The "Big E" to Maple Leafs Coach Ron Wilson:I'm Callin' You Out!

"It's just a shame that both teams couldn't have received a gold medal today. Sometimes, the best team in the tournament doesn't win a gold medal. I thought our team played as well as any team I have ever coached."
 
That's right, Wilson went there. He said Canada wasn't the best team (and to be honest if you go by the numbers, they weren't) in the 2010 Olympic hockey tournament, despite the fact that his players were wearing silver around their necks. And, he said it with Mike Babcock, the Canadian coach, sitting right next to him at the podium.

Now, I'm not one to engage in mud-slinging contests, but Mr. Wilson, I'm callin' you out!

While the above comment isn't really enough to ruffle anyone's feathers, you couldn't just leave it at that, could ya Ronny boy?

Strange thing is, I think you're a good coach. I defended you at the beginning of the season citing the number of changes to the roster as being the main reason for the teams inability to gel. Praised you when you came up with innovative solutions to the problem by playing "dodge ball" and such while others in the media were calling for your head and labelling you incompetent.

When you were named as head coach of Team USA at the Olympics, I was both surprised and not. I told people he's a good coach, give him a chance.

Sure enough Mr Wilson, you didn't disappoint. You managed to help a team who was not expected to do too much not only go undefeated in the Olympics, but against all logic, make it to the Gold Medal game.

That feat in and of itself is something to be admired and respected.

Having already beaten Canada at the tournament, despite in that game being out-shot and out-played, your team USA was poised for a huge upset win over team Canada for the gold.

Remember this Ron, were it not for the unbelievable play of your goalie, you may not have made it to the medal round, PERIOD!

That being said, Team USA made it, and gave Team Canada all it could handle while single handedly causing irregular heartbeats for just about every hockey fan in the world. In the end, Sydney Crosby stole the show in overtime and you won an Olympic Silver Medal in Men's Hockey. Be proud Ron, not petty.

"You go into overtime, anything can happen," Wilson said. "The puck hits the referee's skate - no one's mentioned that - and that ended up causing kind of a kerfuffle that happened in the corner, and they took advantage of that."

"We're probably all still disappointed that we didn't reach the goal we set out, which is a gold medal.

"We had come so close. That's going to sting for a while." said Wilson at a media scrum at the Hanger.

You may well be seventh all-time in NHL wins as a coach Mr. Wilson, as well as sixth all-time in games coached, but you've never won a cup and only been to the finals once.

I hope that in your career with the Leafs, you get there again.

I still don't think you're a bad coach Ron, I just think that with your comments listed in this article, and others I've heard post-Olympics, you're a sore loser.

I have a problem with the "leader" of my favorite hockey team being such a poor loser, and at the same time not once offering a congratulatory gesture to the country whose hockey team relegated you to a silver medal.

If you don't like it, you know where to find me.