I don't really care much about hockey. Yes, just like many other Southern California sports fan, I took note when the Great One came into town in 1988, and watched the playoffs, when he made that one memorable run to the Stanley Cup Finals. But really that's about it. I haven't followed it otherwise, and I haven't missed it during the strike season.
That said, this is really really cool. Henry Samueli, the new owner of Mighty Ducks is a Bruin alum and a huge fan of Bruin hoops (emphasis mine):
Q. What are your past connections to hockey - as fans, players, otherwise?
Henry: Not as a player. I can assure you of that. I was born in Buffalo, N.Y., but the family came out to California when I was 10. Susan was born in Los Angeles, so she grew up here. I've always been a fan of hockey. I love all sports. Going to UCLA, (I'm) a huge Bruin fan, especially since when I was a student there it was in the middle of the (John) Wooden era. I was a gigantic college basketball fan. When I was in L.A., I followed the Kings, and down here, of course, the Ducks. That was probably some of the most exciting professional sports events I've ever seen, watching the playoff run two years ago. I don't think I've ever heard The Pond as loud. Probably the only other experience similar to that was when the Angels won the (2002) World Series. Playoff competition is the most exciting thing in sports. Clearly, hockey is one of the more exciting sports out there.
Q. Earlier in life, had you ever imagined owning a professional sports franchise, or being involved in the management of an arena?
Henry: No. Earlier in life, I never dreamed about owning a company, for that matter. So Broadcom was even beyond my dreams. I went to UCLA, became an electrical engineer and figured I'd be an engineer most of my life. Then the opportunity came to become a professor at UCLA, which is again, something I hadn't really contemplated prior to the opportunity appearing. That was what I thought I would do for the rest of my life, be a professor at UCLA. Then all of a sudden the opportunity appeared to found Broadcom (in 1991). We did that, Henry Nicholas and I, and it became an unbelievable success. Owning the arena and the hockey team were something we just didn't want to let pass by, so both Susan and I eagerly moved forward.
Cool.Henry: Not as a player. I can assure you of that. I was born in Buffalo, N.Y., but the family came out to California when I was 10. Susan was born in Los Angeles, so she grew up here. I've always been a fan of hockey. I love all sports. Going to UCLA, (I'm) a huge Bruin fan, especially since when I was a student there it was in the middle of the (John) Wooden era. I was a gigantic college basketball fan. When I was in L.A., I followed the Kings, and down here, of course, the Ducks. That was probably some of the most exciting professional sports events I've ever seen, watching the playoff run two years ago. I don't think I've ever heard The Pond as loud. Probably the only other experience similar to that was when the Angels won the (2002) World Series. Playoff competition is the most exciting thing in sports. Clearly, hockey is one of the more exciting sports out there.
Q. Earlier in life, had you ever imagined owning a professional sports franchise, or being involved in the management of an arena?
Henry: No. Earlier in life, I never dreamed about owning a company, for that matter. So Broadcom was even beyond my dreams. I went to UCLA, became an electrical engineer and figured I'd be an engineer most of my life. Then the opportunity came to become a professor at UCLA, which is again, something I hadn't really contemplated prior to the opportunity appearing. That was what I thought I would do for the rest of my life, be a professor at UCLA. Then all of a sudden the opportunity appeared to found Broadcom (in 1991). We did that, Henry Nicholas and I, and it became an unbelievable success. Owning the arena and the hockey team were something we just didn't want to let pass by, so both Susan and I eagerly moved forward.
I don't know what the folks working at the development (you know fundraising) offices inside Morgan Center are up to. But I sure hope Henry Samueli is on their radar, and DG's radar. This is the type of guy who you pursue, build relationships with, and eventually look up when you need resources to build out our athletic facilities, and improve our program. You can tell he loves UCLA. So why not invite him to be a part of it? That is how it should be done in BruinsNation - make all of us part of the process of reviving the tradition of our gold plated major revenue programs. Just my 2 cents.
GO BRUINS.