Celebrating Canada's Victory over the US in the Greatest Hockey Game of All Time

Last night the Canadian hockey team beat the United States in overtime in the 2010 Winter Olympics. This may have been the most watched hockey game of all time. For this reason, it was probably one of the most important games for the sport in North America in the history of the game. Both teams played well and fought hard as they represented their respective countries. In the end the United States won silver and Canada won gold.

The thing that caused me a second thought about this game (and about sports in general) was my own response to the loss and the response of the US team. I was personally emotionally disappointed by the loss. And in interviews after the game and in the medal ceremony, the US team was clearly dejected. Ryan Miller, the goalie for the US, in an interview following the game was visibly upset about the loss and there were no smiles on the faces of the US players during the medal ceremony.

The question I want to raise is, “Why?” Why was I upset by this? Why were the players upset? Of course, it’s a very common thing for sports fans to be upset when their teams lose. Everyone wants their team to win. But why is it? Is this an appropriate response for a Christian?

I think there are some very commendable attributes in the sport of hockey. The hard work, determination, and discipline required to play well are valuable qualities worthy of emulation. It is completely appropriate to appreciate a difficult play made by a player who has trained to such an extent that he has become one of the best in his sport. There is also a level of integrity in playing according to the rules and in the teamwork that is required to excel in a sport like hockey. And so there is much that is worthy of respect.

But why do we want so desperately for our team to win? Why do players desire so strongly to win? It seems that a player can embody all that is commendable in hockey—the hard work, determination, discipline, integrity, and teamwork—while at the same time never winning a game. Yet it seems impossible that we could rightly appreciate these commendable qualities in others—in our opponents—if our ultimate goal is to win.

So, then, let there be joy in Canada’s victory. Let us rejoice in the hard work, determination, and discipline that enabled these players to achieve the level of proficiency in the sport they’ve achieved. Let us celebrate the intensity with which they played. Let us delight in the well-deserved silver medal earned by the US team knowing that the praiseworthy character qualities that have enabled them to achieve it display the character of their Creator. And let our love of the sport cause us to find satisfaction in knowing that the game’s outcome came as a result the game played out between these two extraordinarily great hockey teams.

At the end of the day, sports, like most things, can be either a means to God’s glory or a means to idolatry. Let us therefore celebrate the sport as we seek the former and flee the latter.