Reporters View Olympic Ceremony- Former Communists May Light Flame With 1980 Hockey Team

The Deseret News, KSL Networks and Wintersport 2002.com ^ | February 6, 2002 | Lisa Riley Roche

[umbra]

On their way out, the reporters could see a volunteer running into the stadium carrying a mock Olympic torch, followed by hundreds of children.

The baloons and their riders were being lifted into the air as a new song by country singer LeAnn Rimes was announced.

That will be one of the most anticipated moments of the ceremonies, when the glass and steel cauldron at the south end of the stadium is ignited with the Olympic flame lighted last November in Greece and carried across the United States.

Speculation has centered on members of the U.S. and Soviet men's hockey teams who competed in the 'Miracle on Ice' match during the last American Winter Games, in 1980 at Lake Placid, N.Y.

[umbra]

I want to puke my guts out right now, after Sept. 11 the IOC has former and current commies from the 1980 Russian 'Red Army' squad on OUR freakin soil lighting the Olympic Flame with the some the greatest Olympic Heroes ever-The 1980 USA Hockey Squad..

Most of those guys were trained to kill us when they weren't playing hockey or are still overseeing the nukes pointed at us.

[ChicagoRepublican]

They were "trained to kill us" just as much as our collegiate scolarship athletes get good "educations"!

[AmericanInTokyo]

hell, probably more than HALF of them have already defected to the West before The Wall Came Down, and the other half emigrated afterwards.......

[codebreaker]

Anything on this?

[codebreaker]

Shoot most of them are still probably working with the old commies..

[Shermy]

I like the idea! The Olympics are international, and what a message to our Euro-weenie allies!

I'd be surprised if the Russian goalie shows his face, though.

[struwwelpeter]

I've travelled a bunch around Russian, Ukraine, and Belarus. My observation is they are like the snake in your sleeping bag - more afraid of you than your are of them. Plus, they would just love to go on a bender with their former adversaries.

Old soldiers have better stories than old politicians.

[ChicagoRepublican]

I agree with you. So many American's are scared of "communists." Most communists are just people who were born into a crooked, unworkable system and tried to benefit themselves by joining in. Only a small percentage of the population were communists, and these crooks have now converted to capitalism were they are doing quite well for themselves.

[Pappy Smear]

Well, if you like the X-Files, or wear tinfoil hats...Cancer Man rigged the Olympic hockey game between the United States and the Soviet Union by injecting the Soviet goal tender with a drug, causing him to be less effective during the game. He used an unseen needle on a bogus wedding ring to make the injection during a pregame good luck pat. Ivan seemed a little slow to his stick side...????

[RamsNo1]

Two of the former soviet players, Slava Fetisov and Igor Larionov rallied in the streets in Moscow with Boris Yeltsin during the attempted coup in 1989. Fetisov and Larionov eventually came to the USA to play for the Detroit Red Wings. When Detroit won the Stanley Cup in 1997, they both said how proud they were to come to this country and win for the city of Detroit.

[anymouse]

The real issue is the influence of the Russian mafia over Russian NHL players. If you think it is rough out on the ice, wait until you get to the parking lot. :)

[bushfamfan]

So the distancing from the fact that the U.S. is hosting the Olympics continues. Now, as opposed to other nations' Opening Ceremonies and the lighting of the cauldron, the SLOC has to be concerned about angering Soviet/Russia if the US '80 hockey team was chosen. Gosh, they couldn't just have the team do it themselves, right? Couldn't just give American athletes the opportunity to pass the flame to the cauldron in Salt Lake City, USA could they? No, too "American". If anything is disturbing-it's not the fact that they may be former communists as it is this ridiculous worry with the USOC/SLOC in including other nations' so much so that it is only required of US hosted Olympics. You don't see this inclusion and concern with other Olympics because they aren't American and that seems to be the position to be in. We can't be American because of the whines of "arrogance" and, yes, a bit of envy. Why do the idiots get so annoyed at Americans showing some pride in their nation like the others' do theirs?? After all, the U.S. has shed enough blood to be the "world's policeman" and even there they find reasons to bi*ch. I'm sick of the world's arrogance.

[Gwaihir]

Irresponsible screen name, not to mention idiotic post.

[Zansman]

I doubt Vladislav Tretiak would have any problem "showing his face in public."

He's been a goalie coach/consultant for the Chicago Blackhawks for years. I spare you (long-suffering) Hawks fans the pain of listing some of his star pupils, you know better than anyone else.

Tretiak was considered the best goalie in the world going into the 1980 Olympics. He is still considered one of the greatest to ever have played the game (just not in the NHL). Tretiak was benched after Team USA had scored twice, their second just seconds before the end of period one. To this day, it is one of the most second guessed decisions in Soviet sports history.

I think most of that Russian team played for the Red Wings at one time or another. People's Republic of Detroit, how appropriate.

[rpierce]

Probably an innocent coincidence. (No one is that stupid or irresponsible—are they?)

[koba]

Are video copies of the 1980 game availible? I only saw this game once (in 1980) and I'd like to see more of it than the snippets they show on TV. Anybody have any ideas how to obtain the 1980 game?

[joathome]

Since Bush seems to have developed a friendship with Putin, this doesn't seem very surprising. It is very symbolic of the world without the wall.

I recently spent nine days in Russia, and have to say that I liked just about everyone I met. The "people" and the "party" are two different things.

While we were in Red Square on a Friday night, a time when there were many Russians strolling about, one lone Communist was speaking and trying to drum up an audience. He never had more than about 10 or 15 people listening at a time. They were too busy headed for the really fantastic underground mall near the square. haha

[Diddle E. Squat]

blah, blah, blah, all the ridiculous hand-wringing and outrage. How dare them for'ners set foot on our soil!

Personally I think it would be a great idea. The Olympics are about putting politics aside for a few weeks of competition. To have the US and Russian hockey team jointly light the flame is the perfect symbol of the Olympics, here's hoping that is what happens.

There is nothing wrong with the Olympic ideal of the brotherhood of man. The problem is when socialists, marxists, totalitarians, et. al. use it as a false front behind which they try to implement their control agendas, such as through the UN.

[Utah Girl]

I visited the USSR in the late eighties. You are right. After 10 days there, I almost got used to being called "The Dark Forces from the West." Ronald Reagan was President then, they were scared he was going to nuke them. And our poor little tour guide. Those Soviets had her so cowed. It was tradition to throw a party at the end of the tour in the USSR in Leningrad. We all put in five dollars to buy her gifts (cigarettes, chocolates, and booze). She never showed up to the party, she was afraid of being reported to her supervisors for fraternizing with "The Dark Forces from the West." They called the Germans "the Fascists Hordes from the West." I think I would have called the Germans much worse...

[Utah Girl]

I haven't heard a word. The news should be on, but they probably won't have anything, since this is supposed to be a big secret. My two sisters are at the dress rehearsal as we speak, but I think they are having stand-ins for the torchbearers and lighters...I'll report tomorrow if I find out anything.