Best Purchase Ever.

I've written about some truly awful Kings apparel and accessories that is or has been sold in stores or online. The pink jerseys and shirts are an abomination and any serious female hockey fan should be ashamed of herself for even thinking that purchasing one might be acceptable.  Then there's the craptastic, tacky and unbelievably expensive license plate purse.  But for every piece of junk that the NHL, and probably all sports, tries to sell, you gotta give companies credit for creating the awesome pieces that can only be described as genius.

I arrived super early at Staples Center for the Kings home opener and spent some time browsing the Team LA store.  I wasn't planning on buying anything since most of the womens apparel is hideous and over priced, but the husband wanted to buy a hat.  It warmed my heart that he was willing to pay money to buy a Kings hat!  We walked all around the store looking at every single hat on display and we finally found one hat that was on a dummy that he really liked and I admitted was acceptable.  He's a big fan of the third jersey logo, whereas  I think it's kinda stupid, but I think this hat is pretty nice.  I would include a stock photo, but I can't find it online anywhere and am way too lazy to take a picture of it and then load it onto my computer....sooooo, you can use your imagination.

While we were waiting in the ridiculously long line that snaked all around the store, I picked up a reversible Kings beanie: black one side, white with black horizontal stripes on the other side.  A Kings logo patch is on both sides.  I picked it up and put it back several times, but ultimately kept it since I've been wanting one for several years.  Then when we were paying for our items, I noticed a key chain bottle opener displayed at the checkout counter.  I've been considering replacing my current key chain bottle opener because it's gotten so much use over the past 10 years that it barely works.  I turned over the package and was totally sold on the product when I found out it was only $5!!  I was expecting it to be priced well over $10 so of course I bought it for $5!

(source: Forever Collectibles)

As we walked out of the store I felt a little goofy and embarrassed for making such an impulse, buy but I could not get over how cheap it was....then I started to worry that maybe it's so cheap because it's a crappy piece of plastic that's going to break the first time I use it.  But no worries, folks.  It's a sturdy piece of something and it looks mighty fine hanging next to my keys.  And if you want one for yourself, or to give to all your drinking buddies, then try browsing the Team LA Store at Staples Center.  I didn't see it on the online Team LA Store, but I did see it on the manufacturer's website, but it's currently sold out.  Thank you NHL and Forever Collectibles for assisting me during my future drinking endeavors.