Thread: I hate to say it, but Doc was right.

Originally Posted by saudiboy

As long as Penner shows up for the playoffs, I don't care what he does during the season. Talking about this regular season stuff is so frustrating. I wish we could just fast forward through this nonsense and get to the playoffs. I mean we're talking about the regular season. I know it's important, but it's still just the regular season. There should be some exemption like you have in golf and tennis; if you win the Cup you get to go straight to the playoffs.

Detroit Red Wings fan?
(I kid)

Originally Posted by jt

You just don't cut through the season like Sherman (Hemsley) cutting through the South if you're not mediocre.

Bottom line is that THIS team is playing like the 11-12 regular season Kings, not the 11-12 playoff Kings. THIS team is mediocre.

Yes, I saw those same early 11/12 tendencies against Col. Getting stood up at the blue line, going 1 on 2 or 3 on zone entry. No speed through the neutral zone. Big part of that is getting the breakout timing to keep speed and possession. Doesn't help to have new D trying to make that first good pass.

But make no mistake, there were 2 very distinct teams in 11/12. Changing coaches, adding 4 players, and removing 1 led to the best possession team late in the year, and in the playoffs. That team is still there (as we saw in the 1st period), it just needs to get back to speed. And adjust to how coaches game plan against them.

Gotta love jt trollin' the board!

Originally Posted by CUP4LA

So did somebody say that Clifford and Nolan wouldn't make the team? Silly.

The person who hates to admit that I was right.

Originally Posted by LAK1ngs

Doughty/Scuderi/Voynov/Martinez/Muzzin/Drewiske

Four of those guys have their name on the Stanley Cup.

Actually five of them do...and so does Kevin Westgarth. Are you honestly saying that if a player has his name on the Cup it's evidence that he's not mediocre?

One arguably should have won the Norris trophy a couple of years ago. (Would have if he were in the Eastern Conference) It's not like we are rolling Randy Jones and Aki Berg onto the ice nightly. Let's panic if we get to 0 - 5.

I'm not nearly as concerned about the D as I am about the O (after all, who's not concerned about the O?)...the forwards just flat out sucked last year...and they do so far this year too. And I think the first 70 games were/are more indicative of those guys than the last 30.

Originally Posted by saudiboy

Did Mitchell die? And you don't distinguish pre-Sutter and post-Sutter? And the difference between playing mediocre and being mediocre; Lance Armstrong is a bad guy who did some good things; you're probably a good guy who has done some bad things (e.g., etching Kings' logos on your poo). We'll all act like arses from time to time, that doesn't mean we are all arses. You seem really focused on these two games.

The great thing Sutter brought was an ability to motivate those ass clowns. I'm not so sure it'll be so easy this year.

And like I said above, I'm not focused on these 2 games...I'm more focused on the 70 games to start 11-12 and the fact that the players look alot more like those guys than the ones who won the Cup.

Originally Posted by Dr. Naysay

Gotta love jt trollin' the board!

I should troll a podcast.

Originally Posted by jt

The great thing Sutter brought was an ability to motivate those ass clowns. I'm not so sure it'll be so easy this year.

And like I said above, I'm not focused on these 2 games...I'm more focused on the 70 games to start 11-12 and the fact that the players look alot more like those guys than the ones who won the Cup.

Well, those ass clowns did manage to win a cup. Maybe they did it in their clown car, but somehow they got it all in gear. So, it was a motivation thing, not really a mediocrity thing? And Sutter didn't do anything else other than a motivation thing? And it was easy last year, but will be harder this year because everybody is feeling really good about themselves and Sutter will have lost the room?

70 games to start 11-12; that's a bit more than a start, wouldn't you say? During the regular 11-12 season Pre-Sutter and player acquisitions, the Kings were 15-14-4, and Post-Sutter and player acquisitions they were 25-13-11. When you say the players look a lot more like those guys than these guys, what are you looking at other than these first two games that you aren't focuing upon?

Originally Posted by saudiboy

Well, those ass clowns did manage to win a cup. Maybe they did it in their clown car, but somehow they got it all in gear. So, it was a motivation thing, not really a mediocrity thing? And Sutter didn't do anything else other than a motivation thing? And it was easy last year, but will be harder this year because everybody is feeling really good about themselves and Sutter will have lost the room?

70 games to start 11-12; that's a bit more than a start, wouldn't you say? During the regular 11-12 season Pre-Sutter and player acquisitions, the Kings were 15-14-4, and Post-Sutter and player acquisitions they were 25-13-11. When you say the players look a lot more like those guys than these guys, what are you looking at other than these first two games that you aren't focuing upon?

It wasn't either/or motivation or mediocrity...it was both. Even mediocrity can rise above for a short time and that's exactly what happened. We can have some beers one day and wax on philosophical about it...

It sure wasn't easy last year, but yeah, it'll be harder this year because they won it. EVERY person I've ever heard talk about repeating says it...once you've reached the top it's alot harder for some people because it takes SO much out of you and SO much sacrifice.

I would say 70 games is more than a start and that's exactly the problem. This team was mediocre for pretty much that whole 70 games, even immediately after Sutter was hired. They just put it all together to finish the season and win in the playoffs. That stuff happens in sports and it happened with the Kings.

And I'm not focusing on these two games at all...I'm focusing on those 70 games and seeing these two games as a continuation of those games.........

Originally Posted by 05/29/93

Embarrasing? Certainly. Unprecedented for a defending Stanley Cup Champion? No. See 1996 New Jersey Devils.

Funny thing but the Devils from that era remind me a lot of these Kings. Great goaltending and a stifling defense. If the Kings were to emulate the Devils success I wouldn't complain.

Originally Posted by jt

I should troll a podcast.

How much whacking can this beehive take?

Originally Posted by jt

Look, I expected this...I'm really just surprised that everyone didn't. This was a mediocre team that got amazing goaltending, had great health, got awesome play from their Captain, and scored WAAAAY too many KEY shorthanded goals to think that playoff success would carry over. Frankly, I'm flabbergasted (yes, flabbergasted) that so many hockey "experts" think they have any serious shot at repeating. I'll be stunned if they make it to the 3rd round and surprised if they make it to the 2nd round...but not at all surprised if they miss the playoffs. And it's got nothing to do with them sucking for the first two games.

Some of those experts picked the Kings to contend last year before the season. I'm not going to waste my time digging it up.

You are looking at the under performing team before the coaching change and saying "That's still us, we suck."

Once again, I'm tired of your whining. I'm moving on now.