Meh, Change the Channel - DEC.07.07
Entry posted by Sunny Dhillon
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<table width=85%><tr><td><img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2007/09/sunny_blog.jpg" align="left" hspace="4">I’ll just go ahead and say it: I don’t understand all the fuss about Sidney Crosby coming to Vancouver.
I don’t understand why some tickets for Saturday’s game are going for $600+ on Craigslist.
I don’t understand why we’ve had to endure wall-to-wall Sidney coverage ever since the Penguins touched down in Alberta.
And I don’t understand why the Sportsnet Ontario crew is following Crosby around Western Canada, thereby violating our restraining order against Nick Kypreos.
<a href="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2007/12/12072007_hall_b.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2007/12/12072007_hall_t.jpg" align="right" border="0" hspace="4" vspace="1"></a>Please don’t take this as an indication that I don’t know how talented Sidney is. I do. Please don’t take this an indication that I’m not familiar with Crosby’s stats. I am. And please, please, please don’t tell me that he’s only 20 years old because, by that logic, Dakota Fanning should wow me.
Like the designated driver at a New Year’s Eve party, I’m just not as interested in this as everyone else is.
The last time I can remember Vancouver being this giddy about an athlete coming to town? Michael Jordan’s first visit. (You could make the case that David Beckham’s appearance last month had a similar feel, but let’s not delude ourselves into thinking that had anything to do with sports.)
The reaction to Jordan made sense. He was a three-time MVP, a three-time NBA champion, and not only the best basketball player in the world but also the most recognizable athlete on any of the seven continents.
<a href="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2007/12/12072007_crosby_b.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2007/12/12072007_crosby_t.jpg" align="left" border="0" hspace="4" vspace="1"></a>Granted, Crosby did win the NHL’s MVP award last season but he’s not even the unanimous choice as the league’s best skater. Vincent Lecavalier, Alexander Ovechkin, Joe Thornton and Rory Fitzpatrick are right up there with Sid.
But with the buzz Crosby’s established, you’d think he’d cured polio. (I’m being told we’ve already cured polio but you get my drift.)
It’s a little too much, too soon for Sidney. He’s not quite at the level where the entire city needs to shut down because he’s here.
Do I think he has the potential to get there? Absolutely. But until he does, count at least one person out of Sidneyfest 2007.
Some other observations/notes:
- When he was at the top of his game, Todd Bertuzzi had a subtle push-off he would use in front of the net to gain some space. But as more and more opposing defensemen complained, Bertuzzi, more and more, headed to the penalty box. I was reminded of this as I watched Markus Naslund take an interference penalty early in the first period against Nashville. Naslund tried to set a pick to free up his linemates and was busted for it. This came just one night after Henrik Sedin was penalized for a similar play. It makes me wonder if the refs have noticed this little wrinkle the Sedins and Naslund utilize so well. Who told?
- One facet of Alexander Edler’s game that has gone largely unnoticed? His discipline. Because the young Swedish defenseman is so positionally sound, he’s only taken three penalties, all minors, so far this season. I don’t even play for the Canucks and I’ve taken four!
- A lot has been made, and rightfully so, of Mattias Ohlund’s strong play since early November. But for all the credit Ohlund’s getting for his willingness to jump into the rush, doesn’t Lukas Krajicek deserve even more? Krajicek looks like a young Brian Leetch out there. He’s constantly jumping into the play, whether it be to lead the break or set up the back door. Very exciting to watch.
- It’s December 6th and Curtis Sanford already has more wins as Roberto Luongo’s backup than Dany Sabourin registered all of last season.
- Shaw Cable continues to prove it’s a hockey fan’s worst nightmare. It’s bad enough that the company didn’t provide NHL Centre Ice until it was shamed into doing so this season. It’s bad enough that Shaw first said it wouldn’t carry Canucks games aired on Sportsnet HD, then recanted when it got some bad press and threw them on a pay-per-view channel. And it’s bad enough that they divert less resources to their telecasts than other providers, meaning the same Canucks feed looks much better on Bell than it does on Shaw. But blacking out a game that’s almost through one period? How does that even happen? What broke?
- Watching Fin a couple of weeks ago, I couldn’t help but feel that maybe he’s been doing the same shtick for a little too long (eg. biting people’s heads). He needs a new angle. And if television has taught me anything, it’s that a child is the answer! My preferred name for Fin’s kid? Quatchi. Crap, that’s taken. Umm… blow-hole? Ok, clearly I’m not good at this. Feel free to submit your own suggestions.
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