25 Years ago TODAY!!-"Do you believe in miracles?"

[underpants]

In 1980, the United States Olympic hockey team upset the Soviets at Lake Placid, N.Y., 4-3. (The U.S. team went on to win the gold medal.)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/history

[xmas74]

1. Yes, I believe in miracles!

I can't believe that it's been 25 years!

[underpants]

2. I remember Jim McKay saying that they wouldn't announce the score

until it was over. At least that is what I remember is him saying that if you don't know what the score was they wouldn't announce it until after the game.

ABC wanted the game on Friday night prime time but the Olympic officials said no they would play in the afternoon. At that time it was still possible to keep the lid tight on even a sports story so they tried their best to not let anyone know what had happened until it was over. I think the played it on radio at the same time it was on TV. At least that is how I remember it.

[Aristus]

3. I'll never forget that. Ever.

In this day of pre-digested commentary, colorless "color" commentary, Rush F*****g Limbaugh and Dennis Miller doing play-by-play fer Chrissakes, and thuggish athletes getting in all kinds of trouble, it was quite truly magic to see those young kids go out and trounce the greatest hockey players in the world.

9..8..7..6DOYOUBELIEVEINMIRACLES?????5...4...3............

Still gives me goosebumps.

[kick-ass-bob]

4. I believe in miracles.

Where you from
You sexy thing
I believe in miracles
Since you came along
You sexy thing

Miracles right before my eyes
You sexy thing got me hypnotised
Don't stop what ya' doing
What ya' doing to me
My angel from above lying next to me
How did ya' know that I'd be the one
Been a long time coming only just begun
Doing all the things that makes my heart sing
Keep doing what you're doing you sexy thing

How did ya' know I needed you so badly
How did ya' know I gave my heart gladly
Yesterday I was one of a lonely people
Now you're lying next to me
Making love to me


Thanks a lot underpants!
:grr:

[underpants]

5. Thanks...thanks a LOT there "Bob"

You sexy thing

[MissMillie]

6. One of the first hockey games I remember *seeing* on TV

My dad "watched" hockey all the time, but we didn't have cable and it was pretty snowy. We learned to rely on the play-by-play announcers.

But by the time this game came along, we did have cable. I remember watching us win, and being so happy and my dad thinking that this was a pretty big accomplishment.

[xmas74]

7. I loved hockey growing up.

I remember this as the first game I ever really saw. We usually listened to the play-by-play.

[underpants]

8. Definitely the first hockey game many in the south watched

Growing up in Virginia it wasn't at the top of our daily discussions.

What a great game and what a great TEAM.

[Zomby Woof]

23. I was in Va Beach

Remember that storm? Down in Va Beach, we had over 2 feet of snow. We were out of school for a week. So during the day, if we weren't watching the Olympics, we were outside pretending to be Eric Heiden on speed skates, or the hockey team.

Ah, to be 12...

[flamingyouth]

9. Wow, I can't believe it's been 25 years.

Yes, I remember it well. :D

[TahitiNut]

10. I watched EVERY game.

I lived in Western New York at the time. I followed that team from the beginning and it was obvious to me, as they began the Olympics in Lake Placid, that they came together as a team in a way rarely seen. I could see the "gestalt" in their play - how they moved in harmony on the ice and followed up on every play. From the first game, I was telling people to watch - that this team would be a surprise to everyone. It was awesome.

[underpants]

12. Although "Miracle" isn't really a good movie

It is interesting to see how Herb Brooks built the team on team players instantly rejecting the A-list of college players at the time.

His workouts -skating to every line and back- resembles a standard basketball workout. Did Brooks come up with this or did he just use it more than anyone had before?

[TahitiNut]

13. I saw 'Miracle' and agree it's not much of a movie.

It does, however, reflect Brooks' approach of melding a team by making himself their common 'enemy'. That 'wind-sprint' technique was used when I played football in junior high school and when I swam competitively in college. It's "old school." (Yes, I've also seen it used in basketball.) You have no idea how exhausted you can get until you're on a swim team and the coach puts you through that drill, though. There were times I was astounded I didn't drown. I've never been as totally tapped out - hardly able to move a finger.

Brooks deliberately chose team players, not individual 'stars'. He relied on two strengths: teamwork and conditioning. These guys were still firing on all cylinders in the third periods, when their opponents (sometimes jet-lagged) were flagging.

[TahitiNut]

14. Y'know... thinking about why 'Miracle' wasn't much of a movie ...

I think it might be impossible to make a movie about why this more-than-improbable achievement deeply thrilled so many of us - to the degree that even "Miracle" feels understated.

I don't think we really fully appreciate how 'teamwork' can become more than just the "sum of its parts" - since we so often see the perversion of 'teamwork'; perversions that include "least common denominator" and "supporting cast" themes. Movies have stars; teams have synergy.

I don't think a movie can portray the weeks of building "no, they really can't do it - or could they" anticipation. I don't think a movie can portray the remarkable result of the visceral cooperation of some (good, young, nice but) unremarkable players.

Of the three people in the room with me who'd watched many of the games and were watching the final goal ... at least two had tears in their eyes ... and not because they were hockey fans or jingoistic patriots.

It's tough for a movie to do that.

[Missy Vixen]

11. I'll never forget it

Ahhhh. The teen years.

Parents were watching something else on TV that night (as IF,) and I was watching in my room. They changed the channel to the game when I started shrieking that the US had WON.

Great game, great team, great moment for the US.

Julie

[Parche]

15. hockey

Puck the Soviets!!!!

[MrSlayer]

16. So strange how Russia took the best goalie in the world out of the game.

I'll never understand that move. I'd like to thank coach Tikhonov for the millionth time for that. I was 10 years old and we all went crazy. What's funny is most people don't even realize that the game between us and the Soviets was not the Gold medal game.

[11 Bravo]

17. I was driving from Northern Virginia to Ocean City, Maryland.

Sadly, Rene Pouissant, one of the anchors at channel 7 in Washington D.C., had announced well ahead of time that the U.S. won the game. She did this even though channel 7 was the station that would be carrying the tape-delay! But I listened anyhow on the radio, and when the game ended I, and virtually every other car on Route 50 West, pulled over to the side of the road and leaned on our horns. It was an incredible moment.

[miss_kitty]

18. I must've been high that day

me and Towely

[yellowdogintexas]

19. I was in Boston that weekend, and it was fantastic

down in Haymarket/Fanueil area when the Finland game was over and horns blaring, flags waving, cars running up and down the street. It was great

What a wonderful moment

[driver8]

20. Wow -- 25 years ago today!!

I was at a high school basketball game, and the announcer announced that the US had beat Russia. The place went crazy!

It was cool because I grew up about an hour away from Lake Placid. The guy that managed our hockey rink was at that game and we used to see him on the sports high lights in the crowd.

[hippiechick]

21. Oh yes I remember !!

2 of the players were from the University of Wisconsin (Mark Johnson and Bob Suter) ... and I was/am a HUGE Badger Hockey Fan.

Johnson is now the coach of the Badger Women's Hockey team, and Suter's got 3 sons - one in the NHL, one in the AHL, and one playing in the USHL juniors until he's old enough for college.

[solinvictus]

22. I was ten years old when it happened...

and I'll never forget watching it.

[MNDEM2004]

24. It's to bad Herb Brooks died.

n/t