KANSAS CITY, HERE WE COME?

When I flipped on the FAN yesterday to listen to the Mike Francesa show, I was expecting to hear him breaking down the two NFL championship games to be played on Sunday. Much to my surprise, the first caller I heard wanted to discuss the New York Islanders. Francesa taking calls on the Islanders? What's this? Maybe he was disparaging them for being so bad before I tuned in. I've noticed throughout the years that Francesa has a touch of schadenfreude when a team in New York stinks (other than his beloved Yankees). After navigating through a couple of callers, I finally figured out what this Isles talk was all about.

Apparently, Islanders owner, Charles Wang, has scheduled an exhibition to be played at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri before next season. Upon hearing the news, frantic fans immediately took that as Wang's first step to take the Islanders permanently to Kansas City. In my opinion, it was at the very least an unveiled threat to get Nassau County and the Town of Hempstead to approve the Lighthouse Project. It is common knowledge around the league and community that the Islanders won't last much longer at the Nassau Coliseum. The Isles have been looking for a way out ever since the scoreboard crashed to the ice, thankfully overnight, in 1996.

I happen to believe that the Lighthouse Project is a far fetched idea at the current time. It wouldn't make sense in this economy to pay the estimated $4 billion for construction of this new arena/mall/etc. Even with the jobs it may create, I can't see this being approved anytime soon. That means the Islanders will either have to suck in up in the Coliseum for a few more years, without the guarantee that the project will be even approved then, or move to Kansas City or to some other city looking for a team. Rumors are that Wang has been losing $20 million a year recently with the franchise the way it is. Therefore, unless Wang really loves Long Island and will do whatever possible to keep the team there, then I believe the Islanders days in New York are numbered. If he really was going to do whatever possible, why would he even toy with the idea of playing a game in Kansas City?

If the team moves as I feel will ultimately happen, New York City would survive as it has plenty of sports franchises, and you can make the argument there is no reason for any market to have three franchises in one sport. It would be extremely tough for the Island though. Even though its been awhile since the Islanders have been any good, they still really matter to their loyal fans based on the strong legacy they built from their four consecutive Stanley Cup Championships in the early 1980s. I would even have a tough time seeing them go, and I barely follow the NHL season. Unfortunately, Isles fans are going to have to hope the Lighthouse Project defeats the odds and gets approved, because right now there isn't much hope for this team staying.

Pat Morgan