News/views: Crosby diagnosed with mumps

DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS

News: Sidney Crosby does, in fact, have the mumps, the Penguins just confirmed.

Views: He was allowed to practice with the team Friday and cleared to play that night by the team’s medical staff. Man, good luck explaining that one, ladies and gentlemen.

For obvious reasons, I’ll focus on football today. But I’ll say this much right now: I don’t doubt for a second that lying was part of this process. And when lying about injuries/ailments is an accepted — no, mandated — part of the culture in Gary Bettman’s NHL, this sort of thing can result.

UPDATE 12:35 p.m.: Audio of today’s press conference with Dr. Dharmesh Vyas, the Penguins’ physician. And another press conference with Jim Rutherford. Also, here’s the printed transcript.

This was how Sidney Crosby looked when meeting Friday morning with reporters at Consol. — ROOT SPORTS