Now that was special.

I don’t know where you stand on the Winter Olympics.

(I really enjoyed them.)

I’m not sure if you fancy yourself a big hockey person.

(I don’t consider myself one.)

But I know a special sporting event when I see it, and USA-Canada for the gold medal to close out the Olympics more than qualified. It was enough to get me to a television before 8 a.m. on a non-NFL Sunday morning. It was enough to deliver an epic game. It was enough to have me feeling patriotic all day.

It also hit a truly special kind of sports note, one we can use every once in a while.

Too often, we’re all on different sides when talking sports.

We debate. We argue. We have our own, often divergent, points of view. It’s healthy. It’s fun. Sports talk radio is built on it. And around here, there’s been plenty to argue about lately. It doesn’t make things any less interesting, but rather more combative. It’s all good natured, but doesn’t change the reality.

Sometimes, though, it’s important to have something that brings everyone together.

USA-Canada was that.

It was impossible not to be into the game, the moment, what was at stake and root together. While we do that with our teams here in Philadelphia, we all come in with preconceived notions or opinions or takes on the players, coaches and trajectory of the franchise.

Not this.

This was for pride, even bigger than civic pride. It was for gold. It was for America.

When Jack Hughes won it in overtime, I could feel so many feeling the same thing I was: Goosebumps, followed by joy.

When the gold medals were presented, I could feel so many feeling the same thing I was: Pride.

When the team held up a Johnny Gaudreau jersey to honor the local star taken from us way too soon, I could feel so many feeling the same thing I was: Emotional.

What a day. What a game. What an event. It took 46 years for the men’s team to bring home a gold.

They made the wait worth it for a country that had their back.

We had Scott Franzke on to talk Phillies spring training.

On WIP Daily, I came up with an outside-the-box idea to solve the Phillies No. 4 spot in the lineup.

Check it out.

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