Island of Discontent

It's been nearly five months since I've written a piece for this blog. You can blame burnout, school, kids or anything else for that, but you make time for the things that are important to you. To be perfectly honest, a huge part of the reason why I've been absent is that I grew very sick of the negativity that's rampant on the Internet, in the blogosphere, and in Islanders Country.

Look, I get it. This team has pretty much sucked for the past 25 years. We've had the Easter Epic, the playoff run in 1993, the resurgence in 2002, and that's about it. People are frustrated, and that's fine. But if you're a fan, you support the team unconditionally. So when the Islanders made some moves this summer, it was interesting to gauge the reaction - and, predictably, it wasn't very positive.

What's happened this summer? Let's go back in time.

 - At the draft, the Islanders passed on some consensus top guys to draft Nino Niederreiter. Everyone flipped out about how the Islanders should have drafted Cam Fowler. The same Cam Fowler that eleven other teams passed on. So it's possible that the Islanders knew something that one-third of the league also knew. More importantly, approximately 99.9 percent of Islanders fans had never seen Niederreiter or Fowler play. You'd think Islanders fans, who have plenty of experience with prospects, would take a wait-and-see approach. But I guess not.

 - The Islanders entered July 1 with some money to spend, but predictably didn't do anything drastic. That is, unless you consider paying Mark Eaton $2.5 million a year to be a third-pair defenseman to be a drastic measure. In any event, Islanders fans flipped out about how the team can never sign anyone, how the team will never be anything but a laughingstock, and how Snow is a terrible GM. And yet, when the possibility of giving Ilya Kovalchuk a $100 million contract arose, those same fans claimed that they didn't want "another Yashin". You can't have it both ways, people.

 - This summer, the Islanders released two people that worked behind the scenes - Ryan Jankowski and Bryan Trottier. Both moves were met with considerable scorn from an Islanders fanbase that, quite frankly, has no idea what either of these two men actually did. It's one thing to get mad when the team parts way with a legendary figure, even if , as Gallof says, Trottier's role was largely ceremonial after Charles Wang's much-maligned "business model" was disbanded. The bigger story was Jankowski's departure, which was treated as though Bill Torrey was assassinated during the Cup years. None of us would even be able to spot Jankowski on the street, let alone identify one kid that he personally scouted and drafted. And yet, Islanders Country was apoplectic when Jankowski was let go. Just because Chris Botta says that Ryan Jankowski was an important person doesn't mean fans should cancel their season tickets if he's fired. Again, just another reason for Islanders fans to whine, even if there's no proof that the decision will affect the Islanders in any way.

That brings us to the news of the day - namely, Billy Jaffe's departure from the Islanders and MSG.

Billy Jaffe came to the Islanders in time for the 2006-07 season, after MSG reassigned Joe Micheletti to Rangers broadcasts. Jaffe's first game was a 6-3 drubbing at the hands of Phoenix, a harbinger of things to come. However, despite calling games for a crummy team, Jaffe's enthusiasm never waned. While he was accused of being a little too rah-rah at first, Jaffe's positivity was a welcome voice to a fanbase that was beaten down by constant criticism from other members of the media. In recent years, Jaffe's corny banter with Howie Rose became a reason to watch games, especially when the team wasn't doing much to get fans to tune in.

Jaffe would go on to become something of a rising star in the hockey media world, regularly making appearances on NHL Live and Versus telecasts. When I had the chance to guest edit the incomparable Puck The Media a while back, I spoke of Jaffe's enormous potential, something he's well on his way to fulfilling. Through it all, he remained loyal to the Islanders, always presenting them in a positive light whenever possible. However, the Islanders and MSG did not return that loyalty. But not because of money. Instead, the Islanders thought he wasn't positive enough.

Are you KIDDING? Have the Islanders ever heard Jaffe speak? I've never, EVER heard him say anything that could be considered even remotely negative. And the Islanders said he wasn't positive enough? Please.

Let me tell you something. If you work in a hopeless environment, when you're involved with a subpar product, a minuscule audience and virtually no chance of things improving, it can be very easy to become unhappy. And yet, Billy Jaffe came to work every day for the Islanders full of optimism. He truly believed that the Islanders would become good again one day, and he wanted to be here for it. Unfortunately, the Islanders didn't see it that way.

Now, Jaffe is hardly the first individual to be forced out by MSG for not singing the company line from the mountaintops. In fact, in 2004, MSG dumped Marv Albert from Knicks broadcasts for being too negative. Never mind that those Knicks were absolutely terrible and that Albert had been calling Knicks and Rangers games for MSG for, oh, about 35 years. This isn't to suggest that Jaffe is in the same league as the legendary Albert. Just that when MSG wants someone out, they make sure to eliminate that person.

October will be here soon enough, and life will go on. It's pretty obvious MSG has a hard-on for Butch Goring, and he will be the next announcer for the Islanders. Goring, while an Islanders legend and a nice enough guy, isn't half the announcer Jaffe was. But you know Goring will do whatever it takes to please Islanders management, and that's the guy the Islanders want. The world doesn't want free thinkers with potential, they want yes-men who can be easily manipulated.

And what does this say to the Islanders faithful? It says that they're not important. Fans have acted irrationally for much of the summer and pretty much all of the past few years, but this is one area where they are right to be upset. Quite frankly, after bottom-five finishes in the past three years, the Islanders should be happy that ANYONE is watching games anymore. Why not appease these loyal fans by keeping Billy Jaffe? Anyone who watches knows how much the team sucks, yet they are watching anyway. No need to kiss the asses of these fans, nor is there any need to patronize them. Furthermore, how can we ever trust anything MSG says to us in the future? We now know that Islanders broadcasts will only contain fluff and praise. The Islanders should know that doesn't work in New York.

Long story short, it's been a crazy summer so far, and everyone's to blame for it. Islanders fans have plenty of reason to be upset about the ouster of Billy Jaffe, but they would do well to lighten up about things they don't truly understand. The Islanders need to learn how to handle criticism and be happy that people even give a crap about them. Here's hoping that by the time the next crisis hits Islanders Country, cooler heads will prevail.

Review - Boss: The Mike Bossy Story

Our sporadic summer reading series continues with a look at Mike Bossy's autobiography.

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Boss: The Mike Bossy Story

Author: Mike Bossy with Barry Maisel

Publisher: McGraw-Hill

Release Date: Late 1988

Availability: Out of print; available through Amazon Personal Sellers

"Each time you knock me down, I will get back up and score more goals." -Mike Bossy

Mike Bossy, along with Wayne Gretzky and Pat LaFontaine, was one of my three heroes growing up. I never really got the chance to see Bossy in his prime; in fact, by the time I went to my first game at Nassau Coliseum, Bossy had already retired. Still, as a diehard Islander fan and someone who was very willing to latch onto a star player (and really, what five-year-old isn't?), I developed a very soft spot for Mike Bossy.

I'd heard about his autobiography from a variety of other sources, which was the main inspiration behind my purchase. I'd heard hockey players praise it for the helpful advice it gave them. I'd heard fans say it was a great read. But I'd be lying if I didn't say a major reason I sought this book out is the not-so-glowing review Bossy gets from Wayne Gretzky in his own autobiography (a.k.a. the greatest book ever written). Gretzky goes out of his way to slam Bossy on quite a few occasions, with one of his criticisms being that Bossy names himself to his own all-time team. Naturally, upon receiving this book, the first thing I did was look for that passage.

I didn't find it right away, but when I did, it turns out all Bossy really did was say he was a better player than Jari Kurri. It was a series of comparisons between the Islanders dynasty and the Oilers dynasty, and Bossy certainly didn't seem too intent on sparking any controversy. Looks like he did in the eyes of The Great One. However, the long-rumored part where Bossy claims he always aimed five-hole in order to avoid missing the net was nowhere to be found.

What is in Boss, though, is a comprehensive summary of Bossy's stellar career. A lot of autobiographies contain surprises about their subjects. This one's no different. I always assumed Bossy was this quiet guy who just scored goals. Nope. Turns out he was very outspoken, not only within the clubhouse, but with the media as well. But none of that compares with the pressure he put on himself. We hear all about the goals he set for himself each and every year; some might mistake this for Bossy putting his stats before the team, but he had these lofty expectations in mind so that he could help his team out. Would he ever have broken the rookie scoring record or achieved so much without holding himself to the highest possible standard? Bossy himself doesn't seem to think so.

Bossy devotes an entire chapter to his pursuit of the fifty goals in fifty games mark, something that seems a bit silly after Gretzky himself massacred the record just one year later. But it's synonymous with Bossy's career (Gretzky himself, on the Ultimate Gretzky DVD, praises Bossy for giving the mark so much notoriety), and it deserves considerable mention. After all, before Bossy, only Rocket Richard had pulled it off. So Bossy takes us along for the ride, starting back when it was just a pipe dream and going through all the stress that comes with letting the media know about such a lofty goal. When he finally achieves it, even if you know how it happens, it's hard not to smile.

You get the impression that goals such as fifty in fifty were the only things that could possibly raise Bossy's game. He'd just won his first Cup the year prior; as the Islanders approached the 1981 finals, they openly admited to being mostly concerned with how many games it'd take them to win. You can also see how much it bothered Bossy that he was never considered the game's best player. As Guy Lafleur slowed down, Gretzky took the mantle, leaving Bossy wishing for the recognition he deserved. Bossy describes how hurt he was when Butch Goring won the 1981 Conn Smythe, one of the many awards Bossy was passed over for. So it's no surprise that Bossy devotes an entire chapter, aptly titled "MVP", to the twelve-month span in which he won the MVP award of the Canadian team at the 1981 Canada Cup, the 1982 All-Star Game MVP award, and the 1982 Conn Smythe. Despite having the best goals-per-game average in NHL history, it's astonishing how much hardware Bossy didn't win.

But Boss is about more than Bossy's NHL career. We get a down-and-dirty look at the state of junior hockey in the 1970s, something that many people have heard about, but never really experienced. After reading Bossy's take on the situation, it's clear that the junior game at that time was absolutely revolting. It's sort of easy to see why the juniors are so dirty, with so many players trying to get noticed any way they can, but it can be downright dangerous. Bench-clearing brawls were the norm back then, as were coaches who would demand their players to intentionally injure opponents. Gretzky tells a story in his book where an opposing coach offered his players $2 for each hit laid on The Great One, but that's nothing compared to Bossy's tales. In one particularly disgusting instance, Bossy's coach gave his players amphetamines before a game to enhance their abilities. Sadly, this was just one sign of the times.

After reading about Bossy's struggles in juniors, you can see why he was so adamant about getting rid of fighting in the NHL. But what's really surprising is that he wasn't the only Islander who felt that way. Both Bossy and Bryan Trottier, his close friend and roommate, were heavily against fighting, but Trottier felt Bossy would be a better ambassador for the cause, so Bossy got all the credit (and criticism). Even more shocking than that is that Clark Gillies, considered by some to be one of the best fighters ever, had grown to hate fighting by the time Bossy reached his prime. In fact, Bossy opines that it was Gillies' burgeoning nice-guy nature that caused his skills to erode so quickly; since Gillies refused to play a physical game late in his career, he was unable to be of worth to the Islanders.

Boss also does a good job of showing the human side of Bossy. There are stories about his drunken exploits on the Islanders, his long-term relationship with his wife, who didn't drive or speak English when Bossy was drafted, and his distant relationship from his brothers and sisters. Bossy doesn't shy away from talking about his personal life, but doesn't boast about it as many athletes tend to do while penning their memoirs.

Although Bossy and Gretzky were rivals on and off the ice, their books are remarkably similar. Both are written in a rather informal style and cover the same sort of material - the dirty nature of juniors, learning how to win, and their devotion to their respective teammates. It's almost strange to know that Gretzky would so willingly trash someone so similar to him. And it's remarkable how it almost worked out with those two.

The book closes in 1988, as Bossy concludes his year off from hockey not sure if he'll ever play again. We know that he was forced to retire from his back injuries, which is detailed in the book. However, what not everyone knows - and what might not even be true - is that Kings owner Bruce McNall supposedly tried to recruit Bossy to come to Los Angeles that summer to play with Gretzky, who had just been acquired by the Kings. Imagine Gretzky, Bossy, and Robitaille on the same line! It's a shame it never happened.

If you can find a copy, Boss is highly recommended. There are better books out there, but this one's a bit different than you might expect. If you've ever wanted to know about the behind-the-scenes stuff, like negotiating contracts, self-doubt, and the importance of staying happy in spite of greener pastures, this is an interesting read. If you just like Mike Bossy, you'll enjoy it just the same. And if you'd like to take a look back at the NHL in its so-called Golden Era, Boss is a good place to start.

Holy Crap - Isles Fire Nolan

I can honestly say I didn't see it coming.

I assumed all the one-upmanship in the media was nothing to write home about. I figured everything was cool in Islander land; after all, Charles Wang would have seen to it that all the nonsense was stopped. This is the same guy who fired Neil Smith after forty days on job. If things were really that bad, wouldn't he step in and restore order?

Well, he finally did. Or, at least, he forced Snow to do what he felt was right. And it turns out that Wang's hesitance to extend Nolan's contract was, in fact, a harbinger of Nolan's impending doom.

I'm shocked.

I'm not understating what has happened here - this is huge. Let's consider what we had in Ted Nolan. A coach who was respected around the league as a guy who got the most out of his players. A coach who has won in both the "old NHL" and the "new NHL". He was a coach that Charles Wang proudly took a chance on, and he was a coach that got results with a team that was, at its absolute best, mediocre.

Let's look at what we have now - or, more appropriately, the perception of what we have now. We now have an owner who has presided over the firing of two established hockey people, Smith and Nolan, because they couldn't last in his "business model". We now have a general manager who not only was a backup goalie two years ago, but canned the only coach who was going to make people forget the fact that Peter Laviolette won a Stanley Cup three years after being fired by the Islanders. We have a fake youth movement going on in which half the team is unproven youngsters and the other half is aging veterans. We have the smallest fanbase in the league, one that was artificially enhanced by promotions and giveaways, and it goes without saying that this group of people is only going to get smaller now.

And for what? Are you telling me that Ted Nolan isn't the right coach for this team? Was he not the same person who coaxed a great season out of Blake Comeau? Was he not the same person who plucked Kyle Okposo out of Bridgeport, threw him on the first line, and gave him some valuable experience? Was he not the same person who helped push Alexei Yashin out the door in order to make room for Snow's bad contracts? Something is not adding up here.

Look at what we're giving up here. A former Jack Adams award winner. A coach who got the absolute most out of his team. And we're going to watch Garth Snow replace him with either some retread who has already been fired five times, or an unproved head coach from the minor leagues. And I'm sorry to say, but after the Steve Stirling debacle, I'm not exactly brimming with optimism at that prospect.

I guess on some level, I should have seen this coming. I should also have some faith in Snow, Wang, Trottier, and the rest of them to make the right decision. But after making one horrible one, it's hard to see how they can redeem themselves.

Taking a bad situation and making it worse. It sort of makes you wonder how the Islanders view this season and, dare I say it, the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Not that the Isles would tank or anything, but maybe they wouldn't exactly mind a subpar 2008-09 season. And you've got to love how they did this now that they've spent the past three months of the off-season begging you to buy season tickets. What do you do now? For the second time in three years, the Isles are in disarray in July. Something tells me that wasn't in the promotional package.

It's never easy to be an Islander fan, least of all when your team consistently undermines your passion. Ted Nolan had that passion. And now, the Islanders - the team who constantly whines about losing money - is paying Nolan $600,000 not to coach them. Go figure.

But this isn't about the money. It isn't about the fans. It isn't about grit, character, heart, or any of the other crap the Islanders try to sell us. This is about putting the pieces in place that give the New York Islanders the best possible chance to win. This wasn't a great team to begin with; deep down, we all knew Nolan would have to pull another rabbit out of his hat to keep the Isles in contention down the stretch. With Nolan gone, that task becomes infinitely tougher.

Still shocked. Still pissed.

I'm not sure if any of the above made any sense, but this closer will.

I challenge Garth Snow to find a better coach for this team than the one he just sent packing.

An Open Letter to Bryan... (updated @ 9:27 a.m.)

Bryan, I know you were born an Islander fan. I know your dad named you after Bryan Trottier. Now, I offer you this, a chance to hop on the bandwagon. This may be the only chance I get.

Let's look at your team. This is meant with as little offense as possible. I'm just stating facts.

1) Kyle Okposo is the biggest prospect the Islanders have drafted since... Roberto Luongo, Bryan McCabe, Wade Redden, JP Dumont, Cory Stillman, Todd Bertuzzi, and Brett Lindros. Okposo will not be traded. That said, he debuted to 2,500 people on the same night Sean Avery scored two goals against Pittsburgh at the Garden.

2) The best goal of the year was scored by a guy (Rob Davison) who was traded for a 7th round pick. As far as I know, they don't make 8th round picks to trade.

3) Your franchise goalie is injured in his hip for the second straight year. What's going to happen 7, 8, or 9 years from now? Hip injuries take their toll. Ask Jaromir Jagr. He hasn't been the same since injuring his hip in the 2006 Turin Olympics. Henrik won a gold medal that year. He is healthy. He is one of the top 3 goaltenders in the world.

4) The last playoff series won by the Islanders was 1993. Pierre Turgeon was their superstar then. Remember when #77 was relevant? Me neither. Since then, the Broadway Blueshirts have won a Stanley Cup, watched Mark Messier create history, watch Wayne Gretzky score a playoff hat trick, miss 7 years of playoffs, and storm back to bring President's Trophy-winning Buffalo to the brink.

5) The fan favorite on the Islander team is... ? I don't know. The Rangers have Lundqvist and Sean Avery, preceded by Jed Ortmeyer.

And this is the big one...

6) In the 1990 NHL Entry Draft, the Islanders went 6th. With the 5th selection, the Penguins took Jaromir Jagr. With the 6th pick, the Islanders took Scott Scissons. Names still available - Derian Hatcher (8th), Keith Tkachuk (19), Martin Brodeur (20), Doug Weight (34), Mikael Renberg (40), Sergei Zubov (85), Robert Lang (133), and Petr Bondra (156).

Scott Scissons played 2 NHL games and never had a point. Not that the Rangers did better that year. Picking at unlucky 13, they took Michigan State's defenseman Michael Stewart, who was one of only 2 first round picks that year to never step onto NHL ice (Edmonton's was the other).

**

I know, I know. 1980. 81. 82. 83. Those were great years. But, I wasn't even born when the Islanders won the last Cup. The one thing the Islanders have over the Rangers is the pretzel twist. That's a good snack. $9 at the Coliseum gets you a nice diet soda and a pretzel twist. You can't beat that with a cotton candy stick.

So, B, what do you say? Hop on, just for the playoffs. Who knows? Maybe you'll see something you like? I'd love to have you on my team. We agree on football and baseball. Why should we fight over hockey?