Dear Jeff Blair:

because there is moderation on the Globe & Mail and Isleschick was curious to see what I wrote, here it is, if it never shows up there.


Mr. Blair, I see that your paper actually had another article almost in rebuttal to this little piece of your personal opinion. Just as so many other Canadian journalists, you have found the way to increase your comment and hit count is by attacking the NY Islanders. As we have one of the most passionate fan bases, (whether you wish to believe it or not) I am sure you are being hit from all sides as your brief piece has made it's way from message board to message board.
John Tavares should be happy to be a NY Islander IF he is chosen.

Have you ever SEEN Long Island? It's a beautiful place to live with beaches and vineyards and plenty to offer a young man. To say that he will be a "nobody" playing for a "nowhere team" is actually a disservice to a young man looking forward to his professional career and an insult to some hockey greats that came before him.

While you may have some rude things to say about us, where else could he be taught by some of hockey's greatest legends? (Mike Bossy & Brian Trottier)

While our media coverage is indeed smaller than that in TO, it would do a young player well to be low key as he matures. The pressure is not so great that he will break.

In other words... I'm sick of your Toronto Maple Leaf grand standing and feeling as if you own the hockey universe. Brian Burke may be a great hockey mind, but he is not the pope or God and just because he wants something doesn't mean he will get it.

So go ahead now and tell your countrymen that Tavares is no longer the number one pick so that you can justify him becoming the face of our franchise (if that is what Garth Snow wants.)

The ball is in HIS court, NOT Canada's.

Enjoy the Internet hits on your column as they are all coming from our fan base which spans the globe.


Translation: byte me.