Pittsburgh Captain

[dietzie27 0]

he spoke out because he knew something was wrong in the locker room. just because its crosby, hes trouble. if it were ovechkin speaking up, he would be a team leader. the kid is only 18, give him time to grow up. he had the balls to say what everyone on the team was thinking. it was a country club atmosphere with mario in there and olcyzk let it go on. the kid wants to win and he knew with that atmosphere, they had no chance. after olcyzk was gone, thing started to look bright. nobody cared about winning, so he spoke up. he said what was needed to be said and he is the problem?

[Chadd 916]

he spoke out because he knew something was wrong in the locker room. just because its crosby, hes trouble. if it were ovechkin speaking up, he would be a team leader. the kid is only 18, give him time to grow up.

He shouldn't get accused because he's Crosby, just like he shouldn't get a free ride for the same reason. The reality is, he has done things that make people question him. Just like Ovechkin took a beating after the WJC a couple years ago, Crosby's actions make people question him. I'm really starting to believe that every remaining Penguin fan is a blind homer.

[kosydar 0]

No 18 year old should ever publicly criticize his team and/or his coach, period. It doesn't matter if it is Sidney Crosby. What experience in the NHL does he have to compare this to? None. He hadn't earned his dues yet, and it certainly doesn't seem like he earned the respect of his teammates. Having the skills he does is one thing that will set him apart from others on the ice. Lacking common sense and maturity will only hurt him in the team aspect of the game.

[Chadd 916]

No 18 year old should ever publicly criticize his team and/or his coach, period. It doesn't matter if it is Sidney Crosby. What experience in the NHL does he have to compare this to? None. He hadn't earned his dues yet, and it certainly doesn't seem like he earned the respect of his teammates. Having the skills he does is one thing that will set him apart from others on the ice. Lacking common sense and maturity will only hurt him in the team aspect of the game.

Well said

[kkancho 6]

I dont know what all this Crosby hate is about because I think he's a great person (from what I read in his book at least) and saying he's a crybaby is just ridiculous if you see the "special" attention he gets from his opponents every game. And when he goes out to defend himself, he gets called immature while other players would do the same and they get called brave and gritty. Anyways, I'll vote for a Maxime Talbot/Sidney Crosby dual captaincy.

[UMWhockey 0]

he's a great person (from what I read in his book at least)

would you expect his book to paint him as anything else?

[DarkStar50 679]

Lead, follow, or get out of the way. Crosby gave the great vets, that everyone here thinks are so smart and such great leaders on the ice and in the room, the chance to do the job. They failed. He decided to step up and take the heat. More power to him. It takes a bigger set of balls to do what he's doing with all the criticism to follow than to sit back, do nothing, and collect his paycheck. Hey, that sounds like the "veteran" way! None of us have ever been in the room with Crosby. Only fools believe everything they read in the newspaper or on the internet. Some 18 year olds can act older than their age. Yzerman was captain at 19. Lets hear from a Red Wing historian what Stevie Y did at that age to earn the right to wear the C. I believe the Red Wings were as crappy in those days as the Pens are now. Giving the C to Recchi would be a bigger joke than giving it to Crosby. Crosby is in it for the long haul. Recchi's career will be over soon. If players don't want to get on board with Crosby, there are 29 other teams in the league.

[kosydar 0]

Do I believe every single report written on Crosby in the press? No. Besides, most of them kiss his ass, anyway. In my opinion Crosby really crossed the line with the role he decided to play, and the statements he decided to make. Under no circumstances should an 18 year old rookie assume that he is the leader of the team, regardless of how good he is. Bringing up the old argument, if he is such a good leader, why wasn't the captain of Rumoski? I know that he was an A, but never a C. Correct me if I'm wrong on this, but it seems like it would be a given a kid who had minimal leadership qualities combined with his skill would be the captain of his junior team. This is such a ridiculous argument.

[DarkStar50 679]

He never assumed he was the leader of the team. He just got tired of the "leaders" doing nothing. Athletes with that skill, talent, and tenacity usually also possess an intense desire to win at all costs. Nothing less than 100% effort is unacceptable. When an 18 year old kid sees less than 100% effort from veterans, his intensity to succeed may have overcome his better judgement in leadership but he wanted the team to succeed. What is wrong with that?

The reason this argument is ridiculous is that none of us know Crosby or the entire situation personally. We all seem to think we do, though, myself included.

[kosydar 0]

You bring up some good points. However, its not like everything he did in the season was for the best of the team. Not only did he lack discipline at times (110 PIMs, and from what I saw, a lot of them were stupid), but his actions alone divided the team. You're right in that we don't know everything that happened, but I think its fair to assume that many people on the team resented his actions, whether they were justified or not.

[Duder84 0]

i wonder if anybody ever told Crosby what he did is not condusive to earning respect....

[DarkStar50 679]

100 + points = a bit of respect.

?: Do you want him on your team or not?

[pantherfan 0]

Points don't always give respect, infact i don't see why it should give any respect at all

[DarkStar50 679]

Points = effort = results = a win or two, here and there. You can give lots of effort but no points for your efforts, if its a team full of no points(Pens) = nothing.

Do you want him on your team or not?

[QandA 0]

Points don't always give respect, infact i don't see why it should give any respect at all

I agree, he deserves no respect. Teams should not respect his abilities and should totally ignore him every game(sarcasm). If he is not respected by oppositions, than he'd have 150 points. I'm with darkstar on this one. He made some stupid decisions, stupid penalties, and once in a while said something stupid. However, he played balls out most of the time, took the team on his shoulders, and to be able to do that is a feat.

[GH_ID 0]

Amen!

[Duder84 0]

Points = effort = results = a win or two, here and there. You can give lots of effort but no points for your efforts, if its a team full of no points(Pens) = nothing.

Do you want him on your team or not?

What i meant was respect as a person, not a player. Sure he scored 100+ points as an 18 year old, but his constant whining and lack of maturity gets old fast, which in my mind takes him down more than a few notches in terms of respectability. Sure I'd be the first one to tell you I'll have him on my team, but I'd also make sure he shuts his mouth when necessary and teach him some life or social skills that might make him more respectable as a person. Captains are captains because players respect them not only as a player, but as a person, and in this case, Crosby is not quite there in my mind

[QandA 0]

From my point of view, almost everythign we know we see via the media. We do not know if he steps up in the dressing or if he cries, we do not know what his attitude is like. His emotions run overboard sometimes, other than his lack of composure on the ice, at times, I fail to see where he's such a whiner.

[Duder84 0]

You're right, we don't know what he's like in the dressing room. However, we do see what he does on the ice, and sometimes he, like you said earlier, he "made some stupid decisions, stupid penalties, and once in a while said something stupid", do you want to see your team captain do this? The guy who is supposed to reprsent the team? I'm pretty sure we've all seen clips of him chasing down the ref after a call right? He's a great player, and in time he could be a good captain, but until then he's got a lot of growing up to do

[QandA 0]

Once Sid gets the right core of players surrounding him, I'm sure he won't be making such stupid decisions. This is not an excuse, but I am usually a calm player, but when I'm playing with players who are unmotivated and not willing to win, I boil over and take stupid penalties and act stupid. Yes, it's immature, but if he gets motivated players I'm sure he will tone down a bit, but I rather have a guy play with desire and have his emotions go over board once in a while, as opposed to a guy who plays with no heart and has all the skills in the world. He's growing up, and he's doing great, and wheter not he is captain or not, I will still respect him.

[DarkStar50 679]

Bringing up the old argument, if he is such a good leader, why wasn't the captain of Rumoski?  I know that he was an A, but never a C. Correct me if I'm wrong on this, but it seems like it would be a given a kid who had minimal leadership qualities combined with his skill would be the captain of his junior team.  This is such a ridiculous argument.

I'd be willing to bet the captains of most teams in the QMJHL, OHL, and WHL are chosen by management and coaches, not by the players as some NHL teams are. The Habs players used to vote for their captain. Also, I don't understand your logic of minimal leadership skills but superior talent gets the C? Sometimes, its the other way around. The best leader is not always the best player. Key word: sometimes. Examples: Hatcher, Jason Smith. Exceptions: Gretzky, Messier, Mario, Yzerman.

[hockeytim18 0]

I'm sure you would get mad on the ice if you didn't feel your team wanted to win. I think thats where his attitude kicks in mainly.

[Chadd 916]

Let's just put a JC on his jersey since he's the second coming and get it over with.

[hockeytim18 0]

Make the J really small. I think we need someone better than Recchi to be Captain. I know you guys think Crosby is a punk but he'll say whatever is needed to say. We should alternate the C between Crosby and Recchi every 5-10 games.

[Adam91 0]

Right now Pittsburgh has knowone who I would consider captain marterial.

Go with 3 or 4 A's for a season or maybe even two then see in a few years what guys have developed.. someone like a Whitney or possibly Crosby