USA USA USA...The Miracle On Ice

28 years ago today a bunch of scrappy college players beat the world's best hockey team at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY.

If you are more than a couple of years under 40 years of age, you have no idea how big that game was. The country was still stuck in the 'malaise' of the Carter Administration, the Soviets had just invaded Afghanistan and the Iranian hostage crisis was in it's third month. Suffice it to say, it was not the brightest of times in America.

But then these guys just took it the big, bad Soviets and for a little while Americans seemed to remember greatness was possible and indeed preferable to accepting the idea that decline was inevitable.

A lot of people seem to think this was the gold medal game but it wasn't. The US had to turn around a day or two later and beat Finland for the gold.

UPDATE [Dave in Texas]: A little love for Coach Herb Brooks, RIP.

The victory of these kids was a riveting moment in my life, looking at a 21 13 inch screen with rabbit ears and taking it all in. It was magnificent. (ok, messed up. I've been exaggerating about inches for years)

Same TV I watched the Reagan shooting coverage.

Oh shit. I'm old.

posted by DrewM. at 07:18 PM

| Access Comments