I blame Crosby

[redwinger4747 6]

With Therrien getting fired, I just wanted to put my 2 cents in regarding Pittsburgh. I think the Penguins' problems, present and future, are the fault of Crosby's $8.7 million contract. Not that Crosby isn't worth a lot of money, but imagine this for a minute: Two years ago, Crosby asks for a $6 million contract, and sends a message to Pittsburgh and the NHL, saying I'm here to win a cup in Pittsburgh, who's with me? I'm going to take a lot less money, who's with me? Then all of a sudden Malkin signs for $6 million, Malone wants to stay, and for less money. Orpik signs for less. A domino effect would have been started because Crosby, team captain and NHL golden boy, took a lot less money right away for the sake of winning. I mean what an opportunity he had. So I ask, why didn't he do this? For someone who idolized Yzerman and supposedly dreams of winning the cup like every Canadian, he has a lot to learn about sacrifice. And I don't even care if the money was on the table, he should have said no, I will play for 6, and then we can keep more of our players. I think Crosby was being incredibly selfish when he had the opportunity of a lifetime to start a culture of sacrifice and winning in Pittsburgh. He blew it.

[Statts 4]

The Pens offered the contract... so maybe they should have been smarter about the whole situation.

Crosby is making his money that was offered, so good for him.

[Doggy 130]

Did he file for arbitration or something? No. I'm sorry but this is completely absurd.

[seeinred 1,488]

Not every (and by every I mean any) team can be as awesome as Detroit.

[MacK_Attack 108]

With Therrien getting fired, I just wanted to put my 2 cents in regarding Pittsburgh. I think the Penguins' problems, present and future, are the fault of Crosby's $8.7 million contract. Not that Crosby isn't worth a lot of money, but imagine this for a minute: Two years ago, Crosby asks for a $6 million contract, and sends a message to Pittsburgh and the NHL, saying I'm here to win a cup in Pittsburgh, who's with me? I'm going to take a lot less money, who's with me? Then all of a sudden Malkin signs for $6 million, Malone wants to stay, and for less money. Orpik signs for less. A domino effect would have been started because Crosby, team captain and NHL golden boy, took a lot less money right away for the sake of winning. I mean what an opportunity he had. So I ask, why didn't he do this? For someone who idolized Yzerman and supposedly dreams of winning the cup like every Canadian, he has a lot to learn about sacrifice. And I don't even care if the money was on the table, he should have said no, I will play for 6, and then we can keep more of our players. I think Crosby was being incredibly selfish when he had the opportunity of a lifetime to start a culture of sacrifice and winning in Pittsburgh. He blew it.

Crosby did take discount by taking $8.7 million. He could've easily had $9.5 million (or more) like Ovechkin.

Edited February 16, 2009 by MacK_Attack

[Anomalously 0]

Why did Datsyuk take $6.7 million per year? Is it because he's a jerk, too?

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Hockey players are terrible people!

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

With Therrien getting fired, I just wanted to put my 2 cents in regarding Pittsburgh. I think the Penguins' problems, present and future, are the fault of Crosby's $8.7 million contract. Not that Crosby isn't worth a lot of money, but imagine this for a minute: Two years ago, Crosby asks for a $6 million contract, and sends a message to Pittsburgh and the NHL, saying I'm here to win a cup in Pittsburgh, who's with me? I'm going to take a lot less money, who's with me? Then all of a sudden Malkin signs for $6 million, Malone wants to stay, and for less money. Orpik signs for less. A domino effect would have been started because Crosby, team captain and NHL golden boy, took a lot less money right away for the sake of winning. I mean what an opportunity he had. So I ask, why didn't he do this? For someone who idolized Yzerman and supposedly dreams of winning the cup like every Canadian, he has a lot to learn about sacrifice. And I don't even care if the money was on the table, he should have said no, I will play for 6, and then we can keep more of our players. I think Crosby was being incredibly selfish when he had the opportunity of a lifetime to start a culture of sacrifice and winning in Pittsburgh. He blew it.

So you blame somebody for trying to maximize their worth/salary? People do that in all types of different jobs and careers all the time, whether they are a multi-millionaire or a blue collar worker.

[b.shanafan14 733]

Crosby is not a natural leader and he is wearing the 'C'. As much as his and Malkin's contracts (combined caphit of $17.4mil/season) are the reason for the thin talent pool around them, you can't entirely blame them for taking the money the Pens were dumb enough to offer them, that and they don't have a precedent like Lidstrom, Yzerman, Shanahan, and the countless other players who take huge haircuts like its nothing. It comes right down to the fact that two of the best hockey players on paper are right now not complete enough to push their mediocre team into the playoffs and aren't admirable or tactful enough to wear the 'C' in an organization with no real support leadership. Gimme the Flyers captain Mike Richards over Crosby on the all-around scale anyday, and Pavel hands down.

[redwinger4747 6]

Hockey players are terrible people!

Obviously thats not what I'm saying. But Crosby is going to wake up and it will be 6 years later, and he'll finally realize that Pittsburgh hasn't gotten past the first round and it's because of his giant contract that he has had no talented wingers to play with.

[BlakChamber 8]

With Therrien getting fired, I just wanted to put my 2 cents in regarding Pittsburgh. I think the Penguins' problems, present and future, are the fault of Crosby's $8.7 million contract. Not that Crosby isn't worth a lot of money, but imagine this for a minute: Two years ago, Crosby asks for a $6 million contract, and sends a message to Pittsburgh and the NHL, saying I'm here to win a cup in Pittsburgh, who's with me? I'm going to take a lot less money, who's with me? Then all of a sudden Malkin signs for $6 million, Malone wants to stay, and for less money. Orpik signs for less. A domino effect would have been started because Crosby, team captain and NHL golden boy, took a lot less money right away for the sake of winning. I mean what an opportunity he had. So I ask, why didn't he do this? For someone who idolized Yzerman and supposedly dreams of winning the cup like every Canadian, he has a lot to learn about sacrifice. And I don't even care if the money was on the table, he should have said no, I will play for 6, and then we can keep more of our players. I think Crosby was being incredibly selfish when he had the opportunity of a lifetime to start a culture of sacrifice and winning in Pittsburgh. He blew it.

So when you get offered a promotion at work, to be the fry manager all by yourself, are you going to turn it down to promote a culture of sacrifice and winning?

[redwinger4747 6]

So when you get offered a promotion at work, to be the fry manager all by yourself, are you going to turn it down to promote a culture of sacrifice and winning?

Yes, that hilarious. Not even a comparison. But If I was Crosby, I would have done exactly what I said. turned down 8.7 and taken 6 to send that message. Because if I was lucky enough to be an NHL player, I'd have the foresight to know that when I look back on my career, its championships that will last, not a few extra dollars.

[Anomalously 0]

Yes, that hilarious. Not even a comparison. But If I was Crosby, I would have done exactly what I said. turned down 8.7 and taken 6 to send that message. Because if I was lucky enough to be an NHL player, I'd have the foresight to know that when I look back on my career, its championships that will last, not a few extra dollars.

$13.5 million. Chump change.

[redwinger4747 6]

$13.5 million. Chump change.

Geez, I must say I am surprised that I am pretty much alone in this debate. Sometimes I can be surprised by how much people care about money, especially when we're talking about the difference between 6million and 8.7million. You're going to be REALLY rich either way, why wouldn't you want to look back on your career and know that you did everything you could to get your name on the Stanley Cup?

[MacK_Attack 108]

Yes, that hilarious. Not even a comparison. But If I was Crosby, I would have done exactly what I said. turned down 8.7 and taken 6 to send that message. Because if I was lucky enough to be an NHL player, I'd have the foresight to know that when I look back on my career, its championships that will last, not a few extra dollars.

I think the NHLPA would've been all over him if the league's most visible player took a big discount like that in his first contract after his ELC. He had to get something close to max money.

But hey, Ovechkin took $9.5 million and his team is doing OK. Maybe it isn't the money, but who is spending it.

[toby91_ca 620]

Okay, I just typed a long reply to this absurd, BS post, but I wasn't logged in properly.

I'll keep this version short. Please provide me with a single, just one, example of a Wing, scratch that, any player in league history that signed for about $1-1.5 million less than he could of when they were a similar situation to Crosby.

Not only did he take a discount, he's getting blamed for taking too much now? I thought the bashing of Crosby on here was somewhat funny, but this is getting a little weird.

[The Secret 304]

Yes, that hilarious. Not even a comparison. But If I was Crosby, I would have done exactly what I said. turned down 8.7 and taken 6 to send that message. Because if I was lucky enough to be an NHL player, I'd have the foresight to know that when I look back on my career, its championships that will last, not a few extra dollars.

He's just a kid man. If you would have offered me that much money at that age I would have been all over that. We are spoiled to see what we see in Detroit and I doubt you will see it happen anywhere else. Pittsburgh does not have anything the same as Detroit. What if Crosby made the sacrifice and no one else did, so they all grabbed up the money that he could have had? The poor kid is supposed to have the maturity and poise of a 30 year old before he even turned 20. I don't blame Sid for anything, not the media coverage, not the C on his chest, and definately not for having taken the money that was offered to him.

[Guest micah]

I don't recall Steve Yzerman offering to play for less money than he could have when he was Crosby's age. Stevey Y had already made over $50,000,000 off the Wings before he started to offer to take less for the good of the team.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

I don't like Crosby, but seriously, just no to the OP.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

With Therrien getting fired, I just wanted to put my 2 cents in regarding Pittsburgh. I think the Penguins' problems, present and future, are the fault of Crosby's $8.7 million contract. Not that Crosby isn't worth a lot of money, but imagine this for a minute: Two years ago, Crosby asks for a $6 million contract, and sends a message to Pittsburgh and the NHL, saying I'm here to win a cup in Pittsburgh, who's with me? I'm going to take a lot less money, who's with me? Then all of a sudden Malkin signs for $6 million, Malone wants to stay, and for less money. Orpik signs for less. A domino effect would have been started because Crosby, team captain and NHL golden boy, took a lot less money right away for the sake of winning. I mean what an opportunity he had. So I ask, why didn't he do this? For someone who idolized Yzerman and supposedly dreams of winning the cup like every Canadian, he has a lot to learn about sacrifice. And I don't even care if the money was on the table, he should have said no, I will play for 6, and then we can keep more of our players. I think Crosby was being incredibly selfish when he had the opportunity of a lifetime to start a culture of sacrifice and winning in Pittsburgh. He blew it.

I blame Crosby for global warming and infant mortality rates that are unacceptable.

Shanny, Stevie, Lidstrom, when did those guys start deferring salary and playing for less money?

Crosby and Malkin are barely old enough to buy beers. You expect them to not cash in in the prime of their careers? So because a couple of barely 20-somethings don't act like some of the great Red Wings did when they were in their thirties, you're going to "blame" them.

I love your little scenario where the team offers x amount of money and the player defiantly shouts "NO!". I will not accept that amount of money. I will take less and only less, by God!

I think you blew it the moment those rusty gears in your head started painfully turning to conjure up this beaut of a thread.

Edited February 16, 2009 by GordieSid&Ted

[BlakChamber 8]

Yes, that hilarious. Not even a comparison. But If I was Crosby, I would have done exactly what I said. turned down 8.7 and taken 6 to send that message. Because if I was lucky enough to be an NHL player, I'd have the foresight to know that when I look back on my career, its championships that will last, not a few extra dollars.

It's pretty easy to get on the interwebz and spend Crosby's money, or say you'd turn to 2.7 million a season, isn't it?

I can say if I win the lotto tomorrow, I'll give all the money to starving children in some backwoods country. Doesn't mean I'd actually do it when all that money is staring me in the face.

I understand there's a lot of (very ridiculous) hate for Crosby on this site, but this absolutely takes the cake.

[toby91_ca 620]

Still waiting for just one example....can't be that difficult can it?

[redwinger4747 6]

I blame Crosby for global warming and infant mortality rates that are unacceptable.

Shanny, Stevie, Lidstrom, when did those guys start deferring salary and playing for less money?

Crosby and Malkin are barely old enough to buy beers. You expect them to not cash in in the prime of their careers? So because a couple of barely 20-somethings don't act like some of the great Red Wings did when they were in their thirties, you're going to "blame" them.

I love your little scenario where the team offers x amount of money and the player defiantly shouts "NO!". I will not accept that amount of money. I will take less and only less, by God!

I think you blew it the moment those rusty gears in your head started painfully turning to conjure up this beaut of a thread.

^ It seems this pretty much sums up everyone's sentiment to my post. Alright fine, everyone disagrees, I can handle that. Crosby is almost exactly my age, and if it were me, I would have done what I said. As for Shanny, Stevie, Lidstrom, etc, none of that mattered before there was a salary cap. So that doesn't really apply. Okay, there isn't a great example of a player doing exactly what I said, taking less money right off the bat, in their prime, to really show commitment to wining. Someday maybe, someone will...

[toby91_ca 620]

Okay, there isn't a great example of a player doing exactly what I said, taking less money right off the bat, in their prime, to really show commitment to wining. Someday maybe, someone will...

Ummm, Crosby has already done that, he took $1-1.5 million less than he could have gotten. I don't even think the Wings have many examples of players taking that type of a discount even in later stages of their career. For example, some may look at Zetterberg's contract and suggest he could be getting $8 million, therefore, he took close to a $1.9 million discount, but I don't see that at all due to the crazy long contract he signed to get the cap hit down. The only real close example I can think of is Lidstrom....but going back to my original point, he's at the other end of his career.

[edicius 3,269]

I can't believe I'm defending Sid here, but...

It's not his fault. Blame Shero for throwing money at two players like he's Glen Sather, pre-salary cap, without any consideration for supporting cast. Blame Shero for mortgaging the team's future with the whole Hossa trade. Blame Shero for taking so long to recognize one of the locker room cancers in Michel Therrien.

I think all NHL players are overpaid, honestly - you're playing a game, for @#$%'s sake - but Sid's the poster boy of the league. His salary's not the issue. It's Shero's handling of the team dynamic on the Pens.