Pre-Game Activity

I was a bit early to the Los Angeles Kings matinee game against the Phoenix Coyotes today, so I decided to spend a little time walking around the AEG owned and operated LA Live that I've heard so much about from the infomercials that play in between periods during the broadcasts of the AEG owned and operated Los Angeles Kings. What infomercial you ask?

Corporate Synergy at its finest.

I love the conversation between Matt Greene and Drew Doughty at the table while eating... it's almost as if the producer said "just talk about something... like when is the next practice for you guys.. just act natural." I have a feeling if these 3 get together for a beer, they ain't talking about practice on Thursday.

No, I'm pretty sure this is what they'd be talking about.

It's also funny to see good old Canadian Boys like Drew Doughty, Matt Greene and Jarret Stoll be AMAZED at the amount of beer and the way it is transported. These guys not only were drinking by the time they were 15, their parents probably worked at or drove trucks for the local Canadian beer companies.

But I figured if it's good enough for those 3 Kings, then I should check out LA Live myself. Half Season Ticket Holder Buddy and I had been wanting to eat at the new Lawry's Sandwich shop at LA Live... and since the Half Season Ticket Holder Buddy was stuck in traffic on the 101... I figured I'd grab a sandwich.

Try getting this inside Staples.

The beef brisket sandwich was quite good and the atmosphere was festive as all the Kings fans streamed by on their way to the arena.

After the sandwich, I noticed a big gathering in the LA Live Plaza, which is directly across from the Staples Center. Why of course... it was a huge Karate exhibition!

Fear does not exist in this dojo!

Heidi Androl was into it.

She's to the left of the guy in the red.

And 19 Year Old Drew Doughty was even there!

Okay, so that wasn't Drew Doughty. I mean seriously, what actual professional hockey player would be caught dead standing outside the Staples Center... 15 minutes before game time... watching a stupid Karate exhibition?

Oh, shit.

That's right, freshly suspended Denis Gauthier was checking out the action. Because he totally needs to learn a new way to attack opponents. And with him was the perpetual healthy scratch Tom Preissing. Who pretty much made this guys day:

Tom Preissing! I'm with Tom Preissing!

That's right... the one dude at the game wearing a Tom Preissing jersey ran into Tom Preissing outside the arena at a Karate exhibition! I will say that Tom was super friendly to this guy and ended up chatting with the fan and his kids for a good 10 minutes. However, no one approached Gauthier for fear of getting a hit to the head.

To end the exhibition, a master split 3 blocks of ice with his bare hands. Maybe this was to get the Kings fans excited for the smashing of the Coyotes on the ice???

A man confronts you, he is the enemy. An enemy deserves no mercy.

Well, it was game time and I headed in to Staples as Half Season Ticket Holder Buddy continued to crawl along on the 101. As I was walking in, I saw perhaps the sweetest thing I've ever seen...

The family that cheers Jon Quick together...
stays together.

So I sat down in my seat, cheered as the Kings skated out in their black 3rd jerseys... and then watched them completely shit the bed and get embarrassed by the Phoenix Coyotes in the middle of an incredibly tight playoff race.

Kings 3, Coyotes 6