On the Islanders Beat

Carried over from the previous thread - I called in to Bettman's show and they put me on:

I asked him 2 questions -

1. Since there are so many disputed goal calls taking up time both on the ice and in the Toronto war room, has the NHL looked into wireless and sensor technologies to determine automatically if the puck crossed the line, thus eliminating the element of chance and negative fan perceptions? (As I told them, I'm a technology consultant, so I tend to think like that in all instances)

2. I identified myself as an Islander fan and, using the Lighthouse as the backdrop, asked if the NHL had an organized lobbying plan to help teams get new arenas.

Bettman answered the second question, and Colin Campbell, who was guest-reporting on the show, answered the first question (I'm glad he didn't know that after his comments about Snow last April, I was the one who called the NHL offices and argued with his secretary)

Anyway, the answers:

1. Campbell displayed a fundamental misunderstanding of technology, because he claimed the ice, concrete, and metal in the goal posts would interfere (it wouldn't). He said they're working with a firm out of Detroit (thus not my firm, otherwise we would've gotten it done) to evaluate different options (I should have told them about the schematic I drew myself as an idea of how it would work). He also said they have looked at other options, since he doesn't seem to think the human element should be removed. They pointed out that out of the 7000 goals scored every year, only a few are disputed. They spent millions to install high-definition cameras in all arenas, and they are researching other options, like changing the netting to make it easier to see top-down.

2. Bettman voiced his support for Wang and Rechler, admiring their commitment to the team and the area. He said that we need an arena "yesterday," but that they only provide assistance. The onus is on the Islanders organization, and, by extension, Islander fans, to really get the Lighthouse project done.

They post archived shows on NHL.com if you want to hear my ridiculous-sounding voice.

Herrmann's back! WooHoo!

This is carried over from the previous thread also .. in response to Nick ...

Posted by 19 ISLE in NJ 22 | January 10, 2008 18:00

LOL!! That's great Nick ...

Good thing I didn't call ... they'd run out of bandwidth.

I've spoken with GB in person a couple of times ... not particularly an engaging person. He seems set on HIS agenda .. and HIS only ... I kinda recall while taking business classes in college .. that being omni-dimensional ill equips you to be a leader..... hmmmmm .. coincidence? I think not.

But him doing this radio show is a step in the right direction ... I give him credit for that.

Kyle, Jeff & Frans ... that may be a lethal line in the AHL ... I look forward to following all their progress.

Wow,
What an off-day.
A/Isles get double coverage from Newsday, Thanks Mark Herrmann for running up to Binghamt...er Bridgeport for the KO report. A few (3--5) years back I took the ferry many times between CT and the Island while my daughter was VB'ing at the Univ of Hart.
It's a GREAT ride and beats the hell out of "the traditional drive".
AND...
B/NICK GOES LIVE WITH THE COMMISH!!!
Well done Nick, REALLY WELL DONE!!!
Way to keep the Isles in the spotlight with those buffoons.
SOMEONE from our tribe should call in every show.
I'll defer, I've already had my 15 seconds of fame this year and I'll be too tempted to ask Bettman which of the 4 people from my summer HS job he was.

Geez, what's next?
The Isles get back page coverage in Newsday???
ON AN OFF DAY???!!!!!

What did Steady say a few blogs back about hopeless optimism?

"Kyle, Jeff & Frans ... that may be a lethal line in the AHL ... I look forward to following all their progress."

AGREED, 19Isles....ya beat me to the punch.
I am already pencilling it into my dance card for next year's number 2 line up here.

Are we gonna get another "airline horror blog" from Logan?

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/air-canada-passengers-hurt-in-turbulence/20080110144109990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001

Great job getting air time Nick, and good post all above on the future lines.

I have given two locks of the year. My hockey bet of the night is the Rags. It is short money and if they lose this one, well it is almost worth it to lose the money. I feel dirty betting on them, but put a small bag on the Rags over Philly -135.

I wish Kyle was home tomorrow night. I am coming to Long Island (Port Wash) to see some friends and actually play some hockey. We rented out the ice for 11pm on Saturday night after the Pats lose (wishful thinking!) Anyway I get there by taking the Bridgeport/Port Jeff ferry b/c I stay in North Port with family.

Wife and kids are staying home this time, so it would of been nice to catch the game before the ferry and have some suds.

Is there a Sunday game? Maybe I can catch it on my way home.

505, that would be pretty ironic, but he was already in Calgary with the team, thankfully.

19Isle, I got the same impression from talking to both Bettman and Colin Campbell. They are so focused on their agenda that they're blind to other valid requests. I found it comical that Colin Campbell tried to lecture me on different surfaces that could potentially interfere with the signal as reasons for not piloting a wireless solution. If they're having those problems, their consulting firm sucks. In addition, I already identified myself as a technology consultant. Wouldn't it be smart to not lecture someone who already told you he knows enough to know you're making that up? I'm really encouraged that Bettman was willing to do this show, but it's disappointing to me that he gives such politicians' answers and seems so dismissive of the fans' ideas. In addition, the screening process is pretty tough. I had to audition my question and explain the reason I was asking it before they put me in the queue to be on the show. That's why you don't hear any Canadians calling to bash him.

Nick you should of lectured him on how to play Def....If someone helped him back in the day, maybe he would of not got swept by the Isles for the cup and been used as a punching bag by Gillies!

Steady,
Be careful what you wish for (from previous thread re MAB and Alaska)

Click on and scroll down and look at who is (sponsoring) "Skate With The Aces"

http://www.alaskaaces.com/

LOL....That's good stuff.

Where are you from?

"Where are you from?"
Originally, after that, most recently or now?

55-77 North Matzohpizza LI
77-79 Cleveland - Remember the Cleveland Barons?
79-86- Anchorage- One of the original 200 season ticketholders (I bought 4) to the UAA Seawolves.
86-Present- Area Code 505

Steady/505: I like the idea of the Mad Bomber playing wing as long as it's left wing or preferably left out. I think limiting the options to Alaska is problematic too. We sent Freddy the 4th out west and he found his way back. Let's send him to Russia with Yashin and then all our former malcontent non producers are in one place with zero chance of returning..

LOL Miggs.

505 is New Mexico.....Thank God for the Directv huh :) !!!

I am watching the Rags get booed off their own ice. I lost my small wager of 135, but it is worth it :) :)!!! This team is toast !

For all those that thought DP was in a slump, take a gander at mr. Lundquist.....Got lit up YET AGAIN TONIGHT!!! Sam is crying in his soup.....CLASSIC !!!

Pitt has won 8 in a row....Called that one...They are going to be TOUGH in the playoffs......PITT vs OTTAWA would be a classic series.

Isles need to really give strong effort the nest two games....WIN and we got the Ragsssssssss

Okay, I just slipped over to BUF/OTT following the Rangers latest debacle. And my favorite announcers are on.
It's a 2-1 Ottawa lead, and 3 times in 5 minutes I have heard
"Buffalo should not be this close". Mind you it's not like I'm watching Van/Isle 1st period the other night.
Now they're talking about how the Sen's should easily come in with 115-120 points this year.
YES!!!! Buffalo just scored to tie it!!!!
Yeah that's right Einsteins, they are not reviewing the goal, They're calling a penalty on the Sen's for a high stick after the goal.

I TRULY DESPISE THESE GUYS.

In the spirit of St. Nick, if the Isles embarass these clowns this week and beat the Sen's I may change my handle to St. Christopher.

505~~ LOL!!! You have the scoops of the day my friend.

.............

I'm going to try to call into the Gary Bettman show next week. Last I spoke with GB was in San Jose ... he was asking me who to see for NHL on Fox swag ... apparently some Celebrity All Stars wanted stuff ... I said have them see me ... then GB and I talked about places in NY to get great NY Deli food. (we both were complaining about lack of good eats in San Jose)

As far as the Fox swag went. I traded the swag in for an opportunity to skate with the Celebrity All-Star team during their practice .. Michael J. Fox, Richard Dean Anderson, Alan Thicke & some guy from Beverly Hills 90120 to name a few .. lol .. those guys were really good too.

My boss at the time said .. that's just rich .. we trade in the Fox swag to get bumped up to first class on the airlines ... and you use it to play hockey with hollywood stars. Gotta have your priorities, right? .... BTW .. I ended up sitting in first class on my flight home with the boss next to me ... Didn't I have the cat that ate the canary look on my face for that red eye flight home.
...............................

RE: MAB playing in Alaska.
Freddy just may be able to arrange a tryout for MAB on the Aces ... he's got connections.

However I like Miggs' idea better.
................................

I'm sure that Greg Logan wasn't on that plane .. he probably got in the day before. You'd have to think he came in yesterday so he could catch this morning's practice in Calgary ... however you never know with Greg's luck this trip. Give us a shout out to let us know you are OK Greg.

I just saw the score of the PHI-NYR game. Astounding what's happened to our least favorite team. I can't bring myself to post on the Rag board, so can someone here provide a sober, non-gloating analysis of what's going wrong with that team? I don't watch their games, except when they play us, and the last time was almost two months ago. I know Lundqvist has been in a slump and Avery's out again (their split with/without him is huge), but that's all I've heard...

WOW!!! The Caps signed Alex O. for 13 years .... and people made fun of the Isles for DP's 15 year contract ... seems some owners are doing the smart thing locking up their franchise players... thing is .. goalies are usually more productive for more years than skaters. Look at Jagr 5 years ago compared to this year... and he's still relatively young.

Good luck Caps ... A.O. is a world class athlete.

I think I'm going to have to see Okposo on Saturday night (Jints play on Sunday afternoon at 4--same time as BST's other home game). Of course, I also saw Ryan O'Marra's first game in Bridgeport--after he scored two goals in his road debut. My son got a game puck off his stick from a face-off and he signed autographs after the game. It'd be nice if they can do that again, but Kyle may be too tired to sign.

Also, a warning to anyone who brings a camera; the Sound Tigers official photographer is a photo Nazi. Believe it or not, he has an exclusive license, and if you have a long lens and he sees it, he'll ask security to take it away! So be careful during warm-ups or bring your pocket digitals with good a good zoom feature.

Nice to the Rangers get thumped tonight. Thanks for the pay Steady!

Question??

How do teams like the Kings, Lightning & Caps ... with sooo much offensive talent ... just suck up the joint so bad. Can you imagine those teams after this years very talented crop of top 5 prospects?

Someone give them some goaltending ... puhleeeze..

BTW ... Toronto seems to be now spiraling more and more downward. Their lineup looked sooo damn good earlier this year.

Another reason to give those long-term deals is that it's a hedge against steady salary inflation in the NHL. DP is already a bargain at $4.5M per, and in another few years he'll be a steal at that number. It's a lot of guaranteed money, but when it's that long a deal the net present value of the contract is not unreasonable (unless a player *really* doesn't pan out).

Just want to call the attention of folks on the board to two dates, courtesy of Nick:

At the 1/19 home game against the Devils (Town of Hempstead Night), Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray will be dropping the puck. I know us diehards try to go to every game we can anyway, but it's particularly important to have a sellout that night, and to give Ms. Murray a nice greeting. Nobody likes cheering politicians at sporting events (me included), but she has more power to approve or deny the new arena than any other single individual.

Second, on Tuesday, March 25, there is a public hearing on the Lighthouse Project/new arena. Nick and I are trying to put together a pre-hearing gathering/party of Islander fans, so we can meet, break bread together, put some questions to a Lighthouse rep so we know the issues, and then go to the hearing. More details later, but would like to get a sense of how many people who post here would be interested in attending.

Thanks guys (and gals)

KH
As far as the Ranger woes right now (let's not get too cocky boys, it's still a long season).......
I've been watching quite a few of the games during this recent demise. From my beerstained ash infested barcolounger, it comes down to one issue to this never played a minute of hockey in my life. LUNDQVIST.
Now, if you read the Zipay blogs 8 out of 10 ranger fans are screaming for Renney's head. (That seems to be a recurring theme around Penn Station these days). But, as I alluded too (weakly) in a post over there yesterday, is a new coach gonna make Lundqvist play any better? (BTW, one of MY posts got acknowledged yesterday by Zipay in his blog, when's the last time an admitted Isle fan got that, EH?)
;)
Anyhow, Zipay blogged about 10 days ago that Henrik's dad was ungergoing BRAIN SURGERY in whatever socialized medicine European country he comes from.
So, WHY IS ANYONE WONDERING WHAT'S WRONG WITH HENRIK? Do ya think he might be just a little distracted?
Why the Rangers haven't given this guy a 1-2 week sabbatical to GO SEE HIS FATHER FER CHRISSAKES is mindblowing to me.
Do the right thing and pack his bags...
DO THE SMART THING and play Valiquette, call up Montoya and inspire the rest of those millionaires to "rally round the season", while the King is gone.

Cuz Lundqvist is killing 'em right now.

Problem is, ya still got all the MSG management (not necessarily Renney) reading all the Trautwig/Fischler/SI/NHL.COM/TSN pablum hype coming out about him and they are afraid to let him go anywhere "and lose the momentum" of his stardom

But what do I know, I never played HOCKEY. (Just played and coached baseball for 45 years of my life, it's not the same).

It's just my opinion.

Thanks 505, I did not know about that. Totally agree it would have been the right thing to do to allow Lundqvist to take a leave, and also the smart thing to do with the fine backup they have, for the reasons you mention. We'll never know, but I'll bet behind the scenes Tom Renney (class guy) was for it and the scummy Dolans said no. They're not known for their big-heartedness or their grasp of how to build winning chemistry. To put it mildly.

More KH.

"but would like to get a sense of how many people who post here would be interested in attending."

I might be interested. I am due for a pilgrimmage to Mecca. March is my traditional time to come see the Allmans at the Beacon but since MSG bought out the Beacon there will be no Allman's there this year, so this would be a good enough excuse to come anyway, especially if there's a game around then.
I'll do the social stuff, but being around politicians gives me gonorrhea.

Retraction,

I said:
"So, WHY IS ANYONE WONDERING WHAT'S WRONG WITH HENRIK?"

I should be saying, "WHY ISN'T ANYONE WONDERING WHAT'S WRONG WITH HENRIK?"

Cuz nobody is, not Zipay, not the bloggers and apparently not Renney or anyone else at MSG. All the talk is firing Renney and trade this guy or that guy, and another overpaid worthless team.
When it is Henrik who is losing games for them now.
Cuz that would mean eating a lot of crow for all the hype that was dished out all season long.
Or else exposing what selfish pigs the Dolans and MSG are for not letting, scratch that, MAKING the guy go see his father before during and after BRAIN SURGERY.

Anyone wanna bet on Lundqvist bailing on the Ranger's a millisecond after his contract is up?

Ok, I'm done with that rant.
That's my final word
This is an Isles board.

KH

" so we can meet, break bread together,"
Leavened or unleavened?
Instead a circular table can we have one long table with 13 chairs?
That way we can invite Frei and his money bag?
Maybe commission Garry Trudeau to paint a portrait?

19Isles
"then GB and I talked about places in NY to get great NY Deli food."
Huh? That should have been a short discussion. Cuz there's a simple two word answer.
ANY DELI.

505 -- LOL! Great image, except it requires Frei to kiss the one he'll betray (the One Who is the Islanders Made Flesh). "Steady Christ"? Steady probably likes this idea, but doubt he wants to be kissed by Frei. That particular tableau does answer your other question though -- unleavened bread.

Well, yet another thing I was wrong about. I questioned the Wanger for trying to re-invent the wheel, in giving DP a long long long term comtract. Now Philly and Caps are doing the same. So either they are dumb also, or Wang really did change the way NHL contracts are handed out!

A win tongiht and we will all be right back sucked into the bandwagon.....We have two games in hand on the rags!

I watch all hockey almost every night with my kids. Not as seriously as if the Isles are on, but it is always on tv in man town aka basement bar. lol

It seems too me it is exactly what we all thought could happen when we saw their team on paper. They just do not all seem to click together. Jagr does not seem near as inspired as last year. When he is, he can still dominate. Shanny seems like he is all sbout himself and makes some questionable plays (yet still has that great shot on most nights.) Avery is a tool and even his last stint healthy took some really dumb penalties. Drury is yet too be Drury. Gomez is playing awesome. HE is the one I would of loved to have gotten!

Most of all though....They, like the Isles, depend WAY WAY too much on their goalie. Right now Lundquist is a sieve and they are losing! Their defense is suspect at best!

**SO LET'S TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.....ONE 6 GAME WINNING STREAK AND WE ARE ALL SET ****

Steady... you listening to Hillman up there on AAF?

KH
"Great image, except it requires Frei to kiss the one he'll betray (the One Who is the Islanders Made Flesh). "Steady Christ"? Steady probably likes this idea, but doubt he wants to be kissed by Frei"

Great minds think alike.
I, too, was gonna nominate Steady for The Big Guy's Chair- AKA the number 7 hole (biblical perfect number) from either side of the ends. For the reasons you stated above, as well as for when Pontius Bergeron and the Praetorians raid the place with their hammers and that there will be no confusion about which one Steady is.

Hammers and nails

I am scared to leave my house with all this blasphemy going on! LOL

If I am in town I would love to meet and be a part of your meeting of the minds (or lack there of :) )

Heally- Who is Hillman?

Speaking of the Rags and Lunqvuist... The Canucks & the NHL have excused Luongo from playing in the All Star Game and he will also miss 1 or 2 games after so he can be with his wife in South Florida who is having a complicated pregnancy. Hmmm, if Luongo can be excused for a family emergency why can't Lundqvist? I guess the Garden management really are class-less.

Is it possible that Tambellini might not get another call up until after the trade deadline (unless there is an injury that needs to be filled)? Maybe the thinking of the Islanders brass is that Tambellini holds more trade value going into the trade deadline (if we are buyers) as a top prospect ready for the NHL instead of an NHL player who has shown he can't produce at the NHL level?

Listen to the video on newsday.com of Kyle Okposo and listen to what his coach says about how & what type of players the Islanders organization is trying to develop.

steady,
i've been reading this block for the past few years and you have some great analysis and some interesting things things to say: however, get out of your own ass, you come off sounding as though you think you're a hockey god who knows all and that you stank don't stink! have a little more humility. ALSO, if you're always on here, obviously you're cpu literate so go freakin online and look if there's a soundtigers game on sunday your freakin self!

Who's the offensive machine in the white jerseys in Calgary tonight?