U.S. Army pilot Roger Farina
named NHL Fan of the Year
NEW YORK (May 21, 2003) - Roger Farina, a New York Islanders fan from East Meadow, N.Y., has been named the winner of the inaugural NHL 7th Man Award. Farina, currently serving in the U.S. Army and stationed in Iraq, will fly to NHL headquarters in New York City to become Commissioner for a Day and then will participate in a ceremonial opening face-off prior to a Stanley Cup Final Game.
Farina is the ultimate NHL fan. While serving his country overseas in Germany, South Korea, Macedonia, Poland, Czech Republic, Kosovo, Kuwait and Iraq, Farina has maintained an "Islanders Room" painted in Islanders colors, and in which Islanders uniforms, posters, yearbooks, hockey sticks, game pucks and bobbleheads are displayed. He arranges leave from the Army around the Islanders' schedule and attends every game during that time, including road games, as well as arranging his work schedule so he can listen to Islanders games broadcast on NHL.com - often in the wee hours of the morning. Farina has his family send him videotapes of every Islanders game so he can see the games he's already listened to. Farina's two daughters bear the middle names Nystrom and Gillies, named after Islanders legends Clark Gillies and Bobby Nystrom. While stationed in Europe, he often attends the hockey World Championships to keep tabs on Islanders' prospects. Farina even became the first person to wear an Islanders jersey in a combat zone, while recently deployed in Kuwait and Iraq.
Farina was chosen from among 30 team winners by an expert panel of ABC and CBC hockey analyst John Davidson; ABC announcer John Saunders; ESPN announcer Linda Cohn; TSN hockey analyst Pierre McGuire; entertainer and hockey enthusiast Denis Leary and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.
"Roger's dedication and loyalty reflect our fans' passion for, and connection to, our game," Commissioner Bettman said. "This was not an easy decision since there were many worthy seventh man candidates. We are thrilled to be honoring a fan like Roger. He is the embodiment of the NHL."
Farina said, "As I sit here in Iraq, I cannot tell you how privileged I am to be the Islanders Fan of the Year and the NHL 7th Man."
Cohn said, "It was hard to make a final choice, but any man who names his two daughters after Islanders legends has got my vote."
Kim Thomas, a Calgary Flames fan, was runner-up to Farina. Thomas is recognized at the Saddledome and around Calgary for his unique Santa Flames jersey with number H0H0. Thomas has been a season ticket holder since the Flames' inaugural season, and for the last three seasons he has purchased two additional season tickets, to donate to the Ronald McDonald House.
The NHL has declared the 2002-03 season the "Year of the Fan," and introduced the 7th Man Award in celebration of its fans' dedication, passion and loyalty. The 30 NHL Clubs recently honored their respective 7th Man winners, each of whom earned a chance to compete for the League-wide honor.
Fans in the United States and Canada were able to enter by logging on to NHL.com or team websites and submitting an essay of up to 250 words describing their qualifications as the 7th Man of their favorite team. The fan whose essay best exemplified dedication, passion and loyalty to the NHL and to his or her favorite team was named the respective Club's local winner.
Entrants were judged on the following criteria:
1. How the nominee best exemplifies the attributes of an NHL fan through his or her dedication, passion and loyalty to the NHL and their favorite team.
2. The extent to which the nominee incorporates "fandom" into their everyday life and that of their family and friends.
3. The extent of the nominee's use of their favorite team colors and logo.
