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From: jeff@dciem.UUCP (Jeff Richardson)
Newsgroups: net.sport.hockey
Subject: Gretzky rebuttal
Message-ID: <887@dciem.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 24-Apr-84 12:27:55 EST
Article-I.D.: dciem.887
Posted: Tue Apr 24 12:27:55 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 24-Apr-84 14:13:32 EST
Organization: D.C.I.E.M., Toronto, Canada
Lines: 44

> I just have one response to an article which made a reference to Wayne (the
> Great) Gretzky not coming through when it really counts. Wayne Gretzky is
> by far the best player in hockey today and, probably the best hockey player
> of all time. (Gordie Howe was awesome) Just because the Isles shut Gretzky
> down doesn't mean he doesn't come through in the big ones - it means the whole
> Edmonton team didn't play well. No player can go one on five in any sport.

If the whole team didn't play well, whose fault is it?  Throughout hockey
history, when a team was in a slump, they looked to their leader pick up the
team and turn things around by getting everybody to play better.  True
superstars like Rocket Richard and Bobby Orr have been able to do this.
The Oilers look to Gretzky for it, but so far he's been unable to supply it.
Sure, he does a lot of things better than anybody else, but I don't think you
can call him the greatest player of all time until he demonstrates this most
important quality.

> Gretzky really proved himself early this year when every team the Oilers
> played put a great defenseman on Gretzky alone, ignoring everybody else.
> What effect did it have on Gretzky? He was still a scoring machine!

If he was a scoring machine in the regular season with good checkers on him,
then why can't he do it against the Islanders?  That just reinforces my theory
that he chokes when he's really needed, since the regular season doesn't mean
anything because almost everybody makes the playoffs.

> When he got hurt, the Oilers started getting, not beat, but killed. As soon
> as he came back, they immediately started winning again, and big. His
> record speaks for itself!

I think the Oilers have the talent to be one of the top teams in the league
even without Gretzky, but they look to him to provide all of their leadership
and drive, so when he's not there or doesn't provide it, the rest of the team
can't cope.  The Oilers will never win the cup unless:

a) They get over this dependence on Gretzky and generate some leadership
   and drive within themselves, or

b) Gretzky becomes a true superstar and starts showing some of the things
   that they look to him for.

He's only 22 or 23, so maybe he will be the greatest player of all time,
but he isn't yet.
                                   Jeff Richardson
                                   DCIEM, Toronto