Where Were You When…
One year ago today was the day we were all waiting for. Sidney Crosby was coming back.
After being sidelined with a concussion since January, Sid worked hard all summer, going to difference doctors across North America and practicing as soon as he was cleared for contact. After whisperings of how good he looked in practice and how any game could be the game, on November 20th, the Penguins Twitter account sent the hockey world into a tizzy with this tweet
Forget People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” issue. The Russian edition of OK! magazine released their list of most eligible bachelors and look who topped the list. Our very own Evgeni Malkin!
Now, I don’t understand Russian, so I don’t really know what else the issue is saying. All I know for certain is that Geno is considered the most eligible bachelor in Russia by a tabloid magazine.
It’s been a breakout year for Geno. 50 goal season, Art Ross winner, Hart and Lindsay award winner, and now the most eligible bachelor title. I wonder how he’ll rank this with those other honours.
Geno isn’t the first Penguin to make a list like this. Back in 2009, Sidney Crosby was named one of Hello! Canada’s Most Beautiful Canadians. He was also chosen as one of People Magazine’s Surprising Hottie’s of the Winter Olympics. Don’t look at me, I didn’t come up with that title.
Through all this CBA nonsense, one thing remained the same: Sidney Crosby’s positive attitude.
He’s always said that he believes both sides would come to an agreement and that there will be a season. Whether he was programmed to say this or whether he truly believed it was another story, but it was almost adorable how positive he stayed.
However, that is all changing.
In a new interview posted by Shelly Anderson of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Crosby is letting his frustration be known and he doesn’t care who knows it.
“It’s just frustrating. You kind of hear the same things coming out of the meetings all the time. Just waiting to hear something new from their side. It’s almost to the point where you don’t want to ask because you know you’re going to get the same answer you got a week before. There’s no reason we can’t figure something out”.
He’s also getting annoyed with the owners involved in this. Awkward, considering his relationship with Penguins’ co-owner Mario Lemieux.
“It’s pretty 1-sided. I don’t really know what (the owners) have given up to this point. They’re trying to take away all the contracting rights. The question I’d ask is why would we change that? I think we all think it’s the most competitive league in the world so why would you go and change that — the way contracts go and the way teams can operate? If it’s not broke, don’t fix it”.
While Sid says he understands where the owners are coming from, he doesn’t think the way they’re handling things is any good.
“I understand their point. At the end of the day it’s dollars, but at the end of the day you want to get a deal done. I don’t think they’re going to get a deal done if they’re trying to take away guys’ contracting rights”.
While he wants to remain optimistic, Sidney admits it’s getting harder.
“I really want to be optimistic. It’s not easy right now. It’s just a roller coaster … I don’t know what’s going to happen”.
If there’s one player who is itching to get back onto the ice, it’s probably Sidney Crosby.
For the first time in ages, he’s fully healthy, in the best shape of his life, and ready to go. Of course, the NHL decides that this is the best time to have a lockout.
However, if he’s ready to go and wants to play, why hasn’t Sid followed Evgeni Malkin, Patrice Bergeron, and countless other players and signed in a European league yet? Or, why hasn’t he participated in any of the charity games that former Penguin Max Talbot organized in Quebec? Both Marc-Andre Fleury and Kris Letang did.
Simple: the insurance cost.
Turns out, thanks to his history with concussions, insuring Sidney could cost up to $400,000 a month. Yeah, $400,000.
But, I hear you say, Sid is worth that risk, is he not?
Sure he is, but Sid told Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that it’s just not that easy. Most European clubs can’t afford that, and charity games for sure can’t put up that kind of money, no matter who the star is.
Despite that, reports from 25stanley.com are saying that the Zurich Lions of Switzerland are actively trying to get Sid to sign with them for the duration of the lockout. Dustin Brown, captain of the LA Kings, just signed there yesterday. Not too sure how accurate these reports are, but keep watching this space. Considering the season is all but done, there’s a good chance this will happen.
Black Tie Required 