Weighing in on Camp in China & WWGSD #3: Playing Within Garth's Rules

One of my favorite Tweeple, @MattClausen did an excellent job analyzing the Islanders needs at this trade deadline. Check out his well thought out and explained ideas here at HockeyBuzz.

And if anyone has been waiting for me to weigh in on the news that the Islanders training camp would be in China in September -- well... I've been holding off.

I HATE IT.

Yes, I'm going against the company line here that so often I am accused of toeing. Granted, I feel a little better about it after reading Charles Wang's explanation of why he enlisted the NHL and the NHLPA in agreeing to the unprecedented event.

Okay, I understand. It's a great learning experience for the players. It's a good-will adventure across cultures. It is a way to expand the game. I see the benefits of it, however...

I STILL HATE IT!!!

It's too far! There's a language barrier! There's a HUGE political difference as well as a cuisine difference. Blame what I saw during the coverage of the Beijing Olympics. Any place that has scopions and starfish on a stick as a street snack does not get my four-star recommendation for cuisine.

So all that boils down to I'm worried about them.

Then there was the question of exhibition games, who would the Islanders match up against. Well, they do have the Chinese National team and now they have scheduled a game in Saskatoon for September 29th against Calgary. Um, what's the time difference between Saskatoon and Beijing?

I found an article that seems to be thumbing it's Canadian nose at the idea of another exhibition game in Saskatoon. It seems they were a little dissapointed with the roster of last year's game.

"Tickets may be easier to come by this time around, after last fall's matchup was a little short on actual NHL players."

The author managed to get a quote out of Garth Snow on the event:

The Islanders' General Manager, Garth Snow, says he looks at the game as a home date for New York and wants fans to be happy.

"The one thing that I can control with the Islanders' organization when it's our home game, is who we bring."

If that is the case... Hey! Garth! If you can control who you bring, think you can bring your faithful Blog Box Bunch since we sure as hell can't GET TO CHINA!!!