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Home , Captain (ice hockey), Guy Lafleur, Jay McKee, Kris Letang, Mario Lemieux, Overtime (ice hockey)

PHOTO BY DUANE RIEDER LEADING MAN

The savior of the Penguins is not who you think he is.

by Sean Conboy

Sidney Crosby is a lot of things. He’s ruthlessly

competitive while simultaneously devoid of an ego. He is

a wine connoisseur who spends flights to and from arenas

playing videogames with goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. He is a

taskmaster at practice who just so happens to play pranks on

his teammates in the middle of the night. 

DECEMBER 2010 / pittsburghmagazine. 41 As Crosby, 23, leads the Penguins into a new era at the CONSOL Energy Center, he’s also preparing to move into a house of his own that’s not far from his former landlord, .

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PHOTO ©2010 /GREG- Music that pumps you As human beings, we have an insatiable capturing the moment on his camera-phone, The Zamboni up before a game: desire to want to know our heroes. Even Dupuis laughing like a stoned frat boy and driver idles in the When I was a kid, it when it hurts, like this past spring when we Sid walking away discreetly like nothing ever runway and looks was the standard AC/ got a bit too close to Ben Roethlisberger. In happened, the gang unleashes their coup on on impatiently Pittsburgh, the impossible task of getting drill sergeant Kadar: thousands of packing as Crosby feeds DC and Metallica. But to know Sidney Crosby has become sort peanuts flood the SUV. puck after puck to now, I let the other of a pastime. When a photo leaked to the “Packing peanuts?” Crosby says now with Letang, a supremely guys handle that—so Internet of a snoring Crosby cuddling with a sly grin. “Oh, I don’t know what you’re talk- talented 23-year- whatever Johnny the in the wake of Penguins’ ing about.” old ready to light [goalie Brent Johnson] 2009 championship, we reacted like tweens As the youngest in the history of the the NHL on fire—if who just witnessed Miley Cyrus giving Justin NHL to win the Stanley Cup, Crosby knows only he starts hit- puts on. He’s our No. Bieber a piggyback ride through Ross Park that his work ethic sets the tone in the locker ting the net. 1 DJ. Mall. The smallest peek behind the curtain room. His hustle at practice is relentless, and “Again,” Crosby triggered a voyeuristic conniption. his instructions to teammates ceaseless. But says, drifting an- Yet every time there’s a camera in his he also knows when to take the pressure off. other pass into face or a bouquet of microphones running “When we’re on the road, pranks are just Letang’s wheelhouse. The ricochets hot, Sid simply charms us to death with part of the lifestyle in the hotel,” Crosby says. wide off the Plexiglas. aw-shucks humility and Downy-soft media- “One time, we had somebody take a bunch Letang is spent. He leans on his stick as speak. He’s so normal it befuddles us. of alarm clocks and strategically hide them a crutch while Crosby collects more pucks. He is seemingly everything to everyone. in [former teammate] ’s room. The Zamboni driver dozes off in his captain’s But the real Sidney Crosby is a lot more One was under the bed, one was behind chair. Fleury spreads his arms out and leans interesting. the TV and they were set for like 2:30 in the back on the net like it’s a beach lounger. “You In October, Pittsburgh magazine sat down morning. It was harmless, but, obviously, he can’t beat me,” he taunts as his goofball grin with Sid to discuss his childhood, his role was pretty shocked when the alarms went off beams through the bars of his mask. as a captain and his forays into locker room in the middle of the night. It took him a long Twenty pucks later, Letang finally hits the espionage. time to find the one behind the TV.” sweet spot and unleashes a slapshot visible Crosby learned everything he knows only as a vapor trail. The puck thunks in the SID THE SPY about being a leader from his former land- back of the net before Fleury can even react. Dec. 14, 2009–Mellon Arena lord, Mario Lemieux. Without a word, Crosby skates over to the The coup is working like it was master- “Coming into the league my first year, I runway and stops. Fleury and Letang follow. minded by Danny Ocean. The Penguins just didn’t know what Time to go home. wrapped up a morning practice at Mellon to expect,” Crosby Crosby, always the Arena when a few of the boys decide to admits. “I didn’t When we’re on the last off the ice, taps extract a measure of revenge on strength know ... anything, both of them on and conditioning coach Mike Kadar for his really. The little road,‘ pranks are just the butt with his tyrannical workout regimens. The ever-mis- things—like you’re stick as they retreat chievous Max Talbot, wearing suits part of the lifestyle. — to the showers. and defenseman Jay McKee have hatched a for the first time; “That one,” brilliant scheme, but they need a trustwor- you’re learning how to pack for a road trip. Crosby tells Letang,’ “was a beauty.” thy, straight-faced double-agent to secure This is all new stuff that you don’t think Back in the sparce locker room, Sid is drip- the coveted jackpot: the keys to Kadar’s SUV. about, but I was lucky that I got to observe ping with sweat and still taking off his gear Who better than The Kid? Mario. The special thing about him is that while most of the team is heading home. After getting dressed, Talbot, Dupuis he’s always even-keeled—through really “Winning the Stanley Cup wasn’t easy,” and McKee hurry out to the staff parking good times, through really tough times, he says. “It was a lot harder maybe than it lot for the crucial drop-off. Right on time, a Mario takes everything in stride. I think that’s looked. This is where the work starts.” security guard appears from a side-door and an important trait to battle the pressure that Two nights later in Nashville, the Pen- discretely hands over a bag containing the comes with this game.” guins are deadlocked in an intense secret weapon. struggle with the Predators when Crosby Moments SID THE CAPTAIN collects the puck at the blueline. He doesn’t Favorite way to pass later, Sid the Kid Oct. 19, 2010–Penguins practice facility at Southpointe even need to look where he’s passing. He time on long flights: A emerges from The Penguins are sweating out their last floats the puck to where Letang will be group of us have been the players’ en- practice before a long road trip that will take before Letang is even there. It’s déjà vu. It’s playing this military trance and tosses them to Nashville, St. Louis and Tampa, and Swiss clockwork. Kadar’s stolen the team has been on the ice for so long that Letang unleashes a replica of the shot that videogame called keys to Dupuis, even the media bystanders are getting tired. beat Fleury in practice 48 hours earlier when SOCOM for the PSP for who hastily Penguins radio announcer Phil Bourque taps no one—except for Crosby—was watching. like four years now. opens the sun- his watch and sighs, “Let’s wrap it up, boys.” Nashville’s goalie doesn’t have a chance. Favorite pre-game roof. With McKee Finally, after two hours of intense scrim- Game. standing on top maging and checking drills, coach Dan In the euphoric pig-pile of noogies and meal: Spaghetti. Been of the car holding Bylsma blows his whistle, and the play- hugs that ensues, the only guy smiling wider that way since youth the weapon of ers wearily glide toward the locker room. than Letang is his captain and best friend, hockey. Quick, easy, mass destruc- Everyone except for defenseman , Crosby. The extra reps paid off. gets the job done. tion, Talbot goalie Fleury and Crosby. “The first Cup win is definitely behind us

DECEMBER 2010 / pittsburghmagazine. 43 Did you ever want to be a regular guy for a day? now,” says Cros- carrying a buffet of At the scene of the Actually, no. My by. “It’s a fun the holiest of Cana- crime, The Kid makes his memory to look dian delicacies: Tim slick getaway has always been to be back on, but I Horton’s dough- as the gang unleashes the best I can be. There don’t want it to nuts. The tower of payback for months of condition- are responsibilities that be the only one boxes leans like come with that, but I I look back on. the Tower of Pisa, get to do what I love The only thing and his buddies on our minds are in tow with every single day. is getting back jugs of juice and The Penguins will win there again.” coffee for the loyal the Cup this season It’s easy to fans. because ... Trust. We take Crosby’s The fans thank sublime perfor- the kid for the free believe in one another. mances on the breakfast, but he ice for granted. just shrugs them After all, they off and extends his happen night in, hand. “No, thank night out. Truth is, his Russian rival, Capitals you for coming winger , possesses far out to support our greater raw talent. In fact, many players are team,” he says. probably more physically gifted than Crosby, Under the “Things change,” Crosby says with a laugh. who stands 5 feet 11 inches and weighs 200 baseball cap and curly hair, the delivery boy “The instant I started playing in Pittsburgh, pounds. is actually Sidney Patrick Crosby, idol of any of those feelings went away. I haven’t The real genius of No. 87 is his unparal- Rimouski. grown to like very much after what leled work ethic. He is the Warren Buffett of “The rink almost became a second home happened at the end of last season.” sweat equity. And he will stay at the rink until for us,” Crosby remembers now. “As a kid, Does that mean Sid the Kid will retire in the Zamboni driver falls asleep in order to our team had some 5 a.m. practice times, so I the black and gold like his mentor, Super make his teammates better. was lucky to have parents who made a lot of Mario? sacrifices for me. My bond with my dad was “That’s definitely the plan,” Crosby says. “I SID THE KID especially strong. He obviously taught me a love it in Pittsburgh. I love all the guys, and May 18, 2005–Rimouski, , lot about the game but more so [about] life the organization is first-class. There [are] a lot Fans from all over Rimouski, the small in general.” of great things happening here.” French-Canadian town in eastern Quebec, Like how to act as if you’re still the kid We live in an age when even seemingly are lined up in the parking lot outside the down the street, even when your name is on immaculate NFL gunslingers succumb to Colisée de Rimouski. The early birds pulled the back of nearly every fan’s jersey—a rare camera-phone mudslinging, when an NBA into the parking lot before dawn to queue up trait Crosby exhibits to this day. megastar hosts the public execution of the for the hottest ticket in town. The only ticket franchise he once saved and when even in town, really—a chance to see their be- SID THE FRANCHISE our own hometown heroes let us down. A loved Major Junior hockey team, the Oceanic, 2005–present quiet kid who lives by a code? A leader by play in the 2005 . There’s one fact about Crosby that always example? A nice guy? Unfortunately, that Now, there are hundreds humming with makes Penguins fans cringe and fans north doesn’t always sell in the Age of Twitiocy. excitement waiting for the ticket booth of the border grin: He grew up rooting for If only fans saw more of the real Crosby, to open. Many are wearing jerseys of their the rival , the team that the one that exists outside the glow of the TV team’s new star, 17-year-old Sidney Crosby. drafted his father, Troy. cameras, they would see a man who is more Some call Posters of than an ambassador for the NHL, him by his or Canada. They would see a genuine role nickname, The first Cup win is a and Maurice model with uncommon character. Just don’t “Darryl.” “Rocket” Rich- trust him with your car keys. PM The young fun‘ memory to look back ard adorned kid from the walls of Cole Harbor, on, but I don’t want it to his childhood Did you ever get in trouble with hotel , bedroom. Even security? As a kid, all the time. We earned the be the only one I look back now, he can would be playing hall hockey with the handle—a speak conversa- mini sticks all night, and they’d ask us reference to former Maple Leafs Hall tional French (Sacrebleu!). of Famer , who once scored 10 So, will we be faced with the excruciat- to quiet down. points in a single game—after the kid himself ing possibility of Sid pulling a LeBron James Game that’s circled on your calendar: scored eight in his first game with the Oce- and announcing his future on a “La Décision The Winter Classic. Playing hockey anic. “Darryl dirigera l’équipe à un champion- Deux” ESPN special when his contract expires nat,” the fans hope aloud in the parking lot. in 2013? outside brings hockey back to its Suddenly, a commotion. A skinny, mop- Au contraire. Crosby’s love for the Cana- purest form. I can’t wait. haired kid emerges at the back of the line diens has run out.

44 pittsburghmagazine.com / DECEMBER 2010 PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE’S EMPTY NET-