New post at Lighthouse Hockey: Transcript: NHL Disciplinary Video for Cam Janssen
There isn’t much else to say about Janssen’s ill-fated interview this week with a couple of shock jocks from St. Louis. It’s pretty much been hashed, rehashed, re-rehashed and then reheated and re-hashed again for the last few days. It’s just so sad that we still have so far to go if we want to raise our intelligence level as a society.
New post on Lighthouse Hockey: Alex Semin’s Backstage Rider May Be Keeping Him Out of the NHL.
(I never do this, but I’m actually quite proud of this parody. I think it came out really good.)
I don’t know why Alex Semin hasn’t signed with another team yet. I do know that it’s not because he’s Russian or an enigma or a bad teammate or an arch villain. Actual general managers of NHL teams don’t think and act like blog commentors or TV talking heads (at least, I hope they don’t). Players have signed free agent contracts in all sports and were later revealed to be alcoholics, drug addicts, assholes, deadbeats and other things you don’t want to be. It didn’t stop teams from signing them thinking they were going to help win games.
The rumors I do believe are the ones of a trainload of dough waiting for Semin in his native Russia and the KHL. He might be waiting for a similar payday from an NHL team. But again, until he signs on the line that is dotted (and even maybe afterwards), we may never know the truth behind the mystery. It could be money or term or the last couple of seasons in which his scoring numbers have dipped. When he finally does sign, it will inevitably be revealed that the delay was because “he wanted to find the right fit.” Just depends on what he’s trying to fit and where.
And any Islanders fans that tell you they wouldn’t take Semin on the team are either delusional or xenophobic. With John Tavares as his center, there’s no telling how many points they’d combine for. Sadly, I don’t see it happening.
Until something does happen, guessing where in the world is Alex Semin is a lot of fun.
So my Blade Runner-esque future of Nassau County parody was mentioned on Newsday’s political blog, Spin Cycle.
For a kid from Long Island, getting mentioned in (or, since it’s the 21st century, on) Newsday is very exciting. It’s like making the Dean’s List or Honor Roll at school. Sure, a ton of people do it. But it’s still a thrill being recognized up there.
New post on Lighthouse Hockey: As 2036 Approaches, Officials Push New Plan for Former Nassau Hub
I’m probably the last guy to realize this, and it’s a little embarrassing as such a huge fan of the movie, but Blade Runner apparently takes place in 2019. That’s seven years from now. If we don’t have flying cars and replicants working on Mars in seven years, I’m gonna be super pissed.
Nassau County probably won’t be a dystopian wasteland by 2019. But aside from the dates (and silliness) involved, I absolutely believe my parody article to be based on a likely scenario. That being the comical inaction on the Nassau Hub project and the revitalization of the area including and surrounding the Coliseum continuing years into the future.
It’s late now and the subject drives me crazy when I think about it, so I probably won’t get into much detail. Bottom line for me is that the “leadership” of Nassau County has proven to anyone paying even the slightest bit of attention that they are either unwilling or incapable of solving this problem. And it is a problem worth solving.
New post on Lighthouse Hockey: Zeitgeist - Islanders 2012-2013 Season Ends With Disappointing 4-1 Loss on Sunday.
The first day of free agency is like the first day of school for NHL teams. Really more so than the opening game. It’s a chance to re-invent oneself and take on a new identity for the coming year. Sure, its awkward and a lot of people might think you’re weird. But after a few days or weeks, the hope is that they’ll forget the old you and permanently embrace the new, smarter, cooler, sexier, better-dressed you.
So how was the first day of school, honey?
The Islanders brought in a 6th defenseman, a reclamation project and a goon that probably won’t see more than a few games outside the AHL*. These were not the players fans were dreaming of on Saturday night (although one astute fan did correctly predict the Brad Boyes signing). The masses wanted a big splash and got Matt Carkner. Oh, and P.A. Parenteau left for Colorado and Micheal Haley took the LIRR to Manhattan.
To return to the original metaphor, the Islanders came in wearing the same braces and glasses with the tape in the middle they had last year, but with a Corrosion of Conformity t-shirt on. And nobody was believing it for a second.
New Post on Lighthouse Hockey: LHH Zeitgeist: U-Haul Truck Rates for NHL Free Agents.
Maybe the Islanders land some big time free agent this summer. Maybe they don’t.
New Yorkers are used to free agent bombshells. Between the Yankees, Rangers, Knicks and even the Mets and Jets, two of the supposed “lesser” teams, a big signing is usually a regular occurrence.
So when the Islanders go another summer without signing someone you’ve heard of before, it gets very demoralizing. The funny thing is, the last few free agents they’ve signed were guys no one had ever heard of and they turned out to be damn good players. But in the battle for the back page, finding a Matt Moulson or a Mark Streit for reasonable payouts isn’t as effective as backing up a truck full of money into Brad Richards’ driveway.
Working out my issues with the New York Islanders.
Follow me on Twitter: @cultureoflosing
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WHAT THEY SAID:
"The bar has been raised on NHL CBA negotiation analysis." - Dirk Hoag of On the Forecheck on "Lockout Lit presents: an excerpt from H.R.R. Tolkien's "The Fellowship of the Revenue." (10/17/12)
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"A MUST read for all Isles fans." - Jeff Capellini of CBS Sports on "As 2036 Approaches, Officials Push a New Plan for Former Nassau Hub." (7/9/12)
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"Be sure to read Horror at the Hockey Draft, a Choose Your Own Adventure novel. This is excellent." - Harrison Mooney on Yahoo's Puck Daddy blog. (6/21/12)
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