Sunday, July 31, 2005
The Savior: The Pittsburgh Penguins did what they said they would do and drafted Canadian junior hockey superstar Sidney Crosby. NHL brass and hockey fans are hailing his entry as the beginning of a new era in professional hockey and the savior of the NHL, which was nearly forgotten during the strike that destroyed its entire 2004-05 season.
Crosby talent-wise may be the next Wayne Gretzky or Mario Lemieux, but my question is can he do for the Pens what he is expected to do for the NHL? Lemieux took the Pens to the next level from relative obscurity, winning two Stanley Cups in the early 90s. Gretzky also won a bunch of Stanley Cups in Edmonton, but also forced hockey into the mainstream, bringing the game to places that don't have ice like California, Florida and Arizona.
Can Crosby do the same? I'm just hoping he can get the Pens in the playoffs. He has the potential to be a hit in the Steel City. But he is never going to supplant the Steelers and young QB Ben Roethlisberger. Even when they won Stanley Cups, I don't think Lemieux was a bigger star than Barry Bonds (who was with the Pirates at the time) or Chuck Noll (who was on his way to retirement).
Crosby may be able to save hockey, but he may have to be in a hockey town to do it. Don't get me wrong -- it would not be healthy for the NHL for Crosby to be taken by the Red Wings or Canadians. But maybe he should end up in Boston, Toronto or Edmonton where the fans are die-hard and show up no matter how bad the teams are. Pittsburgh is a football town first, which means the Steelers, University of Pittsburgh Panthers, Penn State Nittany Lions, and all local high school teams, come first for most people. Hockey ranks somewhere below the Pirates, who haven't had a winning season in more than a decade.
Crosby is expected to take over the world. I'm wondering if he can take over Pittsburgh.
Crosby talent-wise may be the next Wayne Gretzky or Mario Lemieux, but my question is can he do for the Pens what he is expected to do for the NHL? Lemieux took the Pens to the next level from relative obscurity, winning two Stanley Cups in the early 90s. Gretzky also won a bunch of Stanley Cups in Edmonton, but also forced hockey into the mainstream, bringing the game to places that don't have ice like California, Florida and Arizona.
Can Crosby do the same? I'm just hoping he can get the Pens in the playoffs. He has the potential to be a hit in the Steel City. But he is never going to supplant the Steelers and young QB Ben Roethlisberger. Even when they won Stanley Cups, I don't think Lemieux was a bigger star than Barry Bonds (who was with the Pirates at the time) or Chuck Noll (who was on his way to retirement).
Crosby may be able to save hockey, but he may have to be in a hockey town to do it. Don't get me wrong -- it would not be healthy for the NHL for Crosby to be taken by the Red Wings or Canadians. But maybe he should end up in Boston, Toronto or Edmonton where the fans are die-hard and show up no matter how bad the teams are. Pittsburgh is a football town first, which means the Steelers, University of Pittsburgh Panthers, Penn State Nittany Lions, and all local high school teams, come first for most people. Hockey ranks somewhere below the Pirates, who haven't had a winning season in more than a decade.
Crosby is expected to take over the world. I'm wondering if he can take over Pittsburgh.
