Surely, after all this time, we're past describing this as a schoolyard battle over which kid is toughest or coolest or best.
Surely, after all of the hardware and the successes and, yes, disappointments and nagging doubts, this second-round Stanley Cup playoffs series between the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins -- which starts at 8 p.m. ET Thursday at the Verizon Center in Washington -- is far richer than the simple narrative of who's better, Alex Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby.
Right?
"This is a big deal for the fans and media, but at this point in their careers it's not about who's better.