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Crosby For Sportsman Of The Year
by Paul on 11/18/09 at 12:27 PM ET
Comments (49)
from Michael Farber of Sports Illustrated,
Sports Illustrated will announce its choice for Sportsman of the Year on Dec. 1. Here’s one of the nominations for that honor by an SI writer.
The first time I saw Sidney Crosby he was a 16-year-old making the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League rounds of Halifax, Sydney, and his home base of Rimouski, which struck me as the equivalent of Mozart playing in a farmer’s field. Obviously, Crosby was a prodigy. He was exquisitely gifted for someone not physically imposing (although he did have great hockey haunches) and was blessed with a vision of the ice as instinctive as it was impressive.
“So?” a friend asked when I returned from the trip. “Real deal?”
“I’m can’t guarantee he’ll ever win the Hart,” I told him, “but I promise you he’ll never win the Lady Byng.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Pittsburgh Penguins | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Sidney+Crosby,
Comments
Why is it so absurd that the Captain of this years Stanley Cup winning team is a nominee for Sportsmen of the Year?
Oh, thats right, you’re a Wings fan.
Posted by Kstewy16 on 11/18/09 at 12:35 PM ET
Why is it so absurd that the Captain of this years Stanley Cup winning team is a nominee for Sportsmen of the Year?
Oh, thats right, you’re a Wings fan.
Posted by Kstewy16 on 11/18/09 at 12:35 PM ET
Or because when you look at what the award is presented for :
‘award to “the athlete or team whose performance that year most embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement,”’ you realize that his achievement was great but the ‘sportsmanship’ that he is supposed to show is lacking. On top of that, when you consider the other NHLers who were presented with ‘Sportsman of the Year,’ you see what personal awards they won that season. Your Aptain doesn’t even come close.
Posted by clemshady from Greenwood, SC on 11/18/09 at 12:49 PM ET
Thats right I forgot that Crosby didn’t shake Nick Lidsrom’s hand. (You get it! I left the T out of his name because he doesn’t have any testicles any more!!!! OMFG I"M SO F’ING FUNNY!!!!!!) 
Posted by Kstewy16 on 11/18/09 at 12:53 PM ET
although he did have great hockey haunches
I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.
Posted by Spocks Brain on 11/18/09 at 12:57 PM ET
Actually, I wasn’t talking about as much as his penchant to punch guys in the nuts at faceoffs and whine to the refs about every call. Regardless, my point remains the same.
Posted by clemshady from Greenwood, SC on 11/18/09 at 12:58 PM ET
‘70 Bobby Orr
‘80 U.S.A. Ice Hockey Olympic Team
‘82 Wayne Gretzky
‘09 Sidney Crosby???
Babcock pumped Crosby’s hand and said, “Great leadership.”
Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 11/18/09 at 01:20 PM ET
Nominee? Probably
Sportsman of the Year? I don’t think so
My thought on opinion awards like this that if you have to convince other people that the person is deserving of the award, they don’t deserve the award.
Posted by Mike Serven on 11/18/09 at 01:22 PM ET
‘70 Bobby Orr
‘80 U.S.A. Ice Hockey Olympic Team
‘82 Wayne Gretzky
‘09 Sidney Crosby???
Babcock pumped Crosby’s hand and said, “Great leadership.”
Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 11/18/09 at 01:20 PM ET
Precisely my point.
Posted by clemshady from Greenwood, SC on 11/18/09 at 01:32 PM ET
The Penguins accomplished something last year. Crosby was pretty invisible in the Finals. Sportsman of the year? No way.
Posted by James from NY on 11/18/09 at 01:48 PM ET
one day the NHL might date the years prior to 2005 as B.C., as in Before Crosby
This has to be the most disgusting line in the entire article, even beyond the “hockey haunches” comment. Everything in this line is wrong, and for patently obvious reasons.
Babbles didn’t send out “his top guns” against Crosby, just Zetterberg. And as much as I love Babbles, one comment from him isn’t going to convince me of anything.
For those of you who don’t understand why we Wings fans don’t think Rosby is a good leader, try to remember that we had one of the greatest leaders in sport for 22 years as Captain. Next is the greatest D-men of his generation and one of the best of all time. We’ve also been witness to Shanahan, Federov, Slava Fetisov (first to break with Tikinov and the Soviet system), Larionov (pioneered the “puck possession” system with the Russian 5, and simply one of the greatest players of all hockey), Fedorov and Scotty Bowman. The list could go on, but you get the point. I hope.
The kid has a lot of talent and *could* be a great sportsman. However, until I am able to say his name in the same breath as those mentioned above, without gagging, I’ll take issue with the absurd Rosby idolatry.
Posted by Osrt on 11/18/09 at 02:01 PM ET
I don’t care about the nomination. They would have nominated Ovechkin if he wore the C in Washington. Crosby’s is a filler name. I’ll put money that Tebow wins the award.
Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 11/18/09 at 02:24 PM ET
Well, I never thought anyone could top the absurdity of the Nobel Peace Prize this year, but well done SI.
Posted by Red Winger from Sault Ste Marie on 11/18/09 at 02:40 PM ET
Why is it so absurd that the Captain of this years Stanley Cup winning team is a nominee for Sportsmen of the Year?
Name me the other years where the captain of the SC winning team is a nominee for the award.
It doesn’t happen, and SI still doesn’t “get” hockey.
It’s why I stopped subscribing years ago.
Posted by Primis on 11/18/09 at 02:52 PM ET
I’ll put money that Tebow wins the award.
Posted by J.J. from Kansas
Good call.
Posted by Osrt on 11/18/09 at 02:57 PM ET
I recently heard a hockey beat writer talk about Team Canada’s captaincy. Apparently people close to Mike Babcock say he is so impressed with Sidney Crosby that if it were up to Babcock, he’d name Crosby captain of Team Canada.
I don’t care either way and am a neutral party in this debate, but personally, I would love to see that outcome—only to see Wings’ fans heads explode.
Posted by Force Majeure on 11/18/09 at 03:17 PM ET
I recently heard a hockey beat writer
which one? I mean, I’m sure you know so many that they get all jumbled…but do enlighten us.
Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 11/18/09 at 03:41 PM ET
If leadership is part of the definition of Sportsman of the Year, let’s not forget that it took a coaching change to get the Penguins headed in the right direction last season.
Posted by Mike Serven on 11/18/09 at 03:48 PM ET
which one?
Chief, since when do you care about facts?
Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 11/18/09 at 03:50 PM ET
Chief, since when do you care about facts?
Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 11/18/09 at 03:50 PM ET
A matronly figure in my life convinced me of their value Richard.
Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 11/18/09 at 03:53 PM ET
That’s my limit 5 comments.I can’t fight you on two tabs.
Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 11/18/09 at 03:57 PM ET
Does SI have an editor working for their website, or is that just for the print mag?
“I’m can’t guarantee he’ll ever win the Hart,”
Of course, not being Lady Byng-worthy does not disqualify him form being the 2009 Sportsman of the Year.
Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 11/18/09 at 04:06 PM ET
Babcock says the right things about Rosby because he’s a class act. It’s as simple as that. Don’t take his words to heart.
And… haunches?
Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 11/18/09 at 04:18 PM ET
“but I promise you he’ll never win the Lady Byng.”
There seems to be some kind of conflict of logic here
Sports Illustrated
‘award to “the athlete or team whose performance that year most embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement,”
Lady Byng
“player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability”“
Here it is:
“gentlemanly conduct” is part of the criteria—shall forever elude him.”
Some how being a ball-punching, cheap-shotting, whiny little bitch disqualifies you from gentlemanly conduct but still allows you to exemplify sportsmanship. Maybe having your league market you as an all time great mitigates this discrepancy.
Good Player: yes, one of the leagues best
Good Sportsmanship: Hell no
Posted by Chris in A^2 from Nyquist Puck Control on 11/18/09 at 04:26 PM ET
Larry Brooks of the NY Post summed it up on Twitter today:
Would be easier to endorse Farber’s nomination of 87 if he’d shaken hands with Lidstrom and not blown off Babcock. But that’s just me.
http://twitter.com/NYP_Brooksie/status/5834587197
Posted by inhyung from I'm still a New Yorker, damnit on 11/18/09 at 04:28 PM ET
That ENTIRE “nomination” is full of contradictions. It is far from a ringing endorsement.
Answer me this, if you asked your boss for a recommendation and it came out something like the following, how thrilled would you be?
“Joe Worker is the best employee I’ve ever had. Granted, he steals from the office ALL the time, but man, he can work a spreadsheet. And sure, he shows up late every morning and never has a good excuse. But how can you overlook his ability to place a conference call. And yes, he’s been the subject of a dozen sexual harassment lawsuits - but his jokes at lunchtime are worth it! I wholeheartedly recommend that you hire Joe, just make sure you take out some fire insurance (he’s a crafty little arson). Sincerely, M. Farber”
Posted by CaptNorris5 from The Winged Wheel, stuck in Chicago on 11/18/09 at 04:37 PM ET
I totally agree with all the Wings fans here. Sports Illustrated has completely lost all credibility:
?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF19356863F2C054EB266F2E3C069B53FA12826FD13ED7B73D4BC
Did you guys close yet? Your rabbit ears for all things Pens or Crosby-related make your claims that Pens fans are the ones who obsess over the Wings hilarious. A moment or two of self-awareness would do you clowns some good. Bitch.
Posted by Standard A2Y Fare on 11/18/09 at 04:39 PM ET
Let’s try that again with a different image link:
I totally agree with all the Wings fans here. Sports Illustrated has completely lost all credibility:
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/88163334/Sports-Illustrated
Did you guys close yet? Your rabbit ears for all things Pens or Crosby-related make your claims that Pens fans are the ones who obsess over the Wings hilarious. A moment or two of self-awareness would do you clowns some good. Bitch.
Posted by Standard A2Y Fare on 11/18/09 at 04:41 PM ET
Bottom line is that Crosby should not win it. Nominating him is a no-brainer. As far as the qualities of sportsmanship and excellence go? I’m sorry, but he’s not the person in the NHL that exemplifies those qualities the best. Like it or not, that’s Nick Lidstrom.
Pens fans have dragged Lidstrom’s name around for the handshake incident, but that’s wholly undeserved. Crosby didn’t show up to the line, Lidstrom shook everybody’s hand and waited for a bit before skating off for the locker room. Lidstrom is at just as much fault as Crosby for the fact that the two of them never shook hands. Be mad at Kris Draper who called him out on it, not on Lidstrom, who was never anything less than classy about it.
Crosby also gets a lot of credit for revitalizing the league, but really how much of that is Crosby? I give him full marks for not punching a cabby or getting caught in a strip club or doing anything else to sully his repuation, but it’s Crosby’s image (as created by the league) that’s done the most work. He’s done great things for the community and has shown up and smiled every time he’s been told to, but his primary job in this whole campaign is just to not screw up. I have no reason to believe he’s not a nice or likable guy off the ice, I just think there are a lot of people behind him that deserve as much credit as he does for the good will things he’s done.
This may be an award that Crosby could eventually grow into, but in a season that’s seen him actually miss an offensive zone powerplay faceoff because he was too busy jawing at the refs, I think he’s just not there yet.
Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 11/18/09 at 04:47 PM ET
OK, as I menioned a few days ago, I am asking people to keep the comments on topic.
One guest, not a KK member, has been using multiple names to post and won’t be able to post from now on.
Please keep the comments on topic.
Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 11/18/09 at 04:51 PM ET
Nice call about the Lady Byng, Farber. Did he not get the memo that Pavel Datysuk OWNS the Lady Byng Trophy?! Puh-leeze.
(Also, was Farber’s message supposed to be code for “Crosby won’t win the award for most valuable player, but he’ll win the award for the nicest?” What a sycophant.)
Posted by Natalie on 11/18/09 at 04:57 PM ET
Posted by Standard A2Y Fare on 11/18/09 at 04:41 PM ET
If you knew anything about us Wings fans…you’ll remember how we deploured the cover. Even went so far as to say SI jinxed it. Self-awareness? You must be missing a mirror in your bathroom.
Posted by mrfluffy from Long Beach on 11/18/09 at 05:02 PM ET
Apparently people close to Mike Babcock say he is so impressed with Sidney Crosby that if it were up to Babcock, he’d name Crosby captain of Team Canada.
I SO hope that happens. Crosby being named captain over so many other more qualified and experienced players would add even more fuel to the circus that will be the Canadian hockey team.
Posted by UMFan from Colorado on 11/18/09 at 06:10 PM ET
I’m actually not thrilled with any of the nominations, although it’s an impossible enough task to choose the “best sportsman” if you limit it to people - toss in horses and it’s far too difficult. Anyone who doesn’t follow hockey isn’t going to even know who Crosby is, and anyone who doesn’t follow college football isn’t going to understand why the heck Tebow was picked if he wins; it’s just too tricky.
I wouldn’t think of Crosby as showing good sportsmanship, though - the same way I think of Alex Rodriquez, actually. Undeniably talented, definitely a good player to have in the playoffs, but a bland largely uninteresting personality and sometimes tone-deaf when dealing with the public. Not known for being dirty, necessarily, not as hateable as Sean Avery or A.J. Pierzynski, but not standouts in terms of sportsmanship either. Nothing wrong with it - I blame the msm people who try to force someone to be all things to all people at all times instead of accepting that sometimes someone just isn’t good at something.
He’s an excellent hockey player, but not known for sportsmanship. Maybe he will be later in his career but right now it isn’t one of the words used to describe him.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 11/18/09 at 06:10 PM ET
Crosby for Sportsman of the Year?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg_18EgERsI
Posted by pgoody on 11/18/09 at 06:11 PM ET
I think whats getting lost amidst all the Wings fans jealousy (what else is new) people are saying that the Sportsman award means “sportsmanship” which it doesn’t…
Posted by Greg on 11/18/09 at 06:55 PM ET
I think whats getting lost amidst all the Wings fans jealousy (what else is new) people are saying that the Sportsman award means “sportsmanship” which it doesn’t…
-Greg
awarded to “the athlete or team whose performance that year most embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement,”
I guess since its the Penguins, the normal rules don’t apply, so you are correct.
Posted by Chris in A^2 from Nyquist Puck Control on 11/18/09 at 07:01 PM ET
awarded to “the athlete or team whose performance that year most embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement,”
I guess since its the Penguins, the normal rules don’t apply, so you are correct.
Posted by ChrisinA^2 from the University of Michigan on 11/18/09 at 07:01 PM ET
And Greg conveniently opts out of the conversation. Shocking.
Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 11/18/09 at 07:26 PM ET
@c3po “And Greg conveniently opts out of the conversation. Shocking” - no i have a life. Plus it’s only been 50 mins,, i don’t sit around my parents basement hitting refresh like you. Anyway, aren’t you supposed to be at your live book club with the rest of the whiners?
Posted by Greg on 11/18/09 at 07:54 PM ET
@c3po “And Greg conveniently opts out of the conversation. Shocking” - no i have a life. Plus it’s only been 50 mins,, i don’t sit around my parents basement hitting refresh like you. Anyway, aren’t you supposed to be at your live book club with the rest of the whiners?
Posted by Greg on 11/18/09 at 07:54 PM ET
Notice the lack of an effective comeback to the fact that he was proven wrong regarding the sportsmanship piece…
Ad hominem always works though, Greg. Nice try, troll.
Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 11/18/09 at 08:18 PM ET
- no i have a life. Plus it’s only been 50 mins,, i don’t sit around my parents basement hitting refresh like you. Anyway, aren’t you supposed to be at your live book club with the rest of the whiners?
Posted by Greg on 11/18/09 at 07:54 PM ET
When you have to post that you “have a life” its means you have no life. And you do sit around your parents’ basement, but instead of hitting refresh you’r hitting your dong to a picture of bettman mounting crosbitch
Posted by pgoody on 11/18/09 at 10:54 PM ET
You mean a homonym JJ?
Posted by pensfan29 on 11/18/09 at 08:47 PM ET
Again, don’t pretend you know how to read.
Posted by pgoody on 11/18/09 at 11:04 PM ET
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