The Rest of Them...

So what have I been saying all along the Western Conference Finals in this very blog? The Crosby-blessed Pittsburgh Penguins are now in the Stanley Cup Finals staring down their conquering enemies of one year ago, the Detroit Red Wings.

Where has Crosby worship got them?
All that hype about 'The Next One' has only made Crosby - who is, I must admit, a decent player - the main target of the Red Wings dirtiest tricks. Bulldozer-like Henrik Zetterberg has directed his almost endless aggressive energy seemingly solely at poor little Sidney. I ask again... where has Crosby worship got the Pittsburgh Penguins? Two games down, demoralised and desperately seeking another hero to get them out of this losing streak. Hopes are now pinned on Malkin.

Malkin is a good player and the Penguins have perhaps ignored his skill at their peril this season. By focusing their attentions on the guy in the number 87 jersey management and fans alike have detracted from other players' - like Malkin's - contributions. They have quite simply done their team a disservice, a disservice that might lose them the 2009 Stanley Cup.

So when it has come down to the Stanley Cup Finals (can we just repeat this for emphasis... The. Stanley. Cup. Finals!!!!) the Penguins' wunderkind has failed to score (can we just repeat this for emphasis... Failed. To. Score!!)

I really do hope the Penguins win this year. But they'll need to change their attitude and their character from Sidney Crosby fan(atic)s to Pittsburgh Penguins fans.

So, heading into game 3, good luck to all of Pittsburgh's great players. Maybe the team itself will be the next one... to win the Stanley Cup.