In the time I have come to know some of the mood swings of letsgokings.com, one of the head scratchers for me is the level of dismay about what does and does not come with a season ticket purchase. For starters, I expect considerable flaming so I have my ducking shoes on…. Egad!
In fairness, perhaps my take comes in part from the fact that for the first time in my life I can both afford a season seat and I now live in a NHL town. Nonetheless, I must say that my sole expectation has never been more than the right to see NHL hockey. No more and no less. I really treasure every fall’s hockey version of the “Fever Pitch” moment when my season tickets arrive. Of course, a Kings’ seat doesn’t bring most grown people to dance, barter and beg like a Red Sox ticket does. Heck, some say you cannot give a Kings’ ticket away…. Oh those poor fools who saved themselves from the tradition of losing the Los Angeles organization brings…. to the beleaguered fans who follow them...
Let’s have a get real moment. The ire fans feel and I have felt has more to do with wanting something extra for the cost in exchange for the little piece of ourselves we never get back when it feels like we as fans care more than the players. Call it pain and suffering damages for watching the losses play out on the ice. If this team won, then I suspect the threads decrying the lack of perks, the poor quality of the perks, or when can they offer me another lousy perk would go down if not be eliminated outright.
The bottom line is Kings’ fans to date are conditioned for mediocrity. Since miserly loves company, and since we do not have near enough company, then give me something for this hole in my heart that rarely gets filled enough by my team. Think of that scene in “Fever Pitch” where Jimmy Fallon and his friends are sitting in some bar, drinking their hearts out dying over the debacle the Sox left on the field. Then, horror of horrors, there is Johnny Damon and company having a nice after game meal. How is that possible, Fallon and friends decry, that they could eat of all things, smile of all things, after the pain they should be experiencing? Right, isn’t that what this all comes down to…
Fans want to see the Kings die, and visibly die, when we die watching some of those ugly games play out. Heck, if they do not win, at least leave your best game on the ice. That is what the angriest Kings’ fans think. Come clean and admit if you got that, all you would ever want for dollars is that.
I have no earthly idea when Los Angeles becomes credible. I will watch this play out like everyone else as the growing pains continue. The thing for me is that I am not looking for the Kings to pay me back for my loyalty, not in a literal or monetary way. What I want is something more intangible while I wait to see wins.
I never want to sit in a room again and hear Hextall do his best political imitation when he dodges and weaves legitimate questions. This organization owes its fans some ownership in helping this team and these players succeed. It better be on somebody’s job duty list to help these players know where they fit, what there roles are and some living breathing examples and instruction on how to succeed or make progress to fulfill those roles.
I have zero doubt that this is an unreasonable expectation. In my life, I learned that there are two things I can control:
• What I do;
• How I respond to what everyone else does.
These are the only things in my control, and I saved a lot of wasted energy once I figured that out. I now only take on things I can accomplish and I direct myself in accepting the things I cannot control. Not the sexiest of life plans but one that has nonetheless worked wonders for me.
Here is my proposal for the Kings and their fans when it comes to where fans spend their dollars and what this organization needs to do better:
Fans:
Stop expecting anything more than a ticket once you invest your green, or not in this team. First, that is the only expectation I know the Kings can satisfy. Second, then when some perk arrives to reward you for your investment in this team, no matter how big or small it is, you might like it then be angry about why it is not better.
Now, with fans wanting something to compensate them for the pain and suffering of losing that is a hole that this team could never fill. Own that, accept that and perhaps then every fans relationship with this team might get far healthier. Or not…. But either way, it might trigger less anger.
Kings:
Find some answers and start with greater accountability. Period. There is no excuse for Lombardi not showing up to see fans at Select-a-Seat this year. There is even less of an excuse for the fact I had to write my season ticket representative multiple times to find out who was coming, when and then learn, people waited to see Lombardi and he never showed. That is a disconnect and a level of disrespect I do not get and no longer want to accept.
The new inexperienced coach, the one who knows how to teach, make sure this mortal being has a clue how to make 23 people 1 team. I plain can live with the progress. I do not want to spend next season writing blogs apologizing for lack of effort, start searches for the Kings’ alleged and MIA hearts and searching for answers since no one employed by the Kings seem to be offering any. I am quite sure that should no longer be my job.
Carla Muller Carla.hockeygal@att.net