30 years ago today something miraculous happened. A bunch of college hockey players beat the vaunted Soviet Union Hockey team in an improbable upset that still shocks the world. It seems incredible in today's instant information world, but the game was played in Lake Placid during the afternoon - and broadcasted via tape delay on ABC in prime time. No one knew the result. I was in 8th grade attending a high school basketball game, and remember the announcer reporting the score as if it were happening live. Where were you?
I apologize for the poor quality of this video clip, I need to find a better quality version. Even today, watching the last minute of that game, I still am worried the Soviets are going to score and end the dream.
Monday, February 22, 2010
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6 comments:
Andy.. I hope you got to watch the interview Al Micheals did with Eruzione, Craig and Johnson yesterday afternoon. I did not realize Johnson now coaches the USA women's team. They also mentioned that every member of that team is still alive except for Herb Brooks. I was attending a retirement party for someone in our office. This was very early in my career and I was told attending these things was important. We got updates from a guy who had a radio so we knew what was going on. I was not happy that I could not watch the game and if I knew then what I know now I would have told my boss to shove it and stayed home to watch. In the interview they talked about how this was one of those things that people can easily remember where they were but this one was a positive outcome. Things like Kennedy's assasination, 9/11, Oklahoma City fit that category but not with the positive outcome of that hockey game. They showed highlights of that game and others leading up to it and the gold metal game. It was a very good interview and brought back all of those memories for me.
eating lunch out at a local diner with my mom...heard it on the radio!!!
ps-- Jim Craig was WAYYYY cuter back then
T9.. So was I but 30 years has a way of doing that. Except in your case.......
Bob: I watched the interview yesterday. Mark Johnson was featured in a SI article a couple of weeks ago. I guess he coaches nothing like Herb Brooks. I would love to see his team win gold.
Not many people remember, but Brooks coached the 2002 USA team that won silver in salt lake city.
A couple of years ago HBO did a documentary on the 1980 team Including the never considered Soviet perspective. To this day (confirmed by the interview yesterday) I am surprised about the lukewarm emotions the players show towards Brooks. He must have been a real bastard to play for.
Something tells me that in order to be a successful coach you have to be a bit of a bastard. Hell, just look at Bowman, Leyland, Belicheat, Coughlin, Babcock, etc. None of those guys seem like pleasant folks.
I watched part of that interview yesterday and it was pretty cool as I wasn't really into hockey at the time. but I do appreciate the Cold War and what that game would have meant. I like how they point out that even after they beat the Soviets, Brooks reminded them that they haven't wont anything yet. Reminds me of Bowman when the Wings would win the Campbell Trophy.
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