Sid's Not a Kid ... Any more 8-7-08

You know it's a slow day in Islander Country when the only information I'm finding of any interest on NHL.com is about the Penguins. Well, it is August and Mr. Snow is being quite ELUSIVE right now about his coach search. It's not very gentlemanly to keep a lady waiting like this, sir! At least we have Saturday's Open House to look forward to, but it's only Thursday, so there I was looking for something of interest in the hockey world.

So young Master Crosby turns 21 today. Legal drinking age. Does that mean he can stop babysitting Mario's kids now? I know there are so many fans out there who have negative things to say about the boy, but you can't deny the truth. As one of the Islanders said at a Booster Club meeting, "That Sidney Crosby; he's one hell of a hockey player." As the youngest player in NHL history to score 100 points, the youngest to ever win the Art Ross Trophy, the youngest to receive the Lester B. Pearson Award and the youngest team captain ever, you just can't deny the facts.

Happy Birthday Sidney. Go order a JD like a man.

The ground breaking ceremony for Pittsburgh's new arena will take place on August 14th and will be open to the public. It's scheduled to open for the start of the 2010-2011 season. Um... when do WE get to do something like that? Uh, yeah.

Dan Bylsma, (remember him?) has been named the head coach of the AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. We wish him much luck in his new position. Tiger Track Tom can say "Hi" to him when he's back in Bridgeport on November 5th.

Speaking of the AHL, their new season schedule has been released. There are EIGHT Sunday DAY games on the schedule. If I do not get to at least ONE of those games, I give Tom Liodice full permission to smack me upside the head. I desperately wanted to go to Bridgeport for a game last season, and for one reason or another, just never made it out there. My loss for sure.

Saturday should be a great day at the Coliseum as Doug Weight and Josh Bailey are introduced to the NYIC faithful. Our own Blog Box boys Mike Schuerlein and Tom Liodice will be on the panel to grill, uh, interview them along with a member of Islander Mania.

I've already communicated with our beat reporter Greg Logan, he will be on family vacation and unable to attend. PLEASE DO NOT RANK ON HIM FOR NOT BEING THERE!!! I hate it when I read items about his "non-coverage" of Islander events and too much time away from his writing. Give the man a break! It's August. He'll never sleep from late September until April.

So, stop by the Open House on Saturday and meet the new boss, um, BOYS. But a few of us may meet a new boss, he won't be the same as the old boss, and I won't be fooled again.*

(*Gratuitous WHO reference as we just booked tickets to see them in October in Boston. For my cooperation in attending yet another expensive WHO concert in less than 3 years, I get to see a Bruins game from center ice, 3rd row, behind the bench. I deserve it. Guess who they're playing?)

See you Saturday. Just look for the orange heels, ya can't miss me. I'll be gathering up information about the new partial ticket plans that will be released. Should be some great info!

Summer Interrupted: Olympics 2008

I'm not really a Summer Olympics enthusiast, but this year it's different. The sheer magnitude of the event has sucked me in. But I am more interested in the stories surrounding the games, than the actual games themselves. I have no real interest in archery, badminton and water polo. I may watch the swim meets and have my eye on the women's softball team since I at least can relate to that.

What I'm most interested in right now is everything else going on. The weather, the smog, the security and the fear. Mostly because this is the first time I actually KNOW someone who is there. I've actually even become a regular on the NYTimes.com website which is something I have never done before... EVER. I'll admit to wandering over to USAToday on occasion, but the Times? Land of "no hockey" coverage? Nope. I've had no use for them. Until now.

Knowing the media contingent they have dispatched to this far off land, I can't help but be interested. I also can't help but wonder how the heck China managed to get the IOC to allow them to host these games. It's mind boggling. The political strife, the recent earthquakes, the massive pollution. And yet the world's finest athletes will all be there competing, and trying to stay safe. Personally.... I don't get it.

The opening ceremony takes place on Friday, 8/8/08. At least it's not 6/6/06. We're being promised the most spectacular ceremony ever and over 2000 hours of coverage (which NBC paid through the nose for). So we'll interrupt our August vacation month and be bombarded with Olympic data. As long as it's not Olympic catastrophes, I will be happy.

Sandy, my thoughts and prayers are with you so far from home. I know you'll do a fabulous job and it will be the experience of a lifetime. I can't wait till we're sitting on the sidelines again on a softball field somewhere in po-dunk PA when you can tell me all about it.

Crap... did I just say that out loud? See what happens to a puck junkie come August?

At least there's the open house on August 9th when the Islanders introduce Doug Weight to the fans. It's a great way to spend the morning, since there's no way in hell I can possibly hit the Ice Girls tryout at Ice Works. Although if I could skate backwards.... I probably would!