30 years ago today...The Miracle on Ice

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSkc6c35A4Q]YouTube - Miracle on Ice Highlights[/ame]

The end still gives me chills and almost makes me tear up.

Not at all directed at the OP, but I kind of wish people would quit comparing this year's team to the Miracle on Ice. This isn't the same thing at all. That was a bunch of amateur kids, not yet in the NHL beating a team of NHL All-Star quality that simply weren't playing in the league due to the Cold War. We're talking a college football team beating the Saints. It was that big of an upset. What happened last night was a team of solid, with a couple all-star NHL players beating a team with more All-Stars. Not anywhere close to what happened in 1980. It's kind of a slight to our team to call it that level of uspet.

It was a big deal back then and really amazing. To be the heavily favored Russian team was something else.

A lot of things were going sour for the US back then and Russia seemed to be rolling.

TV options were a lot more limited. A lot of people watched that game.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Al_4_State

Not at all directed at the OP, but I kind of wish people would quit comparing this year's team to the Miracle on Ice. This isn't the same thing at all. That was a bunch of amateur kids, not yet in the NHL beating a team of NHL All-Star quality that simply weren't playing in the league due to the Cold War. We're talking a college football team beating the Saints. It was that big of an upset. What happened last night was a team of solid, with a couple all-star NHL players beating a team with more All-Stars. Not anywhere close to what happened in 1980. It's kind of a slight to our team to call it that level of uspet.

---

That Soviet team beat the NHL All-Stars 6-0 that year. This year is nothing even close to what that was. The Soviet team was made up of people classed as Amateurs but were in fact not. The Soviet government was providing them fake jobs in order to do that. In my mind that is the single greatest upset of all time in American Sports.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Al_4_State

Not at all directed at the OP, but I kind of wish people would quit comparing this year's team to the Miracle on Ice. This isn't the same thing at all. That was a bunch of amateur kids, not yet in the NHL beating a team of NHL All-Star quality that simply weren't playing in the league due to the Cold War. We're talking a college football team beating the Saints. It was that big of an upset. What happened last night was a team of solid, with a couple all-star NHL players beating a team with more All-Stars. Not anywhere close to what happened in 1980. It's kind of a slight to our team to call it that level of uspet.

---

Agreed. I also found it very interesting that the USA had not beaten Canada in Men's hockey since the 1960 Olympics. Wow.... I know it was only 6 games prior to last night but that is a long time between wins against an opponent.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by yaman3

That Soviet team beat the NHL All-Stars 6-0 that year. This year is nothing even close to what that was. The Soviet team was made up of people classed as Amateurs but were in fact not. The Soviet government was providing them fake jobs in order to do that. In my mind that is the single greatest upset of all time in American Sports.

---

Yup. This makes App. State v. Michigan look like nothing. The Miracle on Ice, was truly a miracle. Last night was the kind of upset that could happen night in night out in the NHL. The talent gap between the two teams isn't that great. Canada is clearly more talented, but it's not anywhere at all close to the Miracle on Ice.

10 interesting facts you may not know about 1980 Miracle on Ice - Joe Posnanski - SI.com

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Al_4_State

Yup. This makes App. State v. Michigan look like nothing. The Miracle on Ice, was truly a miracle. Last night was the kind of upset that could happen night in night out in the NHL. The talent gap between the two teams isn't that great. Canada is clearly more talented, but it's not anywhere at all close to the Miracle on Ice.

---

Please don't bring up The Horror. That was probably the second worst sporting event of my life. It follows The Hampton Debacle very closely.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Al_4_State

Yup. This makes App. State v. Michigan look like nothing. The Miracle on Ice, was truly a miracle. Last night was the kind of upset that could happen night in night out in the NHL. The talent gap between the two teams isn't that great. Canada is clearly more talented, but it's not anywhere at all close to the Miracle on Ice.

---

The Soviets beat the US team something like 10-1 a few weeks earlier. I remember seeing an HBO special on the Miracle on Ice, in it Al Michaels commented that the score may have well said 30-0, and that (whatever the actual lopsided score was) made the game seem closer than it actually was.

Even players on the US team acknowledge the Soviets probably win 9 out of 10.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DaddyMac

The Soviets beat the US team something like 10-1 a few weeks earlier. I remember seeing an HBO special on the Miracle on Ice, in it Al Michaels commented that the score may have well said 30-0, and that (whatever the actual lopsided score was) made the game seem closer than it actually was.

Even players on the US team acknowledge the Soviets probably win 9 out of 10.

---

There are people out there (including me) that firmly believe that Team USA was sandbagging during the game against the Soviets the week before the Olympics. Herb Brooks was famous for his mind games.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by yaman3

Please don't bring up The Horror. That was probably the second worst sporting event of my life. It follows The Hampton Debacle very closely.

---

Why did you give a damn about that game? It made me feel a lot better about us losing to UNI that same fall.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by loki8838

There are people out there (including me) that firmly believe that Team USA was sandbagging during the game against the Soviets the week before the Olympics. Herb Brooks was famous for his mind games.

---

From many of the interviews and documentaries I've seen that include interviews with Brooks, he worked tirelessly to build confidence up in the US team and chip away at the mistique of the Soviet team.

Not sure why he'd sandbag and let his team get blown out to serve that end?

I think im going to watch the miracle tonight, whos with me?

I found this on YouTube. It was a radio broadcast that has been synced with the video. It's not "Do you believe in miracles - Yes!" but it might be even better. Gave me chills. The call on Eruzione's goal is priceless. Enjoy.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fztlLwgSFCg]YouTube - Miracle On Ice, Newly Discovered Original Live Call[/ame]

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bballisu11

I think im going to watch the miracle tonight, whos with me?

---

I've been thinking about. That 3rd period last night was something else!! Not like the miracle on ice, but then again nothing is. Like someone said, its the greatest upset in U.S. sporting even in history.