WHY didn't YOU Skate over and shake HIS hand?

During a chaotic postgame scene on the crowded Joe Louis Arena ice following Pittsburgh’s 2-1 victory on Friday, Crosby was ushered to several live TV interviews by NHL personnel, hugged some teammates and was handed the Stanley Cup by commissioner Gary Bettman.

Crosby was celebrating when Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom(notes), alternate captain Kris Draper(notes) and some other key Red Wings players went to their dressing room. Crosby estimates he shook hands with about half the team, including goalie Chris Osgood(notes) and coach Mike Babcock, who congratulated him on his leadership ability.

That wasn’t enough to satisfy Draper, who told The Associated Press that “Nick was waiting and waiting, and Crosby didn’t come over to shake his hand. That’s ridiculous, especially as their captain, and make sure you write that I said that!”

Crosby finds any suggestion that he would intentionally avoid shaking hands nonsensical, saying, “It’s the easiest thing in the world to shake hands after you win.”

After losing is different, as the Penguins experienced a year ago against Detroit, so Crosby understands why some Red Wings players quickly shook hands and left before the Penguins’ postgame celebration began.

“I really don’t need to talk to anyone from Detroit about it,” Crosby said Sunday. “I made the attempt to go shake hands. I’ve been on that side of things, too, I know it’s not easy, waiting around. I just won the Stanley Cup, and I think I have the right to celebrate with my teammates.

Here's an article announcing why you should avoid the Pittsburgh Penguins Parade today:
{More whining?}

“On their side of things, I understand if they don’t want to wait around.”
The Pittsburgh Penguins' Stanley Cup championship parade is scheduled for noon, as the Steel City prepares to celebrate their hockey heroes and see if Sidney Crosby(notes) shows up on time to shake some hands. Fans have been lining up since as early as 5 a.m. ... mostly because they've haven't been able to sleep since Thursday night.

Greg Wyshynski @ (http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/In-which-we-avoid-obvious-March...,170229)

Another yahoo/Puck daddy Red wings fan with a different perspective: What follows are typically a few hundred words about conspiracy theories (Bettman may have been in Dallas on November 22, 1963!), easily disprovable complaints about Sid Crosby's class or, more specifically, lack thereof (HE DIDN'T SHAKE THEIR HANDS!) and complaints about injuries because the Penguins were, of course, 100 percent healthy. All of that totally negates the first paragraph which, I guess, is intended to not make them look petty sore losers screaming their impotent rage into a sad, lonely void because it simply cannot be true that their boys, like 28 other teams, just weren't as good as the Penguins.

It's tough to accept, I know. But I'd like to give these Detroit fans some helpful advice: Just be jerks. Unabashed ones at that. You're like 90 percent of the way there. The hockey community already thinks very little of you anyway, so why not earn it?


http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/What-We-Learned-A-free-tip-for-...,170262