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-Short Attention Span Theater- |
Today in History: the Miracle on Ice |
2007-02-22 |
United States 4, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 3 "Eleven seconds. You got ten seconds, the countdown going on right now. Five seconds left in the game! Do you believe in miracles? Yes!" |
Posted by:Mike |
#9 I'd have bet you everything I owned that the Russkies were going to win that game. In retrospect, I think that was one of three things that turned us around. The others were the elections of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan. 1973-1979 was a bad, bad time in the U.S. I didn't know if we were going to make it. Jimmah darned near did us in and, if he could have, he would. What a loser! |
Posted by: mac 2007-02-22 23:02 |
#8 Do You Believe in Miracles ran on HBO w/in the past 2 weeks, I taped it. It was great, I wish they'd update it to include 2002 Olympics and Coach's death. --Ahmedinnerjacket -- I swear you can see shorty there. |
Posted by: anonymous2u 2007-02-22 17:55 |
#7 As I remember it, I heard the score on the radio earlier, which was electric enough. The replay wasn't on until later that night. Still gut wrenching watching it. And here's a personal anecdote. We're in a bar on Revere Beach the night after Thanksgiving, 1979. There's a guy passed out cold on the bar. So I ask the bartender what's up with him. And he says, "Oh, that's Mike Eruzione. He's captain of the US hockey team and he's home for a couple of days." So it was a bigger miracle then most people think... |
Posted by: tu3031 2007-02-22 15:58 |
#6 Remember it like it was yesterday. It was a Friday night. Good neighborhood tavern. Maybe 40 -50 guys. Lots of cold beer. Decent television. No one knew the outcome, or if they did they didn't dare breath a word. When it was over grown men - and I do mean men - cried for joy. With no shame. Greatest moment in sport history, bar none. A great nation - down but not out - raised it's head, and stood up from the canvas. Thanks for the reminder, Mike. |
Posted by: Mark Z 2007-02-22 15:46 |
#5 The most exciting, tension-filled game of anything I've ever seen. That the good guys won only makes it better. If I were the sort who believes in signs, portents, and prophecies, I could make a really good argument that The Miracle on Ice was one of two prophetic prefigurations of the Reagan Revolution, the other being Tom Petty's "Refugee."* I plan to watch Miracle again tonight--at least, the USA-USSR game sequence. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - *Stop laughing, willya? Just pay attention to the lyrics: We got somethin' we both know it, we dont talk too much about it |
Posted by: Mike 2007-02-22 12:35 |
#4 PS--#2 Cyber Sarge, You wanna get another 'thing' in your eye? In this film, Barry Rosen, held by Ahmedinnerjacket and his filthy friends for 444 days in our embassy describes his joy at learning of the US victory. It's a small but very telling moment that still chokes me up. |
Posted by: JDB 2007-02-22 12:21 |
#3 I recall that evening with perfect clarity, even the time spent after my high school hockey team finished a half keg of beer watching the replay on ABC. By now, everyone should've seen Disney's excellent Miracle but for the Rantburg crowd especially, I heartily recommend the HBO documentary Do You Believe In Miracles? All the primary sources are interviewed (the Soviet Sportswriter is great) and the political dimensions are more fully explored. It's on sale at Amazon and I've used it in my US History classes to explain the Cold War and the rise of Reagan. The students love it. |
Posted by: JDB 2007-02-22 12:10 |
#2 Gosh I wonder why they (U.S.) didn't just quit when they had the star player thrown into the penalty box late in the 2nd quarter? I mean at that point it was starting to look like a quagmire? I never watched much Hockey but I watched on from the first puck drop and until the Medal ceremonies were concluded. I hate to admit it but I think I had something in my eye late in the fourth quarter when victory was certain. |
Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2007-02-22 11:59 |
#1 Famous last words: "Ahhh, they're losing. I'm going to bed". |
Posted by: SteveS 2007-02-22 09:51 |