The NHL Can Wait, U.S. Hockey Players Deserve Their Victory Lap
If these players want to spend the next 72 hours basking in their own glory, I say let them. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for every single one of these players. They just beat the hockey equivalent of The Monstars from Space Jam, and now they are getting to take the most well-deserved victory lap in sports history. These guys won a gold medal representing the greatest country on Earth. Who cares if they get hammered at a bar in Miami and then take a trip to the White House? We should be encouraging this kind of revelry. It's a true hero's welcome home!
I'm a huge Panthers fan, and right now, my Cats are on the outside looking in at the playoff picture. They could use all the help they could get, and Matthew Tkachuk is one of their best players. But I would feel horrible if he missed out on celebrating the United States' first gold medal in hockey in nearly half a century. It's all about perspective, folks. These men did something that will be remembered until the heat death of the universe. If they want to spend the next 72 hours basking in their own glory, I say let them. And if they miss a game or two in the NHL because of it, so be it.
A wise man once said, "Heroes get remembered, but legends never die." Go be legends, boys. The NHL will still be here when you all get back.
