Baby, this emptiness has already been judged

The objects of my affection

Jan. 6, 2013: Tentative agreement reached to end NHL lockout and begin season
Jan. 7, 2013: The New York Islanders are eliminated from 2013 playoff contention

Well, it isn’t quite that bad, but it seems that way. There have been playoffs for the Islanders in the past 30 years, but not many. And more likely than not, they have been bottom-feeders nearly every single year.

It wasn’t always like that.

My Islanders fandom at one time rivaled that of how I feel about the Giants. I grew up a quasi-Rangers fan, but changed my allegiance during the miraculous ’75 playoff run by the Islanders. The was the first, last and only time I have switched teams in any sport, which I consider a no-no. But I guess having a New York in the team name made it alright; at least in my mind it did.

And now even though I live within 15 minutes of the Carolina Hurricanes arena, I remain a forlorn Islanders fan. Now, I am not nearly as rabid as I once was, and I often don’t check the scores for several days, but I will be an Islanders fan forever.

Being an Islanders fan was once a badge of honor, as for a four-year stretch they were of the greatest hockey teams of all time.

And I followed them religiously.

On those cold Pennsylvania nights, one of my best companions was WOR-9 and Islanders road games, 40-times per season plus playoffs. Jiggs McDonald and Eddie Westfall. Yearbooks and media guides. The Hockey News. Newsday. A Mike Bossy jersey. Driving to Long Island to the “Nassau County Mausoleum.”

I saw Bryan Trottier, Bossy, Clark Gillies, Denis Potvin, Billy Smith – all timers, one and all.

How did this happen?

I have never been on skates in my life. No one I knew ever went skating. My brother had a pair of hockey skates (that I never saw him wear), and one day after he grew out of them I decided I was going put them on and head outside and show off like a regular Jean Ratelle (or some other smooth French-Canadian).

I ended up crawling to my friends house (and back), about a half-mile away. I never put on skates again.

So I didn’t glide around on frozen ponds with buddies (despite the prevalence of Ice from December through March) trying to put the biscuit in the basket on the glove side.

It was just a great diversion, watching excellence through long winters when my NBA team, the Knicks, would come up short, year after year.

One day, maybe the Islanders will be great again; maybe moving to Brooklyn will light a fire, Or something.

I will always love hockey, but I will most likely never be as rabid of a fan as I was during those 4 consecutive Stanley Cup teams. Life's little ups and downs has a way of coming into play.

And never will I cheer for a team as great or as dominant as those teams, in any sport.

They were that good.

All this hockey talk gives me an excuse to post the greatest hockey song of all time. Those Islanders teams didn’t have anyone quite like the subject in “Hit Somebody;” Gary Howatt was probably the closest. Listen for David Letterman on the chorus.

This song has a tinge of melancholy throughout, and has several levels of sadness.

Somewhat similar to being an Islanders fan for the past 30 years.