Larry Brooks defends the Islanders....kinda

What a weekend.

Not only was I shocked and amazed at the Islanders THREE GAME WINNING STREAK, but then I read in the Post that Larry Brooks--yes, Larry Brooks--took time out of his busy day spooning with Sean Avery to write an almost pro-Islander column that ran on Sunday.

Basically, as a public service, I will sum up what LB wrote about our boys: The Islanders should be allowed to partake in the revenue sharing program the NHL has even though the metro-area TV market has over 2.5 million homes in it; the cut-off point for revenue sharing according to the CBA.

We all understand that ownership is getting whacked pretty hard and loses money every year. We also know that MSG pays the Isles TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS a year to broadcast the games. Mr. Wang has reportedly lost some 20 million bucks a year on the franchise...but I've always wondered if that was after the MSG money or not? Does that mean the Isles are operating at a 40 million dollar loss in an average year and that is halved by the broadcast money?

Whatever the math is, the Isles need that Lighthouse project to go through. And just think, most NHL players' impression of Long Island is the Marriott and the rink. Kids like Josh Bailey (this weekend) and Kyle Okposo have stated that once they drove around and saw what was around them, that both loved the Island.

I can sort of understand where the players are coming from. As someone who is an Islander fan from out of state, I really only knew the same stuff. After visiting and spending some time with friends who had grown up on Long Island, I began to see the area with much different eyes--sort of what Doug Weight said in his "A Day in the Life" special on the NHL Network. You develop that area around the rink and visiting players will see the area more for what it really is rather than a huge parking lot in the middle of nowhere. That's how you get guys interested in playing on beautiful Long Island!

Which brings us back to Larry Brooks. Normally whenever he writes something quasi-positive about the Islanders, it comes as a backhanded compliment. This article was no different. He takes the "Woe are the Islanders" tact that comes off as (surprise) condescending. I prefer Larry sticks to his big boy Rangers crush; his general discontent with Garry Bettman, and his herald-blowing for Paul Kelly and the NHLPA. He can tell us all about how the NHL tried to shut out Dollar Bill Wirtz from taking a handout because his Chicago television market had more than 2.5 million homes and he can write that he thinks the Isles should be eligible for the revenue sharing but in the end, you have to consider the source--and the strings that are attached.

Should the Islanders be eligible for the revenue sharing? Probably. In the article, Brooks quotes NHLPA boss Paul Kelly (how'd LB get THAT interview?) as saying the following:

"I believe the television-market clause discriminates unfairly against teams like the Islanders and Ducks," Kelly told Slap Shots last weekend in Montreal. "The union would certainly support eliminating that clause. It doesn't make sense if we're committed to helping clubs in distress."

To me, right there, Kelly makes perfect sense. The Devils should be allowed as well since they're in a unique situation with the Isles and Rangers in the area of competition covered by Metro Ice. The bigger question that needs to be answered is whether or not Brooks really cares about the "other" local teams in the Metro area or if he is just flexing his self-aggrandizing muscles before going back to bed with the Players' Association.

Cause, you know, we know the man is not above patting himself on the back.