Sidney Crosby is the most touted young player in the NHL today. He came in tabbed as "the Next One," referring to him as being the next Wayne Gretzky. He's an incredibly skilled player who is living up to the hype, for the most part. He's already the captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins, making him the youngest in NHL history. He's certainly no slouch, and he's definitely not a bust.
He has, however, made a name for himself in a way that the real Great One never had. Crosby's been tagged as a diver! This means that he embellishes when he gets hit in order to get a call. Apparently, the refs have been falling for it.
During Sunday's game against the Rangers, Sid "the Kid" fell a little too easy after being hit behind the net by Fedor Tyutin, resulting in a penalty against the Rangers. According to those within listening distance, Jaromir Jagr (another NHL scoring great) skated over to Crosby after the penalty and told him to stop diving and to stay on his feet. The Penguins won the game to take a 2-0 series lead.
This isn't the first time Sidney's been called out for diving. While he's justly recieved accolades for his on-ice skills, his reputation for diving is hurting his image. Hockey players, fans, and coaches don't like players who dive. It's a trend that's increasing among younger players. Eric Staal and Eric Cole of the Carolina Hurricanes are two other young players who have been tabbed as divers. Hopefully this is something that will quickly be nipped in the bud.
Wayne Gretzky was called the "Great One" because he truly was a great player. He set records that will probably never be broken. He wasn't a diver!
