Kings Playing Well

In my years as a sports fan, I have often heard people root against their team in the hopes of earning a better draft pick. While I understand the problem of missing out on a superior prospect for no reason, one must consider the overall health of the organization.

Jack Johnson said it best a couple of days ago. When asked if the Kings' struggles this season were part of the growth of a winning team, he shot down the notion. His message was clear: "Losing stinks". It is something that a true competitor will never grow accustomed to.

Losing is not productive for an organization. A better draft pick is nice, but the culture developed by losing creates a trend that is very difficult to reverse. There is a reason why certain teams are almost always near the bottom (Kings, Panthers), while a precious few are good year in and year out (Detroit, Ottawa). It is the culture surrounding those teams.

When a player throws on a Red Wing sweater, they become better. Not only because of the talent around them, but because of the tradition and expectations created by a long history of winning. This element is not impossible for an organization to create. Any team, if run the right way, can reach sustained success.

While I cannot speak for every player on the Kings, it seems common sense that these guys have enjoyed their recent wave of (relative) success. OK, so Los Angeles is not setting the league on fire. Still, it is undeniable that the team has played much better recently. It is a healthy trend as the goal for next season becomes a playoff birth.

The sooner this team starts to win consistently, the better. It seems like common sense. A quick survey of Kings fans rooting against the team in the hopes of landing Steve Stamkos says otherwise.