Sometimes you go onto your message board to just chat with your friends because there's nothing really going on and nothing to discuss relating to Islander Hockey. For years now, I've never been alone or lonely with my world-wide friends contained in that blue box on Invisionfree.
Some days, however, someone posts something they find and it just makes your day. That's what happened a little while ago when a member of NYIC posted the link to Greg Logan's newest blog entry announcing the parting of ways for Sean Bergenheim and Mark Gandler and his partner. "7th must be a happy woman." is how it started.
HE HAS NO IDEA!!
For years now I have felt that Gandler has not had Bergie's best interests at heart. Damn... I felt that way about how he dealt about Yashin too. But Yashin is an older player who already has a full bank account (and a LI mansion up for sale if anyone has a few MILLION to throw around.) and an established career.
Sean is young and needs to establish himself in the good graces of not only his home club, (you know, the one that drafted him to begin with!) but with the league and the fans. Gandler is not the type of agent that is going to offer any of his clients what can be deemed as "positive press."
What he talked Sean into two season's ago was an injustice to his client, the fans and to the Islanders. Sean was a fan favorite in Bridgeport. Everyone LOVED him there. He was growing, learning and developing.
Did he feel he was called up to the big club enough? No.
Did he feel he came to camp fit and ready to be on the Islanders roster? Yes.
Was he actually ready for it? Maybe not.
But that's what's called "paying your dues." And those who pay them without incident (or whining) are the ones that reap the greatest rewards from them.
As I've said in numerous entries both on here and on my Bravejournal site, Sean is an excellent hockey player with great energy and wonderful potential. I saw that in him his first game in an Islander uniform when he stared down Mario Lemieux. I've never doubted his talent or drive one day since then. But every conversation I had with his coaches ended up the same way.
"He can't play fourth line minutes, and there's just no place for him right now." It broke my heart, and it dissapointed Bergie.
The games I saw him play in Bridgeport were astounding. It seemed as if he was never off the ice. His speed and tenacity made for entertaining hockey. He was being noticed.
I watched him grow from a skinny little kid into a brick wall with an attitude. It was an amazing transformation. The last time I saw him in the locker room this season, I took a good look at his face and realized the little boy with the bright smile was now a confident man with an agenda. His agenda is to play in the NHL and to prove himself and his worth.
His agent robbed him of one full year toward that goal when he tried to play hard ball with the Islanders before the '06 season. From the looks of it, he would have attempted that same game this season. The outcome would have probably been worse.
I'm glad Sean has made this decision. I hope his next agent is one that will really be looking out for HIM, as a client and as a person. Someone that can truly guide him not just toward a big payday, but the right career path. Someone who is a forward thinker and not just looking for an immediate gain.
Hockey players make excellent money. Agents make a nice chunk of change too. But a good agent knows that the money isn't everything and will look at the big picture and the best interest of his client. That is what he's there for. Reading about the way Mr. Gandler has handled the careers of some of his clients, I'm not sure he's grasped that concept.
Here's looking forward to settling without arbitration, and coming to an amicable term for both Sean and the Islanders. If Snow can do that, then everyone wins; including the fans... and especially... ME.
PS: Looks like I'm not going to get those roses after all... fiddle faddle
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1 comment:
Sorry I'm late, Dee. Just catching up on my reading.
This is a very good thing for Bergenheim. Gandler was bad for him and seemed not to care that he got his client excommunicated from North American hockey for a year.
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