logo
Letters: The Stanley Cup Final is the greatest of all sports championships

Letters: The Stanley Cup Final is the greatest of all sports championships

When the month of June comes along each year, I welcome it with open arms. Not for the nice weather or summer activities, but for the greatest of all sports championships, the Stanley Cup Final. The NHL is stacked with some of the best and most underpaid athletes in the world. They are also, for the most part, a humble collection of young men when they are not competing on the ice (just listen to their interviews between periods; it's never about themselves but about the team).
As I took a seat in my living room for Game 1 between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers, I was once again reminded why I love this series so much. As protocol requires, when a U.S. hockey team plays a team from Canada, the national anthems of both countries are sung. Game 1 was no different, as the Oilers selected a fan (with obvious singing experience and a beautiful tenor voice) to sing both anthems from his seat, surrounded by fans in his section. He performed the Star Spangled Banner flawlessly, but the real head-turner was when he sang 'O Canada.' I think he sang the first three lines of O Canada when he realized that the entire arena was singing with him. At that point, he stopped singing and let the Edmonton crowd, both young and old, perform in his place. He simply held up the mic for those tuned-in to listen. Talk about goosebumps, smiles and tears all at the same time. This was an example of the pride Canadians have for their country and for the Oilers. I was absolutely amazed!
At that moment, I thought to myself, 'would that ever happen in this country?' Would our fellow countrymen and women show that kind of pride in the United States of America? Moreover, can I be sure that almost every fan in a U.S. arena would know the Star Spangled Banner without a cheat sheet? I'm not even sure if our current president or many in his administration could sing our national anthem without notes. I only say this because of the amount of unconstitutional executive orders President Donald Trump has signed; he obviously didn't ace his seventh grade Constitution test.
Right about now, some of you are crumpling up the paper this op-ed is written on. But ask yourselves, 'Are you truly satisfied with the way the United States is viewed around the world and by our own citizens?' If you are, you will probably never understand the meaning of 'do unto others as you would have done to you.' For me, I'll bask in the pride of the Edmonton fans and hope that same pride and humility returns to this country. Go Oilers.Your June 5 editorial, 'A new chance for school choice in Illinois,' (June 5) makes it sound like tax-credit scholarships are the answer to almost every education challenge. On the surface, it sounds reasonable — who wouldn't want every child to attend the best possible school? But this argument doesn't hold up when you look at the facts.
A 2024 report commissioned by the Illinois State Board of Education found that public school students actually outperformed recipients of the Invest in Kids tax-credit scholarships on state standardized tests. In 2023, 35% of public school students were proficient in reading, compared to just 22% of scholarship recipients. In math, 27% of public school students were proficient, compared to 16% of scholarship recipients. This data suggests that, in many cases, we're using tax dollars to help send kids to private schools that aren't even performing as well as the public schools they're leaving.
I appreciated the Tribune's recent editorial, 'When school boards ride in limousines and students lack the basics,' (June 2) highlighting wasteful spending by some Illinois school boards. Waste should absolutely be addressed. But where's the same scrutiny of private schools receiving tax dollars through scholarships? They often operate with far less accountability than public schools, even though they benefit from public funds.
I understand that many families are desperate to find better options for their kids, especially when public schools are underfunded. But let's be honest: the struggles of public schools are often the result of years of disinvestment and constant efforts to undermine them in favor of privatized alternatives. The Tribune's own coverage seems to keep reinforcing the narrative that public schools are the problem and private schools are the solution. But when we look at the data, that's just not the whole story.
Instead of shifting money to private schools that can pick and choose which students they serve, let's focus on strengthening every public school so that every child — no matter where they live — has access to a high-quality education.Recently you published a piece about Walden Pond, (On this Day, June 6) which took me back in time. In the late '50s and specifically in 1960, I spent many delightful hours swimming with my family and cousins at Walden Pond. My family paid a small fee to have parking and access to the beach which provided a bathhouse, a lifeguard, and lots of sand (trucked in, I'm sure). There were no public pools available to families like mine, and the local lakes were all we had. We loved it. I was around 12 years old when I began to reflect on the natural beauty of the place, and wondered where Henry David Thoreau's cabin was. It wasn't lost on me that Walden was an inspirational place. I don't think Walden lost anything by providing that swimming area to the public.Conservatives couldn't be clearer: They want 'legal' immigrants, not 'illegal' immigrants. This could not be more contradicted by reality if they tried: immigrants with legal residence status are being detained and deported at their immigration hearings, meetings and even citizenship tests. For all we hear about the need for immigrants to 'follow the process,' it is now evident that people like Donald Trump and Stephen Miller want no immigrants of any kind.
If the government can detain and deport people with legal status in this country, all of us are at risk. If undocumented people have no right to due process, then the right of any of us to due process is under threat. If the government can send people to Salvadoran prisons, none of us is safe. There is no better way for us to forfeit our rights than by refusing to extend those rights to others. If the government is allowed to take away the rights of one group, it is the epitome of naïveté to think that it can't or won't take away the rights of other groups. Fighting for the rights of immigrants is fighting for your own rights.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

PGA Tour money leaders: Rory McIlroy leads the top earners in RBC Canadian Open field
PGA Tour money leaders: Rory McIlroy leads the top earners in RBC Canadian Open field

Yahoo

time25 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

PGA Tour money leaders: Rory McIlroy leads the top earners in RBC Canadian Open field

This week's RBC Canadian Open, which begins on June 5 at the TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, has a strong field based on the number of money leaders entered — especially with a major championship on deck. In the final event before the U.S. Open June 12-15 at the Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club, 10 of the top-30 money leaders are playing, led by No. 2 Rory McIlroy. Advertisement Fifteen of the top 50 will play at the North Course and 29 of the top 100. Rory McIlroy (right) and Shane Lowry (left), who have been partners in the last two Zurich Classic team events, are among the top players on the PGA Tour money list in the field for this week's RBC Canadian Open. Joining McIlroy from the top 10 are No., 9 Ludvig Åberg and No. 10 Shane Lowry. Top-20 players in the field are native Canadians Nick Taylor (the 2023 RBC Canadian Open winner) and Corey Conners, Justin Rose and Sungjae Im. McIlroy, who led the Tour in earnings from the week after The Players Championship until Scottie Scheffler won last week's Memorial, trails Scheffler by $580,357. He can regain the lead with a finish of solo third or better ($676,200). None of the other players in the field can catch Scheffler. If Aberg wins, he can rise as high as fifth. PGA Tour money leaders (Players in RBC Canadian Open field in bold) Advertisement 1. Scottie Scheffler $ 14,558,697 2. Rory McIlroy $ 13,978,340 3. Sepp Straka $ 9,628,708 4. Justin Thomas $ 8,795,520 5. Ben Griffin $ 7,116,471 6. Russell Henley $ 7,077,375 7. Collin Morikawa $ 6,501,304 8. Andrew Novak $ 6,111,380 9. Ludvig Åberg $ 6,065,722 10. Shane Lowry $ 5,951,758 11. Maverick McNealy $ 5,739,743 12. J.J. Spaun $ 5,344,182 13. Hideki Matsuyama $ 5,081,747 14. Corey Conners $ 4,994,073 15. Harris English $ 4,969,882 16. Tommy Fleetwood $ 4,428,031 17. Justin Rose $ 4,182,018 18. Nick Taylor $ 4,119,055 19. Sungjae Im $ 4,060,443 20. Patrick Cantlay $ 3,907,046 21. Tom Hoge $ 3,903,247 22. Daniel Berger $ 3,798,008 23. Brian Harman $ 3,519,694 24. Keegan Bradley $ 3,330,039 25. Lucas Glover $ 3,278,952 26. Michael Kim $ 3,223,336 27. Thomas Detry $ 3,093,364 28. Jacob Bridgeman $ 3,050,352 29. Akshay Bhatia $ 3,017,403 30. Taylor Pendrith $ 2,986,568 This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Rory McIlroy leads the top earners in PGA Tour's RBC Canadian Open field

T.J. Oshie announces he's retiring
T.J. Oshie announces he's retiring

NBC Sports

time34 minutes ago

  • NBC Sports

T.J. Oshie announces he's retiring

WASHINGTON — T.J. Oshie, who scored four shootout goals for the U.S. to beat host Russia at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and helped the Washington Capitals win the Stanley Cup in 2018, announced he is retiring after playing 16 NHL seasons. Oshie shared his news in front of hundreds of fans gathered at the fountains at Washington Harbour in Georgetown, seven years to the day of one of the most memorable Cup celebrations in hockey history when he and several teammates jumped into the fountains and took a dip. President of hockey operations Brian MacLellan, general manager Chris Patrick, coach Spencer Carbery and longtime teammates Nicklas Backstrom and John Carlson came out to support Oshie as he called it a career. 'My only contribution was that this could be a good day and place to have (the ceremony),' Oshie said, adding, 'I can't thank the Caps enough. Another first-class move by them to have my retirement here, invite all the people out. It really made this day special.' The announcement had been expected for quite some time, with Oshie's contract expiring. The 38-year-old did not play this past season because of a nagging back injury that sidelined him off and on, going on long-term injured reserve instead. Oshie said in the spring of 2024 he would only return to the Capitals if he found a permanent solution or fix to the issue. His final game was at home on April 28 last year against the New York Rangers, a 4-2 loss in the first round that eliminated Washington in a sweep. 'I was fully prepared that could be my last game: I got the pictures taken of me taking off the skates to prove it,' Oshie said. 'I hadn't thought too much about (the end), honestly, besides that moment. Even before that moment, knowing how tough it was on really the whole team with me, what I was going through, actually saying the words out loud at the podium with my family in front of me and the Caps organization, my teammates, all my close friends, it was emotional.' Taken 24th in the 2005 draft by St. Louis, Oshie played 1,116 regular-season and playoff games in the league with the Blues and Capitals since making his debut in 2008. He had 336 goals and 428 assists for 764 points, including 21 points during Washington's Cup run. Oshie made an international name for himself at the Olympics, earning the nickname 'T.J. Sochi' for going 4 for 6 in shootout attempts against Sergei Bobrovsky during the U.S.-Russia preliminary round game in that tournament. U.S. Olympic coach Dan Bylsma figured one game would go to a shootout, hence the choice of bringing Oshie. Bylsma kept going back to him over and over. 'T.J. had been on fire that season in the shootout, and with the scouting report on Bobrovsky we felt T.J. would have a great chance against him,' Bylsma told The Associated Press by text message. 'Even when he didn't score, he had beaten Bob with his move, so we kept rolling with him.' In the NHL, his biggest impact came after he was traded from the Blues to the Capitals in 2015. Oshie took on an immediate leadership role as a key addition to the core of Alex Ovechkin, Backstrom and Carlson, helping the team make the playoffs in eight of his nine seasons in the nation's capital. 'I'll be the first to give credit to my teammates, because without them, I was nowhere near good enough to do it without a group like that,' Oshie said. Oshie's 76 power-play goals in D.C. are the fifth most in franchise history. He scored 49 times in the shootout, tied for third all time since it was implemented in 2005. 'I like to think that when I was playing, that I was playing for my teammates, for my coaches, for my family, for my fans. I rarely thought about my own accolades,' Oshie said. 'To be remembered (as a 'warrior' type of player) is a huge honor because that was my goal and the way I played the game.'

Lane Lambert expects to lead the Kraken to the playoffs
Lane Lambert expects to lead the Kraken to the playoffs

NBC Sports

time39 minutes ago

  • NBC Sports

Lane Lambert expects to lead the Kraken to the playoffs

SEATTLE — Lane Lambert said he feels no pressure to turn the Seattle Kraken into a playoff contender. But his own expectation is to do exactly that. Lambert was introduced as the Kraken's coach at the team's practice facility. He was hired on May 29 after spending last season as an associate head coach with Toronto. The Maple Leafs won 52 games and the Atlantic Division title, but were eliminated in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals by Florida, which is currently playing in the Stanley Cup Final. He will become the third head coach in the history of the Kraken, who are entering their fifth season and have made the playoffs just once in their previous four. 'I have an expectation of myself and of my role and of my abilities,' the 60-year-old Lambert said. 'You start on Day 1 and it's a process, it's a journey. If you do the right things through that journey and do the right things every day and look to get better every day and stick with the process, the results will take care of themselves.' Lambert takes over for Dan Bylsma, who was fired on April 21 after one season. Seattle was well outside the playoff picture by the time of the February break for the 4 Nations Face-off and finished 35-41-6 (76 points). That was 20 points below the West's final wild-card spot and five fewer than the Kraken's 81 points in 2023-24. 'It became very evident that Lane presented the attributes we were looking for,' general manager Jason Botterill said. 'The combination of presence and knowledge to work with veteran players, and would also be dedicated to interact with young players.' Seattle ranked in the bottom third of the league on the power play (23rd), faceoff winning percentage (24th) and average shots per game (25th). It was 21st on the penalty kill, an area in which Lambert helped the Leafs improve from 23rd to fourth. 'There are priorities in certain areas, but everything has to be addressed,' Lambert said. 'You can't build Rome in a day, and that's the whole process from Day 1. You start with the process, start demanding, and you start instilling your systems, your structure, your details. But definitely, our special teams have to be better. We'll better in our defensive zone. I know we will be. So that would be the start and the focus.' Lambert has had NHL coaching jobs since 2011. His only head coaching experience came with the New York Islanders, beginning at the start of the 2022-23 season and ending when he was fired in January 2024. In his only full season, the Islanders made the playoffs but were eliminated in the first round. 'You go through an experience like that, you get let go, and you have a lot of time to reflect,' he said. 'If you don't have an ego, you can say, 'Gee, I'd do this differently or that differently. Or I'd do this or that the same.' There's certain little things I'll look at and look into changing.' He was an assistant with Nashville from 2011-14, then with Washington from 2014-18, with the Capitals winning the Stanley Cup in 2018. The Islanders hired him as associate head coach prior to 2018-19. The teams he has worked for have made the playoffs 10 times. Lambert inherits a roster that includes veterans Jaden Schwartz (a team-high 26 goals last season), Jared McCann (22 goals and a team-leading 61 points), Eeli Tolvanen (23 goals) and Chandler Stephenson (38 assists). The Kraken also have highly regarded young talent such as 2023 Rookie of the Year Matty Beniers (20 goals, 23 assists) and Shane Wright (19 goals, 25 assists). 'When you look at the team and the balance, we have great talent,' Lambert said. 'We have veteran players. The non-negotiables are that we have to play the right way — that's the formula.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store