Capping off a brilliant week of hosted competition where Canadian athletes did well against the world's best, the cherry on top of that frosty ice cream sundae came from the gold medal hockey game and overtime win against the Americans.
Often feeling as if they were "second best" when compared to countries who reside in North America., Canadian residents can finally walk their streets with pride. Knowing their sons, who purely by coincidence, happen to reside in the U.S., beat the crap out of that pesky young American team. "Well, we didn't really beat the crap out of them, but we got lucky in the end and that's good enough for a win!", says Ontario resident, Myron Ashburn.
Fielding an older veteran team with resident professional players from across the U.S., Canada bet the bank on experience beating the youth and skill of the American team. Luckily for Canada, those players chose to hold on to their dual citizenship. Though the Americans beat team Canada earlier in the week, and came from behind to tie the game late in the 3rd period, it was Canada's premier player, often criticized for his individualistic attitude in a team oriented sport, who won the game in overtime.
Canadian Team coach Mike Babcock, who coincidently resides in the U.S. as the head coach for the Detroit Red Wings, must quickly change his allegiance back to southern soil. "Mike knows where his bread is buttered", says one Red Wing office official who prefers to remain nameless, "This group of guys chooses to be Canadian once every four years, but they always come back. Funny, how that works actually."
"You know, we're up here in the north, stuck with the stigma of being nothing more than a group of environmentalists whose premier police force wears circa 1800's red British Military jackets and Smokey the Bear hats", Laments Ashburn, "Just grant us the spotlight for a minute, eh?"
True that. The games were well hosted, and the coverage was well orchestrated. Canadian pride can indeed run high through 2010 and beyond. US hockey team assistant coach Ben Dover on the other hand, looks to the future. "Well, let's see how youth and skill does the next time around. If Canada wants to put a bunch of 38 year olds on the ice in 2014, we'll be happy to play them."
