I though this would be a good time for a boring NYIFC history story, given we just passed four years, with an update on a few items.
In truth, NYIFC is still here today only because of luck, coincidence, and some very fortunate timing.
Also many folks asking me to keep it going last summer.
A few mistakes turned into good breaks along the way.
When Islanders-Sound Tigers closed after seven years, there was no such thing as blogger, when I decided to close NYIFC, Twitter was only getting started. I knew nothing about twitter beyond putting the rss feed there so a few folks could read blog entries.
1999 to May 2006 Islanders-Sound Tigers:
HF writer 2004/board moderator 2002-06. (a few of you please stop sending me e-mails about how terrible the old board is now or about the ten plus individuals moderating, I don't know them.)
July 2007-Feb 2009:
NYIFC Opens Full Blog entries daily. One of the first to use live chats and do updates during trade deadlines, UFA or NHL draft.
Feb 2009:
Announced NYIFC would close permanently after the season.
April 2009:
Closed NYIFC, kept page viewable.
May 2009:
Finally got Islanders to take NYIFC out of blog box after several e-mails requesting link be removed after season. My intention was to close, which is why I asked the Islanders to remove my link in first place.
A lot easier to get in the box, then it was to get out. At least my suggestion after 2008 to add another ten individuals for 2009 was used for a while.
May 2009:
Decided to keep NYIFC visible during WC for page updates which led to a few blog entries, page was still viewable at time and was updating it anyway for myself as kind of my own website.
June-July 2009:
Started looking at audio format and figured out how to embed blog entries here, which kept things going for draft/UFA so of course a few blog entries were done at that time.
Late July 2009:
Decided audio entries would stop, and blog would be closed in near future, but that was fun, and very rare for blogger community to do entries in that manner.
August 2009:
Closed NYIFC but needed page for other computer related items with blogger, so put in some hockey updates with what I was doing, some folks again asked me to keep page open so I did.
What's ironic was in August 2009 when I was doing all these things and needed this page to try new colors, or pictures in backgrounds, I completely forgot because I claimed my domain and paid for it, blogger was free.
I could have started a new blog and deleted NYIFC at any time. I could have used prospect blog. Folks were asking me to keep the pages viewable, so I did until September, but it was simply dumb luck I forgot blogger was also free.
Sept 2009:
Camp opened, closed NYIFC for good at time and made page not viewable, I had no intention of reopening ever again.
Then came Twitter:
Sept 2009:
Started dabbling with twitter entries during camp/preseason which to that point only was hooked into rss for blog updates, it was very easy and did not require changes/re-edits.
I then discovered how to put a twitter box in blogger as an individual blog entry, so three weeks later, I reopened NYIFC and announced it would return for good using twitter box.
I had no intention of doing blog entries, but added some during select times, and currently at times during off-season which brings us to where we are now.
NYIFC never returned to it's former interactive format, with no blog comments, polls or live chats we used to have. 09-10 was mostly twitter updates in the forum of a blog entry. Enough folks are kind enough to e-mail.
In the end, a lot of coincidence, some breaks, or dumb luck, but in the end it turned out for the best, NYIFC is still here.
No idea where things go from this point, all I can write is NYIFC will never return to the full daily format of only blogger entries.
I also again formally request no one e-mail me with advertising opportunities, NYIFC is a non-profit hockey blog.
I will of course listen to those with individual Islander sites I consider of quality for my readers, but that does not mean I want to do a link exchange. I do not accept blogs interested in breaking news or cartoon blogs. Serious individuals, not so much interested in making themselves popular, but telling our teams story for our fans.
In short, folks in it for the Islanders before themselves.
That's why I started doing this in 1999. I hope there are one or two individuals who feel the same way, willing to put in the time.
I have no interest in writing for anyone, if I write at all, it will be here.
Media policy will not change with sources, or content used in entries or twitter updates. I do not care if NYIFC is the last place in North America to do an entry, it will be confirmed by professional outlets using their names, and it will be correct, just like we have done with trades from the beginning.
As for NYIFC page itself:
I like the new template and looking at expanding it to cover the full page, even if in the end, blogging/twitter updates stop. I'm not changing the prospect blog at all. It's perfect as an Islander prospect reference page in a stand-alone format.
An updated NYIFC header will be released when 2010-11 season begins after current team is set, the classic look will remain.
There will be no announcement regarding the future of NYIFC.
This will also be the final NYIFC update ever, this was the correct time to do an entry about it.
Wake up for this part...
My Thanks as always to everyone, it's been a great four years.
I have no doubt if things break right this team can win the Stanley Cup in 2010-11. Three teams with less than ninety points went to the playoffs in this conference, the Isles competed well with all the top teams, they had third best record among Eastern teams against the Western Conference.
Some of these kids, up their scoring, some veterans produce. and the man games lost to injury finally drops to less than a hundred fifty, this will be a tough team to keep out of the NHL playoffs.
We'll see. Sometimes correct, sometimes not.
I had sound off during Isles selection of Nino Niederreiter, thought the young man standing next to Garth Snow was his son after seeing Mr Wang and his child on stage? I only knew of the name Kevin Connolly until the draft.
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