Blades’ Coach a Real Son of a Gun : Roller Hockey: Bobby Hull Jr., who took the helm of the Los Angeles team this year, knows all about famous relatives.

Blake Hull is destined to lead the good life, which is to say he is guaranteed the chance to live his own life.

Blake’s father, Bobby Hull, Jr., knows all about namesakes. So he chose his son’s carefully.

“My brother Blake was always the lucky one,” Hull says. “He always had this charmed quality. He seemed to be able to get through any tight situation looking like a million bucks.”

“Bobby didn’t seem appropriate. It hasn’t been easy going through life with that name. And we considered Brett, but we didn’t want to hang another famous name on him. That’s my joke. I’ve gone from being Bobby Hull’s son to Brett Hull’s brother.”

This is the story of a man and a woman, whom you don’t know, who have fathers that you do know, and their team, which is 0-1.

For quite some time now, Jeanie Buss has been Jerry Buss’ daughter. Which might be why when she needed a coach for the L.A. Blades, the Roller Hockey International team she runs, it appealed to her to have someone who was somebody’s kid at the helm.

So, Bobby Hull, Jr. will be coaching the Blades again tonight when they face Oakland at 7:30 at the Forum.

Since the four-on-four, inline skates hockey league is a little brother to the NHL, why not run with the Tori Spelling-factor?

Besides Hull and Buss, an RHI All-Surname team would have a Chelios (L.A.’s Steve, brother of the NHL’s Chris), a Vachon (Blade goalie Nick, son of Rogie), a McSorley (Buffalo owner and GM Chris, brother of Marty) and two Granatos (Chicago’s Rob and Cammi, siblings to the NHL’s Tony).

In the team’s first year, Buss made the mistake of thinking she could win in a roller hockey league without real hockey players.

“Our coach last year was the best roller hockey coach in the world,” Buss says. “But he was uncomfortable with ex-NHL guys.”

Buss needed real hockey players and a real hockey coach to lead them. So, Brett Kurtz, a Blade forward with extensive ice hockey experience, rounded up the talent.

Buss had to find a coach.

At a Kings-Toronto Maple Leafs game, Buss met Nick Newton, the graphic designer responsible for the original Mighty Ducks logo.

Buss also needed a logo--almost as badly as she needed a coach.

Sure, Newton said, I’ll throw together some ideas. And I play in a rec league with this guy who would be perfect . . .

“My mouth dropped,” Buss says. “I didn’t know that there was a Bobby Hull, Jr.”

The junior Hull knew hockey, partly from years of playing in college and the minor leagues but mostly through genetics. And his name would (a) command the attention and respect of his players and (b) sell tickets.

And Buss understood something fundamental about Hull.

“We relate on that level as children of famous fathers,” she says. “In some ways, we’re trying to establish our own identities. We always have that kind of shadow hanging over us.”

For Hull, the Blades are a chance to be around hockey. So what if the hockey world thinks you’re just His Kid?

“After 20 years of it, I’m used to it. And it’s fun to talk about it. I’m proud of my dad and brother.”

Might as well live in the world you’re happiest in.