“. . . You could strike sparks anywhere. There was a fantastic universal sense that whatever we were doing was right, that we were winning. . . .” —Los Angeles Kings fans.
EL LAY – Actually, that’s Hunter Thompson from his thematic summation of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, though I think he nails the prevailing mood around these parts lately, “that sense of inevitable victory over the forces of Old and Evil. Not in any mean or military sense; we didn’t need that. Our energy would simply prevail. There was no point in fighting—on our side or theirs. We had all the momentum; we were riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave. . . .”
That get your attention, Rangers fans? The Kings held serve on their home ice over two more tight, back and forth games with nearly a third game already played in overtime between the two…their third OT game in a row, their fourth such in the last five, and their sixth overall in twenty-three grueling playoff games this year. How their legs are still functioning at all is a miracle on ice in itself, so only a fool would count the Rangers out (and one need only look three years ago at Cheesy’s Bruins coming back from two-oh)…but since the tradition calls for some inter-city smack talk, and a gauntlet of sorts was thrown down by Grinding Ax last Tuesday, I guess I must rise to the bait and defend the city I’ve called home for over half my life now.
First of all, yes, the pizza sucks. I grew up with great pizza, and haven’t found its like anywhere else, especially here where “wood fired” is the the only way these places can get any flavor into their crusts. Fortunately this town is a cheap food paradise, and we make up for it with burritos of all races and creeds, burger stands where chili is the key condiment, a fleet of food trucks to attend to any taste, and of course the bacon wrapped hot dog. We’re the entertainment capital of the world. That not good enough? Well, dwarfing that, we’re the porn capital of the world too! You’ve got a sea of yellow taxis? We’ve got out-of-work actors driving cars with pink mustaches. 
We’ve got the classic Griffith Observatory–free–the gorgeous Getty Center–free–and everyone in town is officially obliged to screeners of all the for-your-consideration movies every Oscar season–free! We’ve got good beer, good wine, and the best weed in the world (I’m taking on old Amsterdam as well as New!). We’ve got E3 starting this week. No matter where you go in town, there’s a good chance you’ll see a hot woman going to or coming from yoga class (and ladies, the reverse is true too). And while you’re cooped up all winter stewing about every up and down of your team, Angelinos are outside simply enjoying the day. You can’t win…we don’t care enough for you to take any satisfaction in it!
We care now, of course, when it counts, but I know a lot of people who’ll go out surfing either way the next day. Which brings me back to the Good Doctor’s quote, and the big California waves rolling across the country. Could he have been standing atop the towers of Belmont Race Track, looking west and reporting that “with the right kind of eyes you can almost see the high-water mark—that place where the wave finally broke and rolled back.” It happened to a certain California horse, could it happen to a hockey team as well?
Come back tomorrow for Walter “Grinding Ax” Hynes.
