Comments on: A SMALL STORY ABOUT A SMALL GESTUREThat speaks volumes about Josh Bailey

By: JANE FONDAS ARMY

JANE FONDAS ARMY — Mon, 18 May 2009 09:34:42 +0000

Kudos to Josh, im glad he’s an Islander…But id have to agree, Scatchard is by far the most honest,giving and nicest guys in the sport. I too, wish he was still with Isles…what an awesome guy. Another current great kid on the Isles is, Bruno Gervias. I hear he’s so much involved w/the community on LI. Ive got a great player/fan expierence to share…back in 97, i was visiting LI from Omaha, Ne for my brothers wedding, i bumped into Bob Nymstrom. I happened upon him at the Benningans in Commack. I was with my sister,brother, fiancee(shes from Nebraska) and my cousin(hes a Rags fan). Anyways, we were drinking and catching up, talking about the times we had growing up on LI & the wedding, when i looked across the bar i saw Bobby..i go to everyone “hey, its Nymstrom”…so i get up and approach him, meanwhile in the background i can hear my cousin saying “its not him”, i knew it was, so i go up to him(Nystrom)and tell him, “Ranger fans have gotta be the most dumbest fans in Ny” and Bobby says ” Whys that? and i tell him because my cousin does’nt believe your the Islander HOF’er, Nymstrom. He laughs and looks over at him and flashes him the “four fingers”..what a class act Bobby is. Anyways, i call over to my fiancee to come meet him, and she was just awestruck..mind you she’s a midwest girl and has never met anybody famous, so she says hello and tells him that she loves Long Island and she loves the Islanders and asks him if it was ok to get her Jersey from the car and have him sign it…Bobby told her sure, signed it and we talked for quite a while. Very nice guy. i can say this, the Islanders have always had teams that go out of thier way for the fans.

By: bryan

bryan — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:59:50 +0000

hockey players are “real” people and they are thankful that they get to play the game they love for a living, and it shows.

By: Bob C

Bob C — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:43:11 +0000

16 Years ago today my buddy and I went to Pittsburgh for Game 7. After the game and my brief heart attack during the overtime we were outside the Civic Arena and the players were getting on the bus and they were celebrating and talking to the fans who made the trek from Long Island. I spot Jeff Norton who was my favorite player on the team and whose jersey I was wearing. I mentioned I was so pumped that I should go to Montreal along with the team, he said “if you and your buddy are serious you have tickets”. We were serious and after flying home Satrurday morning we got in a van with other friends and headed to Montreal. I took a chance and went to the box office and sure enough Jeff had left 2 tickets on the blue line for the game. Never forget that gesture and love hearing the stories about the great men who have made up this franchise.

By: kabbage

kabbage — Thu, 14 May 2009 04:40:52 +0000

To Frei (91)Character does not score goals but it wins championships and it leads teams. It is something that all championship teams have!

This is why the Isles bring in possible draft picks to Long Island for face-to-face interviews.

By: Erika

Erika — Thu, 14 May 2009 02:37:53 +0000

It’s true…all these athletes making the big $$$–they need to thank their fans. Why can’t athletes in other sports do this?? This is why I say hockey players are the least overpaid of the 4 major pro sports. The games I went to this year, I always watched the warm-up up close and saw Josh throw a few pucks over the glass, usually to a kid.

By: sarah

sarah — Thu, 14 May 2009 02:12:37 +0000

this is why i love hockey.

i am a huge andy sutton fan (he was involved in the first real hockey fight i had ever seen in person). i have an andy sutton practice jersey. i went to one of the practices (while he was rehabbing in the beginning of the season) and he came out and said “so you’re the one with my jersey” he signed my jersey and then we took pictures (to which he insisted we take two of them) after he left i continued watching the practice. andy sutton came out again and tapped me on my shoulder (and did an “i made you look”). i believe he came out a third time and said goodbye to me.

i have only been a hockey and an islander fan for two years and i’ve already met and gotten pictures with most of the current team. they have always been extremely friendly, and always willing to say hi. it is unbelievable that these guys are sports players and are so approachable and down to earth.

By: Al L

Al L — Wed, 13 May 2009 22:38:58 +0000

Mike in Bohemia(#61). I am not the least bit surprised about your experience with Aaron. Having been to many Card shows in the past what you descirbed had been a pattern with this guy. He has a miserablle attitude and aside from being rude to his supporters(Fans)he doesn’t give an inch even to a kid. I had a nice 500 HR lithograph and simply asked him to sign 755 HR so it would be consistent with the other players on it. He didn’t even look up at me,but said;”some people want everything”,proceeding to write 755 only. I paid $95 for the autograph and inscription mind you! When I was young I idolized the guy because of his perceived nonchalance and gentlemanly appearance. Perhaps time has made him bitter or perception was never reality with this guy!

By: Mike Cavalluzzo

Mike Cavalluzzo — Wed, 13 May 2009 21:17:59 +0000

Dave Scatchard storys can go on all day! Wish he was still an Islander!!

By: Rick

Rick — Wed, 13 May 2009 21:16:10 +0000

In general, the Islanders have always had players who have gone above & beyond as far as fan relations go. As a kid, I’d hang around after the games by the tunnel the players used to come out of, and never did one refuse to sign. I’ve told the story before about Mark Fitzpatrick & the Bomber standing in the rain after a game for 5 minutes talking to my friend and I (had to be 11 or 12 at the time). In general, I think hockey players ‘get it’, while, as we can see from what the Yankees have done with their new stadium, most athletes in other sports don’t.

By: Ron

Ron — Wed, 13 May 2009 21:12:10 +0000

Josh Baily is one of the nice guys in the league. I took my daughter to see the Isles play in Philly on Valentines day (she loves her islanders). During warmups we stood by the glass near the Isles bench, wearing our gear. He saw her standing there, grabbed a puck, skated over and flipped a puck over the glass to her. She still talks about it today. He really looks out for our little fans!

By: KO21

KO21 — Wed, 13 May 2009 20:33:21 +0000

I met the islander Alumni team after they played an exhibition game at the Supirior Ice rink…The players were cordial, signed sigs for every kid there..

By: why

why — Wed, 13 May 2009 20:00:25 +0000

#91 i met billy smith several times, he gave me and my son each an autograph and could not have been nicer. you must have caught him on a bad night, we all have them! i have also met many other islanders going back to the seventies and they have all been great.