Posted on 02/21/2015 1:48:08 PM PST by PROCON
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) -- Thirty-five years after the U.S. Olympic hockey team's stunning gold medal at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics, the once-fuzzy-faced heroes are being feted for their signature accomplishment.
Every surviving member of the hockey team is coming back for a "Relive the Miracle" reunion on Saturday night at Herb Brooks Arena, the hockey rink on Main Street they made famous with one of the most memorable upsets in sports history.
Missing will be Brooks, the Hall of Fame coach who was killed in a car accident in 2003, and rugged defenseman Bob Suter, who died at age 57 in September.
(Excerpt) Read more at wxyz.com ...
Look at #6 #26 #5 and #25 in the pic. Especially #25. If anything, the russkies became more human to me. I grew up envisioning them as giant monsters.
You’re right, the pictures of the Soviet players drinking in the American celebration did humanize them. They didn’t look angry or disappointed, they looked fascinated like they had never seen anything like it.
It makes you wonder if they led a somewhat joyless existence despite their amazing hockey prowess. They weren’t just capable of beating amateurs in the Olympics. Just before they played the American Olympic team the Soviets had soundly beaten an NHL championship team.
You’ll want to see the video clip here:
And i got married that year too.
But back to hockey. I worked downtown Manhattan at that time. One of the games we played that year was on in the afternoon. I remember being outside and the sun was out. There were 20 or 30 people on the sidewalk standing in front of a store window. There was a t.v. in the window showing the game. This never ever happens,especially for hockey. Those boys brought a nation together that year.
Well... I'm not so convinced about that. Jimmah didn't have a goose-stepping media and academia behind him, both sides of the aisle were despondent....
And the country wasn't so divided and hyphenated, with poison pen in hand. The general populace was at least at peace with each other for the most part. The enemy was an enemy, and it wasn't your American brethren.
Was in Germany and watched the game on a big screen at a German ice rink after a club hockey game. The Germans cheered as loud as the Americans for the USA. Some Russians were there too and got very quiet.
Weeks later I rode alone in an elevator with the coach at the Plaza hotel and talked about the memorable game.
One of those things you never forget.
Back then we were in our Carter malaise period. Was a lot like now in terms of the country’s mood. Looking forward to our next turning point moment.
Thanks for the links. Watched the short one. I’ll catch the longer one in a bit. The story never gets old for me. Got teared up watching and the first and remembering how great that was.
The song “99” by Toto was playing on the radio during those 1980 Olympics.
As a native of Wisconsin, I would love to see the Green Bay Packers win the Super Bowl next year (should have won this year...argh...find my happy place). It would be great, but in my humble opinion wouldn't even come close the 1980 Olympic Hockey Team's Miracle.
On a side note, I really enjoyed the fact that the 1980 Olympic Hockey Team had a few of our WI Badgers on that Great team!
You're absolutely right! I was really young, but I cannot find the right words to describe the depths of bleakness felt.
That Game was truly inspirational and uplifting for our nation.
Something I will never forget.
I’m not sure Getty Images, even credited ones, are Kosher here.
I know what you mean. Nothing will match that Miracle, that’s for sure!
If that’s the case, then things are looking up for the USA!
The Soviets had also crushed the US Olympic team in a practice match. Likely made them overconfident.
Great stuff. I recall my Dad, not an overall huge sports fan, being awestruck by the whole run of the American hockey team. He was a boxing fan, and always commented on the fact that the Iron Curtain countries fielded only what we would term “professional athletes”.
Are any of them “transitioning”?
It was the beginning of a decade of miracles.
“He never saw it. He lived it.”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.