from Cathal Kelly of the Globe and Mail,

We are the only one-sport country in the world (pipe down in the back) that doesn’t go bonkers for that one sport at the international level.

Weirder still, when we do care about it, it involves a bunch of spotty teenagers.

The IIHF World Junior Championships start next week. This is the start of Canadian Christmas (as opposed to real Christmas).

For a few days, everyone in the country knows who Canada’s best second-string university-freshman-aged goalie is. They know who made it at whose expense and, having previously heard only a few of the names involved, still have strong opinions on the topic. This year’s coverage will have its own theme song.

more