Sidney Crosby and Dan Muse don’t need a crystal ball to know Philadelphia still has Crosby in its sights.
A Philadelphia fan group turned that feeling into roadside theater on Wednesday, putting a billboard mocking Crosby along I-95.
That’s the kind of rivalry move that lands because Crosby still sits at the center of it. Even when the Penguins aren’t in the building, he stays on the Philly radar.
The timing matters too. Pittsburgh finished 41-25-16, while Philadelphia closed at 43-27-12. That gap gives Flyers fans enough juice to keep pushing the needle.
And this wasn’t some random troll job from deep internet space. Phans of Philly made it public and leaned into the joke with a wink toward Pittsburgh.
The digital board glows over the highway and turns a passing chirp into a full commuter message.
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That’s what makes it funny on one level and revealing on another. Crosby still pulls enough emotion in this rivalry to justify ad space.
Philadelphia knows exactly which button to push with the Penguins
For Philly fans, Crosby has long been the face they love to boo. You don’t spend billboard money on a player who doesn’t still carry weight.
For Pittsburgh, it’s another reminder that Crosby remains the franchise symbol, whether the conversation is about production, legacy, or pure fan reaction. He still drives the temperature.
The rivalry also doesn’t need a playoff series to stay hot. A sign on I-95 can do the job just fine when both markets know the history.
There’s a reason this lands harder than a generic Penguins shot. Crosby was held scoreless in Pittsburgh’s 3-2 loss to Philadelphia on April 18, and that gives the chirp a little fresh sting.
It also fits the broader tone around the Flyers right now. Rick Tocchet’s club finished with 250 goals against, while the Penguins gave up 268, so Philly has room to brag and its crowd knows it.
None of this changes what Crosby has meant to the rivalry over the years. But it does show something important: in Philadelphia, taking a swing at Crosby still feels like a winning play.
And honestly, that may be the biggest compliment hidden inside the joke. Rival fan bases don’t build billboards for players who stopped mattering.
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