Early, not too often

Everything I’ve read or written about snagging Sidney Crosby’s autograph focuses on one thing – getting him early. Not just in his career, mind you, but I’m quickly learning that advice works well within the day.

On the Pittsburgh Penguins second regular-season trip into Boston, in which the team changed hotels from the first stay, it seems The Next One had a change in heart toward accommodating the league’s best hounds.

Once a handful of these hounds (unfortunately, some of the scumbag dealers were among them) finally learned where the team was staying, they were surprised to find that Crosby felt like signing autographs that day. Perhaps it was the small crowd, or maybe even jet lag, but reports indicated that he willingly put blue Sharpies to photos and silver paint pens to pucks before and after the team's practice.

After spending the morning in Wilmington, getting Ray Bourque, the Bruins new on-ice consultant, to sign my wife’s Avalanche jersey, and later learning that Crosby had signed, I had to find out for myself. And though it took some time, I can happily report that a grumpy Crosby did, in fact, sign a Team Canada puck (see above) as he and two teammates headed for a late dinner.

"I’ll do it," he said. "But this is it."

It’s too bad, then, that Mario Lemieux was his normal jovial self, declining polite requests from three hounds willing to have him personalize any item he might sign. That’s not to say that he won’t ever sign. A trend is developing that he will sign a photo, but only if it shows you and Lemieux, and you don’t mind having it personalized.

Given how tough he is, I’d consider it an honor. You can bet, too, that I’ll be packing my digital camera, rather than a 1991-92 Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup Champions puck, next season.