Ding Dong, the Crow is Dead!

“Greatness is more than potential. It is the execution of that potential. Beyond
the raw talent. You need the appropriate training. You need the discipline. You
need the inspiration. You need the drive.”

--Eric A. Burns

What a great surprise to get wonderful hockey news in the middle of June! At a time that Lakers vs. Celtics news is dominating the sports airwaves, the devoted enclave that is LA King Fan just secured a nugget of joy. After two awful years on the ice, the Kings fired Marc Crawford. Just typing that sentence brought a smile to my face. I feel no ill-will to Coach Crawford (the person); I just have greater feelings for the Kings (the organization). It’s not personal, its business.

I’m not sure that anyone saw this coming. Some of us have our hopes, but the common assumption was that Crawford would start the season with a short leash. If it was around Christmas and the Kings were in the same situation they were in last year, he’d be replaced. Instead, Dean Lombardi said that he looked at the team, the direction of the organization, and decided that the time to make a change was now.

After reading an interview with the GM, it sounds like there was a meeting with the ownership where they reiterated their desire to stay the course and build from within. Going further, it sounds like the Kings want to “let the kids play” sooner, rather than later. Already building a strong young nucleus, it’s realistic to imagine 3-4 rookies breaking into the line-up next year. Since a larger percentage of the NHL roster is going to be made up of players that are 2-3 years removed from Manchester, it’s going to be extremely important to find a coach that can help develop the younger players as they mature into their potential.

According to Lombardi, the most important qualities the next King coach will need to possess are trust and communication. While not openly stating that Crawford would not be able to continue to communicate with the younger players, it inferred that there were doubts moving forward (especially if they chose to go younger, not older). Crawford’s supporters are quick to point out that the development of players such as Dustin Brown and Patrick O’Sullivan have reached or exceeded any expectations. Detractors are quick with the rebuttal that the talented players are growing at the expected rate as they gained maturity with increased ice-time. Even if one was to make arguments for either side, I truly believe that this discussion is missing the point.

The problem with the Kings product over the last 2 years is that there has been no recognizable defensive system. How are defensemen supposed to grow individually if there’s no system to grow into? More importantly, how are ANY of the goaltending prospects supposed to thrive if they are promoted to the NHL, only to have defenseman running around in front of them? I’m a strong believer in putting people in a position to succeed, and as evidence by Jonathan Bernier’s stint at the beginning of 2007; the Kings were failing their prospects in this area. It’s understandable that there will be lapses with younger players at the position (especially defenseman), but their lapses should be within a system and not individual error with no built in safety net. When a Detroit Red Wing defender is beaten off the puck, he always has a second wave of support. When a King defender is beaten off the puck, there’s always too much time and space for the opponent to capitalize. Regardless of players, this is a coaching problem.

With the removal of a coach, the knee-jerk reaction is to speculate as to who will be the replacement. While the timing is out of the ordinary (season ticket renewals due by Friday the 13th and the draft the following week), Lombardi has already clearly stated that the coach of the future is a pivotal decision for the franchise and he will not rush to judgment. He’s openly expressed that his goal is to have a coach by July when the Kings have their prospect camp; as well as stating that it’s irrelevant if there’s a coach in place by Draft Day because they do not have any responsibilities other than meeting the kid. With this mindset, it’s clear that Crawford wasn’t released in favor of any specific candidate that has recently become available.

With the young players in the pipeline getting a chance to perform on the NHL stage, its imperative that the future coach’s strong suit is his teaching ability. Two of the names that are getting thrown around are John Tortorella and Paul Maurice (formerly of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs respectively). Both of these coaches have deficiencies—some shared and some unrelated. Both coaches saw young goaltenders with potential become completely ineffective under their watchful eye. John Graham was thrown to the wolves in Tampa. Neither Vesa Toskula nor Andrew Raycroft was able to live up to expectations in Toronto while Maurice was behind the bench. With Jonathan Bernier waiting in the wings (as well as Quick, Ersberg, Zatkoff, and Rowat), finding a head coach that is good with young goaltenders is incredibly important. It’s always nice to find a coach with experience, but it’s crucial to remember that the experience should be GOOD experience.

All things considered, this is the time to go with a young coach. Unfortunately, the reality is the Kings are not in the position to be worried about a leader with experience in the playoffs. The organization needs someone that can help build from within, develop the talent, and finally get the defense to start playing like a team. Once a system is in place that inherently protects each player by providing a back-up in the form of a teammate, the young players will be able to build confidence while learning at the NHL level.

Two intriguing candidates for the job are Craig Hartsburg and Mark Morris. Hartsburg, who most recently coached in the NHL with Anaheim, is currently coaching at Sault Ste. Marie in the Ontario Hockey League. He’s been successful in grooming players in the Canadian Junior league to the point that he’s been the head coach for Canada at the World Junior Championships. Over the past three years, he has won three gold medals, including two as head coach. If rookie development and production are the traits Lombardi is looking for, Hartsburg would be an excellent choice.

Another man with potential behind the bench is the Manchester Monarchs head coach, Mark Morris. The Kings’ affiliate was able to make the playoffs this year, despite a roster loaded with younger players. Even with their first round exit against Providence, the Monarch’s late season charge was looked at as the next step in the development of many of the organizations important prospects. As he’s built a relationship with players hopefully destined for the NHL, there’s a feeling among some that he would be the logical choice to continue the prospects’ growth.

No matter who is chosen to lead the Kings into this next stage of their rebuilding process, its clear that growth is expected on all levels. The first stage of the rebuilding process was to tear out the existing structure and lay a solid foundation for the future. Now it is important for the next coaching staff to build on the foundation. Growth in confidence, growth in development, and growth in the win column; if each of these expectations is satisfied, then Lombardi’s choice will be deemed a success.

Otherwise, the natives could get restless.

Beat LA?? You Can Do Better Boston...

“I have just returned from Boston. It’s the only sane thing to do if you find yourself up there.”

--Fred Allen

1st Quarter

11:15: First minute of the game and the crowd is already chanting Beat LA. They’ve had 21 years, and that’s still all they can come up with. That’s not even MY observation, but even my fiancée knows its lame.

10:05: KG gets into the scoring mix early, D-Fish answers with a 3. I’ll take a 3-2 trade-off all game long.

8:14: Perkins looks like he has vagina hair on his face. Again, Renee’s take. She’s officially taking over this blog.

5:30: Kobe knocked in his first shot about half way through the 1st quarter, and yet the Lakers are still tied. I think Phil Jackson would take that scenario any day of the week.

5:00: Even though KG made his first shot, he still looks like he’s trying to contain his emotions. Great for rebounding, tougher to control the mid-range game.

4:47: Gasol has 6 points; he’s doing everything he can do to even his matchup with KG. If that matchup is even close, I’ll be shocked. Garnett is way too athletic for Pau.

3:07: Ray Allen just a nice drive and a kiss off the glass, then followed it up with a smooth step-back three. He must think the first 2 games are being played at Key Arena.

Kobe’s started 1-7. He’s supposed to be the one that has the experience, yet he’s the one that’s started of slowest. Clearly, the experience has been very important.

Sasha just drained a 3! I was just reminded that my office pool is dependant on Machine burying 3 treys. I’m not worried, after all: He’s named The Machine.

First period is over. I think the Celtics would like to be up by more than a bucket after 1. One positive development, Kevin Garnett didn’t spontaneously combust… yet.


2nd Quarter

11:30: Turiaf made a fade-away 20 footer. Obviously that was the play we set up during the break between quarters.

11:01: Sasha just gave us the first “what foul, on who?” look. The over under on that look for this series is right around 63462309.

9:39: Sam I Am is looking for his shot on every possession. KG who? This is HIS team!

8:12: D-Fish can bring rain down with some of those 3’s. Don’t need a shooter’s touch when you don’t hit the rim.

6:45: Paul Pierce just picked up his 2nd foul, probably a bigger deal Turiaf’s 2 fouls.
6:35: But Gasol’s 2nd evens THAT out.

5:59: Half way through the 2nd quarter and KG has 16 points and he’s shooting 66%, not to mention he’s put both of his defenders in early foul trouble.

--Side note: Did you know that these 2 teams have actually met in the finals before? I wasn’t aware that this was the “Most Storied Rivalry in the NBA.” Thankfully, ESPN and ABC remind me every 2 minutes.

5:14: PP was just called for an offensive foul, 3 fouls. He should be out for the rest of the half. The C’s are probably going to want the score to be dragged even slower now. Cassell is going to have to be responsible for scoring. No longer is it a perk, he’s needed.

4:17: After trailing most of the game by about 4-5 points, the Lakers take the lead. Closing each half was the secret to the Lakers success against the Spurs. Will they be able to close the same way against Boston?

3:33: What’s up with Garnett NOT knowing how to cover the pick-and-roll? Is it that Gasol is too athletic for KG? Hmmmm, probably not.

2:48: With PP forced to sit, Doc is forced to play some of the bench. The last 2-3 minutes have really highlighted that the Celtics can’t depend on their bench. Posey and Powe do not strike fear into the hearts of Laker fan.

1:36: Gasol is having an incredibly efficient first half. 5-7, 12 points. He needs to avoid another foul this half.

0:45: Any time D-Fish shoots, expect it to go in. Even if it’s a 22 footer, I’m shocked if it doesn’t go down. Mike Breen just said that Fisher has the 3rd highest shooting percentage in the history of the NBA Finals. When you consider he’s a guard that shoots the outside jumper, that’s truly amazing. The Laker point guard position: Where Amazing Happens.

0:03: Radmanovic missed a 3 to end the half; L.A. still is up by 5. I’m sure this is exactly where the Lakers coaching staff would like to be. (Closed half on a 16-6 run)


Halftime

Stuart Scott has a face made for radio. His eye is getting worse and even with glasses, he’s creeping me out. He should be the lead singer for Radiohead.

Again, apparently there is some kind of history between these two teams. I get it. Where’s that Dead Horse when I need it.

My side-action is NOT looking good. KG is scoring all kinds of points, PP and Kobe aren’t, and Sasha hasn’t been punched in the face yet. It’s early.

The first couple of minutes of the 3rd quarter are going to be big. The 5 point lead for the Lakers can easily turn into double digits, or it can be eliminated entirely if the Celtics start out hot.


3rd Quarter

11:15: In the first 45 seconds, PP went to the rack to score, then just banked in a 3 when he got fouled. 6 points, Lakers lead is immediately destroyed.

10:45: PP has 8 points in just over a minute. I guess he’s making the best of all the rest he had while he was on the bench in the first half.

9:34: Radmanovic just picked up his 4th. Mercifully, he’ll have to sit so someone else can guard PP.

8:59: Kobe’s started to get that look in his eye. Obviously, Pierce does too. Now Bryant has switched over to guard PP. He’s going to try to lock down. Who’s going to lock Kobe down?

8:00: Such a key for Pau to be able to score around the basket. When Odom breaks the defense down on the drive or when Kobe sees the double-team from KG, Gasol is the one that has contribute. After 24 minutes of basketball, efficiency from Gasol might be the biggest key to the series. Will the Celtics pay for helping?

PP’s down. He’s grabbing his knee, but he was elbowed in the face by his own teammate. Still haven’t seen an angle that shows what happened to his lower body. He was carried off the court, then put in a wheelchair. On the replays, neither the knee nor the ankle looks all that bad.

6:19: More bad news for the Celtics, Kendrick Perkins just committed a foul AND hobbled off the court. I have feeling that Boston is going to get even MORE physical in response to this.

5:04: Less than 2 minutes of playing time elapsed and PP comes HOPPING back onto the court. He must have been very, very injured. Looks like we have a new nominee for the Dwayne Wade “I Play Injured Because I Have Heart” award. Somewhere, Allen Iverson is laughing (and getting a tattoo). How long before the Willis Reed reference?

Side note: The new movie “Tropic Thunder” should just be called Three Amigos Part II. Honestly, nice originality.

4:41: I hope the refs don’t buy into all of this emotion from the Boston crowd. Renee loves that Van Gundy just stated that Pierce is “special” because he got hit in the face. You can’t teach talent.

3:55: It’s getting VERY physical. They’re letting a lot go, except when the Celtics shoot. I wonder what the free-throw differential is.

3:01: Fish with the Ally, Kobe with the Oop. Then immediately the next possession, ANOTHER foul on the Lakers. This one’s on Pau, still not sure what the call was.

2:29: Kobe’s got that look again. And I don’t think KG has made a shot since mid-2nd quarter. Sasha gave us another “Who Me?” look!

0:43: Mark Jackson just gave us the Willis Reed reference. I’d like to applaud both Jackson and Van Gundy to wait so long before they couldn’t hold it anymore.

Boston fan is very hatable. They’re like Utah Jazz fan, but before Jazz fan knew their role in the world. I’m thankful to have this reminder in the springtime as to why I hate the Red Sox and Patriots so much. King George should have tried harder in the Revolutionary war. Boston: Loathsome since 1776!


4th Quarter

11:50: Kobe’s not resting to start the 4th quarter. I wonder if he’s going to take control?

8:42: KG just made a great play to save the ball from a backcourt violation. Great hustle! That play combined with a few sloppy trips in a row by the Lakers has lead to the biggest lead of the game for the Celtics. Fisher needs to replace Farmar in a hurry. He looks like he’s playing a little out of control, almost like he’s in a little over his head. Fisher's calming influence is exactly what the Lakers need.

7:30: Kobe’s on the bench, Fisher just knocked down a long 2. Dangerous time with Kobe on the bench and the crowd into it. Thankfully, Sam I Am can’t read the 24 second clock.

6:45: Damn it Sasha. Step BEHIND THE 3 POINT LINE!!! He’s screwing my pool…

4:23: Luke Walton just was mugged going for a rebound, of course he was called for the foul.

3:43: Lamar Odom was just hit with his 5th foul. Pierce is playing with a lot of heart; he was able to make a free throw after he was viciously scratched. Renee’s labeled him a whiner. She’s swift and harsh with her judgments.

2:57: Wow, the Lakers just got a call. Odom narrowly avoided fouling out with a questionable charging/blocking call. Possible 3 point play. Lamar is usually very good at coming through with a solid brick in these situations. (3 point play completed, I’m not a believer.)

1:53: Announcers just gave the Big game resume for Gasol’s international career. Predictably, he missed his first free throw on queue. Thanks for the jinx.

1:33: Big, big follow dunk by KG off a 3 point miss by Posey. Gasol looked lost and certainly didn’t even pretend to box out. Hustle plays and fundamentals are all going to the Celtics right now.

1:01: Celtics at the line again. I think that’s the story of the game. If they don’t call the hand check, but call nickel-dimers down low, the Lakers will have no chance in this series. 8 point lead after the free throws.

0:16.6: Ball game. Lakers can’t buy a 3 and they aren’t fouling. Not the ideal recipe for a comeback. 5-20 in the 4th quarter. While the Celtics played very good defense during the game, the 25% from the field looked to be more of a function of the inability of the Lakers to knock down open looks from the outside. No matter the level of the game, series, or teams. If you miss 75% of your shots in a close game (and most are open looks), you’ll lose.

Epilogue: Kobe never turned it on. In the Spurs series, the typical pattern was for him to distribute in the first half, and look for his own shot from midway through the 3rd until the end of the game. The level of difficulty was very high on a lot of his shots, but neither he nor Odom went to the rim enough. The key to the BLOG’s (Bryant, Odom, and Gasol) productivity is the aggressiveness of Odom and Kobe. They never really went to the rim, weren’t able to create fouls, and ultimately weren’t able to finish. The Lakers are going to have to do a lot more of the little things if they hope to win this series. Perfect example is PJ Brown. The Celtics had players doing the little things, L.A. simply did not.

Easily the major turning point of the game was Paul Pierce’s “injury.” When he came back from the locker room, the crowd was re-energized and the Celtics took the physical play (and defense) to another level. Without that shot of adrenaline, I’m not sure they’re able to create the small separation that leads to the victory.

The tone for the series has been set. Apparently, these two teams have played before…

The End

Stanley Cup Finals – Game 6 (June 4, 2008)

Detroit Red Wings vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

"The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it."

-- George Orwell

1st Period

5:14pm: The Red Wings look like they want this game WAY more than the Penguins. First minute of the game, the Pens can’t get it out of their own zone.

5:16: Maxim Talbot might be one of my favorite players of the playoffs. He was completely amped during the pre-game (chest bumping MAF), then laid the wood TWICE on his first shift. Oh, and he has a monster Playoff Beard!! At least the crowd understood that it was a big deal!

5:17: Malkin needs to get off the skids. He was just left alone in front of the net, had time and space, and shot it into the logo of Osgood’s jersey. Credit to Osgood? Or another example of Malkin not showing up this series?

--Side note: The first goal is so huge in this series. If Detroit scores first, I really get the feeling that they’ll clamp down. Not to mention, MAF has to be feeling great and might be getting into the Wings’ players head quickly.

5:21: Sydor just took a bad penalty. Reason 23487907 why I hate Kirk Maltby. He dove again, yet no one ever talks about this!

5:24: Maltby’s dive leads to Rafalski’s goal on the power play. Well, there’s the first goal. The crowd sounds to be rebounding, let’s see how the next few shifts look with momentum. (Replay: What a great pass by Zetterberg. I think both assists will go to Zetter and Datsyuk. Damn they’re good.)

5:26: Officials missed an obvious hook. The Wing player’s stick was caught in the jersey. Malkin interfered literally 2 seconds later… so maybe they’ll let the players play.

5:29: Replay shows that the Rafalski goal went off Hal gill’s leg…. Bad break!

5:33: Detroit has just taken two penalties in a row, Pens NEED to score on this 5-3. I’m shocked they actually called that Boarding call on Draper. Huge, because he’s also a penalty killer.

5:35: The Wings just killed that 2 man with no problem at all. If they can play even 2 men down, how the hell are they going to do anything at even strength? Malkin doesn’t even look dangerous. He has prime ice time, but Detroit is keeping him to the outside and he’s not even fighting to get to the scoring areas. Even on the 2 man.

5:38: Immediately after the 2 man expired, Lidstrom just caught a High-stick in the face from Adam Hall. Doesn’t it feel like this is exactly the time that the Red Wings will end this series? Big PK, then a PP goal would be devastating!

5:41: Good PK by the Pens. Really there was only one serious chance by Franzen. By the way, Brooks Orpik is going to make some coin as an UFA next year. Young, mean, and getting better every year. Also, Therrien just said that he’s ok with the Crosby/Zetterberg match-up. For an NHL coach, Therrien is a stupid man.

5:45: Datsyuk to Zetterberg. Penguins: Don’t let them shoot, ever.

5:50: Why the hell isn’t the Staal line against the Zetterberg line? Jordan Staal just blew up Datsyuk again. Therrien should be taking advantage of this matchup, and then he could get the Crosby line away from the Selke candidates.

5:52: Therrien just changed lines to matchup Staal and Zetterberg. I should be a coach. My services are available. Figures, it took him a period to figure this out—and Detroit’s playing with another freaking lead.

2nd Period

6:14: Finally! A long stretch pass, some transition game, leads to a minor penalty by the Red Wings. You almost get a feeling that this could be a chance…

6:16: Pens need to learn how to win a freakin' face-off. On the plus side, the last 3 shifts, Malkin’s had some jump.

6:18: Brooks Orpik is a Mack truck. Talbot is still playing with more energy than anyone on the ice (either team).

(Another side note: It feels like the Penguins need momentum to make anything happen, and they HAVE to make something happen during these rushes. The Red Wings are just a cold, heartless, machine…. They can strike at anytime. One fluke, one misstep, one bounce, one mistake and they’ll pounce on it. They’re dangerous 60 minutes of the game. It’s like the entire Red Wings team has taken the personality of Nicklas Lidstrom. Not a bad captain.)

6:25: Pittsburgh has lost that burst of momentum that they had, the game has settled down. This is when they need to watch out. Typically, this is when the Red Wings counterpunch and score.

6:25: Bad rebound by MAF, Filppula went to the net and scored. It’s the same script as always. I’ve seen this movie before.

Win a freakin’ face-off.

6:31: Face-offs. Back checking. Line matching. Driving the net. Detroit is DOMINATING in all of these areas.

6:36: Another mini-momentum swing going towards the Penguins. Talbot and Roberts creating chances. There’s some energy creeping back into the building, but they have to score. 6:15 left in the 2nd period, at some point moral victories don’t matter. They need to put the puck in the net, even if it’s ugly. In fact, Detroit just took a penalty in the offensive zone. Pittsburgh needs a goal. Not momentum. Not scoring chances. A goal.

6:41: Malkin scores on the Power Play! Finally they weren’t chasing. They were aggressive, Malkin was aggressive by stepping to the middle of the ice, and didn’t hesitate. The rest of this period are huge (4 and a half minutes).

6:43: Roberts took a high sticking penalty 200 feet from his own goal. Pens need a good PK. Seems like Detroit might have a problem setting this one up. Pens have jump. It just occurred to me that the Pens can’t counter-punch for shit.

6:47: Franzen just punched and elbowed Orpik in the face twice. Apparently Franzen got 2 minutes for Roughing; Orpik got his 2 minutes for Receiving.

3rd Period

7:09: The Penguins have to get some shots on goal early in the 3rd; otherwise the Wings might be able to get into their heads like Game 5.

7:13: Has Lidstrom ever been called for obstruction? Ever?

7:18: MAF isn’t having a great game. Zetterberg just got behind the Pens’ goalie. Even the goaltending is better for Detroit. They’re just better in every facet of the game.

7:19: Penguins are activating Defensemen. This could get ugly fast.

7:25: Emrick just said that the Pens just had their first shot on goal in the 3rd at about the 10 minute mark. I guess that speaks to the first comment of this period!!!

7:29: The game is slipping away. Detroit is just counter-punching. There’s a better chance Detroit scores on a rush than the Penguins scoring on a push.

7:36: Just less than 2 minutes left, Osgood finally has to make a save (and does). That’s one of the differences between the two teams tonight—timely goaltending. Pens pulled the goaltender.

7:37: With the goalie pulled, Gonchar scores! Hossa might have even tipped it. Pittsburgh should never play with a goalie, EVER. Should be an exciting last minute and a half!

45.8 seconds left. Easily the biggest face-off of the entire year. Somehow the Penguins need to figure out a way to win one of these. (Draper wins the face-off, again)

33.1 seconds left. The new “biggest face-off of the year”. Another win for Draper.

0:00.1: Oh my god….. I think the Pens just hit the post with less than a second remaining. The Pittsburgh players are still on the ice, exhausted, and almost stunned. Wow, it almost looked like it was going to be a repeat of Game 5. Unbelievable finishes.

There’s no way Osgood doesn’t win the Conn Smythe. None whatsoever. (Hank Zetterberg won it, what do I know?) Better team won—but I’d sure love to see one last game….