Oh, Ottawa Sun. Shame on you, and thank you.
The newspaper to the north reported Canadian soccer star Sidney Crosby – the fellow from the Pittsburgh Penguins who lit up the 2013-14 regular season but flamed out in the 2014 postseason – was arrested late Tuesday night while driving a rented Porshe in Ottawa.
Problem was Crosby wasn’t in Ottawa, he was in Vail, Colo., reportedly training for the upcoming Canadian soccer season.
Tsk, tsk Ottawa Sun. Checking facts is a crucial step in Journalism 101.
As the story evolved this morning, Chief of Ottawa Police Department, Charles Bordeleau, went as far as taking to his Twitter account to confirm Crosby was not arrested.
On behalf of those who prefer their sports stars a little more Lawrence Taylor than Larry Bird, bummer.
Had the report, which the Ottawa Sun quickly deleted without nary a correction, been true, it would have made Crosby come across as human. Here in Western Pennsylvania, we’re spoon-fed an image of Saint Sid since the Penguins made him their cornerstone in 2005.
Whether you love, hate or don’t care about Crosby, there’s no denying he’s as boring a “superstar” as there is in sports. Maybe as there’s ever been in sports.
And, if you believe many in the local media, Crosby is Saint Sid. He only asks ladies out for sodas and roller skating, eats his veggies, says prayers before bed, walks elderly people across the street, is working on a cure for Ebola, listens to the Partridge Family, watches Full House and is perfect in every way, except in those pesky playoffs.
John Steigerwald, who writes a weekly column for the Observer-Reporter, often compares Crosby to any athlete who gets in trouble and tells us how lucky Pittsburgh is to have such an upstanding citizen. I know. I edit his columns most Saturdays.
Granted, Pittsburgh is lucky to have Crosby playing hockey there. He deserves some credit for saving the franchise.
But, does anyone truly believe Crosby is as squeaky clean as he’s portrayed?
It’s why the swift, yet understandable, backlash from local media via social media to the Ottawa Sun’s ridiculous excuse for reporting was so humorous. Sometimes, it’s hard deciphering who loves Saint Sid more – fans or some who cover the Pens.
Maybe there’s no distinction, but thank goodness no local outlet ran with the Crosby arrest story.
Kovak's Corner 