28 Years ago today....

[BlueHen86]

USA 4
USSR 3

xthumbsupx

[YaleFootballFan]

Do you believe in miracles? YES! xthumbsupx

[Fresno St. Alum]

too bad I was only 2 and don't remember it. 84 olympics were the first I watched

[BlueHen86]

I just got done watching the movie "Miracle"

I remember the 1980 Olympic Hockey Tourney very well. It is my favorite sport memory, and I admit that I get emotional when I see highlights.
It is unlikely that my children will ever see a sport upset as big as the 1980 US mens hockey victory over the Soviet team.

[Fresno St. Alum]

George Mason to the Final Four is probably the most amazing thing I've seen in sports. They didn't even think they were gonna get in the tourney lost in the conf. tourney and the starting guard was suspended for the 1st round

[BlueHen86]

George Mason to the Final Four is probably the most amazing thing I've seen in sports. They didn't even think they were gonna get in the tourney lost in the conf. tourney and the starting guard was suspended for the 1st round
That was a great story (and I'm a UConn fan), but IMHO it pales in comparison the 1980 Olympic Hockey victory.
I hope we get to see another great upset like that someday, but I doubt we will. I'm glad I got to experience that one.

[YaleFootballFan]

That was a great story (and I'm a UConn fan), but IMHO it pales in comparison the 1980 Olympic Hockey victory.
I hope we get to see another great upset like that someday, but I doubt we will. I'm glad I got to experience that one.

Princeton/UCLA in '96 is another great upset/story.

But like you said, the '80 Olympic upset is still the greatest upset of them all. No question.

[poly51]

I watched that one live. I have seen a lot of great sporting events on TV since 1953. That was when we first got TV. But the 1980 Miracle On Ice is probably the best ever.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Princeton/UCLA in '96 is another great upset/story.

But like you said, the '80 Olympic upset is still the greatest upset of them all. No question.

Bigger than Dan Gable losing his final and only match of his college career? xeyebrowx

[Fresno St. Alum]

I'm sure that 80 hockey team was the best. George Mason was just the closest thing I could think of because they kept pulling upsets. Richmond, Santa Clara, Coppin St., Hampton all winning as 15 seeds great too.

[BlueHen86]

Bigger than Dan Gable losing his final and only match of his college career? xeyebrowx
Yes! I am a huge wrestling fan. I know that Gable went undefeated in High School and college - except for his last college match.
The US men defeating the USSR in hockey was a bigger upset. IMHO.

[Eyes of Old Main]

I was 5 when the Miracle on Ice occured so I don't remember it, but I've watched the game several times and have seen Miracle. It's a great story and a fantastic memory for everyone who was around (and old enough to remember). I really wish I would have been watching live.

Incidentally, I met Jim Craig last fall and got his autograph. He was a super guy and seemed a little surprised that someone of my age would come up and shake his hand and thank him for what he did for America. I guess most people just hound him for autographs.

[BlueHen86]

I was 5 when the Miracle on Ice occured so I don't remember it, but I've watched the game several times and have seen Miracle. It's a great story and a fantastic memory for everyone who was around (and old enough to remember). I really wish I would have been watching live.

Incidentally, I met Jim Craig last fall and got his autograph. He was a super guy and seemed a little surprised that someone of my age would come up and shake his hand and thank him for what he did for America. I guess most people just hound him for autographs.

That is exactly what I would like to do. I'm not big on autographs, but I would love to thank him.xthumbsupx

[Cleets]

Um... Roulon Gardiner and his defeat of (Russian) Alexander Karelin in the 2000 Summer Olympics is perhaps the most stunning upset in the history of sports since David and Goliath...

Alexander Karelin had been undefeated for thirteen years (and in wrestling thats akin to going undefeated in professional basketball for an entire season) and had not given up a point in six years (Don't even ask what that's akin to) prior to his loss in the gold medal match to Gardner.

Truly an amazing accomplishment.!!!




xnodx

[BlueHen86]

Um... Roulon Gardiner and his defeat of (Russian) Alexander Karelin in the 2000 Summer Olympics is perhaps the most stunning upset in the history of sports since David and Goliath...

Alexander Karelin had been undefeated for thirteen years (and in wrestling thats akin to going undefeated in professional basketball for an entire season) and had not given up a point in six years (Don't even ask what that's akin to) prior to his loss in the gold medal match to Gardner.

Truly an amazing accomplishment.!!!




xnodx
Yes, but Karelin was about to retire. He was an old man by wrestling standards. A great win by Gardner, but not at the level as the 1980 hockey victory. IMHO.xpeacex

[AZGrizFan]

too bad I was only 2 and don't remember it. 84 olympics were the first I watched

Good GOD, man. I was a senior in HS. xcoolx xcoolx xcoolx

[TheValleyRaider]

Greatest upset in American sports history in the greatest game in American sports history xbowx

The Soviets had won Gold in 1964, '68, '72, '76, and beat several NHL All-Star Teams along the way. Great players all around, especially Tretiak, who just might be the greatest goaltender ever. To have it come at the time that it did, plus being in America, just... wow xbowx

Yes, I believe in miracles xnodx

[Eyes of Old Main]

The thing that makes that game even more impressive is the tension that is so very apparent between the teams. It is very clear that Herb Brooks had that team focused on the singular goal of beating the Russians.

I think my favorite part is during the game when a Russian player loses his stick and an American picks it up and holds it out to him almost making you think it is goign to be a scene of sportsmaship overcoming political troubles, but right as the Russian reaches out to take the stick, the american drops it to the ice. Classic...

[AZGrizFan]

Greatest upset in American sports history in the greatest game in American sports history xbowx

The Soviets had won Gold in 1964, '68, '72, '76, and beat several NHL All-Star Teams along the way. Great players all around, especially Tretiak, who just might be the greatest goaltender ever. To have it come at the time that it did, plus being in America, just... wow xbowx

Yes, I believe in miracles xnodx


It was an omen of what Reagan was about to do to them. xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx

[schmofstra]

I believe the Miracle on Ice was the greatest moment in U.S. sports history. If not all-time, certainly in my lifetime. Nobody could believe it. Everybody was just crying like crazy. Big lift for the morale of the nation.

What's probably wierd for younger people who didn't see it was that most of us knew what happened before the game was televised. I saw the score on a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton local news break probably a couple of hours before the game was shown on ABC. Can you imagine if that was on live in primetime and the drama unfolded while everyone was watching?!!!

[BlueHen86]

I believe the Miracle on Ice was the greatest moment in U.S. sports history. If not all-time, certainly in my lifetime. Nobody could believe it. Everybody was just crying like crazy. Big lift for the morale of the nation.

What's probably wierd for younger people who didn't see it was that most of us knew what happened before the game was televised. I saw the score on a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton local news break probably a couple of hours before the game was shown on ABC. Can you imagine if that was on live in primetime and the drama unfolded while everyone was watching?!!!
I knew the game was televised on tape delay, but I didn't know the outcome ahead of time, lucky for me.

Blame the Soviets, ABc tried to get the game start moved to prime time, and they said nyet.

[Fresno St. Alum]

Good GOD, man. I was a senior in HS. xcoolx xcoolx xcoolx

I know you and Dback were seniors cuz you're a year younger than my mom.xlolx She graduated in '78, skipped a grade and got knocked up in high school still graduated at 17. xnodx

[JoltinJoe]

Good GOD, man. I was a senior in HS. xcoolx xcoolx xcoolx

Me too.

It was a Friday night around 7:30 when the news broke. The game was televised later.

For me, however, the night was more memorable for what happened later that night.xsmiley_wix

Highlights of the Miracle on Ice (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fztlLwgSFCg)

[Eyes of Old Main]

For me, however, the night was more memorable for what happened later that night.xsmiley_wix[/b][/i][/url]

xeekx

[Col Hogan]

I was home from work, sick as a dog with the flu...but I watched every minute I could.....Great Time!!!!!!!

[Fresno St. Alum]

my mom should have had me at age 12 so that way I could have the same memories that you guys have

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Um... Roulon Gardiner and his defeat of (Russian) Alexander Karelin in the 2000 Summer Olympics is perhaps the most stunning upset in the history of sports since David and Goliath...

Alexander Karelin had been undefeated for thirteen years (and in wrestling thats akin to going undefeated in professional basketball for an entire season) and had not given up a point in six years (Don't even ask what that's akin to) prior to his loss in the gold medal match to Gardner.

Truly an amazing accomplishment.!!!




xnodx


Yes, but Karelin was about to retire. He was an old man by wrestling standards. A great win by Gardner, but not at the level as the 1980 hockey victory. IMHO.xpeacex

Got to agree with you 86, not at the same level. The 1980 Olympics were still in the era of amatuer teams, but the Russians were all in the Army, trained year round, played years together, were probably all older than 25, etc. The Americans were all college kids, albeit many were recent grads, but still IIRC all younger than 25. They did train and play as a group for an extensive period, about a year IIRC. Still, they were babes being thrown to the wolves.

According to that YouTube clip, the Russians hadn't lost a game since the 1968 Olympics -- not one game! xeekx And they had throttled an impressive NHL All Star team in a multiple game series. That devastated the NHL and Canada. Before the Olympics in a Madison Square Garden exhibition game, the Soviets clobbered the US team something like 11-3! Going into these Olympic Games, it was truly viewed as a David and Goliath matchup!!

Think about this, we don't go into the Olympics with a collegiate team any longer in basketball!!! I mean if we can't compete in basketball with collegians than that should give you an idea of how mismatched our ice hockey team was.

This was a monumental upset even without all the political ramifications that made it even more spectacular. I've never seen anything close in my lifetime nor do I expect to. FWIW, I was approaching my 30th birthday when that game was played.

All these years later and watching that YouTube clip still brought tears to my eyes.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

The only thing is that USA team had probably the most talented team the Russians had played in international play. They finished the tourney 6-0-1 and did have 14 future NHL players. When they played the NHL teams what rules did they go by?

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

I was in NYC attending a seminar that ended that Friday. I recall a buzz in the air as we went to get the train back to Hartford. And as much as you didn't want to know the final score so you could watch the game on TV, it was impossible. Everybody was talking about the game when we came into the train station in Hartford.

There weren't many NHL teams in those days so ice hockey was even more of a regional sport then. It was mind boggling how everybody in the country got into this game despite most people not knowing squat about hockey.

For an FCS connection, the last cut made from the '80 team was Ralph Cox, to this day still the leading scorer in UNH history.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

The only thing is that USA team had probably the most talented team the Russians had played in international play. They finished the tourney 6-0-1 and did have 14 future NHL players. When they played the NHL teams what rules did they go by?

Not really, our team wasn't expected to go 6-0-1 by any means. At a minimum the Czech and Canadian teams were viewed as far superior as well. A bronze medal was viewed as a pipe dream despite playing on home ice at Lake Placid. There weren't many Americans playing in the NHL in these days so college kids weren't expected to compete with the Soviet Bloc teams who stretched the definition of being amateurs.

14 might have gone on to play in the NHL, but I don't think a single one became a true star. Most of those 14 didn't even have a much more than a journeyman's career in the NHL or just a cup of coffee.

I don't recall if they played NHL rules or International rules during that series. I'm not sure the rules differ as significantly as in basketball.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Not really, our team wasn't expected to go 6-0-1 by any means. At a minimum the Czech and Canadian teams were viewed as far superior as well. A bronze medal was viewed as a pipe dream despite playing on home ice at Lake Placid. There weren't many Americans playing in the NHL in these days so college kids weren't expected to compete with the Soviet Bloc teams who stretched the definition of being amateurs.

14 might have gone on to play in the NHL, but I don't think a single one became a true star. Most of those 14 didn't even have a much more than a journeyman's career in the NHL or just a cup of coffee.

I don't recall if they played NHL rules or International rules during that series. I'm not sure the rules differ as significantly as in basketball.

That's my point though. In hindsight we were a lot better than people realize. We beat the Czech's 7-3 in pool play. Plus some of those 14 were pretty solid players
Neil Broten was a two time All-Star over 17 years
Mike Ramsey played for 18 years in the NHL
Dave Christian played for 14 years
Marks Johnson played 11 years
Ken Morrow spent 9 years

It was a big upset but that USA team was probably the best team the Russians had played in the Olympics in a while.

[schmofstra]

Wasn't this the Olympics where we almost lost to Sweden? That must have been the tie, right?

As I recall (yes I should look this up before posting but I'm in a hurry) Billy Baker nailed a slapshot from ALMOST AT THE RED LINE with seconds left to miraculously tie that game. Goat goalie who let it fly past him was a future Flyers legend, the late Pelle Lindbergh.

If Baker doesn't score on that ridiculous shot, maybe the U.S. doesn't get the same position in the medal-round bracket? I forget.

Just confirms what your dad always told you: "SHOOT THE PUCK!" and good things will happen.

[yorkcountyUNHfan]

Not really, our team wasn't expected to go 6-0-1 by any means. At a minimum the Czech and Canadian teams were viewed as far superior as well. A bronze medal was viewed as a pipe dream despite playing on home ice at Lake Placid. There weren't many Americans playing in the NHL in these days so college kids weren't expected to compete with the Soviet Bloc teams who stretched the definition of being amateurs.

14 might have gone on to play in the NHL, but I don't think a single one became a true star. Most of those 14 didn't even have a much more than a journeyman's career in the NHL or just a cup of coffee.

I don't recall if they played NHL rules or International rules during that series. I'm not sure the rules differ as significantly as in basketball.

Many of them played in the NHL BECAUSE of the olympic fame.
Craig was signed by Atlanta to help fill the building.
May US cities tried to capitalize on the Team USA fame.

I was at UNH at the time and into NCAA hockey big time.
Started following the team in the summer before the games.

I was really down when Cox got cut.xsmhx

One of my best UNH memories is UNH beating BU (Craig, Silk & O'Callahan)
10-0 at Snivley I think it was Ralph Cox's birthday.

[TheValleyRaider]

That's my point though. In hindsight we were a lot better than people realize. We beat the Czech's 7-3 in pool play. Plus some of those 14 were pretty solid players
Neil Broten was a two time All-Star over 17 years
Mike Ramsey played for 18 years in the NHL
Dave Christian played for 14 years
Marks Johnson played 11 years
Ken Morrow spent 9 years

It was a big upset but that USA team was probably the best team the Russians had played in the Olympics in a while.

Morrow joined the Islanders right after the Olympics, and they proceeded to win the Stanley Cup later that spring. He was the first (if not still the only) player ever to both an Olympic Gold Medal and the Stanley Cup in the same year

[Go...gate]

I watched that one live. I have seen a lot of great sporting events on TV since 1953. That was when we first got TV. But the 1980 Miracle On Ice is probably the best ever.

Were you at Lake Placid? That must have been wonderful.

I watched it on tape-delay on ABC at my place with about a dozen friends. God it was intense.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Wasn't this the Olympics where we almost lost to Sweden? That must have been the tie, right?

As I recall (yes I should look this up before posting but I'm in a hurry) Billy Baker nailed a slapshot from ALMOST AT THE RED LINE with seconds left to miraculously tie that game. Goat goalie who let it fly past him was a future Flyers legend, the late Pelle Lindbergh.

If Baker doesn't score on that ridiculous shot, maybe the U.S. doesn't get the same position in the medal-round bracket? I forget.

Just confirms what your dad always told you: "SHOOT THE PUCK!" and good things will happen.

Yes it was! And IIRC it was the first or second game played. Because of that miraculous tie, we were still able to come into the Czech game under the radar. With a loss to Sweden and then to the Czechs, we wouldn't have even made the medal round.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

That's my point though. In hindsight we were a lot better than people realize. We beat the Czech's 7-3 in pool play. Plus some of those 14 were pretty solid players
Neil Broten was a two time All-Star over 17 years
Mike Ramsey played for 18 years in the NHL
Dave Christian played for 14 years
Marks Johnson played 11 years
Ken Morrow spent 9 years

It was a big upset but that USA team was probably the best team the Russians had played in the Olympics in a while.

I admit that I didn't recall these guys having significant NHL careers. Still, that's only one All Star player and in general a group with significantly less talent than the NHL All Star Team embarrassed by the Soviets.

Many of the 14 took advantage of their Olympic fame to make the NHL during IIRC an era of expansion. Yes, hindsight proved they were much better than we thought, but they didn't clean house against many of the other countries during the exhibition season. And I bet if you could go back in time, most people in hockey circles wouldn't have rated most of them as bonafide NHL candidates. The American hockey player and college players were not viewed favorably in those days.

Surprisingly, the player (Jim Craig) most thought would have a long NHL career, didn't even with a stint with his hometown Bruins.

[Pards Rule]

I watched that one live. I have seen a lot of great sporting events on TV since 1953. That was when we first got TV. But the 1980 Miracle On Ice is probably the best ever.

You actually watched it taped. I recall the game was played in the afternoon but held for TV ratings that night. The radios at sports time would say "if you dont want to know the US-USSR score, turn us off for a few minutes"...Amazingly, I dont recall anyone spoiling the fun, impossible today.