A Banner Year for the USA (Already)

I don't know if it's because of the 250th anniversary or not, but it's been an incredible year for American teams in international sports.  And we're only halfway through the year!  Yet we've already seen Olympic gold medals in both men's and women's hockey, as well as team figure skating, a run to the final of the World Baseball Classic, and an ongoing home World Cup where the U.S. Men's National Team is playing so well that the expectations increase with each successive game.  Who knows what else is in store for the rest of 2026!?

Let's start in Milan with a moment that was 46 years in the making.  With the NHL returning to the Olympics for the first time in 12 years, the U.S. could bring all of its best players to the Olympics.  It was arguably the most talented team the U.S. was fielding in the Olympic men's hockey tournament.  They were favored for a medal, but there was only one they wanted.  Especially after winning the World Championship and taking silver at the Four Nations Faceoff last year (and a majority of that team returning for the Olympics), it was gold medal or bust.

The Miracle On Ice will always be the seminal moment in U.S. men's hockey history.  But even the members of that team were ready for another gold medal.  Which is what Jack Hughes delivered.  In overtime.  Against archrival Canada.  It wasn't a miracle.  These guys were supposed to win.  And they did.  For the first time in almost half a century, the United States was the Olympic men's hockey champions again.  And, for the first time ever, they won Olympic gold at a Games held in another country.

That victory came three days after the women's gold medal game in Milan.  That matchup was also between the United States and Canada, the two superpowers in the sport.  The only two countries ever to win the Olympic gold medal.  Who've played each other in the final seven times in eight Olympic tournaments.  Just like the men's final, the women's game went to overtime.  Just like the men, the women came home with gold, while forcing their archrivals to settle for silver.

It was the Americans' third Olympic title in women's hockey, but this one was a little different.  Women's hockey has only been a part of the Olympics since 1998, 18 years after the Miracle On Ice.  The men and women had never won Olympic gold in the same year before.  They have now.

Another American team expected to win Olympic gold in Milan was the figure skating team.  They won gold in 2022, but that wasn't official until two years after the fact, and only after the Russians were disqualified.  This time, there was no controversy.  The U.S. went in as the favorites and held off Japan to win gold.  Only this time, they got their medals right then and there.

A few weeks after the Olympics ended, it was time for the World Baseball Classic.  The U.S. team was loaded.  Aaron Judge.  Bryce Harper.  Bobby Witt Jr.  Kyle Schwarber.  Both of last season's Cy Young winners, Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes, anchoring the pitching staff.  They had one goal in mind after losing the 2023 final to Japan.

There were some nervous moments after they lost their final game of group play to Italy.  There was a chance that they might not advance to the quarterfinals, which would've been a disaster and had this team branded a failure.  Well, they did advance to the quarterfinals, where they beat Canada.  Then Skenes shut down the vaunted Dominican Republic lineup in a brilliant semifinal performance to get the U.S. back to the final.  It wasn't the same triumphant finish as the Olympic hockey teams.  They lost that championship game to Venezuela.  But they got the country's attention all the same.

Speaking of capturing the country's attention, the World Cup has shattered attendance records.  More than five million people from all over the world have filled NFL stadiums for the games.  They broke the previous attendance record before the end of the group stage. (Granted, with the larger tournament, there are more games, but, despite the high ticket prices, virtually every game has been a sellout.)  Which World Cup set that previous attendance record?  The 1994 tournament in the United States.

When the U.S. hosted that 1994 World Cup, soccer was more of a curiosity.  No one had any illusions of the home team winning the tournament.  The hope was that they just wouldn't embarrass themselves.  Getting out of the group would be considered a great result.  They not only did that, they held their own against eventual champion Brazil in the Round of 16, only losing 1-0.

Fast forward 32 years and things are incredibly different.  The U.S. Men's National Team is playing a home World Cup knowing this is their opportunity to leave their mark.  "How far can they go?" means "How deep a run can they make?"  Unlike in 1994, this year's team has expectations, and the possibility of not meeting them existed.  Getting out of the group was the bare minimum, but even just doing that would've been a disappointment.

From the opening game, that 4-1 thrashing of Paraguay, they've had the nation's attention.  And interest in the team has only grown.  They didn't just get out of the group.  They won it with a game to spare.  They've won three games at a World Cup for the first time ever.  They've made git to the Round of 16, and thinking this team is capable of going further suddenly doesn't sound so crazy.  They haven't just met the moment.  They've thrived.  And taken the country along for the ride.

We're not done yet, either.  While it doesn't have the same fanfare as those other events or its men's counterpart, the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup will take place in Germany this September.  The WNBA will halt its season so that players can represent their nation at the World Cup.  The United States is the four-time defending champions and will be favored to make it five.

Is it partially a combination of luck and coincidence that American teams are all performing so well on the international stage this year?  Perhaps.  I'd even say that it's likely.  The fact that it's all happening in the country's landmark 250th year can't be escaped, though.  Coincidence or not, it's pretty cool.