We all have events in our life that are branded permanently into our mind. We remember exactly where we were when when it occurred. I remember exactly where I was on March 21, 2006 when the Los Angeles Kings fired then head coach Andy Murray (corner of Moorpark Rd and Los Robles Dr., just having filled up my car with gas if you must know...jeez you're nosy). I immeadiately called my dad. You see, although many fans were fed up with Murray's inability to get his players to produce, I still thought he was getting the job done. I always thought the Kings were underperforming because their impact players were constantly out of lineup from one injury or another. But, in the end, it was Murray who got sent packing back to Minnesota (ironically enough, some of you may recall that I got to fly with Murray the next week when I was on my way to Minneapolis for the NCAA tournament. I was a little gun shy, and if it wasn't for my amazing better half, I wouldn't have had the nerve to talk to him. Turns out, he owns season tickets right by my family's tickets...god I love my better half).
Back to the night of the 21st, I called my dad and told him what happened. He told me something that stuck with me (and the Kings, apparently): sometimes change is good. The Kings apparently think change is great, taking it to a whole new level. In the sports world, change like this is known as rebuilding. The Kings, however, are making rebuilding the new black. They've been rebuilding for about three seasons now and progess...well...it's been kind of slow. Each season, the Kings have done just enough to keep the fans thinking they're moving in the right direction. They would bring in one upper tier player and claim it was sufficient to fill the holes they had. Management was good at making the sales pitch. But by mid-season, it always became clear that the change was about as good as the second senior year of Saved By the Bell. I mean, who told the producers it would be okay to replace perennial favorite Kelly Kapowski with a biker chick named Tori Scott? How could this possibly be a good thing? I mean, Kapowski, she was the real deal...wait...
So, the Kings haven't exactly been the epitome of rebuilding over the past few season. But there's reason to believe that this offseason will be different. Why's that you ask? Because this rebuilding has been like nothing we've seen before. First, and foremost, this has been a complete rebuild. The Kings' ownership did away with most of the upper management, including General Manager Dave Taylor who, in his early years, was known for making some big time deals that actually made an impact. Over the last few years, however, his big time deals had become big time duds. So we start with a new GM, Dean Lombardi. Then we got a completely new coaching staff, including a coach who has a Stanley Cup championship on his resume, the first Kings coach to have one of those. This rebuilding thing is starting to look pretty sexy. But what about the players?
This is where Dean Lombardi has proven that he is the right man to turn this rebuilding trend into a passing fad. DL hasn't tried to hide anything. He's not trying to convince anyone to drink the Kool Aid. He's been honest from the beginning and has said this is going to take a few years. He's collected a slew of young prospects for whom the sky is the limit. He's surrounded them with few marque players, if any at all. DL has brought in several character players, who will play hard every night and be a great influence on these young and influential kids. There are going to be mistakes and there are going to be moments that leave you breathless. It's just going to be one of those seasons.
So, if I know this seasons is going to be hit and miss throughout, why am I so excited? I think it's because I know what to expect. No one is trying to hide the eight ball. I know this is the first season of the development of several potential superstars. If the Kings are able to make the playoffs, it's just icing on the cake. It means the youth movement is further along than anyone imagined. That would mean the best years are closer than we think. The best part, however, is that because I know what to expect, I just get to sit back and enjoy the show.
Yes dad, as always, you're right...
No comments:
Post a Comment