Welcome to the first episode of "Spot Light" enjoy the read...
The United States always believed themselves to be the best, until the Cold War. Communism vs Democracy, the Soviet Union vs the United States. Never once did a nation need a sporting event quite like the United States needing the Olympics. The Soviets were believed to be better in every way, whether it be the race to space, or back on this earth Americans were doubting themselves and their country. With Americans in turmoil and doubting themselves President Jimmy Carter had this to say,
“For the first time in the history of our country a majority of our people believe that the next five years will be worse than the past five years.” (Transcript can be found here)
The United States needed something to rally behind, Herb Brooks unknowingly had the answer. Herb Brooks, a college hockey coach at the time, was given the opportunity of his life when given the job of USA coach at the Olympics. Brooks had been preparing for the coaching position for a long time and knew what guys he needed to compete. Brooks single handedly formed a team of the right college hockey players, at the time college students participated in the Olympics not professional athletes. Brooks team consisted of players like Mike Eruzione, Jimmy Craig, Rob McClanahan, and Jack O’Callahan, and was coached also by Craig Patrick.
The problem with forming a team of olympians with college hockey players is that tensions rise. Scuffles constantly broke out amongst the teammates who still were caught up in old rivalries. To get the players on board with playing, Brooks tried his best to make the players hate him more than each other. He yelled constantly and often tried to light a fire for his players. The US coach formed a team capable of beating one of the best hockey teams in the world, all by forming a new strategy.
From 1964 through 1976 the Soviets won 4 gold medals, and they were well on their way to winning a 5th in 1980. The Soviets consisted of a team of professional athletes who had a lot of experience in professional play. The Soviets were favored to win the gold medal in 1980 what changed?
Herb Brooks was a driven guy. He was the last player cut from the 1960 Olympic team, the last time the US took gold at the Olympics. Brooks went from traveling with the team to watching from his home, that pushed him to a new goal. Brooks wanted more than anything to win a gold medal, and was willing to coach his way to a championship.
The road to get to the Miracle on Ice game was amazing, but that isn’t for now, watch the movie “Miracle” for that. February 22nd 1980 the day the US rose above the Soviets. In a preliminary matchups earlier that year the SOviets downed the US in a blowout game, this game was going to be different. Herb Brooks has some very quotable moments, this tops the list. Before the game Brooks told his team “tonight is your night” he gave one of the most epic pregame speeches and help push his team to be the best they could possibly be. All of that, but what happened when they hit the ice was truly a miracle.
Everything started with Jimmy Craig in net. Craig kept the US in the game making 36 saves on 39 shots on goal. The Soviets had won every game up to that point so Craig had a tough job trying o stop the high flying Soviets. The Soviets started the game off with an early goal to take the lead, and after that the US were playing catch up. No one expected the US to have much of a chance but when the US tied the game at 2 with no time left on the clock in the first period everyone was ecstatic.
Going into an intermission you always want to set the tone. The US really did when they tied the game at the end of the first. The crowd was going insane and the Soviet team was through the roof in anger. The US escaped the period knowing that they had a shot against one of the toughest teams in hockey. So when the second period started and the Soviets scored right off the bat it was was no big deal. The Soviets held the lead until midway through the third period, Mark Johnson scored his second goal of the game on the power play, tying the game up was great, but the Americans were not looking to tie.
The United States named Mike Eruzione their captain. Eruzione was by no means the most talented player on the team was a born leader. He spoke on behalf of the team on many occasions and knew how to unite everyone together. Mike scored 3 goals in the tournament, and the biggest one came with 10 minutes left in the game. That goal changed the game, but as shown on Brooks’s face, it was not over yet. The US had been prepared for this moment through all of their offseason training. Brooks and company were ready to defend a lead against a team that has never played from behind come this late in the game. Brooks wanted everyone to have short shifts and go out and keep the puck deep in the Soviet zone. As the game got closer to the end it became more and more unbelievable. (View the ending of the game here)
One of the reasons the US won was because the Soviets did not know how to push for a goal. Their coach had no clue when to pull the goalie or what to do, their disbelief that they were on that position cost them the game.
Herb Brooks was prepared for anything, and managed to win one of the best games in history. Although I was not even a live at the time the United States 1980 Olympic Team goes down as one of the greatest moments in all of sports even to me.
Comentarios