TSN.ca Staff
2/5/2007 7:49:29 PM
No player, not Sidney Crosby or anyone else, should ever get a free pass. If you commit a turnover in overtime that leads to the winning goal, like Crosby did against Montreal, you get called on it. And if you embellish a Frances Boullion high stick to the face or a Jason Blake jab to the mid-section, you're going to hear about that too.
But in the wake of criticisms from Ken Hitchcock to Ted Nolan to Aaron Downey, amid 21,000 Montreal fans chanting, "faker, faker" on Sunday afternoon, perhaps a little perspective is in order.
Sidney Crosby is 19 years old. He leads the NHL in scoring and by a considerable 12-point margin. He is arguably the game's best player.
If the worst anyone can come up with is that he tries too hard to create room for himself by overselling fouls, well, let's be real here. It is likely what he felt he had to do to survive minor and junior hockey. He's a smart kid, he will no doubt figure it out as he goes in the NHL.
Wayne Gretzky used to whine to the refs too much for some people's liking; Mario Lemieux used to disparage the game itself. They found their balance, so will Crosby.
FULL STORY
2/5/2007 7:49:29 PM
No player, not Sidney Crosby or anyone else, should ever get a free pass. If you commit a turnover in overtime that leads to the winning goal, like Crosby did against Montreal, you get called on it. And if you embellish a Frances Boullion high stick to the face or a Jason Blake jab to the mid-section, you're going to hear about that too.
But in the wake of criticisms from Ken Hitchcock to Ted Nolan to Aaron Downey, amid 21,000 Montreal fans chanting, "faker, faker" on Sunday afternoon, perhaps a little perspective is in order.
Sidney Crosby is 19 years old. He leads the NHL in scoring and by a considerable 12-point margin. He is arguably the game's best player.
If the worst anyone can come up with is that he tries too hard to create room for himself by overselling fouls, well, let's be real here. It is likely what he felt he had to do to survive minor and junior hockey. He's a smart kid, he will no doubt figure it out as he goes in the NHL.
Wayne Gretzky used to whine to the refs too much for some people's liking; Mario Lemieux used to disparage the game itself. They found their balance, so will Crosby.
FULL STORY
