This could be a really dumb idea!

[hockeyscribe22*]

http://www.ecnnews.com/cgi-bin/15/etstory.pl?-sec-Sports+fn-conway.626

The league needs Crosby and another influx of youth now! What if Crosby played overseas and blew out his knee? Career's over and so is the NHL's cjances of a bonafide sports superstar!

Click to read more...

 

[Boltsfan2029]

What if Crosby played overseas and blew out his knee? Career's over and so is the NHL's cjances of a bonafide sports superstar!

What if he blows out his knee in his first NHL practice?

 

[Dave is a killer]

What if he blows out his knee in his first NHL practice?

or in a pregame skate in LA (Kronwall, anyone)

 

[hockeyscribe22*]

True, true

But it would be a lot better if that happened in the NHL than in Europe simply because the NHL balked at a draft! My point is, they need Crosby now and shouldn't take any chances with this! They need him for marketing because let's face it, that has been one of, if no there greatest weaknesses!

 

[Staalweiser]

But it would be a lot better if that happened in the NHL than in Europe simply because the NHL balked at a draft! My point is, they need Crosby now and shouldn't take any chances with this! They need him for marketing because let's face it, that has been one of, if no there greatest weaknesses!

Have you ever seen that Seinfeld episode about the exclaimation mark? If not, watch it Relating to the topic, I agree that it's a stupid idea - hopefully the NHL knows it, also. While I agree that a draft without a lottery would be ideal (that is, waiting to see how teams perform for a year on the ice), this year's draft simply cannot be skipped because of Crosby. An NHL without Crosby this year would be a disaster.

 

[ACC1224]

Have you ever seen that Seinfeld episode about the exclaimation mark? If not, watch it Relating to the topic, I agree that it's a stupid idea - hopefully the NHL knows it, also. While I agree that a draft without a lottery would be ideal (that is, waiting to see how teams perform for a year on the ice), this year's draft simply cannot be skipped because of Crosby. An NHL without Crosby this year would be a disaster.

The league is bigger than one player, I'm sure it will survive if the Saviour isn't drafted.

 

[Spungo*]

You expect me to order the "plus edition" of that paper just to read that article? There should be a rule against linking to an article that can't even be seen without subscribing to the paper. At the very least, you should have described what the article said.

 

[London Knights]

But it would be a lot better if that happened in the NHL than in Europe simply because the NHL balked at a draft! My point is, they need Crosby now and shouldn't take any chances with this! They need him for marketing because let's face it, that has been one of, if no there greatest weaknesses!

Why? If he blows out his knee, he blows out his knee. Personally I think it would be a lot worse if the Crosby hype got to the NHL level and then this happened. In a lot of the US markets Crosby is still unknown (aside from the knowledgeable fans). Once the NHL comes back and a draft is set, the NHL-led Crosby hype machine is going to get into full gear. If you do that, lead the casual NHL fan to believe that one of the greatest of all-time is about to start up his career, and then he goes back into obscurity because he blows out his knee, then you have just left yourself with a big hole in your marketing campaign.

However, if it happens to him in Europe then there will be far less talk. The Crosby hypers (such as the ones on this site) will be left with "Crosby could have been great", but the NHL won't have to deal with the casual fan being pissed that they were hyped about some kid who never plays in a game.

Personally, as a leaf fan, it was like when Gilmour was brought back to the leafs from Montreal in his last season. And keep in mind that I am no where near enamoured with Doug as some others. Less than 5 years with a team should never, ever, qualify you as the greatest player for a team all-time. Best stint with a team, perhaps, but definately not best career.

Anyway, back to my point. When he was brought in, a lot of fans were ecstatic. Then he plays, and early on suffers a knee injury and he is done just as quick as he started. It would have been better had the trade never been made because it gave fans a false hope that Gimour might be able to recreate his playoff success (did pretty well with it in Montreal) and with a clearly superior team to the 93' team, a shot at a Cup. But all was not to be, and it left a bad taste in a lot of mouths.

I really can't see how it is better if he is brought in and then ushed out on crutches. Either way you lose him, but in the obscure option you don't have to deal with promising greatness to the normally uninterested fan.

 

[hockeyscribe22*]

Forget the blowing out knee aspect!

Just an example of worse-case scenario! Bottom-line is this guy is "it". He is the lone marketing tool they have going back into a season and if they don't figure out a way to take advantage of that, as they always have failed to do, then they're screwed!

This scenario of not bringing him in now because he could be over-hyped and set-up for failure is just the type of mentality the NHL has to rid themselves of! They never take chances and they never try anything new! Now, they finally seem to be changing, with rule changes and such and bringing in a kid like Crosby now, can only help matters!

 

[davemess]

I dont think non hockey fans will have any real idea who Crosby is...... so he isnt going to get people interested in the NHL for at least a couple of seasons.

He might help the local market where he is drafted sell right away but until he is putting up Mario/Wayne type play he isnt going to get the public at larges interest.

 

[i am dave]

What if Crosby = Pat Faloon or Alexandre Daigle?

 

[hockeyscribe22*]

Who cares what non-hockey fans think?

That was one of the reasons we found ourselves with a terrible game and then no season this year! The NHL needs to win back HOCKEY fans and then worry about the casual fan. The Hockey fans will know who Crosby is and if he's not playing ijn the NHL in the fall then, the league will continue to lose its real fans.

By the way, have you seen Crosby play? He's no Daigle! Gretzky didn't say "I can see Daigle breaking my records"!

 

[19nazzy]

That's because Gretzky was still playing at the time....

 

[Boltsfan2029]

By the way, have you seen Crosby play? He's no Daigle! Gretzky didn't say "I can see Daigle breaking my records"!

I'll reserve granting God-like status until I've seen the kid play against NHL competition.

 

[Mr.Brownov*]

I'll reserve granting God-like status until I've seen the kid play against NHL competition.

You beat me to it.Thank you!

 

[Epsilon]

Like I said in another thread, some people don't seem to want to admit that Crosby means nothing in the USA. You could take any young player, market him the same way, and most people here wouldn't know the difference (nor care). Crosby doesn't have the look to be marketable to the average American fan or sports memorabelia purchaser. You won't see kids walking around in Crosby jerseys unless he gains a foot of height and some tattoos. He is not a "saviour".

 

[jamiebez]

You expect me to order the "plus edition" of that paper just to read that article? There should be a rule against linking to an article that can't even be seen without subscribing to the paper. At the very least, you should have described what the article said.

Offtopic, but:
http://www.bugmenot.com

 

[Spungo*]

Like I said in another thread, some people don't seem to want to admit that Crosby means nothing in the USA. You could take any young player, market him the same way, and most people here wouldn't know the difference (nor care). Crosby doesn't have the look to be marketable to the average American fan or sports memorabelia purchaser. You won't see kids walking around in Crosby jerseys unless he gains a foot of height and some tattoos. He is not a "saviour".

A 5'11, 160 lbs, skinny, pimply kid with a blonde afro carried the National Hockey League on his back for 20 years. Don't tell me Crosby "doesn't have the look".

Tiger Woods is one ugly son of a b.itch, but he was the saviour of Golf. Looks mean squat in male sports. It's all about performance.

 

[Spungo*]

Offtopic, but:
http://www.bugmenot.com

Nice. Thanks.

 

[Epsilon]

Tiger Woods is one ugly son of a b.itch

A lot of people would disagree with you there. Besides, by "the look" I'm talking about looking "cool", not being attractive. That's what separates basketball players from hockey players, and why their jerseys move a lot more units.

 

[Spungo*]

A lot of people would disagree with you there. Besides, by "the look" I'm talking about looking "cool", not being attractive. That's what separates basketball players from hockey players, and why their jerseys move a lot more units.

We can all agree that Wayne Gretzky looked like an absolute doofus in 1979, and he became bigger than the league itself. Crosby isn't so ugly that he couldn't do the same. And who knows, he may get one of those cool face tatoos like Mike Tyson

 

[NJD Jester]

Like I said in another thread, some people don't seem to want to admit that Crosby means nothing in the USA. You could take any young player, market him the same way, and most people here wouldn't know the difference (nor care). Crosby doesn't have the look to be marketable to the average American fan or sports memorabelia purchaser. You won't see kids walking around in Crosby jerseys unless he gains a foot of height and some tattoos. He is not a "saviour".

I really couldn't disagree with you more.

1. Crosby means plenty in the US. His name has already crossed over with non-hockey fans to some degree, which may be the first time a rookie's has since Lindros. And if he does come in and provide some highlight reel fodder in his first season, then we get the "LeBron on ice" comparisons, and we get "Watch superstar sensation Sidney Crosby and the _____ _____s take on the Red Wings, right here on NBC!", and we get soaring average road attendance for whatever team gets him, much like Cleveland with LeBron or DC United with Adu.

2. Crosby is a special player. Whether he pans out or not, the pre-NHL hype on this kid eclipses anything we've seen since perhaps Mario. (Lindros, IMO, gained a lot of notoriety after his refusal to play in Quebec.) We've all seen the highlights of what he can do on the ice; add in the juiced offensive numbers in the "new" NHL and you have something of which Gary Bettman Casual Fans will take notice.

3. Your impression of what American fans want is laughable. Crosby doesn't need to be a WWE clone or hockey's version of Randy Moss to sell. If he's as good as the hype, combined with some shred of personality on and off the ice, then he's going to cross over with American fans. A lot of that depends on what market he lands in -- Chicago or L.A. would be a hell of a lot easier to sell than Edmonton or Buffalo -- but the potential is there for him not to be a savior, but certainly to be a player the league can build around for 15 years.

It would, of course, help if he started banging a model or one of the stars of "Mean Girls" within a week of his first game.

Just sayin'...

 

[HckyFght*]

I really couldn't disagree with you more.

It would, of course, help if he started banging a model or one of the stars of "Mean Girls" within a week of his first game.

I love you, man!

 

[EroCaps]

A lot of people would disagree with you there. Besides, by "the look" I'm talking about looking "cool", not being attractive. That's what separates basketball players from hockey players, and why their jerseys move a lot more units.

The NBA "culture" is but one of many subcultures in America, so I'm going to have to disagree with you.

As for the Gretzky comparisons- different leagues. Gretzky was ahead of his time. Crosby is one of a handful of players that will carry the game, but c'mon.

 

[nomorekids]

A lot of people would disagree with you there. Besides, by "the look" I'm talking about looking "cool", not being attractive. That's what separates basketball players from hockey players, and why their jerseys move a lot more units.

crosby should grow dreads and get hella inked up.