ROBINSON STARTS LOOKING INTO HIS OWN MERIT.Byline: Roger Phillips It has been a season of many lows and few highs for the Kings. A season of great expectations unfulfilled and Larry Robinson For U.S. basketball player, see Larry Robinson (basketball). Larry Clark Robinson (born June 2 1951, in Winchester, Ontario, Canada) was a star player and a coach in the National Hockey League. He is currently an assistant coach of the New Jersey Devils. admitted Wednesday his team's difficulties have shaken his faith in his abilities as a coach. ``I often question whether I'm a good coach - a good head coach,'' Robinson said following the Kings' practice at the Forum. ``There are certain qualities to being a great head coach. There are a lot of things I think about, and I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. if I communicate them properly.'' It is more than halfway through a season scarred by injuries and marred by inconsistency. After a miserable start, the Kings (16-24-4) hit a hot streak in late December and early January but recently have cooled off once again. They enter tonight's home game against the New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Devils have won the Stanley Cup three times, in 1995, 2000, and 2003. with a 1-3-1 record in their last five games. The All-Star break begins after tonight, and the Kings will enter the hiatus as few as three or as many as seven points out of a playoff berth. After the break, the Kings face a difficult four-game trip, and his team's precarious situation has tested Robinson's ability to maintain a hopeful outlook. ``I try to stay as positive as I can,'' said Robinson, 47, in his fourth year on the job. ``If you want to have sleepless nights and ulcers and gray hairs, you do that.'' Actually, the dye job early in the season that turned Robinson's hair from gray to brown wore off awhile ago, and he said he's had more than his share of sleepless nights. ``Most of them,'' he said. ``Ask me if I have any sleepful nights.'' Instead, Robinson was asked in what areas he felt he could improve, and he replied: ``Reading people's personalities, being able to take a guy aside and tell him exactly how I feel and maybe the things he should be doing. My problem is maybe I care too much about hurting a guy's feelings or telling a guy really what he's playing like or what he should be doing. ``I try to put myself in the same situation and how I'd like to be treated. Maybe one of the qualities of being a great coach is being (a jerk). There are quite a few of them around.'' But even though he questions whether he is tough enough with his players, Robinson said he has little difficulty pondering his own inadequacies. ``I'm my own worst enemy, my biggest critic of myself,'' said Robinson, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame The Hockey Hall of Fame, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is dedicated to the history of ice hockey with exhibits featuring memorabilia and NHL trophies (including the Stanley Cup) along with interactive activities. who played for the Canadiens and the Kings. ``I was like that when I played. I never thought of myself as a great player. That's what helped me become a great player. What I hope will make me a great coach is that I am hard on myself.'' Robinson insists he wants to continue coaching the Kings beyond this year, even though he declined to sign a contract extension before the season. Norstrom an All-Star: Defenseman Mattias Norstrom was added to the World team for Sunday's All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league. The players are often chosen by a popular vote of fans of the sport and the game often occurs at the halfway point of the regular season, although this is not the case for some all-star games in Tampa. His partner, Rob Blake For other persons of the same name, see Robert Blake. Robert Bowlby "Rob" Blake (born December 10 1969, in Simcoe, Ontario) is a professional ice hockey defenceman in the NHL, playing for the Los Angeles Kings where he is the captain. , will play for the North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. team. It is the first All-Star selection for the 27-year-old Norstrom, who will replace injured New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Islander Kenny Jonsson. Norstrom has only four points this season but is second to Nashville's Bob Boughner Bob Boughner (born 8 March 1971 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada) is a retired professional hockey defenceman. He last played for the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Colorado Avalanche. among NHL NHL Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, see there defensemen with 122 hits. Loose pucks: Robinson said he is hopeful right wing Glen Murray Glen Murray may refer to:
KINGS vs. NEW JERSEY Time: 7:30 p.m., at the Forum, TV/Radio: Channel 9; KRLA-AM (1110). Tickets: 4,000 remaining (1-888-KINGS-LA). Matchups: Though the Devils are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference and the Kings are one of the bottom teams in the Western Conference, the Kings won the teams' previous meeting 4-0 on Oct. 28 at New Jersey. In fact, the Kings have dominated the Devils recently, winning last season's two meetings by a combined margin of 8-1. - Roger Phillips CAPTION(S): Box BOX: KINGS vs. NEW JERSEY (see text) |
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