Just as often as basketball betting produces endless Kobe/LeBron/D-Wade debates, hockey betting these days is relentless with Crosby/Malkin/Ovechkin debates. And, after participating in a bunch of NHL betting forums over the last few months, I’m sick…and tired…of the Crosby bashing.

It’s not that I don’t think he deserves any criticism– didn’t I post an anti-Crosby song last month? — but it should be restricted to calling him a whiner, diver or baby.

What really gets my goat is when online betting players start trying to tell me Sid the Kid is overrated. That makes my blood boil! Just because two of his peers happen to be the other two best players of the last, say, 15 years or so doesn’t mean Crosby is a bust! That’s like saying Yzerman and Mario were busts because “Gretzky left them in the dust.” Nuh-uh.

Let’s crunch some NHL betting numbers.

Sidney Crosby’s first four full NHL single season point totals

102

122

72 (injury-shortened)

103

Now, Crosby was supposed to be the next Great One, right? And according to Wayne’s first four years…

104

137

164

212

Crosby is waaaay behind, right. Yes, but that doesn’t make him a friggin bust!

Lets look at the first four seasons of the other members of hockey betting’s top-five all time scorers (we’ll use No. 6 Yzerman since Howe didn’t play long enough seasons):

Mark Messier: 33, 63, 88, 106

Ron Francis: 68, 90, 83, 81

Marcel Dionne: 77, 90, 78, 121

Steve Yzerman: 87, 89, 42 (injury), 90

Sidney Crosby: 102, 122, 72, 103

HMMM, seems to me like Crosby has started off better than all that elite company. Also, his career points per game mark of 1.37 places him FIFTH-BEST ALL TIME, behind only Gretzky, Lemieux, Bossy and Orr.

COME ON! CROSBY ISN’T A BUST! GIVE THE KID A BREAK! In theory, his points-per-game numbers could rise even more considering that he’s at least five years away from his prime.

So please, NHL betting fans, sit back and enjoy the Stanley Cup odds. And give Crosby a round of applause for a change. He’s more than living up to the hype.