Thursday, October 25, 2012

A Fans Perspective: Islanders Moving to the BK(Brooklyn)

The One Thing Ranger Fans Hate the Most: 4 in a Row,
Mike Bossy:
Maybe the Best Player Ever If He Didn't Have Bad Knees.

So big news in the NHL the other day. The New York Islanders just signed a 25 year lease, to start in the 2015 season, to play in the Barclays in Brooklyn, the new home of the Brooklyn Nets of the Association. So part of me is happy about the move and the other part of me screams to kill someone. So a little background about what exactly happened.





The Isles have been in a bind since the last decade. During that decade Wang, the owner, basically said that he is looking into redeveloping Nassau Coliseum with his billions of dollars and he stated that he wouldn't stay a day longer than the original lease in the crappy building.  Wang created this brilliant plan. He was going to invest most of his money into a new "IT" place on LI with the Coliseum being the crown jewel. The Coliseum was going to be place to go to year round not just for hockey and concerts. Movies, minor league ball park, sports facilities that were going to be open to the public, a roof that could see the stars was even in the works too. The plan had a lot of pros and maybe the best was Wang was going to pay for all of it. Every cent. His only concession he wanted was a tax exemption here and there since the initial cost was going to be around $2 billion.

Accordingly, the political system of Nassau County and Town of Hempstead stirred up. At the time, Nassau County Executive was a democrat, Tom Suozzi. He was all for the plan to rebuild the area and more than willing to give Wang a tax concession here or there.
HEY FATTY! NOW ALL OF YOUR FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS MIGHT CLOSE

Suozzi's main opponent was the Town of Hempstead(TOH) and fat ass Kate Murray. See Kate is a republican. Her main problem with the plan is the extra traffic it might induce in the area and environmental issues. Seriously, there were no traffic issues. There was a 3 lane highway (3 lanes both directions North to South) next door and 3 lane major road (both directions West to East) that runs in front of the Coliseum. Also, there are no single lane roads there besides the one that goes directly into the nature preserve next door that Wang was going to give money to keep it funded. Kate's issue wasn't traffic and the environment (a republican a proponent for the environment....HAHAHAHAHA). The issue was the democrats were infringing on the only republican stronghold in Nassau County and maybe the whole southwest portion of New York, TOH. Kate was told to slow the process/ sit on her big fat hands until the next county executive election came and maybe the republicans could win and make their own deal with Wang. During the election and lame duck period in the county, Wang and his other investors pulled out of the deal. He wanted to split the bill with the county now.

Fast-forward to the county executive election, Suozzi lost to Ed Mangano. Mangano is republican. He looked into to getting other investors and get the Isles back on board with the idea of staying past 2015 and he had the backing from the TOH to do so. So Mangano ordered a general vote to the Nassau county residents to borrow money from the state($300-400 million) and have taxes increase $50 for a 15-20 year period in order to get a new arena. For the most part everyone seemed on board but the democrats flipped flopped sides and said Mangano was going to increase the taxes infinitely and basically lied to the rest of the public saying the idea was a horrible idea and not to vote for the construction of a new arena. The vote for a new arena lost. By. A. Ton.

Recap: Republicans: 1, Democrats: 1, Public: 1, Isles: 0

While the county was looking for new investors after the vote, Wang decided to roll the dice and talk to the Barclays about joining the new arena. The Barclays said yes and now the Isles are taking the short trip to Brooklyn in 2015.

I am so pissed off at the political system here on LI. It is basically the microcosmo of the political situation for America. The democrats and republicans won't realize that Isles leaving is bad for the economy in the surrounding area. Since Isles are leaving, taxes are suppose increase even more once the lease is up. Estimates have the increase over the original $50 tax increase for a new arena. There are so many different store fronts across from the Coliseum that will be hurt by the move. Just to rattle off a few: gas stations, Starbucks, deli, Subway, McDonalds, Chipotle, Hooters, Burger King, a few family owned restaurants, hotels, Hoftra University (Hoftra had a program were students did the radio call for the Isles games) and not to mention the 4 fried chicken restaurants 1 mile away in the hood (I am too drunk to taste this chicken!!!!!!!!!).

I am glad the Isles aren't in Canada or the mid-West. I can still watch them on tv so I don't have to put myself through the torture of Ranger/ Devil (BTW: Ranger and Devils have the best play by play guys in the business but the in studio and color commentators suck). I can still go to games and drink more now since I have public transportation to take me home (HOOORAY FOR BEER!).

Pros for Nassau County and the surrounding area: 
NONE

Cons for Nassau County and the surrounding area:
Increase in taxes
Economy tanks even more
No other pro sports team will come to LI ever again

Pros for Isles fans:
At least they aren't in Canada or the fucking Mid West. Brooklyn is a short commute away. 40 minutes for me on the train to the new arena which is the same exact time it takes to go to MSG where the Knicks and Rangers play.

Cons for Isles fans:
No more jumping in the car and being home in 15 minutes after the final whistle.

Pros for Brooklyn: 
Possible Decrease in taxes
Economy improves in the surrounding area

Cons for Brooklyn: 
None (increase traffic doesn't count; traffic is running in a New Yorkers blood)

Pros for the NHL: 
Isles vs Rangers games are even bigger now. BK vs Manhattan.

CUE THE MUSIC (BLUESHIRT FANS SHOULD TURN AWAY NOW; DEVIL FANS SHOULD JOIN IN SINGING THE SONG):



NOW LET'S ALL LISTEN TO THE HONORARY BOROUGH PRESIDENT OF BROOKLYN:

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