A Letters From Kings' Players

[FishMonger]

I think some people are confusing talent with heart. Is this a very talented team? Of course. We got enough good young guys to make this team a real competitor. But what they lack is the drive and desire... the heart. And whether you blame Crawford, Blakey, or someone else in a leadership position, this team, as a whole, lacks a spark.

For those of us who have faith in this team, I see it as the only explanation.

As naive as it may sound to someone on the outside, I still do have faith in this team. I think that they have enough talent to turn the season around, not necessarily to make the playoffs, but show that they're worth a darn in this game. And if I have enough faith in their physical ability to win, the only way I see them losing is a lack of mental ability... it's just logic.

I don't see these guys as idiots, but they make stupid plays, then they seem to tumble from their. They don't seem to have tough skin, they don't seem to be able to move on. They don't seem to have the heart.

To put it bluntly, this game, and any sport really, requires just 2 things: Skill, and Heart. I know they have the former, leaving only the latter to explain this season.

And even I'm not so naive as to think it'll get better by just waiting to rebuild. Their heart isn't in it. Until that changes, their chances of winning will remain the same.

[fansince67]

Originally Posted by FishMonger

I think some people are confusing talent with heart. Is this a very talented team? Of course. We got enough good young guys to make this team a real competitor. But what they lack is the drive and desire... the heart. And whether you blame Crawford, Blakey, or someone else in a leadership position, this team, as a whole, lacks a spark.

For those of us who have faith in this team, I see it as the only explanation.

As naive as it may sound to someone on the outside, I still do have faith in this team. I think that they have enough talent to turn the season around, not necessarily to make the playoffs, but show that they're worth a darn in this game. And if I have enough faith in their physical ability to win, the only way I see them losing is a lack of mental ability... it's just logic.

I don't see these guys as idiots, but they make stupid plays, then they seem to tumble from their. They don't seem to have tough skin, they don't seem to be able to move on. They don't seem to have the heart.

To put it bluntly, this game, and any sport really, requires just 2 things: Skill, and Heart. I know they have the former, leaving only the latter to explain this season.

And even I'm not so naive as to think it'll get better by just waiting to rebuild. Their heart isn't in it. Until that changes, their chances of winning will remain the same.

What they lack is consistency - not heart. And consistency comes from setting your lines (after seeing who works well together) and letting them figure each other out. They way Crawford changes lines is causing them confusion - imagine trying to remember who you're on the ice with at any given moment. Hockey is an fast, instantaneous game. You don't huddle, set and try to execute a play, you need to think on your feet and be ready to act fast. Playing with linemates on a constant basis is the only way to accomplish this. They'll learn to read each other.

Flame away - my insight comes from people who played professional hockey - I don't read stats and analyze. I watch and listen to people who actually play the game. At this point in the season, lines should be pretty constant. If it's not working on any particular night, then shift them around, but not on a daily basis.

[FishMonger]

Originally Posted by fansince67

What they lack is consistency - not heart.

I'm always confused by people saying this. This team obviosuly does NOT lack consitency. They are losing on a consistent basis.

I do agree that Crawford juggling the lines is not helping, but one can certainly not use the fact that hockey is a fast sport with no huddle as any excuse. Guys change lines or get injured all the time, and teams need to shuffle stuff around. Every team faces that. The Kings have no advantage or disadvantage as to that. It's a mute point.

On a completely different note, I'm thinking about blowing up the graffic below and making a t-shirt out of it:



Anyone else want one?

[KingsQueen949]

Originally Posted by CarlaMuller

I spoke out in a fairly dramatic way hoping to get their attention. There was nothing to sugar coat from that loss. ....

Even Bob Miller was exasperated! I always wondered how they can continue to broadcast without getting P.O.'d every once in a while. I'm glad he showed some emotion in the post game last night.

[fansince67]

Originally Posted by FishMonger

I'm always confused by people saying this. This team obviosuly does NOT lack consitency. They are losing on a consistent basis.

I do agree that Crawford juggling the lines is not helping, but one can certainly not use the fact that hockey is a fast sport with no huddle as any excuse. Guys change lines or get injured all the time, and teams need to shuffle stuff around. Every team faces that. The Kings have no advantage or disadvantage as to that. It's a mute point.

On a completely different note, I'm thinking about blowing up the graffic below and making a t-shirt out of it:



Anyone else want one?

Crawford shifts lines around when everyone's healthy and when they're winning. I never said there was not a time when it was required. But when things are going well and everyone's healthy there's no excuse.

[johnmac44]

Originally Posted by FishMonger

I'm always confused by people saying this. This team obviosuly does NOT lack consitency. They are losing on a consistent basis.

I do agree that Crawford juggling the lines is not helping, but one can certainly not use the fact that hockey is a fast sport with no huddle as any excuse. Guys change lines or get injured all the time, and teams need to shuffle stuff around. Every team faces that. The Kings have no advantage or disadvantage as to that. It's a mute point.

On a completely different note, I'm thinking about blowing up the graffic below and making a t-shirt out of it:



Anyone else want one?

The changing of the lines isn't the entire problem. Its their lack of communication. Sure, Kopitar, Brown and Cammy make one hell of a line, but they have the communication down. Look at the other line combos. They don't look like they're communicating out there. No tape to tape passes - half of them can't get a decent pass of to save their ass. Half of them look lost out there, like they forgot what position they play and where they should be.

No, its not the changing of the lines, its the fact that they don't communicate when they're changed around. Why not? I don't know. Another answer for the players to answer. Or Carla, whomever choses to do it. I'm assuming we'll hear Carlas excuse for this before we hear the players. So, yes, I just set myself up for another Carla response.

[johnmac44]

Originally Posted by FishMonger

I do agree that Crawford juggling the lines is not helping, but one can certainly not use the fact that hockey is a fast sport with no huddle as any excuse. Guys change lines or get injured all the time, and teams need to shuffle stuff around. Every team faces that. The Kings have no advantage or disadvantage as to that. It's a mute point.

Look at the really good lines in hockey. Who do they spend most of their time with? Yes, the same people. Are they shiffled around occasionaly? Yes. But they are with the same guys night in and night out. Consistency.

Passion, heart, whatever. If you don't have heart, they DL needs to get them off this team. Isn't that one of the things he looks for in players? Seriously, none of us know the reason behind the failure this year. And we probably won't unless one of the players has some tell-all book coming out in the next week. All we can do is sit here and speculate. Do they lack heart? Do they lack skill? Passion? Cajones?

[KingsQueen949]

When you're one of the worst in the league, there are MANY factors as to why...and YES, "Heart" could be one of them along with every other reason all of you have mentioned. I think we would all agree it's not just one thing that needs fixing and it's not every player.

Management, coaches and players are not being too forthcoming, so Carla as well as the rest of us are speculating. It's human nature and that's why we post here.

[CHARAzard]

I never have bought into the idea of a team playing with "no heart". That was the complaint in 05-06 from fans after the Kings fell from solid contention and into the ****ter and it is the complaint once again. The 05-06 team was pretty different in terms of personnel from this team. Just my opinion...

[Avatar323]

I don't often do this , but it's about time something be said of Kings games of late. And Carla I expected a more intelligent post than, oh I dont know ,,, immature saracasm.
Last night we suffered a horrible defeat at the hands of a lackluster Nashville Pred's. I could jump all over the players like most of our fans are. I could point out mistakes, I could say this and that about 1 player, but really what does that help ? The PROBLEM, isnt the bench, it's the staff behind the bench. I've spent THOUSANDS of dollars going to Kings game, I play league Hockey myself I am a defenseman, and I know the unsurmountable pressure in hockey games, by no means do we compare to the level of intensity that the NHL does, but we have the same drive to suceed as these players. I know how it feels to win and I know how it feels to loose. Much of the kings problems stem from the Coaching staff. I am tired of people completely blaming the players, when it's the leadership of the team that is suffering. I have heard so many Kings players take responsibility, and accountability, a word Jim Fox used last night. Time and time again in post game interviews I hear the players frustrations, admiting the breakdowns, but for the last two seasons I have heard nothing but excuses out of Crawford, I can't much blame Dean Lombardi for choosing him as a coach with his resume, but he lives off that resume too much. It's the action and leadership, and the inability to promote morale that has killed the kings this season.
Let me go back to last season, I called Kings talk last night, after breaking Several, household items while watching the game, and a comment Mr, "Crowford" made , L.A. Times 2007 " Morale victories mean nothing, we need to win games," that isnt the complete comment but here is the problem, a team with no Moral DOES NOT BELEIVE IN ITSELF. If he cant teach the team to believe in themselves win or loose, we will never achieve the greatness those Quacks in Anaheim did. It shows on his bench on the players faces they are visibly upset alot of times, and I attribute that to Mr. Crawford's lack of leadership, and his constant belittilling of his team. As a comment made on Kings Talk last night by a guy named Dorian, " He has COMPLETELY lost touch with his team. Dean Lombardi needs to realize the "BAD INVESTMENT" and cut his losses. Let me make it simple, AXE that excuse for a coach. He also made a comment about La Barbara the other night , I believe after a redirected goal that went in, " I could read the commisioners signature on the back of the puck as it went in". He said this on the bench aloud in front of players. Real mature Marc. We heard all the complaints about what a BAD INFLUENCE Sean Avery was, but who is really the negative influence in that locker room and office???? I have lost all respect for him, not to worry I promise I never had much. You were so big on bringing Dan Cloutier to LA, and got Lombardi to think he was the number 1 we were looking for, but Crawford's Vancouver buddy was the first of many mistakes he helped bring to the organization, maybe he should think about that, at least La Barbabra for the most part with a couple exceptions has given us a fighting chance. Blake has gotten a lot of blame and people are calling for Blake trade, you people are really violently stupid. Crawford lives off that cup leagacy in Colorado, what has he done since then ??? , not to mention he had Sakic and Patrick Roy, too name a few, hey wasn't Blake apart that ??. Blake had off season hip surgery and still battles every night, harder each night this season, and takes a CAPTAINS responsbility for each loss. Crawford takes the high road, and ducks and dodges the problems by pointing fingers, hey Marc, lets see you strap 30 pounds of pads on and watch you stop some shots, please. You'll see World peace before that happens. Marc is the leading cause of the entire evaporation of Morale and team spirit in the locker room, sure the players are having some issues on the ice, but when you beat Buffalo 9 to 2, there are also some things that are being done right. We need a leader behind the bench, somone who knows how to make this BRILLIANT young team unleash there un-tapped potential. Someone that can put fire in the teams heart. Morale vicotires mean nothing huh, take war for example, an outnumbered army can win a war, with the right leader and MORALE, it has happened in history time and time again. It has brought many sports teams Championships, that people thought shouldn't even be, in many sports. Kids that grow up understanding morale and team responsbililty, share many more victories than losses, and even at times when the scoreboard reflects otherwise, I look at Kopi, Cammi, Brown, Nagy, Frolov, La Barb, some of the vets like Blake, Mr. Grease Calder, these guys are some players with arguably the most talent and or heart in the league, a coach that cant do something with all this talent, is a damn shame. Yes the kings need to improve some covereage issues, the flat footed Modry, who is so laxed on getting to loose pucks it sickening, if Crawford cant figure out Kevin Dallman is a defensive and offensive attribute, Dallman will end up with a team that does. Its so easy to see Crawford plays favorites and picks on people on the ice, instead of an equal share of the responsibilty of the team. 3 goals Nashville scored last night, Modry had his back turned to the play, he gave up a loose puck that almost caused another goal last night. Maybe he should have been the healthy scratch not Scott Thorton. Yes Kings you guys need to step up, big time,even if we cant make the playoffs, I have been a Kings fan since I was 7 years old, I used to watch them at the Forum, I have stuck thru thick and thin with them, and just like fans like me, we need players with the same mentality. Another thing about Crawford is , he NEVER sets solid lines, he constantly mixes them up and claims it's "strategy" I can understand this at time, but when you do this constantly, you destroy line chemistry and you dont allow it to develop. He just plugs the holes in the leaky boat with fingers til he runs out, maybe he oughta plug the hole in his , well you know..
At any rate I am calling for Crawfords job, I have been since last season about 10 games in, hell i told him what I thought of him last year at Calgary's victory at home vs the Kings, I was sitting right behind the bench. Lets put the blame where it belongs now, with the person running the team, will we ever get another Barry Melrose , hard nosed style leading coach ???( Mr. Lombardi when ?) FIRE CRAWFORD ! I apologize for some of my spelling but im f'n pissed, I've been a Kings fan for twenty years and I think I speak for many when I say REGARDLESS of our record, you won't find a young team with more heart, unfortunately they have no mind to lead. Boy I tell you with fans like these who needs Ducks fans to talk smack, maybe you guys should start pulling for them, and make sure when LA does get a cup, you guys dont come back, stay with the bandwagon fans where you belong.