Thin Ice (Corey Crawford)

Talent VS Success

Samantha

Team Canada wins gold for the second Winter Olympics in a row and they gave everyone quite a show. When you have Toews and Crosby and Keith put on the ice it's kind of hard to deny them success. It was a dream team kind of situation, a all star game of countries where we get to see the best of the best. Just being a part of all of this was special, actually being successful here is especially hard. But I was proud of my Canadian buddies and of course Corey too.

Before I leave I decide to give one big interview. I wasn't tight lipped when it came to be playing, but when everyone is coming at you all at once it's hard to give everyone what they want. I'm just one person after all and this hasn't even set in for me. I'm hoping that when I leave here the hype will die down so I can think straight and maybe have some answers for the questions people are asking, but for now we were in this moment. Being a part of this is special and the fact that they named me MVP of the entire 2014 Olympic Games at the closing ceremonies was nothing to bat a eye at. I don't want people to think I don't appreciate that or all the kind and awesome things they're saying about me. I'm not too good for everyone and I wasn't trying to hide anything. I just can't be what all these people want me to be which sucks. I want to give the world what it wants but I'm only human. So I was hoping that this interview can answer a lot of people's questions and let them know that I don't know what's next in the life of Sam. I've won gold at every level I played in, I've won national championships and broke all kinds of records. But that doesn't mean I'm done, in all reality I was just getting started. But that doesn't mean I'll be jumping into the waters without making sure I can swim first.

"Thank you for joining us" the NBC anchor says as he shakes my hand. This was the only interview I had done that wasn't on ice or post game. This is the only one that mattered as we closed out the games.

"The pleasure is all mine" I assure him.

"I'm sure you're super busy so I'll try not to keep you too long" he promises as he sits in his seat. I sit next to him and make myself comfortable.

"No rush, really. My flight doesn't leave until tomorrow so I should be just fine" I say.

"Awesome! Lets just get down to it.

When you arrived here in Sochi about a month ago was any of this game and success in your mind or is this all kind of surprising to you" he asks me.

"A surprise for sure. I had high expectations of myself for these games but this is all more than I could have ever imagined. When I decided to come here it wasn't for the attention or the fame, I was here because I loved hockey. Because I promised my dad I would be here one day and I was finally here. I had a open mind when I landed here and I still do. As a athlete having a open mind, to me, is the most important thing to have. To know that you can only control what you can control. I can't control what other people do but I know that when I hit the ice I'm giving it my all, never taking a second off so with a mind frame like that everything that happens after it is a gift" I explain.

"It's no wonder you have gotten the fame that you have. You jumped on the radar when you filled in for the Blackhawks and haven't looked back since. That was a game we had on NBCSN too. Looking back how important was that game for you" he wonders.

"Life changing really. People always told me I could play in the NHL, that I would break barriers and up until that point I've given up hope on playing competitive hockey. I had given up on hockey all together because that's just how I felt when my dad passed away. It's like when Michael Jordan went to play baseball when his dad was killed. No one understood why he did it when basketball was his god given gift. When he had just won his third trophy in a row and probably would have won six in a row if he had stayed.  People thought it was a joke. That he was doing it all for plubisity. But for him and his dad it made sense, and that's what matters.

For me at the time not playing actual hockey made sense. I took my dads roll in providing for my family and helping my brother train. It wasn't until I stepped on the ice wearing the jersey I dreamed of playing in my whole life did I realize that it was possible. That I belonged back out on the ice playing my butt off" I say.

"Your story is truly incredible. From the very start you were gifted, you always played with the boys growing up and could handle them easily. Through the USA development and college days in Wisconsin you proved to be a gifted athlete. People always told you that you would play in the NHL. Is that your plan now" he wonders.

"I'm not really sure" I admit. "My dream isn't to play in the NHL. It's to be the best athlete I can be no matter where I end up. I'm a competitor and wherever the competition is that's where I want to be. If that's in the NHL then I will happily play there. Those guys are the best athletes you can find and I know that if I play there it's because I deserve to, not simply because I can. I don't want to just be the only girl to be doing this kind of stuff, if I mess it up I will be the first and last girl in the league and I don't want that, I want be the first and open the doors for others. There's no gender restrictions for how hard you work. You don't need god given talent to be in the gym every day. Skills are developed and in the end that's what separates the talented and the successful" I say.

"So I'm not hearing that you wouldn't play in the NHL" he teases and I laugh.

"That decision is coming soon, but not now. For now I'm enjoying the last of my days here before going home" I defend.

"Well on behalf of the entire world I want to thank you for sharing you ideas and talent with us. It has been a honor to watch you and see first hand what hard work looks like. I hope to be seeing you around NBCSN pretty soon" he winks.

"We'll see" I smirk.

They let me go and I go grab my brother. I bring him to the arena for a little on ice fun. He hasn't played since he won gold and I haven't played since I won gold either. So we lace up and hit the ice messing around shooting pucks like every goalie dreams of. He had on one of my team jackets and I had to laugh because it was so small on him. But he wore it with pride and I wasn't going to take that away from him.

"I hope I can play in the Olympics some day" he says as he lands a pass on my tape.

"I think they'll beg for you to be here" I admit.

"Like how they called you so many times they had to send you a letter because you wouldn't answer them" he teases.

"Hey! I'm here aren't I" I laugh.

"Yes. But if it wasn't for Corey you wouldn't be" he accuses.

"Maybe not. But I'm here and I'm happy I am. I'm happy you're here with me too" I insist.

"This has been pretty cool. Kinda feels like we're a family again" he says.

"Yeah, it kinda does" I smile.