Flags and hockey sticks
Monday, February 25 2002
Posted by brockp

At this hour the car horns have finally stopped and the mad drivers of cars bearing Canadian flags on hockey sticks have ceased parading up and down Commercial Drive. The streets accross Canada were bare earlier today while the entire nation seemed to be on the edge of a seat in front of a tv.

When Burnaby Joe Sakic broke in on Mike Richter and buried the puck in the back of the net, I was on my feet and jumping ecstatically, and I knew it didn't matter how silly I was being because everywhere in the land the same thing was going on.

Hours later, while pushing Clem on a playground swing, it was still going on. People greeting each other, waving, whooping with joy, cruising vehicles up and down. I wondered about people living here who had just come from some other culture and had no idea what was going on. I thought about soldiers in Khandahar wearing Team Canada jerseys over their camouflage fatigues, the score being relayed to trenches after every goal.

I am writing now because I sense something in this day which is really important, and not just to Canadians. I wonder what it would take to get this kind of widespread celebration and joy and playfulness without an international sporting event and without there having to be a losing team.

Patriotism is a funny thing, and to find myself in the midst of a day with sure patriotic outbursts coming from Canadians was just really weird, particularly since I have found patriotic displays in the US over the last 5 months kind of creepy and disturbing. I felt like I was eating crow almost. Then I realised we were celebrating because our team won a hockey tournament at the Olympics and I was proud. Not because hockey is great (even though it is) but because it is not a war, nor is it terrorism (unless you happen to be hammerred into the boards by a 200 pound defenseman), nor is it completely unjust, nor will anyone die as a result of it. To me, there is something extremely pure about that, something innocent. I am sure many if not all Americans might giggle and find it strange that we get so bent out of shape over hockey, but consider how much better things would be if we could settle our international differences on the ice. Hey, Canada would even be a contender !