It's All About Personality

I do not think of myself as someone who suffers from multiple personality disorder, but I currently have two personalities: the BAP that everyone has grown to love and admire (and who's head does not always fit through doorways), and Sam. Sam's a nice guy: he says hello, please, and thank you; he smiles; he holds the door open for others; and he's a very generous tipper. However, Sam does not have very many friends...after all, he only exists for about 10 minutes every weekday.

Sam is my coffee house personality. I did not create Sam myself, but rather, it was the nice lady behind the counter. You see, I swing by my local Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (better known as CBTL to you hip youngsters) every morning on the way to work and pick up a large vanilla latte. Every morning; the same drink (I fear change, change is bad). Well, the nice lady behind the counter began to recognize me about a month ago and now I do not have to order. I get up to the cash register and she already has me rung up. Yet for some reason she thinks I am this Sam guy (it's ironic that this nice lady would choose Sam because when I was five years old, I really wanted a dog, but my parents wouldn't get me one. So I began to act like a dog, a dog named Sam. I figured if my parents wanted BAP back they would have to get us a dog. Worked to a "T"...but I digress). So, I became Sam. Sam does not talk much, just collects his drink and goes along his merry way.

There are other classic examples of multiple personalities: Edward Norton's character in Primal Fear (should have won an Oscar if you ask me); Anthony Reddick, who went from an All-American safety, to suspended indefinately helmet-slinging luntatic, to a self-proclaimed "role-model for the kids who look up to him" in a span of 48 hours; UCLA Offensive Coordinator Jim Svoboda, who was a completely different person during the Notre Dame game...well, at least for the first half (can't even imagine how many years of my Brother-in-Law's life were lost thanks to the last 4 minutes of that game); Jeffrey Hunter, who split time between sensative manager of "The Max" and sleazy college guy (I mean, who chooses a blond-bimbo over Kelly Kapowski, seriously?); and the Los Angeles Kings from 2001 to 2006.

It was always fun showing up to a Kings game during that era because you never knew what team you were going to see. It was a crap-shoot. It was probably one of the main reasons why my main man Andy Murray got let go during the 2005-2006 season. You never knew whether the Kings would come out playing hard, aggressive hockey or tentative, let-the-game-come-to-you hockey. I'm sure it was frustrating to management; I know it was frustrating for the fans.

Although we are only 10 games into the 2006-2007, I can honestly say that this new Kings team has but one personality. Although their 3-5-2 record may not be proof, the Kings thus far have been playing hard-nosed, aggressive hockey. I had the privilege of attending the Minnesota-Los Angeles tilt (hockey lingo for game) last week with my Dad and My Better Half; it was a great game. The Kings played the hardest 60 minutes and 43 seconds I have seen them play since their epic playoff push at the end of the 2000-2001 season (true story: after one game during the 2000-2001, Andy Murray was so upset with the Kings performance that he made each player write an essay about what it meant to be a professional hockey player...I'm already a fan of whatever team hires him next). Although the Kings ended up losing 2-1 in overtime, it was an impressive game, one that I believe shows this youthful Kings team is moving in the right direction.

The scores of the games may not indicate it, but this team has a personality of playing hard. They are not going to rollover for anyone. They are not beating the elite teams right now, but they are making the games interesting. The Kings are still young, and when a young team plays hard and aggressive, mistakes are going to happen. However, if you listen to Marc Crawford (fyi: no relation to Michael Crawford of Phantom of the Opera fame...I knew that was eating you alive), you know he's proud of this team. I am too.

It is still too early to tell what the 2006-2007 season has in store for the Kings; give me 10 or so more games to figure that out. One thing is clear though, this season is all about personality.