Anyone who has read my work for any length of time knows plenty about my politics and my obsession with hockey. Both frequently cause me to rip my hair out by the fistful.
But it’s OK not to be angry about this.
Watching the American team squeak past Canada was one of the most fun sports experiences of my life. When Jack Hughes’ wrister squirted past Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington, my older boy and I both leaped into the air and shared a shouting, bouncing bear hug. It was magic. I felt closer to him. I felt closer to my countrymen. Three days later, I’m still giddy about it.
That feeling belongs to me. And I like it. I choose not to give it away simply because Connor Hellebuyck probably voted for Donald Trump.
I don’t disagree with Jerry Brewer’s point that the Olympians’ presence needlessly lent credibility to the scene. And also, I don’t really care. I’m plenty angry about America’s state of affairs. But I reserve my anger for the cause of those affairs, not for the people who align themselves with that cause. There’s a perfectly good argument to be made that those two things can’t be separated entirely, and maybe that’s right. But I’m gonna separate them as much as possible, as often as possible — not because I’m sticking my head in the sand, but because we’ve gotta stop finding reasons to despise one another.