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Root, root, root for their home team Oh, Say Can You See...a Maple Leaf?By Rick Horowitz
So I'm thinking maybe we can dig up something on the Germans -- a bad urine test, or maybe the timer wasn't working properly when they crossed the finish line or something -- and then they'll have to take away one of their medals and they'll be down to the same 34 medals that we have. Or even better, maybe they can take away one of their medals in some event where we finished fourth, so then they lose a medal and we gain a medal and they're down to 34 and we're up to 35 and we're ahead of everybody and wouldn't that be great? Actually? No. As Olympics go, these Olympics went: tight contests, appealing competitors, plenty of controversy and -- a particular plus this year -- no catastrophes. And for the American team, it went even better than that: a major medal haul, and not just in those made-for-the-USA events. We were talented. We were dedicated. (We were acclimated.) In fact, things went so well for the American team that, as the days rolled by and the medals piled higher and higher, our success bordered on the unseemly. We were, after all, the hosts of this little shindig. The ostensibly gracious hosts. When you play games at your kid's birthday party, you make sure she doesn't take home all the big prizes, don't you? Well, we were throwing this party, and there was a sense out there in the rest of the world that perhaps we were coming on a little strong. Out there in the rest of the world, and even up here in our very own Olympic rooting roost. As satisfying as it was to hear multiple renditions of "The Star Spangled Banner," by the final day of competition, I was ready for a different tune. Which is why... Can you keep a secret? Which is why I rooted for the Canadians. In the men's hockey final, I rooted for the Canadians -- against the Americans. I rooted for the Canadians, and I was glad when they won. There -- I said it. I know, I know: I'm an unpatriotic lout, unfit to lick the slush off Team USA's skates. I fully expect the American Legion to come knocking at my door any minute now. That good-citizenship award they gave me back in grade school? Hand it over! But look -- I had my reasons. Here's what this wasn't: This wasn't some ragtag collection of gritty American college kids taking on the big, bad Soviet Union in the midst of the cold war. This wasn't one last shot at amateur glory before hanging up their gear and getting on with the rest of their lives. Here's what this was: Two friendly countries, the closest of neighbors and allies, playing for bragging rights. Two rosters, each of them stuffed with NHL stars earning millions of dollars apiece. NHL teammates, in many cases, finding themselves only temporarily on opposite benches. In the grand scheme of things, there just wasn't that much riding on the outcome. Except for this: Canada really wanted it. Canada really needed it. Hockey is Canada's national sport, you know. Canadians feel very possessive about their national sport. But Canada hadn't taken possession of Olympic hockey gold since 1952! (The Canadian women won this year, which eased the pain a little bit. But only a little bit.) You might say it was time. And if it took beating the United States to get them where they so badly wanted to go, I can live with that. And so can you. They were out on the streets all over Canada on Sunday, honking their horns and waving their flags and basking in their victory. Do you think we would have taken to the streets if our guys had come out on top? Not a chance. The way I figure it, more people were more pleased this way. I'm one of them. The "Miracle on Ice" was fine. Let's call this one "Nice on Ice." Posted 2/26/02. Get
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Rick Horowitz
