It seems most sports have individual rivalries that are bigger than the sport itself, Sampras/Agassi, Federer/Nadal, Gretzky/Lemieux, Reggie Miller/Spike Lee, Brady/Peyton Manning, and possibly the biggest and greatest individual rivalry of all Bird/Magic. Larry Legend and Magic started their rivalry in college, when Magic, a sophomore, took his Michigan State Spartans and defeated the much hyped Indiana Hoosiers who were led by senior Larry Bird in the 1979 NCAA title game, then they would take their rivalry to the NBA and every time the Lakers and Celtics would play all the talk was always about Bird and Magic. Now the NHL has its own duo of Magic and Bird, in the forms of Alexander Ovechkin and Sydney Crosby and the rivalry has lived up to the hype.
They are different in every way imaginable. Crosby is the babyfaced reserved superstar and is heralded as the second coming of The Great One, he keeps a level head and plays with the poise and elegance that reminds us of Gretzky. Ovechkin is the rugged looking rockstar that seems larger than life, he plays with a reckless abandon that just screams, this will be the last shift he ever plays, and a flamboyance that is much like Terrel Owens. Crosby is the polite gentlemanly date every parent would approve of and Ovechkin is the bad boy every girl's parents would hate to have their daughter associated with.
Now they meet each other on the biggest stage, the NHL playoffs, and neither has disappointed thus far. Game 1 was good, but Game 2 was the type of transcendent game that people will be talking about for years to come. Alex Ovechkin scored his first playoff hat trick and was worthy of so many red hats that Crosby wanted fans to be told to stop throwing them. Minutes later, Crosby completed his own first playoff hat trick, and less than half a dozen hats made it to the ice.
It was a historic night for the NHL. Its two biggest stars, rivals who don't care for each other, had their biggest playoff performances head-to-head. Ovechkin claimed the winning hand, breaking a tie with a pair of goals less than three minutes apart in the third period Monday night and celebrating them in his exuberant fashion that would have downright pissed off Don Cherry. Now the series shifts to Pittsburgh where Crosby will have the crowd on his side and maybe Ovie will be the one asking for fans to stop throwing hats onto the ice. Here's hoping this series lasts a while because the NHL is desperate for some national (US) attention and these two superstars could be the ones to bring the NHL back into the sports discussion for those south of the 49th parallel.
Peace and Much Love To Ya :)
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