The current situation between Iran, Israel, and the United States is on all our minds. I won’t address it here, because by the time this column is published, events on the ground may have shifted dramatically. It’s usually foolhardy to comment on such a significant development based solely on initial reports. That said, it’s no surprise that antisemites are already claiming Israel is pulling the strings. As Michael Che quipped on Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update, addressing the lack of congressional approval for the strikes: “He [Trump] did [ask for permission]—Netanyahu said it was okay.”
Last week was the QJL Purim issue, my favorite of the year. Perhaps it’s because I grew up reading Mad magazine, the undisputed king of satire. I wish I could write in that style more often. I did attempt a traditional column last week as well, but it felt painfully dull by comparison. For me, switching back to my usual style after satire is like Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller returning from the Olympics to play for the New York Rangers—who have no realistic shot at the playoffs.
Now it’s back to work.
It has been 46 years since the United States Men’s Hockey Team won Olympic gold. That sounds like an eternity—unless you’re a New York Rangers or New York Jets fan. The Rangers have won just one Stanley Cup in the last 85 years (in 1994), and the Jets haven’t won a Super Bowl since 1969. Yet both teams play every year, while the Olympics come around only once every four years.
The U.S. team that won gold in 2026 did so exactly 46 years to the day after the “Miracle on Ice” victory over the Soviet Union in 1980. That 1980 win wasn’t even the gold-medal game, but it remains one of the most iconic upsets in sports history. Back then, the U.S. roster was made up of college players, while the Soviets were widely regarded as the best team in the world. Few gave the Americans a chance—especially after the Soviets had embarrassed them in a pre-Olympic exhibition at Madison Square Garden just weeks earlier.
The 2026 team was a different story. It featured the best American players from the National Hockey League. A year earlier, in the Four Nations Face-Off tournament, the U.S. had beaten Canada in the preliminary round before falling in overtime in the final. The Olympic roster included most of the same players, and many anticipated a USA–Canada showdown in the gold-medal game. Both teams faced tough preliminary-round challenges, but the final played out as predicted.
The difference in that gold-medal game was U.S. goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who played the game of his life and single-handedly stole the victory from Canada. There was some griping afterward from the Canadian coach about the three-on-three overtime format (instead of five-on-five), which he felt favored the U.S. I happen to agree: On paper, it should have benefited Canada’s more talented offensive players. The winning goal came against Canada’s top line, so the complaint rings a bit like sour grapes.
I was in Israel during the 1980 Olympics. Back then, there was no live streaming or real-time access—no way to watch or listen live. I had to wait for Voice of America to report the results. I missed the electric excitement of the moment. It’s a completely different experience when you’re in the United States, watching the games unfold in real time.
The most poignant moment of the 2026 gold-medal game came after the final buzzer. As the U.S. team posed for their victory photo, two players went into the stands, picked up Johnny Gaudreau’s two young children, and draped them in a Team USA jersey bearing his name and number. They took another photo together, with Gaudreau’s wife and parents watching from nearby. Johnny Gaudreau and his brother were tragically killed in 2024 while riding their bicycles, struck by an alleged drunk driver. Had he lived, Johnny would almost certainly have been on this Olympic team.
It was unfortunate that even this pure moment of national pride and unity had to be tinged by politics. Something as straightforward as honoring a fallen hero shouldn’t become politicized, but it did. I won’t delve into the details.
The bottom line is simple: The United States won Olympic gold in hockey. Let’s bask in the moment.
