Upon hearing of Paul Newman's death, Times sports writer Lisa Dillman had to go right out and rent "Slap Shot."

Does "Slap Shot," and its player-coach leader, hold up or what?...Couldn't quite call this a skate down memory lane but moments resonated for someone who spent most of her childhood around neighborhood hockey rinks in Minnesota and at her dad's office, also known as the Met Center in Bloomington.

My late father, Dick Dillman, was the first public relations director for the Minnesota North Stars, and the team's third employee. He remained in that position until his death in 1988. Coaches came and went ... and sometimes came back again (Glen Sonmor). One (Ted Harris) was even fired on Thanksgiving Day in 1977 and dad had to miss dinner preparations to go to the office to write the release.

She posted it at The Fabulous Forum, the new blog that Sports Editor Randy Harvey created to capture more thoughts and timely items from the staffers at LAT Sports.