Seems like no long-time Islander fans with established blogs or long time fans were selected
outside of Tom Liodice were picked and even his blog is new.

I would never go sit with other fan writers myself and then feel obligated to give the organization something back which could lead to a positive review of the club whether it be merited or not. The hockey should be the story, not a writers reaction.

How a writer blogs has to be strictly decided on how the club plays and their interpretation of the game.

Opening night at home they earned praise for their play so even there for these people it’s a fine line to walk.

If they wanted to pick my blog that’s fine but I would not go sit with anyone or interview players, I would simply cover the game as I see it from a fan perspective without access.

From what I read this seems forced but most of the media are fans of their team but hide it well in public.

SI wanted to do a real story it should watch established hockey writers and see if they are caught cheer leading for their clubs. I bet a few times they have been caught themselves.

http://newyorkislanderfancentral.blogspot.com/

I’ve got to go with James Mirtle on this one--this whole concept of blogger access is very much so “in progress,” and while I’m all in favour of unfettered access for those bloggers who attempt to do this on a professional basis, and I’m totally against censorship thereof…

I’d like to think that there’s room in the “blog box” for lots and lots of types of bloggers, all of varying degrees of objectivity and professionalism.  Should there be certain minimum credentials for “full” access and even “partial” access, so somebody can’t just start up a Livejournal or Blogger account and say, “I’m a professional, let me in?”

Duh. 

But this is about the evolution of the process, the evolution of “fan” access, and giving bloggers real footholds into the day-to-day workings of NHL teams--with, as the above poster notes, no required “props” to an organization being required as part of the bargain--has to start somewhere.

This is a start, and it should be viewed critically, obviously, and evaluated from multiple perspectives, because that’s what we’re all shooting for…

Better access.  More perspectives, more eyeballs at the game who are allowed to express their opinions as to what they see and hear.  Bloggers in the seats, and bloggers in the locker room.

It’s going to take time, and this is a first step.  If it isn’t done the “right” way per the blogger elites, well, then it can be criticized as such, but while I can certainly assent to the fact that attempting to establish professional standards of conduct for bloggers is really important and essential to unfettered access…

I wouldn’t mind seeing fettered access, too, so that the bloggers who’re earnestly on their way to becoming the McErlains and Golbezes of the world get to weigh in, too. 

If that means seeing--gasp--some people show up in fans’ jerseys, or even cheer (oh, no!  )--okay.  More than okay.  Good.  That’s how people learn, and that’s how bloggers adapt and evolve. 

Let mistakes be made on the part of both sides, but let them be made.  This is the first step by a second team to give bloggers some access, and I don’t see why it should only be acceptable to express outrage about how it’s “done wrong” of “sponsored by Eklund.” Hell, Eklund has done so much to damage the credibility of bloggers that it would be about time that Dwayne should do some good for us...And it’s that “us” that this is about.

“Us,” us bloggers.  Us biased and subjective bloggers, us unbiased, detached, and objective bloggers, those of us who know exactly what to do and how to conduct ourselves amongst a bunch of people who are doing their jobs for pay, and those of us who are still learning how to conduct ourselves in an NHL locker room or around an NHL team, too. 

This is another step forward.  Let’s not will it to be the last if it isn’t done exactly according to the blogger’s creed.

I think maybe the ‘bloggers creed’ is still evolving.  I agree with Mirtle.  The credentials bestowed on McErlain have gone to his head, and he is all full of himself.  The Caps and Ted Leonsis are the exception, and very unlikely to become the model for league policy.  The ‘Blog Box’ is a marketing gimmick from the Isles viewpoint.  Access restriction are because there is no ‘Bloggers Creed’ when it comes to bloggers like Eklund.

and that ‘Bloggers Creed’:
It is up to legitimate bloggers to isolate the strays in the corner and straighten them out while the play moves up the ice.