My Two Cents: The Islander Narrative

We have a new feature on the Random Musings blog: My Two Cents. This feature is a series of blog posts that will serve as quick reactions to topical sports news. The blog posts will be quick bursts of thought of under 500 words, meant to give you my opinion quickly instead of waiting for the next Sports With The StatMan show. Sometimes, it will be a reaction to a sports column or a reaction to something that happens on or off the field. I hope you enjoy it and feel free to leave a comment after this post to let me know what you think.

The Story: As we are heading into NHL training camp, Kevin Allen of USA Today wrote a nice article about Matt Moulson and the adversity he has faced in his career.  Moulson has become a fixture with the Islanders and has quietly created a tandem with John Tavares to rival the best in the league.  But, he referred to the Islanders as looking for back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since the 1990s, which is not true, and furthers the narrative of the losing on Long Island.

My Two Cents:
I love Kevin Allen.  He writes for more casual fans than any other hockey writer.  But, writing to casual fans who do not pay much attention to details, it can easily further the narrative of a team largely ignored otherwise.  I’m sure this is an oversight, but how did this get through in Kevin's Friday article on Matt Moulson?

Today, Moulson, 29, is a three-time NHL 30-goal scorer and a key player as the Islanders seek back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since the early 1990s.

I know that, as Moulson was quoted in the article, the Islanders do not get a lot of media on the island, but how could anyone fact-checking this article not see that the Islanders made the playoffs three straight years (2001-04)?  It would've taken five seconds.  This is the type of lazy things sportswriters write about the Islanders.  Because it is easy.  Because fact-checking is overrated.  Maybe Kevin is mailing it in from a nice vacation spot right before he works every day for six months.

Yes, we get the point that the Islanders have not had a good run in 20 years, reaching the Semis in 1993.  And, yes, they haven't WON a playoff series in 20 years.  But, it is another log on the fire for Islander fans who have seen their team dragged through the mud, sometimes unnecessarily and you can tell it is a sensitive subject.

The Isles have given plenty of fodder for naysayers and critics for 20 years and most of the time it has been warranted.  But, inaccuracies help further the narrative of the "hapless" New York Islanders.

Good thing the Islanders are turning this around in the right way for long-term success.  Good thing they are moving to Brooklyn soon so they will get more media coverage.  We can finally put this tired narrative to bed and the media may start to pay a little more attention to the team on the ice.

My Two Cents: The Nassau Coliseum Referendum

We are starting a new feature on the Random Musings blog: My Two Cents. This feature will be a series of blog posts that will serve as quick reactions to topical sports news. The blog posts will be quick bursts of thought of under 500 words, meant to give you my opinion quickly instead of waiting for the next Sports With The StatMan show. Sometimes, it will be a reaction to a sports column or a reaction to something that happens on or off the field. I hope you enjoy it and feel free to leave a comment after this post to let me know what you think.

The Story: The Nassau Coliseum Referendum

On August 1st, voters in Nassau County went to the polls to determine if the County can borrow up to $400 million, $350 million of which would be dedicated to a new arena right next to the current Nassau Coliseum. If the vote passes, the Nassau County legislature approves the vote with a supermajority, and if the Nassau Interim Finance Authority (NIFA) approves the deal, the new arena would keep the Islanders in Nassau County for the next 30 years.

According to the Nassau County Board of Elections website tonight, the referendum was voted down by a 57%-43% margin.

My Two Cents:
In a word: disgraceful. If this was a hockey game, the Nassau County politicians would be up by so many goals on Charles Wang and the Islanders, that sumo wrestler Wang thought of signing would be tending goal. Wang was the convenient pawn in the political game between the likes of Kate Murray, Ed Mangano, and Jay Jacobs. He was played by both sides when the Lighthouse Project and this current option was shot down, though this one was shot down a little more democratically.  Either way, the Islanders, the citizens of Nassau County, and the progress of the County all lost.

If Wang tries to make things work in Nassau County ever again, he deserves to get played again. Now is the time to make a deal to keep the team in the New York area and leave Nassau County behind. Nassau County used to be progressive. The county used to be a beacon for suburban life. Now, it is woefully behind the times, as its aging population will eventually turn the county into a 453-square mile nursing home.

So, my advice to Wang: peddle the Islanders to Queens, Brooklyn, or Suffolk County and get the best deal you can. You have lost enough money. Nassau County has given you too many gray hairs. You can still keep them in the area, but take them out of Nassau County. Nassau County does not deserve a major-league franchise. The politics have sent the Islanders to the brink in Nassau and the voters just pushed them over the edge. But, that does not mean the Isles are destined for Quebec City, Kansas City, or Hamilton.

Queens has the infrastructure, there is an arena being built for the Nets in Brooklyn, and Suffolk County is now home to many Islander supporters who used to live in Nassau County before they were fed up.  Any one of these choices are better than Nassau County. The county never sprung for improvements of their building. The county never installed a rail line. The county never really loved you back, so why bother trying to stay in a place that clearly does not want you?

Random Musings: Building Something

Nothing is more fun than being a fan of an overachieving team not expected to do much. A team that is fun to watch, surprises the national media, and sticks around much longer than just about anyone expected. A team that has some surprise stories of players not expected to contribute as much as they have contributed.  A team that has been a downtrodden franchise whose glory years were a long time ago.  But, I am not talking about the New York Jets.  I am talking, of course, about the New York Islanders.  


The Jets are another example of this and having two overachieving teams in the same town during the same year do not happen often.  The story of the Jets is well-heralded, reaching the AFC conference title game when just about everyone expected them not to qualify for the playoffs.  The Islanders started 2010 almost as hot as the Jets, starting the calendar year 6-1, and they are right in the thick of a playoff race that involves just about everyone.  Sound familiar?


Between Weeks 12 and 17 of the NFL season, the Jets were tied in the standings with at least three other teams.  Their low point was after Week 11, when the Jets were 4-6 and tied for 11th place in the 16-team AFC with Tennessee.  If you divide the games evenly across the NHL season, the Islanders would be at the same spot in their schedule after 53 games.  In the Islanders’ 53rd game, they were crushed by the Washington Capitals, 7-2, to fall to 23-22-8.  The 54 points were good for 12th place in the East out of 15 teams, but only one point behind sixth-place Philadelphia and the seventh-place New York Rangers.


After the Jets season, those that wear the uniform and the most positive fans said they saw this coming and they knew all along they would shock the world.  I am sure the Islanders and the most positive Islanders fans feel the Islanders will shock the world and make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  They have a long way to go, but no longer than the Jets.  Two more teams make the playoffs in the NHL than in the NFL.  The Islanders will have two built-in bye weeks in February, as only one player, Mark Streit, will be participating in the Olympics.  Streit’s Swiss team is not expected to medal, so he will still probably have a week off.  The Islanders will have time to practice and time to re-focus on the last six weeks of the season.


The playoffs were not necessarily in the plans for the Islanders this season.  They are building from within and a prized rookie, John Tavares, and the young nucleus, including Kyle Okposo and Josh Bailey, are learning on the job.  This leads to surprising victories and demoralizing losses and the Islanders have had their share of both this season.  These types of teams are reliant on how quickly they learn from their mistakes.  The Islanders have proved resilient, but still have issues with back-to-back games and taking care of business against teams they should beat.  But, according to most pundits, the Islanders were supposed to be at the bottom of the standings with no teams they “should” beat.


No matter what they do this season, it is clear the Islanders, like the Jets, are building something.  Besides their roster, their coach and general manager are on the same page.  Their owner, Charles Wang, is still committed to keep the team on Long Island.  (What is going on with that, anyway?)  Their roster almost fits Coach Scott Gordon’s system.  There is still some players that do not and most of them were holdovers from Ted Nolan’s time as head coach.  The future looks brighter than it did two years ago.  It looks brighter than any time since 2002-03, the season after a narrow playoff loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round.  In that 2002 playoff appearance, there was a lot of hope for Islander fans that their first appearance in the playoffs in eight years would be the start of a return to prosperity for the franchise.  


That hope waned in 2003 and 2004, losing in the first round and, after the lockout, the Islanders have been inconsistent and slow to adapt to the new NHL.  Consistently, the Islanders were among the teams shorthanded most often.  But, over the last couple of years, the Islanders have gotten younger.  They have instituted a system they can believe in and, after a lot of growing pains last year and some more this year, they will be in good position to have success in the new NHL.


New York is not a likely landing spot for overachieving teams.  The hype in this city makes it impossible to sneak up on anyone.  But, the Jets and Islanders are decidedly second-fiddle teams in a crowded New York market.  The money available to teams to spend in this town is unparalleled.  But, football and hockey have a playing field that is more even than ever with a salary cap.  Just look at the Super Bowl this year, where small markets like Indianapolis and New Orleans are the top teams in the league.  Edmonton was in the Stanley Cup Finals just four years ago.  New York does not have the advantage it used to have, but over the years, not to many underdogs have called New York home.


The Jets moved from 11th place after Week 12 to ninth the next week, seventh the following week, and into playoff position after Week 14.  In fact, there was enough time for the Jets to lose, fall out of playoff position, and still finish fifth when the season came to a close.  There is still plenty of time for the underachieving Islanders.  Plenty of time to sneak up on everyone and plenty to come out of nowhere to qualify for the playoffs and make some noise once they get there.  When you are building something, the sky really is the limit until the rest of the world catches up with you.

Long Island Hold 'Em

If you are familiar with Texas Hold 'Em Poker, maybe you can help me with my analogy. Let's pretend the Islanders and the Town of Hempstead are engaged in a game of high-stakes poker because, well, they are. Let's call it: Long Island Hold 'Em. Sitting across the felt table from each other, looking at each other and sizing their opponent up. Just to make help you visualize this a little better, the Islanders are wearing a helmet at the table and the Town of Hempstead has donned a cowboy hat.

The Islanders have been losing for most of the game, but they are starting to gain some chips. They aren't quite what they were in earlier hands, as they had built quite a bankroll, but it was more than what they came to the party with. The Town of Hempstead quickly built up their winnings and burrowed it away. But, for as long as anyone can remember in this tournament, whatever they have won over the past hands has been squandered.

This hand will represent a sea change in the match. The winner here has to be able to outlast the other, perhaps call its enemy's bluff. If you followed this analogy so far, September 22nd is the last card to drop (the "river") and October 3rd is the call. The Islanders are going to call no matter what. Most people know they already have three of a kind and the river might give them a full house. No one knows what the Town of Hempstead is holding except the Town of Hempstead. The ToH thinks it has a lot to gain on the river, but it cannot help the ToH as much as it could help the Islanders.

We know the Islanders are all-in. The Islanders would gain more chips in the court of public opinion if the Town of Hempstead folds. If the ToH antes up and moves all of its chips to the middle of the table, it will be time for the Islanders to put up or shut up.

But, here's the dirty little secret: as long as the Islanders stay east of Manhattan, they can't lose.

That's why they are all-in and would call even if they had a pair of eights. The Town of Hempstead thinks they are negotiating with the Isles and making sure they put their money where their mouths are. An honorable request to protect its constituents. But, it would have made more sense to bring this up months ago or, at the very latest, very soon after the public hearing in August. Guess what? The Islanders do not have to. They can accuse the Town of Hempstead of stalling, a very believable accusation, and bide their time until October 3rd, when they would look like scorned lovers jilted at the altar and open their phone lines for outside the 516 area code.

The Town of Hempstead sent this letter to be sure if anything changes from what has been promised, the Town and its residents are not left in the cold. What does that mean? It means what everything else means in politics: money. If anything changes, the Town wants some skin in the game so it can get some of the money changing hands. Change the developer on the property after the shovel is in the ground? Not unless we get some money. We want all of the tax dollars you say we are going to get if this goes through. No problem, but, in Kate Murray's letter to the residents of the Town of Hempstead (thanks, IslandersIndependent.com), this was brought up now because the Town has only had eight-plus months to look at this and these provisions are part of any agreement. Why wait until month nine of this process when you know month ten means the asking price will go up? The only reason I can think of is because of pride. The Town, specifically Kate Murray, wants to set the timetable. The Town wants this to happen on their terms, not the County, and especially not a real estate developer and a sports team owner.

I have repeatedly heard this is moving fast compared to "business as usual" in the Town of Hempstead. Perhaps that is the problem. Also, this is hardly a usual situation. It represents the possible endangerment of the only major-league franchise in either Nassau or Suffolk Counties. It means jobs and fans spending money to ancillary businesses around the Nassau Coliseum would be gone, along with all of those tax dollars. If the Town of Hempstead loses the card game, it will have an empty arena with a barren parking lot around it, which is far worse than the status quo. Nothing could replace that revenue for many years, if not longer.

On October 3rd, the Islanders will surely call and most likely will take their chips and play in a higher-stakes game, a game that will be too rich for the Town of Hempstead. The Town could have made this happen before the final call and could have participated in that high-stakes game if the Town did not squander its chips over the years.

***

As an Islander fan who lives west of Manhattan in New Jersey, a move to Willets Point in Queens makes too much sense. Better infrastructure, (possibly) less politics, and a shorter trip would be something I would sign up for now. For the few thousand fans who drive west to the Coliseum from Eastern Long Island, their trip would be 20-30 minutes longer. The team would be more accessible for Bridgeport Sound Tiger supporters to see their babies play with the big boys.

Though I never lived on Long Island, I spent a lot of weekends there over the years visiting my mother's family and loved the Island. I still do. Most of the family has moved away and, outside of the Islanders, I do not have much of a reason drive past Citi Field. At the start of this latest push to keep the Islanders at the Coliseum, my vote was to keep them in Uniondale. But, my distaste for the constant politicking and blaming that has gone on since the hockey season ended, as well as the shiny new baseball stadium in Shea Stadium's old parking lot has changed my opinion. My vote now is to move the team to Queens.

Queens has made statements to the media that they would welcome them with open arms. Brooklyn's proposed Barclays Center does not seem to be moving in the right direction and may never happen. Queens might be the eventual destination for the Nets, too. Better for the Islanders to get on the ground floor and build the arena primarily with hockey in mind instead of basketball. A beautiful new stadium would not be an inconvenience for fans like a Coliseum would be under re-construction. Plus, with the Mets in town April-October, it would make Flushing a year-round destination.

The time may have come for Nassau County to be the bedroom community the Town of Hempstead and the Village of Garden City seems to wish for. Before the Town pushes all of its chips to the table, it should be careful what it wishes for, because it has a lot more to lose than the Islanders do.

What Biron Means to the Islanders

First, required reading from islandersindependent.com about the Martin Biron signing and his latest take on the Rick DiPietro situation, a situation he had pegged from the start.

Martin Biron was the goalie I wished the Islanders would target out of the gate. While I was not really upset about Dwayne Roloson (he did play 63 games last year as a 39-year-old), Biron gives the Islanders a goalie tandem that could be our best goalie tandem since Glenn Healy and Mark Fitzpatrick. DiPietro can take his time and get better for good, if that is even possible at this point.

A couple of interesting notes after seeing the news breaking on Twitter and reading about this yesterday afternoon:
1. Biron and Roloson both have the same agent, Mark Witkin. The Roloson move made sense for Roloson, but, if you're Biron, are you wondering what your agent is thinking? Or is the market that dry for goaltending help? The only other potential "impact" goalie to move this offseason was Edmonton bringing in Khabibulin to replace Roloson.

2. Did Snow and Gordon make this move to make absolutely sure that DP does not come back too soon? I know the doctors and coaching staff will say one thing, but I can see DiPietro acting like a petulant teenager when he gets close to being game-ready. This way, DiPietro cannot persuade anyone and does not have to because the Islanders have major-league quality depth at the most important position in hockey.

Though the Biron deal fell into the Islanders' laps, they are also showing they are planning for more than a 12th- or 13th-place finish this year. What else do you think GM Garth Snow has up his sleeve? Alex Tanguay? A trade for Jonathan Cheechoo to help the Sharks clear out cap room? Sign Phil Kessel to an offer sheet? I've heard all of these are possible from my Twitter friends. I don't think the Islanders are done yet and they need more scoring and more grit. Grit is something that will be cheaper much closer to the season. But, scoring doesn't grow on trees.

Now, how does Islanders Country feel about the franchise goaltender? Personally, I have always liked DiPietro. I have always wanted to see him succeed and still believe he could be one of the top five goaltenders in the league for a long time. But, knowing that he put himself in front of the team by trying to play when he shouldn't put the team at a big disadvantage both before the season (no goaltending depth in the organization, thinking DP would be fine) and early in the season (DP was on the bench, but was really injured and could not play) was a bad move. It was almost as bad for the front office to believe him.

When the team got off to a rough start, the fingers were justifiably pointed at the most important position in hockey: goaltending. Yes, Joey MacDonald had a good November, but eventually, everything caught up with him. Sure, Yann Danis had some nice starts along the way, but December and January killed any chances the Islanders had of a good season.

But, look at the other side of the coin. If the Islanders had capable goaltending when DiPietro went down, maybe the Islanders are not one of the worst teams in the league, do not win the Draft Lottery, and do not select John Tavares for a franchise rebirth. Also, the organization may not have reacted this same way this offseason with respect to signing and drafting goaltenders to both fill out the Opening Night roster and replenish the farm system. If DiPietro put the team first, goaltending might actually be more of a question mark right now.

I had very low expectations for the Islanders coming into last season and I was hoping the kids learned. I said early in the year that I would be more upset with a 7-2 loss in March than I was in October (the Columbus Day game against Buffalo was bad, but I hoped we learned from it). That did not happen and they came in even lower than I expected. But, last season was a big sacrifice for everyone: players, coaches, front office, ownership, and, most of all, fans.

This year, a lot of that "learning" has to pay off. It already has in the front office, who will not be fooled again by listening to the franchise goaltender. No matter what other signings or trades the Isles make between now and October 3rd, when the season starts, guys like Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, Blake Comeau, Sean Bergenheim, and (gulp) Jeff Tambellini have to learn from all of this and come out the other side much better for it. Otherwise, it'll be another long season.

Islanders Slash Radio Crew

News broke late last night about the decision by the Islanders to simulcast their television broadcasts on the radio next season. This means that the television announcing tandem of Howie Rose and Billy Jaffe will also be available on the radio.

For those of you who may not follow the day-to-day machinations of the Islanders, the radio "network" consisted of one station and that station was based in Smithtown, Long Island. Great for fans east of the Coliseum, but for those towards the city, or (gasp!), across the East River or Hudson River, fans there, including myself, is out of luck. Even for those further out on Long Island, the station (94.3 FM) does not have a long reach and conflicted with a station in the Bronx. So, on my way home from games, I could not listen to the post-game more than 15 minutes outside of the Coliseum on the Cross Island Parkway in Queens.

I am not sure if the FM station will air the broadcasts or if they will move elsewhere, but, after this move, knowing the indifference the Islanders organization towards the radio presentation of their team, I would expect them to move high up on the AM dial. The big hit will be for NHL GameCenter patrons and the games that are carried on Sirius XM for the satellite-listening public.

Here is the comprehensive post on the news by Greg Logan of Newsday: http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/hockey/islanders/blog/2009/07/radio_voices_chris_king_and_st.html

Here is my reaction, which was posted as a Comment to Chris Botta's post on the story:

Both Steve Mears and Chris King were enjoyable listens. Unfortunately, I only got to listen to a little of their broadcast on game days because of the lack of range of their station (Cross Island Pkwy and in). Hockey radio play-by-play is one of the toughest things to do in sports broadcasting and he handled it with aplomb.

Mears got a great opportunity with the Islanders, considering his age, and he is ahead of the curve for broadcasters of his age and experience. He'll land on his feet quickly. I think Mears is a Pittsburgh guy, so it would be nice if he could land with the defending Cup champs.

As for Chris King, I identify a lot with him, as he was an everyman (computer engineer) who became a broadcaster. It gave me hope to one day make the jump from computers to broadcasting. King is a Long Island original, which makes this especially hard to take, and was with the Islanders since the dark days. He does not deserve this.

I also think Howie Rose is one of the best in the business and I like Billy Jaffe's analysis. But, as it has been said in this thread, radio broadcasting and TV broadcasting are two different things. You are appealing to a different audience with a different setup. Talking on picture would hurt the radio audience, just as over-analyzing the action on the ice would be superfluous on TV.

The Islanders TV and radio broadcasts have been a bright light in a difficult few years for the franchise. The New York area has been blessed with top-notch announcers for most of their teams. Cutting the original coverage in half hurts the fans, the brand, and, most importantly, the franchise.

In a time of shrinking media and shrinking travel budgets for traveling media, the Islanders should be on the offensive and provide more and varied coverage, as their team will quickly become worth watching (and listening to) again.

What's next? Stopping Newsday from having Greg Logan travel with the team?

Hockey Coming To A Close...When You're Non-Playoff Bound

HAPPY OPENING DAY! This is the day a long-suffering Islanders fan has been waiting for all winter. More on the upcoming baseball season in a bit, but first, let me put a wrap on the Islanders talk for the season...well, at least until the Draft comes around...

As much as I would have liked to detail every game -- most of them losses (yeah, we've got a lot of them) -- there are plenty of other news outlets to get your Islanders information (well, a couple...Newsday.com and islanderspointblank.com are my two sources).

Much like Newman's comment that he can barely tell the difference between generic wax beans and the regular kind, I think if I continued that stream of consciousness, we would have officially bottomed out.

During this hockey season, I have watched the Islanders sink into oblivion, but rise with the youngsters on the road to respectability. Of course, it does not mean much unless you can do it when the pressure is on and the pressure will not be on until next fall. It became apparent early that this team was not going to push for a postseason berth. The initial talent level made it tough to begin with, but 550+ man-games lost will also do that to you.

It has been fun watching these Islanders since the All-Star Break. I feel like a hockey dad, watching the young team and feeling proud of them when they score a goal, make a great save, or have a good shift. The Isles have to start with the building blocks of a solid franchise because the franchise itself is being rocked to its foundations.

The really sad part in all of this is the possibility the Islanders may move -- to Kansas City, Saskatoon, Hamilton, or wherever outside of the area. The first preference is to stay at the Coliseum and see the Lighthouse Project come to fruition. If they move to Suffolk County, I might still go to the games if it is not that far out on the Island. Queens would be the best move, both for the team's relevance in the New York sports scene, but also as a "partner" to the Mets and new Citi Field.

I have only one problem with moving to Queens, and it is not alienating the East Enders because, after all, I have made the trip from Northern New Jersey as a season ticket holder since 2002. My issue is that we would be losing part of our identity as a small-town team with a close-knit group of people you recognize at the games, again and again. My fear is that this would become "too corporate" an organization. While it may be a good thing for the level of play and stature among the nine major pro sports teams in this town, the Islanders and the gameday experience would lose its kitsch. But, if you put a beautiful new arena next to Citi Field, what a destination it would be?!

So, the season was tough to take, but hopefully, Islander fans will look back on this season as some formative training for the years -- and successes -- ahead.

***

The fantasy hockey season has been a big success. Our 8th full season of the Puck & Stick Association (PSA) is culminating in a big Goodman Cup Final between two charter members of the league: the Long Island Sounds (owned by yours truly) and the New England Slam Chowdah (owned by Jon Strauss). We are entering the final week of the three-week final and Long Island leads by 39 points, 272.2-233.2. Here are the rest of the scores for the Goodman Cup Playoffs up to this point:

GOODMAN CUP SEMIFINALS
Game "A": #1 New England (17-5) vs. #4 Saint John (12-10)
Too little, too late for Saint John, getting blitzed in Week 1 of the two-week match by 45 points, as the Stompin' Toms 146.6 points in Week 2 did not make up enough ground.
FINAL: #1 New England (Jon Strauss) 237.0, #4 Saint John (Tim Bresnahan) 223.3

Game "B": #3 Long Island (12-10) vs. #2 Yukon (13-9)
Long Island was lucky to snatch the third seed from Saint John in the final week because the Sounds scored less than New England, but advances to the Final by playing the only team that scored less than Long Island. Long Island was consistent, scoring 110.6 in Week 1 and 110.4 in Week 2.
FINAL: #3 Long Island (George Stathopulos) 221.0, #2 Yukon (Eric Brown) 166.8

GOODMAN CUP FINAL
#1 New England (18-5) vs. #3 Long Island (13-10)
Consistency has been a boon to Long Island again, fetching 136.3 in Week 1 and 135.9 in Week 2. Long Island has built a 39-point lead after two weeks in this three-week match, but New England is coming on with 134.9 points in Week 2 to only drop one point further behind.
AFTER 2 WEEKS (1 week left): #3 Long Island 272.2, #1 New England 233.2

NEWMAN CUP FINAL (for 3rd place)
In a not-so-rare occurrence, teams from this game outscore both teams in the Goodman Cup Final for the championship. But, both teams are outscoring both teams in the Goodman Cup Final. The game is tight, as Saint John had the upper hand by 47.8 points in Week 1 and Yukon returned the favor, outscoring Saint John by 37.4 points in Week 2. This makes for a contest that will go to the wire.
AFTER 2 WEEKS (1 week left): #4 Saint John 285.2, #2 Yukon 274.8

In the Loser's Bracket Playoffs, #9 Pittsburgh (Sarah Jorgensen) got by #8 Chicago (Pete Yunger), 194.0-186.1, and the Pumpkins are facing rival (and husband) #5 Rochester (Greg Jorgensen). After 2 weeks, Rochester is leading handily by 115 points, 307.4-192.4.

Blog Box-ing

As free agent signings have died down, and before we turn our attention back to baseball in the days ahead, I wanted to weigh in on the latest Islander drama.

Chris Botta, in his blog (http://nyipointblank.blogspot.com), brought a lingering story to the front burner. In the rhetoric towards the end of last season, Islander coach Ted Nolan did not see eye to eye with Islander General Manager Garth Snow on player moves. The most public disagreement came in a radio interview on WFAN's "Mike and the Mad Dog" on March 6, 2008. Snow sounded surprised with Nolan's decision to start backup goalie Wade Dubielewicz over Rick DiPietro, who was just returning to the team after the death of his grandmother. Snow backed up DiPietro and has a good relationship with the franchise goaltender, but Nolan made the decision and Snow questioned him publicly. According to Botta, Nolan publicly complained to the press on a regular basis late in the season about the lack of NHL-ready players on the team after injuries ravaged the lineup and the lack of any personnel moves to improve the Islanders chances down the stretch.

Hockey, and sports in general, have some time-tested management strategies. The Islanders bucked that strategy when owner Charles Wang announced a management-by-committee approach, where the General Manager and Head Coach report directly to the owner. Player management and player use are discussed by committee. Snow and Nolan have not adapted well to this system.

Chain of command is important for several reasons in sports management. Ownership and upper management hire a coach for his expertise and ideas of changing a franchise around on an "X-and-O" or game-by-game basis. Ownership hires a GM for his expertise and ideas of changing a franchise with respect to personnel. Has Garth Snow ever coached? Has Ted Nolan ever been a GM? Yes, the owner has the final say, and the owner knows the concept of management, but what may have worked at a computer company will most likely fail in the arena of sports.

This concept is quickly going the way of the "College of Coaches", which was employed by the Chicago Cubs in 1961-62. Instead of having one manager, Cubs ownership decided to rotate eight managers throughout their organization. Players became confused. The team floundered. The concept has never been used since. The current state of the Islanders could be another reason why the "chain of command" works time and time again.

Snow makes the personnel decisions. Nolan makes the in-game decisions. If there are questions, the chain of command dictates Snow and Nolan hash it out, not in front of the owner and certainly not in front of the press or fans. Lack of communication led Nolan to publicly question Snow and Snow to sound astounded on a radio show when told who would start in goal. A large part of successful management is excellent communication. But, diplomacy is tougher to surface when the lines of communciation parallel to the top of the organization.

NHL Free Agency (a.k.a. Christmas Morning)

July 1st marked Christmas Morning around the NHL. However, for the New York Islanders, it is normally a holiday we do not celebrate. We leave the milk and cookies and a note for Santa, and we have our tree decked out, but Santa never comes. The chimney is empty and no presents are left when we wake up the next morning.

In fact, last year, we woke up to find the milk, cookies, and Christmas tree gone at first light, as Ryan Smyth, Jason Blake, Tom Poti, and Viktor Kozlov bolted the first chance they got. This off-season, General Manager Garth Snow has kept expectations at a bare minimum, preaching the new, post-Mike Milbury mantra of building through the draft and promoting from within. It makes sense when you have Kyle Okposo waiting in the wings. It does not if you think Andy Hilbert belongs on the third line.

We barely put up the tree this year, electing to spare the tinsel and the ornate decorations around the house. But, Snow surprised us. He made a nice play for defenseman Mark Streit. Yes, he overpayed for the Swiss assassin, but a) we had the room under the cap and b) you have to overpay to convince most people to play here in the short-term. Snow followed up the Day One Streit surprise with the affordable signing of class-act Doug Weight to a one-year deal. Weight will be reunited with Bill Guerin in an attempt to recapture the magic of the 2006-07 season, where Guerin scored 28 goals with Weight riding shotgun. The deal (1 yr, $1.75 mil) is incentive-laden, as it should be.

However, the question is: are the Islanders done shopping this off-season? Snow is intimating that he is finished for all intents and purposes. I think he should make a couple other moves. The Islanders have 24 players under contract, and only 23 can be protected from the waiver draft before the season begins (remember the waiver draft in which we poached Chris Osgood in 2001?). EDIT: 17 of the 24 players currently signed are signed to one-way contracts (source: On The Islanders Beat blog by Greg Logan on newsday.com), so no players have to be exposed to the waiver draft yet because the 7 players to qualifying offers may still be two-way deals, allowing the Isles to stash them at Bridgeport.

Here are my suggestions:

1) One more top-six forward. Coming into the off-season, we needed a playmaking center (Weight) and a finisher to play among the top-two lines. Snow has to fit this into the overall "building from within" plan, but a short-term deal for a veteran or a trade for an under-30 building block would be a huge win. But, even with the rebuilding plan, someone has to score and the organizational depth does not exist to compete nightly without some more outside help. Cap space can be a commodity in trade as the season approaches, so this may not happen right now. Outside of Okposo and possibly Rick DiPietro, is anyone really untouchable right now?

2) Get Team Tough(er). Coach Ted Nolan is all about grittiness, but the Islanders are not team tough. There are quite a few UFAs who were available this off-season who are "shift disturbers". Teams can no longer carry one-dimensional pugilists, but guys who get under the other team's skin, like Sean Avery (signed by Dallas), Bobby Holik (signed by New Jersey), and Daniel Carcillo (RFA) could be (or could have been) had. Georges Laraque is still out there and would be a deterrent for the liberties taken against our club for the last few years. Carcillo may not be worth an offer sheet, knowing his penchant for taking dumb penalties and flying off the handle.

3) Take a shot at a young RFA. The Islanders have set themselves up well. They have cap space to burn, a lot of draft picks made in a stacked draft, and the determination to stay young and improve. They can afford to let loose with some draft picks. How about making a play for Jay Bouwmeester (http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=PlayerDetail&playerId=8470151)? He is a franchise d-man and it would cost the Isles some serious first-round picks in the next 3 years. But, would any of those future first-rounders measure up to Bouwmeester (12 and 15 goals in his last two seasons)? Plus, J-Bow has had 389 games of NHL experience at the young age of 24 and has received some instruction from the color analyst for the Florida Panthers...Denis Potvin. Other RFAs listed in the top 50 Free Agents by The Hockey News (July 1, 2008 issue) have mostly signed with their previously-contracted club (Shea Weber, Corey Perry, Mike Green, Jeff Carter, Andrei Kostitsyn), but there has not been a single word on Bouwmeester. Could this be in Snow's plans?

Whether the Islanders continue to "kick the tires" for any of the other free agents this off-season, you have to like what Snow has done this year. He has truly learned from last year that Islander fans need Christmas in July instead of picking off the leftovers in August.

What to expect from Random Musings...?

Hello and thanks for stopping by. Well, what can you expect from this blog? Mainly, it is a blog about sports, specifically, baseball, hockey, and football. But, if it catches my eye, ear, or, if something smells fishy, my nose, I will offer my two cents.

I am a 31-year-old computer consultant who would love to transition to sportswriting. But, knowing how much that job pays, I am looking to win the lottery first. I am from New Jersey and my rooting interests are with some New York teams, while other New York teams make my blood boil. My family is from Long Island, so I root for teams that play, or used to play, east of Manhattan: Mets, Islanders, Jets. I also have brothers (and sisters) in arms in Boston, so I also hold the Red Sox, Bruins, and Patriots dear. I also like the Devils for the same reason I like the Sox: we have a common enemy (Rangers and Yankees, respectively).

Essentially, my goals are to root my team to victory, stick around through good times and bad, and take solace in the little victories in life because, hey, anyone can root for a perennially good team, but what is the use if you cannot appreciate the journey? The Yankees? They are good just about every year, but the expectations are so high that they have to win just to satisfy the fans. But, for my Mets, the memories from those relatively fewer victories keep me coming back for more punishment, er, more hope.

Unlike Mark McGwire, I like talking about the past and give current stories an historical perspective. I have watched sports intently for over 20 years and I have researched quite a bit of what I missed before that. But, like McGwire, I like to keep it positive and upbeat, just minus the blinders.

Opinions and (clean) spirited debate are welcome. Also, I would love to make this blog interactive. If there is something going on in the world of sports that you want me to chime in on, please ask (gstatman@gmail.com).