Time to forgive Rob Blake (History/Jersey Retirement Chat)

[Raccoon Jesus]

If he was the source of all the problems...is he not the source of all the success we have now? Or is it only when it fits your narrative?

Even if we attribute full fault to one side there, what about the second time Blake left?

 

[Winger23]

Regardless, Blake knowing how fans feel about him, still accepted a position within the org. Him worried about The reaction to him lifting the cup speaks volumes. He should not have accepted the position in the first place if he is going to be that worried about fan reaction. F him. I'm a fan so I don't have to care about The business side. He is what he is and I wish he would just go away.

 

[Fat Elvis]

I'm fine with him, still got a 92-93' black Blake jersey. Dude was a stud, then he made a business decision that was pretty lame for us Kings fans. I'm over it. Put #4 up if they want, I don't care one way or another. But Kings hockey is much different today than it was during his time.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Regardless, Blake knowing how fans feel about him, still accepted a position within the org. Him worried about The reaction to him lifting the cup speaks volumes. He should not have accepted the position in the first place if he is going to be that worried about fan reaction. F him. I'm a fan so I don't have to care about The business side. He is what he is and I wish he would just go away.

You should absolutely care about the business side. It's what fuels the team.

 

[Winger23]

You should absolutely care about the business side. It's what fuels the team.

It was in regards to how and what he did while being a player. I don't care what happened behind the scenes back then.

 

[Rorschach]

There wasn't a bunch of drama surrounding the other players.

You don't remember all of the drama around Gretzky for months twisting in the wind and finally leaking publicly that he made private trade "suggestions" to management?

 

[KingsKnight]

Regardless, Blake knowing how fans feel about him, still accepted a position within the org. Him worried about The reaction to him lifting the cup speaks volumes. He should not have accepted the position in the first place if he is going to be that worried about fan reaction. F him. I'm a fan so I don't have to care about The business side. He is what he is and I wish he would just go away.

It's funny because you perceive that as a negative against him, and I perceive it as a positive. He's cognizant of the situation and of how the fans might react. That doesn't imply guilt. Rather than take the moment away from them, he quietly and respectfully stayed out of the limelight.

 

[took420s]

I actually forgot all about him until that comment on how he didnt want to lift the cup for fear of fan reaction...as soon as I read that I realized I should move past the hate I had for the guy.

Whether it was earned or not, I now feel bad for the guy when I hear him booed by us.

The Lakers have a rule about jersey retirements...You need to be in the HOF and need to be a true Laker...Rob Blake is a King (2/3 of his career here, former captain, and in the front office now) so there is one check mark but he is not in the HHOF and unless he makes it in I say No to #4 being up in the rafters.

 

[Rorschach]

Won't forget Blake hipchecking Jochen Hecht all the way back to Germany.

I remember in 92 when Blake treated big man Joel Otto like a rag doll and then smiling at him sitting there on the ice.

 

[Rorschach]

I believe we have two separate issues here. First the OP topic is whether to "forgive" him or in my view, change perspective from believing the owners or the player; then we have whether the player is worthy of retirement.

Regarding whether to let him fully return to our fold and our hearts, I believe he's the victim, not the piece of crap between those two parties...it's a stain on the Kings name that Colorado did him right...that's my opinion, firm and steady. I bet he could easily have kept his NHL job or gotten a cush job with Colorado with his teammate pals Sakic and Roy. Yet he's here in LA...putting up with angry fans.

Personally the number retirement issue, that/his era when he was the star was pretty lean and he was an important player in the only SCF we had, he was a captain and he was our only Norris winner. Some people say he didn't have enough time in...well he is putting time in now. So eventually I say yes. Right now there's a logical argument for no.

 

[DoktorJeep]

I wasn't happy when DL brought Blake back for a 2nd stint, but I viewed that as another "bridge" player move during the rebuild. What I think hasn't been really discussed here is the type of team the Kings were when Blake decided to give up the C and was eventually traded.

Back in the early 2K's, the Kings looked like a team that was finally starting to put things together on the ice. The post Gretzky years were mostly bad teams and bad ownership. By the time 2001 came around, the Kings had moved to Staples, and had players like Robitaille, Ziggy Palffy, Stumpel, Norstrom a resurgent Matt Schnieder and Glenn Murray. AEG built a practice facility in El Segundo, purchased a soley owned AHL affiliate and it finally felt like the Kings were being run like a legitimate NHL franchise. They had made the playoffs and finished 2nd in the pacific with 94 points in 2000. Andy Murray hadn't gone insane and started asking players to write essays and Dave Taylor had started to hold onto things like 1st rounders. Kings fans were talking about how much they couldn't wait to see how a guy like Alex Frolov fit in on a team that was looking like it was on a better path.

So just as things are starting to look better, along comes Rob Blakes contract dispute. It looked like he was going to sign, which most Kings fans wanted, but then Chris Pronger signed some crazy deal and the amount that the Kings offered wasn't enough for Blake, his agent, the NHLPA, etc. But that part didn't really make me dislike the guy, because even back then, I didn't begrudge a player for wanting market value. Even when Blake publicly gave up the C, I still blamed Lieweekly & Dumpster Dave because I felt they never really wanted to do what it took to ice a winner.

But even though I didn't like the spin that TL and DT put on the Blake situation, it was Blake himself who said he planned on testing free agency and that he had waited a long time to become a UFA. So fine, the guy plans on seeing what he can get on the open market, great, he's earned it. I also understand why you trade someone in that situation, especially considering that year, the Kings were not in a strong playoff position at the deadline, and it took getting Felix Potvin off the scrap heap to spark a bit of a mini-miracle dash to the playoffs.

But even with all that drama, the fact is, 2001 was a good year for being a Kings fan (before they started doing things like winning stanley cups). Beating Detroit in the first round was a big deal, and still is a great memory. Losing to the Avs in the 2nd round didn't seem that bad, because #1 they were loaded with talent and #2, Blake played 2nd fiddle to 50 year old Ray Borque (and Blakey never sniffed another cup after that year, when he wasn't surrounded by a ton of talent).

But then two things happened that make me not want to see his jersey ever in the Staples rafters (or any arena the Kings play in). First, Rob Blake didn't test free agency. The day before the UFA signing period starts, Blake, Sakic and (I think) Roy all signed big dollar contracts with the Avs. He never tested the free agent market, so that whole line about "I've waited a long time for this" "I want to see what is out there" blah blah blah was a line of BS. Dude just wanted out of LA in my opinion. He didn't want to be "the guy" and felt more comfortable as just another superstar, but he wanted to be the highest paid player BY FAR on a Kings team that was just emerging from some dark years. And then the cherry on top of the crap pile was the next year, Blake takes out Jason Allison (who hadn't turned into a malingerer yet) in the first round with a late hip check and the Kings go into another dark period that lasts until Taylor is canned and DL is brought in.

I'm glad Dave Taylor traded Rob Blake. I have far more good memories of Kings teams without Rob Blake than any with Rob Blake. I hope I never have to gaze up at the banners in the Staples rafters and see that slack jawed yokel's name & number up there.

 

[Model62]

I wasn't happy when DL brought Blake back for a 2nd stint, but I viewed that as another "bridge" player move during the rebuild. What I think hasn't been really discussed here is the type of team the Kings were when Blake decided to give up the C and was eventually traded.

Back in the early 2K's, the Kings looked like a team that was finally starting to put things together on the ice. The post Gretzky years were mostly bad teams and bad ownership. By the time 2001 came around, the Kings had moved to Staples, and had players like Robitaille, Ziggy Palffy, Stumpel, Norstrom a resurgent Matt Schnieder and Glenn Murray. AEG built a practice facility in El Segundo, purchased a soley owned AHL affiliate and it finally felt like the Kings were being run like a legitimate NHL franchise. They had made the playoffs and finished 2nd in the pacific with 94 points in 2000. Andy Murray hadn't gone insane and started asking players to write essays and Dave Taylor had started to hold onto things like 1st rounders. Kings fans were talking about how much they couldn't wait to see how a guy like Alex Frolov fit in on a team that was looking like it was on a better path.

So just as things are starting to look better, along comes Rob Blakes contract dispute. It looked like he was going to sign, which most Kings fans wanted, but then Chris Pronger signed some crazy deal and the amount that the Kings offered wasn't enough for Blake, his agent, the NHLPA, etc. But that part didn't really make me dislike the guy, because even back then, I didn't begrudge a player for wanting market value. Even when Blake publicly gave up the C, I still blamed Lieweekly & Dumpster Dave because I felt they never really wanted to do what it took to ice a winner.

But even though I didn't like the spin that TL and DT put on the Blake situation, it was Blake himself who said he planned on testing free agency and that he had waited a long time to become a UFA. So fine, the guy plans on seeing what he can get on the open market, great, he's earned it. I also understand why you trade someone in that situation, especially considering that year, the Kings were not in a strong playoff position at the deadline, and it took getting Felix Potvin off the scrap heap to spark a bit of a mini-miracle dash to the playoffs.

But even with all that drama, the fact is, 2001 was a good year for being a Kings fan (before they started doing things like winning stanley cups). Beating Detroit in the first round was a big deal, and still is a great memory. Losing to the Avs in the 2nd round didn't seem that bad, because #1 they were loaded with talent and #2, Blake played 2nd fiddle to 50 year old Ray Borque (and Blakey never sniffed another cup after that year, when he wasn't surrounded by a ton of talent).

But then two things happened that make me not want to see his jersey ever in the Staples rafters (or any arena the Kings play in). First, Rob Blake didn't test free agency. The day before the UFA signing period starts, Blake, Sakic and (I think) Roy all signed big dollar contracts with the Avs. He never tested the free agent market, so that whole line about "I've waited a long time for this" "I want to see what is out there" blah blah blah was a line of BS. Dude just wanted out of LA in my opinion. He didn't want to be "the guy" and felt more comfortable as just another superstar, but he wanted to be the highest paid player BY FAR on a Kings team that was just emerging from some dark years. And then the cherry on top of the crap pile was the next year, Blake takes out Jason Allison (who hadn't turned into a malingerer yet) in the first round with a late hip check and the Kings go into another dark period that lasts until Taylor is canned and DL is brought in.

I'm glad Dave Taylor traded Rob Blake. I have far more good memories of Kings teams without Rob Blake than any with Rob Blake. I hope I never have to gaze up at the banners in the Staples rafters and see that skunks name & number up there.

Definitive.

 

[Ron*]

I wasn't happy when DL brought Blake back for a 2nd stint, but I viewed that as another "bridge" player move during the rebuild. What I think hasn't been really discussed here is the type of team the Kings were when Blake decided to give up the C and was eventually traded.

Back in the early 2K's, the Kings looked like a team that was finally starting to put things together on the ice. The post Gretzky years were mostly bad teams and bad ownership. By the time 2001 came around, the Kings had moved to Staples, and had players like Robitaille, Ziggy Palffy, Stumpel, Norstrom a resurgent Matt Schnieder and Glenn Murray. AEG built a practice facility in El Segundo, purchased a soley owned AHL affiliate and it finally felt like the Kings were being run like a legitimate NHL franchise. They had made the playoffs and finished 2nd in the pacific with 94 points in 2000. Andy Murray hadn't gone insane and started asking players to write essays and Dave Taylor had started to hold onto things like 1st rounders. Kings fans were talking about how much they couldn't wait to see how a guy like Alex Frolov fit in on a team that was looking like it was on a better path.

So just as things are starting to look better, along comes Rob Blakes contract dispute. It looked like he was going to sign, which most Kings fans wanted, but then Chris Pronger signed some crazy deal and the amount that the Kings offered wasn't enough for Blake, his agent, the NHLPA, etc. But that part didn't really make me dislike the guy, because even back then, I didn't begrudge a player for wanting market value. Even when Blake publicly gave up the C, I still blamed Lieweekly & Dumpster Dave because I felt they never really wanted to do what it took to ice a winner.

But even though I didn't like the spin that TL and DT put on the Blake situation, it was Blake himself who said he planned on testing free agency and that he had waited a long time to become a UFA. So fine, the guy plans on seeing what he can get on the open market, great, he's earned it. I also understand why you trade someone in that situation, especially considering that year, the Kings were not in a strong playoff position at the deadline, and it took getting Felix Potvin off the scrap heap to spark a bit of a mini-miracle dash to the playoffs.

But even with all that drama, the fact is, 2001 was a good year for being a Kings fan (before they started doing things like winning stanley cups). Beating Detroit in the first round was a big deal, and still is a great memory. Losing to the Avs in the 2nd round didn't seem that bad, because #1 they were loaded with talent and #2, Blake played 2nd fiddle to 50 year old Ray Borque (and Blakey never sniffed another cup after that year, when he wasn't surrounded by a ton of talent).

But then two things happened that make me not want to see his jersey ever in the Staples rafters (or any arena the Kings play in). First, Rob Blake didn't test free agency. The day before the UFA signing period starts, Blake, Sakic and (I think) Roy all signed big dollar contracts with the Avs. He never tested the free agent market, so that whole line about "I've waited a long time for this" "I want to see what is out there" blah blah blah was a line of BS. Dude just wanted out of LA in my opinion. He didn't want to be "the guy" and felt more comfortable as just another superstar, but he wanted to be the highest paid player BY FAR on a Kings team that was just emerging from some dark years. And then the cherry on top of the crap pile was the next year, Blake takes out Jason Allison (who hadn't turned into a malingerer yet) in the first round with a late hip check and the Kings go into another dark period that lasts until Taylor is canned and DL is brought in.

I'm glad Dave Taylor traded Rob Blake. I have far more good memories of Kings teams without Rob Blake than any with Rob Blake. I hope I never have to gaze up at the banners in the Staples rafters and see that slack jawed yokel's name & number up there.

Excellent summary.

 

[HYORI 1963]

Gotta love it. People still butthurt because Blake left for another team...boo-hoo.
All you have to do is to look at his resume, and it speaks for itself. If everyone had just looked at the resume and not known it was Blakes's, I bet you majority would definitely say he's deserving of a jersey retirement. But because it's Blake's, now they're talking about not enough games in a kings uni; he didn't deliver the cup; BLAH!!!!

The funny thing is, I was never even a fan of Blake. I just don't like injustice being served.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

I remember in 92 when Blake treated big man Joel Otto like a rag doll and then smiling at him sitting there on the ice.

The biggest hit I remember was in 98-99. It was a perfect hipcheck and Kovalenko had his head down.

 

[Rorschach]

But, the main message still applies. I seriously hope this does not end up similar to how the Athletics unceremoniously fired Reggie Jackson as one of the coaches and he subsequently went in the Baseball Hall of Fame as a Yankee in retaliation and I'm a Yankee fan.

Yes, it's that serious.

Great point. It will be prestigious for the Kings if he entered the Hall as a King. However it will be a huge humiliation for our team if he goes in as an Av.

 

[Ron*]

Gotta love it. People still butthurt because Blake left for another team...boo-hoo.
All you have to do is to look at his resume, and it speaks for itself. If everyone had just looked at the resume and not known it was Blakes's, I bet you majority would definitely say he's deserving of a jersey retirement. But because it's Blake's, now they're talking about not enough games in a kings uni; he didn't deliver the cup; BLAH!!!!

The funny thing is, I was never even a fan of Blake. I just don't like injustice being served.

I guess you didn't read the above post.

It's not that he left, it's the WAY he left. Get it now?

 

[DoktorJeep]

Gotta love it. People still butthurt because Blake left for another team...boo-hoo.
All you have to do is to look at his resume, and it speaks for itself. If everyone had just looked at the resume and not known it was Blakes's, I bet you majority would definitely say he's deserving of a jersey retirement. But because it's Blake's, now they're talking about not enough games in a kings uni; he didn't deliver the cup; BLAH!!!!

The funny thing is, I was never even a fan of Blake. I just don't like injustice being served.

I don't need to see his resume, I watched every game he played in a Kings uniform. Besides one regular season trophy (which is voted on by the media), he accomplished squat as a King.

 

[HYORI 1963]

I guess you didn't read the above post.

It's not that he left, it's the WAY he left. Get it now?

It doesn't matter. People make mistakes. I'm not going to be that closed-minded person who holds a grudge for 15 years. It's easy to hate and hold a grudge, ANYONE can do it. However, It takes a bigger man to forgive and forget. I choose the latter.

 

[HYORI 1963]

I don't need to see his resume, I watched every game he played in a Kings uniform. Besides one regular season trophy (which is voted on by the media), he accomplished squat as a King.

I'm glad Dave Taylor traded Rob Blake. I have far more good memories of Kings teams without Rob Blake than any with Rob Blake. I hope I never have to gaze up at the banners in the Staples rafters and see that slack jawed yokel's name & number up there.

Someone who writes this kind of garbage and harbors that much hatred, is all I need to know about you.

Gandhi, no like you!

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. ~Mahatma Gandhi

 

[Ron*]

It doesn't matter. People make mistakes. I'm not going to be that closed-minded person who holds a grudge for 15 years. It's easy to hate and hold a grudge, ANYONE can do it. However, It takes a bigger man to forgive and forget. I choose the latter.

Actually, in this day and age, it's easier to forgive people, or at least act like you are forgiving people to make yourself (or at least, attempt to make yourself) appear to be the bigger man, as you described yourself.

But you are right about me. Not a day goes by where I don't grit my teeth at the mere thought of Rob Blake. As a matter of fact, I have a 8 x 10 framed glossy of the rat ******* right next to my shaving mirror, so I can remind myself how **** ty my life is and so I can be miserable the rest of the day and treat others as badly as I feel.

Damn, how I wish I can clear my mind of Rob Blake. Damn it all to hell. Life just ain't fair.

 

[HYORI 1963]

Actually, in this day and age, it's easier to forgive people, or at least act like you are forgiving people to make yourself (or at least, attempt to make yourself) appear to be the bigger man, as you described yourself.

But you are right about me. Not a day goes by where I don't grit my teeth at the mere thought of Rob Blake. As a matter of fact, I have a 8 x 10 framed glossy of the rat ******* right next to my shaving mirror, so I can remind myself how **** ty my life is and so I can be miserable the rest of the day and treat others as badly as I feel.

Damn, how I wish I can clear my mind of Rob Blake. Damn it all to hell. Life just ain't fair.

Well, you are The Black Cloud, so, yeah, that's who you are, so be it.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Love that Gandhi quote.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Someone who writes this kind of garbage and harbors that much hatred, is all I need to know about you.

Gandhi, no like you!

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. ~Mahatma Gandhi

You've convinced me that my anger is unhealthy. I've reconsidered, and I would fully support Rob Blake's wet suit retirement ceremony at the Manhattan Beach surfing hall of fame...

 

[HYORI 1963]

Love that Gandhi quote.

Pretty wise guy that Gandhi dude, right? He knows a thing or two about wisdom.