by Jim Craig and A jersey Eruzione signed and Craig jersey signed. It truly the greatest event ever. The whole country rooting for the USA Hockey team I was 14 at the time.
I was 15 and pissed that they wouldn't show it live
by Jim Craig and A jersey Eruzione signed and Craig jersey signed. It truly the greatest event ever. The whole country rooting for the USA Hockey team I was 14 at the time.
I was 17, and I completely agree...the greatest sporting event (for me) in my lifetime.
Do you ever wonder if he had it scripted, just in case? It was almost TOO perfect!
saw interview with him on that once. he only got the job because he was the only ABC announcer there who ever called a hockey game at any level. ONE MINOR LEAGUE GAME!
re the call, he said the word miracle just kept popping into his head over the last few minutes of the game.
...seeing their GM (forget his name, maybe was with the Rangers and Penguins afteward) get teary eyed was something.
And the speech to the team inbetween periods 2 and 3 from the head coach to the team was, paraphrasing "if you let this slip away, you'll regret it for rest of your lives" was something else!!
...seeing their GM (forget his name, maybe was with the Rangers and Penguins afteward) get teary eyed was something.
And the speech to the team inbetween periods 2 and 3 from the head coach to the team was, paraphrasing "if you let this slip away, you'll regret it for rest of your lives" was something else!!
that was during the Finland game for the gold medal, "you will take it to your fucking graves"
...seeing their GM (forget his name, maybe was with the Rangers and Penguins afteward) get teary eyed was something.
And the speech to the team inbetween periods 2 and 3 from the head coach to the team was, paraphrasing "if you let this slip away, you'll regret it for rest of your lives" was something else!!
that was during the Finland game for the gold medal, "you will take it to your fucking graves"
Which I believe they were losing.......talk about pressure!!!
...seeing their GM (forget his name, maybe was with the Rangers and Penguins afteward) get teary eyed was something.
And the speech to the team inbetween periods 2 and 3 from the head coach to the team was, paraphrasing "if you let this slip away, you'll regret it for rest of your lives" was something else!!
that was during the Finland game for the gold medal, "you will take it to your fucking graves"
Which I believe they were losing.......talk about pressure!!!
yup. down 2-1 after 2. scored 3 in the 3rd to win it.
before, but I coached my youngest most of her youth hockey career.
One year things finally aligned for us to make the trip to the CAN AM tournament in Lake Placid. It was my first time there.
First of all, how they had an Olympics in that small village is astonishing. I read that Boston was considered too small for the Olympics when they applied for it a few years ago, how they pulled this off in that tiny hamlet is modern marvel IMO.
a lot of that Lake Placid rink is original condition (locker rooms, bath rooms, etc.) and the facility is filled with memorabilia and tributes to the '80 team (obviously?)
It's just a cool place to be (and side note we went and watched a luge race (world championship) and climbed the practice area where they did the ski jumping - very cool).
stepping on that ice (they open the tournament with an Olympic like ceremony where all the teams walk out onto the ice and they play the anthem, etc.) forced goose bumps. they had an open skate too, so I skated on the main sheet.
and then my daughter scored the GWG in the gold medal game- same sheet of ice Eruzione had the game winner vs Rusia, it was really hard to describe the emotions. I'm kind of an unemotional guy, pretty stoic usually. But remembering how I felt when the US won that game when I was kid, seeing the HBO Special Miracle On Ice - with Al Michaels (way better than Miracle) so many times, and also seeing Miracle a thousand times and just welling up with pride over the US win, hit me like nothing has before.
If you have a chance to go to Lake Placid, and you have not been, there are not many places I can recommend more. If you have a kid playing hockey there who you are coaching (or even just watching), be careful, lol - especially if Miracle on Ice means as much to you as it does to me.
I was 18 at the time and while I vividly recall the US beating the Soviets during the initial medal round, I have zero memory of them beating Finland to win the actual gold.
I still well up watching the movie. Even thinking about it.
Tried to explain the emotion of it all to my kids, but they grew up in a different more comfortable era. We lived the Cold War, the hostages, 70's inflation, alternate days for gas ... the Carter years.
Those hockey games in those Olympic Games were some of my greatest memories growing up. Watched the Soviet game with my family in our living room. Watched the Finland game with them at my Grandma's house. An amazing week. Renewed pride when we needed it.
Only sports event comparable for me is Piazza's homerun. Doesn't feel like it should be comparable, but for me it is.
great story. Thank you for sharing it. I've never been to Lake Placid. I should make it a point to check it out.
I was still in school in 1980, living in a house with a lot of other guys my age, all of us huge hockey fans. I'm sure this was mentioned above but I just skimmed this thread.
The game wasn't shown live on TV. The game vs Russia was only the second game that ABC was going to show in it's entirety period, let alone live. ABC said they tried to get Russia to agree to push the game back 3 hours to 8pm EST so they could justify showing it live. Russia said no.
ESPN was in its infancy. There were no personal computers, no internet, no cell phones, no social media. I knew when the game started and I knew it would be over by the time I got to watch it. But I wasn't worried that I would know the score before it started. In those days you had to work a little bit to find out scores if you were interested in an event that wasn't televised or on radio.
I had seen the Russian team destroy us at MSG a few weeks before the Olympics but in my hockey crazy group we had some hope that we could give them a much better game this time. So we were all excited to watch on tape delay on our state of the art 19" color TV using rabbit ears.
It was a Friday night. We didn't usually leave the house before 10 or 11. We were going to watch the game and if it got out of hand maybe leave early and find a place to drink the loss away. And then the phone rang. Land line. One of the other guys picked it up. Before any of us could stop him he yelled we won! At that point we screamed at him to STFU and hang up the f**king phone. I had no score, no details. Just "we won" which I wasn't 100% sure was true. But I had a feeling it was.
I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday but I can always remember and see that day and the guys I watched the game with in my mind in full 4K detail.
I have been a crazed NY sports fan for almost 60 years. I've been to 100's and 100's of sporting events in person and watched too many 1000's to count. The Miracle on Ice is at the top of the list. The #1 sporting event and sports memory of my lifetime.
It hurts me to think of how things ended for Herb Brooks and Mark Pavelich. I think everyone on that team deserved to live a long wonderful life. The players are/were all around my age or a little younger. I feel very fortunate to have been on the planet at about that same age as the 1980 US Hockey Team to experience that game. Even with a spoiler reveal before the tape delay started.
before, but I coached my youngest most of her youth hockey career.
One year things finally aligned for us to make the trip to the CAN AM tournament in Lake Placid. It was my first time there.
First of all, how they had an Olympics in that small village is astonishing. I read that Boston was considered too small for the Olympics when they applied for it a few years ago, how they pulled this off in that tiny hamlet is modern marvel IMO.
a lot of that Lake Placid rink is original condition (locker rooms, bath rooms, etc.) and the facility is filled with memorabilia and tributes to the '80 team (obviously?)
It's just a cool place to be (and side note we went and watched a luge race (world championship) and climbed the practice area where they did the ski jumping - very cool).
stepping on that ice (they open the tournament with an Olympic like ceremony where all the teams walk out onto the ice and they play the anthem, etc.) forced goose bumps. they had an open skate too, so I skated on the main sheet.
and then my daughter scored the GWG in the gold medal game- same sheet of ice Eruzione had the game winner vs Rusia, it was really hard to describe the emotions. I'm kind of an unemotional guy, pretty stoic usually. But remembering how I felt when the US won that game when I was kid, seeing the HBO Special Miracle On Ice - with Al Michaels (way better than Miracle) so many times, and also seeing Miracle a thousand times and just welling up with pride over the US win, hit me like nothing has before.
If you have a chance to go to Lake Placid, and you have not been, there are not many places I can recommend more. If you have a kid playing hockey there who you are coaching (or even just watching), be careful, lol - especially if Miracle on Ice means as much to you as it does to me.
Grew up there saw every game there at 19yrs old best time and sporting events of my lifetime still have ticket stubs.. Placid got the games because Denver dragged their ass throughout the bid/presentation process..and since you have been there you can see how the 1st week of the games the transportation infrastructure was disaster.. no one could get into the area to get to the events.
great story. Thank you for sharing it. I've never been to Lake Placid. I should make it a point to check it out.
I was still in school in 1980, living in a house with a lot of other guys my age, all of us huge hockey fans. I'm sure this was mentioned above but I just skimmed this thread.
The game wasn't shown live on TV. The game vs Russia was only the second game that ABC was going to show in it's entirety period, let alone live. ABC said they tried to get Russia to agree to push the game back 3 hours to 8pm EST so they could justify showing it live. Russia said no.
ESPN was in its infancy. There were no personal computers, no internet, no cell phones, no social media. I knew when the game started and I knew it would be over by the time I got to watch it. But I wasn't worried that I would know the score before it started. In those days you had to work a little bit to find out scores if you were interested in an event that wasn't televised or on radio.
I had seen the Russian team destroy us at MSG a few weeks before the Olympics but in my hockey crazy group we had some hope that we could give them a much better game this time. So we were all excited to watch on tape delay on our state of the art 19" color TV using rabbit ears.
It was a Friday night. We didn't usually leave the house before 10 or 11. We were going to watch the game and if it got out of hand maybe leave early and find a place to drink the loss away. And then the phone rang. Land line. One of the other guys picked it up. Before any of us could stop him he yelled we won! At that point we screamed at him to STFU and hang up the f**king phone. I had no score, no details. Just "we won" which I wasn't 100% sure was true. But I had a feeling it was.
I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday but I can always remember and see that day and the guys I watched the game with in my mind in full 4K detail.
I have been a crazed NY sports fan for almost 60 years. I've been to 100's and 100's of sporting events in person and watched too many 1000's to count. The Miracle on Ice is at the top of the list. The #1 sporting event and sports memory of my lifetime.
It hurts me to think of how things ended for Herb Brooks and Mark Pavelich. I think everyone on that team deserved to live a long wonderful life. The players are/were all around my age or a little younger. I feel very fortunate to have been on the planet at about that same age as the 1980 US Hockey Team to experience that game. Even with a spoiler reveal before the tape delay started.
Indeed, what a great story pj...so cool yiu could experience that with your daughter!
Arnie, I have a similar story...my Dad got home from work around 7pm and the first thing he excitedly said was "Can you believe they WON?" I was happy and crestfallen all at once, lol. My brother and I had watched or listened to every game to that point, starting with the exhilarating last minute tie with Sweden. What a run. I was working Sunday in the kitchen at Danbury Hospital and kept sneaking off to the children's ward who had it on the TV in the lounge. Didn't look good after 2, but then the real miracle happened!
True story …there was a 2nd miracle game in December 1983.
Friday night in early December, light snow, and the Olympic miracle game was playing on VCRs in nearly every storefront window in town. Mind blowing chants of USA, USA … we actually passed the Russians on the street walking to the arena from their hotel. The Soviets go up early and the US roars back in the 3rd to win ,,, it wasn’t the Olympics but it’s still the most mind blowing sporting event I was ever at. The party went on all night, Link - ( New Window )
by Jim Craig and A jersey Eruzione signed and Craig jersey signed. It truly the greatest event ever. The whole country rooting for the USA Hockey team I was 14 at the time.
I was like 10 and I remember sitting on my best friend's couch with his whole family and everyone going nuts... lol. I still feel like we were too young to really comprehend what had happened, even though we were screaming and jumping up and down along with everyone else... lol
no, the ice surface was clean and looked new and I think the rink interior (seats, etc.) were replaced since 1980, but I don't think they increased capacity. It seats maybe 7500 people.
There are three sheets in the facility the main one is called the Herb Brooks arena, one is the 1932 arena and the other I think is USA arena (I think they had another Olympics there - maybe 1932 and that is where the name came from). In actuality it's kind of dumpy - especially the other two sheets, but it only adds to the nostalgia.
before, but I coached my youngest most of her youth hockey career.
One year things finally aligned for us to make the trip to the CAN AM tournament in Lake Placid. It was my first time there.
First of all, how they had an Olympics in that small village is astonishing. I read that Boston was considered too small for the Olympics when they applied for it a few years ago, how they pulled this off in that tiny hamlet is modern marvel IMO.
a lot of that Lake Placid rink is original condition (locker rooms, bath rooms, etc.) and the facility is filled with memorabilia and tributes to the '80 team (obviously?)
It's just a cool place to be (and side note we went and watched a luge race (world championship) and climbed the practice area where they did the ski jumping - very cool).
stepping on that ice (they open the tournament with an Olympic like ceremony where all the teams walk out onto the ice and they play the anthem, etc.) forced goose bumps. they had an open skate too, so I skated on the main sheet.
and then my daughter scored the GWG in the gold medal game- same sheet of ice Eruzione had the game winner vs Rusia, it was really hard to describe the emotions. I'm kind of an unemotional guy, pretty stoic usually. But remembering how I felt when the US won that game when I was kid, seeing the HBO Special Miracle On Ice - with Al Michaels (way better than Miracle) so many times, and also seeing Miracle a thousand times and just welling up with pride over the US win, hit me like nothing has before.
If you have a chance to go to Lake Placid, and you have not been, there are not many places I can recommend more. If you have a kid playing hockey there who you are coaching (or even just watching), be careful, lol - especially if Miracle on Ice means as much to you as it does to me.
For one thing, they had far fewer events. No made for TV stuff.
about the game. I was at a hockey tournament in Ramapo, NY.
Our game started probably around the time of puck drop of the 3rd period of the USA vs Russia game (real time).
The game PA announcer stopped our game and was going crazy saying "we won, we won, USA beat Russia" and we all went nuts throwing our gloves in the air and celebrating - the parents in the stands were all cheering and hugging it was the weirdest thing I have ever experienced in my hockey playing life.
I was 8, so most of us couldn't grasp the magnitude, but the excitement in the rink was contagious. People just couldn't stop smiling.
then we re-started our game and finished playing. that night at the hotel we all gathered in one room and watched the end of the game and celebrated again seeing how dramatic it was.
probably the only time in the history of hockey tournaments a whole team of 8 year old boys wasn't destroying the place with hallway floor hockey and ice fights. we were glued to the TV.
and our parents were wasted. lol. but that was every tournament.
on the old AM radio in my parents' basement while I was lifting weights, WABC 770 I think. I had to watch the delayed broadcast, it was awesome. The 3rd period was nerve wracking even though I knew they won.
it’s been discussed here before, but the documentary about the game and history of Soviet hockey was really interesting too. Red Army, I think it’s called?
about the game. I was at a hockey tournament in Ramapo, NY.
Our game started probably around the time of puck drop of the 3rd period of the USA vs Russia game (real time).
The game PA announcer stopped our game and was going crazy saying "we won, we won, USA beat Russia" and we all went nuts throwing our gloves in the air and celebrating - the parents in the stands were all cheering and hugging it was the weirdest thing I have ever experienced in my hockey playing life.
I was 8, so most of us couldn't grasp the magnitude, but the excitement in the rink was contagious. People just couldn't stop smiling.
then we re-started our game and finished playing. that night at the hotel we all gathered in one room and watched the end of the game and celebrated again seeing how dramatic it was.
probably the only time in the history of hockey tournaments a whole team of 8 year old boys wasn't destroying the place with hallway floor hockey and ice fights. we were glued to the TV.
and our parents were wasted. lol. but that was every tournament.
Ha PJ my brother and good friends played hockey for Suffern HS around the same age as you
about the game. I was at a hockey tournament in Ramapo, NY.
Our game started probably around the time of puck drop of the 3rd period of the USA vs Russia game (real time).
The game PA announcer stopped our game and was going crazy saying "we won, we won, USA beat Russia" and we all went nuts throwing our gloves in the air and celebrating - the parents in the stands were all cheering and hugging it was the weirdest thing I have ever experienced in my hockey playing life.
I was 8, so most of us couldn't grasp the magnitude, but the excitement in the rink was contagious. People just couldn't stop smiling.
then we re-started our game and finished playing. that night at the hotel we all gathered in one room and watched the end of the game and celebrated again seeing how dramatic it was.
probably the only time in the history of hockey tournaments a whole team of 8 year old boys wasn't destroying the place with hallway floor hockey and ice fights. we were glued to the TV.
and our parents were wasted. lol. but that was every tournament.
Ha PJ my brother and good friends played hockey for Suffern HS around the same age as you
That's awesome. I'm sure I played against them in youth hockey. I know we went to Suffern and surrounding towns in NY and NJ quite often. I played for Hamden, CT.
so many ties--pj, the Ramapo story is terrific.
I was on the road, asked a friend to record it, he said, yeah, yeah, ok--i.e., a fool's errand, right? Later that weekend, he was worshipping me for the instruction lol
So many ties in this thread, Danbury Hosp., Ramapo, Suffern HS and Middle School.
We went to Lake Placid winter, maybe 2004, and honestly the rink struck me, in its physical state, as a bit of a dump, but you could not pry the magic from it. "Miracle", one of the relatively rare movies based on sporting life that pretty much lives up.
so many ties--pj, the Ramapo story is terrific.
I was on the road, asked a friend to record it, he said, yeah, yeah, ok--i.e., a fool's errand, right? Later that weekend, he was worshipping me for the instruction lol
So many ties in this thread, Danbury Hosp., Ramapo, Suffern HS and Middle School.
We went to Lake Placid winter, maybe 2004, and honestly the rink struck me, in its physical state, as a bit of a dump, but you could not pry the magic from it. "Miracle", one of the relatively rare movies based on sporting life that pretty much lives up.
So funny - I said the same thing in one of my posts:
"...In actuality it's kind of dumpy - especially the other two sheets, but it only adds to the nostalgia."
I was 17, and I completely agree...the greatest sporting event (for me) in my lifetime.
Do you ever wonder if he had it scripted, just in case? It was almost TOO perfect!
Quote:
Probably Al Michaels’ finest call.
Do you ever wonder if he had it scripted, just in case? It was almost TOO perfect!
saw interview with him on that once. he only got the job because he was the only ABC announcer there who ever called a hockey game at any level. ONE MINOR LEAGUE GAME!
re the call, he said the word miracle just kept popping into his head over the last few minutes of the game.
And the speech to the team inbetween periods 2 and 3 from the head coach to the team was, paraphrasing "if you let this slip away, you'll regret it for rest of your lives" was something else!!
he was the assistant coach
Quote:
I am pretty sure that he was the GM who later brought Brooks to Rangers
he was the assistant coach
and yes, he then became assistant GM with the Rangers,took over as GM when Fred Shero was fired, hired Herbie as coach.
And the speech to the team inbetween periods 2 and 3 from the head coach to the team was, paraphrasing "if you let this slip away, you'll regret it for rest of your lives" was something else!!
that was during the Finland game for the gold medal, "you will take it to your fucking graves"
I think that is the best sports history movie ever. really well done. Kurt Russell was great as Herb
Quote:
...seeing their GM (forget his name, maybe was with the Rangers and Penguins afteward) get teary eyed was something.
And the speech to the team inbetween periods 2 and 3 from the head coach to the team was, paraphrasing "if you let this slip away, you'll regret it for rest of your lives" was something else!!
that was during the Finland game for the gold medal, "you will take it to your fucking graves"
Which I believe they were losing.......talk about pressure!!!
It was incredible how they pulled it off, and of course today, would never happen.
But that was back in the 70s.
Perhaps the best.....ever?
It was incredible how they pulled it off, and of course today, would never happen.
But that was back in the 70s.
What was the documentary?
Quote:
In comment 16405463 BillKo said:
Quote:
...seeing their GM (forget his name, maybe was with the Rangers and Penguins afteward) get teary eyed was something.
And the speech to the team inbetween periods 2 and 3 from the head coach to the team was, paraphrasing "if you let this slip away, you'll regret it for rest of your lives" was something else!!
that was during the Finland game for the gold medal, "you will take it to your fucking graves"
Which I believe they were losing.......talk about pressure!!!
yup. down 2-1 after 2. scored 3 in the 3rd to win it.
they trailed in every game of the tournament.
One year things finally aligned for us to make the trip to the CAN AM tournament in Lake Placid. It was my first time there.
First of all, how they had an Olympics in that small village is astonishing. I read that Boston was considered too small for the Olympics when they applied for it a few years ago, how they pulled this off in that tiny hamlet is modern marvel IMO.
a lot of that Lake Placid rink is original condition (locker rooms, bath rooms, etc.) and the facility is filled with memorabilia and tributes to the '80 team (obviously?)
It's just a cool place to be (and side note we went and watched a luge race (world championship) and climbed the practice area where they did the ski jumping - very cool).
stepping on that ice (they open the tournament with an Olympic like ceremony where all the teams walk out onto the ice and they play the anthem, etc.) forced goose bumps. they had an open skate too, so I skated on the main sheet.
and then my daughter scored the GWG in the gold medal game- same sheet of ice Eruzione had the game winner vs Rusia, it was really hard to describe the emotions. I'm kind of an unemotional guy, pretty stoic usually. But remembering how I felt when the US won that game when I was kid, seeing the HBO Special Miracle On Ice - with Al Michaels (way better than Miracle) so many times, and also seeing Miracle a thousand times and just welling up with pride over the US win, hit me like nothing has before.
If you have a chance to go to Lake Placid, and you have not been, there are not many places I can recommend more. If you have a kid playing hockey there who you are coaching (or even just watching), be careful, lol - especially if Miracle on Ice means as much to you as it does to me.
Tried to explain the emotion of it all to my kids, but they grew up in a different more comfortable era. We lived the Cold War, the hostages, 70's inflation, alternate days for gas ... the Carter years.
Those hockey games in those Olympic Games were some of my greatest memories growing up. Watched the Soviet game with my family in our living room. Watched the Finland game with them at my Grandma's house. An amazing week. Renewed pride when we needed it.
Only sports event comparable for me is Piazza's homerun. Doesn't feel like it should be comparable, but for me it is.
Speechifying to those young players - ( New Window )
Quote:
...was a documentary on the guys who brought the Olympics to Lake Placid.
It was incredible how they pulled it off, and of course today, would never happen.
But that was back in the 70s.
What was the documentary?
This may be it - I am not sure. .....
"Small Town, Big Dreams: Lake Placid's Olympic Story"
I think I originally saw it on PBS.
I was still in school in 1980, living in a house with a lot of other guys my age, all of us huge hockey fans. I'm sure this was mentioned above but I just skimmed this thread.
The game wasn't shown live on TV. The game vs Russia was only the second game that ABC was going to show in it's entirety period, let alone live. ABC said they tried to get Russia to agree to push the game back 3 hours to 8pm EST so they could justify showing it live. Russia said no.
ESPN was in its infancy. There were no personal computers, no internet, no cell phones, no social media. I knew when the game started and I knew it would be over by the time I got to watch it. But I wasn't worried that I would know the score before it started. In those days you had to work a little bit to find out scores if you were interested in an event that wasn't televised or on radio.
I had seen the Russian team destroy us at MSG a few weeks before the Olympics but in my hockey crazy group we had some hope that we could give them a much better game this time. So we were all excited to watch on tape delay on our state of the art 19" color TV using rabbit ears.
It was a Friday night. We didn't usually leave the house before 10 or 11. We were going to watch the game and if it got out of hand maybe leave early and find a place to drink the loss away. And then the phone rang. Land line. One of the other guys picked it up. Before any of us could stop him he yelled we won! At that point we screamed at him to STFU and hang up the f**king phone. I had no score, no details. Just "we won" which I wasn't 100% sure was true. But I had a feeling it was.
I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday but I can always remember and see that day and the guys I watched the game with in my mind in full 4K detail.
I have been a crazed NY sports fan for almost 60 years. I've been to 100's and 100's of sporting events in person and watched too many 1000's to count. The Miracle on Ice is at the top of the list. The #1 sporting event and sports memory of my lifetime.
It hurts me to think of how things ended for Herb Brooks and Mark Pavelich. I think everyone on that team deserved to live a long wonderful life. The players are/were all around my age or a little younger. I feel very fortunate to have been on the planet at about that same age as the 1980 US Hockey Team to experience that game. Even with a spoiler reveal before the tape delay started.
One year things finally aligned for us to make the trip to the CAN AM tournament in Lake Placid. It was my first time there.
First of all, how they had an Olympics in that small village is astonishing. I read that Boston was considered too small for the Olympics when they applied for it a few years ago, how they pulled this off in that tiny hamlet is modern marvel IMO.
a lot of that Lake Placid rink is original condition (locker rooms, bath rooms, etc.) and the facility is filled with memorabilia and tributes to the '80 team (obviously?)
It's just a cool place to be (and side note we went and watched a luge race (world championship) and climbed the practice area where they did the ski jumping - very cool).
stepping on that ice (they open the tournament with an Olympic like ceremony where all the teams walk out onto the ice and they play the anthem, etc.) forced goose bumps. they had an open skate too, so I skated on the main sheet.
and then my daughter scored the GWG in the gold medal game- same sheet of ice Eruzione had the game winner vs Rusia, it was really hard to describe the emotions. I'm kind of an unemotional guy, pretty stoic usually. But remembering how I felt when the US won that game when I was kid, seeing the HBO Special Miracle On Ice - with Al Michaels (way better than Miracle) so many times, and also seeing Miracle a thousand times and just welling up with pride over the US win, hit me like nothing has before.
If you have a chance to go to Lake Placid, and you have not been, there are not many places I can recommend more. If you have a kid playing hockey there who you are coaching (or even just watching), be careful, lol - especially if Miracle on Ice means as much to you as it does to me.
I was still in school in 1980, living in a house with a lot of other guys my age, all of us huge hockey fans. I'm sure this was mentioned above but I just skimmed this thread.
The game wasn't shown live on TV. The game vs Russia was only the second game that ABC was going to show in it's entirety period, let alone live. ABC said they tried to get Russia to agree to push the game back 3 hours to 8pm EST so they could justify showing it live. Russia said no.
ESPN was in its infancy. There were no personal computers, no internet, no cell phones, no social media. I knew when the game started and I knew it would be over by the time I got to watch it. But I wasn't worried that I would know the score before it started. In those days you had to work a little bit to find out scores if you were interested in an event that wasn't televised or on radio.
I had seen the Russian team destroy us at MSG a few weeks before the Olympics but in my hockey crazy group we had some hope that we could give them a much better game this time. So we were all excited to watch on tape delay on our state of the art 19" color TV using rabbit ears.
It was a Friday night. We didn't usually leave the house before 10 or 11. We were going to watch the game and if it got out of hand maybe leave early and find a place to drink the loss away. And then the phone rang. Land line. One of the other guys picked it up. Before any of us could stop him he yelled we won! At that point we screamed at him to STFU and hang up the f**king phone. I had no score, no details. Just "we won" which I wasn't 100% sure was true. But I had a feeling it was.
I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday but I can always remember and see that day and the guys I watched the game with in my mind in full 4K detail.
I have been a crazed NY sports fan for almost 60 years. I've been to 100's and 100's of sporting events in person and watched too many 1000's to count. The Miracle on Ice is at the top of the list. The #1 sporting event and sports memory of my lifetime.
It hurts me to think of how things ended for Herb Brooks and Mark Pavelich. I think everyone on that team deserved to live a long wonderful life. The players are/were all around my age or a little younger. I feel very fortunate to have been on the planet at about that same age as the 1980 US Hockey Team to experience that game. Even with a spoiler reveal before the tape delay started.
Indeed, what a great story pj...so cool yiu could experience that with your daughter!
Arnie, I have a similar story...my Dad got home from work around 7pm and the first thing he excitedly said was "Can you believe they WON?" I was happy and crestfallen all at once, lol. My brother and I had watched or listened to every game to that point, starting with the exhilarating last minute tie with Sweden. What a run. I was working Sunday in the kitchen at Danbury Hospital and kept sneaking off to the children's ward who had it on the TV in the lounge. Didn't look good after 2, but then the real miracle happened!
Friday night in early December, light snow, and the Olympic miracle game was playing on VCRs in nearly every storefront window in town. Mind blowing chants of USA, USA … we actually passed the Russians on the street walking to the arena from their hotel. The Soviets go up early and the US roars back in the 3rd to win ,,, it wasn’t the Olympics but it’s still the most mind blowing sporting event I was ever at. The party went on all night,
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I was like 10 and I remember sitting on my best friend's couch with his whole family and everyone going nuts... lol. I still feel like we were too young to really comprehend what had happened, even though we were screaming and jumping up and down along with everyone else... lol
no, the ice surface was clean and looked new and I think the rink interior (seats, etc.) were replaced since 1980, but I don't think they increased capacity. It seats maybe 7500 people.
There are three sheets in the facility the main one is called the Herb Brooks arena, one is the 1932 arena and the other I think is USA arena (I think they had another Olympics there - maybe 1932 and that is where the name came from). In actuality it's kind of dumpy - especially the other two sheets, but it only adds to the nostalgia.
One year things finally aligned for us to make the trip to the CAN AM tournament in Lake Placid. It was my first time there.
First of all, how they had an Olympics in that small village is astonishing. I read that Boston was considered too small for the Olympics when they applied for it a few years ago, how they pulled this off in that tiny hamlet is modern marvel IMO.
a lot of that Lake Placid rink is original condition (locker rooms, bath rooms, etc.) and the facility is filled with memorabilia and tributes to the '80 team (obviously?)
It's just a cool place to be (and side note we went and watched a luge race (world championship) and climbed the practice area where they did the ski jumping - very cool).
stepping on that ice (they open the tournament with an Olympic like ceremony where all the teams walk out onto the ice and they play the anthem, etc.) forced goose bumps. they had an open skate too, so I skated on the main sheet.
and then my daughter scored the GWG in the gold medal game- same sheet of ice Eruzione had the game winner vs Rusia, it was really hard to describe the emotions. I'm kind of an unemotional guy, pretty stoic usually. But remembering how I felt when the US won that game when I was kid, seeing the HBO Special Miracle On Ice - with Al Michaels (way better than Miracle) so many times, and also seeing Miracle a thousand times and just welling up with pride over the US win, hit me like nothing has before.
If you have a chance to go to Lake Placid, and you have not been, there are not many places I can recommend more. If you have a kid playing hockey there who you are coaching (or even just watching), be careful, lol - especially if Miracle on Ice means as much to you as it does to me.
For one thing, they had far fewer events. No made for TV stuff.
Our game started probably around the time of puck drop of the 3rd period of the USA vs Russia game (real time).
The game PA announcer stopped our game and was going crazy saying "we won, we won, USA beat Russia" and we all went nuts throwing our gloves in the air and celebrating - the parents in the stands were all cheering and hugging it was the weirdest thing I have ever experienced in my hockey playing life.
I was 8, so most of us couldn't grasp the magnitude, but the excitement in the rink was contagious. People just couldn't stop smiling.
then we re-started our game and finished playing. that night at the hotel we all gathered in one room and watched the end of the game and celebrated again seeing how dramatic it was.
probably the only time in the history of hockey tournaments a whole team of 8 year old boys wasn't destroying the place with hallway floor hockey and ice fights. we were glued to the TV.
and our parents were wasted. lol. but that was every tournament.
Our game started probably around the time of puck drop of the 3rd period of the USA vs Russia game (real time).
The game PA announcer stopped our game and was going crazy saying "we won, we won, USA beat Russia" and we all went nuts throwing our gloves in the air and celebrating - the parents in the stands were all cheering and hugging it was the weirdest thing I have ever experienced in my hockey playing life.
I was 8, so most of us couldn't grasp the magnitude, but the excitement in the rink was contagious. People just couldn't stop smiling.
then we re-started our game and finished playing. that night at the hotel we all gathered in one room and watched the end of the game and celebrated again seeing how dramatic it was.
probably the only time in the history of hockey tournaments a whole team of 8 year old boys wasn't destroying the place with hallway floor hockey and ice fights. we were glued to the TV.
and our parents were wasted. lol. but that was every tournament.
Ha PJ my brother and good friends played hockey for Suffern HS around the same age as you
Quote:
about the game. I was at a hockey tournament in Ramapo, NY.
Our game started probably around the time of puck drop of the 3rd period of the USA vs Russia game (real time).
The game PA announcer stopped our game and was going crazy saying "we won, we won, USA beat Russia" and we all went nuts throwing our gloves in the air and celebrating - the parents in the stands were all cheering and hugging it was the weirdest thing I have ever experienced in my hockey playing life.
I was 8, so most of us couldn't grasp the magnitude, but the excitement in the rink was contagious. People just couldn't stop smiling.
then we re-started our game and finished playing. that night at the hotel we all gathered in one room and watched the end of the game and celebrated again seeing how dramatic it was.
probably the only time in the history of hockey tournaments a whole team of 8 year old boys wasn't destroying the place with hallway floor hockey and ice fights. we were glued to the TV.
and our parents were wasted. lol. but that was every tournament.
Ha PJ my brother and good friends played hockey for Suffern HS around the same age as you
That's awesome. I'm sure I played against them in youth hockey. I know we went to Suffern and surrounding towns in NY and NJ quite often. I played for Hamden, CT.
I was on the road, asked a friend to record it, he said, yeah, yeah, ok--i.e., a fool's errand, right? Later that weekend, he was worshipping me for the instruction lol
So many ties in this thread, Danbury Hosp., Ramapo, Suffern HS and Middle School.
We went to Lake Placid winter, maybe 2004, and honestly the rink struck me, in its physical state, as a bit of a dump, but you could not pry the magic from it. "Miracle", one of the relatively rare movies based on sporting life that pretty much lives up.
I was on the road, asked a friend to record it, he said, yeah, yeah, ok--i.e., a fool's errand, right? Later that weekend, he was worshipping me for the instruction lol
So many ties in this thread, Danbury Hosp., Ramapo, Suffern HS and Middle School.
We went to Lake Placid winter, maybe 2004, and honestly the rink struck me, in its physical state, as a bit of a dump, but you could not pry the magic from it. "Miracle", one of the relatively rare movies based on sporting life that pretty much lives up.
So funny - I said the same thing in one of my posts:
"...In actuality it's kind of dumpy - especially the other two sheets, but it only adds to the nostalgia."