I was worried it would go 7 games, but I am happy LA got the Cup. They played tough teams and were hot at the right time!
Congratulations, LA. Fantastic postseason, well deserved.
9 seasons, 9 different Stanley Cup champions. That's a bit amazing. That's the first time it's ever happened in one of the four major sports. I wonder if we'll see that go to 10 next year.
By Bob Miller
June 13, 2012, 3:50 p.m.
One of the things I'm most proud of is staying with the same organization for 39 years. There were seasons when, quite frankly, we knew the Kings had no chance. There were times when we were on a different radio station every year and people would tell me they couldn't get the signal. I'd think, "Is anybody listening?"
That's what made this playoff run so amazing.
It was frustrating that Jim Fox and I couldn't call the games in the Final, but I knew that would happen because NBC had the rights and that's what happens not only in hockey but also the NBA and the NFL and the World Series.
I was more nervous watching the games than I ever was working them. When you're broadcasting, you've got a lot on your mind in terms of player identification and describing the play. I'm just happy the Kings came up with some way that Jim and I could record the last three games so the fans can hear that.
The end of the series was hard. When you need 12 or 13 wins, you think maybe it will happen. Then you get down to one win and you're thinking, "Don't blow it now."
On Monday night, I thought I was going to be more emotional, but I had written out what I was going to say in the final 45 seconds so I was keeping my composure.
I said, "This is for you, all the players who have ever worn the Kings uniform and Kings fans wherever you may be. All the frustration and disappointment of the past are gone. The 45-year drought is over. The Los Angeles Kings are indeed the kings of the National Hockey League, the 2012 Stanley Cup champions."
I was just so happy they did it at home, in front of the home fans who had a chance to celebrate.
After the game, we went out to the TV set to do our postgame and somebody came up and said, "Bob and Jim, they're asking for you on the ice." Dustin Brown had the Stanley Cup and, after the players all had a chance with it, he was asking, "Where's Bob? I want to give him the Cup out here at center ice."
Well, I was still doing the telecast and, by the time I got there, the players were all gone. So I went into the locker room and got sprayed with champagne, in my eyes, couldn't see a thing. The players said, "Bob, you have to drink out of the Cup."
They're holding it to my lips with champagne in it and I still couldn't open my eyes so they poured the champagne and I got some in my mouth and the rest of it down the front of my suit.
It was nice that so many of these athletes came up to me and said they were happy for me because I'd been there for so long. Of course, they were the ones who did it — I didn't do anything — but for them to express that sentiment, well, it was wonderful.
Later we went up to the club restaurant and they had a huge party. Dustin Brown brought the Cup up there and said he'd been looking for me all night. He brought the Cup over so I could hold it above my head. I'll tell you, it was heavier than I thought.
What a thrill. For so many years, you've seen so many other teams win it and you just sit there and think, why can't we be in that situation? Why can't we win that thing? Then, all of a sudden, there it is. It's a reality.
My greatest fear was always that I would retire and the Kings would win the Stanley Cup the next year. Now I don't have to worry about that. But I'm not going to retire next year. I want to go around the league as Stanley Cup champions at least one time.
Bob Miller has been a Kings broadcaster for nearly four decades. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000 and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
By Bob Miller
I said, "This is for you, all the players who have ever worn the Kings uniform and Kings fans wherever you may be. All the frustration and disappointment of the past are gone. The 45-year drought is over. The Los Angeles Kings are indeed the kings of the National Hockey League, the 2012 Stanley Cup champions."
My greatest fear with winning the cup is that Miller would retire the season after. Sounds like we'll get him for at least one more, but 2-3 wouldn't surprise me given the core of the team will all be here for that long. I'm sure that's it though.My greatest fear was always that I would retire and the Kings would win the Stanley Cup the next year. Now I don't have to worry about that. But I'm not going to retire next year. I want to go around the league as Stanley Cup champions at least one time.
I didn't realize this whole Philly East thing until I read the article. Pretty crazy... Hextall, John Stevens, Gagne, Richards, Carter. And a few lesser players. Philly tossed Carter and Richards to change things up and look what happens to them. Pretty crazy.
BTW, F*** Richards
Pronger's out as the Captain?Philly was dumb to get rid of him but Giroux was simply better suited to wear the C (and you can't demote Richards to
Pronger's out as the Captain?
In the days since the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup, some have been calling them the Flyers of the West. Beyond its obvious inaccuracy, it is extremely disrespectful. After all, it was the Flyers who shipped these eventual champions out of town.
They are NOT Flyers of the West, they the Los Angeles Kings, the 2012 Stanley Cup champions.
The Los Angeles Kings won the Cup by adding talented players to an already good team, especially players whom other teams thought were disposable such as Willie Mitchell, Dustin Penner, Mike Richards, and Jeff Carter.
I read reports about the Flyers organization being happy the Kings won, and even rooting for them after their second round loss to the Devils. I can’t see how the Flyers are happy. How could a team who decided Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, and Simon Gagne couldn’t win in orange and black, feel great about guys who won the second they left Philadelphia?
I just cannot believe it for a second. I played in the NHL for almost two decades and never came across such a “friendly” attitude. NHL hockey is a tough and very competitive business.
How can the media not call out the Flyers for trading these guys? After all, it was a sudden shift from when they drafted them, nurtured them, and then built a Stanley Cup Final team around these players. Two years later, they got rid of them, and they go on to win. I respect the media, but they need to question Paul Holmgren and Ed Snider, because it shows a deficiency in the way the Flyers conduct their business.
I have written in past blogs, the Flyers have been great at finding great skilled and character players. These kinds of players exist in abundance, but the hard part is maximizing their potential. If one looks back in the last two decades, you would find many players who were put in a tough spot by the organization. They put unreasonable expectations on some of these young men (Lindros) or sign them to ridiculous contracts as far term goes (Richards or Carter) and think their work is done. It’s not.
These players need nurturing, good management, and great coaching to become winners, because very few of them are born that way.
Many Flyers fans might disagree, but the writing is not on the wall…it is going to be engraved on the Stanley Cup.
http://holikonhockey.com/bobby-blog/calling-out-the-flyers/
I don't entirely agree with him on calling out the Flyers for trading Richards and Carter, because of the salary cap.
I do agree that it is disrespectful to call the Kings "Flyers West," and Flyers fans look pretty silly celebrating like this is almost as good as their own team winning the cup.
http://holikonhockey.com/bobby-blog/calling-out-the-flyers/
I don't entirely agree with him on calling out the Flyers for trading Richards and Carter, because of the salary cap.
I do agree that it is disrespectful to call the Kings "Flyers West," and Flyers fans look pretty silly celebrating like this is almost as good as their own team winning the cup.
Ya, I don't think some of you realize how much Philly fans love Hextall, Richards and even Gagne. The good fans can be appreciative that their former players they revered have a cup now. Plus, LA is in a different conference so they have no real reason to hate them. I promise you if all those players were on the Penguins, Philly fans would say "fuck 'em!"
On a related note, the block of Philly fans screaming for blood because Richards/Carter were traded and now won the cup are fucking RETARDED. It needed to happen to bring a goalie over (opinions of Bryz aside) and it really opened up and added longevity to the org. Getting Schenn and Simmonds really balances out their lines instead of being so top heavy on high paid, high talent 27+ year old centers. Look how well Simmonds instantly did over there, and look how much Schenn progressed over the season. Really, this season injuries is the #1 thing that did that team in and there's not a whole lot you can do about that. These are the same dumb fans that were clinging to the bullshit dry island drama that look for any excuse for why they lost.
What a fucking fraud...that sieve lundquist got the vezina. Shoulda been quick's, their numbers were fairly similar, GA and save % almost identical, and quick did much better in the playoffs.
What a fucking fraud...that sieve lundquist got the vezina. Shoulda been quick's, their numbers were fairly similar, GA and save % almost identical, and quick did much better in the playoffs.
What a fucking fraud...that sieve lundquist got the vezina. Shoulda been quick's, their numbers were fairly similar, GA and save % almost identical, and quick did much better in the playoffs.
What a fucking fraud...that sieve lundquist got the vezina. Shoulda been quick's, their numbers were fairly similar, GA and save % almost identical, and quick did much better in the playoffs.
IIRC the voting takes place before the playoffs begin. I think for the regular season, lundqvist was a bit better.
Yup, voting is over prior to the playoffs. The top three vote-getters are invited to the awards show.I don't think playoff numbers are taken into account for the vezina?
Heh heh... S'all good. You prolly just wanted him to duplicate Looney Tunes Thomas' trophy haul of last season.Edit: I can't believe no one jumped up my ass for calling him a sieve...he's obviously a phenomenal keeper, I'm just bitter