Months after an exciting New York Islanders season came to an end and the ice was removed from Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y., Billy Joel had the responsibility of formally closing the place down Tuesday night.
The Coliseum isn’t going away, but it’s going to be closed for some time while it undergoes significant renovations, which will include partial demolition.
The Islanders, meanwhile, are moving to Brooklyn where they will play in the newer Barclays Center. It’s a sore subject among residents of Long Island. It also became a topic for discussion when Joel was joined on stage by special guest Paul Simon.
As the two started talking about the changes coming to the Coliseum, Joel made reference to there being no hockey anymore. That was greeted with a chorus of boos, but then the vibe changed pretty quickly. A massive “Let’s go Islanders” chant arose throughout the building.
"No more hockey" says Billy Joel, fans respond with "Let's Go Islanders" #Isles pic.twitter.com/GlQUt2PiVp
— Joe Buono (@JBuono611) August 5, 2015
Simon then bravely admitted he is a Rangers fans, and was predictably booed. But then he had a thought to share with his fellow New Yorkers.
“Well, you know the truth of the matter is, this stuff is your family,” Simon began. “You don’t have a choice. You got the team and now you’re family.
“The idea of the Islanders leaving Uniondale to go to Brooklyn [boos erupt again] is as sad as they idea of the Dodgers leaving to go to San Francisco [sic].”
Aside from the lapse in baseball history (the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles), it was a nice sentiment from Simon.
The Islanders are going to be sorely missed on Long Island. The fans can still travel to Brooklyn, but the big-league team that was solely the Island’s is gone. The memories created in that building certainly won't be forgotten though.
