Islanders coach Ted Nolan and goaltender Rick DiPietro are no different than their fellow Long Island residents. They’re waiting anxiously for the day when the suburban starter home they bought into can be transformed into their dream showcase.
But in their case, the fixer-upper is Nassau Coliseum, and the architects for their home improvement project are Islanders owner Charles Wang and his real estate partner Scott Rechler, who filed their plans for renovating the Coliseum late Tuesday with the Town of Hempstead.
Wang and Rechler plan to invest $300 million into the Coliseum and a new sports complex as part of their $2 billion Lighthouse Project to develop the surrounding 77-acre parcel by building two high-rise towers housing a hotel and condominiums, a convention and exposition center and a grand canal lined by restaurants, complimentary retail outlets and loft-style housing units. Their plans also call for additional office buildings, a larger neighborhood condo and townhouse development, underground parking and a minor-league baseball park all tied together by trolley-style buses to move people from the far reaches of the site and from parking areas at nearby RexCorp Plaza, Hofstra University and Nassau Community College.
“A facility like Charles is attempting to build is fabulous,” said Nolan, who is in the second year of a three-year contract but hopes to remain with the Islanders and continue his efforts to revive the tradition of a four-time Stanley Cup franchise. “It’s something special for the fans here who went through good years and bad years and who see the team is starting to come back.
“I’ve seen videotapes and presentations of it. Even if it’s half of what I’ve seen on video, it’s going to be something spectacular.”
DiPietro, who has put down roots on Long Island and last year signed a landmark 15-year contract to serve as the face of the franchise, also has reviewed plans for the project. “It’s going to be beautiful,” he said. “It’s going to be a place where people want to come and watch hockey games. Not only that, but it’s going to be a meeting place for a lot of people. I think it’s going to bring a lot of business and a lot of attention to that area.”
The 26-year-old goaltender appreciates the varied social outlets Long Island has to offer, but he also understands what having a hub area could mean to all Island residents. “Living on Long Island, there’s a lot of little towns we like to go to,” DiPietro said of the Islanders. “We sneak into Huntington and other places, but this is going to be a great spot. There will be a bunch of restaurants and the hotels. It’s definitely going to be a place where people can go, not only to watch a sporting event, but to have dinner and socialize.”
When the Islanders were in the process of winning four straight Cups from 1980-83, the Coliseum was packed for every game. But the franchise went through a series of ownership changes in the ’90s and some lean times on the ice that saw them lose much of their fan base. Since Wang bought the team in 2000, the Isles have made the playoffs four of the past five seasons, but the lockout interrupted that stretch by canceling the 2004-05 season and the fight to rebuild attendance in a suburban market lacking large corporate support has been tough going.
Nolan’s enthusiasm and ability to motivate players started a turnaround last season, and he’s a believer that Long Island sells itself as a place to live. But he said a top-of-the-line playing facility together with a sports complex that will house four NHL-size sheets of ice and a fitness and sports technology center as well as two NBA-size basketball courts only will help with the recruitment of future free agents.
“We don’t take a backseat to anybody in the league as far as location, scenery and a place to live,” Nolan said. “If you get a facility to match that, recruiting becomes a lot easier, especially with some of the things Charles is putting into this facility like a state-of-the-art training facility and medical facility. It’s going to be something to behold.”
Wang’s presence has stabilized the franchise and probably prevented the Islanders from moving, but he has suffered losses of $15 million to $20 million each season as owner. If the heart of the Lighthouse Project, including the renovated arena fails to receive approval from the Town of Hempstead, old questions about the future of the franchise on Long Island will rise again.
“If you don’t get a modern facility, there could be a worry to it,” Nolan said reluctantly. “I’d feel for the Long Island community here. The Islanders is a powerful name, and people have stuck with it through thick and thin.
“I’m one of those guys who sees the glass half-full. Charles just has to take it another step further to get this Lighthouse Project completed, and the politicians have to get behind it and know what this type of facility does for the community. We know sports franchises can rally cities, plus you create more jobs and more vibrance. I think it’s going to happen.”
DiPietro cited the dramatic 34 percent surge in attendance so far this season as evidence that the Islanders are making progress rebuilding their fan base. “People are excited,” the goaltender said. “But when you build a new building, people are interested to see what it’s like, and it’s going to have a lot more to offer as far as fun things for the kids to do. Every time you go to a game, it’s going to be like an event. There’s going to be a lot more to do than just watch a hockey game. I think it’s going to be a huge draw for people new to the sport.”
Comments (139)
It's an absolute joke that it's taken this long already ...the politicians in Nassau County are awful self-serving morons. This project should have happened years ago ...the politicians are just trying to make sure they all get their say to try and act as if they're doing something so that they can justify another raise they'll vote themselves ...
I just hope this deal gets done, because if it doesn't the Isles are gone ...
Why should it have happened years ago? Islanders fans (or lack thereof) have proven that they could care less about this team. Remember, the Islanders went the entire decade of the 90's without reaching the teens in average attendance once. If Islander fans and Long Island showed any type of enthusiasm for this team at all, this project probably would have been done. But they haven't. The continue to be the worse fans in the National Hockey League.
I continued to attend games in the Coliseum through the good times and the bad. Those were very bad times because frankly it seemed like the owners didn't care one bit about putting a good team on the ice. I think, more than anything else, Islander fans just aren't stupid. We needed some proof that there was a commitment to winning and, frankly, to keeping the team here, and now we're starting more and more to come back.
As for the plan, I love it. I absolutely love it. The Nassau Legislature should take a break from voting itself a 60% raise (are they kidding me?) and work with the Town of Hempstead to GET'ER DONE!
If Wang wants this, then he should build it and pay for it. I'm sure the fine people of Long Island already paying the highest taxes in the country will love it (sarcasm).
These Nassau politicians are morons. If they don't have the where with all to approve this, Nassau doesn't deserve a pro sports team. Watch Wang go to Brooklyn which makes sense. The Islanders will be in a new building and still be geographically on Long Island. If that doesn't pan out, go to Suffolk. The Pilgrim state site is close to the LIE and a LIRR transit link could easily be constructed.
Just get a deal done. New arena and surrounding area looks awesome. I just hope they are smart enough to give it the barn the same hockey feel. Some of these new arena's blow in terms of a hockey experience!
If you notice, he IS paying for it. Taxpayers are subsidizing the PUBLIC UTILITIES to serve the project.
Never in my life have I heard of people dragging their feet on letting someone else spend a ton of money to renovate and revitalize something they own. It's mind-boggling.
Also, according to the Nassau web site, there was a $25 million federal grant to study transit links in the area. Can we please finally build that LIRR link that would take all of a half mile of track? Kthxbye
Long Island is becoming just pain old bla........ the development is key not only for the Isles but for jobs and overall economy as well. It's no secret the local governments are some of the WORST in the nation and the time is now to save Long island. Wang is truly trying to make it a place to visit and live with pride, not just a place for the Rich and Famous to have summer homes. It's sad when out of state people only know about the Hamptons when LI has so much more to offer. Go Charles, i'm behind ya. As for the local governmets... shame on you for greasing your pockets, wasting time and not doing whats right.
No wonder young adults are relocating..... The expensive Long island simply does not offer enough now to justify the cost of living and housing.
Its so great that people are talking about all of this!
I have to say, I for one DO NOT want a new arena. *I* want the renovations that they planned to do to NVMC. It looks amazing, the Islanders would still have their history, and the place would be up to date and enjoyable for everyone.
AND I want f'ing transportation so I can actually GET THERE.
Give me those two things, and I will be a season ticket holder- mark my words! (Actually if I just got the second thing Id already BE a season ticket holder.)
The overwhelming key to the success of the entire Nassau 'hub' area is the LIRR link. All Charles would need to do is invest his $300 million in the track/tunneling necessary to place a LIRR station next to the NVMC. You'd see business interests flocking to invest in that area.
I now live in Cincinnati, but I lived in East Meadow for the first 18 years of my life 1956-1974. I was on the Island for business last week and spent the week at the Marriot. I was absolutely amazed at the amount of development that has taken place in the surrounding areas (Mineola, Garden City, Westbury, Roosevelt Field). Add a mass transit link to that prime parcel of land, along with improvements to the roadway infrastructure and that area will take off like a skyrocket. Will it retain any resemblence to the suburban atmosphere I grew up in? Of course not. But even if this project is NOT done, that area will be fully urbanized before you know it. The hub project will ensure that the urbanization that does take place ultimately contributes to the tax base and keeps LI viable as a sports destination.
Cincy, I agree with your assessment. I spent my formative years in Bellmore, and I'm stunned at the development that's taken place in my comparatively short life. Drive by any stretch of a main road on Long Island and see how many out-of-business big box stores and deserted strip malls you see. The unplanned sprawl growth method that we've followed since World War II is simply unsustainable. Anybody who says we want to live in "suburbia" rather than "New Suburbia" is still stuck somewhere in the 50's. Our job market is stagnating because smart ideas like this one are being shouted down by anti-progress NIMBY's that care more about protecting a long-dead ideal than actually doing something positive for the area. Trying to preserve our "suburban ideal" only leads to compromise:
- The LIE, which doesn't go as far east as it should and is woefully inadequate for the traffic it handles.
- The Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway, or as I call it, The Road to Nowhere, because the NIMBY's on the North Shore didn't want a bridge across the Sound into Rye. Ask anyone who drives to Connecticut or Boston how that one's working out.
- The NVMC itself. Nickerson wanted to build an 18,000 seat mega-arena in the vein of places like MSG and Joe Louis. The Legislature shouted him down because they didn't think the team would be viable long-term. 4 straight Cups disproved that one, didn't it?
The Nassau Legislature and the Town of Hempstead really have a chance to do something great for our Island and future generations. We'll all hear the NIMBY's piss and moan about things like traffic (though they'd also fight a rail link that would alleviate the traffic) and pollution (those wind turbines are greenhouse gas machines, aren't they?), but will we finally have the guts to stand up to them?
It's time to take back our Island and show the world that this is a special place yet again.
And under compromise, I forgot the lack of Freight Rail on Long Island. Funny, the NIMBY's don't want freight trains, but they complain about the trucks that companies have to use instead just as much.
OK, I don't mean to play devil's advocate here, because I completely support the Hub project, but Long Islanders don't lack pride in their communities. On the contrary, they are immensely proud of their communities which are in fact quite beautiful and boast some of the most expensive real estate in the country -- not just in the Hamptons but all over the Island. That is precisely the problem the Islanders face here... In places like Nashville and Columbus, people feel that they live in a backwater and they want the sense of identity and national recognition they think they will get from having a major league sports franchise. But Long Islanders already feel that LI is a very privileged part of the center of the universe, i.e., greater New York. And they derive their pride both from the connection to NY but also from being UNlike the rest of the NY area, namely, leafy, quiet, posh, etc. -- they are glad to have the City at their disposal when they want it, but to be able to leave behind the negatives of urban life at the end of the day (or evening) and come home to beautiful Oyster Bay, or Westbury or wherever. Very few people on LI feel like they live in a downtrodden place that needs a sports team or an urban center to put it on the map. And they fear that more development will make LI more like NYC and destroy what makes it, in their view, *superior* to NYC. (For one example, everyone on LI knows, or thinks they know, that LI has the best public schools of any region in the country. And lo and behold, this year, Long Island produced 14 Siemens -- used to be called Westinghouse -- science competition finalists, more than the entire state of California!)
So frankly, appeals to pride are not going to work on LI. The Wang/Rechler team is better off making the case that the Hub should be approved because it will be a good thing in its own right. And I think that has been the core of their argument.
Well said KH and Cincy and Nick.
Cincy, you and I have a comparable resume..."but I lived in East Meadow for the first 18 years of my life 1956-1974"
Me? North Massapequa 1955-1977.
I go back there and look at the semi vacant strip malls dotting Hicksville Rd (What no Rum Bottoms??) and it brings a tear to the eye.
KH- SPOT ON analysis of the "community pride" thing.
Nick, I remember growing up as a kid playing on the construction sites of the SOB. And all the fighting that went on about the Sound Bridge. And for YEARS there was very little traffic on the "Expressway to Nowhere". Now, when I visit, the damn road is as busy as the LIE.
My point in all of this?
Thanks guys for the trip down memory lane.
My only concern regarding the Wang Vision for the Complex?
Is there room for a deli, a pizza joint and a Carvel?
Cuz more than anything else, that is what Long Island means to me.
NHL, why don't you use your usual post tag? You're all over these blogs so we know you're a regular. However, when you post on the Rangers blog or post a Ranger comment here you use NHL. Why? Afraid?
505 -- Totally agree about the deli, pizza joint and Carvel. Went to a Yankees game this year with a childhood friend and we stopped at the Village Green Deli in Great Neck to get hoagies before the game. I used to love those hoagies but had not had one in almost 30 years. Incredibly, it tasted exactly the same as I remembered it... almost brought tears of joy to my eyes. And I still get Carvel whenever I go to Mets (and sometimes Isles) games...
By the way, I know this is way OT but is anyone else just baffled by the Mets interest in Torrealba over LoDuca? I think the Wilpons personal distaste for LoDuca's tabloid antics is involved here... they're ultra-conservative.
Metalchick,
"I have to say, I for one DO NOT want a new arena. *I* want the renovations that they planned to do to NVMC."
Know that if Wang doesn't get this plan approved, you may well get those renovations at NVMC.
But NVMC will probably be looking for a new tenant.
And I could very well be watching an NHL team in Rio Rancho NM formerly known as the Islanders. (Or Cincy in Cincy--or COMPLETE strangers in Kansas City).
To Wang's credit, unlike other extortionist owners in other towns, he has not uttered the words of ultimatum. But ya gotta read between the lines here. The guy has had a pretty expensive season ticket at NVMC for a lot of years now.
And, to his credit as well, he is stepping up with his own money in lieu of sticking it to the taxpayers.
Not my town anymore, not my fight, but it is time for all good ISLANDERS to step up if they want to keep the team.
KH,
Hoagies?
Where do you live now?
Hoagies?
On LI they're "heroes" or simply "sandwiches"
"Hoagies" is a Philadelphia malapropism.
And you'll get no comments from me about the Met's on this board. I am a Yankee fan.
I grew up in Great Neck and now live in NYC -- have never lived in Philly. They were always called hoagies growing up... hero was the general term for a submarine sandwich, but the hoagie was/is a specific type of hero with lots of different Italian deli meats on it, plus cheese, shredded lettuce and dressing. Maybe they only used the term in that deli (it's a German/Italian deli, not a Jewish one BTW). Maybe the owners are from Philly? Dunno...
KH
"Incredibly, it tasted exactly the same as I remembered it... almost brought tears of joy to my eyes."
Nowhere in this country, nay, may I say THE WORLD?, is there anything close to the quality of the BREAD that is distributed in the NY area.
Bagels, rolls, you name it.
Slap on some Boar's Head meat and your choice of condiments and it's epicurean bliss.
For years now I bring friends from here to NY for various events. First stop is always a deli.
Now, when I go back to NY on my own, it is with a shopping list for people here who demand that I stop in a deli (ANY DELI) on the return trip to the airport to pickup their favorite "hoagie" to bring back.
My cousin moved around due to the military and now lives in Arkansas. Last time he was planning a trip up here he instructed me to drop him off at the nearest pizzeria and leave him there for about a week.
And seriously, how do we think we can combat the NIMBY's and get a project like this through?
And I'm with 505, Yankees/Islanders. Good luck with Torrealba...Los Mets strike again
had to change my handle for work reasons:
In the plans....NVMC is getting renovated and not being rebuilt at all. They are dropping the ice 5ft. and expanding and creating new concourses.
They have brought the LIRR connection up again which would be great but who knows.
If it does not work out, Wang needs to buy Pilgrim state .
Lets go Bulldogs: Fans do not buy tickets for the Rangers..get the facts straight. Merrill Lynch does. If any team is going to Hamilton it will not be the Isles. The reason they can not get rid of the Islanders is b/c we are the only winning hockey franchise in NY
If the Lighthouse Project is shot down, then move the Islanders to Brooklyn's new arena. Remember, Brooklyn and Queens are an extension of Long Island, or you could say it the other way around, that Long Island is an extension of Brooklyn and Queens.
I agree 100%. The best thing to do is to get the Islanders into the Barclays Center if this idea gets shot down. Frankly, given all the work they've done to involve the community and placate the small-minded politicos in the legislature, this thing has to work. If it doesn't, it may simply be proof that nothing could ever get done here, and if that happens the Islanders owe it to their fans to go to the next available option - Brooklyn.
when did the rangers win 3 of those cups? 1940 and before
How many teams did they play against? 5.( if playing against 5 teams and you win only 3 cups....sad..)
How long between cups? 54 years
The rags finally just won a playoff series after 9 years or so.
So how are the Rags a winning franchise, we have done more in the short amount of time than the rags have done in a 100 years.
SEE YOU COULD NOT ARGUE ABOUT THE TICKETS. THAT HURT, DIDN'T IT. I KNOW THERE ARE SOME OF YOU THAT HAVE SEASONS BUT BE SERIOUS. MOST OF YOUR FANS HAVE TO SIT HOME AND SHOW THEIR KIDS THE RAGS ON TV B/C THEY COULD NOT GET TICKETS OR COULD NOT AFFORD THEM.
MUST BE NICE IN THE 400'S LOSER
As I've posted before, I'm not crazy about that particular idea(Project Lighthouse). But I am glad to see that Wang is pushing forward.
Before you complain about the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) folks, put yourself in their shoes. Not everybody cares about Charles Wang's personal wealth, the existance of the Islanders, or the availability of a 20K square foot work out center...
What they do care about is getting to work in the morning, and getting home at night.
Before you call these people jerks, morons and idiots, consider the other side of the coin.
Everybody who has had any interest at all in buying the Islanders has been interested in developing that land.
There would be a very good possibility to build the hub of LI commerce there, had they partnered with the folks who had that idea within the last 30 years...
What ever happened to Roosevelt Raceway?
Look at aqueduct raceway... THat would be a perfect spot for the NEW colliseum. There is enough room in the unused parking lot to fit a great arena, and still have the racetrack there... and maybe a minor league baseball park as well.... if they cut into the barn area. Plus it ALREADY has public access.
That is not the issue here. the issue is land development. Charles Wang doesn't own the rights to that parcel... he has a flawed property, and desperately wants to build on it.
I'd say, unless the county can give that area access to the LIRR, then move the team somewhere it exists already.
adding 500-2000 cars to the traffic problem in any given hour is not really solving anything.
It will only bring to life my favorite Yogi-ism:
"Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded"
I think everybody would like something done on that property, but maybe they should wait for something that improves the general well being of Nassau County...
Like the Nassau Town Center... with bus routes starting at 10-16 sites on the outlying towns of nassau county... and in the town center would be a huge outdoor shopping center, restaurants of all levels, movie and indoor and outdoor live theatres, maybe an ice rink, bowling alley, maybe some office space,... and the NEW NVMC....
there are models for this all over america, and everyone I've seen is a success. They are community and commercial hubs.
Where the inovation comes in is designing the BUS LINE to compliment the LIRR and give full 24-7 access to the property.
Nick, I am planning to call the Islanders to ask what I can do to help.
Some of you do not know jack about the lighthouse project but you think that you do. Go read up on it.
JP, I think that's why Suozzi is requiring an LIRR link as well as Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to the site. If you think about it, a reliable mass transit link could actually REDUCE the traffic in the area on game days. I think NIMBY's are idiots because they're acting completely in their own self-interest and without logic. Let's not forget when they made the Grucci fireworks factory move after that accident because it was near so many houses. We'll just disregard the fact that the fireworks factory was there for 50 years before these people decided to build their houses next to it. Many of these people who demonstrate against new development seem to be against EVERYTHING, and they don't actually have logical reasons for not supporting that particular project other than they don't want it. I'm all in favor of public debate, but we can't let a vocal few derail every single smart proposal you see around here.
Also, so you know....Roosevelt Raceway is now a condo complex.
In Beantown they call them:
Subs!
Nothing in the world is as good as Hero's from Long Island. as other have said it is all about the WATER....The bread is second to NONE! Port Washington NY's Harbor Deli was second to none :) !!!
Pizza, Bagels, Hero rolls, etc..... If I could get that quality bread up here in MA. I would quit my job today!
Chinese food up here blows also!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Put everything you got on the Rags over the Devils tonight. LOCK of the YEAR !!! Hate to say that, but it is true.....
KH, I was actually thinking of forming a community advocacy group. Through an old friend of mine, I actually know Scott Rechler, and he still talks about the speech I gave at the public forum last June as an impetus to really improve the project. We should chat about this. I'll be at the Montreal game on Wednesday. I also don't have to be here in Washington next week, so I'll be in my office in Lower Manhattan Monday-Tuesday. We should try to hatch some ideas.
----------
"14 YEARS without WINNING a playoff series!"
----------
Hey, stupid- if 14y ago is SO long ago, then you should all just STFU once and for all about the stupid NY Oilgers winning the cup back then (for the first time in well over half a century, of course.)
See, the early 90s cant be ancient history one minute and yesterday the next. Try a little consistency on for size you obsessive loser f**khead trolls.
SUBS up here stink with 2 pieces of BAD roastbeef on a BAD roll.
Sals deli in astoria, best HERO's money can buy
(Sorry about the previous post, guys... I try so hard to ignore the trolls and most of the time I can, but... grrrr!)
----------
Posted by Nick | November 14, 2007 13:07
KH, I was actually thinking of forming a community advocacy group. Through an old friend of mine, I actually know Scott Rechler, and he still talks about the speech I gave at the public forum last June as an impetus to really improve the project. We should chat about this. I'll be at the Montreal game on Wednesday. I also don't have to be here in Washington next week, so I'll be in my office in Lower Manhattan Monday-Tuesday. We should try to hatch some ideas.
----------
I think that is a great idea.
My office is in midtown.
And I am going to the Montreal game, too.
Maybe we can meet up at the game and I can give you my email address. I would really like to do something as well so maybe we can exchange ideas? :)
Sounds good to me....when I get back from Washington I'll take a look at my tickets and see where I'll be sitting (I want to say 302 but I'm not making any promises), and we'll go from there.
I had not made plans to go to the MTL game but now I will and we can all chat about this...
Location, I agree in the abstract, but prime real estate is rarely available in large chunks. In order to get it you have to do something like, I don't know, tear down Penn Station (not criticizing the Rangers or MSG for doing this, just pointing out that something like that is the only way something along those lines gets done).
In addition, many people like to use sports arenas as a catalyst for further development and revitalization. They hope this arena will lead fans and businesses into a previously not-so-good area.
Posted by 25 years & counting | November 14, 2007 13:22 ----------
"14 YEARS without WINNING a playoff series!"
----------
Hey, stupid- don't forget that the piles haven't even won ONE home play-off game in what,like a decade?
.
.
.
.
.
.
Wrong.
Idiot.
Nick, KH, that sounds great. :)
Once we all know where we are sitting lets either post it here on this particular blog entry or decide to meet somewhere specific- like a particular gate thats closer to all of our seats, or maybe in The_Tent.
I really like the idea of accomplishing something instead of wasting all of our good ideas, motivation, and energy talking to one another and to the flippin Islander_Troll!
And Matty, why the hell are you bothering US with your Ranger/Toronto bullcrap? Take it over there.
Maybe because i was not dressed for the game vs the rags. and if i was, Avery would have played on the other side of the ice.
Nick:
Got a bone to pick with you buddy. I grew up and lived for many years near Oyster Bay. The overpass to make the bridge across the sound would have destroyed several beautiful communities in the area (one of the few places left in Nassau County where you can actually find woods and preserves). People had their homes in the area well before such a project was started and they are well within their right to shoot it down if they feel encroached upon. Sorry to those driving to Connecticut and Boston but if you are driving that far for work already you may want to reconsider changing where you work or live. I guess this makes me a NIMBY in this case but I have to agree with those that blocked the bridge. If someone wanted to build a road directly through your house, how would you react?
Anyway now to completely switch sides and say that as a NIMBY I am not against all forms of development. If things never changed we would still be living in caves. I support this HUB because its transforming a concrete sea that is under utilized empty space and is frankly, ugly. If it can bolster the Nassau economy and keep the Islanders here than more power to it. I think its success however is entire predicated on getting a good transportation network developed for the area. As much as I hate how corrupt and slow the Nassau government is, I do agree traffic will be a problem.
I am excited about the prospect of the athletic center and 4 new rinks. With proper access I think it would be great for growing the game of hockey on the Island as there would no doubt be various leagues and tournaments held there.
Now to see if this will get done within in my lifetime...
Healy, I'll admit first-hand I was far too young to know much about it at the time....I don't hate all NIMBY's, hell my family led the fight against building a JFK radar tower at the old Bellmore army base. I think a better solution could POSSIBLY have been hatched in that instance. If you look at my takes on these situations, I'm against NIMBY's who are just blindly against everything, not those who have a compelling reason to oppose it. I think if they allow this plan to go through with the rail links and sustainable development principles we'll have something really great there. I understand your point completely, though.
Mike in Rochester,
"SUBS up here stink with 2 pieces of BAD roastbeef on a BAD roll."
Try living in a part of the country where pain is a flavor.
Been here 21 years and I still get a dirty look when I respond with "Neither" when asked if I want "red or green?" (chili's) on a sandwich.
Christ, even McDonald's burgers come with green chile on 'em.
I just can't figure out why perfectly rational people purposely ingest food articles that inflict pain, both during the intake as well as the next morning in the magazine room.
And I'm not talking mustard style spicy here, I am talking about 4 alarm, drink a quart of milk per bite to kill the fire, hot.
Amazing.
First of all I do NOT troll on ANY blog, you pimple-faced pubescent. And the fact that you said this out of nowhere guarantees tht you are over there using my name like the idiot you are. What you forget is that Newsday knows who is posting what.
Secondly- (for the math-challenenged Islander_Troll whichever name he uses) the year 2002 was NOT in the 90s... and the Islanders won every single home game they played in that playoff series against Toronto 4 seasons ago. But, since most of what you say is completely incorrect, I would not expect anything more from you than baffling stupidity, anyway.
Thirdly, we will talk about whatever the hell we want because this blog is here for US, not YOU.
Fourthly and finally, there is not ONE thing you can say- ever- that will make you anything other than a worthless little gnat around here. And, thankfully, your idiotic banter will be deleted later today- because both the blog mod and everyone who comes here knows that what you have to say isnt worth jack.
Quite the "Islander" board here today.
Subjects running from food, colloquialisms (hoagie, hero or sub?), civics (nimbys), 50 year old political battles (The Sound Bridge), and the usual smattering of clones/trolls downgrading the NY education system.
Love it.
I'm sure MAB and Hilbert are loving it as well.
TRADE MAB AND "FIRST BASE" HILBERT!
(Happy now, 505?)
Once Cuthbert had enough of him, Avery tried to throw himself at Paris Hilton.
Unfortunately for paparazzi and tabloid photographers everywhere, this union did not happen.
And yea, to the issue at hand, MetalChick and KH, I'll talk to you over the weekend and earlier next week about a time/place to meet to talk about our group idea.
If Avery shows up in that People Magazine article........
Does it give a whole new meaning to the "blue seats" at MSG?
Islanders to K.C.! Yea!
I just spoke to Newsday.com and I was personally assured that they are looking to change the present blog structure here. They know who is doing this and, according to them, they are working around current methods to continue their harassment. Newsday.com is sick of this, too. Once the new structure is in place and a person is banned from one blog, they are banned from all blogs. I assume that once this type of structre is in place, Newsday will keep the IP info on the idiots that are causing all the problems NOW and ban them immediately. Good riddance to adolescent losers!
C'mon Islander 505, 21 years and you don't drink green or red chili for breakfast? For those of you who don't know about this "chili" culture it is huge in NM, and Colorado, and probably other SW states. The stuff can be hot that is for sure, but you get past that if you eat enough of it. I've seen it first hand with my wife - the spiciest thing she used to eat was mild salsa, and after living in CO for 8 years, she is now able to pallet the hottest green chili out there (well, at least before I made an extremely spicy batch and basically irritated an ulcer she didn't know she had).
Once you get used to the heat, that's when the addiction sets in. That's when you start scouring town for the best green or red chili. And once you find those places, your whole culinary world changes, and you are ready to slap this stuff on anything. Granted, not sure I'm into the idea of McDonalds doing this...
Yes, it is true that I love green and red chili as much as I do the Islanders!
And, if any of you come out this way for the Isles-Avs game in January, I will personally whip up a batch of green chili so you know what I'm talking about!
Posted by KH | November 14, 2007 14:37 Hey Nick,why don't we meet down at the Blue Oyster Bar?
I'm a regular there,and I'm SURE you know where it is...tee-hee
Sounds fine for you guys, but Id prefer if we maybe picked somewhere that I know.
Posted by Nick | November 14, 2007 14:33
MetalChick and KH, I'll talk to you over the weekend and earlier next week about a time/place to meet to talk about our group idea.
----------
Cool deal :)
I hope they do build a new arena for the Isles. God knows I'm not doing anything in this building!
Andy, thank GOD you're here!
Try hooking a bra onto a chair and PRACTICING
LOL, poor Hilbert.
He will GET that elusive goal, youll see!
Posted by Stephon Marbury | November 14, 2007 16:39
Can I play for the Islanders?
----------
Nah- youre like half a foot shorter than Chara, what kind of basketball player is that?
Hey, he's still better than Yashin.
Why should it have happened years ago? Islanders fans have proven that they truly care about this team. Remember, the Islanders have played in the worst arena in the NHL and their attendance has still been respectable, moreso even than some teams that have won the cup in the not-too-distant past such as the Devs. If Islander fans and Long Island continue to show the type of enthusiasm for this team that they have been showing this season, this project will probably pass through al the stupid red tape it needs to pass through. Thank goodness, they keep supporting the team, even to the point where the improvement in attendance this year is the leagues best. They continue to be the best and most loyal fans in the National Hockey League.
Amen.
I see Anon knows how to use the copy/paste functions. As for the blog, it's quite entertaining today .... some solid contributions. I just re-read a bunch ... good stuff.
The Hilbert shooting at a bra comment had me laughing.
by the way, wrong moniker ... in case you missed it there are some happenings over in Yankee land too!!! I'm w/ 505 ... Isles + Yanks ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!
Bri, I think I need to get off the bra stuff because nobody gets the joke anymore. That, and my nickname for him, Andy "First Base" Hilbert, comes from a comment JPinVA made earlier in the year, where he equated Hilbert trying to score with a 14 year old trying to unhook his first bra.
I am not a Yankee fan (not a hater either), but I will be THRILLED if the reports turn out to be true and they've kicked Scott Boras's ass.
yeah, Boras is evil. And these trolls are brain dead ... same stuff over and over. Get some new material guys.