B.D. Gallof

"Credentialed NHL Blogger for 11+ Years"

Suffolk County, LI, NY • United States • 47 Years Old • Male

bdgallof

This Blogger isn't going to take it anymore!

Sometime over the course of this week, I lost it. I shouted from the window at work, as if I was the publishing version of Howard Beale:

'I'm pissed off and I'm not going to take it anymore!'

Unfortunately, my only reaction was some homeless man cheering, yelling me to jump. Heathens in this town.

What in hell was the NHL thinking? Herr Bettman, I'm going to email you, and perhaps you can share the logic. Convince me that making the Islander's schedule this season wasn't a screw-job. Obviously this is not the level of a Bret Hart in the infamous Montreal screw-job http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Screwjob by Vince McMahon. But you got to just wonder, as I look at 3 games in two weeks at the start of the season, how in HELL that made it off someones desk. That is almost deliberate tire-iron thrust into a starting motor.

Add to this the MANY back-to-back and even back-to-back-to-back games and it gets even shadier.

When did the Isles draw this short straw? When did we lose the Survivor: NHL challenge?

Add to this the myriad of video replay gaffes from Toronto and some fans have to just sit and wonder . . .

What the hell is going on?

It is certainly not the end of the world. Bryan Berard's groin could use the rest (insert Milbury's daughter joke here!). Shawn Bates, if you are a fan of his, get a bit more time to get in game-shape. Marc-Andre Bergeron gets a bit more time to realize he was trying to do far too much with what needs to be a simple game and simple scheme responsibilities. Andy Hilbert gets a bit more time to actually aim for the net instead of the post. Even The Rick can use a break, since his aim is to play a Brodeur-like season this year.

But one has to just wonder who Charles Wang pissed off in the league office. They certainly weren't happy with DiPietro's contract for life. Gary tried to talk them out of it the year before when this bright idea first landed on Area 51 on Wang's cranium. But, then you look at the goalie prices increasing and look back on Rick's 4.5 per, and actually realize we will be saving $$ on each season, despite the longevity. Still doesn't make it less overkill, but does lessen the blow. If anyone hasn't noticed, DiPietro's turned into a hell of a goaltender.

So, who is out to get us? Did the league read all those stupefying predictions by the so-called 'Hockey Bloggerazzi' or as someone recently coined to me: 'The Blogstopo'. How many picked us dead last?

Oh, don't you worry, we'll revisit everyone one of those here as the season's winds further, as we indeed fight for that playoff spot with the other teams. It is clear, despite some flaws, that the Islanders will compete. The Isles are already offering reservations on playoff tickets. Another 'Nyah, nyah, nyah' to the powers-that-be, expectations and the peanut gallery. Because no matter the odds that this team and fanbase will fight it's way through it.



From the window ledge, in his underwear,

- BD



[email][email protected][/email]



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