has decided to start rooting for the Ducks, like many fair weather fans, at the start of the playoffs. Keep in mind that he actually asked where he could buy a Kings jersey LAST SEASON. But now, he's all about the Black, Orange and Gold. I won't forget, Fausto. Mark my words...

Even some of my close personal friends have called me to bask in their team's good fortunes. My friend Joey called me when the Ducks advanced, to give me a little ribbing about my squad and how there's plenty of room on the Ducks' bandwagon. Stinging words when they come from Joey.

You see, a long time ago, I had bet Joey that the Kings would return to the Stanley Cup Finals before the Ducks ever did. Keep in mind that the bet was made right after the 1993 Finals, and the future was still bright. The bet was if the Ducks ever made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, I would shave my head bald. I had every reason to believe the Kings would return. Needless to say in 2003, I held up my part of the bargain and sheared off my precious locks. I held solace in two things: 1) My hairstyle resembled Bruce Wills in Die Hard and 2) The Ducks lost to the Devils in seven.

I expect I'll receive more good-natured ribbing and snide comments from people, and I really don't care. The Kings are building for a brighter future, and I fully expect them to do two things next season: 1) They will beat the Ducks in London to kick-off next season and 2) They will return to the playoffs. Anything that happens before that is just prologue.

Posted by Matt Murray at 9:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

According to LAKings.com, Luc Robitaille has been appointed President of Business Operations. The website states that Luc will "focus directly on all business initiatives as it relates to the Kings and the integration of all communication vehicles to the Kings fan base."

Luc will be dealing with stuff like community outreach, fan development, fan/player relations, team events and player appearances, as well as overseeing the broadcasting crew and LAKings.com, the team's offical website. Recently, the website was relaunched as part of a league-wide mandate to integrate all the sites. Good thing too, because the old site was a bit hard to navigate, especially having to wait for the KINGS RULE splash page to clear the screen every single time you visted. Man, was that annoying to see. Especially after being out of contention for half the season.

But the new season brings new optimism to the franchise, who now has a new sheriff in charge of the day-to-day business operations of the team. Some fans are a bit wary of Luc's promotion, probably due to the bad taste left in their mouths due to Dave Taylor's reign as general manager. But this is entirely different.

According to LAKings.com, Luc Robitaille has been appointed President of Business Operations. The website states that Luc will "focus directly on all business initiatives as it relates to the Kings and the integration of all communication vehicles to the Kings fan base."

Luc will be dealing with stuff like community outreach, fan development, fan/player relations, team events and player appearances, as well as overseeing the broadcasting crew and LAKings.com, the team's offical website. Recently, the website was relaunched as part of a league-wide mandate to integrate all the sites. Good thing too, because the old site was a bit hard to navigate, especially having to wait for the KINGS RULE splash page to clear the screen every single time you visted. Man, was that annoying to see. Especially after being out of contention for half the season.

But the new season brings new optimism to the franchise, who now has a new sheriff in charge of the day-to-day business operations of the team. Some fans are a bit wary of Luc's promotion, probably due to the bad taste left in their mouths due to Dave Taylor's reign as general manager. But this is entirely different.

Ever since AEG acquire the Kings, fans have been complaining about how the entertainment conglomerate has its hands in so many ventures, that the hockey club gets lost in the shuffle. I wouldn't say that the club was ignored, but I do think that they weren't given their proper due in the company. But now, as things are shaking down and roles are being redefined, the Kings need some strong personalities in key positions to allow the club to stand alone.

Adding Luc was a perfect choice.

So what will be Luc's first order of business? Only time will tell. But I do have a suggestion...

As times have changed, so has how the fans follow their favorite club. Message boards, like LetsGoKings.com and HockeysFuture.com, has become the place to go for breaking hockey news. Scores of bloggers have filled in the gaps, providing observations and ways for fans to involve themselves with their favorite teams.

The NHL recognizes this, and they have launched NHL Connect, a way for fans to have a personal web page to show their love for their squad. They also have Blog Central, where they have newspaper writers from around the nation offering up their opinions, as well as celebrity bloggers.

Thing is, the Kings don't have any entry as the club's official voice. In fact, many teams just use their multimedia portion fo their websites. The Ducks use their PodCasts as their voice. Whatever. If only there was an independent voice, whose viewpoints come from strictly an L.A. Kings fan's perspective. Someone who could go to London and cover the Kings/Ducks opening game, sampling the best England has to offer.

Where could one find such a blog? Hmmmmmmmmmmm......

Posted by Matt Murray at 9:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

...because I love me some playoff hockey. I'd love it more if the Kings were in them. But I still do watch the games, especially when they are games that mean something. And in the playoffs, every game means something. PLayoff hockey is about the most exciting thing to watch, because the stakes are so high.

It just so happened that this game was an elimination game between the Sabres and the Senators, and was being broadcast on national television. The President's Trophy-winning Sabres were facing an uphill battle against the Ottawa Senators, after winning Game 4 at Ottawa. They were coming back to a passionate crowd at home to try and eke out another win.

I have special interest in this game, because it is rumored that the Kings will be movers and shakers this summer, and may try to acquire Chris Drury as an unrestricted free agent. Also former King Joe Corvo is playing for Ottawa, so my interests were split between the teams.

The game started slow, with the Sabres scoring first early in the second period. But then the SEns rattled off two goals later in the period, to make it 2-1. The Sabres fought back valiantly, and finally notched a power play goal midway through the third. From then on, it was what playoff hockey is all about. The crowd was electric, as the Sabres outshot the Sens, 11-3.

We are heading into overtime when we get the message from Dave Strader that NBC will be cutting away from action to give us "exciting coverage from Pimlico and the Preakness." The game was to be concluded on Versus.

Exciting coverage of a horse race? You're turning away playoff hockey for horse racing? Horse racing, where tiny men mount big horses and whip them around the track? That's a sport? This even gets considered in the normal world? Who watches horse racing except for chronic gamblers and old people? This is why the league didn't decide to sign with ESPN? They sign with Versus with the opportunity to be given national exposure on NBC, only to be cast off because of a pre-game show OF A HORSE RACE? ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME???

...because I love me some playoff hockey. I'd love it more if the Kings were in them. But I still do watch the games, especially when they are games that mean something. And in the playoffs, every game means something. PLayoff hockey is about the most exciting thing to watch, because the stakes are so high.

It just so happened that this game was an elimination game between the Sabres and the Senators, and was being broadcast on national television. The President's Trophy-winning Sabres were facing an uphill battle against the Ottawa Senators, after winning Game 4 at Ottawa. They were coming back to a passionate crowd at home to try and eke out another win.

I have special interest in this game, because it is rumored that the Kings will be movers and shakers this summer, and may try to acquire Chris Drury as an unrestricted free agent. Also former King Joe Corvo is playing for Ottawa, so my interests were split between the teams.

The game started slow, with the Sabres scoring first early in the second period. But then the SEns rattled off two goals later in the period, to make it 2-1. The Sabres fought back valiantly, and finally notched a power play goal midway through the third. From then on, it was what playoff hockey is all about. The crowd was electric, as the Sabres outshot the Sens, 11-3.

We are heading into overtime when we get the message from Dave Strader that NBC will be cutting away from action to give us "exciting coverage from Pimlico and the Preakness." The game was to be concluded on Versus.

Exciting coverage of a horse race? You're turning away playoff hockey for horse racing? Horse racing, where tiny men mount big horses and whip them around the track? That's a sport? This even gets considered in the normal world? Who watches horse racing except for chronic gamblers and old people? This is why the league didn't decide to sign with ESPN? They sign with Versus with the opportunity to be given national exposure on NBC, only to be cast off because of a pre-game show OF A HORSE RACE? ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME???

Look, I understand where NBC has it's bread buttered, and they pay a pretty penny to show the Triple Crown. The NHL, for the most part, had no other options. The game was still seen on NBC in Buffalo, but the rest of the nation had to scramble to try and find Versus. It took me a while to locate it, and fortunately my cable system has it. But many others don't, and that was a shame. Because, as I said earlier, playoff hockey is the most exciting thing to watch, and those who didn't have access to the game missed wily vet Daniel Alfredsson finally lift the Senators to the Stanley Cup finals, ending a decade of frustration for the club and its fans.

Press-Telegram photographer Stephen Carr is a huge Sens fan, and is already making plans to shoot some of the games when they play either the Red Wings or the Ducks (grrrr) in the Finals in Ottawa.

And as happy as I am for Ottawa to finally make it, and am equally pissed at the league for their unwaivering ability to make wrong decisions to promote the sport I love. This all goes back to their decision to not make a deal with ESPN and instead follow the cash to OLN, a small-time cable network known for fly-fishing, horse-riding and the Tour De France. OLN ditches "Outdoor Living" to reflect a change in their programming, and rename themselves Versus. They start showing other contact sports, such as mixed martial arts, bull-riding and strongmen competitions, as well as still showing other odd-ball programs, such as the "Barbecue Championships." The NHL was lured by the claim that they could be shown some national love up on the struggling net's parent station, NBC Universal.

How ironic is it that the NHL gets bumped to Versus because of a horse race?

What happened on Saturday was pretty much the biggest boner since the infamous Heidi fiasco back in 1968. The league should be embarrassed, and rightfully so. The exposure they would have received by being on ESPN far outweighs the money they got from Versus. Commissioner Gary Bettman should take full blame for this latest gaffe, because this was about the dumbest thing ever.

Posted by Matt Murray at 8:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Our intrepid Kings writer, Rich Hammond, recently sat down for a conversation with Kings General Manager Dean "The Don" Lombardi. Rich does a great job and asks many questions that have been on the minds of Kings fans, such as whether or not Jan Marek will be wearing Kings purple next season, are the Kings prepared for the upcoming draft and what is the deal with Brian Boyle.

Check it out when you get a chance.

Posted by Matt Murray at 11:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So, this will be a stretch...

Jon Favreau starred in and directed one of my all-time favorite movies, Swingers. One of the memorable scenes in that movie was the NHL 94 scene with Vince Vaughn making Gretzky's head bleed. Gretzky was on the Kings. I am a Kings fan. I took Gretzky to the Cup, only with the offsides on.

So, when it was announced that Jon Favreau was going to direct the superhero movie, Iron Man, I was excited for him. Little did I know that they would be filming right outside the offices of the Long Beach Press-Telegram! I quickly became a fan-boy.

I was able to grab a little bit of action out of the the windows. Iron Man catching a car on wires! Amazing!

So, what does Iron Man have to do with Hockeywood? Well... I'm not entirely sure. Hockeywood is a play on Hollywood... Uh, Iron Man by Black Sabbath is one of the greatest rock and roll songs in the history of recorded time.

Whatever, I made enough of a case to connect it to me, and since this is my blog, I can do what I want!

Posted by Matt Murray at 1:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In this NHL.com article, Doug Ward points out that Kings GM Dean "The Don" Lombardi is seemingly making all the right moves, maintaining a core of young talent and building around that nucleus. He also points out that rebuilding from the ground up is a long process, which may well stretch into the following season.

But he also offers this small bit of optimism:

Attendance at Staples Center dipped from 17,821 in 2005-06, to 16,743 last year, suggesting the Kings' ridiculously loyal fan base might be growing a bit impatient. Still, there is a difference between the intensity of the frustration of patrons at Staples Center and the fans at a place like Madison Square Garden, when things aren't going well. With a loyal fan base and dispassionate media corps, Los Angeles just might be the perfect place to rebuild a hockey team from the ground up.

Kings fans have been waiting ever since Wayne and Co. took the club to the Stanley Cup. We came so tantilizingly close to the prize, that many have jumped ship to go root for the OC Ducks. But there are still some who have shown the patience of Job, and we may soon be rewarded.

If your allegiance is still to the Purple, Black and White after this past season, then you are truly a Kings fan. When the Kings start to win consistantly, and your friends suddenly decide it's cool to be a Kings fan again, you are now allowed to make fun of them as "bandwagon fans." All the years of frustration and disappointment are drawing to a close, as The Don works his magic.

Posted by Matt Murray at 9:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

First, the Kings brought back Rob Blake. Then, they brought back Jaroslav Modry. Now another familiar face will be returning to Staples Center.

It looks like the Kings will be getting a new mascot.

According to AEG, the team is looking for a 'mascot coordinator." Kingston, the old Kings mascot, got the boot when the team made the move from the Great Western Forum to the Staples Center. However, Kingston makes an appearance on every Kings logo, the Lion holding the stick at the bottom of the shield.

The shield was originally designed as the club's main logo from 1999 to 2002. In 2003, the club switched logos, using the crown as the primary, so the shield was relegated to the third jersey. 2003 was the season when the Kings led the league in man-games-lost. It has been jokingly speculated that the shield logo actually protected the players.

Now, I'm not one for superstitions, but I think Kingston was this team's guardian. Introduced during the Gretzky era, Kingston was an obvious attempt to reach the kids in the stands. But he was ridiculed by older fans, who felt that the only team in Southern California who should have a mascot should be the Disney-owned Ducks.

However, like him or not, he's coming back.

Posted by Matt Murray at 10:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)