Sunday, April 6, 2008

Metro Ice Capades (or someone owes the Children's Foundation at least 25 grand)

If you're like me, you probably fell off the couch when Sam Rosen announced after the Rangers' loss today to the Devils that the Blueshirts had won the Hummer Metro Ice Challenge and would receive $50,000 for their charity.

The Islanders, by virtue of their shootout win in the Garden on Friday night, had a one-point lead in the Challenge going into today's game. When the Rangers only got a point in New Jersey today, I had assumed the Challenge was a tie and perhaps 25 K each would go to the Islanders' and Rangers' charities.

Then Sam made his most stunning announcement since the one last year when he said the NYI were eliminated from qualifying for the playoffs.

(This paragraph serves as my official statement that, of course, I would much rather be blogging about the Islanders going into the playoffs than this. But it is what it is. And what it is, I think, is a scam).

You would think there might be two logical tie-breakers - if there was a need to break the tie:

1. wins within the Challenge (Islanders win)
2. Islanders-Rangers head-to-head (Islanders win)

After Sam's stunner - I mean, there wasn't even an explanation! - I called Al Trautwig in the studio. Al was suitably sympathetic but didn't have an answer for me. He said, "Are you officially protesting"? My response was as profane as it was affirmative.

I called an "impeccable source" at the Garden next. He/she told me there was a rumor that it was decided recently that if the Rangers and Islanders ended the Challenge in a tie, the title would go to the Rangers because they had the better regular season record.

Now if you can tell me what Rangers victories against teams outside of the, uh, Metro area have to do with this, I'll give you $50,000.

This is about right and wrong. This is about not laying down. This is about $50,000, or at least $25,000, for the New York Islanders Children's Foundation.

This, my friends, is not over.

19 comments:

7th Woman said...

All of NYIC agrees. We were all a little shocked by that statement. It doesn't make sense, and seems inexplicably tainted. Considering this was for charity benefit, yes, I'm hoping this isn't over. It certainly shouldn't be.

Anonymous said...

Chris, I am absolutely fuming over this. That 50K was stolen from the New York Islanders Children's Foundation and I am mad as hell over it.

How in the WORLD can the "tiebreaker" of what is solely a three way challenge be how the teams did against OTHER teams? I know- because that was the only way they could figure a way to give it to the Rangers charity.

One of my closest friends is a Rangers fan and she has already written an email to a generic MSG address, but she did not know who specifically to talk to.

This is disgusting, and it is the PRINCIPLE of the thing that is getting me so angry. the Islanders had a winning record against BOTH of those teams, and had more wins than both those teams. They won this and there is no getting around it- at least, not legitimately.

Please let us know what we can do about this.

Sincerely,
Chris TMC

Unknown said...

It is really ridiculous!
Who decided the tie breaker?
At least both charities should get 25k each.

AP

Anonymous said...

Chris - The Booster Club is behind this. I know Islander mania and Islander country is there too...

This is a crock and it is just another opportunity to one of the most obnoxious franchises in sports to 'stick' another in the gut again!

Go get em Chris!

Anonymous said...

Super Botta to the rescue

islesblogger said...

This BETTER not be over!

Anything we can do to help, just give the word Chris!

Whatever happened to mutual respect?

Unknown said...

Chris,

Here's an idea, partially stolen from the mania boards:

Have Islander fans, employees, and players donate the 50k directly to the ICF.

As an enticement for to contribute, offer scoreboard recognition for donations of $100 or more, and an on-ice presence for donations of $500 or more.

Present the check during a ceremony before the first NYI-NYR game at the Coliseum next year.

mtrico said...

Chris, Fix this, it's a joke!

Anonymous said...

It makes no sense for the rangers to have won the 50K. The islanders should have gotten 25K and the rangers 25K!!!!
They cannot take into mind, the games outside of the metro area; that is why it is called "The METRO Ice Challenge"

New York Islander Fan Central said...

Mr Botta,

All due respect but your fighting a losing battle and will be outnumbered by the Ranger media because Isles do not have fans in the print media to tell our teams side.

At best you will get the reaction Kevin Paul Dupont gave about the Isles in the Boston Globe on the outdoor game from the Ranger media and more of what Larry Brooks did Sunday once again as his editor will not cover our team but take every cheapshot possible.

It's not fair and you are correct but given how Msg treats the Isles next thing we know they will be pulled off television next season.

Ranger fan Steve Zipay of Newsday linked to your article using a picture of the 79 Rangers, there will be no support coming from Newsday.

Isles have no fans of this team in the print media willing to fight for them which unfortunately puts you in the bad spot far too often.

I feel bad for you here but worst of all I feel bad for the kids in the Isles charity who lose out.

I wish you luck anyway.
NYI Fan Central
http://newyorkislanderfancentral.blogspot.com/

Islander505 said...

ABSOLUTELY DESPICABLE.

Chris,

Earlier this year I bought a pair of 6 pack plans and told your salesperson to give the tickets to a kid's/military org. (I live in NM).

Drop me an E-mail...
I'll donate $500.00 to help make up for this rank and crass display of homerism and greed by MSG.

UNBELIEVABLE...
I am sickened by this.

DEVILS IN 4!!

Ken Dick said...

Ealier in the week I kinda blew off the Challenge on my blog as a "who cares?"

Now I very much care, and to not at least spilt the $50K is outright thievery.

Hopefully we can get the word out about this like the Pronger stomp.

7th Woman said...

NYisles1:
Excuse me, but he doesn't need friends in the "print media" as there is power in numbers and the numbers are in the electronic media who truly represent the fanbase. To say this is a "losing battle" before the first strike is made is purely defeatist. And defeatist attitudes have no place in HOCKEY!

Lastig said...

It makes complete sense, only frustrated Islander fans would see otherwise. It was decided the same exact way the regular season was decided. Now sit back, in your cellar, with your team and watch the Tri State area's best rivalry put on a show in the Playoffs.

Dave F. said...

I'm not sure how anyone that is sane could think that a tiebreaker would not at least be split down the middle or at least determined based on the three teams involved versus teams out the challenge.

Carey303 said...

Chris,

This is absolutely ridiculous. Thanks for bringing it to all of our attentions. I threw a link to your story on my blog. Even though the money is going to charity regardless, there is no reasonable way to classify this as "fair". Why bother to stage a "Challenge" if this is how it will be decided? Hummer might as well have just donated $50k to the Rangers charities and skipped the pretense.

Mike, Islanders 360
http://islandersnhl.blogspot.com/

Nolee said...

Chris,

I agree with Rabbi. If all Isles fans, employees, and players would even make a small contribution we could come up with something big. This Islanders Children's Foundation deserves it.

Anonymous said...

----------
Lastig said...
It makes complete sense, only frustrated Islander fans would see otherwise. It was decided the same exact way the regular season was decided.
----------
No it was not, genius. The way the regular season was decided is that, when tied, the team with the greater number of wins seeds over the other. You need to learn a bit more about hockey.


----------
Now sit back, in your cellar, with your team and watch the Tri State area's best rivalry put on a show in the Playoffs.
----------
The closest I can get to that is watching the Devils kick your teams butts in. Game one was yesterday... and it didnt look too good, did it! Loser points wont be there to help you in the playoffs.

Brother Howie said...

Chris, we the fans are behind you 100%. Let us know what we can do to straighten this out. And i think a nicely worded message to the folks at the metro area Hummer dealers group who sponsored this thing might help. After all, they chose to sponsor this to get some "positive PR" in the community - and there's nothing positive that Islander fans are getting out of this.

Also, would any of the local papers help push this out to the community? Newsday? Post? Maybe not the Times since they are in bed with the Rangers as it is.

Go get'em Botta!