NHL Franchise Boys

Los Angeles Kings – 2012 Stanley Cup Champs

22 June, 2012 (15:18) | HOCKEY TALK | By: Nick

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The Los Angeles Kings won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. What makes it even more historic is that the Kings were the first ever No. 8 seed to win a championship in either the NHL or NBA (the MLB and NFL don’t go as far down as an eight seed).

This epic run by the Kings points to a trend that has been developing in sports over the last few years. No longer are the best teams winning the hardware every player desires. Now teams are showing that it is better to be hot in the playoffs rather than being good during the regular season.

The Los Angeles Kings showed this like no other team can. The Kings were out of a playoff spot on March 28, just 10 days before the season ended. They fought their way up to the No. 3 seed at points during the playoff race, and ultimately ended up with the No. 8 seed. But they were already primed to go on a Stanley Cup run.

In the first round, the Kings first beat the President’s Trophy-winning Vancouver Canucks in five games. In the second round, they swept the Central Division champion St. Louis Blues. In the conference finals, they sent the No. 3 seeded Phoenix Coyotes to the golf course in just five games.

The No. 8 seed Kings defeated the top three teams in their conference to make the Stanley Cup Finals, and they did it without losing a single road game.

In the Finals, they faced the New Jersey Devils, who were a No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference who just came off a stunning upset of top-seeded Rangers in the conference finals. The Devils gave Los Angeles the most trouble, forcing them to six games and causing the Kings to lose their first away game, but the Kings ultimately prevailed, finishing the postseason with a 16-4 record. Well done and congrats!

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Bikini Hockey League

13 May, 2012 (17:15) | HOCKEY TALK | By: Nick

Starting next month, filming will start on the pilot of a reality TV show that revolves around a Bikini Hockey League. The first sign that the Bikini Hockey League is going to offer excellent competition and players with extraordinary skill is that it’s being created for a reality television program in which all the girls live in a mansion. The second sign is on the league’s casting call page, which literally makes no mention that the ability to play hockey is an necessity for applicants.

Everyone knows what’s up with the Bikini Hockey League, in which sexy beauties will form two teams of inline hockey in Tulsa (Oklahoma), while frolicking together for the cameras. Cary Eskridge is the founder and expansion to a full-blown league with franchises in other cities is in the talking stages. For now, Eskridge is scouting for a mansion to house the players in during tryouts, a la “The Bachelor”.

Eskridge is an interesting fellow, who does have a unique hockey background: He founded the River West Inline Hockey League back in 2007, which was an attempt to get Tulsans into hockey by teaching them the game. Why Oklahoma?

“You just have to look at other major sports that have come to Tulsa,” said Eskridge. “One of Tulsa’s biggest events on a national scale is the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals held every year at the QuikTrip Center. Many thought it would never work when it started more than 25 years ago and now Tulsa is one of the biggest reasons that event works here.”

Eskridge has spent a lifetime promoting hockey in the Tulsa area and knows this market. Tulsa’s central location will reduce travel time and more importantly reduce production costs that would be enormous in major markets. Professional hockey has been played in Tulsa since 1928 and is a big part of Tulsa’s sports history. Eskridge is ready for Tulsa to take the next step.

As for the Bikini Hockey League, it’s not going to be a gaggle of model/actresses. Some players already booked for the show have hockey backgrounds. Fox Sports mentioned Ashley Van Boxmeer, a bikini fitness competitor; if the name sounds familiar, that’s because her father is John Van Boxmeer, Stanley Cup winner with the Montreal Canadiens and assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings.

Van Boxmeer said she’s been approached several times about playing lingerie football but it never interested her. Then a friend told her about bikini hockey. “Hockey will perk my ears up a little bit more than normal,” Van Boxmeer said. “I’ve always wanted to play and my dad never let me.” Now she has a chance to play hockey and potentially become a reality TV star, in a society where telegenic women only get a chance to do the latter.

Forget about HBO’s 24/7…. let’s watch the Bikini Hockey League reality show!!!!

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