Count Them 30th, but Don't Count them EASY

We warned you! All 29 of you! If you thought you could just walk away with two points and not have to work for them, you are finding out the NY Islanders have other plans. You'll have to TAKE them.

While the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and the Utah Grizzles will both be playing in the post season, there are no playoff hopes for the NY Islanders. There haven't been since, oh, Christmas perhaps. But that doesn't mean that this team doesn't make it entertaining to watch every single game left.

CJ Papa, Bill Jaffe and Howie Rose are all planning their next assignments after Easter. Their reporting on these games has become more relaxed and enjoyable. Jaffe is always ready to point out the little things that will mean so much to the club NEXT season. Even if September seems so far away right now.

With yet another injury to All-Star Mark Streit, I had little hope of last night's game being anything less than a harsh loss. But I, like the rest of Islanders Country, was nodding with quiet satisfaction as the Islanders were actually ahead for a good number of minutes.

There ARE bright spots on the ice. This helped to balance out my anger an despair over the political occurrences of yesterday regarding the Lighthouse project.

I have never been involved in politics. I tend to stay as far away as possible. I vote, but I do not try to get caught up in the red tape of it all. (Okay, I admit I will occasionally turn off Home Ice and listen to NPR. shhhhh... THAT'S a secret.) But this political push-pull between Nassau County and the Town of Hempstead truly has me wringing my hands and shaking my head.

My "emotional ownership" of the team and the place I grew up is causing me undue heartache. I cannot imagine my life without being able to attend an NHL hockey game. I will not travel to Brooklyn or Queens more than occasionally to see one. I would seriously rather cross the sound to Bridgeport or spend a weekend in Boston.

Better yet, I would rather spend a four day vacation in Columbus. There I could watch an NHL game in a state-of-the-art arena. Dine in a variety of great restaurants, skate with my daughter at the Chiller practice facility, stroll the cobblestone commons toting my Starbucks and a danish and check out the condos overlooking it all, just to see what MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN NASSAU COUNTY!!!!

In all honesty, if you think that this project is too big to work, you have not done your homework. I'm heartsick.

Oh, yes... Ovechkin is a hockey God and Mike Green was chosen 29th in his draft. How many picks does Garth and Company have this year in the top 60???

The Islanders are on the road to greatness, Nassau County is on the road to nowhere.