Hughes & His Band of Brothers Light Us Up

Letter to Philippians: President Trump could do worse in Tuesday’s State of the Union Address than to hand the mic to Team USA’s Jack Hughes who not only scored the winning OT goal against Canada but delivered a speech for the ages hailing how great it is to be an American …

Amen to the 24-year-old who was wrapped in the American flag as he blurted out his patriotic feelings in a “Band of Brothers” post-game interview on NBC that was ironically worthy of English King Harry. Like a true patriot, Huges gave credit for the win & gold medal to his teammates & especially their goalie with a name that’s hard to say 10 times without flubbing. Also like a true American sportsman, the mature for his age Hughes also acknowledged a great Canadian opponent, which stayed mired (like the Democrats in the US Congress) in their sour grapes’ reaction to other peoples’ success.

But, as the WSJ editors noted, what was most impressive about Hughes’ interview was what he said “without a trace of cynical calculation.” That is, the unlikely triumph over Team Canada in the Olympics “is all about our country now. I love the USA. I love my teammates. It’s unbelievable. The USA hockey brotherhood is so strong … I’m so proud to be American today.” Even the usually cynical editorial board was moved to blubber: “Imagine that: An expression of unabashed patriotism from an American athlete.”

Davd Soul