Thoughts from the Kings-Oilers Game
by RudyKelly on Feb 12, 2010 12:03 PM PST
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Print-I can't say I understand what the hell was going on with the Kings' lines last night. I mean, I guess I can see what Terry Murray was trying to do, but it didn't make any sense. In case you missed it, here are the lines the Kings were rolling:
Smyth-Kopitar-Brown
I haven't liked this line since they put it together. The idea is that Kopitar and Smyth cycle the puck and then Dustin Brown shoots it but it doesn't really work. Brown is a north-south player, not a cyclist. Dustin Brown is like V.I.C.I. from Small Wonder; I get the feeling he takes all instruction literally. I think at the beginning of the season Terry Murray told Brown to shoot a lot, and as a result Brown shot all over the place and looked like a jackass. Now it seems like Brown's been told to pass more so he's giving up the puck on 2-on-1's like he did last night and looks like a jackass. It's not necessarily his fault but still, jackass.
It's not that this line is terrible (they accounted for both Kings' goals last night) but it seems like a misappropriation of talent. Brown is talented but he doesn't have the right skill set to match with Smyth and Kopitar. The Kings could used someone like Justin Williams, he really fi- oh, wait.
(Ryan Smyth is that weird, gross red-headed chick from Small Wonder.)
Frolov-Handzus-Stoll
What? This line was weird as hell. I think the point was to put a shooter with Frolov and Handzus since they both primarily cycle the puck and Stoll had a few great chances last night. The problem is that Stoll kind of sucks at finishing chances and the Kings were left with a shutdown line that had no speed. They got scored on by Edmonton's 4th line. Plus, it puts our two best faceoff men on the same line, which seems kind of dumb. If the Kings do get a winger at the deadline, they should really think about making Richardson a scoring line center and putting Stoll on the 4th line.
Parse/Clune-Richardson-Simmonds
I loved this line after Clune replaced Parse after the first period. They were fast, worked hard around the net and got into Edmonton's face really well. I wish we could keep it.
Ivanans-Moller-Clune/Parse
Ugh.
The Kings mixed things up on defense as well, pairing Jack Johnson with Drew Doughty and Sean O'Donnell with Rob Scuderi. I didn't like it too much, primarily because I thought Doughty and Scuderi worked really well. Sean O'Donnell doesn't really work in a top-4 role, either, but there's no one else to really replace him. In an ideal world the Kings would trade for another top-4 defenseman to play with Johnson but that's probably not going to happen.
The Kings' biggest problem right now is that they can't find a right winger to pair with Smyth and Kopitar. Justin Williams, while seemingly shitty, worked really well with those two because he was good at adapting to what they were doing; no one else has been able to do that. The closest was Simmonds, but Simmonds doesn't have a very good shot yet so he's not that effective. Clearly, the answer to this is Jonathan Cheechoo. (Shakes head, mouths "No.")
-What I'd Like To See:
(See, now you have to click the "Read More" button to see what I'd like to see. That's a trick to get more page views. Or, you'll get annoyed by my little trick and say, "Fuck it," and never come back. Either/or.)
Smyth-Kopitar-Simmonds
Frolov-Handzus-Moller
(Whoever we get)-Richardson-Brown
Clune-Stoll-Ivanans/Purcell
-Dustin Penner is a titanic douche bag.
-I really, really hate Kings fans. Kings fans are really annoying because they kind of have an air of snootiness about them because the team's been around for 40 years and Ducks fans are dumb... but Kings fans are pretty dumb too. How can you be dumb and smug? That doesn't seem like it should work.
-I am now the proud owner of a Wayne Simmonds bobblehead. When I get a chance I will allow you to bask in the gloriousness of it. It was weird, I was so excited about the bobblehead that I forgot that there was a game afterward. I kind of wish I had just left after I got the bobblehead.
-How do you get to be a professional hockey player and be so baffled by a goalie who catches with his right hand? Every single time a Kings player went in the shootout Jeff Deslauriers tried a poke check and the Kings acted like that was a new thing they didn't know goaltenders could do. It was embarrassing. Also, Frolov's "move" was the most pathetic thing I've ever seen. He could've peed on the ice and I wouldn't have been more embarrassed for him.
-My brother: "If it had to be someone, I'm glad it was Lubo."
Me: "Yeah, he looks happy. That's all I wanted for him."
My brother: "Fag."
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I figured Murray just mixed things up to keep the players on their toes so they wouldn’t take the Oilers lightly. Whoops.
I also liked the Clune/Richarson/Simmonds line.
I loved it when the crowd cheered for Meat Train in the shootout.
Dustin Penner is a titanic douchebag. I like that Rudy used the adjective “titanic” because you know Penner will be a fat alcoholic one day. Ha, ha.
i miss penner…fuck imagine..what he would still be doing for us…fucker
Ghost Faced Hilla gonna regulate in a hockey arena near you!!
GO DUCKS!!!
by SPADE-IN-VICTORHELL on Feb 13, 2010 11:30 AM PST up reply actions
If Dustin Brown is VICI and Ryan Smyth is Harriet, than Drew Doughty is totally Jamie…
2009-10 Kings Hockey: Delivering Milk Steaks from the Meat Train at an arena near you!
by DodgerBlueBalls on Feb 12, 2010 12:39 PM PST reply actions
I am now the proud owner of a Wayne Simmonds bobblehead.
That’s pretty cool — hope that kid you stole it from learned his/her lesson about the trustworthiness of bloggers.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
rudy never told us which nationality of child he stole from..im still in suspense
Ghost Faced Hilla gonna regulate in a hockey arena near you!!
GO DUCKS!!!
by SPADE-IN-VICTORHELL on Feb 13, 2010 11:29 AM PST up reply actions
Google reader just bypasses the jump — but then I had to tell you that, so you win.
Frolov’s shot was bad but I could at least tell what he was thinking. Can’t get too near Mr. Pokecheck and do what I ordinarily do, so…ooops. I guess I forgive him for that because the second time the pokecheck foiled an attempt, letting the goalie do it AGAIN is just stupid. Next time I’m sure he’ll go fifteenth.
PS based on the link that the Royal Half posted, I don’t think we can call Brownie a ‘small wonder.’
In Dinglebarn We Trust
Brown appeared to be asleep for the first 50 minutes of the game
I think of all the Kings, he is the most in need of therapy. And I mean that in a good way. Kopitar, too. The Kings have been lucky this season in that there have been many times when the leaders have sleepwalked through a game but were saved by Parse, Simmonds, Richardson, Handzus, Jones (!), Doughty, etc.. But it’s very unusual for Brown to have a great game while the team as a whole sucked. When he gets it, the team is up. When not, maybe they can still pull it out, maybe they can’t. Toss up.
It would be good if the team could get hypnotized so they didn’t know who they were playing. You know, like the Ladies Club scene in Manchurian Candidate.
Wait till this year.
I think of all the Kings, he is the most in need of therapy. And I mean that in a good way.
I read a book like How We Decide and I wonder why there isn’t more of that. Just the stigma? Unwillingness to consider that it might be worthwhile? Hmm.
In Dinglebarn We Trust
How We Decide, I'm not familiar with
therapy, however, I know all too well. yes, many people are afraid knowing their own mind, or Rudy’s. I don’t know why I added that. It’s just funnier. Like adding “in bed” to fortune cookie fortunes.
Wait till this year.
It’s just funnier
Agreed! Though I think some psychologists might be afraid to know Rudy’s mind, too, we all ought to at least try.
How We Decide is a book about the neuroscience of decision-making. (Boy, that makes it sound more complicated than it is. But It’s written in a very clear style for non-specialists, which is how I could follow it.) Basically there have been a lot of studies on what can make people fail or succeed in high-pressure situations — generals, pilots, poker players, etc, but a lot of his examples come from people choking in sports. Messing up the last two strokes and losing the Master’s. Going from a great second baseman to a flame-out in one year. It’s almost bizarrely unfair how quickly a flash of overthinking/self-doubt can trump thousands of hours put into achieving expertise. But on the bright side, they say there’s stuff you can train yourself to do to counter that.
And yet, I remember someone asked Rich if the team had a sports psychologist or counselor and they said no. So when I hear DL wax eloquent on the importance of developing the mental side of the game, I think, why the hell not? What’s macho pride worth compared to performing well? Of course, they might keep that secret or something. But if the mental side is so important, you don’t just want to feed young players the same old cliches if they start to struggle.
In Dinglebarn We Trust
I agree totally. And I love books like that. Like those Pinker books on language and emotion in the brain.
Also I like books like “Salt” which they literally advertised as “by the best-selling author of ‘Cod’.” This however would not help Dustin one bit.
There is a bit of neuroscience/psychology that says that (I’m hijacking legitimate theory and bastardizing it for sports) you have to shut down the left brain (analytical) and let the right brain (higher right, I think; creative, instinctive) take over, and that (basically) choking is about the left asserting itself inappropriately in crucial situations. Essentially, the thing that allows the left to let go and let the right drive is trust. Trust in what? In one’s ability, sure, but mostly: trust in the system, that is to say, the coach. This is why coaches sometimes tell their smartest players not to think, and it’s also why some of the dumbest people can be brilliant athletes. They are right brain geniuses. But you ask them to explain how they do what they do, and they’re “uuhhhhhhhhh.”
Especially leaders, who like to think anyway. They’re (left) brains must be stopped. Their left brains are especially wily, and keep pushing their way in. Obviously you want athletes who can think on their feet, adapt, etc., but that may be a matter of training the right to do on instinct what the left would ordinarily control. Sort of like when you drive all the way home from somewhere and you don’t remember getting there (right brain working well), as opposed to driving to a place you’ve never been before (left brain logically stepping through a sequence of directions). Anyway, the coach enforces the system and when in doubt you revert to the system, the basics, the simple thing you are supposed to do. So that you don’t have to think. And by think I mean reason in a logical “I’m supposed to be doing this” sense. And it’s a matter of trust, because you have to really believe what the coach is saying is going to work in order to put aside your logical controlling possibly asshole brain, which is on the left, and probably sounds a lot like your dad.
Wait till this year.
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