(Note: Also published this morning on www.7thwoman.blogspot.com -- because it's April, and I got nothing exciting to talk about.)
While the NY Islanders are not in the playoffs, they did make the cover of Newsday this morning. Now, of course it should be any press is good press, especially when your cross-town rival has been gracing the back cover more than we wish to see. But this time the front cover news seems like "old news" at least to me.
"NHL Boss on Coliseum: Isles looking at other options." Duh. No kidding. Gary Bettman has been saying that for years. Has anyone from the Town of Hempstead heard him? Or maybe they just don't believe him. He has said for the last five years that the Islanders will not play a day after their lease requires them to and that the Nassau Coliseum is not up to NHL standards and would never be approved as an NHL venue today.
Let's throw in the asbestos scare and we've got a whole new wrinkle. John Jeansonne from Newsday carefully stated that air quality was "safe in public areas of the arena" after Nassu County hired a consulting firm to investigate since it's being sued by 75 arena employees.
"Public areas" could lead one to believe there 'may' be contamination in the 'restricted' areas which means it could be in the areas where these highly paid professionals work. Hello NHLPA?
Also notice that as I stated before, the League does not think that the Barclays Center is anything but a stop-gap idea for the Isles. It's not a hockey building. But it is a building.
Mike Deery, Town of Hempstead spokesman noted that the town board approved a new building zone ten months ago "that expressly allows for the construction of a new Coliseum." That's nice. But hockey does not live on an arena alone. Nope. So where's the rezoning for that?
With both Nassau and Suffolk Counties cash strapped and in budget crisis hell, I can't see either one of them stepping up with a plan to help. Our Long Island political football is turning into a time bomb.
On a brighter note. Want to see what you get when you are a beloved NHLer who comes home for the summer?
A BMW - Sweet ride Nino. Enjoy it.
A nice family car for Michael Grabner. Although it is a bit "billboard-ish."
You just gotta love Twitter. Where you can still be connected with your team while they're on summer vacation. Although I am NOT reprinting the photo of Rhett Rakhshani's feet.
SoundTigers: Game two against the CT Whale is tonight in Bridgeport. Hopefully there will be a different outcome from the first. The Tigers need to win. Period. If they can advance, just think this is the face of the future on the Isles and their dreaded Ranger rivals.
Congrats to the Nashville Predators as the first team to advance to round two of the Playoffs by defeating the Red Wings in five games. HonkeyTown defeated HockeyTown. Now someone send me one of those bright yellow shirts!
New York Islanders Blogger • 
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