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| Dodgers' Don Mattingly at LA Kings game |
They've gone 2-2 since then and to borrow a phrase Vin Scully has probably used, the season is slipping away like sand through an hour glass.
While Kemp's optimism may be a breath of fresh air in what's starting to look more and more like an otherwise forgettable baseball season in Los Angeles, manager Don Mattingly still has big plans...just not for this year.
Unlike Kemp, Mattingly claims he's a bit of a hockey fan. "I've kind of slowly paid attention to things," reflected Mattingly. He spends his winters back home in Indiana, where he claims "there's not a whole lot of hockey going on." So, you'll have to excuse him when he says, "I still have trouble with all the names and everything. But, I love watching it."
Pro athletes are always impressed with what hockey players do on a nightly basis. Competing in a team sport is one thing, but doing it on skates adds a whole new level of complexity. "It's pretty amazing what they do on the ice," Mattingly expressed. "The toughness, I love. Those guys are so tough. Some of them never come out of a game."
It's not entirely surprising that Mattingly appreciates that aspect of hockey. Nicknamed 'Donnie Baseball,' he probably would have made a great hockey player too, had he chose that route. Simply put, he was a gamer and one of those 'character' guys Kings GM Dean Lombardi constantly seeks.
Just got back from Dodges