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Source: Fox News
Summary
Ottawa Senators’ Brady Tkachuk stood his ground when asked about the viral moment when Team USA laughed at a joke made by President Donald Trump during a phone call after both teams won gold medals in Milan. Tkachuk said he understood the women’s team felt displeased with the men’s team’s reaction, but added that they supported each other and couldn’t control what others say. The US women’s hockey team declined an invitation to the White House, citing previously scheduled academic and professional commitments, and USA Hockey responded that the team is honored and grateful to be invited.
Our Reading
The game followed a familiar script.
Tkachuk laughed, the team laughed, and then they tried to explain it away. The whirlwind of a moment caught them off guard, but they couldn’t believe they were actually talking to the President of the United States. They can’t control what others say, but they can control how they react.
The women’s team felt left out, but Tkachuk and his teammates tried to spin it as a fun moment. They supported each other, and that’s all that mattered. But the optics were bad, and the excuses were even worse.
This one felt like a learning moment for the team, and for the fans who watched it all go down.
Original observation: It’s not about controlling the narrative, it’s about controlling the moment.
Author: Evan Null
