How a 23 win team that is in the midst of a 5 game losing streak can still be in great playoff positioning on February 3rd is beyond my realm of belief. So it goes in the “New NHL.” I’ve always been against “loser points” that award a team that loses in overtime a point in the standings, as well as losing in a shoot-out (skills-competition). I’m sorry, this isn’t kindergarten . . . you shouldn’t get anything for losing in a professional sport (except an earful from the coaching staff). However, as an Islander fan, it is the loser point that has actually given this team some hope early on in their rebuild process (for those that think Tavares was anything close to the final piece, get real – the rebuilding is far from done). Besides the loser point, however, and maybe more importantly, is that the teams directly around the Islanders in the Eastern Conference standings simply aren’t that good (that’s right, I’m talking about YOU New York Rangers! YOU SUCK!).
John Tavares: "Where's the offensive zone? Mmm, I'll just look at this big frozen map!"
Maps of all sizes. Big and small. I love maps of the world. I love maps of Long Island. I love that really cartoonish exaggerated map of Franklin Square, my home town, that I got mad at when I was a kid because I knew, even at the uninformed age of 6, that the scale was totally off (there’s no way Tulip Caterers is THAT close to Roy Rogers). I love maps. If I could be a cartographer I totally would. I mean, that profession must be obsolete by now, right? Stupid satellites and your magic.
I love maps of the pagan state of California. I love maps of the Mormon state of Utah. I love maps of the Great Lakes. I love maps of Nassau County. I love telling people from around the country that I live 7 minutes north of Amityville, known nationally for it’s role as the setting/title to the horror movie franchise, “The Amityville Horror” – and when they ask me, “where is that!?” – I whip out a MAP! . . . and I show ‘em!
I love that my favorite hockey team, the New York Islanders, has a MAP in its logo. I love that maps help me get from point A to point B, because if I ever ended up at point D by accident, I’d be very unhappy.
I love framed maps. I love unframed maps. I simply, and wholeheartedly, love maps.
Bottom Line: I could spend HOURS on Google Earth lol.
Because don’t they know that they are in charge of “pumping up” the fans before the start of an NHL hockey game, and not lull them to sleep before a pee wee game!? That’s how I feel about this year’s opening video (above), and many videos from recent years. Now I’m not going to completely bash the video, because one great thing about it is that it shows highlights of LIVE players (and not those silly digitally-animated players from last year’s video), and it also doesn’t show any player from the Dynasty Era. Why do I like that it doesn’t show clips of Denis Potvin, Bryan Trottier, and Mike Bossy lifting the Stanley Cup? Because the Islanders have played that card WAY too much – yes, we have a great history, but it’s about time people start going to games for the players that are on the ice TODAY – it’s about time that management starts promoting the players that are on the ice TODAY – Of course, that’s hard to do when the team hasn’t had any marketable players for many (too many) years, but with the likes of Tavares, Okposo, and Bailey – the Isles have enough to begin not only promoting for “tomorrow,” but today’s games as well (which, to their credit, they seem to be doing – I just wish the video kicked a little more ass!). Dynasty era player’s should be used in opening videos only if it is done right – more on this later in the post. (I guess last year was so bad that they felt FORCED to use silly computerized players to represent the team in the video) – Here’s last years opening video:
However you want to look at the time I don’t care, that’s your prerogative. I just had the urge to recap/preview really quickly:
Tonight was the big night. The Islanders debuted very well. I saw a hard working team that knows they don’t have the talent to keep up with the Penguins and the Bruins, Sharks, Red Wings of the league, but hell – if they keep working like they did tonight – I think they’ll be “all right” – and hey, even on a young team talent sometimes sneaks its way in – Kyle Okposo made a rush towards the net at some point in the game that made me realize just how talented the kid is – he’s got a set a hands that I found myself forgetting about because I’m still in awe about Mark Streit’s overall game, the poise of Josh Bailey, and the extreme potential of John Tavares . . . . About that Tavres kid:
I’m so happy he got his first goal out of the way immediately! Remember when we would have to wait 3 quarters of a season for Andy Hilbert to score is first goal of the year!? All kidding aside, the kid got a power play assist and a goal, and looked more than comfortable in his first NHL game. Imagine what his future holds. We haven’t had this much star-power-potential since Brett Lindros . . . (I had to, and I’m not sorry – there are no apologies at 2:15 in the AM).
Because unfortunately, I won’t be there! I’m not in town on October 3rd, unfortunately, and I will be missing my 2nd home opener in a row. This saddens me greatly. No matter how bad the Islanders have been over the past 15 years (minus the Peca, Aucoin, Osgood, Laviolette -led ’01-’02 season) the home opener has provided the fans (the oh so bruised and battered fans!) with at least some sort of hope, some sort of enjoyment, and most importantly, a whole lot of fun! No, the land around Nassau Coliseum is not “well developed” and really isn’t anything much to look at (really, there’s NOTHING to look at, just parking spaces!), but the massive parking lot provides fans with a GREAT place to tailgate and hangout HOURS before the first home game of the season. BBQ’s, passing the puck around, tossing a football around, and some beers and music make for a great way to welcome in the fall season and another “LONG” Islanders season (especially last year – thought it would NEVER end!). Hopefully, the “long” seasons will soon be behind us, andthe youth can mature at a decent pace enabling the team to contend and entertain for years to come.
#1) John Tavares. I figured it would be best if I simply got this out of the way right off the bat. CLEARLY I would be excited to see the #1 draft pick play for my beloved team, and actually attempt to bring this team to some sort of level of respectability, but he isn’t the only thing I’m excited about.
#2) Ice Girls. That’s a joke. Let’s move on . . . .
#3) Kyle Okposo and Josh Bailey. I actually LIKED the infamous “trading up” deal at last year’s draft that made Josh Bailey an Islander. The Isles had a very thin prospect pool and needed to fill it with something (I totally drank the Kool-Aid), so to trade their high pick for more prospects made sense (and then to trade most of them again this year for Calvin de haan? I’m not saying I signed up for that) – I totally spat the Kool-Aid out . . . .
#4) Jeff Tambellini. Hahaha – hahaha no . . . I’m only kidding. Now, with that said, I don’t normally like being the “jerk fan” that makes fun of athletes for failing (he hasn’t “failed yet” -give him 1 more year) at the professional level, I just don’t like being THAT fan, but basically: “Tamby” needs to prove many things to many people this year and THAT is the understatement of the season.
#5) Actually having NHL caliber goaltending. I freken hated – HATED the DiPietro signing the day it came out – 15 years?! You freken idiots?! What could happen between the day of the signing and the end of the contract?! Oh, let me think – knees failing at least 3 times a year, and hips failing between the knee surgeries – no – I bet THAT was never discussed when the contract was thought up. Now, with that said, at least, AT LEAST! Snow went out there and got Dwayne Roloson and Martin Biron – yes, Biron has his critics, and he’s no Brodeur, but with Roloson AND Biron the Islanders are finally in a place where they haven’t been in a LONG LONG time – - – a place with NO questions in goal. I don’t CARE anymore about DP, as long as we have NHL ready goaltending, and we don’t have to rely on two AHL goalies anymore, then I am happy – if we can one day welcome “DP” back at 100% health, then, and only then will I be accepting of his return. Having Roloson and Biron allows the REST of the team to develop and might actually save this season from being the worst season ever (and THAT’S saying a lot!).
Bottom Line: There are more reasons I’m excited about the upcoming season, but they will be shared in an upcoming post about being excited about the NHL season in general, not just the Islanders. Being an Islander fan is special, because no matter how bad our team may be, the true Islander fans are still there – we still care, we still watch, and we still hope. When it comes down to it, really, I just freken love hockey, and it matters a whole lot more when you have a hometown team to root for. Here’s to the ’09-’10 season!
Have you heard?! Hockey’s back! Okay, don’t wet yourself just yet, because it’s not QUITE back, but it’s close enough for my excitement level to skyrocket! I enjoy the final weeks of baseball as much as the next guy, and I shall be watching because often times miraculous things can happen (remember when the Rockies won 22 out of 23 games to end the ’07 season?! Or when the Met’s . . . umm . . . well let’s just say it hasn’t ended well for the Met’s in the past few years. Yeah. That was a nice way to put it), but after my prediction of a Royals Mets World Series was laid to rest (laid to rest the minute after I jokingly made the prediction) it has become far too easy for me to look elsewhere for excitement. So where do I turn for excitement you ask? Hockey baby! NHL hockey is just around the corner and it’s coming to places most people wouldn’t expect it to be – Kansas City, Missouri just happens to be one of those places, and I will be at the pre-season game at the Sprint Center on September 22nd, 2009!
Okay, to quote the band The Plain White T’s, “Hate is a strong word, but I really really really don’t like you!” That’s REALLY how I feel about Chris Pronger – I don’t hate him, because let’s face it, I’d LOVE to have him on the New York Islanders blueline (something that I would never say for Sean Avery, or other dirty players in the league) – but what I do hate is that he is now in the Atlantic Division and will play against the Islanders on a normal basis. So my question is this: Which Islander will stand up to Chris Pronger when he (possibly) cheap shots John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, or Josh Bailey? Read more »
It’s official. Mike Milbury is no longer the general manager of the New York Islanders. Of course we’ve all known this for a while now, but on Friday, June 16th – something happened in Montreal that made the memories of “Mad Mike” a little bit more distant – The Islanders DIDN’T stray from the norm, and picked the best player available at the draft. No more wheeling and dealing (yes, trading all those OTHER picks to move up only to pick a player that most say would’ve been there later in the round has raised some eyebrows, but that means nothing to me right now) away good players to acquire questionable players (draft pick that was Spezza and Chara for Yashin, and of course Luongo and Jokinen for Parrish and Kvasha – are two examples that still burn). Mike Milbury sometimes made moves for the hell of it – or at least that’s what it seemed like. Last night, Garth Snow won me over by simply doing what everybody thought he should do. He didn’t get fancy with the 1st overall pick. What more could we ask of him?
I’m well aware the Islanders are hosting a draft party, and that there is a post-draft-party at a RC Dugans in East Meadow, and that some people are even making the trek up to Montreal for the “big show” – but me? That’s not my style. I’m having my own draft party on Friday night. It will be 2:00am for me here – my SlingBox will be all cued up – my computer room will be filled with Heinekens (no Molsons out here – shame), chips, and restless anticipation as I impatiently await for the Isles to announce the 1st pick overall.
NHL Hockey, New York Islanders, Sports | admin | February 3, 2010 | 
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