Sidney Crosby

SIDNEY CROSBY WILL NOT TURN 21 UNTIL AUGUST…
NEVERTHELESS HEADING INTO THESE STANLEY CUP FINALS…
THE WEIGHT OF THE NHL IS SQUARELY ON HIS SHOULDERS…WHATELSE IS NEW…
NOT SINCE WAYNE GRETZKY IN THE 80’S HAS THE LEAGUE LOOKED TO ONE PLAYER TO CARRY IT INTO THE MAIN STREAM OF AMERICAN SPORTS…
BACK THEN IT WAS LEFT TO GRETZKY TO HEAL THE WOUNDS OF A COSTLY BATTLE WITH THE WHA…
TODAY THE NHL IS STILL TRYING TO RECOVER FROM THE DESTRUCTIVE LOCKOUT THAT WIPED OUT AN ENTIRE SEASON…
ON NEW YEARS DAY THE LEAGUE GOT A TASTE OF THE POWER OF CROSBY…
AT THE WINTER CLASSIC CROSBY SCORED THE WINNING GOAL IN A SHOOTOUT…
THE CELEBRATION THAT FOLLOWED MADE EVERY HI-LITE REEL FROM ESPN TO TSN…
THAT’S “STAR POWER”…AND YOU CAN NOT PUT A PRICE ON IT…
AS IMPORTANT AS THE REGULAR SEASON IS…THE MAIN ATTRACTION IS THE PLAYOFFS…
THE NHL HAS NOT HAD A GREAT STANLEY CUP FINAL SINCE THE RANGERS BEAT THE CANUCKS IN 1994…
AS PAINFULL AS THOSE MEMORIES MAYBE TO VANCOUVER FANS…
THANKS TO TELEVISION…THE SCENE OF MARK MESSIER HOISTING THE CUP AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN IS NOW APART OF THE AMERICAN SPORTS LANDSCAPE…
IT’S THOSE TV MOMENTS THAT LIVE FOREVER…
IT’S MICHAEL JORDON IN 1998 HITTING THE FINAL SHOT IN GAME 6 TO BEAT UTAH…
IT’S KIRK GIBSON HITTING A HOME RUN TO WIN GAME ONE OF THE 1988 WORLD SERIES…
IT’S PAUL HENDERSON SCORING THE SERIES WINNING GOAL IN 1972…
IN A PERFECT WORLD…THE NHL IS HOPING CROSBY CAN DELIVER A DEFINING MOMENT…
BUT WHAT MOST FANS WOULD SETTLE FOR…IS JUST A GREAT SERIES…
MUCH LIKE THE ONE LARRY BIRD AND MAGIC JOHNSON DELIVERED IN 1984 FOR THE NBA…
THAT 7 GAME SERIES WAS THE BEGINNING OF A GOLDEN AGE FOR THE LEAGUE…
THE NHL HAS NOT MADE IT EASY ON ITSELF…
BOTH GAMES 1 AND 2 OF THE CUP FINAL WILL BE SHOWN IN THE U.S. ON VERSUS…
AND THOSE GAMES WILL BE PLAYED DIRECTLY OPPOSITE OF NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL…WHICH INVOLVES THE DETROIT PISTONS…
THE GOOD NEWS IS…THE REST OF THE FINAL WILL BE SEEN IN THE U.S. ON NBC…
SO FOR SIDNEY CROSBY...THE WAIT IS OVER…IT’S NOW SHOW TIME…