WEST VALLEY CITY ? A day after publicly speaking out in defense of Team Canada like the players were his own sons, Wayne Gretzky defended another Canadian hockey icon: himself.
"I felt like the team was getting bombarded, so I stood up for our team," said Gretzky, Canada's executive director, Tuesday at a news conference in the E Center. "I'm not here to apologize. I don't regret what I said."
What Gretzky said Monday had many wondering "eh?" and writers getting hand cramps trying to quickly fill their notebooks with his dizzying diatribe.
The Great One, following Canada's 3-3 tie with the Czech Republic, first went off on how nobody was asking him to comment on a nasty cross-check Roman Harlik put on Canada's Theo Fleury. He said the European press would've been playing the "ugly North American card" had a Canadian or U.S. player done that to one of their own. He also warned that in the NHL, where fighting is allowed, "payback is a," um, not good.
But the part that raised many people's eyebrows ? and alerted conspiracy theorists everywhere ? was Gretzky's ticked-off talk about "American propaganda" and a world-against-us attitude against Canada. He feels the Maple Leaf land is getting unfairly dissed by the media.
Gretzky on Monday: "Americans love our poor start. Nobody wants us to win but our players and our loyal fans. The whole world wants us to lose."
Also setting him off were rumors he kept hearing ? dealing with everything from why Canada has been less than dominant in the Olympics to Mario Lemieux supposedly packing up his skates and leaving Sunday.
Gretzky on Tuesday: "Every time I walked into the arena I heard a different story. Finally last night I had enough of it. For whatever reason these silly rumors were flying around about our hockey team. It really bothered me."
To some extent, Gretzky backed away from the American angle of his argument ? he even claimed Team USA should be considered favorite for gold. He got razzed by one particular group of U.S. citizens after they heard his comments Monday.
"My kids asked me about it today. I said, 'I don't know,' " said the longtime Los Angeles resident who has three boys and one girl. "My kids are American, and they seem to have faith in us."
A possible reason Gretzky vented ? he can't release his emotions on the ice anymore. It's sometimes frustrating to just watch and not be able to do anything about it yourself, as he used to be able to. For instance, Fleury all but shrugged off the hard hit Monday while Gretzky reacted like a mad dad.
"(People) watching me on TV say it's more fun watching me than anyone else. I'm very emotional," Gretzky admitted. "It's tougher than anything else. It is more difficult to watch (than play), no question."
But that is his job ? and natural duty as a Canadian ? to care about the red-and-white club that takes on Finland tonight at 8:15 in the quarterfinals.
"My role is different than the players," he said. "I'm responsible for the team and I overlook the team."
At least one other American can appreciate that.
"There's so much pressure on Canada ? everybody's watching their every single move," said U.S. forward Scott Young. "There is a fear of Canada because there's so many great hockey players, but it's not the world against Canada. We're worried about the teams we're playing."
HONOR ROLL: On a high note for Gretzky, he was one of four members of the global ice hockey family to receive the IOC's highest award, the Olympic Order on Tuesday. Also being honored at a ceremony at the USOC marketing club in Salt Lake: USA Hockey president Walter Bush, Jr., Miro Subrt of the Czech Republic and Japan's Shoichi Tomita.
REWARDING RETURN: A year ago, Tom Barrasso was on a hockey hiatus. Monday, he was in goal for the United States in the 8-1 victory over Belarus. The 36-year-old took a year off from the NHL to be with his daughter, Ashley, who was battling cancer for the second time.
"If you told me a year ago I'd be playing in the Olympics, I would have laughed," said Barrasso of the Carolina Hurricanes. "It's the crowning achievement of my career along with two Stanley Cups."
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