Jerome Iginla Gives Sidney Crosby Canadian Hero Status And Canada An Olympic Gold Medal In Men's Ice Hockey

Congrats to Team Canada for winning the gold medal and congrats to Mike Richards and Chris Pronger (pictured above) for once again giving a pair of Flyers gold medals, something that has occurred every year since NHLers first came to the Olympics in 1998.

But let's make one thing perfectly clear. Sidney Crosby did not win that game for Canada. Jerome Iginla won the game for Team Canada.

But, JFein, Crosby scored the game-winner? He is a national hero for Canada and da bestest player alive, like OMFG!!!!!!!!!

So what? Just because he scored the goal does not mean he even made a play there because he didn't. Crosby did jackshit on that play other than shoot the puck. It was not a great individual effort on his part. He did not have to allude defenders and get in position for the perfect shot. The only thing he did in that play was shoot the puck.

The person that made that goal possible and the person that should be considered a hero to Canadians and Canadian hockey fans everywhere is Jerome Iginla. And frankly, all the attention being given to Crosby is nothing but a shame to Iginla who did have a great individual effort and who did make a perfect play with 2 US defenders around him. Somehow he got off a perfect pass to a wide open Crosby who buried it. The video supports that.

Yet people will worship Crosby greatness for getting that goal. Crosby was in the right place at the right time, who by his own admission, just shot the puck and did not see it again until it was long in the back of the net. In other words, even Crosby admitted that he was lucky. And he is right. Crosby was lucky. Iginla made the play for him. Crosby is no hero. Crosby is just a lucky bastard who was in the right place at the right time. Jerome Iginla is the hero for Team Canada.

I'll get to positives in a few minutes, but to anyone Pittsburgh Penguin fans living in America all their lives who were rooting for Crosby and Canada all along and were jumping up and down when Crosby scored that game-winner, I have this tactful peace of advice. Leave this country now. You are not a true American and have no business living in this country. I have encountered and and heard about several of you already. Leave. This. Country. Now. You are not unwanted here. You don't belong here. You are not American.

I would not be jumping up and down with pride if Richards or Pronger scored that goal. There is a difference between being content with an outcome against my country and openly rooting against my country. I would be content if Richie or Prongs scored. I would not be happy and first and foremost I would be sad for my country, but I would be content that a Flyer is a Canadian hero (how ironic that would be). People who live in the United States and cheered against the United States in favor of Sidney Crosby need to have themselves deported. You are un-American and I now hate you with every fiber in my being. DIAF and my life will be better for it.

(Update: Here's a perfect example of one from Pensburgh commenter "Cari".

I watched the game with mixed feelings, as an American and a huge Crosby fan. In the overtime, though, I was rooting for Crosby to score the winning goal — when the other lines were out I kept thinking “not yet, not yet…” And then when he scored, I was on my feet screaming and cheering for him. (Sorry America)

I hope I am not the only one extremely disgusted and offended by this as every real American that is a real hockey fan should be.)

Now, onto the positives.

The United States should have no shame for what happened. They were huge underdogs in this tournament. Think about it, everyone was crowing a Canada-Russia finals before the games even started and nowhere was the U.S. ever thought about being a close 3rd. Sweden was more favorite than they were and heck, you are probably accurate in stating that Finland and the Czech Republic were thought to have a better chance this year.

Yet the United States never trailed until the gold medal game. They played beyond what anyone had ever expected and achieved more than anyone had ever expected. In a year when many people thought they would likely end up bowing out in the quarterfinals, they were the #1 seed coming out of pool play, beat Canada in the preliminary round, and were so far better than anyone had any right to expect.

This silver medal is a tremendous accomplishment and when the sting of what happens wears off, it will certainly feel like it. In an event we were not supposed to come close to medaling in, we won a silver and was one goal the other way from winning a gold. This team and this country has everything to be proud for and nothing to be ashamed of regarding this hockey team.

Does it hurt that we lost? Yes. Does it take away the fact that given the situation going in, a silver medal is a tremendous achievement? Not at all.

Americans, be proud of this team. They did you proud. Ryan Miller was the tournament MVP and a deserving one at that. I don't see too many Canadians disagreeing with that choice. He was the class of the tournament bar none. Zach Parise should be worshiped as a great American hockey player everywhere he goes. He was an offensive juggernaut and an amazing player for the USA.

As an American, it sucks that Canada had to win in overtime. As a Flyers fan, I am pissed as hell that it was Crosby that scored the game-winner and is receiving credit for a play that was all Iginla. As a hockey fan, I know that was an epic game and perhaps one of the greatest hockey games I have ever seen. It was a worthy championship and a worthy final with two great teams.

Congrats to Canada, the gold is yours and it is a well-earned one.

Now back to the NHL season and the Flyers giving a chase to Lord Stanley's Cup.