Pokecheque wrote:
Totally not Isles-related, but it is a New York question.
Which town is "better," Binghamton or Utica? Just curious with the announcement that the Canucks are pulling out of Utica and apparently the Devils are going to take over there and bail on Bingo.
Funny you should ask! I have experience in both places. Was in Bing over the past weekend for a tournament. I did lots of work up there at my old job too.
Bing is a run down town, for sure. I knew a nice suburban area I wanted to stay at for our tournament but the hotel was full. Another parent booked us in the city.
One of the moms said she runs every morning, but wouldn't in Bing, unless she wanted to run for her life. I said one of our coaches is a NYC detective and runs, so she should go with him. She replied "he's not going to run with his gun on his hip so fuck that." Never heard her curse before.
Most people I met in Bing were really nice. The arena is in the downtown area, and there WAS a really nice steakhouse right nearby that I went to. It's closed down. Funny story from Bing. Coworker wanted Thai food one night. Fine. Crappy little takeout place. We order and after a long day of work I was zoning out the front window. Jumped up like "WTF?" because what I thought was a very obvious hooker walked by arm in arm with a guy. A minute later, another did, walking the other way. Like, spring weather so kinda chilly, but they were both wearing lingerie and one had a fur coat, the other a trench coat. Movie hooker wear.... The woman working at the Thai place started cracking up and asked if I saw something weird. Not wanting to say hookers to a young woman I said I was just surprised by the umm, attire of some of the locals. She laughed more and pointed out that we were between 2 strip clubs with the same owner. Apparently the one with the bar can only be topless, where the fully nude one on the other side can't have a bar. And the lap dance areas are in the fully nude club, so the strippers (not hookers) walk back and forth with clients. Quite a weird scene if you're not prepared for it.
Utica. Oof. My main experience there was working in a disgusting stream behind the Scooby dog food plant, which had recently had a fire that caused them to get busted for housing undocumented immigrants who worked/lived there. 4 of them died. That place smelled like a dumpster by the docks, filled with a dead raccoon on fire. It was awful. The people there were mostly dicks. Again, the arena is in the downtown area. I remember a few check cashing places right nearby. And closed down businesses. That was a few years ago. I can't imagine it after a pandemic, although people up there wouldn't surprise me if they fully ignored such a thing. One of the big things I remember was a huge graffiti piece- saying "infowars- watch and learn!". Not typical graffiti but gives you a window into the mindset. Also had several meth heads hanging around our trucks all weekend, asking for money. They backed off after I pulled out my 22" machete and cut down some invasive species plants nearby. At least they backed off, but we had to leave our trucks all day, so I was worried. Basically though, Utica is a total shit hole.
If I
had to choose, I'd take Bing all day, every day. I wouldn't want to choose though.
Speaking of minor league teams- The Bridgeport Sound Tigers are changing their name to the Islanders, which many people think is a prelude to them moving from Bridgeport to the Coliseum. I prefer them in Bridgeport, but for some reason they aren't asking me. By the way, Bridgeport is also a shit hole, except the area immediately around the arena. Cops make a perimeter like 2 blocks around the arena for games, and pretty much warn you if you go past them you're on your own.
Back to the actual Isles- they blew what slim chance they had at home ice in round 1 by losing to the Devils last night. 1 point in 3 games vs Buffalo and NJ.
They look like they "know" they can't score. The offense looks like a team that's never played together. Drop passes to nobody, cross ice passes to a guy who left for a change, etc. They just look like shit. Devils again tomorrow.