ISLANDERS AT CALGARY: Up All Night II, 9-midnight
Updated at 3:38 pm: Rick out with knee swelling
3:38 pm - As per Logie, Rick DiPietro is out with swelling in his surgically repaired knee. It’s impossible to snicker when the whole thing is just real sad. Scott Gordon stressed to Greg Logan “several times that DiPietro was medically cleared to play.” Okay, whatever that means.
My concern is not about Timeouts or any other silliness. It’s just for Rick. Here’s hoping whatever it is, the right thing is done. We will continue to hear how the Islanders are being cautious, no doubt.
1:40 pm - Yann Danis has been recalled on an emergency basis. Oh my.
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Today marks Day 3 of the Islanders organization putting me in Timeout. I’ll continue to try my best to be informative, but while I’m in Timeout you’ll want to make sure you check Greg Logan’s blog regularly. You never know if I’ll consistently get updates.
Real nice gentleman/PR honcho Seth Sylvan updated me today about Yann Da-Lower Body, but some calls and texts have not been returned by others in the org since the day I was critical of the goalie “plan all along was for Joey to start/I was surprised” thing. They really didn’t like the Keystone Cops reference.
Many have said I overreacted. Quite possible – just as I may have overreacted writing the day before about an Islanders fourth round pick who looks pretty good, just as I may have overreacted letting my friends at the Canucks tell me how hard it is to play against Go-Go’s forecheck when it’s effective.
Still trying to understand how Rick is not 100% ready to start, but it’s okay to play the franchise goalie mid-way through a game if Joey gets hurt. Perhaps today’s recall of Danis is the latest example of them trying to get it right. I will always allow for the possibility that I’m simply not smart enough to understand the concept.
I don’t want our readers to miss out on news just because I was a naughty boy, so I hope Greg’s blog is on your speed dial. The Timeout could be for a week, a month, rest of the season, who knows? Does this mean I should not promote some Islanders’ off-ice events when asked? No, I still will. But there goes my Aaron Ness is the next Brian Rafalski article, LOL…
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If you missed our first Up All Night, more than 600 Comments during Islanders-San Jose, we’re going to try it again tonight as the Islanders play in Calgary.
Basically, it’s a running Commentary during the game. The Commentary should only be about the Islanders and the NHL. I doubt very much on Sooners or Gators Point Blank they’re talking about Islanders-Flames today.
If you have questions, I’ll try to get to as many as possible. Guideline limits on 4 Comments per post are off, but keep it to 10 tonight so everyone can get in the door, okay?
I’ll post a new header around 8:30 pm EST so we can get started. Let’s make it a good one.
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Freddy Meyer is the latest with a strained groin. FMIV missed practice yesterday. Whether or not he goes, looks like Radek Martinek will make his return to the lineup.
The “plan” apparently has been for Rick DiPietro to start tonight. Either way, I’m sure it will come up during Up All Night.
Congratulations to the deserving Mark Streit on making the All-Star team. Have I written enough times what a great signing it was? Besides everything else he has to pack for the tip, Mark will need to be prepared for several newspaperpeople dying to goad him into saying something critical about the Canadiens or the Islanders. He can count on it.
Just watch how Mike Keenan tries to work the refs tonight if necessary. Just watch. Mike was the coach of the Flyers when I interned for them all season during their run to the Cup Final in 1986-87. I can’t speak for how he is now, but I can tell you this – he was an amazing coach back then.
Addressing the question before it even comes up during Up All Night: Eric Nystrom spent a lot of time shuttling up and down between Calgary and the Flames’ AHL team before finally, hopefully, settling in as a regular for Keenan. My hunch is the Islanders have had chances to acquire Eric. Had.
Jarkko Ruutu, just two games for biting an opponent. I’m sure Si was thrilled to hear about the light sentence.
The Islanders’ next game is not until Tuesday – a bizarre in-season break over a weekend I’ve never seen before. It will be interesting to see how Coach Gordon plays it with the days off. The Islanders will definitely be off Friday. Would not be surprised if he dangles the carrot of a second day – and perhaps even third day of optional on-ice, mandatory off-ice – if the gritty-gutties can get two points against the Flames.
Comments.
138 Responses to ISLANDERS AT CALGARY: Up All Night II, 9-midnight
Updated at 3:38 pm: Rick out with knee swelling
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Almost Gone says:
Wow, they still have you on the ignore list? This organization has fallen to such depths that I am actually ashamed to call myself a fan of theirs. You are the only one who actually gives a hoot about them. Perhaps they should look in the mirror and realize just how bush league they have become. I actually hope they are sold and moved somewhere out of this area so I can remember them as they once were, the class of the NHL. At this point, they can’t even be called a joke because 1) they are not funny & 2) other than a small smattering of people, nobody cares!!!!
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ClueLessGarth says:
Hey chris dont even sweat it – this team this franchise is as clueless as they come , and instead of them worrying about your comments , maybe they should worry about Jeff “The Sniper” Tambelini learning how to put the puck in da net on this level….
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Mike from Oceanside says:
CB – Do you see the usual ink in Calgary about the Islanders coming to town? Trap Game…Worst team…etc.
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stevedepot says:
No worries Chris.
tell you what, that family pack I was planning on purchasing will just be put on ignore as well. Money talks. Seriously. This is a joke. Is DiPietro or Snow or someone at our Isles offices THAT sensitive? Lik you point out, they do not complain when they get free praise but don’t you dare make a snyde remark about the fragile, I mean franchise goalie. Unbelievable. They should thank their lucky stars that YOU do what you do because fans, hard core fans from message boards like NY Islanders Country, Mania and Hockey Break visit this blog to read what you have to say.
Hang in there, always a pleasure reading this blog.
steve -
This is the same team that took almost 30 games , to finally realize that Blake Comeau had no buisness playing in the AHL….
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Tom says:
Chris you don’t need the Isles to give you info, I’ll give you the latest on New York Islander hockey–
Martinek has another upper body injury he’s out till March, Garth thinks him & Gordon & the greatest GM & Head Coaching tandem in NHL history, Rick is not injured & he probably won’t make another start for the rest of the season. That’s what I have so far, when I get more info you’ll be the first to know.
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MT says:
The Fornabaio blog said that there was a call-up…for Yann Danis
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CB,
You mention that the Isles “HAD” the opportunity to get Nystrom. While he’s probably not getting traded, I still believe he’ll be an Isle in 2 years. Especially when Garth does the old Edmonton trick, and signs Scuderi and Komo this offseason.
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This is the same Franchise who has had over 500 man games lost to injury in a YEAR IN A HALF !!!
Maybe stop worrying about Botta’s comments and start Freaking worrying about keeping your damn players HEALTHY for at least 25 games …Huh how about that Mr.Wang , & Mr.Garth Snow-Job ??????
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Limberpete says:
I think Tom is a shill. Admit it, Tom. You work in the Isles front office. How else would you have obtained that inside info?
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rb says:
you write this blog for the benefit of “fans”…which the last time I checked, is short for “fanatics”…so you may have over-reacted? is that reallly worse than being ignored? geez, sometimes this team just doesn’t get it
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Dally Mac says:
I’m just a school teacher stuck home on a storm day in Cape Breton, Nova scotia, but this place is very entertaining with or without the Islanders approval of comments. I really do have a bad feeling, Garth might mess up the trade deadline, if you’re going to re-build, re-build. Eric Nystorm is a good player, I ran into him and his dad here in Sydney when the world juniors were in Halifax and we had the B pool in 2002. Bobby was the nicest guy, he talked hockey with me and i said hello to Eric, even at 18 a stand up kid.
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I’d love to see the Isles black ball the Times, the Daily Snooze, the Post for 3 days…OH THAT’S right they don’t cover the Islanders, the Isles have been black balled up down the league & all over the TV set & are virtually black balled from radio…can you blame them for being cranky?
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Darren says:
ClueLessGarth, couldn’t have said it better myself. Their worried about blogs…OH BOY!
I think we hit a new all time low here people. -
My money says it’s Garth who behind this. He can’t handle critism…Nolan’s gone, Witt’s next. If your a warrior with pride & talent Garth fears you. Watch your back Chris…
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bp says:
I think that emails to Chris Dey and Garth Snow should be flooding in!If they don’t read NYIPB,they need to know that their CUSTOMERS do!!!!!!Remember Save the Islanders?We are a force when we want to be.
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Bryan says:
They are lucky you write about them at all. Its not like they are fighting off other media forums from covering their team.
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IluvJMAC says:
RE DP out again: This is way better than any soap opera!!! And I love the timeout photo too bad the little boy wasn’t wearing an Islanders jersey
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Madchef says:
Man is this DP guy britle or what, it is so depressing to think he still has pull with management. I wish he was healthy but the fact remains he is not. can somebody please explain to me what it will take for DP to get lost until he is 100%. it is so old. I love this team but it really makes me scratch my head at this point.when will the bleeding stop. please grant my Tavares wish, please….
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BringBackNyles says:
Our goalie is becoming Carl Pavano…OK maybe not that bad, but jesus…if hes not 100% shut him down for the year.
If he is 100%, why can;t he beat out Joey MacDonald ?
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STIC says:
Save The Islanders Coalition wasn’t welcomed by the team back then either. Nor was The 7th Man publication. Garth Snow, et al, are looking just as clueless as Mad Mike and his gang. This site is a service to the team, not a hindrance. Keep up the good work, Chris.
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Chris S says:
Maybe Danis is the back up GM. He has the same qualifications.
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guerin13 says:
dp should be shut down for the year, this is ridiculous. let the guy fully heal before letting him play. very sorry that the isles put you in time out chris. it’s ridiculous. they should be happy that you give them the exposure that few others give them. i think it’s probably best if eric nystrom doesn’t play here. he’d be playing in the shadow of his dad which probably wouldn’t help him.
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I really hope the plan all along was to tank the season, and look clueles so that the NHL would not catch on
Maybe they dumped Nolan because he would have coaxed another 8-10th place finish, and they wanted to bottom out
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mm30 says:
CB—don’t worry this franchise has been ignoring us for the last 15 years (I couldn’t help it!)
Easy on my boy Ness—He’s a good kid with a bright future.
Also, JT traded to the London Knights today.
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Nobody can “save” the Islanders. That train has left the station. Wang was the last hope. He has FAILED. The Islanders are dead. They died slowly & they died painfully. The saddest thing? They died pride-less. No pride. No heart.
Waddell publicly stated HE’S getting Tavares. You think Garth has the IQ to outwit Waddell? Snow doesn’t even know who the starting goalie is 5 minutes before the drop of the puck. Isles. Morte.
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Ah, Mike Keenan. He never adapted his coaching to the trap-era NHL, and now he’s survived to rise again in the post-lockout phase (as long as Darryl Sutter is watching over him). I trust his players don’t fear him nearly as much anymore.
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Call me a sap but it’s really nice to see “Nystrom, #23″ skating past in any context; for the same reason it’s nice to see “Sutter, #16″ back healthy and on the ice for the ‘Canes, or even Colton Gillies in Minny hitting up the Isles for his first NHL goal.
Maybe not so much “Parise, #9″ killing us six to eight times a year… but that one we had entirely under our control. There was no reason to go with Shmilson Nilsson.
If it does come down to it and I am orphaned by the Isles – if they do move – then maybe I’ll follow Kid Gillies and the Wild. They have a sweet road sweater(because the white ones are HOME sweaters, BETTMAN). But Wang was not the last hope…. there is another…
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Mike from Philly says:
I agree with comment number 4 or 5. I have also put Partial Ticket Plans on ignore as well for this disgrace we call an NHL franchise. Chris, you are the best thing to come out of this franchise in 20 years, we can all laugh together in June when they put you on ignore again when you write how clueless they are after trading the Number 1 pick to Ottawa for Jarkko Ruttu.
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thepolishprince says:
I don’t think this is an intentional “stealth” tanking of the season. I really do believe that the front office just has no clue when it comes to the DP situation. Seems simple to me…Can’t play? Sit. End of story.
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IluvJMAC on Jan 8th, 2009 13:52:31 said:
“I love the timeout photo too bad the little boy wasn’t wearing an Islanders jersey…”
http://i43.tinypic.com/dceuxk.jpg
(LOL, this is what I wind up doing with my lunch break!)thanks, Chris. I have updated…CB
As far as this Rick thing goes: I dont care what they are going to say anymore… just (1) agree on it and (2) SAY IT. whatever it is. Enough with the futzing around. I agree with you that Danis coming up as backup might be a good sign that they arent being stupid when it comes to rick, but just frickin SAY IT already!
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Bill says:
As usual, this organization is a joke. I have been a season tix holder for 15 yrs, and these could be my last. Can we at least give the fans the credit for being a little intelligent? The Islander brass must think we are all 3 yrs old and all should be in time outs!
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Steven says:
does anyone know the appropriate channel to go through to complain about Chris being frozen out? I’ve put up with a lot over the years as an Islander fan, but the notion that Chris’s tireless efforts to deliver this unique perspective have been cut off is absurd. Chris’s blog is a great thing for true Islanders fans and continues to cultivate and grow awareness of a team that is in desperate need of additional exposure…
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isles99 says:
you know how comapnies do satisfaction surveys, well heres my statement to the islanders:
If you want to keep the 10,000 or so fans of your franchise that still remain, shut the hell up! Your team has been the epitomy of incompetent the past 20 years. You should be getting on your knees and thanking those individuals who actually waste their hard earned money on your inferior product. This backlash is the exact reason why people outside this organization have labeled it as a “Mickey-Mouse” organization. You should be thankful you get ANY media covergae let alone negative coverage and this is coming from a lifelong islander fan.
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jon says:
can’t believe you’re attempting a SECOND one of these up-all-night things – i hope you ice your fingers before and after the game, wouldn’t want another undisclosed “lower body injury” from you!
the “timeout” is completely shameful, petty and reflects poorly on the Islanders…too bad. I’m really optimistic about Snow/Gordon and remain positive about the system and the rebuild plan (in spite of how Comeau was handled and DP)
BUT
I think it’s in everyone’s best interest for the NYI to play nice with respected media (be it “traditional” print media or via other channels)
keep up the great work and don’t be discouraged, it’s a compliment to know that (obviously) people are reading and you may actually have influence. nice to know.
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I am disgusted as well. If anything, CB has been pro this team a lot longer then us fans have, back to the start of the year.
memo to Mr Wang and the Islanders: You are not the New York Yankees, there are not 4 million people willing to spend $200 or so to go to your games, any press is good press. You should me astounded that so many people care enough to discuss your team during the middle of a Jan afternoon, and provide more info to CB not less
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Matt says:
LMFAO
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Strummer's Army says:
OK, IN CASE ANYONE FROM THE ISLANDERS IS READING THIS THE ONLY THING RICK NEEDS TO DO IS GET HEALTHY AND NOT WORRY ABOUT PLAYING GAMES. IF IT TAKES A MONTH MORE OF REHAB OR THE REST OF THE SEASON THEN THAT IS WHAT MUST BE DONE.
I just don’t feel Rick’s recovery has ever been handled properly and that is scary.
Martinek is back that is good news it will get us closer to the first overall pick.
Interesting to see how the Isles are mentally in responding to the very big and very physical Flames.
I’ll have to check back for updates have fun with the All Nighter I will be watching my Gators win the National Championship!
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DanNOLA says:
Man, I feel like the Isles really take us for granted. By us, I mean the few die-hards left that really give a damn about this team…who actually spend our time following the motions of this team and care enough to get mad when it all goes to Hell. The readers of PB, BD, Logan, and the other blogs are the ones who are constantly buying the ticket packages, cable/satalite packages, merch, and keeping this team from being rendered completely meaningless. We’re the ones who have stood by them for 20 years of at best mediocrity to at worst folly. And, I for one will STILL stand by them. But, I’m sick of getting lied to, getting bad information, and having the people who give me the good information get snubbed.
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JKP on LI says:
Chris, I know that I criticized you a bit earlier in the season for being defensive/prickly, but you’re right on the money here. If the team is trying to “punish” you for your post by withholding access or information, keep calling them out on it. I don’t think there was any “overreacting” in this case, considering that it looks like we might need to start a DiPietro retirement watch, but even if you did overreact, it’s not their place to try to get the coverage they want by force.
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The Islanders are claiming to still give Botta all the love he deserves.
Bryan,
What do you mean? Not sure I understand what you are getting at.
He is on our site, with his “Point Blank” blog, no? I think that’s a nice piece of promoting for him on our behalf. Chris has always been a well respected and liked individual around the Islanders, and continues to be so.
Kerry Cornils
New York Islanders
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Doug says:
CB
timeouts can be enlightening.. may i suggest a 6-pack for tonights isles game and followed with an all-nighter…err it’s the isles so make it a 12 pack.in all seriousness i dont even bother with paper much these days you are hands above anyone else when it comes to the isles coverage.
Kudos
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Tony says:
I might be in the minority, but Eric Nystrom is not a very good hockey player and much unlike his dad, he has gotten his butt kicked in all of the fights I have seen.
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In all fairness, the person responding (Kerry) liekly has no input whether Garth Snow or the coach decide to speak to CB or not.
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Islander505 says:
Chris….have you given any thought to the idea that maybe your timeout is because of any of the following reasons:
1/You asked a question that was more than 100 words long?
2/You asked more than 4 questions in one day?
3/Were you inappropriately baiting or flaming anyone in your text messages?Just wondering…..
(BTW, OUTSTANDING picture to go along with the subject matter….ROFL). -
Healy says:
I just want applaud CB for the “Yann Da-Lower Body” line. Genius!
credit goes to Peter Botte of the Daily News
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Jon #2 says:
My guess is Rick D will need another surgery.
This team barely has any media coverage as is so why cut off what little you have?
Snow is trying to control what little he can but the team is out of control.
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Dmarie says:
OMG!! that picture is adorable!!how cute! I love it!
As for Danis being called up, is there yet another injury to speak of?..imagine that, well who knows it could be nothing, I mean nothing in the sense where either Dp or Joey needed a night off, in all honesty he has played a lotta games, hopefully that’s all it comes out to be. -
UIF says:
Guess the “Danis not at practice” mystery has been solved? I don’t even care what the explanation is this time…it probably won’t be true anyway.
“Pay no attention to the injured goalie behind the curtain.”
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Yeah, it does SUCK when your attempts at professional communication go unanswered. That’s just disrepectful and basically… unfair. Isn’t it?
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this is the first year in my life that i am starting to not care about this team. i even cared during the fishsticks era.i read this blog countless times each day.i love it.get better or move. from jdisles
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Dan from Westchester says:
So who is hurt the most by putting CB on timeout? We the fans are. . It’s not like Isles fans have a slew of places to turn for coverage these days.
I’ve learned more about the team past and present. . and our future prospects from CB’s tireless work here on PB – and this is how the organization reacts to his ONE negative story. Please – we as Islander fans suffer enough as it is – let CB do his thing!
This site is one of the few things that make this miserable season bearable. (and the TavHeduch watch, of course!)
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jimmy says:
this is brilliant! joey mac could possibly steal a game or two yann danis maybe not so lets shut both mac and dp down and lets go taveres (if we dont get screwed outta the lottery)
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/\ half sarcastic
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howie rose should be let go. he is a ranger and always will be.billy jaffe is the best color guy on tv.we will lose him to.we should buy out the tv contract with cablevision.second rate coverage.verizon would jump on our tv rights.snow i loved you but now i am starting to lose faith.
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chris your blog is the best coverage of the isles ever. keep up the good work.
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chris can we put some heat on cablevision to make a deal with verizon to carry msg and msg plus in hd.thanks
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jethro09 says:
For simply nostalgic purposes, I would love to see the Isles trade Tambellini for Nystrom. I wonder if Calgary would do it? Maybe Tambo and a late-round pick for Nystrom? Lets get Useless Tambellini out of here and bring in Nystrom. Both guys sound as if they could use a change of scenery.
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Moose says:
They should try and strike a deal with SNY just so they are never put on channel 14 anymore…I know it will never happen bc they have some big TV deal but its extremely annoying that LI gets New Jersey Devils games when the isles are exiled to a non HD channel where you cannot read the numbers of the dark teams
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Cablevision owns the networks, so we have no shot of getting HD on FiOS or Directv; its one of Dolan’s only selling points to counter the fact they don’t provide NFL network, Big 10 network or ESPNU for sports fans
Let’s face it, if the Knicks not on HD have not caused a stir, we aren’t going to be able to pressure cablevision
I don’t know the particulars but I think the TV deal with Cablevision is the only thing keeping us in NY (unless we get a new arena)
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cgs878 says:
So who is Danis an emergency recall for? Is Joey hurt??
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Doug F. says:
Shut DP Down!!! Who cares if we lose…
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I wonder if Danis is even excited about getting called up anymore.
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Steve says:
I second dan from westchester’s comments. What a pathetic plan of punishment the islanders organization has chosen. It truly does affect the only people that are still interested in this organization! So sad, these really are trying times for fans of this team. Time to put the blinders on and focus on the future
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Agree with Doug above. Waayyyy to much invested in The Rick to NOT shut him down for the rest of the season. Jesus Christ…sometimes I really hate this team…..
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Danis is probably sick of the long airplane rides, especially when he just sits on the bench for an excruciating 60 minutes of hockey.
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“Islanders organization putting me in Timeout.”
Ya of Course what else do you expect from a Organizational Circus anything different!! Now they are shutting you down CB! Typical Wang/Snow code of Silence, and they are PATHETIC!!
Keep up the good work CB and keep all the news coming as much as you can.
Your exposing their Flaws and it is Clear as Dey another Waste to this Organization.
DP is sitting out due to the AGENDA of SNOW and WANG ! MICKEY MOUSE ORGANIZATION! -
cgs878:
At least Danis gets paid to watch 60 minutes of excruciating hockey.
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I am Sorry but i must say some more because this is upsetting to me when this Blog site is basically the only real true voice to the Fans and now they realize it and their trying to Strong Arm you CB and dont let that happen. I know, i am with ya! “F” the Islander organization their a Bunch of lieing A-holes that has turned this team into the laughing stock of the NHL !!
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kevin says:
here is my two cents. a little off-topic but here it goes. the people against getting tavares and saying that he is not going to turn us around and say look at the thrashers. they have kovie. well my response is that they have good defence (enstrom and bogosian but lack the franchise goalie and secondary scoring. we have a franchise goalie ( DP) we have depth ( trivino, bailey, okposo, figrin, petrov, smith, jounsuu and so on). then thye say look at ottawa they have all the talent on that one line. well thats it isnt it. they dont have a franchise goalie, or d prospects or secondary.we now have d prospects and prospect depth in general thanks to garth. we have a franchise goalie weither he be hurt or not ( that is overlooked sometimes). will garth trade down again as some joke? no because our pool is replenished. will they take there tim eon dp since we are rebuilding and need the franchise goalie so we dont end up like other teams. we have the puck moving defence that ottawa needs (hillen,ness, skinner) but now we need what they have, all-star forwards. take us to the cup garth
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So he was cleared, but yet he’s out with swelling?..alrighty then..you know? it is sad..very sad how things look.
CB? did I miss something or mis-understand, are you closing this blog or are they stopping you, I must have mis-read..can’t be. -
Can we laugh at this DP situation yet? I mean this is really getting stupid now! Garth send him down to BP and tell him he is not allowed to comeback till he makes at least 3-5 starts down there. If he refuses, then put him in “timeout”!
=) -
i am getting sicker by the day with the whole team. snow wang dp dey the msg network cablevision rose the ranger lover.i will keep the sound off tonight.love jaffe
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just think we could have had luongo and than drafted gaborik instead of dp………..
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This is insane. They clear him, have him fly out about as far west as you can on our continent, then realize hes too hurt to play…so he gets to sit in planes for 15 hours with a bad knee ..great
I joked before he seemed like Carl Pavano, its no joke now. It’s like he wants to dress to soothe his ego, but he does not want to play.
Someone needs to grow some “guts” and tell our diva he is not getting on a plane until Islander doctors clear him and he plays back to back in the minors, or shut him down. If he misses ANY time next year because the Islanders eaited too long to go back into his knee, there can be no discussion abou thow great this coah/GM are, they would be at Matt Millen level of inept.
I don’t car ehow much he “loves” Long Island or how he “wants” to be here, its time for our goalie to play (if hes healthy) or heal (if hes not) and take some heat for his actions.
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Eric Nystrom is not very good. Who cares who they are related to if they aren’t great players. Higgins and Komisarik are good players and they are from the Island so it would be extra nice to have them play for the team, Eric Nystrom is from LI and has ties there to one of the greatest Isles ever but he isn’t very good so who cares.
Swelling is common after knee surgery and can be easily dealt with. The knee should be worked out and strengthened and not just have the guy sitting around but a sensible rehabilitation program.
I am a former goalie and I have never had knee problems but I could tell you from the weight of the pads that if you had any hip, knee, or back issues those pads would make them way worse. Taking shots on slick ice is not the kind of controlled rehab program I mean. Get with a trained physical therapist and keep the pads off and stay off the ice until your 100% ready. I was watching Rick the other night and he stood up on the bench the entire time, my thought was he must be 100% now. I think he could be 100% in 2-4 weeks if he keeps the pads off and stays off the ice.
Chris Botta has constantly defended the medical and training staffs (NOTICE TO ALL ISLANDER EMPLOYEES) but I disagree, I don’t think they are doing a good job at all and the issue needs to be addressed.
DiPietro is one of the best goalies in hockey and a huge difference maker for this organization and they can’t afford to mess him up.
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Jimmy,
Loungo got traded twice (that should tell you something) and his team just named him Captain to try to appease him for his next contract. I long ago wrote on this site about his disgraceful lack of action against Tampa Bay in the season before he got traded. I am glad they traded him, I don’t think he is a good team guy and I am glad they got Rick. I just wish Milbury would have gotten a fair return for him and Jokinen.Gaborik is a talent but go pull up his injury history, he misses a ton of games with injuries over his career. He has played about 6 games all of this year, so I don’t want Gaborik either. Despite what self-appointed hockey expert EK feels is a perfect fit and definite match for the Isles….E3….E22…E74…hut, hut, hike!
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jbranny says:
It is pretty obvious to any serious Islanders fan that DP has a serious injury that may take months and perhaps a couple of years to recover from. Based on the type and number of injuries IT IS FAIR TO PONDER IF DP WILL EVER RETURN!
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Rick says:
So DP was ‘medically cleared’ according to Gordo, and now, for all intents & purposes, he’s missed 1/2 a season. Either Gordo is hiding something, or the Islander doctors who ‘cleared’ him are inept.
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skeptical dose says:
Chris,
You did not overreact. You reacted simply and sharply to obvious BS being put out there. As I tried to express yesterday, you have become our pipeline to real info about ‘our’ team, and if they shut you out they are effectively doing the same to their own fans. That’s the worst thing any business in any field can do it’s customers. Even I know that. -
this is why this managements is constantly made fun of….just shut dp down for the year and let the guy heel…and dp has to be responsible for his actions as well…we know he loves to play but i could a sh*t less if hes not fully healthy…what are we going to get out of this year anyway….a career ending injury to dp??? the org. sadly just doesn’t get it.
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This is the confusing part. His surgeries were successful. The part where they are failing appears to be the program to get him back on the ice, that has more to do with the conditioning and training staffs working with the doctors. The doctors simply don’t know, they work in general terms and give that to the other staffs to implement a sensible plan. That is where I believe the failure occured because it really shouldn’t be this complicated.
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islesfaninNC says:
CB..keep up the great work…..Can i say ot again…..PLEASE keep Rick out the rest of the season!!!!!
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IT*
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Glenn says:
I echo the sentiments of islesfan. It is clear that Dipietro will not be at full strength at any point going forward this year. Shut him down and LET HIM GET HEALTHY!
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i know why i almost had enough. the team is bs ing us every chance they get.why care anymore.
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Joe in Massapequa says:
Sad news about Rico. Hopefully this is it for him for the year and he can come back at 110% next year and return to his regular form. We all know that if he is cleared to play again this year none of us will be happy. We will once again question the medical and training staff, and rightfully so. I can’t wait to hear Howie’s take on this one tonight. The last time he had a DP rant it was quite entertaining.
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Correction to my above post: not sure if Howie is still on leave or not, so scratch the last part of the above paragraph.
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Ricky hurt again? Next you’re going to tell me that the country is in the midst of a recession.
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Adam M. says:
This really makes me question whether it’s even possible for rick to return at all. This kid is not even sniffing 30 yet and he has more surgeries than Michael Jackson. Why not bite the bullet and just shut him down already? If the same thing happens next year its over for mr 15-years.
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John from Merrick. funny stuff.
Jiggs for Howie trade and Comrie for a bag of pucks ! -
Marc in Troy says:
Talk about twisting the knife… From John Rolfe’s latest “Getting Loose” column on SI.com:
NBC seems to have a fondness for collecting spectacularly-failed GMs in its broadcast booth. You may have seen the news that Matt Millen, principal architect of the history-making Detroit Lions, has been hired to do Super Bowl pregame blather. Millen joins a stable that includes Mad Mike Milbury, who will forever cause agita among Islanders fans for his spectacularly outspoken 12-year reign of error in New York. No doubt, Lions fans will be reaching for the antacids on Super Sunday the way Isles fans do during NBC’s NHL broadcasts, especially if they recall the following Milbury pronouncement:
“We’re rolling the dice here a little bit. Roberto Luongo is going to be an excellent goaltender in this league. He is a class act and a kid I know we would have been happy to ride with. But hell, I’ve gotta send him off.”
Ugh. There isn’t an antacid strong enough.
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EdTurner says:
HEY ISLANDER MANAGEMENT -
As long as CB is on a “timeout” so are we.
We (hopefully the rest of PB follows along) will not attend Islander games (i.e. buy tickets) until you grow up and end CB’s TO.
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“john from merrick” or “life long 41 yr old” – quite the amazing feat, btw – or whatever you’re calling yourself (eight posts in this thread in the last 2 hrs… really?)… So what you’re saying is you don’t like Cablevision or Howie Rose? Just wanted to make sure.
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JPinVA says:
All I have to say about the DP is just like any athlete, or human for that matter… I hope he recovers to full strength.
Concerning your “timeout” and the Islander organization in general:
La donna è mobil
qual piuma al vento
Muta d’accento e di pensier!
e di pensier!
e di pensier!È sempre misero
Chi a lei s’affida,
Chi le confida — mal cauto il cuore!
Pur mai non sentesi
Felice appieno
Chi su quel seno — non liba amore! -
Lou Z says:
As Islander fans, all we ever get is a shovel full of bs. When will it ever end. How many die hard Islander fans are even left? I think its time to pack up the equipment and move us. I know time and time again we praise the org for being good to the fans but this is what we rely on. I wanna know about my team and I want it open and honestly. If someone needs to knock Ricky off his throne so be it, the guy has nothing to be on one anyway. It is truely his contract that dictates his skill/power because I most certainly have not seen any product on the ice. Tell Ricky to retire already, geez.
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same old song…scott gordon will be fired and forgotten soon… he will be dust in the wind
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Would the Pens or CAPS be willing to trde for Ricky? Both are supposedly looking for a Goalie. That is all both teams really need a solid goalie.
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mrlbem says:
Joe (#103),
Ricky is likely the most untradeable player in the entire NHL.
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Chris TMC & CB: love the “new improved photo”
CB: This blog rules, I really love reading it.
Re DP: Really, really sad, I hope that he REALLY recovers. I imagine he must be really frustrated with not being fit to play. . .I know he makes millions, but for a hyper-competitive athlete (which he seems to be) I doubt that makes it much better, IMO.
Maybe we can win tonight and go into Tuesdays game with a bit of momentum.
Finally a shout out to JMAC–You are the cutest and a farmer/landscaper in the off season, who could ask for anything more. . . CB there’s a story in there . . . -
Gregg says:
Why be critical of a last place team? Just trust a former back-up goalie as GM and a rookie coach. And if past June drafts tell us anything, everything is going to be fine. Let them rebuild and in 3 years they will trade everyone away and rebuild again. So why be critical?
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wave the surrender flag islanders wave it wide and high…im john tavares thats who i am,, been hiding out in a small little towm…im going shake the hand that shook the hand of p.t. barnum and charlie wang
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Blackwasser says:
CB – great blog/forum. Keep up the good work; as you can see it doesn’t go unnoticed. Management should be thankful for your site as it is a catalyst to the die hard fans during a period of – granted rebuilding – but, real uncertainty.
Your readership is growing because your not a front office puppet.
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to life long 18yr old i am just blowing off steam about the team.all these years of bs on and off the ice.enough is enough.
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G. Howatt says:
DP a waste of Tax Payer’s $$$$$
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Mike says:
And with the first pick in the 2009 draft the Islanders select a GOALIE!
Time to cut the loses and release the man made of glass.
Rickey red light needs to find an easier job like nitting.
this team has passed the Detroit Lions as the BIGGEST JOKE in sports. -
Strummer,
Swelling in the knee joint post surgery is not always a simple thing. It could be due to infection or a lack of synovial fluid which will lead to chronic problems. Also a “successful” surgery, especially orthopedic is more a matter of opinion than much else. Not trying to say I told you so but I’ve been saying there would be problems on here since his second knee surgery. Just not normal stuff. I have my doubts if he will ever have a healthy season I hate to say. -
From the owner and publisher of calgarypuck.com:
Any team can beat any other on any given night, but this SAD SACK team won’t beat a determined Flames club on this night; 4-1 Flames.
More at:
http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/Burning+Issues+Islanders+Flames/1152800/story.html
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Lance79 says:
Ending Chris’s timeout won’t save this season – it’s a touch petty on the team’s part IMHO but so be it; they sure love their pravda.
Ricky really doesn’t need to be a part of this season at all and drama aside, I’m much more interested in KO, Comeau and Bailey turning it on lately. That’s priority 1, development of the kids; priority 2 is maximizing our return for whoever we can dump in the imminent fire sale at the trade deadline. A distant 3rd priority is picking the right player with what will certainly be a top 5 pick. All the other stuff like all the doubletalk on Ricky’s injury all season is just pointless BS attrition that should be ignored. -
isles72 says:
cb -how much of ricks contract is insured by the team ?
I thought I read somewhere that 7 years was the max a team could insure .Who picks up the remaining 8 ?
imo , the bigger the circus atmosphere surrounding rick -the better chance we have at finishing 30th.I cant think of a better ring leader to stir the pot than cb
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Not to interrupt the PB love-fest, but I really don’t see what the big deal with “being ignored” is when PB made a big deal out of nothing regarding conflicting comments. You have the right to be critical, and independent, and the organization has the right to get mad at something written. DP says “I think the plan” and Joey Mac is “a little bit surprised”. Nowhere in these comments does it say “I, CB, was present when these comments were made, and when the coach made his decision, so my commentary should be overembellished to indicate some sort of SAGA within the organization.” Are you saying that the team can’t have some moments of confusion, or that every little, meaningless miscue should be taken for a saga? Be critical of the Islanders when they deserve it. Just because Logan is trying to stir the pot doesn’t mean that it is correct.
Don’t worry, I’ve drank my kool aid.
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Kevin Fitz says:
OK I am just throwing this out there. After this season Ricky has 12 years left on his contract at 4.5 per year. that is 54 million. If we buy him out it will be 1.5 million against the cap for 24 years. Now yes, that it ridiculous when you think about it. But 1.5 mil is not that huge of a hit. We cannot have a number one goalie who is going to be hurt for the next 10 years and his contract is untradeable. That will be far worse to the franchise than 1.5 a year for 24 years. And I am not saying they do it, I am just throwing the idea out there.
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no offence but you guys make this ricky situation ridiculous. buy him out. just stop
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Can you imagine the media circus if they bought out DP? That would be worse for our reputation than if we kept him.
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Worse than not having a number 1 goalie due to injury is the Team’s historic reluctance (at least since Snow retired from his day job)to bring in a proven back up goalie who could also provide some competition for the owner’s favorite son.
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I am not saying they should do it. I was just runnin the numbers and seein what it would look like. curiousity got the best of me
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JayK says:
Are you guys for real? OK, it’s been frustrating with his repeated injuries. But to sit there and declare him physically unable to perform for the next 13 years because his knee swelled up, not even two weeks after his solid performance against Toronto, might be the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard in these comments.
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Mike 8 says:
play this scenerio out with any other team – You wake up tomorrow morning and the ____ replace their GM with the back-up quarterback/catcher/point guard.
The perception would be the owner has lost his mind and the organization is a joke. Honestly, imagine if the Yankees or Mets did this. The press would be calling for a psych exam EVERYDAY!!!
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and another thing, how condescending is Wang to ask Milbury and Snow, ‘what do want to do when you grow up’.
Hey Charles, do you still think running a hockey team is a big joke?!! your organization is still a mess 8 years after you bought it. HIRING SOME COMPETENT PEOPLE PLEASE!!!!
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Sexier than Usher usher says:
Just an FYI for post #63. Directv does indeed carry the Isles in HD. Have since last year when the FCC started putting some heat on Dolan. So for anyone who doesn’t know it you need not pay the Ranger salaries to get an equal picture when watching Isles games. I and others suffered for years out of principle watching SD on our HD TV’s refusing to pay Dolan. But our sacrifice was rewarded when Directv won the HD rights. Like I said, just putting it out there for anyone who doesn’t know.
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Rich says:
CB I am in my analogy phase today. The Isles shutting you out is the opposite of what the SNY network does for Mets fans. This being that SNY a wholly owned Mets companyy was highly critical of the timing of the Willie Randolph firing. The reporting is accurate and can be downright harsch at times. Guess what?That’s what earns fans respect. I felt that this turned the tide of the Mets organization from a second rate team to a respectable ballclub. All temas are sensitive about comments it’s in the way they handle it that screws it up. CB gives us the only honest reporting out there on a daily basis. For the Islanders to shut him out one iota is complete nonsense.
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AZS says:
3-0 Atlanta in the 2nd …
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Buying out DP won’t fix anything because Islander fans will find something new to whine about concerning a goalie. Joey Mac has not proven that he is a replacement for a number 1 goaltender, and if these past two off-seasons are any indicator, it will get very expensive to land a true number 1. Then Islander fans will cry and cry and cry about that. It’s a vicious cycle.
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Post 124 said it best, could you imagine the backlash in the press if the Yankees made John Flaherty GM?
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JayK I don’t know if you were referring to me as far as declaring him unfit to play for the next 13 years? I’m not if you were. However, there is a very real chance of DP being in and out of the line up for the next 13 years and if anyone can’t see that you have blinders on. There is also a reasonable chance of what you said happening. Having 2 knee surgeries and hip surgeries at his age is a little abnormal. His recovery time should be less due to his age and conditioning but it is evidently not. There is something wrong with that. There are people who have hip replacements and knee replacements that are in their 60′s and 70′s that recover quicker and are fully functional. There is obviously something not right with this whole thing.
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Do those same people in their 60s and 70s also play ice hockey at the professional level?
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True Post 131 , but they don’t do acrobats on ice 3 times a week. It is becoming somewhat evident he needs to take the rest of the season to fully recover.
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You are correct most don’t. Maybe you didn’t mean what I said by FULLY recover. He may never fully recover and I think its time people might want to start facing the facts. Hope he does but I certainly don’t see it, may not be the popular opinion but I think its the realistic one. Everyone keeps saying take the year off. That may not help I hate to say. Guess we will see!
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ZIPPY says:
DP needs to grow up and lose the ego and rest. As for Snow he reminds me of a used car salesman with nonstop bullshit coming from his mouth. He is not nearly as smart as he thinks he is.
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jk says:
What you guys think, who is behind this. DP, Snow, Wang..? I know, DP is selfish but..
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"Dissillusioned Brian" in VA says:
I said I wasn’t going to post I swear this is my last post but I LOL’ed at:
Rick DiPavano!! Man its sooo true. Cut our losses see ya Ricky… Retire my man! -
Brian From Jersey says:
Anyone think that since DP makes a good amount of money he feels obligated to be at work? If he is healthy, he should play and I’m sure he will… This organization is a disaster (I never thought No-Executive experience Snow should step right in… oops, sounds like our president elect) but no matter what I’ll still be a fan… even when they are the Kansas City Whatevers…
“NYI Point Blank. Independent, daily coverage of the New York Islanders.”
That says it all. If the powers-that-be (or the players, for that matter) don’t like the “Independent” (which means you’re going to call ‘em like you see ‘em), then you should not do them the honor/favor of providing them with “coverage” (which is, after all, free advertising for the team and its players). Think the Islanders should look at your websites stats, and the passionate comments section, and then apologize to you for their unprofessional conduct.
Until then, know that I, for one, support you and think you’re doing a great job with this site.