The Left Wing Lock

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“You were born to be a player. You were meant to be here. This moment is yours.” Herb Brooks (RIP)

Thirty-one years ago today a group of American born college students completed the unthinkable. Having already defeated the mighty Russians 4-3, the unsung Americans would come from behind and defeat team Finland 4-2 to take the gold medal.

Much has been said and written about this team of upstart Americans who were virtually unknown playing in the college ranks. Their opponents were older and better – at least on paper – and none was better than team Russia who essentially fielded an all star line-up for the 1980 games.

In those days the American Olympic team required that their Olympians maintain an amateur status meaning that no U.S. NHL players could participate. This rule essentially left the U.S. hockey team with an extreme disadvantage heading into the games.

It’s been well documented that legendary Coach Herb Brooks, who was the mastermind behind team USA, used this perceived disadvantage to get this group of college aged kids from rival Universities to play like a team. He would use whatever mental tactic he thought would inspire the team, even using some of the Russian drills and training methods. By doing this, Brooks essentially beat the Russians at their own game in 1980.

While none of the players on the U.S. team would go on to make a significant impact in the NHL, their impact on American hockey is still felt today. Beyond hockey however, the 1980 team’s astonishing accomplishment is still remembered because it was an event the United States could celebrate despite the difficult economic issues the country was facing.

Since 1980 USA hockey has had some major victories, but a win of this magnitude will never be witnessed again. Today’s Olympic games are now filled with professional athletes including most of the US athletes. Furthermore with the cold war over long ago, the American – Russian hockey rivalry has far less political connotation than it did back in 1980. So while this one time Miracle is unlikely to be repeated, it should be remembered for decades as  “the greatest upset in the history of sports” (Jim McCay).

Personal Note:
The 1980 Miracle on ice was my first exposure to hockey. I was a young girl watching in front of a tiny portable TV as Al Michaels shouted the infamous phrase “Do You Believe in Miracles? …. YES!” While I was too young to understand all the political events of the time that shaped this event, I did understand the significance of the victory especially as they defeated our cold war rivals. from then on, I was hooked. It didn’t matter that I didn’t understand what icing was or what the different penalties were. I felt the excitement and importance of that game.  As I watched that group of unknown Americans win the gold medal, I knew that I loved the sport. Years later I would find a team called the Detroit Red Wings and the rest is history, but the 1980 USA hockey team will always be special for helping me discover hockey.