The Final Score

Loyal Final Score reader Nick -- well, he may not be loyal, but he sure reads us a lot -- wants to know why I call the Islanders that.

Here's why, Nick:

Facts are facts, and you are free to believe that a team that in the last few years

-- Signed its goalie to a 15-year contract
-- Hired a Cup-winning GM and then let him leave because he couldn't work in their ridiculous management structure
-- Hired their backup goalie as the new GM
-- Plays in the worst facility in sports
-- Has the lowest attendance in the NHL by far despite what even you have to admit is a rather obvious fudge factor
-- Has an owner who admits knowing nothing about hockey and then meddles in all important decisions
-- Is trying to peddle a 'youth movement' even though they don't have the prospects to carry it out
-- And I won't even get into the previous regimes and what they did before Wang bought the team

. . . is not a laughingstock. And you are free to express that view. If this were 1984, I'd be singing the Islanders' praises here. It isn't. They are what they are.

As I've explained here before, there's nothing I would like more than the Islanders to become a model franchise that consistently contends for the Cup and plays in a state-of-the-art arena. It's good for Long Island, good for Newsday.

But I'm not going to ignore the truth when it's right out there. Neither is Jim and neither is Chicago Norm. And all of us felt that way and expressed as much long before Newsday was even a glint in Charles Dolan's eye.

Remember when the Yankees were a laughingstock in the 80s? The Mets in the 70s? The Knicks up until the day they fired Isiah? The Rangers in the early period of the Sather era? The Giants under Ray Handley? The Jets, well, for a lot of their history?

It just happens to be happening to the Islanders now. You wishing it away does not make it so. If the team gets to a level of excellence that honors great fans like you, I'll be the first one to write about it.

I hope for your sake they get there.

What a July for The Final Score!

Here are some highlights:

--We smashed our page-view record by a large margin. I am not permitted to mention specific numbers; let's just say it went from thisamount to THISAMOUNT. Thanks to all of our loyal readers and commenters.

-- Newsday was sold by the bloodsuckers at Tribune Co. to the nice, smart people at Cablevision for $650,000,000. I am told the price would have been $649,999,999 if The Final Score had not been included.

-- Since some of you think the sale has taken away our objectivity, here's a finger in your eye: The Knicks are still not a good team, the Rangers still don't get enough bang for their bucks, and the Liberty are irrelevant in the greater sports scene. The WaMu theater is nice, though.

-- None of those realities mean the Islanders are not a laughingstock of a franchise. They are. And we're going to keep saying it as long as it continues to be true or they move to Oklahoma City, where Chicago Norm will also move to become the new franchise's Zamboni driver.

-- Anthony participated in the world's worst Live Chat. Three questions. It was very, very funny.

-- Jim played paint ball with Islanders rookies. There was a column and video.

-- Chicago Norm posted about 98% of the items. Most were about celebrities and things that happen in Chicago. Because of this, CN has been promoted to full-time. Just as soon as we can, CN will get a picture and a bio on the top left of this page.

Hey, it's your fault! CN joined and the page views went through the roof.

-- A new feature, NASCAR talk, was initiated. So far, it's pretty much been one of us posting an item that says, "Hey, there's a race this weekend...who do you like?"

But we promise to put up more interesting NASCAR items in August. Remember, NASCAR fans, The Final Score is your place to chat.

And Jim is doing something with NASCAR this weekend that is going to kick off what I have just decided is going to be "NASCAR Month" on The Final Score!!!!!

-- Oh, and we had to permanently ban one commenter for the first time in The Final Score history. This person is free, however, to visit and comment on Newsday's other blogs.

Also in August:

-- We promise more debates, more A-Rod and Madonna news, more photos of deep-dish pizza, more honest Islanders commentary, more encroaching on Neil Best's territory, more wacky minor-league promotions, more links to WNBA brawls.

More more more. How do you like it?

Thanks for the great July.

Probably not.

But it's a question worth asking because ... in spring training new Dodgers manager Joe Torre asked pitcher Joe Beimel to cut his shoulder-length hair.

However, Torre apparently didn't demand that Beimel cut his hair.

He asked him nicely.

Why did he ask, not demand?

"I don't want to change anybody's personality," Torre told the Los Angeles Times during spring training. "To me, individuals are very important. Sure, we want to think as a team, but individuals are what it's all about."

Manny clearly has his own personality.

When Ken Griffey Jr. dons his White Sox jersey for the first time, it won't have No. 3 on back.

As Jim pointed out the other day, that number belongs to Harold Baines, and it's been retired in his honor since the late 1980s.

Griffey could go back to No. 30, the number he wore with the Reds before changing it to 3 in honor of his three kids. but Nick Swisher has that. Griffey's number in Seattle was 24, but that belongs to Joe Crede.

My guess is they'll give him that big, fat, juicy No. 1 that belonged to deposed secondbaseman Danny Richar, who went to Cincy along with pitcher Nick Masset in the deal that brought Junior to Chicago.

None of this is really important, but, hey, it's all I've got.

There should be a rule in pro sports.

If you've made more than $100 million, you are not allowed to ever, ever, ever complain about your contractual situation.

Here's hoping Manny's ploy backfires...

I know, her next race isn't until Aug. 9 at Kentucky Speedway.

But I just went to her website, anyway, and it's a high-tech blast.

You can never accuse Danica of false modesty. Her theme song is SuperGirl, sung by Saving Jane.

Did I mention that her site, with the song playing constantly, is a blast?

(That's according to Foxsports.com)

Chicago Norm presumably is excited about this news.

Alex Rodriguez was expected to file papers today in Florida in response to Cynthia Rodriguez's divorce suit, according to a report on In Case You Didn't Know's website.

Quoting from ICYDK.com:

"In the documents – expected to be filed Thursday morning – A-Rod admits the marriage is “irretrievably broken.” But he points out that Florida is a “no fault state” and chastises his estranged wife, Cynthia Rodriguez, for mentioning “immaterial and impertinent” issues like his alleged “extra marital affairs and other marital misconduct.” "

I don't have anything original to say about this, but here's the entire ICYDK post, if you're interested.

The above AP photo is from last New Year's Eve, when Alex and Cynthia were not getting a divorce.

My first class ever at St. John's University was speech, a core class for all freshman, I believe. It was in a corner classroom on the fourth floor of Marillac Hall, with about 10 to 15 others. I still remember it well.

One of them was this guy.

His name is Keeth Smart. He's from Brooklyn, and he's a really, really good fencer. He's going to the Olympics to represent United States, just like in 2000 and 2004.

I know: this story stinks compared to Chicago Norm having Fritz Peterson as a bowling professor in college.

The Reds have dealt future Hall of Famer to the White Sox, pending Junior's approval.

I won't bore you with a lot of White Sox talk, but . . .

Although I'm sure than Junior will be a welcome presence in Chicago, this trade only makes for the Chisox if GM is on the verge of unloading Paul Konerko or Ozzie Guillen got drunk (see post below) and has decided to bench him or have him share playing time with Nick Swisher, hitting .230.

Swisher, a natural first baseman, currently plays center for the Pale Hose. And Konerko is hitting .214 after going 1-for-4 Wednesday night in Minnesota.

As for Griffey's approval, Chicago has been in first place for most of the campaign and aging veterans rarely turn down one last chance to frolic in the postseason.

Hit "continue" to read Mark Gonzales' report from chicagosports.com, or to post a comment.

Continue reading "Griffey headed to White Sox? All it needs is his approval" »

Another month in the books toward my goal of running my first marathon. It was a good training month ... up until when I woke up yesterday. Somehow I pulled a muscle in my upper back, right below my neck, and it hurts when I turn my head. Not good.

My hunch is that it is related to my nine-mile run on Monday; I ran around noon and the heat got to me. By the end I was really beat, and looking back I bet my upper body was really tense. So that's that. I'll just have to wait until the pain goes away before I run again.

June: 55 miles.
July: 79 miles.

93 days to go.