30 replies to this topic

[DEV1LDR1VER]

My letter to the Devils PR department...

To whom it may concern,

I want to make you aware of the following. Yesterday , Wednesday 24 Oct, I was listening to the Hockey Night In Canada Radio show on the NHL Home Ice channel on Sirius/XM. It may have been a re-air from the morning or live, but I heard this at 4:25pm.

The radio crew were on the phone with Glenn Healey. They were discussing the Islanders move to Brooklyn. Discussing how the move is away from their fan base, the question was posed to Mr. Healey: Who will be going to these games in Brooklyn? His answer was, "All those people who don't want to get robbed in Newark." The hosts laughed hard, but more in shock of that comment. But Mr. Healey thought was was hilarious.

This is a national show on satellite radio that paints a negative picture of the Devils and your premiere arena to people who are too far to see for themselves how great the area is. This comment was unnecessary, incorrect, irresponsible, and quite insulting.

A comment like this is just as damaging as Barry Melrose's stupid witticism. Please research this for yourself and address as publicly as it was made. The state of hockey is pretty bad right now, and this is just salt in my wound.

Thank you.

[Satans Hockey]

That's funny considering the area around the Brooklyn arena could be considered just as bad if not a lot worse then around the rock.

[SMantzas]

I mean, Newark isn't club med, but come on. It's not like the Isles moved to the Bay Area or San Diego. Honestly, has anyone ever felt in danger going to Devils games? I know I haven't

[Triumph]

That's funny considering the area around the Brooklyn arena could be considered just as bad if not a lot worse then around the rock.

No way. Obviously transit hubs attract sketchy people, but I lived a few blocks away from where the Barclays Center is now, and that's a much safer area.

[DEV1LDR1VER]

Regardless of comparing the two areas, I won't go to a game at Barclays because I fear getting robbed around The Rock.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Meh, I can't get worked up about that one. There will always be jokes about Newark. I doubt a whole lot of listeners heard Healy's comment and thought "Geez, maybe I'd better not go to a Devils game, I might get robbed!" Healy made a joke (he's known for being a pretty funny guy) while hanging with the guys...the kind of joke people make when letting their hair down a little. I don't think people take a joke Healy made as some sort of gospel. It's just not that big a deal.

[DJ Eco]

I care about his opinion of Newark as much as I care about the 13 minutes he probably played as backup during Rangers' 1994 Stanley Cup..

[roomtemp]

Meh, I can't get worked up about that one. There will always be jokes about Newark. I doubt a whole lot of listeners heard Healy's comment and thought "Geez, maybe I'd better not go to a Devils game, I might get robbed!" Healy made a joke (he's known for being a pretty funny guy) while hanging with the guys...the kind of joke people make when letting their hair down a little. I don't think people take a joke Healy made as some sort of gospel. It's just not that big a deal.

Yeah I think we have better things to be worked up over then a little joke.

[RowdyFan42]

Yeah I think we have better things to be worked up over then a little joke.

Maybe I've been here too long, then, because it seems like we* get worked up over the least little thing far too often.

* Not all of us, but some of us.

[Zubie#8]

Maybe I've been here too long, then, because it seems like we* get worked up over the least little thing far too often.

* Not all of us, but some of us.

Its just annoying to read or hear someone making fun of the Devils, happens everyday.

[devlman]

Meh its a little joke. Im more concerned with the Islanders being more of a competitive and media rival in the coming years.

[Colin226]

I still highly recommend you send this to the Devils PR people.. Some here may not care, but I can tell you the team staff does.. They spend a lot of time an effort on promoting the arena in Newark.. Call or email them and find out who you should send this to

[grcenter47]

I am more shocked that someone would interview glenn healy and give him air time

[Ollie McKraut]

would be pretty poetic if Glenn Healey got murderered in either one of these localities. not encouraging, just commenting. totally harmless. lettin the ol hair down in a public forum.

[ZeroGravityFat]

I don't get why this is always coming from NY media. I lived in downtown Newark, live in NYC, and both are equally dangerous if you step in to the wrong hood in the wrong time. I would get it if this came from a nicer city/crowd but NY and NJ bashing on each other is pot kettle.

[NJDevs4978]

A comment like this is just as damaging as Barry Melrose's stupid witticism.

Eh not really. Melrose made his joke on a national network right after the arena opened - and thus more suceptible to innuendo, plus it came when people actually were somewhat paying attention to hockey since it was (gasp) playing games. Healy's nonsensical dig came after the Devils have already been established in Newark for five years and when probably fifty people - almost all of them Isles fans - were listening to the hockey channel on a pay radio network. Nobody's going to take that seriously who already didn't have preconcieved notions about Newark anyway, especially after Melrose's very public flap.

Just bombard Healy's twitter with info about eleven playoff sellouts and not one incident during the playoffs if you wish and be done with it.

Edited by NJDevs4978, 25 October 2012 - 03:30 PM.

[Jerzey Devil]

They do need to build up the area immediately surrounding the arena IMO. At least a couple of blocks in every direction. Put up an ESPN Club or a Fridays or something.

[DevsMan84]

Are you going to get mugged going to and from a devils game in Newark? Highly unlikely.

However the fact is that anything short of a Giuliani style crime reduction in the city overall the perception and reality is that Newark will be looked upon and perceived as a dangerous city. It will take a further reduction of violence city wide as well as a couple of generations to shake the perception.

This is a major overreaction and his comments were in jest.

[ATLL765]

Are you going to get mugged going to and from a devils game in Newark? Highly unlikely.

However the fact is that anything short of a Giuliani style crime reduction in the city overall the perception and reality is that Newark will be looked upon and perceived as a dangerous city. It will take a further reduction of violence city wide as well as a couple of generations to shake the perception.

This is a major overreaction and his comments were in jest.

Giuliani isn't the sole reason for the NYC crime drop around 20 years ago. Crime rates were already on the downturn, significantly so, even before Giuliani came around. Giuliani didn't make the crime disappear, he just pushed it further underground and further out of the way of the eye's of those that matter.

As for the comment being in jest, I understand, but c'mon, Newark isn't that bad and you never hear anyone say, "hey, don't see the Caps play, you might get shot in DC" where you don't even need to walk to another street to get from nice area to hellhole, all you need to do is keep walking down Pennsylvania Ave.

[SterioDesign]

Im pretty sure if that guy would have made a similar joke about the rangers we would have been laughing at it