So here we sit three games later from my last column proclaiming that these next three games were going to go a long way in determining whether the Islanders would be relevant this season or just another joke of a season where the team says all of the right things and does all of the wrong things.
You can talk about injuries all you want but the team cannot use that as an excuse this time.
So why are the Islanders so horrible?
We can start with coaching. Every analyst and writer said this was the the year the Islanders were going to make that big step to being relevant. What they have done is taken a huge step back.
Who gets the blame his time? All experts believe the Islanders have the tools to compete so the finger of doom must point directly at Jack Capuano. It is time for Jack to go as the losses pile up and the Islanders become more of a laughing stock than they already are. The problem is firing Capuano will be like a punch line in the channels of the NHL media. I can see the TSN report now. "Leafs.. Rangers.. Canadiens.. Canucks... Jets... Red Wings oh and haha.. the Islanders fired another coach. Lets get back to the Leafs.. The Rangers.." etc and so on and so forth.
We can all see the headlines like they are already written. We can see the bottom line coming like a headlight on a black highway at night.
You cannot fire the players. They tried that already by making an example out of Blake Comeau sending him packing. The only solution is to clean house upstairs. The problem is does anyone believe that Charles Wang will fire Garth Snow, Jack Capuano and his entire upper management team for basically doing nothing. Sure they try, but they have no credibility with any established players or agents. When your a player and Garth Snow calls you and says "hey the Islanders are interested in bringing you in" I wonder if any player agent takes him seriously or entertains the thought at all.
It is time to fire Snow and his entire staff including the coach and all of his assistants. Charles Wang needs to do something drastic and bring in a veteran GM with a pedigree of winning. Bring in a coach who has won something at the NHL level. Bring in a general manager with years of experience. Charles Wang has said he will spend money to make the Islanders better. If that is true then the time has come to spend that money on upper management and coaching. Enough of the AHL never was's trying to find another Peter Laviolette. Its not going to happen.
The Islanders are an absolute embarrassment of an organization and it really pains me to admit that but I cannot condone what is going on here any longer. I love the Islanders. I love their history. That history has to mean something and if it does, Charles Wang will do something before its to late. Screw the arena and focus on making the on ice product the best it can be by putting people in charge that have a background and success at this level.
I was one of the guys watching the Islanders get pounded in the 1990's by the original Winnipeg Jets 8-1 being one of about 1,500 people in attendance. I am one of the guys who sits in the stands as the Islanders blew a 5-1 lead against the expansion Ottawa Senators and lose 6-5 against a team that could beat absolutely no one. I was a guy who chose to saw the good in the 15 year contract to Rick Dipietro. I was a guy who chose to look at whatever positive I could out of Mike Milbury's bone headed trades. I was also one of the guys sitting in the stands wondering how the Islanders could play 20 games and win only one in 2010.
I have reached the end of my rope.
Now I'm sitting here questioning why I am still a fan of the organization. I have been one of the biggest Islander apologists out there and even I have reached a point of throwing my hands up and saying "why do I do this to myself?" There is no joy in rooting for the Islanders any more. Admitting your a fan of the team always is met with a snicker or a look of sympathy from a fan of any other NHL team.
When you reach that point as a fan which many other Islander fans have already reached then what is there to do any more? Hope for a miracle? As we all know as Islander fans there are no more miracles left. Despite the once a decade success the Islander have enjoyed since their days of dominance in the early 80's the only thing Islander fans can depend on is disappointment and misery.
When will the suffering end?
2 comments:
Wow, that's a tough read. I can't quite disagree with the thought process. It's sad.
The looking back at a glorifies past is fine, but the foward progress is now more important as a lifeblood to build success and create new fans and more history.
I'll enjoy the looking back Saturday afternoon as NYI honor Ken Morrow (a deserved honor for sure...) but, your correct, what does the future hold.
Just for giggles, I'll offer a couple of nice videos I found on Morrow Night:
MORROW: http://bit.ly/t66cgJ
POTVIN: http://bit.ly/ux9tUV
Fischler: http://bit.ly/rDNn7m
You know, it's hard to be a fan who doesn't live on the Island and keep tuning in to watch them blow 3rd period leads or get blown out by the Rangers. I've been a fan for 25 years and since 1993, they've given me nothing to really cheer for. I'm sure Wang and Snow will blame it on the arena, which I'll give them as one of many reasons. But they fired two good coaches (Nolan and Laviolette) who both should still be behind the bench, and they can't figure out that they need a top flight defenseman, who sure, can be overpaid, but they can't keep picking speedy wingers in the draft. They should have gone with Hedman over Tavares, because they have enough scorers, but they can't get any traction when they're constantly behind 3-1 or 5-2.
I had an inkling this morning that the Flyers jersey looks really classy, but I had to stop myself. I'll never go over to the Rangers, but I want a team to root for that actually makes the play-offs. Hell, the Detroit Lions got it together in 3 years, why can't the Islanders do it in 10?
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