I have witnessed one of the worst choke-jobs in sports history. The Canadian team at the 2011 World Junior Championships blew a 3-0 lead after two periods and lost 5-3 in the gold medal game to Russia.
Now, obviously receiving a medal at an event like this is an extraordinary accomplishment. And Canada does it year after year.
But this team LOST the gold medal. I refuse to celebrate a second-place finish in a team sport. Silver in team sports means you lost the final. End of story.
This team dominated 40 minutes of play, then got cocky, sat back, and the Russians made them pay dearly. The winning team took nothing for granted.
What makes that even more astounding is the fact Canada was considered an underdog entering this tournament. The USA was the pre-tournament favourite to defend their title. Canada beat them in the semifinals, but they blew it when it really mattered.
I'd rather play for a bronze, at least then you've won something. Team Canada gets a silver because they blew it. It's like awarding abject failure.
Maybe I've been too harsh because the loss is so fresh in my mind (I'm watching the medals being handed out as I write this), but this is still our game. And now it's two years running we've lost the gold.
I think another problem, at least from my perspective, is the memory of Sidney Crosby's golden goal in Vancouver is still very fresh in my mind. That was one of the greatest moments in Canadian sports history and it still brings a smile to face when I watch a replay. That team brought a country together.
This team just pissed off 30 million people because they choked.
This team became arrogant. And because of that, they missed an opportunity to bring home a gold medal.
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