LIVE BLOG: CROSBY CAM!

I decided to check out the NBC Sports' Crosby Cam and write down my thoughts about it, because it's a cold Sunday morning and because I can. Besides, you can't get enough of The Kid! Or can you? I'm about to find out.

It turns out that it's called "ISO-CAM" since Sid can't be on it all the time. ;(

There's also an Avery-Cam which I will not be clicking on, lest I catch him with a moderately priced hooker. I think David Letterman should sue, because this is very similar to the Late Night Monkey Cam. Oh that's right, that's now the "intellectual property" of NBC.

12:07. I tuned in a little early and caught Crosby getting dressed. THE HORROR! Interesting note: he wears a girdle. (Might be true.)
12:36. The game is underway, and the ISO-CAM is a second behind the TV. Also, there's no audio on the isolated player, just ambient noise. I was hoping to catch some interesting bench chatter, but I guess not. This will be annoying, I can probably only put up with a period of this.
12:38. That was quick: Rangers up 1-0. It turns out that when Crosby isn't on the ice, they switch to other players, thankfully. I didn't want to watch Sid blow his nose on the bench for 40 minutes. Malkin is up next, and it's fun to see the little things he does, such as setting up for an outlet pass,
12:42. LARAQUE-CAM! Just when I was starting to appreciate the little things hockey players do when they're not near the puck, I watched George skate in circles, hit one guy (Backman), look around for someone else to hit while never getting near the puck, and sit down after 35 sceonds. Aaaah, the life of a goon.
12:49. HOSSA SCORES! CROSBY WITH THE ASSIST! HE SAVES HOCKEY AGAIN! (It actually went off of Dupuis' skate and bounced right to Hossa.) No, that wasn't a great play by Crosby, despite the NBC call. Ugh.
12:51. Occasionally, the ISO-CAM freezes up, goes all pixelated, or just goes to a blue screen. Irritating.
12:53. During the PP, Crosby is looking down at his skate, and seems a little tentative. OMG I HOPE HE'S OKAY!
12:57. ISO-CAM catches Sid whining about an icing call for a full 2 minutes, pleading his case with the referees. Wow, the TV time outs are quite exciting. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
1:04. Wow, what a pass from Sid to Staal on the PP. He couldn't handle it. And Crosby draws yet another penalty, he's the best in the league at that (Avery is 2nd).
1:05. 30 seconds left on a 5-on-3, Crosby whacks it at the net right on the doorstep . . . and the cam freezes up so I never see it. Seconds later, Malkin scooooooores. 2-1 Sidsburgh.
1:10. End of 1st. Get ready for 20 minutes of ISO-CAM focused on the Zambonis and the Penguins blimp! I was hoping to get a pee-wee hockey game, but no luck.

Okay, I can't do this anymore. I'll take any bonus NHL coverage I can get, and while this is a cool idea it just seems like a work in progress. Or maybe this is the best NBC can do (they seem to suck at golf too). Still, it's better than Versus, and by "better" I mean "it exists". The so-called "official home of the NHL" doesn't seem willing to devote any extra time or energy to bring you bonus coverage. So you either get excessive, fawning coverage of a handful of star players, or barely any coverage at all.

In other words, Bettman sucks.