Bailey struggling to adjust to the NHL level

Time-lapse photography would provide a real jump to perceptions of the Islanders' growth process - especially after the weekend their youngest player had.

[Battfist]

This article is like a week late.

[Battfist]

Instead talking about this junk...and since there is no triple crown page...are there any Kentucky Derby fans out there? If so lets here some horses you might like...

5. Papa Clem
4. I Want Revenge
3. Hello Broadway-Barclay Tagg trained
2. Old Fashioned
1. The Pamplemousee/Pioneer of the Nile (tied)

[kallur]

I like the fact that writer Jeansonne gave the #1 pick stats, but otherwise the article just seems thrown together, like so many in Newsday. Go to the rink, grab a few quotes, stitch together a story. A little more effort in journalism provides a big difference, and a much better story. Did he ask Baily if he thought he should have stayed in the minors? Played in the World Juniors? "Certain things come easier than others," he said. What things? Personally, from his game, and I think he'll be a very good player, but with his game, he should have stayed another year in the minors, and played the Worlds. He would have learned more at the Worlds in two weeks than in three months on the Island. Don't forget: Trottier had a great training camp, the coaches all thought he should stay with the big club. Two people disagreed: Trots's mother, and Torrey. Trots went back down, and came back a year later 100 percent ready for primetime.

[Tedge77]

Battfist wrote:

Instead talking about this junk...and since there is no triple crown page...are there any Kentucky Derby fans out there? If so lets here some horses you might like...
5. Papa Clem
4. I Want Revenge
3. Hello Broadway-Barclay Tagg trained
2. Old Fashioned
1. The Pamplemousee/Pioneer of the Nile (tied)

Why dont you go with shut the &^%$ up. I hear he is good.

[Mike Bossy]

Yeah...I remember how much I struggled in my rookie season...and how many excuses Al was making for me.

[South Shore Rat]

I'm still miffed that Greg Logan is not doing the Isles coverage...he has the blog, which is great, and he travels with the team, but all these Isles articles by Mark Herrman or Steve Zipay or John Jeansonne, who predominantly do the Rangers write-ups, rub me the wrong way. When I see an Isles article at Newsday by someone other than Logan, it always carries a negative slant or has negative implications. It makes me doubt their reporting!

Take this article--by the accounts of the fans and the coach, Bailey's not struggling. He's bloody 19, spending his first year in the pros outside of juniors, and is showing glimpses of is playmaking abilities. Anyone who sees the games sees that! And everybody has cut him some slack. He's making progress; 50 goals would be nice, but him staying healthy and energetic and improving is tops. So maybe Bailey is miffed because his points have dropped since juniors, but come on...that'll happen to most if not all in his position. He's not "struggling to adjust" but rather "adjusting". For real reporting, how about checking out who his linemates were, what his time has been, judging his playing outside the scoresheets? Is he marked to be part of the send-downs for Bridgeport if they make the playoffs, like Okposo and Comeau are?

This Isles-coverage-by-committee system is woeful, and leading to a drop in the quality of the Isles coverage.

[bhockey47]

Aw come on guys, the Rangers suck, they're not going to make the playoffs and their loser beat writers are teed off...so like South Shore Rat said, these loser writers had to find something to put together, so they did. The funny thing is that we all see right through them. I'm sure if Bailey had 30 goals Jeansonne would've found something negative about him. Give me a break the kid will do just fine. The Rangers beat the Isles last week on Islander mistakes not because the Rangers were so good, in fact, the Isles controlled the entire game, and the Rangers beat Boston because Fernandez was absolutely terrible...the true Rangers showed up last night. Now Mr. Jeansonne there's something worthy for you to write about...oops forgot, you'd never ever bash your beloved Rags.

[Rob]

Mike Bossy wrote:

Yeah...I remember how much I struggled in my rookie season...and how many excuses Al was making for me.

Comparing just about any rookie in history to Bossy is ridiculous. The guy still holds the record for fastest to 100 goals in the NHL. He is an outlier on the superior end of the spectrum and not the norm to be considered when judging others.

[Averys Awesome]

Rangers fan chiming in here. First the Rangers will make the playoffs!
In regards to this story. Since I do watch alot of Islanders games, this story fails to actually tell a story. The Isles have been hit with injuries and I am sure this kid has played on dozens of line combos all season. Having to adjust to the NHL and not having the same linemates for most of the season could not be easy. For Newsday to state this kid is struggling and to single him out is wrong IMO.
Enjoy your early tee times.

[Rob]

BTW - In fairness to Jeansonne (not that I like him or his writing) this is an article about how Bailey is actually coming along well. It's the really bad headline that skews it the other way. The headlines are generally authored by some lazy copy desk editor... whose name doesn't appear on the article so they're not usually attached to their incompetence. Newsday's sports headlines have become particularly bad in general. It is commonplace to see a headline that is completely counter to what is actually written in the article... but you would actually expect an editor to read the story and capture the theme in a headline, would you?

[Tavares09]

Rob wrote:

<quoted text>
Comparing just about any rookie in history to Bossy is ridiculous. The guy still holds the record for fastest to 100 goals in the NHL. He is an outlier on the superior end of the spectrum and not the norm to be considered when judging others.

Bossy would have out goal-scored Gretzky if his back injuries didn't cut his career short. Bailey is not the same type of player as Bossy, anyway. Bossy was the purest of pure goal scorering wings...Bailey is a play making center. That being said, Bailey could turn into a 50+ point producer in the NHL by the 2010-2011 season

[Patrick]

funny thing happened this season... I have watched 90% of the games on my NHL package, noticed 1 thing that has been missing all these horrable years. Intelligence, I don't mean IQ or SAT's, I'm talkin hockey smarts. we have it, these kids are playing really well lately and making very good decisions. with the puck, where to attack, defensive angles, when to commit blocking a shot, ect. Bergi's been on fire, Danis is one hell of a goaltender, the passing between the kid line has been improving by the game. People, this is the start of a solid foundation, i haven't enjoyed the isles this much since the toronto series. Even in losing, they are entertaining and have no quit in em. keep doin your thung Mr Wang, Mr snow. I see it, even if no one else does.

[OpieAnthony]

Patrick wrote:

funny thing happened this season... I have watched 90% of the games on my NHL package, noticed 1 thing that has been missing all these horrable years. Intelligence, I don't mean IQ or SAT's, I'm talkin hockey smarts. we have it, these kids are playing really well lately and making very good decisions. with the puck, where to attack, defensive angles, when to commit blocking a shot, ect. Bergi's been on fire, Danis is one hell of a goaltender, the passing between the kid line has been improving by the game. People, this is the start of a solid foundation, i haven't enjoyed the isles this much since the toronto series. Even in losing, they are entertaining and have no quit in em. keep doin your thung Mr Wang, Mr snow. I see it, even if no one else does.

AMEN!!! They are going in the right direction for the first time in a long time. Last years picks are looking good and 10 picks next year 5 in first 2.

I love how they have to make it sound worse than it actually is by only counting HOME games...

[TheMetalChick]

Averys Awesome wrote:

Rangers fan chiming in here. First the Rangers will make the playoffs!
In regards to this story. Since I do watch alot of Islanders games, this story fails to actually tell a story. The Isles have been hit with injuries and I am sure this kid has played on dozens of line combos all season. Having to adjust to the NHL and not having the same linemates for most of the season could not be easy. For Newsday to state this kid is struggling and to single him out is wrong IMO.
Enjoy your early tee times.

This is a generally good post. I agree that the Rangers probably will make the playoffs, but considering the start they had it is surprising how to the line it is actually going to be for them. Finally, your last line was not necessary- for the very reasons you stated above it.

[TheMetalChick]

Rob wrote:

BTW - In fairness to Jeansonne (not that I like him or his writing) this is an article about how Bailey is actually coming along well. It's the really bad headline that skews it the other way. The headlines are generally authored by some lazy copy desk editor... whose name doesn't appear on the article so they're not usually attached to their incompetence. Newsday's sports headlines have become particularly bad in general. It is commonplace to see a headline that is completely counter to what is actually written in the article... but you would actually expect an editor to read the story and capture the theme in a headline, would you?

Excellent points, Rob. You are correct.

[BrkmB]

OpieAnthony wrote:

<quoted text>
AMEN!!! They are going in the right direction for the first time in a long time. Last years picks are looking good and 10 picks next year 5 in first 2.
I love how they have to make it sound worse than it actually is by only counting HOME games...

I also agree. I've been watching all the games thanks to Center Ice. The kids are fun to watch and most of the Isles best moments are a result of the kids hard work. Even some of the young defensemen they've brought up have looked good.

[Averys Awesome]

TheMetalChick wrote:

<quoted text>
This is a generally good post. I agree that the Rangers probably will make the playoffs, but considering the start they had it is surprising how to the line it is actually going to be for them. Finally, your last line was not necessary- for the very reasons you stated above it.

Now come on... You know I had rub it in just a little bit. To be serious though. The Islanders in the last month are a completely different team. They have become entertaining and have shown to be a fast team. I have been watching hockey for over 30+ years and enjoy the rivalry. Also, it'll be great for the Metro area when this team turns the corner and are in the playoff hunt each season. It has been 15 seasons since the Rangers & Islanders have faced each other in the playoffs. Hopefully next season the Isles will surprised the league get in the playoffs and we will see both playing each other.

BTW you tee time is scheduled for April 10th I believe?:)

[Battfist]

This just in...
Rangers tee time-April 13th 700am-Dyker Beach Golf Course.

Does anybody go to the Wood Memorial?

[Chuck]

Tavares09 wrote:

<quoted text>
Bossy would have out goal-scored Gretzky if his back injuries didn't cut his career short. Bailey is not the same type of player as Bossy, anyway. Bossy was the purest of pure goal scorering wings...Bailey is a play making center. That being said, Bailey could turn into a 50+ point producer in the NHL by the 2010-2011 season

Now you're just talking silly- Stop or you won't get any ice cream-

[Rob]

I actually think the Rangers will make the playoffs... but not because they are looking strong. They'll make it because of some key injuries just suffered by Florida (one being McCabe) and because Buffalo and Montreal look pretty weak of late (caveat: can Gainey turn Mtl around?). Two of those 3 teams needs to figure out how to play decent hockey or the Rangers will back in with ease.

Carolina and Pittsburgh will be in.