This was probably the most fun I've had at a Kings game, and no, it wasn't because of the dollar beer.  The game was exciting, ARCO was bringing the noise, our young guys played awesome, and the finish was epic.

Some randomness before the recap:

• I would not be surprised to see a few more dollar beer nights this year.  There didn't seem to be any alcohol related problems, other than the drunk guy who sat next to me after halftime and started dancing.  It was truly a horrifying sight.
• I was sitting in Section 219, and during the first quarter, when K-9 checked in for the first time, I swear by Jon Brockman's elbows, I heard someone in Section 220 yell "Kenny Thomas has a nice ass!".  I'm proud of you whoever you are.
  
• ARCO was loud.  Like Glory Days loud.  It was awesome.
• Favorite "ESPN" sign of the evening: Evans iS you're Personal Nightmare.  Favorite sign of the night "The person behind me can't see". I kid you not.
  
• At one point the Kings had 5 white guys on the floor, each from a different country. I wonder how many times that has happened before.

Alright, now onto the game.

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Scream all you want Noc.  I don't care if you went 5-7 against Minnesota.  You still had a horrible week in my opinion.

Overall we had a disappointing week record wise, only going 1-3, and we still haven't managed to win #2 on the road yet, despite coming close in New Orleans.  Next week the schedule is a little softer, and the Kings need to take advantage of this before they have to play the likes of the Cavs, Lakers and Nuggets.

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Before the season started, I bought a couple tickets from the famed section214 for the Minnesota Timberwolves game, hoping to see what I thought would be the RoY battle Evans v. Flynn. I left the game secure in the knowledge that Flynn is a nice player, but Reke is an amazing one.

Before I recap the game, some cursory thoughts:

• Section, you're seatmate at the end of the row is very knowledgeable and actually knew what he was talking about.  Didn't catch his name, but he was good people.
• As I sat down in my seat, I experienced a sudden moment where I had this intense hatred of everything Simpsons.  I realized then that I must have sat in Mrs. Section 214's seat.  This would later be confirmed when my little brother who I took to the game later quipped "Worst. Idea. Ever." after a turnover.
• The arena looked pretty empty to me, and the reported attendance was 11,333. If there were 11,000 people in there I'll eat my shoe.  The ones that were there seemed to be the most dedicated ones.
• Sometime during a 3rd quarter, a man sitting in Section 113 threw a beer on the person behind him and then a fistfight began between the two men, and presumably they're girlfriends for about a minute before security and Slamson (I kid you not) intervened.  I don't want to know whats going to happen Wednesday.
• Jonny Flynn is a tiny guy, especially when you put him next to Reke.
• Minnesota is probably the worst collection of shooters I have seen.  When the other team should be most afraid to leave Kevin Love open for a 3, you're team is not good at shooting.  Watching the Wolves reminded me of us last year. They've got a few good pieces, and a lot of garbage.  But you can see the potential.
  

Alright, now onto the game itself.

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Yeah. I went there.

A pretty good week for the Kings overall, who finish the week at 9-9, on a pace to win 41 games.  The schedule gets tougher this week and for about the next two months is pretty hard, so we should have a pretty good idea of how good we really are after December.

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In the Valley of Kings, the land that men call Sacramento, there exists a series of mystical caverns, which the locals call "Arcorena".  In the past, these caverns and her creatures proved dangerous and often fatal to unwanted foreigners passing through.  Few passed through and lived to tell the tale. 

But since the exodus of the great Warden Adelman and the disappearance of some of the older and stronger creatures, passage has been relatively safe.  Warriors from different lands were easily able to pass through, for the creatures within offered little resistance, and several pretenders to the title of Warden failed to gain control long enough to do much of anything.

But a new Warden has arrived from the foreign land of Westphalia, and since his arrival, the caverns have become much more dangerous.  Travelers disappear and do not return, and the ones that do survive tell of strange, new creatures, that attack with an amazing ferocity. 

Two giants live within the caves some say.  The taller one, although more skilled than the other at slaughtering opponents in melee, takes a savage pleasure in throwing boulders at his victims from a distance.  The older one prefers to wear his victims down, as he is filled with seemingly limitless stamina and seems immune to normal injuries.  He also excels at finishing the work the other creatures started.

Then there is one of the newer creatures, the beast known as Jewbacca.  It's rage is palpable, and it goes for its opponents heart each and every time.  Looking into its face can whither even the strongest man's resolve.  Strangely, this creature seems to have trouble killing an opponent when they are completely helpless, but reports are that this is slowly becoming less of a problem, as we were warned by Lawrence of Frankia, who lost many of his men to this faulty strategy, and who himself died shortly thereafter from his wounds.

Others speak of a creature even more frightening, a creature that feasts on cakes it makes of men. They call this force of nature the Brock Ness Monster.  It is not the most skilled of monsters, but it is relentless in its attacks, and will continue to bash its enemies into submission, even at the cost of hurting itself.  Nobody is safe from the Brock Ness Monster, not even the other creatures of the caves.

By far the most versatile monster of the caverns is the Point Gerberus, a three headed beast that has few weaknesses.  The middle and most prominent head is also the fiercest, constantly attacking and snapping at its preys ankles, hoping to break them and render it immobile and humbled.  It also confuses its prey by misleading it and making the prey believe that its not a real Point Gerberus, but something else altogether.

The left head is at its most dangerous when things are going badly for the Point Gerberus, and then it attacks with a quiet ferocity that drains the opponents momentum.  Few had trouble with this head last year, when it appeared morose and lax, but the new Warden has instilled a new vigor and energy into it.

The right head is quick as lightning, and is highly skilled at leading its opponents to be eaten by the other creatures of the caverns.  But it has no problem landing the killing blow itself.

There are other creatures in the caverns as well of course, and some say the Warden is nursing a couple of the more powerful ones back to health as we speak.  Who knows how dangerous the caverns and its inhabitants will be then.

So be wary if you must travel through Arcorena, my friends.  Even if you survive, the journey will be arduous.  Don't say ye weren't warned of your peril.