One minute and forty-one seconds into overtime in the USA versus Canada men’s ice hockey game, New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes took a shot off a pass from teammate Zach Werensk which slipped past Canada’s Jordan Binnington. This goal landed Team USA gold for the first time in 46 years.
In celebration, Hughes proudly donned the American flag on the ice and, from his bloody mouth, proclaimed, “I am so proud to be American today” (in one post-game interview conducted by NBC).
In the locker room, the celebration did not end. The men cheered and drank and even received a phone call from President Donald Trump.
In this phone call, the President did nothing but praise the men for their “beautiful” and powerful representation of America. The team responded by lovingly referring to the President as “Don”.
The President then extended an invitation to the team to attend the State of the Union Speech, offering to “send a military plane or something” to ensure their presence despite recent storms. This invitation was met with nothing but excitement, anticipation and jokes about being picked up in Miami on Tuesday morning.
Towards the conclusion of the call, President Trump explained that “We’re gonna have to bring the Women’s team, you do know that,” in a mocking and humorous tone. The USA men’s ice hockey team then erupted in laughter and exclamations of “oh no.” The President then ended the call by joking that he would “probably be impeached” if he were to not acknowledge the women’s team.
After videos of the phone call began to circulate online, TikTok users commented on how these comments ruined the spark of the game. “And just like that [I] wish Canada won!” one user @loramontoya commented, “I’m so disappointed now. I was so proud of them until this.” another user @spikedstaticwater commented.
Other commenters defend the behavior by claiming that “Trump doesn’t joke about anything,” @ksull58, and “I’m sure you were a huge fan. Cry harder,” by @tamc4892.
Is this the America we are truly proud to represent?
While within the Milano Santagiulia Arena locker room walls on Sunday Feb. 22, this appeared to be true, the athletes representing the USA in women’s sports have created a message of community, kindness and hope for the future.
It is nearly impossible to go online and scroll through the Olympic pages without seeing the “Blade Angels”. The three strong, competitive, kind and talented athletes that represent the USA in women’s figureskating, Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito have done nothing but show true sportsmanship and elegance in competing.
Characterized for her laid-back and joyful approach to skating, Alysa Liu shocked the nation when she took home gold for the women’s single. Moments after receiving her score, Liu could have ran to her coaches, teammates, her family or even celebrated herself. Instead, she jumped from her seat to embrace seventeen year old Ami Nakai of Japan to celebrate her bronze medal award. Against all the barriers of competition and language, Liu took the once-in-a-lifetime moment that could have been special only for her and shared the joy in another’s accomplishments.
Off-camera, fellow team USA member Amber Glenn was seen blocking cameramen from filming a very personal moment of silver medal winner Kaori Sakamoto. Glenn, who was favored to win gold, missed the podium despite her powerful programs. Instead of sitting in disappointment, she, too, was able to rise up and help others in their own moments of high emotion, despite many barriers. Later commenting on a TikTok of the moment, “Dude I know it’s their job but they will get all up in your business even when you clearly need space it’s wild.”
These moments were not one-off either, as each skater has shown their love on and off the ice for the women they work with and compete against as well as been very outspoken about the importance of mental health and acceptance.
At the beginning of the Olympics, Liu emphasized her love for her group and all of the women she would be competing against by stating, “I think any team with girls is special,” during an interview with NBC Los Angeles.
Figure skating is not the only women’s sport that was able to generate hope for the future of women in athletics.
Just as the men’s hockey team took home gold in an intense overtime period, the women clutched gold against Canada. With fifteen minutes and fifty three seconds left of overtime, defenseman Megan Keller of the Boston Fleet scored a break away goal to earn the women’s team their third gold medal since the sport was recognized by the Olympics in 1998.
Despite their win, there was no locker room phone call from the president, humorously poking fun at the men’s team. In fact, as of Sunday, Feb. 23, the women’s team declined Trump’s invitation to the State of the Union.
The Olympics are supposed to be a season of pride and unity within the country, and while strides continue to be made against that, there is hope, and it is embodied in the women who take the ice under the USA name.