I'm just trying to watch a hockey game, man. Just trying to do some (friendly!) trash-talking with my Canadian relatives and pals. Leaning in to a (friendly!!!) rivalry with our closest neighbor, and hopefully beating them at their own sport, and, maybe if we're lucky, making Brad Marchand cry. I didn't sign on for Team USA becoming the icebound avatar of Trumpism.
Blame Bill Guerin. On Monday the former NHLer and Team USA GM went on Fox News to plead with the president to attend Thursday's 4 Nations Face-Off final in Boston, a rematch of Saturday's game that saw the U.S. defeat Canada 3-1 in Montreal, before which the American anthem received moderate but notable boos. After that, a whole bunch of people who have never watched a hockey game in their life all of a sudden became huge, or at least loud, Team USA fans because their politics consist solely of supporting things that will upset the people they're told they should hate.
Anyway, Trump's not attending the game—he'd never sit through a hockey game, he's more of an Ice Capades type of guy—but he did post about it, echoing his aggressive and nonsensical labeling of Canada as America's 51st state. He also placed a call to Team USA this morning, in which he reiterated his call for annexation:
According to Team USA 4 Nations general manager Bill Guerin, Trump did reference the 51st state on the call.
“A little bit, but I would just try to focus on the message that he was giving us,” Guerin said. “I’ve said it before: We’re here to play hockey. This is not a political forum."
OK man. Look, this blog is not asking to "keep politics out of sports." That's unrealistic and requires willful ignorance and is a plea that's only ever weaponized. I didn't need to read the approving quotes from U.S. players, just like I didn't need to see Matthew Tkachuk glazing Trump last week, to know what hockey players' politics are like—a generalization with accuracy that does not meaningfully decline when applied to non-American players, mind you. I'm just bummed to know that if Team USA wins, I'll be celebrating alongside some of the worst people. They're the type who wear stars and stripes out of the house even when the U.S. isn't playing in a global tournament. I just wanted to enjoy my little tournament, without all the chuds.
Hockey was finally enjoying some rare time in the spotlight; 4 Nations was the rare smart idea from the league. The vibes were good, and now they're not. At least Canada coach Jon Cooper's treating this all like the joke it is. International rivalries are fun, but it sucks to be reminded that by any objective measure you're on the side of the bad guys. (I promise you that you do not need to tell me, "Always have been.")
