In 1998: Players on the United States Olympic hockey team celebrated their failure to reach the medal round and their 1-4 record with a trashing of their hotel rooms that would’ve made The Who jealous. Despite an “investigation,” it was never revealed which players were responsible for over a thousand dollars worth of damage at the Nagano, Japan Olympics.
But thankfully, February 22, 1980 was a date in sports history that put USA Hockey in a little bit better light. Between 5 P.M. and 8 P.M on a Friday evening in Lake Placid, NY, a group of college kids from the United States pulled off the greatest sports moment of the 20th Century (according to Sports Illustrated). Facing the almighty Soviet Union in the first game of the men’s ice hockey medal round, the Americans won 4-3. The Russians were an unstoppable locomotive in international competition. They came into the 1980 games having won four consecutive gold medals, destroying every NHL team in its wake in a series of exhibitions, and for good measure, toying with U.S coach Herb Brooks’ very same amateurs in a pre-Olympic tune-up the week before the games with a 10-3 drubbing at Madison Square Garden.
But on this day, the Americans would surprise everybody. The Russians came out clicking, scoring two goals in the first, but a strange thing happened: the Americans wouldn’t go away. Trailing 2-1 in the closing seconds of the first period, the USSR defensemen eased up for a spilt second before the horn sounded, allowing American Mark Johnson to race in and beat uber-goalie Vladislav Tretiak to tie the score 2-2. Then, Soviet coach Viktor Tihkinov made probably the dumbest move in sports history: he decided to replace Tretiak, who was considered the finest goalie in the world at the time. Still, the Russians led 3-2 going into the final period. Only the goaltending of Jim Craig kept the Americans close.
In the third period, the Americans did what they had done in four of their first five Olympic contests: they overcame a deficit to win. Around the eight minute mark, they finally went on the power play and tied the score on another Mark Johnson goal. Then, with exactly ten minutes to go, team captain Mike Eruzione got the puck at the blue line and (while ABC announcer Ken Dryden was babbling over the great Al Michaels), flipped a shot that beat the Russian goaltender to give Team U.S.A their first lead of the game. The scene that followed gave every American goosebumps: Eruzione danced down the ice as the entire team stormed off the bench to celebrate with him (most who were watching–albeit on tape delay–did too).
Team U.S.A held on the final ten minutes, and their victory was punctuated by the greatest call ever, by Al Michaels: “Do you believe in Miracles? YES!!”
The Miracle On Ice, of course, was surrounded by the politics of the Cold War. Was it was beating those “commie bastards” in something, anything that made people feel good? Was it the fact that the Russians didn’t actually play anywhere near to their standards in the final half of the game (yes folks, the Russians played poorly, watch the tape…)? Or was it just a fine exhibition of perseverance and dedication with an unwavering belief by a group of kids who didn’t know any better? Whether it was one or all three, it didn’t matter because it just made people feel good.
It should always be remembered that this game didn’t give the Americans any medal. They had to beat Finland two days later to wrap up the gold. Of course, as an athletic contest, it was the greatest moment in our sporting history. But, this victory took on so much more meaning to the American people that it will never be forgotten throughout our history.
P.S. Apologies that the cliche and hyperbole filter wasn’t working due to rust. But there’s something about this game that you just can’t help but let it go.
