December 28, 2010, HockeyPrimeTime.com column criticizing the NHL for having the Devils and Islanders play games Sunday's Northeast blizzard

The games must not go on

Columns

Written by Denis Gorman

Tuesday, December 28, 2010 02:15

There was no real harm in postponing a game Sunday – just ask the NFL. The same can't be said for asking thousands of people to brave inclement weather for a poorly attended NHL game. P.A. Parenteau knew there was going to be a problem even before the puck dropped, a daming indctment. “It was going to be a hard crowd for us,” Parenteau said after he and his Islanders teammates put forth a strong effort to top the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 Sunday night at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The win was the Islanders’ third in a row and fourth in five games. Yet only 3,136 souls were in attendance. Most were clad in the bleu blanc et rouge and it felt as if the match should have been played on the St. Lawrence River. Why? A massive snowstorm paralyzed the Northeast Sunday and Monday. Close to two feet of snow and heavy winds abused the New York City Metropolitan Area over the two days, causing roadways to be shut down and public transportation to be canceled. An hour west of the Coliseum another game was being contested Sunday night. The Devils hosted Toronto on Boxing Night and were gracious hosts, allowing the visitors a 4-1 victory. Had the weather not been an issue, the crowds at the Coliseum and Prudential Center would have been small. It was the day after Christmas, the Jets and Giants played important games at 1 and 4:15 p.m., not to mention the Atlantic Division rivals' season long-struggles. Factor in the inclement weather and the decision to play hockey in Uniondale and Newark was nothing less than a disgrace. By putting — the NHL failed when presented an opportunity to do what was right. Newsday reported on its website Sunday afternoon that the league ignored requests from the Islanders and Nassau County to postpone the game. The New York Post estimated that 2,500 turned out in Newark – the announced crowd was 5,329 – to watch the Devils play the Leafs. The newspaper reported that Devils employees that use public transportation to get to and from work were released during the first intermission before snarking that “Toronto TV must be served.” The insinuation was clear: The NHL will acquiesce to its television obligations before considering the fans and individuals who make a game possible by being there in person. The insinuation was clear: The NHL will acquiesce to its television obligations before considering the fans and individuals who make a game possible by being there in person. What, exactly, was gained by not rescheduling the games in Newark and Long Island? Did the Devils and the Islanders generate revenues by opening their doors Sunday night? Does the league care that fans and employees could have been trapped in the snow and bitter cold? The NHL’s action was as unconscionable as it was inexcusable, an example of rank amateurs failing to adequately oversee house. There was no benefit to the league, its teams, its employees and the public that those games were played. Anyone employed on 47th Street and 6th Avenue in Manhattan may want to take the short walk to 280 Park Avenue. That's where the National Football League is headquartered. There is no more popular league in the United States than the NFL. For a league that has its own image problems, it covered itself in glory Sunday by determining that safety was more important than flexing tough guy muscles at Mother Nature. The NFL decided early Sunday afternoon to postpone that night’s nationally televised Philadelphia Eagles home game against the Minnesota Vikings because of safety considerations generated by the blizzard (in spite of no less an authority than Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell). Let’s be honest. The NFL is not going to lose a cent on that game. It will be played Tuesday night and televised on NBC. It is a safe assumption that the Canadian networks would not turn its back on the NHL for canceling the Devils and Islanders games. The NFL can feel comfortable with its course of action. The NFL recognized that its teams, its employees and those that consume its games deserve to enjoy a high quality product feel safe at its stadiums, and not worry about how to get home – none of which would have happened had the Vikings-Eagles game had been played Sunday. It is a lesson that the NHL would do well to learn. On Twitter: @HockeyPrimeTime and @DenisGorman Photos by Getty Images Bookmark Email this Comments (0)

http://www.hockeyprimetime.com/news/columns/the-games-must-not-go-on