Sidney Crosby Attempts to Stay Upbeat, but His Optimism Toward Ending the Lockout is Lower than Ever

Sidney Crosby Attempts to Stay Upbeat, but His Optimism Toward Ending the Lockout is Lower than Ever
December 20, 2012 – 5:45 am by Steven Cuce
Donald Fehr and the NHLPA are ready to get back to the bargaining table at any point, but right now they are waiting for the NHL to step up to the plate. It’s late December and we are still without an NHL season. Most players were hoping it didn’t get to this point and it’s hard to foresee the NHL coming back this season.
For Sidney Crosby, the time off has been tough for him. The Penguins center has admitted his level of optimism is probably as low as it has been at any point, but he’s staying ready just in case.

Sidney Crosby joined 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh with Joe Starkey to discuss the frustration of the NHL lockout, not being too optimistic about playing an NHL season, dealing with a lockout after coming off a concussion injury and the possibility of playing hockey somewhere else outside of the United States.
It’s kind of depressing to be at this point of the year and still have no hockey, huh?
“Yeah it’s tough, especially at this point. We try to do our best with getting good skates and try to make sure we’re ready whenever we do start, but it doesn’t look too optimistic right now. I think everyone is trying to do their best to stay focused and be ready for whenever it is we do start.”
Where’s the hope meter for you on a scale of 1-10? Where is it now?
“Probably the lowest it’s been, but that’s proven me wrong when I’ve been hopeful that something is going to happen. I don’t think you can get too caught up in things. You just have to worry about what you can do to get ready and try to be aware of what’s going on and stay educated with the whole process, but it’s been pretty easy to stay updated at this point because no one is really talking. It’s disappointing, but hopefully, like I said many times, that everybody finds some way to make it work.”
Is this very difficult not to play hockey at this time of year since you have been programmed to do so at such a young age?
“Yeah. I mean it’s definitely different when you are going through an injury. You’re just not capable when you want to. I think when you are healthy and feeling good, you feel like it can’t be happening. It’s like going through all of that and to come into a lockout, it’s not something you expect to go through, but it is what it is and you just kind of have to deal with it. I think, for me, I had a lot of practice going through that and kind of being patient, so I’m trying to use that in this scenario.”
You’re saying your hopes are low right now. How close are you to going somewhere else and playing right now?
“Well at this point I think all the leagues are on break. I don’t think they are playing right now, so we’ve got a few more weeks to decide that and obviously we’ll have a lot better of an idea … what is going to happen with our season. We haven’t really given a lot of thought to it lately, and I think I am more worried about what is happening with us, what it’s looking like and just trying to stay optimistic. It’s not easy, but you gotta find that little bit of hope, because if we do start here, you gotta make sure you’re ready and it’s part of being a professional. Even though we are not actually playing this year, we’ve gotta be ready to go when things start. I think that’s where you try to stay focused as much as you can.”
Listen to Sidney Crosby on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh here
Tags: 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh, Joe Starkey, NHL, NHL lockout, Pittsburgh Penguins, Sidney Crosby

One Response to “Sidney Crosby Attempts to Stay Upbeat, but His Optimism Toward Ending the Lockout is Lower than Ever”

I am sick and tired of all these NHLers going over seas and playing. they are taking jobs of players who only make $50K per yr, they have to feed their families off of this. The NHLers are taking all these jobs away from people who DONT make millions of dollars per season, and i think that is very ignorant and hibocritical of every single one of them who goes and plays over seas. How’d they like it if there was an influx of players come from over seas and take their jobs away from them? not good at all i’d bet. Or, what if the NHL was to get “scabs” play, the NHLers wouldn’t like it becasue people are taking their jobs.
Its time for these 200+ NHLers playing overseas to realize that they are bascially taking money (which generally isn’t a whole lot of) out of someone else’s pocket. Time to be a man. Stand up, stay in NA and fight the fight, become involved, becasue there voice may be the one the stops this work stoppage.
I donnot support, nor will i support any NHL player who goes over seas and takes someone else’s job.
Hey, what if the Owners were to drop 6 NHL teams, would the union fight to keep all these lost jobs, you bet they would. The players should think about it in that context, maybe they’d stop going over and taking someone elses job from them. Grow up guys, stop this, and get a deal done!
Randy
By Randy on Dec 21, 2012

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