Sidney Crosby Works Out With Penguins

April 11, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) takes the ice against the Philadelphia Flyers before the first period in game one of the 2012 Eastern Conference quarterfinals at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Philadelphia Flyers won 4-3 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE

Penguins Captain Sidney Crosby was back in Pittsburgh at Southpointe Iceoplex to workout with his Penguins teammates yesterday, just days before the scheduled Lockout.  All reports say Crosby was in great shape and  looked as good as ever.  I’m not surprised.  The man is motivated when he’s healthy and we had no reason not to believe he was healthy.

I think this statement is overrated and at any one time anyone can be better than someone else like the playoffs last year but I’m going to say it anyway:  Sidney Crosby is the best player in the league.  I will stick by the statement and have since 2007.   Contenders will come and go whether it be Alex Ovechkin, Steven  Stamkos, Evgeni Malkin or Claude Giroux.   All the aforementioned players are great players, yes even, or mostly Giroux who looks poised to improve upon his 93 point season last year but Crosby is not only the most hard working player, and most hockey-sense gifted player, one would think he has to be motivated as ever before after being embarrassed last year in the playoffs by the admittedly hated Flyers.  The last thing anyone remembers is Claude Giroux crushing him along the boards before sniping a goal 30 seconds into game 6.

Like I said before,  here , I think everyone forgets how good Crosby really was/is, you watch him everyday and take it for granted you get to watch the best player in the world night in and night out.  Then the concussion came and he was hurt so long that you forget what it was like to watch him in the first place.  He had no training camp and no off-season last year with the concussion symptoms and for over a year and half  he was not able to train like he wanted or previously would have.  If he was able to train at all he was only able to work to a certain exertion  level i.e. 75% or 90%.   He was cleared and returned within a week, and still put up  stupid points (37 points in 22 games).

Crosby is like any elite player, the best of the best. For example look at Peyton Manning (who Steelers fans can attest from week one),  Manning was out an entire year with neck injury many questioned if he could come back from but his first game out he ran the whole second half out of a no huddle with a new team, calling the plays as he went along like he never missed a beat.  Crosby will come back the same way, as dominating as ever, but in his absolute prime at 25 years old.

Crosby is the most polarizing figure in the NHL by a mile, fans of other teams hate him, and anyone who dons his jersey at a game.  If you go to a Penguins away game with a Sidney Crosby jersey you will be mocked from the escalator ride to the seat till four blocks outside the stadium win or lose, four points or none.   Still, Pittsburgh fans should wear it proudly because Sidney Crosby (along with Mario obviously and much maligned Gary Bettman) saved the Penguins from relocation and I have no doubt he will be back this year to make all Penguins fans proud playing out his under market value contract in it’s entirety while giving us a chance at a championship each and every season.

Okay I’m done sucking his balls….I’m not original with these thoughts:  Josh Yohe, Tribune Review’s Penguins beat writer, gives his reasons why Sidney Crosby is going to have a great season…  
<Trib>