Crawford Is Out

Marc Crawford has been released from his duties with the Kings. Did anyone see this coming? ....cause I sure didn't. Why did they wait so long after the season ended? Was there a reason to wait a week and a half before the Entry Draft?

I noticed how many coaches were being released from teams across the league, but I guess I'll take a closer look now that we're in need of one!! I've done my part of making a flyer to try to help out the Kings.

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Year-In-Review – 2 – Coaching

(Canadian Press)He does have a magnificent coif of hair.

Ahh, the topic of many conversations among Kings fans all season long. Marc Crawford, formerly of the Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks, was brought in to try to implement Dean Lombardi’s plan for the future while utilizing his extensive experience as a coach in the NHL. According to his stats, he’s not some schmoe behind the bench, but a large majority of the hockey-viewing population may think otherwise. Now we as fans have no idea what goes on in the locker room, but we are left to wonder what is going on when the players look lost on the ice. There were two long stretches in December where the team looked like it was on a permanent IV of valium that was being pumped into their systems. But, wouldn’t you know it, they bounce back on New Year’s Day with the biggest blowout of the season. This just illustrated to me that these players can fucking dominate when it’s functioning correctly. I mean, look at Detroit, the machine of machines. We can definitely play against them and be competent about it, but just not on a consistent basis. So what’s the mitigating factor in this situation? If you guessed “coaching,” well then you get a cookie. But it can’t all be blamed on Crow; there were so many free agents that came into this 07-08 season who were from different clubs, so it’s not surprising that the roster didn’t immediately mesh well. At the same time, it’s easy to retrospectively say that this outcome was predictable, but, to me, it wasn’t. Who knew the team would look like oil and water as opposed to mashed potatoes and gravy.

I wrote earlier in the season of my opinions on Marc Crawford and, after it was clear that he wasn’t going to be fired before the season ended, I realized that management has definitely bought into DL’s plan and has faith in his abilities to bring the Kings from out of the cellar. Crawford has proven in the past that he can win, granted that was with an all-star roster; the current Kings roster is filled with future all-stars, so I’ve come to realize that this might work. Maybe, just maybe, the players and coaching staff can prove their potential next year with less free agents and more homegrown goodness. Yes, we're still projected to have holes in next year’s roster, but it can't get any worse right? Back in December, I also wrote, “I was taught never to question the coaching staff; they have an overall year-long plan of what they want to do and what paths they have to take in order to do so. With the Kings being a professional sports team with millions of dollars being spent every year, the pressure for results is extremely high. Any year-long project is at risk of being cut short if it becomes stagnant for too long.” I still believe this wholeheartedly and can accept that this “year-long project” is actually one that will take several years.

The question on everyone's mind: Should Crawford be fired? Umm, I'm going to go ahead and say no. Lombardi wants to build a specific system and to have a constant in a coach (and coaching staff) is something that a young team needs. What's the point of bringing in a new coach every year and giving them the ridiculous task of trying to get this roster to gel together? Who better to get these young kids to work together than a coach who has his name on the Cup? Questionable, you say? Yeah, I kind of agree with you. But is it really better to let him go and search within the slim pool of coaches this summer? What good is that going to do? I’m kind of on the fence with this whole situation with Crow behind the bench, but there are two thing that I wanted to address: (1) line combinations and (2) Steve Moore and Todd Bertuzzi.

1) Bottom line, I was not happy with his line juggling. They were ridiculous and annoying. I recall something that KingsCast said earlier this season basically wondering how Patrick O’Sullivan was supposed to grow if he was being moved around all the time. How is he supposed to grow as a player with a specific role when he’s being put on different line combinations on seemingly every other shift? Well, I can kind of accept Sully now since he grew into my Sophomore Stud (we’ll just discount the fact that his personality leaves much to be desired). Going back to the line juggling, after awhile I stopped getting pissed and just accepted them. The crazier they got, the more I laughed. There must have been a hat that had a permanent home on the bench with players’ names on slips of papers so that Crawford could just pull them out before the next line change. Who knows what exactly he was trying to do with his odd lines; trip the other teams up? Maybe, what would you do if you were a Dman looking at Handzus, Giuliano, and Brown? You'd be confused too, don't lie.

In an interview at the end of the season, he stated that with his lines, he was trying to find pairs that worked together as opposed to specific lines:

In this day in age with what you’ve got, and what I’ve always done, and you can look at any team that I have ever coached, most of the time it is twosomes.

I'll give him that in that we WOULD see pairs together most of the time, but, at the same time, we would see ridiculous combinations as well. For example, Kopitar, Ellis, and Willsie? (I don’t know if that was an actual line this year, but would you bet against me on that?) Tell me, where is the pairing in that one? What was that? Ellis and Willsie found themselves together on lines before? Did they? Whatever, I honestly couldn’t give less of a shit, Willsie is dead to me. Moving along.

2) Steve Moore and Todd Bertuzzi. Ok, everyone is sick of hearing/reading about this, so I’m not going to spend too much time on this one. But bottom line is that this whole ordeal could prove to become a distraction next season if it doesn’t get dealt with this summer, which it obviously won’t since it’s been 4 years already. But how is a coach supposed to devote the majority of his time and energy helping a young roster grow while he’s dealing with a ridiculous lawsuit? This one is open for debate and much eye-rolling. I’m just going to state my opinion now: Moore and Bertuzzi should deal with this like adults without dragging other people into their mess. Yes, it was an unfortunate situation for Moore since his NHL career was ended with that hit, but don’t blame Crow. Bertuzzi, you too, stop blaming Crow for what you did 4 years ago.

I'm pretty sure I could have written more on this topic, but I don't feel like writing a novel and I'm busy watching playoff hockey. I have a feeling that this topic will get revisited a few more times this summer and quite a number of times next season. Whatever happens, I'm hoping it will be less drama-filled because we will have a few homegrown kids coming into the lineup next season instead of veteran, free agent dudes who are baffled at the awesome weather in So Cal.

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I Think a Part of My Soul Died Tonight

I really don't even know what to say because it's all been said before. And really, I'm tired of ranting. The Preds came through Staples and embarrassed us on home ice netting 7 goals.

- Aubin made the most ridiculous glove save I've seen in a long time.
- Jeff Giuliano seemed like the only player willing to put in any effort tonight.
- Putting in Klemm as a forward makes me sick.
- This is definitely not a "team" anymore. This was 20 individuals trying to make something happen on their own. Oh yeah, and the usual leaving their goalies out to dry.
- I honestly couldn't give less of a shit that Stuart had a team-high 6 shots on net. He still sucks.
- Thanks for the free tickets, KingsCast. I think I would have screamed if I had actually paid for these seats.

Actually, I will rant about something. The Kings are doing so poorly, it's obvious, but it doesn't help that people are chanting "Fire Crawford" and "Crawford Sucks" every other minute, especially when the chant started a few rows behind me. I think they got the fucking point. You can boo when Crow's name is announced, whatever. But to scream it incessantly through the WHOLE game and then start cheering for Nashville?? Why don't you take your kids home and watch the game on the couch. You make me sick.

Tell me, honestly, how do you play with any energy when you're being booed. Non-stop.

Here is your chance to hear our (kms2 and CKim) thoughts during the second intermission. Enjoy.

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The Train Is Pulling Up To The Station

The Kings have been playing atrociously lately, which is not news. Their inconsistent play has made me one sad panda. I texted KMS2 this morning saying, “I have officially boarded the Fire Marc Crawford Train!!!” But once I calmed down, I realized that I haven’t fully boarded said train, rather, I have bought my ticket and am waiting for the train to pull up. My reasoning is this: this is the third 5-game losing streak the Kings have recorded this season and they are currently on a three-game road trip. I will fully board this train if they get zero points in these next two games. If they lose all three in this road trip, that would make it a 7-game losing streak and I’d upgrade my ticket to first class and ride in style.

I can’t tell you how embarrassing it was to listen to Detroit (25-6-3) absolutely dominate my poor team (12-21-2) last night (I think I would have hung my head in utter shame if had actually watched this on TV). Hearing Cammy get a penalty in the first minute of the first period and then have Hank score at 0:59 was ridiculous. How fucking predictable this has become. Not only are the Kings on a losing streak, but they have to play the NHL’s best team? Way to rub salt in the wounds, scheduling committee. But wait, I shouldn’t place the blame on you since you could not have foreseen the Kings sucking this much 35 games into the season. How could you, with a promising crop of players and a boatload of new free agents. But how do you think it makes me feel when I ask a Canadian buddy what he thinks of Aubin and the response I get is, “He’s a bag of crap.”

This reminds me of a very straight forward question Keith asked in Episode 7 of KingsCast, “Slippery Slopes.” He said, “If Dean Lombardi is so good at signing prospects and drafting, why is he so terrible at signing free agents?”

What is interesting to me is that it seems as if there are trade rumors constantly circulating. Talk about players, gossip about GMs, and the like, but I haven’t heard or read anything coming from Camp Lombardi. Is something going on behind the scenes that no one knows about? There has to be; DL can’t be sitting in his office okay with any of this. He’s been quiet this season and I’m wondering why. Am I correct in assuming that he’s waiting for the end of this small roadtrip to fire Crawford?

As I see it, Crawford has 2 guaranteed days of employment left. If he comes back to LA with two more loses, he’s gonna be packing his bags and hitting the road. I think I was the last person to jump on this train; I guess I was holding on to some non-existent hope. Stupid me; Crawford has taken this talented group of players and done nothing with them. There are so many new faces on this team and he really hasn’t given them time together to gel with each other. The whole line-changing again and again and again and again has got to stop. Next thing you know, we’ll have Aubin centering the top line!

This team needs a leader; someone that can challenge these guys because it’s obvious these players aren’t responding to jackshit. Things that have pissed me off thus far:

1) Our defense looks slow and disorganized. And aren’t the D-men supposed to switch sides on the PP? Vish looks awkward out there on the point.

2) I don’t know who made the final decision to send back Moulson, bring in Gauthier, and hold onto Klemm, but that was piss poor decision-making. Gauthier did absolutely nothing and, really, neither did Klemm. Why did Crawford put him out there as a forward when he’s a defensive defensemen? Why the fuck didn’t you just keep Moulson? Klemm is a left-handed shot as is Moulson. Honestly, what was Klemm giving you that Moulson wasn’t? Out of those three players, only ONE showed any promise, and that was the one that was sent back prematurely.

3) Why the hell does the PK suck so badly? Why do they always look like they’re back on their heels and afraid to challenge? And for that matter, why does the PP look weak too? Stop passing so goddamn much and take it to the net!

4) THANK GOD Bernier was sent back to Lewiston. I think I would have cried if he was on this team right now. He would have been destroyed trying to back this team up. But he's safe down there in the Juniors; look for him on Team Canada!!

What exactly is going on with the lines of communication on this team? It is apparent to me that Crawford is sending out bad non-verbal signals to go with his verbal messages. Or maybe it’s the tone with which he talks. Tone and inflection can change the meaning of a message entirely. What the hell is he doing in that locker room??

So the question here is this: Is Dean Lombardi going to give the city of Los Angeles a fabulous Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa gift and fire Marc Crawford?

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Updates, Questions, & An Introduction

Updates:
1) Jason LaBarbera was activated on Monday in time for the home game against the Avalanche.
2) Jonathan Quick was sent back to Manchester.
3) The Aves rolled through town and handed the Kings their 4th loss in a row. Just one more loss and they're gonna match their season high of 5 losses a row. Not a record you want to be breaking, guys.
4) Jaroslav Modry apparently has started his own blog! Well, on THN's site. His first entry is about his pairing with Jack Johnson. Man, with all these articles out on JJ, you'd think this guy was some stellar athlete or something! =P

Questions:
I must address the recent piles of excrement the Kings have been producing that they call "games." With the Caps getting a point in last night's game against the Red Wings, they have moved 3 points higher in the standings. The Coyotes have been on a tear lately. They handed the Rangers an embarrassing loss beating them 5-1. This win puts them 4 points ahead of the Kings.

So, tell me, how can a team look decent and promising on paper, but look like lost little boys on the ice? What’s the deal? I read an article a little bit ago where Jack Johnson said that he'd never played on a losing team before. (Sorry, I'm usually pretty good at citing where I read stuff, but this was probably more than a week ago.) So we have to step back and remember that individually these players shined while growing up on their respective teams. There is a verifiable reason why each of these players is on this roster. Everyone knows the role they’re supposed to be playing for this team for this year. But it looks as if Crawford is trying to fit squares together to make a circle. Something is not right in Hollywood, well, more like downtown LA. But I’m not here to argue logistics. Or maybe I AM.

Since this post on my thoughts on coaching, the Kings have played 8 games and they have gone 2-6-0. What’s the plan here, Crawford? Where are you leading these players? Like your lines, are you tweaking your long-term plan? You’ve gotten zero points in the last 4 games. What are you doing differently from 4 games ago to prepare for Detroit at The Joe tomorrow? Yeah, they were sent to the shootout by the Caps, but what is one mediocre game by the top team in the West? They will just wipe their brows and move on since they were able to leave that arena with two points.

I mean, take a look at this line during a practice; Frolov, Cammalleri, and O'Sullivan. Tell me how bad ass that line looks. They look solid, but something happens between here and a game where the meshing doesn't continue. What's the deal?

An Introduction:
But let’s take a deep breath and look somewhere else for some inspiration. The story of this player I’m going to talk about is what makes me love this sport even more. Chicago Blackhawks’ Jake Dowell is on IR with a broken foot. But recent events following this placement absolutely warm my soul. On November 22nd he was recalled from his AHL team in Norfolk to Chicago and scored his first NHL goal short-handed against Calgary. A couple of nights later against the Oil, he took a puck off his skate and brushed off the effects like a man on a mission. His mission? To get back to Chicago so that his parents could see him play on NHL ice in person.

There have been a couple of articles written about Dowell recently. Here is an excerpt from The Hockey News.

Jake’s father John, a former small college offensive linesman and a fitness buff, was diagnosed in 2003 with Huntington’s disease, an incurable genetic brain disorder that leads to a steady regression in mental and physical capabilities. With each passing month since the diagnosis, Jake has watched his father lose ground to the fatal illness. Those stricken with Huntington’s disease gradually lose control of their voluntary muscles until they’re almost immobile. At the same time, the ability to process information deteriorates. Death typically comes 10 to 20 years after diagnosis.

Now, the slap-in-your-face part of this reality is that this disease is hereditary, which means that Jake Dowell has a 50% chance of having this disorder already flowing through his body.

Everyone who has the gene develops the disease, which rarely strikes before age 35. Jake, and his mother Vicki, decided that he wouldn’t get himself tested until he turns 35 or when he gets married. The likelihood of negative news would be absolutely crushing.

"With the progress of stem cell research, hopefully they can come up with a cure before it even affects me," Dowell told Baggot last February. "Besides, I think with the way I am, I don't think it would go too well for me if I knew (the test result) and just had to carry on. I don't think I'd be able to do it."

Stories like Dowell's are necessary, yet tragic, because they cause you to sit back in your chair and reflect. Reflect on what you're doing in that instance. Everyone needs a cause to look inward and Dowell's story hits you in the face like a pail of cold water. I, most definitely, will be following up on Jake and his future in the NHL.

Oh, why is he on IR? Because the puck he took off his skate in Edmonton broke his foot. He was playing on a broken foot for not just that game in front of his parents but also for however many practices the team held as well. (Here is a more recent article written about this game his parents attended. Please scroll down about a third of the way.)

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Part I - Coaching

For starters, I’m just going to state that these are my personal opinions on two issues I want to address: coaching for Part I and GM for Part II. I am just a fan looking at the sport/organization from an outside perspective and who does not have the inside scoop whatsoever.

With all the drama-mama that’s been going around the league about who might be getting fired and why, I figured maybe I should toss in a thought or two. At the top of the headlines, the Leafs are currently getting blasted by the fans and even by those within the organization on how things are being handled. I’m sure there’s been enough talk leaking out of people's mouths so that I don’t have to reiterate what’s been allegedly said by whoever to whomever.

Part I - Coaching

On the home front, I really didn’t look at a front office shakeup being a possibility for my Kings. Maybe I’m just biased, but I believe in what Dean Lombardi’s doing. Do I agree with Crawford changing up lines like the Mad Hatter on crack? To be honest, I don’t really know, but I’ve definitely noticed it. Don’t get me wrong, we ALL have; but that’s his job, right? To tinker and tinker until something clicks. But at the same time, we’re 27 games in and it’s getting a little ridiculous. Fro is now on IR and Cammy is floundering. He’s getting shut down left and right and now I’m wondering if he actually got 10 goals in 10 games at the start of the season.

After last Saturday’s game against the Avalanche where they lost 5-2, I left Staples feeling dejected and angry at the same time. What the hell is going on? Why are the Kings falling apart? They had a great first period! Now I can’t speculate about what’s going on in the locker room, but I’ve read people’s opinions that seemingly blaming everyone in the organization. But from being on sports teams for many years, I believe that no matter how much the coach is trying to show the athletes the way, if they don’t take a stance and actually execute the plan, the results aren’t going to be there. Not surprisingly, this has caused me to absolutely despise clichés. “Buy into the plan,” “we need to play with more heart,” and my personal favorite to hate, “take it to the next level.” I’d like to punch whoever made that up in the FACE. Maybe it’s because I heard it too many times without a substantial result, but I’m hoping that Crawford doesn’t become a victim of cliché bashing.

I was taught never to question the coaching staff; they have an overall year-long plan of what they want to do and what paths they have to take in order to do so. With the Kings being a professional sports team with millions of dollars being spent every year, the pressure for results is extremely high. Any year-long project is at risk of being cut short if it becomes stagnant for too long. We can see from this season already that some teams have made this leap (Atlanta, Dallas, Capitals) while others have been holding on for as long as possible (Leafs, Phoenix). But let's face it, Gretzky owns the whole state of Arizona and isn't going anywhere.

Now I don’t like to constantly bash on my team, but I do angrily question what’s going on with them sometimes. But I’m not going to stand on a soapbox and demand that that Crawford be fired because you can’t deny him his efforts. If he decided he wanted to get fired, he would have kept all the lines the same and not tried to find some hidden chemistry that he believes is there. But I’ll reiterate the fact that athletes need time to gel with one another. But I do like to muse about what Crawford could do to run this team into the ground and not just into the bottom of the standings.

What could have been:

Scene: Crow sits down at his big oak desk and ponders how exactly he’s going to ruin this team. “Hmmm… I think I’m going to keep Cammy, Kopi, and Brownie together all year. After all, they’re pretty DAM good. (see that? see what I did there?) I think we’ll be able to ride that line for a while before people see I’m not doing a DAM thing. I’ll just let the other lines flounder around. Maybe I should have Vish center the 3rd line and I’ll bring up…Ratti to run D with Blakey. Wow, that’s fantastic! What else…oh! I almost forgot about the goalie situation! I think bringing back Cloutier will seal the deal. Yes, he’ll definitely be the back bone of this squad. I’m a flipping genius!”

As a note: I may like to make light fun of the players here and there, but don’t question for one second my complete loyalty to the Kings. No team can come in and take my attention and loyalty away. Ahem..cough cough DUCKS FANS cough.

Also, just to let you know, I’m not some beer-guzzling dude who thinks the new Reebok jerseys are too small because of my beer gut and who thinks I know what’s best for my team. Rather, I’d like to think of myself as a cute beer-sipping chick who will patiently wait for my team to get their act together without publicly bashing them to anyone who will listen. I’m not going to pretend I know what the best course of action is; I’m not making the millions of dollars to make these types of decisions. But even if they were to offer me the cold hard cash, I wouldn’t know the first thing about building up or saving a professional sports team.

Check out Part II - GM

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