Kings News: Rob Blake's No. 4 jersey will be retired by the LA Kings

[ziggyfan]

I don't like it. He does not deserve it.

 

[Basilisk]

I don't like it. He does not deserve it.

I concur.



If this is Lombardi's decision, it'll go down as his weakest as King's GM......

 

[HYORI 1963]

I concur.



If this is Lombardi's decision, it'll go down as his weakest as King's GM......

Is Lombardi wrong, or half our board??? I trust and believe Lombardi 100%!!!

 

[Reclamation Project]

Why would Lombardi care? He's a GM.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I concur.



If this is Lombardi's decision, it'll go down as his weakest as King's GM......

The Dan Cloutier extension, Ethan Moreau signing, and the Colten Teubert selection all disagree with you. This was long overdue, given how nobody wore #4 out of respect for Blake and it was obvious one day it was going to happen.

 

[Telos]

The only decision Lombardi has made with Blake is hiring him as his assistant. He isn't in control of putting the banner in the building. Ziggy is right as well; there was nothing to stop it from happening.

 

[CBGB]

I'm talking about people who boo him, not people who disagree with me. As I said, one could argue about having any of those players' names retired who currently have their names hanging atop Staples Center, but to continue to hold anything against him after 14 years? I'd say those people need to grow up.

How old are you Ziggy?

Were you one of the fans that believed the lies Rob told time and time again? I've interviewed EVERYONE (except Blake who refused) about this situation and have written about it many times.

We're LOYAL FANS.

And the LOYAL FANS who were lied to by Rob Blake, will NOT forgive Rob Blake for what he did and to simply say "Grow Up" is pretty immature on your part.

It's how we FEEL and have carried with us for years.

Rob Blake lied to the fans. Us. You and me. Period.

He said he wanted to test free agency. He didn't. He took LESS to stay with Colorado than the Kings offered (the Colorado deal was 5 years with an OPTION for the 5th which they did NOT pick up).

The fans that choose to boo (myself included) have a RIGHT to boo.

To have his name in the rafters over Simmer or Hrudey is blasphemous.

You say "What did Vachon and Dioone ever do? Okay, WHAT DID ROB BLAKE EVER DO FOR THE KINGS?

I won't be attending the game and I probably won't be attending others after that. For the Kings to reward a player for screwing over the fans (twice) is not an organization I care to support.

That's just how I feel and many others do as well.

Staples will still be filled with fans who were just kids when the Blake fiasco happened and don't care.

We do.

So no, I will not "grow up" - Enron lied. Grow up. Madoff Lied. Grow up. Nixon lied. Grow up.

A liar is a liar.

I hope the mods find this rant civil.

 

[Choralone]

I won't be attending the game and I probably won't be attending others after that. For the Kings to reward a player for screwing over the fans (twice) is not an organization I care to support.

Yep, he's being honored specifically for "screwing over the fans".

At the press conference, Luc was asked what the decision was based on, and he said, "It's not the fact that he won the Norris, or is the all-time leading scorer for Kings defensemen. It's because he screwed over the fans. No other reason."

Luc then cackled with glee, raised both middle fingers, farted, then walked off the stage.

Staples will still be filled with fans who were just kids when the Blake fiasco happened and don't care.

We do.

Uh, speak for yourself. I'm 45, followed the Kings during Blake's rookie year, and I don't care.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Can a mod sticky this? Thanks.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

Ron, you are absolutely killing it in this thread!

 

[Captain Mittens*]

How old are you Ziggy?

Were you one of the fans that believed the lies Rob told time and time again? I've interviewed EVERYONE (except Blake who refused) about this situation and have written about it many times.

We're LOYAL FANS.

And the LOYAL FANS who were lied to by Rob Blake, will NOT forgive Rob Blake for what he did and to simply say "Grow Up" is pretty immature on your part.

It's how we FEEL and have carried with us for years.

Rob Blake lied to the fans. Us. You and me. Period.

He said he wanted to test free agency. He didn't. He took LESS to stay with Colorado than the Kings offered (the Colorado deal was 5 years with an OPTION for the 5th which they did NOT pick up).

The fans that choose to boo (myself included) have a RIGHT to boo.

To have his name in the rafters over Simmer or Hrudey is blasphemous.

You say "What did Vachon and Dioone ever do? Okay, WHAT DID ROB BLAKE EVER DO FOR THE KINGS?

I won't be attending the game and I probably won't be attending others after that. For the Kings to reward a player for screwing over the fans (twice) is not an organization I care to support.

That's just how I feel and many others do as well.

Staples will still be filled with fans who were just kids when the Blake fiasco happened and don't care.

We do.

So no, I will not "grow up" - Enron lied. Grow up. Madoff Lied. Grow up. Nixon lied. Grow up.

A liar is a liar.

I hope the mods find this rant civil.

You need to change your username to "Fox News"

 

[Captain Mittens*]

You need to change your username to "Fox News"

I couldn't have said it better myself!

 

[Butch 19]

How old are you Ziggy?

Were you one of the fans that believed the lies Rob told time and time again? I've interviewed EVERYONE (except Blake who refused) about this situation and have written about it many times.

We're LOYAL FANS.

And the LOYAL FANS who were lied to by Rob Blake, will NOT forgive Rob Blake for what he did and to simply say "Grow Up" is pretty immature on your part.

It's how we FEEL and have carried with us for years.

Rob Blake lied to the fans. Us. You and me. Period.

He said he wanted to test free agency. He didn't. He took LESS to stay with Colorado than the Kings offered (the Colorado deal was 5 years with an OPTION for the 5th which they did NOT pick up).

The fans that choose to boo (myself included) have a RIGHT to boo.

To have his name in the rafters over Simmer or Hrudey is blasphemous.

You say "What did Vachon and Dioone ever do? Okay, WHAT DID ROB BLAKE EVER DO FOR THE KINGS?

I won't be attending the game and I probably won't be attending others after that. For the Kings to reward a player for screwing over the fans (twice) is not an organization I care to support.

That's just how I feel and many others do as well.

Staples will still be filled with fans who were just kids when the Blake fiasco happened and don't care.

We do.

So no, I will not "grow up" - Enron lied. Grow up. Madoff Lied. Grow up. Nixon lied. Grow up.

A liar is a liar.

I hope the mods find this rant civil.

He was a huge part of the '93 team that won the Campbell Championship for the first time in team history. He is the best dman this team has ever had.

Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Oh, and those fans that really don't care what Blake may or may not have done many years ago, we're LOYAL FANS too.

How many championships did Blake cost this team with his actions? That's all that matters.

 

[Reclamation Project]

CBGB is mad bluegrass isn't played on the radio.

 

[ukyo]

I used to be in the Boo Blake camp. And after getting more of the other side of the story over the years (from former players, the only GM that has ever brought us a Stanley Cup, and Blake himself in media), I have enough information to stand down. This is regardless of what is hearsay or propaganda or rumors, because there is that on the Boo Blake side as well.

Come join us. Let go of your hate. It feels good. The ground is higher up here.

 

[Herby]

I used to be in the Boo Blake camp. And after getting more of the other side of the story over the years (from former players, the only GM that has ever brought us a Stanley Cup, and Blake himself in media), I have enough information to stand down. This is regardless of what is hearsay or propaganda or rumors, because there is that on the Boo Blake side as well.

Come join us. Let go of your hate. It feels good. The ground is higher up here.

I think you are missing the point many of us have.

We are over the boooing thing, but don't believe his jersey should be retired. Not everyone who doesn't want his jersey in the rafters would still be boooing the guy.

 

[funky]

Been a Kings fan since 88, ya one of many who followed Gretzky from the Oilers. I watched Blake come up with the Kings and he quickly became my favorite player. I was crushed when he left as most were and resented the fact he did.

It was some very dark years for the Kings, nothing went right, every star player got injured and beyond our top lines was roster fodder.

I was pissed and I wasn't happy when he came back as he wasn't the same high end player that left. But I put myself in his place and I would have done the same thing. He had no chance of winning in L.A at the time. Hell Gretzky did the same thing when he went to St Louis, and I can't be mad at him.

The one thing Blake did do to win me back is one very cold winter morning in Calgary, players were running from the hotel to the bus to avoid the frigid weather Blake and Matty N seen two of us standing outside in Kings jerseys and detoured over to talk and sign autographs. Not only did the two do that but they talked for ten minutes about the team, the rookies and a prospect named Jack Johnson. It was interesting on Blake's take. I was really surprised when Blake went back to the bus and brought out a bunch of the team to sign autographs. He was very professional and really loved the game. That brought me back on the Blake train. The funniest thing was a gust of wind came up and blew an autograph card down the street and it was Blake that gave chase and retrieved it, guess it brought out a human side in him that I didn't expect from a high paid star athlete.

Anyways I am going to look at it as I spent 10 years cheering for him, now he's back helping our current winning organization. I am happy to see him get his number retired, happy to have Gretzkys statue out front and glad to see Luc get his due, because every time I see one of those things I can conjure up many happy memories from a pretty crappy time in our teams history.

 

[Buddy The Elf]

Pull an Alanis Morisette and only have one hand in your pocket.
Use the other to
give a high five
hail a taxi cab
flick a cigarette
give a peace sign
play a piano

I vote for a dutch rudder for the person standing next to you.

 

[Ron*]

I vote for a dutch rudder for the person standing next to you.

This was a visual I didn't need on a Monday morning.

 

[Buddy The Elf]

This was a visual I didn't need on a Monday morning.

I'm like a cup of coffee!

 

[Ron*]

I'm like a cup of coffee!

From Starbucks. Double the caffeine.

 

[The Tikkanen]

Been a Kings fan since 88, ya one of many who followed Gretzky from the Oilers. I watched Blake come up with the Kings and he quickly became my favorite player. I was crushed when he left as most were and resented the fact he did.

It was some very dark years for the Kings, nothing went right, every star player got injured and beyond our top lines was roster fodder.

I was pissed and I wasn't happy when he came back as he wasn't the same high end player that left. But I put myself in his place and I would have done the same thing. He had no chance of winning in L.A at the time. Hell Gretzky did the same thing when he went to St Louis, and I can't be mad at him.

The one thing Blake did do to win me back is one very cold winter morning in Calgary, players were running from the hotel to the bus to avoid the frigid weather Blake and Matty N seen two of us standing outside in Kings jerseys and detoured over to talk and sign autographs. Not only did the two do that but they talked for ten minutes about the team, the rookies and a prospect named Jack Johnson. It was interesting on Blake's take. I was really surprised when Blake went back to the bus and brought out a bunch of the team to sign autographs. He was very professional and really loved the game. That brought me back on the Blake train. The funniest thing was a gust of wind came up and blew an autograph card down the street and it was Blake that gave chase and retrieved it, guess it brought out a human side in him that I didn't expect from a high paid star athlete.

Anyways I am going to look at it as I spent 10 years cheering for him, now he's back helping our current winning organization. I am happy to see him get his number retired, happy to have Gretzkys statue out front and glad to see Luc get his due, because every time I see one of those things I can conjure up many happy memories from a pretty crappy time in our teams history.

Well said, I'm almost in the same exact boat as you. I look at it like Blake left a sinking ship, whether or not it was due to pressure from the NHLPA to get giant deals is none of my business. I'm a fan, not a scout, not an accountant of the Kings and it's a shame so many King fans act like they are one or the other. Bottom line is Blake put in work, he put up the numbers and he's deserving to go up in the rafters. I wasn't happy he left, I wasn't happy he came back but I'm not sure I would have done things differently if companies were offering me millions of dollars to play somewhere else at a time when the Kings did not matter. Things are much different now and maybe they are because of what Blake did, maybe the current path we're on isn't the same without the contract squabbles? If you don't like it don't go to the game, that's your right, nothing wrong with holding firm of your opinion.

 

[The Big Giant Head]

I dont not like Rob Blake, im happy he's back being a part of the organization but i dont think he should go in the rafters. I understand the Dave Taylor argument but i dunno...it's one of those "doesnt feel right" kinda situations. Great player, fierce defencemen in his day (nothing more fun to watch than a signature Rob Blake hip check) but falls short of rafter material for me.

 

[cyclones22]

Been a Kings fan since 88, ya one of many who followed Gretzky from the Oilers. I watched Blake come up with the Kings and he quickly became my favorite player. I was crushed when he left as most were and resented the fact he did...

I cut the rest of your post to avoid quoting the entire thing, but it's almost exactly how I feel about the situation.

I'm curious and maybe I've missed it in the gazillion pages in this thread, but for those who don't think he deserves to have his jersey lifted to the rafters, what's the reasoning? Is it simply because he didn't play well enough as a Kings to warrant it in your eyes or does it have to do with how you feel he conducted himself while a King?

To me, it became an absolute no-brainer for his jersey to be retired the moment he was inducted into the HHOF. I'd like to know if there have been instances where a player has been inducted into the Hall Of Fame who didn't have his jersey retired by the team that he played the majority of his career with and had his best seasons with.

 

[KINGS17]

I couldn't have said it better myself!

I think you just did.