I know you might all have been confused by the Christmas decorations at your local mall, the Christmas music playing in your favorite stores, and the Christmas cups your coffee has been served in ever since Halloween came and went, but I promise you have not missed Thanksgiving. Which (with a runner on third) begs the question: is there any other holiday that gets the shaft like Thanksgiving? [Editor's Note: no, Holiday down at your local Spearmint Rhino is not an acceptable answer . . . funny, yes . . . acceptable, no.]
Here at GameTime, TBD©, we love us some Thanksgiving. For those of you who have been around since the beginning, you will recall the fifth post The Chief ever wrote was an homage to his favorite Turkey Day Traditions. No one, and I mean no one, will stop us from enjoying our Thanksgiving day. Sure, some things have changed over the past three years (really, three already? *patting myself on back*), but they have not changed how much the love we have for Thanksgiving. So, I thought it might be nice if I let you all know about the five things I am most thankful this year:
5. Dean Lombardi: the man has single-handedly returned my beloved Los Angeles Kings to greatness. Okay, maybe not single-handedly, but he has been the most important piece, far and away. Yes, I know the team has hit a bit of a bump in the road (more on this in my quarter-season report coming soon . . . and in a more timely manner than my preseason report), but I have no doubt this team will play through it, regain their early season form, and make their way into the playoffs. Thanks Dean.
4. My Family: even with the death of my Grandpa in January of this year, the GameTime, TBD© family has had a great year. I became an Uncle twice over to two happy and healthy (ten fingers and ten toes!) nephews, got to visit with family members more often than usual, got to congratulate my Brother and Sister-in-Law on one year of marriage, discovered just how great in-laws can be (even as an out-law), saw Dad go back to work a full two-and-a-half years after "retiring" (officially making it two years longer than I expected), had a great family vacation in August, have another great family vacation lined up for New Years, and made more unforgettable memories than I can even begin to list here. I am thankful for the health and happiness of all of my family and am looking forward to another great year.
3. My Better Half: (oops . . . totally forgot about that disclaimer: this list is in no particular order) after seven years, of which we have been married for fifteen months, I can officially say I love her more today than did yesterday, and the day before that, and so on. I mean, seriously, this is a woman who puts up with me . . . if that is not three miracles for Sainthood, I do not know what is. Beyond the love and support I get from my family, I am beyond lucky to have the love and support of this amazing woman. Doing you know anyone who would so willingly let her life be played out over the internet on website devoted to sports and women? I certainly do not. And for that, amongst the many other things she does, I am thankful.
2. All of You: yes, I am thankful for all of my avid readers, those of you who keep me wanting to do more with this site every day. Do not be silly, I know many of you fall into one of the categories above (especially you Dean *wink* . . . wait, my Better Half, definitely meant my Better Half . . . if only there was some way to magically make that first part disappear), but I also know several of my friends have become avid readers and, at least according to my Google Analytics, some people I do not even know who keep coming back for more. As long as you all keep coming back for more, I will keep giving you more (that's what she said . . . ba-ZING).
1. Matthew Stafford: because now he is a man, apparently . . .
I hope all of you out there have a happy, healthy, and safe Thanksgiving weekend. Enjoy your long weekend. We will talk to you next week.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Doing Anything Special This Weekend?
Any particular reason you swung by GameTime, TBD© today? Of course there is. You are looking for your weekly dose of information, entertainment, and, maybe, just maybe, a few good laughs (also known as the Link Dump). But, of course, your Friday is just the start of your weekend, so we were wondering if you had anything special planned for this weekend?
My Better Half has quite the weekend lined up. Believe you me, nothing says a good time like getting down to business and writing a few papers for school (ah, grad school, how I do not miss you). Now, I am a firm believer of making sure you take care of yourself and have a good time on the weekends, so she has assured me her weekend will also consist of a hair cut and an eyebrow waxing . . . wait, what? Men and women certainly do have different weekend priorities. Regardless, she claims this weekend is going to be legendary. But for some reason, I do not think she means it in the same sense as our good pal Barney does. She also said she has a pretty nice little Saturday; she is going to Home Depot, you know, to buy some wallpaper, maybe get some flooring, stuff like that. Maybe Bed, Bath & Beyond, she does not know. She does not know if she will have enough time.
I believe I can safely assume you are confused as to why she would be running such errands on her own (if she was actually running those errands . . . if you didn't get that, you should be ashamed of yourself . . . ASHAMED). Well, my dear readers, I shamelessly used my Better Half's weekend homework plans to lead into . . . well . . . some bragging. That is right, I am calling it an early Friday and heading to the airport so I can catch my flight to San Francisco. It has been far too long since I have had a weekend of debauchery with just the boys . . . wait, that came out wrong. The plans include Point Break Live, drinking, possibly attending the Cal/Stanford game, drinking, hitting up the O Club for some squash (no, that's not a euphemism . . . get your mind out of the gutter, we run a classy joint here), drinking, watching my Lions beat down on the Cleveland Browns (believe it or not, the Lions are favored in game; I'll give you moment to stop laughing . . . okay, seriously . . . it's not that funny . . . okay, now you're just be rude), oh, and probably some drinking. Dare I say, this weekend is going to be legen . . . wait for it . . . dary. A weekend that even Barney would be proud of . . . if you exclude suiting up and hooking up with random skanks.
Well, I have got to get some things done before I bail out early to catch my flight (that is why I actually wrote this introduction on Thursday night). For those of you who have plans for the weekend, I hope they are go as well as you hope they will. For those of you who do not, you are losers I hope you are able to relax and have an enjoyable time nonetheless. Regardless, here are some things you might have missed to help you get to those plans a little faster:
- The newest target in stupid parents' attempts to make childhood no fun anymore: dodgeball.
- Zach Greinke is having quite the week. On Tuesday, he won the American League Cy Young Award; on Saturday, he is going to marry her. Tough life.
- Who knew Googling athletes could be so fun?
- Chad Ochocinco is fast becoming my favorite non-Lion NFL player. If you bookmark his Twitter page, he will become yours too.
- If only all Tebow fans were (1) hot, and (b) wore painted-on clothes.
- Rick Neuheisel has taken a novel approach to recruiting: sleeping with the recruits mom.
- Notre Dame is going to replace Charlie Weis without the wrath of ravenous internet bloodhounds.
- As much as we like to bash USC around these parts, it is good to see Stafon Johnson was able to speak again. Surprisingly, his first words were not, "Where's the nearest Song Girl?"
- Once you read their analysis of Kirk Herbstreit, ask yourself this question: did they actually watch any of these people before ranking them?
- One of the greatest endings to a college football game, compliments of the Division II playoffs (with video highlights . . . hey BCS fools, take a hint).
- Anyone who has been to a Pac-10 basketball in the past ten years was already aware of this.
- You remember that awesome video of the New Mexico soccer player taking out her aggression on BYU? Yes, the media response was blown way out of proportion, so let us get her side of things.
- I can think of about ten thousand better ways to spend $200,000, and those are just the ways involving women.
Tick . . . tock . . . tick . . . tock. Seriously, has my clock stopped? My 4:45 p.m. flight seems like it will never get here. On the other hand, you are probably thinking your 5:00 p.m work departure time will never get here. Rest assured, my dear readers, we have a fine collection of clips for your viewing pleasure to help it get here faster:
- When you watch this video, you'll probably think the barista slipped something into your Starbucks this morning. I promise, she did not.
- Cartwheeling goalie for the . . . fail.
- "Wait 'til they see my 'O'" (face? . . . ba-ZING!).
- If she lived in Columbia, she would be shot on the spot. Here in America, she is just cute.
- Sir, I am not positive, but I think those are the wrong balls.
- It is good to celebrate your goals in style.
- If only all of John Mellencamp's commercials were this good.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Friday, November 13, 2009
General Comings and Goings
It was a pretty slow week around the GameTime, TBD© office so I thought it would be best to give you all just a general update on a few things going on around here and then get right to the good stuff. Any objections? Hearing none, away we go.
You may recall a few weeks back when I, the Chief, vowed to get some things in my life back on track. Well, I certainly have been working on some new original content, some of which is up already, some of which is yet to come. I did, however, have to talk myself off the ledge earlier this week after my (Lefty McLefterson) Better Half and I had one of our typical dinner discussions. Of course, most of you would call these heated political debates, but it was business as usual for the Democrat and Republican who found love (can you say modern-day Romeo & Juliet . . . of course, without the [Editor's Note: spoiler alert for high school freshman] part where everyone dies at the end . . . which I guess would make the whole book pretty anti-climactic . . . cancel that idea . . . but I digress). It would also come as no surprise that this week's discussion centered mainly on health care. The details are not important, but let us just say that you all almost got an ear full about where Nancy Pelosi can gently place the bill she somehow got through the House.
I also wanted you to know that the quest to get back into high school shape is going pretty well. The streak of days working out reached twenty one (I'll stay) before a couple lazy mornings and evening family events brought it to an end earlier this week. I am already more than a few pounds lighter, feeling good, and the new streak already stands at three. One thing I have noticed, however, is that after twenty one straight days, it is definitely time for a new mix on the workout iPod (yes, I have an iPod just for the gym and one for everyday life, which currently has Akon telling me why it "Don't Matter", the theme to my modern day R&J remake . . . again with the digression, what is wrong with me today?). With that being said, I turn to you, my avid readers, for suggestions on songs to download and add to the iPod. I prefer upbeat stuff and it can be of any variety. I have a fairly large collection of music already but am more than willing to spend a few bucks on iTunes for the right songs.
But do not go rushing off to your iPods and iTunes (or other non-Apple music products) too fast. There is a reason you stopped by on this lovely Friday afternoon and I have not gotten there yet. So, without further adieu, here are some things you might have missed:
Usher's stomach . . . err, I mean . . . the several clips we have compiled this week for your viewing pleasure:
You may recall a few weeks back when I, the Chief, vowed to get some things in my life back on track. Well, I certainly have been working on some new original content, some of which is up already, some of which is yet to come. I did, however, have to talk myself off the ledge earlier this week after my (Lefty McLefterson) Better Half and I had one of our typical dinner discussions. Of course, most of you would call these heated political debates, but it was business as usual for the Democrat and Republican who found love (can you say modern-day Romeo & Juliet . . . of course, without the [Editor's Note: spoiler alert for high school freshman] part where everyone dies at the end . . . which I guess would make the whole book pretty anti-climactic . . . cancel that idea . . . but I digress). It would also come as no surprise that this week's discussion centered mainly on health care. The details are not important, but let us just say that you all almost got an ear full about where Nancy Pelosi can gently place the bill she somehow got through the House.
I also wanted you to know that the quest to get back into high school shape is going pretty well. The streak of days working out reached twenty one (I'll stay) before a couple lazy mornings and evening family events brought it to an end earlier this week. I am already more than a few pounds lighter, feeling good, and the new streak already stands at three. One thing I have noticed, however, is that after twenty one straight days, it is definitely time for a new mix on the workout iPod (yes, I have an iPod just for the gym and one for everyday life, which currently has Akon telling me why it "Don't Matter", the theme to my modern day R&J remake . . . again with the digression, what is wrong with me today?). With that being said, I turn to you, my avid readers, for suggestions on songs to download and add to the iPod. I prefer upbeat stuff and it can be of any variety. I have a fairly large collection of music already but am more than willing to spend a few bucks on iTunes for the right songs.
But do not go rushing off to your iPods and iTunes (or other non-Apple music products) too fast. There is a reason you stopped by on this lovely Friday afternoon and I have not gotten there yet. So, without further adieu, here are some things you might have missed:
- Who will be performing the Super Bowl halftime show. No, that is not the question. The question is: will Tori Praver be there in her painted-on Who t-shirt?
- Montana puts Sonoma home on market. Idaho selling Napa estate.
- "Sometimes I love Ochocinco so much it hurts."
- There is no captain in the National Football League.
- Bill Self likes big butts; can not lie.
- CC Sabathia can be a teammate of mine any day of the week and twice on Sunday (but only if he brings the drinks).
- Want to know what this week's NCAA Football schedule has in store for you? Here are some charts and graphs to help.
- San Diego State's athletic director uses school funds to get his mack on, increase divorce rate. You stay classy San Diego.
- Please Jenn, think of the children.
- Remember that running shorts cost school state title link we ran a few weeks back? Well, another odd rule has derailed a team's title hopes yet again.
- "Female ski jumpers mount final appeal" (that's what she said . . . ba-ZING!).
- I hope my Better Half is not reading this, otherwise there will not be much of a surprise come Christmas.
- A YouTube video with 6.6 million views does not usually escape my attention for a year. If you have already seen this John Williams' tribute, do yourself a favor and watch it again anyways.
- If every game was called by Marv Albert or Gus Johnson, I would be in heaven (wait a sec, am I dead? [*runs into door*] Ouch. Nope, not dead; just in need of some ice.)
- Chimpin' ain't easy.
- I would Hochdorfer their bikes. [Editor's Note: what does that even mean?]
- You may recall last year when we linked you to "Little Jovi" of Rutgers football fame. Well, last night Mr. L.J. probably had his first . . . um . . . "man experience", compliments of Erin Andrews.
- They are both considering foregoing their last year of eligibility to go pro.
- Richmond's announcers go from zero to bitter faster than my ex-girlfriend. [Editor's Note: nothing like an "F" bomb on live television; might want to keep the speakers low.]
- Dear country, You rock. That being said, please do not think Carrie Prejean is an accurate representation of California as a whole. To recap: dumb, crazy blonds with fake tits, yes; California as a whole, no. Best regards, The Chief
Friday, November 06, 2009
Better Late Than Never
Well, we finally got settled into our new digs and they look . . . well . . . exactly like the old ones, only, there is a lot more noise because more people are around. Hmm; I miss the island of solitude our old office provided. Can someone please remind me why we did this? Oh, right, because it was "strongly recommended" by the boss. Nevermind.
If the NHL wanted to gain some fans, they should have done whatever it took to broadcast last night's Los Angeles Kings versus Pittsburgh Penguins match up. It was one of the best hockey games I have ever seen. I was there with 18,116 of my closest friends (what can I say, I'm huge on Facebook) and Dad (I can neither confirm nor deny the truth a wager was made in which I bet one of my kidneys against whether Dad would be paying for playoff hockey tickets this season . . . don't let me down boys, I'm kinda attached to Larry and Ralph). The game featured goals on both of the teams first shots of the game, solid two-way action for the first two periods, and a third period in which the Kings absolutely took it to the defending Stanley Cup champions in a 5-2 rout. The Penguins, like several other teams (including Detroit, Philadelphia, New York, and Montreal), have a large contingency of fans no matter where they play. Not since the 2000-2001 season have I heard Kings fans drown out visiting fans like they did last night. It was the way Staples Center should be for every home game (is there an echo in here?)
Last night was not the first time I was reminded of the 2000-2001 time frame this week. I am sure you all have heard by now that the twenty-fifth ranked Orangemen of Syracuse lost to the mighty Division II Dolphins of Le Moyne on Tuesday in a college basketball exhibition game. You might not have heard, however, that UCLA tried desperately to match Syracuse's feat against NAIA "powerhouse" Concordia on Wednesday but eeked out a win in the final seconds. Well, I generally do not put too much stock into exhibition games . . . except when they occur during the 2000-2001 season and, through the transitive property of victories, result in my Occidental Tigers being crowned the National Champions of Division I basketball. In early November 2000, the gritty Tigers traveled up the I-5 to face off against Division I opponent Cal State University at Northridge (the Matadors) on their home court (the Matadome . . . yup, you read that correctly). Well, Oxy squeaked out a close victory that triggered a chain of events the likes of which have never been seen. On November 21, 2000, the Matadors traveled to UCLA and defeated the then-fifteenth ranked Bruins, 78-74. On February 3, 2001, UCLA swung by Maples Pavilion and knocked off the top-ranked Cardinal of Stanford, 79-73 (ah, Steve Lavin, your coaching never ceased to amaze me), who, on December 21, 2000, had defeated the number one ranked Duke Blue Devils, 84-83. This story, of course, would not have a point unless those Blue Devils (Duke SUCKS) had not gone and beat Arizona 82-72 on April 2, 2001 to win the Division I National Championship. So, you see, Oxy beat CSUN, who beat UCLA, who beat Stanford, who beat Duke, who won the National Championship. And that, my friends, is how the Occidental Tigers became the 2000-2001 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Champions. I think we should hang a banner.
Did I lose you there? I would not be surprised. If someone had told me that story I probably would have followed it up with my traditional response: "Cool story Hansel." If you know me, you know that is not usually a good thing. Anyways, I am sure you all loved it and have totally bought into my "transitive property of victories" theory. If you have not, kindly show yourself the door. If you have, here are some other things you might find interesting:
If the NHL wanted to gain some fans, they should have done whatever it took to broadcast last night's Los Angeles Kings versus Pittsburgh Penguins match up. It was one of the best hockey games I have ever seen. I was there with 18,116 of my closest friends (what can I say, I'm huge on Facebook) and Dad (I can neither confirm nor deny the truth a wager was made in which I bet one of my kidneys against whether Dad would be paying for playoff hockey tickets this season . . . don't let me down boys, I'm kinda attached to Larry and Ralph). The game featured goals on both of the teams first shots of the game, solid two-way action for the first two periods, and a third period in which the Kings absolutely took it to the defending Stanley Cup champions in a 5-2 rout. The Penguins, like several other teams (including Detroit, Philadelphia, New York, and Montreal), have a large contingency of fans no matter where they play. Not since the 2000-2001 season have I heard Kings fans drown out visiting fans like they did last night. It was the way Staples Center should be for every home game (is there an echo in here?)
Last night was not the first time I was reminded of the 2000-2001 time frame this week. I am sure you all have heard by now that the twenty-fifth ranked Orangemen of Syracuse lost to the mighty Division II Dolphins of Le Moyne on Tuesday in a college basketball exhibition game. You might not have heard, however, that UCLA tried desperately to match Syracuse's feat against NAIA "powerhouse" Concordia on Wednesday but eeked out a win in the final seconds. Well, I generally do not put too much stock into exhibition games . . . except when they occur during the 2000-2001 season and, through the transitive property of victories, result in my Occidental Tigers being crowned the National Champions of Division I basketball. In early November 2000, the gritty Tigers traveled up the I-5 to face off against Division I opponent Cal State University at Northridge (the Matadors) on their home court (the Matadome . . . yup, you read that correctly). Well, Oxy squeaked out a close victory that triggered a chain of events the likes of which have never been seen. On November 21, 2000, the Matadors traveled to UCLA and defeated the then-fifteenth ranked Bruins, 78-74. On February 3, 2001, UCLA swung by Maples Pavilion and knocked off the top-ranked Cardinal of Stanford, 79-73 (ah, Steve Lavin, your coaching never ceased to amaze me), who, on December 21, 2000, had defeated the number one ranked Duke Blue Devils, 84-83. This story, of course, would not have a point unless those Blue Devils (Duke SUCKS) had not gone and beat Arizona 82-72 on April 2, 2001 to win the Division I National Championship. So, you see, Oxy beat CSUN, who beat UCLA, who beat Stanford, who beat Duke, who won the National Championship. And that, my friends, is how the Occidental Tigers became the 2000-2001 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Champions. I think we should hang a banner.
Did I lose you there? I would not be surprised. If someone had told me that story I probably would have followed it up with my traditional response: "Cool story Hansel." If you know me, you know that is not usually a good thing. Anyways, I am sure you all loved it and have totally bought into my "transitive property of victories" theory. If you have not, kindly show yourself the door. If you have, here are some other things you might find interesting:
- Up for a challenge (and some chicks)? Try your hand at this cheerleader uniform quiz.
- Speaking of uniforms, this list is supposedly the "12 Hottest Female Sports Uniforms". However, boobs and/or nudity did not make the list, thus throwing all credibility out the window.
- Speedskating just got a whole lot more popular, satirical.
- What do you get when you place a large group of professional athletes in a city for one whole week? Answer.
- Can you imagine a world in which Gus Johnson is replaced by Dick Vitale? Welcome to your new reality.
- Dear UCF, Please find enclosed a check for $3 million. Xoxo, Michael Jordan. P.S. Sorry about my son.
- Aw, nobody wants to play with them.
- Sing it with me: I was gonna win the Cy Young, but then I got high.
- Now that is how you earn your indefinite suspension.
- Reebok attempts to sell women's shoes by marketing to men. I am listening . . .
- Bruce Lee even plays ping pong like a bad @$$.
- Oh Magic 8 Ball, do not fail me now.
- This has to be a joke, right?
- Matti Hoyla (who?) exits the ice in style.
- I can not say I am surprised he is playing in a semi-pro league after that play.
- With the Winter Olympics less than one hundred days away, this video has started making the rounds. Certainly gets me fired up.
Site News
It is moving day for the GameTime, TBD© office. We are hoping the move goes smoothly so that we can get you your weekly Link Dump as soon as possible. Check back sometime this afternoon.
Thanks,
The Management
Thanks,
The Management
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Who's Watching You?
[Editor's Note: So, it turned out our last Link Dump was (1) hugely popular amongst my Better Half and her friends, so yay for that; and (b) our 150th post (fanfare, fanfare, fanfare . . . trumpets, trumpets, trumpets . . . fireworks . . . grand finale . . . thank you, you're all too kind). But seriously, for those of you who keep coming back week in and week out, I, The Chief, want to thank you for your support. We will keep doing this until (1) you all stop coming around, or (b) I run for political office. It could be a while.]
Finally getting that Kings preview up was like getting the proverbial "monkey off my back" in terms of new, hip, fresh material. I realized I was taking myself much too seriously. After all, it is not like I am trying to win a Pulitzer Prize or anything. So, with this post, it is important you are all in the proper frame of mind. Since it goes with the title, I strongly recommend you have the Geico commercial music playing in the background. This can be accomplished one of two ways: (1) you can let this YouTube video play continuously in the background (don't mistake it for the original please); or (b) you can download the song for free here and put it on repeat in your iTunes (it also makes for a nice song to add to your iPod when you workout at the gym . . . no, this iPost is not sponsored by Apple . . . but it could be . . . hey Apple, call me). I will give you a few moments to get everything ready . . .
. . .
Ready? Good; let us begin.
When the playoffs for any sport begin, you always here radio talk show hosts and television personalities talking about the league's "dream match-up". Take, for example, this year's Major League Baseball playoffs. Everybody knows the league was dying for a World Series in which the Los Angeles Dodgers faced off against the New York Yankees. This is because advertising is driven by viewership, and a Dodgers/Yankees World Series would all but guarantee huge ratings for MLB. It would have the two most storied teams facing off against each other; it would have the Torre, Mattingly, and Manny back to the Bronx storyline. Long story short, it was Bud Selig's wet dream (yeah, I went there). Unfortunately, they got Yankees/Phillies. I do not know about you, but as we head in to tonight's Game 6, I do not even think I have tuned into nine innings total of this year's Series; more to the point, most of the innings I have watched were at the gym. On Monday, I was on an elliptical machine (yes, that's 17 days in a row) right in front of a television showing the Game 5, yet there I was craning my neck to watch the Monday Night Football match-up of the Saints and Falcons. If I had not been trash talking with Q all throughout the playoffs (see, e.g., last week's Link Dump), I probably would not have even watched the six total innings of play that I have up to this point. In fact, I probably will not even know who won Game 6 until tomorrow. Anyone feel like calling me with a heads up?
Moving away from the national spotlight, the Los Angeles sports market is a whole different can of worms. Between sports, Hollywood, the beach, movie premieres, celebrity parties, etc., there is always something for the famous to do. The only way you know your team has arrived in the Los Angeles market is when the celebrities show up for your games. The Los Angeles Lakers are the obvious example. It does not matter what day of the week it is, or what time tip off is, the crowd is going to include quite the who's-who of celebrities. Whether it be Leonardo DiCaprio, Penny Marshall, Denzel Washington, Andy Garcia, Ice Cube, Anthony Kiedis, Dyan Cannon, or, most notably, Jack Nicholson, the crowd at Staples Center for Lakers' home games always has the seen and be seen feel to it. As much as it pains me to say it, the Lakers are the marque sports draw in Los Angeles.
Which brings me to my Kings. You can tell how the Kings season is going not necessarily by the number of people in attendance (the Kings have a very loyal and knowledgeable fan base . . . unlike the Coyotes who managed a paid attendance of 5,855 on Monday in their 5-3 loss to my boys in purple and black), but rather by which celebrities show up. During the Gretzky-era of the early 1990s, the Kings filled The Forum with just as many celebrities as the Lakers. Even during the reign of Murray I, there was a minor resurgence of the celebrity presence, but it really did not happen until later in the season once the Kings were playoff bound. But with the exception of those two time periods, it has generally been uncool for a celebrity to be caught at a Los Angeles Kings hockey game. After all, there are so many other places the rich and ditzy can be photographed by the paparazzi on your average Tuesday.
So here we are, fifteen games into the season, and things are looking good for my boys. They currently stand one point [Update: 3 points . . . stupid Nabokov and his shootout skills] out of first in the Pacific Division and fourth overall (because league leaders get top 3 seeds) in the Western Conference. They also have two players (Kopitar and Smyth) ranked in the top six in league scoring, only made more impressive by the fact that Anze Kopitar continues to lead the league in scoring (11 goals, 13 assists, 24 points). Additionally, Drew Doughty is showing no signs of a sophomore slump (3rd overall in defensive scoring and an increased physical presence) and rookie Davis Drewiske and second-year Wayne Simmonds are ranked in the top ten in the underrated plus/minus category (4th and 8th respectively). To say the least, it has been a team effort thus far. Hopefully they will continue to carry this effort throughout the entire season. They play the Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow night at home (yeah, I'll be there . . . will you?), which should be a nice test to see just how far they have come. Pittsburgh, after all, is the defending Stanley Cup champion and has yet to lose on the road this season (7-0-0).
So finally we arrive at my main question: who will be watching the Kings, not only on Thursday night versus one of the top teams in the league, but for the rest of the season? I was at the Kings/Blue Jackets game on October 25th (a 6-2 Kings win . . . did I mention they have the fourth most goals scored in the league?) and not only was the game not a sell out, but here are the celebrities I spotted in attendance: Jason Seaver (who looks suspiciously like Alan Thicke . . . and who had a television placed in front of him so he could watch Game 6 of the Angels/Yankees series . . . why even bother showing up Dr. Seaver? I'm sure Mike was off getting himself into trouble with Boner . . . hehehe); "that guy who plays the main werewolf in the Twilight series" (turns out his name is Taylor Lautner . . . if I don't know your name, you don't count as a celebrity); and the biggest celebrity in attendance, Taylor Swift. Really? An eighties' sit-com star, a teen-movie heartthrob, and an country singer? Look, I will admit Ms. Swift is certainly easy on the eyes (your Honor, the defense enters into evidence exhibits 1, 2, and 3), but she is hardly the A-list celebrity that announces a team has arrived here in Los Angeles. In fact, if I did not know better, I would think Mr. Werewolf Boy was simply trying to promote the next installment of the Twilight series and brought his girlfriend along with him, who just happened to be Taylor Swift. That would mean the only celebrity that chose to be there was that Alan Thicke lookalike, and he needed a television to watch a baseball game. This is unacceptable.
Finally getting that Kings preview up was like getting the proverbial "monkey off my back" in terms of new, hip, fresh material. I realized I was taking myself much too seriously. After all, it is not like I am trying to win a Pulitzer Prize or anything. So, with this post, it is important you are all in the proper frame of mind. Since it goes with the title, I strongly recommend you have the Geico commercial music playing in the background. This can be accomplished one of two ways: (1) you can let this YouTube video play continuously in the background (don't mistake it for the original please); or (b) you can download the song for free here and put it on repeat in your iTunes (it also makes for a nice song to add to your iPod when you workout at the gym . . . no, this iPost is not sponsored by Apple . . . but it could be . . . hey Apple, call me). I will give you a few moments to get everything ready . . .
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Ready? Good; let us begin.
When the playoffs for any sport begin, you always here radio talk show hosts and television personalities talking about the league's "dream match-up". Take, for example, this year's Major League Baseball playoffs. Everybody knows the league was dying for a World Series in which the Los Angeles Dodgers faced off against the New York Yankees. This is because advertising is driven by viewership, and a Dodgers/Yankees World Series would all but guarantee huge ratings for MLB. It would have the two most storied teams facing off against each other; it would have the Torre, Mattingly, and Manny back to the Bronx storyline. Long story short, it was Bud Selig's wet dream (yeah, I went there). Unfortunately, they got Yankees/Phillies. I do not know about you, but as we head in to tonight's Game 6, I do not even think I have tuned into nine innings total of this year's Series; more to the point, most of the innings I have watched were at the gym. On Monday, I was on an elliptical machine (yes, that's 17 days in a row) right in front of a television showing the Game 5, yet there I was craning my neck to watch the Monday Night Football match-up of the Saints and Falcons. If I had not been trash talking with Q all throughout the playoffs (see, e.g., last week's Link Dump), I probably would not have even watched the six total innings of play that I have up to this point. In fact, I probably will not even know who won Game 6 until tomorrow. Anyone feel like calling me with a heads up?
Moving away from the national spotlight, the Los Angeles sports market is a whole different can of worms. Between sports, Hollywood, the beach, movie premieres, celebrity parties, etc., there is always something for the famous to do. The only way you know your team has arrived in the Los Angeles market is when the celebrities show up for your games. The Los Angeles Lakers are the obvious example. It does not matter what day of the week it is, or what time tip off is, the crowd is going to include quite the who's-who of celebrities. Whether it be Leonardo DiCaprio, Penny Marshall, Denzel Washington, Andy Garcia, Ice Cube, Anthony Kiedis, Dyan Cannon, or, most notably, Jack Nicholson, the crowd at Staples Center for Lakers' home games always has the seen and be seen feel to it. As much as it pains me to say it, the Lakers are the marque sports draw in Los Angeles.
Which brings me to my Kings. You can tell how the Kings season is going not necessarily by the number of people in attendance (the Kings have a very loyal and knowledgeable fan base . . . unlike the Coyotes who managed a paid attendance of 5,855 on Monday in their 5-3 loss to my boys in purple and black), but rather by which celebrities show up. During the Gretzky-era of the early 1990s, the Kings filled The Forum with just as many celebrities as the Lakers. Even during the reign of Murray I, there was a minor resurgence of the celebrity presence, but it really did not happen until later in the season once the Kings were playoff bound. But with the exception of those two time periods, it has generally been uncool for a celebrity to be caught at a Los Angeles Kings hockey game. After all, there are so many other places the rich and ditzy can be photographed by the paparazzi on your average Tuesday.
So here we are, fifteen games into the season, and things are looking good for my boys. They currently stand one point [Update: 3 points . . . stupid Nabokov and his shootout skills] out of first in the Pacific Division and fourth overall (because league leaders get top 3 seeds) in the Western Conference. They also have two players (Kopitar and Smyth) ranked in the top six in league scoring, only made more impressive by the fact that Anze Kopitar continues to lead the league in scoring (11 goals, 13 assists, 24 points). Additionally, Drew Doughty is showing no signs of a sophomore slump (3rd overall in defensive scoring and an increased physical presence) and rookie Davis Drewiske and second-year Wayne Simmonds are ranked in the top ten in the underrated plus/minus category (4th and 8th respectively). To say the least, it has been a team effort thus far. Hopefully they will continue to carry this effort throughout the entire season. They play the Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow night at home (yeah, I'll be there . . . will you?), which should be a nice test to see just how far they have come. Pittsburgh, after all, is the defending Stanley Cup champion and has yet to lose on the road this season (7-0-0).
So finally we arrive at my main question: who will be watching the Kings, not only on Thursday night versus one of the top teams in the league, but for the rest of the season? I was at the Kings/Blue Jackets game on October 25th (a 6-2 Kings win . . . did I mention they have the fourth most goals scored in the league?) and not only was the game not a sell out, but here are the celebrities I spotted in attendance: Jason Seaver (who looks suspiciously like Alan Thicke . . . and who had a television placed in front of him so he could watch Game 6 of the Angels/Yankees series . . . why even bother showing up Dr. Seaver? I'm sure Mike was off getting himself into trouble with Boner . . . hehehe); "that guy who plays the main werewolf in the Twilight series" (turns out his name is Taylor Lautner . . . if I don't know your name, you don't count as a celebrity); and the biggest celebrity in attendance, Taylor Swift. Really? An eighties' sit-com star, a teen-movie heartthrob, and an country singer? Look, I will admit Ms. Swift is certainly easy on the eyes (your Honor, the defense enters into evidence exhibits 1, 2, and 3), but she is hardly the A-list celebrity that announces a team has arrived here in Los Angeles. In fact, if I did not know better, I would think Mr. Werewolf Boy was simply trying to promote the next installment of the Twilight series and brought his girlfriend along with him, who just happened to be Taylor Swift. That would mean the only celebrity that chose to be there was that Alan Thicke lookalike, and he needed a television to watch a baseball game. This is unacceptable.
The Kings finally have the team I have been waiting for since I first started this blog (*checking date* . . . three years ago? really?) three years ago. This team has already shown they have come a long way and are a legitimate contender for not just a lower playoff seed, but rather one that may come with home ice at least for the first round. And that my friends, is why it is time for us to, once again, pack that building from wall-to-wall. This Kings team deserves to play in front of a sold-out Staples Center (for those of you scoring at home, that's 18,118 fans per game) ever time they take the ice. So I am calling on everyone, whether you are an average Joe or an A-, B-, or C-list (or Kathy Griffin and her D-list) celebrity: put down that grande half-caf skim mocha latte frappucino with an add shot and come support the Los Angeles Kings. There is plenty of room on the bandwagon, but you best be reserving your seats now (don't worry Ms. Swift [*googling Taylor Swift* . . . 19-years-old . . . phew], you can ride shotgun).
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