Did AJ know there was a visor to match his shirtsey?
Am I too late to state how bad these bets were? I am? Damn.
Are you going to end this with "yup these are my readers" like you always do?
*a quick wiki search just returned birthyears of 1989 and 1991
Drew,
One of my best friends since 1st grade just got engaged to a succubus. I'm talking a bad one. Any suggestions?
One of my best friends since 1st grade just got engaged to a succubus. I'm talking a bad one. Any suggestions?
It's possible this was a takeout order, in which case it seems more than reasonable.
Easy answer: Not too sure (especially given your last point, which is true, about Ranger fans eating up real estate), but I think the new arena is the key.
The situation is tricky - when the team has even a touch of buzz about them, people show up (see: playoff appearances about 5 or so years ago). The fan base, to me, consists of a bunch of rabid, loyal non-season-ticket-holders. There is a small group that goes to every game, but then the rest of the games are populated by those of us that love the team but only hit maybe 10 or so home games a year. They lack that third, crucial, group of fans that go because its somewhere to be or because the arena offers something other than a seat and a game (which, truth be told, is enough for me). When the team is winning or the new draftpick debuts or playoffs come, the place fills up and its a great crowd because its a combination of that rotating cast and its real fans, not businessmen in suits who scurried down to the Garden after work to entertain a client. People who have a casual interest in the team seem to show up when they made the playoffs as an 8 seed. But we've been through hell, as fandoms go, and have a mixture of pessimism, embarrassment and sensitivity about the team and being a fan. So the longterm fans just get to the Coliseum when they can. You hit the nail on the head when you said that there is a huge difference between missing the playoffs and the embarrassing series of moves the Isles have gone through to get them where they are. It's not cool to be an Islanders fan and it hasn't been for years. So, as much as I hate them, I think we need those fans that aren't really into the team, but will come out to a new arena just because.
Point being: if there was a reason to go to the game other than being a die-hard isles fan, I think there is long-term viability (the LI Ducks are my best reason for believing this, as a low level of baseball was packaged in a nice new park and a cool overall experience to the tune of 6,000 people a night - and those people probably couldn't name a single player). The fanbase is out there, but there needs to be something else other than the latest 1st rounder to get people in the seats. A good on-ice product will bring the old-time Islanders fans out, naturally, but a new arena will bring new people out AND make players want to play here (which will improve the on-ice product).
The situation is tricky - when the team has even a touch of buzz about them, people show up (see: playoff appearances about 5 or so years ago). The fan base, to me, consists of a bunch of rabid, loyal non-season-ticket-holders. There is a small group that goes to every game, but then the rest of the games are populated by those of us that love the team but only hit maybe 10 or so home games a year. They lack that third, crucial, group of fans that go because its somewhere to be or because the arena offers something other than a seat and a game (which, truth be told, is enough for me). When the team is winning or the new draftpick debuts or playoffs come, the place fills up and its a great crowd because its a combination of that rotating cast and its real fans, not businessmen in suits who scurried down to the Garden after work to entertain a client. People who have a casual interest in the team seem to show up when they made the playoffs as an 8 seed. But we've been through hell, as fandoms go, and have a mixture of pessimism, embarrassment and sensitivity about the team and being a fan. So the longterm fans just get to the Coliseum when they can. You hit the nail on the head when you said that there is a huge difference between missing the playoffs and the embarrassing series of moves the Isles have gone through to get them where they are. It's not cool to be an Islanders fan and it hasn't been for years. So, as much as I hate them, I think we need those fans that aren't really into the team, but will come out to a new arena just because.
Point being: if there was a reason to go to the game other than being a die-hard isles fan, I think there is long-term viability (the LI Ducks are my best reason for believing this, as a low level of baseball was packaged in a nice new park and a cool overall experience to the tune of 6,000 people a night - and those people probably couldn't name a single player). The fanbase is out there, but there needs to be something else other than the latest 1st rounder to get people in the seats. A good on-ice product will bring the old-time Islanders fans out, naturally, but a new arena will bring new people out AND make players want to play here (which will improve the on-ice product).
Relocation DUAN
Anyone have any words of consolation? The Islanders' new arena referendum vote went exactly like any other event the Islanders have been involved in over the last 20 years - lots of promise beforehand, but a wire-to-wire beatdown once the day came. Whalers fans? North Stars fans? Thrashers fans? Oh wait, scratch that last one, I know they don't exist...
Anyone have any words of consolation? The Islanders' new arena referendum vote went exactly like any other event the Islanders have been involved in over the last 20 years - lots of promise beforehand, but a wire-to-wire beatdown once the day came. Whalers fans? North Stars fans? Thrashers fans? Oh wait, scratch that last one, I know they don't exist...
As someone who just got married, I can easily offer the following: go with cash. any amount. trust me - if its a friend, they're not relying on you for a life-altering amount (or even anything significant- thats what aunts and uncles are for)... so whatever you can offer will be appreciated. and if the groom is someone you like, he will much more appreciate money than anything his bride-to-be put on the registry. again, trust me.
that comment is such a throwback, even I get it
+1 demon goal
In Newark, a horde of fans – think NASCAR meets Juggalo meets Jersey Shore – were storming the Prudential Center.
You, sir, are a douche.
You, sir, are a douche.
DUAN!Hacker:
I have 3 spare laptops that are each around 8 years old... I've already looted the hard drives and made them portable attachments to my desktop compy, but is there any other spare parts/cool, useful things I could do with them before I toss them in the trash?
I have 3 spare laptops that are each around 8 years old... I've already looted the hard drives and made them portable attachments to my desktop compy, but is there any other spare parts/cool, useful things I could do with them before I toss them in the trash?
@When_you_get_the_money_you_get...: so one of those mass fwd emails from the late 90s got its own website?
@Phintastic: a throwback +1
@Sheed's Bald Spot: how pomplamoose didn't pop up in that comment I'll never know
@UweBollocks: Newyerk Islanders
@ClueHeywood: he's still trying to remember who LaDesh was though
Only five Brett Favre jokes, gray commenters? You guys are slippin
@dont-forget-where-you-came-from-cheese mac: That would be something to write home about though.