Crosby - Too Young, Too Soon??

So, in the ongoing promotion of “Sid the Kid” being the next coming of a Gretzky for today’s times, he has now been given the captain ‘C’ to become the youngest captain ever. Now this is just another accolade in his short but stellar NHL career. I’m not saying that he isn’t deserving of the captaincy but I wonder if it is too much too soon. Some would say look at all he has accomplished; he should be the one to lead the team.
With all the press that Sid gets how much can a young player or for that fact a young person, take before the pressure becomes an albatross? His face is everywhere. This isn’t just the Penguins that are using him. The NHL is using him as the solitary marketing tool. Reebok has him plastered on all their promotions. Here in Canada he is seen doing everything from promotions for youth hockey to selling donuts (yes I am serious). And take a look at Pittsburgh’s website (http://www.pittsburghpenguins.com/) and the only face you can see is Sidney Crosby.
Is Crosby the only choice that the Penguins had for a captain? With journeyman players such as Recchi, Roberts and Gonchar why not let them wear the ‘C’ to help take some of the pressure from Sid? Crosby being the captain is an inevitability. That much is true. I don’t think that now is the time to add more on to his huge list of responsibilities. I do hope that I am wrong with my concerns and that Crosby is the first to shoulder it all and have incredible success. Unfortunately we live in a society that builds up their icons only to watch and pray like vultures for the moment that they have the slightest fall. If Sidney Crosby does have an off year, even a year that isn’t an Art Ross qualifying one, we will have to witness the pundits feast on his entrails and drag him through the media mud.
Sidney, I wish you all the best of luck and Noli nothis permittere te terere – Don’t let the bastards get you down!

Darren Morley