• Lee
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Topic: The Miracle On Ice

I don't know how many hockey fans are on the board, but even non-hockey fans took pride in what happened 30 years ago today at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics. One of the biggest upsets in sports history.

USA - 4
USSR - 3

It was especially fulfilling for me because 12 of the members of the team were from Minnesota and about my age and I had followed most of their careers through High School and College. Of course, one can't forget the mastermind of it all the great Herb Brooks (RIP).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_on_Ice

2 Reply by RickB (edited by RickB 2010-02-23 06:51:09)

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Re: The Miracle On Ice

I watched that game and it is vivid in my memory Lee. A co-worker is a former semi-pro goalie from Farmington Minn. and we watch NHL all the time. The wife is from Long Prairie Minn. and a fan. She was jumping up and down at the end of that game!  The defeat of Canada yesterday was huge. You found a fan here. US women are looking good too.
Rick
edit: Talked to a supplier today in Vancouver and I had to rub it in. It is a day of shock in Canada. If they pull Russia, they may not make the medal round.

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  • From: Massachusetts
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Re: The Miracle On Ice

Huge hockey fan here!!!

I played...my son plays...my step son plays....

been around the ice more than you can imagine....

My son played in a tournament on that ice as a matter of fact I coached his team that year from the exact bench the US had in the 80's Olympics...major goose-bump moment!!!

I remember watching the 80 game as a kid....I have to say and maybe most people will disagree with me but that was the last time I can remember this whole country rallying around a non-disaster event.  I have been to europe during the world cup...man I am so impressed on how everyone in a country is united during that time...well I saw that same thing during that game in 1980...amazing!!!

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Re: The Miracle On Ice

I'll never forget watching it and not just because the USA won. It was David vs Goliath, a bunch of young men who didn't know any better against seasoned pros. And the words......

"Do you believe in miracles?............YES!"

Roy

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Re: The Miracle On Ice

And how times have changed eh?? Now the players on the big teams all have NHL teammates on most of the other teams.... Harder to get a hate on now.....

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6 Reply by BluesMan (edited by BluesMan 2010-02-23 19:52:17)

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Re: The Miracle On Ice

mikeb wrote:

And how times have changed eh?? Now the players on the big teams all have NHL teammates on most of the other teams.... Harder to get a hate on now.....


You're quite right Mike, it really is all about money and being #1 now. In the States, I think you need to go to high school basketball/football to really still be considered amateur athletes and even that is not sacred anymore. There is a young man on the Menomonee Falls High School basketball team who is only a sophomore and who is already being courted by Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Marquette and Wisconsin. What's next, putting them in training camp in grade school?

Kids need to be kids while they're still young.

Roy

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  • Lee
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Re: The Miracle On Ice

RickB wrote:

I watched that game and it is vivid in my memory Lee. A co-worker is a former semi-pro goalie from Farmington Minn. and we watch NHL all the time. .

Small world Rick. Farmington is my home town and where I still live! It's not a big town, so I'm sure I know your co-worker.

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Re: The Miracle On Ice

Lee wrote:
RickB wrote:

I watched that game and it is vivid in my memory Lee. A co-worker is a former semi-pro goalie from Farmington Minn. and we watch NHL all the time. .

Small world Rick. Farmington is my home town and where I still live! It's not a big town, so I'm sure I know your co-worker.

He said you surely know his clan. Doug Bormann. A small world indeed Lee. He says hi, used to own a bar in Red Wing, Doug's bar and grill. He's in his mid 40's. He goes back every year to go walleye fishing with his family.

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Re: The Miracle On Ice

I remember the defeat of the USSR very well. What many have forgotten over the years is that was NOT the gold medal round. The US had to play two days later for the gold. The story would not have been quite as compelling had they lost in the gold medal round. I understand that Herb Brooks reamed them out the next day and had a hellacious practice. Players could not understand that after having beat the Soviets, but he brought them back to earth and let them know that their task was not yet completed.

As far as the recent US v. Canada game, I got exactly what I hoped for:
Canada's Jonathon Toews and Duncan Keith (Chicago Blackhawks) had really good games (Brent Seabrook saw limited playing time) and the US prevailed! Still a long way to go for gold, but I think their chance of a medal is really good.

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Re: The Miracle On Ice

Pertaining to what Lee said, the NCAA has always placed many players on the Olympic teams. If you look at the current team, you will find quite a few players who played for Minnesota and Wisconsin. Got to love that cold weather. smile

Take a look: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_d … nhl,220844

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Re: The Miracle On Ice

I remember very well watching that game, it was soooooo exciting!!  The recent coverage about the Miracle on Ice was excellent...I  learned a few things about the coach and players.  I love sports against all odds and Cinderella stories. I know I'm probably in the minority here, but I am enjoying watching ice hockey in the Olympics WITHOUT all the fighting.  Personally, I think the NHL let fighting get out of control.  Yeah, I know...I'm in the minority.  The USA is looking AWESOME and how about that win today!!!! 

I consider myself a fair-weather ice hockey fan, BUT I use to be a big ice hockey fan back in the 70's & 80's.  I was in high school in the mid-70's living at home when the Flyers won back to back Stanley Cups.  A couple of my brothers played ice hockey and went to see the Winter Classic in Boston with their families over New Years.  One of them had an extra ticket last minute and took one of my sons....it was a thrill to be there even though the Flyers lost in overtime.

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12 Reply by RickB (edited by RickB 2010-02-28 01:40:36)

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Re: The Miracle On Ice

Time to jump back on that bandwagon Angela. It's been 30 years and we can have a replay tomorrow.
Rick
edit typo

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Re: The Miracle On Ice

Angela wrote:

I remember very well watching that game, it was soooooo exciting!!  The recent coverage about the Miracle on Ice was excellent...I  learned a few things about the coach and players.  I love sports against all odds and Cinderella stories. I know I'm probably in the minority here, but I am enjoying watching ice hockey in the Olympics WITHOUT all the fighting.  Personally, I think the NHL let fighting get out of control.  Yeah, I know...I'm in the minority.  The USA is looking AWESOME and how about that win today!!!! 

I consider myself a fair-weather ice hockey fan, BUT I use to be a big ice hockey fan back in the 70's & 80's.  I was in high school in the mid-70's living at home when the Flyers won back to back Stanley Cups.  A couple of my brothers played ice hockey and went to see the Winter Classic in Boston with their families over New Years.  One of them had an extra ticket last minute and took one of my sons....it was a thrill to be there even though the Flyers lost in overtime.

The NHL did clamp down on fighting...I remember well the days of bench clearing brawls, sticks being used as weapons, and when teammates would jump into a fight if a teammate was losing. One of the biggest rule changes since I've been a fan is tossing out the "3rd guy" into a fight.
I believe fighting is necessary in hockey...they let the guys get their aggression out in a fairly controlled way (i.e the Refs are quick to jump in when someone goes down to the ice, etc.). Without letting them fight, guys would be looking to "get back" at someone in another way, which could be way more dangerous.

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14 Reply by Rocket (edited by Rocket 2010-03-01 09:40:55)

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Re: The Miracle On Ice

I actually got my nickname from playing hockey for 2 reasons...I skated faster than Maurice "Rocket" Richard (pronounced Ree shard) and scored as well as he.  We had no fully organized hockey leagues or high school team, although some of the smaller upstate New York schools actually did have both.  I think the Bouchard brothers from Blue Oyster Cult may have played a little at one time on one of them but I could be mistaken.  I could skate past anyone and score almost at will on anyone.  Even the semi-pro adults when I was pre-teen.  Yupper!  Incidentally, Rocket was / IS my old man's nickname too, and he got it from sports also, from his teacher's softball team in his case.  He could outrun any infield "out" and would fly by first.  He had this habit of picking up stones or dirt outside the first base line and holding them or it in his hands while he ran the bases...
The guys who gave ME the nickname were also teacher's kids who were aware of the other Rockets, dad and hockey star.

Angela, you make me want to laugh my tush off! Dave Shultz from those Broad Street Bullies on those championship era Philadelphia Flyers was THE king of fight and dirty play!!!!!! He was fun to watch though.  I liked when he accidentally (just kidding) scored a goal, it was the weirdest, most unlikely thing, especially when it won a playoff game!

Now the Miracle on Ice....wasn't a miracle.  It was MEANT To be.  I KNEW the US of A was going to take it to the Russians and many, many more felt it coming on.  The Great Herb Brooks did what MANY sports coaches today need to do-THINK and PLAN how to win, no matter what it takes... It was the one and only hockey game my wife at the time had ever watched (3rd period last half only really) or has since watched (not that I know, especially about this year's Olympics) and she enjoyed it.

Oh yeah, I grew up watching curling and liking it.  And all the CFL games, including the Grey Cup.  I saw real cricket games too.  So I don't care WHO wins US of A-Canada, both are hometown favorites to me  wink

Rock On & Keep the Faith,
Rocket

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  • From: Southern New Jersey, USA
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Re: The Miracle On Ice

"Angela, you make me want to laugh my tush off! Dave Shultz from those Broad Street Bullies on those championship era Philadelphia Flyers was THE king of fight and dirty play!!!!!! He was fun to watch though.  I liked when he accidentally (just kidding) scored a goal, it was the weirdest, most unlikely thing, especially when it won a playoff game!"

Rocket, You speak the truth...memories are often short-lived.  roll  Also, very cool to hear the roots of your nickname, here I was thinking all this time you were a mad scientist!!   big_smile

About those Broad Street Bullies...I always felt bad about Bernie Parent's (goalie) big emotional letdown after the Stanley Cups, he went on to become an alcoholic...  When Bobby Clarke went on to be GM, he lived next door to a girlfriend of mine, she said he was always extremely unfriendly, would never even wave when they both were in their cars (their driveways were between their houses) and it wasn't like she was a big fan and wanted his autograph. On the flip side, some of these athletes and former popular athletes must often feel somebody always wants something from them...

Back to the Miracle on Ice, so much has changed in hockey since then, its hard to imagine anything matching that story.  Like Bluesman said, it was David vs. Goliath. 1980 was such an exciting year in my family, much of our family bonding was over sports and music...some things never change...  One of my older brothers had graduated from law school & gotten married and moved to Florida to work for a law firm.  He was so broke, his VW Beetle had a hole in the floor on the passenger side supported by some cardboard.  When the Phillies headed to the World Series in 1980, he couldn't believe he was missing all the excitement, him and his wife drove back to Philly, I can't remember which game we were able to attend, it was not the last game though...  He is a partner in his own law firm now and lives in Boca Raton and is now a Marlins fan, since he's lived in Florida longer than Philly...such a traitor... big_smile

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