Jun 1, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; NHL referee Brad Watson (23) talks to Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) on the ice against the Boston Bruins during the second period in game one of the Eastern Conference finals of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Pittsburgh Penguins won 3-0. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
He is the LeBron James of the NHL, he is the biggest name and the best player. He is often criticized (fairly or unfairly) but Sidney Crosby is still without a doubt the face of the NHL. He is beloved by his fans but hated by many who find him too whiny or generally just don’t like him because he doesn’t play for their team or country.
So, when reports surfaced that he was ushered to the front of the line at the Department of Motor Vehicles while renewing his license last week, you can bet your life that some people jumped at the chance to once again drag his name through the mud.
Many claimed that Crosby must’ve been complaining or whining (as he often does on the ice) about the line, so the DMV let him cut to the front and other childish things like that. While I enjoy seeing Crosby made fun of as much as the next hater, even I have my own limits and won’t be piling on Sid, at least this once.
“Crosby, who turned 26 (last Wednesday), said he renewed his license (that) Friday at the DMV branch in McCandles, Pennsylvania. His presence caused quite a stir among fans, and DMV supervisors quickly followed procedure to let Crosby move quickly to the front of the line because of his celebrity,” wrote Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune.
It’s frustrating enough as it is at the DMV for all involved, so when a celebrity is there and unintentionally causing a scene because of their popularity, it makes sense to get them in and out of there as fast as possible. “People of high visibility have been given priority for some time,” Jan McKnight, the DMV’s community relations coordinator said . “It just make sense. (Crosby) didn’t do anything that we don’t already allow.”
We’ve all been to the DMV and hate it, it takes forever and everyone there is miserable. You usually end up waiting for an hour or two (if you are lucky) and then you finally get to the front of the line just to have someone with an unfriendly disposition tell you that you don’t have the right paperwork and you’ll need to come back another day and do it all over again. Combine that with a polarizing figure like Crosby cutting the line and its easy to get a couple jabs in. Just so happens that this time the DMV had it right, for once.