LOS ANGELES -- For the first time since the Dodgers defeated the Yankees in the 1981 World Series, it's New York and Los Angeles battling for a championship in one of the four major North American pro sports.
The Rangers and Kings kick off the Stanley Cup final Wednesday, but before the Dodgers took on the White Sox Tuesday, Dodgers skipper Don Mattingly shared his thoughts on the upcoming series.
Mattingly knows the pulse of both markets, having spent time as a player and coach with the New York Yankees before serving as a coach and now manager of the Dodgers.
The skipper, like many in Los Angeles, is excited about the matchup and has become enamored with the perseverance of the Kings.
"I'm kind of looking forward to it," Mattingly said. "The Kings are interesting from the standpoint that they looked like they were down.
Battle of the coasts
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"It seems like they have a good group, like a tough group. I don't know much about the Rangers at all. I don't know much about hockey, in general, but I do like watching the Kings."
And while it may have turned ugly the last time the Kings and Rangers squared off in the Stanley Cup final in 1981, Mattingly disagrees with the notion that there is a natural rivalry between New York and Los Angeles.
"I don't know about that," Mattingly said. "It doesn't feel like it's a real rivalry to me except if something's going on like this in hockey or the Knicks are playing the Lakers or something like that."
While the Dodgers skipper didn't offer a prediction on the series, he did offer his preference on where he'd choose to live.
"I like the beach" Mattingly said. "I like both, but if you're if you ask me to say 'if you're going to buy a place and you can afford to buy a place," I'd buy right down there in Manhattan Beach."
