Nassau Coliseum erupts with ‘Let’s go Islanders’ cheer at Billy Joel concert (Video)
The celebration of the Islanders leaving Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum is officially over. And we have now reached the mixed emotions period of grief.
At least that’s what appeared to be going on at a Billy Joel concert at the venue in Uniondale on Tuesday night. It was the final show at the arena while it undergoes $130 million renovations. The arena will reopen in December of 2016.
Joel was joined on stage by Paul Simon, another famous New York area musical icon, and both started to converse about the end of the Islanders in Long Island.
“No hockey, no nothing for a while,” Joel said. “But they’re going to reopen it and there will be a new one.” This then led to boos, which quickly changed to ‘Let’s Go Islanders’
Simon then tried to calm the nerves of scorned Islanders fans by giving a mini speech
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“Well the truth of the matter is, this stuff comes down through your family. You don’t have a choice, you get the team and now you’re a family,” Simon said. “So let me say this, the idea of the Islanders leaving Uniondale to go to Brooklyn is as sad as the idea of the Dodgers leaving to go to San Francisco. “
With the exception of the facepalm moment (the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles which is across the country and not in the same state), it was a nice transition by the soft rocker to soothe any frayed emotions of Islanders fans, who will now have to travel from the Island to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn to see their team starting next year – provided Brooklyn-area hipsters haven’t bought up all the season ticket packages yet.
Also, with the ‘Let’s Go Islanders’ chant during the concert, it’s good to know the fanbase will still support the team, even if the move will sting for a little until they get that Long Island Railroad commute figured out.
(S/t Eye on Hockey)
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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper
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