Fri 7 Dec 2007
A return post - from January 2007 - Sidney Crosby
Posted by Gary Harding under NHL Stuff , RamblingsIt seems that when I look at the stats page of this site, this page gets a lot of hits. I wrote this piece in January, when Sid the Kid and Jason Blake got into that spat before the All Star Game.
Let me preface and offer my request for new comments by saying this:
when I wrote this at the time, I was incensed by the actions of Sidney. I can say that in the past year, he has matured a bit, and seems to be letting his game do more of the talking, than his yappering about other playing slapping him around. In my reactionary comments, I always went back to Mike Bossy. He took more of a ripping and beating, game in and game out, than any other player, including Gretzky. But Boss never moaned. He just did his job. And when guys went after him more, he made them pay where it really counts; on the scoresheet.
Anyway, here is my original post, and all the comments that came with it. I am curious of what you all think now… I would really appreciate the comments, and I am interested in the out-of-towners, especially the Pens fans, as to what your perception is about how 87 is received around the league.
Thanks and have a great weekend!
Gary
I guess that will pique interest….ÂIn no way, shape, or form, am I questioning the hockey skills of Pittsburgh’s #87. He is a great player, with the world ahead of him. He is exactly the hype that he was provided at the tender age of 13, and nearly 20, he received the most votes for the All-Star game next week in Dallas. In addition, he is currently leading the scoring race, a few points ahead of Washington’s wonderkind, Alex Ovechkin.
He is regarded in a similar vein, to a certain young man that came onto the scene over a quarter of a century ago, called Gretzky. In this age of commercialization and media overload, Monsieur Crosby is a hit with many commercials shown all over Canada, and in a few US markets.
He has the hockey world getting ready to throw the world on his shoulders. He is the real ‘next one’; a name that was supposed to be reserved for Eric Lindros over a decade and a half ago.
But to this reporter, I see a different person than the one that most
Canadians image. Actually, I see this, because I took off the rose colored glasses..
I see, is a ‘boy’ that has been coddled and given the impression that he can do whatever he wants, and can dish out at anyone without incident. However, when someone retaliates on him, he drops down to the ground like an Acme Anvil on Wile Coyote, and boom.
When the Great One was coming up, players went at him the same way, however, Gretzky was not that kind of player, and did not retaliate. He had a Dave Semenko, or Marty McSorely to do that for him. And that was fine. Lemieux was able to handle himself, and in many instances, he did just that.
However, in the case of the crying weasel, known as Sid the Kid, he just shoves, slashes and does what he wants, and when he gets his just desserts in return, he cries, wines, and acts like a child. In the case of Jason Blake, although I do not condone what he did, I am glad that he gave the wining brat a little taste of his own medicine. He wants rules HIS way, but please overlook it when I do the damage!
And to make matters worse, is that his coach Michel “I am no longer a Francophone and want to be called Michael� Thierrien, totally lifts him up to a higher level, and coddles the living CRAP out of him. Hey Coach, give him the birds and bees talk, please!!!! He needs to know that he (Crosby) has to be accountable for his actions.
You know that somewhere, sometime, someone is really going to clock him for being a little ‘pr!ck’, and they are going to be justified to the hilt. The NHL is always a little over-protective of their stars, and unfortunately, the NHL needs a little slash to the groin once in a while too.
Well done Jason — with the increase in your salary next season, that fine will be chump change. I am glad that people are finally standing up to this young twerp. He has to be shown that if wants to act like a child in a man’s game, that he will get smacked around like a little girl. Pad up more of your uniform Sid, or Sydney!!!
Wow - that felt good….
11 Responses to “1st Rambling…. Sidney Crosby is a whining little brat!�
3 Responses to “A return post - from January 2007 - Sidney Crosby”
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John Says:
December 9th, 2007 at 1:30 pmInteresting bunch of comments. First off, you can’t compare Hockey players to those of other sports. Without a doubt, every sport handles their premier, market players with care and coddles them in various ways. The NHL is a different environment in terms of the “work place”. It’s a a constant, physical sport, and if you are going to go out there dishing it out, you better damn well be able to take it. Football, in deed, is physical as well, but it is not constant motion and as spontaneous as hockey. I am inclined to believe that the “new NHL” does too much to “protect” its “stars”, and this does not apply simply to “Sid the kid”.
Sid, I believe, is a talent and among the best in the NHL. I’m not ready to anoint him as the next “great one”, but I’ve seen enough of him to know he’s the real deal. And, as much as I’m an Islander fan, I’d be knocking him just as hard if he played for the Isles (probably harder actually). His attitude has improved to an extent, but I spend my share of time listening to out of town games via NHL.com out of interest and because I have a fantasy hockey team.
I don’t care how much someone was pushed around in juniors or on the school playground. When you reach the professional level and are skating against players at your level, regardless of your talent, you better grow up fast. I’m not going to compare him to all the better players in the league. You can put them all under the microscope and come up with examples of “whining and complaining” if you like. Sid’s level has been, in the past, beyond the norm. Perhaps, he’s changed, and maybe giving him the C will help him gain more of a perspective and maturity. However, I think the jury is still out on exactly what kind of a player he will be written about in the future.
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jackson Says:
December 11th, 2007 at 11:43 amHey… I found the article only because I did a search for Wile E. Cayote, my hero. Love the “Help!” sign.
Oh, and Sid rocks. So he was a little chippy for a while there. Its not like he wasn’t taking a decent amount of sh@t. That, and Georges seemed to decide to take the season off as his backup.
I’ve never been a fan of clingy hockey. No other sport allows the best athletes on the field / ice / court, etc. be dragged down by lesser talented players hanging all over them. Hockey is right to be cleaning that element up. I’m not talking “no contact” sport either. Clean hits are fine. But even though I’m a hypocrite for enjoying it, I’m thinking more of the same for the fighting being part of the game. Really, I’f you’re inclined to shield your 5 year old son’s eyes from the activity, you probably ought to look in the mirror and reconsider its validity to the real game of puck to net.
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John Says:
December 12th, 2007 at 4:41 pmI’m not sure what is meant by that a someone is dragged down by lesser talented players. I think the talent level of any sport ranges and that is what makes it competitive. Sid being leveled by a fourth line center or winger is no different than that fourth line player being leveled. If you refer to the general clutching and grabbing that has plagued the NHL over the last ten or fifteen years, I agree that it’s good that the league is finally doing something about it … though they didn’t need to change the entire game to make it occur. If they enforced the rules they have tried to implement prior to the “new NHL” going as far back as around 1999, it would have worked just as effectively. People tend to forget that we had 60 and 70 goal scorers and 130 and 150 point getters prior to the “new NHL” and if the interference, hooking and holding penalties had been actually called with consistency through the years, it would have kept the game flowing and faster paced without the need to restrict the movement of goaltenders or moving the nets or anything else.
As for fighting in the game, it’s a part of hockey. I personally don’t want the game to ever become this pretty, gift wrapped version the NHL wants for marketing purposes on American television. Sorry, but there are a lot of good reasons why a fight in a game is a Good thing. I’m not talking about brawls or fighting for they sake of fighting. If you are a true fan of the game, you will understand the differentiation I’m attempting to make here. Alas, though, that would be straying completely off topic of Sid.
Canadians image. Actually, I see this, because I took off the rose colored glasses..
However, in the case of the crying weasel, known as Sid the Kid, he just shoves, slashes and does what he wants, and when he gets his just desserts in return, he cries, wines, and acts like a child. In the case of Jason Blake, although I do not condone what he did, I am glad that he gave the wining brat a little taste of his own medicine. He wants rules HIS way, but please overlook it when I do the damage!
January 19th, 2007 at 4:27 pm eLet’s hope that some of the guys out there start drop the hammer a bit more often on this kid. I think the thing that is not helping is this “kinder, gentler� NHL the league is trying to establish. I’m sorry, but I hate guys who are little cry babies when someone houses them at center ice or takes them hard into the boards. I don’t care who you are. I think it was Darius Kasparites who made the simple observation that “hockey ain’t no baby sport�. I wish the NHL would not forget that.
January 21st, 2007 at 9:05 am ePersonally, I can’t WAIT to see what the media does with this little episode at the all star game. Will there be musings over a reconciliation? or fisticuffs in the parking lot? Oh Please! The posterboy of the NEW NHL is a brat. Notice he didn’t tell WITT he was “F***ing Dead!â€? three times after HE knocked him on his butt. No no… but he can threaten the little guy.Â
Grrrrrr….
January 25th, 2007 at 1:33 pm eYou guys have absolutely no clue of the garbage he had to endure every single night for two years in the Quebec League. It’s a miracle he came out of it relatively unscathed. He’s always been known as a player who plays on the edge physically (goes from being shadowed night after night from age 10) and over the edge mentally.Â
Of course, if he was wearing blue and orange, he’d be just perfect, right?!?
January 25th, 2007 at 5:33 pm eRich - it is all documented. And I know of your affinity for the league up there, and I respect it. However, I am not the only one that is remarking about his attitude. I have heard about it from people in Pittsburgh (fans) that have already says he has been buttered so much that he can be shoved in a very tight hole and wont get stuck.Â
I have also heard some ‘off the record’ commentary that not only backs it up - but say that he is nothing but elitist garbage that likes to dish it out, but when it is retributed, that he wimpers like a child.
I take nothing away from his ability. He is gifted. But you never saw Bossy complain moan and groan. Gretzky either. When it happens to Ovechkin, he doesnt wine, he plays the game.
We can agree to disagree Rich… Thanks for the thoughts!
April 2nd, 2007 at 1:03 pm ehaha just because he is the biggest stud ecer your going to rip on him like that? i bet if you did more research on some of the players in the NHL they are exactly the same way.
April 2nd, 2007 at 4:14 pm eSteve - Never said he wasnt a good player… He is just a big whiner…. But when no one is looking he slashes and cheap shots like a six year old not getting his cookie.Â
With the exception of Gretzky, who had his posse take care of things for him, all the stars have the same attitude.
Just my thoughts.
April 6th, 2007 at 11:32 pm ethe difference between gretzky n crosby is that gretzky’s team mates backed him up, he didnt have to retaliate because his players did it for him. crosby has been on his own. players go after him cuz he’s one of the best if not the best player in the nhl. he has to stick up for himself. im sure many players whine, you only hear it about him because hes what everyone talks about. crosby has many talents and many things going for him. he has to stick up for himself.
October 3rd, 2007 at 12:42 pm ei believe that you should as steve said, research other famous and above average NHL players and you will find other whiners, actually just take a look at most of todays athletes. Daniel Briere was a whiner and i don’t see you complaining about him. Due to all the fuss over suspicion of intended injuries and money the NHL is not the only sport where this is happening; maybe if you were paying attention to other sports and your own team instead of ripping on other teams and their players you’d know. Maybe a womens advice will help in this situation, and it’s not just coming from a women who looks at the players I aknowledge their talent, skills, and attitudes as well.
October 3rd, 2007 at 12:48 pm eKassie - i have no doubt im ny mind that Sidney is a great player…Â
Remember - this was written at the all-star break last season…
He WAS whining, as young elite players do. Others in his mold did exactly the same thing when they were young…. I am not signling him out… That is just a young player that is coddled all the time.
I like his skills, and every team wished they had him… Briere was NO WHERE NEAR the star power both on the ice, and marketing wise that 87 possessed.
December 7th, 2007 at 2:49 pm eThey used to called 99 whine gretzky, and he said that corners were for waiting for buses. Crosby is more physical than gretzky and takes a lot more.
If this was basketball crosby would be the most polite guy in the league.
People bashing him dont know hockey and sould sit down
December 7th, 2007 at 3:48 pm eSteve - this message was created a year ago…Â
I am not bashing his abilities. But maybe he should look at someone like Mike Bossy. He got beat up night after night, and just kept coming back for more. He was class.
I have no problem with 87 ’s abilities… All he should it shut it and play the game. Perhaps then, he may get more respect.
A year later, I respect him a little more, but his whining at the time sounded like he is an immature little kid.