Columns

By Chip Rogers
Outsports.com

One of the most heated rivalries in sports is the USA vs. Canada in women's ice hockey. Granted, it might not be one of the most popular sports, but the intensity in each of these games has been nothing short of a fire that could melt the ice they play on. These two nations have faced each other in every major competition final, including the 1998 inaugural gold medal match in the Olympics. For the first time ever in the final of a major international competition, the USA defeated the Canadians and took home the gold. On the ice, there's no love lost between these two teams. 

Off the ice, though, it's a completely different story. In a match against the United States earlier this month, the Canadians appeared on the ice sporting an American flag stitched on their uniforms. 

That's right. The red and white sweaters sported both the Maple Leaf and the Stars and Stripes, in an unprecedented show of support for their sisters and their fiercest competition. 

This is what sports is all about. 

On the field, teams wage a war - and I'm not afraid to use that terminology, because that's what it is. It's not the life-or-death situation that is very real in the Middle East, but in the microcosm of our society that sports is, that's exactly what takes place on the field of play. The people on the field are warriors of sorts, fighting a battle that helps Americans every day. 

Here's an example. The USA women's lacrosse team gave a couple clinics last week in New Jersey before playing in an exhibition game against Princeton. Little girls flocked to the clinic in the morning, all of them sporting red, white and blue t-shirts, and some with patriotic ribbons in their hair. In Ridgewood, NJ, a town that has a number of commuters who work in New York City, flags were flying proudly, welcoming the USA team to their community. A number of parents came up, thrilled to see the USA team and thankful that they were championing the cause of the nation. That night, when the Star Spangled Banner was played, I saw no dry eyes in the house. 

The night before, one of the former members of the team was inducted into the National Hall of Fame. Her supporters chose not to come, but instead donated the money they would have used to travel to the banquet to a relief fund for the families of the attacks. In Springfield, Mass., and in Norfolk, Va., the USA field hockey team played a series of matches against the South African national team. The response at both of these sites was again remarkable. The athletes on the teams are fully aware of their responsibility and the chance that they have to represent the USA for so many people. It was the promise of the future, one that assured that the name of the USA will carry on through generations to come. 

There's so much more. A dad who is a staunch supporter of the Red Sox, whose daughter plays on one of the teams, wanted to know the score of the Yankees game that night. This man has hated the Yankees for his entire life, but when he heard the New Yorkers won, a broad grin grew on his face. 

"I'm all about New York winning the title this year," he said. When the Star Spangled Banner is played in New York, and the pennant is raised in Yankee Stadium, just miles from Ground Zero, America will claim yet another victory. Damn the Yankees, but God bless New York City. 

We're all in this together. We've got men and women wearing the red, white and blue who are on a USA team that are engaged in a war that is all too real. Over in Afghanistan, coaches--generals--are making decisions that are truly life-and-death. Mistakes don't just cost a team possession, they might cost someone their life. There's no time-outs, no halftime, and no chance to stop and hear people cheering in the stands. 

But there are people cheering not only all across the United States, but also all over the world. Countries are rallying around the USA on the sports field, giving not only their opponents an incredible deal of respect, but also the entire nation. In February athletes from over 150 nations will be coming to Utah to participate in the Olympic Games. For two weeks, politics will be put aside and the only thing that will matter will be how people perform. 

In the hockey championships, the Americans will be looking to defend their title, while the Canadians will be looking to claim what they felt has been their birthright all along. The Canadians might not wear the Stars and Stripes then, but they've already shown they can. Both teams have won, hockey has won, and goodness has triumphed. The score is irrelevant.

October 28, 2001