Home Is Where You Lie To Me

I’m not bothered with the relocation rumors that resurrect themselves more often than the Undertaker.

I’m fine with the a poorly written, sourceless “report” that was “leaked” to a major and fairly reputable business news entity. And I’m fine with the rest of the media jumping on said unsourced nonsense on a slow news day.

What bothers me is the pathological reaction to jump on the information as a “Gotcha!” moment, and to embrace it as one that was targeted as fans. The mindset of, “I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT ALL DAY AND THEY FINALLY CAME OUT AND PROVED THEY LIED TO ME! OH WOW, I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER! LIE TO ME SOME MORE LATER!!”

No one lied. No one misdirected. And certainly no one went above and beyond to hoodwink the Islanders fan base just days after the new majority and acting owner plainly stated that Barclays Center is home. From one of the many articles on Jon Ledecky’s introductory meet-and-greet as majority owner, “There were challenges last year,” he said. “I would be lying to you if I said there wasn’t. Does that mean you blow up Barclays Center and leave? No. You try to improve the home you have.” How that is unclear is lost on me.

What owner of an acquired major business tucks runs one year in after investing HALF A BILLION DOLLARS? That’s where this article fails, and the emotional responses, fail first. The Isles AND Barclays have to opt out. That’s codified. Yes, Ledecky has confirmed that Year One was sub-optimal in a few aspects. So is the dream house you buy after you land your first big job. As great as it is there will always be a nook and cranny that needs work.

The real trigger here is the misunderstanding of this news. Every deal is negotiable, each side in a negotiation looks for leverage. A “leak” of this magnitude is more reflective of an owner of a lessee looking to get the leaser to improve the creature comforts. I’ve been working with my landlord over the last month to improve some specific things in my house. We talk, we each try to maneuver, and we come to an agreement that benefits two of us to the best of our abilities. That’s what’s happening here.

Except this isn’t new, or even news. It’s been a significant amount of time since representatives on behalf of the Islanders went real estate hunting. Talk to this guy.

But that’s off to the side. This is not a black-ops/black-bag operation to screw with you, John Q. Islesfan. No one wants to get your hopes up just to crush them. If you think this is some public stunt to validate your criticism of Barclays, only to toss them out with the trash.

Some of the fanbase *COUGH*IslesTwitter*COUGH see this leak as a False Flag perpetrated by Charles Wang and/or Nassau County for reasons. Those people you just can’t reach. Really, I don’t know how to reach anyone whose visceral reactions make the rest of us think you WANT this nonsense. Those who can’t go a day without thinking that the world wants them to suffer upon an altar of entertainment and laundry. No one’s lying to anyone. Anywhere. At least not about this.

But keep lying to yourself. Make sure those lies you are certain to exist keep you warm at night because I have no idea what you gain by conjuring them up.

Just…go to sleep. It’s only sports.