On Sidney Crosby and Fan Backlash
Pittsburgh Penguins captain, Sidney Crosby. Photo courtesy of www.nhlsnipers.com
With 5 points last night, Sidney Crosby is on pace for 77 points in this shortened season. Spread out over an 82 game season, this would translate into 144 points. The last person to hit 144 points in a season? Mario Lemieux. Before that? Does Wayne Gretzky ring a bell?
Despite missing much of the past 2 seasons with concussion issues, Crosby is on pace for his best season — and for the highest NHL point total since 1995/1996.
And yet readers in comment sections of the few hockey articles that I’ve read today continue to call him overrated.
It made me think that it was time to revisit this piece that I originally wrote almost a year ago.
On Sidney Crosby and Fan Backlash
It always makes me chuckle when I read people knocking Sidney Crosby. Particularly in the comment sections of stories about Sidney Crosby.
“He’s not the best player in the league.” “He’s overrated.” “So and so is better than him.”
I often wonder if these naysayers are watching the same game.
If there is another player out there who has captained a Stanley Cup winning team, captained an Olympic Gold Medal team, captained a World Junior Championship team, captained a Memorial Cup finalist team, won scoring titles, helped massively market the game, been part of the best personal hockey rivalry since Gretzky/Lemieux, been the youngest player to win a scoring title in all of professional sport, been the players choice (Lester B. Pearson Award) as the best player in the NHL, been voted the best player by his peers (not fans, players) in several polls, won a Rocket Richard Trophy (top goal scorer), won a Mark Messier Leadership Award, will likely win a Masterton Trophy (perserverance/dedication/sportsmanship) this year, and is the current active points-per-game player in the NHL, could you please list him here?
For the full story please click here.
