NHL Staff Writer: "Is [Crosby] Perfect?"

[RyanK 1]

Absolutely not.

Hockey is a team sport; if your team only has offensive firepower, you're not going to make it very far.

Obvious.

As obvious as the fact that I just don't like him and wouldn't have anything favorable to say about him. I simply hurtled a cheap insult.

[esteef 2,679]

One undeniable fact though...whining aside, the Detroit Red Wings, and there are probably 2 to 4 of them, dive far more than Crosby does.

That's right, I said it. We may not whine like Crosby "does" and I don't believe he's nearly the whiner that people make him out to be. But we clearly, and the Anaheim series proved it, dive more than any team I have ever seen. Personally, I find it unsportsmanlike and distasteful and just needed to throw that out there seeing as how this is our standard, weekly, Crosby *****-fest thread.

In fairness, I know what Anaheim game you're talking about and the obvious dives by the Wings were directly in response to two hideous dives by the Ducks to get them a yummy 5-3 against us. Overall, I think diving goes up in the playoffs, but I don't know that I've seen the Wings dive THAT much.

esteef

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

I don't give a damn if anyone flat out said CINDY CROSBY IS THE PERFECT PLAYER, the fact that the question was even asked was an insult to better players, like one's who have actually lifted a cup. That's all.

This is just a dumb, overreaching, ridiculous statement.

Put Crosby on the worst team in the league, with 17 of the worst skaters and the worst 2 goalies ever to exist. He could very well be the greatest player playing but that team isn't going to win a cup.

Secondly, there are players who have their name on the cup who couldn't wipe sid's ass.

I think Jamie Pushor has his friggin' name on the Cup somewhere.

Don't use such a broad brush amigo.

[Theophany 110]

Obvious.

As obvious as the fact that I just don't like him and wouldn't have anything favorable to say about him. I simply hurtled a cheap insult.

At least I didn't ask the retarded question of, "so if Crosby were perfect, wouldn't he have lifted the Cup last year?"

It's obvious that you don't like him, nor have anything to add to the thread. Don't let the door hit your ass too hard on your way out.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Crosby isn't perfect. Unfortuantely he does cruel stuff like hunt wabbits and Elmers when he should just be hunting ducks.

All right that wasn't really funny. *shrugs*

[VM1138 1,921]

Crosby is certainly elite, and he's among the top group, but there's no way he's the greatest player in the world. In my mind it's not even debatable. The stats alone disprove this, then add on all the intagibles that push other players ahead of him. He's not even the best int he world right now, let alone the best ever.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

In fairness, I know what Anaheim game you're talking about and the obvious dives by the Wings were directly in response to two hideous dives by the Ducks to get them a yummy 5-3 against us. Overall, I think diving goes up in the playoffs, but I don't know that I've seen the Wings dive THAT much.

esteef

We'll just have to disagree esteef. I think we dive more than any team in the league. Hard to admit as a Wings fan but it's sad IMO.

Hossa-dive on Niedermayer

Hudler-dive on Getzlaf (wasn't called a penalty)

Franzen-dive on Getzlaf (wasn't called a penalty)

Franzen-dive against Chicago (Devorski mocked him with the dive motion, commentators laughed about it = embarrassing. Luckily they didn't dwell on it)

Those are off the top of my head.

Granted, all teams have players that dive. And every player knows to whip their head back if they get grazed by a stick or even lightly popped in the kisser. That's not what I am talking about though.

I'm talking about the straight up, somebody breathed on me or I felt a stick and BOOM, down I go like a giant redwood.

We dive alot. Maybe not so much this series or against Columbus as we were always winning, but against Anaheim. That was atrocious.

Seriously, how many times in history can you recall seeing opposing players literally tell somebody to get the "f*** up" off the ice like Getzlaf did to Franzen after lightly popping him with the back of his glove? That little video clip actually had some legs and thankfully for us it didn't get more airplay. IMO that was ******* embarrassing.

I was always taught to stay on your damned feet no matter what. If somebody is going to drag you down then they're gonna have to hog tie you and tackle you to do it. It's a real pet peeve of mine so I pay alot of attention to it. And when the Wings do it I pay especially close attention to it b/c as a fan, it disappoints me.

[esteef 2,679]

We'll just have to disagree esteef. I think we dive more than any team in the league. Hard to admit as a Wings fan but it's sad IMO.

Hossa-dive on Niedermayer

Hudler-dive on Getzlaf (wasn't called a penalty)

Franzen-dive on Getzlaf (wasn't called a penalty)

Franzen-dive against Chicago (Devorski mocked him with the dive motion, commentators laughed about it = embarrassing. Luckily they didn't dwell on it)

Those are off the top of my head.

Granted, all teams have players that dive. And every player knows to whip their head back if they get grazed by a stick or even lightly popped in the kisser. That's not what I am talking about though.

I'm talking about the straight up, somebody breathed on me or I felt a stick and BOOM, down I go like a giant redwood.

We dive alot. Maybe not so much this series or against Columbus as we were always winning, but against Anaheim. That was atrocious.

Seriously, how many times in history can you recall seeing opposing players literally tell somebody to get the "f*** up" off the ice like Getzlaf did to Franzen after lightly popping him with the back of his glove? That little video clip actually had some legs and thankfully for us it didn't get more airplay. IMO that was ******* embarrassing.

I was always taught to stay on your damned feet no matter what. If somebody is going to drag you down then they're gonna have to hog tie you and tackle you to do it. It's a real pet peeve of mine so I pay alot of attention to it. And when the Wings do it I pay especially close attention to it b/c as a fan, it disappoints me.

Oh I agree diving sucks, but outside of the Anaheim series I just don't know that they're doing it any more than anyone else in the playoffs. The Hossa-Nederfag one was certainly a dive and one that was because of the 5-3 the Ducks got (and scored on) by diving. Actually, I think there was another one too right before Hossa's that was borderline and we got the call. I think the Wings were merely trying to level the diving field if you will against the Ducks.

esteef

[mjlegend 155]

I've seen every single team in the final four take dives. After the refs fell for the Pronger dive, I don't think the Wings' ones have been that egregious.

The overexposure of Crosby (his mug was in the same two commercials over and over around All-Star Game-time) has created a backlash among a lot of hockey fans who see the game as a team sport. Even if he was approaching Gretzky-like dominance at the NHL level (which he isn't), I've seen too much of his face already without even seeing a puck drop.

[Zetterling 16]

I'm surprised they gave us a "no" option.

Crosby, "Perfect"? Oh gag me.

Voting options for Crosby:

Great Player

Gretzkyish

Greatest Player Ever

Edited May 21, 2009 by Zetterling

[tdinc 45]

[Guest micah]

Oh I agree diving sucks, but outside of the Anaheim series I just don't know that they're doing it any more than anyone else in the playoffs. The Hossa-Nederfag one was certainly a dive and one that was because of the 5-3 the Ducks got (and scored on) by diving. Actually, I think there was another one too right before Hossa's that was borderline and we got the call. I think the Wings were merely trying to level the diving field if you will against the Ducks.

esteef

I'm not a Ducks fan, so when Ducks dive, I'm just disapointed. I'm not supposed to like the Ducks. I'm a Wings fan. When the Wings dive (and they do - alot - especially that prissy ***** Franzen) I get mad at them. I notice more dives from the Wings than any other team, but maybe that's because I care about the Wings more than any other team.

I am opposed to diving, even in retaliation for a dive. The propper response is (though not in the playoffs unless it's a blowout) "I'll give you something to dive about, *****!" followed by a right to the jaw.

[tommingthepuck96 1]

Reasons why i hate NHL writers very much...

[Firehawk 305]

Let's just say, if Crosby played against the Western Conference Talent all year long, he would not be hitting the 100pt mark. Sorry, but the east is a complete level below the west.

You heard it here first .

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

Malkin is no. 1 in points this regular season and only no.2 to sid in the playoffs... where's his picture plastered everywhere?

NHL marketing blows, always has, and I don't predict immediate change.

[Theophany 110]

Malkin is no. 1 in points this regular season and only no.2 to sid in the playoffs... where's his picture plastered everywhere?

NHL marketing blows, always has, and I don't predict immediate change.

Malkin is a russian, ergo 'not as important'.

[themoose 0]

there still going at it...semin had a broken foot throughout the series and varlamov had more playoff games then regular season games they need to get over the win

[Dabura 12,232]

WE'RE GOING TO A GAME 6

[Guest Shoreline]

Malkin is no. 1 in points this regular season and only no.2 to sid in the playoffs... where's his picture plastered everywhere?

NHL marketing blows, always has, and I don't predict immediate change.

Please don't ever go into marketing, if you both can't figure out why Crosby is more marketable than Malkin, and that POINTS in this year's playoffs isn't going to determine who is marketable and who is not.

When it comes to Crosby, Red Wings fans here look like the crybabies. I've never seen fans whine and obsess more about a single player in my life.

Given the other topic here that's on top of GD, I imagine the next topic about Crosby is how he takes a s***.

Edited May 22, 2009 by Shoreline

[mjlegend 155]

Given the other topic here that's on top of GD, I imagine the next topic about Crosby is how he takes a s***.

By the end of the Carolina series, there will likely be an article on that topic on NHL.com, as well as a series of Charmin commercials that will be played eight times a period on the NBC games.

[Guest Shoreline]

By the end of the Carolina series, there will likely be an article on that topic on NHL.com, as well as a series of Charmin commercials that will be played eight times a period on the NBC games.

See, he IS marketable!

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

Please don't ever go into marketing, if you both can't figure out why Crosby is more marketable than Malkin, and that POINTS in this year's playoffs isn't going to determine who is marketable and who is not.

When it comes to Crosby, Red Wings fans here look like the crybabies. I've never seen fans whine and obsess more about a single player in my life.

Given the other topic here that's on top of GD, I imagine the next topic about Crosby is how he takes a s***.

My point isn't that crosby isn't an amazing player and it's not that he shouldn't be publicized (some). My annoyance is having his name shoved down my throat every time I look at a site not for hardcore fans. Crosby's whole contribution to that article was a total of 2 spoken sentences. I think Malkin (or Datsyuk, Z, Ward, Toews, Kane....) could handle that for a writeup. I also think that the whole he has to be US or Canadian to be marketable is complete bulls*** after you look at basketball, football, baseball, or soccer.

[Guest Shoreline]

My point isn't that crosby isn't an amazing player and it's not that he shouldn't be publicized (some). My annoyance is having his name shoved down my throat every time I look at a site not for hardcore fans. Crosby's whole contribution to that article was a total of 2 spoken sentences. I think Malkin (or Datsyuk, Z, Ward, Toews, Kane....) could handle that for a writeup. I also think that the whole he has to be US or Canadian to be marketable is complete bulls*** after you look at basketball, football, baseball, or soccer.

Well let's see.. Ovechkin is used fairly often. Malkin obviously is not a spotlight seeker. He doesn't care for it, doesn't seek it, and thus there's no attraction to his dull personality. Crosby sells jerseys and tickets by himself more than any other player in the league. That, my friend, is a fact.

It's obvious that people going nuts about Crosby being in the spotlight has to do with jealousy.

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

Well let's see.. Ovechkin is used fairly often. Malkin obviously is not a spotlight seeker. He doesn't care for it, doesn't seek it, and thus there's no attraction to his dull personality. Crosby sells jerseys and tickets by himself more than any other player in the league. That, my friend, is a fact.

It's obvious that people going nuts about Crosby being in the spotlight has to do with jealousy.

How quickly memories of the All-star game fade.

[Guest Shoreline]

How quickly memories of the All-star game fade.

If you judge by one game, over 40 people are suddenly marketable.

I can't say I agree with half the s*** Bettman or the league does, but it's insane how irrational Wings jealousy of Crosby is.