Hope you all had a good weekend! Over the last month, you’ve probably noticed some new names appearing on articles around the site. Well, it’s time you got to know the people behind the names! We’ve also linked an article from each one if you’d like to catch up.
Carlos – Carlos Feliciano
I am your classic LA Gretzky Baby, just seven years-old when the Great One was traded to the Kings. While I was too young to appreciate him in his prime, I was immediately hooked on the Kings and hockey in general. Always with a tendency to root for the young guys and was positive Pavel Rosa and Eric Belanger would one day carry the Kings to the Cup. Luckily I wasn’t nearly as misguided when it came to Pearson and Toffoli. I was the fat kid who couldn’t play, so I naturally gravitated towards the nerdy side of sports fandom, engulfing myself in Bill James and Baseball Prospectus. Once I had a firm grip on baseball statistics, I turned my attention to hockey analytics, which eventually led me to discover Jewels From the Crown.
I have spent the last two years writing for SB Nation’s Angels blog, Halos Heaven, so when the opportunity presented itself to write for JFTC, I jumped all over it. They do an amazing job here and I am elated and humbled to contribute in any way I can.
Derek – CoachMarrvin
Growing up in Canada, hockey was life in my family. My dad and uncles all played pro or semi-pro hockey, my dad was a Junior coach, and hockey was pretty much all we ever talked about. I had the good fortune of being the same age as the sons of two ex-NHLers, so my coaches from tyke through bantam kind of knew some hockey. After some middling years playing Junior, I spent a couple of years doing video, stat, and other work for NCAA and NHL teams. “Retired” from working in hockey now, I still enjoy breaking down video and talking about hockey to anyone who will listen.
James (or JZ) – JZarris
Hi all, I’m James, JZ round these parts, and I’m been a Kings fan since…I think ’87 or ’88. My professional background is as a historian, I currently work in education, and I’m a proud husband and father to two awesome kids, though Bob Knob would probably disagree with the latter. I’m a cancer survivor, avid mountain biker, and my most memorable moment as a Kings fan is probably the Kosvan bartender shouting down a crowd of angry Salt Lake City businessmen with “No! No! No more golf! Tonight we watch hockey!” before game six of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals.
James (or JJ) – Simba1019
My name is James, I’m 36, and I’ve been a Kings fan since 1991. A long time ago at the former Iceoplex, I passed the puck from behind the net to a teammate in front of the net, for a Gretzky-like assist. That was my only hockey highlight. I’m now an attorney in Sacramento, but I haven’t been eaten alive by Sharks fans yet. I’m proud to be an early nonwhite adopter of Kings hockey, and it’s amazing to see how diverse the Kings fan base has become.
Jack – hockeysk8er
I’m an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Environmental Studies in the great state of California. I played competitive hockey growing up and continue to play ice and roller hockey for fun. I’m from New York but am not a Rangers or Islanders fan. I’m technically not a Kings fan either, although I have a lot of respect for them considering they beat the team I’m a fan of, the New Jersey Devils, in the Stanley Cup Final (with a little help from the refs in Game 6?). The Reign, however, are a different story! My dream jobs are to be an NHL GM, NHL scout or NCAA hockey coach.
Sarah – s.avampato
I am a writer and photographer based in Chicago who came to Kings fandom via a combination of hate-watching after the 2014 Stanley Cup and gentle goading from many Los Angeles-based friends who wanted me to see the light. (It turns out that I’m very easily won over by good defensive hockey, and also by Alec Martinez’s face.) When I am not watching hockey, yelling on Twitter, or yelling on Twitter about hockey, I also work in an Office Job, DJ a weekly radio show, and am a terrible third line left wing on a women’s rec hockey team.