Fairness Is A Perspective

  In the United States, there is only one sport which took center stage at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. Hockey. 

Sure, the United States won a total of 33 medals at these Winter games. A great achievement. Twelve gold medals—a record haul for US Winter Olympians. Women won 8 of them. Including the Women’s Ice Hockey team.

The euphoria from the dramatic win over Canada by the women carried over to the men. After drubbing the Czechia team in the semi-finals, the US men took the burden of 46 years without gold to the ice on Sunday, along with the disappointment of the 4 Nations loss to the Canadians just a year ago.

But this was a different USA squad which was facing Team Canada on Sunday morning here in North America (NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman estimated that if the game had a better starting time than 8:10 am EST, there would have been as many as 35 million viewing the game; this was the second-most watched hockey game ever, trailing only the 2010 OT win by Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics). The highly-motivated NHL players were back to avenge prior losses; this was the first time the NHL has let its players participate since 2014.

In watching the 2026 hockey tournament unfold, it was clear that the two best teams were the US and Canada. In both the men’s and women’s competitions. Experts almost unanimously expected this to happen. 

The US women ran roughshod over the other squads until they met up with the Canadian women in the finals. In their fourth contest, Team USA thrashed Canada 5-0. In reaching the gold medal game, the American women surrendered only one goal while scoring at least five goals in each game. 

The Canadian women were playing their top game against our women. Team USA was down 1-0 late in the third period when American team captain Hilary Knight, the veteran of so many international competitions, was able to knot the score with 2:04 left to play in regulation.

Playing 3 on 3 in overtime, Megan Keller scored the game-clinching goal, sending the women into a delirious rush of sticks, gloves and helmets tossed away in celebration. This was the most-viewed women’s hockey game ever, and certainly had a most thrilling ending.

The route for the men wasn’t as dominating. Unquestionably, the US team was better than most of the opposition, scoring five goals in four of five early round and semi-final games. It took an overtime goal by Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes to secure a win over a very determined Sweden team.

Unlike the women, who were top-seeded in the medal rounds, the men gave up more goals than the Canadians. Thus, Team USA was seeded second. It didn’t really matter. 

Both squads had scares and had to win in overtime. While Team USA triumphed over Sweden, Team Canada had its hands full with Czechia in the quarterfinals, winning dramatically in overtime. Also, in the semi-finals, Canada eked out a win over Finland by a 3-2 score. 

With all of the firepower and superstars on the Canadian roster, it was not a perfectly put together team. Simply not as good a checking team as the United States, Canada relied on its scoring abilities to overcome any defensive deficiencies. 

In the gold medal game, Canada outshot the Americans by a wide margin. The key to Team USA’s win was in between the pipes. Connor Hellebuyck was outstanding against the onslaught from Team Canada. Without his standout performance, a different outcome might have happened. The faith put in the three-time Vezina Trophy winner, as the best goaltender in the NHL, who also won the Hart Trophy in 2025 as the league’s M.V.P., was more than justified. 

The thing which stood out most to me was that Team USA never gave up a goal when shorthanded after taking a penalty. Not one. They even killed off a four minute penalty in the final game. Against the best players in the world. That’s an incredible statistic. The construction of the roster was near perfect. 

These guys knew each other very well. They grew up playing with or against each other. The Hughes brothers knew the Tkachuk brothers very well. Father Keith Tkachuk was a four-time Olympian. Jim Hughes, father of three boys who were first round draft picks like both Tkachuk boys, was an executive with Toronto. Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, the mother of the three Hughes boys in the NHL, was a star in college at New Hampshire in three sports including hockey.  And she was a credentialed member of USA Hockey for the women’s team at this Olympics. Not too bad a lineage. 

So it was fitting that in overtime, New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes, in a three-on-three situation against a tired offensive group from Canada, was able to beat St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington with a wicked shot to lift Team USA to the gold medal. Hughes was outstanding in his own right, despite having lost a few front teeth from a high stick during the game. 

For this one moment, the United States is better than Canada in the sport Canadians believe is their own. I don’t know that if this was a more than a one game series that the Americans would have prevailed. But it wasn’t. 

Nor can anybody say with any degree of certainty that if Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby, Team Canada’s captain, hadn’t been hurt in the Czechia game that the game might not have been different. Crosby’s reputation for defeating Team USA in international competition was well known—he scored a dagger overtime winner in Vancouver. 

As happy as the Americans were as they celebrated on Thursday and again on Sunday, the loss was a national disaster in Canada. It’s akin to a natural disaster. I equate it more to a tough loss with some real bad luck. 

I take no issue with the team accepting an invitation to attend the State of the Union address and to take a group photo on the South Lawn of the White House. The win by the men’s team wasn’t a political issue. From the past records, this doesn’t happen very often—1960 in Squaw Valley and 1980 in Lake Placid. Both times on US soil. 

The afterthought and joking over an invitation to the women was not right. That became political and it shouldn’t have been. Nor should FBI Director Kash Patel have been anywhere near the men’s locker room, joining in the celebration, beer in hand. Wrong optics both times.

In the end, let’s celebrate the uniqueness of two American hockey teams winning gold in the same Olympics. This may lead to even more American kids choosing hockey instead of another sport. We might see more international wins as a result. 

With some more national pride like that exhibited by Jack Hughes on Sunday up through Wednesday when he returned to the ice in Newark, New Jersey as a member of the Devils. He demonstrated class and enthusiasm in a positive and beautiful way. Not bad for a Jewish kid who ultimately found American roots in Michigan. 

I have been watching basketball a bit since the NBA All-Star break. As good as Oklahoma City was in the first half of the season, the loss of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning M.V.P., has dampened the hopes of the Thunder to repeat as NBA champs. He will return from an abdominal injury in time to face another title contender, the Denver Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokic. 

But how about the San Antonio Spurs? Giant center Victor Wembanyama has taken over and the Spurs have run off a 11 game winning streak, which corresponds to every game the team has played in February. Plus they literally own OKC, having gone 4-1 against the Thunder this season, including a win in the NBA Cup. 

There are a lot of doubters regarding the Spurs chances to win it all. I am not one of them. The Spurs just dispatched M.V.P candidate Cade Cunningham and the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons this week. 

Wemby is a unique talent. He is not unlike dominating centers like Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O’Neal. Scoring at will and dominating off the boards and blocking shots. 

The San Antonio star is one of the top players in the NBA. SG-A, Jokic and Wemby all have one thing in common. They aren’t Americans. Any belief that the foreign game is inferior to the native-born Americans is rubbish. Superstars from other countries are becoming more common in basketball, as they have been for awhile in baseball. 

There simply aren’t enough players like Lebron James or Steph Curry who are at the top of the profession. Those two are getting older and more often injured. Their days are still filled with outstanding performances; they just cannot be as dominant as guys like the aforementioned trio who happen to be much younger. 

Look for more American stars to come to the NBA. There is a bumper crop of freshmen in college who will likely put their names into the NBA Draft. We have two very exciting rookies in Copper Flagg and Kon Knueppel, former teammates at Duke. 

They will join the injured stars, Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton. Along with Anthony Edwards, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey and Jalen Brunson, among others. 

Still, the NBA leaders in scoring count four foreign players in the top 10. Jokic and Like 

Doncic are right up there. Maybe that’s why the NBA could field a World team as one of three on the recent All-Star Game. 

The best thing for the NBA is that most of the best players in the world come here to play. Just like in baseball, which will have a somewhat diluted product in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, with many stars sitting out for a variety of reasons. Which is the greatest thing for the respective sports. 

I have become more engrossed in college basketball as the season draws nearer to a close and the tournaments begin. Division III is in the conference post-season tournament phase while the big boys in Division I are a little over a week away from ending their interminable regular season.

Let’s start with DI. Duke, Arizona, Michigan and Iowa State look like a very formidable top four in the current rankings. Watching Arizona defeat Houston in the Cougars’ lair didn’t give me confidence that Houston was as good as projected. 

Duke has been red hot.  After a three point loss to arch rival North Carolina on February 7 in Chapel Hill, the Blue Devils, loaded with talent which will make the NBA, is starting to distinguish itself as the overall number 1 seed for the NCAA’s. Their final three regular season games are #11 Virginia at home; at NC State; then closing out with #18 UNC in Durham.  

Coach Jon Scheyer’s team has only a one point loss to a very good Texas Tech team on December 20 as the other blemish on its record thus far. They have beaten the following ranked teams: Kansas; Arkansas; Florida; Michigan State; Louisville (twice); SMU; Clemson; and Michigan. That’s 9-2 versus top-flight teams. 

They are coming off a blowout win at Notre Dame. The worst loss for the Irish at home since the 1800’s. If the Blue Devils can keep the pedal to the metal, they could be your national champion. 

I want to see how good Iowa State is. In their past five games, they have road losses at TCU and #23 BYU, but picked up home wins over then-#9 Kansas and #2 Houston. Their remaining games are #16 Texas Tech—winners over Duke; then road games at #2 Arizona and Arizona State. If they win out and capture the Big 12 Tournament championship, then look out. 

Similarly, if Arizona wins out they are a legitimate title contender—they have #14 Kansas and Iowa State at home before a road game at Colorado to conclude the regular season. The Wildcats resume is full of victories over ranked teams: Florida; UCLA; U Conn; Auburn; Alabama; BYU; (twice); and Houston. Their two losses were in consecutive games this month—at Kansas by four points and to Texas Tech at home in overtime.  

Don’t count out UConn just yet. The Huskies just blew out a streaking St. John’s team this week. The Johnnies missed their last 24 shots—almost unheard of by a big time school. It was the worst loss by a Rick Pitino team, while Danny Hurley has his UConn team peaking. 

Most interesting is the lone undefeated team left playing. That would be Miami (Ohio) of the Mid-American Conference. The Red Hawks mostly steamroll though their opponents. They had two OT games with Buffalo and Kent State in January. They came back at the buzzer to defeat Western Michigan Friday night. 

The trouble is that they haven’t played one ranked team. Or anybody from a Power 5 conference. Because, as their coach lamented, no one wants to play them. 

The Red Hawks remind me of a team celebrating its 50th anniversary of an undefeated regular season. That would be the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. 

That team made it through to the Final four in Philadelphia without a loss. The only ranked teams they faced were Princeton (twice) and St. John’s. For every now-Patriot League and Ivy League school the Scarlet Knights met, they played name programs like Purdue, Pitt, Georgia Tech, Syracuse and West Virginia. Beat them all. 

After winning the first three NCAA games, which included a squeaker over Princeton and routs of UConn and VMI, RU had its comeuppance when they met Michigan and UCLA. 30-2 and final ranking at #4 is the best RU ever has been.

I’m not saying that Miami is as good as RU. But just perhaps when they get to the NCAA’s—and there are plenty of questions if that will happen should the Red Hawks lose a game due to a poor NEI ranking from their lack of exposure to top-flight competition—they might surprise somebody good. 

I’m going to end this installment in Division III. Franklin and Marshall began Friday 22-4. The Diplomats suffered three losses in the Centennial Conference. Those three schools ended the regular season ahead of F&M based on tie-breakers. 

F&M opened the CC Tournament with a home win over #5 seed Swarthmore. Game two was at top-seeded Gettysburg on Friday night. The Diplomats may have taken the bus the short trip up US 30, but they failed to show up on the court as a basketball team. 

The Bullets shellacked F&M 69-45. F&M went undefeated at home yet could not beat the top CC squads on the road. GC will now host Johns Hopkins for the CC automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. 

F&M may have closed out a disappointing season at 22-5, surrendering its CC title from a year ago. Yet the authoritative D III Hoops feels a return to the NCAA’s is possible. We will see.  I don’t see the Diplomats advancing very far should they receive an at-large bid.

We went to our final Drew University game on Thursday night. #2 seed Drew hosted #6 seed Susquehanna, a team the Rangers downed on the road to end its regular season schedule. 

Drew had two early leads. That was it. In a very physical game, the River Hawks prevailed by a 93-87 score. SU shot over 50% from the floor, while Drew suffered greatly from beyond the arc. 

What hurt Drew was the officiating. Somehow Susquehanna managed to have 32 fouls shot attempts, making 25. Drew only went to the line 12 times, converting 7. The foul calls against Drew and the non-calls for Susquehanna were perplexing. 

But what really ended Drew’s faint hopes of a comeback was an egregious non-call. Susquehanna had the ball underneath the Drew basket after the basketball was tipped out by a Rangers player. SU was up by 5 with a bit over a minute left to play.

The SU inbounding player was supposed to stay stationary when trying to toss the ball to a teammate. Except he ran part of the baseline before successfully inbounding the ball. No call was made on an obvious rule violation. 

Instead of a turnover, Drew was forced to foul. Any chance for a comeback was dashed by the officials who had done enough damage with the free throw disparity. Many of the 268 in attendance along with the Drew players and coaches had a right to feel robbed. 

SU plays at #4 seed Wilkes for the right to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Wilkes upset top-seed Catholic in DC by a score of 79-70. Drew could have been hosting that game if the officiating had been better. Instead, their season is over at 19-7. 

What do I get from all of this?  Coming out on top boils down to being in the right place at the right time for the right reasons. The USA hockey teams as opposed to Canada. Duke and Arizona against the field. Rutgers and Miami of Ohio. F&M along with Gettysburg. Susquehanna and Drew, Wilkes and Catholic. 

Fairness is a perspective.