Image of the Week

Sports Illustrated

Admittedly, there is not much to discuss in the world of sports, at least not important sports. Call my decision to discuss magazine covers from 2009 desperation. I prefer the term creativity. This week's pair of images were printed by Sports Illustrated in June of 2009 after the Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Lakers were both declared champions. Subscribers received an issue with one of these two images on the cover, depending on where they lived geographically.

I am going to examine the difference in reaction of Sidney Crosby and Kobe Bryant. As you can clearly see, Crosby displayed a much higher level of emotion. It's fair to say that hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup was the happiest moment of his life. Bryant, on the other hand, was much calmer. The NBA star simply squatted on the court and flashed a smile of content.

Why was Crosby so much more ecstatic than Bryant? Each man had claimed the most elusive title in their respective sports, leading their team through months of hard-fought battles to reach the pinnacle of their careers. Of course, Bryant has won the NBA Title before, while Crosby was lifting the Stanley Cup for the first time. That may have contributed slightly to the difference of expression. But this was "Kobe's Moment." He had finally proven that he could win without Shaq. Shouldn't he have been more enthusiastic?

The answer is yes. Bryant should have been bouncing off the walls, running around like a maniac, acting like a kid, "The Kid and the Cup." Crosby spent his entire childhood dreaming of the day when he would hoist the Cup, not because he wanted to validate his career or win the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to hockey's playoff MVP, but because he wanted to win the team title. Bryant's motives for winning were much more self-centered. He wanted to prove he could win on his own, lead a team to a championship without any help. He wanted to assert himself as the best basketball player in the world.

Sid the Kid, in contrast, was much more animated. His life-long dream of hoisting hockey's Holy Grail had been realized. His expression, untainted by his prepubescent playoff beard, was one of pure joy. The Stanley Cup is the world's greatest trophy, one that bears the names of past champions, one that is passed on from year to year, not replicated for each season. It is the most storied and hallowed trophy in all of sports, a tangible object that symbolizes an intangible feeling. The Stanley Cup is the world's greatest trophy, and the NHL is better for it.


Special thanks to the Caboose for his help with the brainstorming of this story.