We are quickly approaching the point where the entire nation of Canada might need a group therapy session to deal with the trauma of President Donald Trump repeatedly trolling them about becoming 'the 51st state.'
Canada just one a huge international showcase this week, the Four Nations Faceoff, by beating the United States 3-2 in overtime. You would think that would give them at least some satisfaction and national pride. But nope. They are still incessantly whining about Trump and now they are starting to turn against their own national heroes for not whining enough along with them.
At the championship game, the honorary captain of the Canadian team was the greatest hockey player of all time, Wayne Gretzky. The Great One happily came out for the opening ceremony at the game, shaking hands and exchanging gifts with U.S. honorary captain Mike Eruzione as well as the player captains for both teams, Auston Matthews and Sidney Crosby.
But according to at least one Canadian sports writer, Gretzky failed at the Four Nations tournament because he didn't stand at center ice in Boston, grab a microphone, and publicly denounce Trump.
No, Terry Jones. He really, really doesn't. Not to anyone and certainly not to you.
This isn't the first time that Canadian 'Karens' have thrown hissy fits about Gretzky, who is now a South Florida resident and whose wife, Janet (Jones) Gretzky, has played golf with Trump. Gretzky attended one of Trump's victory parties after the November election, sporting a white and gold MAGA hat. Many Canadians lost their minds after seeing that as well.
Gretzky has never shied away from his conservative political leanings, supporting Canadian PM Stephen Harper in the past. He also holds dual citizenship in the United States and Canada.
In other words, he can support and be friends with whoever he wants and if that upsets certain sports writers, well, he really doesn't care, Margaret.
The level of insecurity Jones must have to demand that Gretzky stand up and fight Trump for him is almost incomprehensible.
Gretzky, like many hockey players, is not overly vocal about his political beliefs, but one would think that if Jones had 'authored books' about Gretzky, he would already know that the Hall of Famer is a conservative and a friend of Trump.
The truth is that Jones wrote coffee table books about Gretzky, filled more with pictures than any insights from the author.
We're sure that the irony is lost on Jones that he believes himself to be a liberal yet also demands that other people feel the same way he does -- or be forced to 'explain themselves' if they don't.
HA. Not even a little bit.
If not for Gretzky, Jones would probably still be writing exclusively about curling. Gretzky doesn't owe him anything, but Jones probably owes the player some hefty book royalties (except we don't think anyone bought his books).
Even plenty of other Canadians mocked Jones for his demands.
We know there are plenty of Canadians who are very conservative and hate the direction their country has taken (just look at Justin Trudeau's approval rating and planned resignation). We saw them throughout COVID, most notably with the trucker convoys standing up for freedom.
HONK, HONK.
Jones is blind to the culture shift that has taken place over the past year. He still lives in a world where he thinks that being an insufferable scold is an effective strategy.
But he'll likely find out in the next Canadian election this fall that the culture shift is not limited to the United States.
Ahem. What he said.
Gretzky is too much of a professional and seasoned businessman to tell Jones exactly that, but we bet he is thinking it (if he even saw Jones' whiny tweet, which he probably didn't).
We doubt that Gretzky is losing any sleep because a sports writer is mad at him.
He's overdosing on copium.
LOL. Exactly.
If Jones is the accomplished hockey writer he claims to be, he should understand the very first rule that 'hockey players are built different.' That doesn't mean that they are all conservatives like Gretzky (though many are) but it does mean that they have zero 'Fs' to give about people demanding that they conform to someone else's rules or behavior ... or choice of friendships.
We saw it when NHL players revolted against mandatory 'pride' celebrations. It wasn't the players who backed down from that fight, it was the league.
We also see it every night on the ice when players skate through injuries that would easily sideline normal humans. Even though Gretzky was always a skill player and not at all a brawler, he still has that toughness and thick skin in him.
Jones could take a lesson or two from that.
But he won't.
That's why Jones is a sports writer and Wayne Gretzky is 'The Great One,' who doesn't owe him or anyone else anything.