WANG TELLS NEWSDAY, “IT’S BOGUS”
NYI staffers telling customers project is still alive
11:15 am – The morning after, Charles Wang clears the air with Newsday. He also says, “Let’s play hockey.”
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10:45 am – Jim Baumbach of Newsday tweets the truth: “Make the mistake, the Lighthouse folks were intentionally hiding last night. I know cause I emailed/texted/called cells/homes. Why hide?”
9:45 am - As fans are calling the Islanders offices today, team reps are telling them the Lighthouse Project has not been scrapped. There are also plans for a statement to be released later today. Wonder what took so long?
108 Responses to WANG TELLS NEWSDAY, “IT’S BOGUS”
NYI staffers telling customers project is still alive
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Mick Vukota says:
CB: Thanks so much for the continuous coverage.
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eric says:
thanks chris for the coverage. no one else is coving it.
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bergie20 says:
what the hell took so long? i never believed the story but there were plenty of people that did and that had their emotions played with.
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isles316 says:
The fact it took so long really bothers me. And infact, if Isles fans weren’t upset enough to call, we still wouldn’t know.
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Evan says:
They’re simply generating interest–plain and simple. The Lighthouse had disappeared from the papers since Oct 3rd, and here it is, back again, loud and proud.
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Dominic says:
Is it me or does IPB have one set of sharp fang’s lately!!!
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CJ says:
With all due respect, who cares “what took so long?”.
Any negative publicity for the ToH and Murray is positive publicity for NYI and LDC.
Let the ToH squirm.
Wang and the Isles have options. Let them, or the media on their behalf, consider them.
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Eric N. says:
I don’t think the Islanders, Wang or the LDC should be faulted for the delay. While some of us fans may have been left uncomfortable for 6 or 7 hours, I don’t think temporary discomfort compares with losing $20 million dollars a year for 9 years plus all the costs that have gone into the project. If those in the know felt silence may benefit them in some way, even if it turns out they were wrong, Mr. Wang has earned that much. I think $200 million plus gets him that.
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Greg says:
They are trying to scare the TOH, that is all. What they arent taking into account is the fear that the Fans now have, or maybe that was part of the plan to light a fire under our asses again. But now that enough doubt has been cast into the media they will release a statement saying its not true.
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duff says:
loud and proud. hilarious.
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Jimfromstjames says:
I’m not sure what all the fuss is about, there was an unconfirmed report from a nameless source, from a free paper @ 7:30 on a weeknight.
Frankly I think Wang should have been playing this kind of hardball a few years ago, down & dirty, Thats the GOP in LI.And as for the team not responding, why respond to every report? It would be like the team responding to a report from that Rumor web site run be he who shall not be named…
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leave the professional politics, to the politicians. everybody was all cranked up after the wang/murray hug fest. where did it go? nowhere. why would anything get done until after the election?
if murray gets relected, then she can stand by her chair in TOH hall with the ” i took your best shot, and i am still here. now what ya gonna do” stance. Mr Wang will then have to decide if he wants to deal with kate murray, or pack up his team and go. the team lease dies in 2015. 6 years is a long time in politics.
Mr Wang has the benefit of money. when its too expensive, he can act. if its not too expensive, he can continue to make moves to improve his position to try to get what he wants. this appears( like our rebuild)to have a way to go.lets get a win on the ice on friday. -
Moose says:
CB…can you make up an on ice story to take our minds off of this? Something about DP perhaps that always gets everyone crazy.
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CB: I completely agree with you on Wang’s handling of this issue !!! The question I keep asking myself is “when is Wang going show the loyalty to the fans that they’ve shown to him over these last 9 years”.
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Steve says:
For the first time in my life (31 years), I am jealous of Ranger fans.
On my 16th birthday, the Rangers won their cup in ’94. I wasn’t jealous then, we had 4 in a row. For the last decade and a half, the Rags have been buying the best talent money can buy, I wasn’t jealous then. We had more character and I could always find a good seat at the Coli. I always enjoyed watching the high priced “all-stars” fall on their faces because a lack of chemistry.
I am not a fan of Sather at all…But, its hard not to be jealous now. Dubinsky and Callahan, Stall and Lundquist are all homegrown players. Who do we have? The Rangers have an NHL coach who motivates, inspires and gets the most out of his players. Who do we have? The Rangers have Gaborik (a player we passed on)….
The list could go on.I’m tired of defending this Mickey-Mouse AHL organization.
From Maloney to Snow, with all the boneheaded decisions in between (Spano, Milbury, etc…)I want to support this team. I am not and will never be a Ranger fan. Period.
I would rather have this team move to Hamilton and put a good product on the ice, than watch the current state of affairs. I have some faith in Wang, but he is often too involved in Hockey decisions and he has stopped trying to improve this team. I have little faith in Snow. He is trying to build through the draft, but isn’t doing a good enough job of it (2 goalies in spots a lot of quality forward and defensive prospects were available). He hasn’t done enough to support the rebuild. I have ZERO faith in Gordo. He is an AHL coach who throws his players under the bus to try and protect himself. He is CLUELESS.
Last night I thought to myself, if I was Gilroy, where would I sign? I’d sign with the Rangers WAY before I signed up with the Isles…And I BLEED blue and orange. That thought sucked.
I’m ready for wholesale changes here. I live in Westchester and only go to a few games a gear. Hamilton seems like a good place to watch a hockey game.
Would you guys rather see the team flounder here or succeed somewhere else?
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Bossy22 says:
There has to be something up because it doesn’t take long to write a speech that goes something like this……..Good afternoon everyone, the story that broke yesterday was completely false.
Thank you for coming
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I’m Michael Martino, the writer who broke this story for the Press.
The Long Island Press isn’t the Times. You’re right.
It is also not Newsday, which has taken a lot of cash advertising this project. Who has interests here?
Let’s be realistic. There is probably a lot of truth to this, and now there is some serious damage control to be done for everyone involved. It’s an election year, too. Too much damage can be done if this thing falls apart.
Chris is right on his points.
Meanwhile, we await some response, just like Newsday is.
Oh, and the team is still winless.
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Dan says:
Greg is correct- games are being played. Wang does want Islander fans to get fired up about this. He wants urgency to set in for Isles fans to make noise to Kate Murray. This will be a low turnout election. Anything can happen if enough people want some action by Murray & her board.
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Ferraro to Volek says:
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
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Michael–is it possible that the LI Press was used by the Lighthouse folks to generate this reaction from fans?
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Angelos says:
If the Isles move to Willets Point (which I hope they do), will they have to pay an additional territorial fee to the Rags for moving closer?
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rc says:
hey, martino – real professional taking pot shots at the teams record. makes you look like a true unbiased “reporter.”
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Ajax says:
Michael,
Thanks for pointing out that we are winless. Nobody here would know this.You are doing a hell of a job scoop!
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nickisles from Brooklyn says:
have a feeling the press release is not gunna be just a – those rumors are false – there might be a threatening tone to it!
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Crackhead Theo says:
#22
NO, they already paid their expansion fees to the Rag$ when they came into the league. it will nto have to be done again. -
Bob Bassen says:
I am not offended by what has transpired in the last 24hrs…I mean is it really THAT insulting?
I personally give more creedence to Blogs like IPB and *independent* news sources like the Long Island Press than I do to Corporate *News* sources like Newsday and yes, even the N.Y. Times! -
Tom says:
CB- you know darn well what took so long! The Communications dept. was decimated…lo & behold, “communication” suffered…and round & round we go!
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billy says:
well if this wasn’t true at all, whoever wrote that article in the long island press won’t have a career in journalism anymore.
what a circus this has become.
thanks for following up so diligently CB, i really like the bite u’ve brought to this blog since ur no longer “team sponsored”. haha
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Anthony says:
this whole thing has beoome a joke…
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Quagmire says:
Martino – there is prbably a lot of truth to what? I’ve read your post several times and I still can’t understand what you’re trying to say – is it dead or is it not? “too much damage can be done if it falls apart” – damage to whom? Can you please clarify.
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Will C. says:
I think the press conference will be about a new Rick Dipietro being a goaltender from the future to help the current Rick Dipietro not get injured so we can win a Stanley Cup in 2019, in Kansas City.
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jack says:
garth snow should check kate murray into the boards
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KM says:
As a person who has been a fan of the team since conception, if that is possible, I cannot agree with Steve more. I grew up watching the Isles. When I was a child, I stayed up late to listen to the end of the game on my radio long after my parents sent me to bed. I could see the Coliseum from my bedroom window and could hear the car horn rendition of “Lets Go Islanders” off in the distance. I have been that fan at the Isles-Ranger games who stayed until the very end even though they were loosing and the whole Coliseum was filled with dark blue jerseys and a collective “Lets Go Rangers” was being chanted by their fans. It hurts sometimes to be a fan, but I have not given up in the last 27 years and I refuse to give up now. I love this team and will always be a fan…even if they end up moving. Thank you for keeping us updated through your blog. I cannot wait to hear what this statement is going to be.
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Maydog says:
@18 Wow…You sound like a typical media scum-sucker.
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Hock says:
….or Kate and Wang put on Sumo suits and fight it out.
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MGT says:
Hey Martino, maybe no one placed ads in your paper b/c it’s a crap publication and not worth advertising in. Whether you were right or wrong, coming on here the way you did just shows that you’re unprofessional and insecure about your story.
Hope your Mom is proud of the big scoop you got…make sure she picks up a bunch of FREE copies to add to your scrapbook.
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Froggy says:
Now that it looks as though LP leaked it I think it was all a ploy to get pressure on Murray…especially in light of sequence of events yesterday…front page Newsday article (first positive one, maybe EVER), leaked story, McElroy facebook message posted with Newsday article just after leak, with an attack on Murray, followed by silence, people pay attention, some heat is being put on Charles…and then lo and behold…LP comes out with a statement saying it was BS, and now the story is back in focus with the heat turned up even more on Murray. If he comes out last night and diffuses it it becomes a non-story. I am really hoping that this is the right read.
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25yearfan says:
It remains to be seen who is telling the truth in this story; I’m not going to get crazy about it until the dust settles (probably post election).
As far as the team being winless – on their worst day, the Islanders are far more successful than the Long Island Press. I wouldn’t throw that stone — officially or otherwise — if I were at the Press.
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Oh good Michael Martino is a ranger fan!
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The Developers were hiding last night? Why hide? They have so much to be proud of! Gotta love Islander Ownership, their loyalty towards the fans is quite a thing a beauty.
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Brett says:
I just called the Lighthouse Development Group and was told that they have no comment at this time. Does not sound good. Islanders offices are saying the project is still on, but the Lighthouse says no comment. Doesn’t sound like they are on the same page here becuase they don’t know what’s going on. I’m very nervous.
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Mike R. says:
Since this team puts me through hell, I am about to rant:
-PLEASE KEEP THE THIRD JERSEY FULL TIME AND GO BACK TO THE WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE AWAY JERSEY.
-PLEASE STOP PLAYING 90′S TECHNO MUSIC AT THE GAMES SO LITTLE KIDS CAN DANCE AROUND DOINT THE COTTON EYE JOE.
-PLEASE STOP THE STUPID “TAKE OUT YOUR CELL PHONES” IT IS TERRIBLE
-PLEASE HAVE A REAL DEAL RADIO BROADCAST ON A RESPECTABLE RADIO STATION
-PLEASE DON’T LET ANYONE INTO THE ARENA WEARING A FISHERMAN JERSEY.
-PLEASE KILL SPARKY THE DRAGON.
-PLEASE DO NOT PLAY THAT “MEET ME AT THE LIGHTHOUSE” VIDEO BEFORE GAMES.
-PLEASE GO BACK TO THE OLD GOAL SONG.
-PLEASE STOP BEING A MICKEY MOUSE TEAM.
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Rick says:
This is disgusting, and shows just how much Chuckles really cares about the fans. How he could possibly think leaking that story & then ordering everyone associated with the project to remain silent & out of sight was a good idea is beyond me. Chuckles went down a notch in my book with this stunt.
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Jane says:
It’s a good thing your comment even makes sense, Martino. Great journalism skills you have- breaking a story not based on any facts. Clearly, you are also unbiased. Unbelievable.
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isle5 says:
Let me get this right. We the taxpayers of New York State underwrote the bonds (thus helping to pay for) Bailout Ballpark in Queens & Bank of America oh sorry Yankee Stadium in the Bronx & our great politicians won’t let Wang spend $3 billion of his own money on The Lighthouse. Sounds like the RINOS in Hempstead are against Capitalism & therefore must be SOCIALISTS. God Help Us All! Our so called leaders just don’t get it. But if somehow this works out in our favor they’ll be sure to want credit. Vote the bums out! TERM LIMITS! If its good enough for the President its good enough for you Kate!
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Numbers65 in Ohio says:
This too, unfortunately IS negotiating. All I know is if TOH does not want Wang to develope the ugly lot, what are their plans if the Isles move. How are they going to fill the gap left if LI loses its Pro Team- yes P.R.O. not AHL. I’m an Isles fan since childhood (Dynasty years). Living in OH I saw the Jackets SLOWLY rise, and the Isles fall to rise. It would suck to lose CBJ, as I live in a hockey vacuum other than sports my kids play. http://www.arenadistrict.com is what the Lighthouse will be to LI. An arena feels so much better surrounded by life than asphalt lot. I remember the feel of NVMC, and the Arena District and up to date VAST Nationwide Arena features many concessions and BATHROOMS, so it is VERY feasable to go to the concession and restroom and be in your seat by the time the puck drops for the next period. The adjacent multilevel garages are not bad either. Take what is rightfully yours LI. You deserve it…
LET’S GO ISLANDERS!!! -
Darnell says:
#43
Wang won’t be spending $3 billion of his own money. He hasn’t said whose money will pay for the project yet.
He hasn’t said how much the taxes will go up to pay for infrastructure associated with the project.
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Healy says:
Ajax:
When you called him “scoop” I actually giggled out loud in my office. Thanks for my coworkers giving me weird looks!
Needed a good laugh after this firestorm. I think regardless of the rumors that have and probably will be popping up in the near future, don’t get too invested until an official word is given and its carried universally in the media. The Islanders are NOT gone until they physically cease to play games in NY and for the moment, so keep cheering and keep pushing for that Lighthouse.
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Two Wangs Don't Make a Right says:
Charles Wang’s compassion for Islanders fans is truly breathtaking.
Really.
Truly.
Breathtaking.
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west coast isles fan says:
The double standard is amazing #43
Oh let steinbrenner and wilpon get bonds from us for their bandboxes
But if someone wants to use private money to develop land..oh heavens forbid it
And i was right..it was all just posturing..
If some folks dont like such games being played…too Freaking bad..time to realize that if the game has reached this point, that the LHP is in a dire situation with that rhinocerous known as murray and TOH blocking the path
I would have pulled this much much much earlier
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From Newsday this morning:
The Islanders aren’t going anywhere yet.
New York Islanders owner Charles Wang denounced a report Thursday saying he was ending efforts to build the Lighthouse Project.
“There’s no truth to the story,” Wang said in an interview Thursday morning. “It’s bogus. There are no plans to abandon the project.”
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TuxTax says:
What a successful ad campaign without spending a dime…
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Alfred says:
Could someone ask Wang where this response has been since 5:30pm yesterday?
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peter puck says:
Lets not forget that Charles Wang got to be were he is by being a very succesful business man and you do not get to be a succesful business man by being Mr nice guy.
Of course they gave that story to the Long Island Press and it sure had its intended result.
Seems to me that Ms. Murray is way out of her depth. -
Basically, LHP planted a story caused a commotion & The Developer says the say exact thing he said 2 weeks ago? “Let’s play hockey?” Yeah, let’s play hockey. You FIRST Charles B. Wang. YOU first.
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Rtwist says:
All you Wang supporters, I hope this opens your eyes a bit. I know business is business, but he seriously toyed with the emotions of the fans the last 18 hours – that’s a load a doody. Politics as usual goes both ways Charles, don’t ever paint yourself as a savior when you pull a stunt like this. This was an orchestrated event that only makes fans nervous and makes HIM look bad.
Tough to take him at his word about anything, I don’t care what he’s invested in this team, the end game is a new ARENA – not a new CITY. Get that done Charles, scale down your monolithic proposal and this will get done toot sweet.
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StevieL says:
This was all about leverage! No way TOH didn’t see the favorable poll results in Newsday yesterday. Wang just put a little heat on them, to show them he still has control. It sucks for us Islander fans but “Touche” to Wang. He definitely caught everybody’s attention!!
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JPinVA says:
the Islanders come home on Saturday to face the San Jose Sharks. They’ll most likely be 0-2-3 at that point, with an AHL coach, and an active payroll below the cap floor.
Wang has clearly given Islander fans the finger. It’s time to give it back.
JUST DON’T SHOW UP. Maybe a sub 5K crowd will turn some heads… and scare an owner into doing something about it!!!
If you bought into the season ticket plan, give up one game to make a point.
If you haven’t bought tickets yet, well… think of all the better things you can do with the money.
We (Almost all) drank the cool aid that Wang would keep this team on LI. It’s quite evident he had one thing in mind when he bought the team, and it had NOTHING TO DO WITH HOCKEY.
There has to be somebody out there that wants a hockey team in the BEST MARKET IN THE COUNTRY… and has the power to live through six more years to get the team somewhere else on the island (Kings, Queens, Nassau or Suffolk)…
But it’s time to start telling Wang to put up, or get out. -
Stumpy32 says:
What exactly did it accomplish, really? The readers on this blog were up in arms for half a day? C’mon…this “news” was covered by exactly two outlets, plus Yahoo picked it up as a one-paragraph explanation that “something might be up.” This wasn’t exactly front-page, first-article, headline stuff. Just another wasted day for Wang in trying to get this done in the face of all the crap and government slowdowns the TOH can muster.
And we all know, more than ever, that Murray is just going to do whatever is necessary to wait it out, get re-elected, and then fire out a missive destroying any chance the LH has the day after the election.
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Hey #48 infrastructure is the smallest part of the bill. Wang is all ready set how he is going to fund this privately & is on record with this promise. #48 do know how many million make $3 billion? Forget that I’ll make it easier for you. How many million in a billion? Answer 1000 million , multiplied by 3 = $3 billion. There isn’t government entity in New York State in the middle of this recession that will pay for anything other than infrastructure the cheapest part of the equation. Therefore Wang is on his own when it comes to $3 billion.
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Hey Martino, Maybe you should check your sources before writing BS and causing a panic.
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JPinVA – you clearly are lost. First of all, no one, NO ONE, is keeping the team on LI after Wang. Do you want to buy it? Let’s say you had $500M to burn, and wanted to use some of it to buy a hockey team (you’ll need a lot more than the price of the franchise, because you need to expect to lose money hand-over-fist). Anyway…you either play in a dump of an arena without any earning capacity beyond what SMG siphons off, or you get a new “refurbished” arena with the same deal, or similar terms. Ok, fine. After losing $25M/year over the next 30 years (you’ll need to sign a longterm lease, you know), then what?
I’m just curious. And you’re real bright with your idea of not showing up. Sure, I think the best way to show the TOH that people go to games and care about the team is by not going to the games and outwardly not caring. Good call. Also, for the 245th time, Wang is a businessman. So is Steinbrenner. So is Wilpon. So is Mara/Tisch. So is Woody Johnson. So is Dolan. Etc. Etc. Etc. Few people run teams because they love running teams. They run it because they can turn a profit, just like any business. Wang does care about the franchise, but in the sense that it is a means to an end. And you know what? For all the crap he’s taken, its fine. I respect the guy immensely for staying around, losing tons of cash, and saying how much he loves Long Island at every turn. He doesn’t have to do any of this. But he does. For all the talk about the lease going until 2015, c’mon. Are you kidding? Find a new city, we’ll be out by the start of the 10-11 season. I’m sure there’s no buyout, right?
Just remember the issues here. Drawing 5,000 for a Sat game against a top team will do nothing but show the world that Isles fans don’t give a crap. Even if its not true, its what people will say. And if you think Wang is going to be followed by a “better” owner under the same terms, find me some of that Kool-aid you’re drinking.
LETS GO ISLANDERS
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Scott W says:
JPinVA:
That is ridiculous. You say in one sentence we should not show up to the game and in another sentence you say there must be an owner that wants to buy this team. I would think an owner would be pretty turned off by a complete fan no show. Think it may effect the team too? No thought in that comment. Terrible idea!!! -
Staten Islander says:
Mike R #43, Thank you, you stole my rant. And I believe Butt…..errrrr BETman will be on XM today. just saying
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Eric says:
#59 I am not a season ticket holder and depending how the team is doing I go to about 10-26 games a season. I went to 10 last season, 13, the year before, and 26 games in 06-07 when we made the playoffs. Yes winning does get me to more games, just like most people. However, this is the time to support the team and not get all riled up and not show up. Its not like Wang is making a lot of money off tickets anyway. What point would you really be proving, that the Islanders can get even less people at there games? This is saturday night against a premier nhl team, you have to try and fill the building. This makes me want to go to the game even more! You have it totally backwards. The team makes what 1/3 off tickets? What point would you really be proving? Just stop making Islanders fans look bad with your comments.
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Here’s my take on this whole Fiasco:
Noone responded yesterday because, maybe know one knew what to say. CB mentioned that Wang’s Plainview/Oyster Bay project was scrapped at a school. CB didn’t know it was going to happen, right. The LH Officials like Lancey probably didn’t want to say anything because they just didn’t know what Wang was thinking, maybe he finally did just say “F it, I’m done.” No one wanted to take the ball and deny the story because they just didn’t know. We’re then left wondering. The fact that Wang came out this morning and addressed it is good enough for me. Let’s here if there is anything else, but, to me, it’s almost like when the one that will not be named said that Yashin is coming back. No one in the Org wanted to address the horse***t coming out of Dwayne’s mouth until CB set the record straight. To me, Martino’s story came from the Eklund Rumor Generator. End of Story.
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Could have refuted it yesterday. Chose not to.
Wanted it to simmer, fester and propagate through the masses, as were his intentions all along for having it leaked to THAT newspaper. The games continue and more fans are getting fed up. We have great fans, despite disagreeing on this LH propaganda, we have great fans. look around at this blog and message boards. The passion with which many of us have been expressing ourselves since this fiasco started is too big to overlook. It will work out in some form and eventually we’ll get back to hockey without these distractions that eat away at our sanity. -
nhlfan says:
It is amazing how many fans and CB think that they are owed an explanation. If Wang needs to play these games to get the LH approved then so be it. The rest of us can just think about hockey. Does it matter last night that you didn’t know whether it was true or not now that Wang has put out his statement. We all know this is a land grab by Wang and hockey comes second. That is the way it is. There is no one else right now that will buy this team and kepp it here. Wang is far from a saint but he is all we got for now.
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Lawrence says:
#63
“First of all, no one, NO ONE, is keeping the team on LI after Wang”
No one was moving the team anywhere, whether Wang came along or not. The lease says the team remains on LI until 2015.
That’s it. Stop making Wang out to be a savior, he is looking to take the largest, undeveloped piece of land in Nassau County from the residents for $1.
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Tony F. says:
Mike R. #43 and Steve #16, well put. I’m tired of all the bs, if Wang wants to play hockey put a real team on the ice. Jim Baumbach is a plank.
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Chris TMC says:
To all my fellow Isles fans who freaked out: This kind of thing has happened before and will happen again. Please weigh sources far more heavily when digesting news. If a source sounds weak, always bear that in mind. It will save a lot of heartache and getting upset over things that could (and in this case, did) wind up being nothing.
One thing I dont get is why any of you presume this stupid story was generated by the LH group themselves? Isnt it perfectly logical to consider that the LI Press would stand to gain from reporting this?
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Peter T. says:
All of you guys saying that Wang is great for hockey and loves the Islanders so much, why does the league allow teams to spend up to $56 million on payroll, yet the Islanders are spending barely $42 million?
Meanwhile, 16 other teams are spending the maximum $56 million on their payroll. The Islanders could have the same amount of talent on the ice as Pittsburgh or the Detroit.
The salary cap was supposed to make the league an even playing field for all teams, yet Wang is handicapping his own team by not taking advantage of the salary cap situation.
For a man looking at a $4 BILLION dollar project, are you trying to say that saving $14 million a year will make any difference to him?
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Jim Clark says: Last night’s Wang follies remind me of what Otto von Bismarck said: “Laws are like sausages. It is better not to see them made.”
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SirCrypt says:
I have a feeling it was a stunt from the Lighthouse team (In some way or another) I really think they wanted to try to make a threat on Kate (In a way that hey its close to happening, vote her out) Now about Kate getting re-voted in, I don’t see why. When a major part of LI wants Lighthouse…I just don’t understand
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dose says:
sounds like maybe mr. wang blew his stack yesterday and called it off, then slept on it and reconsidered.
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IslesRock says:
#59, are you kidding. Why don’t you empty your piggy bank and lose $20 million a year? Sure, 5,000 in the building will really help the cause. Not. Bottom line, we must vote Murray out of office.
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Noomz says:
#18 Michael Martino
Name your source. Why would a Lighthouse source go to a rag like LI Press and not Newsday? Martino’s source was likely Joey Mondello, Eddie Mangano and Kate Murray (2 guidos and their Log Cabin Republican surrogate)You made up the whole story. “Let’s be realistic. There is probably a lot of truth to this”. Means there’s probably NO truth to this.
Congratulations on crashing the LI Press website with a couple hundred hits to your baseless article. Shows how worthless you and your paper are. Wang was right not to respond to a dump of a tabloid like LIPress. Total trash.
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Original Rob says:
What a mickey mouse organization.
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2Bit says:
It’s going to be a sad state of affairs if Phoenix gets to keep their hockey team & Long Island loses their’s.
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UIF says:
I don’t know, for those disagreeing with JPinVA’s comment…how much fan support did the Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Boston Bruins get when their management/ownership kept trotting out perennial losers? Those fans spent their money elsewhere. Look at those teams now. They put out winners, and people showed up in droves. What a novel concept…message sent. Sorry, but the fans are not here solely to cheer Wang at LH meetings and flood the TOH with phone calls on his behalf while he at the same time cuts funding to this blog, cuts out serviceable radio access, plays games with our heads over whether the team will even stay here, and has us all wondering which 40 year old vet we’re going to sign to actually reach the cap floor.
I guess I’ll still show up when I can because I’m a sucker for just watching hockey live. But how do you blame someone for choosing not to spend money in a recession on the New York Islanders as currently constructed? This whole situation is ugly, and I can’t believe more fans aren’t sick and tired of being pulled in every direction over a real estate deal that SHOULD have no bearing on us simply being hockey fans. Wang should thank his lucky stars that so many fans are still so incredibly loyal to him and his land deal.
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Gutty34 says:
It just blows my mind that Martino can toss this bs story out there. Who in their right mind would go to the free press – a bs paper with potentially a readership of under 100 and give this story to them. I think he owes it to all of LI to reveal his source – maybe not by name but by affilaition. Until then this guy just lost whatever credibility a free press lowly writer has. I just spoke to a source who said that Martino fabricated the whole story to see just how quickly word could spread through Islanders country. I wont reveal my source but I stand 100% behind my writing that Martino is a lier and and has been trying for years to land a real job. This was his one shot at glory but as usual – he ends up the loser he always was My source stated that he pulled the same crap in HS and college. Always wanted to run with the big boys but was pushed to the outside. Total loser and outcast. My source also revealed that he likes little kids. I wont reveal my source but I stand behind my story since I truly trust my source. Come on man…….free press and you think you just landed a story that no regional paper could. I hope he gets fired…..
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Tim F. says:
The L.I. Press story was completely devoid of facts, and basically consisted of inferences made by one anonymous source based on things he/she had allegedly observed which may or may not have been related to the LH. Charles Wang responded first thing the next business day. Please get off the ledge, folks. This whole episode belongs in the “move along, nothing to see here” category.
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Bobby says:
It took roughly 18 hours for his PR staff to come up with “This is bogus” ? Right…..M-I-C…C u in Quebec City….K-E-Y…Y, because we have elected visionaries!…..Thanks for the Mem-or-ies!!!
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What has Wang done for this team as far as hockey goes?
1. Alexi Yashin… they gave up two all-stars and gave him a ten year contract. All they did was dig themselves deeper in the hole.
2. Rick Dipietro… 15 year contract after winning as many playoff series as me.
3. Peter Laviolette… the guy gets you back to the playoffs with a statue as an offensive star. Then you fire him.
4. Neil Smith… you hire a GM and coach on the same day, then tell the GM he’s going to have to answer to seven different people. The light should have gone on when Lafontaine left shaking his head. And to fix this you give the job to your backup goaltender.
5. Ted Nolan… The guy takes the team to the playoffs with a third line grinder as the leading scorer and a defensive corp led by a career middle four guy and a skating slab of scar tissue… then you fire him too.
6. Why does it have to be WANG WORLD? Why can’t they build a new arena, add to the Marriot (which I think he owns as well), put up some shops and restaurants in that area, and redo the lease so that the TEAM(and Charles Wang) can make money?It’s been apparent since it was announced that the Islanders will lose money even after the LHP is complete that WANG HAS GIVEN UP ON THE TEAM. Who will buy the team then…
here, buy the team losing $30M a year while I make $100M/YR on Wang World.
I understand a business, and how a businessman operates, but what other team operates that way?
Let this team move to Hamilton. -
Scoop Martino is a nobody. What’s happening is this pawn’s claim to fame.
“Oh and the team is still winless”.“Oh you break a false story and still nobody reads your crap work”
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evan s says:
How was the team able to survive on LI with only the Coliseum for almost 30 years before Wang came along?
If one of the former owners signed a bad lease, than that should affect the value of the team, not suddenly entitle the current owner to take 77 acres of undeveloped land from Nassau County for $1, with only a new arena as payment.
People don’t read important details of the lease, such as the parts where Wang can change the plans of the project after construction begins. Like eliminating the “canal”, decreasing the limited space allocated for parking, changing the ratio of residential to retail…
Also, Wang and Rechler can leave the project before construction is completed. So if Wang dies or sells his interest, some unknown developer, maybe not as hockey-minded as Wang, takes over the project.
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Ted says:
Thank you to Tim F. (83) for some common sense. An unnamed sourced at a paper that I did not know even existed, by a writer who goes on to a blog and takes a pot shot at the team for being winless. How is this a p.r. nightmare? The team did not address a rag paper’s sourceless article for a whole evening. Wow. The twitter/blogging age has really spoiled us. The Islanders might leave! The Lighthouse may be cancelled! Yeah, neither of those points are big news, as in this has been going on for years. This plot of real estate has been “in development” by a number of people since before I was born and the team has been a rebuilding “budget” team since I was 13. Please wake me up when real news breaks. Thank you.
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I think im going to email Kate Murray’s campaign or show up to town hall and collect as many of her signs as possible and then simply throw them away or at least call brothers 2 scrap metal so I can cash in on the spikets that hold the signs up. If we all do this, we might not have to see her signs up all over the place and it would be kinda funny.
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IslesHostage says:
Says it all JP. What has he EARNED? Nothing. He’s been an atrocious owner and is torturing the fanbase. I wish he fought LHP hard to buy out SMG and hired competent people to run this team from the get-go, but SMG was the one that got him to buy the team from the get-go (D’Amato). So now we’re seeing nine years of this man’s “heroism” unfold every loss.
Again, great post JPinVA.
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New York Islander Fan Central says:
Jim Baumbach tweets the truth? This is the same paper that to this day have never explained it’s lead editors walking off the job in January or Tim Knight’s recent resignation from Newsday which the Times speculates is still from the Knicks dirty laundry being aired.
Baumbach/Newsday want to hold Wang to standards of releasing information because we need to know, the paper should hold itself to the same standard.
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Aim says:
The Lighthouse Development Group has named Eric Fichaud as the project director. Yup I have been used by Wang as a pawn for way too long now He has held us Isles fans as hostage way too long too with all of these follies. While it is true he has kept the team here (im sure with the hope of huge dollar signs aka lighthouse) In the 10 years he has owned the team what has charles wang truely done for the Islanders or the fan base?? What has this man delivered on?? This team is an absolute mess with nothing on the horizion. How much better off are we now then when Gluckstern and Milstein were here??
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Here’s something I’d like to know. Before Wang bought the team Bob Gutkowski’s effort to do same was thwarted by SMG and Al D’Amato. We’d have had an owner who believes that hockey could be prosperous on LI, and all he wanted to do was get rid of SMG.
His argument was that SMG does not own the coliseum, the people of Nassau County own the coliseum. In hearings in 2000 it was proven that SMG did not live up their part of the deal (leaky roof, broken seats, poor maintenance, and not keeping up with the necesseties of what an NHL franchise needs to survive).
Isn’t it curious that D’Amato’s buddy Charles Wang steps in as the SAVIOR, and is on the cusp of getting what everybody wanted for 40 years.
Isn’t anybody else tired of Nassau County politics?
Instead of marching up and down hempstead tpke for charles wang, do it for YOURSELF. Get rid of SMG, and make your team a viable entity unto itself again. YOU OWN THE LAND. YOU OWN THE COLISEUM… The land development will take care of itself.
FREE THE HOSTAGE!!! -
JohnnyC. says:
In this day and age of Newspapers & magazines fighting to stay in business by getting the ever shrinking advertising dollar it shows who benefitted dramatically from this article. the FREE newspaper called the LI Press. If there was even a drop of validity to this story why would it be leaked to them. the paper got exactly what they wanted from that story attention, hits on their website. I reminds me of that rumor guy that we can not mention. We all new Oct. 3rd was drop dead date and Wang was exploring options.
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The Wang bashing is absolutely ridiculous. Do you guys remember who owned, and I use that term lightly, the team before Wang? Remember Hoistgate, remember Spano, Remember the 90′s? While Wang hasn’t spent any money lately, he has put in a fair share for the fans. He’s updated the Coli, some. He got us into the playoffs right away, he’s thrown money at Players, read Smythe, Komisarek. Compare him to Steinbrenner, same EXACT PATH. Where were the Yankees when he bought the team? NY fans are the best and worst in all of sports.
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Anyone who buys this team is going to have lots of money to burn. If they plan to move the team they will loose money for the next 6 years untill the lease is up. If they plan to stay and keep the cable deal they are still stuck with lousy lease for 6 more years. We all wanted team sold because Pickett wasn’t spending money we got the gang of four & the Fisherman logo. We wanted them out we got Spano. We then got the scoreboard is falling gluckstern group who did not spend a penny. At least when Wang came in he spent money on the team & we made playoffs. I just wonder if we would have ever won those cups if we had these blogs & rumor sites back in the early days of this franchise. Or would we have waived the whole team back then. Jeez I have stopped commenting & reading here for a while & its still the same theme. No one is ever happy here unless they are btchn about somethin. there was a full day of posts Ricky this Ricky that after opening night. We get a article with Ricky’s side of story oh Ricky is great can’t wait till he comes back blah blah blah. Chris you really know how to push buttons.
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Remember it all. They went cheap, were criminals and didn’t care about the team one iota. But none of them pretended to as well as Chuck. Others once felt sorry for our team. Now? we’re more of a joke than ever under Wang/Dey/Snow/etc. anmd the bare bones staff and walkie talkie radio reception and AHL castaway players and lifetime contracts and so on……now if he could get us into the playoffs right away, why did we go downhill and humiliate fans so often afterwards? Because a meglomnaniac got more comfy and involved and the fruits of his labor show true. Wang is Milstein, but with a salary cap and a better PR agenda.
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JPinVA,
I agree with a lot you have to say, but you are dead wrong here. Gutkowski didn’t have much money. If he was able to afford the buyout, he wouldn’t have any money for the team, not to mention building a new arena. As much as you and others hate it, Charles Wang saved Islander Hockey. He’s now in a bind, some may say a self imposed bind. That’s fine. But there aren’t many others that could afford to do what he has done. Not Checketts, not Gutkowski. I also don’t see many high profile people stepping up to save the Isles. Wang is really all we have. Like it or not.
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96 – Derek, Gutkowski had partners who refused to fivulge their identities until after SMG was settled with. Newsday reported this ages ago. He and EMI prez Koppelmann had the money. Koppelmann wound up with a ton more money a short while after the failed bid as a matter of fact. Wang, via D’Amato, thwarted/sabotaged those plans. But it’s a falsehood propafated by the Wang sym,pathists/devoted fanbase that the group had no money. BG raised the money and had the partners to fund a successful ownership. Like it or not.
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Wow. After 10 years I think many Islanders are starting to realize some things about the Ownership of the Islanders. Hopefully the Isles don’t move out of NY. That’s really all I want, don’t move out of NY.
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Derek
In all due respect Steinbrenner bought the Yanks in 1972. In 1976 4 years later they were in the world series. By 1978 6 years after he bought the team he had 2 championship rings to show for it. Wang has owned the Islanders for 10 years. we as fans have had 10 years of total mismanagement. We were on the right path in 2001-02 but we all saw how fast that was destroyed. This is a mess top to bottom. And yes just like Milstein and Gluckstern it is all about the real estate. The hockey team is just a pawn in the big picture.
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Umm….no. $00M in cable revenue, the NY market, the history and the largest number of billionaires in the country, a pre-approved Coliseum, an SMG lease that runs out in FIVE YEARS, the potential to make a profit once SMG leaves without building a thing, the absence of winning or pride STILL ATTRACTING OUR LOYAL FANBASE TO GAMES and the fact that our owner has hired the absolutely lowest price coaches, GM’s and staff in the league to show his passion for hockey while spending tens of millions on his real estate crusade……makes him our only hope to you?
Our one shot is a smart ownership. We profit with just a new arena and SMG removal. Wang makes all revenues on events, can write off capital expenditures on this business venture, still recieves a cable deal amount he can’t get elsewhere, can remodel the NVMC alone for a fraction of his estimates, can make all parking, concession, advertising and luxury box revenue, can make out like a bandit……or sell to a smart businessman who knows he can do just that in an ownership role on LI. The Coliseum is 100% approved.
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Sorry, CB, last post but I meant $400M in cable revenue above. Enjoy all and thanks CB for an ever improving site.
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My last post on this thread.
Mr/Mrs Levitt I Cuss,
Ignorant? What have I said that is not true.
I didn’t say, “NEVER SHOW UP AGAIN”, just don’t come out for one game. One game of crickets at the coliseum might remind Wang and Snow that we expect a hockey team for three periods. It says thanks for doing NOTHING over the summer. It says we want to see an NHL coach who doesn’t use “we were in last place last year” as a rationalization as to why he will be in last place this year.
Why do people say that Queens is a pipe dream? They play in an arena that has no direct access to mass transit. If they were to go to Willets point, Elmont or Jamaica not only would that problem be solved but they would offer a winter attraction to those local economies where little exists after 6:PM. Why is that a pipedream, but developing land that Nassau/TOH has held like its first born for 40 years is a walkover.
As far as there not being any potential owners prepared to keep this team in NY, you might be correct. But I promise if one of the alternate venues were to become a reality a stream of potential owners would surely follow. The only reason why nobody wants this team and it’s 37 years of good will is because of Nassau County Politics.
If you remove NC from the equation you could have what the Carolina Hurricanes have in Suffolk County. If you want to enjoy a game in a place you never thought hockey could exist, go down there and see a game. And there’s no high rise apartments on the property. -
Bobnystrom711OT says:
This franchise has been run like a joke since Wang took over. As a few have said, they had a competitive product back in 2001 for a few years, and then the usual player and coaching moves, and that was that. I WAS a supporter of the LHP until this, we the fans, are being held hostage in turmoil and political agendas that take away from the wanting to support this BS AGAIN. It’s been too many years of instability and bad moves. Look at how fast the JT signing has gone down the toilet, 11K on Monday at the barn? Yep, nothing has changed, and we the fans are not to blame. NO one, not even the Penguins when they almost left town, held their municipalities hostage to create a mega-deal OUTSIDE of their NHL team needing new ARENA. All WE need is an arena, ownership that cares, and the fan base is there.
I am also not too happy in the direction you have taken this site, CB, and how you have stirred things up. Sounds like you have changed a bit since that fragile guy on the docks over the summer..
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I find it interesting that Baumbach tweets the truth and that there is something fishy because the LDC did not get back to him right away. When did Baumbach become an Islander fan? Sometimes the media and even this blog think too highly of their value. A week and a half of silence obviously means Wang is hiding something, couldn’t possibly mean that there is nothing new to report.
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Baumbach and Botta are acting like jilted lovers. Wang didn’t call them back within 12 hours, therefore it must be true?
this lie has been used by LI Press and Botta for website hits… pathetic.
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Al L says:
Martino!! You have some pair to come on here and state you believe there is SOME truth to your report? What you are in essence doing is attempting to prop yourself out of a pool of quicksand with a fig leaf! Do you realize how foolish you sound. You took it upon yourself to report a reliable source has informed you that Wang has abandoned the Lighthouse Project and you still stand by it even after Charles clearly refuted it and went on to say there hasn’t been any internal re-organizing. The Project is either dead or alive. ‘SOME of what you reported’ doesn’t fit here. MAN UP,admit you constructed an inaccurate report based inaccurate information and apologize to the many Islanders fans you made sick to their stomachs!
This is by far the worst rollercoaster Ive ever been on.