Sugar's "Show your American Spirit" Pick
Team USA (+1.5) vs Team Canada (WINNER!)
The moment is upon us folks. Pick up a case of beer and a fifth of Jack, call your boss and tell him 'your chances of making it to work tomorrow aren't lookin too bright', call your kid's school and tell them your kids are American and hang up (they'll know what that means), and get to bed early because we have a big day ahead of us. Tomorrow, at 11:45 am EST (8:45 am PST) gather your family in front of the flat screen, do a round of shots, chug a beer, and say the Pledge of Allegiance. Grab the iPad out of your spoiled 8 year olds hands; the iPhone 5s out of your stuck up 14 year old daughters hands; and tell them they can have them back after TJ Oshie and the Boys-in-Blue kick some Canadian ass.
Four years ago, we were left sitting in heartbreaking disbelief. Sidney Crosby...The name itself just makes me cringe. What would become known as "The Golden Goal" to Canadians, Sid the Kid sniped a shot past US tender and Michigan State graduate, Ryan Miller, from the bottom of the right circle in overtime to win the gold medal for Canada. Americans have waited 4 years; Patrick Kane has won 2 Stanley Cups, we've seen the rise and fall of Tim Tebow, we taught eachother how to "dougie" while smoking e-cigarettes, 2 states have legalized marijauna, and President Obama got the ACA through congress; we experienced all of this without knowing for sure if this moment, this match up, would ever come. In the waining moments it almost didn't happen: Latvia, of all teams, almost defeated Canada in the quarterfinal and in doing so would have ruined the potential glory this tournament contains. Gold would mean nothing if the US didn't have to face Canada to get there.
The nation who invented the sport; mastered the sport; and has bread the sport into their culture; is unparalleled in the production of top notch hockey players. They're a factory that specializes in producing NHL super stars. Hockey is perhaps the only thing the ice patch to the north of us has consistently bested us in.
Those days are over. The US has looked better in every aspect of the game in these Olympics. From the puck drop against Slovakia they've appeared as if they are on a mission; as if they have a bone to pick. After the Stars and Stripes defeated the home nation's team, Russia, people began to take them more seriously. They've had scoring from all over their powerful offense. All over except one person who has been suspiciously quiet on the stat sheets: Patrick Kane; Arguably the most talented and decorated player on the US squad. He has yet to score in these Olympics. Kane will no longer be kept quiet folks and once the Buffalo native gets on the board: look. the. fuck. out. The US has steam rolled great hockey teams (Slovakia 7-1, Slovenia 5-1, and Czech Rep. 5-2) without utilizing their most lethal scoring threat. If, and I say "if" but I really mean "when", Kane starts putting the puck in the net, the US will be an unstoppable force.
Tomorrow, Canadians will talk. They'll remind you about Vancouver. They'll ask you how many Americans play in the NHL. They'll give you the age old line, "it's Canada's sport." When this happens, my fellow Americans, just smile and say "Vancouver was tough." and nothing more. There are no words, no pictures, and no songs that can explain the heartbreak every single Canadian will feel tomorrow. This is a country that debates and establishes rule changes in the sport of hockey in their federal government. Their elected officials use proposed changes to the rules of Canadian hockey as issues to run for office on. No words will be necessary when the US sends those Canadian bastards packing to the Bronze medal game.
With this being the last Olympics that NHL players will be apart of; there is no better time for this game to happen. The hockey god's have given the US the opportunity to walk away with the last laugh. Our very best on the ice with their very best, for the last time. The loss will be a scar on every Canadian heart. Vancouver hurt us, big time. But tomorrow we face redemption and after the good ol' fashioned American beat down we force upon them, there will no shot at redemption for Canada. Sure there will be the World Junior Championships every year and the Olympics (without professionals) every 4 years. It won't be the same though. It will never be our BEST against their BEST. Tomorrow is the day the best American hockey players defeat the best Canadian hockey players. Don't be the asshole who misses out. And that case of beer I spoke of, yeah, Pabst Blue Ribbon.
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