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Sidney Crosby: Pens 'well aware' of mumps virus

Photo credit, screen shot from pittsburghpenguins.com 
Photo credit, screen shot from pittsburghpenguins.com 

The NHL's face of the mumps looked, well ... normal in a video produced by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Sidney Crosby, the league's biggest star (and unofficial mumps spokesman after a Quagmire from Family Guy-like shot last Friday) skated with teammates in advance of their Thursday evening game against Colorado, talked to reporters and most importantly ... didn't rip the Penguins or their medical staff for their handling of his issue.

"I felt good. To be honest with you I think that … my situation is probably the wrong one to try to analyze because I had a previous thing that happened a couple of weeks before that I was dealing with for at least 10 days to two weeks," Crosby said, also noting it was generally in the same area the mumps afflicts.

And then added, "Our staff was well aware of it, they did a great job."

Below is a video of a less mumpy Crosby ... though the camera person clearly is shooting the left side of Sid's face.

Crosby's statement is consistent with the Penguins' prior timeline which said he suffered an injury to his salivary gland on the right side of his neck on Nov. 28. He also did say he was tested for mumps and his tests were negative.

Meanwhile, forward Beau Bennett tested positive for the mumps, and visited a children's hospital, reportedly before his positive test result.

As for the questions as to why Crosby even talked to reporters in the first place Friday, which led to the ridiculous mumps photo -- he said he didn't look quite as bad before the skate.

"When I saw that picture ... that’s not what I looked like before I went on the ice," he joked.

While his statements seem to check out OK and are on the mark with the Pens message, again ... why was he allowed to talk to the media Friday with a giant bulge on his face? Didn't anyone notice this? It did lead to a great photo, incredible exposure for 84 Lumber, and more leaguewide vigilance. Which is funny, since it seemed way less important until Crosby got the mumps.

Not like another former Hart Trophy, Stanley Cup winner/Canadian Olympic gold medalist had the mumps ... oh wait, what about that Perry fellow in Anaheim?

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