It's Called "Class"

And it's just one of many differences between our title man and Alexander Semin. Here, Siddo keeps his dignity while responding to media questions about Semin's recent comments:

Awesome

I'm just discovering Twitter after seeing it mentioned in The Friends' Zone a few weeks ago. Actually, you may have noticed that I added the feed to my updates to the blogroll (I don't know if they'll be staying there, since I'm not very good at keeping it current and this is Sid's Show, not mine). Anyhoo, it stands to reason that the person listed on Twitter as Sidney Crosby is, in fact, Sidney Crosby. A number of factors led me to this conclusion.

For one thing, the Pens themselves have a Twitter account. They don't update it daily, but they announce such things as when the Mellon Arena started making ice, the training camp schedule, and whether or not questions were going to be taken at the Town Hall Meeting. For another thing, Sid's updates are few and far between, which is to be expected from someone as busy as he is. For yet another, the options to "nudge" Siddo or send him a private message have been disabled. On top of that, he's not listed as following anyone else. Again, he's more than likely way too busy to care.

All of these things, in my humble opinion, are pretty strong evidence that the Saint is who he says he is on Twitter - which brings me to the reason for today's post. Check out his current update (click to enlarge):

(Visit the source)

Looks like someone wants his trophies back... This is going to be an AMAZING year. ;)

Celebrity Matchmaker: Sidney Crosby & Miley Cyrus

by Jes (Cross-posted on the sister site)

A lot of NHL players are getting hooked up with celebs these days, and it's great PR for the league.

Elisha Cuthbert and Dion Phaneuf (assist to Sean Avery)
Eric Lindros and Kate Hudson
Alexander Ovechkin and Igor Larionov's daughter
Alexei Yashin and model Carol Alt
Mike Comrie and Hillary Duff

So, why isn't Crosby getting in on the act? Where is his arm candy?

Imagine the publicity the NHL would get if Sidney was shackin up with a Hollywood celeb? Oh, it would be way bigger than Gretzky/Jones.

Who would we pair Sidney up with? Lindsay Lohan? Ewww ... Jessica Biel? Taken. Alanis Morrissette? Too old.

Miley Cyrus? DING DING DING DING DING!!!



Just look at them and their big, toothy grins! Wouldn’t this be a match made in heaven? Just think of the headlines this would generate, and how a new legion of teenage girls would latch onto hockey like never before.

Cyrus, the mostly squeaky clean teen with a big future ahead of her is just waiting to be broken into the dating game with a young, big name celeb.

Sidney needs someone who can deal with his star power. A regular girl just won't do. Sidney also needs a partner who is rather 'fresh' and possesses the same upbeat personality.

Oh, you say, but Cyrus is only 15 years of age?

Damnit!!!! I guess there are laws to be followed. *sulk*

Still, if Sidney is willing to wait a year or two, and Billy Ray gives it his OK, then I think we ought to hook these two up and let the sparks fly.

Who's with me?

----

Check out these totally gnarly posts over at FanHouse:

James Mirtle gives us some Portraits in Heroism (aka Photochop madness)

I cover the Kate Hudson/Eric Lindros rumours. Ooooh, gossip!

JP thinks Pascal Leclaire is the next Martin Brodeur, sans Golden Horseshoe up the arse.

Sid's Neighbor Troubles

I've got a few random stories for you today.

First up, the Saint doesn't just face battles on the ice. This summer, he's fighting to have the road to his new home in Nova Scotia paved. From The National Post:

A rutted dirt and gravel road near Enfield, 45 kilometres north of Halifax, peels off from a paved highway and curls through sparsely populated rural lots before ending on the banks of Shubenacadie Grand Lake. A move by residents to cover this dirt has unearthed deep acrimony, dividing neighbours and bringing accusations of vote-rigging and bully politicking.

The quarrel offers a strange blend of small-town politics, feisty homeowners and even a major celebrity.

Take a wild guess at who the celebrity is...

The politics comes from the prime opponents to the paving deal being the area's Member of the Legislative Assembly and his twin brother, the municipality's lawyer, both of whom live at the head of the road. The celebrity comes courtesy of Sidney Crosby, the young hockey star who recently bought a house near the foot of the road and who supports the push to pave.

Long story short: The residents wanted the road paved so badly that the majority have agreed to chip in and pay half of the cost. The twins oppose getting the road paved at the expense of the residents, so they pushed to get a vote for every PERSON listed on the deeds to the homes in the neighborhood. Then they "added 12 to 15 names to each of their six properties, hugely stacking their voting power."


Politicians never cease to amaze me. First of all, if they're living in the same neighborhood as Sidney freaking Crosby, there's a good chance they've got some serious cash, so they can more than afford the approximately $4,600 per resident it is expected to cost. Secondly, there was a vote, and the majority decided that this was the way to go. Although, I seem to remember there was an incident in the U.S. in 2000 where the majority vote didn't matter, either... :P

Moving on, this guy hates Sid. Okay, well maybe "hates" is too strong a word, but there's definitely some bitterness in his article. Methinks the author is an Ovechkin fan who's bending statistics to fit his view that Alex should be "the new face of the NHL." I was going to drop some knowledge on this matter, but why re-invent the wheel? The comment left by Stephen at the end of the article sums up exactly what I would have said quite nicely. The only thing I might add is that maybe Sid scored only 6 goals, but he had 21 assists. In 20 playoff games, Sid averaged 1.35 points per game, while Ovie averaged 1.29 points per game in his 7 playoff games.

Ovie's probably the best goal scorer in the league; there's no way I can deny that. But if you look at the overall package - on the ice and off - The Kid is the best, hands down.

And finally today, while a handful of people might think that Tampa Bay squandered an opportunity with their selection of David Carle in the 7^th round, Gare Joyce (and I) think it was an amazing way to honor Carle's achievements (from ESPN's Page 2):

Stick around for the happy ending. No miracle. No reprieve. No unforeseen plot twist.


Just hockey people stepping up to let Carle know that they weren't going to forget him. That he had to abandon the game, but the game wasn't going to abandon him.

And that's just one more reason to love this game.

Don't forget this is the last week to send in your Project photos!!! :) :) :) :) :) Show off your patriotism to your country and your team!

LATE EDIT: Friends of The Show Robbie and Daily Su have alerted me to the fact that Tampa Bay has signed ex-Pen Mark Recchi to a one year deal worth $1.25 million. SERIOUSLY! What is it with the Lightning snatching up all these Pens players, haha?!

Dear Sidney, Please Shave That Mess Off!

(This is Jes Gőlbez, the guy who hasn't posted here in ages. I figure I'd cross-post this baby)



It's an annual rite of spring that hockey players grow disgusting-looking beards as they march on towards the Stanley Cup. It's one of the great, unique features of the NHL, and gives guys a real excuse not to shave for a couple of months.

The sad fact is, however, that some guys just can't pull it off, and should just get out the Gillette Mach 3's and get back to their regular shaving rituals.

One such guy is our beloved Sidney Crosby, who has been trying his very hardest to be a big boy and grow a playoff beard. It's really quite sad to see him fail so miserably, given how he's basically kicked ass at everything else in the hockey world.

Now, before you go getting up in my ass about being 'mean', you have realize that Sidney and I share the same slow facial-hair growth that doesn't allow us to look like the Wolf Man. I'm 29, and have to shave only once a week. Ivan Majesky, I am not.

Two years ago, when the Canes went on their long playoff run, I tried to grow a playoff beard just for the hell of it. Despite my efforts, and despite waiting a couple of months, I could never grow a full beard. Much like Sid, it looks like I had a random mass of spots on my neck and face that just refused to allow hair follicles to escape into freedom.

Sidney is just too much of a babyface to pull off a beard, anyway, and comes off looking like trailer trash, albeit well-paid trailer trash. Looking at home now, don't you think he'd be better off sitting on a ratty couch, watching fishing shows, and drinking Bud Light swill?

"But Jes, what if the Penguins lose because Sidney shaved his face?"

Oh, so the Penguins talent, hard work, and tenacious forechecking have nothing to do with their success? It's all about facial hair?

*facepalm*

I'd sent Sid some free razorblades, but I'd probably be arrested for mailing weapons or some BS the corrupt authorities would come up with to suppress my rights.

So, next time any of you Pittsburghers you go to a Pens game, bring a sign/placard that asks Sid to get a shave. He needs it.

Sid Wins Another Dapper Dan Award

Sid has clinched the Dapper Dan Award for the second year in a row! :) The following photos come from the Dapper Dan website. (Click either image to visit the site.)





Thanks go out to the anonymous tipster who let us know about Sid's newest trophy in the comments section!

The Pens face the Lightning tonight. Tampa Bay is coming off last night's stunning 7-4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. Why was it stunning? Because the Sabres were down 4-1 at the start of the third and scored 6 of their 7 goals in that final period of the game. WOW.

GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sidney Crosby - An Essay

First things first - I don't think any Pens fan could possibly forget that it was exactly one year ago today when Mario Lemieux made the sun shine once again...

Le Magnifique unveils plans for a new arena...

...then says the words we all longed to hear: "Tonight, I'm proud to announce that your Pittsburgh Penguins will remain right here! Thank you, Pittsburgh. Have a great night."

THANK YOU, SUPER MARIO. With everything in me I THANK YOU.

Also, I thought you might get a kick out of this: You may remember that I've mentioned that my supervisor is a rabid Sabres fan. The IT department here shares a huge open office. He sits in the corner diagonally from me. This is what he sees every day on the wall facing his desk:

Obviously the newspaper clip on the left is the local paper from the day after the Winter Classic. The shot on the right is Sid taking Miller to school in a shootout win (ironically) also exactly one year ago today. Just below the older picture is the Sabreslug I turned into a bloody mess to celebrate that particular win.

After last night's win, this is what I did to the dry erase board in our office:

Sorry about that big black square, but that's where all our cell phone numbers are listed.

Now, since this is his Show, let's get back to Sidney! ESPN has cracked open the vault for its 10^th anniversary issue. They've posted links to old articles about their 10 cover athletes for this month's issue. The Saint, as you know, is one of those elite athletes, and ESPN dug up an old essay that Sid wrote when he was 18 years old and in his first year in the NHL. Those of you who may remember this article should know that it is definitely worth re-reading because it's interesting to reminisce and compare Rookie Sid to Captain Sid. Don't feel bad if you missed it the first time around, though, because let's face it - how many people actually look to ESPN for hockey news? :P

Before I go any further, though, I want to tell you that today's photos of Sidney come to us exclusively from Good Friend of The Show Pensgirl. She took them at the 11-17-07 game against the Rangers. She was nice enough to give me several absolutely amazing photos, and I'll be using more of them randomly in the future. THANK YOU so much for sharing them with us, Pensgirl!!!

Without further ado, here's Sid's essay in its entirety:

I wanted to be a goalie growing up. I think every little kid does, because of the equipment. It looks like fun. But my dad discouraged me. He thought Id enjoy skating around and chasing the puck more than sitting in the net freezing.


I've never really played against anyone my own age. It's always been that way. I think it helped me. When I was young, I realized I had a gift, or maybe some talent other kids didn't have. I don't know if its nature or if it came from just playing a lot or having a passion for it. But you can have all the talent in the world, and without a work ethic, nothing will happen for you. That's something I've always told myself. I always wanted to go first. When I was 16 and knew I might have the opportunity to get drafted, I wanted to go No. 1. My parents always told me, if you want to go first, make it easy on yourself. Don't be sitting there on draft day thinking, am I going to go No. 1, No. 2, No. 3? Make it easy for them.


So it was nice when all those sacrifices that I made and that my parents made finally paid off. Draft day made everything worth it. I would have been happy to go anywhere. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to play with Mario. I trained with him here in LA last summer, had dinner with him a few times. He was really great to me, really down-to-earth. He even drove me to the airport for a 6 a.m. flight. I think his wasn't until 8, but he picked me up at 5. That's pretty amazing.


I don't think I'm just a one-way player. I think I'm an all-around player, like Peter Forsberg or Steve Yzerman. I'd like to be the guy who can take big faceoffs late in the game or block shots or hit a guy if he needs to be hit. Obviously, I think my strength is making things happen offensively and scoring goals. But I don't want to be known as someone who can just do that.


I'm not going to try to be another Wayne Gretzky. I don't think there's ever going to be another Wayne Gretzky. When people say I'm going to save hockey, I think of it as a challenge. I'm not going to shy away from it. I want to be the best, but I realize you can't be the best overnight. In your first year in the NHL, you take it one step at a time. There's going to be expectations and pressure. I'm ready to accept that and handle it. But I also think the NHL is going to be a lot of fun, playing in the best league in the world, competing and being challenged. That's what makes it so good when you succeed. I'm young and I know there are a lot of great players in the league. But I don't think its other peoples expectations that I have to live up to, just my own.


I've been a marked man since I started playing. It's always been that way.

A lot of thanks go out to another good Friend of The Show, Cassie C., for providing the link to the ESPN article. :)

One last thing for today then I swear I'm done: after seeing all 10 covers of the magazine, it appears that Sid wasn't the only athlete to fall victim to ESPN's photoshopping massacre. Check out A-Rod in particular - he looks just as weird as Sidney does...

(Click to enlarge.)

The Creature, Fights, and Celine Dion

These are some of the things Mad Max Talbot discusses in this next video that good Friend of The Show (and part-time TSCS translator) Lisa-Marie W. sent in for us:

Thanks for sending that in, Lis! :)

(Note: That video was also on Empty Netters a few days ago. I told you before, Seth is the freakin' man! Anyhoo, since I read EN during my lunch break at work, I don't generally watch the videos Seth posts - mostly because we don't have speakers on our computers there, haha!)

Speaking of Creature, I found this article from the Beaver County Times & Allegheny Times Online. In it, writer Chris Bradford discusses tomorrow's 3:00pm Eastern trade deadline, as well as why Sid is the best player in the world. (yes, I know we already addressed this issue, but I wouldn't be doing my job as a Sidney Crosby blogger if I didn't bring this to your attention):

There has been some debate recently as to who is the “best player in the NHL.” The names of Russian stars Evgeni Malkin, Crosby’s Penguins teammate, and Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin are the two most frequently mentioned. And rightfully so. They are tied with 82 points each in the Art Ross Trophy race as the NHL’s scoring leader, an award won last season by Crosby.

Ovechkin already has 48 goals, eight more than fellow Russian Ilya Kovalchuk of Atlanta, who is second.

And though Malkin was shut out a second straight game in Sunday’s 2-1 shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks, he and goalie Ty Conklin are the main reasons why the Penguins have even kept in playoff contention — let alone have them just two points from the top of the Eastern Conference — during the time that Fleury (two months) and Crosby (five weeks) have now missed because of high ankle sprains.

SOON.

So, yes, Malkin and Ovechkin are the two best players in the NHL … when Crosby is not playing. Need a refresher course?

Crosby, who has been out since Jan. 18, was leading the league in scoring at the time with 63 points. By the way, that number is just 19 points fewer than Malkin and Ovechkin. It still ranks Crosby tied for 12^th in the league despite having played in 17 fewer games than Malkin or Ovechkin.

As I mentioned earlier, I already talked about this matter, but I have to say that Bradford makes a good point. No matter what you think about Sid, you simply cannot deny it - the fact that Sid has been out of commission for more than a month yet remains tied for 12^th in scoring is damn remarkable!!!

Tomorrow.
Islanders.
GO.
PENS.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! :)

Sid v Geno (An Editorial of Sorts)

Take a deep breath - it could get ugly in here. I know I'm about to open up the flood gates, but I just can't stay silent anymore. There's been a lot of rumbling in the media and on the Internet (well, mostly on the net) about who is the better player, Sid or Evgeni Malkin. Many have even entertained the idea that - [*gasp*] - trading Sid might be a viable option.

Before I go any further, you should understand that I love Geno. He's destined to be remembered as one of the greats of the game, and to say otherwise is to confirm that you don't know anything about hockey.

See? The spotlight is big enough for both of them.

But back to the matter at hand. Prior to his injury, Sidney had a hand in about half of the Penguins goals to that point. That's incredible. All right, so now everyone admits that all the Pens players have "stepped up" in Sid's absence. My question is why weren't they playing with this intensity all along? Don't get me wrong - it's great for the team and great for the fans that the Pens have been able to come together and take their collective game to the next level to compensate for the loss of their captain, but why did it take Sid's injury for this to happen? This applies to all the Pens, not just Geno. If they're capable of this now, where was it when Sid was healthy?

Geno has said he doesn't want Sid to go anywhere - and vice versa, I'm sure.

Honestly, whether you want to believe me or not, none of this actually matters to me because I'm just grateful the Pens are doing well. Anyone who was a fan of the Pens prior to the arrival of the Fantastic Four (Sid, Geno, Jordan Staal, Marc-Andre Fleury) can attest that it's more fun to be a fan when they're winning than it is when you're frustrated by loss after loss. The only reason I even bring this up is because of all the ridiculous talk I've seen in the past couple of days since Sid has started skating again.

Why compare them? They're both amazing. AND they're both on our team, so shut up and enjoy it!

And therein lies the big question: why is this even an issue?! Why can't everyone just be stoked that, for the time being, we've got the two best players on the planet wearing the Penguins sweaters?! I for one don't want to see either of them leave Pittsburgh. I don't know... I guess some people always need something to gripe about, but I just don't understand how or why anyone would want to turn this into a Sid versus Geno thing. I'll turn this over to you now. You are all more than welcome (encouraged, even) to leave your opinions in the comments section below.

Oh, and GO PENS!!!

Photo of the Day: Crosby Gets Pwned!

by Jes

Sidney Crosby isn't exactly great at penalty shots, and last night was no exception as Luongo stoned him during OT and in the regular shootout.

(Be sure to check out The NHL FanHouse for the video clip)

I love the reaction of Sid and the fans in this photo after Luongo stoned the kid :)


(c) Getty Images, 2007

Between my 'love' for Sid and my loyalty as a Canucks fan, I was rather torn last night. I'm glad both teams got at least a point.

The Sidney Crosby West Coast Tour 2007!!! OMGZ!!

by Jes

As someone who has a blog dedicated to all things Sidney Crosby, I am not surprised at the hype that surrounds the kid, as we know the media has continually gone coo coo for Cocoa Putts over the young prodigy.

What does surprise me, however, is the level of media hype that has accompanied Crosby as he tours the West Coast for the first time in his young career. Yes, the weird schedule meant that we had to wait until Year 3 to see Crosby play in Vancouver.

As Crosby has been in the league for some time, you'd expect the media coverage to die down a little, now that we've seen the kid quite often and there aren't many new stories that you can write. Still, do a Google News search for Sidney Crosby and you'll see countless articles about his West Coast Tour. Every media outlet west of Winnipeg has 3-4 guys writing Sidney Crosby stories, as if people in Vancouver or Calgary have never heard of the guy. I look in today's Province newspaper (aka Vancouver birdcage liner) and see FIVE whole pages of nothing but Sid. There are even contests to win Sidney merchandise (sign me up, Scotty!)

It's obvious that Crosby has that rock star aura, at least in the eyes of the media. Radio talk shows, newspapers, blogs, TV shows... it's all Crosby, all the time. Ovechkin got some pub when he came out West, but it was nothing near what we're getting pounded with now. I'm quite surprised that I haven't learned what brand of underarm deodorant the kid uses, or if he prefers brunettes over blondes.

The one thing pisses me off is how the media is trying to tie Sidney Crosby and Wayne Gretzky together. Ever since Gretzky came out and said Sid would break his records, the media want to lump these two together for all time.

Let's see here ... Crosby and Gretzky don't really know each other, don't regularly talk to each other (once a year, at most), don't play in the same conference, don't even play the same style of game, and play in completely different eras. Other than the fact that they both rake in millions$$$ in endorsements and get a crapload of publicity, you cannot really compare the two men. Sidney's playing style has always been more Forsberg than Gretzky, and today's era will never allow somebody to get close to 200 points a season. Hell, achieving 100 points in a season is pretty frickin' incredible these days.

All in all, despite the fact I may sound like a grumpy old man, I am pleased to see the hype and I think it's good for the league. Any time the fans can get excited about a player coming to their town, it generates more interest in the game and will draw more attention to, what would otherwise be, another regular season game in the middle of December.

(cross-posted)

An Early Halloween Treat!!!

It's been mentioned in the comments section that Sidney has a new show debuting on the Versus network on Tuesday, October 23. The people at Versus were nice enough to contact us to give us an exclusive sneak preview of the "Sidney Crosby Revealed." Check it out:


Wow. What a show that is going to be! It will air on Versus on 10-23-07 at 6:30pm Eastern. Immediately following the program, the Pens face the Rangers. WHAT A NIGHT!!! That's DEFINITELY must see TV. (Just as a reminder, I'm going to put a banner at the bottom of the page. Click it to go to the Versus website.) It's going to be AWESOME!!! BE SURE TO TUNE IN!!!

Video of the Day: Shootout Slickness

YouTube user "dailybongo" took some home-made video of last night's shootout against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Check out the shootout from a fan's perspective. Unlike most fan-shot vids, this one is pretty good.



Damn, check out how Crosby just abuses Cam Ward with that shimmy-jimmy set of dekes! And, our boy is the first one out to hug and caress Dany Sabourin, who picked up the win. ;)

Video of the Day: What's With the Hat?

Ok, here's a video clip of an old interview with Kid Croz.

Just what animal died while falling asleep on his head?

Pens v Ducks (W 5-4)

Ahhhhhhh. This is more like it. And before I say anything else, I must begin by saying Petr Sykora is AMAZING. He had a hand in 3 of the 5 Penguins goals (2G, 1A) tonight. Incredible. He rightfully earned the top star of the game. The Penguins twice scored goals within 20 seconds of the last - once in the 2^nd period, and once in the 3^rd. Marc-Andre Fleury was looking much better tonight, but he was still not as steady in goal as he has been in the past. Georges Laraque had another impressive night. If he keeps this up, we might be able to forget what happened with him last season. ;)

Sidney was looking outstanding as usual, getting an assist on a beautiful pass through Chris Pronger's feet to Ryan Malone. There was a scare when Sid blocked a shot with his foot, but he soldiered on and continued to play. X-rays did not show any broken bones. (Whew!!!) He'll be able to relax a bit and ice his foot for the next couple of days - they don't play again until they face the Canadiens on Wednesday. Here are Sid's highlights as reported in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

The goal was made possible by center Sidney Crosby, who lunged along the right-wing boards and swatted the puck to Malone in the center of the ice. "I was just trying to get the puck over," Crosby said. Once Malone got it on his stick, he moved down the slot and stuck a shot over [Jonas] Hiller's glove for his first of the season. Crosby's assist is his only point so far. The Penguins probably expected him to have more after two games, but have to be grateful simply to have him in uniform.

Sidney passes the puck around Sean O'Donnell

He was hobbled after blocking a Francois Beauchemin shot with the outside of his right foot during the first period. Crosby, who broke his left foot blocking a shot March 16, was in obvious pain and skated gingerly to the bench, but was able to return in the middle of the period. X-rays did not detect a fracture, although Crosby, who acknowledged that "it did swell up," operated at less than peak efficiency for the balance of the evening.

"He's a warrior, and he always finds a way to get things done," Malone said. "That's the important thing."

Odds for a win were against the Pens - until tonight's game, they had only won 2 of the last 10 home openers. It was a hard fought victory, but anyone that thought beating the defending Stanley Cup champs would be easy was grossly misinformed. So what does Sid think of the win? "It feels good," Crosby said. "Especially against them."

And before I let you go, I wanted to make sure I mentioned this next story:

Sidney Crosby and Mark Recchi have purchased suites at Mellon Arena for the 2007-08 Pittsburgh Penguins season and will make them available to numerous children’s charities throughout the region.

At the Penguins’ home opener on Saturday night against Anaheim, Crosby’s suite will host kids from the Make-A-Wish Foundation while Recchi’s suite will host Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Many other children’s charities will be involved throughout the season.

“We think it’s very important for professional athletes to give back to our community, and we can’t think of a better way than enabling kids who are disadvantaged or have special needs to experience the excitement of a Penguins game at Mellon Arena,” Crosby and Recchi said in a joint statement.

Recchi has actually been doing this for a number years now, and it's especially nice to see that Sid is following the Wreckin' Ball's lead by giving back to the community.

What To Expect From Sidney

Now you should probably sit down for a minute before I tell you where this next story came from. Are you sitting? Okay, don't say I didn't warn you: it came from ESPN.com. (I know! I thought the same thing: Is the Ice Bowl Winter Classic going to be played in hell now?) Well, E.J. Hradek of ESPN The Magazine felt that the NHL mattered enough at least to chime in with his speculations of what we're going to see from Sir Sidney in the 2007-08 season. Let's take a closer look at what Hradek's got to say.

No pressure, Sid, but everyone's expecting BIG things from you this season...

Obviously, Hradek isn't stupid. He pretty much states the obvious and tells us that Sid is going to be good this year:

...while he's a very unique athlete and he's mature beyond his years, Crosby just turned 20. We shouldn't forget that. Sometimes, when someone is this good, this fast, we tend to lose sight of that. We shouldn't.

On the flip side of that statement is a frightening message to opponents -- he's getting better. In fact, after rehabilitating his injured left foot, Crosby got back to some serious training. And, according to one source, Crosby feels he'll be stronger and faster as a result. Now there's some good news for the other 29 teams, eh? I guess they all should be happy that he's not 25 yet, when he'll be approaching his prime as an athlete.

For the record, though, Crosby's improved strength and speed will make him tougher to catch and harder to knock off the puck when you can get to him.

Hradek goes on to predict that "Darryl" will become a 40 goal scorer this season. He scored 39 in his rookie year and 36 last season, so this is where I respond to Hradek "Thanks for the newsflash, Tom Brokaw." Even people with limited knowledge about the sport of hockey could have safely predicted that one without worrying that they end up looking stupid.

The one spot Sid needs to work on according to Hradek (as well as most of the rest of hockey fans everywhere) is his faceoffs:

Last season, his 49.8 win percentage ranked him 52nd in the league. That was better than the 45.5 faceoff win percentage he posted during his rookie campaign. So, he is getting better on the draw. As he gets older and stronger (good faceoff guys use their experience and strength), we suspect his faceoff percentage will improve. Crosby understands the details of the game and knows the value of winning key faceoffs.

It's worth pointing out that faceoff percentages are actually a weakness throughout the entire Penguins team. Hradek closes the article with an observation that puzzles me:

Crosby also has done a good job at handling his celebrity status. That can be a problem in a hockey dressing room, where the emphasis should be on "team" rather than the individual. Crosby hasn't let the hype interfere with his focus. It's another reason why he's earned the respect of his teammates.

With two seasons of experience behind him, Crosby figures to have an even bigger impact on the game. The kid from Nova Scotia will continue etch his mark on the NHL.

This season, he'll again do everything for the Penguins … except buy the beer.

"Everything?" I think Therrien, Malkin, Staal, Roberts, Whitney, Fleury, et al. would beg to differ. I don't care how good a player is - Sid is the best in the entire league right now, but even he can't carry a whole NHL team by himself. Between this guy and the countless idiots that refer to the Penguins as "The Pittsburgh Crosbies," I don't know how these people have jobs as sports writers.

He doesn't work alone.

I don't know how I missed bringing you this. It's a couple of weeks old, but The Chronicle Herald Sports of the Nova Scotia News compiled a list of the 10 best players to have passed through the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. It may not shock you that Mario Lemieux has a firm hold on the number 1 spot. What may surprise you is that our title man Sid checks in at a stunning number 4:

4. Sidney Crosby, C (Rimouski Oceanic, 2003-05) — Not many people around here need an introduction to this guy. The Cole Harbour native is the reigning NHL scoring champion and is the face of hockey around the world. He holds the Q record for the most points by a 16-year-old with 135 in 59 games. But he also represents the modern QMJHL era because he is the first Maritimer to make a huge splash in the NHL since the league expanded to Halifax in 1994.

I'll leave you today with a very cool and very strange fact that was in my inbox this morning courtesy of Friend of The Show and "Saint Sid" nickname submitter Chris L.:

Here's an interesting thought. The only numbers ever retired by the Pens are Michel Briere (21) and Mario Lemieux (66).

21 + 66 = ??

"Look Ma, no helmet!!" Michel Briere - what a tragic loss.

Of course we all know that if the Penguins didn't retire #10 for Ron Francis, the next number to be retired by the organization will be number 87. It must be fate!!! :)

---

LATE EDIT:
I forgot to give credit: my friend Jonny V. from Commentorblog of The Pensblog pointed out the ESPN.com story.

Crosby Leaves Practice Early

Here's a bit of breaking news for you that comes to us by way of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Penguins captain Sidney Crosby left practice early today because of soreness in his groin. His status is day-to-day.

Crosby said he is hopeful he can still take part in the team-building exercises and maneuvers between today and Wednesday. He said the soreness is not as severe as his groin injury last season.

I'll bring you more on this story, if it even becomes an issue. He may have left for precautionary reasons (let's hope!).

HOLY CRAP!!! The Pens are playing with guns.

As you'll recall, the Penguins are in West Point this week for an intense training session at the military academy of the same name as the town. Last year's activities included "three grueling days of trudging through swamps, pushing cars up hills [ ← snoop: WHAT?!], and various other field exercises." A West Point Preview video can be found on the Penguins website (at the top of the article). Crosby had the following to say about their West Point "trainer" (pictured above):

Once again, First Sergeant J.B. Spisso, a former Army Ranger and current member of the New York National Guard, will oversee the Penguins’ training. He is a native of Greensburg.

“He’s the ultimate leader. He could be on our team and not even play and just be in the dressing room between periods. He’s the kind of guy who can motivate anyone to do anything,” Crosby said. “He really left a good impression from everyone. He showed a lot of care in what we did and followed us through the year. I think he was an inspiration to us to keep going and hopefully he’ll have the same effect this year.”

It's one thing for Sgt. Spisso to take the time to train these players for a couple of days; after all, he's more than likely being compensated handsomely for doing so. But for him to keep track of the team all year says a lot about how much he must have genuinely liked these young men. Anyone who watches the season ticket delivery videos can see that all of these guys - not just Sid - have great personalities. It truly seems like they all really care about the fans, and in my opinion, that's just one more reason Pittsburgh has such a great team.

Just a reminder to vote for Sid in AskMen.com's Top 49 poll. I told you about it last month, but I figured I should remind you again since voting ends soon. Expect results in October. Just click the banner below:

Crosby's Many Roles

It's well known that Sidney Crosby wears many hats. He's a son, a brother, a hockey player, a fashion mogul, a product spokesman, an award winner, the captain of his team, record breaker, the biggest star of the NHL, and the role model for kids across the world. Despite all of this, he remains shockingly grounded. That's why Wes Goldstein of CBSSports.com thinks there should be an award created especially for Saint Sid:

One of these days the NHL might have to consider creating a new award for Sidney Crosby. Something like Most Valuable Asset would probably do because right now it looks like the Player thing won't be enough to fully recognize the impact of the young superstar.

[...]

But in the post-lockout world Crosby's value to the Penguins franchise as a player might actually take a back seat to his importance to the NHL. Crosby played a critical role in saving the team from moving by exciting fans enough to push local politicians into a franchise-saving arena deal last year. He is also telegenic and humbly admirable, the closest thing the league has had to an icon in the U.S. since Gretzky and Mario Lemieux left the scene.

In the digital media age being embraced so fervently by the league these days, Crosby has clearly become the focal point for the NHL's short- and long-term marketing plans, and the primary face the NHL uses as it tries to attract a new generation of fans necessary for growth.

Pittsburgh's favorite multitasker

Another role Sid wants to add to his mile-long resume is that of penalty killer. To date, most of Sidney's PK appearances for the Penguins have been at the very end of the penalty in hopes that he could get the puck passed to the man emerging from the box for a chance at a breakaway. This season, however, could be different:

Coach Michel Therrien said yesterday between training camp practices at Mellon Arena that he is looking to add at least one more forward pairing to the two that carried much of the load last year, Maxime Talbot-Colby Armstrong, and Jordan Staal-Ryan Malone.

Several players will get a shot.

"We need to try to add more people," Therrien said. "There's [Jarkko] Ruutu, who has a little bit of experience with the way we play. And we're talking about a Crosby. We're talking about [an Evgeni] Malkin. We're talking about [an Erik] Christensen."

[...]

"I want to make sure I can do a good job and I'm responsible out there, but, yeah, I'm interested," Crosby said. "Your first responsibility is not to get scored on," he said. "At the same time, I would have to use my instincts and if I see a chance maybe I can be a threat offensively. Maybe I can back them off and create something. You've got to look at the risk and rewards."

Hmmm... Sounds to me like someone wants a shot at the "Most Short Handed Goals" title this season! Gronk's got some competition!!! :)

It's (Finally) A New Season

Today is the second day of training camp for the Penguins. Today also marked the beginning of individual ticket sales for Pens games. I was up at 9:30 am waiting for Ticketmaster to release the tickets promptly at 10:00 am. I wanted to buy tickets for 2 games: the home opener and home closer. I had a slight problem with my purchase - I tried to order tickets for each game simultaneously using 2 tabs in my web browser, which apparently the Ticketmaster website doesn't like very much - and in the 5 minutes it took for me to figure out that it wasn't working, the home opener was sold out. Well, at least as far as getting 2 seats together. After all, I can't go without my husband! Or can I??? (Just kidding!)

So I while I was unable to get tickets to the October 6 game against the defending Stanley Cup champions, I was able to score tickets to the April 2 game against our cross-state rivals! And with my husband's access to his company's Mellon Arena luxury box and the owner of my company offering me the chance to purchase some of the tickets to the games he can't go to from his half season plan, I will most likely be going to more than one game this season. And I promise you I will take some sweet pictures (and probably have some funny stories) for you! :)

Back to the Penguins' training camp. Just before it started, Sidney told the Associated Press that he's fully aware of and comfortable with the high expectations that follow an incredible season like the last one:

Crosby understands a lot more is expected of these Penguins, even if it might not be until the playoffs.

"There's expectations, whether it's individually or as a team," he said. "But if you look back to last year, our focus was getting off to a good start and proving ourselves as a young team. It's only a year's difference and we have to keep doing that."

Another fact from that same article: Saint Sid still hasn't decided whether or not he will be using a Reebok stick this season or staying with his trusty Sher-Wood.

Now, I've got an update on Crosby's foot injury:

Sidney Crosby: Fully Recovered From Foot Fracture - 9/14/2007 12:58:54 PM

Update:
Crosby has completely recovered from a foot fracture suffered near the end of the regular season last year, according to GM Ray Shero, Fox Sports Radio 970 in Pittsburgh reports.

Recommendation:
Shero said that it was a matter of timing with Crosby, meaning that he had to rest the foot over the summer, which he did. While it's a bit hard to see Crosby scoring many more than the 61 power-play points he put up in 2006-07, there's no reason why he can't increase his numbers at even strength. Last year the organization struggled to find complementary linemates for the superstar. This season Petr Sykora and perhaps Gary Roberts, among others, will get a crack alongside Crosby.

WHEW!!! I feel a lot better now.

And finally, at the opening scrimmage, Crosby scored twice. One of those goals was a penalty shot facing netminder John Curry, a 23-year-old undrafted rookie from Boston University. Curry spoke of the experience to The Citizens Voice:

Minutes after he entered an intrasquad scrimmage, the 23-year-old undrafted rookie from Boston University had to face a penalty shot.

The shooter was Sidney Crosby.

The defending NHL MVP stickhandled in on goal and deposited a shot over Curry's right pad and under his blocker.

"It's a fun experience, I guess, until he buries it," Curry said. "I've got to get used to situations like that if I ever want to play in the NHL. I don't have to stop Sidney Crosby every time, but I've gotta be ready to make those types of saves.

"I'm not satisfied to get scored on so I can tell my friends I got scored on by Sidney Crosby. That's not what I'm here for."

Uh, welcome to the big leagues, Johnny!!! (Full details of the opening scrimmage game can be found here.)

ANOTHER Reason Canada > USA

Yes, Canadians get to have all the fun when it comes to hockey. They are treated to NHL broadcasts on REGULAR T.V. stations that everyone gets. Our title man Sidney Crosby is Canadian. Hockey is to Canada what football is to the United States. And now they have this:

Game On! With another NHL season right around the corner, hockey fans are getting ready to cheer their favourite teams and follow Canadian superstar Sidney Crosby's first season as captain of the fast-rising Pittsburgh Penguins.

But why just watch Sidney Crosby play on TV, when you could get the chance to fly to a game and meet him in person?

Meeting Sidney Crosby is just one of the incredible prizes the Pepsi(R), Lay's(R), Doritos(R), and Gatorade(R) brands will be awarding every hour, every day during the "Game On with Sidney Crosby" promotion running between September 9, 2007 and November 3, 2007.

I was THRILLED TO PIECES when Friend of The Show Eric B. sent me this link so I, too, could enter a contest for a chance to meet Sid at a game. But those hopes were soon dashed (okay, I know - but I'm being melodramatic for effect here) when I read this:

8. ELIGIBILITY: This Contest is open to all residents of Canada, 13 years of age or older...

Being that I live in central Pennsylvania, I am not eligible to enter said contest. But - even though I am green with envy - I encourage all our Canadian Friends to click here and enter this contest!!! If you win, take LOTS of pictures and send them my way!!! GOOD LUCK!

(Special thanks to fellow Crosby blogger Eric for sending me this information. Check out this blog entry for more details.)

[*Sigh*] Canadians are so lucky.

And finally, since we're talking about contests, congratulations go out to Friend of The Show Cassie C. has good news to share with us:

I won second prize in the NHLPA Pearson Award Fan Contest! I've known for some time but I got the release form today, so yeah, it's official. It'll be even better when I get the stuff. I get a jersey signed by either Lecavalier or Luongo (so close to getting Sid's which went to the grand prize winner). But, there's some other stuff in there, too. I can't remember what all it was, but it was funny because the guy that won was from New York, and the guy that got second was from Ottawa. And then there's me from Mississippi. :)

Congrats, Cass!