Quote:
Originally Posted by BallPointHammer
A few things:
1. This is the Los Angeles Kings, not Watergate. Journalism has its place in the world of the NHL as there are important issues and stories involved that deserve that kind of attention and treatment. Mostly though, I think fans want and value information, straight reporting and some element of 'access'. We follow the game and our team because it is fun and exciting.
2. I believe Rich Hammond has more than adequately shown himself to be honest, straight forward, responsive to the fans interests, fair to the Kings organization and genuinely passionate about the game. His new position may very well work out better than everyone is expecting.
3. After over forty years of bumbling, stumbling and crumbling the Kings are finally on the right track to being a quality team that can contend for a championship and remain competitive for many years. In my opinion, Dean Lombardi is the best thing to ever happen to the Kings. I don't agree with or like everything he has done, but I am thrilled with where we are at right now.
4. Fans are seen and heard, and our money and rear ends are courted and counted. Beyond that we have very little direct say in what goes on with the objects of our attention and fervor. Part of the fun and frustration of the whole dynamic is that we all think we're smarter and better informed than the next guy. But we're not 'the' guys. We're not the owner or the general manager or the coach or the players. Ironically, ours can be the toughest job of them all.
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I think this is spot on, especially #3. The thing I want most from Hammond is information. I am really not that interested in his critique on every issue. The fact that he got in there and had several one-on-one interviews with Lombardi is his office where Dean is filling his little boxes gives Hammond better insight into what is going on than some lazy HOF'er.
I appreciate Rich passing that kind of information along to us, because it dovetails with what Lombardi tells the fans when he meets with them in small groups.