From Kings Opening Night Todd Gurley II talks sport and giving back

Todd Gurley II knows exactly what kind of player he would be if he played hockey.
"Tone setter," he said in a Zoom call during the first intermission of the LA Kings' home opener against the Vegas Golden Knights. "Someone who sets the tone. I'll take on that role. I'm a player's player, a coach's player, I'll do whatever but I'd rather set the tone."

Growing up in Tarboro, North Carolina, Gurley, who went on to play six NFL seasons as a star running back, didn't have many brushes with hockey. Although the Hurricanes play just over an hour west of his hometown in Raleigh, Gurley excelled in basketball, track, and, of course, football.
Upon reflection, however, Gurley does admit that if he had an opportunity to play another when he was younger it probably would have been lacrosse, a game not all that dissimilar from hockey.
"I wish I had the chance to play lacrosse but that wasn't a thing in my town," he said. "It was in the major cities like Charlotte and Raleigh."
But no matter the game, Gurley is drawn to all sports. "Tons of people I know don't understand football, but I don't really understand hockey or soccer all that much either, but I respect the sport and I respect the enjoyment," he said.
During his time with the Rams in Los Angeles, Gurley discovered a greater appreciation for some of the other sports the city had to offer.
"Being able to live and play in LA, you're spoiled with those sports," he said. "You see the top of the top, whether it's the Kings or the Dodgers, and obviously being with the Rams. You kind of take those things for granted because you think it's so easy, but there's so many teams that can't do what those top teams can do."
Regardless thought of the success a team attains on the field, or even the ice, Gurley recognizes how all athletes are connected by their mutual passion for the game.
"At the end of the day, whether you're the worst team in your professional sports league or the best team, everyone still grinds the same," he said. "Just because they finished last doesn't mean they didn't work as hard as the number one team."
The appreciation for the process is what has allowed Gurley to connect with other sports. During his first season with the Rams, when the team was still in St. Louis, Gurley was drawn into hockey.
"The Blues and Blackhawks, that rivalry pulled me in and once I got to LA it was like a no-brainer," he said.
He eventually caught a Kings game, along with rapper YG and the Dodgers' Gavin Lux, in January 2020. Gurley wasn't sure what to expect, but it left a lasting impression on him.

"It was probably one of my best experiences at a sporting event," he said. "As a player you're always in the mix, you're always on the field. I've always been that guy, so I want to enjoy the experience too and see how fun these games are."
Gurley and company certainly made the most of it, even chugging a beer to fire up the STAPLES crowd.
"It was just a great time with a couple of my buddies," he said. "I went with YG and I don't know what he was expecting out of it as well but he was like 'damn, I can go to these games more.'"
After spending the next season in Atlanta and now starting this year as a free agent, Gurley has had more time to continue with his philanthropic efforts.
In addition to the work that he does through the M.A.D.E. Sport Foundation, which he co-founded with his friend and business partner, Jameon Willis, Gurley recognizes how important it is to give back on a daily basis.
"When you can see someone else working hard and see someone else giving back it inspires you," he said. "It's just the little things. It's what we were put on this earth for, to give back, not looking for anything from it. It's just what you're supposed to do. Have a great heart. Give back. Serve the lord."
The extra time in his schedule, of course, has also afforded Gurley the opportunity to return to STAPLES Center. On Opening Night on Thursday, he was in attendance when the Kings hosted the Golden Knights for their first game of the season.
Following an exciting first period that included goals from Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar and even a dustup between Brendan Lemieux and Vegas's Keegan Kolesar, Gurley fielded questions from the team's public relations office, before heading back to his seat to watch the Kings light the lamp four more times in a lopsided 6-2 victory.
But, before leaving the call, Gurley couldn't help but notice a framed print of a goalie mask sitting on the shelf above my head. When I explained that it was none other than Rogie Vachon's, painted in the Kings' iconic "Forum blue and gold," Gurley simply replied, "that's dope."
Even though Vachon played his last game more than a decade before Gurley was even born, sport has a way of connecting people even from different eras.