Gretzky knows Crosby's star burden
February 19, 2007

Canadian Press

Wayne Gretzky isn't a bit surprised Sidney Crosby has his detractors,
whether it's allegations of diving or suggestions he whines too much.

"You spend all this time saying this guy's the next guy, this guy's
going to do it. You build something up so much that when they get on
top, there's a small percentage who want to knock them off," said
Gretzky in a recent interview.

"And (Crosby) has been going through this last year or so. The
majority of fans respect him, understand him, think how great he is
for the game. But there's always a person who wants to be the devil's
advocate."

The Great One chuckles at the way Don Cherry, also known as "Grapes"
and the lead voice of Coach's Corner on the influential Canadian TV
telecast Hockey Night in Canada, has been taking shots at Crosby all
season.

"You know, Grapes speaks from his heart. He's always trying to better
the game," Gretzky said. "Grapes was hard on me before. It's nothing
personal.

"I'm sure Grapes was the general manager of a team and he could pick
any player in the NHL right now, it would be Crosby. And he'd defend
him for the next year about how guys were running him."

Gretzky knows only too well the league-wide appeal Crosby, who created
the only sellout for the Phoenix Coyotes this season when he came to
town Jan. 27 and scored a goal in the Penguins' 7-2 victory.

After being the NHL's most watched player for almost two decades,
Gretzky believes the burden on Crosby is greater.

"It's a progression. What I went through in the early '80s was
probably harder then what Gordie (Howe) and Bobby (Orr) went through
because there was more cities and more attention and more media,"
Gretzky said.

"So he definitely has tremendous pressure on him. Not so much about
playing, he's had that his whole life, but the pressure of selling the
game, being the face out there."