Ilya Kovalchuk got more than $100 million out of the New Jersey Devils, and he got a $5 cup of coffee out of Terry Murray. In case you haven’t heard, Kovalchuk — who comes to town with the Devils tonight — was pursued by the Kings this summer, a month-long dirge that included the hockey equivalent of a recruiting trip in Los Angeles. It’s widely expected that Kovalchuk will get a negative response tonight — although you will be the determining factor in that — but somewhat surprisingly, Murray said he didn’t think Kovalchuk would get much of a reaction tonight.
MURRAY: “I don’t think anybody knows about it around here, quite honestly. A few of the players know. Brownie and Greener picked him up downtown and took him out to dinner one night, but that’s the extent of it. I went out and had a cup of coffee with him — I had to buy it — so that was the extent of his time around here. He’s a player on the New Jersey Devils. We have awareness to him. He’s a great player. He has had an impact on a lot of games in his career, so we’ve just got to be ready to play against the New Jersey Devils tonight.”
So the Kings have a theme tonight: win one for Terry’s wallet… Later, Murray gave an honest assessment when asked if, during the summer, he ever allowed his mind to wander and think about what it would be like to write Kovalchuk’s name on his lineup card every game…
MURRAY: “Oh sure, I did. And I’ve had those guys. I had Pavel Bure, who put 57 goals up for me in Florida. I had Lindros in Philly, who was MVP of the league. I’ve had these players who are impact players, and they’re nice to have. And if they’re all on-page and playing the right way and playing the team game, then it’s outstanding to have those guys, because they do determine your season and your playoffs. They do make a difference, all the way through. I would love to have Kovalchuk. I’m not going to kid anybody. Again, he’s a great player. It just didn’t work out that way. He’s a member of the Devils and we’re playing them tonight, and we’ve got to play hard against them.”
I’ll say it here first:
“Koffechuk”
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Scot Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
@OneTimer,
You owe 25 cents to the bad joke jar.
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Munchrat Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
@OneTimer,
Devilchuck…
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Early gallop polls have nearly 70% of Kings fans chomping at the bit to “boooooo” the hell out of Kovalchuk tonight.
Cast your vote… maybe the tide will turn.
http://lakingsnews.com/2010/10/29/kovalchuk-comes-to-la-an-interview-and-a-poll/
Then again, we’ll find out soon enough.
GO KINGS GO!
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Dominick Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
@Surly Jacob (JDM), As long as it’s not Blake. Hopefully fans layoff.
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Kingsfanone Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 4:29 pm
@Dominick,
No, they won’t lay off Blake.
That’s just the way it will be.
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TM had to buy the coffee.. WTF? money he will never get back, I say we all buy TM a cup of coffee.
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Dominick Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
@GreyPaws, Better a cup of coffee and nothing, than 12 years of being late to players meetings, before he retires.
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GreyPaws Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
@Dominick,
I had to abstain from these boards during the Kovi drama, I’m beyond happy he is not here. He was late because he had to dig his way out from under the mountain of money he keeps in his bedroom.
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” I went out and had a cup of coffee with him — I had to buy it —” LOL HILARIOUS!!! The guy obviously did not want to be part of this up and coming team. I say thanks for coming and hope you enjoyed the dinner and coffee. Let’s focus on the 2 points tonight and less on Mr. Kovalchuk.
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yeah! and five dollars is too much to spend on a cup of coffee too….
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rontheking Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 12:32 pm
@rontheking,
and i hope he gets creamed along the boards….
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hockey junkie Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 4:04 pm
@rontheking, LMAO!!!! good one!
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Haha I like it. The coffee for TM fund!!!
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it’s not the price of a gesture but the gesture itself that determines its value…
in this case, booing can only serve the emotional needs of those who feel cheated or slighted by kovi’s lack of reciprocation…
and if i were kovi, i would stop drinking coffee and go for some wheatgrass…because caffeine doesn’t seem to be helping his devils…or his relationship with coach maclean….
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rontheking Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
@variable,
the price of the coffee might also reflect kovi’s overblown self-worth….
but i agree…as someone else noted previously, kovi deserves to be thanked for signing with jersey, not jeered….
however, a lot of kings fans seem to feel as if they were left waiting at the alter. i would say, if anything lombardi snubbed kovi…the same way you would reject a hottie if she is unwilling to sign the prenup that protects your assets. Here’s your coffee, babe, now hit the road.
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variable Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
@rontheking,
all is fair in love and war…and free agency….
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DellaNooch Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
@rontheking, Couldn’t disagree with you more, DL’s offer was fair, NJ offer was ridiculous, but that’s free agency, now NJ has cap headaches a losing record to boot.
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BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
@variable,
I think Dr. Murray just re-wrote the definition of the proverbial phrase, “He was just here long enough to have a cup of coffee…”
Usually it’s the player that’s sent down after his cup of joe. In this case, it was the Kings’ organization sent packing, out of the life of the Annointed One forever.
V: “it’s not the price of a gesture but the gesture itself that determines its value…”
True, oh so true…
That’s why–if it were me at the game tonight–I would boo until I could boo no more. IKie didn’t have to thumb his @$$ at the Kings’ organization on his way to the Devils–but, he did, I remember that he did, and I care about the Kings Organization.
God and Karma should take care of the rest.
Maybe it already has.
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variable Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
@BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy,
“I think Dr. Murray just re-wrote the definition of the proverbial phrase, ‘He was just here long enough to have a cup of coffee…’”
…priceless…(!)…
but yr right…
i’m not against booing…
i just never got settled in believing the guy would ever be a king…(REALLY)…to the point where me, myself and i ever got emotionally attached to the big letdown when it came…
so i’m really indifferent to him being here tonight…i know i’m about to adopt a player’s cliche right now, but all i care about is the 2pts…
we can probably go back and look at RICH’s archive and check who said what when to who…but why do that now…when you can just “boo” if you want tonight…
for many fans, that’s the only gesture of value they have left to give to kovy – now and forever…
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54FIGHTING Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 2:54 pm
@variable,
I would boo because of what was said above but IF I was a NJ fan I would boo even more. He used us to use Lou even more – 20 million more to be exact.
I still don’t know what was wrong with Lou. What was his thought process? LA is offering 15 years at 80 million. I must have this guy so I’ll offer 17 years at over 100 million! Great deal for me. AND then when the NHL rejects it how do you let Kovi renegotiate for 15 years at 100 million? STUPID, STUPID, STUPID. If I was Lou and NJ I wouldn’t move from 15 years 80 million. What is Kovi going to do – go to LA? No. He was stuck. Lou had him and still blew it. Amazing. Lou pulled the biggest Glen Sather I’ve ever seen.
the way kovalchuk’s agent characterized the kings generous display of intent and desire to have kovalchuk join our team by saying ” the kings put on their dog and pony show” was ungracious and lacking in class. by surrounding himself with this agent kovalchuk reveals his own lack of character.
cant wait to rag him at the game tonight.
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I am so glad we never made a deal with him. I thought from the beginning he was just a money guy and after seeing his performance this year it is clearly confirmed….
This puts the Kings cap in a much better position. There is no player in this league that deserves that kind of money. I think signing someone like that, even if they are a success ultimately hurts the team due to the cap restrictions.
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bmova Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 12:57 pm
@Chris Jensen, You could make a claim that Sid or Ovie deserve that kind of money; and they’re both team players to boot!
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hockey junkie Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 4:08 pm
@bmova, @chiris jensen
ditto both above
gKg!
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ill buy TM 2 cups ….and as far as the booooooooooos oh ya we know what to do ……i dont plan on having a voice after tonight …it time to eradicate the cancer they call kovalsuck……..
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I love Terry Murray. He always acts like he has no idea what’s going on with anyone or anything but I know he knows exactly what’s going on everywhere.
the coffee comment is priceless.
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FM3 Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 3:08 pm
@Lilly, Couldn’t agree with you more. The epitome of a class act.
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For me it’s the not the fact that he didn’t sign with us, it’s more the d***** us around that he did and wasted a month of DL’s time when he could have been looking to improve the team elsewhere, when all along he knew he didnt want to be on this team and he made it perfectly clear afterwards. Used the Kings as a bargaining chip! Like I said in previous post, the focus is on the 2 points however a nice clean hard check by brownie ring in te center of the ice that would level him and energize the building even more would be nice….
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DellaNooch Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
@MtlKingsFan, Ditto…he used us to get NJ to settle on 100M. Boo the hell out of him!!!
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I for one will NOT boo, never wanted Kovi to be a King. So glad he’s not wasting our money!!!
Somewhat surprised though that TM thinks there won’t be a strong reaction by the fans. Does he think we all crawl under a rock over the summer????
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AZ King Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
@NoDoughty,
I read TM’s comments a second time, it sounds like he’s talking about a reaction from the team.
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RoyalPain Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
@AZ King, Sounded like sarcasm to me.
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It probably doesn’t matter to the players, but I think, other than opening night, to Kingsfans, this is the game we’ve been waiting for. A chance to show Kovalschmuck, exactly what he passed on. It’s like a playoff game, where Kingsfans are unanimus, in that, losing’s not an option.
GO KINGS!
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variable Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 1:53 pm
@Dominick,
these things will always mean more to fans than to players…i really can’t imagine anyone on the kings saying in the pre-game meeting…:
“kovy screwed dl…he screwed brownie…he screwed the team – let’s go out there and decapitate him and serve his head to our adorning fans in a post-game victory feast that will put an end to this ill-ya-world anathema…!…….pre-game soccer, anyone…?”
but i’ve been wrong before…
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Dominick Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
@variable,
Yeah, I’m pretty sure that it’s just another game to all the players, but to fans in NJ, Cali, and the media, this will be an important statement.
Winning, for me is cake. Winning and making Kovi look bad in the process, Priceless.
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Booing Kovalchuk is pretty lame. Indifference is a much better message for both him and Blake. Also, obviously the scoreboard. I’m sure the letsgokings crowd will be out in full force ruining what should be a nice ceremony for Norstrom.
When you have a strong team like the Kings to watch, is it really necessary to keep up with the side show acts of booing? I realize for a long time there wasn’t much entertainment on the ice, but now that there is, why even both with the bitterness of booing other players because they didn’t sign with the Kings? The way I see it, Kovalchuk lost out more than the Kings did. That should be satisfying enough.
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Player-X Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 1:24 pm
@Luke M.,
Yeah, those stupid loyal Kings fans, chanting all the time and rooting for their team. Ruins the serene purity and halcyon nature of a contact sport in an arena of 18,000 people. And booing? How plebian. Can’t the Kings hire someone to quell the riffraff?
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Luke M. Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
@Player-X,
I suppose I see a difference between cheering for your team and booing a player because he didn’t choose to be part of your team. I’m all for enthusiastic fans, the louder the better. But booing Kovalchuk is pointless, IMO. Why motivate him anyway?
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ydkjs2 Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
@Luke M., Yes, those terrible LGK fans. Most of whom have been supporting the Kings for over 20 years, know nothing. They go to the hockey games, cheer, boo and make all kinds of a ruckus. Anyone would think this was a game where people can say and do what they want. Personally I think it would be great to have a “thank you Kovalchuk” chant. But, you know us LGK’ers, we will just ruin everything.
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Knowing Kovalchuk’s personality, he probably got a Venti Half-Decaf Soy White Mocha, with whipped cream and cinnamon sprinkles on top. And probably a cherry danish to go with it. Terry Murray probably got a Grande Coffee like a real man.
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GreyPaws Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
@Scot,
TM just asked for a hand full of roasted beans and chewed them while he waited for Kovi to finish his scones/danish.
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Ben Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
@GreyPaws,
wow, I couldn’t help but literally laugh out loud at that comment! Great stuff!
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Kolvalchuck: “Hi, Im Kolvalchuck and Im new to coffee.I was wondering if you could mix half of the regular version with half of the decaffinated version?”
TM:”Half Calf…”
Kovalchuck: “Yowwww! Mother of Pearl!”
TM: “You should of waited for the jacket.”
Kovalchuck: “Right. I just got to eager.”
TM:”Coffee is the lifeblood that fuels the dreams of champions”
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may the team be united to one goal and one goal only DESTROY THE NJ DEVILS hit them bang them just harrass them the whole night…and hope STAPLES IS ROCKING TONIGHT
GO KINGS GO!!!1
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I’m sorry for an offtopic question, but here in Europe we will turn our clock’s back for 1.hour and I’m not sure if in USA is the same?
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LucLivesOn Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
@Agame, I dpn’t know where you are in Europe, but if you are in the Ukraine the game will start at 5:30AM your time. My fiance lives there so I am sure of the time difference!! Go Kings!!
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AZ King Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 1:24 pm
@Agame,
We do it next week. 2 a.m. on Nov 7.
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Agame Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
@AZ King, @LucLivesOn
Thank you both for info, I’m from Slovenia, so it’s going to be at 4.30AM. Early morning for me!
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Dominick Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
@Agame, Try this http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/ That should give you all the timelinnes to figure out your timetable anywhere in the world.
Tm probably “had to buy” because he lost a drinking bout with Kovalchuk the night before. The story goes something like this:
DL sends TM, Kompon, and Hextall out drinking with Kovalchuck to soften him up to sign for less money. DL had wanted to send Juraj Mikus as no man alive can drink as much vodka as JM but Mikus was too busy studying for his bar exam (no pun intended) which he needed to pass in order to get Heidi Androl out of the slammer because of her previous early hours slow freeway driving problems.
So anyway, he sends those three instead. They pick IK up at his hotel then start doing shots in Manhattan Beach and begin working their way down the coast toward Redondo. As fate would have it they end up in the cab of the guy from Buffalo who Patrick Kane had the change problem with before (this guy moved to L.A. because the Kings are now better than the Sabres). IK gets in an argument with the guy because he won’t give IK his change back in Rubles. The only way to get out of the situation is for Kompon to stay behind and try to explain to the cabbie why the Kings couldn’t score during 5-on- 3 power plays last season. TM knows this will take hours so he, Hextall, and IK proceed on foot.
TM is now starting to get desperate. IK has been winning the vodka throwdown and has begun insisting the Kings re-sign Frolov and Peter Klima to play with him on the top line next year. TM thinks this idea has merit but he’s trying to figure out which of these three left wingers will play center and if any of them know where the defensive zone might be located. Meanwhile Hextall starts texting DL about the trouble they’re in but DL has flown to New Jersey where he is out having dinner with Lou Lamirello discussing ways to get rid of Jay Sebring. Lou wants to sign him and send him to the minors even if he has to play with twelve players all year. DL believes any lawyer or agent will get through waivers easily so he thinks the idea has some legs.
Back at the beach Tm and IK are now playing chess on a pocket set IK carries in his boot. Hextall throws a tantrum as they refuse to let him play and storms off into the night. TM is doing better than expected in the chess game as he his thrown his third line against IK’s main point of attack. IK, now intoxicated, insists he can beat the trap and a cup of coffee is the wager. TM reluctantly agrees and as TM’s defense falters under pressure, IK wins the match.
This my fellow Kings fans is why TM had to buy the coffee!
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variable Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 1:38 pm
@Crown Royal,
the petr klima reference was awesome…big props on that one…
sounds like the pitch idea for “get shorty 2″…
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Crown Royal Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 2:15 pm
@variable,
Thanks for the comment. I was going to use Igor Liba but figured that reference was a little too obscure.
Never saw “get shorty 2″
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Im gonna be pointing and laughing more than booing tonight ill leave that for tomorrow night…and yes agame we do turn clocks back to night, i think.
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Rich,
Zubrus had a knee on knee with Perry last night. He did return later, but I was wondering if he’ll be in the line up tonight. Any word.
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don’t miss him at all
for his price was too dear
here’s some coffee, kovi
put it in your ear
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variable Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
@rontheking,
because this is a pg room and i respect RICH’s rules of fair comment and commentary, i’ll refrain from using a nc-17 one-liner in reply…
…but it was a good one…(!)
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The guy made his decision, which he earned the right to make. We got outbid. The Devils overpaid and will have to deal with that. The “I feel jilted and my feeling are hurt” obsession is not in keeping with the spirit of hockey. Being pouty about it makes Kings’ fans look weak, especially as it would seem things turned out for the best.
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RRL Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 2:15 pm
@billanthony, Don’t get mad, just beat the hell out of him….That works for me.
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Quisp Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
@billanthony,
I don’t think anyone’s feelings are hurt. But I can see where people might think he wasted a bunch of their valuable time. And since the rationale for his behavior is that he’s just so valuable and important that he has “earned the right” to take more time in making his decision than any free agent in human history, it’s not surprising that people would take pleasure in his comeuppance.
Some people will boo, some won’t. And that’s just the Devils fans.
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Does the five bucks count against the cap?
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lafan13 Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 3:42 pm
@Mel Powell,
It was a 12 year deal, so only a .42 cent cap hit.
I think we’re ok.
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As much as I would like to pile on Kovalchuk, the coffee thing isn’t really black mark against him. Doesn’t management always have to pay? It’s not like he’s taking Terry out for his birthday.
“I went out to LA to meet with the team, and the coach made me buy him coffee. What’s up with that?”
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variable Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
@Quisp,
it could have been a $5 tic-tac – management was going to pay it…
regardless if he did or not, i’m sure tm has an expense account…albeit, not a personal barista…
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DLB Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
@Quisp, TM was just having a little fun. I hope no one takes this seriously.
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Quisp Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 3:28 pm
@DLB,
Oh, I know. It’s funny. It’s always worth mentioning when you buy a multi-millionaire a cup of coffee.
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I still wish that everyone would just crack up laughing at Kovalchuk every single time he touches the puck. Would be so much more effective and enjoyable than booing him. I hope Brown checks him right over the boards!
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Quisp Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
@Ben,
That’s ingenious. At least, they should play a laugh-track on the PA every time he gets the puck.
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lafan13 Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 3:45 pm
Then kovalchuck turns and laughs cuz he won 100 million dollars!
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USHA#17 Reply:
October 31st, 2010 at 9:36 am
@Ben,
Great idea. Posted the same thought yesterday on Surly/Scribe. The Arena Laugh Track is a nice touch.
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Wow, Someone who is more hated than Pronger,that should be nice to hear. We should get a couple of screamers to yell “Sit down Kolvachuck You suck” everytime he steps on the ice.
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I think the real thing to pay attention here is that TM had to blow 100 nickels on kovalchuk. That’s just about equivalent to how much better off we are in not having a me me me type of player. Better 100 nickels than 100m. If we just get a top six forward we are an elite contender.
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Dominick Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
@Kings x,
So your saying it cost us 100 pieces of worthless metal to dodge a 100 million dollar bullit.
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My kids have been planning their anti-Kovi signs for months. DL bargained in good faith, Kovi played upon that good faith and therefore deserves some good booing. Boo the man, root against the player and support our Kings. We are going to have a great time at Staples tonight and maybe Kovi will learn something about class acts when we honor Norstrom before the game.
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GreyPaws Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
@DesertKing,
Well said
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PurpleBlacknGold Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 5:09 pm
@DesertKing,
My sign would say:
CONGRATS ON SIGNING WITH THE DEVILS KOVI…
NOW ENJOY THE NEXT 15 YEARS IN HELL!
GO KINGS!!!
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I bought tickets to this game simply to booo the hell out of Kovi tonight when I see his ugly face! Im drivin all the way up from San Diego
GO KINGS!!!
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I will be at the game, and have no intention of wasting my time booing Kovalchuk. He made hs decision – let’s all move along. I am far more interested in watching a King victory.
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The best way to ‘boo’ Kovy tonight is for the Kings to kick the Devils’ behinds and demonstrate to him the folly of his signing with NJ.
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What a d-bag!
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I’d love to see The Kings kick some names & take some ass tonight! Hit them hard and hit them on the scoreboard.
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HUN-DRED MILL-ION clap-clap clap-clap-clap!!!
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PRMan Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 3:41 pm
@DJ, Overrated clap-clap clap-clap-clap!!!
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Ok, someone start a poll to see which King will blast Kovalchuk first and most often. Stats should read HITS and HOK (Hits on Kovalchuk). I say he ends up being one big bruised piece of NJD meat. Would love to see WS and IK scrap tonight as well.
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Boo Kovalchuk?
We should give him a standing ovation for not picking the Kings. He’s done more to help our franchise by not picking the Kings than one player ever could over the same time period.
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Dominick Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 3:46 pm
@KC23, LOL! So true.
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Coffee of GUILT! I hope you feel it Kovy! Feel the guiltiness!
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Who are the two hardest hitters on the Kings? Brown and Greene. Who took Kovi out to dinner? Brown and Greene. I’ll take my cue from them.
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There’s an obvious answer to the Kovi/Murray coffee scandal:
“Chock full o’ Nuts
Is that Heavenly coffee.
Better coffee a millionaire’s
Money can’t buy.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8ySFm18_dU
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Booing Kovi tonite will do absolutely nothing to him. The only thing that will affect Kovi will be the scoreboard reading the Kings victory
Kovi wanted the big money. He got it. He really could care less about us, as his post contract statements clearly illustrated.
The only thing he understands is the Kings beating his team. It may not be a big thing or last long, but he’ll feel it.
I hope the Kings win tonite, I wish they win 8-0, I pray Brownie or Poni crush him on the boards. I hope all 3 happen, so I’ll feel better, cuz in the end, that’s all that matters.
Go Kings Go!
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Success is the best revenge man! So glad he’s Jersey’s problem..Go Kings!
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Rob Blake is going to be part of the ceremonies tonight.
I got 5 bucks that says Blake gets louder boos than Kovalchuk.
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matt george
an’ i got 5 bucks that says that i spent double that in an idaho dispensary for tonight’s game.not to mention the brew.give that man a cigar.
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