Confirmed with Link: Isles Officially Name Doug Weight as Head Coach

[A Pointed Stick]

People were going to be angry about leaving the Island. But at least those who did follow the team to Brooklyn like me wouldn't sit in Barclays Center looking at that dopey open ended eyesore in our end and having to explain to the people I bring to the games why the Islanders ended up in an arena that's unsuitable for hockey.

That pisses me off more than you will ever know. They knowingly moved into an arena that can't support ice. It is LAUGHINGSTOCK. The same true on the toilet bowl design etc., but the ice.... sickening, shameful, disgusting... just absolutely a league embarrassment.

 

[periferal]

How pissed would people have been if Wang accepted the Brooklyn deal the first time around? They'd be furious still. I don't buy for a second that an NHL fit arena in Brooklyn would've made the fans who are upset the team left Nassau happy.

You're absolutely right that Wang must've been difficult to work with. He wanted the Lighthouse Project and nothing else. We were a real estate deal for him, unfortunately. We're lucky he didn't move the team out of the area though, because another owner who didn't get their way might've. I also don't blame him for wanting that project to go through because the deal with Nassau was horrendous for a professional sports franchise.

I don't think Wang was a good owner, but I'm certainly happy he didn't move the franchise when he likely had the chance. I'm really glad we have new owners and we don't have to worry about that bush league crap anymore...I think.

I don't think as pissed as they are now. wang was horrible at just about everything and that includes the PR game. He could've easily hung the Nassau politicians out to dry if he partnered with Ratner from the beginning.

All he had to say was something like, "W really tried to make it work in Nassau, but unfortunately couldn't get the cooperation we needed to keep the Islanders in their original home. That said we are very excited about our future home as it is a state of the art/first class arena. And most importantly keeps the Islanders in New York."

He releases those 3 simple sentences and problem solved. But no - He's a freakin' idiot who left himself with one option - A basketball arena where an SUV can see more of the ice than the fans.

 

[blitzkriegs]

How pissed would people have been if Wang accepted the Brooklyn deal the first time around? They'd be furious still. I don't buy for a second that an NHL fit arena in Brooklyn would've made the fans who are upset the team left Nassau happy.

You're absolutely right that Wang must've been difficult to work with. He wanted the Lighthouse Project and nothing else. We were a real estate deal for him, unfortunately. We're lucky he didn't move the team out of the area though, because another owner who didn't get their way might've. I also don't blame him for wanting that project to go through because the deal with Nassau was horrendous for a professional sports franchise.

I don't think Wang was a good owner, but I'm certainly happy he didn't move the franchise when he likely had the chance. I'm really glad we have new owners and we don't have to worry about that bush league crap anymore...I think.

The lighthouse should have been. Simple as that. But LIers wanted their stuck in 1960s suburbia thing.

 

[YearlyLottery]

The lighthouse should have been. Simple as that. But LIers wanted their stuck in 1960s suburbia thing.

It's just a little too ironic for me that as soon as Wang was not involved with creating a new arena it got done. I almost feel as if we had Malkin/Ledecky talking to Kate Murray it gets done.

This is only based on my opinion though, Wang was a crook.

 

[blitzkriegs]

It's just a little too ironic for me that as soon as Wang was not involved with creating a new arena it got done. I almost feel as if we had Malkin/Ledecky talking to Kate Murray it gets done.

This is only based on my opinion though, Wang was a crook.

There was definitely issues with Wang in circles to get things done, but in the end LIers were ok with new paint job on an aging car. Nothing much else, which is a reflection on the community.

It amazes me tons of urban and suburban locations in the US are building similar large scale projects and ain't nuthin gettin done in suburbia utopia island.

 

[YearlyLottery]

There was definitely issues with Wang in circles to get things done, but in the end LIers were ok with new paint job on an aging car. Nothing much else, which is a reflection on the community.

It amazes me tons of urban and suburban locations in the US are building similar large scale projects and ain't nuthin gettin done in suburbia utopia island.

And people wonder why everyone is moving out of there. You can only raise taxes so much before people look and say "okay so what is my money going towards?"

I visit family in North Carolina from time to time (actually here now since I have Spring Break from work) and it is amazing to see how there are multiple new buildings here within a span of 6-12 months and there is still an unopened church going on year 3 right around the corner from me back home.

 

[blitzkriegs]

And people wonder why everyone is moving out of there. You can only raise taxes so much before people look and say "okay so what is my money going towards?"

I visit family in North Carolina from time to time (actually here now since I have Spring Break from work) and it is amazing to see how there are multiple new buildings here within a span of 6-12 months and there is still an unopened church going on year 3 right around the corner from me back home.

Those taxes prop up a 70/80s civil service model that's pretty unique (bloated, expensive, and unnecessary) and since there are so many participants in it, the gig needs to keep going, resulting in a vested interest to do so.

 

[periferal]

The lighthouse should have been. Simple as that. But LIers wanted their stuck in 1960s suburbia thing.

It's just a little too ironic for me that as soon as Wang was not involved with creating a new arena it got done. I almost feel as if we had Malkin/Ledecky talking to Kate Murray it gets done.

This is only based on my opinion though, Wang was a crook.

There was definitely issues with Wang in circles to get things done, but in the end LIers were ok with new paint job on an aging car. Nothing much else, which is a reflection on the community.

It amazes me tons of urban and suburban locations in the US are building similar large scale projects and ain't nuthin gettin done in suburbia utopia island.

Local Nassau residents suck.
Nassau politicians suck even more.
No one sucks more than wang.

 

[PK Cronin]

It's just a little too ironic for me that as soon as Wang was not involved with creating a new arena it got done. I almost feel as if we had Malkin/Ledecky talking to Kate Murray it gets done.

This is only based on my opinion though, Wang was a crook.

What actually got done though? They spent a fraction of what should've, they didn't re-build it or do a major overhaul...it has new seats, some renovated suites, a paint job and a re-paved parking lot. It's just so depressing.

 

[A Pointed Stick]

Local Nassau residents suck.
Nassau politicians suck even more.
No one sucks more than wang.

Short but succinct. You have been on a tear lately.

Is it possible Wang touched the Tower of Pisa and then it started to lean over?

Wang is a curse.

 

[LeapOnOver]

But we have an idea of the catastrophe that the Isles have been during his ownership. With Garth Snow being the gift that keeps on giving.

A catastrophe you can still drive to.

 

[KidThatWonTheCalder]

A catastrophe you can still drive to.

This isn't as big of a deal to me as most, I'd think... The past two games I went to, hopped on at RVC and in 35 mins was at AT. Those express trains are awesome... My thing with all of this was the fact that they left a building that was literally falling apart because they didn't approve the Lighthouse or the vote and then moved to an arena that clearly never even remotely thought about having any sport other than basketball there (which in this day and age still boggles my mind, but that's beside the point).

This Norelco razor looking thing we have now is just a microcosm for the area in general... Minor patches instead of actual fixes. The reason this happened the way it did is pretty simple... Murray put the kybosh on the Lighthouse because it didn't give her anything to get her kudos for, since it would've been all Wang and the Dems on the Island made sure the vote wouldn't pass because Murray is a Republican.

I live upstate now, but I come down relatively frequently and I'm constantly amazed at how many construction projects are essentially at the same place as when I last saw them no less than a month prior. Yet they wonder why people are getting off the island in droves.

 

[Jester9881]

Wang was just in over his head.... too naive.... too many poor business decisions, and the crooked career politicians took him to school. He had all that leverage and couldn't even get something done that he was going to pay for. How pathetic is that?

 

[A Pointed Stick]

Part of me wonders if we are keeping Doug as head coach because next season is already a giant wash. We might sneak in as a bubble team, but the roster has limits, and because of the bad contracts with Grabo, Kulemin, etc. that we can't get rid of, I am hoping the thought process is why bother spending money on a head coach with a better resume.

All of that said, it is a pretty bleak prognosis for next season, and sad to think that now. I hope I am wrong.

 

[MikeyMike01]

The lighthouse should have been. Simple as that. But LIers wanted their stuck in 1960s suburbia thing.

I wanted a new Coliseum as much as the next guy, but the lighthouse plan as created was physically impossible. The water, sewage, traffic and other resources would have been pushed well beyond feasability. It would have ended in disaster if the government was foolish enough to approve it.

 

[blitzkriegs]

I wanted a new Coliseum as much as the next guy, but the lighthouse plan as created was physically impossible. The water, sewage, traffic and other resources would have been pushed well beyond feasability. It would have ended in disaster if the government was foolish enough to approve it.

Again, it's amazing very similar scale projects are developed all over the US but LI can't handle one?

 

[LeapOnOver]

This isn't as big of a deal to me as most, I'd think... The past two games I went to, hopped on at RVC and in 35 mins was at AT. Those express trains are awesome... My thing with all of this was the fact that they left a building that was literally falling apart because they didn't approve the Lighthouse or the vote and then moved to an arena that clearly never even remotely thought about having any sport other than basketball there (which in this day and age still boggles my mind, but that's beside the point).

This Norelco razor looking thing we have now is just a microcosm for the area in general... Minor patches instead of actual fixes. The reason this happened the way it did is pretty simple... Murray put the kybosh on the Lighthouse because it didn't give her anything to get her kudos for, since it would've been all Wang and the Dems on the Island made sure the vote wouldn't pass because Murray is a Republican.

I live upstate now, but I come down relatively frequently and I'm constantly amazed at how many construction projects are essentially at the same place as when I last saw them no less than a month prior. Yet they wonder why people are getting off the island in droves.

All true. Left the Island because they were pushing out the middle class. Chances of buying a house in the near future were slim to none. It was a great place to live for awhile though, glad I at least grew up there.

 

[CupHolders]

Part of me wonders if we are keeping Doug as head coach because next season is already a giant wash. We might sneak in as a bubble team, but the roster has limits, and because of the bad contracts with Grabo, Kulemin, etc. that we can't get rid of, I am hoping the thought process is why bother spending money on a head coach with a better resume.

All of that said, it is a pretty bleak prognosis for next season, and sad to think that now. I hope I am wrong.

Just irks me that other teams routinely find a way to get rid of these deals, yet the Isles somehow can't. Just throw in a pick and bubble prospect and send a contract to a cap minimum team. Dave Bolland had three years left on his deal... yet he was cleared out.

 

[Flair19Woo]

Part of me wonders if we are keeping Doug as head coach because next season is already a giant wash. We might sneak in as a bubble team, but the roster has limits, and because of the bad contracts with Grabo, Kulemin, etc. that we can't get rid of, I am hoping the thought process is why bother spending money on a head coach with a better resume.

All of that said, it is a pretty bleak prognosis for next season, and sad to think that now. I hope I am wrong.

Snow thinks this is the team that went 24-12-6 and that they can play that way all year. He said that he believed the talent was there when they were flailing under flintstone. So obviously he thinks his roster is capable so doesn't share your bleak prognosis.

I think we are in for another close but no cigar season unless snow moves some contracts and actually does something proactive this offseason to set the team up for prolonged success. Replace hickey, move kulemin, grabo, and stop signing 3/4th liners to 5 year 18mil contracts. So dumb.

 

[nycole]

Wang goes down as just another terrible owner in isles history. Just like former isles owners, he bought the team as a real estate investment. Only after the lighthouse project was rejected he realized what all other owners found out, Nassau county/TOH impossible to deal with, and it was time to sell.

Team was not leaving Long Island thanks to john spano's renegotiated cablevision deal.


It's incredible how unlucky the islanders have been with ownership over the last 25 plus years.

To think we almost had Steinbrenner

 

[A Pointed Stick]

Just irks me that other teams routinely find a way to get rid of these deals, yet the Isles somehow can't. Just throw in a pick and bubble prospect and send a contract to a cap minimum team. Dave Bolland had three years left on his deal... yet he was cleared out.

Snow thinks this is the team that went 24-12-6 and that they can play that way all year. He said that he believed the talent was there when they were flailing under flintstone. So obviously he thinks his roster is capable so doesn't share your bleak prognosis.

I think we are in for another close but no cigar season unless snow moves some contracts and actually does something proactive this offseason to set the team up for prolonged success. Replace hickey, move kulemin, grabo, and stop signing 3/4th liners to 5 year 18mil contracts. So dumb.

I've thrown the concept out there before... here is our first round pick, please take any two bad contracts.

 

[IsleFanSince75]

New to the boards, but thought I would throw in my 0.02 worth. I like Weight, nice guy, and seemed to get a lot of the Isles in the few games he coached. BUT … there are so many unemployed, experienced NHL head coaches out there that have proven track records of bringing up new talent and getting the most out of them (and some with SC winning experience) that it boggles my mind that this turned out to be a "no-brainer" for ownership. It was the easy thing to do, not necessarily the best. I want the Cup to come back to the Island (and long before it returns to the Garden), but at this point, I would be happy not be biting my nails on the last day of the season to see if we made the playoffs. Thinking a second or third round exit would be really nice too, no?

Even more baffling is that Snow is still at the helm???? What exactly does he have to do to get fired? Half the fans on this board that play fantasy hockey can do a better job than this idiot. We will never earn the respect of the league while we have ownership that continues to do the easy thing, and not pay attention to ALL the warning signs. He was at best a mediocre goalie, and is an even worse GM.

If Snow is dumb enough to lose Tavares I will have to stop being an Islander fan … and sadly, I would not put this past him, and even more alarming, is I am not sure he realizes how important this is. He has a rich history of being an especially brilliant dumb-***, witness all the creative things he did last off season. Still don't understand any of them …

Actually now that I think about it, I think I just insulted all the dumb-**** around the world.

 

[periferal]

New to the boards, but thought I would throw in my 0.02 worth. I like Weight, nice guy, and seemed to get a lot of the Isles in the few games he coached. BUT … there are so many unemployed, experienced NHL head coaches out there that have proven track records of bringing up new talent and getting the most out of them (and some with SC winning experience) that it boggles my mind that this turned out to be a "no-brainer" for ownership. It was the easy thing to do, not necessarily the best. I want the Cup to come back to the Island (and long before it returns to the Garden), but at this point, I would be happy not be biting my nails on the last day of the season to see if we made the playoffs. Thinking a second or third round exit would be really nice too, no?

Even more baffling is that Snow is still at the helm???? What exactly does he have to do to get fired? Half the fans on this board that play fantasy hockey can do a better job than this idiot. We will never earn the respect of the league while we have ownership that continues to do the easy thing, and not pay attention to ALL the warning signs. He was at best a mediocre goalie, and is an even worse GM.

If Snow is dumb enough to lose Tavares I will have to stop being an Islander fan … and sadly, I would not put this past him, and even more alarming, is I am not sure he realizes how important this is. He has a rich history of being an especially brilliant dumb-***, witness all the creative things he did last off season. Still don't understand any of them …

Actually now that I think about it, I think I just insulted all the dumb-**** around the world.

Welcome IFS75-

Nice to have you aboard. We need you over on the "Garth Snow" thread.

 

[A Pointed Stick]

New to the boards, but thought I would throw in my 0.02 worth. I like Weight, nice guy, and seemed to get a lot of the Isles in the few games he coached. BUT … there are so many unemployed, experienced NHL head coaches out there that have proven track records of bringing up new talent and getting the most out of them (and some with SC winning experience) that it boggles my mind that this turned out to be a "no-brainer" for ownership. It was the easy thing to do, not necessarily the best. I want the Cup to come back to the Island (and long before it returns to the Garden), but at this point, I would be happy not be biting my nails on the last day of the season to see if we made the playoffs. Thinking a second or third round exit would be really nice too, no?

 

[MikeyMike01]

Again, it's amazing very similar scale projects are developed all over the US but LI can't handle one?

Somehow I doubt Wang was willing to foot the bill for major overhauls to the water systems, sewers, roads, fire departments, etc.

The Lighthouse was a fool's errand and there is no bigger fool than Wang. If he wanted to privately rebuild the arena it could've happened 15 years ago.