Islanders Business Club - Built for SUCCESS

Call me jaded. I’ve come to the conclusion that I am, and I shouldn’t be. But I’m used to seeing Mike Bossy, Clark Gillies, Bobby Nystrom and Garth Snow 4 ft. away from me. I no longer get that star struck look that I saw on so many faces last night at the Islanders Business Club networking event. I may no longer get it, but it’s one of the greatest things to see on others. It’s a smile from ear to ear and a sparkle in the eyes that says “Wow! I’m talking to one of Hockey’s greatest legends!” And I saw it in hundreds and hundreds of faces.

When we arrived and made our way down to the event hall, we rode the escalator with Ted Nolan. That’s where it started. As soon as we were at the main hall floor there was a line, actually two lines of people signing in and picking up their Business Club passes. There was also a security guard putting red bracelets on anyone who wanted to go into the locker room to meet Mike Sillinger and Kyle Okposo. Fellow blogger Tom Liodice laughed when the guard tried to tell me where the locker room is. I found it humorous too, but I’m too nice to laugh.

I immediately struck up a conversation with a woman who had never been to the coliseum before, but had received the email from Isles master organizer Catie Bennett. We chatted and chatted and exchanged business cards as we tried to figure out what line to get on.

IslanderQueen, Tom and I decided to see what would happen if we just walked through the doors. Of course, they let me go FIRST. Other than getting hit in the eyes with a blinding spot light that was shining on a 10 foot ice sculpture at the front of the hall, we were not stopped.

The area was absolutely PACKED decked out in blue, orange and white balloons, bistro tables, bar stools, leather chairs and black drapes. I stopped dead in my tracks and people almost fell over me. There was, much to my surprise, a Hockey star I never thought I’d see in person. It was a HANSON! YES! A Hanson! Not a look-a-like, but the real thing, Chiefs jersey and all. I had to explain to my new friend, Susan, who he was but that was okay. She’ll learn soon enough. IslanderQueen and I stopped for photos.

There were carving stations and chafing dishes set up on the perimeter of the room along with two bars that were giving out flashing Islander logo glasses. They made the room look like a disco. I stopped at the desert cart to take a photo of my next birthday cake. I was in heaven. But so was everyone else. There was wild chatter, laughter and nothing but smiles.

We found another one of our fellow bloggers, B.D. Gallof sampling the fine fare and enjoying the company of strangers. At the front of the room was a stage and someone, we don’t know who, in full goalie gear with a net. I guess the idea was to shoot on him. But the room stopped as Bossy took the stage to welcome everyone and introduce his fellow Alumni. He’s a wonderful Master of Ceremonies and the presentations were surprisingly brief from Garth and Mr. Wang.
I also had the opportunity to spend some time with arena hostess Dina who told me a great story about her night in Detroit at game 5 of the playoffs.

“I’m sitting there in this sea of red, and what’s two rows in front of me??? A guy in a RANGERS T-shirt! So my friend said to me ‘Oh, no. You’re not going to SAY something are you?’ and I told him; ‘Of course I am!’ Hey! Your team's on the golf course!” That’s our Dina. Islanders through and through, even in Detroit wearing a Red Wings T-shirt. But it was an Osgood shirt because, as she told me “I figured that would be fine if anyone saw me in it. After all… he WAS an Islander!”
IslanderQueen and the Blog Box crew finally made our way to the locker room to see Sillinger and Okposo. Mike is a pretty funny guy, but not a very observant one it seems. With B.D. and Tom behind me I asked him if he knew who we were. He answered with an absolute “No.” and shook his head. I told him we were the bloggers and tried to refresh his memory of seeing us in the locker room when ONE of my buddies, and I won’t name names said “Of course he doesn’t remember us from the locker room. He wasn’t there that much.” DOH!! Kyle got a real kick out of that. Yeah, we're nothing but trouble together.

So, once again, I’ll say the Business Club is definitely the way to go for anyone with a business or a product to sell on Long Island. Fourteen club events before Islander games, a network of potential clients and Islander tickets too! Throw in Mike Bossy as the chairman, who can beat that? And all in our own backyard. Pretty special indeed!

Oh! And the Red Wings take home the cup. The 2007-2008 season is official over. Now... when's the NEW schedule coming out???