We saw Canada’s players react publicly the way athletes usually react privately after a terrific disappointment: They blamed the ref and cried conspiracy, while discounting their own dirty play and good fortune. And when have viewers of a women’s sporting event reacted with the sort of jingoistic finger-pointing and name-calling that followed the United States’ 4-3 victory? If that’s not progress—progress defined as a significant number of people (millions watched the game in each country) caring about the outcome of a game—then I don’t what is. I’ve missed the geopolitical sports blood feuds of the Cold War era. Who knew that cute, inoffensive, cuddly Canada—Canada!—might replace the big, bad Soviet Union as the USA’s Public Enemy No. 1? Because of a women’s soccer game.