Faceoff Factor

Most Legends Are Folklure -- Roberts Is Real Deal

Matt Bodenschatz | Pittsburgh Penguins

Apr 11, 11:22 AM | Hype this story!

You’ve heard of the legend of the Headless Horseman, of Paul Bunyan, and of monsters such as the Yeti and Bigfoot. But they all pale in comparison to the Legend of Gary Roberts.

Yesterday, Faceoff Factor’s Jesse Marshall wrote a spectacular piece outlining Roberts’ important to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

This morning, Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review did the same, adding an interesting twist that compares Roberts to Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lector of movie fame.

Rather than taking bits and pieces from Starkey’s wonderfully-written article, I will recommend all to head over to the daily paper’s web site to read it in its entirety.

But I do want to point out a few key quotes from this and other articles that just prove how much of a legend Roberts truly is.

Tyler Kennedy: “He’s got that look most of the time — even in practice. He’s a very intense man.”

Roberts: “I said, ‘OK, I’ve had enough, if you want to hurt me, take that visor off,’ “

Sidney Crosby: “Every year he’s played he’s shown he can make a difference. Whatever it takes he’s willing to do it.”

Henwood of Hockey.com: “...a one-man wrecking crew who seems to have far too much fun helping the Senators book premature tee times.”

And I have to throw in the best quote of them all from Starkey’s article – one that comes from a movie, but that portrays Roberts’ intimidating, intense personality to a tee.

Lector: “Remarkable boy. I do admire your courage. I think I’ll eat your heart.”

Roberts may be in his 40s with precious few years (or maybe games) left in his career, but he is every bit as effective as he was in his 20s and 30s.

He has every quality needed to make a legend, and not one of those folklures that never existed, but a true living legend that shouldn’t and won’t be forgotten.

Ten years from now, people still will be talking about how he dominated game one of the 2008 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

Ten years from now, Roberts still will be one of the most popular players ever to wear the black and gold.

And just think, he arrived in Pittsburgh a little over a year ago at an age at which most wouldn’t even dream of playing hockey.

Here’s to another spectacular game from “Scary Gary,” as he’s affectionately known in the Steel City.