Ladies & Gentlemen:   This is a long one.  I’m sorry.  If you do not have time on this holiday Monday, I will give you the cliff notes to it.

 

1)  The Blog Box idea is so innovative that the 12 panel members were the ones interviewed by three different venues.  The Islander organization has never reached out to the fans in as many ways as they are this season.  Give them credit where credit is due!  (And the blog guys are all pretty nice guys too!)

2)  The game made us proud to be Islander fans and made the summer wait worthwhile.  Since it’s no long the Yashin show, this new team led by Guerin and Comrie is sure to make an immediate impact.

3)  The new atmosphere in the Coliseum was noticeable in a 100 ways.  It’s not just the paint, it’s the feeling that starts from the outdoor pic nic area all the way down to the ice.

4)  The NYIC group was out in force and having our usual fabulous time.  To know us is to love us.

5)  I now know what it’s like to be “Norm” from Cheers, because “everyone knew MY name.”   I was also called “One of a kind”, which is a step up from “Piece of work” which I was called just a few weeks ago.

6)  There hasn’t been this much “star power” in the coliseum in years.

7)  One reporter commented that the bloggers “….will put us out of business soon.”  I think they’re nervous.  And they should be!

9)  Chris Campoli can carry on a press conference even in long johns and seem comfortable.  Ted was decidedly serious Saturday night, behind the bench and in the press room.

10)  Its 2007, and gender still has its privileges and its pitfalls.  But I’ll live with it.  I have to.

 

Thank you, Chris Botta and Corey Witt for this unprecedented opportunity and your seemingly endless patience.  It was a wonderful experience that I will treasure.  But I won’t stop there.  But I will stop here in the cliff notes.  If you enjoy my painfully detailed accounts, then please continue to read.  This entry has not been proofread, as it took me five full hours last night to write.  I will probably come back and edit it down a bit tomorrow.  But for now, if you’re curious about my evening… Get comfortable… Don’t say I didn’t warn you!!!

 

And Big Angry Man… DING!!! BLOG IS DONE!!..

 

FULL VERSION:

Saturday night made the long wait for Hockey on Long Island worthwhile.  Even though it felt as if it was still August, it was undeniably Hockey Season.  The tailgaters were out in force with their grills, tents and filled plastic cups.  The horns were honking and everyone was generally excited.  It was only 4:30 pm.  The guards weren’t even in their tollbooths yet. 

 

I had the good fortune of being treated to a delectable pre-tailgate dinner with friends supplied by 4Cupz and IQ and their magnificently renovated home.  Thanks for the great food and hospitality.  How nice to sit down with friends Webb20, Mrs. Webby, Rockit, Boss & BossLady and get ready for the first game of the season.  How lucky for me that IQ also fixed my hair so I didn’t look like a walking brillo pad.  Could it have BEEN any freakin’ hotter??? Seriously?  But I digress.

 

As you all know, and are dying to find out, yes, yes, yes….. Saturday was the inaugural voyage of “The Blog Box.”  As every maiden voyage has one or two mishaps, this night was no different.  But they were FEW.  Actually they were just variations of ONE mishap.

 

I couldn’t really enjoy myself at the tailgate party because I was so nervous about the evening, and kept looking at my watch to see if it was time to haul two bags of clothes over to the Marriot bathroom to change.  I felt terrible that Shooter and Islebeback had just arrived at the tailgate to say “hello” just as I was running off.  In the absence of an NYICer with a hotel room (next year Jimmy14), IQ and I turned the ladies room by Champions into our own personal dressing room. I am obviously a gypsy with no fear as many curious onlookers watched the transformation of clothes and makeup.  Why it would have to be 85 degrees when Mother Nature KNEW I had bought a beautiful blue lined suit for this auspicious event is beyond me.  I was dying of heat exhaustion in the time it took us to walk from the hotel to our cars.  A few quick pictures, a few words of encouragement from Mrs. Webby and IQ, kisses and hugs all around, one really deep breath and I was ready to make my way half way around the coliseum to the media entrance under the big blue awning.

 

I felt like a kid on the first day of kindergarten.  I didn’t know what to expect or whether or not I’d fall flat on my face.  And considering I was wearing those new orange and white 4” heels, it was a distinct possibility that I would, literally fall on my face.  My now unusually straight hair (thank you IQ) was whipping into my face and sticking to my lipstick.  The 4 minute walk was filled with nothing but wardrobe regrets, which I had to quickly brush off when I made my way to the table at the end of the awning.

 

“Hi.  Dee Karl….” The pretty brown haired woman at the table just smiled at me with an “And??” look.  “Blog box thing.”  I said hoping the trouble wasn’t going to start here.  I hadn’t even passed security yet, but she immediately knew what was going on and found the preprinted “media pass with training wheels” as I heard it called.    “Just let security look in your purse.” She smiled, and I cringed.

 

Let’s just put it this way…. I could have spent the entire weekend in the coliseum with what I was carrying in that little orange handbag of mine.  The guard was unfazed, but I’m certain he really wasn’t looking too closely. 

 

It was only 5:30, so I took my pass and headed straight to my favorite bartender, Maureen.  While quelling my jitters, a gentleman at the bar recognized me as a fellow blogger ad introduced himself as B.D. Gallof and continued “Have you been up to the box yet?  I put my laptop down already.  I’m in seat 9, and you’re in seat 7.  The reporter from Sports Illustrated will be in between us.”

 

“Great.  Thanks.  Will you excuse me?”  I studdered as I took my drink and left.  What I meant to say was “So I can go pass out in a corner.”  I must have seemed like a deer in headlights to him.

 

I took the long way up to section 201 where I saw this long blue “blog box” sign.  I just couldn’t help laughing.  We definitely weren’t going to be missed with that thing behind us.  Many of the other bloggers were there already setting up their laptops and going over all the media relations paperwork that had been left at each place.  There were assigned seats, but there was no designation on any of them.  And there was problem number 1.  Problem number 2 was only for me.  There was an 18” step that I had to jump up on to get onto the platform.  So maybe the pants suit WASN’T such a bad idea.  Had I been wearing a skirt, I’d have to have hiked it up around my waist to make the jump.  There were tall bar stools at this table so I felt at home for sure.   I made my way behind everyone and found the seat I believed to be mine based on B.D.’s directions.  Then I started counting.  We were short one for sure.  As it turned out, we were actually short TWO.  DING!! And that was problem number 3. It seemed Michael S., our own NYIC Teknics had been left off the list because he has his own seats.  But he came by and introduced himself to everyone and was still part of the group.

 

I was sitting next to Ken from OkposoNet for a few minutes and chatted before Tom from Tiger Track showed up looking for his seat.  I made room for him next to me where he was supposed to be, showed him where there was an extra set of media notes and offered to share my barstool with him.  He had such a great smile and was so sweet; I had to at least make the attempt to help him out.

 

I yapped at the usher about the seat situation, who smiled but told me “Well, you guys took MY chairs.” He then directed me to the security booth in the lobby, who directed me to the head usher, who politely told me. “Yes.  We took the chair down because it was too crowded.”  He smiled and walked away.  Thank you SMG for once again being very helpful.

 

Richard Dietch from Sports Illustrated had arrived, set his laptop down and began the task of introducing himself and talking to each of the bloggers at the table.  He started at the far end, placing his recorder in front of each person while asking questions and jotting down notes.  I kept starring at him because he looked so familiar, but I had never met him before.  I tried not to listen as he was interviewing the others, but I couldn’t help it.  They seemed like harmless enough questions, so I didn’t think I would have too much of a problem answering them.

 

The recorder was placed in front of me and I could see the red light was on.  It’s SHOWTIME!  The first few questions were easy.  How long have you been blogging, what inspired you to do it, how long have you been a hockey fan, etc.  Then with a little smile he asked me “What’s the 55 for on your necklace?”

 

“What?” I asked in disbelief.  “Do you WATCH hockey?” Oh crap, the claws were out.  I looked down the table at the others for support.  “He’s not on the team anymore.”  Ken from Islanders Outsider told him.  “He’s in Toronto now.”  I heard from someone else.  I battled back my rage, “Jason Blake is 55.”

 

“Was he your favorite player?” he smiled slightly showing no fear that I had just found out he wasn’t really a hockey fan.

 

“I’ve followed him for the last six years.  I will still follow him in Toronto.  Before Jason there was Ray Ferraro.”  He wrote that down.

 

“Who’s your favorite Islander now?”  I couldn’t answer right away.  “I’m not sure yet.  The season just started.”  We finished up and he moved on to DB.  I was still mumbling under my breath.  “Who’s 55 he says.  Who’s  55?  Does he live under a rock...?”  Breathe, Dee.  Don’t hurt him.  It was just a question.

 

During the pre-game warm ups, I was texting IQ and Big Angry Man who was on his way to meet me after spending eight hours on a ball field in Brooklyn with my daughter.  I was waving to the NYIC crew by the glass.  “Who are you waving to?” Richard asked.  “My friends from my message group.  They’re on the other side.”  The lights dimmed, the crowd roared, the blast cannons announced the new season with a bang!  The team was announced one by one to loud applause.  Christy Brinkley seemed nervous when dropping the ceremonial puck.  It was almost as if she wanted to drop it and get out of the way being hit with a stick.  She smiled though!

 

During the first period, so many of the men at the table “blogged” away.  I watched the game in delight just happy to be there.  Tommy R. was making his way around the coliseum with a camera.  He caught my eye, took a few photos and came around to the other side to see me.  I had to displace Richard and B.D. for a moment to get to him.  We chatted, I showed him my shoes and he took a few more photos and left to continue working.

 

“Who’s that?” asked the reporter.   “That’s Tom R.  He’s an art director for the Isles.” I could see he was looking for more of an explanation.  “I used to work with him.  Small world.”

 

My phone sent an electronic buzz through my stomach once again.  It was Kira.  They had arrived.  I looked over and waved.  They waved back.  “Who are you waving to now?”

 

“My husband and daughter in my seats over in 211.”  If he was going to ask me who everyone was that I was talking to, he was going to run out of room on that pad.  With eight minutes left in the first, IslanderQueen had come by to make sure I was ok.  I displaced Richard and B.D. again, jumped off the platform and huddled with IQ against the wall.

 

“I came to make sure you’re getting to gate one.  And I saw Dan.  He made it!”  She didn’t need to come tell me these things, I knew them.  But I think she wanted to make sure I didn’t fail to show up.  I nudged back behind the two men I was now becoming quite friendly with, and jumped back up on my seat.  Before I even had a chance to get comfortable…. “And who is that?”  I was beginning to think this man was getting a very strange impression of me.  “That’s my best friend, Vicki.  She’s IslanderQueen.”  Again, he just smiled at me. 

 

During the first period he was reading everyone’s blogs from the links on the Blog Box page, getting to know everyone.  This was a very thorough reporter.  A reporter who made my night by turning to me and saying “I can hear you speak when I read this.  I like it.”  All I could utter was “I told you it was different.”  In my head I was screaming “THANK YOU!!!”

 

With just a few minutes left in the first period, two SMG employees with head sets came by and asked for our chairs.  Not understanding what they were doing with them, we obliged.  “We need to exchange these chairs.”  THAT’S what the kid with the glasses told me “EXCHANGE.”  “We need the blue ones.” He told me.

 

“Well don’t bring me back a low one, I’m short.”  I told him, and like rats they took the chairs and scurried off.  Problem 4:  we went from not enough chairs to “NO” chairs.  I suppose in some circles that was a solution. 

 

End of the first!  Time to run to gate 1 and see how many NYICers we can fit into a camera shot!  They said it was a sell-out, and from the looks of the concourse it indeed was.  There was a sea of people that weren’t moving very fast for my liking.  It did take me quite awhile to get to the meet & greet.  But, as usual, it was worth it.  So many friends all in one place.  So difficult to take a photo without someone walking in the frame.  But we managed.  And then Tommy R. took some photos of his own.  I’ll have to contact him to get copies.

 

The second period started, and it was time to make my way back to gate 9.  The lines were so long on the concessions that even though I wanted a coffee or water, I didn’t dare stand on line for one.  Once back at the table, there were STILL no chairs.  I went back to the desk in the lobby and asked to see the kid that removed them.  Unlucky for him, I found him.  He made lame excuses and said he had called four times for them.  Right….Back to the table, chairless, wriggling past B.D. and Richard again.  Tom handed me the NHL media notes that had been brought down for us.  They were WRONG which made us laugh and come up with a few quick jokes.  Someone else brought us each a copy of the new Media Guide.  (Nice job Tommy R.!)  Within minutes, I had to push past them again as Danno had come-a-calling this time to check on me.  He was carrying a soda, which he quickly offered me.  I took a sip and handed it back.  “I was bringing this to Kira but I can get another one.”  He saw the look of disgust on my face. “It’s Sierra Mist.”  Like drinking a lemon covered in sugar.  Gross as hell.  We only spoke for a few minutes and then he was off.

 

The game was getting exciting, and I was busy being a fan.  However, I couldn’t help but listen in when Richard was talking to the others.  I tried not to chime in, but you know me.  Staying out of things is not easy for me.  I kept talking to Tom on my right in an effort to not bother “the reporter.”  Truth is I was having a good time watching the game from this vantage point.  Damn!  Who are these guys on the ice?  Guerin is quite the captain for sure.  DiPi looked confident, as was Campoli, and Comrie is just a surprise and a half. This is actually a really good team.  One we are going to be very proud to call ours.   Note to Sean Bergenhiem:  If you don’t USE Blake’s advice of making EVERY shift count, you are going to continue work 4^th line minutes.  Ted notices EVERYTHING!

 

Since Corey Witt had come down to introduce himself to everyone during the first period, VP Chris Botta took 15 minutes away from his other pressing responsibilities to see how we were all doing and explain how the evening would end.  He spoke with each invitee as he made his way down toward Richard Dietrch.  As he got closer I couldn’t take my eyes off his suit. It was just a beautiful, brown-burgundy designer suit with thin stripes of something light that I couldn’t make out clearly in that light and his tie had the thinnest stripes going in another direction.  It was mesmerizing.  As was the half dollar size gold Islander pin on his lapel.  (HEY!  How come they don’t sell THOSE at the Islander store in Hicksville?)  Then it dawned on me.  Now that the Islander organization is hosting such celebrities as Hillary Duff, the President of Slovakia, Christie Brinkley and Kevin Connolly, the PR Dept. has risen to the occasion and gone first class all the way.  Maybe CB can talk to Teddy.  Perhaps he can get rid of the one tie that looks like my grandmother’s wallpaper.

 

The SI reporter’s mental image of me must have been tweaked once again when I heard CB say to him “Watch this one.  She’s got Gary Bettman’s number on speed dial.”  I quickly corrected him.  “I don’t have his number… just an email address.”  I take it the phone call from Mr. Bettman to the PR dept in January of ’06 regarding the 7^th Man Award still stings a little.  Sorry guys.

 

As the game was closing in on its final minutes, that old feeling from last year crept in.  Could Ricky hold onto the lead and pull a win in regulation?  Would the 2 minute curse return for the new season?  Nope!  This is a new day.  And it’s beautiful.  A home opener win for a crowd of fans who have waited since April for this building to come alive again could not have made them any happier.

 

Ok, game over; let’s head down to the press conference.  Fighting the crowd going in the opposite direction we walked single file through the tunnel, past the locker room and into the small room where Ted does his post game interviews for the media.  Most importantly for me was being able to finally sit down.  Right, chairs never materialized so we stood the entire game.  The men were uncomfortable. I wish they could have tried it in heels.  While we were waiting, Tripp Mickle of the Sports Journal sat beside me and asked if he could speak to me.  He commented on my shoes, as everyone that night had, asked me some additional questions, but was cut short when Mr. Botta came back into the room asking which player the group would like to talk to for a few minutes.  Of course, they all said “Mike Comrie” who had just put out an incredible performance as he had done the night prior.

 

“I’ll rephrase that.  Who would you like to speak to that isn’t named Mike Comrie.”  With everything that was going on that night, I could certainly understand why.  Within minutes, Chris Campoli entered the room and stood four feet inside the door in what seemed like blue PJs, as if someone just ripped him out of bed and said “HERE!  Go talk to these people.”

 

He was pleasant, but different from every other time I had seen him.  The man who was once described as “he’ll talk to you for 40 minutes if you want.” was now all grown up and answering questions posed in a thoughtful, concise manner.  They asked about how rumors affect a player, he said he can’t pay attention to them.  They asked how it was being paired with Bruno again.  He answered they worked well together and he “knew his voice” on the ice.  They asked how he felt about the new jersey, and oddly, he does like them and is having no problems.  I guess he doesn’t mind the puddles in his skates.  I didn’t have time, but I was going to ask him who clipped him in the eye as it was a lovely shade of purple and slightly closed.  He went back to finish changing and the regular media began to file into the room awaiting Ted’s arrival. 

 

We stayed in the back of the room as everyone else crowded toward the front and the roped off area where Ted does his post game review.  Why is it roped off?  Has Ted been rushed before?  I realized that the rope may just be keep everyone equidistant from him as, just like Garth, you can’t hear him past 3 feet.  Greg Logan, real reporter/real blogger, was right up front, doing the job he does so well.  When it was over, Greg came toward me with a smile to say hello.  We exchanged the briefest of pleasantries as we know he’s always on deadline, and he left.  I stood with most of the 11 other bloggers looking at me, till one spoke up.  “Is there anyone you DON’T know?”

 

I thought for a moment.  “No.” I answered.

 

The gaggle of bloggers went in one direction, and I headed back towards Doolan’s to catch the end of the post game show with Steve Mears and Chris King.  It was just ending so I stuck around for a few minutes.    Congrats to Gary, NYHOCKEY report for his blog being featured in the current issue of The Long Island Press.

 

I was hoping to get a cup of coffee for the ride home, but to no avail, so back into the arena I went where I saw something I personally found very poignant.  While a group of what looked like high school kids warming up on the coliseum ice, there was Mike Bossy sitting in the top of the 200s watching them.  How very special for them on the ice.

 

Back through the tunnel I went to meet up with the group again as we were getting ready to depart.  We walked through the executive offices where Ted Nolan’s family was being given a tour and meeting Bill Guerin.  Up two flights of stairs and back out under the blue awning into the October night air.  It was now 11 pm; it was still 70 degrees and steamy.  My little orange car sat almost all alone in the far back lot, but there were still some partiers closer to the Champions entrance.  As I drove out I looked over to the coliseum, the place that is so maligned so often, and just couldn’t help but smile.  No matter what anyone says, it’s still home.  And there really is no place like it.

 

Thanks to all that made a great evening possible.  Thanks to all the NYICers that came out to make Home Opener 2007 a very special night. To Webb20 for everything, to IQ for everything else, to 4Cupz for dinner, to Rockit, just ‘cause.  To everyone who shares my passion for this great sport: Thank you.