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Hello, pot. It's me -- kettle
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In case you haven't heard, Don Cherry's been at it again. Shooting off his mouth against the European players because, well mostly, because they aren't more like milk toast 87.
On Saturday in his Hockey Night in Canada "Coach's Corner" rant, Cherry reacted to some existing trash talk between Capitals star and most likely League MVP Alexander Ovechkin and Mr. Milk Toast himself, Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby. Cherry said that Ovie over-reacts, puts on a show after scoring and generally makes himself stand out in a crowd among others. He stopped a hair short of calling him a showoff or braggart. He classified Ovechkin's face jumps into the glass, fist pumping and over all exuberance after scoring as "goofy stuff."
If you do some digging, Crosby, when asked about Ovechkin's antics, said, "I don't like it personally, but that's him."
Crosby added. "And like it or lump it, that's what he does. Some people like it, some people don't. Personally, I don't like it. But you know what? He's a good player."
How is that trash talk exactly? Isn't that kind of like asking Tom Brokaw if he wants the number to Cherry's stylist?
Funny how Cherry didn't offer Crosby some nice cheese to go with his (Crosby's) ever increasing whine...(anything but Camembert). Maybe he's (Crosby) is just learning to perfect the craft (whining) from his owner (Lemieux).
Let's face it. Ovechkin always looks like he's having fun out there. I wouldn't doubt that he really is. Crosby, more often than not, is a "Stepford Hockey Player" model. He says what is in the best interest of the league, the team, he just reaches in an pulls a canned quote out of his bag; and it isn't even a bag of tricks.
It makes perfect sense in the wake of the rivalry between the Caps and the Pens (which has most likely been fueled at least as much by the media as the competition) that the Caps would do and say all they could during a game situation to try and get Sid's goat. I would in the same situation, especially if I could back it up with my performance on the ice.
Apparently, even according to Crosby, Ovie and the Caps aren't the only offenders. "That's always the case," he said. "You know, it doesn't change from team to team."
Crosby was also asked about his second-period shoving match with Ovechkin. "I don't know, I was skating to the bench and he pushed me from behind so I just gave him a shot back," Crosby said. "That's hockey, and he likes to run around these days, so that was it."
Ovechkin said, "It was not a cheap shot. It was a game moment. If he doesn’t like it, it's his problem." This is starting to have a Point/Counterpoint feel eh? Crosby responds that Ovechkin "[he] had a couple good chances and he's out there hitting guys like he normally does." Yeah Sidney, but is that Ovechkin specifically or is that just hockey and maybe that is what is frustrating. "Yeah, I guess [it's just hockey]."
Of course, Ovechkin's reactions to Cherry's Saturday HNIC comments are exactly what you would expect from him. "He's a funny guy and old guy. He likes old-fashioned hockey," Ovechkin said after Sunday's game, "he's not interesting to me, so he can say whatever he wants. I don't care about him," Ovechkin said. Asked if he was angry about what Cherry said, Ovechkin replied, "No. I just laughed about it. He's funny. In hockey, we need something like that."
To make things worse and get in a jab of his own, Ovechkin told the Washington Post, "Maybe Canadians don't have a soccer team. Maybe he's jealous of Russia." Cherry earlier had likened Ovechkin's celebrations to that of a soccer player and Ovie couldn't resist retaliation.
Hey, I love Coach's Corner as must as the next guy. I've even left the press box (of a game in progress) to watch him on another feed. He is a Canadian institution almost like hockey. Seriously though, Don, come on. You ragging on a guy that is original, not afraid to express himself, do whatever comes to mind, say what is on his mind, be an individual? Seriously, Don -- take a look in the mirror. You are Ovechkin (minus the hockey talent) and we love you, don't we?
Sometimes the best things in life, or maybe just hockey, aren’t milk toast.
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