"Crosby Sucks!"

Ok, I know what you're thinking and, no, I don't think Sidney Crosby sucks. In-fact, I think he's the best thing to happen to the Penguins since Mario, and the greatest player in the NHL right now. He's also a gosh-darn nice guy.

When he goes to places like Colorado, Vancouver, or even Philadelphia, fans have to be at least a little interested in seeing him perform, even if it's against their respective teams.

I'm sure even the fans of the Montreal Canadiens, the Penguins current opponent in the Eastern Conference semi-finals, recognize that Crosby is the best in the business.

The fans in Montreal might know a great hockey player when they see one, but that didn't stopped them from booing Crosby at every turn during the three games played in Montreal. They even used a couple of anti-Crosby chants; most notably: "Crosby sucks!"

Not very creative, but enough to let Crosby know they did not appreciate him trying to come into their building and have his way with their beloved Habs.

This reaction doesn't surprise me. After all, this is what fans do.

What has surprised me, however, is the reaction of the Pittsburgh fans and media members. People like Stan Savran and Guy Junker are astonished and flabbergasted that the Montreal fans could treat Sid with such disdain. He's their national hero. He won them a gold medal.

Talk show hosts have used entire segments asking the listeners why the Canadien fans are so hard on Sid. Respected hockey writers have been interviewed regarding this.

Some fans and media guys have even gone so far as to say they're disappointed in the Montreal fans.

"I thought the fans in Montreal had more class than that." "I thought they were the most knowledgeable hockey fans." "Don't they realize just how very good Sid is?" "Who did they ever beat? Where are their gold medals? They're no Sidney Crosby, that's for sure."

Oh brother.

I've been following sports since I was 7 years old and I think this is the first time I've ever witnessed people so up-in-arms over a star Pittsburgh athlete's reception in another city.

This is the playoffs, of course Crosby is going to be treated harshly. This is what fans do.

For a time there, Tom Brady was the best quarterback in the NFL, but that didn't stop Steelers fans from booing him and saying he sucked. In-fact, some of us even wished a staph infection on him.

And so what if he won a gold medal for Canada in the recent Olympics? Does this mean that fans all over Canada are supposed to stop supporting their hometown team every time Crosby comes to town? Why don't they just roll out the red carpet for him?

If football became a part of the Olympics and Ray Lewis helped America win a gold medal, do you think Steelers fans would give him a standing ovation when the Ravens came to Heinz field to play the Steelers in an important divisional game? Don't bet on it.

What if the Penguins play Vancouver in the Stanley cup finals? Are their fans supposed to keep quiet when Crosby is on the ice? Are they supposed to just smother their natural urges as fans to boo him and want him to fail?

Come on, people, Crosby is a great player and a great guy, but there is a fine line between great and holier than thou, and he isn't above being booed by opposing fans.

I would expect nothing less, and I'm sure Sidney Crosby doesn't care as much about it as you do.

Opposing fans boo, if they didn't, road wins wouldn't be as sweet.

Man, I haven't seen people judged so harshly for chanting that a particular Olympic hero sucked since the heyday of the guy in the video above.

Oh, it's true. It's damn true.