I expressed my trepidation when Crosby returned to the ice after an 11 month battle with concussion like symptoms and my worst fears were realized when it was announced yesterday that Crosby will be out indefinitely with concussion like symptoms after playing a handful of games this season. The long term effects of concussions are the scariest ailment to hit sports since the advent of helmets and even with some effects uncertain we know two things, living daily with the symptoms is unbearable, and the long term effects can make a life after sports impossible. Crosby continues to be optimistic about a return to the ice even as the odds seem to get larger by the day and the setback. Crosby's career and legacy seem to be mirroring another legend from a different time and a different sport, Sandy Koufax.
Koufax is a pitcher who is spoken about with the upmost respect; he is a common answer to the question asking "who would you want on the mound in a life and death game?" During the prime of his career no pitcher shined brighter even if like a comet his prime was too short. Koufax debuted in the majors in 1955 due to his contract as a "bonus baby", but did not begin to start for Dodgers until 1961. In that year he broke the NL record with 269 K's, a mark he would surpass 3 times in the next 5 seasons. During his 6 year prime from '61 to '66, Koufax set a modern day standard for pitching greatness with consecutive ERA/K seasons of:
'61 (2.51 ERA, 269 K's)
'62 (2.54 ERA, 219 K's)
'63 (1.88 ERA, 306 K's)
'64 (1.74 ERA, 240 K's)
'65 (2.04 ERA, 382 K's)
'66 (1.73 ERA< 317 K's)
Koufax became the first three time Cy Young winner, winning the award in 63, 65, and 66 all in unanimous votes while also wining the pitching triple crown in all three seasons. He led the Dodgers to World Series titles in 63 and 65 and was named Series MVP both times. After pitching hurt through the entire 66 season, Koufax retired with an arthritic pitching elbow at the age of 31. The pain in his arm was too great to even attempt a comeback; he was inducted in the Hall of Fame on the first ballot, the youngest ever member at the age of 37. Koufax guarded his privacy as fiercely as his ERA and his legend has only grown as he has stayed out of the spotlight.
Like Koufax, Crosby has had an unmatched 6 year career; he entered the league as an 18 year old and is a lock Hall of Famer before his 26th birthday. Below are his numbers for these 6 seasons.
'05/06 (39 G, 63 A, 102 pts)
'06/07 (36 G, 84 A, 120 pts)
'07/08 (24 G, 48 A, 72 pts in 53 games played)
'08/09 (33 G, 70 A, 103 pts)
'09/10 (51 G, 58 A, 109 pts)
'10/11 (32 G, 34 A, 66 pts in 44 games played)
Crosby is the youngest player and only teenager to lead a North American sports league in scoring as he did in 06/07 when he won the Art Ross (leading scorer) and Hart trophies (league MVP). He recovered from a high ankle sprain in 07/08 to lead the Penguins to the Stanley Cup finals and become the youngest captain to win hockey's biggest prize when the Penguins beat Detroit in the 08/09 Cup finals. The following winter he scored the "golden goal" as Team Canada's captain when they won the Gold at the 2010 winter Olympics in Vancouver. Crosby seemed headed for a career that would leave fans debating his accomplishments with the Great One until his concussion problems surfaced during the '10/11 season.
Unlike Koufax, who knew his injury were career ending, Crosby is holding out hope for a return, but the more society learns about brain injuries the more of a possibility it becomes that Crosby becomes the first player to be inducted in the Hall of Fame before his 30th birthday. Crosby is all Canadian and he also guards his privacy closely, I don't think it would be a stretch to see him retire to Nova Scotia with only Koufax like memories of greatness that shined so bright for too short of a time period for all sports fans.
