The ring is beautiful! And so sparkly!

[Carole]

The Maloofs wore THE RING to the Kings game tonight. It is so shiny, covered with diamonds! Awesome. And super that they flashed it at a Kings game. Motivator? I can't wait to see it in person. Probably won't get a chance until the ceremony.

 

[6th]

I think it is a crock that they are showing it off at a Kings game. The Maloofs did not win the Championship, nor did the Kings. The Monarchs players did. They could have waited until the ring ceremony to wear theirs too. Tacky!

 

[Carole]

I agree and thought that at first - until I realized that the Kings never won one. Maybe they are flashing it to egg them on!

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I think it is a crock that they are showing it off at a Kings game. The Maloofs did not win the Championship, nor did the Kings. The Monarchs players did. They could have waited until the ring ceremony to wear theirs too. Tacky!

I agree with part of that; ownership deserves a modicum of credit for their team's success. I do think, however, that it's a little low rent for them to be wearing the rings when seventy percent of the team isn't even in the country.

 

[RoyalDiva]

I think it's nothing at all about the Maloofs showing off and everything about motivating the Kings to win! It's just another strategy.

 

[NothinButHoops]

I'd like to have a look at that ring....next time I attend a Kings game , i'll be on the look out for the Maloof Brothers. We all know it's gonna look so much better on our Monarch's! I agree they could have waited untill next season.
Maybe it's a way to feel better during this Kings slump?

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

Ownership does deserve a modicum of credit for the title, especially given that they continue to pony up the money to have a team in existence and spend money up to if not at the hard salary cap AND let Whiz spend the money to use his IR slots. But there is zero way either one of the brothers should be sporting that ring right now before they have the ceremony.

It isn't about them trying to get the Kings motivated and everything about them wanting a ring and being as impatient as a kid at Christmas about wearing as soon as they were ready.

 

[VF21]

Ownership does deserve a modicum of credit for the title, especially given that they continue to pony up the money to have a team in existence and spend money up to if not at the hard salary cap AND let Whiz spend the money to use his IR slots. But there is zero way either one of the brothers should be sporting that ring right now before they have the ceremony.

It isn't about them trying to get the Kings motivated and everything about them wanting a ring and being as impatient as a kid at Christmas about wearing as soon as they were ready.

For what it's worth, I think they were exactly what MBF has said - kids who were able to get to their Christmas gifts early. The Maloofs weren't absentee owners for the Monarchs. I'll never forget the image of Kara Lawson jumping up and hugging Joe. I don't know who was more excited...

At the worst, I think they're just guilty of poor timing. They wore the rings because they're PROUD of the Monarchs winning a championship. I don't really think there's any hidden message or anything. (BTW, wasn't it just Joe? I don't recall seeing it on Gavin's hands as he stood with armed folded in the tunnel...)

 

[6th]

For what it's worth, I think they were exactly what MBF has said - kids who were able to get to their Christmas gifts early. The Maloofs weren't absentee owners for the Monarchs. I'll never forget the image of Kara Lawson jumping up and hugging Joe. I don't know who was more excited...

At the worst, I think they're just guilty of poor timing. They wore the rings because they're PROUD of the Monarchs winning a championship. I don't really think there's any hidden message or anything. (BTW, wasn't it just Joe? I don't recall seeing it on Gavin's hands as he stood with armed folded in the tunnel...)

Actually, it was Gavin's hand that they kept showing (the game I noticed it).

I totally agree that the owners should have rings. I am happy that replica rings will be given to all their employees. Championships are combined efforts. I just think it is tacky to wear them before the ceremony that awards them to the players and coaches.

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

I wasn't going to get into the absentee thing because I made peace with that a few years ago once the Maloofs put their money up to take over control of the franchise when the league structure changed and a few other NBA owners begged out. As long as they continue to write the checks, I don't really care if they come to the games or not. To their credit, they do make a point to come to the games in Los Angeles most of the time and they do get into it. I sat near the tunnel for one of the games they had against the Sparks (and lost) and Joe and Gavin and a bunch of their friends sat behind the M's bench and when they lost the game I heard Joe muttering about how "we" needed to make "our" free throws as they walked off behind the team into the tunnel.

The playoffs were probably the first time M fans saw the brothers since Ruthie's jersey retirement and opening day against the Sparks. They seemed to me to a lot less visable this year than they had been in the past and that's not saying a whole lot for their visability in past years. I gotta say too, despite the fact that they got waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much camera time during the playoffs - I was pretty proud that they were there for the rest of the league's fans to see because I don't think many other owners are as out there as they were. The new ownwer of the Mystics I think may trump them because she showed up to nearly every one of their games and was just as enthusiastic as the brothers were for the playoff run.

If you saw it on Joe's hand then they both are wearing the rings because I only saw Gavin and I'm pretty sure he was wearing it the first day they came in because Abetemarco was talking about them arriving and Gavin sporting his while T still needed to send his back for re-sizing or something.

 

[VF21]

Oh lord. I did it again...

I am always saying Joe when I mean Gavin, and Gavin when I mean Joe.

It was the image of Gavin and Kara hugging, of course. And it was Gavin's hand I saw with the ring, right about the time T-Mac was chatting with him on the sidelines.

I don't know why I cannot keep their names straight.