Crosbymania Gets Out of Control

I've probably said more than a dozen times that Sid is my favorite player. But the hype surrounding him is getting out of control. Sidney isn't the only Penguin, and he's certainly not the only guy in the NHL. The media (mediots, as Jes calls them) and even some fans are so obsessed with the Wizard of Croz that they are being disrespectful and discourteous to other NHL players. I submit to you these items as proof:

Exhibit A

As I wrote earlier, the Stanley Cup made its way to Cole Harbour on July 31, 2007, by way of Anaheim's defenseman Joe DiPenta. Festivities included a parade. DiPenta graciously invited Sidney to join him, his family, his friends, and the entire Cole Harbour community, but Saint Sid declined. I don't know Sidney personally, but my guess is that he declined the invitation in hopes that DiPenta would remain the focus of the day. But of course the media would not let that happen. Crosby's name was spoken by every reporter except for one - Global's Ray Bradshaw. Halifax's The Daily News reporter Alex J. Walling scolds his peers:

This day was all about DiPenta, not No. 87.

Bradshaw didn't ask a question about Crosby, nor did he mention anything about him. The other channels should have done the same.

It was DiPenta's Stanley Cup, his parade, his family, his friends and his community of Cole Harbour. That's what it should have been about. But I kept hearing reporters talk about Crosby.

Here's a tip: One can do a local story on the NHL without mentioning Crosby.

By the way, who will be the next person from Cole Harbour to win the Stanley Cup? I loved Bradshaw's answer last Friday morning on Q104 to B.J. Burke:

"Who else? Joe DiPenta."

We'll just see about that last comment, Bradshaw. We'll just see...

Exhibit B

Apparently Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury gets requests for autographs... Sidney Crosby's autographs. All right, now I am (quite obviously) a huge Sidney Crosby fan. But even I wouldn't do something like that. MAF is a great Penguin himself! Why don't these people just be satisfied with his autograph? Or, if they don't want MAF's autograph, why don't they just leave him alone? Asking him for another player's autograph is disrespectful and selfish. Either be happy with the opportunity to meet the Penguin in front of you, or keep walking and don't bother him!

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The Lighter Side of the News

This picture is for reader Sydney: Check out THESE pleats!!!

Michael Buble performed at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh on Friday, August 10. Why do we here at TSCS care? Because Buble "rib[bed] the city for Sidney Crosby being here and not in his native Canada." Jealous much, Buble?! ;)

And finally, today I got an email from longtime reader Adrienne, who sends in this gem of a video (it's a direct link - you'll need Windows Media Player to see it). Check it out and tell me that doesn't look like a dead animal on his head!!! It's difficult not to laugh as he talks about taking his promotion to alternate captain seriously while he's wearing a hat that looks frighteningly similar to a mullet wig!!! Thanks, Adrienne!