THERE AIN'T NO ISLAND LEFT FOR ISLANDERS LIKE ME: In what may be the biggest disaster to strike Long Island since Lizzie Grubman stepped behind the wheel of her SUV, it looks like the Islanders are moving to Brooklyn (if there's ever an NHL again).
This was inevitable once the Nassau County referendum on building a new arena failed. The Coliseum is old, hard to get to other than by car, and lacking in modern facilities (no major renovation since 83).
I guess from a geographic perspective, a name change isn't technically required. But it it might still be a good idea. Do Brooklynites consider themselves Lawnguylanders?
No. We try to avoid thinking about the fact that yes, geographically, we technically live on Long Island. But Kings County and Nassau County are worlds apart.
A few years ago at a trial, we had a witness for the other side testify that she was responsible for distributing a product to the "seven boroughs of NYC." The judge (Southern District) interrupted and asked the witness to name them. When she ended with "Suffolk and Nassau," the judge politely and firmly corrected her.
And the Nets could have gone back to the New York moniker, but Brooklyn has its own cachet. I expect the NHL and the team want to take advantage of that.
OT, but the NHL lockout is total bullshit. Not on the merits, but because this was the Flyers' year. Bryz was going to return to form, plus GIROOOOOOOOOOUX.
There's little reason to change. If they were the Long Island Islanders, sure. But the name still works, and it's a long-standing brand. Rebranding without a really good reason (like moving from Montreal to DC and your original franchise sucking eggs for decades) is a fool's errand.
1.) They Expos didn't suck eggs for decades. They were Le meilleur equipe de baseball mille neuf-cent quatre-vint quatre (and in fact were in the top half in attendance for much of the '80s and early '90s). They sucked eggs when MLB bought out Jeffrey Loria so he could buy the Marlins for no apparently good reason. And then the Nats sucked eggs for a couple of years.
2.) The Islanders are still keeping their logo, so is their commitment to history, which culturally correctly if not geographically, does not include Brooklyn as part of Long Island. (Well, much of Brooklyn is indistinct, but not the area around the Le Centre Barclay.)
As a native Long Islander and a current Brooklynite, I'm the final authority on this move. Long Islanders aren't moving back out there, they're moving back to Brooklyn. Nassau Coliseum is a piece of crap and Nassau County couldn't come up with a reasonable solution. The Islanders weren't seeing an increase in audience and as Nassau Coliseum crumbled, it was getting harder and harder to attract people to events there. I think this is a great solution - they're a block from the LIRR for the loyal fans and they're going to get new fans. Just a perfect representation of the poor vision and management of Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
And an interesting note - Charles Wang went to high school at Brooklyn Tech - with my dad. Tech is a 10 min walk from the Barclays Center. It all comes around.
And as for real disasters on Long Island, my dad is happy to give you the Long Island crime tour - the Amityville Horror, Joey Buttafuocco, Joel Rifkin, Kelly Ann Tinyes, Katie Beers....the list goes on.
Yayayaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-ohhhhh.
ReplyDeleteThis was inevitable once the Nassau County referendum on building a new arena failed. The Coliseum is old, hard to get to other than by car, and lacking in modern facilities (no major renovation since 83).
ReplyDeleteMy cultural ignorance of the Northeast -- and of NHL -- is such that I had always assumed that the island referred to in "Islander" was Manhattan.
ReplyDeleteIsn't Brooklyn technically part of Long Island?
ReplyDeleteNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteIndeed it is. Queens, too.
ReplyDeleteI guess from a geographic perspective, a name change isn't technically required. But it it might still be a good idea. Do Brooklynites consider themselves Lawnguylanders?
ReplyDeleteThey could be the Brooklyn Nets! The name seems just as appropriate for a hockey team as for a basketball team....
ReplyDeleteNo. We try to avoid thinking about the fact that yes, geographically, we technically live on Long Island. But Kings County and Nassau County are worlds apart.
ReplyDeleteSo: the Brooklyn __________? (No way Jay Z or David Stern allows co-opting of Nets). Cyclones is already taken, which is too bad.
ReplyDeleteWhy would they change the name? It's never been the Long Island Islanders - they can still be the New York Islanders and play in Brooklyn.
ReplyDeleteThe Gorton's fisherman is no longer an appropriate mascot. How about the Brooklyn Strong?
ReplyDeleteI once attended a wedding out near the Coliseum. It was hard to get to even with a car.
ReplyDeleteHow about the Brooklyn Icemen? Calls back to the old days of ice deliveries, lends itself well to punny headlines.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago at a trial, we had a witness for the other side testify that she was responsible for distributing a product to the "seven boroughs of NYC." The judge (Southern District) interrupted and asked the witness to name them. When she ended with "Suffolk and Nassau," the judge politely and firmly corrected her.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Nets could have gone back to the New York moniker, but Brooklyn has its own cachet. I expect the NHL and the team want to take advantage of that.
ReplyDeleteWell, apparently team owner Charles Wang agrees with Marsha - team's twitter feed says they will remain the NY Islanders.
ReplyDeleteOT, but the NHL lockout is total bullshit. Not on the merits, but because this was the Flyers' year. Bryz was going to return to form, plus GIROOOOOOOOOOUX.
ReplyDeleteAnd related,,we get to my problem with the New York City Nets. Sorry, Brooklyn, you're not your own city.
ReplyDeleteGeorge Gervin approves.
ReplyDeleteThere's little reason to change. If they were the Long Island Islanders, sure. But the name still works, and it's a long-standing brand. Rebranding without a really good reason (like moving from Montreal to DC and your original franchise sucking eggs for decades) is a fool's errand.
ReplyDelete1.) They Expos didn't suck eggs for decades. They were Le meilleur equipe de baseball mille neuf-cent quatre-vint quatre (and in fact were in the top half in attendance for much of the '80s and early '90s). They sucked eggs when MLB bought out Jeffrey Loria so he could buy the Marlins for no apparently good reason. And then the Nats sucked eggs for a couple of years.
ReplyDelete2.) The Islanders are still keeping their logo, so is their commitment to history, which culturally correctly if not geographically, does not include Brooklyn as part of Long Island. (Well, much of Brooklyn is indistinct, but not the area around the Le Centre Barclay.)
As a native Long Islander and a current Brooklynite, I'm the final authority on this move. Long Islanders aren't moving back out there, they're moving back to Brooklyn. Nassau Coliseum is a piece of crap and Nassau County couldn't come up with a reasonable solution. The Islanders weren't seeing an increase in audience and as Nassau Coliseum crumbled, it was getting harder and harder to attract people to events there. I think this is a great solution - they're a block from the LIRR for the loyal fans and they're going to get new fans. Just a perfect representation of the poor vision and management of Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
ReplyDelete(All assuming hockey comes back, of course.)
And an interesting note - Charles Wang went to high school at Brooklyn Tech - with my dad. Tech is a 10 min walk from the Barclays Center. It all comes around.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for real disasters on Long Island, my dad is happy to give you the Long Island crime tour - the Amityville Horror, Joey Buttafuocco, Joel Rifkin, Kelly Ann Tinyes, Katie Beers....the list goes on.
ReplyDeleteWhat year? My dad was class of '49, I believe.
ReplyDelete