Of all the sports, at least in America, hockey and basketball are the most natural rivals to one another. They have the same calendar. They play in front of the same size of crowd. At the pro level, they’re both trying to retain a foothold as the NFL swallows more and more of our attention into its gaping maw. This is probably coincidence, not effect, but it does make sense that basketball and hockey’s cultures have moved in opposing directions. In basketball, the most important thing in the world is to be cool. In hockey, the most important thing in the world is to be tough. Somehow, those words have become antonyms.
Usually, the NBA dominates this rivalry. It’s the bigger product historically. It’s more in line with what key demographics demand the media demands. Basketball is a global sport. Hockey is regional. This makes hockey the underdog, and an underdog identity is one which fits hockey well. We might ask our best athletes to be cool these days, but we still ask our underdogs to be tough.
The U.S.A. lost last night to Canada, and I’m still sad about it. That was a heartbreaking finish, especially after all those early overtime chances against Jordan Binnington. Given this was still technically an All-Star Game, it’s amazing how heartbreaking it was and remains. I love the U.S.A., sure. But I’m not a Team USA diehard. Team USA hardly even exists. The player to whom I do hold the most loyalty—Brady Tkachuk—was maybe the biggest cultural winner from the whole 4 Nations tournament. His star rose more than anyone else’s star. I should be happy about that. And yet here I am, eleven hours after Connor McDavid found the net, wishing Connor Hellebuyck had somehow gotten in front of that shot. Even a few more minutes. Even a few more chances. What if? And so it goes.
I’m not sure when the last time was I felt this bad for every player on the losing team. It was probably one of those Bulls series against LeBron in the Rose–Noah years. That level of losing is a special thing. It’s special to see your fellow man so committed to a cause that it not only breaks their heart to lose, but it breaks your heart to watch their heart break. It’s motivating, the kind of thing that gets you out of bed the next morning wanting to make New Year’s resolutions in February. There’s a resoluteness to it all.
So, congratulations to Gary Bettman and the NHL for notching a zeitgeist victory. And…thank you? It feels weird to say. But man, those two games were unforgettable.
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