Maven's Memories: Tales From the Coliseum

My edItor took a gamble.
He knew that I had spent more than a half-century of my life partially living at Nassau Veterans' Memorial Coliseum both as a print and television journalist. He put it this way:
"Write something about your favorite spot, nook or cranny at The Old Barn. A few of your most memorable events.
Little did he -- nor you, dear reader for that matter -- expect me to say what I'm about to say:
"The bathroom."

Well, put it this way; the " favorite spot, nook and cranny" to which I refer, once had been a bathroom when Nassau Veterans' Memorial Coliseum was completed a half-century ago.
But the "bathroom" to which I refer in reality had been partially rebuilt as my SportsChannel studio across from the Visitors' dressing room. Except that its original fixtures were intact; not exactly what you'd call tv-type stuff.
In addition to a camera and tv props -- such as a SportsChannel banner, logo and assorted video appendages -- my interviewing guest was surrounded by a sink, shower stall, toilet and a large make-up mirror.
When Edmonton Oilers defenseman Kevin Lowe dropped in for an interview with me during the 1983 Cup Final round, he momentarily looked around and snapped, "So, Stan, where's the sauna?"
Joking aside -- if such a feat is possible -- thoughts about my favorite "spot, nook or cranny" brings back enough rich memories that I can write a book about them. For now, I'll mention just a hat trick of gems:

1.THE HERB BROOKS PUT-DOWN:
During the 1984 Rangers-Islanders tension-filled playoff, my pre-game guest, live, was the Blueshirts coach.
Our interview followed a taped chat that Jiggs McDonald already had done with Isles coach Al Arbour. They were to run back to back.
Unfortunately, Herbie was escorted into my bathroom-studio far too soon because the Arbour-Jiggs gig had just begun on tape and there was no stopping it.
Obviously nervous and anxious to return to his team, Brooks kept asking when we could start the darn interview. He didn't mean maybe either.
"C'mon, already!" Herbie shouted. At that point I had to pull a ruse to at least keep Brooks from dashing out. So I yelled at the otherwise quiet, young stage manager, Mark Berlinsky, "Tell them to speed up the Al interview so I can start with Herb."
Mark knew he could do nothing of the kind, the tape was being played. But he faked it and pretended to tell them to "speed up" the Jiggs' bit.
Of course no speed up could happen and now Herb was beside himself with anxiety. I tried one more calming move and, suddenly, Herbie started to pull off his little microphone and snapped, "I'm outta here!"
Suddenly little Mark, the intern shouted, "NO, YOU'RE NOT. SIT DOWN!"
Brooks was so stunned, he fell back into his chair and, before he could make a move, the red light flashed on the camera, I quickly started the interview and, believe it or not, we finished it and then Herbie bolted.
Thank you, forever, Mark Berlinsky.
MAVEN'S MEMORIES
WRITTEN COVERAGE
Isles Sweep Rangers in 1981
Road to 1981 Cup, Round 2
First Steps Towards 1981 Cup
From Viking to Uniondale, the Sutter Bros
Bob Bourne's End to End Rush
Mikko Makela: The Flying Finn
Stan's 17 Birthday Memories
Jason Blake Played Big
Shirley Fischler Breaks Gender Barriers
Jim Devellano, The Other Architect
The 2003-04 Season
Mike Bossy's Road to the Islanders
Maven's Haven
2. THE UNWANTED RANGERS:
The fifth and final game of the 1984 best-of-five series has been described as "One Of The Greatest Hockey Games Ever Played." And I agree; but it had an extra "Bathroom-Studio" chapter that has never made print -- until now.
Normally our SportsChannel cave was off limits for everyone but me and our crew members. This was especially so during that fateful final game vs. the very rival Rangers. And even more off-limits late in the third period with our Isles leading by a goal.
While I nervously watched the final moments on our little tv monitor, desperately rooting for our guys, the "Bathroom-Studio" door unexpectedly opened and two large fellows asked my stage manager if it was okay to watch the remainder of the game on our little monitor.
Egad! I looked up and realized that the two zeppelins who just had invaded our air space were Rangers. One was Nick Fotiu and the other the even bigger Barry Beck.
"I want those bums thrown out," I quietly shouted to myself.
By now, Nicky was leaning on the sink and Barry propped himself on our rubbing table, cheering for the team we did not want to win.
(As many may remember, Ranger forward Don Maloney tied the game near the end on a disputed goal, sending the game into overtime.)
When the buzzer sounded the end to regulation, our unwanted guests headed for the Rangers room across the hall.
"What'll I do if they come back and want to watch the overtime?" my stage manager asked.
I gave the question serious thought. Together Fotiu-Beck weighed 440 pounds. At the time, I weighed in at 155. "Let's be good hosts," I replied. "Let 'em in."
They returned and oohed and ahhed as Isles goalie Bill Smith robbed their Rangers blind. Then, a pause: Isles defenseman Ken Morrow has the puck at the right point. He shoots! HE
The next words out of Nick and Barry were "@#$%^&*" Meanwhile, we waited to see if the Olympic door slam would remove the Bathroom-Studio door off its hinges. It did not --after which we declared the All-Clear siren.
"YAY! ISLANDERS!!

3. SCOTTY BOWMAN -- DOOR-BANGER:
After Scotty Bowman won four straight Stanley Cups with the Canadiens, he left Montreal in 1979 for Buffalo where he was major domo of the Sabres.
One part of his job was coaching the club from Western New York and this was Scott's first visit to the Coliseum as Sabres bench boss. And since Bowman and I had been pals back to his coaching days in St. Louis, I asked if we could have his defenseman Dave Maloney on for a segment between the second and third periods. "No problem," Bowman agreed.
Ah, but there was a problem. After two intense periods of hockey, the score was tied and the angst factor was close to exceeding the boiling point.
Meanwhile, the ever-talkative Maloney, sat down next to me and the red camera light flashed. Dave -- an old pal from his Rangers days -- and The Maven were breezin' along, when there was a knock on the bathroom-studio door.
My stage manager, the late, great John McComb, didn't want to disturb the interview but had to find out who the knocker was, so he went to the door and half whispered, "Who is it?"
The non-whisper from the other side came through clear: "Scotty Bowman and I want Maloney out of there. NOW!"
Quick-thinking, Johnny, he whispered back through a crack in the door. "Sure, sure; just lemme tell the producer."
McComb then whispered sweet nothings into his microphone. and then something akin to Drums Along The Mohawk were heard on the other side of the Bathroom-Studio door.
Bowman seemed to be pounded out rhythm for "The Stars and Stripes Forever."
By that time, I had thanked Dave Maloney, signed off to Jiggs McDonald upstairs and, as the Sabres defenseman met Bashy-Bazooks Bowman in the corridor, I gathered by their brief conversation just a little tidbit.
"Dave," snapped Scotty, "you do another interview with them and it'll be in the uniform of the Rochester Americans!"
As you must gather by now, my favorite spot, nook and cranny at The Old Barn actually was a pseudo-bathroom replete with many exciting off-ice moments.
According to readings on The Maven's Almost Nervous Breakdown Meter; they rated as follows:
1. FAKE IT, MAN, FAKE IT! For sheer chutzpuh, quiet, little intern Mark Berlinksy telling Olympian Herb Brooks to "SIT DOWN" is the Gold Medal of put-downs.
2. THE INTRUDERS; Thinking back to Beck-Fotiu, all I can say is that I hate to think of what would have happened in the bathroom-studio had the Rangers won. (Yeah, now I got it: I'd toss the two of them in he shower and turn the knob on COLD.)
3. BANGING ON THE DOOR, BOWMAN: A few weeks after the incident I asked Dave Maloney what happened with him and Scotty as they walked back to the Sabres' dressing room. Maloney's reply was very enlightening:
"DON'T ASK!"