Do You Believe in Miracle?

Do you believe in Miracles? Twenty-Five years ago, a simple hockey game caused the people to believe in themselves again!

Twenty young men from North Dakota, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Minnesota, did what most thought was impossible. People, who did not know the difference between a Clothesline and a Blue Line, started to believe in themselves and their country.

February 22nd 1980, was not a good time in the USA. We had our Embassy Staff in Iran, being held hostage, shortage of fuel because of an embargo by Arab Oil producing countries, inflation was double digit (house loans were at 18%). People thought that the future was looking very dark!

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2005 the arena where the ?Miracle on Ice? took place will be renamed the ?Herb Brooks Arena?. A man, who was embarrassed by all the attention after the USA Hockey Team won the gold, will be honored. His wife Patty and their children will be there for the dedication.

Jim Craig, who was the goalie for the USA Hockey Team in all of the games, probably said it best. ?We weren?t a dream team but a team full of dreamers.?

Herb Brooks never got to play in the Olympics for the USA Hockey Team, he was the last man cut from the squad, before the USA Hockey Team went to Squaw Valley CA in 1960, where the USA, last won the Gold Medal in Hockey until 1980!

Herb was a true dreamer, and still dreamed his dreams, until they come true! Herb Brooks, died in a auto accident August 11th, 2003, he is missed by many of us.

~Parnelli

PS: I know this has nothing to do with fly angling, but it has to do with something a lot more important, believing in ourselves when time are tough!



[This message has been edited by Steven H. McGarthwaite (edited 22 February 2005).]

[anglerdave]

I'll never forget watching the USA beat the Soviet Union on TV and then go on to win the gold medal. Also saw the movie when it came out. Nice to be reminded of a bright shining moment in American sports history.

[grumps]

your post brought back some great memories. our family (wife, daughter and 3 sons) were riveted to the tv watching the game. our two youngest sons play hockey still, they were 22 and 20 years old in 1980. my question is how many of you can remember where you were during that great game?

[ohiotuber]

Grumps...Darn it! I was working a part time job in a local beer/wine drive thru. Didn't have many customers that night & the ones that showed up were in no hurry...would watch the game with us & wait until commercials came on for their brew. At least I saw most of it! The amazing part is that I never did understand hockey & still don't, but that was FAR more than "just" a game.
Mike

[This message has been edited by ohiotuber (edited 22 February 2005).]

I was coming back to the states after a 2 year assignment in Germany. I read that there were some overseas flights where the captain announced the drinks were on the airlines and they proceeded to toast the country and team. A few more months down the road and I found myself living in a tent in the middle of the desert supporting the embassies while the Iran hostage situation went on.

Mike

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There is no greater fan of flyfishing than the worm.


Patrick McManus


[This message has been edited by maddog48 (edited 22 February 2005).]

[zimrx17]

This isn't as meaningful as the soldier who served our country, but my remberence was one that I think I will always remember. I was in Kindergarten at the time and I remember everyone talking about the hockey team and the "miracle". I got a USA Hockey shirt, it was long sleeved, and I used to play hockey in my grandparents hardware store. I used a piece of plastic pipe, and an old fuse box (the cardboard kind that held fuses) taped up with electrical tape. I tore around the store, probably hit a few people. The weird thing is that before that I did not know what hockey was. I am baseball/football man from Missouri. But I will always remember my "hockey games" in the store.

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A bum-legged old man and a drunk. That's all you got?
That's WHAT I got.

[nighthawk]

Great post. I watched that game and it was very thrilling. I am a hockey nut and I am very upset with both players and owners over the current situation in the nhl. Herb Brooks and "Badger" Bob Johnson are two that may never get all of the credit that they deserve. When I think of the miracle on ice I can hear Badger Bob saying, "It's a great day for hockey". U.S.A.

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Eric "nighthawk"




[This message has been edited by nighthawk (edited 22 February 2005).]

The most emotional moment of the evening for me was the mouthing "where's my Dad?".
When, at the moment an athlete achieves a crowning glory the first thing he spontainously thinks of is "where's my Dad (or Mom)?" I can think of no higher sign of love and respect for one's parents.

I still vividly remember the time when one of my sons won the Conference MVP and the first thing he did was seek me out in the stands to give me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. My eyes tear at this moment with the memory.

That hockey team gave as much of a patriotic lift to America as any Olympic event ever.

Interesting contrast....Then and there we had a team with players whose inner spirits carried them to untold heights vs. our recent Olympic basketball teams who epidomize the "Me First" attitude so unfortunatly present in today's Pro Sports.

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Snow on the roof with fire in the hearth