Angry Canadians Question Steve Nash's Decision to "Snub" National Team, Nash Responds

Steve Nash has been under fire this past week for his decision not to play on the Canadian national basketball team. The chorus of criticism grew louder when Canada failed to qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics. It's no small thing to be accused of disloyalty to one's country, and that's essentially what happened.

The Toronto Sun had this to say:

But sadly for Team Canada, and the national team program, Nash stuck to his guns and refused to suit up for the team. The man was a social butterfly this summer, bouncing from one city to another, doing this, that and the other thing. But devoting a couple of weeks to the national team was apparently out of the question.

But, hey, he's Steve Nash, and in the eyes of many, he can do no wrong.

Them there's fightin' words, and Nash isn't the type to back down in the face of any such thing; he invited Canadian basketball fans to question him on Twitter and replied to many of their questions.

It's funny. We here among the Suns fan community never gave this a second thought, or probably even a first thought. Nash play on the Canadian national team? Nooooo! He ended last season with an injury, is 37-years old and is our best player. Asking him to use some of the basketball life he has left in an amateur event? Uh, no thank you.

Still, there is national pride at stake here, and Nash is Canada's darling, so it shouldn't be too much of a surprise that he's being grilled about this.

Jump it to see how Nash responded to the criticism.

@Steve Nash: Although I retired from international bball 7 years ago the bottom line is I couldn't have played this summer bc I'm rehabbing an injury.

@SteveNash: RT @jgwulterkens: @SteveNash Is it because of what Bieber did to you?(Partly...)

@SteveNash: RT @ArtAronson: how do u feel about Triano not being part of the coaching staff?(Shouldve never been let go but not the main reason for me.)

@SteveNash: RT @Paris_Gargoyle: @SteveNash Why aren't u playing for the national soccer team in WC qualifiers?(Too busy being a soccer groupie.)

@SteveNash: RT @mymanmoose: @SteveNash Will you consider rejoining Team Canada anytime in the future? (probably not for the same reasons I retired)

@SteveNash: The moments and memories I had playing for Canada are the best of my career. It wasn't an easy decision nor one I wanted to make, to stop playing for the national team but something had to give. I was 30, playing year round, carrying injuries into both seasons and not enjoying playing hurt. I was asked to do a lot for the suns and after 13 years with the national team I felt I had to choose one or the other to prolong my career. And the NBA is my lively hood.

@SteveNash: @rexchapman: @SteveNash Yes Steve, which of your many American-born teammates has had the best rendition of "O-Canada"? (mike Finley)

{A Steve Nash/Rex Chapman/Michael Finley tweet? My heart is aflutter.}

@SteveNash: RT @Bueller27: @SteveNash where do you rank Santa Clara's win over Arizona? top 10? or not a big deal? (for sure top 10)

ASU fans have to love this, as do old school college hoops fans. Nash's #15 seed Santa Clara team defeating the #2 seed U of A Wildcats in 1993 was one of the greatest upsets in NCAA tournament history.

I understand the frustration of Canadian fans. Nash was one of the men who lit the torch at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. He's a national sports star in a nation which hasn't had the volume of sports stars that we've had in the US. But Nash is old as a professional athlete, and his body only has so much left in it. He had to decide between what was more important, his commitment to the Suns or his desire to lift the Canadian national team. Of course, my view is biased and selfish, but his decision seems obvious to me. What say you?