Where the hell are those Attendance police when you need them?  You know… the ones who are the first to yap about how our numbers are the lowest in the NHL.  The ones who have to resort to fuzzy math when they can’t complain about the product on the ice… Hey guys, I’ve got a news flash for you… The Islanders didn’t do too badly over the summer even with the free agency chaos.  There was only half the amount of seats up for grabs as there was last time they held this event.

 

Kudos to the NY Islanders for better marketing strategies and an improved sales staff.  Obviously, they not only survived the negative storm of the summer, but also righted the ship and are ready to set sail.  What a great feeling to walk into a coliseum and be greeted by nothing but smiling, jovial employees.  And I’m not talking about Disney-esque “smile or your fired” employees.  I’m talking, “Yeah, I work long hours, and I love my job.”  I’m so jealous I could puke.  But I digress.

 

IQ managed to locate and strike up a conversation with the tallest gentleman I’ve seen since my friend “Big Sean” worked in my bar.  Big Sean was 6’9”; “Scotty” was a mere 6’8”.  Think Kevin James on a movie screen.  That was Scotty.  He was there to buy tickets, even though he seemed to know WAY too much and had just skated at Iceworks that morning.  He remained vague about a few things, but kept us laughing.  IQ’s word for that moment: intriguing.  Maybe Scotty was an ECHLer or Ted Nolan’s new bodyguard.  Either way, he left with seats, so you won’t miss this guy on the concourse.

 

All the sales people were paired off with new prospective accounts as they walked them around the arena and into the locker room for the tour.  Excited kids in brand new jerseys carrying hockey sticks to be signed jumped in place while their parents got the details of the sale.  Even Sparky seemed in an incredibly good mood.

 

We stopped to talk to all our old friends, and a few of our new ones.  SqueegieQueen says “Hello” to the NYIC members.  NYI-Ed Fischer came up to introduce himself.  But in the reality that “the world is the size of a walnut”; it turns out we have a mutual friend.  Returning Ice Girl Monica squealed with delight when she saw IQ as they engaged in high pitched banter in the center of the locker room hallway.  I removed myself from the gathered crowd, and attached myself to the wall talking to Jason Lockhart.  Ice Girls discuss their recent plastic surgery; web writers discuss the new NHL Center Ice and web restrictions.  Thank you… I’m good right here.

 

IQ and I stopped in to see Dubie and Campoli signing autographs for the excited little rug rats.  Ahhhhhhh… How cute… Let’s go.  I actually got what I came for.  A little conversation with friends to see how things are REALLY going on behind the scenes and a reality check that the seats next to me were not available and I’d have to tell my Mother-in-law who wanted to take a small package that she could be in my section, just a few seats away from us.  Damn…

 

On our way out, as I stopped to grab a cup of coffee from the refreshment table they had set up, (Yes!  Coffee!!  Five years of me complaining vehemently, and now every event they host, there’s COFFEE… and tea and water…) we ran into Mike Scortino, Game Day Ops.  You may remember him as the poor soul who had to endure my wrath for an entire day back in January ’06 when I had my day in the limelight as “Fan of the Year.”

 

We chatted on the escalator and I asked him about his long hours.  “You know, I do work a lot, but look what I’m doing.  I can’t complain.  I love it.”  And he meant it.  I think they all do.  How many of us can say we get that kind of satisfaction from our jobs?

 

Yep… It’s going to be a really interesting season!