Miracle on Ice 40th anniversary!!

[Hornets]

Cannot for the life of me grasp the fact that it's now been FORTY years since the most incredible sporting event of all time. Especially neat since I was a HS senior playin hockey and just a bit younger than the USA hero's! Had the privilege of meeting a few of these guys in person shortly after the OIympics and I still get goose bumps watching this last minute of play.....


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LOL at the prevent defense the boys used that last minute!!

We'll be seeing quite a bit of hoopla about this over the next handful of days!

USA
USA
USA

[weimy froob]

[weimy froob]

For your Miracle memories, Wayne Coffey's 'The Boys of Winter' satisfies
The 40th anniversary of a most Minnesota-centric accomplishment is near, and that memorable run is captured in Wayne Coffey's book.



Team USA hockey coach Herb Books and players followed the action on the ice during a medal round game vs. the Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y.

JIM SOUHAN

Saturday will mark the 40th anniversary of the Miracle On Ice, the United States’ 4-3 victory over the Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympics at Lake Placid, N.Y. Feel free to celebrate, Minnesotans. You need not be provincial to lay claim to the greatest sporting event of our lifetimes.

“Nine guys on the team were Gophers,” Wayne Coffey said. “Twelve of the 20 players on the team were from Minnesota, and the coach was a working-class guy from east St. Paul, and his support staff was just about all Minnesotans. At its core, it is such a Minnesota story.”

Coffey has authored five New York Times bestsellers. That game, and the subsequent victory over Finland that gave the United States the gold medal, have been celebrated annually and extensively for 40 years, most famously in the movie “Miracle.”

If you’re interested in nuance and detail, I’m not sure you’ll find as thorough a retelling of the story anywhere other than in Coffey’s “The Boys of Winter.” He traveled Russia and traveled throughout Minnesota, gathering stories about working-class parents who would build backyard rinks or drive to the lake at night and practice in the glow of car lights.

He was in Minnesota, scheduled to speak with Herb Brooks, the coach and architect of the team, the night that Brooks was killed in a car accident near Forest Lake. The book opens with scenes from Brooks’ funeral in the Cathedral of St. Paul, with his former players forming a canopy of hockey sticks over his casket, and includes scenes from the dismal housing in the Olympic Village.

Coffey provides vivid reminders that this was a unique place and time. The Games were held in a remote village of 2,800. Housing was sparse and Spartan, even for the most famous Olympians. “It’s this tiny, little Adirondack village, 30 miles from the nearest highway,” Coffey said. “The idea that they held the Olympics there is mind-blowing.’’

The U.S.-Soviet Union game was broadcast on tape-delay. The U.S. team of college kids was facing what might have been the greatest hockey team ever assembled, one that beat them 10-3 weeks earlier at Madison Square Garden. A year before, the Soviets had beaten the NHL all-stars 6-0.

“People who know more about hockey than I do consider that Russian team the greatest collection of hockey talent, ever,” Coffey said. “Another thing people forget about that game is that the Russians outshot the U.S., 39-16. If Jim Craig doesn’t play out of his mind, we’re not even talking about this right now.

“It was men versus boys in this last Olympics to be held in a little village, the last time a game of that magnitude will ever be shown in tape-delay,” Coffey said.

Coffey weaves intricate game details with profiles of players, many of whom he tracked down in remote Minnesota locations. He notes that backup goalie Steve Janaszak of White Bear Lake was the most valuable player of the 1979 NCAA championship tournament for Brooks when the Gophers won the national title but became the only Olympian not to participate at the Lake Placid Games.

Brooks was maniacal and Machiavellian. He appears to have thrown the Madison Square Garden game to the Soviets to make them overconfident — and it worked.

Brooks was bumped off the 1960 Olympic team days before the Games began. U.S. coach Jack Riley wanted 1956 Olympic star Bill Cleary to join the team. Bill insisted that he and his brother, Bob, were a package.

The team pasted Bob Cleary’s face over Brooks’ in the team picture, and the U.S. went on to win the gold. Brooks watched at home in St. Paul with his father, who, at the conclusion of the tournament, turned to Herb and said, “Well, I guess the coach cut the right guy.”

“Sad to say, but the most indelible memories we all have are almost always horrible,” Coffey said. “I can tell you where I was standing when JFK was assassinated, and Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy. This was an event that was incredibly positive that everyone remembers where they were and who they were with.

“We learn in sportswriting to never say never. Lou Gehrig’s record would never be broken, until it was. But this will never happen again. This can’t ever happen again. And it was Herb Brooks who made it possible.”

[Sellingguy]

Have seen a few of the team signed pictures with brooks auto on them going for 7k now. There is perhaps less than 1000 team signed items with Brooks on them.

[weimy froob]

Parade for 40th anniversary of 'Miracle on Ice' loaded with Minnesota hockey stars
Members of the 1980 team will be in Las Vegas.
JOE NELSON 19 HOURS AGO



People planning to line the streets of St. Paul for Saturday's Greatest Day Celebration parade will be treated to floatloads of Minnesota hockey greats in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the 1980 "Miracle on Ice."

Saturday will mark 40 years to the day that the 1980 U.S. Olympic men's hockey team stunned the Soviet Union and went on to win the gold medal in Lake Placid, New York. Unfortunately, the majority of the players from the iconic team won't be at the parade. Instead, they'll be in Las Vegas being honored at T-Mobile Arena before Saturday night's game between the Golden Knights and Florida Panthers.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, 18 of the 20 players from the team will be in attendance in Vegas, the exceptions being Bob Suter, who died in 2014, and Mark Pavelich, who was recently ruled mentally incompetent to stand trial following assault charges in northern Minnesota.

But the St. Paul parade will feature dozens of past and present Minnesota hockey stars, who will join more than 1,200 youth hockey players from around the Twin Cities. Twins stars of past, Kent Hrbek and Tim Laudner, will also join.

Other celebrities in the parade:

John Mayasich, Dick Meredith and Jack McCarten, who played on the 1960 Olympic team that won the gold medal.
NHL alumni: Scott Bjugstad, Jim Boo, Paul Broten, Henry Boucha, Bill Butters, Jack Carlson, Curt Dahlquist, Dave Hanson, Christian Hanson, Reed Larson, Brad Maxwell, Lou Nanne, Steve Payne, Mike Peluso, Tom Reid, Neil Sheehy, Bill Watson, Carl Wetzel and Rick Zemlock
Wild owner Craig Leipold
Wild GM Bill Guerin
Fox Sports North/ex-NHLers: Tom Chorske, Ryan Carter, John deCausmeaker, Kevin Gorg
U.S. women's Olympic hockey players: Gigi Marvin and Krissy Wendell-Pohl
Dave Hanson and Jack Hanson from the movie "Slap Shot."
Herb Brooks' family: Dave and Karen Brooks.

After the parade, celebrities will be available for autographs at CHS Field.

[weimy froob]

On Sunday, February 23, ESPN and ABC will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the iconic ‘Miracle on Ice’ – when the United States hockey team defeated the heavily favored then Soviet Union on February 22, 1980, in their run to a gold medal. Special programming across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 will air throughout the day including a one-hour SportsCenter Special: Miracle on Ice at 40, Walt Disney Pictures’ Miracle and more.

“The impact of the ‘Miracle on Ice’ game and eventual gold medal is still something that resonates across the sports world and beyond four decades later,” said Ilan Ben-Hanan, ESPN vice president, programming & acquisitions. “For the 40th anniversary, we wanted to help fans celebrate in different ways, including a brand new program featuring seldom seen game footage. Combining that with the first-ever presentation of Walt Disney Pictures’ Miracle on ESPN and an encore presentation of our 30 for 30: Of Miracles and Men, allows fans to experience the story from multiple perspectives.”

To relive all the history-making moments and define the legacy as it stands today, Jeremy Schaap will host SportsCenter Special: Miracle on Ice at 40 at 2 p.m. ET on ABC. Schaap will sit down with players from the team including Mike Eruzione, Jim Craig and Mark Johnson as they share their memories and describe the decades since. The special will include extended, rarely seen footage from the ‘Miracle on Ice’ game throughout the sixty minutes. An encore presentation will be available at 9 p.m. on ESPN2.

“It was really special to have three names synonymous with the ‘Miracle on Ice’ directly involved with the project,” said Denny Wolfe, ESPN senior managing producer. “The piece really takes you behind the scenes and brings to life the impact that one game had on the lives of many.”

ESPN will also air Walt Disney Pictures’ 2004 movie about the legendary team. Miracle will play in prime time at 6:30 p.m. with limited commercial interruption. The morning editions of ESPN’s SportsCenter will air an SC Featured segment recognizing the anniversary. Encore presentations of 30 for 30: Of Miracles and Men and the ‘Miracle on Ice’-focused SC featured segment will cap off the day at 10 p.m. (ESPN2) and 11 p.m. (ESPN), respectively.

[Sellingguy]

When Christian made the team i suggested a nice line up of a zero ending year, games in USA and a christian on the team equals gold.
of course everyone chuckled at that one! His dad was on the team in 60 in Utah which won the gold.

The DVR will be set for programs Miracle related.

[Hornets]

Great time to celebrate this! Such a wonderful story....miss Herby.

[Jimtown guy]

Greatest sporting event of all time

[Hornets]

Greatest sporting event of all time

And it's not even close!

[Sellingguy]

very poor editing on the special playing on NHL Network. . somehow they have shown 4 goals by the gophers vs sioux. dammit.

[weimy froob]

good story here.

A Reporter Remembers the Miracle on Ice 40 Years Later
The Times wasn’t going to send anyone to cover hockey at the 1980 Winter Games in Lake Placid. But one sportswriter had a feeling.



By Gerald Eskenazi
Feb. 21, 2020

Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together.

I had my heart set on going to Lake Placid, N.Y. It would be my first Olympics, even though I was midway through my 41-year career as a sportswriter with The Times.

It was February 1980, and I had been writing about the young U.S. hockey team. The coach, a get-inside-your-head Machiavellian named Herb Brooks, told me he was creating an “American style” of hockey, which he believed could end the dynasty of the Soviet Union, which had won the last four Olympics. The Soviets were the best hockey team in the world.

The Americans were young, in fact the youngest U.S. Olympic squad ever, with an average age of 22. The Soviets were full-time, paid players, putatively soldiers. In an exhibition game just a few weeks before the Olympics, they routed the Americans, 10-3, at Madison Square Garden in New York. The dynasty seemed safe that night.

But I had a feeling. Brooks had abandoned the traditional North American hockey style of “playing the body,” and of staying put in your lane. Instead, his skaters, spectacularly swift, crisscrossed over the ice. The young Americans were not afraid to leave their traditional positions. They hit just enough to show who they were. Brooks believed that combination — more open play, with enough body checking — was the only way to meet the Olympic challenges.

Then I got a phone call from the Sports department. There was a money crunch, and we were cutting back. I wasn’t going to Lake Placid.

I arranged to see A.M. (Abe) Rosenthal, the fearsome executive editor of The Times. I told him I believed the young Americans were capable of making noise, that they could surprise the sports world. I convinced him. Without hesitating, Rosenthal told me I was going.

Before we left for the upstate New York village, the paper gave us all down coats for the severe Adirondack weather. Mine went below my knees. Just return it when I came back, I was told. Lake Placid had only about 3,000 residents, and one main street that was always crowded. It had a Chinese restaurant named Chopstix.

Well, the United States was pretty good. The team reached the semifinal round after four victories and a tie — and was going to meet, yes, the all-victorious Soviets. The winner would play for the gold medal.

The Lake Placid arena was an 8,000-seat bandbox shaped like a cockfighting amphitheater. In the tiny balcony space called the “press box” there was no room for our newfangled computer. The thing, a Teleram, about the size of a small suitcase, was in the basement. I was to type my story on my Olivetti portable typewriter, and bring the copy downstairs to be transmitted.

The game was scheduled for 5 p.m. on a Friday, Feb. 22. ABC wanted prime time, but the Soviets demanded the earlier start for their audience. So the game wasn’t broadcast live here, but taped for later viewing.

The Americans went down by a goal twice. I was impressed by the way they kept their poise. The game was tight, and I realized this might be the biggest story I would write. I remember thinking over and over: “What is my lead going to be? Am I up to this?”

They won, 4-3, as the broadcaster Al Michaels exclaimed in the final seconds, “Do you believe in miracles? … Yes!” For the first time, I heard the chant “U.S.A.! U.S.A.!”

And there was the goalie Jim Craig, swaddled in the American flag, searching the stands, saying “Where’s my father?” The place was going mad with stomping and singing and people crowding the aisles while I was in the balcony trying to file my story to the Teleram. We were on deadline. I had to get a story to New York immediately.

We dispatched Dave Anderson, who would win a Pulitzer Prize for his commentary that year, to the landing below. I typed a page and crinkled it into a ball — and threw it down to Dave. He caught it on the fly! He muscled his way to the basement, to our computer, where our colleague Gordon S. White Jr. retyped the page and sent it off to The Times. Then Dave ran back up.

I finished another page, rolled it and threw it — Dave was off again to Gordon. This went on for several more pages. The article made the front page the next day.

Later, at the news conference, while the young players giggled like schoolboys, they told how Brooks had said before the game, “You were meant to be here.”

Quite dramatic, I thought. When the conference ended, I collared Brooks. “Herb, did you really say that?”

He reached into his jacket breast pocket and pulled out a card. Scrawled on it were the words, you were meant to be here.

Most people think that victory brought the gold medal. But the United States still had to beat Finland 39 hours later, at 11 a.m. on a Sunday, to win the gold medal. Which it did.

And when I returned to New York I was to give back my beautiful warm coat. But The Times let me buy it for $15. I still have it.

[weimy froob]

Comments 3

Frederic Golden
Santa Barbara, CA Feb. 21
Great piece by Eskenazi about covering the “The Miracle on Ice.” I wish you had given us a link to the story he wrote that momentous evening.

Bynda
New York Feb. 21
Great story. I remember watching the game as a boy, but can't recall if I knew the result before it aired. Today it would be virtually impossible to stay in an information cocoon and watch an event like that hours later not knowing what happened already.

N Hel
Pau Feb. 21
Not shown live on US tv. Growing up across the border of Canada, we watched it live on CBC. Our neighbors thought we were nuts shooting off fireworks after Team USA beat Russia, saying "the game isn't until 8:00 pm."

[weimy froob]

Miracle On Ice – 40 Years Later (AUDIO)
FEBRUARY 21, 2020 BY MINNESOTA NEWS NETWORK

MNN Sports Director Mike Grimm talked to one of the 12 Minnesotans on the “Miracle On Ice” roster. Mike Ramsey was the youngest player on the team, 19 years old at the time, and recalls some great memories, now four decades later. Including missing out on the infamous “Herbies” skating drill in Norway. Here is the conversation with former Gopher Mike Ramsey:

https://minnesotanewsnetwork.com/miracl ... ter-audio/

[weimy froob]

excellent interview. ramsey might have been the youngest-but watching the games this weekend i saw how scrappy he was. he wasn't afraid to mix it up at all. i have to give grimm credit for the questions too. i'm not a big fan of his play-by-play, but he conducted a very professional interview.

[weimy froob]

During the 1980 Winter Olympics, against the backdrop of the Cold War, the U.S. ice hockey team defeated the favored Soviet team in one of the greatest upsets in the history of the Olympic Games.

[Hornets]

This was truly a Minnesota story. The most incredible and epic sports story of our lifetime was due to Minnesotans!!!

[weimy froob]

the OP video isn't operational-but this one is. still a thrill to watch.

[Hornets]

the OP video isn't operational-but this one is. still a thrill to watch.

NEVER get tired of this Weimy! This and the first Twins WS win gotta be my top 2 Minny moments!

[weimy froob]

the OP video isn't operational-but this one is. still a thrill to watch.

NEVER get tired of this Weimy! This and the first Twins WS win gotta be my top 2 Minny moments!

that's a good clip right there. i can still feel the tension of them having to get that puck out of the zone.

[Slap Shot]

the OP video isn't operational-but this one is. still a thrill to watch.

Gives me goosebumps every time.

And Munger a certain April game at the X in 2002 will likely never be topped for me personally.

[Hornets]

the OP video isn't operational-but this one is. still a thrill to watch.

Gives me goosebumps every time.

And Munger a certain April game at the X in 2002 will likely never be topped for me personally.

You got that right SS!!

[weimy froob]

i picked this book up at a library book sale this summer. coming up on the 44th anniversary of the best sporting event of my life i took it out to read this morning. i read the two forewards--one by jim craig and the other by mike euruzione. euruzione's was especially good because i learned that later in life he became a friend with herb and was the guy that made the introduction at for herb at the u.s. hockey hall of fame induction ceremony and also spoke at the funeral.

btw, when i opened the book i saw that i had an autographed copy from the author. does that make it a more valuable book?

Spoiler:

can the OP update the thread title? thanks in advance.

[weimy froob]

most people who know something about herbie know that he was the last player cut from the 1960 olympic team. (there's a story there too. not the fairest decision for sure.) but did you know that he was a u.s. olympian in 1964 and 1968? or that he played on all the national teams in the 60s? this is how/where he came up with his hockey system. studying the great european teams. he did some mix and matching--taking some things from the north american game too.

but at his core he was a rink rat. he loved the game and he loved to skate outside. unstructured pick up games even in his 20s against all comers.

[Hornets]

Might have to pick up a copy of that book!

[weimy froob]

"when i started coaching at the university of minnesota i wanted to coach an ncaa championship team. and i also wanted to coach an olympic team. while at the university, i wanted to create a positive environment for our players so that they could grow as people, grow as athletes, and receive a good education. but the overriding motivation for me while at the university of minnesota, was to coach an olympic team. to do that, i knew that we had to be very sucessful in order to even be considered. the entire time i was there though, i was thinking about coaching the olympic team. i am very proud of winning three ncaa national titles, but to go on to become the coach of team USA was what it was all about for me."- herb brooks

guess what chapter is next?

[Hornets]

"when i started coaching at the university of minnesota i wanted to coach an ncaa championship team. and i also wanted to coach an olympic team. while at the university, i wanted to create a positive environment for our players so that they could grow as people, grow as athletes, and receive a good education. but the overriding motivation for me while at the university of minnesota, was to coach an olympic team. to do that, i knew that we had to be very sucessful in order to even be considered. the entire time i was there though, i was thinking about coaching the olympic team. i am very proud of winning three ncaa national titles, but to go on to become the coach of team USA was what it was all about for me."- herb brooks

guess what chapter is next?

His time coaching at St. Cloud??!

[weimy froob]

the olympic experience is coming up. i followed that team pretty much from the time they started playing games that fall. should be a good read. this is a spark notes version of his biography though. i wonder if/when he's going to get the thorough bio written. the material is definitely there.

"i remember one time she (wife patty) accused me of loving hockey more than her. i said 'yeah, but i love you more than golf and hunting' she got a kick out of that one."

[weimy froob]

anybody remember the last player cut from the 1980 team?

[Hornets]

anybody remember the last player cut from the 1980 team?

Harrer?