ISLANDERS POINT BLANK NEEDS A HOME: They can’t call it the “team-sponsored blog” anymore
UPDATED on Friday at 9:30 am – Newsday sports media guru Neil Best blogs about Point Blank, throws in plug for Newsday coverage of the Islanders. Sports Illustrated media and broadcasting columnist Richard Deitsch Tweets about PB. Thank you, Neil and Richard.
Islanders Independent stands up, and also clears up any misunderstanding.
A beautiful note comes in from the family of Todd Aronovitch about the Islanders and their son. (See Comment #39)
Regarding the future of Point Blank, readers have generated a Petition and a Facebook Group. I don’t know the numbers on the petition, but the Facebook Group has enlisted more than 150 members within a few hours. This is the part where I should say I’m “humbled.” That doesn’t quite do it. I couldn’t possibly articulate my reaction to that.
The reaction from hockey blog pioneer James Mirtle.
Thank you, James.
Kind words from “My Geek Review.”
UPDATED Friday at noon – My thanks and some follow-up thoughts at Comment #456…CB
Islanders Point Blank is no longer the “team-sponsored blog.” As a result, Point Blank may not be around much longer.
Like just about everything in sports, it’s only business. Nothing personal, and it’s certainly not about anything I’ve written that the franchise may not have loved.
The Islanders were my employer for more than 20 years. Last summer Chris Dey came to me with the idea to have this former longtime team exec blogging 24/7/365 about the Islanders. Quickly, the hockey fans responded and I am forever appreciative. Even before the Islanders drafted John Tavares, Point Blank was receiving in excess of 400,000 unique visitors a month. With the expectation the young players will develop and not come in last in the league again, those numbers would only grow in seasons to come.
We praised, criticized and tried to hold the Islanders accountable in a fair manner. We tried to tell every side of the story and elevate the discussion. We were relentless. You and I know about all the stories discussed here first and most often – about the Lighthouse and the draft and prospects and everything else the mainstream media wasn’t covering. No need to list all the stories we broke, often readers and editor in partnership.
We packed a bar and celebrated together as Tavares became an Islander. Readers said the constant connection to the team via the blog strengthened their support of the team and was helping win over new fans. I’ve received tremendous support and suggestions (and page views) from fellow bloggers, NHL reporters and just about every person in the Islanders’ front office. As the team was about to select Calvin de Haan, a trio of NYI scouts were shown on TSN at the draft table reading Point Blank on their laptops.
(I was thinner when this blogging stuff started)
But now it could be over. Blog survival may be a long shot, but you never know. There are some possibilities, just as I open my search to a career without the Islanders as part of it.
To be clear, the Islanders made a very kind offer of support that would have been of great assistance if I chose to develop Point Blank as my own business. I’m grateful for their gesture and hope they respect that running a hockey blog as my personal full-time business at this stage of my life does not work for me. I thank them for the idea for Point Blank and their generous offer of support. I hope the blog was beneficial to the franchise over the last ten months.
*
In response to the many readers suggesting they would pay for a subscription, your kindness is incredible. Thanks also to those readers and friends asking about potential sponsorships. It simply is not a wise business model – not with a family, not at my age, in my opinion not in this age. Even with the popularity of the site, the numbers do not add up to a full-time living, do not add up to being able to do this blog the right way – writing and thinking about it every waking hour. These concerns have been confirmed by many people I consider experts in blogging and the business of New Media.
I even went to the lengths of tracking down David Meerman Scott, the best-selling author of “The New Rules of Marketing & PR.” I used David’s book as a textbook for my Masters course at Hofstra. He cited the Blog Box we created at the Islanders as a global innovation in his new book, “World Wide Rave.” This year, he hosted a seminar for Islanders marketing and PR staffers.
This is what the social media guru and marketing consultant for Google, HP, the U.S. Marines Corps and hundreds of other clients told me this afternoon:
People don’t react to paid content no matter how good, valuable or rare it may be. Things they are used to getting or expect to get for free…the consumer will not pay for it. Many fans might offer to pay a subscription, but you would lose at least 90% of your readership. It has not worked. It will not work.
The thought of Islanders fans being the only sports fans paying for my brand of beat coverage is distasteful. Other than for trade rumors, I don’t know anybody who pays money for any sports editorial content on the Internet. Once subscribers started copying-and-pasting Point Blank scoops on message boards, you’d wonder what you were paying for.
Even if subscription sales were moderately successful, as David Meerman Scott said I would lose most of Islanders Country. That would destroy the entire original purpose of Point Blank. Considering the state of sports coverage – as detailed here in the Sports Business Journal – subscriptions would be a lose-lose for the Islanders and the fans.
Perhaps the team can give the opportunity to another writer. David Scott believes Chris Dey and the Islanders gave birth to another New Media innovation with IPB, one they could sell to other teams. My hope was that the Islanders and I could build on what we started only ten months ago. My hope was that the Islanders, in addition to the PR value, could somehow find a way to make the blog work for them.
*
(NOT all my children)
So the official pursuit of Act Two of my career begins. Like so many others, I’m unemployed and looking for a full-time job. But I’m one of the lucky ones. I’ve been fortunate up to this point in my life to do something I’ve loved doing. The shake-up may be good for me.
If I’m able to find another home for Point Blank or another gig, I’ll write about it in this space. There are many people to thank and final thoughts to be shared. As for writing about the Islanders in the next few weeks, I honestly don’t know. My focus must be on a livelihood and taking care of my family.
Sorry for all the drama. It’s just that I’ve always tried to keep an honest dialogue on the blog – remember this one? – and I will until we reach the end.
If you’ve made it this far, I’d like to ask a personal favor. Constructive Comments, supporting somehow keeping Point Blank alive or finding it another destination, spreading the word if you think I have a half a clue and am not a complete jerk, your thoughts on the blog these last ten months…those would be helpful. Personal attacks on anyone other than me…not helpful. Again, I need everyone’s guidance if I’m going to land on my feet in this economy. Maybe there’s a better home for the blog. Time to build, not burn bridges. Please help me do that.
Point Blank and the Islanders have been a full-time job and all-the-time obsession. I didn’t take a day off for almost 300 days, and I loved every second of it. I’m proud of my record in two jobs with the Islanders this decade. I thank Charles Wang for the opportunity and the franchise for an idea that was ahead of its time. We had something pretty special here. I thank you for joining me every step of the way.
CB
"Amazing. I write about you for six months. You're here. I'm gone."
771 Responses to ISLANDERS POINT BLANK NEEDS A HOME: They can’t call it the “team-sponsored blog” anymore
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Eric Cup says:
SAY IT AIN’T SO! I’m sure the many comments that will follow this one will be quite similar. YOU WILL BE MISSED!!!!!
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NickyL says:
NOOO!!! A part of me just died. I’m so sad now.
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Bossy22 says:
Please tell me this is a bad dream. Please anwser this honestly Chris. Would you like to continue Point Blank if you were still getting paid by the Isles? If so, we fans have alot to say and believe me, when we start sending/phoning thousands of complaints to the Isles, they will have to listen and you will be employed and we readers will be happy.
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Al Beezle says:
We’re going to be losing our 25th man, and the guy who did a better job managing the fans than any other exec in recent memory. With what you’ve given to the community, best of luck in your next venture in life CB.
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Caesar says:
You’ve meant too much for too long to us fans. You’ve been there with our morning up of coffee. It’s like a ritual.
I hope you land on your feet and find something you love doing as much as this. If anything I think we all hope you continue writing and sharing you personal stories with the team. BDGallof is starting something with his IslandersIndependent.
Hope you keep in touch with us all.
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CMB says:
CB, I have been a loyal reader of your blog, and I am saddened by the possibility that you will not be able to do it anymore.
Best of luck finding a way to make this, or something else, work.
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Tavares #1 says:
Who cares what Newsday calls it. People are going to come here anyway. No big deal.
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richiewheels says:
CB,
I love your site and have reconnected with the Islandes since discovering it a couple of months ago. I check it a few times a day and know more about my favorite team than ever before and I’ve been a fan for 30 years. This is terrible news and I hope that somehow this is not the end of PB. There has to be a way to make this work!
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Benjamin K says:
CB, I was having a relatively decent day until this…I am constantly on this site and i am honestly at a loss for words right now. I hope you do find anther job ad wish you luck. We need to continue Point Blank in one form or another. It just needs to happen!!!!!!!!
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I agree with #4. This is the only place to get Islander information that is worth reading.
Chris, we await your answer.
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BarryLI says:
As an Islander fan of 37 years your site is the best place I have ever been for Isles content 24/7. This development saddens me greatly because I have become used to my PB fix for the past year or so. I would be willing to pay for access but I understand that that isn’t the answer. I hope folks smarter than me can figure out some way to keep your keyboard churning because it would be an insurmountable loss for Islanders Country.
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rich says:
CB, I have read your blog everyday faithfully. I have commented and you hsve even responded to my private e-mails. You are the main artery for Isles news in the sports world. There is no better journalist covering the team. If there are any other sponsors or ways you can think of please e-mail me. I can try and get more sponsorship for you. This is your calling. You know that.
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Chris says:
CB,
Long time reader, first time posting. I’ve got to say, that I come to this website multiple times a day, every single day. It never ceases to amaze me how incredible of a source that you are, constantly updating and informing us about the team we all know and love. To say that you will be missed would be an understatement.
I wish you nothing but the best and cannot thank you enough for the past 10 months. You helped create a home for all of us, often overlooked, Islanders fans.
i guess we all really are Islanders
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Bruce says:
Hey CB….SNY has a team of blogs such as Metsblog, giantsfootballblog etc….they have every new york team except the Islanders…..perhaps this blog could team up with SNY…..just throwing something out there. This blog was a great idea and you covered the team so well. I hope this blog survives and good luck in the future!
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michael says:
If the Isles pulled the plug on this they are stupid. We get so much Islanders news here it’s rediculous. We need this info, Point Blank needs to go on!
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The PolishPrince says:
Dammit. What else is there to say? I feel as if the Isles just announced they were moving to Kansas City. Thank you for all the hard work Chris. IPB was the best source of Isles info bar none .Godspeed and good luck.
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Joe Reekie says:
Dey turns the site to night.
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rb says:
bummer…but a guy’s got to do what’s best for his family…good luck!
as far as home for IPB, why doesn’t NHL.com (or the Hockey News?) hire one blogger – 30 in all – to cover each team?
outside of some of the Canadian markets, and maybe Detroit, news coverage of the NHL generally stinks, and it’s only going to get worse with newspapers cutting back or folding
if NHL.com had a blogger the quality of this site covering every team it would be the go-to place for ALL NHL fans
I’m gonna miss this site
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No! I need this blog! Chris, your work is outstanding. The hockey blogosphere needs you and your unique perspective. I hope you find a place to continue Point Blank but you must move on, I hope you find even greater success.
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Jwinsjan says:
WoW i just found this place a little over a month ago and already i’m losing it. where do i go?? what do i do??? I’ve lost my map!!!!!!!
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isles316 says:
This site became a part of my routine every day and I looked forward to reading your stories. They were honest and very insightful. I don’t believe that any other professional sports team was able to give that kind of personal coverage. It brought fans closer to the team. I have always felt like part of the team in a way and I think a lot of fans do as well. Pointblank made it easier to do that. Good Luck Chris.
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Battfist says:
Can you skate? Play physical?
CB-this sucks!
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Tom B says:
no way! come on, this is the best promotion the islanders have gotten in years and they want to kill it.
figures, another STELLAR islanders move.
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Islesin2010 says:
CB- You will be missed. Point Blank would not have been as special as it was if it did not have you steering it everyday, that is for sure. Nothing against Logan but it just won’t be the same. Your insight and stories are one-of-a-kind, sincerely. The Islanders are making a HUGE mistake by not renewing this blog, just as it looks like they are moving a few steps forward from a hockey perspective, they go twice as many steps backwards from a PR point of view.
Just a final word to NYI management… Good people are hard to come by. Very hard. In the last week 3 great people, Chris King, Steve Mears, and Chris Botta have left your organization. As much as you try, these people are irreplaceable, and that from a fans perspective is unacceptable.
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chip saunders says:
CB,This bloghas been a godsend for me since I discovered it late in the season. Hopefully this blog will be around in some form. This is the ABSOLUTE best place to get Islander new’s. It makes an Islander fan feel as if our team still matter’s.I have been pleasantly surprised tosee so many Isle’s fan’s still around.
Of course you have to do what’s right for your family,which alway’s comes first.So whatever happen’s good luck and thank you for the enjoyment these last few month’s. -
BB says:
:’(
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The Islanders organization is crazy if they let this fall apart. Point Blank is the best thing that has happened to Islanders media- ever… and I am not exaggerating. It is the smartest thing this organization could have done at the time, and if they let this fall to nohtingness WHAT DO THEY EXPECT WILL HAPPEN? A team with a tenuous hold on its fanbase cannot continue disregarding them. They cannot possibly be this stupid.
Believe me, the poorly-researched, misspelling-laden juvenile mentality that makes up about 90% of all blogs will NOT satisfy this fanbase. That is what you get for free. You get what you pay for, Islanders. If you want to pay nothing, nothing is exactly what you will get. Nothing of value, nothing worth reading, and nothing that will help this organization.
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Joe says:
I agree with Bruce #17! There’s gotta be a way to team up with SNY, they’ve got blogs for every team except the Islanders!
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Tavares #1 (8): “No big deal”??? Dont you get it? There wont BE a “here” if CB is not paid by someone… or do you expect a grown man with a family to support to do a full-time job for absolutely nothing????
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mattyboy says:
Good luck brother.
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To continue what I said in #4….call me selfish, but I’m not ready for point blank to come to an end. All the Point Blank fans are not ready for this to come to an end. If Kate Murray thinks she received a lot of negative emails from Islanders fans, wait till Snow gets wind of the emails the Islanders will be receiving over the next couple of days. I stongly encourage fans to go to the Isles sight, email customer service and be heard. Chris….sit tight, you won’t need unemployement.
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Jeff from CT says:
Is there anyone we can write to keep this site active? You have been a valuable source of info for us. Thank you.
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SNY seems the obvious choice. Also, I wouldn’t mind a million ads on this site. Pop ups, audio, whatever. SELL OUT!
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Bob says:
CB….Is this a situation where calling the Isles and saying how unhappy we are with this decision is appropriate? Before I call my ticket rep, I want to know if its what we should be doing.
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JSExpress says:
Hands-down, the best Islanders site out there. Integrates fans in a way that I’ve never seen before across any form of media. Would be a real shame to lose such a wonderful resource. I can honestly say that I would feel less connected to the organization of Point Blank were to go away. Best of luck Chris – You did a fantastic job, and I sincerely wish you and yours all the best in the future, be it here with Point Blank (hopefully), or anywhere else!
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And to add…I’m pretty upset about this.
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Customer service on the Isles sight……I just copied and pasted all these comments and will continue to do so and I encourage everyone else to as well. Power in numbers my fellow Isles fans
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Zach teller says:
There’s gotta b a way to keep it going cb
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Chris M says:
As I noted in my email to you, there are plenty of ways to monetize this blog without a subscription model. My offer to assist, still stands should you pursue this venture on your own.
I’ll echo the other posters, this blog was the best thing to happen to Islander country in quite some time.
Best of luck in whatever path you choose.
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RichM says:
Terrible news! Best of luck to you and our family! Thanks for all your hard work!
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IslesFanInBkNY says:
What can we do to to help? Should we try to petition Islanders front office and mr.Dey personaly? Can we raise this question on August 4, before the whole crowd will move to Hoffstra? This blog got to stay somehow.
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Yashin for President says:
Obviously we love your blog. I wonder what the offer was to keep it going by the isles? Def a big mistake if the Isles let this go..
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Jsr says:
:’(
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On more thing… This site had people talking. Not just fans of the Islanders or the NHL, but sports fans in general. God’s honest truth… I’m recently transplanted to California, and I had a friend from Philadelphia ask me about IPB. This site generated such a great buzz; the kind of attention that a rebuilding organization like the Isles desperately needs. Let’s hope they can work to find a way to keep it alive.
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CharlieD says:
Wow I am so sad by this….religious follower of the blog and expecially you Chris. Thanks for entertaining me and you have my support with anything else you may have lined up on the internet.
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very sad chris!!!! this blog is going to be missed. I completely understand. good luck to you and I hope you land on your feet running. this was a successful venture and I’m sure this experience will aid you moving forward.
again, very sad IPB is closing down. very sad indeed
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George says:
BS!!!!! This is the best information on the Isles we get. Cutting you off cuts me out! They should be begging you to do this full time!! CW support this blog with the change in your couch! come on you got to be kidding me?
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Chris, Thank you for the hard work and outstanding blog. The coverage on the Isles has helped this fan base and the organization. We do not pay the bills, I understand, but I would pay a fee for the site, that is where I think David Scott is wrong. It would be a nice part time gig…why not think about it and ponder it for a couple of days.
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I would pay for this site as well.
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Strummer's Army says:
Well Botta this is by far the worst thing you’ve ever written!
I have thought many times over the summer how great this year has been with all the in depth coverage, feeling more connected to the team then ever (despite them sucking and being a bunch of sissy’s). Point Blank really did the team a massive service when it was very hard to be an Islander fan. It did grow the fan base. It felt like there was no summer. LORD PLEASE DON’T MAKE US GO BACK TO BEING DEPENDENT ON THE ISLANDERS CRAPPY WEBSITE FOR ISLANDER NEWS! I love Logie too but this is the best sports site on the net, why on Earth would the Isles want to do something so wrong after doing something so right? It’s like drafting a future Norris Trophy, tough as hell and huge D_man like Chara and then trading him for a lazy whinny mama’s boy. No one would do that. Especially with the team on the upswing it needs to stay connected to fans and increase it’s exposure around the hockey world and Point Blank is still the best vehicle for that.SOMEONE FIND THE NUMBERS TO THE ISLANDERS OFFICES. WE ARE GOING TO FLOOD CHRIS DEY, CHARLES WANGS AND GARTH SNOW’S VOICE MAIL’S AND FAXES UNTIL THEY CORRECT THEIR MISTAKE.
I might not get to watch a good defense this year but I’ll be damned if I’m not going to have the level of coverage that they Isles got me used to.
It’s like someone setting you up to date Marissa Miller or either of the Krupa sisters and then taking her away and leaving you no one to date (and that is the only time Botta will ever be compared to a super model).
CHRIS DEY WE WANT BOTTA TO KEEP DOING POINT BLANK. MAKE IT HAPPEN!
Why do the Isles have to always be doing something to piss off their fan base?
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dmen77 says:
Man, a really dark cloud has set over me (besides the one outside right now producing a soaking downpour).
I wish today was April 1st and you were just pulling an April Fools joke on us all CB.
No matter what happens, WE ALL want to thank you for the greatest 10 months of stories and insights most of us Isles fans would have never gotten anywhere else.
Hey, I’ll keep playing the lottery and if lightning strikes and I were to win big, I’ll pay you personally CB to keep this site going, and pay you enough not to have to worry about anything else for awhile. That’s how much I love coming to this site multiple times daily.
You don’t need to explain to any of us that family comes first, especially in the shape the economy is in. Regardless of the future of this site, I hope you reach the best outcome for you and your family.
I’ll tell you one thing, with what seems like a thousand different posts you’ve contributed to this site, HARD WORKER and DEDICATION better be the biggest words on your resume.
Thank you CB, thank you….
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John G. says:
While I will be deeply dissapointed that it will end, I understand you have to do what is best for you and your family. Thank you for your countless hours of dedication to us, the fans, and the team. If you can’t do this full time how about part time? A couple of stories a week, like 1 every mon,wed,fri, something? If someone takes over, I don’t know if it’ll be the same, but I’ll still keep coming. Whats the name of the younger of the two radio guys they cut loose? Think he could handle it?
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Bryan says:
We are no where near the cap. Charles open your pocket book and pay Botta what he wants
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Cain says:
Chris,
Why not join BD’s gaggle of bloggers? You wouldn’t have the pressure of content and be among friends?
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Isle_in_LA says:
What the frack! I don’t understand. All of the buildup for the draft was because of this blog. The fans need you. Newsday should hire you as a writer. Your articles are always fun to read with so much more insight than anything else out there. I’m sure they could use the ad revenue. You will be sorely missed:(
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John says:
Sorry to see you go, Chris. Are we all invited to Chris Dey’s book-burning?
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dalybone says:
this blows.
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Danny T says:
Prior to and in all seriousness, on par with drafting Tavares, this blog has been the best thing to happen to the Islanders since the 1993 Cup run. Chris, I would look forward to reading your blog every day. In fact, it is the first blog I have ever read. I would ALWAYS have the page open in my browser while working, and I would ALWAYS refresh the page while holding my breath, hoping for a new story. Your insight and approach was incredible. I pray to the hockey gods that somehow your blog will continue. All the best Chris.
Sincerely from the guy that had the TAVARES sign at the draft party.
-Danny -
patrick says:
I knew this site was too good to be true. i have read this site 3 to 4 times a day for at least the past 8 months. I hope in some way this will all work out and you will continue writing on pointblank. I dont know what to even say. im lost for words. i truely feared this would happen. this is the most interesting read of any pro sports. better than any newspaper, radio, tv show or website. i wish you the best and hope everything works out for the best.
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Blizzard says: You have done a good job. Hopefully you can parley this blogs success into something that works for you and your family. I for one have enjoyed the ride and will be looking for a replacement for my Islander fix should Point Blank go away.
By the way are you small or is Tavares that big……? lol
Good luck CB…..class act.
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This is terrible. Chris TMC post #31 said it perfectly – except for the question if they can be this stupid to let this blog go away – I think we know the answer to that lol – There was so much quality and passion behind this blog and to Chris Botta we all owe a big thank you and good luck. Now what?! (I think this blog, and Botta will land on their feet – optimism and constructive ideas go far – maybe it won’t happen right away, but hopefully it will happen again some day)
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bergie20 says:
this blog is great. i really hope that you’re able to find another home for it. i wish you well in whatever you decide to do.
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TC says:
With IPB I get my Islanders “fix” everyday, sometimes twice a day. It’s part of my daily routine. Chris when you took a couple of days off last week I didn’t know what to do with myself. I found some other blog spots, but there content is old/rarely updated, and inconsistent. What we have here is our own, personal, Islanders professional Journalist, that understands the team and the fans. This to me, is not a replaceable entity. I’m with anyone and everyone that chooses to take a stand on this!
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doublechili says:
Chris, first thanks for this outstanding site. You have provided a constant stream of excellent information. This is the best hockey site on the internet, period. Ultimately, it increases interest in the team and the game, and I’m sure over time it would thereby positively impacts things like attendance, tv ratings, merchandise sales, etc..
Poster #21 beat me to it about NHL.com. Please contact NHL.com about a position with them setting up NHL Point Blank, a home for 30 PBs for all the teams, plus perhaps even some themed league-wide blogs. You could run the whole thing, which might mean we’d lose you as full-time Isles’ blogger, but what a great resource that would be for the league and its fans. It would dramatically increase visits to NHL.com, and the possibility for marketing synergy (is that the right term?) with team websites, ticket and merchandise sales, etc., would make it worthwhile for the league and the teams even if the NHL PB itself didn’t generate revenue. I don’t know enough about this to know if it would work, but it sure seems like the potential is there.
Anyway, best of luck and thanks again. I really hope you work something out, for our sakes!
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bf51 says:
Quite sad. Despite what was generally a down for the team,this blog kept me connected and watching the Isles. All the in depth info I learned about the team from this blog kept me invested in what was happening both on and off the ice. The Isles organization should realize that IPB helps build a fanbase and sell tickets more than any stupid promotion they could come up with.
Regardless of what happens there is no doubt you will land on your feet. Good luck and I hope this blog somehow keeps going.
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Joe says:
3 Letters….WTF?!?!? I do hope the Islander brass snap out of it and dont let this happen! The Islanders are in the market for an enforcer if your willing…..
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bryan c says:
RIP IPB
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Ketch says:
It’s unreal how I check this site first, over any of the Isles-related sites. You have provided the fans with a great perspective…one that I have almost always agreed with.
I’d take 5 years of Oleg Kvasha just to keep this blog running. And that is alot, my friend!
But if it must go…I wish you and your family the very best in the future. Thanks for EVERYTHING!!!
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Vlad from Brooklyn says:
These are NOT the news I wanted to read from this blog. But if the way to keep it running full time will not be found, how about to keep it as a hobby? All other Isles news sources have new postings about one time a week. I would prefer to read you blog one time a week and get much more interesting truth and info then from others. I have my family members and my friends from Eastern Europe glued to this site. Chris, let us know if we can do something real (besides emailing our requests to Isles web site) to keep it alive. I’ve been always supportive to Isles organization. I hope they will do the right decision this time. We all need this!
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Mikey says:
I have been a loyal Islander fan since 1988, but I now live many states away. This site has been an invaluable way for me to become closer to this team and my fellow fans. I have reconnected with old friends over discussions of IPB posts, and I know that this site has helped more than a few departed fans return to their childhood team. No offense to the Blog Box, the Isles website, and our ONE full-time beat writer – but this blog has become the number one source for everything Islanders. When this blog shuts down, my emotional investment in this team will weaken. I will always be an Islander, but it will never be like this past year.
I am going to call the Islanders first thing tomorrow morning and instruct my relatives and friends to do the same. Management has made a disastrous mistake here.
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joeybagodonuts says:
i don’t think this is the islanders pulling the plug, so i wouldn’t rush to start beating them up. theres no money in the blogging business, unless you’re gossiping about britney spears…not jack hillen. there’s also no career advancement, and the chance to grow the business is minimal. this is simply a career move for CB, and a well-deserved one. everyone in the hockey community saw your passion and hard work, so i’m sure you’ll have a few job offers by tomorrow morning. best of luck to you, and i’m pretty certain the islanders know they have something good here…i wouldn’t begin to fret just yet.
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Bill O says:
Chris,
Your writing is first rate! I read all the local papers and they don’t come close to what you put down on this blog. It is like we are saying goodbye to a family member. I hope the Islanders reconsider. You will be missed, my friend. All the best to you and your family and good luck.
Please, let us know if their is anything we can do for you and your family! -
Islebethere4u says:
Say it ain’t so! I can’t imagine the Islanders without having the insight that is so lacking everywhere else. You Chris and you alone managed to keep the interest high in this team when almost all hope was lost. You and you alone kept the true ( I hate saying the word fans) friends and believers of the team together and hopeful of better things to come in our most dismal of seasons. You and you alone are responsible for anyone knowing anything about the Lighthouse Project!!!! You kept us going with the truth and not opinion. If the Team thinks that all will be well when this blog is gone, they’ve got another thing coming. There is nowhere else to go for this kind of perspective! Just know that we love you and the Team and it won’t be the same without you! May the road always rise up behind you and the wind always be at
your back………. -
Joe says:
CB, you will be missed. This blog has been absolutely amazing. I came to this site multiple times a day! I wish there was something us Islanders fans can do to keep you doing this blog. Good luck in the future CB!!
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Rob says:
no one on the internet will be able to compete with the level of coverage you have been able to provide us. I cannot remember a day that has gone by since finding this blog where I had an internet connection that I did not check it- often multiple times throughout the day. If it is not possible to continue this blog it will be greatly missed and shoes that undoubtedly will not be filled. Chris, I want to thank you for your ongoing dedication to the fans and thank you for all of your passionate work with the team. What you have provided has been second to none. Wishing you all the best.
-RobKEEP THIS BLOG ALIVE!
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Steve Weidenkopf says:
CB – as a long distance Islanders fan living in Virginia, I’ve come to rely on your blog as a venue to keep in touch with the team. I’m extremely saddened to read this post – especially with the exciting future ahead for the team. I thank you for your professionalism, your writing and your obvious passion for the NY Islanders. Although you broke many stories and provided critical insight on the workings of the team – I must say my favorite posts were the human interest ones – I thoroughly enjoyed the last one you posted today on Todd Aronovitch. I thank you for that post. Please let us know where you land – I do pray it involves some kind of online presence and writing. I will keep you and the family in prayer as you search for a new job. Again, I sincerely thank you for your work over these last 10 months. I enjoyed reading your blog every day. Unfortunately, the excitment of the new season has dimmed quite a bit. Godspeed.
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Giaco says:
I just dont understand what the Isles get out of not keeping IPB the official blog of the Isles. Money?
The Isles live in the shadows of the Rangers and even the Devils (WFAN signed the Devs over the Isles)
Finally we get a voice and up to the minute info about only Isles and it gets taken away from us.
Someone get an email to send our displeasure to the Isles and post it!
If its the end, Thanks CB for everything.
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Chris,
This is terrible news. I am on IPB multiple times a day. I check it in the morning, during lunch at work and when I get home at night. This isn’t just a site for NYI news, it’s a site that keeps fans involved all year long. I don’t know what they were paying you, but I am sure your salary has done more good for the organization than Biron’s $1.4 million ever will. I am assuming that if IPB goes away, so will your guest appearances on NHL Home Ice…The New York Islanders organization took a serious step backwards today.
Chris, Thank you for your years of service to our Country (Islanders Country). I hope they can find a way to keep IPB. If not, good luck with all your future endeavors. And just like an ex-player, you are a permanent part of Islander’s history that will never be forgotten.
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B.P. says:
It was a great ride Chris. This blog was/is fantastic and I truly do hope it is kept alive somehow. Family comes forst though and is much more important. Isles fans owe you so much. Islander Mania owes you so much. Yo can never be thanked enough.
I wish nothing but the best for you and your family Chris.
-John
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onesinceforty says:
The Islanders have to be made to see the value in continuing IPB. What it might cost them pales in comparison to the tangible benefits to the franchise. CB, you really should tell us whether you have already tried to get the team to keep supporting the Blog. The fans of this site could be brought to bear if there is a possibility the blog could be saved. WTF!!!!!!!!!
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MT says:
Good luck CB. Hopefully something short of a miracle happens and you can continue with the blog, but thank you for the stories and coverage. And when and if the Lighthouse gets done, you should know that you had a part in it with this blog. Thanks for getting us Isles fans involved with that. Good luck once again and thank you
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ken says:
i am going to be so much more productive at work now.
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Chris,
I hope you can continue the site. I read it daily and it has kept us in the loop so much better then the Islanders main site. I hope the support being shown here will keep IPB in service for years to come. If it does not work out good luck in your future career and Im sure you will do great. -
Dutch says:
CB,
Loyal reader, first time poster. I echo the sentiments of all my fellow islander fans. While I dont know my fellow readers, I expect the demographics of your readership is extremely appealing to islander mgmt. I would expect that your blog has reinvigorated many an islander fan. Heck, I was once a casual fan but now am planning on buying a ticket package. I blame you for again building my interest with your daily blog updates. I’m sure many Isle fans have similar stories – its a shame that something so successful is going away. Bummer. Regardless – best to you as you head in a “new” direction. Heres hoping its islander related.
Dutch
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Bryan says:
Thank you for what you have done. I hope your job search finds you something much more secure. Your perspective and work ethic will lead to great success in whatever job you obtain. Thanks again for the great coverage and please do everything imaginable to keep the site afloat.
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Kevin M says:
For a long time I’ve been searching near and far on this so-called information superhighway to find coverage of the New York Islanders that comes even close to what this blog has offered all variety of Islander fans. Simply put, there are no blogs/information outlets that bring the Isles to their fans like this blog does. I check this blog every few hours, and has been one of my favorite stops during an offseason that at times has been as bereft of news as any official DiPietro health update. CB, your work on this blog is an asset to both the Islanders and the NHL itself, and I hope you will be able to find a home for this blog, and even more so that you will be able to lead it in some part-time capacity, if possible. Best of luck to you in the future. If you do choose to leave the blogosphere, do know that you and your work will be dearly missed.
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Strickland says:
That’s a shame, Chris. This place has become a place where I could get sane, logical coverage of a team that has often been anathema to that.
It is my hope that you’re able to continue this in a way that doesn’t diminish the quality of the content found here.
If not, then you can take solace in the fact that you were the steward for an entire fan-base at a critical, if not THE most critical, moment in their team’s history.
Your coverage on not only the team and its prospects, but the bigger issue of the Lighthouse will be remembered by many as one of the main reasons the team might not only continue to exist, but hopefully thrive.
Good luck, buddy. The unique nature of this blog will sorely be missed. I’m thankful that Islanders fans got to share in something unique that didn’t end with Pierre McGuire yelling at them through the TV.
If this is the end, you’ll be missed.
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islesfan999 says:
Thanks for a great run. I really wish there was someway you could keep this blog forever.
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Jim Clark says: First they got rid of the Ice Breakers.
Then they let the radio guys go.
Now they won’t sponsor Point Blank.
I expect come October 3rd they won’t pay for the lights inside NcVMC and I’ll have to bring a flashlight. -
geduffer says:
Good luck, Chris. If there’s a way that you can keep doing it, great. If there isn’t, then we should all be grateful for the time you’ve been able to do this and wishing that you go on to a prosperous next step in your career. Either way, thanks for everything.
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Ken Eoviero says:
is this for real? iv been reading this since day 1. i dont post but this sucks if your not doing this anymore.. im an educated islander fan in big part because of you and the blog members who post here.. you cant go!
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GPMD says:
Thanks for everything Chris, you’ve truly been amazing in all your coverage and your voice will be greatly missed if you can’t find a new home for this blog.
My suggestion, although probably not original, how about creating a network of blogs of people in the business? Let’s just call it a legitimate version of hockeybuzz. I’m sure you’ve developed a strong enough network around the league to get representatives for every team and what not. Plus I know every fan loves to hear what little nuggets we can get about what goes on behind the scenes. Hopefully this can snowball a bit into a better, more elaborate plan.. I really hope it all works out for you.
Best wishes Chris.
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PY says:
This would be very sad. I have come to enjoy checking on this site every day.
I also agree with the previous comment that this site is THE reason that I have felt even more connected to the Isles over the past year and have gotten much more excited about the draft and player signings. Please find a way to work it out.
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Swan says:
Horrible news. This site has been critical in increasing visibility and the passion of a team with a dwindling fan base. The Isles need this site far more than C.B. needs IPB.
I hope we can find a way to keep it going with C.B. Perhaps setting up a store (hockey items, memorabilia) or using it as the sole place for season ticket holders to sell unused tickets (instead of Ticketmaster/Ticket Exchange).
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Pete says:
CB, you have to do whatever you can to either turn IPB into a full time gig or make sure it stays alive. Your perspective is appreciated by everyone in Isles country and is second to none. No other islanders-related sites are worth reading as much as yours. I firmly believe you running this site for the past 10 months has about as much to do with the imminent rebirth of the franchise as the draft has. You legitimately are the voice of the fans, more so than any other blogger in the NHL. This franchise would be making a colossal mistake if they let IPB die. For all of our sakes, make it work!!!
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Or Jim #91,they will do away with the Zamboni’s.It will save on gas.
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Sorry Jim Clark,#94.
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Chris –
I feel obligated to post this in response to this latest post of yours.
As someone who’s been in the online marketing industry for the last few years, as well as running my own web publishing business for two years, I can understand your position.
That said, just taking a look at the site, I can tell you that you have probably not maximized the potential for revenue that your blog can generate, given its traffic, readership etc.
Shoot me an e-mail and I can give you some tips and point you towards some of the vendors I use for monetization of my own sites.
I’ve appreciated the candor & honesty you’ve shown to both me and to my fellow posters on Mania, from back when you answered my questions about Tank/Satan in your office to your draft day predictions. I would love to see your blog continue on in some capacity and I feel that helping out would be the least I could do, so you can have 67 more pages attached to your thread on Mania. lol.
Feel free to give me a shout and good luck with everything.
-Blair
SOS -
isles72 says:
hmmmmmm, lighthouse project gaining favorable momentum , pb closing
smells fishy to me
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DANO says:
Thanks my friend, for all the great work youve done in the last year, i hope in time the people that are doing this to you and your fans come to realize what a tragic mistake they are making.May god bless and good luck in your next journey.
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djd says:
wow- thanks Chris, you got me back into the Isles….hope something gets worked out but if not good luck!
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Knight of Cups says:
You are the kind of guy I love to cheer for CB. I would do anything I could to help you and the site continue. If after you find a way to find security for your family, I would like to try and maintain our online family. Despite the fact that it is Occasionally dysfunctional. Seriously though, losing Chris King and then you will suck. I want to ride back on the bandwagon with you, but I understand. I will miss PB and the passion you share for my team.
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CB-arent you going to say something? Already 105 hits….
This is a sad day….youre much better reporter/blogger than Logan. -
Of course Chris has to do what he has to do. I think we all get that.
But how we feel right now is sort of like how we have felt rooting for this team this decade. I must admit I now feel a bit of emptiness.
If the Islanders were smart, they would officially identify Point Blank as the Islanders’ publication of record. With all due respect to Newsday and Logan, what he does doesn’t hold a candle to what we can get on this site every day, updated four and five times per day.
The Islanders should be smart enough to know that the Internet is the future. It is the present. They just can’t let a Grade A product like this just melt away. If I’m them, I have Point Blank advertising plastered on everything associated with the team. Because if the fans truly are the bridge to all that is possible with the franchise, don’t we deserve to have reliable source of information at our disposal on a daily basis?
Newspapers don’t do it anymore. Chris does.
Wake up Charles.
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nystrom23 says:
CB…I think I speak for all fans on this blog when I say you have been a god sent to us all…but wouldn’t a final close be better on opening night? The start of a new era and the ending of another….if you think otherwise thats ok of course…but man thanks for everything the last 10 months you have been the best
PP
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bumper says:
Bummer , on my birthday no less. Wish you the best. You were my only true source for hockey info me and my son would try to get scoops before each other and your blog was a daily discussion between us I don’t know what we will talk about now. Your blog brought as closer as fans and as a family.
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Alex O says:
Thank you CB best hockey site on the web n ow a days. I make it my #1 stop everyday as many times as I can to read your fantastic stuff. Ill follow where ever you go writing.
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Healy says:
Honestly, this was the first site I would read every morning when I got to work, munching on my breakfast. Its the first site I would check when I needed a break. The first site I would check when I was eating lunch. The first site I read when I got home. Its true, this site is the best thing to happen to the Islanders in the last 10 years.
I know the specifics are confidential, but please let us know if there is anything we can do to assist in keeping this thing going, making it profitable for you. If you really want to keep this thing going I am sure there is a good idea somewhere out there. Regardless of what happens, good luck and thanks for all the great, objective, and constant coverage of our favorite obsession.
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mike says:
I think maybe the Isles could let Kinger or Jaffe continue in your absence.
Best of Luck to you Chris.
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Cain (58): Please go back and read what I said in post #33. You are essentially asking why CB does not choose do a full time job for FREE. Would you give up YOUR full-time job and do a different full-time job- for free? How in the world would you support YOUR spouse and children?
CB does not do Point Blank the way fans do, putting up posts when they have time after work and on weekends. He puts up quality pieces multiple times a day, they are well-done, properly edited, and professional. He spends time reading responses, controlling his comments section, and keeps things vibrant and entertaining for everyone. That is why we all like this place so much. But now you want him to do what is unquestionably a full time job, just for the heck of it? None of us are going to work 8-10 hours a day (or more) for nothing. Honestly… it makes no sense to ask something of someone that you would not do yourself.
joeybagodonuts (75): This is not CBs “career move” as you say, this is simply about whether the Islanders choose to subsidize this blog. If they do, then it continues. If they do not, then it cannot… unless someone else steps up and subsidizes it. You say you are pretty certain the islanders know they have something good here… if that is true, then they will pay for it to continue. If not, then they would be making a very foolish mistake whihc in the grand scheme of things will further damamge this fanbase more than they realize.
When people never had something, then they dont miss it. However, when they HAVE had it and then it is taken away from them, then they know what they are missing. And THAT is what becomes a real problem.
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wally g says:
wow. now i know how the nerds felt when they canceled star trek.
chris, maybe you can get a job somewhere in new jersey government. ya know, one that you collect a check but don’t actually show up. then you’d have plenty of time to cover the isles.
it’s funny that just when it looks like the lighthouse will get the green light, the team decides it doesn’t need as much pub. crazy coincidence i guess.
good luck. long live PB.
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Priest says:
I, like everyone here, hope you can figure something out CB. I’m not sure how I’ll get by without this blog. It is the best source of information anywhere on the net. Not just the best Islanders site, but I would dare fans of any other team to find something better for any team.
Anyways, I know you said you don’t want to run it as a business by yourself and understand, but if anything changes, I’d suggest talking to Paul Lucas (of ESPN & uniwatchblog.com). For a while he ran his blog with a optional membership. The content was there for everyone, but he still got hundreds of people willing to pay $25+ dollars just to keep the blog running.
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Dave H says:
I am stunned, I feel like I was just told a best friend is moving to Australia. I visit your site everyday. Thanks for all your great work Chris! If something can’t be worked out, best of luck to you !
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redbull says:
I love the blog. it’s the best Islanders coverage by a wide margin and one of the best hockey/sports blogs around.
The blog is as good as any paid or traditional media….but in all honesty, I wouldn’t pay for it.I’m not as accomplished as Mr. Scott but I has as much experience in new media and the online space as anyone – and I agree with him and you, the full-time blog is not likely sufficient to pay the bills.
Having said that, the reality is your passion for hockey and the Islanders is what made the blog great. The combination of passion, credibility, the right contacts, the respect of hockey fans, hockey people and traditional media is something you’ve managed to achieve in a very short time…no easy feat and not something to throw away.
I think hockeybuzz and the many clones are horrible for hockey, blogging and new media in general…but the idea of a credible blog that you may run and allow featured bloggers or aspiring writers to provide much of the content to lessen the load for you could work.
Depending on what contacts you have across the sports blog world, there may be a business model there that can work.
Be happy to share some additional thoughts, maybe via email, as you toss around some ideas…sad to see you just walk away from something so great.
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BillyBC says:
Say it aint so Joe! I refuse to believe this is it. Please isles fans, let the isles know this site has been an integral part of interest in the team. Not the appropriate time to pull the plug on something that has brought us all together and share out common passion of the New York Islanders. We need to stand of for CB and fight for its survival. you are my main bookmark and visit 5-10 times a day.
This is a sad day for me
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IslesPassion21 says:
What!?!?!
This blows….
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JKP in Halifax says:
I have to believe that this was one of the best bangs-for-the-buck the isles have had in terms of advertising and marketing their team.
Your reach, style and access are unique on the internet and worth whatever they’ve been paying you and then some.
This move by the Isles seems really shortsighted. I think they will regret it and hope they change their mind. You are a wide-reaching, (relatively) cheap way to generate in-depth content and interest in the team.
Really makes no sense…
We need a “save point blank” petition.
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Bob says:
Chris, it has been a pleasure reading you and meeting you at the Point Blank events. Thank you for imparting your knowledge on us and if this is really it for you Thank You. Hopefully you can continure at least on a part time basis. Possibly as a second supplemental job. Good luck whatever you decide.
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rich says:
this news is crazy
CB good luck with the job search.
with the awesome job you have done with this site.i can’t thank you enough. if this ends
we fans will miss u -
isles71 says:
The insight given by yourself to the fans has been nothing but honest, straightforward, sincere and humourous. I always click on PB, even before page for NYI team site had fully loaded. Most days you had more to offer than NHL.com and I appreciate that…thanks for all the hard work and best of luck!!!!
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CB,
Clearly you love what you are doing and 400,000 of us love what you are doing so there has to be a way to make this work. We have to show the organization how much this means to their most important asset, us. Phone calls and emails will stop after a couple of days, that is not the answer. We need to show them that we are the core fans, the ones that spend hard earned money. How about selling Save Point Blank t shirts for $20. I guarenntee that the Islander organization has no idea how important this site is to us.
What do you think CB? Fans? Ideas?
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Ben H says:
Completely devastated. This is the number one website on my favorites, and the only one I consistently come to, at least, 5 times a day.
Good luck to you Chris; you have done an amazing job, as well as having touched thousands of Islander fans lives.
I wish you success, and hope you can keep up a blog on the Isles in your spare time, … just so we can share in your highly regarded thoughts.
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db says:
CB, this is a very sad, sad day for the fans of this team. I hope something happens that will allow you to blog about the Isles for years to come. We need you more than any other sports fan needs a blogger.
Anyway, best of luck to you in your search for your new career.
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JD says:
We finally have a site dedicated to all Islander 24/7 and it wont be around any longer? Why? This site has been amazing and I have followed it almost everyday since it started. Being a pre-med major in college has been stress full the past few years and IPB was there to help relax me this past year at school. It has meant so much and I want to thank you Chris for being so honest with the fans and having some really great stories to tell. I don’t often leave comments but this time I had to. Thank you again and I hope you all goes well for you in the future
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Mario says:
R U KIDDING ME. We win one lottery and then lose you!!!!!!!!! Where the hell am I going to get anything worthwhile to read in Connecticut besides RAGS garbage. This better not be true CB. What am I going to do for the 6 hours im on your site? If it is true good luck and THANKS for all the happy, sad, true and Honest stories.
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Rene says:
WAIT….. is Mike Milbury back????
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TuxTax says:
When you had another story tonight I thought it would be something fun and positive for the Islanders…instead they just lost the best thing that happened to them since(I can’t remember back that far). As far as keeping this thing going how about Pat Sajak, Christie Brinkley, that guy from Entourage take your pick and bleed a cool mill from them. Heck, if I win Mega Millions I will make a sizeable donation to the Save IPB Fund! Please don’t go, we need your voice your knowledge and your ability to keep a fanbase excited when all hope had seemingly been lost!
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John says:
seminal moments in my Islander fandom: John Sterling disappears after ’79 playoff loss; Oct. ’82 I see my first Islander game on SportsChannel in my own home when UA Columbia cable finally adds SC in NJ; early morning trip to Laguardia in May 1984 to greet the ex-4 time champs after red eye from Edmonton; Mike Bossy forced to retire way too soon; whither Point Blank?
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Adam says:
I’ve been dreading this day since you started this blog. If there is anything we can do to support you, please let us know. Whether it’s pay a subscription fee or write a letter or start a petition, I’m in. This is the first and last site I visit every day.
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C.J. says:
Terrible decision (once again) by Islander Brass.
Perhaps that don’t see the light, but trust me CB… the following on this site, the buzz creating, the ability to further entrench fans bringing some from fair-weather to die hards, etc. is worth much more to this organization than your salary (no offense).
Sometimes pure math can’t be used to determine value.
Isles once again are missing the mark here.
YOU help generate interest.
YOU help create excitement.
YOU help sell tickets.
YOU help sell memorabilia.This site is one way to help keep the Isles from being 2nd fiddle in this town.
You’ve got to give to get. You’ve got to spend money to make money.
Isles should continue to invest in ventures such as this as these are the only ways to pull their weight and create a stir. You think Newsday (especially now), given the chance, will choose the Isles over the Rangers.
Nope.
It’s these self-sponsored sites and methods that help to put this team back on the map.
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Jason W says:
Thank you.
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Paulyp says:
I tend to read and not speak here on point blank, but I think I speak for everyone when I say Chris if you need a subscriber well subscribe….if you need a voice we will speak hell if you want us to march…well march. Its not that Im pathetic and need your coverage 24/7, but your the only one on the internet who isn’t full of it, and thats what makes you so appealing. Your not going to tell me the isles are in the market for crosby but if okposo has a tummy ache you seem to know about it. We may not be a canadian hockey team, with the fanatical canadian fanbase but we care god ****** , and honestly they cant give us a drug then watch us withdraw from it like this two months before Tavaras laces them up for real. We can not expect you to be a hockey blogger as your full time occupation to support your family, but with your post, experiences gone so will be a hell of a lot of intrest in the team for the duration of only year 2 of our rebuild. If this is good bye then lets end it by being classy and saying thank you for your hard work and dedication. It has been our pleasure.
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kevin27nyi says:
i dont think ill be saying anything that hasnt been said already.. thank you for your dedication to this sight. thank you for your insight and analysis. your opinions, news and stories. i hope you do well in the future. this place was great and was definitley part of my life the past 10 months or so. really made this season worth it. good luck in the future. farewell chris..
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Mike from Philly says:
Not what I wanted to hear tonight, PB has become almost a religion to me. Come home from work and the first thing I do after saying hello to my wife and dog was fire up this website no matter what time of the year. I appreciate everything you did for us C.B. and wish you the greatest of luck in future careers, you would have a great one somewhere in the print media if you are as passionate about all of sports as you are the Islanders. Hopefully you find time once the season rolls around to continue this blog on the side. Best of luck!!
Mike L aka. Mike from Philly
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slsangus says: Balls.
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IronIslander77 says:
This organization is making a huge mistake. Obviously they underestimate the service the their lifesfeblood – the fans. In all my years of torture standing by this team, IPB was one of the best services they could have backed. Keeping fans in the know at an intimate level through your work, Chris. I will sorely miss logging on to this site everyday to learn more about this team, the players and the future. Nonne has made Snow’s “Plan” more understanable than you. In fact, 99% of us would have no idea what this team is trying to do with out your inside information and superior talent for reaching the reader.
This is truly a dark day.Chris – best of luck to you and your family. Who ever you decide to work for next will be one lucky firm.
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Mike says:
Chris, I am long time poster on both Islandermania and HFBoards under the handle Hipster Doofus and previously The Black Knight. Your blog has been my go to source for information. With college on teh horizon I am not sure how much time I will be able to devote to posting, and night classes (along with lack of all the extra MSG channels the Isles get tossed on) may keep me from watching my beloved team for the full 82 games. I really hope that you can reconsider and perhaps make the updates more spaced out. My favorite part of this blog is personal anecdotes you can’t get anywhere else. If this is the end, I can’t thank you enough for the work you have done. I can only wish I was a bit older so I could have joined you at the various meet ups.
Thank you, a loyal reader for ever and always.
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If you are looking for a place to write, even in a very limited role you are welcome to use the site http://www.yesislanders.com. I’m not sure if that satisfies what you are looking for but I hope it will keep you in the game even on some level.
You could make money on your blog but you are right, not likely enough to really take care of your family. I gave you some ideas before via email for trying to increase revenue too but I never saw it implemented, save for a few days of Google Ads.
Anyhow, I hope things turn out well for you and you can keep doing what you love to do, in whatever shape that may take.
Best regards,
John
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oh, yeah Thanks CB! sadly, coming off the radio thing not surprised tho.
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JonnyBoston says:
Had a great day at work today. Celebrated at the Marriott Champions in Boston over some beers. Come home and read this, which is akin to reading an obituary. I am speechless. Like many others I checked this site several times a day and your presence on Twitter pushed me to join. I want to thank you for bringing us the gift of 10 months of unparalled coverage of the New York Islanders. Don’t know what I’ll do without this site. Speechless.
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robby d says:
Thanks for everything, CB. You were the only open and honest window that NYI fans had into the Islanders and we are grateful for you sharing your knowledge and sad that you may be leaving. But, you have your life too and we all understand that.
Unfortunately, I am so used to this site I do not know what I am going to do with it. The Islanders site is terrible compared to yours. We get the real story here. Thanks again!
PS: I hope I run into you so I can shake your hand and thank you personally.
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Josh B says:
Ditto what everyone above said. It’s the forum like this that makes it possible for me to stay connected to my team, even from 1,800 miles away.
I have truly appreciated everything you’ve done for us, Chris. Thank you so much, and best of luck out there.
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Mike says:
CB – if IPB does have to disappear I wish you the best. I have been reading your blog since it started and always had to check for updates multiple times a day. The stories and news you provided were second to none. It was nice not being left in the dark about what was going on in Islanders Country for awhile…
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Jimmy Mac says:
Good Luck!!!!
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Islanders1984 says:
Great blog CB, this isn’t the bightest move by the isles. The only reason most people ever went to lighthouse stuff was because of this blog telling us about it, now with there biggest meeting coming up they cut ties. Not a smart move. Good luck CB
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season tix holder says:
Four months a go I coulnd’t spell blog if you spotted me the L and the G. Since then I’ve read daily and relied on it for news of hope. As a season tix holder since day one I have seen the worst in sports marketing and client service. This decision is as short sighted and misguided as any made in the past. Unfortunatley this is what we come to expect from an organization that turned the last sports team dynasty into the sports worlds biggest yawn. When we first had tix I had friends with a full season subscription in section 335 row S! We attended games with that family and 4 or 5 others. I’m the only one stupid enough to have kept the faith for so long. Through one bad decision after another the Isle fans around us went away. A whole generation lost and judging by the attendence struggles over the past 10-20 years a generation that would not return. Your blog has rekindled the kind of interest in the team that has been missing since the glory years. For that I am extremely thankful. You have made the Isles relevent again and just when the fever is spreading the Isles do the expected. The Isles need to understand that Newsday will be out of print within the next 24 months. They are already ignored and ridiculed by sports radio. Other newspapers are not relying on them for their survival either. This is the medium that will survive the new economy. You must find a way to make this work. The Isles need to recognize this is the best marketing tool available. Good luck and God Bless you and the rest of us.
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gary says:
i have to say ive enjoyed and checked this site every day several times for up to the minute info–I cant say that for any other isles site, including their “offical” one–The timelyness of the info, breaking news, pros and cons has been refreshing—Im going to miss it as it was mmy source for isles news, rumors and just plain talk–Any chance of at least just doing an entry every other day or so??
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Viper says:
Chris, you are desperately needed for this team and one of the classiest acts in all of sports media (On par with Ron Maclean). Something has to be done about this as you are one of the Isles greatest assets and best investments. Mr Wang, please do not isolate the fans, we need this avenue for our voices to be heard! Chris Botta does more to grow and strengthen this fanbase than anyone else in this organization!
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Danbury Islanders Fan says:
Thank you for everything, and best of luck with your future endeavors.
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beatlebailey says:
AUGUST 4th SHOULD ALSO BE A SAVE ISLANDERSPOINTBLANK RALLY. SHOW CB some love on the 4th. Very short sighted on the Isles part of they are pulling the plug unless CB made some outrageous Matt Martin type demands
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JPinVA says:
Like most fans, this is the first place I look for information. EVEN IN JULY. I can’t see why there isn’t a picture of an egg mcmuffin staring me in the face every morning.
There has to be 100′s of nassau county restaurants and small business’ that would be better served with 2 sqare inches on this site, than 20 square feet on the side of the LIE. There’s almost as much trafffic here, and we all can READ because we’re not on a cell phone or putting on makeup.
It might also be time to delegate. Recruit some of the Islander players to write a weekly blog. I bet they’d have fun with it, and you could better sell yourself and grow this amazing product you’ve created.
National sponsorship, local sponsorship (you don’t need the Isles, but I’m sure they’d love to keep this train on the tracks) and maybe a partnership with the LIRadioGroup would be just what the Dr. ordered.
Now that they are simulcasting they should have a post game guy to bring home all the storylines that you discuss every day.
Streaming broadcasts of the game with verizon anywhere internet links, and then a wrap up by IPB… What could be better.
Anyway… just thinking out loud.
I know if you were gone it would be like losing a friend.
I wish you and your family all the best whatever you chose to do.
You have my email address, and if there is anything I could ever do to help…
JP -
steve says:
i’m late to the party here, i only found your blog a few months ago but now find that i can’t help but check it several times a day(and that’s in the off season) ….to be blunt, this sucks
wishing you the best of luck, hopefully still writing IPB
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Jimmy says:
idk what to say this site has been my main source of islanders information all season especially while I was away at school. to see it go would be devastating.
I understand you have to do what you have to do for your family, and to that I wish you and your family the best of luck.
for ideas on keeping the blog if you’d like to, certainly would try SNY, as well as maybe even MSG. ANother idea as mentioned could be to try and get NHL.com onboard as well and have a similar “pointblank” site for all 30 NHL teams it certainly would be innovative for the league giving the fans a different more personal experience then any of the other sports.
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Dan from Westchester says:
Everything you wrote in your “farewell” was dead on. This WAS an idea ahead of it’s time. So why is the plug being pulled just when things are starting to get good? (Tavares, Lighthouse. . )
I agree with many above – I feel closer to this team now than ever before thanks to everything I have learned from this site in the past year. Prospects, inside stories, and CORRECT PREDICTIONS. If anyone should be under fire here, it’s that Newsday guy who keeps leading us astray with his “exclusives”. .
Really hope that some way, some how this situation will be worked out and IPB will continue.
Please let us know if there is ANYTHING we can do to help.
Thanks for your dedication in making this the best sports blog on the web.
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BringBackNyles says:
Folks stuff like this is why I am hesitant to support the Lighthouse, Wang is cutting back on EVERYTHING..yet we are supposed to rally to get him 4 billion? Thanks for the memories Isles..enjoy the BBQ
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So many of the team’s moves lately have been “penny wise, pound foolish”. It’s much cheaper from a business model perspective to take care of the customers you DO have as opposed to trying to find NEW customers. Here is the rare example of a customer service that had the dual effect of retaining AND attracting fans. How does a business not exploit that? What would it cost? Maybe 150K-200K per year. Try putting a price tag on what this type of interest generator would cost through advertising, promotions, and giveaways. It’s really quite pathetic how some aspects of this offseason have gone when this should be a very exciting time for the team.
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thinker says:
I know it’s a tough economy and they have to watch what they’re paying for but this is pretty much the only source out there that keeps fans excited about the Isles. The Islanders have something truly special with this blog and I think they’d be really foolish to let it go. It’s been a fantastic source of information and explanations and just about the only place that gives myself (and I’m sure others) hope for the future. I sincerely doubt I would have attended as many games as I did last season if not for the positive thinking this blog often inspires. Islanders need to strongly reconsider this decision. This is a much bigger and more costly mistake than getting rid of the radio team.
I’ve been reading your blog Chris since before it was Point Blank and you still were with the Isles and this is the first time I’ve ever felt the need to speak out.
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TIM says:
CB islander fans just lost another good player today …..YOURSELF everytime we take a step forward we take two back the internet wouln’t be the same in islander country without you thanks for all you have done and here’s hope that you will stay with us
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Jeff W. says:
I feel like I’ve lost a friend.
I would certainly pay for a subscription, though I understand that this is a futile gesture at this point.
With all due respect for Newsday and their professional writers, this is the first place I check in the morning, and throughout the day. I hope there is a way for you to sensibly keep this going, but if not, thank you for your efforts and insights. You have blazed a trail for this medium, and I wish you the best of luck. -
**********Thank you************ says:
Chris,
When I found this site, I looked forward to it every day. The Islanders have not always had the best coverage from the local papers and everyday you had an update. I hope someone on the Islanders realize that you are a huge part of the team. I personally believe you had the most influence on the draft party. I live in Manhattan (YES WE HAVE EVERYTHING ELSE) and you cannot find a decent hockey magazine, let alone something on the Islanders. You did a great job and I will hold on to hope that they provide you with an opportunity.
Thank you for everything,
Marc -
Smithtown31 says:
So in other words the Islanders have found yet another way to disappoint their fans… what a surprise…
Best of luck to you CB. I know you’ll land on your feet professionally, and I just hope you have enough time on the side to share your Islander thoughts with us on the internet (in some form)… even if far less frequently…
All the best!
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One more thing–Newsday doesnt do good service to the Isles anymore so who is going to step up——Mr Wang, do you think it was the paper that got so many fans to show up for the Tavares draft party??(or could it been something else??? hmmmm)
ps–Hint–It wasnt the “offical” Isles website either -
Brian B says:
The first thing that popped in my mind was SNY too.
Anyway you’ve done a great job CB…and for some reason I just have a feeling this blog will be here the rest of the season. Something will work out.
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CB, i will be posting an article about you and Point Blank, spreading the word and help keep PB alive. I hope everything works out for you.
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JW1980 says:
Chris- This is truly a sad day for Islanders fans. I have never written on the site, but this is the one thing that could make me do it. I check the site at least 5-10 times a day and have found it to be the best source of Islanders information anywhere, especially for someone who no longer lives on Long Island. Your work will be sorely missed and has been greatly appreciated by all Islanders fans. I hope that things will change and we will see you back here again soon, but if not, thank you very much and good luck.
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Paul says:
There is no other place to get Isles info like this site. All of us will be worse off without PB. I checked this site often during the day to connect with the team. The FANS continue to lose out! Chris your work was GREAT.
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This is probably one of the dumbest things this organization has done in a while. It was because of this site, that there became such an interest in this team. If the Lighthouse ever gets approved, it will be because this sight beat it into our heads about meetings and support and so on.
Chris Dey, you are mad if you let this die. When Point Blank goes offline, a high % of the fanbase dies as well. Countless numbers of people came to this site for info on players, events and the team in general and now those people [the less informed] who were just coming back into the light, are led into the darkness once again. Great marketing move.
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isleguy 78 says:
Chris,
I just want to take a moment to riterate to you what I have told you numerous times over the last decade. I really appreciate all you have done for the Islanders and the fans.
I personally remember the days when you covered the team on the radio. You were great to me over the years in your position in media relations. One of the highlights of my life was when you sought me out at the county legislature to tell me I made an impasioned speech to the legislature. That meant alot.
I have been lucky enough to have numerous chance meetings with you over the years and you have always been approachable and professional and friendly. I wish you luck in your search for a second career and I only hope you can find a way to return to this blog at some point.
Here’s to you Chris for all the hard work and dedication to the Islanders we are almost there and I hope to bump into you at the lighthouse really soon!
Your friend
Tim -
perhaps the answer to these frustrations is to respectfully inundate the Islanders PR offices tomorrow with a barrage of e-mail and telephone calls. Instead of complaining about it, maybe we should DO something that might have an effect. I for one will be calling first thing in the morning. And I’ve NEVER done anything like that before.
Phone: 516.501.6700 / 1.800.882.ISLES (4753) Extension #2 for Customer Care
Fax: 516.501.6762
customerservice@newyorkislanders.com -
For what it is worth, I just cut and pasted all of this outpouring of support and e-mailed it to the customer service e-mail. Who knows if it will help but it made me feel better. CB knows how you all feel. Send your comments where it might do some good.
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Brett says:
This is awful news. I actually do the opposite of what a lot of people do here and save IPB for my last visit on the web. This way I can alwys be assured of a well written satisfying read on my favorite topic before I move on to do something i will most likely not enjoy.
If our voices have been heard by the TOH on the Lighthouse then let’s make our voices heard by the New York Islanders. They need to know how this website has connected the team to their fans in a way that nothing else does. We have to do something. I will call and e-mail whoever I need to and hope you are all with me.
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Brian says:
Fine, I’ll buy one of those Smartpens if you’ll stay!
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Kaszycki's Krew says:
Chris, say it ain’t so !!!!
I am not sure I understand if the Islanders changed the terms of their financial support of the blog or not…..and not sure if you are saying you don’t want to do it anymore – or – if you just want to go in a different professional direction and sustaining this blog just is not in the cards.
I hope that there is a way you can continue this for quite some time. Thanks for a great run so far – and here’s hoping that a way can be found for you to continue
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kasparatis says:
this really sucks. we all should make “save ISLANDERSPOINTBLANK.COM” t-shirts and wear to the rally on Aug 4th. I am sure among so many of us ,who needed it on the daily basis we will come up with a plan of how to put you back on.
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Staten Islander says:
Is it something I said? I take it all back, please don’t leave us! In all serious Chris, this blog going down is the worst thing that has happened to the team since Mike Milbury. I need to thank you for the last year and for renewing my interest in the team during what might have been the worst year in franchise history. You re-kindled my interest in the team which had been luke-warm for way too long. Thank you for giving me my hockey team back.
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Mike in Bohemia says:
Chris,
I stumbled upon this blog about 5 months ago and have been hooked ever since, posting occasionally, but reading constantly. Thanks for everything. I wish you the best no matter how this turns out, but I sure hope it continues. If nothing else, I hope you have my email in a data base and contact me should this special blog continue in any way, shape or form.
Lets Go Islanders!
All the Best,
Mike in Bohemia -
AZS says:
Clearly you have to do what’s right by you and your family …this stinks though …
This website must continue. It’s clearly the one spot ALL Islander fans go to for their Islanders information. You’d like to think the Islanders would do whatever it takes to keep you and this site up and running …
Hope for all the best and if this is sadly the last time we get to chat – thanks for all you’ve done for Islanders fans …
Lets Go Islanders!
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Rich says:
It will be a shame to see this blog go away. I wonder if Snow & co. realize that you have helped many of us impatient fans from losing interest in a long rebuilding process. I hope they understand the value of social marketing and how it translates into ticket sales… for example, every year I contemplate season tix — the past 3 years I have skipped the tix — this year articles I read on this site directly influenced my decision to buy (before the draft).
Best of luck in your future endeavors
Any one up for a farewell celebration?
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Tom says:
We should all CANCEL our subscriptions to NEWSDAY in Protest. And let them know WHY!! It has become a RANGER RAG anyhow, with the Ranger Dolan’s owning it.
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JKP on LI says:
Count me among the people hoping with all his power that we get to keep the blog. I’m sure that any idea I’ve come up with is something you’re already considering…but I think that any hockey website would be crazy not to snap you up in an instant to write a blog for them. I hope you’re out there and in touch with ESPN, TSN, all the local dailies, all the hockey publications who would value having a top notch writer and reporter.
I’m sure you’re also considering the possibility of some kind of “hybrid” role where you do some blogging in addition to broadcasting or whatever else.
Just don’t go do PR for the Rangers. Best of luck, and thanks!
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Sad Islander Fan says:
The Islanders continue to make it harder and harder to give a darn. This site has been by far the best source of information and has rekindled my interest for the team. Typical short sighted decision but what else do we expect from this gang that can’t shoot straight. CB, you did a super job and the Islanders franchise will be the poorer from your exit. I am still at a loss as to why they let you go as PR director but it’s their loss. Thanks for the great coverage.
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One last thought…with the abomination that passes for Newsdays new website, it will really be harder and harder to come by Islander news. You would think that they would realize just how vital PB is to their fan base. Guess this is just another reason that they are what they are. All I can say is “ugh”.
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Paul B. in New Mexico says:
NO! I’m an Islander living in New Mexico. I read you every day. I’ve never left a comment until now. Thank you Chris. You have kept me in the Isles loop better than anything. Not easy lovin’ your team from across the country. I hope Newsday hires you. They need you. PointBlank beast Newsday everyday! This sucks.
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Chris TMC (115) no doubt about it the islanders want to have a team-sponsored blog. in the end, as CB said, it’s about business. they probably offered something, and CB politely declined, and I could fully understand his intentions for doing so. we’re talking about the islanders, who for the past 15 years were the wilpon/minaya mess of today. they’re nowhere close to being in that league now. i think they know what they’re doing, so i wont rush to blame them. again, CB, best of luck, having 400,000 people read your work per month is an impressive resume alone.
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CG in SC says:
This totally blows. IPB is the first thing I look at when I come home from work. There’s no real NHL coverage during this time of year, let alone one this in depth about our beloved Isles. I share the same sentiment as others have said, that this is yet another terrible business decision by the team. This blog has enabled a very loyal fan base to be closer to the team we love. CB, you are what makes this blog so special. Sure, I can blog about the Isles all day, but I have absolutely nothing to do with them. Your 20 yr. history with the team and various other real NHL contacts, is what makes this blog so great. The Isles need this blog a lot more than they realize. Can’t Bossy and the IBC work out some kind of collective sponsorship? Surely, all these business accounts would like to have guaranteed web traffic. As someone earlier pointed out, we came here to read, unlike when you’re behind the wheel zigging and zagging through traffic. I firmly believe Wang or whoever should be offering you a salary you can live with to stay put. They should have someone connected to the team the public likes. The radio show is gone, Newsday like many other papers will likely be on the outs soon. The Internet and bloggers are here to stay and will be a more viable medium as technology evolves. Webcasts, podcasts, blogs, whatever. IPB should stay and instead of looking at it as an expense, the Isles should be looking at it as a means to develop a money making marketing tool. This is a disgrace to Isles fans. CB, I wish you the best, you are a class act. May your next chapter have a happier ending for you and your family. Take care man….
Chris
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MickeyBoy7 says:
First we lost Dave Strauss’s fine Isles-list, now this. It’s sad the the Isles brass just doesn’t understand how to tap the passion of us long time Islander nuts. A small investment into these sites brings priceless fan interest. Best wishes to you Chris.
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Madchef says:
this is a big loss to my daily sports viewing pleasure….I wish u the best in your future but hope that this blog doesn’t go away as it is the best Isles coverage bar none. If nothing else this blog has restabilized my love for the isles and the best PR this team has.
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CB if your not gonna run this site anymore,maybe Logan could Newsday is a joke anyway’s come on logan step up to the plate and take the reins from an awesome blogger
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Chris, loved your passion and insight, knowledge of the team and the game. You will be surely missed. Even if they do give someone else a chance, they won’t top you. I wish you the best. I do hope you continue though in some small way with the blog..Maybe not all full time..you can squeeze it inbetween your lunch breaks(when you get work that is) can’t you..
wishing you all the best
michele
p.s. will you still keep twitter and facebook?
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Josh says:
Maybe at the rally on August 4th they should have
1) The Lighthouse
2) Keeping PB alive
3) Having an actual radio telecast.I am wodering what is next?
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tbox says:
The Isles need you now more than ever. Who better to cover the rebuild and guide us down return-to-greatness path than Mr. Chris Botta. If this blog goes away for good, then the team has lost more than it realizes. In this internet age where we expect information immediately, the isles will only realize their mistake when it’s too late.
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Is there anyway you would consider making this a donation based website? Free, with the option to donate something? I cant imagine this site isnt worth at least a measly 5$ to all of us.
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Chris,
Your resume should speak for itself, you made the New York Islanders, of all pro sports franchises, look good! Do you know what a feat that is?
I thank you very much for your hard work and dedication, I know you got paid for it but you could tell by reading your posts how much you cared. Your blog here has added tremendous value to being an Islanders fan. It’s almost impossible to describe the type of connection to the team you provided.
I can’t see how anyone would want to put a halt to such a tremendous resource.
Thank you very much for everything.
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The Islanders’ loss will be someone else’s gain. This is by far the best blog I have ever read. Good luck Chris with whatever transpires and hopefully a way is found to keep this alive.
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I just fired an e-mail to the Islanders Customer Service inbox. While it may never be read or get into the hands of the right folks I urge you to all do the same. This website and Chris’ devotion to this site and franchise are WAY to important to let it just fade away because the Islanders feel saving a few bucks is more important.
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Datter says:
I have followed this site since the beginning but always as a reader and never a poster. I cannot believe how foolish Islander management really is. I was annoyed with losing Chris King and Mears (though after a season of trying to find a real signal for the radio broadcast (I only live 4 miles from the Coliseum), maybe those two guys are better off), but this move really takes the cake. I have to say this site is the ONLY thing that kept me interested in the Islanders this year. Let’s face it, the Islanders were terrible this year. Tavares is not going to make this team that much better next year. CB’s blogs kept me invested in the Islanders, kept me excited about plans to turn the team around, kept me following the only source of real team news about a last place hockey team well into the summer (I check this site 6-10 times a day hoping for new stories and reading comments). I am a 35 year old married man with kids, a good job and therefore one of the many people the Islanders constantly solicit to buy season or package tickets. This move has made my decision not to buy tickets very easy. This team seems to love shooting itself in the foot. I will be sending an email to Islanders customer service and I encourage you all to do the same. It should be respectful but to the point. If the Islanders organization insists on taking one step forward and three steps back, then they can do it without my dime. I am sure I violated some posting rule about length of post, and I apologize, but I am really annoyed about this. Fantastic job CB.
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frank nyc says:
NOO WAY!
someone has to offer to bring point blank to a new home.
it doesnt make sense. Somebody must want it.
This blog has achieved a cult following. Its readers stop in many times a day like myself. No way can it die.
Some website should offer to take you on.
This is by far the best sports blog in all the major sports. (and i would know, i read a lot of blogs)
If it doesnt happen then cb you have been great.
PB is always the first site i check everyday.
You gave the Islanders a lot of credability with your insight and the amount of readers you attracted.
Thank you Chris.
this sucks… -
I go back to the Isles on usenet when the hot newas was Jiggs mentioned the group on air, I remeber the isles list, STIC, and countless other attempts at a home for Isles fans.
CB, Thank you for what you’ve done and tried to do.
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Rish31 says:
Will this organization ever be able to make a string of good decisions? You have provided hope, when there seemingly was none. Your thorough coverage of prospects, farmhands and current Islanders has given us the feeling that we were closer to the team we all love. I hope that you can find a way to keep this site going……….
WAKE UP ISLANDERS!!! MAKE IT HAPPEN.
Thank you for all your hard work and best of luck.
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25yearfan says:
Imagine 15,000 fans on their feet, chanting
C! B! (clap clap)
C! B! (clap clap)
C! B! (clap clap)
C! B! (clap clap)That’s how I feel about this blog. As much as I will be disappointed if PB does not continue, I wish you all the best, Chris!
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How long before the inevitable announcement that for Ranger, Sabres and Devils games we can tune in to MSG and listen to the other teams announcers, so they don’t have to pay Howie and Billy for those games
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Joe in Massapequa says:
CB, what a sad night. I just got home and still cannot believe what I just read. Ever since I found your blog about a year ago I am on this site probably 10 times a day seeing if there are new stories or just taking interest into the posts. I can truly say I will be lost without it. I do wish you the best in what the future may hold and wish happiness and health to you and your family. Good luck and as always – LETS GO ISLANDERS!
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sbeer says:
Best Wishes CB. Good Luck!
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jethro09 says:
Very sad news, CB. This site is great and it will be missed. Hopefully, someone can take up your mantle and continue to give us a place to get legit isles coverage while giving us a place to comment and rant about the team.
As for the site, IPB is great. Absolutely the best place to go for isles coverage and discussion. Thanks for everything CB.
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Andre says:
This is horrible news! When are the Islanders going to be relevant again. I am very disappointed. Is there a way to form a partnership with NHL to create a leaguewide blog and allow Point Blank to still cover the Isles.
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MotorcityIslesfan says:
Chris I will miss this site so much. I can’t believe the Islanders want to give this up. Thank you for giving such a unique/informative perspective on the team I love. Your articles really helped me feel closer to the team especially for someone who doesn’t live on Long Island. I looked forward to visiting your site everyday, now I’m really bummed that I won’t have that luxury. I wish you nothing but the best in your pursuit of ACTII,but really wishing you didn’t have to. Islander fans everywhere are really losing something special.
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Jack Lupo says:
Your coverage and insight will be greatly missed. I hope that the Islanders will come to their senses and continue to employ your coverage of the team. If your reading this Islanders management please don’t let go of this blog.
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Eric, what would a measly $5 do for Botta? Would it give him an annual full-time salary that he can use to support himself and his family? Nope. Its fine to suggest things but we have to think about how realistic the suggestions are. If it was as simple as everyone popping $5 into Paypal, dont you think it would have been done already? It isnt reality.
CB, perhaps you can pitch to MSG and SNY, as well as Newsday. They all want to figure out how to make Web 2.0 technology work for them, this is a perfect forum with which they can work.
When all is said and done though, it is the Islanders organization themselves who NEEDS to see the importance of maintaining this presence. I honestly do not think this team can afford more cynicism and negativity, and that is precisely what a foolish decision like this would generate.
This blog is unquestionably worth paying for, Islanders. If you see that now, you will look like visionaries. If you do not, you will look like you are shafting the fanbase yet again. Why would this organization throw the first waves of fan-based optimism that I have seen in well over a decade?
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I need to read all the comments. I don’t think I quite understand what’s going on in here and why this is coming to this point. Or maybe I do, and I just don’t understand WHY the organization would let it get to this point and not take care of you CB.
This definitely sucks and my mood has been severely effected, but I am an emotional pisces. But after thinking about it more… the power of your work and IPB really should be undeniable, and it will find it’s place hopefully soon, because I’ve went from checking sneaker/streetwear blogs religiously to having this site as my top bookmark.
I always considered myself a die-hard Islanders, but this blog is DEFINITELY one of the top 3 reasons (the other 2 being Islanders players Tavares and Okposo), I am more into the team than ever. WAS…WAS considering my first purchase of a ticket package, even when the team has performed worse than I’ve ever really seen.
This really needs to be sorted out, and you deserve the best in this.. I hope it’s soon, very soon! Good luck CB!
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Everyone that shows up to the August 4th March should start a PB chant. We can make it happen. If it wasn’t for all of us and this blog, Snow would have picked Duchene. So much enthusiasm is drummed up on this blog that affects the Islanders franchise, I can’t believe they aren’t throwing first round money your way.
I’ve been through this before. I remember last year you were going to shut down your first blog after the draft. Soon after that, you announced the news of the new blog. You have way to much impact and are a much needed voice for the fans. I am sure something will be worked out. It has to!
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Bob Bassen says:
We are a world controlled by Corporations in most aspects of our existence. The beauty and comfort of Point Blank the past year has been the *independent* thoughts. The blog may continue but the content will probably never be the same depending upon where the *financing* is coming from.
Very disconcerting…sad.
Furthermore, my *Islanders* interest will drop considerably if this blog goes,
Thanks for everything, Chris Botta…really!
Bummer……. -
Sarah W says:
Chris,
I am so sorry to hear about this. I have become addicted to the islanders because of your website. I appreciated your honest, up to the minute updates. Because of your website i have learned so much about the islanders, not just the players, but the team as a whole and i don’t know of any other sports source that can do just that. Some of your stories have even moved me to tears (the father and son story that involved josh bailey.) I wish you luck in your next venture, but really and truly i wish there was a way for you to keep doing this.
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AM says:
Like many have said above, it’s sad to see you leave. With Newsday’s abomination of a site redesign, Islanders coverage is going to be even harder for the average fan to get. The Islanders need to have a site like this that keeps everyone in check and gives the reality on each situation. This is the best site for Isles coverage and with a young, rising team, a marquee player, and a passionate/loyal fanbase, I don’t think its a good move for the team to lose this site from a social, PR, and business standpoint.
Like others have said, SNY def could be an option as they are growing and are constantly thinking outside the box. Also, MSG could use someone who knows the blogosphere inside and out that could report on hockey. Sort of like a Social Media Sports Analyst/Adviser in that regard. Many of their current on-air analysts/talent haven’t taken the time to get acquainted with the power of this platform.
I really hope you keep the blog going but understand the situation in these tough economic times and you have to do what’s right for the family.
Thanks for everything, and hopefully if your done, you can check in from time to time, here and on Twitter.
-AM
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Harold C. says:
CB I feel your pain, I’ve been in your shoes and know what you are feeling. Worse yet, you have your dream job here and you execute it with passion, precision and total honesty. Good things happen to good people and I believe that – you will land on your feet and Point Blank with not go the way of the T-Rex. Hang in there dude, I am sure something will come up…this blog is TOO GOOD not to be around.
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corey says: i check this maybe 5- 10 times a day. this is the only place i can go to find all the best islanders information. no other place is as good as pointblank. we need to find how to save pointblank
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Michael says:
I honestly need this site. I feel closer to the Isles than I ever have before because of this blog. I visit this site at least 5 times a day, every day, I have it bookmarked on all the computers and cell phones in the house.
I really hope you keep blogging for all of us Isles fans.
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Tom in Maine says:
I have never posted but visited 10 times a day at least for my isles news. I wrote up something but onesinceforty #160 just summed up all of my thoughts. How could this team possibly give up such a valuable piece of advertising for a mere 200k per year or whatever CB’s salary may be. Absolutely ridiculous and a stupid buisness decision. I was ready to give up on this team and root for the Bruins but I found CB and this community and it inspired me to root for the kids and watch this horrible last place team again and forget about the pain of the last 20 yrs. I pay for the damn center ice package every year to watch this debacle.
I grew up watching the Isles and was only 8 yrs old when they started the cup run. I have copies of Newsday sitting in my closet from the day after they won each of the cups. The mismanagement of the past soured me on the team and now they take this blog from us.
Losing this blog is so sad. I was just rekindling the old feelings and starting to feel pride in the team thanks to this blog and this community. Such a waste to end it now. If I can email someone or send a letter or pay a fee to keep this going please let me know and I’ll be all over it.
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Nick says:
LETS ALL WRITE TO THE ISLANDERS TO KEEP PB ALIVE and/or HIRE CB.
I have never followed the Islanders as well as in the past year. Chris, you have given the breath of life back to my fandom. You rock.
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bossy4president says:
This is straight up BULLSHIT!!!!!
CB the Islander organization is cutting a vital lifeline to their fans. This is TRULY the ONLY place to go for the goods on Islanders hockey. Now what do we do? wait every 4 days for Logan to spill some of his nonsense? Gallof is good but it’s all very political with mostly Lighthouse chatter, and to be honest sometimes a bit hard to follow at times. It a business decision that makes no sense to me…..in these times you wnt as much exposure as you can to attract people to your product to make money. I honestly feel if it wasn’t for this blog I would think this organization was as bad as ESPN, Newsday, MSG, TSN, Sportsnet says we are. Reading your blog and understanding what’s “really” going on has me excited for our future. It’s sickening that it seems the only things that are working or that are good are the things this organization continues to cut to save money. Why don’t they cut the ice hoe’s, or that stupid dragon for a mascot, or even Tambellini for that matter? Dey is our new Mike Milbury. Clueless
CB….I never had the privilege to meet you or talk to you, and you wouldn’t recognize me from a whole in the wall, but your blog has had my daily attention since you started 10 months ago. I wish you and your family all the best. From the bottom of my heart…….Thank you.
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James says:
i don’t know what the hell i will do with myself . . seriously . .
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Mike says:
So sad..
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Froggy says:
I know this is going to sound on the semi-(or very) sappy side but I got a tear in my eye when I read your blog. Although I am obsessed with Michigan football and basketball, the Jets and Yankees, the Isles are my number 1 sports passion. People often ask me if you could have any championship which would it be…a Cup in a heartbeat. All that being said this website is the best thing that has happened in Islander Country in a very long time. My friends and I check back on it numerous times a day and talk about you as if you were our friend (even though none of us have ever met you). As an Islander fan all I can say is please do whatever you can to keep this site alive (as the 34 year old father of two in me knows you need to do what’s best for your crew). All that is left to say is thank you. If this site does not continue it will be a piece of Isles nostalgia to me in the same vain as the Lafontaine Easter goal, the Uwe Krupp goal on the scoreboard and the Bates penalty shot. I will always cherish the best coverage that this team has ever received, hands down. Thank you again.
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bossjones says:
I discovered PB about 3 months ago and have since checked it 3-4 times daily, it is a true asset to an Islanders fan. PB is by far, the most articulate and accurate sports blog I have ever read, I mean when Logan was picking Duchene CB knew what was really going on which helped many of us get some sleep as the draft drew closer. Anyway, I hope you can keep it alive CB, if there is anything we can do please let us know!
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TXNYI says:
Chris,
This is the only sports site I check every single day, so it will be missed greatly. Have you given any thought to keeping it going on a part-time basis? Maybe posting some on weekends or have brief posts on updates during the week? I’d much rather have an abbreviated Point Blank than nothing at all.
That could work, assuming you got another job that could fit with that. And maybe the Islanders could still chip in a bit – that wouldn’t hurt the blog one bit in my eyes. And an occasional donation campaign could probably raise some funds as well. I’d definitely contribute.
Even with the losing this has probably been my favorite year following the Isles since the mid-80′s just due to the fact that your updates kept me so close to the team and players. Not much Islander news down here in Austin, Texas. I don’t have Center Ice so other than a few internet games, this is it for me. AND YOU MORE THAN DELIVERED. BEST. BLOG. EVER.
Thanks. Many thanks.
-Jeff
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Nick says:
Chris, Since NY sports fans are so ravenous for information (any information), turn this into a NY Sports Point Blank Information site and blog. I’m sure you have a lot of friends in NY that are connected with the different teams out there. Besides the great insider stuff you post about the Isles, add the Giants, Jets, Yankees, Mets, Knicks, Nets and yes the Rangers and you have people and advertisers flocking to your site. If you wonder if it will work, just look at all the budget cuts and staff layoffs that has hit the traditional media outlets(trust me I’m an ad buyer) and the crap coverage they provide…
You’re put a good honest product out there, you’ll succeed…As long as the eyeballs are there, advertisers will spend.
Best…Nick
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Michael from Toronto says:
CB,
As a die-hard Isles fan for over 30 years, I finally had a place to read great articles and comment on my favourite team. Living in a hockey hotbed (or shall I say Leaf bed) they rarely ever talk about the Isles. Reading your blogs is something I look forward too every morning and throughout the day.
This website is the first one I click on in the morning andn although I may not comment too much, I read everything.
I would hate to see this site go. This should show how many Isles fans there really are.
Remeber one thing, YOU are the one who brought us all together!!!!
I hope this site continues on. If there is anything we as fans can do to ehlp please let us know. -
Hud says:
CB, much understood that you need to take care of your family, always number one. Your value to the fans does not have a price, but, if Charles Wang is smart, he would call you in, give you what you need to take care of your family, and take care of his franchise as well. It seems like a win-win for all, eh?
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JM says:
I am embarrassed to admit how often I view this site. it i sa terific source of islander information and it did so much to keep fan interest high. It is a lot easier to follow a team taht you know a lot about and you more than served that role. This site will be sorely missed. Hopefully this decision can be reconsidered. penny wise but pound foolish. I am calling my ticket
rep first thing in the morning. -
I can’t believe it…I feel like I just lost my best friend.
Chris-
If you need anything don’t hesitate to contact me on facebook.
Thanks for all the great work.
mike meyers
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Frank James says:
Thank you.
You have to do what is best for you and your family.
This blog has kept many of the diehards going.
Hockey coverage is virtually nil in the major papers, mags, & highlight shows.Hockey fans always have to search for the best coverage.
As a reader of numerous papers, mags, & sites since the 1980′s your site brought to me the anticipation I had as a kid waiting for the next issue of The hockey News or Hockey Illustrated. Except yours was on a daily basis.
Unfortunately print and making a nice living off internet writing are not going to be realistic for anyone.
All the best and a sincere thanks.
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Loudville330 says:
This is the place that I go to first online as well as probably many other IPB readers..I go on this site at least 4x a day. This is a total shame.. All the best in the future CB..Thanks for everything!
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Andre Legault says:
EXTREMELY sad…
This blog was just perfect…
I really hope you’ll find a way to keep it running while taking care of your family and professional life.
If not, then Au Revoir et Merci !!!
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CB, i have just posted my article of Point Blank on my blog. Take a look. http://nyyanklanders.blogspot.com/
Best of luck. I really do hope you stay around.
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PFR says:
CB-
Thanks for hosting a great site. Your passion for the Islanders helped restore mine. I echo many of the sentiments already expressed. You have many faithful and loyal friends having done this. Good luck and say the word and we will help.
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Wow, i’m very shocked! This blog has made one of the worst isles year ever one of my favorites of being a fan.
I echo the sentiment of even occasional updates since you are a talented writer.
Now what? i’m jonesing for isles info in july! Truly an impactful site, who knows it might not be over but your family is def the #1 priority.
Good Luck in what happens next! Just read the piece not sure what you could do to keep it afloat other than word of mouth or a barrage of complaints. You warned us it might be inevitable and here it is.
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Matt says:
hopefully things work out and this blog stays strong Chris because you do a great job.
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Neil says:
I’m heartbroken. You are a journalist in the highest definition of the word. You served your readers and fans of the team to the highest degree. Best wishes and I hope you’ll keep blogging in some form or another.
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mrlbem says:
Oh for G-D sakes, this is really bad. Gilda Ratner, or rather Rosanne Rosanadanna, should be the patron saint for all Islander fans. Why? Because with the Islanders, It’s Always Something!!!!! I don’t understand the decision. Yes, perhaps calling the Islanders’ office will help. I also think that based on what I learned from reading the comments tonight, about SNY not having an Islanders blogger, it might be a good time for all of us to contact SNY and complain about that glaring omission.
Whatever happens, best of luck and thank you for signing my copy of “Pride and Passion” at the second Point Blank Night (perhaps I can get Fischler’s autograph on it one of these days). And thank you for always handling yourself and this blog with class and grace.
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Isle74 says:
CB, I am in shock. I just came back from a great night out. What’s the first thing I do when I get home? Of course, I check out Islanders Point Blank. Not Newsday, TSN, or the Islanders web site. Charles Wang, wake up dude. Pay CB to keep Point Blank alive. I am a season ticket holder, and I am really upset. Pont Blank is the main reason I am still interested in your last place team and the Lighthouse. Mr. Wang, you need Point Blank more than you know. Does the Lighthouse ring a bell!! CB, best of luck and thank you. The Mets sure do need a great PR person.
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Erika says:
This is NOT FAIR what the Isles brass is doing! I love coming here to get my latest Isle info! First the radio, not this!
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steve says:
cb… really well done. if this means the end of the road, thanks for driving while we all rode in passenger seat.
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I go to your site – IPB – two, three, four times a day. The coverage is TOP NOTCH. I agree with all the others – especially the post noting rather strongly that YOU sell tix, merchandise, etc. YOU.
I am deeply involved in the so-called, “new media” – well, here’s a newsflash: it’s not new media anymore. It’s media. And it’s media I would pay for. I disagree with Dave Scott. I think this blog and other internet content WILL be monetized – and for GOD’S SAKE YOU’VE JUST WITNESSED IT! That is to say, people have said they would pay for your content. Maybe the Isles can chip in, cuz right now, their website is lame. It’s just okay – not sharp and certainly not with passionate up-to-date coverage such as yours. Tell me where I can send my money. And Chris – thank you.
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Very sad news. I don’t think a last place team has ever been followed so passionately throughout a summer and this blod is a big reason why. I don’t understand how the Islanders do not see the incredible promotion value they get from this site at so little cost.
Good luck and if you want us to contact Islander management, I am sure everyone will do so.
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sec. 308 says:
Godspeed, CB. You really provided a valuable service during a critical time in the franchise’s history. Wish you could find a way to earn a living and keep the site alive from ad revenue.
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coral springs isle fan says:
This is perhaps the worst offseason move of all time. I can’t believe the Islanders are not able to support this site and all your efforts CB. This is a terrible business move if they do not step up with a contract for you with a respectable salary and performance bonuses. There is no doubt that your site is going to grow in popularity. The team will being making a big mistake under estimating the power of social networking. You have been the best source of Islander news (past, present & future) that this team has ever seen. We all boycotted the Newsday blog because of the trolls. You set a standard of excellence from day one and d it has become such an enjoyable and educational source of NY Islander news. Haven’t the Isles learned from the past; “Out of sight, out of mind”? I’m going to think long and hard as a business owner how to make this work. Hopefully we have the chance to connect via e-mail CB. You do amazing work and you should be proud of yourself. This is a very unique situation and the Isles need to treat this very differently and very carefully.
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Michael says:
CB, drama aside, you have thousands of people that read your stuff and thank you endlessly. Do you really think it’s fair to leave, so short, and so brief? There’s a demand for your work. No matter how little or how much you can make, if anything, when there’s demand, there’s demand. People enjoy your work. There’s no reason for you to end the blog. Maybe you don’t post every single day, but you still can post. You’re a special talent, and you’ve become all of our friends. I ask you, on behalf of thousands, please don’t go. Stay with us, stay the course. I wish you all of the luck in finding a fufilling job, but you’ve got a huge support of people begging for you to stay.
Don’t go. Not yet.
-Michael from St. James
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Marc says:
Chris, your immediately family comes first. All of us appreciate all you’ve done prior to and since the inception of this site and can’t thank you enough. Hopefully things work out for the best and Point Blank or a similar medium will live for many years to come while enabling you to take care of yourself, your wife and your children. Can you help Wang with Lighthouse PR (it’s gonna cost $3.9 billion so I hope Wang can pay you what you’re worth), while enabling you to continue blogging?
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Martin the french Canadian says:
I’m 30 years old and I’m from Quebec in Canada. I was influenced from my older brother who was an islanders fan since the Bossy era. Since my childhood time I’m an Islanders fan and it was very difficult to me to be connected with my favorite hockey club because of the distance between me and New York. It was hard to follow my team. It was difficult to me to smell the spirit even if I can watch the games since NHL center ice are available here there is 4 or 5 years. It was awesome for me to watch every games on tv but I still could’nt smell the feeling in town about the team, prospects, players and management. But since PB exist, you give to me all what I needed. I have now all the feedback of the place I need to connecte with my favorite hockey club and because of you I’m an Isles fan more than ever an I’m proud of my team and of the new team philosophy to build from within. I go on your site several times every days to read you to take Isles news. To show what you give to me, I learned on your site that I could go to the Isles mini camp at the begin of July, so I drove 900 KM to be there with Isles fans and to smell the Isles spirit.
And today I lost that proximity with my team. I’m wordless to explain all my frustration and sorrow.
I want to pay to read you. I pay expensive to watch my favorite hockey team on tv and I’m ready to pay to read the best Isles colomnist.
Thank you Chris Boita. I still hope you will stay…
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Will C. says:
This just entirely ruined my hockey life. It was like a kick in the nuts. Typical Isles to take THE MOST INNOVATIVE COVERAGE IN ALL OF SPORTS, and not keep it going. Ridiculous. CB, you are an unbelieveable reporter, join Newsday and become permanent RANGERS SPONSORED ISLES BLOG. It will be tremendous. I hope it truly works out for you and your family. You rcoverage has been amazing, truly amazing. I have never been able to get this close to the team I am die hard for. Great job. PS- Met VP of Player Development is available! LOL!
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Quagmire says:
Like many others here, I am in the sweet spot of the demographic that Isles management is likely targeting, young, profesional, hockey fan, life long Islanders fan. I have drifted from the team in recent years due to obvious reasons, but also because of a near total lack of visibility and interesting stories about the team in the media.
This blog has had a large part in bringing me back strong and I visit multiple times every day. No other source can even remotely come close to this one in terms of the quality and quantity of stories and knowledgable insight.
Given how little visibility the team gets in the media, it is hard to understand why they would make a business decision like this. The Isles should do everyting in their power for this to make financial sense for you to continue CB, including by encouraging their sponsors to become sponsors here, maybe by investing in this themselves with you in some kind of joint venture, or helping for you to find a home with an existing media outlet.
Good luck snd I hope you are able to fiqure someting out – this blog will be sorely missed.
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Travelchic59 says:
I was hoping this day would never come.
This news makes me very sad. I wish you the very best of luck, Chris. I am sure you will land on your feet. I hope there is a way that allows you to continue blogging. If not here, than somewhere else on the web. -
mtrico says:
CB, you do this very well, and whether it’s with guest writers or teaming with a guy like B.D. Gallof, I hope that you can figure out how to make this work, or at least post articles somewhere. Your content is second to none, and your articles are always a great read. Good luck with the job search, like you said, family must come first.
Here’s a thought: Get on the phone wth someone at NHL.com and tell them to hire you ASAP. I will be glad to provide you with a reference.
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CB: Being a part of IPB these past 10 months has been a fantastic journey and will be sorely missed in the future. Amazing how you could get people from all around the world to feel like they were a part of the Islanders family and could express their personal feelings. All the best to you and your family in the future.
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Akeem says:
CB,
In light of the down economy, and, by your own admission, the difficulty of landing on your feet in this climate, why not take the generous offer from the Islanders, continue the blog for the coming season, weather the storm, then after this season go out on your own? -
isles3113 says:
damnnnnn…. i go on this site everyday, at least 5 times a day… i have the same routine everyday on the computer and ur the first site i go to… thanks for everything cb… good luck and lets go islanders!!!
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Potvin5 says:
I’ve been reading your blogs for over a year now and have come close to posting before, but never did. But after this and the Todd story from earlier today, I have to.
While it’s not possible to add to what’s already been said, I feel I owe you a personal thanks for keeping this Long Island boy so in the know on all things Isles related. Been a fan since the mid 70′s. My neighborhood buddies got me into the Isles and hockey (especially of the street variety) and it’s some of the best memories I have of my youth. I remember being at the 4th Cup Parade down Hempstead Trpk. My buddy wore a Gretzky jersey with a bag over his head and caught a lot of good natured flack from other Isles fans. Good Times.
I became a casual fan especially during 90′s, but made a conscious decision to reconnect with the Blue-n-Orange during the ’99-’00 season. OOOF, were we bad. But I was back in the fold. When I checked out IPB for the first time I was hooked. Same as everyone else I check the site multiple times daily. It’s like a drug! I was even checking it repeatedly when we recently visited friends down in S.Carolina. We drove were traveling on draft day. Actually arrived a few minutes before the draft started so my son and I were able to watch the Tavares announcement live. If the Lighthouse project has in fact turned a corner, Mr. Wang and the Isles organization need to erect a likeness of you (bronze statue perhaps) in front of the new arena because you will have played no small part in making it happen. It does seem absolutley ridiculous that this incredible forum that has meant so much to the dedicated fanbase of this organization would be snuffed out like this. Times must really be tough for billionaires these days… or maybe they were just paying you way too much $. ; )
I think it’s a strange coincidence that on the same day that you post your piece about Todd, you tell us about the end of IPB. BTW, for the last almost 20 years I’ve been working for a LI Human Services organization that provides important supports to Todd and other people like him. It’s great to see that he touched your life too.
I will go to bed tonight hoping that this is a bad dream and starting tomorrow they’ll be many more stories from Chris and IPB. The very best to you and your family. You will be sorely missed.Scott
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Alan says:
That caption under the photo of you and JT is really sad — a total bummer.
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Sally Williams says:
I echo so many of the thoughts stated before me. I look forward to reading IPB and check several time a day. I feel like my favorite player has been traded. I hope somehow you and the organization figure out a way to keep this blog going. I feel like once again the fans are getting the shaft!!! It has been tough being an islanders fan for a while and your blog is on of the things that keeps me going. What can we as your loyal readers do?
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Phil in NJ says:
I’ve been reading this blog faithfully since it started but have never taken the time to leave a comment. Just want to say thanks for all the great content and work over the past year. Hopefully this is not the end and you will be able to continue and build upon what you started.
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gutty34 says:
In all seriousness….how do I make it through a day now????? Piece of me just died.
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Pd says:
this is not happening cb i live off of pointblank for my isles stuff (no offense to bd or hockeybuzz….well actually offense to hockeybuzz) something will work out cb, as long as the fans have a say.
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Well said # 256. I feel the same way as you and I am in the same sweet spot of life to be buying tickets.
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Paul says:
With the hope of you doing this 1 or 2 days a month to keep contact,
I wish you and your Family all the Best.
You did a “Great Job” it is a shame but i have a feeling you will be around someway somehow.
Islanders Blood runs through your veins.
God Bless! -
Ajax says:
Chris, You are first rate. A man with the talent you have, I have all the faith in the world that you will be just fine. God Speed.
Cheers!~Ajax
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TONYSAC says:
I dont even know how to react to this story, other then I am compltely devastated about losing this site..CB, you truly have been the best thing the Islanders have had since the Dynasty days…Over the last 10 months, you have dedicated so much of you time to this blog, and I and all your readers are so thankful for you hard work and dedication….I honestly visited this site probably 10 times a day, always looking for new stories or to read everyones thoughts…I really believe the ISLANDERS need to somehow keep this site up and running, they need to find someone and pay them to keep this site running…I really dont know what else to say, Im still trying to soak this all in….
CB, once again thank you so much for the last 10 months of non stop islanders coverage..I wish you the best of luck in your new journey in life….I must admit CB, that I am so jealous of the last 20 yrs of your life being able to work for the ISLANDERS, its been a dream job of mine since i can remember cheering them on..I hope that your next career turns out to be as successful as your past…
CB FOR PRESIDENT/GM/COACH
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This is truly a sad day for Islanders fans, and myself. There has NEVER been a site with more information, dedication, and passion to the Islanders then Point Blank. The quality of work will NEVER be duplicated, nor will there be such a fan base for one Islanders site then this one. It is truly disheartening to hear that Point Blank will be gone.
On a personal comment:
Chris,
I thank you for always responding to my emails. I thank you for always keeping all of us aware of what was happening with our favorite team. Your insight, passion, and dedication is on a level that will never be measured. You are what most of us bloggers only ever dream of doing. You ARE the standard.In the beginning of the season, I offered to buy you a dinner and a ticket to the Scranton Penguins against the Sound Tigers here in Scranton Pa under the impression you were coming all the way up here, until we found out it was in Conn. lol. Well the offer still stands, and that includes your family. Take care of your family. Best of luck in your new Endeavor, be proud of what you’ve accomplished, and you will always have a fan in me. Best Regards.
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campion101 says:
CB, this is the first time I didn’t enjoy reading your blog. Islanders Point Blank has become part of my daily routine and it will be greatly missed. Your insight, experience and personality have made this THE place to turn for Isles news.
My gratitude for a great run and best wishes for the future. -
Booten says:
I NEED POINT BLANK
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Andrew T says:
I remember when I first discovered the original Point Blank 1.0, after Puck Daddy posted a link to your take on the Mark Streit signing last off season. Since then, I’ve followed your blog, visiting the site multiple times most days (although commenting only rarely). Following Point Blank has led to me rekindle my love for Islanders to heights it hasn’t reached since probably the 2001-02 season (the high point of my Islanders memories, as I was born in 1988 and wasn’t old enough during the 92-93 season to have any memories of the team winning any playoff series) – despite the Isles being a last place team. I want to sincerely thank you for your coverage of my favorite hockey team this past season. I would love to see the blog continue somehow and hope you can find a way to keep this thing alive, but I completely understand that you need to do what’s best for you and your family. I wish you the best of luck in all of your future endeavors.
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hathead68 says:
Chris, this site was the best thing for the Islanders since the Dynasty years. Now, when the Islanders are becoming relevant again (with the drafting of John Tavares and the probable approval of the Lighthouse … and don’t for one minute underestimate the impact that you, through this site, had on both), it may be gone. I don’t know what kind of business arrangement you had with the Islanders, but whatever it was, like any pro sports athlete, you have proven your value and deserve compensation accordingly. The Islanders official website (NHL-run, correct?), put kindly, stinks. It is always far behind IPB. In fact, I only use it as a link to IPB.
Chris, if we need to lobby Mr. Wang to make sure that IPB continues, with you at the helm, and mutually beneficial to both parties, maybe we can do it via IPB. How can we do it? After all, if Mr. Wang gets his Lighthouse Project approved, it is in no small part due to the influence of IPB.Mr. Wang, you owe it to Chris Botta!
PS. THANK YOU, CB!
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Isle in Dixie says:
Chris,
As an Islander fan residing in Tennessee, your site has kept me up-to-date with my favorite team as it has for many out of state fans and those on LI. As someone who grew up in the 70′s and 80′s and watched Saturday morning TV, I watched School House Rock and their tagline was, “Knowledge is Power”. True statement in my mind. You have knowledge therefore you have power. You will be fine in whatever employment is in your future. As a I have a wife and two sons who depend on me, I admire your decision to put your team first vs. the one that hs employed you for 20 years. Your family will always be there for you. The other team will not.
Thank you again for writing the story about my son and I and our interaction with Josh Bailey two months ago. The reaction of my nine year old reading his story on IPB was almost to the level of receiving a signed card from Josh Bailey in the mail from Canada.
I believe things happen for a reason. Call it destiny or divine intervention as I do not believe in good or bad luck. This door may or may not be closing, but be cognizant that I think you will land on your feet either way. Thank you for all that you have done and will do.
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jonsson3 says:
first my father-in-law dies,(great guy! love you dad), now this. what a crappy week!
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Let Em Rip Boys!
customerservice@newyorkislanders.com
You are hereby empowered! Or you will be getting your news from Eklund again.
Tap an E-mail or 10!
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Hockey2219 says:
Unfortunately I didn’t get much of a chance to get to know you while I was a Media Relations intern in your last year with the Islanders, but I wish I had. The service that you have provided these past ten months has been invaluable. The work you’ve done was so good, maybe too good, as I check this site more times in a day than I like to admit. I wish the site can continue and I would love to see it do so wherever it may be, but whether that happens or not I would just like to thank you for your exceptional work. I wish you the best of luck in your professional and personal life.
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BJ says:
I stumbled upon IPB just days after the draft bc i was sick of relying on TSN for all my hockey info, what I found in this site has blown me away. I have never been as excited for a season to start as I have been this summer and it is 110% due to CB and this blog, the Mets being God awful is just a coincidence…Ive been living in the city for the past 3 years after growing up on LI and have been to 2 games since, mainly bc of a disconnect from the team. Reading IPB on an hourly basis for the last couple of months has brought me from a casual fan into someone who is looking to purchase a ticket plan for the upcoming season. This is my first time commenting on a blog, ever, and I know a lot of people have written a lot of good things since the news of IPB being shut down has come out, but i really hope management reconsiders. Im hoping that if they can read this and the many other comments they will understand how much this blog promotes and markets this team better then any commercials or billboards ever could. You dont have the ability to sign Ovechkin to put butts in the seats but you do have the power to change your minds and keep IPB alive, do the right thing…
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vukota says:
And the hits keep on coming!! Can we ever be rewarded for our dedication to this mickey mouse franchise. That’s it Isles just keep kicking us in the gut. It’s been going on for 20 plus years why stop now?
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I post here simply to offer thanks to you Chris. Thank you for devoting so many years to our fanbase and for operating the single best hockey site on the internet. As a journalism student, I truly admire your work and have very much been inspired by it. As an Islanders fan, I have thoroughly enjoyed all of your writings and have spent a ton of time refreshing your page waiting for the next update.
On a more personal note, thank you for always being so great to Steve and I at HNLI. Having you on the show as a guest was great and it has always been nice to exchange a few words at team events over the past few years. Good luck in whatever endeavors lie ahead (I feel like I’m signing another yearbook)
-Alex
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Numbers65 says:
This is the WORST ISLANDERS NEWS I’ve heard in a long time. And most of us know that there has not been much good news in Islander Country for some time. I’d rather have lost JT than you. Without CB & point blank there is no real coverage of New York’s “other team”. I don’t know if it is any better in LI, but in Ohio, there is not any NYI coverage as the only cover the Jackets and large market and successful teams. They may as well just close shop and move. I don’t know if I can afford Center Ice this year, and even if I can, mabe I will just pass anyway, because the Isles just love to shoot themselves in the foot. Everyone strives to do waht they love and do it well, and it has been very obvious that you have a true passion for this team. It is very upsetting that for the peanuts that it costs them (in the big picture) to keep this blog (and you) going, that they have decided not to. They can afford unnecessary things ice girls and an arena hostess (who I hear is good), but not a blog that supplies the life blood (team info) to save a dying fan base. Sorry, I did read your whole thread and you did say not to say anything negative, but I am pissed and upset, b/c the connection to my favorite team has just been severed. I keep trying to find reasons not to have CBJ as my fav team, instead of the Isles, but this may have been the last straw. I saw the Isles skate around NVMC as a kid and have been a fan since, but if they say good-bye to you, then I may have to say good-bye to them. Can’t have any kind of relationship with no connection. With all of their out of the box draft decisions and free agent and failures that we put up with, and tried to believe, this is how they treat us. That Mickey Mouse operation called the New York Islanders does not deserve success. I was hoping to see the turn around and Lighthouse built, but now being cut off from communication who cares. They will suffer from this! Who helped get people to their Draft party? Who keeps everyone up to date on the Lighthouse rallys? Who gives us the coverage that we hunger for in a classy and exciting way? None other than you. If anything you should get a bonus, not the shaft. Where will we get our fix? This is one of the biggest disgraces I have witnessed in NYI Country. We swallowed the all the terrible trades and drafts, etc, etc (without giving any examples), but this takes the cake. Sorry for the rant folks… LET’S HOPE SOMEONE WAKES UP AND FIXES THIS ERROR BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!
Chris Botta, you and your family deserve better. Your talent and integrity shall not be wasted, your blessing awaits you!
GOD BLESS!
Jonathan exIsle in OHIO
GO BLUE JACKETS! -
JT says:
CB,
I just got home from my mens league game and this is the first site that I am checking in on for an update, as I have done EVERY day for the last 300 or so that you have been doing this. I am truly saddened by this news, as saddened as much as I am appreciative of what you have done for all of us in Islanders country over just about the past year. I do not know what I will do to fill my daily fix of your scoops, opinions and overall wonderful content and editorials. I will keep my ears open and try to rack my brains as to how to help keep this blog running with you at the helm. Best of luck and thanks again for an amazing run.
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I have sent the islanders customer service an email in support of keeping this blog alive.
My original post is number 219.
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PLEASE READ (IMPORTANT):
THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP THIS BLOG ALIVE IS WITH OUR HELP. WE DID OUR PART TO
SHUT DOWN KATE MURRAY’S SILLY MAILER AND NOW IT IS TIME TO HELP CHRIS OUT
AND SAVE THE BLOG. IF WE CAN MAKE ENOUGH CALLS AND SEND ENOUGH EMAILS IT
JUST MIGHT TO THE TRICK. NOTHING VENTURED NOTHING GAINED.WE SHOULD ALL CONTACT CHRIS DEY
PHONE:(516)501-6700 (this is the general corporate offices number)
EMAIL:chris.dey@newyorkislanders.comLET’S DO OUR BEST…
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Captain Crunch says:
My best friend at work told me one day, “You spend more time talking about your hockey team during July than 90% of other fans do during the playoffs, including Pens and Wings fans!” I politely pointed him to this blog and begged to differ.
CB, you’re a big part of the reason a franchise mired in a mix of prolonged mediocrity and hopeful rebuilding has fans as passionate as we are. Thanks to my daily fix on the Orange and Blue (which NEVER happens at work), I know how many days until camp, how many days until the home opener, and who might see playing time from the Bridge.
If this is in fact the end of this blog, it will have a fond place in my heart. Like the old MSG message board (Isles and Rag$ fans really had it going then), HockeyNation, Islanders Country, and all the others over this decade which have enabled us fans to commiserate on our favorite team.
I hope the blog continues, but if not, thank you for a job VERY well done.
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Isles fan in CA says:
Wow! Feels like I just got hit by a truck. Thanks for the many great posts you gave us diehards on here. Best of luck in your future endeavors Mr.Botta. We are all sad to see you go.
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Brian G says:
The Islander Organization needs to step up & keep this Blog going with CB – there is no excuse, it will not last with someone else (or 5 differnt people doing it). Chris brings a point of view that no one else could really bring, positive & some times negative. And on top of that knows the History of the Team. Before this Blog you didn’t really hear a peep of any islander news anywhere besides Newsday (sometimes they only had a blurb on the last page in the sports section – PS their new website & blog are terrible)…this blog has been very informative and has given multiple angles on stories that no one else has ever done before with this Team.
Wang & Dey seem to want to go low budget on everything with this team, first Chris King now this. If I were running this Organization – I would just pay the man to do this full-time….it is very innovative and is much better than 90% of the other sports teams blogs I have ever looked at. There are ways to save money, but I would consider this a big tease to the fans to let this stop now. The Islander Organization should look at all of the News & stories about all things Islanders that come from this Blog, and realize they are not getting this type of coverage from anyone else…this is better than having NO NEWS OR STORIES AT ALL. I am sure the Islanders can get a few Local Corporate sponsors to advertise on this Blog…they can save money by not doing the Game Day Giveback/Islander Illustrated Mini books they give out at the game and use advertisers from that book on this blog instead….If this is it for Chris this blog will fade fast. I for one look at this site probably 3 times a day to check for any new stories by Chris about this team….Again Islander Organization…Wang & Dey PLEASE KEEP THIS GOING WITH CHRIS BOTTA…..If this is it..THANK YOU CHRIS -
Vas says:
THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND!!!!
CHRIS BOTTA
CB, Good Luck on your new Endeavors! You truly will be missed!
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Patrizio says:
CB,
I’ve never commented on here before, maybe because I never really had anything important to say. But I am a huge supporter of yours. When you asked us to click on the sponsor’s links… I did so repeatedly. No joke, I come on here 3 times a day, Morning, Lunch, and at night before bedtime, Hoping to read something new. There usually is.
I really hope there’s something that can be done. But I’ve been in your situation as well, and you need to think about your family.
I wish you well. We never met, but I’ll miss you very much!!
Good Luck
-Patrizio
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Mike says:
I just want to break down and cry.
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Jerky says:
Thank you for your dedication over the past 10 months. Along with every other poster, I will miss this blog if this is indeed the end. This is where I’ve been coming since the beginning of last season for all my information on the team, most of which is never reported or covered in any fashion by the team website or other media outlets.
With regard to suggestions on how to save PB, the only thought I can offer is to chat with BD and his brother on their effort to combine their independent blogs to see if some sort of joint venture can be established whereby each of you are able to convey your knowledge and opinions about your team and hockey in general. Not sure if this is a viable option but worth throwing out there if you hadn’t already considered it.
Best of luck as you search for your next career move. With your background and dedication, I’m sure you’ll land someplace quickly (and hopefully doing something you’ve always wanted to do or try).
Regards,
Jon
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Dan says:
This site has single handily kept me an isles fan. I live in DC now and have fallen for the upstart Caps, but this site alone brought me back to 1990s when McCabe, Bert, and Ziggy adorned by walls. We’ll miss you CB, and best of luck.
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MattNC says:
This website had the potential to become an absolute beast, creating huge interest in and increased loyalty to the team. Eventually, it would have paid for itself, if run and marketed properly. Too bad the Islanders don’t realize that.
If it is the end, many thanks to CB for an excellent and professional blog.
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ars9x says:
This sucks CB! I look forward to coming here everyday. It is how I begin my interwebs daily browse and I check back mutliple times a day b/c I know when I hear all the BS rumors on other “BUZZ worthy” sites, That the truth is here. Detailed prospect info is here. An inside look to the team is here.
For all of us diehards that bleed orange and blue, this (imo) has become the place to be for Isles talk, info, complaining and comradery. A place where we are respected and can talk frankly.
I just want to say thanks and I will hope that this is NOT the end, it cant be the end!
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a REAL hockey fan says:
… WOW what ceappy news and ill adviced ‘service’ to this team that needs all the help and PR that it can get! the internet is a VITAL VITAL VITAL part of a teams media and outlet service to the fans and you are INVALUABLE, really your work, effort and insight is TOP NOTCH! ——- Cmon ANYONE in Islander land/mgt you can do something *very small* and keep to help this INVALUABLE and WONDERFULL-INFORMATIVE site running………………
*** PLEASE keep us posted and if theres anything we can do to help please dont be shy, cmon Isle mgt, wake up peeps!!! ******
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This is terrible news. But if you somehow helped sway them even slightly towards Tavares, we all thank you.
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Daniel says:
Chris, first off thank you for providing us all with your insight. This is the only blog I can trust, and the first place I come to for my Islanders news. I visit your site numerous times a day and it has been a pleasure reading your wonderful articles. Never before has there been an inside look to hockey operations and what really goes on behind the scenes at the coliseum, and there probably won’t be one again. I regret not thanking you in person for what you have done with this site at Dugan’s during the post draft party but again Chris, it has been a pleasure reading your material. Best of luck in the future.
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Sean Prentiss says:
I have never left a comment here, but I’ve read this site every day, not missing one post. If we want to keep Botta, we should all email the NYI at:
customerservice@newyorkislanders.com
Let them know that you love the NYI and much of that is because of all the great info we get from Botta. Don’t just tell Botta how great he is. Tell the NYI.
And Botta, damn, you are the best. I’ll miss this blog so damn much.
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Mike S. says:
CB – As a daily reader of this site since it’s inception, I’m deeply disturbed by this news.
You’ve been a true God-send for me and many other loyal, overlooked and taken for granted Islander fans.
I really thought we turned a corner and started seeing a glimmer of hope and respectability as fans. This is a huge punch in the gut. The limited coverage that is out there for Islander fans has now taken it’s biggest blow.
I wish you nothing but the best and thanks again for providing an outlet for this 34 year fan of the NYI to reconnect with the team and for energizing the true fanbase. Sadly, the franchise will never get it.
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chris,i knew the shit was gonna hit the fan when you broke the news. hope everything works itself out.
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Section 320 rocks!!!!!! says:
Say it a’int so CB! Thank you so much for your tireless efforts in providing us with the most in depth coverage of this team any where. As others have said a piece of my hockeyworld just died. On an average day I would check pointblank 7-10 times a day. And that is in the off-season imagine during! Yes there are other Islander blogs but none as dedicated as this one and that is thanks to you CB. I started reading this blog last summer a little while before you were put on the isles website and stuff and since then it is part of my daily routine to access it. To say you will be missed is an understatement. Your in depth coverage and your exclusive interviews are like no where else. Because of you I saw how a journalist should properly cover a team. In any sport, baseball,football,Basketball anything! To close CB Best of Luck to you in your future where ever it maybe, and Lets hope we all meet at a parade on hempstead turnpike in the near future!
Lets Go Islanders!!
BTW: I think we are taking Tavares!
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Long Suffering says:
Go to the Daily News to be the hockey reporter — their coverage is terrible.
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Leo says:
I don’t often post, but wanted to thank you personally for your brilliant writing, insight, and dedication. The huge following you have accumulated comes as no surprise to me, as you’ve brought so much to the table on a level & scale we had never experienced, and likely will not again experience for some time. No one will fault you for doing what is right by your family, though your departure will certainly be felt by the entire family of Islander fans. If this is the swan song for PB, may you have the best of luck with your future endeavors. We appreciate what you have given us, and we are all very proud to call you one of our own.
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MsC says:
I hope Point Blank finds a home and/or that you find a way to keep connecting with your readers. You can’t know how vital this blog has been to my ability to stay connected to my favorite team despite living in Capitals country. It’s been just awesome for me and I’ll miss your reporting.
Whatever happens next for you, I wish you the best!
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Blackwasser says:
CB: Wow. My eyes are burnin’ and ready to close. Took me a while to get to the post box – lots to read. Thanks for being the catalyst to some of the best sports team coverage anyone fan could ask for. And, thanks to all the regular posters, some real insight and perspective was shared by a very informed and passionate fan base.
It is a business decision. The real dilemma is Manaagement not having the metrics to tie this site to cold hard revenue. Does this site generate through particpation and
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+1 for the “NY Sports Point Blank” idea in post 232
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drive45 says:
Chris – Thank you for doing this for the past 10 months. You are a fantastic journalist. I grew up 15 minutes from the NVMC and was sitting in sect. 313 for the 4th cup win. I now live in NJ and haven’t been this excited about my boyhood team in years. This miserable season was made into one of my favorites because of this blog. I know what is going on with the team with such depth from your efforts. I’ve sent Isles mgmt an email, don’t know if it’ll help. I hope you can figure out a way to keep this going. If you can’t, then please stay in sports journalism because you have a real talent. ESPN is trying to get into local markets, maybe they want to support a local blog. Good luck CB.
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Clark9 says:
Reading IPB made the last season tolerable. It is a must read every morning. I know you’ve wrestled with this decision for a while and taking care of your family is the top priority. I really hoped the ads would help and that you’d be able to make this work for you. The team has been an obsession of mine since the 70s and this blog was the best way to get a daily fix! As another family man who majored in journalism and is looking for what to do with the rest of his life, I wish you nothing but success! You’ve given us fans more than we ever expected.
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Vinny says:
Ah man Chris, this was painful to read. In my opinion this blog is the best hockey blog on the net, due to your accuracy and fairness. To kill PB is a crime and I really hope things work out for you.
Needless to say I am going to at least express these feelings to the club. Do you have any advice for who to contact with thoughts and comments?
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Hextall72 says:
Head up, chin up chris!!! Been a short awesome journey that hopefully will find itself again without skipping a beat… I have an idea to possibly keep this going, not sure how though.. What if IM somehow teamed up with IPB and was somehow made a little more commercial… Maybe sponsorship from 1050? The NHL network? NHL live? Heck, don lagreca might be able to put IPB and IM in front of some important eyes? I hope only the best chris
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Adam M says:
I’ll keep it short in saying that I’ve never seen a beat be covered so frequently – 24/7/365.
CB even gave a major daily beatwriter a run for his money, inciting “team sponsored blog” pop shots given out of jealousy – and with an internet-only audience. I’d say that is an impressive feat in itself.
In a sport where fans are starving for information and are disappointed when it just isn’t there, this site was a beacon and gave the fans the info they wanted. And as a result, a great service to the fans. As you can see, the hard work is appreciated.
Thanks CB for the blog I checked daily since its inception, and thanks also for the blog box interview.
Here I will join my fellow gluttons for hockey punishment by saying, “Let’s Go Islanders!”
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Brother Rat says:
Gosh, I was out all day, and now this. CB, if that was your last post for while, I can only echo everyone’s sentiments in that I’m deeply mourning the end of your single-handed, nonstop Isles press machine. As you’re a seasoned professional, what separated IPB from nearly all blogs–and certainly the hockey blogs–was your professionalism: the quality of the writing, the unique scoops and respectful interviews with around the Isles constellation (management, players, prospects, agents), and the measured critiques. IPB’s polished presentation and well-crafted writing has always stood out. We should expect nothing less from a man of your experience, who’s also a grad school professor to boot. This is a very crucial time for our hockey team as the Isles try to navigate the rebuild and the Lighthouse simultaneously, and your blog quickly became the number one way for many of us to stay informed as to the (considerable) workings behind the scenes. We the regular readers don’t just check the site once a day, but more like 10 or 15 times a day. I felt it was the best coverage out there, especially after the season. How the Isles can lose you twice in just over a year is beyond me.
I agree that running a blog is not a full time job for a family man. Getting a staff and such is, eh, not sustainable. Becoming a featured blogger on a few sites is also not a viable option. Your full time dedication drove the site…maybe the hockey world, or the Isles world, which has been so captivated by your work at IPB, can reward you with some permanent position that can still free you to write IPB in some capacity–SNY, THN, etc.? I hope you crank out another book on the Isles (the blog revolution in hockey?), continue to freelance, and can hopefully get some more on-air time somewhere. No doubt your rolodex is thick. Whatever happens, best of luck, and we will miss you acutely every single day…as we will no longer 3-4 stories/features/tidbits floating at us. You proved with IPB that there is enough info out there for a few posts a day, so we will hold our breath until your second coming steps up.
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The Islanders need to realize the fan base was kept very calm during an AWFUL season because of this blog. It helped keep things in perspective. We were able to have fun with the entire Tavheduch run. If things go badly this season with no IPB, things will only get worse for the Isles. Another awful move by Wang and Dey.
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jon from nj says:
Heartbreaking.
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D-man says:
dang nabbit… sucks big time if you go.
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joeybagodonuts (190): I dont think anyone has questioned here whether the Islanders want to have a blog. The question is whether they expect it to pay for itself. The truth is, there is no established business model for a team blog paying for itself to the point where a full-time employee working his butt off can be paid like one with only a nominal financial contribution from the team itself. It is simply not a reality at this time.
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Adam says:
I have not responded to a post, after all the days I’ve spent reading, and now I feel guilty. Maybe if all the people who’ve enjoyed this site spent some more time fighting for it, we wouldn’t be in this predicament right now.
Sorry CB
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Islanders1932 says:
Botta,
This is the first site I check when I wake up in the morning and the ONLY site I check constantly throughout the day waiting for the next story. You say a paying subscription won’t work, but I don’t see why not. You don’t have me convinced. People pay to read books because they are entertaining. You have some of the most unique stories and cover aspects of hockey that cannot be found anywhere else. That is a reason why I think people will pay to read your blog. It is the most entertainment one can find about the Islanders. New York Islanders fans NEED you. Don’t go down without exploring options. You are an INCREDIBLE writer and I feel this is what you were born to do. Write. And write about something you love. As a wise man once told me, “Never Give Up.”
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Johnmac says:
Devastating news. This blog is fantastic and the #1 destination of the islander community. Hope it finds a way to stay on.
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Rich says:
Hey CB,
You probably don’t remember me but I was Joanne Holewa’s intern (p.s. I’m very disappointed she didn’t make the cut for the 25 most influential peaople haha) at the time that you left your first job with the Isles, I’m pretty quiet and never really spoke to you other then dropping off your mail, but I’ve become an avid reader and feel like I’ve gotten to know you by simply checking your blog roughly 10 times a day, your site has definitely become the #1 source for anything Islanders related and will be truly missed by all the fans. I really hope you figure out a way to keep it going. However, if you don’t I wish you the best in what ever you decide to do next.
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Chris, if I may, I am a fan of your work through and through. If you ever want the opportunity to guest post on Hockey Blog In Canada, I’d be more than happy to extend it to you and your fans.
Hockey fans die hard, and I’m sure the passion will still be there. I can’t offer to pay you as I work for free as well, but I’d be more than happy to give you a place to rant, rave, vent, chat, and express your feelings about the Islanders.
From a long-time reader, take care, and keep your chin up. Opportunity will knock.
Teebz
Hockey Blog In Canada -
Best of luck to you sir.
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Smokey says:
Chris… you are too amazing… the show must go on.
More ad space? Starting a collection of donations a la most fan forums? Something must be done.
If this is truly the last time, though, I want to make clear that this is the single best hockey website, period, I have ever been to. Islander Country will be greatly worse off without this blog, no questions asked. NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
Thanks for all the great coverage, and I wish you nothing but the best.
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okay I can’t keep up with the comments because I’m only getting more heated. I did see a curse, so I feel I can go ahead and just reiterate that this really is bullshit and a totally ignorant move on whoever decision this is to not pay CB the $ or do what it takes to keep this alive.
I was looking forward to going to games knowing how connected and furthermore passionate all us fans are together now, mainly joined under this blog.And please..everyone here is far too nice and PC…Logan’s coverage in Newsday SUCKS! I used to read just because I knew nothing about him and was hoping he was a work in progress. I check from time to time now just because refreshing this site numerous times without a new post would leave me thirsting for more, I went there for desperation. Only to be disappointed always.
It’s not tasteless in terms of class… it just lacks any kind of flavor.IPB is what got me back into being the rowdy..i mean PASSIONATE Isles fan that i am.
All I want to know is who to write to, who to call, where to be ready to fight for this to keep going CB’s way.
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Robert (Queens) says:
if Wang was paying CB to do this blog the last 10 months,doesn’t that make IPB a team sponsored blog?? So that is the problem with Newsday calling IPB a team sponsored blog?? What is the beef with CM and Logan?? Is Logan jealous??
But the beef doesn’t seem to stop there… Why is Garth Snow and the Isles giving scoops to Larry Brooks over both Logan and CB?? Seems the Isles don’t like the honesty of both CB AND Logan, and Logan don’t like CB stepping on his toes…. is that what this is all about??? I didn’t know there was this beef between everyone… Thought I would have heard about it elsewhere.. -
Mike says:
This is THE best sports blog on the internet. Isles fans don’t have anything close to Point Blank, and we aren’t looking forward to going back to the days where coverage is impossible to find. I really hope PB somehow continues.
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Ajay 22 says:
Sounds like a disaster for the fans and we need damage control. It’s boils down to $$$. How many of us would pay for a subscription? For real, I’d dish out a few bucks a months, hell I’d pay for he year upfront. Let’s say $50/yr?
CB
Love the site, i could type everything already posted and it still wouldnt do justice.
But how many $50 subscriptions is it going to take? Up front no catches, everyone has a price?
Hope this wasn’t an insulting suggestion, I know that you are ALL HEART.
Thanks for everything
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Handlanger says:
STAY WITH US Chris!!! We can’t lose you – I’m a guy who lives in Switzerland and has been an Islanders Fan since years, but lost it a bit over the years and because I was almost never able to watch games. When Mark Streit signed with the Islanders a dream came true, and I started following the team more again – YOU and your blog have been my only inside on what’s going on in north america. Not only would I kindly donate if you would decide to keep going, but I could also help you build a business model (I’m a marketeer in one of the worlds’ biggest companies). Whatever the support you may need – I can assure you that me – among many others – would be pleased to help in any way.
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Everyone wear Point Blank T shirts to the rally from lot 8!!!
kudos to richiewheels post 126! -
I think I got it!!… Am I breaking a scoop or do all you guys already know and failed to tell me??
What am I talking about you ask??
I am talking about what I think happened…Greg Logan complained about IPB to Newsday or directly to The Isles brass.. Either way, Islander big boys were informed by Newsday or Logan himself, that Logan wasn’t happy with all the readers and scoops CB and IPB were stealing from him… Maybe Newsday used their leverage on the Islanders to shutdown IPB.. What leverage you ask?? Newsday tells the Islanders, “hey, we are the last of the three major newspapers that cover the Islanders.. The other two papers, don’t even acknowledge the Isles are still in the NHL.. If you don’t shutdown IPB, we are removing our beat writter from the team, and the Islanders will NOT be covered by any of the three major papers any longer..”
This is just my guess… Why do I think The Newsday would do that?? Well Logan was tired of losing readers and scoops.. The Newsday was losing business as people who used to buy the Newsday just for a paragraph or two about the Islanders were no longer buying their Newspaper…
Yes, I think this is what happened//
CB, please let thiscomment through and let your readers see it… If I am dead wrong CB, then tell me so… Tell all of us I am wrong… But there is obviously a problen between you, Newsday, Logan and the Isles… -
CM says:
Anyone know the best way to lobby Isles management?
Hate to say this but Greg Logan has to go. You should take his his job. Greg’s reports are far inferior to yours.
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Jon says:
Chris, you cant leave. my love for the islanders have grown so much since you started this blog… i have a daily routine at work. check my work mail, my personal mail, then pointblank 10x between 9-5. you are the best sports writer i have read online or in the paper. your honest, your fair, your informative that most people in the isles front office. this may sound sad, but islanders country will be lost without you. we need you. what can we do????
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This is sad news. I always refer to your blog when it comes to news about the Islanders. I’m a part of the Elite Prospects staff and some confirmed ransfers came direct from you, Robin Figren leaving Djurgården for Bridgeport for instance.
I wonder if there’s anyone who can carry the torch in the same reliable and genuine way as you’ve done.
If this is the last time I get to write you a comment I wish you all the best in the future and with that said, I’m hoping for this site to continue with you at the wheel.
//Magnus -
Kai says:
It will be very sad if Point Blank would be no more. It is by far the best source on the Isles these days, so please Chris: keep it going!!
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Sean says:
I love this blog. I check it multiple times a day, but Chris you must look after your family first. If the Islanders are not giving you a fair offer pursue something else. I have greatly greatly enjoyed your writings. thank you for that.
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Chizzler says:
I’m speechless. Where do I get my Islanders fix now every day?
This is making me really, really sad. Why are the Isles trying so hard to make everything wrong?
I don’t get it. This is breaking my heart.
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Isle be Damned says:
oh man what a bummer. this is the best sports blog on the internet. Good luck to you and your family in the future Chris. Thank you for all the wonderful work you’ve done for us this past year. Cheers.
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Jethro from Finland says:
Really sad news indeed. Even though the team last season couldn’t compete with the best at least we had the luxury to enjoy one of the best hockey sites in North America. Having looked around the league not many teams have great coverage like this, especially outside Canada. Following from a distance this site gave me the feeling i was right there where the action is. There were so many great articles on people behind the scenes and they certainly gave a face to the not so familiar parts of the organization that rarely are mentioned anywhere else. It pretty much brought the whole Islanders system closer to the fans and i couldn’t think of more effective marketing tool than a blog like PB. I guess they really will place everything on Tavares’ shoulders from now on.
Big Thank You and Good Luck with everything Chris! -
Jason says:
As a longtime Islanders fan from England, PointBlank has been THE only source for quality daily Isles news and insight. I have loved everyday of it. It has been my most visited website over the last 10 months. If it goes I will miss it immensely…
Thank you Chris for keeping in touch with the Islanders from all away across the pond.
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steve says:
once again the new york islanders give up on potential for the short term. the only daily coverage that is dedicated to this team is lost. They get no tv coverage, no radio, and an occasional article in newsday. so lets make sure that no one can follow the team at all
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i am so angry i hope they just pack up and go to K.C.. i cant read about the team anywhere, cant hear about the team anywhere and God know it is hard enough to watch the team in that dump of a building. I am sure the rebuilding of this franchise is doomed b/c this organization is run by morons
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JB says:
Typical Islanders, can never get it right it seems. Great job Chris, hope it works out for you. You will be missed
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We need to all send letters and or call any isles office we can to get them to pay better, so we can still have this websit.
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Dennis says:
This is terrible news for Islander fans. I have been following this team all my life and following Islander news on the internet for well over 5 years. This site is the best site for Islander news and insite. It is always the first place I go when I get on the internet. It will be sorely missed by myself and all Islander fans.
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Stephen in Upstate NY says:
Ahhh!!! I read this site more than any site in the Al Gore created internet. This will be a great loss. Please find a way to keep it going or get someone who will. I do agree with your stance that people will not pay for new no matter how much they want it. I hate the ESPN insider clips that you have to pay for. Here’s wishing you the best in your next career if you can’t make the blog work.
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Al S. says:
This is by far the best source of information for Islanders hockey, I check it at least twice a day and many times more. Great way to promote the team and keep the fans up to date on whats going on. What needs to happen to keep it going?
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Crackhead Theo says:
CHRIS TELL US HOW TO MAKE SURE THIS DOESNT HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHO DO WE CONTACT, WHAT SHOULD WE DO???
THIS CANT HAPPEN!! -
Sorry, this is my second post on this thread, but here is my email to customer service:
This is another in what is apparently a series of emails this box is receiving regarding the imminent demise of Islanders Point Blank.
I have been following this team since 1972.
In less than a year, this blog has become the key resource for all Islanders fans and is now an integral part of the fans’ relationship with the team.
It is also an integral part of the buzz of enthusiasm over the current state of the franchise. It is not an overstatement to suggest that this blog has had as much to do with recent positive feelings about the club than has the 2009 draft.
Please reconsider the decision to pull the financial plug. -
david says:
CB- I wholeheartedly see your point of view. Take care of business and find a job to take care of your own. You are very talented and will do fine. Even though this is a loss for Islander fans, this decision is what’s best for you. In the end, that’s all the matters. I wish you lots of success. I’d like to personally thank you for your excellent work.
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Schultz39 says:
Chris – this is a sad turn of events. Every day I looked forward to coming in and logging on to my two favorite sites to get Isles scoop – Point Blank and Islandermania. I can understand the $$$ considerations from the Isles’ perspective but what has to be understood is that your site is not just informative, but an amazing marketing piece on the web for the Isles franchise. I hope Charles and Mr. Dey reconsider and if it doesn’t work out, hope I see you again on the WWW one day. You’re great at what you do….I know an organization in Queens that big time needs a quality PR person!
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I also emailed customerservice@newyorkislanders.com and suggest everybody voices there opinion to the teams management.
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TM says:
Dey & NYI marketing just don’t get it. It’s really hard to believe they’re this inept. No radio, no informative blog, limited TV/paper coverage, no real way to reach the masses. The romper room crowd at the official message board doesn’t reach what this blog did or be as informative and timely. I bet Botta asked for something reasonable with benefits and was low balled and told no but they’d support him as an independent contractor for his own business. Support being advice. There’s a reason NYI are LOSERS and it’s more than just the players on the ice – it’s the “management” as well.
Botta, I haven’t agreed with everything you’ve said but I’ve always said you’ve always been informative. Maybe get a corporate job and do the blog part time for SNY or team with BD G. Family and money is indeed important but so is following your passion as well. I fully expect to see you blogging somewhere eventually for someone if not for yourself. Good Luck.
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islestherapy says:
Are the Islanders allergic to good PR? Cuz it sure as hell seems like they are.
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Casey31 says:
CB-Very sad news. I am a current season ticket holder and can say your blog has helped keep me more excited and connected to my team then ever. I look forward to checking the blog out every single day. I really hope the NYI find a way to keep the blog going and I would prefer that you continue to cover the Islanders if that is what you wish.
I am sure all serious NYI fans would agree that once they started reading this blog and its great coverage of the NYI’s they would agree they don’t go a day without it. I think it has been invaluable on many levels and hope it can be saved.
Thanks for the great job you have done over the last 10 months and I wish you all the best in the future.
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Tom says:
Chris,
Thank you for the past year of insightful Isles news. IPB has been a part of my daily web reading routine for the past year.
I am deeply saddened by the news but I realize that family comes first. I wish you all the best.
I do believe if you could find an heir to the IPB to keep it going that would be the best thing for all involved. Plus you can guest blog once in a while!.
Best Wishes.
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JohnGalt says:
To paraphrase Tom Cruise in “Risky Business”:
Islanders Point Blank – There is no substitute.
This blog is the best for Islander news and everything else is a distant second. As you have written everyday, I have visited every day (if not multiple times per day). Your mix of hockey intellignce and the occasional human interest story is great. I am an original Islander fan (grew up on LI and attended the first game ever) who now roots from a distance. I never lost interest in the team, but this blog has really regenerated a new level of interest. You can be sure I will be writing the Islanders to urge them to reconsider.
CB, you have a real talent for this. Even if you can’t get picked up locally you should see if you can get a blogging gig at a national outlet like Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, ESPN, etc. We’d hate to have to share you with the rest of the league, but you’d still be there and doing what you obviously love and were born to do. I don’t know how these pay, but you’re right in that the family has to come first.
However this works out I wish you best of luck. I know you’ll land on your feet. If we lose Point Blank it will be sad, but better having had it the time its been here than never having had it at all.
Godspeed.
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mikko says:
thanks for all that you have done this past year.. you will be great at whatever you do!! good luck
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Jim says:
Ouch. This hurts. we have a sucky team and we are losing the only thing that we have to look forward to. What can we do as readers to keep PB alive?
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CB-
as many others have done…Ive sent my emails out this morning showing my support for you and this site.
Good luck! -
ziggs16 says:
How many more times will we allow this team to let us down?
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jack says:
c.b.
This is so upsetting to me. I discovered your blog 2 months ago and I’ve become addicted to it. I used to check the paper first thing in the morning. Now I go on line asap to see if you had any new storys from the night before. Your objective, a great writter and funny. I check point blank out 3 to 4 times a day and just love it. Good luck to you if this is it, I hope not, you will be missed big time. -
I just voiced my opinion. Should do a copy and paste of all the comments here and submit that
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CB,
Thanks for all you have done for the Islanders over the years, and, most of all, for the fans.
You have reached out to us not only on this blog, but you also let us interact with the team through “Game Time” and “Ask Botta”. I really appreciated the opportunity to vent and rejoice about the team (mostly vent, it was 1999-2000).
You will be greatly missed. We’ll miss the breaking news, the interaction with us, the unique perspective, and the tireless work ethic to get us our Islander news.
It would be great to keep this blog alive and while it would be impossible to find someone with the same perspective as you bring to this, perhaps you can find someone with a strong work ethic who can carry the torch. And, I hope you can return in some capacity as a columnist emeritus, to check in periodically with your thoughts on the team. If not, we’ll be looking for Twitter updates, but, regardless, it won’t be the same.
As far as what you can do, mainstream media as hired bloggers, giving the backing for the blog. I have no idea about the money involved, but how about a network of bloggers that used to work for NHL teams? Something like an “SB Nation” for former employees. I think that fresh perspective is different than someone who has only been a fan.
Wherever you land, whatever you do, please let us know. You have a ton of followers who support you. Count me as one of them.
Best of luck with everything. You have greatly helped make the Islander fan experience great (or at least bearable in the lean years), both in the past ten months and in your years with the Islanders. You always had the fan in mind, down to the end, where you refused to charge money for us to get the same coverage you gave us for free.
All the Best and best of luck in parlaying this into the next endeavor.
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Mike says:
That sucks. I check this site out multiple times a day. It will be missed, especially since newsday’s new site is terrible. Your insight was great, something that you will never get from a newspaper and the stories were always a great read. I wish I had an idea on how to make it work.
Hey CB, since you are no longer employed by the Isles, can we see a book deal in the future? I’m sure you have plenty of stories to tell.
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IslandersWin86 says:
ADS! Lots and lots of ADS. It has to make up the difference. This blog HAS to continue. You are the most honest, reliable, consistent, and accurate source of information on the New York Islanders.
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Isletry says:
Thanks for everything CB. I guess all good things do come an end, but I am surprised that even the Islanders would let something so good, end so soon.
I too visit this site multiple times a day to check for updates, and have been a fan for close to 30 years. In the past year, I have felt more connected to the team than ever because of your work.
Given the traffic on this site, I cannot understand how this is a business decision; this is a business opportunity that is slipping away. As someone posted earlier, the Islanders Business Club should be utilizing this site.
Good luck Chris. You have built quite a portfolio here, and will have no trouble finding opportunities.
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32 minutes until 0900! Let the PR barrage descend on Islanders country. Leave messages for EVERYONE.
Phone: 516.501.6700 / 1.800.882.ISLES (4753) Extension #2 for Customer Care
Fax: 516.501.6762 -
Joey303 says:
You will be sorely missed. I hope all works out for you Chris
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DubieDubieDoo says:
This is really sad news… I look forward to checking out this site every day for my daily dose of Islanders. CB, you will be missed. This is just another in a long list of body shots to Islanders fans. Hoping for a goalie pulled, last second goal to send this one into overtime! If not, best of luck to you and yours.
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mike says:
Does anyone need more proof that Wang only cares about the real estate and absolutely nothing about the Islanders?
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Mark says:
Well this news really sucks.
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Melanson says:
Chris, a sincere thanks for your time blogging about the Islanders. You have been, by far, the best source of information for my favorite team. If you leave, you will be greatly missed.
Thank you again for everything.
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hockey says:
CB, CB, Contact BD, maybe wait to join hom until there is stability in his direction to grow the site. Could be a good part time gig. Call every newspaper and news outlet in the country. Tell them the one that hires you gets the entire islanders fan base as readers.
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Lorne says:
Why does everyone thing this is the Islanders doing, maybe CB decided it is time to look into something else, and just does not have the time to do a 24/7 blog.
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jackb says:
As always, the Islanders Org is out of touch with its fans and reality. How are the fans going to go to stay connected??? The Isles web site, NEWSDAY??? They are both worthless. Botta has kept a large portion of the fan base engaged since he started and without him they will be out of touch, uninformed and will lose interest. Way to go Wang!
The Islanders are the vehicle, not the destination! -
zeike says:
CB – I believe I speak for all of your supporters and Isles fans worldwide that we hope you change your mind and can find a way to make this site work. If there is any way that you can keep this sight alive I urge you to do it. Being an Isles fan living outside of NY it’s extremely hard to find good and interesting info on the Isles on a day to day basis. Your opinions create lively debate, your news pieces keep us informed, and your anecdotes and stories from your past life keep us entertained. We all know that you will be successful in whatever endeavor you choose to pursue but we hope that you can manage to update and support a little hockey blog too. As you mentioned, this thing has gotten bigger and more popular than you could have ever imagined. Don’t let it go now.
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Jon Mac says:
As a out of town Islanders fan, this news is tough to swallow. Point Blank has brought so many Islanders fans back into the fold. I play hockey two nights a week in an adult league in Richmond. Pretty much every time I go in the locker room, someone is talking about something the read on this blog and most of my teammates are not Islanders fans. I hope you realize how much of an impact you have made. I hope that Newsday or MSG wakes up and realizes you have created a potential goldmine here. They should hire you and give you the resources to expand the site. Allow you to incorporate video and other features. Heck, the Islanders should hire you to replace CJ Papa. You could be the first independent tv host. It would certainly make the broadcasts more interesting.
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Larry-St James says:
Why is that when ever anything good happens to Islander Fans it is always short lived.
CB your have been the best thing to come along regarding Team Coverage since Alan Hahn. Now we are left in the hands of the inept LOGAN!
Thanks for the memories and the great coverage. Best wishes in your future endeavors.
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Tony F. says:
What shortsighted penny pinching moron made this decision? This blog is advertising for the Islanders, it generates money for the club. How many people bought hats when CB did the article with the rap star, how many purchased a ticket plan because of the enthusiasm this blog generates, how many showed up to a lighthouse rally because of this blog? Does Charles Wang know about this site? How could he not realize what a jewel this site is, from a business standpoint. This site is far superior to 99% of the hockey sites out there, including ESPN,TSN and THN. Newsday’s site is a joke, you can’t even navigate it now. I understand that you need to take care of business CB, you have a family and family comes first. I’m sure you will be successful in your next venture. Thank you for the effort, insight, and excellent writing. The site was so well done and a pleasure to come to 5 or more times a day, I admit I am an addict. I will now email the Islanders, call my ticket rep, and write a letter to Snow, Wang, and Dey. Let’s fight this!
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I have a great idea…I think that during the march to Hofstra on Aug. 4th for the lighthouse project, all Islander fans should show thier support not only for the prject, but for Point Blank!!!! I live in Atlanta and would love to organize something, but since that can’t happen, ALL fans should make signs supporting the project AND show their love for Point Blank. To say that PB has not been a great source of information for both the islanders AND the lighthouse project would be foolish. Lets show our support for Chris and rally around both causes!!!! And like all great marches, there should be a “themed chant”. How about all people marching on Hofstra chanting “Build the Lighthouse, Save Point Blank”!!!!! 79,000 jobs created and we can’t save PB??? What the #@## Charles!!!!!
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MetsBlog, to me, is the model for what a blog can become. He was no more than a student when he started Metsblog, and managed to parlay the readership he got from it into it being sponsored by SNY. I believe sny.tv does not have an Islanders blogger on their roster. CB?
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JD (e_godard) says:
Noooooooooooooooooooooo! If this is true, coverage for long island hockey just fell deep in the gutter.
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J. Co says:
I have just set my outlook to send an email to customerservice@newyorkislanders.com every hour on the hour for 3 days complaining about the end of PB. YOu should all do the same. like CB says, we underestimate the power of our voices. lets use those voices and stand up for what is right.
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Brian in VA says:
Thanks CB! Its been a great run! Good luck to you in the future. My best to you and the family! If I see you at a game in the future, beer is on me… Thanks!
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viccolo says:
I rarely post here but I’m on the site every day. Chris, thank you for everything you’ve done. I for one would be VERY willing to pay for a subscription if you were to go down that route. I don’t know if it’s been mentioned (almost 400 posts is a lot to read at work!) but would it be possible to set up a poll to see how many people would pay? It might on the off chance be worth it. I have a ticket plan with the Isles and would be more than happy to raise the issue of the team supporting this blog with my Isles representative if it could help. In any case, if we can’t get it done, best of luck and again, thank you Chris.
–Vic -
tom r says:
living outside of the metro area makes following the team difficult at times (mostly always) and this blog is a tremendous asset. thank you for all that you did, and hopefully will be able to do in the future, for the organization and fans.
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potvinstyle33 says:
This is terrible news. Everyone, do the right thing here and send an e-mail voicing your opinion to Dey and to the customer service e-mail. No other source for everything Islanders has been so dedicated and thorough. We owe it to CB and to ourselves as fans to fight for this. Send an e-mail and make a call!!
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Makela24 says:
IMPORTANT QUESTION:
We obviously all love the blog and hate to see it go, but before mounting a huge undertaking (emails, riding up with pitchforks to NVCC) to save it, Chris, you need to answer an important question or two for your readers. You have always been honest, so here goes
#1 – Reading between the lines, I assume you are lookig for salary & beneifts from the Islanders in order for this to continue? Simply put, if that were offered, is that acceptable, or are you looking for something more than the blog from the Islanders?
None of us are in your shoes, so difficult to determine if 1) you want to continue the blog as your only gig but just be employed full time by the organization; or 2) looking for the Islanders to provide a larger role beyond just the blog?
I for one, would go to bat for you…however, i think we need to know what we are going to bat for and what the bid/ask spread really is here?
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Jon says:
as die hard islanders fans and equally die hard point blank fans, we can’t go down without a fight. take 5 mins and e-mail chris dey and islanders customer service. if your a season ticket holder, voice your opinion to your sales rep. chris has brought all islanders fans together over the past year. does anyone really think the 2009 trade deadline/draft would have been such a big deal to so many islanders fans without this blog? chris, in his own way, has put the islanders back on the map. I will put down $50 a year in a heartbeat.
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JC Frank says:
First, CB, the job you have done on this has been beyond first rate and world class, and I hope a way can be found for you to continue it. Thank you.
Now, besides contacting the Isles, I really think the better choice is to contact SNY at sportsnetnewyork@sny.tv . If they claim to be the home of NY sports, then they should have a Isles blog along with everyone else in their blog network (http://web.sny.tv/rss/blogs.jsp). This blog will be a perfect fit, so please send them a message and let them know
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Original Rob says:
I just wrote a 4 paragraph email to the customer service address explaining how, considering how terrible the actual Islanders team (and front office circus) have been for the last ~ 20 years, they should be thanking their lucky stars for having a team blog that has generated so much fan interest.
CB, I hope you find a way to continue the blog. If not, thanks for everything, and I’ll surely have a hard time replacing the 4-5 times I check this site daily.
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Instead of the “Just Build It” shirts on Aug. 4th, there should be “SAVE BOTTA” shirts made……let’s make a statement people!!!!!!!
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dose says:
mr. botta – no need to say ‘sorry for all the drama.’ out of nowhere, this space became a daily focal point for so many of us. this is dramatic, no way around it. no matter what else is going on in my life, every day (sometimes every 15 minutes) i come here for insight, information, hard truth and even encouragement, about this team that’s part of my life even in the depths of summer. what i love about sports – and what i tell people who’d rather watch some dopey network series or imbecilic “reality” show – is that it is pure, unrehearsed, unscripted DRAMA. There’s that word again. When it is good, sports is the ULTIMATE drama. And even when the Islanders suck, they are still better than any TV show i can think of. for me, part of it is the sharing of the passion with others who feel it too. that’s where this great space comes in. i usually like to read what others write more than submit too much myself, and i’ve learned a lot here, even a few things not about hockey. that it’s been only 10 MONTHS isn’t quite registering with me right now. how is that possible? to say i will miss it if it goes away is like saying -what the hell? – it’s like saying i hope the islanders win the cup. and if the point comes when they are close, say in the cup final, it will be so much more fun if i can have my PC on this site as the DRAMA is unfolding.
in any case, C.B. – helleva job, and good luck. helleva job! -
Steve says:
Chris, I just called the NYL front office to complain and they told me that it is your decision not to do this anylonger and not because they weren’t sponsoring it. Can you clear the air? I asked them to respond to the fans who are upset. Are you leaving becasue it is your decision, or because the Islanders don’t want to sponsor this anylonger?
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please everyone call 800-882-4753 and get customer service and voice your displeasure. I just called and the guy said i was the first person to call. EVERYONE CALL AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD.tell them you were going to purchase season tix, believe me they will listen to anything about money. CALL NOW !
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CB, I’m back with another idea. If you’ve never seen metsblog.com, check it out. It is another site I check out daily to get my Mets fix. His partnership with SNY is a great way to get exposure. SNY has blogs for all NY teams except the NYI. Maybe a partnership can happen.
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19 ISLE in NJ 22 says:
CB – You never did encrypt this possibility … You ALWAYS were straight up with us … and it would be completely selfish for us to expect you to continue this.
I understand that as much as this is a labor of love for you that you have to put your loved ones first and do what is right for your family’s financial security … especially in these times.
My first hope is that you can find a new career that gainfully employs you and rewards you both financially and satisfys your career ambitions.
If you keep your point blank email going I will be on the lookout for work in communications since as you know that is where I am employed. I do have some connections with some networks, as I know that you do … perhaps even at some big colleges that may need a communications director. I have connections with Rutgers’ sports communications dept. too.
CB- I’m going to go over 100 words easily with this post because I have lots to say about what you meant to all of us … I first read your post last night, but I didn’t know what to say … I knew that you couldn’t keep this up … and I was brainstorming to figure out how you could make this a full time lucrative career that would have longevity … I came up with a few scenarios … and David Scott does make some valid points … but in the end a true entreprenuer has the flexibility to evolve his chosen craft.
Chris you have had the largest megaphone in Islander Country … and as you know that doesn’t end at the border of Nassau and Queens …. it spans world wide … that has to mean something.
You have been like the pied piper leading the charge of us rabid Isles fans … where you can make July a headline page for the Isles every day.
I for one appreciate every word that you have posted on here. Your interaction with us helped make coming here even more enjoyable.
You have inspired us with your personal stories and have always kept it real with us.
I consider you a friend and know matter what comes of IPB, I will never forget the season of 08-09 … and the summer of 2009 … not because of the horrible season, the Light House struggles and the drafting of John Tavares … but because you made being an Islander fan under the most trying circumstances almost as enjoyable as it was being a fan and witnessing 4 Stanley Cup victories.
You’ve coined new acronyms, and rallied us in the TAVHEDUCH sweepstakes … you’ve tried to channel fans’ positive energy and direct us properly in the fight to help the Light House …. you’ve provided us vital info regarding Tavares and other draftees … you’ve introduced us to prospects, players, scouts, agents, NHL executives and the like. NO WHERE can any other fan get this access …. and THANK YOU!!!!
CB – With all that said … you have something there … You have a potential franchise … now all you need is a business model.
I will continue brainstorming and consult some web geeks I know that make money on the web … maybe something will click … I’m sure you’ve tried. I know I’ve clicked 100s of times on the ad banners on your site in the hope it helps keep you going with IPB.
I also want you to know that I’ve directed fans of other teams, and even some sports network people (unaffiliated with NBC or Vs.) to your site over the past year … and ALL of them … including one almost famous son of a famous sportscaster said OUTSTANDING!!! One of my Ranger fan friends was jealous of the insight we got.
I haven’t read anyone elses’ comments yet … but I’m sure they have stated other sentiments that I haven’t said yet.
CB – GOOD LUCK!!! …. and I’ll be looking out for you.
I’ll never forget what you’ve done here … 19 Isle in NJ 22 ~ John
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gary9-19-22 says:
CB… you werea god send to a LOOOONG time Islander fan.
We are about the same age and I am currently working on a career shift to better my, my wife’s and childrens lives. It is scary and exciting all at the same time. Life is an adventure… just make sure you dont forget whats most important.
As much as I would love to chain you to this blog you must put family first.
Good luck buddy… you will be sorely missed.
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Smitty031 says:
I can’t belive this. There were many days when the first thing i did when i came to work in the morning was to see what was happening at pointblank.If this is truly the end i want to thank you CB for making this blog what it is.Things will not be the same without it.Good luck in the future. Truly a sad,sad day.
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art says:
This is very sad news for all of us- but family comes FIRST!!! I hope and believe that our loss may in the long run be a new career for you in the near future. Then you will be able to look back at this crisis and say you were lucky because your new life started because of the end of the blog. Then perhaps you will have the Luxury of an informal blog in your spare time. As Bob Hope sang in the song by the same name “Thanks for the memory”
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************ I TOTALLY understand where your coming from Chris with family, etc thats priority #1 **********
———- Now if theres ANYWAY we can have our voices heard and help we should do it, if its visiting more ads, writing or calling the team or management we should do it ……………………………
…….As far as the other fans on the site, DONT SIT ON YOUR @SS! – Get up and write, email and or call the team and get involved.. Write a quick couple sentences/paragraphs and explain (nicely, courteous, and wisely – PLEASE NO YELLING/CURSING lol) and just give reason why the team should do *something* to help this blog continue —- the invaluable service, information, FREE PR for the team and how the internet is important, etc, etc — just explain from the heart and yes the brain WHY the Isles organization should do something to make this wonderfull site continue. BELIEVE ME The team may get a message and do SOMETHING to help the ’cause’… again ALL FANS of the blog, get involved!!..
…….. Chris’s service and dedication and love for the team is 2nd to none and it would be a shame to end because of some small minded decision making …….
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isles74 says:
Find a way…please..Isles fans need your insights!
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Just emailed customerservice@newyorkislanders.com and chris.dey@newyorkislanders.com about how this blog brought me back to my fanatacism for this team (even during a down year). I urge my fellow fans to do the same and express their feelings about the importance of Point Blank in your Islander experience.
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Jeff says:
All I can say is where will we get our up to the minute Islander news and player background like we did with you. This site and what you brought to it will be surely missed. I wish you the best of luck with your life’s new direction, and hope to hear from you again.
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jay says:
CB, I am sad to see you go. You are great at what you do. I read your site all the time in the am when i wake up, and then the PM before i go to bed. You are always honest, and for the most part accurate. I thank you for all of your hard work. I wish you the best of luck and hope you land a great job in the near future. You will be greatly missed.
Jason
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I just called Customer Service and they said it was CB’s decision not to continue the blog. She said they Islanders would like it to continue, but he has made the decision to stop at this time. I guess he does say in his blog how the Islanders offered their support. My guess is Customer Service has been told what to say when people call, either way this is very sad.
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CB, you did a great job with pointblank, maybe you’ll get one of those 70,000 jobs the LH project has promised!
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lefty says:
CB,
I want to thank you for the dedication you’ve showed, in addition to the quantity and the quality of the isles information you’ve provided this past year.
I check about 6-8 hockey websites obsessively throughout the day, and your site is by far the best for all the reasons i’ve described (and for all the reasons given from other isles fans).
It’s a shame that “those hockey sites that shall remain nameless” are probably the only sites where a blogger can make a decent living…because they spew garbage and get traffic and advertising.
I’ve really appreciated your honestly and journalistic integrity on all things isles related. you’ll be sorely missed.
Best of luck in the future.
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I called the Islanders, and I admit I routed my call to sales to get a rep on the phone, but I told them I was wavering on putting a deposit down on a plan, and ending this blog would not help me buy one
I was transfered, the call was handled with respect, and the person on the other end agreed with me, told me Point Blank was a great outlet, but that the decision was mutual and the Isles and Mr Botta could not agree on how to continue.
For all I know, I could have been talking to Chris Dey or someone reading a prepared script, I could not tell you, but the isles seem to be saying, we wish it would have worked out.
I assume they meant , sure we would give CB access to the team, but were not funding the web site hosting or costs. Basically, if CB wants to do this for free, he can. Shame.
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Mike says:
CB,
All the best. This really is the best place for all things Islanders. Hate to see it go.
Mike
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I am saddened that pb will not continue. Perhaps blogging in your free time. I am a loyal reader from back during pb v.1, and I was sad when that may not be anymore. Hopefully you find something that allows you to still blog about the Isles, maybe not 24/7/365, but a little. Good luck.
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VanVoorhees says:
I can’t read through all the answers here, but if it has not been suggested, let’s find out who we need to talk to and what it will take to make the Isles change their mind. I live in Williamsburg, VA and love this blog because it’s my main news for the Islanders. I’m here every day more than once and post something about 75% of the time. I used to only go to Islanders beat, but this was much more informative and fun than Logans writing. I’m not gonna miss you Chris, I refuse to let this happen. I will be checking back here to see if we can get a petition or something together to get you your blog back.
Team, Make this happen – not just fans, but Players, Coaches, GM, Scouts and other staff. If you let Chris go, you’re losing something really special. And my main connection with the Islanders.
By the way, when can I buy my new Cizikas jersey? – #27 right?
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Just sent this to the Islanders organization.
It has not been easy to be an Islanders fan for a while. I have been watching since 1979, so I know what I speak of. I love my team and hockey is my favorite sport. Today I feel as though one of my favorite players has been traded. Chris Botta. I go Islanders Point Blank several times a day as it is the BEST source for Islanders news and stories. I know many other fans feel the same way as you can see by the outpouring of support on IPB. Do not let this happen. We Islanders fans always feel like the little step brother that is pushed aside.. Finally we see things changing with good draft picks and maybe a new arena. So please keep Islanders Point Blank alive as fans from all over the U.S. look to get the BEST Islanders news from the very talented Chris Botta!
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Dear loyal IPB readers,
Please help me try to keep this thing alive. Let’s prove to CB that we’re here for him. Click my name or visit savepointblank(dot)blogspot(dot)com.
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Alex G says:
CB, you and tavares were the glimmers of light in a season of darkness this year. I have loved the Islanders as much as I could for the past 10 years, but I have never been as passionate about this team as I have been recently and it’s because I have never known SO MUCH.
This article gave me an instant pit in the bottom of my stomach.
CB, you and pointblank need to stay around.
We need you
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Jon says:
i just realized how much MORE i know about the islanders than i did last year. i know every player profile, every prospects profile, everything about the coaches, the 09 draft, our system and its all because of point blank. i practically feel like im inside the locker room with the info CB gives us. simply the best there is
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Jay says:
Oh no! We need you Chris, I’ve indeed grown in my support of the Islanders this year from reading point blank. I will not be able to go on without it. It made watching the team during such a rough season a genuine pleasure. I credit you for keeping the lighthouse project alive. I’m not sure I understand what has changed that is preventing you from continuing. Is it that the Islanders have stopped funding you? In any event, maybe you can take the blog to ESPN.com, or another sports website. There has to be some way we can keep the blog alive?!? I hope there is!
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Oh yeah, I’m a lawyer, so if you ever need any help reviewing contracts or anything, I can do that for you.
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Just checked out Derek’s savepointblank thing and am not sure if it’s a legitimate thing or is he trying to turn a buck off this – no offense Derek, but it looks a bit fishy when you click the link to the survey. Give me more info about it, how will this help Chris?
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O.Bender says:
CB, Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the Islanders Country and the team.
I certainly hope that you’ve come to this decision on your own and input from your family, and not because of the Marketing Dept. inside Islanders organization. If it’s indeed the case, I wish you all the best as new opportunities will definitely arise for such a talented and dedicated journalist as yourself. However, if a real reason lies with the marketing dept. then we should make the Aug. 4th rally in the morning as much about IPB as it is about the Lighthouse. Both are important for our team and its fans.
Thanks again CB. I hope to continue reading your pieces on hockey, friendships, and life’s perspectives. -
DEADoftheDawn says:
Nice insight that will be missed by all. You just can’t get this type of “inside” information anywhere, thanks for the good work CB.
The Islanders are making their first “big” mistake since taking JT it seems….
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Mikey Isles says:
Chris, good luck with your next career move. I will miss your great stories and in depth coverage of the Islanders. I will feel in the dark again once this blog is no longer available. I hope you will still try and get the fans information through twitter and facebook.
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Hockey1919 says:
Chris Dey is clueless. This blog has kept more Islander fans involved with the team during a dismal season than anything else out there. Penny wise and pound foolish to continually cut the voices that connect with the fans. First the radio team and now this. Why should anybody cover the Islanders is they won’t promote themselves. Is the corporate lovefest that Dey has been promoting his only way to keep this team viable? Corporate accounts may keep the bottom line in the black, but the fans are the ones that make this team relevant. I’ll be sure to voice my complaint with the Islanders as well to let them know that for every step forward they take ten steps backwards.
Most of all thanks for a great job Chris, hope there is a way this all works out.
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David Volek says:
This blog is an incredible and unique fan experience. It is a shame it doesn’t work financially. I have been more involved in the Islanders this year, a horrible year results-wise, than in the last 10 years, all because of this blog. CB, your passion and upbeat devotion has been truly wonderful and I genuinely wish you the best of luck. I’ll even go this far – gulp – maybe the Rangers/Devils have enough following to make it work. I really feel the Isles lose something when this blog goes down. CB, you should approach the NHL about setting this up for each team.
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mt275 says:
I just spent some time this morning reading the comments… It really feels like I am losing a friend.
I agree that the subscription model doesn’t really work. I am in the internet business, and many of my clients overestimate their revenue potential. However, a “one-time” donation model works well in politics, and other non-profit situation. Let’s just say you have 10,000 readers (both hardcore like myself, and casual readers), a $10 donation at the beginning of the season will give you $100,000. With partnership, and sponsorship from other channels, there might be a real business model exists somewhere.
With that being said, thank you for everything. I truly enjoy every piece that you wrote.
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asher says:
I agree with those who’ve pointed out that SNY seems like a viable landing spot. It make sense on a lot of levels, and I’m sure Botta has thought of it. We could probably best do our part by emailing sny and letting them know that the lack of an isles blog is a disservice.
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I would donate, definitely. Good idea. It’s like NPR.
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Wizard of Isles says:
I was considering buying a 40 ticket flex plan but I’ll only buy them if PB is running throughout the season. Isles hockey is much more exciting with the level of info CB provides. Lets get potential ticket subscribers to work out a deal w/ Isles to keep PB alive.
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john says:
Being a die hard Islander fan that now lives in Florida, your web site will be missed by many fans. Every day I would check your site, your info is way better than what newsday will put out(they are the last to know it seems, and always have to wait for the next day article to come up online). I loved how I can go to one site and see it all. I would love to see you continue, but I understand, take care of you family. I would even pay for this site,thats how good your material is, lots of luck and thank you for keeping diehard in florida informed!!!!!!!!! thank you
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Pauly G says:
Damn….this was my 1st stop on the internet everyday. Good luck dude !
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Peter says:
This stinks – this blog was a TREMENDOUS resource for everyfan, especially those of us from out of town.
I’m not knowledgable in the business of blogging, but please at least speak to the folks at SNY and see what can be done. This blog is a must for all Islander fans and it would be a real shame to see it go by the wayside.
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-Big Van Vader says:
Just wanted to give you a quick thank you, Chris. I have emailed them and plan to call later as well.
POINTBLANK 4-LIFE!!!!
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@van #414 & anyone else interested,
I’ve spoken to CB several times about this type of advertising model, I’m sure he remembers. Basically, the web publisher would get a referal fee for anyone that fills out the form. When I mentioned it to CB, he said that he didn’t have much time to look into it. I thought this would be a great way to show and of course share with CB all the findings and any monatary # amount that comes from this. I’ve looked into several models that could help. This is by far the easiest for readers that love the site. It’s no out of pocket dollars, no obligation. The only thing you get is an email every couple of days to fill out a survey. I’m sorry if you feel this may be fishy, it was not my intention, this was put together in a rush fashion and obviously shows.
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upstatenyifan says:
Crap. This site makes it easy to stay connected to the team when you live out of town. I will miss it.
Good luck, CB. -
Just want to follow up my last message… CB obviously made a serious connection to the fan based. That kind of grass root effort is very hard to come by in the PR world. The number I stated is only a model. Let’s say there are 5,000 reader, rather than 10,000. Each of us only need to contribute $20 to make up that $100,000. CB, only you would know your readership number…. if you are not certain, why not running a poll on the next blog to see how much people are willing to donate (your blogging software probably have that function built-in), and let the poll runs for a few weeks to get some workable statistics.
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Marc says:
This makes no sense. Promotion is the key to selling anything. This was the only site for honest and true Islanders information. This site gave so much to a franchise that has put it’s fans through so much. Best of luck Chris. Sorry. Guess we’ll be wearing the fishstix logo again soon too.
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Cary says:
This site has been an absolutely AWESOME gift for Isles fans. Like some others have said, I care so much more about the team and its development because of this site.
I don’t know enough to suggest how to keep it or another version of it going but would definitely pay as long as I can still access the site from work!
Whatever happens, thank you so much for keeping me interested and excited about the future of the Islanders and for the stories and connection. Good times.
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Thomas says:
Chris,
I am sorry to read about this, you have done a phenominal job and this is now the only place I have been coming for Islander News.
I think your 100% correct about subscription fees, I used to some guest writing at RotoNews.com and once it went pay everyone who I knew who used it stopped and went somewhere else, including myself.
The only internet way to make any money is the “google” way by getting paid clicks for advertisements, however I have no concept of how much that can make, how many you need etc.
I hope everything works out for you and your family, and I wish you all the best.
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Nawrockstar says:
CB – You’ve done an amazing job with this site. I really wish it could keep on going as I’ve been an avid reader and lifelong Isles fan. I understand in this economy it’s tough to survive in the blog industry. I think it would be a good idea to have SNY take IPB on as a member of its blog family that also includes http://www.metsblog.com. Either way CB i thank you for all your hard work and dedication and fans like myself will greatly miss your dynamite coverage of this young and exciting hockey franchise.
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Mike says:
Chris,
Selfishly, I hope you keep PB alive, as it is my first/last website (i.e., the first site I check in the morning, and the last I check at night). But, I also understand that you have to take care of yourself, and your family.
Whatever happens, thank you so much for an amazing year of blogging, and best of luck in your future endeavors (which, again, I sincerely hope includes PB).
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kevin fitz says:
It is very important to remember that we cannot just send emails and faxes and make phone calls only today and tomorrow. We need to keep harassing them and tell the Islanders that this is completely UNACCEPTABLE for them to do. I am sure when they made their decision they knew they would get angry calls and emails for a few days, but then figured it will slow down. BUT IT CAN’T. Send an email every day. send the same email if you want. or just make a call everyday and tell them that it is STILL unacceptable and that your phone calls will not stop. We need to put the pressure on them. That is the only thing they will respond to. FIGHT FOR POINTBLANK people.
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Mike says:
wow, i e-mailed Chris Dey and he actually responded thanking me for the e-mail. he makes the call on the sponsorship of PB, and if the sponsorship pays CB enough, we keep PB.
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And THANK YOU Mr. Botta for everything you did this year. It was YOU that somehow made a 30th place season seem exciting. You have a unique talent and if this site doesn’t continue, you will be able to make it in whatever field you choose.
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Since72 says:
Seriously bad news. As far as I am concerned the Isles just abandoned the only first class media coverage they had. I like Logie but forced time off from Newsday and the feeling sometimes that Cablevision was keeping him on a short leash meant that without IBP there is no way a true fan can follow the team the way a true fan would.
You and I have a few things in common besides the Islanders. I also once worked for Charles and I am currently looking for employment (I am a couple of years older than you but with more hair). It is a miserable process in this economy but checking your blog a couple of times a day was a nice break.
I will write to the Islanders and hope they reverse their decision but if not I wish you good luck. Your posts were intelligent, informative, entertaining and classy.
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Bri on Li says:
“Was it over when the German’s bombed Pearl Harbor?!?”
August 4th should include a mini rally for Point Blank. After having read every entry for the last almost year, it’s hard for me to imagine not having CB to read while I sip my morning coffee.
You have made the Islanders relevant for the fan again. I can’t imagine having to sift through the other blogs to get a sniff of the data you have provided.
CB I ask you, who should we be inundating with complaints? Mr. Dey himself? One of his minions? Honestly you yourself proved if we have enough voices, we will be listened to. Let us speak for you, as you have spoken for us to the organization. Unless of course you have no desire to continue with the blog…
I feel like I just got kicked in the goolies. I didn’t get to PB night I or II. Please let us say farewell with a PB Finale, perhaps the night of the Isles Devils exhibition game at the Mausoleum.
God bless Chis Botta, and God bless the New York Islanders. Thanks Chris.
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joe says:
Chris
This has wrecked my day…your site is truly the best source for Isles info out there and it inspired me to step up to the plate and buy season tickets this year! All the best and God bless you.
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IslesHostage says:
Odd. When things get rosy with the Lighthouse, you’re told you’re no longer needed.
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Willis says:
The thought that there might be no more PB is very sad.
I did just send an email to Islanders customer service as I’m sure many other fans have done over the past 18 (or so) hours. I’m sure they are aware that this is a serious “fan situation”. Anyway, it was the least I could do.
I have to echo others who are asking for clarification from you, Chris. I’ve read your entry 3 times now and am not totally clear on what is really happening. That makes me feel kind of helpless and not sure which way to direct my energy. Please “splain!” to us again.
I guess I also have to say goodbye, just in case you (poof) disappear suddenly (because that is the feeling I have right now!). Thank you for all of your hard work for us fans over the last several years. I enjoyed reading your items when you started your summer stories on the Isles website back in (?06??), and I was excited when you started PB and have loved it. I don’t comment much but I’m always here. It’s been so great to hear others like myself who aren’t in LI being able to have a voice and feel like they are every bit as involved as the people who go to every game and promotional event.
Best of luck to you with whatever direction you end up going in.I am a little concerned that this news will have an impact on Tuesday’s lighthouse rally, possibly in a negative way. We can’t afford that! Chris, I urge you to clarify for us a bit more, if you can. We’re here to HELP and don’t want to HURT either you OR the Organization by being ignorantly vocal.
Thanks again for this great ride CB.
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iheartgordielane says:
Since the islanders are basically ignored by the media here in NY, and the one newspaper is owned/operated by the enemy, this was the one site that had unlimited info about what was going on with my favorite team. With basically no radio coverage, little newspaper coverage except for logie, it is PR suicide that this organization has no one covering it. Hopefully there is a way to keep this alive..whether from SNY..or ESPN Radio. Seems odd timing that the lighthouse project is going to steam through in some fashion, and the biggest/best way to get info out to people who support it are now not informed..
We hope to read your stuff for the in the future, and god bless in your search for you and your family..
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admin says:
I don’t know what to say to express my gratitude, other than Thank You for all the responses since I posted this last night. Blown away doesn’t do it justice.
I tried to be as transparent as possible by making a few things clear in my post last night.
The Islanders wanted and encouraged me to make the site my own, making a very kind offer of support if I made the blog a paysite and my personal business. We talked about it for a long time. Each time I expressed major reservations about charging readers for editorial content, losing the majority of our audience and – yes – it not adding up to a wise full-time business plan for me. I outlined those reasons thoroughly (probably too thoroughly) in the blog.
Our conversations were always respectful. I have nothing but good feelings towards Islanders management.
So that there is no misunderstanding, of course I wanted to continue the blog. Has it not been obvious over the last 300 days how much I loved doing it? My wish was to continue my current arrangement with the Islanders. I wouldn’t have asked the Islanders to continue our agreement if I thought it was unfair to them. I’ll say this: the salary numbers thrown around on Islandermania last night were very flattering! lol
Respectfully, our arrangement ended. I think I made it pretty clear in the blog last night that there are no villains and that I wouldn’t stand for any personal attacks. In the end, it was a business decision. I respect the Islanders’ views and now I have to look for another business.
As for the passionate emails to the NYI that I have been CCed on, along with any phone calls placed, I hope my friends at the Islanders take them in the proper spirit.
It is July 30. Hardly anyone is talking or writing much about hockey in New York. Knowing some of my pals in sales, they may even take the opportunity to pitch you on a ticket plan. Nothing wrong with that. My hope is that they hear you out, thank you and respect your loyalty. Islanders Point Blank was the team’s creation. They should be proud of the reaction, as I am.
Eventually, it’s my guess, this will pass soon enough and hopefully I’ll find something else to do.
I will stay in touch in this space. Thanks for your time. Thanks for everything…CB
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And Chris ‘Hawaiian Islanders Bankruptcy’ Dey or Charles ‘Accounting Redefined’ Wang is telling you how to run a business? The Islanders want fans to PAY to read editorials? You have been jobbed and fans will suffer because of it.
Or shell out more money? Thanks, Isles.
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Chris Dey responded to me as well and should not be attacked. He has been a class act every time I have dealt with him. I hope he realizes how important this site is to Islander fans and finds a different arrangement suitable for all. Chris you have been awesome. Don’t give up just yet.
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I was thinking about buying Tickets for the first few games when they go on sale in a few weeks….but at this point I will be happy sitting on my couch watching…first I show up on a saturday to watch an Islander Practice with JT and Islander personel turns me away saying it is only open to season ticket holders (not that people were crowding the place, no one was there)…they say as I am walking away I could get you in if you leave 100 deposit on a ticket package (that was ridiculous)….the firing on KING & MEARS…not signing any free agents besides goalies ??…and now getting rid of Botta b/c they don’t want to pay him….this just shows the Islanders are just a pawn in Wang’s pursuit of a Real estate deal (The county should put a clause in the deal for Wang that he cannot sell the team in a few years, I can see him dumping them in 3 years if this gets approved) …they are low budget and show again they don’t know what they are doing…….so again I will be happy saving some money, since they are trying to save in all facets of the team..players on the Ice & support members of their staff.
*BREAKING NEWS THE ISLANDERS HAVE SIGNED ANOTHER GOALIE, THEY NEEDED MORE DEPTH
*THEY ARE BACK TO BEING A JOKE AGAIN
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Scott S. from Long Beach says:
First off, I guess I’m a little confused exactly what the issue is. If I understand, are we saying that NYI paid a salary to CB to run this blog, and now they’re doing away with it? If that’s the case, I’d first off like to thank both CB and the NYI for having this. It’s done wonders for me both in my corporate career (getting through the boredom), and my understanding of one of the hobbies I’m most passionate about (NYI). In addition, the events were truly fun, and made this blog even more special. It truly isn’t just a blog, but a community. I hope through facebook or twitter some of CB’s insights can be put out there for us all to continue to enjoy, and learn from. Thanks.
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thanks Derek, I’m in.
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You’re top-notch CB. Someone will be lucky when they hire you, IMO.
And I think, in this shrinking traditional media, that the Isles are making a big mistake where they had been an innovator.
Whatever they were paying you is peanuts to the kind of relationship healing your blog has done to the Isles and their fanbase, and the kind of relationship building you’ve been doing while still holding them accountable to their mistakes.
Crazy decision on their part, in my professional view as someone who consults on the business of developing online relationships with customers.
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CB – you are one of the only people in the area to keep talking hockey…full year around…no one else does it….the Islanders should capitalize on this opportunity instead of ending it…..thanks again
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I emailed Matt Cerrone at Metsblog(I know for a fact that he reads fan emails) asking him to thake at look at PB and see if perhaps he can contact sny.tv or contact CB and maybe form a partnership. Maybe if Matt receives tons of emails from fans for this site he will see how passionate we are about PB and how much we need it. You never know. So i encourage everybody to email Matt and hopefully we can get something done.
P.S- CB, charge us, what you do for us is worth paying for. I’ve never encouraged somebody to take money from me until now. We need you CB
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nhlfan says:
Chris, this either shows how short sighted the Islanders are, or how cheap they are. There may noe be any hard feelings on your part towards Islander management, but as you can see there are a lot of hard feelings amongst Islander fans.
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Okay so its still not fully clear what has went down and which side wouldn’t budge, but I continue to be unhappy with following this team in another way. I have ZERO faith in following Martin’s contract stuff, DiBo’s progress, and all the new elements of the Isles that I now care so much about, through any other way other than on here.
I just got off the phone with a sales rep. I had been inquiring about a flex 20 plan and 1 or 2 games for large group outings. Was excited to obtain the info…however I am putting any decision making on hold about this until it gets worked out. This team is not worth my $ if they don’t care to keep us informed and lively about an organization at the very bottom of all of sports. This really has been a savior and growing force. I’m not making any move until this gets taken care of….except emailing customer service.
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Tony D says:
*** LOOK ***
Just tell us what needs to be done to keep this site going. Be it phone calls, emails, written letters, or cash. We will find a way to make it happen. After all, we’re all Islanders! (Even down here in Florida)
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potvin05 says:
Just sent an e-mail to Chris Dey, thanks for the guy that posted his direct e-mail:\
Mr. Dey,
I’m writing you this e-mail to express my disbelief with your decision to end Chris Botta’s Point Blank blog. This site has single-handedly brought many long time Islander fans back into the fold and kept the die-hards well informed and excited about the upcoming season, which isn’t easy to do considering we’re coming off a season which was the worst in the NHL and an upcoming season where the playoffs are a longshot at best.
Mr. Botta wrote well written articles about the many prospects in the Isles system and kept all us fans abreast of upcoming events such as your draft party back in June and the upcoming August 4 rally and press conference at the Coliseum. He has brought together Islander fans from coast-to-coast. You really are killing your number one source of information for all Islander fans world-wide and the decision to do us has left me–typical of many of the decisions your office has made recently–scratching my head. There hasn’t been this much excitment within the Islanders fan base in years, and at a time when a corner appears to be nearing a turn, your organization, once again, builds a new wall.
I’ve never felt compelled to rifle off an e-mail like this before, but I believe (and I’m sure tens of thousands of Islander fans who have paid thousands of dollars in the past for your product agree with me) this situation needs to be rectified as soon as possible. I’m 32 and a lifelong fan of the only professional sports team on Long Island. I have attended well over 200 games at your Coliseum, but, in my mind, ending Chris Botta’s blog brings to mind an old NY Post headline: “NY Islander front office to loyal fans: DROP DEAD!” Please reverse your decision on this matter.Thanks for taking the time to (hopefully) read this,
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Islesphan25 says:
CB. Thanks for everything. This plaace I check everyday and sometimes more than I would like to say out loud…..I will leave you with this….
IF THERE IS A WILL…THERE IS A WAY!!!!!
FIND A WAY!!!!!!!!
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Easyisle says:
Thanks for all you’ve done – once again it feels like the organization is making it a little more difficult to be a fan. This is the most accessible and best-natured blog I’ve ever read; ideally this is reconsidered and everyone is happy (the team, Chris Botta, and the fans (remember us???))
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therain93--terriers fan says:
Sadness ) ‘ :
Thank you Chris (and the NYI) for what has been a wonderful source of news and entertainment, especially in these trying times. It’s unfortunate (okay, it sucks…) that IPB is not being renewed but perhaps things may change as hockey season draws nearer.
best of luck to you Chris and thanks once again for everything!
–John -
Don't Mind the Haters says:
CB,
You will be missed….
I for one would definitely pay a monthly or annual fee for your blog as the quality and quantity of your info is invaluable.
You are the best in the business!!!
As a long distance Islander fan, it is almost impossible to get your type of insight in to my favorite team from any media source (including Newsday!!).
Hope it works out that you could keep this thing going. But if it doesn’t happen then it wasn’t meant to be and you will be moving on to bigger and better things.
Best Regards
DMTH -
Matt says:
CB,
I am shocked to hear! I truly wish you the absolute best and I hope that you will continue to blog for the Islanders again. This blog has been a major part of my lifestyle, and as many feel, are very upset to hear this news. Obviously, we wish you success for you and your family. I know all of your fans and I will follow you wherever you go! Thanks for all that you’ve done.
-Matt -
Michael says:
As a diehard Islanders fan who moved to Philadelphia last summer- I can say Islanders Point Blank has been wonderful. This has been my main source of information and I feel more knowledgable now about the Islanders than when I lived in New York. I truly hope the site is able to survive with somebody else at the helm. While it will certainly be different and probably less insightful – I will still be loyal to the site. Best of luck Chris -
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Chris…..third and last post. What are the odds Islandermania loses their sponsorship and could you connect the dots between the LH being just about approved and the Isles no longer “reaching out” to fans via your excellent blog and Islandermania and the radio deal and possible other cuts? I think Wurtz….I mean Wang is going to start to really show his colors when he gets what he wanted all along.
At least games will still be in Mandarin. Whew! Thank heavens he won’t mess with that one!
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Chris: You obviously have developed countless media contacts through your days with the Islanders and Point Blank. With that being said, have you talked to MSG, Newsday or SNY? All of those outlets have quoted your blog on countless occasions. I would find it hard to believe that MSG or SNY would not want to roll your site into their content. You would bring a tremendous following to any network and would increase traffic to their site and ratings on their network. The money they would make would more than pay for your salary and benefits. While I very much respect your decision and wish you all the best, I hope you will continue to search for a way to keep this going in some capacity, at least until the Light House Project gets approved. The Islanders need a credible voice like you right now.
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dp says:
Chris,
Sorry to see the blog come to an end. It has been a bright point for me everyday, and given me countless joys. Thanks for all your hard work, hopefully it will pay off for you with gainful employment with a more forward thinking employer. This blog helped to make me an avid fan, now. . I guess I better not cancel my Newsday subscription:(
thanks again for all you passion, hard work and dedication- -
Best of Luck
Donna -
I just emailed Chris Dey as well, and tried to be as respectful as I could in asking that he reconsider cutting fans off from the best source of information available
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Kevin says:
Chris-
I’ve been a long time reader and your blog has been my #1 source of Islanders info during that time.I hope you can find some way to keep it going.
Thanx,
Kevin -
James says:
It’s a sad day in Islander-land.
What started out as a small blog exploded into a must-read site no less than twice a day (or much more).
Someone above used the phrase “penny-wise, pound-foolish” and I think it fits. You cannot put a price on the publicity and visibility this website gave the New York Islanders organization.
The hope here is there is a way to keep this site thriving in a manner which would also make economic sense for all involved.
If this is the end of the line, then Chris, I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors, and thank you for your efforts and insights over the past few years.
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STP says:
This site is always the first, last, and most often read by me and so many others. A fan for almost thirty years, this blog has actually strengthened my fanship of the Team, which really is a testament to Mr. Botta. The other blogs seem to be written by kids, with the exception of Logan’s, but his is blocked at my workplace. The Isles’ decision makers are obviously not as smart as they think they are. THIS BLOG IS FAN REINFORCEMENT, GUYS, AND WILL MAKE YOU MONEY! PERIOD!
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bob l says:
sad news for sure, best of luck to you in your next project(s)
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I must say that I’m confused as to the problem here. Chris, is it that the Islanders will not pay you a reasonable salary that you and your family can live on or is there move politics involved? If this is a salary issue, and you are not asking for a ridiculous DiPietro type contract, the Isles are fools. I cannot continue to support fools with my money. Stupid decisions like this are worse in my mind then bad hockey player scouting and judgment.
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Zarley Z says:
Chris,
It saddens me to read that the IPB era may be coming to an end, and should that be the case, I wish you the best of luck on the road ahead. We all owe you a great deal of thanks for your dedication to keeping us in the Islander know. Hopefully you’ll find a way to stick with the blog. If not, are there any medications you can recommend for severe symptoms of withdrawal….? Thanks again Chris.
-Zarley Z
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How could there be no villains if you simply wanted to continue your agreement with them, and they encouraged you to run this on your own.
I still don’t get Newsday’s role in this…
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jim in 226 says:
Thanks so much Chris, hate to have it end this way. I just fired off an email to Dey as well, hope he reconsiders how worthy this has been to the isles and decides that whatever agreement you had last year is still well worth the price. In my eyes you are invaluable to the team and us! Regardless, best of luck!
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Rob says:
Chris,
You have been an invaluable wealth of information regarding all things Islanders, and I guess at this point, all we as fans of IPB can do is ask what would be required to keep you doing this for US as fans of the franchise?
What would be needed to keep this going? Because quite frankly, there is NO other blog that I go to for information because they always lag behind the information that YOU provide us.
Throw us a bone, and amongst the thousands of readers, maybe someone (or some of us) will be able to bite and make something work to keep this our top source of Islanders information.
Best,
Rob -
Sent email to Chris Dey and cust svc, Spoke to a rep this morning at corporate, and left a message last night on Cust svc. You definately deserve upwards of $100,000 to 250,000 for what you do for the team. The increase in Isles interest would definately help them recoup their $$ and then some in tkt and merch sales. Gotta spend $ to make $. Mabe the Manderin announcers can traslate that proverb for Mr Wang. That reminds me they cut the radio team, but are keeping the Manderin team. LOL! Lot’s of Isles fans listening in Manderin! Doesn’t the broadcasters union have any say about that. This move is a terrible innovation that no doubt other teams will follow. LONG LIVE POINT BLANK by CB!
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#367 Bossy:
Ask and you shall receive – Copied and pasted through Comment 484. Sent to customerservice@newyorkislanders.com -
Mark P says:
1) CB-thankyou!!!! I have been an Islander fan since the cup era. We have experienced many more lows than highs since the cup days and many horrible seasons….this site made our last place finish bearable….I have always loved the draft-ran to the mailbox looking for the draft preview…..this sight is what made the draft party the success that it was.
2) I have not yet read all the comments….but I don’t think you should give up on your own business/site idea….there must be enough sponsorship out there…..company’s/organization that want to link in from the site.
A) Youth Hockey programs: there msut be at least ten on long island that are in competition for youth participation
B) the Men’s leagues: Midnight MHL/SHL/HLI-I would think your following is the perfect =target audience
C)Online Retailers: Hockey Giant/Hockey Apparel.com etc
D) The larger Local Proshops-Cozzi/Syosset/NHP
E)After game Bars-Hooters
F)Stony Brook Hockey
G)The LightHouse Group
H) The Islanders
I) Freeport Ferry-Gambling
J)Foxwoods/Mohegan SunI know little about online marketing, but I would think the demographic here is perfect for many of the opportunity’s above.
We need you!
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SCLI says:
Sad day. Point Blank was “A #1″. It’s really to the Isles advantage to keep this site going strong. Frankly I dont understand. Now we have to rely on Islander PR for up to date information about the team? Might as well take a 2 month nap waiting for up to reports from the Islanders. To bad. Thanks for every thing, you will be missed.
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SYBO says:
You should get a job W/ Newsday
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Pat says:
CB,
I loved reading each and every one of your articles. You are a very dedicated and hard working man, and I am sure you will have no trouble finding a stable job in no time. This site was such a success being able to interact with all other Islander fans.Thanks for everything, and good luck with the rest of your career. -
Andrew says:
CB, Thank you for all of your insight and reporting on the Islanders. The SNY.tv blog network has a rangers blog, jets blog, and mets blog, among others…I would try and see if you can take your blog onto their network since they currently lack an Islanders blog. I have been considering letting them know that they should add one (and that I would contribute to it), but I have just been too lazy and did not fully believe my efforts would reach the right person. Therefore, I think the SNY.tv blog network would be a perfect place for you to transfer this site to.
Good Luck -
anyone know where i can find a pic of the scouts reading pointblank at the draft table?
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Jim M says:
Thanks for everything CB, I dont think you could find better access for a team in ANY sport then what we read here at point blank. You will be missed but goodluck with your plans for the future
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mw147 says:
CB, thanks for everything. You have provided insight that few fans of sports teams get to hear.
I e-mailed a very respectful letter to my ticket rep this morning. I got an answer in 8 minutes. It seems that they are hearing a lot from the fans.
I have also sent a slightly modified e-mail to Chris Dey. He has answered me in the past. It is my opinion that Chris Dey is a smart guy who gets it. If we the fans let him know how much IPB means to us I think there is a chance they will reconsider. But please, let’s keep it respectful. Ranting and raving will only make us look bad and will not help to accomplish the goal.
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Kevin says:
This is a nighmare. I am going to have PB withdrawls. If something can’t be worked out, thanks so much for the enjoyable daily reads. Easily my favorite website. Hopefully management will pay you for this great site for us fans. Best of luck CB! Kevin in Virginia
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West Coast Fan says:
Chris, good luck to you in your career pursuits. I sincerely hope there’s a way for this to somehow continue, on your terms.
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My email:
“I just read that the team no longer intends to sponsor Chris Botta’s wonderful, award winning blog, Islanders Point Blank. This is very disheartening news for me, a 50 year old attorney, life-long Islander fan and season ticketholder. I can’t fathom what your organization is trying to do, first letting go of your radio broadcasters and now this. I guess from the team’s perspective, this is a “bottom line” decision. However, I don’t think you can employ a traditional valuation analysis to place a value on the PR and “good will” Mr. Botta’s blog creates for this team, which, let’s be honest, is the 9th most popular team in NY’s 9 team professional sports market. I know I speak for many of the team’s fans when I say that Mr. Botta not only made an awful season bearable this past year, but he damn well made it exciting and interesting!!! With radio coverage non-existent in western Nassau, where I live, and with the Islanders’ website and Newsday’s coverage average at best, Mr. Botta’s site is essential. I urge you to think outside the box, analyze what Mr. Botta’s work means to the team and its fan base and reconsider your decision.
Thanks,”
Two more comments—
1. Is the team really keeping the Mandarin Chinese announcer? Please tell me that’s not true.
2. Does anyone have any faith in the corporate decisions this organization makes? Perhaps it’s only the on-ice stuff that counts, and as long as those decisions turn out to be the right ones, nothing else matters, but I can’t help thinking that as soon as everything gets better for the team in terms of the Lighthouse and the refurbished Coliseum, we are going to get gouged in terms of ticket prices, etc.
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Dr. Generosity says:
Chris, you’re putting the focus right now on your future, and your family’s future, and that’s obviously the right decision.
However, there is a groundswell of support for this project that might translate into a change of mind in Islanders management.When did they ever have better coverage?
When did they ever have more involved, interested customers?You’re right to dissuade people from ad hominen attacks. But we’re going to take this to management. We weren’t in on the previous conversations, but perhaps we’ll influence the next one.
In the meantime, thanks for everything. And when the time is right, remember you’ve got a marketable book to write.
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cmm says:
Chris–
Even though I’m not a big Islander fan, I liked to check out your blog often. The “inside look” of a franchise that you provided was both entertaining and educational. Hopefully you can find a way to keep it going.
Thanks! -
Sent my share of emails to the necessary places.
Best of luck to you CB. It was an amazing ride since day 1. Let’s just hope it continues in some form.
WE NEED YOU. THE ISLES NEED YOU.
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chris.. you are the only one who gives 2 craps about the islanders in new york who has the connections and inside info that you do.. if you go alot of the fans arent going to be as informed (the hardcore fans) and in turn alot will lose interest.. whoever needs to make something happen.. NEEDS TO DO IT.. your like the spokesperson for the isles on the frontlines of everything isles.. lighthouse.. prospects.. current players.. management. without you all the fans are losing something more then i think you even know..
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Jimmy Sparx says:
For anyone who wants to join the Save Islanders Point Blank on FB the link is below……
I will send daily emails to Chris Dey if this group evolves……
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Tim F. says:
I’m very disappointed in the Islanders for this decision. It’s very curious – - they finally generate some buzz with the drafting of Tavares, then fire their radio broadcast team (rather than try to get on a radio station that can be heard outside of a 2 mile radius in Suffolk) and cut loose their extremely popular blogger. I would have guessed that Isles management was thrilled to have a media outlet not controlled by the conglomerate that owns the Rangers, but what do I know? Thank you for all you’ve done in the past, Chris, and I hope there’s a way to continue it in the future.
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If this has been mentioned already forgive me. It’s hard to keep up with all of the posts. Chris, the Isles are obviously paying someone to manage the content of the offical team website. Why couldn’t IPB be a part of that content? I realize the present situation provided a certain amount of arms length, but the team sponsored you none the less and had a chance to experience your impartial commentary for 10 months. That’s a substantial body of work to realize your positions are genuine and meant to help the Isles and provide fans with context and understanding about how an NHL organization runs. And it only resulted in one “freeze out” period as I recall. “In depth” doesn’t even come close to describing what you provided these fans and this organization. Hell, staff were reading IPB on draft day. Where are they going to go next June?! If there’s $ to have a team website (mandated or not by the NHL) there’s gotta be some dough for IPB. Good Luck.
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John says:
Totally crazy! This site gave me as a fan, thousands of miles away, the opportunity to follow this team like I have never been able to… ever! This site helped reestablish my love for the Islanders despite what the team was doing on the ice. It gave me perspective and it gave me hope for my team.
Good luck Botta. Islanders fans all over will be poorer from here on out.
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I wrote the following to Customer servise at NYI this morning
Good Morning,
As a fan of the New York Islanders since the early 80’s, I can honestly say that Islanders Point Blank by Chris Botta has been one of the best things to happen to this franchise. Since the team has only one full time beat writer, Point Blank was a way for the fans to stay in close touch with the franchise. The blog was honest, insightful, well written, and informative. The thousands of people who visit Point Blank on a daily basis (most of those fans visit the site numerous times per day) are quite displeased with the fact that the plug is being pulled on the website. There is no better source of information for the New York Islanders. Not NYI.com, not Newsday, not the NY post…nothing. Islanders Point Blank is exactly what this franchise needs. Just as things started to roll in the right direction for this franchise with the drafting of Tavares, positive momentum on the lighthouse, and general excitement around the team…this happens. It’s a shame, it truly is. This decision should be heavily reconsidered.
Thank you for your time -
Pritchett54 says:
I literally checked this site first thing in the morning every day the last year. If I wasnt home, i checked it from my blackberry. I dont know what I would do without it. What the hell am I going to do for my islanders news now? Newsday? Ugh.
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Joe says:
I havent had internet in 3 days, now I get it back to read this.
Cb- Id be more htan happy to pay for a subscription if you chose to do so, good luck with everything.
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I just got off the phone with Islanders customer service. I spoke to a girl named Casey. They are aware of the situation from a “few” e-mails and calls. If you want to make a difference, don’t complain here as that is useless. Dropa line or an E-mail. I did not wait on the phone at all to talk to someone. Those phone lines should be completely buried. Let them know how you feel. She said she would pass on my comments. Who knows?
Islanders
Phone: (516) 501-6700 -
Rory Meditz says:
This blog has become my number 1 source for Islanders news. It’s a great example of the Islanders directly connecting to their fans and their community in a way that not many other teams do. We need to keep it up and running somehow.
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Ihate to put this so bluntly; but you were handled like a salary dump! The team’s mgmt the past several months has spent no money accept on goalies. which are not changed like the rest of the team every minute or two. Yet they will spend 500k on minor league depth signings I guess to fill their minor league squads. It seems that they could have found the dollars to extend your deal but chose not to over a misguided economy kick. Perhaps they did not like your honest opinions on not signing the likes of a Satan. Although they probably said they welcomed your independent thinking. We may never know, But I repeat what I posted earlier things often happen for the best and we all wish only the best for you.
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Jim in the UK says:
Being a die-hard Isles fan now living in Scotland I was on this site so amny times in a day my wife no longer asked me what I was looking at on the comp. or on my I-Pod because she already knew. Now what will I do to get all the good info on the Isles. I have read each and every article that CB has written and each and everyone was just as good as the last one and sometimes even better.Living so far from LI it makes it so much harder to get any info on the Isles which some a$$ doesn’t just make up sitting on his toilet. All good info came from this site and we knew that it was the truth, which is what we all wanted. If this does have to end (sob) I wish the best of luck to you Chris and I hope after the Lighthouse is built and I make a week long trip back to see my beloved Isles I hope I can meet up with alot of the people on here and especially Chris to have some beers and watch the Isles once again own the NHL and see Lord Stanley come back to Long Island. Long live Point Blank, Chris Botta and the New York Islanders.
Jim -
Spoke to my Ticket rep. Mr. Mark Gerstein, really nice guy and all. Threatened him with downgrading my season ticket to a cheapest plan available (in order to save my deposit).
He told me that he just found out about the whole thing himself, like 20 min ago and urged me not to do anything drastic. He also promised to call back and shed some light on the situation in terms of what can be done to keep IPB alive. -
John M says:
Chris, I cannot thank you enough for the work you have put into this site. I cannot even estimate the amount of time I have spent reading your entries, and even anticipating new ones. There needs to be something we can all do to ensure that IPB continues with you.
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LetsGoIsles says:
Send your emails to customerservice@newyorkislanders.com….
stating how they should again sponsor PointBlank! -
Islandersfan4ever says:
When asked by a radio personality where I go for my teams’ news, yours was the first site I mentioned.Not too many followed in my answer,and the place I DID NOT go was to the OFFICIAL ISLANDER website.That’s the LAST place for real news or truth,with glossy pix and public appearances being their offering.What a mistake to not sponsor you anymore, Chris.You’ll be missed.
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chris… i live outside of ny and used to get the nhl package on my dish to follow the isles. because of your coverage of the isles this past year i was thinking of getting it again… but now i am seriously doubting it. following the season with you would have been fun. even though things are going to be better… i’m still not convinced to spend the money w/out having you and your sight to follow along with it.
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I sent an email to customer service, hopefully it gets passed along.
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Dennis says:
500+ is too many to read, so it’s possible someone already suggested this as a way to keep the site running. One last PB outing, on Aug 4. Assemble the PB followers and show up on 8/4 together, to show C Wang and other decision-makers the size and impact of the site. Who knows, when he sees with his own eyes how many people follow PB, maybe, just maybe, there’s the realization that this is something that should be funded going forward. Best of luck wherever you end up, CB.
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Jae says:
What terrible news. I love this blog. It’s the only place where I can get up to date Isles news that isn’t reused AP articles. The insight is amazing and the dedication to the organization is wonderful. What can we do to help keep this going? Do we need to start mailing corporate?
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I emailed Dey and heard back however nothing from customer service yet. Keep the e-mails and calls coming. Let them know!!! My next step, e-mailing my ticket rep!!
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NYI-fan-in-NC says:
I live in NC, so calling customer service probably won’t help much. I’m not part of the local fan base. But I have been an Isles fan for thirty years. So I did send an email to plead my case about saving IPB. Keep the emails flying – we must make them realize that we care.
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CB, Great job with the blog, i look forward to following you and your new career, wherever you wind up.
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Last post. Here is what I just sent to customer service and Chris Dey.
“I am 44 years old Nassau County resident and have been a fan of the Islanders organization since the mid 70′s. I have been to numerous games over my lifetime and one of the greatest joys I’ve had as an adult has been the opportunity to take my son to games as well. As a 9 year old he’s been to many more games than I had at his age and he is quite the fan as well.
I’m very concerned about the organization’s decision to pull support from the sponsored blog “Islanders Point Blank”. This site has become a companion to me and to many other fans and is truly the best sports-related blog out there. Mr. Botta’s dedication and passion about the Islanders organization and hockey in general is unmatched. I know more about the team and feel more connected to it than I ever have before and that is completely due to Mr. Botta’s hard work, tireless efforts and well-written articles. Not a day goes by where I don’t log onto IPB to find out what is happening in the Islanders universe. You have thousands of fans thinking and talking and eating and breathing about the Islanders every single day because of Mr. Botta’s site. Has the organization fully weighed the effects of jeopardizing that connection?
As fans, we realize the organization is approaching a critical turning point. With the drafting of John Tavares and some potential positive movement on the Lighthouse Project this is not the time to throw away a critical fan resource and information hub like IPB. I sincerely hope that you, Mr. Wang and the entire Islanders organization will reconsider this decision and realize the true value of the gem you still hold currently in your hands.
Thank you for your time and consideration.”
Let’s hope it has an impact. -
cahoward says:
I’ll say this. I bet my boss is very happy with this news. Now I won’t have a site to click on 30 times a day. Chris, this is an absolute nightmare to be losing you. This site is the best thing that has ever happened to Isles fans in terms of news and everything else you bring. I’m devastated by this and hope and pray that they find a way to remedy this and continue this amazing site.
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Ecklund says E(5) the Islanders have thier head stuck in a very dark place!
Your Comeau and Martin updates are going to come from Spector’s now. NOT! The mind recoils!
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vigs says:
It’s been a great ride, CB. Following the Islanders won’t be the same without you and IPB.
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Big Dog says:
Hey wangster & snowy
i would rather take the cash i spend going to about 5-8 games a year (600-1000) and give it to cb for this blog,
I might be only 1 fan but you can count me as now watching your games from the comfort of my home.
Do us all a favor and instead of taking one foot forward (tavares) then two steps back (isles radio, CB) try to do the FANS right 24/7.
Chris
Good luck in whatever you find (unless its for the rags then may your fingers freeze tee-hee) and do.
Thanks so much
Doug -
Another backwards move by a dumb oganization
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CB,
This site has become my favorite website. Your inside information, personal comments on all things Islanders and the multitude of everything else you did with PB brightened my day every day that you did this blog. This was more than a blog, calling it a blog doesn’t do it justice.
If I were you, the biggest accomplishment I’d take away from PB is that I truly feel that your work concerning the Lighthouse Project was a MAJOR reason why it will come to fruition. Without your commentary, insight and PB serving as a great information thoroughfare to us fans near and far, the future of the NYI would be somewhere else. Just as Mario saved the Penguins. I feel that you are one of the saviors of the NYI.
Thanks for giving me so much the past year or so.
Cheers!
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doc says:
Noone could have done this blog any better. Good luck in all your future endeavors.
Your insight, humor and clear writing style will be missed on this space on a daily basis.
I’m sure your family needs you more than “WE” do.
Sincerely,
DOC -
Mike from Queens says:
Just a note:
Firefox has this really neat “Most Visited” tab. IPB is listed at #7 on my computer behind heavy hitters like Twitter, Youtube, Facebook, ESPN, CNN, and Deadspin. So, I know I check this site just slightly as often as I check those.
#9 is my fantasy baseball team. I check that less often than IPB.
Well done, CB.
Mike from Queens.
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Smokey says:
CB–
I have sent passionate e-mails to Islanders customer service and SNY.tv. The former contained a fervent plea to keep you on the team’s dime. The latter contained a fervent plea to add you to SNY.tv’s blogroll, which already houses Toby Hyde’s Mets Minor League Blog, a bastion of information I would consider analogous to yours. The two of you could probably have a legendary conversation about providing awesome info to die-hards.
We cannot give up. Botta needs to find a home. This cannot be the last time.
THIS CANNOT BE THE LAST TIME!!!!
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MikeD says:
I AM GIVING MY COMMITMENT TO CALL OR EMAIL THE ISLANDERS EVERY DAY FOR AT LEAST 2 WEEKS. ANYONE ELSE?
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From the awesome Martin article a few posts down. I remember reading it at the time and thought… there better not be something going on.
“This kind of negotiation happens every day in every walk of life. You try to get what you deserve, and not a penny less. The company gives you what they feel you deserve, and not a penny more. You risk ending up with nothing. The company risks not having you.”
I’m e-mailing them now and will continue to do so.
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Rex says:
Chris i think your a classic PR man and i hope this works and the Isles continue this blog under the conditions you prefer. I know I have emailed them and am now posting here to show my support which i imagine is what you desired. But i do fully 100% support you and this blog as i said in my email to the team, this is the ONLY place on the web to get real and current Isles news and has truly kept me interested and active w/ the team and the lighthouse.
Hopefully the outcry will be heard.
Email the isles people!
-r
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Dan from Hicksville says:
CB – First time – long time as they say!!! I just sent an e-mail to Chris Dey. I rattled through a number of issues I had with the team and recent decisions. But mainly voiced my two cents as how disgusted I am with this decision on IPB and how they are loosing a golden opportunity for the team to utilize a great marketing tool.
I stated to Mr. Dey that I thought you were more effective than their fully employed marketing department and were single-handedly responsible for more new subscribers than their own organization. I advised to him to make use of the opportunity you could provide him and make it worth your while.
Thanks Chris for all your efforts. After this past season my interest was waning on this team but you pulled me back!! I had never been more interested in what was going on with the team as I have been for the last 5 months.
To all who can make it to the rally – it should no longer be a Lighthouse rally – but a IPB rally!! -
cusi - Thomas Mancusi says:
CB this is bad news. I will email and call as well. I have said it numerous times here, that without you i would not have been this informed or passionate about the Isles the past year plus. I have a feeling in the end this will all work out….you are too valuable to the Islanders.
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LouD says:
I’m completely shocked that they would part ways with this blog. Since PB has started I have noticed more and more fans coming out of the woodwork. I would swear that this blog has actually turned non fans or fans who had given up back into Islander fanatics. I have seen how influencial the blog is concerning the lighthouse and other Islander issues. We finally had a blog we could go to and read about EVERYTHING Islanders. It was a welcome change from the Islander site that gives us stories about how excited we should be to have (enter useless players name here) on the team. So I guess we’re back to no information about our team and I will begrudgingly learn to live with it. We will miss you CB and good luck with your new career. Hey Logan, you better pick up the pace now!
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hank says:
so, all along you have been paid by the Islanders to run this blog? So then just do it for the fans as time allows and move on with it….
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Despite what some people are posting on IslanderMania I do believe that CB creates buzz, puts fans in the seats and is helping Wang get his precious Lighthouse. Newsday went several days at a time without an Islander story leading up to the draft.
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tond24 says:
love cb and i hope he can find a home for this great blog.
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Islesfan72 says:
Please continue to flood customer service with emails. My rep just informed me that we are in fact being heard.
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Larry3039 says:
this is so disappointing. this is the first website i visit every day, and the last one i check at night. and i have it book marked on my iphone to read during the day. this is where i get all my islanders information. this is where i get all my lighthouse information. i know there is the blog box, and a few more great islanders blogs like lettherebelighthouse.com but this is my number one. it has the best coverage. it has the inside scoops. this is the place i really have come to know our prospects that make these next few years really exciting. losing that would be detrimental to the fanbase. DETRIMENTAL. why do the islanders think so many people showed up at the draft party? why will there be people next tuesday at town hall? if it wasnt for this site keeping many of us in the loop we wouldnt be the supporters that we are. not for lack of effort, but because without this site there is lack of information. people flock to “outside” sources where they can get unbiased REAL information. the official site can be preachy, always having tickets shoved down your throat. the information is not as in depth. how many times has the NYI or blogs or newsday interviewed our prospects who are years away from the big club? or even their agents? the newyorkislanders.com website was my homepage for years. once pointblank came along i found a new homepage. this is a big mistake the NYI are making. especially at this point where the Islanders are as an organization and with the lighthouse being at this stage. my one last point is about how far reaching this website touches. friends of mine who are diehard rangers/devils/ducks/bruins ect fans have come to know this website and have become more familiar with our Islanders then their own team. all because of this website. it is a mistake to deal with Chris Botta this way, a mistake the fans are gonna feel, the organization will feel, and the lighthouse will feel. Shame on Them.
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kevint1023 says:
noooo =( this is awful =/
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Rich J says:
CB, this is is terrible news and yet another poor decision by the Islanders to further alienate fans and hockey enthusiasts who pay their salaries. I’ve read your blog for a long time, sometime seveal times a day, and always look forward to your candor and enthusiasm for Long Island and the team that should be our pride- the Islanders.
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pablo says:
Well, although you deleted me many times i still have to say thanks for all your good work!
The writing was on the wall and i said it in one of my undeleted posts that Dey and Wang still had there Knife out and was trimming the fat.
You see the fact that they can’t completely silence you on certain subjects and the fact you gained respect and a following with the Fans you became more of a problem than a solution.
You see, you became more of a pilot program,(experitment if you will) for them. This comes down to money and the silencing of a popular voice that could work against them. The best way to end it without becoming a a major fan outcry or making it look deliberate is to offer you somthing different to continue but knowing you cant really sustain it. Thats the feeling i got from them. That orignal time out did not help and they did not want it to happen again.
Lets just say you got to big to fast and they cant control some of it, you see Charles is a control freak and they need an outlet that will voice their words and have the ability to silence it when needed. With that said you did a great job for us and everybody is greatful.
I just dont think you can walk away just like that, you see you started somthing here that has a following with meaning and your heart will keep you connected.
THANK YOU CB for Your Hard Work and I wish you and your Family Nothing but the Best that life has to bring at this point. -
Alex says:
CB, here’s an idea in the meantime- write a book on your 20 years with the Isles. It’d be a long process, but I’m sure 75% of the 400,000+ unique visitors would buy it once published. There hasn’t been a good Isles book since Fishsticks. You can even throw in a chapter in at the end with some PointBlank 08-09 highlights. Thanks for all your hard work! I hope this isn’t really the end.
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Ethan K says:
This is such devastating news to me. This blog was something truly great. It got me much more interested in the Islanders, after I was starting to lose hope in the team. I hope that something can be worked out.
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Jim from St James says:
Another perplexing move. If the isles were giving you around 100k & spending 50k on the website, it would still be cheaper than I game played by DiPietro… Or at least a fan rally… You can’t really put a price on good PR, and this site is linked to other prominent hockey sites all the time. Even though some of my posts were moderated, I still checked he site 4-5 times daily, and after a while only checked the sites linked to this one. Bad marketing decision.
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I thought about buying Fishsticks…is it good?
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River Alph says:
Best of luck and continued success.
This blog will be missed. -
Stevie10703 says:
400,000 visitors a month, this tells me that there is a lot of interest in Islanders hockey. Sure some of us long into it a few times a day but, it still doesn’t add up to 400,000 which means you have people from all over reading this blog. Why the Isles would pull the plug on it makes no sense because this is a good thing that gets the Isles name out there in the hockey world. Chris did a great job informing us about the inner workings of the organization, creating buzz about the Isles, AND writing and pushing the Lighthouse Project. I honestly believe that this blog was the reason that there were 18,000 plus requests for tickets to the draft party and why 10,000 plus showed up to hear JT’s name get called as the #1 pick in the draft and whatever it cost the Isles to have this site running will return ten fold as people buy season ticket and Islander merchandise which is important for the bottom line. Chris, if the Isles don’t pick up the tab on this one, just as James Mirtle said in the article, I hope that a major media outlet will! Good luck in whatever happens but, I’ll be sending an e-mail to the Islanders in your support.
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MikeD – Fishsticks is a good read. Some good stories and behind the scenes from the dark days of the 90′s.
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Just a thought, but at the Lighthouse rally in a few days, we will have Isles management right in front of us, a few signs of support there would be good, just be respectful & focus on the LH when we all get to Hofstra…
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Goon says:
I like the idea of post 539! CB, I don’t comment much but I must say this site will surely be missed. I read it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I don’t know what I will do now.
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DarthCzhyzowski says:
Just left a message on Chris Dey’s voice mail and had Mark Gerstien call me back from a previous message. He says they have had some calls. “Nothing Overwhelming”. Overwhelming is what we need! Keep calling, the lines are seemingly free. Make your point, they seem receptive to at least listen.
516 501-6700
Call Call Call
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Bill says:
Here’s what I just emailed the Islanders. The more of these they get the better I assume:
“To whom it may concern,
It has come to my attention that the website Islanders Point Blank will no longer be sponsored by the New York Islanders organization. I think that this is a mistake for a number of reasons. The blog that Mr. Botta runs serves a number of purposes but above all it allows Islanders fans regardless of where they are to experience a sense of community. Mr. Wang supposedly bought the team as a service to Long Islanders and allowed the hockey team to stay in its home. Mr. Botta’s blog echoed this sentiment by allowing Islander fans from all over the country to stay in touch intimately with the day to day goings on of the franchise. There is no doubt in my mind that the Islanders have generated more buzz and increased season ticket sales because of Mr. Botta’s blog. One would think the increase in interest in sales and promotions alone would be enough to offset the costs of compensating Mr. Botta for his time and effort with Islanders Point Blank. As someone who attends at least 15 home games a year, I urge you to reconsider sponsorship of the blog and allow Mr. Botta the chance to do what he has excelled at for the last 10 months. If you would like to get in touch with me my phone # is (516)xxx-xxxx.
– William Puccio”
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CB,
Islanders PB may have been the Islanders idea but you were the creator of the site with your passion and dedication to us and the islanders! Don’t forget that CB! It’s time for you to step back an take A LOT of deserved credit for what you have done! In the end we are all apart of the Islanders Family! Good Luck!
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ES says:
Ironically, my first post. A noble effort. Always checked in multiple times daily and was rewarded with good info written in a nice, tight style. If the Lighthouse comes to fruition – and the Isles become competitive again – you can take credit for helping to start that fire.
This will definitely leave a void. -
hey i had a thought…im not sure if someone else in the comments above suggested this yet. but is there a way we can show our support on tuesday at the rally? i know its only a few days away, but maybe we can put our money where our mouths are? tshirts? banners? posters? what can we do?
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This is the absolute wrong time to pull the plug on the site. This organization needs as much public support of the lighthouse project as possible, since Newsday is not doing their job, Islanders Point Blank is one of the only vehicles that will keep fans up to date and a forum to interact on the progress or lack thereof. Fans have been uniting through this site and bringing us all together in support of our team. Removing this venue right before one of the biggest moments in Islander’s history is a bit perplexing.
Actually its downright stupidity…..
Sorry but I am beginning to get upset more and more about this. I will not allow this to go away quietly and neither should all of us. I have never felt part of a community on the web, and now that I have, its being taken away from me….FROM ALL OF US.
Insert curse word here……..
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Chris, I have sent a letter expressing my disappointment in this decision. Putting aside fan sentiment for a moment, I just don’t see how this is a wise business move from the organization’s standpoint. I truly hope they will reconsider. If anyone would like some ideas on writing a letter, I posted a copy of mine on my site (click Islanders 360 link above). Good luck CB.
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I believe that when, something is not broken, don’t fix it. Not only was NYI Point Blank not broken, it was State of the Art. Chris, you are a “Unique Talent”, The best of the best, at what you do, Writing, about the NY Islander’s. I agree with so many, this trully is a very sad day for NY Islander’s Fan’s. Thanks Chris for so much, you will be very missed. Your friend, Mark/NJ ,I wish you and your wonderful family, only the best Chris, take care, Mark
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BillyBC #551 – I agree with you 100%. Isles are just proving that they are as stupid as ever. I would have easily continued following this team if they drafted Hedman instead of Tavares, but if they are just not paying CB because they are being cheap….that is too much stupidity for me to endure.
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CB,
While in search of advertisers, I came up with a real Wild Idea. What about starting an NHL based ‘New Media’ company. NHL Point Blank. Using the template of IPB, you can reach out to other pro’s in your field throughout the NHL and write similar articles. Accepting the Isles Sponsorship package and reaching out to other NHL Teams for a similar package might be advantageous, if possible of course. Recruiting Mears and Kinger, you guys would be insane. Your stats speak for themselves and should warrant some significant interest from the league, advertisers, and fans. Just an idea.
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for what its worth i went and emailed the isles as well, letting them know my thoughts and actions from here on in with regard to thier decision on pb
i hope we all stand up and let our voices be heard. this is really the only true isles info/news/analysis.
i for one will not go on islandermania for the simple fact of CB is top gun. Its not islandermanias fault but i will refuse to show support for something the isles made a horrendous mistake on.
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I agree with BillyBC (557). The timing of this couldnt have been any worse. I really wish the Isles would find a way to have you continue this site. No offense to Logan or any other bloggers out there, but this site in particular is the one place I can always count on for up to date and very detailed/accurate information. Its become daily routine to stop here atleast a half dozen times through out the course of my day. I can say this.. If this ship does sink, the amount of time I currently spend on the internet in relation to the Islanders Team is going to plummet.
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orngfan says:
chris this is worse than when you shut down the blog for 2/3 days a week or so ago.. now what are we supposed to do?? read newsday? never! big blow to the islanders media world. horrible news. your site will be missed big time by this, moderated, reader..
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Motto of Syms (famous LI discount clothing chain): An educated consumer is our best customer.
Motto of New York Islanders (famous LI discount professional sports franchise): An ill-informed fan is our best customer.
Or so it seems to me.
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PLEASE CALL THIS NUMBER AND ASK FOR CHRIS DEY’S OFFICE 516.501.6700. BE POLITE BUT LEAVE THE MESSAGE WITH HIS ASSISTANT THAT THEY ARE MAKING THE WORST MISTAKE POSSIBLE BY CANCELLING POINT BLANK AND TO IMMEDIATLEY RESTORE THEIR AGREEMENT WITH BOTTA AND THE SITE. LET THEM KNOW IT’S THE BEST THING FOR THE ISLES AND THEIR FANS. ISLANDER FANS HAVE HAD AMAZING IMPACT ON LOCAL AND STATE LEADERS WITH THE LIGHTHOUSE PROJECT AND THE ENTIRE NHL IS NOTICING VIA THIS BLOG AND THE DRAFT PARTY HOW INTENSE AND DEVOTED ISLES FANS ARE. WE CAN CONVINCE THE ISLES TO KEEP POINT BLANK RUNNING WITH BOTTA. GOT GET ‘EM ISLES FANS BUT PLEASE BE NICE TO THE NICE LADY WHO’LL ANSWER THE PHONE.
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Isles78 says:
Botta you should be proud of the work you did here, not only did you give great insight into the Islanders you also provided Islanders fans with a content I have never seen availible for any professional sports team. You were able to use your connections to provide us fans with unique angles to what would normally be basic information from scouts, agents, and many other sources. Anyone who has visted this site should do their best to let the Islanders know they are making a mistake, I personally feel my interest in the team is at an all time high and that is largely due to the content Botta has been able to give us here usually multiple times per day. Hope this isn’t the end but THANK YOU CB! CB>>>CB>>>CB>>>CB>>>CB>>>CB>>>CB
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You get 400K readers a month and you can’t keep it going? I wish the Islanders would just realize that they have a good thing here and renew your agreement. We all are going to miss your insight and posts, Chris. Thanks so much for what you’ve done.
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CB, one more comment and substantiated reason to keep this blog alive and sponsored by the New York Islanders. I’m tired of visiting the New York Islander site and hearing/reading about which Islander signed autographs at which team store or where the Ice Girls are practicing. Frankly, I don’t care about these topics, nor do the other fans who are looking to learn more about the team and their current state as a professional sports franchise. No true Islander fan, including myself, would agree that the New York Islander website provides sufficient information to remain educated on what’s happening in Islander country.
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DavidNYC says:
Mr. Botta, thank you! This site has been a daily read for me several times a day since it’s inception. I am going to miss your timely and in depth coverage of the team. There will be a huge void as I now have an expectation that will be impossible to match. I love the Islanders but you kept them on my mind every single day!
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Bring Back the Chicken Song says:
This news stinks. I never thought that I would both enjoy and appreciate a blog like I have this one.
I have not felt a connection to the Islanders like this since I was a 16 year old watching them win their last Cup. A lot of that is due to this blog and its community. All the little nuggets of info about our prospects and the future have kept me in good spirits and have produced a level of optimism I have not felt in years.
CB…you will be missed.
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felix says:
Losing this site is awful. It was the envy of other teams fans. Besides JT at least we had something.
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Isles fan says:
Although I have not commented too often, I have been on the IPB site many times a day for the last 6 months. This is a bad news for me.
One suggestion is to create a New York Sports Point Blank site that has blogs for all 9 New York Metro area teams. I would think that then you would be able to get enough traffic to make it work with advertising. Then I would live on the site even more for Giants and Mets info as well.
Regardless, I want to thank you Chris for creating an environment that I felt was a home for us fans, and a place where I could learn about the NYI 24/7/365. I will miss the site and your writings.
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Alex Kinkeaad says:
CB can you open a Paypal account so we can at least give you money for all the great work you have given us
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Paul says:
Thanks, CB. All the ebst to you!
Never realized how good us Islander fans had it until PB was taken away from us. Now we have to sulk in the realization that our team is still a good 2 years away from not sucking. -
4 calls to the customer service line from this Islanders fan and his family. The Islanders need to know how much this site means to us all. I hope they listen.
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Chris,
You may not like the idea of paying for online editorial content, but I believe 99.9 percent of the people who have ever logged on here would pay for it. Hell, I’d hand you a blank check right now.
Why? Not to be a hero. But because this product is so unique and thorough. I would venture to guess there isn’t an NHL team out there that has such in depth coverage online.
I think with the exception of the LoHud Yankees blog Peter Abraham runs, this is the only site that really does things the right way.
All I can say is #$%&@!, Monkey@#$%&! and Horse@#$%!
There seriously is no justice in this world!
NONE.
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TSki says:
I am devastated –
You will be missed
Thank you for last season. -
CB, I already posted once on this thread and still cannot believe that we are going to be without IPB. I also have been seriously contemplating getting season tickets, or at least a partial plan this year for the first time. I can finally afford it and thought the organization was moving forward. The JT pick has had everyone pumped up but then you have decisions that you can look at that make this team look like such a second rate organization. The signing of two number 1 goalies shows that they are obviously not optimistic about the future of DP, no matter what they say. Then it was bad enough that the radio signal was garbage last year, but to drop the broadcast team was a low blow. And now this happens with you. I don’t understand how someone like Charles Wang, who as good as a business man as he probably is, can make this franchise look so poorly run. The Neil Smith and Garth Snow fiasco was another one that all would like to forget. I will continue to support this team through and through and will attend my share of games this season. I will watch the games on TV (even on the crappy MSG+2 overflow channel) but I cannot see myself spluring for season tickets after the recent series of events. Again good luck with however everything pans out and as always LETS GO ISLANDERS!
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chos500 says:
good luck to you nd your family, you are a total pro
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Although you can’t assist, or score goals for the Isles by your example of being the director for an important fan base of imformation, networking and news disemination you helped create tremendous interest in the team which I’m certain directly and indirectly encouraged fans to attend games. The fans pay the salaries of the players who do score the goals and stop the shots. Why don’t the “suits” recognize your important contribution?
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bonzo says:
Surely the Islanders can see that this is the number one website associated with the team. Islandermania, the Newsday blog, and other such sites either have IPB forums or daily references, which just points to the even greater number of Islander fans that visit here.
Surely the threat of downgrading season ticket plans will get their attention. This should be the starting point for anyone who hopes to see this site continue.
Pick up the phone, you would be amazed what a little personal touch can do in such times. An IPB chant at the August 4th rally, coupled with signs and/or a petition that day that could be handed to Wang himself would be wise too.
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MW in VA says:
CB
There needs to be a solution to this dilemma and walking away is NOT IT. This is the first web site I look at every morning and i check 3-4 times a day for new info.
There needs to be a solution. What is it and how can your fan base help?
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isles99 says:
i think its a shame the isles ate doing this to you. i didn’t always agree with what you said but i found the insight and comments by others very unique and special. its a shame its going to be over.
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Jeff Kuntz says:
I, too, would like to lend my voice to the chorus of those who WOULD pay for this site to remain open. There would be no need (for me) to have this as a closed site, either. Totally open to all.
Something like $50 per year? Why not set up a Paypal account and set a goal. If that goal is met, PB lives on for this season. If that goal is NOT met – then donate the money to an Islanders charity.
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eye on the island says:
cb spoke w/ someone over the at the isles today who spoke highly of you. they called trying to sell tickets and i voiced to him the importance of this site to providing energy to the isles on long island. he shared my disappointment but believed that this is neither the death of your involvement with or the site itself.
is this true-or is this is as dead as we are all assuming it to be?
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john from ATL says:
Sad news. This is a great blog and was helping me get through the summer without hockey. Here’s hoping somehow, someone keeps this going.
Chris good luck. -
MAB says:
CB,
As a former colleague of yours I just want to thank you for all the hard work you did on this site. When I worked with the Isles from the mid 90′ through the early 00′s it was always a pleasure working with you.
Thanks again and good luck in the future.
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just had an idea(don’t know if this has been proposed earlier as there are too many comments to read through)
but what about a donation button. independent reporters(such as michael totten over at michaeltotten.com) provide their content for free but rely on donations. if they islanders could provide some baseline salary and let the rest of your compensation come in the form of donation that could be the best of both worlds.
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volmeeezy says:
CB , you do a great job , i really hope somehow you keep the blog going . Regardless i wish you much success in the next phase of your life . You’ll be fine. always remember – We’re all islanders. good luck dude
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Merrick says:
#57 had it right. Sign Botta and count it towards the cap.
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Warren says:
CB,
You can’t go . You’re consider Mr. Islander you know so much it’s hard to fill those shoes. Sometimes they say I know a lot of Islander stuff at least you know the inside. Please reconsider. Good Luck hope to see or hear from you soon . And keep the faith and watchout this year as we chase the “CUP”. -
bionicman99 says:
This can’t be the end! I am hopelessly addicted to PB. I hope the Isles hear everyone and make it their mission to please the fans. Islanders Country needs Point Blank! As much as I love the Islanders website, it can never replicate the personal, die-hard “love of blue & orange” that Point Plank provides. It pains me to think of my day without it.
Regardless, thank you Chris for all you gave. It will always be remembered and appreciated. -
I started coming here, during the Billy Gueren debacle and have been returning, several times a day, ever since…
How can they shut down something thats become such a success???
It sounds counter productive, IMHO…I truly, hope something will come out of your hard work for the long term, CB…We need this blog…It really brought die hard Isles fans together…
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Gutty34 says:
There is really not much more to say that hasnt already. To CB…..I hope you hold your head up high and realize what you did. You brought together a community of fans from across the world. You delivered material beyond anyones means not on a weekly basis, not on a daily basis but on an hourly basis at some points. I am blown away of this news and quite frankly confused. Over the last 3 years something was happening unlike with any sports franchise ever…the Isles were allowing access to the team and fan base like no other has….Isles TV, blog box, etc….The one thing that kept us all watching and caring was this access. Sure our team sucked but where else could I find such intimate connections with my beloved sports team??? My feeling is that Wang has decided in order to fill the seats we have provided too much outside coverage of this team. By removing the radio broadcasts, cutting out the bloggers that we fans will have no choice but to come to the coliseum. It is a poor way to force us to poney up or else. I believe (as great as Dey seems to be from the comments) that we are ABSOLUTELY owed an explanation as to why this is happening. I dont want to hear money this…..economy that…..I dont think CB was asking for $1.5 mil over 3 years to continue this. I also think Dey and Wang need to realize the
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Michael Pastore says:
CB
I have been a Islander fan since 1974. The first game I went to NVMC was against the Rangers. I met Billy Smith & Ed Westfall after the game. I used to deliver Newsday and the 1st day I delivered the paper was the day after the Islanders won the Stanley Cup. What made the Islanders great in the 70s & 80s is how the players & team treated the fans. It was like they were apart of our family. They always signed autographs, charities and look at how many of those players have kept deep roots on Long Island. Ive been living in Florida for the past 10 years. I get my NHL Center Ice Package to watch my team. The closest I have come to feeling like I did about the team in the 70s & 80s is through this website. It really showed that this team is still vital part of the community. I read your blog everyday. As much as I like Logan it is not the same. This was one of the things the Islanders did right.
I have a model for you that just might work and keep this blog alive.
1. $2.00 Year Subscription
2. The Islanders then make up the difference.You might loose some readers but I doubt it. The Islanders WILL SAVE MONEY!!!! The best part is the Islanders and fans have a news source. Daily News, New York Post, and the New York Times are lucky if they do 40 articles together a year specifically about the team. Newsday is our only source, but Logan can not hold a candle to you.
ALL POINT BLANK READERS WE MUST SAVE THIS BLOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -
Rob says:
I have clicked on your blog every day since the first day at the old address. I will continue to click on it every day when I walk into the office and hope to never get one of those “cannot display this webpage” messages
I want to thank you for enhancing my day- every day- for the past 10 months.
Thanks again and good luck.
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Just sent this e-mail
To Whom It May Concern,
My name is Alex Goldfinger, and it has come to my attention that the Islanders are ending their relationship with Islanderspointblank.com. Every Islanders fan is saddened by this news and we urge you to reconsider. This past season was a tough one to get through with a smile on your face, but PointBlank was the safe haven for Isles fans. PointBlank allowed Islanders fans to feel more connected to the team then ever before. If PointBlank is left to die it will be one of the more destructive decisions the organization could make in regards to the fans base. There will, without a doubt, be hard feelings towards the team. John Tavares brought a shimmer of hope back to the Island and for some reason, the organization decided to dampen that shimmer with a dark cloud. I, as well as every other Islanders fan have to insist that the team reconnect with Chris Botta and Islanderspointblank.
Thank You,
Alex Goldfinger
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Spittin'chicklets says:
(just sent this to Isles PR chuckleheads)
“A Man is not finished when he is defeated;
He is finished when he quits.”” Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside of them was superior to circumstance.”
I have been watching and attending Isles hockey games since Eddie Westfall captained the blue and orange.
At this point where “Clear and concise” coverage of everything Islanders is nothing short of crucial, ending this relationship with such a strong Islanders flagship in the blogosphere is a collosal mistake. That having been said, if this is truly a cost cutting or saving measure then this is one for the bean counters. Unfortunately, the double edged sword is those who hold purse strings should have the organiztions best interests and bottom line already in mind when such decisions are made. Having said that this does NOT have the desired positive effect for the TEAM or its rabidly loyal fanbase when the most important decisions are still ahead of us.
Information: what with the Lighthouse project still in limbo and the future of the franchise and it’s home seemingly hanging in the balance this is just Poor poor timing to put it mildly.The radio duo falling by the way side.. okay, perhaps I can see it. But this is information in a much broader spectrum with Chris and the bang up job he’s done at Point Blank. He has easily shown the gaps in coverage by the main stream media outlets are huge & abundant and he has stepped in with professionalism, knowledge and accumen in everything hockey that the Isles could ever have hoped for.
The Isles are not the most widely covered team in the NHL by a long shot, shooting ones-self in the foot with a move like this is going to help ..”How?” Again, If this is simply a matter of cost cutting or saving money then I guess I may be wasting my breath but this needs to get said regardless.
Don’t cut your nose of to spite your face.
The Isles franchise and future on Long Island can not afford it!
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Dan from NJ says:
I agree with #605. Perhaps its living in denial, but I will continue to come to this site everyday with the hope there are new updates and content and not one of those “cannot display this webpage” error. Being a 35 yr old from NJ I get absolutly no coverage of the Islanders and this site has given me a lifeline to my favorite hockey team. I have commented on occassion and hope to continue to comment in the future. You were the only one who could have brought Islander fans together during a really tough season and make them feel as if things will finally get better. If this is truly the end, I wish you the best of success in the future. I have a feeling you will pop up somewhere in some compacity in a very prominent role. Hopefully it will still be here. I will do my best to keep you up and running by sending emails to the Isles staff and/or making a donation if necessary. Good luck and God speed!
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MikeyMitts says:
C.B.’s knowledge from the trenches will be missed dearly.
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It’s really too bad. I was looking forward to exhibition coverage as well.
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James says:
Point Blank is one of the invative concepts that the Islanders have come up with in the past could of years. Other teams do not have a opinionated website that can keep teams up to date with the team that you love. And it is sad that the team is letting the website come to an end, esspecially when you consider the web traffic that PB gets on a daily basis for a LAST place team, is quite remarkable. The fans and the media do not want to see PB end.
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I just spoke to Jay Sherman, and he said “it stinks!”
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We will really miss the hardcore isles coverage. I mean where else would we get the chance to discuss isles prospects like matt martin?! They should have made CB the Director of Electronic media. Pay him 125K and let him run the show for anything web related. Someone at the Isles had a bad DEY with this decision.
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CB: Please excuse me for using your blog to have a conversation, but it is appropriate because it is about how we all feel about you and this website- and what we should do to keep it.
———-I am really happy to see that people are writing letters to Islanders customer service and things like that. However, I want to make sure that people contact the person for whom this is a direct concern- and that they get the e-mail correct.
If we are to e-mail Islanders management, organizational e-mail addresses follow a consistent format: first.last@newyorkislanders.com
We need to contact Chris Dey directly about this issue. This was his idea in the first place, so he is the one that can give it the green light to continue- or take it away from us. His direct e-mail is:
chris.dey@newyorkislanders.comWe need to be strong and direct about how we feel, yet we need to stay respectful. We need to let them know how important this is to us without throwing in insults. HOWEVER, if we think this kind of a decision is foolish or short-sighted, we need to say so- that is not an insult, that is an unpleasant truth. We need to do this the sooner, the better. If you buy tickets to Isles games, if you are a STH, anything like that, you should make note of it as well. They care and it matters. If you are a fan that was distanced for a period of time and has now come back because of PB, you need to tell them that, too… they have been looking for you, and they will not want to lose you again.
Its so frustrating that so much of my time as an Islanders fan is spent having to beg simply to keep the things we have. But when its our own team being so short-sighted, it is downright depressing. We need to help them see the light here.
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I honestly do not remember when I first logged on to Point Blank or how I even found it, but it has been my home page for quite some time. I consider myself a diehard fan of the Islanders and thought I knew what there was to know about this team. Well I know more about the Islanders and the kiddies waiting to make it to the big club then ever before. To get the updates on the kids who are playing in Europe, have made it so much easier to keep up with what the future holds. Everyday I look forward to reading the various stories that CB posts and every single one has been a good read. Also, I have friends scatter through out the USA who are not all Islander fan, yet they all like this site and wish the teams they root for had the same.
I truly believe this site will not go down without a fight from us the fans/readers. When the Islanders come to realize this is the #1 site for where Islander fans they will continue to sponsor Point Blank.
Too bad CB…… Was looking forward to possibly getting the PB Radio Show started for the 09-10 season……
For everyone else please click the link below. It is the group page to save PB on FB:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=110147843574
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Make signs for the Rally that say “I found out about this rally from PointBlank” or something like that, for all to see.
Again, this was such a boneheaded move to cut off the fans from the best information on the team it’s ever had.
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JAM says:
This feels like a Milbury trade.
We loose one of our best assets and get nothing back.
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When you call the customer service number, they just say to send an email to the email listed on the site. It does not seem like the reps really have the time, or energy, to actually discuss the topic.
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I hope everyone replying here is actually sending emails to the isles. if you havent yet, do it.
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The sad thing is they could fund this for 1/100th of what it liekely costs to have Ice Girls. I ask you, how many people have specifically bought a ticket to an Islanders games just t see a girl in a short skating dress weep ice? NONE???
If fans want to see scantilly clad women in a PG setting, there is a Hooters across the street.
They took something away from their core fans but hey, we have ice girls, Sparky (which is even a dumber mascot now that the AFL team is gone), and in game hostess in case Strahan has more ham to sell.
I guess anything to distract from the fact that we stink on the ice.
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ChrisTMC — apparently Chris Dey is on the road, he responded to my email from hours ago via blackberry and said as much, but the good news is he does read it and will respond.
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Good point #622. How about cost cutting the frivolous BS we have to deal with every time we go to a game? We want, we need real, useful info!
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Don’t even get me started on the dancers they had in the aisles last year. How much did that cost and how many mini plans did they upsell because of that garbage?
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Jim from Babylon says:
Very sorry to see this blog end. Love getting my up-dates and unique stories with a cup of coffee and IPB.
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Law says:
CB, I have an idea. Meet me in Vegas this weekend and we’ll put it all on 5 red, 9 red, 19 red, 22 black, 23 red, and 31 black. How can we lose?!
On a more serious note, this blog has become a daily destination for this ex-Long Islander. I live down here in the Sixth Borough and to say the coverage of hockey is minimal would be a huge understatement. Center Ice allowed me to follow the team during the season and places like the HF Boards let me talk with other fans, but this blog brought my fanaticism to another level. Since last year, I’ve been devouring everything you posted, each day hoping there would be another post before I went to sleep (the worst was when you dove into Twitter, because now every time my phone buzzes, I’m hoping it’s about a post update — damn you!!). Even now in late July, I can’t get enough Isles news and scoops. And if you ask me, that’s a pretty impressive feat considering this is a cellar dwelling team that may or may even be on Long Island in a few years.
I’m on the agency side of the advertising business and I can remember wondering last year about a lot of the revenue issues you raised in your post last night. Unfortunately, it looks like it’s all came to a head.
But again, fantastic job on the site and I sincerely hope you figure out a way to make things financially feasible.
Oh, and my Vegas idea still stands…
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Marc N. says:
Say it ain’ts so.
Very sad. Would gladly pay $100/yr for this web site. Heck, I paid $50.00 for that awful Islanders Magazine I had this year. -
Point Blank will somehow make it back around. Even if the Isles try to make a new blog with someone they employ it’ll soon come to light that Point Blank was a driving force in Isles Country and Wang will have a golden statue commissioned in Botta’s likeness along with the blog revived.
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This is how the team is responding to E-Mails:
“Thanks for the email, voicing your passion and continued support of the team. We appreciate your thoughts and will be sure to pass them on to Chris Dey.
Thanks again,
Kerry Cornils
New York Islanders” -
Ed says:
Terrible news.
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Otter says:
Wow, this is sad. I’m having a hard time coming up with a way to put my disappointment into words. If this is really in fact the end, all that I can say is thanks to CB for putting your heart & soul into the site for so long. I guess it’s true when they say that all good things must come to an end.
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if pointblank has bin shutdown cause the islanders refused to pay for the site anymore i will be right pissed off which is what i think happened probably told CB that you should go on your onwn and finance the whole thing on your own GOD THAT WOULD BE REALLY CHEAP
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Steve Webb Rules! says:
Disaster. Best sports blog on the net, bar none….and that Isles fans get (got?) to enjoy it is (was) just icing on the cake.
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On Edge says:
Very sorry to see this. This is the first stop for me every day to get my fix of Islander stuff.
I don’t always agree with what you write here Chris, but you are always readalbe and enjoyable and just seem like a nice guy. I don’t know what I said here one time that got me on the “list” of awaiting moderation when I made a comment but that was/is your call.
I wish you luck, while I don’t think you will need any because you have obvious talent. One piece of advise is that I do think you need to be a little more thick skinned and get defensive a little too quick for the forum you have. I couldn’t do it certainly and have your respect.
I hope there is a way to have this forum continue. The NYI’s have a gem here and I’ll bet they don’t even know it’s true value and how much fans want and need it.
Best of luck.
On Edge.
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if this website goes away, i’m gonna be stuck on topix.com all day with a pack of racist morons.
in all seriousness, this is probably the best hockey site pertinent to my interests. hopefully there will be a way for it to continue on, but if not best of luck to ya, i’ve read this site every day for many months now.
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rob76 says:
I do not want to live in a world where i have to rely on E3 and E4′s for my hockey news. This is the first and last website i look at daily even in the summer. What i was wondering is if you will still be present Tuesday at the Lighthouse meetings and reporting on it being that it has such monumental potential. I have been hoping against maybe all odds that this team wont leave Nassau – now i have the same feeling about point blank – that somehow something can happen where we dont lose our source for Everything Islanders 24/7…. Thank you for all you have done for the passionate Islanders fans
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I just emailed Chris Dey the links to the two stories linked at the top of the blog. I told him the hockey world was watching and asked him if he was going to do the right thing.
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I wrote a long email to the ny Islanders today.
Nothing nasty, just making sure they know the fans want
Chris to keep going. Told them it would be a mistake to let
IPB go.
Save Islanders Point Blank. -
Kristie says:
I’m very bummed about this, I think everyone has said how much this blog means to Isles fans.
Really disappointed in this move, but I hope everything works out for you in the end.
You will be missed… -
Here is the e-mail I just sent Chris Dey:
Chris,
I’m sure I’m not the first nor last to hit you with an e-mail today on this, but I find it very troubling that the Islanders can talk incessantly about how important the fans are for the franchise and then turn around and pull the plug on Chris Botta’s site, when it is BY FAR the most informative resource for Islanders news on the Internet. It is for many a fountain of usually 100 percent accurate information that simply presents facts and analysis. It doesn’t hit or embarrass the franchise in any way.
How can you guys not find a way to make that site work economically? Chris obviously gets the traffic (I know all about what it takes to get traffic because I spearhead CBS 2 HD’s site and we do 25 million page views a month) and most importantly he knows how to keep the traffic, keep people coming back.
This is a ridiculously bad PR move by the Islanders because it slaps the fans in the face.
NYI Point Blank is light years ahead of Newsday in both scope and reach. It destroys any other local paper’s site. The other blogs like Islandermania do not hold a candle to what Chris does on a daily basis.
Of course, the idea is to make money and to also pump up the traffic for newyorkislanders.com, but we both know that site is just an extension of the front office. The bottom line is it doesn’t offer anything that even remotely resembling analysis and opinion, things that every sports team-affiliated site need.
I think you guys have made a colossal mistake here because for all your forward-thinking banter, you don’t seem to grasp that the type of “journalism” Chris has been doing for the last 10 months is the wave of the future. Newspapers are dead. TV doesn’t care about the Islanders, save for MSG. You already killed any radio coverage you had.
I just don’t get it. You draft the most exciting player in years, appear to have a plan, may get a state of the art place to play, but you cut off the only real pipeline the organization had to the fans.
Seriously, think this through. You’re a smart guy obviously. So is Charles. You mean to tell me there is no way you can’t make this site financially feasible and at the same time reward Chris for all that he’s done and will continue to do?
I don’t buy it.
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John says:
You’re a class act Chris. Best of luck in any endevour. this blog has been a godsend during the past season. Thank You for doing it. I wish it didn’t have to end.
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Jimmy says:
Everyone should read this story to further show how great of a man Chris Botta is. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/rick_reilly/news/2002/12/24/life_of_reilly/
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Kbulger22 says:
How about the islanders taking some of money they’re giving dipietro to NOT play and giving it to you instead? Seriously, how can a team throw away money on an any number of pro contracts and not invest in the greatest PR tool they’ve ever had? I don’t get it.
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this really sucks not getting any updates or news when checking back her my multiple times a day. or maybe i am checking back to see if there is an update and this was all a bad dream.
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usnabatman says:
Chris, I would like to thank you for your dedication and hardwork throughtout the past year. I hope the voice of the fans can be heard and inspire Islanders management to reconsider their decision. The blog has helped me reconnect to my hometown team, even as I find myself 6,000 miles away on the West Coast. For that I am forever greatful.
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DEY hope you see what you and the islanders have caused
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Darrell says:
Sent to customerservice@newyorkislanders.com:
Never before had I followed a blog on anything close to a daily basis until I was pointed to Islanders Point Blank by Puck Daddy, another hockey blog. Since I first read Chris Botta’s blog, I have gone back again and again. Now every day I check the blog multiple times a day hoping for an update. Incredibly Mr. Botta has usually posted something new and interesting to read. I will be very saddened when this blog ceases to exist. I found Mr. Botta to be extremely insightful and while respectful to the Islanders organization, it was clear that he was his own man, unusual given the relationship between writer and team.
I am very hopeful that the Islanders will reconsider the decision to terminate their relationship with Mr. Botta. Although I have been an Islander fan from before the Stanley Cup years, yours is a team that has been very difficult to follow for the past few decades. A combination of an exciting draft and Islanders Point Blank have re-energized my love of the Islanders. I know that I am not alone, and hopefully the response you will receive to this change will help you understand how Mr. Botta can help the Islanders win fans as they struggle toward their next respectable team.
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themass says:
Never really left a comment here (maybe a couple) but I always checked here for all things isles. Thank you for doing this. Hopefully you can keep it going.
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Since72 says:
Please, may intelligent minds prevail and find an economic model that can work to save IPB. I feel like a loved one is on their death bed! I need my daily fix of Chris Botta’s insights. This has been a great meeting place for those of us with a life long love affair with “our” Islanders. If this ends poorly for all of us- Thanks for rekindling “Islander Country” Chris. It’s been fun!!!
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All day I keep coming back here, hoping to hear some miraculous news. OK, not yet… maybe tomorrow…
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If the end of Point Blank is only money related, then here are a few money saving tips for Mr Wang and Mr. Dey. Put an end to the misery and embarrassment of the Ice Girls, the dancing girls, the screechy arena women, and yes Sparky the Dragon. Why we have a dragon as a mascot is still a mystery. Honestly, in between periods, my children and I are only interested in catching a T shirt. I have been a season ticket holder off and on for over 30 years and I have found Point Blank the most engaging marketing tool the Islanders have ever had. For once, the Islanders were innovative and cutting edge. Why it’s ending is beyond belief. WAKE UP BOYS!!
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WM says:
My vacation at the Biltmore in NC has been great — until I just learned of this news. Holy cow, Chris, say it ain’t so!
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Marty says:
Sad to hear this CB. Hopefully they find a way to keep this going. If not, you will be missed. Thanks again for all the great work. Meet me at the lighthouse.
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================== It looks like theres a “groundswell” of people and fans who REALLY want to do something about keeping this informative and wonderfull site and thats step 1…….
Keep the “pressure” on the Isles (again POLITELY but firm/steadfast) thats this site is INVALUABLE to the Islanders….. The internet is a valuable commodity and the Islanders are just starting to ‘turn the corner and see the light’ as a franchise and to stop this site is a DISASTER and mistake……. Perhaps we can call the tixx office and buy a regular season game or 2 just “as good faith o token measure” and show we REALLY mean business!
______________________________________Perhaps a nominal fee (nothing outrageous) perhaps $3 or $5 a month, (multiplied by X amount of viewers/readers!) with the Islanders doing something would be a start. Mix in some advertisers and we can get the ball rolling and dialogue moving in the right direction………. This is a CRITICAL time in the franchises history and this site can help as it did with the lighthouse project and other important issues……. With some solid decsion making and even thinking ‘outside the box’ we can get something going, just PLEASE PLEASE dont shut the lights off just yet! There are alot of smart and bright-insightfull people on this site and perhaps we can work something out! ………………….
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I understand part of the reluctance to charge a subscription fee is the potential loss of a significant level of viewers. Why not have a dual model where anybody can view the site and articles, but only paying members would have the ability to fully view and post comments? Considering the comments add greatly to the entertainment value, that’s plenty of incentive to pay a nominal fee while not alienating more casual users.
At 400K monthly UUs, getting just 2.5% of that base to pay a $5/month subscription fee would result in $50K/month in revenue. That doesn’t include potential advertising revenue.
That doesn’t seem like an unsustainable model to me.
Why not get a poll going to see how many current readers would gladly pay a subscription fee? Can one of our web-savvy readers set something up?
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I just looked at the Isles website and cannot believe that I actually felt repulsed by looking at the Islander logo. They make so many stupid business decisions over the years, but this move is unreal. I’ve loved this team since I moved to the Island in 1980, but even I can’t take this anymore. What were they thinking when they thought it would be ok to let IPB fold? Where is the media coverage of this little team in the suburbs going to come from? I can’t imagine that whatever CB’s salary is would be too much for the team.
I can understand both CB and Chris Dey’s concern that having a staff blogger may cause a perception of lack of impartiality. But…this has been the financial model for this site for the past year and the coverage never lacked integrity. Hope this can be worked out.
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lovin lethbridge says:
Mr Botta,
I do not disagree with David Meerman Scott about making a BLOG a full time job as a pay per use service. But, I think there may be a little bit of light in that respect.
You boast a unique monthly visitor base of 400K. If 10% of the 400K were to pay a slight fee ($10.00) for the first year, you are talking $400K a year. I am not sure what the operating costs are for the site, but I am sure a person could eke out a living on $400K minus expenses for a year.
After the first year, you could see a drop in renewals, as like you said it would not be long for people to start pasting your words to different sites, but it may be worth investigating.
I also realize that as a family man, the above mentioned business model does not hold a great deal of job security, but then what does these days.
It is more food for thought for you, as I realize you will make the decision that best supports you and your families’ long term goals.
Kindest regards
Steve -
*******************************************************************************************************************************THE PETITION IS OFFICIALLY UP, PLEASE SIGN AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO THE ISLES TO SAVE IPB, PLEASE SIGN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!******************************************************************************************************************************
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It is not 400,000 people per month. It is 400K “hits”. People like me hit the site maybe a dozen times a day. That is what is being counted. The way this is resolved is that the team recognizes the mistake and finds a way to fund the site.
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drouin says:
I keep coming back here hoping the story changes but it won’t.
Thanks for all your efforts Chris, I could always rely on this site for a great read.
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Darth, by definition, 400K unique users (“UU”s in internet advertising terms) is a calculation that ignores multiple hits from the same IP address. So if these are indeed Unique Users (as Chris indicated above), that means 400K hits from different IP addresses…
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Oren says:
to 661, i believe it is specifically not 400k hits, but “unique” readers, meaning coming from different places
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Sigfy30 says:
I totally think you guys are spot on with this blog being one of the best nyi info sites out there. But I also think it’s odd how everyone is jumping all over the isles and blaming the possible discontinuation on dey and horrible marketing. CB said himself that the isles did offer to support the blog still. If what they offered wasn’t good enough for cb, well..Then we should be looking to him. It’s foolish to be so rash and throw all blame to isles. There is such a thing as a happy medium. Cb could still continue to blog- though maybe not to the extreme he is now.
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I think I’m in denial because I keep checking this site hoping that some new story will be up and this will have been a joke… Still wrong though
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I think readers reaching out to the team and letting them how they feel could be successful in reversing the decision if the readers come out in full force.
I hope something happens to save this blog!
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Just got a responce from Islanders. Not much but something…
Thanks for the email, voicing your passion and continued support of the team. We appreciate your thoughts and will be sure to pass them on to Chris Dey.
Thanks again,
Kerry Cornils
New York Islanders -
West Coast Isles Fan says:
I reached out to the Islanders and chris dey with an email.
Hope this blog gets picked up by NYI with CB on board as the exclusive “independent writer” for the NYI
I have faith this will happen
On a side note..this is post 666
Which means 2 things
a) Time to crack some “number of the beast”
b) Miro Satan to sign with Islanders any minute now [e5]
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BrianAlbany says:
I just sent my email to Chris Dey, everyone please do the same! It probably won’t do anything but it is worth a shot…please everyone email him even if it is just a few kind words about Mr. Botta and what we have got from this site and what we will be missing…
chris.dey@newyorkislanders.com
CB,
Thank you so much for everything you have done for me, for us, with this site. I can not express how upset I was to see this post and realize this may be the end. As many readers expressed on here earlier, this was my “cup of coffee” each day, my lunch break, and my nightly reading…heck, I would even read from my phone when I could. In a time where many of us devoted Islanders fans needed something to rally behind you captivated our minds and quickly our hearts. While I did not post as often as I would have liked, IPB was my second most visited site after ESPN. If there is anything we can do to support you with this or your future endeavors I will be one of the first on board. I am still not giving up hope on PB but if this truly is the end I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide to do and would like to thank you sincerely for entertaining and inspiring the last 10 months. You were a shining light during a dark season. Thank you once again!
Best Wishes,
Brian Mather
Albany, NY -
steve in tampa says:
CB, Sad to hear the news, but best of luck. If you are unable to continue full-time, I hope you will continue to blog part-time, maybe on BD’s site..
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ive checked the blog like 20 times today hoping that something good happened and the blog is back up and running…..depressing
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nooooooooo!!!! I have visited this blog (no joke) about 20-30 times a day since you started man. you have made the whole experience of being an Islander fan a better one. where else am I going to get any of this news ? certainly not from the official site. my fanaticism has reached ridiculous heights because I have more access to information about my love, the islanders. I just got Billy Smith’s goalie mask tattooed on my forearm in the parking lot of nassau coliseum last week. your site makes me feel like I’m part of something bigger. islanderspointblank.com gives me all the information I would not get anywhere else that I am craving. it has kept me a fan of the team I have loved for so long, even though things hit rock bottom. I really hope something works out for you Chris, and if nothing else… thank you from the bottom of my heart for keeping this thing going as long as you have. you are a great man. Go Isles !!!!!!!!!!
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Al S. says:
Pay to read about what’s going on with the team, oh sure where do I sign. Just plain stupid, they finally have some momentum on their side getting people interested in the team again and they go and do this. The level of coverage Chris provides is outstanding, you’ll get nowhere near the exposure and attention to the team in any of the local papers combined. DUMB, DUMB, DUMB…D(uh)ey must be an espn insider….
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http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/rick_reilly/news/2002/12/24/life_of_reilly/
I know it was just posted, but really, really worth another read (or a first read). A window into who we are talking about here. This blog is a good thing…and it goes beyond hockey reporting. We need to figure out how to keep it alive.
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******************************************************************************************************************************
We are starting out strong, CB knows of the petition and didn’t call me crazy, so lets make it happen!!!!!!! -
We don’t know the nature of the Isles’ “generous offer” to CB. It may not have been monetary, but one of Islander player/team exec access and joint marketing between CB and the Isles. CB said they suggested that he run the blog as a stand-alone business, which suggests no direct financial support.
CB is irreplaceable as an Islander reporter. Hope he finds a way to continue to cover the team.
Charlie Wang should realize how powerful NYI PB could become, especially when the team turns around.
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DLR says:
blogs are a good read. but, if its team sponsored, there is am aura that impartiality is impossible. Also, the “holding for moderation” technique for critics of blog entries is rather pretentious. Thus, one couldd argue a blog totally free of Islander Mngmnt might be better. Although, even a non-mngmnt blog operator may censor dissention. Perhaps a Russian blog would fit? Thanks for the efforts.
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K-larks says:
Agreed. Heartbreaking. Another vote for CB. Can’t believe the Isles are shutting this down… total lunacy.
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Steve K. says:
This is an absolute mistake and disgrace. I am on this site, 5-10 times per day reading about the Islanders in the middle of the summer. If they dont keep this going, and let CB go, it will be a monumental mistake. If anyone from the Islanders reads this, know for sure that this is the best advertisement money can buy, and without Point Blank your not going to be reaching your “real fans”. Take out all the ads in Newsday you want, but your real fans that spend money come here and become excited about your product from this website.
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Railbait says:
Let me add my voice to the crowd. I think it is the wrong decision to let point blank go. I hope the Islanders see fit to support you CB. I’ve enjoyed this site and your coverage of my favorite team. The is absolutely no other site that even comes close to providing the kind of coverage you have. I will miss that.
Best of luck and great success wherever you end up.
Thanks!
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Thank you CB for all you have done. You have taken perhaps the worst year in franchise history and made people proud to be Islander fans. This site has kept many loyal fans from pushing hockey to the back burner when the all star break came around. You did a great job and all the fans thank you. Best of luck…
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although i have mentioned before i understand the mutual decision…you left a few cliffhangers…where in the world am i supposed to go to find out if matt martin signed???
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SIGN UP NOW, Up for only a few minutes and a bunch have signed the petition!
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Pete DeBenedetto says:
Shame on the New York Islanders for cutting the cord on this site. Especially when PointBlank did so much to help promote the Lighthouse.
Get this done DEY…..get it done. -
Having read most of the posts all day. an idea comes to mind. CB I agree the idea of a subscriber base is not a good business model for all the reasons you have stated plus the input from many others. However if the Islander organization feels it must get some outside revenue source to help pay its compensation to you, here is another suggestion you could use as a negotiation chip if you agree that it has some merit.-Let the Isles market any stuff [ cloths; ticket plans; special events; road games; Bridgeport games ;dinners with the team etc] to visitors to the blog for a yearly fee of say #20. Yes there would be some commercialism involved but it would not have to interfere with the the independence of you blog. You could argue that they could do that now on Islandermania but the fan base is smaller and any sharp marketing professional will tell the Isles Organization that the PB fan base is much more commited. Maybe I’m naive but perhaps there is a kernel of an idea here. On rereading I left out an important point- the $20 fee would be for a substantial discount on the services offered.
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mike says:
i cant believe this site is going to shut down where else would i get correct info of the isles and LHP,? tweeter no way..
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Bob says:
As Islander fans Chris, we’re used to disappointments especially when we think things are going well. This is no different. We’re all going to miss reading the blog as much as you’ll miss writing it. But we’ll all get over it and move on. We’re Islander fans, that’s what we do. I wish I had some good advice for you, but I don’t. Thanks for your great work and insight. Good luck!
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Austin H says:
CB, Thanks for the blog, I am a better Islander fan because of what you have brought to this forum. I hope there is some way to keep this up and running, but if not I have really enjoyed it.
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Mike 8 says:
very curious decision by the Islanders. Don’t they want passionate discussion about the team? This blog was top notch and a great idea (and this is from someone who was banned, haha).
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so…when’s the next post about the islanders offseason coming? i’m an addict and i need my fix!
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Shoe says:
Hey CB,\
Not sure if you are still reading the thread, but wanted to add my voice of thanks. It is obvious the passion you have for this. It brings to mind the old saying of, always do what you love and love what you do. So hard to find that. You have. Keep working at it.Maybe the answer is just to charge a very small monthly fee that entitles members to admission to some of those parties you ran this year…maybe some Q&A sessions, maybe something monthly where members get to question you or, some months, islander players or alumni? This way, you could keep your content public, maybe a little bell or whistle that would be exclusive to members, but still offer a little extra for those willing to pay…i would think for 3-5 bucks a months, several thousand would probably be willing to pay…
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Folks I love this site, I love CB’s work, but in all honesty, a subscription based service model does not work. Newspapers can’t figure out a way to do it , let alone our site here.
I love the site, I post a lot, but as an example, I would not fork over $60 a year. It’s harsh to type but I am being truthful.
The Isles are lucky to get 8,000 fans to show up on a midweek night for a real game, I doubt our community is strong enough to fund this type of model.
I don’t like to tell people or business’ how to spend their money,but our best chance is to tell the Isles this forum is more important then the mascots, dancers, music, promotions, etc.
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Ok, Chris…now I truly know how far your blog reached…I got Rangers fans telling me they regularly checked PB and absolutely LOVE your analysis. They are disgusted to see you go. Rangers fans! One of them is actually one of those Blueskirt fans that openly hates anything to do with the Isles. Yet, even if you focused on the Isles…he admitted that he checked PB out daily. You’ve reached SOOO many people.
And I’m going to admit to you right now, this actually kinda gives me the same feeling I had when Maloney traded my idol…Pierre. Well, I’ll admit, back then I was 14 years old and I know I sobbed like a girl. This time was different. Chris, we were able to connect with you on a daily basis with your insight. YOU have kept Islanders’ hockey on our brains for the past 10 months. Something a fancy press release on NYI.com could never give us. It really is a shame.
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NickeyNice says:
very sad to read this post; this has been a go-to site for me since it started. CB thanks for your great work and best of luck, especially if you can find a way to make this work-out somehow
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Domincd1 says:
CB…I don’t post much here but I click on this site everysingle day at least 20 times a day. Love to read your blogs and the comments by my fellow Islander fans. This site is New York Islanders! This is a terrible terrible move by the organization. All of us that frequent this blog as recognized by the 687 posts above me simply feel the same way. This website keeps Islander Hockey in the forefront of all of us Fans in anticipation of every upcoming season! Cmon guys don’t be stupid here…stop taking away the things that are imortant to your fan base!! LEAVE BOTTA and get rid of NEWSDAY!
CB, I am sure its been suggested but this site sees tons of traffic why don’t the ISLES sell advertising space here to the local businesses to help finance this endeavor?
Or how about they fire half or all of the silly ice girls and get rid of the stuffed dragon!
U da best CB!!!!! -
BPC says:
CB,
I can’t possibly read back through all these comments, so I’ll probably repeat a lot of what’s already been said. But I just wanted to thank you for all the hard work. This has come to be my favorite and most visited website; nowhere else does any team get the insightful and informative coverage than the Islanders do here at IPB. In my eyes the organization has made a huge mistake ending the site. I hope they rethink their decision, and if not, I’m sure you will go on to bigger things and make them regret ending this blog.I’ll email Dey and customer service and ask them to rethink their offer, and I’ll join whatever efforts there are to keep the site alive. but above all I just want to say thank you for all the great articles and for keeping last season interesting.
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cb we will all miss your insite ……….class act
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Mike says:
I’ve never posted before, but I’ve read avidly over the last 10 months. The Isles don’t get much news coverage, and to lose arguably the best coverage we get is heartbreaking. If the blog does go, best of luck to you and thanks for sharing your passion for this team with us this past year.
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******* Im going away for the weekend, im being selfish here and say i hope this site is still here when i get back lol!!
Like already stated there are a TON of smart business wise people on this site and Islander fans in general. some ‘outside the box’ thinking and cooperation with the Islanders mgt we can continue this site going strong (Provided CB wants to still do it, thats a important part of the equation)
_ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _With some smart moves and ideas this can be a WIN-WIN for everyone! (CB, Fans, Isles, Advertisers, etc) To shut it down right now makes no sense.. Camp is a month away and i have NOT been this excited in well over 10 years… Keep contacting the Isles and perhaps a gesture of buying some games or small nominal fee$ and advertising can make it work….. I dont want to ramble im just dissapointed and hope something can work out! With the lighthouse on the horizon this site is MEGA important to the fan base…
… the outpouring of support and emotion shows how much the paying $$ Isle fanbase REALLY REALLY wants this site.. Cmon lets make it work somehow peeps…..
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You know, thinking it over, it’s like the Islanders got together and realized they needed to save money. I get that. It’s a tough economic climate. They also need to keep the casual fan going to games and supporting the 4 bilion dollar Lighthouse.
The casual fan does not care about radio coverage, the casual fan does not go online to discuss Tavares in July, the casual fan has no idea who Chris Botta is, the casual fan does not care if we sign an enforcer.
The casual fan does care, and will complain, if the T shirt cannon does not reach the 300′s, if Sparky signs autographs, if the Ice Girls wave to their little girl, if the blimp has coupons
Its like they got together, and decided, if the hard core fan sat through the parade of owners, the 20 + years of losing, Milbury, playoffs on Metro, a goalie GM, we won;t revolt over a blog.
They are likely right, but shame on them.
LETS PROVE THEM WRONG!
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Mike from Oceanside says:
Someone -ANYONE- please tell me that it is April 1st, for a poor attempt at an April Fools joke.
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Quietman says:
This site has kept me thinking Hockey all year round. Everybody is talking Mets or Yankees. I’m talkin Isles. What a loss!!
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hockeygoon15 says:
Don’t really know what to say. Best of luck to you, CB. You run a top notch blog here and I hope it can live on.
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Matt, LA says:
On-ice personnel decision can be argued and disputed.
But, off-the-ice there should be no dispute. Especially if a team is “rebuilding”, a team owes their community and their fans the best that they can provide with regards to accomodations, community service and dialogue.
Sports owners must realize that their teams represent a community and should be a source of civic pride.
ESPECIALLY when a team is a struggling one on the ice, seemingly small organizational decisions like this is what prevents the community of fans from feeling good about the team, the organization and its future.
Despite, Mr. Botta’s attempt at kindness towards the organization — I can’t help but feel the team’s failure to renew was a sign of indifference toward the fans and community of diehard Islander fans who truly want the best for the organizaiton.
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Lets keep the pressure on, the front office must be hearing us
The thread in the Ask an Islander rep a question on islander Mania on this subject was quickly locked up, although the important question about bottled soda at Sound tigers games is still ongoing.
Once Nick gets an answer to the soda question, I will breathe easier
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MilburyRuinedMyLife says:
Someone with the Isles has to wake up and realize this makes absolutely no sense. This blog cannot be allowed to go away; the fact that this is happening is mindboggling.
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Jeff says:
I’ve learned so much from this blog, it’s very sad that we’ll no longer get the quality information anymore. i almost don’t even need internet now.
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Chris Mc says:
677- Im seriously crying right now. Its hard to imagine anyone loving the Islanders or hockey more than myself but after reading that article, well CB, you are above and beyond, the best thing that has happened to Islander fans in a long time.
Its true, IPB has been a god sent for Islander fans. It connected wanting fans with mroe information than the joke of a newspapers actually give us. We connected with CB, not like we could Greg Logan or anyone else who “covered” the Isles. Personally I understand why you need to move on, but that doesnt mean I cant be selfish and wish that a week, a month, or even in 2010 I can come to this site and see a fresh post about my beloved Islanders.
For almost a year now Chris Botta has been a name that has almost become family. My dad and myself talk about him daily, like we actually got the information he wrote about first hand in a phone call. And while Im willing to do whatever it takes to keep IPB going, knwo that I understand being a family man, if it doesnt make sense, then CB, I accept your decision to move on. But know you’ll be missed. And know just how many lives youve touched, and how many Islander fans youve kept close to their team. I wish you good luck in everything you tackle in the future, and thank you for your dedication over the past 10 months.
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We are all devasted and I don’t know what to do with myself right now, but please continue to send emails to customerservice@newyorkislanders.com.
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TEAM POINT BLANK: THIS PETITION HAS BEEN UP FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AND WE ALREADY HAVE 50+ SIGNED UP, LETS KEEP IT GOING, IF YOUR READ THIS AND HAVE A BLOG PLEASE LINK TO IT ASAP AND KEEP THIS GREAT SITE GOING!!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SIGN UP NOW, Up for only a few minutes and a bunch have signed the petition! -
CB,
You made a tough season enjoyable. In a town where the Isles get no publicity, you were what us die-hard Isles fans craved. Good luck!
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Anthony O. says:
Chris, I will do everything I can to help keep this blog alive. It is my home page, and I check it constantly throughout the day. Your professionalism, writing style, and humor are unparalleled. I hope everything works out for you no matter what happens to the site, but I beg of the Islanders to help you out here.
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Ari from Long Island says:
Chris, PLEASE don’t leave us! We need Point Blank like we need to breathe. Without it, I will feel as if a part of me has now died. I can’t imagine life without it, at all. You were our scoop into the islanders, trades, rumors, news, personal stories, old tales, interesting interviews, lengthy details, funny comments, and in general, a source of information that is like no other. I really hope you don’t go, because without the blog, there is nowhere for Islanders fans to go, no matter how many alternatives; they are not the same. Please do your best to keep it alive. We all appreciate what you have done and always will remember it! Thanks!
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neologizer says:
thanks for the blog
for the past 15 years I been averaging attending 1 Islander game a year.
This year Tavares got me interested, I found your blog: got real interested and have been working on getting a ticket package this season.
I would honestly say your blog has been the straw that tipped that camel. The Isles probably will get alot more money from me in the near future and your blog had a big part in that
I will really miss it
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TIM (633): I think thats probably close, its that they wanted this to be CB’s business and for them to contribute far less substantially. Its not just that its cheap, there is no proven way for something like that to work, at least not yet. But in time things like that will be figured out, and the Islanders HAVE to be smart enough to see that a site that garners the interest not only of all Islanders fans but of just hockey fans literally all over the world is something you should hold on to until those kinds fo thigns ARE figured out. You dont just throw something like this away! ITs money on the bank, eventually, if they are smart enough to hold on to it until they figure it out.
joeybagodonuts (685): You keep talking about this mutual decision, but how mutual is it, really? CB does not have a choice regarding whether things continue just as they are, that choice belongs to the Islanders. If he did have a choice, he would continue with this blog. That is why so many of us are saying to write to the Islanders to let them know how we feel about this.
Islesfan72 (713): An e-mail to customer service is good, but I think that an e-mail to Chris Dey is even better- since ultimately this is his decision to make. I would think that the best of e-mails sent to customer service would be forwarded to Chris, anyway- so it is probably better to be as direct as possible. Thats why I said earlier that I think we need to contact Chris Dey directly about this issue. This was his idea in the first place, so he is the one that can give it the green light to continue- or take it away from us. His direct e-mail is:
chris.dey@newyorkislanders.comWe need to respectfully let them know how important this is to us… and we need to do this the sooner, the better. Those of you who buy tickets to Isles games, are a STHs, anything like that, you should tell them in your e-mail. They really care about such things and they really do matter. I think that if this site is what made you start really caring about whats going on with this team again, they need to know that, as well… the Islanders have been looking for people like you, and they will not want to lose you again.
I personally cannot believe that the Islanders would not happily continue this blog as-is just for the sake of all the positive publicity the team garners from it. I cannot believe that would not be seen as a vital asset. We need to work together to help the Islanders see the light here. They need to realize how important this blog really is.
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Jonesing for a blog Chirs! Help! So much for good coverage on 8/4. They really are blowing it this time!
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hours have passed and im still poed
especially that same crap they cut and paste to each email
Thanks for the email, voicing your passion and continued support of the team. We appreciate your thoughts and will be sure to pass them on to Chris Dey.
Thanks again,
Kerry Cornils
New York IslandersFrom: Doug
Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 2:46 PM
To: “Cornils, Kerry”
Subject: islander fanto whom it may concern
i would rather take the cash i spend going to about 5-8 games a year (600-1000) and give it to chris botta for his blog islespointblank
I might be only 1 fan but you can count me as of now watching your games from the comfort of my home.
Do us all a favor and instead of taking one foot forward (tavares) then two steps back (isles radio, CB) try to do the FANS right 24/7.
I sincerely hope you rethink your stance on his blog. He certainly does more pr for your team then you assume.
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sent my e-mails earlier..both to customer service and chris dey. got some robotic response. i’ve officially cancelled my plans with my mother to purchase a flex 20 plan, and the decision to use one or two islanders games as a group outing for my business.
this team is simply not worth my money, if we’re not worth theirs.
my support is a different story…being a lifetime fan is hard to change, but luckily i’ve become more and more fond of Ovechkin.
this organization needs to turn things around already and stop being a disgrace. recognize perhaps the most undeniable asset to your fan base and take care of us properly.
Give CB what he needs, give him more than he needs…I feel as if we’ll have no answers or possibly some subpar replacement on here. Or actually I’d like to see CB with a new and more beneficial career path, wherever it may be. Until then I hope people keep sending the e-mails, making the phone calls, and banding together on this.
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Kevin says:
If the fear is the microscoped coverage, that the organization would be easier to run without a guy like Botta churning all this info we would otherwise not hear about, I can promise you one thing. Islanders fans are unbelievably loyal, and all this info does is bring us closer to the team, whether it’s critical or not. This is a terrible business decision by the NYI, and one that has already made me drop my interest in the split-season ticket plan with my son.
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bazman13 says:
My first post and probably my last.
I have checked this page everyday for the last 10 months, sometimes twice a day. Sometimes 5 times a day.
Being a small town market, it is hard to find any news on the Islanders and this blog has made it possible to keep up with my favorite team everyday. Even during off season.
Its unfortunate that the media outlets around here concentrate on Baseball too much. Seeing a site like point blank makes me pround to be an Islander fan. And I don’t even have to read about which players ate what and are dating who. This blog is about hockey in its purist form.
I’ve followed the team since early 90′s. I’ve never known the success of the glory days. I am used to disappointment. But there is finally something exciting coming to team. This blog proves it.
I have never voiced my opinions about the team before. I’ve just taken the lumps. And over the last 20 years there has been a lot of hard lumps.
But I truly believe that the Islanders are making a huge mistake if they let this blog die. There is nobody else with the passion (and the leads) to keep this blog exciting everyday and inspire hope to a very loyal fanbase.
Chris, Thank you for everything that you have done over the past 10 months. Your insight and coverage has been impecable.
I hope the Islanders read all the posts above and rethink their media relation because without this blog, there are no media relations.
-joe from Wantagh
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keep emailing/calling isles! I heard they were overwhelmed yesterday!
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Bob says:
Hey Chris
Have you thought about pitching the pointblank idea, which seems extremely popular, to the NHL. I wonder if the NHL would set something up with not just an Islanders blog, but one for all 30 teams.
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I’ve been spam blocked from Chris Dey’s E-mail.
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Dave says:
I agree that this would be a good place to get the Islanders Business Club involved. They could sponsor the site in return for some ads? Maybe the Islanders could match the money received from the sponsors. In a way this site would also be advertising for the business club, which appears to be something the Islanders do care about.
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Greg says:
I left a message for them yesterday and will do again today. The sad fact is I am still checking the site at least twice a day in hopes that this isnt really happening.
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Randy Wood's Porche says:
We need to make our voices heard by hitting Isles ownership/management where it hurts…in the pocketbook. Those of us who recently bought season tickets or ticket packages must cancel our orders. We can complain until we’re blue in the face. Once ownership sees money leaving the franchise, they will act. Until then, they won’t budge because they care about money more than fans’ feelings.
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islanderbill says:
Hope Botta’s blog continues I find it an [i]excellent[/i] source of my Islanders information. Newsday does very little for them and of course they are rarely covered on the mainstream news (even the picking of Tavares was a footnote on SNY”s sportsnite). I believe this blog is neccessary.
If this is indeed the end, best to you and your family and thanks for the coverage.
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Once again us Islander fans become the battered wife of the NHL.
No matter how many times we say “I LOVE YOU”, No matter how many times we support them, the organization just keeps beating us down.
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GilliesKO says:
Damn this is a bummer. I totally agree with Chris in his thinking that an ad-sponsored, early- stage blog is incredibly hard to have as your main source of income. Subscriptions are also a bad idea for this. Time to brainstorm to figure out how to keep a great thing going…
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Ann Aquarian says:
I hope you find a way to keep it going.
Good luck.
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Why can’t Ilsanders make this blog it’s own property and charge a reasonable fee for access and subsidize the rest? This will eliminate headches for CB, keep the blog running and make lots of us happy. If this won’t work out readers will be ones to blame for poor support, no kin off the Isles nose.
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mike says:
CB: You have done some tremendous work and there is no doubt that the Islanders have made a very poor decision in terminating their support. That being said, I believe that you have made quite a selfish decision by dropping this news 5 days before the Lighthouse Rally and the Town of Hempstead Meeting. For months, you have been telling us that this is the one meeting to attend, that it is the critical meeting for the future of this franchise on Long Island. Now, four days before this “life or death” meeting, you have selfishly sparked petitions, letter writing campaigns and facebook pages, and you have gathered 700+ blog comments on the fact that the Islanders made a poor business decision in dropping support of your site. Unless you have been stringing us along for the past few months, you have got to agree that the only focus of any true Islander fan right now should be rallying support for the Lighthouse Project, and drumming up favorable voices for the meeting on Tuesday. As much as we all love your blog, your blog is only so successful because we love the Islanders more. I realize that you are not being paid anymore, but I believe you owe a “free” post to your site, asking your mass of followers to put off the issue of PB for a few days. You have caused an avalanche of Islanders fans to lose direction and focus at this most critical time, and I believe that you now owe it to us all to help refocus the masses to what is most important…the Lighthouse Project. I will join the facebook pages and petitions supporting you next Wednesday, but right now, my free time and internet commentary is directed only towards approval of the Lighthouse.
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Well if you are out, can I buy it? I am an internet marketing professional and believe it or not, 400,000 visitors per month is a GOLDMINE! If you are selling, shoot me an email and we can talk. I will keep you on and pay you if I was able to buy for a reasonable fee.
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tim says:
Being a former PR professional and new media rep not to mention avid Islander Fan, I would help write articles for you!
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If this truly is the end of PB, I strongly beleive that the least the Islanders should do for CB is put him in the Islanders Hall of fame.
His passion, dedication and first class persona is what we expect from the men who wear the orange and blue on the ice.
Chris is a type of individual that every corporation needs to be successful.
NYI, you have just lost someone who in about a year, you will discover that you require to remain successful for the future.
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Jimmy on Jul 30th, 2009 18:10:03 said:
Everyone should read this story to further show how great of a man Chris Botta is. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/rick_reilly/news/2002/12/24/life_of_reilly/wow. thanks for recalling this JIMMY! i remember when this happened and reading this piece at the time. it’s a great piece and i got choked just now upon reading it again,just as i did back then. as an avid ‘fan’ listener i knew who miriam was. but back then i didn’t know who CB was. in hindsight, i’m not at all surprised it was he who set the whole thing up.
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Here’s another idea, go work for MSG if the Isles really are stupid enough to let you go. MSG keeps people like Stan Fischler on board who blog every week, and they cover all 3 metro area teams. If I were them, I’d jump on the opportunity to scoop up such an already proven success like PointBlank!
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CB do you really get 400,000 unique visitors a month? That is huge.
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already up to 270 members on the facebook group CB….do we know how many have signed the petition?
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come on people keep those thoughts comin and sign the petition
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************************************************************************************
TEAM POINT BLANK: THIS PETITION HAS BEEN UP FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AND WE ALREADY HAVE 50+ SIGNED UP, LETS KEEP IT GOING, IF YOUR READ THIS AND HAVE A BLOG PLEASE LINK TO IT ASAP AND KEEP THIS GREAT SITE GOING!!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SIGN UP NOW, Up for only a few hours and we have THREE HUNDRED+ signed already! -
isles6 says:
Mr.Best, whom I enjoy says keep reading Newsday for Isles coverage, well one of the reasons this blog hit home with so many is because the Long Island paper has been short shrifting the Isles fan for years.
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NYICHAMP39 says:
I dont think Ive gone one day in the past ten months without reading your blog CB. Amidst all the crap that this team has put its fans through the past two decades you have made it fun and interesting to be an Islanders fan again. Thank you for all of your hard work. I wish you the best.
-Brian
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Mike #738 – Don’t blame Chris, blame the Isles for the timing. The organization had to know that this would cause a backlash. The organization was very short sighted on this. Why is this selfish on his part. As of yesterday, he is unemployed. If you get let go from your job, do you wait to tell your co-workers because a staff party is scheduled next week and you would be scared that they wouldn’t enjoy themselves. The fault lies on the Isles…..period
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Pete M says:
333 signatures on the petition as of 11:38 AM today
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with regard to the petition
id send money but until i know its for CB my dough staying next to my a@@ in my wallet in my bac k pocket
i will continue to hound the isles email with comments till i get a specific comment instead of bs..
btw
those who dont email them im emailing each comment seperately TO THEM -
Chris,
Outstanding job with IPB. I’ve sent my email into Customer Service and recieved the same standard answer as everyone else.
You have been a great help to us in the blogging community and for that we thank you.
I truly hope the Islander see the light and can work something out to keep IPB alive and kicking.
Thanks for the outstanding coverage, the great stories and keeping us die hards “in the loop”
Tony Stabile
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http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=110147843574&ref=mf
340+ members so far in the Facebook Group!!!! The group is less than 24 hours young!!!!!
Please everyone join and show their support!!!!!
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Big Dog #752
The petition is not asking for money, it is asking the Islanders to FULLY sponsor the blog, keeping it free for us, and keeping Chris PAID. Please read it in full before you comment.
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BC says:
Chris,
I would like to thank you for all of the hard work that you have done over the past season at Islanders Point Blank. Simply the amount of time you put into each post each day throughout the season is something to be admired.
I think it was especially important to have an outlet such as Islanders Point Blank this season. In a season where the games meant little, Islanders Point Blank helped every Islander fan, myself included, see the season as not so grim, and helped us all look into the future.
Next season, I will be starting college in Boston, where viewing of the Islanders will likely be very little. However I hoped that I would be able to keep in contact with the team through Point Blank.
If Point Blank is able to stay alive, I hope to read Point Blank to keep in contact with the team closest to my heart, and if not, Chris, thank you for all the you have done and best of luck to whatever you decide to do next.
-Bryan Caronia
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Mezz21 says:
As an Islander fan living in WV, I just wanted to say thank you for everything. I truly enjoyed reading Point Blank and I will miss all the insight that you have provided on all topics concerning the Islanders and hockey in general. Thank you, again.
Mike -
Spinner9 says:
Earlier this monrning I sent an email to Chris Dey. Here it is:
Mr. Dey:
First, I’d like to thank you and the Islanders for hosting the Islanders Point Blank for the past year. Visiting this blog daily (multiple times daily) has thoroughly enhanced my experience as an Islander fan. I have been a fan since the team’s inception. I remember going to my first professional hockey game that year while in seventh grade and I actually got to witness one of their twelve wins that season. I am saddened by the prospect of the discontinuation of Point Blank. Even though the team has struggled to put a winning product on the ice recently I was able to witness, and join in on, the passion that still exists for this team and this franchise. Chris Botta’s writing and reporting was always excellent and thought-provoking. Fans of the site really connected to his style and his personality. Most important, this site allowed for a deeper level of commitment and support of the Islanders. I think it’s fair to say much of the populaces support and understanding of the
Lighthouse project was nurtured and galvanized by Mr. Botta’s blog and the on-going conversations of the folks posting on the site. Point Blank has become a place to vent, praise, suffer and exault. In other words, a place to grow life-long Islander supporters. Point Blank is the first thing I check in the morning when I turn on my computer and the last thing I look at before retiring for the night. From a personal point of view I love the site and what I get from Mr. Botta’s, musings but more importantly I love my Islanders. This site has done more to promote this franchise than any 100 player appearances. Because the content has not been controlled by Islander brass the discussions take a deeper and more passionate tone. Fans appreciate to opportunity to share their views on the franchise they love without responses being engineered or scripted. I hope you see this site as I do, a great marketing tool for this franchise. To me the more passion that develops, the more
commitment we see from the fans and community will hopefully result in this franchise will remaining on Long Island forever.Thank you
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Helene says:
This is horrendous!!!!!!
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UNH Steve says:
I’m a little late to the party but I had to say thank you one last time for all your hard work here. As a reader from day 1 i’ve followed all of the tremendous progress this blog has achieved and am extremely grateful to have experienced it. I’ve signed the petition and joined the 445 other members of the facebook group in hopes that it will keep this blog alive. Thanks again CB
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CB, can you keep us updated on the status of Pointblank as time goes on?
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Irish Isle says:
I too would like to take this moment and thank yoy Chris for all of your hard work. I am still 1/2 expect this to be a August Fool’s Day Joke.
I discoverd your site back in April and since then I have been hooked. I come here multiple times a day, and keep hitting refresh. The coverage you provided for my beloved team was unbelievable. It truely energized me as an Islander Fan. I know I am not the only one, as when I was at the Isles Draft Party, everyone said the samething. And again at Isles Prospect Scrimmage, everyone was relating similiar reading habits as mine.
The Isles boasted of having over 10,000 fans at their draft party. Well without your efforts Mr. Botta, Tavares or not, there would not be close to the amount of people there.
Like everyone else, I would like to wish you well with your future endeavors, though I truely hope there is a chance that your requests are met, and IPB can be kept going at your high standars.Sincerely,
Chrstopher P. Hynes -
Shawn R. says:
This can’t happen. This blog needs to stay!
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Isles fan Ken says:
This is horrible, I feel like I’ve been slapped in the face. Normally I’m checking the site by 10am, but it was a busy day and I was looking forward (as usual) to catching up on some Isles news, then I see this. Say it ain’t so. Chris, thank you! Your insightful, thought-provoking reporting and writing got me excited about the team again and if PB really is gone, it will be missed. I’m sure that if this site was to go on, it would do wonders for growing the fanbase and re-engerizing the core. Would I really have this much knowledge and be supporting the Lighthouse as much as I am had it not been for PointBlank? I think this was a great asset to the organization and this decision to stop PB should be reconsidered. Thank you again Chris, its been great following this blog (multipule times a day) for the past 10 months. I hope its not the end. -Ken
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walter says:
don’t know what to say been visting this blog daily, best place to come for Islander
info, your writing and reporting have been A+, thanks for all the hard work you have put in Chris. form a die hard isle & hockey fan thank you. -
DC Isles Fan says:
Anyone else going into withdrawal? What I’ve enjoyed the most is the feeling of being connected to the club even when nothing else is going on. During the summer, CB always provided us a little nugget here and there and kept us all interested. The papers don’t do that and the Islanders own website doesn’t either. This is especially important to those of us who live well outside the Nassau County area. Add my vote to the many that hope this invaluable piece of the Islander community stays in tact.
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DennisPotvin says:
don’t go man
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Dooks94 says:
CB- You have no idea the amount of support you have helped this franchise generate. In a way I understand the reason this is happening-the truth hurts as we all know on certain matters. This blog has for the past year offered better, more concise, better written, up-to-the-minute coverage of the New York Islanders. Newsday simply CANNOT compete. The Post/Daily News offer MAYBE a small paragraph on the Islanders-in season. All they care about is the stinky Rangers. New Jersey (where I’m from) doesn’t even acknowledge the Islanders existence. Thank you CB, from the bottom of my heart. You have brought out the Islander fan in all of us, and the fanatic in me!
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DUFFY says:
This blog has been the only saving hope for Islander fans that want to get information on the Islanders. I looked at this site on a daily basis to get latest game info, trades, FA signings, etc. No other site, even the islanders.com offers as much information as you do. Thank You for all the hardwork you put into our favorite hockey team!
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NYISLES001 says:
Unbeleivable 2 days. I must say, this sort of reminds me of the mid 70′s.
I have a feeling this will be the last year for a long while that we we will have a top 5 pick.
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I always thought since the first time I saw NT:2 was pg47=1947 year of roswell. IMHO that was my first hunch when I first saw the movie. But since it’s just a hint and not set in stone they could do anything they want with the 3rd movie anyway
TULOWITSKI 
Chris 
CB – we need you. keep pointblank alive!