Shame, isn’t it?
Sidney Crosby is out indefinitely with a recurrence of concussion-like symptoms. Crosby missed more than 10 months after taking multiple hits to the head in January. He has 12 points in eight games since his return on Nov. 21.
Crosby called a first-period hit with Boston’s David Krejci on Dec. 5 significant. And while he doesn’t think he’s in the same spot he was in this past January, he will be following the same protocols to get back to full health. He passed an ImPACT test (computerized concussion evaluation system) last Wednesday, but still hasn’t played since.
He’s one of the greatest talents hockey has ever seen. And at 24 years old, his list of accomplishments on the ice is staggering. It’s a longer list than most 15-year veterans will compile.
In the 2006-2007 season, his second in the NHL, Crosby was the Sporting News’ player of the year, along with winning the Lester B. Pearson Award (peer-voted best player), Art Ross Trophy (leading scorer) and the Hart Trophy, given to the league’s MVP. Not bad for a 19-year-old.
He was an all-star in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011, but only played in one of those games because of injury. Seems to be a pattern.
Crosby is fifth all-time in points per game at 1.391, 0.002 behind Bobby Orr. He’s one of three active players in the top 10 (Alex Ovechkin is eighth and Jaromir Jagr is ninth).
His Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Detroit Red Wings in a seven-game series to win the Stanley Cup in 2009. Crosby followed that up with a Gold Medal for Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics, scoring the game-winning goal in overtime of the Gold Medal game against the United States.
I still challenge his role in the Cup win. He injured his leg in the second period (once again, pattern) and only played 32 seconds in the third period (under 10 total minutes for the game). By comparison, he played over 22 minutes in Game 1 and Game 3. So, he wasn’t on the ice in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit because of an injury. But he was the first guy out on the ice to lift the Cup in celebration. Healthy enough to skate around with the Cup, but not healthy enough for the third period of Game 7 of the finals? To me, that’s soft.
Concussions are becoming a huge deal in sports. I don’t want to say some athletes are less important than others. They are all human beings and their health is important, but when these injuries happen to stars, especially the star, it hurts the sport and is sad to see.
I’ve made it pretty clear I’m not a Sidney Crosby fan. I’m not a fan of Kobe Bryant, either, but that doesn’t change how great he is. I hope he gets healthy and comes back because hockey needs him. After missing 10 months, and now being out again without a timetable for a return, it’s getting difficult to see that happening.
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