Islander News Articles 1/19:

New York Islander Fan Central | 1/19/2008 09:01:00 AM | | | | | | | | |
NY Post: Dan Martin was allowed four small paragraphs today as a game preview where Mr Wang said he was pleased with the club winning three of their last four games and that the club was doing a heck of a job as the injuries/call ups Friday were included.

Philadelphia Daily News: Ed Moran confirms report the other day, Martin Biron will start in goal.

Philadelphia Daily News: Ed Barkowitz reports
Scott Hartnell (hand) and Scottie Upshall (ankle) skipped practice yesterday but both are expected to play against the Isles while Rory Fitzpatrick is scheduled to have surgery today for a sports hernia.

Phillyburbs.com: Wayne Fish writes about the Flyers power play which is currently ranked number one in the league.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio reported Frans Nielsen's goal came off a Ben Walter shorthanded block as he exited the penalty box and found himself with a breakaway. Dubie was not happy with his rebound control or footwork and felt he was rusty but credited his defense, while coach Jack Capuano praised his teams composure.

Ct Post: Wade Dubielewicz talked about his conditioning stint which likely ends after the game against Albany Saturday and felt the games he saw recently with the Islanders helped him get back into a groove.

Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News: Had brief staff reports on last night's game.

Globe & Mail: William Houston writes about NBC's hockey coverage and their flex schedule which begins today and Mike Milbury's role who said he is not like Bob Costas and will tell everyone when he feels a player is dogging it. NBC's Sam Flood who produces their hockey coverage talks about Sidney Crosby's impact and the complaining about last year's regional schedule which prevented Western Conference fans from seeing him play.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
I have little doubt former Msg shareholder Dick Ebersol's spam the New York City market plan will be the overall format regardless of the poor ratings showing the Manhattan product not only on NBC but Fox and ABC before that. This was a program last year that did not show Islanders-Devils on the final day of the season or make plans to add the game which produced record TSN viewers here. NBC even shows what amounts to Knick infomercials these days as filler during other networks football games so clearly they still have a good relationship with the Garden if not a vested interest outright in marketing for them.

My advice to Islander fans is to not help the New York ratings by watching Sunday because all it does is keep our team off future telecast and validate their Ranger centric format strategy. Sunday's telecast to me is a test where they sell the Manhattan-Boston rivalry for a possible outdoor game in the future.

I suspect the Rangers want to keep the Islanders out of any outdoor game because it risks putting both New York teams in an event on an equal footing and could be embarrassing for the garden if a large number of Islander fans attended an event like that inside the city limits. Don't think for a second the Dolan's took on the Isles long-term contract with sportshannel when the networks merged to help their popularity. Charles Dolan may go to Islander playoff games and may have been a fan long ago but his family owns the Garden and it's competition's television rights which is what they do to control content.

If you feel I'm incorrect here by all means let the New York Times tell you as Richard Sandomir told us back in 1998 here which is why Islanders-Toronto in 2002 went right back on the limited metro channel when one Islander playoff game got a local rating equal to two hundred thousands homes which was far higher than any Ranger playoff game last year and when WFAN'S Chris Russo asked James Dolan about it he simply smiled and laughed during an appearance.

In the end I see no way the Yankees allow a non-baseball event to close their historic stadium nor do I see a demolition delay for possible future things built on that land as soon as the Yankees finish playing next season at a time there will be huge construction activity in the area.

However if it were to happen................

I would love to see the Islanders play the Canadians at Yankees Stadium as the home team and cut the Rangers out entirely. Make it a weekend for sports dynasties only and have the Isles dynasty players go against the Canadian dynasty players from the seventies and take down the Long Island label for a few days because this is a New York team called New York Islanders with a strong city fanbase.

It's not like the Islanders are the football teams that play in the New Jersey Meadowlands parking lot and plaster New York all over everything while everyone ignores it.

You can bet the Steinbrenner family do not have short memories of keeping YES off Cablevision for a year and the Dolan's lawsuit against the NHL this year.

This is one format the Dolan's cannot control which is why they are paying so much for the television rights to all four New York area teams, including the Buffalo Sabres to regulate telecasts and content.

It's also a great opportunity to expand the Islander fan base inside the city limits which has always been very good but neglected recently which has contributed to the media reducing the city coverage to all-time lows. Perhaps something like this brings more coverage and exposure for the Isles inside the city limits full time which ends the subjective coverage.