I am emphasizing the above because when sometimes I mention things like this. people get too parochial and they mention some sap who was hyped as a local athlete at the local VFW and Elks club. No. I ain't talking about that. Not some ordinary 4 star HS football player. I am talking....HYPE.......like game change changing, program changing, life changing, franchise changing...........
I was thinking how lucky we have been as local sports fans to have guys who had this kind of hype and not just lived up to it, but in some cases exceeded.
Tony Dorsett. This kid had all this hype, he stays home and goes to the local moribound college football program,. And he delivers. Oh does he deliver. He goes on to break every NCAA rushing record and lead his team to win a national title and a Heisman. Folks, that is what hype and exceeding hype levels I am talking about. Once in a lifetime type of guys. He then goes on to the pros, wins a Super Bowl and become a 1st ballot HOFer. I say he did pretty well matching up his hype.
Many of you aren't old enough to remember TD, or this next guy. He was supposed to be the savior. I mean this franchise, as mediocre and moribund as Pitt football was, supposedly was going to be saved by this kid. How could anyone live up this this hype. His name Mario Lemieux. Lemieux went on to make hockey huge in this town, become a 2 time Stanley Cup champ and probably was the single most gifted player to ever play the sport. Back issues and cancer only dimmed his accomplishments. He was magnificent, never saw then and since, an athlete just so ****ing dominant and had the ability to do what he wanted. Whenever health allowed him to. The dude retires, and comes back halfway through a season 3 years later and dominates the sport. He then buys the franchise and well, the Pens are a brand name now throughout sports. One of the most successful pro sports franchises of the last 40 years. That's living up to hype. That's blowing it up.
Sidney Crosby, the lottery winner for us. How can any kid live up to that hype. 3 cups later, gold medals, countless MVP's., 15 straight playoff years, yeah....I think that is matching hype. Exceeding what seemed like impossible hype.
Guys like Lebron, MJ, Ken Griffey Jr, Peyton Manning all lived up or exceeded hype. Dan Marino. John Elway. Alex Ovechkin. Hell, Geno Malkin has. There are a lot who hasn't. We are lucky here in this area that guys we had to have become the biggest stars became. Even on a lesser level, Shady and Fitz at Pitt, everything they were expected to be, the were. And more.
I was thinking how lucky we have been as local sports fans to have guys who had this kind of hype and not just lived up to it, but in some cases exceeded.
Tony Dorsett. This kid had all this hype, he stays home and goes to the local moribound college football program,. And he delivers. Oh does he deliver. He goes on to break every NCAA rushing record and lead his team to win a national title and a Heisman. Folks, that is what hype and exceeding hype levels I am talking about. Once in a lifetime type of guys. He then goes on to the pros, wins a Super Bowl and become a 1st ballot HOFer. I say he did pretty well matching up his hype.
Many of you aren't old enough to remember TD, or this next guy. He was supposed to be the savior. I mean this franchise, as mediocre and moribund as Pitt football was, supposedly was going to be saved by this kid. How could anyone live up this this hype. His name Mario Lemieux. Lemieux went on to make hockey huge in this town, become a 2 time Stanley Cup champ and probably was the single most gifted player to ever play the sport. Back issues and cancer only dimmed his accomplishments. He was magnificent, never saw then and since, an athlete just so ****ing dominant and had the ability to do what he wanted. Whenever health allowed him to. The dude retires, and comes back halfway through a season 3 years later and dominates the sport. He then buys the franchise and well, the Pens are a brand name now throughout sports. One of the most successful pro sports franchises of the last 40 years. That's living up to hype. That's blowing it up.
Sidney Crosby, the lottery winner for us. How can any kid live up to that hype. 3 cups later, gold medals, countless MVP's., 15 straight playoff years, yeah....I think that is matching hype. Exceeding what seemed like impossible hype.
Guys like Lebron, MJ, Ken Griffey Jr, Peyton Manning all lived up or exceeded hype. Dan Marino. John Elway. Alex Ovechkin. Hell, Geno Malkin has. There are a lot who hasn't. We are lucky here in this area that guys we had to have become the biggest stars became. Even on a lesser level, Shady and Fitz at Pitt, everything they were expected to be, the were. And more.
