On the Islanders Beat

Can I call in my questions from Beantown to Snow and Wanger ???

:) :) :) :) :) :)

Free beer to anyone who calls them BOBBLEHEADS !!!

Teddy, why is the team called gritty, when it has no grit?
Garth, any chance your love affair with "the kids" is predicated on your inability to land FA's?

Then, moon them both.

Question for Garth.....

Can anything be done to revoke the press credentials of Rebar and Brokebach?

505, it was so funny today....My office phone rang and the number was from the 505 area code. I was concerned for a minute that you had finally tracked me down.

Anyway, I have an announcement. Our Lighthouse community group has started an online petition. Please sign it by clicking the URL next to my name, show your support, and tell everyone you know to sign it as well. We've broken 200 signatures since I posted it at 11PM last night, and we're hoping to grow that even more. We'll be bringing signatures to the Town of Hempstead every month as a constant reminder of the huge groundswell of support for the project.

Please, all Islander fans, sign the petition and support the team's future plans. We even have a few admitted Ranger fans signed already - so don't you guys feel shy either.

Question for Newsday...

WHY do Rebar and Brokebach have press credentials?

Treat my neighbors kindly Nick.....

I still have "friends" on LI who track people down.....without the courtesy of phone calls.
;)

Oh I did...ended up being a wrong number, unless it was you impersonating a Hispanic woman.

Oh, and 505...click on my name and SIGN THE PETITION! Tell all your family and friends to do as well.

Never mind, I see that you likely did.

Why is 505 so obsessed with Baumbach? It must be love. Do you have little Baumbach pictures all over your wall in New Mexico?

Anyone watching VS tonight?
Is it me or is DP "tilted" to one side? Like he is favoring his right hip.
I suppose that is to be expected after hip surgery.

He's pretty polished on the set....
Take a lesson Wang.

Garth:
-How do you plan to address lack of offense?
A: By developing our young players and signing some key free agent vets. Also, we have hired a team witchdoctor to handle the equipment in the visitors locker room.

-How would you describe your working relationship with Ted
A: Who? Oh. Uh... Good, Great. We don't always see the same things, so its healthy for the team. We work well together. Yeah, that's it.

-Do the Islanders have a need for an agitator like Avery?
A:How should I know, I'm just a backup goaltender.(LOL!) No, for serious, he's a character, that Avery, but we like our guys better.

-What are the plans for Sean Bergenheim?
A: He's going to play hockey for us this year. If he doesn't have a breakout season, we're all screwed.

-What are your plans for the draft?
A: We will draft the best player available in the best interests of the franchise. Yeah, we need scoring more than anything, but look at all those defenseman over there, its supposed to be hard to muck up a highly-rated defenseman, isn't it? Some of them will probably score some goals, too. But we'll see, we haven't decided yet.

-Will there be enough room for the "kids" to play?
A: You bet your tailfeathers there will be. There's nobody else on this team gonna do it, so they damn well better be ready.

-How difficult is it to recruit top free agents?
A: With or without a loaded weapon? Seriously, the whole arena thing will fix the entire mess we have here, and then we'll need extra phone lines there will be so many free agents calling us. Also, our witchdoctor will come on the road with us for 30 or so games.

Ted
-How will this year's NHL experience for the "kids" translate to next season?
A: They will be more Gritty, and witty, and wise, and better hockey players for it. Nobody believes me on this but I'm sure its true. Just watch.

-How do you plan to strengthen the power play?
A: We bought a couple of new Bowflexes and plan to serve the team energy drinks between periods. Also, we're toying with the idea of alligator wrestling on practice days.

-Do the Islanders need a Crosby or Ovechkin to win a Stanley Cup?
A: Obviously not, since neither Crosby or Ovechkin has won a Stanley Cup.

-How many games should fans expect to see whoever's backing up Ricky play next year?
A: Our backup will play all of the remaining games that Rick does not play, except in the case of injury, in which case he will play all the games that remain including the ones he doesn't want to until he feels better or we call someone else up. I learned a lot from last year, believe me. I don't want to go through that again.

"Why is 505 so obsessed with Baumbach? It must be love."
Nope.....Ignorant self-absorbed journalists make for easy targets.
If anything........you should probably be asking HIM the same question about ME......He's the one that mentions and tries to incite ME (a simple little commenter on these blogs) in his articles and sends me unsolicited e-mail.

"Do you have little Baumbach pictures all over your wall in New Mexico?"
Hmm.....that's a thought....the bulls-eye picture of Michael Moore in the dartboard is getting a tad shredded.

LOL Frei.......great post, especially the "need Ovechkin or Crosby" question.....

Here's a serious question for Snowlan......

Any chance of turning Comeau into a Centerman?

"We have a caller on the line from Boston with a question for either Ted or Garth"....
"Caller are you there? I'm sorry, we have a bad connection, what's your name? Eddy? Huh?, Betty? ...please turn down the Met game in the background....Freddy? ....OHHH. STEADY......"
"Okay Steady....what's your question?....Uh-huh...uh-huh...okay."

"Gentlemen...Steady from Boston wants to know if you have any autographed MAB Jerseys laying around for sale?"

Who says the Isles don't have a playoff presence?

DP in the VS studio.....looking like he owns the job...
Billie Jaffe with quality on ice commentary and interviews....
Comrie in the stands at the Rock necking with Duff....
Davison selling popcorn at the Pepsi Center...
Okposo and Hillen getting autographs outside the Duck's locker room.

Not what we hoped for.....but what they hey!!!

I'm gonna tackle this political hot potato OKA "The Light House"

First off ... I don't know why people get all over Frei for expressing his feelings. Negative ... Yeah Sure ... Personal shots? Yeah ... he could tone down the personal jabs and still effectively prove his point.

Warning ... this one is going to be a long post .... since we've come across a "hot topic" item. My post will draw a lot of criticism .... but it's what I feel.

Frei may be negative ... but he backs up his opinion with his own experiences and personal thoughts. I find some of his comments witty and even humorous at times. Sometimes you can tell he's being sarcastic ... other times I see his frustration boiling over.

Here is the thing .... I tend to lean towards Frei's thought process .... why? Because after over 10 Frackin years ... all we have is a rendering, a model, and applications filed. WTF!!!!!! I was under the impression that we were way passed all that years ago untill recently enlightened ... I thought they were waiting for final approval to push some shovels in the ground. So how was Frei wrong?

Ya see ... All I want is a state of the art New Building ... or state of the art renovation of the current building .... sure .. maybe an entertainment complex and athletic complex with maybe an over sized Dave and Busters would be nice too ... but that is it .... I could give a rats' pahtoot about a 60 story tower with condos and townhouses .... that means nothing to me.... and if that is what Wang needs in order to get his plan off the ground .... then the Islanders have the wrong owner. PERIOD. Yes I know he saved the franchise from leaving ... that was then ... what is he doing now? He's trying to make tons of money in real estate... using the Isles as leverage ... and having the Islander fan minions back him up for community support.

I'm not getting sucked into this whole .... well you see .... we need the 60 story (down scaled to 30?) twin tower with a light house in order to make the project feasable BS .... It's a huge real estate development deal .... and if nobody can see that then I can't help them.

Wang's NVMC renovation is the side order ... and don't think he'll fix up NVMC without the hope of having the full course. Because if that was the case .... he'd of gotten that work done during the lockout when it was a forgone conclusion that there wasn't going to be an 04'-05' season.

Sure ... I hope that the Light House does happen ... I think it would be just peachy..... but I feel that Wang is using us Islander fans .... all 20k of us rabid fans as leverage to support his bid for the Light House Project ..... he's using us. Why do I think that?

Well ... ask yourself this .... if Wang was trying to have the same exact project developed in Hicksville ... with no arena ... just all of the other elements .... would any Islander fan here except for maybe those affected by the project really give a hoot?

Seriously now.... if he was redeveloping Islandia with a commercial park, condos, townhouses, a 5 star hotel and athletic training complex .... how many people would be signing petitions? How many fans here in the interest of the Islanders would be attending town hall meetings regarding Wang's project?

I've felt this way since I "SAW" Wang's interview with Mike and the Mad Dog on the YES network after DP was told Dubie was going to play against the Rangers ..... hearing what Wang said ... and seeing his body language was unsettling to say the least. The key thing he hesitated to answer and then didn't say anything ... then skirted the question ... when the question was posed .... "What will happen with the NVMC if the Light House Project doesn't get approved as currently configured" ... Wang followed up his hesitation with (paraphrasing)... well ... it has to get approved .... we've been working with the TOH and Nassau for years on this ... we don't have any alternatives so it has to happen.

He didn't answer the question .. even when it was re-phrased .... he balked ....

Now ... all that being said ... I'm signing Nick's petition ... why? Because what ever helps the Islanders ... I'll do it .... but I'd be 1000000% happy if all that ever got done was a NEW NVMC ... or state of the art full blown renovation ...... and even after all of that happens.... as the article attached to the previous thread states ..... a winning team will bring the attendance up .... but I think to get to the winning ... you need to build a solid core of young talented players and lore in the high caliber FA's afterwards.... no more retreads.... Pleaseee.....

Oh, and I don't remember who brought the politics in before ... but after just having to cough up a few days pay in taxes to the @%$#^@ state of New Jersey (apparently they didn't get enough of my money) ... I'll glady take more Federal tax breaks from a Republican then to give the democrats running this half bankrupt and currupt state another dime.

Let's just put it this way ... NJ is getting 100% of the economic stimulous check and then some that I'll be receiving from the feds. Oh, and my property taxes went up for 08 .... again .. and Gov. Corizine raised NJ state sales tax another 1% almost 2 years ago with a promise it would alleviate property tax.... never happened ... meanwhile property values here are in freefall. So lets just throw more money at a social problems and enable people with no self accountability to their community continue with their failing ways because we'll be there to support them and their vices while I work full time with OT, and do freelance on the side... just so I can pay more taxes.

I've seen local governments in both NYC and NJ state do what's in the best interests of unions and line the pockets of gov't contractors, vice what is in the best interests of the people as a whole. So excuse me if I'm not that confident that even local legislators will do what is right.

For the record ... and equal time .... I'm not crazy about anyone in Washington either ... but most people blame the federal gov't for their problems .... when infact local gov'ts have much more direct influence on your quality of life and economic situation.

Well ... the Pope is here ... maybe he needs to Bless America ... I love this country!!!! Warts and all... it just could do with some wart removal in some places. LOL!!!

Sorry ... just a bad day for me vs. the local gov't .. all these ridiculous taxes just go against the spirit of the founding of the USA ...and I live about 1 mile from the Revolutionary War Battle Ground where George Washington began the chase of the Brits out of NJ... you can still find musket balls and shrapnel from the battle in these parts ... Ohhh ... that reminds me ... I gotta watch John Adams on Tivo. LOL!!

There ... feel better ...... BTW ... that T-shirt is classic 505. LOL!!

19 Isles, thanks for signing....listen, I won't argue with your point about the re-development. You're absolutely right. Wang has decided the Lighthouse, dovetailed with keeping the Islanders on LI, will be his major gift to the community. This development is to raise money for the arena renovation ($390 million!) in lieu of asking taxpayers like me to foot the bill. I'm thankful for that, because I found out that I don't even apply for an economic stimulus rebate this year! The government is taking way too much of my money, and I'd rather not pay more to subsidize an arena. Bravo Charles Wang. Bravo.

The renovation could happen right now, nobody doubts that, but the Islanders have chosen to be a part of something bigger. I've previously been in favor of projects like this, and I hope very sincerely to be sharing a drink with all of you at the first Opening Day of the renovated Coliseum (I've promised KH I'll spring for a bottle of Dom Perignon - I'm sticking to that). We're doing something for the team, to be sure, but also, for the community.

Thanks everyone for supporting. This is the Last Best Option for the Islanders right now, and we all need to rally behind our team.

So Nick.....since you are collecting everyone's "identities" I expect that you will now be in charge of eventually putting together the "Logan Bloggers" Gala Extravaganza for some game next season (in Wang's box)...

Right?

:)

Well, sir, you're the only one so far who's been blatantly obvious.

However, if I can I surely will.

Nick ... no problem ... I signed that petition to support the team ... and to support the efforts of people like you, KH and D-$ who are adding their footprint to ensure that the project gets the necessary approvals. I just was perturbed when I felt that Wang was dangling the NVMC part of the plan infront of us ... as if to say .... you don't give me what I want .... you don't get this.

As far as Wang generating revenue from the project to cover all expenses for the NVMC renovation projet .... sure .... I'll tip my cap and applaud him for that ... creatively financing the project without putting the burden on the tax payers is how every stadium / arena deal should be done. Owners of teams usually build their fortunes on the backs of tax payers and then charge an arm and a leg for tickets and merchandise.

Nick ... you must make a good amount of coin ... because almost everyone qualifies for a tax rebate check. I'll throw my hat in the ring for you to buy the Islanders bro.

Nah, it's not because I make tons of coin...Yet

If I own the team my first actions will be banning Jim Baumbach from the arena and giving 505 free tickets and drinks for all Monday games.

LOLOL!!! That's great Nick!!!!

But don't be accused of starting a new gimmick by doing that. I'm sure you'll move the AHL team to Albuquerque ... and have a Monday shuttle flight between there and Republic.

Here's my response to Frei's post from the last thread and the Anonymous posts at the end of that thread, re the Lighthouse project:

Anonymous -- I'm "involved in the process" both as a member of the public and as an organizing member of a citizen group organizing public support for approval of the Lighthouse project. So far we've spoken in favor of the project at two Town Board meetings and gathered over 200 signatures. We've just gotten started, but by the fall, when the Town Board will actually vote on the rezoning application, we are confident we'll have gathered thousands of signatures. This is a very important contribution to "the process" because the Board has made clear that they want to approve the project. The only thing that will cause them to change direction is if intense opposition to it emerges among their constituents. There is just one way to defeat that opposition -- to show the Board, in the form of petition signatures and letters -- that more Town of Hempstead residents favor the project than oppose it. There's no other group gathering signatures besides ours, so we are actually performing a critical function "in the process" of getting this thing approved.

Frei -- Like a cable-TV screamer or talk-radio blowhard, the level of bombast in your rhetoric is in inverse proportion to your command of the facts. Despite your claim to be a long-time observer of how things work in Nassau County, your post shows you lack even a basic understanding of the legal hurdles the Lighthouse project must clear for construction to begin.

For starters, it is not Nassau County from which approval is needed at this stage. After a public, competitive bidding process, Nassau County selected the Lighthouse Development Group ("LDG") in March 2006 to redevelop the Nassau Coliseum and surrounding 77-acre site. Charles Wang and Scott Rechler beat out several other bidders, including a group headed by Mets owner Fred Wilpon.

Because the site lies within the Town of Hempstead and therefore falls within Hempstead's zoning jurisdiction, the next hurdle to be cleared is to win the Town's approval of LDG's rezoning application. A project of this magnitude will of course have some environmental impact, and thus review is required under the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). The "positive declaration" is important not because it acknowledges the obvious -- that there will be an environmental impact -- but because it, along with the "lead agency" designation taken by the Town, means that the review process is actually commencing. That Hempstead has stepped up to assume the role of "lead agency" is also a very good sign, because it means that sole responsibility for conducting the environmental review is in the hands of a single entity. Hempstead allowed a comment period where other authorities (e.g., Nassau County) could have claimed an interest and sought to conduct the SEQRA review. None did so, and Hempstead made the pos-dec and lead agency declaration just 5 days later, another sign the Town is trying to move this through quickly. Although the state Dept of Environmental Conservation will be consulted, Hempstead now has sole authority to conduct the review and determine that SEQRA's requirements have been met. Concurrently, and as part of the same process, the Town will evaluate other impacts of the project and take public comments. This is a very efficient way to do things because all the possible objections (cost to the public, traffic, environmental impact) can be considered in a single process.

By getting the pos-dec and the lead agency designation, the Lighthouse project has already gotten farther than any previous proposal to redevelop the Coliseum site. Not only that but, unlike previous attempts, no groups opposed to the project have yet shown up at Town Board meeting to voice their objections. A major reason for this is the LDG has spent the last year and a half talking to community groups to educate them and build support for the project (and head off opposition).

You asked what is different this time... why would the Lighthouse succeed where others have failed. There are a lot of differences from prior attempts to do this:

(1) the County, which owns the land, has already given initial approval,
(2) the immensely popular County Executive (Suozzi) is a longstanding, public, and vocal supporter of the project (this is a significant contrast to then-Executive Gulotta in relation to the Gluckstern-Milstein proposal)
(3) thanks to the LDG's outreach efforts (and for other reasons I won't get into now), significant community opposition has not emerged,
[(3a) it's worth noting that the Rechlers have successfully built major construction projects all over the Island and have a great reputation among all the players]
(4) the Town Board has publicly stated its enthusiasm for the project,
(5) community organizing efforts in favor of the project (that's us) will outstrip those opposed,
(6) once the rezoning application is approved by late this year or early next, the only remaining step is negotiating a lease with the county. Again, because Suozzi and a majority of the legislature have already voted in favor of the Lighthouse proposal and Suozzi is one of its biggest boosters, this should be relatively easy.

By contrast, the last attempt, by Gluckstern and Milstein, failed because they did not first build support in the community, as the Lighthouse folks have patiently done, and they treated the "politicians" and the community as an adversary right from the beginning. They demanded 70% public funding for the arena (in this case, the LDG will pay 95% of the cost of the new Coliseum, with the other 5% already committed by New York State). They tried to force the County to condemn the SMG lease by threatening to move the team. All of this, not surprisingly, produced a hostile reaction from the County, the Town and the public and so, they failed. As I discussed above, Wang/Rechler already have developed a completely different kind of relationship with the County and the Town. Charles Wang also has a harmonious relationship with SMG, which has made no attempt to obstruct the Lighthouse project (and no reason to). SMG is owed a fixed amount on the remaining 7 years of its contract to operate the Coliseum -- and that contract neither affects, nor is affected by, the renovation that would occur as part of the Lighthouse project.

This extremely specific answer is frankly more than your childish, fact-free post deserved. If you have a specific, factual basis for claiming that the project is a pipe dream, I'd love to hear it. I think it's more likely that you'll slink away with your tail between your legs. (By the way, you also got another fact wrong. Not only did you screw up that the project is now before the Town of Hempstead, not the County, but you also are talking about the 60-story lighthouse, which Wang has already abandoned because community response was negative.)

And you should be ashamed of yourself for telling people who are donating a LOT of time, without compensation, to make the Lighthouse happen, simply because we love our team, that we're just talking like 13-year-old girls. Especially given that you are contributing nothing at all but merely bitching.

My question for the Islanders is quite simple:

Do you think you will win your first playoff series in 16 years next year? LOL!!

If it wasn't sooooo sad, it would be comical. But then again, it is funny. The Islanders are the biggest joke in professional sports. From the miniscule attendance figures to the sorriful play on ice. Always a few laughs when the word ISLANDER is tossed around.

Hey anon...You are in a big playoff series and the hockey talk on our blog BLOWS yours away....Not always quantity of the fans, but quality. Other than a select few, the Ranger fans are very poor and mostly FAKE !!!

Good luck tonight...Hopefully AVON AVERY will not continue to embarass your team and the sport as a whole.

p.s You won your first PLAYOFF GAME in 9 years last year and had the payroll of a drunken sailor during that time period.....So don't act like your the Red Wings just yet wee one!

Frei ~ The ball is in your court now. KH gave us what I'd consider a pretty good prospectus of what state the LHP is at right now.

My reservations are primarily focused on an alternative plan should the LHP hit a snag. I want a commitment to the arena ... which I think Wang has pretty much tied into the entire project ... I understand Wang / Rechler are putting up the financing for the vast majority of the project .. which entitles them to reap the benefits that come along with such a project ... but a project of that size requires the blood, sweat and tears of thousands ... and I hope they get rewarded also.
------------------------------------------
I was hoping to get out to NVMC tonight for the Open House ... and it looks less likely that I'll get out of work ontime with all the Pope coverage we are doing today and over the next week. Hopefully I'll be able to get out there .... and participate.

My question to them is:
Do they have the patience to deal with the growing pains .. and build a core of young players that will constitute the bulk of the team over the next several years without giving up on a player because he's had a bad year? Resist the Mike Milbury culling and trading of talent and serving as a development team for other NHL teams.

This just in from Uniondale.....

Based on rumors that 19Isles would be attending. the Islanders extended the hours for tonight's Open House until 1130PM.
"There's no way we could get one of his questions in and answered within the original time frame" said Islander's GM Garth Snow.
"We're also bringing in additional coffee stations, setting up some hair and beard trimmming facilities and bringing in some financial representatives so people won't forget to setup their retirement plans before getting out of the Coliseum", added Snow.

19Isles, that's a fabulous question...However, I think more than anything else, I'm worried about whether the FANS have the patience to handle the growing pains involved with the rebuilding process. I would love to see a home-grown team emerge into a powerhouse over the next few years, and I would gladly fork over some of the large amounts of coin you think I make (haha!) in order to buy season tickets. I'm concerned that the fan base can't handle it. Frei, let's be honest here....we've had many disagreements over the past because of your cynical outlook toward the team. However, I also understand you're a fan of this team and want to see success; I think we just differ on how well the team is currently doing and the future direction. Believe me, as someone who is also involved with the process, the difference between this project and all the others is palpable. We've already explained the major hurdles to the project - office space (should Garden City, which has a lot of office space, choose to object), the height of the buildings (and Wang has already shown he can adapt to that), and the breakdown of housing. I'm not going back to re-hash KH's points because he made them very effectively, but please trust us that this is not the same song-and-dance we've heard from the Islanders over the past several years.

I'm too young to really remember the Dynasty years myself, so in a way I have more of a right to be bitter. My main badge of honor as an Islander fan is the scar above my left knee that I got during celebrations of David Volek's overtime goal. The thing is - I'm not bitter. I've stuck by this team during far worse times, and the light is coming at the end of the tunnel.

19Isles, as for the presence of a backup plan, what else can they do aside from the obvious? We've both debunked the Suffolk County "solution" pretty strongly, and there aren't really any other suitable locations within Nassau. If this doesn't happen the Islanders will likely go to Barclays Center in Brooklyn. However, I just don't think this is something we need to discuss right now. The organization has a plan that has met with approval from the County and is moving forward. The best thing we can currently do, as citizens and fans, is support that plan and be ready to see it through to completion.

I hope everyone will make it to the Coliseum tonight. Our group will be there with pre-written letters to the Town of Hempstead that people can sign and we will hand-deliver. I'm coming straight from work, but I'll be in an Isles mood - I'm wearing a dark blue suit with a lighter blue shirt and an orange tie. Come find me and show your support.

Yeah ... Nick ... I know that we have to push forward with 100% support for the current plan .. I wasn't questioning if there was a backup location like Barclay .... I was questioning whether or not if there is a backup plan to develop / improve the current site if the total re-development hit a snag.
---------------------------------------------
505~ LOL! Ya beat me to the punch brother ... I was going to add a continental breakfast and say that cots will be handed out.

Ah, OK....well, as we stated before, the development is meant to pay for the arena renovations. The amount of approved re-development directly determines the amount of money to renovate the arena. The team has currently budgeted $390 million to renovate the Coliseum, but that number could change if the project is scaled back.

If they kill the project completely I don't think we'll see a renovated Coliseum unless the taxpayers foot a large part of the bill, and I doubt sincerely that will happen.

I submitted my question via the website....IF they read it someone has got to let me know! You can imagine who it is asked to and what it is about!

The BOBBLES fear me !!! :) :)

**I also signed up on the lighthouse online form and donated a little coin....Hope it all works out !! **

Nick the Oracle says:

"Steady in Massachusetts wants to ask Garth how soon he can re-acquire MAB and make the team whole again."

He also wants to ask Charles Wang why he doesn't get more involved in team decisionmaking.

KH, thanks for the detailed response to Frei...nothing I could have said would have been nearly as empirical, but it would have been in line with your points, especially about changes in the socio-political environment that have resulted from the extensive outreach that you described.

And, not for anything, but I think changes in the ECONOMIC landscape are also a big factor. Again, nothing empirical here, but from what I hear just on this blog, a lot of folks flee the Island because it is just too damn expensive these days. Well, that = loss of tax revenue , and coupled with the sagging economy over the last few years, I am sure the $$ are rolling in the eyes of every politico involved in the process.

And, given your point that this will be a 95% privately funded venture, we're talking free money to the town, county, etc. Yes, they will have their own costs (police, fire, emergency services to name a few), but I have a feeling that the boon to the economy that is likely to occur with a project of this scale, from creation of more short-term construction employment opportunities to long-term retail, commercial, and entertainment opportunities - including most importantly LI's only pro sports team - will far outweigh those costs.

On that note, keep up the great work...

Nick...LOL

More like " Do you read the Newsday blog and if so what are your plans for # 3 ? " "Was his hand broken or was the youtube vidos of him fighting fake?"

Steady

"Was his hand broken or was the youtube vidos of him fighting fake?"

Let's remember where he came from Steady......California...where anyone with a public persona has a personal stunt double.

My My......
Look what just showed up in my morning mail delivery....
A personalized form letter inviting me to the open house at NVMC tonight....
Nick....gas up the plane to Republic.
Who's got a fax number that I can send this to? Cuz the letter serves as a "raffle ticket" for tonight's event as well.
No mention of what the raffle prize is.....but if it's a 3 night Bahamas cruise with 4 Ice Girls of my choice.....I sure as hell don't want to miss out on that....

505, should I email you privately? I have a fax number.

I'm not going to make it out there tonight. :-/

Here would be a great question considering the geographic diversity just from this blog.

Are there any plans to expand Islander Country beyond the geographical borders of Nassau / Suffolk?

I think as far as marketing goes they should exploit their proximity to NYC, NJ and Westchester. There used to be a solid fan base in NYC and NJ at one time.

I've heard from the horse's mouth that they're planning to run ads on SNY this year. As many of us (myself included) are Yankee fans, we've also advised them not to discount YES.

It's a start.

Steady, I couldn't disagree with you more on something you posted on the last blog entry. Not even getting into what Avery did, you mentioned he did it to one of the "classiest people in the entire sport". When was Mike Liut traded to the Devils because you couldn't have been talking about Martina. Class? Brodeur is the antithesis of class.

Is it classy to initiate contact with the opposing forward and then flop to the ice as if shot? (Surely diving breaks your so-called unwritten code rule, doesn't it?) Is it classy to whine and bitch like a child when things aren't going your way? Is it classy to blame everyone but yourself for the goals you've allowed? Is it classy to call a rival goaltender "weird" because he's quiet and you're concerned that he is becoming better than you and stealing your thunder? I could go on and on about him and I wouldn't use the word class about any of them.

The greatest of all-time? Without a doubt, I'll give him that, even with the teams he's played on. But classy, never in my book.

No disrespect to you, I enjoy your posts and hockey knowledge but I couldn't disagree more.

Nick...

Sure.....and a case of beer for you if you get one of the Ice Girls to PROPERLY* autograph it.

* I'll leave that up to your imagination and properly raised Catholic HS good taste.

Petition Update:

324 signatures and counting. Keep spreading the word, guys!

19 Isle -- As I've mentioned here before, I'm doing some work for the Isles (they're buying an ad I created), and consequently have their ear on marketing issues for the moment. I'm trying very hard to convince them to reach out beyond Nassau/Suffolk and I've even compiled some demographic data about Queens and Brooklyn to support my argument.

Here's my question for you: Do you have, or could you point me to, any evidence of their former fan base in NYC? It would be immensely helpful if I could show the Isles that they can attract fans in Brooklyn and Queens if they'll just try (which the former regime did not).

Thanks

KH
"I've even compiled some demographic data about Queens and Brooklyn to support my argument."

HUH???? no data on Bernalillo County in there???

Steady and 19Isles....
Go read Johnette Howard's (I LIKE her work and have never been disappointed in what she writes) article about Avery today.

I AM NOT ALONE.

Ah, 505, we're definitely thinking along the same lines wrt Comeau at center. With such a lack of depth there, it makes all the sense in the world. He clearly has the best vision and most patience out of all the forwards, he's responsible in his own zone, and he's no slower than any of the other centers we have. Comeau-Comrie-Sillinger-Nielson...could be a lot better, but could be worse.

My question for Snow is what was the point of trading for Walter if he is obviously not in the short-term plans? He's not a kid, and we gave up a 21 year old to get him...a 21 year old that could have fit right into Sillinger's checking center role after his contract is up at the end of this year. Walter, while I like what he's done with limited ice time, seems to be exactly the same type of center as Nielson, and both seem to be fighting for the same job, so that move doesn't make sense to me. Curious what the thought process was there.

Vukota....I agree ... I was just trying to make a point that what Avery did to Brodeur is different from what Simon did too two punks.

I can tell you another goaie that made contact with players. That flopped on the ice. That never shook hands. That was bitter to many. His name was BILLY SMITH and he was the best $$$$ goalie EVER....Not to mention my favorite player of all time !!!

He was the only PEST goalie. LOL

p.s 505...Avery is a biatch and no article will change my mind. He cares about himself and no one else! sorry just my opinion.

Nick....

OT
"Infamous" 505????
That kinda puts me in the category of people like Charles Manson, Marquis de Sade, Joseph Stalin, Genghis Khan, Jim Baumbach and such.

I think I'm more comfortable with "Notorious".
I'd thought of and grouped with people like Billy the Kid, Billy Smith, Robin Hood, Robin Leach, Charles Derringer, Rick Derringer and such.

Edit last post icon alert....

"I'd thought of and grouped with people like Billy the Kid, Billy Smith....."

I'd RATHER BE thought of.....

And of course....
Speaking of "Notorious"....
Who WOULDN'T wanna be like Cary Grant and "grouped" in the Hitchcock movie of the same name with that sultry Swedish goal scorer, Ingrid Bergmann.
I'm pretty sure she led the Hollywood League in "3rd man in" penalties in 1946.

Hey 505 you forgot B.I.G.!

That should be your new tag, NOTORIOUS 505... its perfect, really.

I'm glad you got a chuckle out of my Crosby / Ovechkin answer... perhaps best of all its not likely to be far from what his answer really is.

I wonder if anyone else is at least slightly insulted by the idea that some public, non-affiliated person would write in with that question? Really, the PR guys over there need to do better. Its almost as if someone has been reading my pieces on the need for a offensive franchise stud on this team, and has decided to come out and try to quash the idea, since we don't have one and aren't getting one.

Too much other stuff here for a detailed response now... I'll be back later this evening with the scalpel and retractors. But I must say, I do so love a stimulating exchange of ideas! By the way, whoever that petition belongs to, I signed it last night.

And, 19, I appreciate the consideration of solidarity and an acknowledgement of my position, but don't stand too close, or you may catch a stray round with my name on it!

Oh the quandaries of a 21st century sports fan, with no other desires to fulfill (or LIFE for that matter).

Yanks/Red Sox..
Rangers/Devils...(With DP in between periods dazzling the national audience)
AND...
The ONCE HIGH AND MIGHTY Sen's facing a SWEEP AT HOME at the hands of the Pen's...

What to watch...what to watch...
Decisions....decisions.....
Sen's/Pen's on the primary...
Rags/Devs on the recall button..
Yanks/Sox during mutual commercials of the above...

Now if I can just find the network that carries the Ottawa Emergency Broadband system for the end of the Sen's game...
Might be a busy night for the EMT's in the town of "possibly the greatest team to ever lace on the skates....well on their way to 120 points in the regular season".
Is it too early to pull a Howie Rose and say "ha ha"?

Chris Simpson (Where's Jaffe?--oh out west). with the Freudian slip of the playoffs thus far.
She asks Tom Renney......"What happened there Coach...you got a penalty for too many men on the bench?"

He could have replied....
A/"Eh, it's Avery's fault"
or..
B/"Would you like to take one or two off my hands?
(THAT would have made the MSG lawyers proud).
or..
C/"Yeah, we're having a hard time getting 6 at a time on the ice at one time".

But he took the coward's way out and PC'd it.
Where is Don Cherry or Bobby Knight when you need 'em?

Okay, homerism knows no bounds in Canada.
Game is being carried by CBC...Hockey Night in Canada(No local Lucifer and Beezelbub...a couple of other Molson gurglers).

And let's see, it's Ottawa (Canada) vs. Pittsburgh (USA).

Vermette scores what would have been the tieing goal for the Sen's on a play that would have made Pele proud.

While the refs and Toronto are reviewing the goal....the color guy for CBC is making a heartfelt (heartsick) case that Vermette "was trying to kick the goal to his stick but was "impeded" by a Pen D-man and the goal should therefore be allowed".
Okay, yeah....uh huh.

Not even Toronto fell for that one.

No goal Lackey....Let's go Pens.

Home Sweet Home ...

14 hour day .... Pope, Obama / Clinton debate setup & sending hockey to Europe kept me from going to the Open House .... oh well ... I'd probably of been locked up after going on one of my War and Peace rants ... so it both party's best interests that I didn't go.

I'm gonna need a scoop about how it went to anyone who attended.
------------------------------------------------
Reply to a comment Steady made earlier in the day ....

"Posted by Steady | April 16, 2008 11:20

Nick...LOL

More like " Do you read the Newsday blog and if so what are your plans for # 3 ? " "Was his hand broken or was the youtube vidos of him fighting fake?"

****

Steady .... that wasn't #3 ... that was the You Tube Star Wars kid dressed in a Sharks uniform trying to deceive us .... lastest report is ..... that he's really the Rag Troll that comes on this site to bust our horns .... especially yours.

.... here is some of the fine work that he does inbetween his Troll posts on the Islander board.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPPj6viIBmU

Now we know why the Troll is soooo bitter ... Steady .. you are his nemisis.

SENS LOSE......SENS SWEPT......

Closing words by the CBC color guy???
"Brian Murray will have to come up with some answers as to what happened in this Ottawa slide that began just after New Years".

What happened????

Freddy Meyer IV will always be remembered (by me anyway) as the GREAT SENATOR DESTROYER of the 07/08 season.

This was already under rule 41 unsportsman like conduct ....

g. A misconduct penalty shall be imposed on any player who persists in any course of conduct (including threatening or abusive language or gestures or similar actions) designed to incite an opponent into incurring a penalty.

If, after the assessment of a misconduct penalty, a player persists in any course of conduct for which he was previously assessed a misconduct penalty, he shall be assessed a game misconduct penalty.

Rangers win, Wolfpack win.

How did the Isles and Sound Tigers do tonight?

LOL!! This is waaaaaay to easy!

dude--sad way to celebrate a hard fought 3-1 advantage over a solid devils team. You hang on an Isles website?

Okee. The isles suck. We know that. Bridgeport sucks. We got that.

But, you are a pathetic tool.

I'm hear to laugh at the Islanders. It's good to laugh each and every day. And coming here is always good for a few laughs.