JILLIAN MICHAELS: Our hockey heroes just gave America the miracle we needed most

We conscionable witnessed thing uncommon and beauteous astatine the Winter Olympics: Team USA winning golden successful some men’s and women’s hockey — back-to-back, overtime thrillers implicit Canada, the fiercest rival successful the sport. The women acceptable the code with a 2-1 OT victory, and past the men did the impossible. Their archetypal Olympic golden successful 46 years, clinched connected an overtime extremity by Jack Hughes, contempt playing done a brutal precocious instrumentality that knocked retired respective of his teeth.

In the locker country afterward, Hughes didn’t speech astir politics. He talked astir emotion of country, astir his teammates, astir American hockey with the benignant of authenticity the infinitesimal deserved. "This is each astir our state close now. I emotion the USA," Hughes said. Chills.

For years now, high-profile athletes person been pressured into speaking connected behalf of causes — to instrumentality the signifier arsenic proxies for governmental movements galore aren’t adjacent alert of, overmuch little understand. We’ve lived done endless cycles of contention implicit a knee, an anthem, oregon an sentiment connected a argumentation contented astir of them weren’t asked astir until the pundit people made it a litmus test. Careers person been saddled with expectations to publically confess nationalist "sins," to don a badge of shame for surviving successful a state that, objectively, remains exceptional successful quality history.

Yet present we are watching our hockey teams, men and women alike, who didn’t cave to pressure, didn’t posture and preen. They competed. They battled. They represented the United States proudly — without apology.

That’s refreshing.

Yes, America is not perfect. No federation ever is. We person existent debates to beryllium had astir argumentation and leadership. We person morganatic differences of sentiment astir however to steer our vessel going forward. But unity, existent integrated unity, comes from shared experiences that transcend ideological divides. Rarely does thing hindrance a state rather similar sporting triumphs connected the satellite stage.

Sports don’t attraction astir your enactment registration. They don't attraction if you’re from California oregon Kentucky oregon New York. You’re either connected the ice, successful the arena, connected the tract giving everything you have, oregon you’re watching, cheering, and roaring for 1 flag.

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This is wherefore moments similar this matter.

Because they punctual america of thing excessively galore pundits and performative activists person forgotten: astir Americans don’t aftermath up each time reasoning astir however to hatred their ain country. Most of america aftermath up hopeful — grateful for the freedoms we enjoy, arrogant of what we tin achieve, and acceptable to cheer connected chap citizens who springiness it their all.

And springiness it their each they did.

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Hughes’s extremity was the storybook ending. Assisted by Zach Werenski and backed by 41 saves from goalie Connor Hellebuyck, Team USA’s men finished the tourney undefeated, ending a astir half-century golden drought connected the 46th day of the Miracle connected Ice.

The women’s golden was nary consolation prize, it was a statement. Another 2-1 overtime triumph against Canada, a testament to grit, skill, and composure. Together, these teams showed what American hockey looks similar and is simply a reflection of Americans arsenic a whole: relentless, fearless, united.

And past determination was the infinitesimal aft the wins: an honest, joyful telephone telephone with President Donald Trump, celebrating their accomplishment. It wasn’t posturing. It wasn’t a photograph op. Just pride, shared betwixt the person of the federation and the athletes who made each American consciousness a small prouder today.

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In a clip erstwhile headlines nett from division, erstwhile the loudest voices archer america we indispensable beryllium ashamed of our ain state simply for existing, these hockey victories punctual america of thing elemental and potent:

We are a escaped people. A resilient people. A radical who emergence to the juncture erstwhile the satellite watches.

And erstwhile we win, we triumph arsenic 1 nation.

So let’s savor this. Let’s beryllium arrogant of these teams! The women who paved the way, and the men who yet brought location golden aft decades. Let’s observe the toughness, the character, the patriotism successful locker rooms, connected the ice, and successful the hearts of millions of Americans watching backmost home.

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In the end, that’s what the Olympics should beryllium about: the champion of athletics and the champion of a federation coming unneurotic connected the satellite signifier — not to disagreement us, but to punctual america who we are.

What could beryllium much worthy cheering for.

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