Mr Botta's Heimlich Maneuver Saves Mike Francesa

Was listening to WFAN around 3pm and there is Mike Francesa with a copy of Newsday as one man sat on live television/radio and thew about as much guess work and misinformation about a professional sports team than I have seen in a long time.

The man not only put his foot in his mouth but went for the entire shoe store.

On and on about how the Lighthouse is dead and will never be approved in this economic climate, Nassau will never give them all that the money without knowing virtually anything about the project as he sat there and did nothing short of an obituary with the team gone to KC for good.

He never once mentioned Scott Rechler or that that Msg is a dump and even older.

His sources had Charles Wang losing 50m a year owning the club as he quickly waved away any caller who did not agree with him as he put out anything that could stick against the wall including Jonathan Tavares not wanting to play here.

(No I did not attempt a call)

Mr Francesa tried to get Gary Bettman, he tried to get someone from the Islanders.

Finally the man who was shut out last week from information came on and did a good job explaining what was happening with the project and what he felt yesterday's news meant.

Mike Francesa sounded like a man who had no idea about anything when Mr Botta recapped what he knew from his past inside experience including what he told everyone when he contacted some folks around Jonathan Tavares, he did a 180 on virtually everything he was saying afterward.

Charles Wang and the Islanders along with the Lighthouse people owe Mr Botta a big thank you today.

I would guess at some point WFAN will post the interview or Mr Botta will have something on it.

Entertaining watching a man given verbal Heimlich maneuver on live television.

Updated:
WFAN.com: Mr Botta's interview.

Islander News Articles 3/7:

Newsday: Greg Logan's article was on how it did not matter who was in goal because the Isles could not score and were very loose on defense with Brendan Witt comments. Ted Nolan defended his decision to start Dubielewicz and felt he held them in the game early but his team was outworked. Wade Dubielewicz said he wanted to be the hero but will be ready for his next opportunity.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
If Mr Logan is doing the Friday Islander Insider he did not preview it in his blog.

Newsday: Mark Herrmann wrote to basically tell Ranger fans in a newspaper desperate for Islander coverage how a club with only two more wins than them going into this game could win the Stanley Cup with fourteen games left in the season.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Mark Herrmann sure seems to have put on his rose-colored Ranger glasses for this article. The teams were separated by two wins going into last night's game and had just lost to the Isles. Was this really necessary today with double digit games left in the regular season to stick it to Islander fans with this after a split of a home and home?

It would be nice if Mr Herrmann he just came out and told the folks he's a Ranger fan covering the Islander beat on occasion. You can see it when he turns up and does articles questioning the clubs viability and then writes this today.

NY Times: Lynn Zinser's Ranger centric coverage had Ted Nolan and Wade Dubielewicz comments on the loss.

NY Post: Larry Brooks and Jay Greenberg here: Were all over Ted Nolan's decision to start Wade Dubielewicz and of course to praise the Rangers where the Isles are barely quoted in either article beyond Bill Guerin.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Was anyone expecting anything else from the bad news twins today? Mr Brooks is a life long Ranger die-hard who cannot write a word about the Islanders without some kind of insult included and Mr Greenberg even though he's from St Louis and Philadelphia markets long ago stopped being a hockey writer beyond occasional coverage. Neither one know anything about the Islanders beyond the days they show up to cover the Rangers.

Daily News: The News editor decided to leave Peter Botte at home for an Islander home game against the Rangers so John Dellapina could written two Ranger centric articles where not a single Islander is quoted but did all he could to claim a squabble between the coach and general manager for the decision to start Wade Dubielewicz even though he was too lazy to get quotes from either one of them. He had no problem going to Tom Renney to second guess Ted Nolan.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
I fail to understand why Chris Botta is this nice to the Daily News or Post editors for this pathetic kind of treatment of our club leaving Peter Botte home so not a single player is quoted in either Ranger centric article? The AP could have done a far more fair and balanced job. I guess Mr Botta is more than used to it by now and we all know he lobbies all he can for Islander centric coverage. It's old news to see the Ranger fan/beatwriters take all the coverage space from the Isles and the infrequent Islander beatwriters disappear at times like this.

Garbage journalism from Mr Dellapina to write there is a squabble and use the general managers appearance on WFAN and only print a part of what he said to infer squabble without going to either one for a quote. Garth Snow defended his coach in that interview and only a portion of his comments were used here to make something out of essentially nothing. Later on WFAN Ted Nolan said the owner and general manager leave him alone. Mr Dellapina is the kind of writer who does back flips to protect Tom Renney and even went to him for quotes on Ted Nolan's decision?

Garbage journalism 101. Just another reason why hockey is so far down on the map in the New York market and why the game received no backpages in Manhattan today.

It's amazing the spin a handful of Ranger fans in the media business can create but we all know this is what many Islander fans will read and buy into despite the fact these writers are never around unless it's time to be critical or the Rangers are the opposition and do not follow the club on a daily basis.

This is where the Islanders lose the p.r game in the very limited New York Hockey media market and why some fans of the club need to break into the coverage business who will tell the Islanders story to the New York fans.

Journal News: Sam Weinman has the Ranger centric coverage of their win.

Islanders website: Has the full audio interviews from WFAN's appearance Thursday at the Coliseum.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Maybe Mr Dellapina should listen to Garth Snow's interview again and tell us where there is a squabble between the coach and general manager or at least be professional enough to write everything the general manager said?

The Sarnia Observer: Scott Stephenson reports Islander prospect Mark Katic will miss the rest of the season and the earliest he's expected to come back is the second round of the playoffs with the defender in a sling after injuring his other shoulder with coach Dave MacQueens comments.

Vancouver Province:Steve Ewen reports Vancouver Giants defenseman Brent Regner has heard from the New York Islanders this year as he was not selected in last summer's entry draft with several clubs reportedly interested in the young defender.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio had an interesting article on how the Sound Tigers have been doing very well without leading scorer Jeff Tambellini, with Jack Capuano's comments on the club winning despite the call ups. Matt Spiller comments on how hard the club has to work.

Bridgeport Sound Tigers at Portland Pirates
WHEN — Tonight, Saturday, 7:05
WHERE — Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, Maine
ON THE AIR — WICC-AM 1300 (Saturday only); Webcast and B2 Networks Internet pay-per-view at www.soundtigers.com

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Not a misprint, becoming more common for teams to play road doubleheaders against the same team.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio in his blog wonders how come WFAN's Chris Russo cannot pronounce Rick DiPietro or Alexander Ovechkin name properly but got it right on Dubielewicz?

Islander News Articles 3/6:

Newsday: Mark Herrmann's article plays the guessing game as to who will get the start for the Islanders tomorrow with Ted Nolan, Rick DiPietro and Wade Dubielewicz comments.

Daily News: Michael Obernauer is the latest to cover the Islander beat at the News and in this case one article fits both teams. Mostly the goaltending situation is covered with comments from Ted Nolan and Rick DiPietro. The Rangers requested the league check Dubielewicz's equipment and determined it to be legal.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Either the editor made the call or could Peter Botte have needed a rest from all that limited infrequent coverage provided to the team all season? With the Isles going on the road soon the critical games will be AP coverage only if things hold as they have all season.

Seems like the limited media is going all out here to create a goaltending controversy with even Garth Snow having to say it's the coaches decision as to who starts. Dubie played well in his last two games and when he is hot has proven he can carry a team and it's been a very tough week for DiPietro who had not had any kind of rest with the schedule and the all-star weekend. Ted Nolan needs another hot streak so why not ride the hot goalie for momentum? Dubie is a goaltender who thrives on work and lots of shots against.

If it does not work Islanders come back with DiPietro on Saturday which also can bring a positive monentum shift.

As for the Rangers seems bush league to check on Dubielewicz equipment, I guess he's in Ranger management's head to do that which is a good thing for the Isles.

Globe and Mail: Tim Wharnsby does an article on the Leafs buying out most of their high priced players and what it could cost against the cap using Alexei Yashin as a comparative.

Canadian Press: Former Islander Jason Blake had a lot to say about how the Islanders came back last year and made the playoffs as it applies to the Leafs situation.

Philadelphia Inquirer: Tim Panaccio reports Flyers forward Daniel Briere could return from a shoulder strain Saturday against the Islanders.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
So far Hatcher, Lupul and now Briere have all been in reports to return Saturday.

SI.com: John Rolfe on Tuesday had an article that basically said he's tired of seeing the Islanders roll out the alumni and that doing so only makes the recent past more depressing but also writes those players cannot be honored enough as someone who wrote he loved that team like no other in any sport before or since.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Mr Wang is making up for what other owners failed to do and I think it's the right thing. Al Arbour coaching a game vs the Core of the Four Weekend are two different things. Bottom line, no matter what he does someone is going to be critical.

WFAN.com/Yes Network: Mike Francesa and Chris Russo will be doing their show today at the Nassau Coliseum from 1pm-6:30pm.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Mr Francesa was at the Core of the Four Sunday, no doubt there will be some Islander centric guests on the program. A little surprised the Isles did not announce it on the website. Hopefully Mr Russo can finally pronounce Rick DiPietro's name properly if nothing else.

Updated 11am:
Islanders website: Did an update announcing WFAN at the Coliseum with a list of scheduled guests for today's broadcast:

2:05pm Garth Snow
3:05 Charles Wang
4:05 Bill Guerin
4:25 Rick DiPietro
5:05 Ted Nolan

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Been a very long time since Charles Wang appeared on WFAN which should be a very interesting interview. I will post a link tomorrow if avaialble.

NHL.com:Dan Rosen has a full feature article on Islanders captain Bill Guerin.

Islander News Articles 12/15:

Newsday: Katie Strang has Ted Nolan's comments on containing Sidney Crosby and the Penguins Saturday by relying on Rick DiPietro and defensive play.

They come in every so often and they're very good players. You know they're going to get some opportunities, and you just try to limit them," Nolan said. "It's a treat for fans to see them play and a challenge for teams to play against."

"We want to make sure to play team defense against an offensively explosive team," Nolan said. "Offensively, our approach is going to be the same,"

Pittsburgh Post Gazette: Reports Sidney Crosby will play after a taking a shot off the foot against Ottawa, while Sergei Gonchar missed practice with an illness but traveled to New York.

Pittsburgh Tribune Review: Reports Dany Sabourin is expected to start.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio reports on the Sound Tigers 4-1 loss at Providence Friday night, despite changing about one quarter of the roster for a club with two regulation wins in fourteen games. Jack Capuano talked how his club played and why the changes were made. Goaltender Joey MacDonald talked about the loss which dropped Bridgeport into the AHL basement.

"We played hard. We played physical," Bridgeport coach Jack Capuano said. "They've got a lot of skill, and when they had opportunities, they buried them."

"The guys coming up, obviously, they're going to get a chance to play. They're part of the organization," Capuano said. "There's going to be other guys from Utah coming up, too. Labelle and Haskins are getting the chance now."

"We've been playing so many games. Some guys need a break," Capuano said. "It'll be good for them to sit back and just watch a game, see the things we've been talking about. ... They'll be back in the lineup."

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio's blog is on the Providence loss, the Sound Tigers dropping close to the AHL basement overall and Tim Jackman getting a quick plug on WFAN this afternoon.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
By some miracle Mike Francesa and Chris Russo found themselves watching the
Islander-Coyote game Wednesday and discussed hockey for the opening five minutes because Gretzky was going to be on the program. One of them noted the hustle of #28 playing for the Islanders which is where Tim Jackman comes in. Of course attendance was a big issue with Mr Francesa noting the strong weekend crowds vs the poor weeknight crowds.

I guess they have been watching some games but it would be nice if they actually had Garth Snow or Ted Nolan on but we are talking about two people who could not even remember Rick DiPietro's name.

ISLANDERS NOTEBOOK 10/4:

Islanders head coach Ted Nolan spoke following practice Thursday about a variety of topics pertaining to the team and the season NYI.com

"Bill Guerin has really taken control of the team," said Nolan. "He's a guy who goes out of his way to meet everyone on the team. Billy doesn't just talk to the so-called experienced guys on the team. You'll see him sitting at meals with the young guys. He's also really good at getting the team up before games. He's a real motivator, and has shown his leadership throughout Training Camp."

"You always learn from what you did before," said Ted. "We made some adjustments for this year. Bringing in Gerard Gallant, who has tremendous experience in the league, was a big help. We also brought in John Chabot, who is also a good character guy, to help on the coaching staff. Dan Lacroix will now be added help with us on the video side. I brought in a group of people to make me better. Plus, I know the personnel on the team better. I know what to expect from them and will use that to my advantage. I'm more familiar than last year, which will make for easier start to the season."

"We found our first line through free agency with Guerin, Comrie and Fedotenko. They looked like a good line to put together from the get-go. In the exhibition games, they seemed to have chemistry right from the start.

"We added a little more punch to our Hunter-Sillinger line by putting Sim in the mix. Hilbert is a reliable defensive guy, who will fit in well with Satan and Vasicek. Park is as versatile as anyone. He could play well on the fourth line or the first line or the third. He'll anchor that fourth line which also has Bergenheim, who is enthusiastic and likes to play the body. We feel like we have a good mix and good chemistry with all four lines."

"Miro has looked really hungry this year," said Ted. "He'll get his opportunities out there on the power play and we think he'll thrive in that situation."

Nolan's WFAN interview is archived here for those who missed it this morning.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Nolan did not mention Berard and talked about Satan on the pp point which looked like a terrible early season decision a year ago.

On WFAN, Joe Beningo and Evan Roberts asked directly about signing Berard. Nolan said said Berard is still here at his own expense trying to convince us to sign him that the evaulation continues but the club is hoping it works out and praised his talents.

A lot of talk about grit and character. Praise for Snow. Nolan said they got a first line esstentially for free and felt the club did well in free agency. Also that Satan should do better with players who can get him the puck and that he's healthy.

Praised Aaron Johnson and Freddy Meyer.

Nolan and Guerin on radio Thursday

MEDIA ALERT: Ted, Captain on the radio Thursday
Bill Guerin: WBAB (102.3 FM) at 8:15 am; Ted Nolan: WFAN (660 AM) at 10:40 am

Captain Bill Guerin will be on WBAB (102.3 FM) at approximately 8:15 am with "Roger and JP" discussing the 2007-08 season for the Islanders....

Islanders head coach Ted Nolan will be on WFAN (660 AM) at 10:40 am with Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts previewing the weekend matchups with Buffalo on Friday and Saturday.

NYI.com report here.