Sid is most definitely a Champion of epic caliber. With the Gold Medal victory Crosby made another amazing leap in the hearts and minds of his Canadian brethren.
Artwork by David Barud
There is still some debate as to whether or not Sidney Crosby is the Second Coming of the Great One. What is not debatable is that Sid the Kid is growing into a Canadian national hero of Gretskyesque stature. His playing career has unfolded like a hockey fairytale.
Everybody loves a Champion, and Crosby is nothing if he’s not a champ. Sid has been winning for as long as anybody in sports media can remember, and even his greatest defeat (2008 Stanley Cup Finals) was met with near immediate retribution. Sid’s ‘Guins grabbed Cup in ’09.
Now that Crosby locked up Winter Olympic Gold in his first try, we can expect to see Sidney on Canadian Wheaties any day now. (Sid ain’t pretty enough for the American box.) But could Crosby ever make the biggest endorsement leap of all? Will Sid the Kid be the first sports hero to grace foldable money?
Crosby is on a pace to do just that. A quick recap of Sid’s last five years…
In 2005 Crosby won his second straight Canadian Hockey League Player of the Year after winning Rookie of the Year in 2004. Playing in the CHL’s Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Sidney took the Rimouski Océanic to the Memorial Cup Finals.
Crosby was also awarded QMJHL Offensive Player of the Year, the Michel Briére Memorial Trophy (MVP), the Jean Béliveau Trophy (Leading Scorer), the Paul Dumont Trophy (Personality of the Year), the Mike Boss Trophy (Best Pro Prospect), the Guy Lafleur Trophy (Playoff MVP) and the Ed Chynoweth Trophy (Memorial Cup Leading Scorer).
Sid was drafted 1st overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins after the 2005 season, and was named NHL Rookie of the Month in October of the 2005-2006 season.
In 2006 Crosby made the NHL All-Rookie Team & the Ice Hockey World Championship All-Star Team. Â He was the Best Forward & Leading Scorer in those World Championships.
In his rookie 2005-2006 season, Sidney scored 39 goals and logged 102 points in 81 games. His team also finished next to last in the league.
In 2007 Crosby won the NHL’s Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP), the Art Ross Trophy (Most Points – 120), the Mark Messier Leadership Award, and the Lester B Pearson Award (Best Player – voted by peers).
Sid was also named to his first of three consecutive NHL All-Star Games.
Crosby also grabbed the next rung on the Gretsky ladder when he was honored with the Lou Marsh Memorial Trophy as Canada’s top athlete.
In 2008 Crosby took his Penguins to the Stanley Cup Finals only to fold to the Detroit Red Wings in a six-game Finals Series.
Sid was also named to the Order of Nova Scotia, the highest honor bestowed upon a civilian in his native province.
In 2009 Crosby met the Red Wings in the Cup Finals again. This time the Penguins brought the series to seven games, winning 2-1 at Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena in Game 7. Sid was the first to touch the Cup, but almost immediately handed it off to senior members of the team.
In 2010 Crosby put the gold-medal winning goal past the USA’s Ryan Miller in Overtime of the Winter Olympics Gold Medal Game.
Not bad. Even if he’s not one of the two Greatest players ever, he certainly has a knack for winning. Sid is most definitely a Champion of epic caliber. With the Gold Medal victory Crosby made another amazing leap in the hearts and minds of his Canadian brethren. Had the US Men won Olympic Gold on Canadian ice, the Canucks would have never forgiven us.
Sid saved us that unforgiveable glory, and saved face for the host nation on one of the world’s biggest stages. Then Crosby lifted a twenty-feet high, ten-feet wide Canadian flag and skated into another level of lore. (That’s 6 meters up and 3 meters over for you metric weirdoes.)
But will Crosby’s face grace Canadian money?
Well, it’s been 8 years since the last $100 overhaul in Canada, and nobody likes stale money.
With the way Sidney is racking up hockey hardware (enough to grace a neighborhood worth of fireplace mantles), and logging memorable moments (the 6-disc Blue Ray collection will sell for $887 in 2022) it’s only a matter of time.
For now, Canada can relax in the knowledge that they have Olympic Gold for about four more years, and that his medal-winning stick & glove, missing since February 28th, have been returned to Sid’s Golden hands.
