Fans Enter the Crease and Take Their Shots

Southern California hockey 1982: $5 rafter seats (with student ID), organ music, cigar smoke, guys trading punches, purple and gold uniforms, $1.50 beer, offensive stars trying to overcome a porous defense, knowing fans.

Southern California hockey 1996: $25 rafter seats, blaring rock ‘n’ roll, pristine arena, alien space ducks trading karate kicks, teal and maroon uniforms, $5.75 beer, offensive stars trying to overcome a porous defense, kids and cheerleaders and endless hype.

SCOTT R. RANDLES

Claremont

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Mike Penner was definitely pushing the limit in his Oct. 17 article about the not-so Mighty Ducks. From Day 1 the media have been praising the Ducks for every little thing they do, while bashing the Kings (and no, I don’t belong to any Oliver Stone conspiracy clubs).

Penner mockingly questions if the Kings should advertise the team as the “Phoenix Roadrunners impersonating a real NHL team.” Excuse me, Mikey, but which of the two local teams’ rosters has more total combined NHL experience? Which of the two teams’ rosters has more total NHL career goals? Which team had more points at the time of the article?

For crying out loud, the Ducks haven’t even made the playoffs yet and they already have a “Mighty Ducks Hall of Fame” near Section 219 at the Pond. That is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever even heard of--a Hall of Fame for a team that has completed only three NHL seasons, never made the playoffs and has an upper management that actually submitted information to the NHL offices (no lie) proposing that the players have the word “Mighty” next to their name on their jersey backs!

JOHN HOVEN

Diamond Bar

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The Kings are taking their new theme, “Serious Hockey,” a bit too far. For example, “Serious Parking”--$10 in the Hollywood Park lot (was $6); “Serious Peanuts”--$3.75 a bag; “Serious Ice Cream Bars”--$3.75 a pop.

Of course, maybe fans should be grateful for the parking tariff--they could probably charge $20, because where else can you park? It all adds up to “Serious Gouging.”

BOB WEBER

Glendale