Crosby isn't attending the All-Star game and the criticism is wrong

Crosby isn't attending the All-Star game and the criticism is wrong

So, you have probably heard by now that Sidney Crosby isn't attending the All-Star Game in Columbus this weekend. This means that Crosby will have been to just one All-Star game, shown in the picture above in the 2007 game in Dallas where the West won 12-9. The Penguins announced that he would miss the 2015 edition late on Thursday with a lower body injury which immediately brought scorn from some who felt that he was missing it deliberately to rest up rather than take part. Today the Penguins released a statement that said he had received an injection to help with his injury which was sustained in the game against Montreal and he had subsequently tried to play through it.

Originally I could understand the criticism as it did sound quite vague but now that more information has been released that criticism should cease as it is clear that he is injured and it isn't being hidden like some suggested. One of the notions that has been bandied around is that Crosby is letting the league down and showing a lack of class. I've even seen some suggest that he owes the fans his attendance.

Looking back it is sad to see that Crosby has missed four All-Star Games now. In 2008, 2009, 2011 and now 2015. He missed it in 2008 after sustaining a knee sprain in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning which cost him 21 games. He then missed the 2009 All-Star game in a similar circumstance but took part in the fan activities and media events. The more recent before this years he missed because of lingering effects of his concussion he received in early 2011.

Going back to the people who said he owed the fans his attendance. He doesn't. He didn't ask to be put on the pedestal at the top because of his talents and he gets enough attention through the media as it is. This is without mentioning that he does do a fair amount of work for fans but maybe we should appreciate that he prefers a more private life, as anyone would at his level of publicity. Aside from this Crosby still does a lot of fan work and is no doubt in high demand but when you consider that from September to May/June he is busy is it really any surprise that he wants just a couple of days off?

Finally, with the way the league has treated him with the refereeing of the constant abuse he got in the last play-offs. Along with the fact that the Penguins have been on the receiving end this season of a lot of questionable calls makes me hope that this is also a two fingered salute to them for this. All in all, it would have been nice to see him there but the Penguins season and a healthy Crosby is more important.