I... am a man divided.
The picture of a bald eagle making a maple leaf
its bitch wasn't very fitting here.
Some may ask... who cares? Or why does it matter? Support them both, hope they both do well. I surely do. I hope Canada and USA is 1A and 1B in the medal count for the Winter Olympics. There is one sport though where I fear it is inevitable for them to face each other head to head in, and I cannot sit idly on the fence and have any self respect.
The sport? My most beloved sport of hockey. (Exit 99.9% of my readers)
Yes, hockey. To those of you who write hockey off as a stupid sport, I get it, you don't understand it and you don't have a team so you aren't invested. Go watch a real game (not the shitty Cyclones) in person and you will gain a new respect for how fast, intense, and physical the game is.
My entire life I have kept it plain and simple. I'm an American for the Summer Olympics, and I am a Canadian for the Winter Olympics. Win/Win and nobody gets hurt.
My dad and I have always enjoyed bonding over watching hockey and the Winter Olympics is like the World Cup in terms of intensity. He will 100% kick my ass if he reads this and realizes I have begun to consider myself divided in terms of hockey.
There are a few reasons I consider myself divided now, where in the past it was no question. Since I'm a list guy, (Yes, another stupid goddamn list) lets stick to that format.
1) I realized this year that it has been approximately 8 or more years since the last time I have been to Canada. I do plan on going back next year, but this is a long time for someone to claim to be a Halfie and not be in the country.
Got my tuxedo ready.
When I was little, going to Canada was a once every other year sort of deal. I actually really did identify with being part Canadian and relished it. Given the time since my last visit and the fact that I have spent all of my live living and working in the USA, the reason for being conflicted is obvious.
2) I like winning, and while Canada will still be the favorite, the USA has, in my opinion, the best all around team they have ever had in this tournament. Canada has the majority of the stars, the Giroux, Stamkos, Crosby's of the world. USA has an extremely tough and talented roster, and the Americans hold an undisputed advantage at the goalie position. As much as I want them both to win, the inevitable game between these two teams will be the sporting event of the year, for hockey fans and hockey haters alike.
Ending image to the best hockey game
I have ever seen in my life.
When I was little, it was easy to root for Canada because it was a given that Canada would win. This was usually followed up with the brilliant trash talk that "of course you should win, its your only sport!" to which I chuckle, and point out that even the USA Mens Basketball Team has failed to win Gold twice in my lifetime.
3) Good, fun, recognizable players that I am a fan of are finally getting their shot at playing for Team USA. For the longest time team USA would put guys on the ice that I just loathed with a passion. Guys like Jeremy Roenick and Chris Chelios. Brett Hull and Chris Drury. Just a bunch of buffoons that I cannot stand.
The USA team was announced on New Years Day and it is filled with awesome likeable guys. Johnathan Quick will be in the net for the Americans and this guy is absolute electric. My co-blogger and I saw JQ play against a stunningly bad cyclones team a few years ago in the lowly ECHL. This goalie was a freak, making just ridiculous saves look effortless. We had a hunch here and there that this guy would be someone special down the road.
Fast forward a few years and Johnathan Quick is the single best goalie in the world right now. To people who don't know much about hockey, a hot hand in nets can absolutely steal a tournament for you, and this is a massive advantage for the Americans.
Freaking Star
A second guy who made the team that hits close to me is Max Pacioretty. I am a massive Montreal Canadiens fan and this guy has been the heart and soul of this team this year. He is a star and I am extremely excited he is finally getting a chance to shine.
(Sidebar: Absolutely amazing article on the USA Team selection process done by ESPN. It is long, but is extremely cool and worth reading. You can find it here.)
In summary.... I have absolutely no idea where my allegiance lies just yet. I am, as the title suggests, extremely divided. It is years of conditioning and father/son bonding versus the country I have called home all my life, supported by upcoming stars and very likeable figures.
The Olympics are a month away... I have some time, but it sure is dwindling fast!
P.S. start leaving comments on our posts, we want some feedback and banter!
No comments:
Post a Comment