Streetwise Professor

Yesterday I wrote how Canadians and journalists were hardest hit by the US hockey gold medal win. The intersection of those sets? Ooh-boy.

Two examples:

The State of the Union was a zoo – and Team USA the monkeys https://t.co/GaDUly8zGi pic.twitter.com/HpVjyLxgNc

— The Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) February 25, 2026

Auston Matthews made his choice, seemingly putting the party and the president ahead of the playoffs https://t.co/YbVZkvAcdd

— Toronto Star (@TorontoStar) February 26, 2026

The articles are here and here. Because I’m sure you don’t pay to get behind Toronto rag paywalls.

The argument (being charitable in calling it such, rather than what it really is–an unhinged rant) is that American hockey players enjoyed their moment in the spotlight too much. They partied to hard. And most importantly, they became props for Trump.

Written like true losers who live up their own asses.

Any normal person not twisted into hate by political obsessions understands that this is a once in a lifetime moment for those players; a moment no American has enjoyed for 46 years; and which is of a character that virtually no American is likely ever to experience in his or her life. And particularly in athletics, it is known that fame is fleeting. The glory of a championship is intense, but extremely short lived, soon put in the shade by the press of events and new championships.

It comes to very few, and doesn’t last long when it does. So damn right–seize the moment boys, and milk every minute. It will soon be gone.

Appearances at the White House and the State of the Union focus national attention on the recipients and area great honor, and nonpareil recognitions of achievement.

And this national attention is particularly rare for American hockey players. Therefore, they have all the more reason to ride it for all it is worth.

But to Canadian journalists, and fellow leftist losers everywhere, the American players were supposed to take a pass on this never-to-be-repeated moment. Because Trump.

Cox tried to dress up his criticism of US (and Toronto Maple Leafs’) captain Auston Matthews as a product of concern for Auston’s NHL teammates. By basking in the (short) moment, Matthews did not return to meaningless mid-season NHL games “rested” and so let down his side. Which will matter squat when playoff time rolls around.

And tell me, how does dogpiling this guy help the Maple Leafs? If your concern is really for your hometown team you wouldn’t. So spare me this tut-tutting about the impact of a few days of celebration on the fate of Toronto’s season.

Would it be rude to point out that the Maple Leafs have sucked for decades? And are continuing to do so? They are four points out of the last wildcard spot in the (almost) everybody-gets-a-playoff-slot NHL. So midseason Leafs games are even more meaningless than the typical NHL February or March contest.

But here’s the real reason:

All he had to say was he understood the feelings of Canadians in these troubled times. He could have just skipped the White House nonsense, demonstrating much needed leadership and proof the Leafs were his top priority. But Matthews preferred to be feted by a president who dismisses the very idea of Canadian sovereignty.

Yes. Auston Matthews (and presumably other American players) had to forego an extraordinary experience because of Canadians’ feelz.

Why? It’s not about you all, and where do you get off by insisting otherwise?

Cox, by the way, is a real profile in courage.

“Elbows up.” So a real tough guy then, eh?

So tough you protect your posts. LOL.

Kelly also believes that it should have been all about Canada and Canadians, not America and American players:

Evidently, their big idea was to lean hard into the red, white and blue. Instead of sticking it to Canada, they’d stick it to the Libs. For 72 hours, it would be frat house rules.

I guarantee that the American team didn’t think that they were “sticking it” to anybody. They were basking in the attention and glory. If Canadians or leftist losers feel they’ve had it stuck to them, that says everything them and nothing about the players. Why should their political obsessions matter in the slightest? And why do they think they should?

The insufferably supercilious Kelly writes: “A few U.S. team members are being singled out as heroes for resisting the Trump allure.” Singled out by whom? Canadians and leftist losers, apparently.

Cry more!

Did I mention that Kelly is a supercilious twat?:

Colorado’s Brock Nelson didn’t go. Maybe it’s the politics. Or maybe he didn’t like the idea of being seen to put himself above his social betters – Avalanche teammates Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Devon Toews – all of whom had reported back for duty.

Social betters. Because they reported back to their teams. And why did they report back to their teams rather than bask in the moment? Not to put a fine point on it: because they didn’t have a moment to bask in, because they lost. And because they lost they didn’t have the opportunity that American players had. Social status had zip to do with it.

The evidently clueless Kelly undermines his own argument with this gem:

I’m pretty sure most of them didn’t have a serious think about what it meant, and will never do so. To them, it’s viral content and a great picture for the hero wall at home. If the U.S. were to elect a Communist, they’d have shown up to his party, too.

Exactly! Because it wasn’t about politics.

“What it meant.” Again–to whom? To Clueless Kelly and Damien “The Omen” Cox and Canadians and their American fellow travelers?

Again–it’s not about you lot, and your arrogance in insinuating that it should be is off the charts.

I have a suggestion for Canadians of all stripes, but journalists in particular. If you want Americans to have any respect for you, grow the fuck up.

And don’t say “we don’t care if the Americans respect us.” Oh, but you do. Desperately.

The virtually week-long national meltdown betrays Canada’s deep insecurity and envy of the US. The fact that America’s gold medal victory in what Canada considers its game occurred when Canada-mocking Trump is president only feeds the hysteria.

This is all about Canadian TDS and its national inferiority complex, and the more that Canadians protest to the contrary, the more they prove the point.