The Greatest Upset

This past Friday was the 28^th anniversary of the greatest upset. February 22^nd, 1980 is simply known as “Do You Believe in Miracles?” That’s right; the United States Olympic Hockey Team defeating the greatest hockey team ever assembled, the Soviet Union. The final score was 4-3.

What makes it so special? This was the days before the NHL players were allowed to play in the Olympics. Team USA was made of college players or players that just finished their college career. The Soviet Union was made up of professional players in the Soviet Union. Half of the players on the USSR team were members of the CSKA Moscow club team. They were simply known as the “Red Army Team.” They trained 11 months out of the year and lived in military homes. They couldn’t even sleep with their wives. Team USA was put together 7 months before the games started.

The season before the Olympics, the Soviets defeated the NHL All-Stars 6-0 and 5-4 in a three game series. The NHL won the first game 4-2. Two of the greatest players to play the game were on the USSR, Vladislav Tretiak and Valery Kharlamov. Tretiak is probably the greatest goalie to play the game. He was the first non-NHL player inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Valery Kharlamov was known as the Russian Gretzky. He had 370 goals and 303 assists in 548 games. He died a year later in a car crash. He was also inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Neal Broten had the best pro career for the Americans. He had 923 points in 1,099 games. Mike Ramsey also had a long career in the NHL. The captain Mike Eruzione who got the game winning goal, called it a career after the games.

What made the game so great, the hype was built on its own. ESPN was just six months old and it wasn’t artificially hyping the game. This game took place in the middle of the Cold War. That was enough to get both nations to watch it. The win boasted the nation’s morale after the Iran Hostage crisis and the USSR invading Afghanistan. USA defeated Finland to capture the gold medal.

Photo from www.sol-lanzarote.info/w/Mike_Eruzione.html

That’s My Take

Nathan Fournier

(Nathan also is a writer for MVN.com. He's the writer for the Asylum which covers the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. He's also a regular contributor to the NHL Source also at MVN.com. He can be reached at fbbhgfan@aol.com)