A Canadian newspaper criticized the gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic hockey team, referring to them as “monkeys” after their visit to Washington, D.C., during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.
It seems the paper struggles to understand that Americans can genuinely feel pride and patriotism about Team USA clinching a gold medal.
In an article released Wednesday, the publication stated that Team USA was portrayed like a circus attraction “surrounded by jeering politicians” at the State of the Union address. They remarked that “The State of the Union was a zoo – and Team USA was a monkey.”
The article noted, “It wasn’t until they entered the Capitol chamber on Tuesday night, amidst the mockery of politicians, that Team USA appeared to realize what they were part of. This was a zoo. They were monkeys,” as reported by another source.
The newspaper further claimed that the team was merely a “prop” in the event and accused two players from the U.S. team, Connor Hellebuyck and Auston Matthews, of trying to join in the spectacle.
They criticized Matthews for attending the White House earlier in the day and skipping the address in the evening, suggesting he was trying to handle the situation. They expressed disappointment that many NHL players lack fundamental skills, adding, “If you watch the video closely, you can see awareness starting to grow when players are prompted to cheer and shout ‘US-A,’ yet their expressions say otherwise.” The article insisted that the entire event was poorly conceived and that it could have been managed differently.
This irate reaction from the Canadian newspaper isn’t the only controversy sparked by the victorious U.S. team. The coach of Team Canada also expressed dissatisfaction, claiming that the American team’s overtime win wasn’t a “real” flaw in hockey, indicating his dislike for the Olympic overtime rules.
Team Canada head coach John Cooper complained recently about the “terrible” rules for overtime in the Olympics.
According to Olympic hockey regulations, overtime is played 3-on-3, which quickens the pace of the game. However, Cooper believes this format alters the essence of hockey. “When you take four players off the ice, it just isn’t hockey anymore,” he remarked after his team’s defeat. “There’s a reason for overtime and shootouts; it’s all driven by television ratings, so it doesn’t last too long. That’s why we don’t see 3-on-3 in the Stanley Cup Final or playoffs.”
