News Article: Losing Fort Neverlose

[MJF]

https://medium.com/the-cauldron/losing-fort-neverlose-9f5e9ac0ba6f

Click to read more...

 

[kpap57]

Very touching article

 

[2ndGenIslander]

truly aint no island left for islanders like me.

**** this ****hole. moved to the boroughs 2 years ago and i'll never move back. Besides my family, isles have been a main reason I come back at all

 

[24diving]

Article really captures the way I feel ... well done, hope we send the coli out right! (Of course, next year I will still celebrate the new, not dwell on the dead--I'm Irish, so any reason to celly is good by me-birth,death you name it! )

 

[The Underboss]

Excellent piece!!

 

[Space Herpe]

I just finished reading it. I am now sad.

I'm trying my best to get back for one more game at the Barn, just one more. Chances are, money is going to get in the way.

 

[IslanderPride]

This is an awesome article. I'm from Queens and feel the same way . God bless

 

[MJF]

This is an awesome article. I'm from Queens and feel the same way . God bless

I grew up in Queens Village. Never lived on the Island. But I get what the author meant in this article.

 

[rollin109]

https://medium.com/the-cauldron/losing-fort-neverlose-9f5e9ac0ba6f

Great article...I always get annoyed when people talk about how ****** the coliseum is. For me going to the coliseum is about watching a hockey game, period. And imho there is no better place for that than the coliseum.

 

[Strummergas]

Great article...I always get annoyed when people talk about how ****** the coliseum is. For me going to the coliseum is about watching a hockey game, period. And imho there is no better place for that than the coliseum.

But the essence of the problem is not what the Coliseum is, it is what it represents. Yes, once it represented a dynasty and culture in suburbia. But that was a long time ago, and things have changed. Now it represents cultural stagnation, political ineptitude and cronyism, the public's close-mindedness, and more specifically for our beloved franchise, it's a symbol of failure and futility.

Something had to change for the franchise to move forward. If an arena deal was agreed upon or if major renovations would have taken place, that might have been enough. But after almost two decades of failed attempts, something had to give. And so, the team is leaving for what is presumably greener pastures.

So when you mourn the loss of Nassau Coliseum, don't mourn the loss of the New York Islanders. They'll still be here and hopefully onto a fruitful new chapter in their history. What everyone should be mourning is what the Islanders move is symbolic of; the death of Long Island as it once was.

 

[scott99]

I grew up in Queens Village. Never lived on the Island. But I get what the author meant in this article.

Ditto, grew up in Queens Village, and loved the 15 minute drive to Nassau Colisseum. There is always something magical about getting there, parking, walking to the arena, and walking to the seats and seeing that ice. So many magical memories. I was a teenager in the 70's, and really didn't get into hockey until I was 14. A buddy in Queens Village got me interested in hockey during the 1975 playoff run, but didn't get obsessed with hockey and the Islanders until the 1977-78 season. Went to my first Islander game that season and I was hooked.

Been to 100+ games since then, and loved being there every time. Was there when Gillies destroyed O'Reilly in the 80 playoffs, was there in 1982 when Tonelli scored to help the Isles win a then record 15 straight NHL regular season games (no OT back then, Tonelli scored with a minute left). Just so many great memories.

That being said, the loss of the Islanders is all because of the politics of Long Island, and let's face it, the ignorance and stupidity of Long Island residents who voted against the Lighthouse. I feel no pity for the politicians and residents.

 

[A Pointed Stick]

The "let's remember" stuff gives me nausea. More energy will be poured into the Coliseum funeral dirge than was poured into trying to keep the Isles in Nassau in the first place, or even keeping the place somewhat competitive as a venue. I just can't get over that fact.

 

[RWWallpaper]

Walking out of there for the last time, whenever that may be, is going to be really tough...I've grown up there for over 40 years and still can't imagine what it will feel like to call another building home.

 

[MJF]

That being said, the loss of the Islanders is all because of the politics of Long Island, and let's face it, the ignorance and stupidity of Long Island residents who voted against the Lighthouse. I feel no pity for the politicians and residents.

I feel no pity for the politicians. They trip over their own dysfunction. I do feel for the residents because they were being placed in the unenviable position of having to vote themselves a tax hike or not have a new arena/entertainment complex. It should have never gotten to a referendum in the first place. But shame on those people who were so short sighted as not to realize that a new entertainment complex adds to the quality of life in Nassau County. It benefits ALL the residents.

 

[OlTimeHockey]

Great article...I always get annoyed when people talk about how ****** the coliseum is. For me going to the coliseum is about watching a hockey game, period. And imho there is no better place for that than the coliseum.

Some go for the food court. I share your love of unobstructed hockey with absolutely great seating as well.

And NOW there's gonna be railway access for commuters! Amazing!

 

[scott99]

I feel no pity for the politicians. They trip over their own dysfunction. I do feel for the residents because they were being placed in the unenviable position of having to vote themselves a tax hike or not have a new arena/entertainment complex. It should have never gotten to a referendum in the first place. But shame on those people who were so short sighted as not to realize that a new entertainment complex adds to the quality of life in Nassau County. It benefits ALL the residents.

The "so-called tax hike" was so minimal it was laughable. The residents being so dumb to use that as an excuse to vote no was moronic. They pay more taxes on their cell phone bills than they would have on that tax hike. I have no sympathy for them, you can't fix stupid.

 

[MJF]

The "so-called tax hike" was so minimal it was laughable. The residents being so dumb to use that as an excuse to vote no was moronic. They pay more taxes on their cell phone bills than they would have on that tax hike. I have no sympathy for them, you can't fix stupid.

Even so, when you tell people in the most over-taxed county in the country that they are going to have to dig down a little deeper it will not be received well.

The thing that those people didn't realize is their taxes will go up anyway. Who do you think will have to make up the shortfall when the county loses the revenue that the Islanders generated?

But who am I to tell people how to spend their money? As a NYC resident I didn't have a vote.

 

[The Underboss]

But the essence of the problem is not what the Coliseum is, it is what it represents. Yes, once it represented a dynasty and culture in suburbia. But that was a long time ago, and things have changed. Now it represents cultural stagnation, political ineptitude and cronyism, the public's close-mindedness, and more specifically for our beloved franchise, it's a symbol of failure and futility.

Something had to change for the franchise to move forward. If an arena deal was agreed upon or if major renovations would have taken place, that might have been enough. But after almost two decades of failed attempts, something had to give. And so, the team is leaving for what is presumably greener pastures.

So when you mourn the loss of Nassau Coliseum, don't mourn the loss of the New York Islanders. They'll still be here and hopefully onto a fruitful new chapter in their history. What everyone should be mourning is what the Islanders move is symbolic of; the death of Long Island as it once was.

Bingo!

Even so, when you tell people in the most over-taxed county in the country that they are going to have to dig down a little deeper it will not be received well.

The thing that those people didn't realize is their taxes will go up anyway. Who do you think will have to make up the shortfall when the county loses the revenue that the Islanders generated?

But who am I to tell people how to spend their money? As a NYC resident I didn't have a vote.

That's the thing that makes the people who voted No on the referendum look foolish, they're getting a tax hike either way.

 

[bigtim1988]

Today, an arena is judged based on amenities and concessions rather than the in-game experience it provides. No Islander fan will tell you that the Coliseum is state-of-the-art, and she certainly isn’t beautiful, but neither are the Islanders. The place was built for jersey-wearing hardcore fans and those with an appreciation for the sport and the building’s history

this annoys me; people view a good arena as one that has many distractions/concessions, but when i go to a hockey game, i am there to WATCH the game thats going on in front of me. it seems as if the more things you have to take you away from the game the better. "i dont wanna watch this freaking dumb game, i want to check out the microbrew selection" bleh....

i could say the whole thing is "bittersweet" IF we were moving to an arena designed for hockey, but right now its just "bitter".