What did he think of the Ducks' performance?
Photo by Juan Ocampo/Kings
We expected nothing but pure entertainment when we heard about Tommy Lasorda's planned visit to the Kings' broadcast booth Thursday night. And he came though in spectacular fashion during a 3-1 victory over the rival Ducks, playing everything right into his rah-rah wheelhouse.
During a pregame visit with Patrick O'Neal and Jim Fox on FSN West, Lasorda was already in Zamboni form recalling the pep talk he gave the Kings in the "clubhouse":
"I told them to play for the name on the back of their jersey and not the one on the front of their jersey," Lasorda said.
Well, OK, it was something like that....
Read on...
Wearing a Kings' home jersey, not only with his No. 2 but with the captain "C" shoulder patch, Lasorda joined Fox and Bob Miller in the booth for the second period and talked. And talked. And talked some more.
Lasorda told the Kings fans that his pregame speech to the team was all about them.
"I said, 'Look, you guys have a lousy record, and the fans keep coming out,'" Lasorda relayed to the TV audience, showing again that you can inspire a group of guys by using the term "lousy" as long as it's just done correctly. "You got the best fans around. Why don't you do something for them? Why don't you win?"
Man, if only the Kings had learned to simplify things three months ago.
When Fox asked him to riff about the first-period brawl that took place between Ducks' enforcer George Parros and the Kings' Raitis Ivanans, which drew 5-minute fighting penalties, Lasorda reflected on ... himself:
"Let me tell you something, we had a trainer (during his days with the Dodgers' Montreal minor league team) by the name of Ernie Cook, and he used to be the trainer for the Canadiens. And he said to me: 'You are the only guy on this team ...'
HORN.... The Kings' Derek Armstrong scores to put them up 2-0 four minutes into the period.
The crowd is louder, the music blares ... and Lasorda goes on... only louder.
"HE SAID, YOU ARE THE ONLY GUY ON THIS TEAM THAT COULD BE A HOCKEY PLAYER, AND THAT WAS A GREAT COMPLIMENT TO ME ..."
Music still goes, crowd continues cheering ... Lasorda isn't finished ...
"And I know that guys play under ... whatever conditions .. They get hit in the mouth .. get it sewed back up and get back out ... In baseball, a guy would be out a week ..."
Now the replay of Armstrong's goal begins on the screen, and Fox jumps in with an explanation of what happened. It may be the only live goal in the Kings' last 25-plus years that Miller hasn't called on a broadcast. At least Lasorda got to finish his thought.
Later in the period, Fox asks Lasorda about how physical play works in a baseball game.
"Physical in baseball means on every pitch, every out, you're giving it everything you have," Lasorda said. "That's what you have to do down there. ... Right now, if someone were to come in here and look at this game right now and say, 'Who's the best team on the ice?' They would tell you the Kings without question ..."
HORN ... Alexander Frolov scores, giving the Kings a 3-0 lead halfway through the period. And apparently Lasorda's point was now punctuated by the goal, not interrupted by it.
It leads to the Ducks pulling goaltender J.S. Guguere and replacing him with Jonas Hiller.
"Well this is a good opportunity for the Kings to score a game," Lasorda says.
A few seconds of silence.
"Score a goal, excuse me," he adds.
It's OK. We knew what you meant. Now get to the concession stand before it closes....
UPDATE:
Fox emailed this AM to pass on these thoughts:
"He would have made a great hockey player with all the energy …I was impressed how good his memory was of all the former Montreal Canadiens players…all his former teammates with the Royals…he has a great memory for that type of stuff…hate to sound sappy but it was a great pleasure and honor having him there."