OneLegUpAlex Teams Up With Terminello's Take and Pags' Perspective To Break Down Recent Islanders Success recorded 11-21-25

OneLegUpAlex Teams Up With Terminello's Take and Pags' Perspective To Break Down Recent Islanders Success recorded 11-21-25

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Here's your host, Alex Garrett.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
Leu Terminello. My friend, we haven't had the termino's taken
a low while, but since we last talked, the Giants
have undergone major coaching changes and like firing their head
coach Brian Dable and Mike Kuffka taking over. And you
know we're gonna start with hockey in a second. But
I have to say it would be a real shame
if Dabell's last act was to have Jackson dark in

(00:30):
concussion protocol the rest of the season. Like maybe it
is true he ran him not to the ground, but
to this situation that Jackson's him, maybe he did.

Speaker 1 (00:40):
Go too hard with him his first year.

Speaker 3 (00:42):
Well, Alex, thanks for having me. Good to be back
with you. As always, I'm not gonna blame the concussion
situation on on Brian Dable. There were other things that
you could you can blame him on. As far as
him getting fired, I was surprised that he was fired
after after the loss last week. I wouldn't have been

(01:06):
surprised if he was fired at the end of the year.
I just was surprised at the timing. Jackson Dart has
as we said, we said, he has to protect himself better.
And of course the guy who protects himself better than
anybody in the league is Patrick Mahomes. Josh Allen's pretty
good at it. Also, he's a rookie, he's uh dart

(01:27):
is and uh he definitely has charisma. The team responds
to him. But now he's when is he coming back? Now?
This is gonna be two weeks where he hasn't cleared
concussion protocol, and as we know, concussions are a major
problem in the NFL. I don't know if he plays

(01:47):
again this year. Maybe they don't play him just to
protect him from himself. I don't know that. Uh, you know,
so we'll see what happens the rest of the way.
The guy has proven that he that he has a
chance to be, you know, a long time starting quarterback
for the New York Giants and in the NFL. But
that did not get that did not get Davel fired.

(02:08):
But Alex, I do believe on that Thursday night game
when they were in the tent when they beat the Eagles,
I think he came back. And I'm no doctor, so
I'm not I'm no neurologist, but he might have came
back with a concussion. And if that's the case, that's
on Brian Dable because you know, we know what happened
at night. He went into the tent. Scatterbu went into

(02:30):
the tent. You know, became you know, it became a
little bit of craziness.

Speaker 2 (02:35):
So it became a whole crapstorm. Actually because I did
it was a fine situation and then this, I mean,
it was bad.

Speaker 3 (02:43):
And I don't know.

Speaker 2 (02:46):
I just feel like there were certain things that Jackson
darts first year has been shaped by, and one of
them is, uh, it is totally this concussion situation he's
got going on. They're gonna go with Winston again this weekend.

Speaker 3 (02:57):
We'll have to see.

Speaker 2 (02:58):
I want to talk about the Jets. I mean, this
quarterback saga is weird. But what about what about the
fact that we haven't been talked about the loss of
Larry Brooks either.

Speaker 3 (03:09):
Maybe we start there. I mean J. T.

Speaker 2 (03:11):
Miller scoring in the first goal the first game since
Brooksy's death last Saturday to win it. I thought that
was so fitting because look, Brooksy was very fond of JT.
Miller in all his writings of him.

Speaker 3 (03:24):
He was at J. T. Miller. I have to admit
since the Rangers came back to the Rangers. This is
me just I'm not you know, I'm not a Ranger fan,
but I'm not a Ranger basher. As far as analyzing
their play. J. D. Miller has not performed like the
Rangers thought he was going to perform. And he's got
five years left on an eight million dollars a year contract.
He played a great game in Colorado, so hopefully, you know,

(03:48):
so hopefully for Rangers and the management and their fans
that he takes off from this point. As you said,
as I said to you a couple of times, I
would have made Vincent trotech the captain. But Trochek has
I think this is last year before he goes in
free agency. Maybe that's why they didn't do it. That's

(04:10):
just that's just my view from afar. Right now, the
Rangers are stuck in no man's land, Alex and that's
not a good place to be now. The NHL Eastern
Conference and the NHL in general, everybody's bunched up. But
I don't know, I don't have right now at the
twenty game mark. I know we're at the quarter pole
mark and teams have played twenty twenty one games. I think.

(04:34):
I think the Bruins have played like twenty three. They
played the most. I don't know what. I don't know
how to evaluate this Ranger team. I don't know if
they're just gonna be stuck in the middle. You know,
there's some teams that are on the rise and some
of them that may not make the playoffs this year.
But you look at you look at Anaheim, you look

(04:54):
you look at at the San Jose Sharks, who are
a little bit over five hundred. But look in his
second year, Matt flinched Celebrini. You know, he has he
scored the hat trick the other night. He has thirty
plus points. Will Smith, their center that nobody knows about,
you know in the East because he plays for the
Anaheim Ducks nineteen points, and Chris Krider has ten goals

(05:16):
and for assists, and he gives them a veteran presses,
so does Jacob Truber, and they have other veteran presents
on their team. They're they're an intriguing team to watch,
and right now they're in first place in the Pacific Division.
I don't expect that to hold up, but at least
they're not hopeless neither is San Jose anymore.

Speaker 2 (05:34):
Know when when do we say the Ducks were in
first place? Not for a while, So yeah, no, it's
kind of intriguing. And Crider has been such a boost
to Ye.

Speaker 3 (05:42):
Absolutely, that veteran, those veteran presents have to help, and
they have. Leo Carlson. I mean, the guy's got twenty
five points, he's twenty years old. He's plus eleven for
the Ducks, and uh, I mean they're an interesting watch now.
Of course in the East, the Islanders aren't have surprised.
They just had an amazing six and one road trip

(06:04):
against tough opponents, and even in the one game that
they lost, they played very well against the Colorado Avalanche.
They've done a good job. And uh, Horvat, I mean,
he's really making a bid to be on the Canadian
Olympic team. He's he's tied. He's either second league goals

(06:27):
or tied, Yeah, tied with for second. He's been tremendous.
He's all around game, power play, penalty kill, He's playing
a two hundred the two hundreds foot game. And of
course we knew that this kid was going to be good.
We didn't know he was going to be be good
dis early. The amazing Matthew Schaeffer. I mean, he scored

(06:49):
a game winning goal, youngest game winning goal for in
overtime in NHL history. He's averaging twenty three minutes a game,
which is which is which is uh challenging, and I
want to see if he peters out at the end.
He's actually now being considered by Hockey Canada as a

(07:09):
potential for the Olympic team. Alex. I hope he doesn't
make the Olympic team. I'd rather see him get the
eighteen days off and and recharge himself. He's that important
to the Islanders, as I said to you in the past,
and this was before your time. And there's only one
Bobby Or, so I'm not gonna says Bobby Or. But
this kid has Bobby or type skills. And the Devils

(07:34):
I have done off to a great start. They lost
their last two games. But now a freak injury, I
mean with with their best player appointed game guy in
Jack Hughes, cutting his pinky so bad he's gonna be
out two months and needed a major operation, and it
was almost so bad that they thought he might be

(07:55):
out for the whole season. So that's that's disappointing, But
I think it's going to be an interesting winter for
the three hockey teams. I did not think it was
at the beginning of the year. I didn't think the
Islanders were going to play as well as they did
in the first twenty and hopefully they play this way
the rest of the year. But Sorogan's playing great. They

(08:16):
suffered a tough flass. We don't know how long he's
going to be out with Alexander Romanov getting pushed into
the boards the other night by Miko Ranton, and I
don't think it was a dirty play, but that's disappointing
that he'll be out for an extended period. He is
their hardest hitter. But the one thing the Islanders need
the Islanders. The Islanders need are an enforcer too bad

(08:39):
Matt Martin is no longer there. They need him to
protect the kid, and of course the enforcer I would
want because he's a skilled player. Yes we know he
goes over the line, Yes we know he's done dirty
things in the past, but besides being an enforcer, he's
an outstanding hockey player. You know, the.

Speaker 2 (08:54):
Islanders are looking pretty good and you know Schaeffer has
been a right light here in the tri said area
and may continue to be. I know, last time you're
worried about his playing time. Do you still think they're
playing him too much?

Speaker 3 (09:08):
Or I am? I am? And like I said, I
know he's an outside candidate to make the Canadian Olympic
hockey team. Like I said, I hope he doesn't make it.
I want to see in those three weeks just rest
because the Islanders at the twenty game mark are better
than I thought they would be. They've changed their style

(09:28):
of play that they're a quicker team and I mean
just wrapping up well not always, I hope.

Speaker 2 (09:35):
So why, I think he's a very good coach and
I don't know why people were down on him. I
think he's a very good coach.

Speaker 3 (09:40):
Well yeah, I mean he has He's coached champions in
Canadian junior hockey and he's into the game. Obviously he
doesn't let things get past them. So Rogan's playing great.
Their lines are are deeper. Like I said, I wish
they hadn't enforced. I wish they had somebody like Tom Wilson,

(10:01):
a guy who's an enforcer who scores thirty goals, but
those guys are you can count them on less than
one hand. And I know Tom Wilson's gone over the
line many times in his career, but I actually heard
a report the other day that he might be considered
for Team Canada, the Olympic team. So it's gonna be

(10:21):
a very interesting hockey season. But at the twenty game mark,
the Devils, and I think the Devils are happy where
they are, not happy that they don't have their best
player again for the next six to eight weeks. The
Islanders definitely are happy where they are. Nobody thought they
would be anywhere near this. We'll see if this continues,
and the Rangers are The Rangers need more production from

(10:45):
their top end guys, the top end veterans, they really do,
and they.

Speaker 2 (10:50):
I've got Ryan here, he's in his Islander gear. Are
you impressed with the way they've looked the last what how.

Speaker 3 (10:55):
Many games was it, Louis?

Speaker 1 (10:57):
It was?

Speaker 3 (10:57):
It was a dominant seven game road trip. I mean
it looked like the Islands are the eighties, It really did.
You felt like they were gonna win even in the
close games.

Speaker 1 (11:10):
Yeah, no, Ryan, you're speechless.

Speaker 4 (11:13):
I mean to say that this run on the road
has been impressive. Probably a total understatement. I mean, it's
just wild. First off, that they they're doing all. They're
winning away from Ubs after dropping their last two on
the road, one of which was of course a deflating
shootout loss to the hands of the Bruins. But then

(11:36):
to see them just go on this wild run and
you think it couldn't get any better than and I'm
sorry to say this, Alex then by feen the Blue
Shirts five nothing on MSG ice. Yeah, run of overtime
winners in Jersey, in Vegas and then Utah, and then
continuing that with wins in Dallas.

Speaker 1 (11:58):
And in Detroit. You're absolutely right.

Speaker 4 (12:00):
Lude it's like you're back in the eighties, back during
the glory days of this franchise, where it seemed like
anything was possible to them. I mean, they got a
top ten penalty killed right now, and I and correct
me if I'm wrong, but I believe they're also top
ten in short handed goals this season. And it's been
such a run where you just can't help but think,

(12:21):
all right, these guys can keep it up.

Speaker 1 (12:24):
Anything's possible for them.

Speaker 3 (12:26):
No, it's true. And the Kyle Palmry go the other
night after the double minor do Horvat you know when
he scored in Dallas, that definitely took a lot of
wind out of out of Dallas Sales where they had
a four minute power play. Then Horrorvard also got a
ten minute misconduct. They score the goal. Then the Islanders

(12:48):
able to get a penalty which wiped out those four minutes,
and you know, they survived the last twenty seconds. And
I don't think that Miko Ranton then hit was a
dirty hit. Yeah, it enough happened, but yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 (13:03):
The one that Wall went crazy over.

Speaker 4 (13:05):
H Yeah, and this is something that I talked about
on my own podcast, But you could hear wa screaming
on TV, and it was more prevalent on the Stars broadcast.
But him yelling to rantin In or In Ranton, it's direction,
I should say, Yes, why won't you do that in
New York? You're not uh, You're not gonna stay in

(13:27):
this effing game. And if anything, March twenty sixth is
gonna be a date that Ales fans, if they haven't
already circled this on their calendar, they sure as heck
a gonna do that now. Because the Stars returned to
UBS come March it's gonna be something else now, I
think now, like you were saying, Luke, do it do?

(13:50):
I also think the hit by Ranton it was dirty. No,
I don't think it was. It shouldn't have happened. But
just because he took out Alex Tremanov, it doesn't mean
he's a dirty player, all right, And it's also not
much of a reason to, you know, go flood his
social media with tons of hateful messages.

Speaker 3 (14:07):
And all right.

Speaker 4 (14:08):
Yeah, but they didn't keep his so Dora after they
hit on Matthew Schaeffer in the Bruins game weeks ago.

Speaker 2 (14:14):
Well, a lot of threats and all that. It's not
a good pattern. We're seeing it.

Speaker 3 (14:17):
All.

Speaker 1 (14:18):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (14:18):
Well, the thing is, I don't know Alex Ryan, excuse me,
I don't know if you heard me a couple of
minutes ago. That's I'm worried about Shaefer. I mean, Appleton
took a run out of them at ubs. They Appleton
was involved again last night. Not with him so much,
but uh with the Islanders. You know, we've seen them
now three or four times. They're taking runs at the kid.

(14:39):
The Islanders are defending him. But boy, I wish I
wish Matt Martin was still in his prime to protect
him a little.

Speaker 4 (14:45):
Bit, because if he was on the ice, forget about it.
I mean, there's no question about it. But I mean,
at least you have Scott Mayfield being more than willing
to stick up for his boys when the time comes.
And look, you could say what you want about his
play the PAS couple of seasons and he's been kind
of the whipping boy he had, but he sticks up

(15:07):
for his teammates no matter what.

Speaker 1 (15:09):
And the guy's just a warrior. There's no denying.

Speaker 3 (15:12):
Two things quickly that I really like. Obviously, I like
the last couple of games with cal Richie's performance, and
I really think that Max shab No is going to
really be a He's a goal scorer. I mean, he
missed twelve games with that injury, which you know, you know,
in the NHL they don't disclose what their injuries are,

(15:34):
which is just ridiculous. I know why they do it.
I know why they do it. But I think he's
going to be a good point producer for them. And
cal Richie looks more confident than did a week ago.
So congratulations to Matthew Dartch for changing the outlook of

(15:55):
the team from being an old team with no prospects
to being a team with a lot of prospects. I'm
over the next couple of years. I'm excited. At least
it's what it's exciting to watch. I don't know if
they're going to make the playoffs. I have no idea,
but I didn't expect the twenty game mark for the
Islanders to be where the Islanders are right now.

Speaker 2 (16:16):
All right, let's go to the hardwood real fast, because
Shams is unbelievable Shaman. I mean, the Knicks need him
and he's coming up clutch, and I guess Brunson is
out here and there, Obie's hit out here and there. Shams, though,
he's the star of the week right now for the Knicks,

(16:36):
isn't he.

Speaker 3 (16:38):
Dah No, you know he's bounced around. He played for
the Nets, he played for the Clippers, He's played for
a whole myriad of teams. He did save them this
week Monday Night. I guess he was. He scored those
thirty six points. You need all your guys to help
you win. But the NBA is unwatchable. I'm sorry, I mean,

(17:03):
I'm sorry, And you're talking about a long time NBA
guy who was in the league almost three decades. Sure,
it's an unwatchable product. Then you hear Steve Kerr and
Josh Hart's saying the reason guys are thinking so many
injuries because the season's too long. Well, I'll just tell
you one thing. In his fourteen seasons, Michael Jordan played
eighty plus games eleven times. So I don't buy that crap.

(17:28):
They say that because of the pace of the game,
running up and down the floor, you know, just hoisting
threes and all these runouts. I don't buy that. If
they if they show on the schedule, fine, but I
would make it seventy two. I would have no problem
with seventy two. But don't don't tell me that the
reason we were watching bad games night. I didn't see

(17:49):
the Knicks Dallas game the other night, but from all
reports it was it was horrendous. It was a horrendous game.
And then you have the team eight miles away purposely
looking to win eight or nine games to get one
of these top three or four guys. I mean, the
Nets have the Nets are playing to lose, and how

(18:13):
could the NBA allow that is beyond my comprehension. The
Wizards too. How can you play to get one more
or two more ping pong goals, which still doesn't guarantee
you nothing. Look at the Islanders. They were supposed to
pick tenth and they won the lottery. So first of all,
I would change I would change the NBA lottery, I
really would. I would. I would put and I something

(18:37):
like the teams that don't make the play in the
team with the best record that doesn't make the play
on maybe they should get the they should get the
first pick in the giraffe or the first two teams
that were the best record that missed the play in
toss a coin for the first pick. But a rewarding

(18:58):
losing purpose. And they're charging fans ridiculous amounts of money
for tickets is it is shameful in my opinion, Nicks
have a good now getting back to on the on court,
Knicks have a good team, obviously, the thunder have fantastic team.
The defending champions have only lost one game. I think

(19:19):
Denver obviously is good. But the Knicks are the favorites
in the East obviously. Uh, look at the injuries to
the Pacers. The Pacers have won two games like two
and thirteen, two and fourteen and five months ago they
were in the seventh game of the finals. Things changed quickly,
but uh, well we know, well, we'll see how all

(19:42):
this translate now tanking. Somebody in Detroit will say, well,
we tanked for a couple of years. Two years ago
we won fourteen games. Last year we won forty four
games with Cad Cunningham and a bunch of other good
young players. Uh, we gave the Knicks a great run
in that first round. And now they've wont Alex what

(20:03):
they've won like eleven in a row, eleven in a row.

Speaker 2 (20:05):
And of course I met Kate at an event for
New York Fashion Week and now he's like tying Jordan
for record.

Speaker 1 (20:10):
I'm like, of course he is, because I know.

Speaker 3 (20:13):
I mean, so that's what the Nets are trying to do.
They're trying to do an Oklahoma City due. They're try
and do what Houston two years ago when twenty to
twenty three games.

Speaker 2 (20:22):
Uh, and you know, OKC is not relented.

Speaker 3 (20:25):
Like they look pretty good too. Now. They tanked, but
they also made a brilliant trade getting SGA from the Clippers.
And I'm sure the Clippers really rude of making that
trade to Shade Guildos. Alexander's sure for the trading. Wow, well, Louis,
this has been a great conversation. As always, I didn't

(20:48):
even feel like getting to basketball in the hall. I'm
glad we went a little bit.

Speaker 2 (20:52):
But look, it is, Uh, it's a weird time in
sports because normally we're wanning that Giants team or Jet
team to do well. They're not. We're still in the
early stages of hockey and basketball only at the quarter
pole and so much more to go. But hey, this
is why we talk about it because you never know
there could be little tidbits going on. I see Obi
is continuing to score goals, which is pretty impressive. So

(21:15):
much so I bet Gretzkill come out of retirement at
some point.

Speaker 3 (21:19):
Well, he got the he had the hat trick last night,
and alex I'm telling you he's going to score forty
this year. So that's gonna put him like a nine
thirty seven. Nine thirty seven age is just a number,
Louis when it comes to sports like that. Yeah, why
should he retire? Why should why he should try again?

(21:40):
He should try to get hit a thousand goals. I mean,
there's no reason why he shouldn't.

Speaker 2 (21:46):
And they could win another cup or two with him there.

Speaker 3 (21:48):
So yeah, well one last one, last thing. I know
you started you started the podcast by talking about Larry Brooks.
Obviously he was He was an old fashioned hockey columnists
and I read them all the time. In nineteen eighty two,
when the Devils moved to New Jersey, shortly thereafter he

(22:08):
quit the post and he joined the Devils, and he
was there ten years as the vice president of communications,
the Devil's office and the Nets offices in Brendan at
that time Brendan Bernery in before they changed the Continental
than izod well right next to each other. I never
really had a meaningful conversation. I don't recall, but always

(22:28):
you know said hi, and I mean he for ten
years he worked for the Devils as the VP of communications.
He knew he was also the Devil's radio color commentator
for a lot of those years. I don't think for
all ten years. And Alex, I'm saying this because you're

(22:51):
working there now. The Devil's games in those days were
on WNCA, and he was the color commentator. So I'm
trure I'd give you that little kid bit. And they
moved to w ABC. I don't know if, if if
Larry was still there, but he's a Hall of famer.
He made the Hall of Fame. He knew the collective
bargaining agreement inside that, he knew the Rangers, the Islanders,

(23:12):
and the Devils inside out.

Speaker 2 (23:15):
And and you and Ryan made the point that he
saved the Islanders coverage on the Post.

Speaker 3 (23:19):
Is that right? Well he might have. I that I
don't know, but he might have. And uh, we're lucky
that we have two great beat riders for uh the
Rangers in Molly Walker and Ethan Sears for the for
the Islanders, I don't know why they don't coover the
Devils anymore like they used to. They should, But but

(23:41):
that's I don't work and work for the New York Post.

Speaker 2 (23:45):
But when these this that team moved to Newark, I
swear like it's just I mean Newark Meadowlands.

Speaker 3 (23:52):
It's it's the same. But Brooks was one of the
most analytical hockey riders who covered the sport I mean,
and he worked at his craft, so uh, anybody who
is trying to emulate him should really look at at
his career closely. But he did he did everything so.

Speaker 2 (24:14):
It's funny me and see you have the same story
of our dad's giving us the paper and just we
go right to Larry Brooks and hearing what he had
a right you know.

Speaker 3 (24:21):
See, No, I mean, you know you want to talk
about it and we'll wrap up. I know you got
to go. It's the whole industry has changed. Yes, we
we go uh uh, we go to the app, the
ESPN app, the athletic app. But in those days you
had basketball writers, baseball writers, Dick Young, Pete Vessi, Dave

(24:43):
Delessandro with the Star, Ledger, U Tim Moriarity with Newsday
who covered the Islanders inside, how Jerry Eskenazi at the Times. Uh,
you know, it's just different now. And Larry Breed was
Larry Brooks was last of a dying breed. Unfortunately, you

(25:05):
know that we don't have And I missed that. I'll
admit it. I missed that. Those kind of columns you
had Bill Madden in baseball. I mean you can go
on and on, we could talk about we can mention
fifty guys.

Speaker 2 (25:18):
Uh you know, yeah, No, it's it's a lot, all right, Louis.
This was insightful and I know our hockey fans are
gonna love the hockey talk today on the One ling
Up Network and of course the tribute to Larry Brooks.
But hopefully we'll have some more content to talk about
because we haven't even touched MLB.

Speaker 3 (25:37):
Free agency yet.

Speaker 2 (25:37):
That's going to be a bar and burner. I think
in December we were a busy month ahead. My irish
here about ninth or eight, you know, a little higher
than ninth ranked in.

Speaker 3 (25:45):
The college football playoffs. It looks pretty good, so we Yeah,
I think they'll be in. They'll be in. Yeah, the
Notre Dame will be in.

Speaker 2 (25:53):
And if I don't talk to you before, then happy Thanksgiving, Louie.
And I've asked you this before, and maybe you know,
let's say, wait, we'll do a Terminal's take before Thanksgiving.
You rehash for us your favorite things Giving memory, because
I know you have a few.

Speaker 3 (26:07):
I do and that'll be great. I'll be around all right,
Terminalo's take for this week.

Speaker 2 (26:13):
After a couple of weeks of business, we've reconnected here
on the One look Up Network.

Speaker 3 (26:18):
Thanks again, Louis, Thank you, Alex. Always a pleasure, appreciate it.