“Do You Believe in Miracles?” We Sure Could Use One!

On February 24th, 1980 something very special occurred during the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. It was something that if you follow sports in even the most passive way, hell, if you follow life, was nothing short of a miracle.

Going into the Olympics of 1980 the Soviet Union had won the gold medal for hockey in 1964, 1968, 1972 (see a trend) & 1976. In fact, the Soviets in that time lost only one game in the process. This team was the creme de la creme of hockey. They had just embarrassed the NHL All-Stars in an exhibition game, coasting to a 6-0 victory leading up to the Olympics.

Meanwhile, this was the day and age when professional athletes from the USA were not allowed to compete in the Olympics. This meant that the USA hockey team consisted mainly of college hockey players and any walk-ons who never were payed to play. This also meant, they didn’t stand a chance against Russia. In fact they probably didn’t stand a chance against Finland or Norway for that matter.

Little did we know, but in one of those unique moments where the energy of the world has a plan that we see no logic in occurring in reality, suddenly reveals itself.

This miracle occurred at a time when the US was feeling weakened and questioned itself as a nation and world leader. Hostages were taken in Iran. The Russians were invading Afghanistan. We doubted ourselves as a nation, and were divided on the cure. Jimmy Carter, a former peanut farmer was our president. We needed some help, we needed to find our way again as a country. We needed a miracle!

We often look at sports as entertainment and perhaps escapism. Many of us have seen the transition of sports to becoming a profession where it’s quite common for them to be millionaires. More often than not, sport has become a business. We no longer root for a team that keeps the same players for a 5-10 year period. Free agency and money has changed all of that.

This is what made the Olympic teams so special. There were no professionals. They were playing for the pride of the country and the love of the sport. Now with professionals being allowed into the games, the Olympics have become void of the “Miracle on Ice” scenarios in most of the team sports.

Once again, I digress. This blog is to pay homage to that rag tag bunch of college kids who shocked the world by beating the seemingly unbeatable Russians. Then going on to take the gold medal. The first chants of USA! USA! began during these games. A country that was low in spirit finally had something to attach their love of the red, white and blue.

Suddenly, Mike Eruzione became a household name along with Jim Craig. Who could forget the image of Craig draped in the USA flag looking into the crowd for his Dad after the game. A handful of players went on to have stints in the NHL but many moved onto completely different career paths. We are grateful to them all. If there ever was proof of the definition of teamwork, it was this group led by the late Herb Brooks, who was only 42 years old himself at the time.

I really try and avoid discussing politics. I believe much like religion, it’s a freedom we have the right to support and believe who and what we feel are best. We often disagree, hence I choose the people I will have these discussions with. However, I use to believe that the one thing, when we step down from our personal pulpit of beliefs, that stayed true, is the love and pride of this great country of diversity. Right now, I’m not feeling that. I’m not pointing fingers, nor do I enjoy doing that like so many others do. I think I’ve lived enough life to know, that accomplishes nothing in the end accept more divisiveness. It’s time for us as a country to take a breath. Look at who we are. Why we need to come together instead of putting up walls(no pun intended) between ourselves.

So as I salute that amazing group of young men who gave us a great unifying moment and made us feel the pride of being an American once again, I wonder where something like that can come from today. I’m hoping it’s not going to take a miracle, but just some common sense.