The 30for30 “Big Shot” was amazing. Glad for my Islanders to get some mentions on ESPN! Hopefully next time it’s under better circumstances

Even Spano admitted himself that had his lawyer, the Islanders and the bank had ever gotten together and compared the notes the whole scheme would've unraveled a lot sooner than it did

Let me tie this into the John Tavares Returns game. Everyone was shocked and appalled at the Islanders fans who packed the ol' barn that night for some much needed catharsis. That game wasn't just about John Tavares...it was about 25 years of getting completely shit on from top down, with pajama boy being the last straw. Being an Islanders fan honestly takes a lot of dedication because we've been run through such a ringer for the last 25 years that we're almost always on the verge of breaking. It started before Spano and it really didn't end until 2019.

This is the kind of off-season content I'm here for.

I've watched the ESPN 30-for-30 on the story of John Spano. It's unbelievable how he managed to pull the wool over everyone's eyes for as long as he did.

That Bettman kept his job is still mind boggling to this day...meanwhile Spano sits in prison for multiple counts of wire fraud and the Islanders are still recovering from the damage done. Someday they need to put up a statue of Charles Wang outside of UBS Arena because he saved the franchise.

As someone who lived through this entire incident and appeared briefly in the 30 for 30 documentary, everything Shannon says is correct. Permit me to add a couple of additional points: 1 - Spano grew up in Pittsburgh and was a huge Penguins fan his whole life. That's how he got to know Mario Lemieux and how he conned him out of $1M. 2 - Denis Potvin was offered Presidency of the Islanders, but on condition that he loan Spano $1M. Whether he didn't have $1M laying around or smelled a rat, Denis never gave him the money. 3 - Before Pickett "sold" the team to Spano, the Islanders were run by a group of 4 managers who had the title of owner, but had no real control over the team as Pickett set the budget. Of those 4 owners, also referred to as the "Gang of 4", 2 of them (Stephen Walsh, Paul Greenwood) went to prison. So if you add in Spano, Roy Boe, and Sanjay Kumar, the Islanders have had 5 owners who ended up behind bars. Wang should have been the 6th along with Kumar but the Feds couldn't prove anything. He was, however, forced by the SEC to repay a $600M bonus he paid himself and his own Board of Directors fired him.

These history videos are awesome! Thank you, THG!

If they don't win multiple consecutive cups in the 80s. Do the New York Islanders even exist today?

The first year 95-96 was the fisherman jersey you wore yesterday. 96-97 they wore the white version of the jersey you have on as the “third “ for select home games. The fisherman was worn the rest of the time and for all road games. 97-98 they wore the jersey you have on for all games effectively eliminating the fisherman. 98-99 they went back to the original jersey design full time. The fisherman never to be heard from again.

Came for the story, stayed for the comedy....literally cracking up with all the sarcasm

John Spano stole $5 out of my piggybank when I was a kid

Figured this was coming after the last Isles video. The ESPN doc on this was very interesting and amazingly screwed up with how the NHL handled this.

I've always preferred the darker blue Islanders uniforms, just seems to be meaner, that post fisherman was an interesting compromise. I never actually disliked a uniform until the Brooklyn Nets style came along.

I really enjoy these history lessons. I hope you make more in the future, THG. This is the kind of stuff is why I am subscribed to your channel

The legend of Spano.... gather round, let me tell ye the tale of total batshittary

As a Islanders fan this was a dark cloud over us lol

The dodgeball reference had literally laughing out loud 😂😂😂💯

It’s funny, if he had just used the entirety of his net worth to make those payments he may have started generating enough revenue to keep the wool pulled over everyone’s eyes long enough to actually start making money as a franchise, although that’s doubtful given the shape they were in and the paychecks that were due. It’s funny that Gary Bettman survived this, it really goes to show how much NHL owners love this guy that he wasn’t immediately forced out because of the lack of due diligence on John Spano, and that theoretically any one of them could’ve been duped if they had been in the Islanders John Pickett situation. Most businesspeople I know, if someone had made that kind of decision and they knew it could’ve been them and their money at some point would’ve torn Gary Bettman apart and not let him near another decision like this again in his life. Again, just goes to show just how much the owners believe Gary has done for them.

I vaguely remember this as i was still in middle/high school at that time. 🤣😂”i don’t know he was in the parking lot and said he was a really good goaltender”🤣🤣

Dude was already worth $5 million. The textbook definition of greed.

John Spano is the reincarnation of Eddie Livingstone, I never thought about it like that!

Love your history videos Shannon; it is absolutely bonkers this happened… thank you sir!

The sad part, this is the time frame that I became a die-hard Islander fan (was a passive one before then). I grew up 15 minutes from the Coliseum and even though I was 12 then, i knew the Coli was an outdated and obsolete arena then. If it rained, you needed to bring umbrellas IN THE ARENA. Add you mentioned with Wang, he did indeed bring stability to the Islanders. He was dedicated to keep the Islanders on the Island and I feel so bad that he passed before he could see UBS Arena (thankfully they have a memorial for him in the arena). Had he not been the owner, the Islanders would be in Kansas City for well over a decade at this point.

The incredible thing is that if Spano gets the money from the CableVision deal, he likely has enough money to make the first $17 million down payment.

dude is just destroying the islanders past two days LOL

Relating to the carpet stealing story, I’ve always said you can get away with so much if you just look like you know what you’re doing lol. Just be confident and no one questions you.

If you have Disney Plus, the ESPN doc on Spano is available. Well worth watching.

There's always been grifters who could charm banks/investors into financing them ridiculous amounts of money, while hard working people are treated like garbage by banks. People like Nelson Skalbania, who bought and sold a few hockey teams in his time. It's all about the gift of schmoozing and staying ahead of the creditors in a game of musical chairs.

It happen in 1989 with football club the great Manchester United. He agreed to buy them for 20 Million and went on the pitch in a united shirt before the game. waving at fans. but no one actually checked if he had the money. he didn't his name was Michael Knighton.

Great example of when the attitude of "fake it til you make it" is a horrible idea

The owners who enable management incompetence..I wonder about that, too. Are there no analytics done on them..or is that an in-house job that nets you no objectivity..the situations in Philly and Vegas..it’s on the owners but one would think they would think more of their fanbases who are a weather vane…and pay their bills in some part..

Islanders need to stay away from people named John. The team really hasn't recovered from the reputation of the mid 90s. From trading Turgeon, to the 94 sweep, to Spano, to Milbury, to Snow. Its hard being a fan of this team.

You had me at Norm Greene not wanting to work with him...

i totally forgot about all this until the islander season video... man time sure passes quick.

I second Chris Garry - 30 for 30 "Big Shot" on Disneyplus is surreal and fascinating. Can't believe this situation ever happened!

Can you do a video on Jim Ballsilli?

For players doing similar look up the story of Ali Dia at Liverpool FC, priceless

Excellent vid 👍🏻

Hey man I'm from Edmonton, and I love what you do man, been watching your content for about 2 years now. Everyday after work ill come home and throw on a THG video and catch up on what happened that day in the hockey universe, you and Dangle, you guys are great, the future of hockey entertainment/analysis. I would honestly like if instead of ron, cassy, bieksa. THG Steve Dangle, and the guys from bardown did the intermissions

Alright, why are you doing this to us? First a retrospective on the "career" of DiPietro and now crawling through the post-Arbour 90s? I became an Islanders fan in 1993. I have endured enough torture.

That carpet story is literally what Ricky does In trailer park boys!! Lmfao 😂😂

We were so excited for this guy only to have our hearts broken yet again.

Back in the days when you could buy an NHL team with a fax machine. The NHL is interesting because it's the only sport where more owners end up in jail than players, including Spano's successor Sanjay Kumar. Wang probably would have joined Kumar in the penitentiary, but was saved by the statute of limitations.

Amazing video good jokes and great explanation

Very interesting video! 👍

The Spano era was certainly not short on excitement.

yes that 30/30 documentary could be made into a whole movie!

You should’ve worn the Fishsticks logo version of the Montauk Lighthouse Jersey!

Spano negotiated the Islanders TV deal--which lasted for 15-20 years.

Those NY Islanders jerseys they had after the fisherman logo was removed was there BEST ever = the only jerseys I have ever liked from the Islanders, and I somewhat liked the "Fisherman" logo. The waves and the Lighthouse shoulder pathes looked GREAT. Like many have stated, the "Fisherman" logo could and still would work as a 3rd jersey for the Islanders as they are not bad, just not the official / 1# logo that represent the team. Because the Islanders jerseys are overall so freakin boring and have beside this period never caught my attention unlike most other teams in the NHL.

Hot take: I adored the Captain Highliner jerseys. Anyone remember when Travis Green smooched Ziggy Palffy?

I highly suggest everyone watch the ESPN 30 for 30 on this

"This is from a point in time for the Islanders where there was a lot of problems." Gotta be a bit more specific

Money? To buy an NHL Franchise? I don't need no stinking money...

This is why it’s good for expansion teams should be good immediately. If it were not for the dynasty years, the Islanders would not have survived the late 1990’s. The dynasty years generated so much good will and support, they can whether this fiasco and make Bettman work to keep the team in NY

We need the desk. We spoke to Jeff or Stan. Oh you spoke to Jeff? It's OK guys, Jeff said we're getting new stuff today.

Gary Bettman should have been ousted as commissioner after the Spano-Islanders scandal because he didnt learn anything after the Bruce McNall-Kings situation. If you look at both situations, they're basically the same thing, except McNall lasted 6yrs longer as owner of the Kings. Plus, McNall was the man who is responsible for getting Gary Bettman into the NHL as its first commish!

I don't want the fisherman back but the more I see it the more I think a reverse retro with that teal color and orange could really work

I just watched the 30 for 30 on this last weekend lol

@The Hockey Guy I’ve Read About This Story on Wikipedia!

Spano showed up with a clipboard and acted busy... and everyone believed him.

The only thing I enjoyed more than the video is your bit about Spano totally stealing that carpet. So good.

9:45 So that's where the Oilers found Koskinen...

That carpet scam you described is pretty much the same scam Ricky pulls in every episode of Trailer Park Boys.

No clue why anyone in their right mind would think this would be a good idea to try and purchase a team with only a $5.0mm net worth. What did he think they were going to forget about the amount owed….he should have taken his Dallas starts fiasco and taken it as a win

As a truck ad-hoc courier I turn up to a place and say I have something to pick up. 98 times out of 100 they just take my word for it. Makes me wonder how easy it would be to do a carpet job.

The milbury Era was a disaster

That jersey is 🔥

This is the guy the documentary was on right?

Spano was certainly bold, but also nuts. What on earth possessed him to think he could buy a multi million dollar NHL organization, we may never know. 30 For 30 "Big Shot" was a great episode in telling this story.

Did any heads roll from the NHL's side after that fiasco? I mean someone must've been responsible for checking the financial reports.

I wonder if he was going to try to sell the team as soon as getting handed ownership

my family prides itself on being able to prove and provide evidence showing all spano’s are related…that being said i’m mortified to see how i’m related to him 😂😨

A video about Charles Wang is a given now

COOL!

I am still burned up over 1980.... Offsides!!

Mike Milbury=Vince Vaughn 🤣🤣

No reason to ever wonder why us Islanders fans are so disgruntled and jaded, haha. Never a dull moment with this team.

I also really liked these jerseys too, I really liked the Fisherman logo too, though I agree the original was better.

On the bright side we didn’t replace him with Bernie Madoff…??? 🤷‍♂️

I know a guy. He can manage the Yankees and the Rangers, and the Jets. He's good. Real good. Mackin' Boss Player.

The Milstein/Gluckstern era was the worst

JT Miller for Rasmus Andersson who says no? Flames get their star centre, Canucks get their star RHD for hughes, team rivalry *actually* goes beserk, Flames have younger and cheaper RHD to fill the void (and Tanev), Canucks get cap relief and a stronger dcore, Calgary stays competitive.... How attached is clagary? How big a role do they expect him to play? Probably bad asset management to pay career high for a career high but still.... How big of a deal is same-div trades? Cah'maaaan

Unbelievable

Much prefer that jersey to the fisherman or their current 3rd jersey

John Spano definitely stole those carpets

Were either of Spano’s prison sentences related to his dealings with the isles?

I loved Charles Wang at the time, as the alternative was moving to KC or who knows where….

What’s amazing when all is said and done Spano probably wasn’t even the Worst owner in team history. He ends up securing that Cablevision deal that probably ended up keeping the Islanders on Long Island for so long. Frankly what the next set of owners in Gluckstern and Millstein did to the team itself may have been even worse. But Spano truly fits the phrase “Fake it till you make it.”

Spano makes Bruce McNall look like "Mr. Dependable".

Ièd love to see one on Xavier Gutierrez. Down the road I suspect the stories will be quite similar.

As an Isles fan, Spano actually was trying to do some good things even though he was a complete con man. And on the Fish Sticks jersey. The only Isles fans that want that doormat back are young fans that don't remember that year. Us old people remember how it felt to be a fan during that time.

Remember this story way back when. Gotta respect the size of the con-job.

Oh boy was I waiting for this. This is the most embarrassing thing to ever happen to a professional sports team ever… and isles fans thought it was the best thing that ever happened to them when they first heard he was buying the team

Yeesss, Wong hishe

This is why Bettman has no business running the NHL and why he wasn’t fired after this is one of the world’s greatest mysteries

Johnny Spano

they need to move the islanders what a redundant team location. Move em to Quebec City or Hartford

I hope you will make $5 million in your lifetime Hockey Guy.